"Lord Hokage." Temari opened the door wide and bowed deeply to the old man. "Is something wrong?"
The Hokage laughed softly. "No, no. Everything is quite alright," he said, gesturing for her to stand upright. "I thought it might be prudent to check in with you myself is all. With everything that has been happening, you and I have had little time to truly talk. I hope you don't take any offense from my lack of attention."
Temari blinked owlishly at the man. Was he serious? "Of course not, lord Hokage. You are the leader of Konoha. There are much more important things for you to attend to than talking to me."
"Are there?" he asked, smiling at her with a grandfatherly warmth which Temari was unfamiliar with. It felt nice. "You are much more important than you give yourself credit, my dear."
She nodded in understanding. "The alliance," she said. That was all she was good for here. Temari couldn't be mad at him for thinking that way. He was the Kage. Whether or not she bore the symbol of Suna, or could call the village home any longer, Temari was still Sunagakure's representative in the alliance. Her life, happiness, actions, were all important and relevant in some way. Her words couldn't undo the union between villages, but they could certainly harm progress. The Hokage would obviously be interested in making sure such things weren't going to happen.
Hiruzen hummed. "Ah, yes, the alliance as well. Very important. Though not what I was referring to," he said, seemingly oblivious to Temari's questioning stare. "May I come in? The house is suitable for both your's and Naruto's needs, yes? Don't be afraid to let me know if you need anything else."
Temari quickly invited him in, surprised that there were no Anbu following him, well, none that she could see. The Hokage made himself comfortable at the dining table while Temari made some tea. Had she known she would be entertaining the freaking Hokage, she might have bought some better-quality tea. "I hope it's okay," she said, setting a steaming cup down for him as she took her place across from him. "The house is lovely. More than I could have hoped for. I must thank lady Utatane again for her generosity. I'm sure Naruto feels the same way."
"The formalities aren't necessary. And please, feel free to speak your mind," the Hokage said, taking a sip of the tea and smiling. "I felt it proper to come and let you know personally that this business with Iwagakure will not intrude on the agreements I have made with Suna. You have sacrificed much for your village, and I will not sully that sacrifice. So please, do not worry yourself about that, and when you get the chance, inform those from Suna of this." He winked at her knowingly. "I've no doubt you will be asked to keep them up to date on everything. I'll make sure you are permitted to attend any meetings with them that you'd like to. Nothing will be kept secret from our allies."
That was… a lot. Temari wasn't sure how to respond. Allies or not, the Hokage was being far more generous than any village leader ought to be. He was right though, the council from Suna would no doubt request her to be their informant for all affairs relating to Iwa. As much as it frustrated Temari to know what would be expected of her, despite all she had already done for her village, it did make things much easier with the Hokage's cooperation. If only Suna could be trusted to return the kind gesture and show as much devotion to Konoha as their allies. Temari had her doubts about that.
"You have your own opinions on the matter I take it?" he asked. "If you would be kind enough to humour an old man. I'd appreciate hearing your thoughts before the Suna delegation arrive with their own."
Temari pursed her lips. It could be a trap. Kind as the Hokage may appear, he was still a shinobi. Many had been caught out before by speaking their minds at the behest of their leader. Still, it felt honest, even if that could have just been a trick. Temari weighed her options carefully, considering her words. Whatever she said could heavily impact the world. Would the Hokage listen to her, possibly interfering with a budding alliance between two great villages, or was he testing her, waiting to see if her interests aligned against the benefits of Konoha. Would he arrange for her death if the latter were the case? Only one way to find out.
"I do not trust them," she said honestly. "Iwa are… assholes."
The Hokage chuckled at her words. "An interesting description. Not entirely inaccurate, considering their past."
Temari let out a breath. She hadn't ruined things straight away. Better than she was expecting. "That being said, there is more going on than I can claim to understand. Suna's history with Iwa has left my opinion biased, and for that I apologise. I understand that the matters involving the Akatsuki are complicated, and with the jinchuuriki at risk, I would not blame you for taking advantage of the aid offered. You have more to concern yourself with than one village's prejudice against another, even if they are your allies. I know that…" she choked on her words and bowed her head.
"Don't hold back."
Easier said than done when your words could be considered treason against your home village. "I know that Suna has little to offer in comparison," Temari said. Was it always this hard to keep her hands from fidgeting? "Iwa would be the more advantageous choice to ally with. Even their last remaining jinchuuriki has much to offer Konoha in training Naruto. If it were to come down to a choice… I would not blame you for severing ties with Sunagakure in favour of a stronger ally."
The Hokage smiled and continued to sip on his tea. Either he was unbothered by her words, or he had been expecting her to say as much. "You are much wiser than many even double your age. Being able to reflect on your own biases and give sound advice in spite of it is a trait so few possess. Sunagakure should be very proud to have produced a shinobi such as you."
If only she could add the ability to not blush to her skill list. "Thank you, lord Hokage. If I can ask, why would you want my opinion? You have proper council, don't you?"
"When making choices that can and will affect the future, it is good to get the thoughts of the generations that will be most affected," he said. "While the old may possess the knowledge and wisdom to make careful deliberations on such matters, it is important that we do not lose touch with exactly whose future we are striving to protect."
More overly nice words that Temari couldn't determine as truth or deception. The Hokage had a reputation of being devoted to peace, so she was inclined to believe he was being honest. Still, being sure of someone's intentions was a surefire way to get yourself killed in this world. "Earlier, you said that the alliance was not what you were referring to when you said I was important. Can I ask what you meant?" Temari hoped she wasn't unknowingly burdened with even more responsibility.
The Hokage smiled guiltily. "I'm afraid I have a confession to make," he said. "When your village sent you here and you offered yourself to us so willingly, I must admit that accepting the offer to ensure peace with Suna was not my first thought. In all honesty, after what I had learnt of you after the chunin exams, I simply couldn't refuse such an offer. Suna could have demanded much more of us and I still would have agreed, so long as you were part of the arrangement."
"Me…?" Temari swallowed hard. "What do you mean?"
"It is selfish," he said, heavy eyes staring idly into what was left of his tea. "Time is not on my side. It is likely I will not live long enough to see many of my plans play out to completion. As such, I must impart my intentions onto those I can trust to fulfil them."
Trust? Her? What the hell was he talking about? Temari wanted to scream. Why couldn't things just be simple for once. "I don't understand. I'm sorry."
He waved off her apology. "It's quite alright. I had thought to bring you in on my little scheme earlier, but you have been doing such a good job on your own that I didn't feel it necessary. You see, I have made many mistakes in my time. Some of these will be rectified with time, but others require a more… delicate touch."
Oh. Temari schooled her expression and nodded. "Naruto."
"Indeed." The old man finished his tea in a single gulp.
"You hoped I would become a way to anchor his allegiance to Konoha," Temari surmised. Now that she thought about it, it made a lot of sense. Naruto was no Gaara, but it was clear he didn't hold any love for the village. His strength would only grow, and someday it would prove difficult to control or contain. As Hokage, keeping the village jinchuuriki in line was a necessity, but this…? "You said I've been doing well on my own?"
He nodded. "Naruto's loyalty is not the issue of which I speak. That, I'm afraid, is not likely to change unless he himself desires it to. The issue is Naruto himself."
Temari scoffed, only to realise with horror how rude that was. "Sorry," she said quickly. "I think I understand what you mean. Naruto is… difficult."
That was putting it mildly. Naruto was a good enough guy by Temari's standards, which wasn't saying much considering the types in Suna. The problem was that no one seemed to know anything about his inner workings. What he wanted, his intentions, his thoughts; it was anyone's best guess. Temari had spent the most amount of time with Naruto than anyone outside of his own teammates, and she still had very little working knowledge. She could predict him well enough by now, sort of. All you had to do was look at a situation and ask yourself 'is there any reason at all to avoid getting involved?'. If there was, then you could be assured Naruto would take it. Some would call it lazy, but Temari liked to refer to it as exceptionally antisocial. She was slowly figuring out ways to corner him to get him to do stuff.
She frowned. "Oh… I think I understand now." Damn, she really had been doing well on her own. That sucked. She had played right into the Hokage's plans without even knowing it. Though did it count if their end goal was the same? Temari wasn't sure how comfortable it made her feel, but it wasn't as if she could just give up now, not when she had made so much progress. "You wanted him to get close to someone, to let his guard down." Her eyes narrowed at the old man. "To what end?"
Temari couldn't outright fight the Hokage on whatever his intentions were. That being said, if he intended on using her to get to Naruto then that would be a problem. Being used by her superiors was nothing new, nor was getting close to a target for ulterior motives. Betraying what little trust she and Naruto had between each other however, that was too far.
The Hokage smiled softly. "I'm not sure myself," he admitted. "Though from what I have seen, I think the matter is in safe hands already. You have far exceeded even my greatest expectations of what this marriage could become. However you were intending to continue, I will trust your judgement. You and Naruto seem to get along well enough. I know that you have no ill will with your actions, so I have nothing to fear. Though this issue with Iwa could only be the beginning. With Naruto's identity out in the world, I cannot promise things will get any easier, and I will not be around to help forever. For that, I am truly sorry. It was never my intention to get you caught up in such a mess. I hope you will be able to forgive me in time."
Temari sighed deeply. She had figured as much already. Things would only get more complicated as time dragged on. "All part of the territory," she muttered. Being a Kage's daughter had prepared her for many possibilities. Still, ending up married to the son of one of the most legendary Kage in history was something else entirely. 'Kankuro is going to lose his mind when he hears about this.' Oh, how perfect it was too. Her father should be rolling over in his grave right about now. If only the fool knew how close he could have been to such an astounding 'victory'. All the more for her to enjoy. "You don't owe me an apology. I understand. No matter how annoying or dangerous things get, I can only blame myself. I did offer myself up for the position after all."
Complaining wouldn't do anyone any good at this point anyway. Temari finished her own tea and sunk back into her chair. "Was there anything else, lord Hokage?" It felt rude to try and dismiss someone of his stature, but she honestly couldn't maintain her composure much longer. The day had been long and Temari couldn't wait to soak her worries away in a bath.
He laughed softly. "No, no. I'm sorry to have intruded for so long already. Please, enjoy the rest of your evening. And thank you for the tea."
Temari let out a breath. Thank the gods. She hoped Naruto was having fun doing whatever the hell he was up to while she had to handle all the political crap. Lucky bastard.
{I}
Tayuya leapt through the trees in a mad panic. Finding her footing on a sturdy branch, she brought her flute back to her lips and scanned the surroundings. Her heart was pounding in her ears, and it was a struggle to keep her breathing under control. Just what the fuck had they gotten themselves into here? It was meant to be a simple mission. Sneak in, grab the Uchiha, and then take him back to lord Orochimaru, kicking and screaming if need be. Fighting their way out was a possibility. Getting caught was a possibility. Making a hasty retreat and facing their master's wrath, while not an acceptable option, was still in the cards. But this…?
"Fuck!"
She jumped from the branch just before it exploded into splinters. Landing on another branch, she looked back at the tree and froze. He was there, clinging to the side of the tree, red eyes burning into her soul. What the fuck was this kid? Were all jinchuuriki like this? She shook her head and began playing her flute. Her summons had already proved useless. The bastard had torn through them like an animal, barely slowing down as he continued his chase. He wasn't even trying to go for the Uchiha anymore, just hunting Tayuya down like a dog. Genjutsu was also barely useful. For whatever reason, nothing she threw at him was sticking for more than a few seconds, and any wounds she or Kidomaru managed to inflict in that time were ignored.
Her music hit his ears and he froze. Tayuya couldn't help but feel dissatisfied at his lack of screams. Anyone else suddenly living through the sensation of having their limbs melt would have wailed pitifully, but no, not this prick. An arrow soared through the air towards him from the depths of the forest, right on target. Tayuya smirked. Even if he broke free of her illusion, it was too late now. She watched in anticipation as his eyes refocussed and he reached the same conclusion.
Then he smirked back. The idiot didn't even try to dodge, just shifting his body enough to avoid anything vital as the arrow skewered him through the middle and pinned him to the tree. Tayuya's eyes widened. Throughout it all, his eyes never left her, and the smile on his face never wavered. She didn't wait to find out what he was planning. The second stage of her curse seal was already in play, the only real edge she had in this battle. If it hadn't been for that, she would already be dead, but the extra speed and strength only went so far.
She took off, not doubting that the jinchuuriki would be close behind. Being left behind sucked, but at least she was stuck with Kidomaru. Between the two of them, they had half a plan and a hope of catching their enemy off-guard. Playing the part of bait was still humiliating, even if it was their best bet. Tayuya continued running, not daring to look back as she veered in a wide arc, circling back the way she had come. Hopefully the jinchuuriki wouldn't notice, and if he did, hopefully he wasn't smart enough to drop the chase.
In less than a minute he was on her tail, closing the distance at a terrifying pace. Tayuya gritted her teeth and pushed herself. So close. So close… Now. She leapt off the next branch, jumping high and twisting herself in the air, narrowly avoiding an arrow aimed straight for her. It flew passed her and into her pursuer, only for his body to vanish in a plume of smoke, a piece of wood taking its place. Tayuya whipped her head to the side and sent a handful of shuriken loose. The wind was knocked from her as a fist slammed into her stomach, her body bouncing off a tree before she could catch her footing again. She got back to her feet and coughed, ignoring the taste of blood.
"Done running yet?"
Tayuya glared at him. She hadn't heard him get so close. He was still smirking at her, even with several shuriken sticking out of his left arm and leg. The wounds were sizzling, and the metal being forcefully pushed from his flesh. It made her skin crawl. Regeneration was totally unfair. She glanced around curiously. This wasn't the planned location, but it was close enough. Kidomaru would have to make do. She stashed her flute and drew two kunai. The curse seal was still going strong, and she was the more experienced fighter. There was no way she was going to be made a fool of by some brat.
She charged in, slashing and stabbing at him furiously. He blocked and weaved around her attacks effortlessly. Whatever idea Tayuya had about him being just some useless genin were quickly fading. She kicked him in the chest with the flat of her foot, sticking herself to him with chakra and lifting her other leg into a vicious spinning heel kick to his face. He blocked it, and she used him like a springboard to kick herself away to a safe distance. Her hands clenched tightly around her weapons. Even with the curse seal, he was matching her strength and speed. Where the fuck was Kidomaru?
On cue, the jinchuuriki craned his head to the side to avoid an arrow aimed from behind him. He stepped back to avoid another. To the side. Ducked. Forward. The volley of arrows continued from all directions. Tayuya pulled out her flute and began playing once more. She weaved her illusions, layering them one on top of the other.
The jinchuuriki's eyes went blank. Blindness had set in. He barely avoided the next arrow, its jagged edge nicking his cheek. His expression soured and the next arrow pierced through his calf. Deafness. His fingers twitched as he tried to move, another arrow ripping through his shoulder. Paralysis. An arrow punctured his side and his jaw clenched. The full body burning sensation would have kicked in by now. They were simple illusions, but very effective when used in conjunction with each other. Even if he managed to break out quickly, the damage was already done.
Tayuya lunged forward, intending to capitalise on the opening as well. An arrow appeared from the shadows, matching her advance from a different angle. The Uzumaki didn't have a chance. His snapped back into focus and Tayuya could see the realisation spread across his face. He could only deal with her or the arrow, but not both, not in his current condition. It was over. She reared her arm back, aiming the point of her kunai for his heart. Orochimaru be damned, this fucker needed to die here and now.
He turned towards the oncoming projectile. Tayuya grinned. Wrong choice. She closed the distance in a second, blade plunging deep and effortlessly into his flesh, bottoming out against her hand with a sickening thud. The warmth of blood soaking her hand had never felt so good. The sensation of victory was short lived. She coughed, a mouthful of blood dribbling from her lips. Pain erupted out from her stomach, and she looked down with wide eyes. An arrow was piercing her middle, held firmly in the jinchuuriki's hand.
'Shit.'
Oh well. Tayuya winced but still held a bloody smile. So long as the curse seal was active, such a wound wouldn't kill her. A kunai to the heart, however, that was deadly to anyone, even a… jinchuuriki… what the fuck? He was grinning at her. Red eyes shining madly as if the knife in his chest didn't exist. His free hand lashed out and clasped around her throat. Tayuya gasped as he twisted the arrow in her stomach. How was he still alive?
"Tayuya!"
She tried to call back out to Kidomaru, but the jinchuuriki's hand tightened. Before she knew it, she was lifted off her feet and swung around, more pain tearing through her body as an arrow went through her shoulder. The bastard was using her as a human shield.
"I expected better," he said boredly. "Sure hope your friends are better than you were."
Tayuya glared at him through the pain. "Fuck you."
The arrow in her stomach was pulled out and she screamed. He dropped her to her knees, grabbing her by one of the horns protruding from her head and forcing her to look up at him. He pulled the kunai from his chest as if it were a splinter, the wound bubbling closed almost as quickly as it had been made. Tayuya felt the blade press against her throat, still warm with his blood.
And all this time she was so sure Orochimaru would be the one to kill her.
{I}
Naruto kicked the headless body, watching it fall to the forest floor before tossing the head away carelessly. He leaned to one side, barely dodging another arrow. The girl hadn't been much of a challenge. If she had been alone, it would have gone much quicker. Still, it was good to get her out of the way first. Genjutsu was his greatest weakness. If not for the Kyuubi, he would probably be dead by now. The arrows stuck in him were easily removed and the wounds quickly healed.
Out of all of his opponents, the girl had been the biggest problem for him. With wide area genjutsu in play, his options were limited. One of the best jutsu in his arsenal was made completely useless by her presence. Not anymore. Naruto jumped out of the way of a volley of arrows, putting his hands together in a single seal.
"Shadow clone jutsu."
The forest was filled with smoke before the wind blew it away and revealed an army of clones. Naruto smirked. The archer was fast and could keep his distance well, but that didn't mean shit when you were outnumbered so completely. A clone popped, and the army scattered in every direction. There was nowhere to run, and nowhere to hide. Naruto would make sure of that.
{I}
Hiruzen shook his head as he looked out over the village. What a mess. Whatever calm there might have been tonight was lost now, all because of one child who thought he knew better. They knew Sasuke would leave, that he was displeased with his life in the village. What they hadn't considered was just how far he would go to ensure he was motivated to never return. A disturbed child's mind was a chaotic thing to try and predict it seemed.
"What is the status?" he asked.
An Anbu shimmered into position, kneeling at his side. "My lord. The fire is contained to the Uchiha district, but no direct source has been identified. Our members, along with any shinobi available, are currently working on saving what we can."
He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed deeply. "Don't bother," he muttered. "Keep the fire contained. That is all. The clan grounds are not worth risking anyone's safety over."
The Anbu nodded and shimmered away. Hiruzen frowned. If Sasuke truly wanted the Uchiha to no longer be a part of Konoha, then so be it. He would not lift a finger to undo the damage that boy sought to leave in his wake. Perhaps it would have been better to let Danzo have his way sooner. No one could have predicted this outcome. It was a true shame. After everything that had happened, all that Itachi had done for the village, and this is what Sasuke chose to do. A great loss for Konoha, but nothing they were unprepared for.
"I've still yet to see a good reason to stick around for this place," Tsunade said, taking a swig from a bottle. "Guess you'll have no choice but to kill the brat now. No one will be able to overlook this."
"Indeed," Hiruzen said. "I will leave that for Danzo to handle. He has a strange way of making the unfortunate work to his advantage. For now, might I ask you to check on the Tsuchikage and his escort. With all this chaos, it would be easy for someone to think they could get away with something."
Tsunade clicked her tongue. "Fine. But only because I don't want to get dragged into another war," she said. "Where's the pervert?"
"Jiraiya is currently keeping an eye on Naruto. It seems that Sasuke's get away was not as seamless as he had hoped."
"Naruto is chasing the Uchiha?" Tsunade asked. Hiruzen nodded. "Are we sure he won't use this opportunity to escape himself?"
That possibility had crossed the Hokage's mind. Hence Jiraiya's observation. The Uchiha was an affordable loss, no matter which way it came about, but losing Naruto was unacceptable. "Jiraiya will make sure that doesn't happen," he said. "He has been given instructions to observe and report back. He will only intervene if the need arises, just as Danzo's men will do the same for Sasuke."
His student frowned at him. "You're being much more sneaky than usual. Something you want to let me in on?"
He smiled disarmingly at her. "I would rather not act hastily. Being prepared for the worst is one thing, but to never give anyone the chance to exceed my expectations is in poor taste. Trust is a two-way street, after all. Even if I never intend to let them go against my wishes, it is always better to let them think they have more freedom than they do."
"That's cold, even for you."
"That's life, sadly." Hiruzen took a deep breath. The smoke was wafting over the whole village now. Everyone would be on high alert within minutes. "Go. Please. Make sure panic doesn't set in wherever possible."
Tsunade clearly wanted to say something, but she bit her tongue and turned to leave with a huff. She stopped short of leaving and turned back to him with a solemn expression. "Have you always been this untrusting of everyone?"
Hiruzen hummed to himself and shook his head. "No. There was a time I saw only the best in those under my care. But those days are behind me. Too much has gone wrong to so carelessly trust so much to everyone else. I may still hope that people will do the right thing, but I shall never expect it. In time, you will understand."
She snorted. "Don't count on it."
With that she finally left Hiruzen to himself. He sighed deeply. "For what it's worth, I hope you are right about that." If anyone was stubborn enough to not fall into the same pitfalls as those before them, it was Tsunade.
{I}
Nothing in the world could ruin tonight. That's what Temari thought as she sunk neck deep into the hot water once more. This house truly was a blessing. Temari wasn't sure how long she had been soaking, but her fingers were well and truly pruned and the aches and pains of her body had all but melted away. She would have to make a point to do this more often. Taking care of oneself was important to living a full life.
She dipped her head under, wetting her hair and relishing in the luxury of it all. Water wasn't as common in Suna as it was here, so it had taken time to adjust to being able to bathe whenever she desired, but now that she was accustomed, Temari wasn't sure she could ever go without again. No wonder everyone in Konoha was so annoyingly cheerful all the time. After her little talk with the Hokage, a long bath was the least she deserved.
Sadly, of all the things that actually could disturb her relaxation, the smell of smoke was quite high on the list. Temari groaned to herself as she got out and dried herself off, loosely tying a thin robe around herself before venturing back into the house. As she went, she tucked her trench knives into the sash around her waist. It was becoming a good habit to never go anywhere without them on her person.
Temari swore, if Naruto had set something on fire he would live to regret it. She had barely made it down the hallway when she paused, the hair on her arms standing on end. Something wasn't right. She strained her ears and focused her chakra carefully, pulling her knives out to the ready as she got low and crept onward. Hopefully her instincts were playing tricks on her, and it was just Naruto being weird in their house. If she was lucky, Kurotsuchi might have snuck in, intending to snoop or who knows what else, and Temari would be justified in her accidental maiming or murdering of the girl. That would be all too convenient.
She reached her room first, hugging the door frame silently. Someone was in there. Temari peered around the corner and her eyes widened. It was a man, dressed in bland shinobi garb that couldn't be associated with any of the villages she knew of. He had a mask on, though from where she was Temari couldn't tell if it had any identifiable markings. A short sword was strapped across his back. Temari took a deep breath. An assassin, just what she needed. To be honest, she was a little surprised it had taken so long for someone to try, though it would have been nice to know who was so interested in taking her out. Iwa was a good guess, but there was no way the Tsuchikage would have come all this way himself just to get caught up in that kind of mess.
Sadly, figuring out who was trying to kill her would have to wait. The intruder was nearly finished searching through her room.
Temari gripped her knives and channelled chakra into them. The idea of fighting in nothing but a robe wasn't pleasant, but it was better than not putting up a fight. The sound of footsteps heading her way brought her back into focus and she readied herself. Getting the drop on your opponent was often key to winning any battle, especially when you didn't know what the enemy was capable of, so Temari made sure to move first. She went low, slipping around the corner and lashing out with one of her blades. The clang of steel on steel rung out through the room and Temari hissed through her teeth.
"Nice try, little girl." He couldn't sound any more condescending.
He pushed towards her with his sword, the blade glowing blue with lightning chakra. Temari backpedalled into the hall. She dodged the next strike, then blocked the one after that. How thankful she was to have the dominant elemental affinity on her side right now. She weaved carefully between his attacks, not daring to get too close, but also refusing to give him the advantage of too much distance between them. His weapon had more reach, but in this hallway an overextended strike could leave him open. They danced for a short while, until the man's frustrations got the better of him.
He lunged at her fast, blade swinging hard in a horizontal arc. Temari brought both knives up and stopped the attack dead, following through by dragging one of her blades up along the length of his sword in a flicking motion. The air rippled and a spray of blood shot across the wall. His knee caught her in the stomach and Temari stumbled back, her opponent doing the same. She couldn't see his face, though she was sure he wasn't pleased. A thin line now marred the otherwise blank white mask, cutting across just above the left eye hole. Small lines of red trickled from the edge of the cut.
Temari regained her breath. "You going to at least try to kill me?"
The man gripped his sword tightly and attacked her again. He was slower now, more cautious in his movements as he kept her blades in his sights the entire time. The wound above his eye wasn't bad. Temari was actually rather annoyed that she hadn't managed to take his eye with her attack. No matter. Facial wounds bled a lot, and Temari could tell from his movements that his left eye was currently useless. Until he could stop and bandage himself Temari would have the upper hand, both physically and weapon wise. She owed Naruto big time for buying her these knives.
His sword nicked her shoulder, and she pushed an open palm towards him. A gust of wind knocked him off balance. Temari took the chance. It was risky, but in close quarters combat Temari was still not as skilled as she would like, and the longer this dragged on the more likely it was she would die. It was now or never. She swept his feet out from under him with a kick, his back hitting the ground with a loud thud. Temari followed him, both blades held up above her head. She brought them crashing down on his chest, the steel sliding into flesh, wind slicing through muscle and bone like butter. His breath escaped him with a gurgled whimper and Temari felt the warmth pool beneath her hands.
They clearly went with the cheap option for her assassination. How insulting.
Temari's breath caught in her throat as she shifted. With all the focus on killing him, Temari hadn't noticed the sensation of electricity surging through her body. Her shoulder was burning, but that was now the least of her problems. She stood up slowly, careful not to move too much as she winced in pain. Her eyes travelled down, confirming her fears. The man's sword, still buzzing with the remnants of his elemental chakra, was sticking out of her belly. A brush of her hand behind her told her it was a straight through wound, the tip of the blade poking out of her back. Fuck. Gods she hoped that it hadn't hit anything vital. Being taken out by the first assassin sent her way was not how Temari planned on having things end.
Taking the sword out would be a stupid idea, even she knew that much. Still, walking around with a whole sword run through her would be… awkward. Crossing her knives over the sword, just a few inches away from her stomach, she cut it short, letting the hilt fall to the ground. She shifted the sash of her robe, tying it tightly around the wound and the blade. A trip to the hospital it would have to be.
She glanced down at the lifeless body beneath her. Someone else could clean that up. She made her way down the hall, leaving a short trail of bloody footprints behind her. Temari pouted as she walked. An attempt on her life she could deal with, but did they have to ruin her robe? Her blood was staining the light purple shade of her gown. It hadn't been cheap.
Her hair shifted in a breeze and Temari dropped down just in time to avoid another sword aimed for her neck. Lightning crackled through the air as the blade left a gash in the wall behind her. Temari didn't have a chance to look up before a knee crashed into her face.
"Stupid bitch."
A foot hooked into her stomach. Temari winced as the blade shifted inside of her, more blood seeping from the wound.
"I told that idiot not to try anything alone."
The second intruder was a woman, if the voice was anything to go by. Temari swiped at her attacker, her arm seized by the wrist easily before she was pulled to her feet. She brought her second knife up, the woman deftly slapping it aside with her sword before driving her forehead protector into Temari's nose. Her eyes filled with tears as the crunch of bone echoed through her skull. She stumbled back against the wall, the tip of the broken blade within her pressing painfully against the surface. The shuffling of feet made her bring her blades up protectively, only to have the wind knocked out of her as something slammed into her gut. Her back hit the wall and she gasped. Lightning once again filled her, but Temari fought against the spasms. The blade within her was now pinning her to the wall. Every movement only furthered her injuries.
Temari saw the flash of glowing steel through her watered eyes and brought her blades up once more, catching the sword with the spiked knuckle-guards of her knives. Her wind chakra cancelled out the woman's lightning, but that was the only thing working in her favour. She blinked away the tears and glared at the woman. She was older than Temari, taller too, and with a much more striking shade of blonde hair. Her dark eyes were burning a hole through Temari's head, so full of hatred. Unlike her male partner, the woman wasn't wearing a mask; instead, she proudly wore a forehead protector with the slashed-out symbol of Kumogakure.
The woman snarled. "You should have just died quietly, bitch," she said.
"Sorry to let you down," Temari retorted. It was hard to not let the pain sneak into her voice, but so worth the frustration it evoked in her attacker. "Still, I'm flattered. Who would have thought Kumo cared so much about little ol' me."
"Go on. Get a big head about it. It'll just make it that much more satisfying to cut it off."
The woman placed a hand on the back edge of her sword and leaned heavily against it. Temari gritted her teeth as the cut on her shoulder burned under the strain. She was stuck. The sword inching closer to her throat by the second. There was no move she could make that wouldn't end badly for her. Then again, there was no reason she had to move at all. Her opponent was so close, and it wasn't as if she was ever far from her element. With a precise moulding of chakra and a swirl of her tongue, Temari formed what would have been the most pitiful wind bullet in history. Not nearly big enough to do significant damage, nor possessing enough chakra to sustain itself for any respectable distance. She didn't need it to be strong, and she didn't need it to go far. It just needed to be fast and accurate.
Temari pressed her lips into shape, aimed, and blew with all the force she could muster. Blood splashed across her face as the woman's eye exploded mere inches away from her. The woman stumbled back, clutching at her face as a pained scream emptied her lungs. Temari didn't have the time to enjoy the relief in the moment before she knew what had to come next. She stepped forward and pushed off from the wall, letting the blade pull out of her with no small amount of agony. Falling to her knees, Temari's vision blurred a little.
She blocked a kicked aimed for her head and stabbed one of her knives down into the woman's foot before rolling out of the way of a downward stab from her sword. As she rolled, she threw her second knife. Her attacker craned their head to the side, barely dodging the steel of the blade, but the wind chakra around it was a different story. Flesh parted and blood gushed from the side of the woman's neck. Her eye's widened in horrified realisation. Temari knew what that look meant. The woman ripped her foot from the knife and charged Temari in a rage, sword swinging wildly.
Temari got to her feet and caught the blade between her hands. With a pulse of chakra, she cut the steel cleanly in half. The woman tried to stab at her with the remnants of her sword and Temari swatted it aside. She brought her free arm down in a wind powered chop onto the woman's arm, cutting it off above the elbow. No sooner did she follow it through with an open palm strike to the woman's chest that sent her flying down the hall and crashing to the ground.
There was no spiteful final insult thrown, or solemn final words. Just the panicked whimpers of someone straining to draw their last few breaths. Temari couldn't help but shudder at the sound. At least when Gaara killed people it was quick.
She slumped against the wall, sliding down it until she was sitting on the ground. Her head was starting to spin, and she felt sick. She was losing too much blood. Even if she had the strength, getting to the hospital herself was unlikely now. Temari felt bad about it, but in this moment, she had to envy Gaara in a way. None of the assassination attempts directed at him had succeeded in any capacity. What she wouldn't give to have her own automatic defence. Still, she was alive, and she supposed that was all that mattered.
Her breathing slowed as she calmed herself and held pressure on her wound. Someone would find her soon enough.
"I should thank you for taking those two fools out for me."
Fuck.
Temari peered up at the newcomer. He was an older man with a weathered face. Across his forehead was the symbol of Kumo, only his wasn't slashed out like the woman's. So, another village really did want her dead. Perfect.
"Don't suppose you'll do the smart thing and tell me where the jinchuuriki is?" he asked, drawing his sword. He chuckled as Temari glared defiantly at him. "Figures. For what it's worth, this is nothing personal. Just orders from up high. I'm sure you understand."
She did, but that didn't mean she had to like it. Whatever Kumo thought they were doing, Temari didn't see why she had to be involved in it. Then again, she supposed she had no choice in the matter. If any village was going to be obsessed with jinchuuriki, it would be Kumo. Being with Naruto was really going to be the death of her.
The man's sword glowed blue as he reared it back. "Any last words?"
Temari didn't have any, not for likes of him, but someone else did apparently.
"Lava style: Burning Ash Cloud."
The man jumped back as a plume of black dust blasted past where he had been standing. The ball of ash hit the wall and spread out like a thick muck, melting effortlessly through the structure and filling the area with thick smoke that brough tears to Temari's eyes.
"You Suna rats really are useless outside of the desert, huh?" Kurotsuchi couldn't have sounded smugger if she tried, and Temari was sure she would if there was a chance.
"So, Iwa really has stooped so low. Helping Konoha of all things. How pathetic," the Kumo-nin sneered, his eyes glancing between the girls. "Unless I'm mistaken, and you are here for the same purpose?"
Temari coughed, the ash in the air burning at her throat as she looked warily towards Kurotsuchi. If there was going to be a time for Iwa to reveal their intentions, now would be it. Kurotsuchi could kill her and burn the whole house down and pin all the blame on Kumo. This was likely the exact kind of scenario Iwa had been waiting for. She shifted her weight painfully as she tried to gauge whether or not she could make a run for it. The pain forced her breath from her in a barely contained hiss and Temari settled back onto the ground. Not a chance. If either of these two wanted her dead, there wasn't going to be much she could do to stop them now.
Kurotsuchi snorted. "If only," she said, glancing at Temari before shaking her head with a huff. "That would be the clear better option. But no. Grandfather has other plans, so for now, I have to play nice. You can run away now if you like. It'll be your only chance to save your own skin."
"You're too young to be so cocky," the man said.
In an instant he crossed the distance between them, sword aimed to cleave Kurotsuchi's head from her shoulders. The Iwa-nin only smirked, cheeks puffing out suddenly before she spewed a ball of scorching hot quicklime at him. His sword struck the glob, sinking into it as the liquid clung to his weapon and hardened rapidly. Kurotsuchi caught the now cement covered blade and tilted her head, batting her eyelashes in an attempted cute expression.
"Did you think I was joking about your skin?" she asked innocently. With a flick of her hand, the hardened quicklime around his sword burst back into liquid and splashed across the man's face. The smell of burning flesh filled the hallway as he stumbled back, desperately brushing at his face with the sleeve of his shirt. "I can't stand assassins," Kurotsuchi said, spitting at the man's feet. "If you're going to kill someone, have the balls to do it on a battlefield. Cornering someone in their own home, where they can barely put up a decent fight, it's pathetic. Just what I would expect from the likes of Kumo."
Temari wanted to laugh. Of all things, Iwa was actually somewhat honourable in their own weird way. They were sneaky, underhanded, and bastards to their core, but they weren't monsters. Either that, or they just really sucked at assassinations, and as such covered it up with their pride. Who was to say really.
Kurotsuchi sped through hand seals and inhaled deep. "Lava style: Volcanic Purge."
The stream of lava and ash that flowed from her mouth filled the hallway and went crashing through the walls of the house, setting everything it touched ablaze. Temari sighed deeply. She was just getting comfortable in this house.
"Come on, princess. Don't think I'll be doing all the work here," Kurotsuchi said, pulling Temari to her feet and slinging her arm over her shoulders.
Moving hurt. Less than burning alive, sure, but still, pain was pain at the end of the day. "Did you have to set my house on fire?" Temari whined.
"I can leave you to die if you'd prefer."
Temari laughed. "You'd like that."
"Of course I would. Now shut up and move. That prick is still alive here somewhere."
"Lightning style: Lightning ball."
The sphere of electricity shot through the fire and ash behind them, forcing the girls to push away from each other and let it pass between them. The ash and smoke-filled air hummed with the lightning jutsu. Temari steadied herself against a wall. This guy was quite determined it seemed. Maybe the price on her head was decent after all.
"Silly little girls," the man grumbled, reappearing out of the smoke. Patches of his face were burnt red-raw, and he looked pissed. "Only one of you had to die here today. But who am I to refuse when someone gets in my way. I'm sure someone out there will pay a good price for both of your heads. A shame though, to kill such pretty little things."
"Aww, you think I'm pretty?"
Temari hung her head. Kurotsuchi was going to get her killed here.
{I}
Naruto drove the final arrow through the spider like boy's head, leaving him looking like an especially unfortunate training dummy pinned to a tree. Of his six arms, only four remained, and one of them barely looked like an arm anymore. His body was littered with cuts and burns, several pieces of his own arrows jutting out at odd angles here and there. The boy had put up a good fight, in Naruto's opinion, but there was nothing he could do against such numbers. Suicidal clones would be a challenge for almost anyone, especially a ranged specialist.
He took a deep breath and yanked an arrow out of his arm, hissing as it healed over.
"You are being too reckless. Control yourself."
Naruto scoffed. 'You saying you'd let me die?'
"Of course not. Keeping you alive is trivial," the fox said. "But your reliance on my aid is disconcerting. We still do not know who else could tamper with the seal at a moment's notice. You would kill us both if you continue to be overconfident."
He grumbled but didn't argue. A glance back at the boy's corpse showed that he was getting too carried away. It had been so long since he was able to let loose. Sure, he could have probably killed both of them without getting injured at all, but that would have taken way more time and wouldn't have been half as enjoyable. Not to say that either of these two had been that much fun. Whether he liked it or not, there was a more pressing matter to attend to than his own entertainment. If he wasted all his time killing these idiots then Sasuke would get away, and if that happened… Naruto couldn't imagine the village would be very pleased with him if their precious Uchiha slipped away from him. Time was of the essence.
Naruto sniffed the air and rolled his eyes. "Figures," he mumbled.
He took off in the direction the remainder of Orochimaru's little team were heading, not bothering to look back. The boy's body was already being collected, just as the girl's no doubt had been. Why they were only watching from the shadows, Naruto didn't understand. It could have been a test, or just part of their orders to observe him from a distance. Definitely Danzo's men. That much Naruto could say for sure. If they had been the Hokage's Anbu, then they would have interfered for the sake of Sasuke. They also wouldn't be so ready to let Naruto kill the members off without interrogating them first. Naruto didn't care about interrogating them, so this worked out just fine.
Several of his clones dispelled and Naruto grinned as he flew through the trees. Despite his fun, Naruto wasn't stupid enough to let the others run off without keeping an eye on them. Clones truly were such a magnificent jutsu. The remaining two were moving slower than they should have been, likely due to having to take care transporting Sasuke. Whatever that weird barrel was they had the Uchiha in, it didn't feel right. Naruto wasn't much of a chakra sensor, but the stew of negative emotions currently spewing from Sasuke were telling enough. It was just like when Sasuke accessed the curse mark, back in the forest of death, only amped up to one hundred. Not a good sign.
Another clone popped. Naruto twisted in the air, summing a new clone that grabbed him by the hand and flung him in an entirely new direction. A boulder smashed through the clone where Naruto had just been, tearing up through the foliage as it went.
"You seem eager," Naruto said, eyeing the large boy glaring at him. Large was an understatement. Naruto knew he was somewhat small for his age, but this guy… what did you have to eat to grow like that?
The boy seemed furious. "Did you kill Tayuya?"
Naruto shrugged. "Does it matter?"
"I guess not," the boy, Jirobo, said, cracking his neck. "I will enjoy this."
Naruto grinned. Excellent. He jumped at Jirobo. His fist was blocked by the boy even as the ground beneath him cracked under the force. He was strong, impressively so. Naruto hadn't met anyone near his age yet who could match his strength while he was channelling any of the Kyuubi's chakra. Lee was a possible contender, and maybe Choji under the right circumstances. Naruto couldn't fight either of them properly though, so to find someone else who put up such a challenge. Yes, this would be enjoyable.
Dark markings spread across the sound-nin's skin as Naruto summoned two clones. Despite his larger size, Jirobo was proving to be quite fast, managing to keep up with the three Naruto's with little difficulty. Naruto used his smaller size and speed advantage to duck and weave around the punches aimed at him. Getting stuck on the defence wasn't going to work for him though. He slid under the next punch, slashing at Jirobo's leg with a kunai as he went. The boy stumbled, opening himself up for one of the clones to knee him in the face. As he recoiled from the hit, the second clone leapt up and brought a heel kick down at his head. Jirobo caught the clone's foot, crushing the limb in his hand and dispelling the fake.
The real Naruto was already behind him, a rasengan formed and aimed for Jirobo's back. The jutsu landed, swirling chakra shredding clothing and flesh alike before launching the large boy forward, straight into the first clone. The clone planted both feet flat on his chest and sent Jirobo crashing and tumbling across the ground. Naruto had to admit, whatever those curse seals were, they sure made whoever had them a lot tougher than they ought to be. An unstable rasengan had done a number on the likes of Kabuto, and yet a fully formed one had barely gotten through Jirobo's skin.
Jirobo got back to his feet with a scowl and Naruto pursed his lips. He gripped his kunai tight and pumped earth charka into it, feeling the blade grow heavier and stronger in his hand. Naruto charged and Jirobo slammed his fist into the ground forcing him to jump to avoid the earth breaking under his feet. Dodging in mid-air was a challenge at the best of times, so Naruto could only grunt as a hand drove into his gut, fingers gripping deep and painfully. Immediately, Naruto could feel his chakra being sapped. A cheap trick, but a deadly one as well.
"You have a lot of chakra left, even after taking on two of us," Jirobo said. "It will be my pleasure to eat it all." Naruto stabbed his kunai into the boy's arm, but his grip didn't falter. "Tell me… did she suffer?"
Naruto grinned. "Not for long."
As soon as the words left his mouth his back met the ground, the wind knocked out of his lungs. Maybe provoking his opponent was a bad move. He twisted his kunai and kicked at Jirobo's knee. The limb didn't budge. Naruto cursed as he was hoisted back into the air. He weaved through some hand seals just in time for the next collision with the ground, slapping his hands on the earth behind him right before contact. His body sunk into the earth as if it were water, taking Jirobo's hand with him. The earth resolidified around the limb, and Naruto slipped back up onto the surface a safe distance away.
Jirobo pulled with all his strength and dislodged a large slab of earth from its place, launching it at Naruto. Naruto rolled out of the way only to stop in a kneeling position to block a punch that lifted him off his feet and sent him crashing into a tree. A hand clasped around his throat as his chakra began to be drained once more.
"I might actually feel full after I'm done with you," Jirobo said, his grip refusing to let Naruto make a sound. "How does a twerp like you have so much chakra anyway?"
Naruto grinned with sharp teeth, his chakra suddenly growing despite the drain. His strength increased, and just flexing his neck was enough to push back the hold on his throat. "Let me show you." His hold on the boy's forearm clamped down hard enough for the satisfying sound of bones snapping to be heard. Chakra exploded out of Naruto, pushing Jirobo back. The cloak formed around him, a single tail swaying behind him. Memories from another clone barely made their way past the fire burning through his body. He didn't have time for this. Enough time had been wasted having his fun with the first two. Naruto had mistakenly assumed that the last two would stick together, but no, it appeared their lives were worth less than retrieving Sasuke. How annoying.
"You're a reckless little shit, you know that?" Roshi said, landing beside him. "I thought I was making progress in beating the stupid out of you."
Naruto snarled at the man. "What are you doing out here?"
Roshi shrugged. "Out for a stroll." He turned to look at Jirobo, the large boy already back on his feet. "This one looks interesting."
The markings across Jirobo's face were growing out across his entire body, his skin shifting to a dark red. Whatever wounds he had healed rapidly, and his body grew as its form changed. It was an interesting process to watch in person. The others had changed forms as well, no doubt part of the curse seal's abilities, but Naruto hadn't actually seen them change. Could Sasuke do something like this as well? He had to wonder what else the seal could do. Maybe if he ever ran into Orochimaru again he could ask him to… nope. Naruto shook his head at the thought. His life was annoying enough with only the one seal.
"Go on brat. I'm gonna stretch my legs here for a little bit."
Naruto wanted to argue. This was his fight. Then again, the one that still had Sasuke was likely to be stronger than the one that had remained behind to stall him. Who was he to refuse a chance at a stronger opponent. There was still a glaring question to be asked though. "Why are you helping?" By all rights, Iwa would have the least reason to help Konoha keep their hold on the Sharingan. If Sasuke slipped away, it was all the more chance that they could claim him for themselves.
Roshi waved at him dismissively. "Fence-sitter's idea. Some crap about Konoha owing us one. Don't know, don't care. Now get going before I change my mind."
Konoha owing Iwa anything was probably not going to work in anyone's favour. Not that Naruto cared. What more could they saddle him with that he wasn't already prepared to deal with. He left Roshi in a burst of speed, Jirobo moving to intersect. A kick connected to the now ogre-like boy's jaw, and he was launched back down to the ground.
"Have some damn respect for your elders, brat. Ignoring someone in a fight is rude, don't you know," Roshi muttered, scratching idly at his beard.
Jirobo growled at him, his jaw clicking back into place. "I'm going to rip you apart, old man."
Roshi sighed and shook his head. "You dumb muscle types never have the good threats." In the blink of an eye his elbow was buried in the boy's stomach, then a fist to the face, a kick to the knee, and finally, with an iron grip on his wrist, Jirobo was flung like a rag doll across the ground until he stopped against a tree. Roshi inhaled deep and breathed out slowly, his body exuding enough heat to wilt the grass around him. He started walking slowly towards an already recovering Jirobo, each step leaving a burnt impression on the ground.
"Let's see just how good that seal you got is."
{I}
The Kumo-nin's head exploded, painting the better part of the road with blood and brains. Temari was accustomed to such scenes of excessive brutality, a desensitisation she hadn't given much consideration to until this moment. Kurotsuchi seemed slightly less prepared, the poor girl pulling a strange face and swallowing hard at the sight.
"Someone care to explain what the hell is going on?" Tsunade demanded, wiping her blood-soaked hand on her jacket and staring down the two girls expectantly. "Who was this? Why is that house on fire? And you –" she pointed at Kurotsuchi "- what are you doing here? You're supposed to be under guard, not galivanting around the village."
Temari leaned heavily on Kurotsuchi. "Kumo assassin. Lava jutsu. Saving me," she answered bluntly, gesturing weakly to each subject of note as she did so.
Kurotsuchi nodded dumbly. "What she said."
Tsunade regarded them both with a scrutinising gaze before clicking her tongue. "Tonight just keeps getting better and better," she said. With the slightest nod of her head a team of Anbu appeared out of the shadows and got to work dousing the flames of the building. She strode up to Temari and placed a glowing hand to her stomach with a frown. "This is just a patch job for now. Get to the hospital and wait there. I'll come fix you up properly once this whole mess has calmed down."
"What's happening?" Temari asked. Clearly there was more going on than just some assassins getting into the village.
"A lot," Tsunade answered vaguely, glancing at Kurotsuchi. "Where is your jinchuuriki?"
Kurotsuchi blinked innocently. "Guarding grandfather. Where else would he be?"
Tsunade scoffed. "Not even close." She pulled her hand back and Temari let out a thankful sigh. "Go to the hospital. Both of you. No detours. Temari, keep an eye on this one for me. If you see Roshi, tell him to get his ass back where it's supposed to be. So help me, if I find out anyone from Iwa had anything to do with this, I'll…" She let the threat hang in the air as her eyes flickered to the headless body laying just feet away.
The message was loud and clear. Kurotsuchi could only grin nervously in response.
"Where's Naruto?" Temari asked.
"Handling an entirely different problem… surprisingly," Tsunade said. "He'll be fine. We have eyes on him. The rest of us should worry about what's going on inside the village. As intriguing as Kumo's involvement here might be, they aren't a pressing matter. If you pass any shinobi on the way to the hospital, tell them to head to the Uchiha clan compound."
"The Uchiha compound?" Temari asked. "Lady Tsunade, what is going on?"
Tsunade held up a hand and shook her head. "Someone will explain later. Just do as you're told."
She didn't give them the chance to argue, storming off towards the Uchiha compound. The Anbu had made quick work of the fire and vanished. Temari, despite no longer bleeding all over the place, was still not in the best shape. She continued to lean on Kurotsuchi, finding herself rather thankful for the Iwa-nin's presence. Not something Temari had ever thought herself capable of feeling, but stranger things had happened.
"She seems… nice," Kurotsuchi said.
"She's an acquired taste," Temari said. That was putting it lightly. Tsunade still wasn't pleasant to be around at the best of times, what with the situation the Sannin currently found herself in. Temari couldn't blame Tsunade. It must have been stressful for the soon to be Hokage.
Kurotsuchi continued to help her as they walked to the hospital. They didn't pass many other ninja on their way, and those that they did run into seemed to already know what was going on to some extent. Putting the pieces together was easy enough from there. The Uchiha compound was on fire, currently burning to the ground, and Sasuke had been kidnapped. That last part sounded fishy, but who was Temari to question it. If it didn't concern her then it could stay safely off her plate.
"Do I really have to keep holding you?" Kurotsuchi whined pitifully. "Was saving your life not enough?"
Temari smirked and leaned even more of her weight onto the girl. "Yes, yes. My hero. Wanna tell me why you did that? I thought I was in your way?"
"In a manner of speaking, yes, you are." Kurotsuchi wasn't complaining about the extra weight, surprisingly. "But grandfather is insistent that we don't 'do anything stupid' so to speak. As much as you already being married to Uzumaki messes with our original plans, letting you up and die while we are around would only prove to makes things worse. Politics is painful that way."
"You can say that again." Temari still wasn't over the amount of political bullshit that landed her in her position. Kurotsuchi was likely just as vulnerable to being used in such a way. Still… "You seem way too calm about the idea of being married off just to gain some sliver of benefit for your village." The same could have been said about Temari back at the start. Perhaps, just as she had, Kurotsuchi was putting on a brave face.
Kurotsuchi laughed. "Oh please. Who I get married to doesn't bother me at all. I'd give them six months before they break and I'm free to go home without jeopardising the treaty. Life goes on as normal from there. No man alive can handle all of this." She gestured to all of herself proudly.
Oh, so it was a delusional sense of self. That tracked. If anyone could be that cocky, it would be someone from Iwa. Temari didn't have the heart to voice her opinion. No matter how stubborn or annoying Kurotsuchi could be, Temari doubted it would bother Naruto much. Kurotsuchi's little plan would backfire if Iwa got their way. Temari was about to make a snarky remark when a flash of pink caught her attention. "Sakura?"
The pink haired girl was standing outside the hospital, looking miserable and lost. "Temari? What are you doing here? What happened? Oh, and Kurotsuchi too. Hello."
"Long story," she said. "What about you?"
Whatever Temari had been expecting as an answer, Sakura's actual explanation was much worse.
"And you left him by himself?!" Temari yelled. She had figured Sasuke hadn't been kidnapped. Naruto running off to try and drag the idiot back, all the while fighting a team of shinobi from Otogakure, however, was unexpected. No one could blame Sakura for not getting involved, but fuck, leaving Naruto to do anything unsupervised was stupid.
"No," Sakura shot back. "There was Anbu, and lord Jiraiya was there too. They told me to come here and wait."
Temari let out a relieved sigh. Good. Someone was keeping an eye on Naruto, though that only raised more questions. Her sights shifted to the cloud of smoke rising from the village. Why did everything have to go to shit all at once?
{I}
"Run you fool!"
Sakon heeded his brother's words. He moved through the forest at breakneck speed. What else could he do? What could either of them do? This wasn't a fight either of them could hope to win, and there was no reason to stick around any longer. The others had bought enough time; the evolution of the Uchiha's curse seal was complete. Sasuke had to be far enough away by now. Sakon had been able to occupy the jinchuuriki for that long at least and Ukon had managed to take out the infuriating clones that had been tailing them the whole time. Even if they slipped away like cowards now, their mission was sure to succeed. Orochimaru would have his prize, and Sakon and Ukon would be welcomed back with open arms. So long as they could get back alive that was.
The forest behind him was being torn apart. He could hear it. Howling wind, splintering wood, falling trees. It sounded more like a storm was chasing him. If only that was the case. They could hunker down and outlast a storm, but not this. Wherever they ran, no matter where they tried to hide, the jinchuuriki was never far behind. He was relentless. Sakon was beginning to understand why Orochimaru was so insistent on not killing the boy. If the chance ever arose to bring the jinchuuriki over to their side, he would be a valuable asset; potentially more so than the Uchiha.
Sakon wasn't optimistic enough to think any of his team were still alive. For the Uzumaki to have caught up to him so fast, it meant those that had stayed behind had fallen far too quickly. Weak, useless trash, the lot of them. At least their lives had served a purpose. Still, they could have bought a little more time. Hopefully Orochimaru would choose their replacements with more care.
"Down!" Ukon yelled.
Sakon landed on the next branch and dropped down to a lower one. An entire tree flew overhead like a spear. How was the jinchuuriki tracking him so effortlessly?
"Found you."
Sakon's blood went cold. He looked up and met the red eyes of his pursuer. The bright blonde hair and orange clothes had been deceptive at first, but there was no mistaking it now. No matter how much the jinchuuriki might have appeared like dumb brat, he was a monster. He grinned at Sakon, wide and with inhumanly sharp teeth, like a predator that was far too pleased with itself. It sent a shiver up both his and his brother's spine. None of the injuries either of the brothers had managed to inflict on the boy were to be found beneath the tattered orange jacket. Sakon's body moved on its own, lashing out with a kunai before he could even think of how useless it would be. It sliced right through the jinchuuriki's face, causing him to vanish in a plume of smoke. He cursed. Just another clone. How many of these things could he create?
"So, there's two of you in there, huh?" Naruto asked, landing on a nearby tree.
"I'd say that's weird, but that would be hypocritical of me, wouldn't it," another said from behind him.
"Is it uncomfortable?"
"Were you born like that?"
"Actually, it doesn't matter."
"You're just going to die anyway."
"Will killing one kill the other?"
There were dozens of them. Sakon was cornered. The jinchuuriki had him surrounded. The clones may have been easy to dispel, but the numbers alone were simply too much. Any opening made in his efforts to fight the clones could be deadly, and even if he could pinpoint the original, there was nothing he could do to him. Ukon had already attempted to infiltrate his body. The bijuu within had made it an agonizing experience, if not nearly fatal. Whatever damage they could inflict in the tiny window of opportunity wouldn't be enough. He was dead.
Sakon smirked. "You should have focused on your precious Uchiha. By the time you're done with me, you'll never catch him."
Naruto shrugged. "I'm not worried."
"You should be," Sakon said. Stalling for precious seconds of time. How pitiful of him. He would be sickened with himself if he weren't so sure that had no other options. "What do you think will happen when lord Orochimaru gets his prize? Your precious teammate will soon cease to exist, and with the power of the Sharingan, lord Orochimaru will destroy your pathetic village." His words seemed to have no effect.
"I assume you were the leader of this team then?" Naruto asked.
Sakon narrowed his eyes. Ukon's arms had formed out of his back in preparation. If they were going to die, they were going to die fighting. "What does it matter?" Another shrug in response. Was he truly worth so little in the eyes of this boy? Him? One of the hand chosen members of Orochimaru's guard. Powerful or not, not even the jinchuuriki had the right to look down on him like this.
"Just wanted to know if I should kill you or not." One by one the clones began to disperse back into the forest. "Too bad for you. I would have just killed you. Can't say what they'll do."
"What are you blabbering about?" Sakon demanded. There was only one Uzumaki left, the original possibly. Did he think he was enough by himself to take him down?
Naruto wasn't even looking at him anymore. "This one is all yours."
The boy left. Sakon blinked in confusion. What was going on? A deep breath caught in his throat as the sensation of cold steel touched his throat. "Brother? What is this? What are you doing?"
Ukon's body shifted oddly as his torso grew out of Sakon's back, kunai still held firm to his brother's throat. "Hmm, two minds that can share a single body. How peculiar." It was Ukon's voice, but it was wrong. The natural and seamless way their bodies melded together felt tainted somehow, as if one of them had suddenly forgotten how to make it work properly. "You could prove valuable."
Any thoughts of escape died as Sakon felt his hands and feet start to go numb. The barely noticeable sensation of something crawling across his skin coming all too late. Someone else landed in front of him; a tall, masked man with another similarly masked body slung limply over his shoulder. Was this how the jinchuuriki had taken out his team? How did the runt have Anbu aiding him? "Who are you? What do you want?" His whole body felt numb now. He couldn't move even if he wanted to. Ukon went limp against his back as the second masked man was put back on his feet.
"We are no one," the man said with an emotionless calm that sent a chill up Sakon's spine. "And we will have all that our master desires."
A/N:
Another chapter down. Yay. Sorry for the wait; lots going on these days. Hopefully this was worth it.
I hope, despite everything, this chapter was enjoyable. As you can see, I have a bit happening now. Kumo have finally stepped into the ring, and Iwa is sticking with their diplomacy angle. I know I didn't do the sound four justice, but they were a means to an end anyway. Naruto gets to prove that he isn't afraid or incapable of being a little monster, Roshi gets to earn a bit more trust, and Danzo gets to stick his fingers in yet another pie. Also, I feel bad for ruining Temari's bath time. Poor girl.
Next chapter will see what happens with Sasuke. Should be fun.
Reviews have been great so far. Keep 'em coming.
Till next time.
Soul out.