{Land of fire: Konohagakure: Anbu Headquarters}
August 12th.
Line break.
[Shikaku POV]
Shikaku and Inoichi sat in the room where Gaara's corpse was being preserved, the two discussing the cause of Shukaku's release.
It was plain, surrounded by very little aside from the table holding Gaara's corpse; a side sheet holding scalpels and other medical instruments was attached as well. It was a white room with muted colors.
Their discussion ranged from the repercussions of such a disaster to the one they knew was responsible for this mess. Danzo.
"He can't be allowed to walk away from this," said Inoichi.
Shikaku said nothing as Inoichi paced.
"Thousands died because of that man. Thousands. We can't let him do as he pleases anymore; we can't let this one slide. So much went wrong because of this one fuck-up. Hiruzen would be alive and well, but thanks to him, he's gone!" Inoichi ranted.
Shikaku remained silent. 'Another interesting observation. I agree. The plan was always for Jiraiya to meet with his sensei. And Shukaku being released from Gaara was what we were trying to prevent.' He thought silently.
"He needs to be stripped of his position as councilor and elder. No. more than that." He said, whispering the last part quietly.
Inoichi stopped pacing and looked at the pondering form Shikaku. "If we don't act fast, he'll find a scapegoat to use. He'll deflect his error by the time Jiraiya finally accepts his role as Kage."
Shikaku shook his head. "Then we don't let Jiraiya ascend until Danzo is taken care of."
Inoichi gave the man a skeptical look.
Shikaku got up and stretched before making his way to Gaara's corpse.
"So long as there isn't a Kage, the council of elders hold regency power. However, if the elders prove to be either tyrants or incompetent, then a unanimous vote can be held to throw them out of power temporarily. A new power will have to take its place. That power would be the collective clans that run the village military. You see where I'm going with this?" Shikaku said.
Inoichi squinted his eyes, and Shikaku turned around and crossed his arms, leaning on the metal table holding Gaara. "Danzo's best security is through Koharu and Hamura. If we corner them, we can force his hand, draw him into a trap, and put Danzo on trial without resistance. I'll figure out the timeline since throwing them out of power will spook Danzo into hiding. It'll all have to be done in one seamless stroke. All we need to do is gather the necessary allies to blindside the old man."
Inoichi remained silent, pondering this. 'That's right, ' he thought with glee. We'll need witnesses like the personnel who were there when it all went down and powerful backup like Jiraiya and maybe the Anbu commander.'
After some silent pondering, Shikaku spoke again. "The people are also angry. They blame Suna for the tailed beast attack. Let's switch it up a bit. Why don't we also inform-, no... Leak the details of Naruto's mission and how Danzo Dropped the ball. Let the populace know who's truly responsible for such destruction. Reveal to them why a second tailed-beast rampage occurred to take their loved ones."
Inoichi snapped his finger and pointed it at Shikaku with a look of realization. "Then it would be that much easier for us to cast him down!"
"Exactly," Shikaku said.
The Nara stepped away from the corpse and ushered Inoichi to follow him out of the room, the two of them now taking their conversation down the hall as they traveled.
"I'll test the waters with the other clan heads to see where they stand, as well as those representing the heads that are absent," Shikaku said.
They walked by an empty hall that led to the interrogation chamber, the one holding Kankuro.
"That reminds me. How much do we have from Rasa's brat?" Shikaku asked.
Inoichi gave a subtle smirk. "A lot. I cracked his mind open like a nut, and all the contents just came spilling out. He didn't put up as much of a fight as I thought he would."
Shikaku stopped at the door with Inoichi, and the blonde shook his hand. "I suppose I'll be working with Jiraiya?" Inoichi asked.
Shikaku shrugged. "I'll bring him on board, but only after you get in touch with the anbu captain who was present with Naruto during the... Incident. In fact, we'll also be needing Naruto too, but I'm sure if Jiraiya is on board, it'll make it all the easier to get Namikaze-san to cooperate."
Inoichi shook his head. "Naruto was more than a little stressed over the mission. He's the one who informed me of this to begin with. He's already on board, I can assure you."
Shikaku gave a serious expression. "Then let's not waste any time. I'll leave you to finish your work here. we'll meet again to discuss a mutual meeting point to further plot Danzo's fall and how it should happen after the next council meeting."
Inoichi nodded and watched his friend go before walking into the interrogation chamber where Anko and Kankuro were waiting. The latter was being tormented in the most unique of ways. "Cut it out, Anko, " he said as he stepped in, stopping whatever activities were going on inside.
Meanwhile, Shikaku made his way up to the surface floor; the further he went, the more damage was present.
By the time he reached the top, he could hear the sound of construction and the villagers calling out to one another as they worked on repairs.
The lobby was a mess, but it was still standing. The other half of the building, where the T once stood, has completely vanished, replaced by a protruding crater of debris.
He stepped out and watched as the collective of people and shinobi alike continued to pull work together to rescue anyone still trapped beneath the rubble. Even two days after the attack, people are still being found all over the village.
It left him shaking his head.
'To think that I'd find myself in a position such as this one. What a drag,' He thought to himself, looking up to see out in the distance that there was smoke and dust still in the air, the sky grey and hidden.
Line break.
{Land of fire: Koohagakure: The Hyuga Compound}
Hanabi peered around the corner of the main drawing room, looking down the hall at what looked like the entirety of the clan. The main family, the branch family, and numerous doctors gathered outside of the meeting room to discuss her father's health.
She gripped the wall and bit her lip, feeling her heart in her throat as she continued to listen to the chatter of her clan.
"Did you hear? Lord Hiashi lost an arm."
"Do you think this means he's done as the clan head? Is she going to take over so soon?"
"Who knows what'll happen? Maybe one of the elders will step up."
Hanabi shook her head and started to back away when she felt herself bump into someone, causing her to jump.
She turned around and saw Hinata crossing her arms, a raised brow sent her way. "Ah, Onee-chan!" Hanabi squeaked.
Hinata leaned over the younger girl and peaked around the corner, frowning at what she saw.
"Hanabi, you shouldn't be snooping around like this."
Hanabi shook her head and pulled back from Hinata. "It's not my fault. I've been stuck here with nothing to do, and no one tells me anything. I'm scared for our father."
Hinata stared at the door down the hall as she brushed her little sister's hair softly. She didn't have much to say regarding her father's health because she didn't care. Yet, she didn't llike seeing Hanabi this way. "I know. Just... Be patient for now."
Hanabi frowned as she looked behind to see Hinata. She's covered in a few bandages here and there, with bruises from her fight with Neji still present.
"Speaking of, why are you sneaking around, too? You shouldn't be walking around the house either!" She said with a pout, making Hinata smirk slightly at the observation.
"Oh, hush up before I back out on taking you out of this dump," Hinata said.
The girl's eyes sparkled at that. "We're going outside together?!" Hanabi yelled, jumping up and down in excitement.
Hinata whirled around and covered Hanabi's mouth. "Dammit, Hanabi! Voice down! We're not supposed to be here!" Hinata hissed, pulling the girl from the corner.
Hanabi's eyes widened, and she moved Hinata's hand away. "So, we're ditching?" She said with hope in her eyes.
Hinata nodded. "I don't want to be here anymore. I need air, and so do you. I'm going to the top of the Hokage monument to relax. Wanna tag along?"
Hanabi frantically nodded her head before looking down the hall with a bit of fear.
"They won't suspect a thing. I promise," Hinata said with a mischievous smirk.
Hanabi took one more glance before nodding again. Hinata then ushered Hanabi away from the scene, looking back one more time before scooping her sister up and disappearing down the hall, a small yelp being the only sound of protest as she moved like the wind.
Line break.
Inside the room where Hiashi happened to be the topic of discussion at hand, Hiroshi meditated, trying to figure out how to proceed.
Hinata is the confirmed heir, meaning there was no turning back now. If Hiashi dies, Hinata is the clan head, period. His earlier threat against her is now meaningless.
He opened his eyes and leaned forward in his chair, taking in the room.
All around the large table, questions were being thrown around and answers given, whether vague or true. The topic being discussed is Hiashi's fate, and what nature their regency. The clan head is in a coma, so the answer is simple. The problem is how the regency should be shaped. Naturally, the council would take power, but Hiroshi had plans. He doesn't get along with every member of the council, so the radical decisions he could make while Hiashi was in power is no longer possible. Unless he were to become the sole power and voice of Hinata until she came of age. That would mean taking a measure he didn't want to commit to.
"Lord Hiroshi," A man said, drawing his attention.
Hiroshi turned around to see a man dressed in white garbs that covered him from head to toe. "We'll be leaving now. We've been called back to the hospital. I hope we've managed to answer any questions you've had on your mind.
Hiroshi waved him off with a grunt to continue his brooding. His questions were answered 30 minutes ago. The rest was the council throwing their two-cents in for the past 2 hours, wasting his precious and limited time.
Beside him, his fellow elder sat in a chair of his own, watching as the doctor left.
"What did you say to Hinata in private?" asked Daichi Hyuuga, a Hyuga that looks similar to himself.
Hiroshi scowled at the sudden question and glared at the table. "I said what needed to be said. She was careless in divulging her rebellious feelings to Neji and, in turn, to the village. There was no other way to get through to her other than the obvious. She needs to be controlled."
Daichi closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You used Hanabi. She won't forgive that."
"She won't have a choice but to. I'm to assume the role of regent soon." Hiroshi said.
"Hiroshi, you know I support you, but that isn't concrete yet. Like you, she is vindictive and cunning. She doesn't let go of slights. You saw what she did to Neji." He said with an edge.
Hiroshi wanted to glare at his older cousin, but he knew better. Daichi wasn't like the rest of the elders in his way of thinking. His words were never to insult. "Neji's situation is his own fault. He was trying to kill her first, and she retaliated with the same energy. I doubt she was even trying to do what she did. It's not what I scolded her over."
"You should have. It was barbaric and a waste of potential. Both of them were in the wrong, and one of them paid the price for it. The branch family are assets, not simple slaves." Daichi said with a disappointed tone.
Hiroshi glared at the man but didn't argue further on the subject. "Hinata will not act against me when her father still breathes. He could wake at any time. In the meantime, we should focus on the bigger picture here."
Daichi glanced over. "And what's that?"
"The elevation of our clan's status. The Daimyo is dead. We need to rethink our options now. The court of the Fire capital is in disarray." Hiroshi said with a severe tone. "House Koneko has effectively fallen."
Line break
{Land of Fire: Konohagakure: Konoha Hospital}
[2 hours later]
To be the bearer of bad news was something Kakashi was very familiar with. He'd had to relay the deaths of his comrades to loved ones more times than he'd like to remember. But this was something that weighed on him in a different way.
He didn't know how Naruto was going to react to the loss of Iruka. He'd even been cautioned by Kurenai to hold off until after the funeral for the Hokage, but there was no avoiding this. It needed to be done.
The boy has been quiet since the invasion, save for when he was with his teammates. But Sakura also lost someone in her life, and so now it's just Sasuke trying to keep the two of them from falling apart. Not at all what he was expecting.
As soon as Kakashi opened the door to the hospital room, he sighed in exasperation when he saw the boy already walking around, testing to see how much pressure he could put on his once-fractured foot. He even had his glass of tea in his hand.
"Naruto, the doctor said not to overdo it," he chastised, making the blond turn around with a smirk. No doubt he was aware of his presence.
"Kakashi-sensei," he said with subtle excitement. "It's healing faster than usual. I can actually make it to the cafeteria. It looks like we'll be able to go on missions soon."
Kakashi sighed and gave a slight chuckle. "Well, I wouldn't rush that far ahead." He said.
'I can already see it. He's putting up a front. He's more hurt than he's letting on.' He thought in his head somberly before he went to take a seat, wincing as he did due to the soreness and burns he was suffering from.
He shouldn't be walking around either, so he didn't make Naruto sit back down. Most of his own wounds are superficial burns and a slight case of chakra exhaustion.
Naruto saw the way he sat and knew he was there for something. "Something's wrong," he said simply. "Is there something you want to tell me, Kakashi-sensei?" He asked, eyes narrowing, which caused the older man to sigh again.
"perceptive as always," Kakashi said with disappointment.
He didn't know where to begin.
No. He knew where, but he didn't want to break it down as he would with anyone else. The boy has too much on his plate to take another loss. He's already struggling to cope with Hiruzen. He can tell.
"You see... It's... It's about Iruka." He started, raising the boy's brow.
"If it's because of a lack of a visit, I understand. I heard the academy got attacked during the invasion. No doubt he's dealing with that." The boy said simply, not at all picking up the dreaded air of what the man was here to say. That, or he was deflecting and in denial of what it could be.
Kakashi looked down and closed his one eye. "Naruto. He hasn't visited because...Iruka has been killed. He died protecting his students."
Naruto seemed to freeze at that. "That's not cool, Kakashi."
"It's not a joke," Kakashi said softly.
Naruto didn't say anything for a while, simply letting out a breath instead. He was silently staring out the window. It made Kakashi wonder if the blonde even really heard him.
Naruto looked down at his glass of tea and took a sip of it for a moment before turning on his heel and chucking it against the wall, sending the glass flying and startling Kakashi a bit.
The room became dense with malicious chakra and saw his eyes turn red. Yet, he remained still, staring at the mess he just made.
Kakashi was careful not to push things, not even bothering to move a muscle.
"Who?" Naruto said quietly.
Kakashi remained silent for a moment, and Naruto read it as him not understanding the question.
"Who did it? Who is responsible for the death of the closest thing I've had to a father?" He said, a little louder than last time.
Kakashi was quiet for another moment before he shook his head. "Naruto. The person responsible is probably dead. It doesn't work that way."
"BULLSHIT!" Naruto roared, the walls cracking with Ninetails chakra and shaking the room.
Kakashi stood up, alarmed at the reaction. He hadn't thought of the possibility of the Ninetails coming to play since his chakra never peaked like this before.
"Naruto, I need you to calm down. It won't do you any good to-"
He didn't even finish when a blast of chakra washed over him and made the paint on the walls peel.
"How the hell am I supposed to calm down?!" He asked, his voice growing louder, cracking with emotion. "You mean to tell me that my big brother is dead?! And at the hands of some nameless piece of?!-"
Naruto suddenly halted, the red chakra coming down as his seal began its work.
Naruto fell to his knee and panted, and Kakashi quickly moved to his side, unsure of what to do.
He decided that the best thing he could do was to be there for him.
Naruto's breathing became irregular as he tried to calm down. "K-Kakashi...he..."
Naruto then looked up, with tears streaming down his eyes as the realization of his situation finally dawned on him. "Kakashi...he's...Iruka-nii is..."
Before he knew it, his vision went black as he broke down and cried, falling into the arms of Kakashi.
Kakashi held him there and waved off the shinobi who were at the door, obviously alarmed at the outburst of chakra.
They stayed like that for a while.
"H-How am I gonna...without him...how am I gonna make it, sensei? How am I supposed to handle all this loss, this pain? I can't do this. I can't."
Kakashi looked down at the crying boy in his arms and felt his heart break a bit for him. He wasn't equipped for this. He could only offer him so much in the way of comfort.
"He... He wanted to see you succeed. To see you become a hero that the village would remember and to see you grow into being the next Hokage. They both did. You don't know this, but the village is cheering you on now more than ever. Many people were saved when you stopped the One tails. You had many witnesses." Kakashi said, hoping to cheer the boy up.
"I don't care about those people. I only ever wanted to impress Jiji and Iruka-sensei. And now that They're-... I don't care about being Hokage. It means nothing to me now." The boy said bitterly, his voice cracking.
Kakashi frowned at that. 'They were also the reason he didn't turn out like that Gaara kid. Hiruzen and Iruka made him into what he is today.' He thought somberly.
Naruto released him and wiped his face. "S-Sorry. I need... Time alone, sensei." He said quietly, wiping his tears.
Kakashi frowned. "Actually, you're going to need a new room."
Naruto's eyes widened, and he looked around, finding that everything was knocked over in some way or another.
The window was blown open, the bedsheets were on the floor, and his tea was still running down the peeling wall.
He hung his head, ashamed. "Sorry. I'll pay for the damages," he said.
Kakashi shook his head. "No. I'll pay. Don't worry about it. Stay here while I go and get you some new accommodations."
Kakashi stood up, ignoring his soreness, and started walking.
He gently closed the door behind him and took a breath. Outside the room were concerned staff and a few shinobi. One of these shinobi happened to be Kurenai.
"What was that?" Asked a concerned nurse. "Is he ok in there?"
Kakashi nodded. "He's fine. He had... He needs to be alone right now, so wait a few hours before getting him food. He's also going to need a new room."
The nearby shinobi looked wary still, but since it was Kakashi, they were put at ease.
"As long as he's stable as you claim, we'll trust your judgment." An elder leaf-nin said as he made his way down the hall with his comrades.
Kakashi let out a breath but noticed Kurenai's look and wiped his brow. 'Here comes the scolding.' He thought to himself as he turned on his heel.
Kakashi started making his way down the hall and his co-worker followed close behind with an annoyed look., not letting him get off as eaasy as he'd wanted.
"Kakashi!" She hissed. "I told you to wait until he was in a stable enough position to take more bad news like this!"
Kakashi rubbed his masked face in irritation. "Look. Building someone back up only to knock them down is a bad idea. Trust me. I would know."
"So would I." Kurenai said. "But there's a way of saying it, Kakashi. You told him straight up and out the gate. No warnings or foreshadowing."
"It wasn't... Ok, it was. But I had to. There was no other way to put it and you know it." He said with a tired voice.
Kurenai was silent for a moment, but she could only shake her head in exasperation. "You're unbelievable, Kakashi. Did you even think of how he'd react? Did you think about it at all given his status?"
Kakashi halted in his walk, and Kurenai did, too. She gave him a hard glare.
The man sighed and turned to her. "Kurenai. I understand Your concern, but I have this under control. I wasn't worried about the Kyuubi because I know what he can and can't take. I know how Naruto is at this point. He doesn't like things being kept from him. Trust me. If I hadn't told him now and waited until he was strong enough to go and visit, it would have been bad. Naruto is already walking around, thanks to his healing factor. I didn't have time."
The woman crossed her arms and sighed. It was true. Naruto would've found out before the funeral prematurely since he'd be seeking comfort from Iruka, the closest family he had aside from Jiraiya. It would have been bad.
"Very well, Kakashi. I see your point." She said softly.
He nodded." I'm thankful for your concern with my students, but you have a bit on your plate as well." He said, and the woman flinched, the memory of Hinata crippling Neji flashing in her head.
'Right. There's that.' She thought somberly, remembering the expression on Gai's face earlier today.
The two would go on to converse about a subject that didn't involve their students, going into the lobby to check-out. Then, something gave them both pause.
He ended up stopping when he saw Danzo going in the opposite direction.
"Where do you think you're going?" Kakashi said in a low tone.
Danzo stopped and gave Kakashi a side glance. "To speak to Uzumaki Naruto."
Kakashi turned to the older man fully and shook his head. "He is unavailable. Come back some other time."
"I'm afraid I can't do that. This is urgent." He said in his normal calm and even tone.
"He needs some time to himself," Kakashi said firmly. "Now isn't a good time to bother him."
"If you were to step out of my way, then-"
"I won't. I'm telling you, he is not in the mood." Kakashi growled.
Danzo raised a brow at the man and turned to face him. "Do you intend to impede a member of the council, a member of the temporary governing body of Konoha? Or have you forgotten the council has power in times like these, Hatake?" He said calmly.
Kakashi's eye twitched. "This isn't something they have reign over."
"It does when concerning the village asset. Now. Move aside." Danzo said in warning.
Kurenai stood next to Kakashi, crossing her arms as well, a few other shinobi who were watching the interaction closely as a result. "The answer is no, Danzo. You aren't the power in Konoha, thats not how that works and you know that. You can visit anyone else but him. He needs rest, and he isn't very fond of you right now."
"Oh? And what if I was here to change that?" Danzo said.
"I doubt you could," Kurenai said from behind.
"Hmph. Very well. I'll pay him a visit later. I'll see you after the next council meeting." He said before leaving.
Kakashi scowled as Danzo went off down the hall. 'The last thing Naruto needs is that old warhawk coming to try and manipulate him. Not on my watch."
Line break.
{Land of Fire: Konohagakure: Hokage Tower: Main Council chamber}
[Jiraiya POV]
Another hour passed into the day with the sun only now starting to dip.
The Hokage's funeral was the first thing discussed. Nothing Jiraiya wanted to even think about, much less participate in. He was keeping an eye on Danzo, the man careful not to let any hostility slip. He's the one he's watching for.
He stood off as the clan heads and their regents all pitched in on the subject. He didn't say a word. They'd been here for an hour now, discussing budgets and whatnot.
The next subject was the progress in dealing with the retreating invasion force. This, he was all ears for.
"Four thousand shinobi from Suna and three thousand from Otogakure. That is what we've estimated." Shikaku said as he showed them all the layout of the village.
"The damage done to the village was toward commercial and trade, as well as residential. But what was most harmful was the attack on the academy. Forty students were killed." He said with an edge.
Everyone in the room remained silent, letting him continue as they did what they could to reign in their emotions.
"As for our military. We lost roughly one-thousand two-hundred troops and took the lives of about four thousand shinobi, capturing a little over four hundred as well." He said.
The council erupted in murmurs, whispering about the ratio. It was an incredibly high number, to the point of being an overwhelming victory for Konoha.
"As for the forces that are on the run, they're being handled by the Aburame clan. A plan was hatched earlier that should thin their numbers to zero." Shikaku said, shuffling through papers.
Homura leaned forward, interested in what Shikaku was implying. "Oh? Please educate us on the details," He said.
Before the Aburame stand-in could say anything, Choza Akamichi chimed in. "Actually, I'm more interested in how the One Tail was allowed to rampage through the village."
"One thing at a time," Danzo said with an annoyed tone.
"Actually, I would like to know too." Stated the Anbu Commander with his arms folded. "As good as the results of our initial victory happens to be, I fought tooth and nail to make sure what happened, didn't happen. Yet, somehow, even in the face of absolute victory, we still ended up slugged at the end."
Both Inoichi and Shikaku hid their surprise and interest as things took a turn, both men leaning forward to listen closely.
Danzo sent a slight glare at the commander, and before he could respond carefully, Koharu spoke up. "That would require sharing details of the operation, details that are classified and not to be shared until a certain date," She said with an even tone.
The commander tilted his head, "You act as though you were in the thick of it like you were in the room with us as we drew these plans. How would you know whether or not the mission is still classified?"
Koharu glared at the commander and leaned on the table. "Of course I would know; I'm a member of the council."
"No. You shouldn't know. The information is written in my report, as well as Inoichi's report, on whether it is to be designated as classified post mission or not. This was for the Hokage and for us to know and to decide. You weren't there, so zip it. I have a right to ask because, as it turns out, the details aren't classified, not when the mission was a success up until the beast was released!" The commander growled, not at all hiding his annoyance.
"Calm down, anbu-san." Koyasu Aburame, the regent of the Aburame clan, said softly. "Let us navigate this with-"
"With all due respect, I don't appreciate being silenced on this matter. We've been dancing around this subject for too long. Why?" The man asked, beginning to circle the table.
Koharu glared and clenched the table. "And who are you to-"
"I agree." Jiraiya chimed in, cutting her off as he raised his hand. "What the hell happened? Who here knows?"
Hiroshi Hyuga looked between the people in the room, paying close attention to who would answer.
Danzo was cursing in his head, pissed off at the woman beside him for making things worse. Her pride and need to be right in all things will get them in trouble.
Hiroshi cleared his throat and leaned forward, folding his hands,"This isn't the subject of this meeting. This is a discussion on where we go from here. We can't pin the blame on other people over some mystery mission when we have a devastated village to run. I believe we should pin this conversation for the next meeting." The man said carefully.
Choza sighed and crossed his arms. "Very well. I'd like for it to be the first thing brought to light if possible. My compound is in bad shape. I have people sleeping in lsrge tents. That's terrible."
Koharu gave an internal sigh of relief and nodded. "Noted. Now, why don't we go back to our discussion about the war? You mentioned a plan drawn up by the Aburame head, Koyasu-san?"
Jiraiya tuned out the nonsense from there after giving the biggest eye-roll of the century. He went back to leaning on the wall with his arms crossed and his mood sour once again.
Meanwhile, Danzo was staring at the man, carefully plotting his next move. 'They are all restless. I suppose I'll have to rush things a bit with Jiraiya before he eventually turns against me, as predicted. The sooner he's Hokage, the sooner my immunity is active once more.'
He glanced at Homura and Koharu, both of them on the same page.
Line break.
[Post council meeting]
It went as well as he thought. Nothing bad, but certainly nothing great.
They were planning on working their genin and chunin overtime to keep the village economy running while the war goes on. Not a surprise. However, it's only been two days.
"Lord Jiraiya. A word, please?" The voice of Homura rang behind him.
He resisted the urge to groan out loud. He wasn't in the mood. He needs to check on his student.
"Whatever this is, it can wait." He said as he turned a corner.
"Actually, it cannot," Danzo said; the man appearing in the corner he just went down, causing Jiraiya to jump and growl.
"Really?! Kami! Can't you go do your jobs or somethin'?!" He yelled.
"We are. The position of Hokage is vacant as we speak, and the council cannot act as the governing power for long." Said Koharu, standing behind Jiraiya.
Jiraiya rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, too mentally tired for this.
"Jiraiya, this isn't something that can wait. We are at war. In the next meeting, we wish to discuss the subject of succession. When it is, we need you to take the reins and fill them in as Hokage. I believe you should do it, in the honor of the Yondaime, and Hiruzen as well." Danzo said calmly.
"Don't you dare invoke their names to me!" Jiraiya growled, his chakra flaring. "I don't have the temperament for the position! I'll find someone who will!" He barked.
"Oh? And who do you have in mind?" Asked Danzo with an inquisitive tone.
"Tsunade." He said simply.
Danzo bristled, and the two elders behind him scoffed.
"What a joke!"
"She's never in the village! Why even bother? You understand her nature more than we do. She's too irresponsible."
Danzo shook his head. "Tsunade is not Hokage material. You're asking too much from her. She isn't worthy of the title, you are. What you should focus on is accepting your responsibility as Hiruzen's sole successor and student. The village will not so easily recover from such a crippling blow without you at the head of things."
Jiraiya crossed his arms. "I'll think on it."
Koharu was about to say something, but Danzo raised his hand to prevent him from speaking up. "It's all we ask of you. Unlike Hiruzen's other students, you have proven to be the most loyal and the most worthy. Do not underestimate your potential for greatness."
Jiraiya raised a brow at that comment and watched the elders shuffle off.
He pondered their words for a moment before hearing someone speak from the end of the hall.
"A little strange hearing that man sound so... Encouraging."
Jiraiya turned and saw it was Shikaku. "Yeah. That was creepy."
"Mind walking with me?" Shikaku asked.
Jiraiya raised a brow. "What are you up to?"
Shikaku gave a smirk. "Did Naruto tell you how things went down on his mission?"
Jiraiya raised a brow before his eyes widened. Then, they narrowed. "You plan to make a move?"
Shikaku squinted his eyes. "Did you?"
"It's another reason why I'm refusing the hat." He said before looking around. "Let's talk in private."
Line break.
{Land of Fire: The central forests of Fire country/east}
[One day later]
Shigeri, a clanless, regular shinobi who strived to rise through the ranks of Sunagakure's military, stared at what was left of his platoons with a look of complete defeat.
They were sick. They had no idea why or how, but they were sickly to the point of being useless in battle.
Vomiting, uncontrollable bowels, and fatigue plagued this regimen of 1,000 men and women who had trained endlessly to be able to serve in the war against Konoha.
He'd been granted his position only because the previous two leaders were killed in the siege. It went to show just how depleted they were and how bad their loss was.
"Commander." An elderly voice rang out behind him.
He turned around and saw their chief medic approaching with an exhausted expression. "What is it?" he asked with a bitter edge.
"We have some bad news. It seems this sickness is... Contagious. My team is showing symptoms of the same thing these men and women have, and so far, we can't tell what this is. It's not like anything we've encountered in Suna."
Shigeri's brow twitched at that. "How many are sick?"
"Half of the army. Those who are left have been separated into another unit under the control of Pakura, but this still isn't good for us."
The commander scowled as he thought about their predicament.
Before he could say anything, the medic spoke again. "Another thing. I'm afraid my entire unit is also sick. It has spread to us as well."
Shigeri stepped away with a grimace and clenched his fists. "Excuse me?!"
"My team is also sick. We are at our limits and don't think we'll make it another day before collapsing from the effects."
The commander's eyes widened slightly in fear at the man's words, and before he could say anything, the medic had one more thing to add.
"This means anyone that was in our care before this virus was detected has been infected. Our injured are dying."
A deep growl emitted from Shigeri as he looked down at his feet. "Everyone?"
The medic nodded. "Yes. Everyone."
Shigeri threw his hands up in disbelief and had half a mind to kill the man for being incompetent.
But he was a medic, one of the best medics in Suna's military in active duty. So it must be something beyond his control.
The man suddenly felt light-headed, and he reached for the nearest object to keep him from falling.
Then it hit him. He remembered something very important.
"Didn't... Pakura... Drop off our Kazekage in your hands?" He whispered.
The old man closed his eyes, thankful that he caught on. "Yes. Unfortunately, his time limit has shortened considerably. He is infected as well."
"Wha..." He fell to his knees.
This is a nightmare. This has to be a nightmare. He's losing over half his force, and he just heard the Kazekage, who was already on his death bed, won't make it through the night.
"We don't have time. We're out of time." He whispered to himself before an idea formed in his head.
Line break.
{Pakura POV}
"AAAH! DOC! I'M SHITTING BLOOD! HELP!" a Suna-nin screamed as he struggled to shuffle out of the tent.
The nurse rushed over and tried to guide him out of his tent, the man's legs being too weak to stand.
Pakura watched with a look of pure horror as the man was dragged out of the tent and dragged to a large hole to... Do his thing along with anyone else who couldn't hold it in.
Others had issues with their stomachs. One moment they are fine. The next, they're puking their guts out. It was disgusting.
Pakura was seeing the same thing everywhere.
Men were vomiting in bushes, shitting their pants, and falling unconscious all over the place.
It was so bad that she had to steer clear, opting to hang around the top of trees to escape the smell.
"Pakura!" Shigeri yelled, getting her attention.
The injured woman glanced down at the recently promoted commander and scowled. "What?"
He sighed, looking defeated. "I need you to help me out. I'm gonna need you to scout out and stall for us. We're stuck."
Pakura's brow twitched at that. "I'm good, thanks."
Shigeri's eyes widened before they narrowed, and he ran up the tree adjacent to hers. "That is an order! We won't make it unless-"
"We're the same rank. You don't give orders to me. Piss off." Pakura said dismissively.
"You may be a war hero, but that doesn't mean you have rank! I am the commander of these men. We are losing valuable time, and you need to do as I say!" Shigeri yelled.
Pakura sighed and leaned forward. "Shiguru-"
"Shigeri!" The man hissed.
She rolled her eyes. "Same difference. Look. Lord Kazekage himself gave me the rank of commander before we started this invasion. You hold the title as a substitute and nothing more. I've already been asked to sacrifice myself for the sake of my country, and it wasn't pleasant. I'm not going on another suicide mission unless it's coming from a higher branch of our government. It's your turn since you insisted on commanding my army, too."
Shigeri threw his arms in the air. "Fine! I'll have the Kazekage-!"The man paused, remembering the news that was just brought to him. "Your disloyalty will be reported."
"My loyalty won't be questioned. You'll find that I'm not so keen on following behind incompetence whatsoever. Just cut our losses so we can return home. If we don't, we'll die in this stupid country." She said with a bitter edge as she nursed her bandages.
Shigeri gave her a look of hatred before dashing off.
The woman shook her head and looked out in the distance. 'We've already been spotted. We smell like shit. At this rate, It won't be long before we're all killed off .' She thought to herself.
She glanced over at the sound of gurgling to see a Suna-nin stumbling towards a bush before spewing. Then, a terrible smell hit her nose and made her stand up.
'He crapped his pants and puked at once. Gross.' She thought in disgust.
Line break.
{Tsume Inuzuka POV}
"Damn, that's a hell of a smell! Ugh!" Tsume yelled, covering her nose.
Her eyes were watering at the smell of shit; it was terrible.
Gaku Inuzuka gagged and jogged away. "Someone, please get me something to cover my nose!"
Shibi Aburame sighed from where he sat.
He underestimated the power of his allies' nose—a terrible mistake on his part.
The smell was barely noticeable to him due to the distance between them and the enemy, but for the Inuzuka here, it was like they were in the middle of it.
"The stench is getting stronger by the minute! Can we just end them already?! Kami! What did you do to them?!" Hana yelled.
Tatsuma Aburame stepped up, a smirk on his face. "This is the result of two breeds of parasites I designed with the help of Lord Shibi. One is called the Blight Beetles, and the other is the wasting gnats. They were designed to ensure that routed enemy troops could never flee far, and so far, we're seeing their effects come into play. Once one person is infected, it will only take about a few days for everyone infected with the virus to become immobile."
Shibi nodded. "We dumped them on top of the enemy during their attempted siege."
Hana frowned, and the look she gave Tatsuma was one of pity. "So they're dying?"
Shibi stood up and shook his head. "No. This sickness is temporary and easy to cure. However, they don't have such a cure and can't afford to be afflicted while we're on their tail. Attrition is the game we're playing, and its how we'll win with minimal loss to our own troops."
Tsume grinned widely as she stuffed her nose with a scented napkin. "Sounds like a good enough win for us!"
The others nodded in agreement and laughed at their plight.
"Who knows? They might shit themselves to death before we even get there!" Another random shinobi japed.
"Alright. How long until you think our losses would be at its lowest if we engaged them now? It would help me out." Gaku asked, still trying to hold back vomiting.
"At most? I'm unsure. Maybe a couple hundred. But they would try to move by then. We should prepare for battle in an hour." Shibi replied.
Everyone nodded and left.
Tsume walked out of the forest, still holding her nose, and gave the signal to the 1,500 Konoha shinobi posted not far from them.
The moment they saw her waving, they started to advance further up.
They weren't going to let a single man leave this country alive.
Line break.
{Land of Fire: The central forests of Fire country/west}
{Temari POV}
She was going in the wrong direction, but what choice did she have?
She was running for her life, the sound of crows being all she could hear now.
'This is all my fault! What was I thinking trying to take a rest so deep into enemy territory?! Dammit!' She screamed in her head.
Beside her was her summon, Kamatari.
They attempted to clear the forest using their jutsu, the Quick Beheading Dance technique.
They were too slow.
The men chasing them are Jonin, led by Aoba Yamashiro. They were far too strong for Temari to take on alone.
She was cornered.
As she ran through the trees, she thought of her fate.
Would they kill her? Rape her? Sell her off? She couldn't be certain, but she was prepared for whatever would happen.
Konoha was angry. No, beyond that. They were going to destroy them.
'Where do I go?! They are too fast!' She thought as she started freaking out.
"Temari! Calm down! I have a plan." Kamatari spoke with a frown.
Temari was brought back to reality at the sound of his voice.
She turned to him, confused. "What plan?"
The weasel gave a grim expression. "I'll hold them off for you to get away."
"But you-"
"I'm aware of what I am. But I'm sure that I can still put up a good fight. You're a child, and I'm your summon. It's my job to protect you, not the other way around. Let me do this." He said as he adjusted his sickle.
Temari frowned. "I can't just leave you here to die, Kamatari!"
Kamatari nodded. "Yes you can. And I'm not gonna go down easy. Just trust me, Temari."
Temari felt tears welling up in her eyes, but she pushed them back and grit her teeth. 'Dammit! Why?! I just lost my family, and now I'm about to lose the last thing I have left!' She screamed in her head.
Temari closed her eyes for a moment before quickly opening them again.
"Fine. If you're sure of this." She said with a shaky voice.
"I am. I'm glad to have met you, Temari. I wish you good luck."
"You too, Kamatari."
Kamatari smirked. "It's no problem. I'll see you again, one way or another."
Line break.
Aoba and Shinobu landed before a small field of fallen trees with a huff, glancing around for Temari. The forest had been knocked down by a wind jutsu just as they were upon them.
"That was unexpected." The Aoba muttered to himself before looking down to see a weasel with a sickle in the center. He had an eyepatch and everything. His team laughed at the sight, but it was out of confusion and wariness.
"What is this? Did he do this?" asked one of his seven companions. A man with a large kunai blade for a weapon.
Shinobu shrugged and wordlessly took out some spiked chains. "I don't care. A potential hostage is getting away, and we need to act before she gets too far."
Kamatari growled at that. "You will go no further than this, Leaf scum!"
Aoba raised a brow at that before weaving through hand-signs. "Steer clear. Shinobu and I will take care of this summon and get you past him."
Riichi nodded. "Be careful now. I hear those carry rabies." He said this with false caution, making his comrades chuckle.
Aoba scoffed, and suddenly, he became a sea of crows, the man becoming one himself.
Kamatari growled as he drew back his sickle, taking a breath. "Laugh all you want. I'm about to behead some vermin."
"Too slow." The crow cawed in response.
Kamatari growled and swung. "Wind Style: Great sickle weasel!" he yelled, the wind smashing into the fallen trees and sending debris everywhere, obscuring both parties' vision.
The sound of numerous dispersing crow clones rang out as they were taken out, making the weasel smirk with satisfaction. However, his ears twitched at the sound of chains, and he glanced around to find chains floating about, surrounding him, and ready to subdue, all at the hands of Shinobu, who was controlling them with chakra.
It was then that he realized that four of the Konoha-nin rushed past to resume the chase for Temari.
"Oh no you don't!-" His speech was cut off when a wayward crow dove down, transforming into Aoba, the man holding a kunai.
Kamatari twisted away from the descending jab and swung his body, his scythe slamming into Aoba's side.
"Gah!" The man yelled, rolling over on his side and suddenly being at the mercy of the animal as it leaped onto his chest.
"This is the end, you scum!" He growled as he tried to rip out his weapon, but the moment he did, a large hand gripped his narrow neck hard enough to nearly make his remaining eye pop out. "W-...What?!" He squeaked, unable to move his arms to pry him off.
He prepared a sealless wind jutsu, but that's when the chains came down on both of them. The pressure on his neck disappeared when Aoba dispersed, the man being a clone the whole time. Metallic chains wrapped around him tight enough to crush bone. He was caught, and so easily at that.
Aoba landed in front of the weasel and frowned. "Thanks to this thing, about a minute has been robbed of us, " he said bitterly.
Shinobu tightened the chains, causing the weasel to curse. "Dammit! Fight me fairly!"
"I've never dealt with a summon like this." Shinobu said softly, a glare baring down on the animal. "Wind jutsu suggests he's a support type. He's not tough on his own. Unfortunately, I'm an animal lover-"
The sound of a sudden cleave was heard as Riichi brought his blade down on the creature, sending its head rolling for a moment before it dispersed, it's corpse sent back to wherever it came from. "No time to gawk at some rat! She's getting away!" The man said angrily.
They all nodded and raced out to retrieve their prey. The princess of Sunagakure.
Line break.
Meanwhile, Temari felt the sudden shift; her contract was ripped from her upon the death of her friend.
She closed her eyes with grief as she raced through the forest. It was barely enough to make a change, but it was enough.
'Kamatari. I swear to you, you will be avenged. I promise to make your sacrifice worthwhile.' She thought to herself.
She had a long way to go before she got home, and no doubt she'd be exhausted beyond what she thought possible.
Line break.
{Land of Fire: Konohagakure: Konoha hospital}
A soft knock on the door made Naruto stir and open his eyes, a glint of irritation in them.
But when he stretched his senses out, he felt the familiar chakra of someone near and dear to him.
"Come in." The boy announced, sitting up and getting into a cris cross position.
The door opened to reveal Ayame, the girl, holding a small package. The smell made his eyes light up, and his stomach growl in response to the familiar scent.
Ayame couldn't help but smile a little as she walked in and sat next to him, placing the package in his hands.
"What is this?" He asked, not able to hide the excitement in his voice.
"It's a little something I whipped up just for you. I... They wouldn't let me visit you earlier." She said softly.
Naruto looked at her, his eyes widening at the sound of her voice. She sounds exhausted and depressed.
"Ayame? What... Happened?" He whispered, his heart dropping.
She didn't say anything. She just opened the package and revealed the ramen inside.
He remembered this particular batch like the back of his hand. It was his personal favorite, and for a good reason.
It was the first ramen her father made for him when he met the father-daughter duo for the first time. The moment the old man put this down in front of him, his world shifted, and his taste buds were set on fire. He'd never tasted something like it before. It was like an epiphany and the first true kindness shown to him outside of Hiruzen. That rainy night that had started as a nightmare became a core memory for him.
"T-This is... My miso-based ramen with extra Pork... Just... Just the way I like it." He whispered.
She nodded. "Yeah. I was out of Chesu, but I figured you wouldn't mind your favorite alternative."
He grabbed the chopsticks from the bag and tried to take a bite, but his hands wouldn't stop shaking. He was scared.
"H-Hey." He said in a shaky voice. "D-Did the old man... Make this? Where is he? Is he busy?"
He heard a sniffle from his side, and his own eyes watered up immediately, the boy choking on any more words.
"N-Naruto... He's gone." Ayame choked out. "He died protecting me from an explosion."
Naruto's hands shook even harder at the sound of those words, and he couldn't find the strength to say anything back. His breathing became uneven as he silently cried for what had to be the hundredth time this week. He couldn't even see past his tears, and it left him afraid he'd ruin his meal from his tears, so he folded the package and set it beside him to process what he'd been told.
"I'm so sorry..." He said in a small voice as he reached for her hand, trying to offer her what comfort he could.
The moment he touched her hand, she threw herself on him, embracing him and sobbing on his shoulder.
"He's gone, Naruto... He's gone... He left me. I'm all alone now, Naruto... I have nobody now." She sobbed.
He couldn't respond as he cried as well, though, not as hard as she did. Teuchi was the last bit of his world and support left. Now, he's truly alone in a sense. There was no one alive who appreciated him or who he was as Uzumaki Naruto aside from his team and Jiraiya, yet they don't count. Not when these people were his day 1 support.
Now, this girl... This beautiful and sweet girl, has nobody else. Her mother died when she was a kid, and her dad was the only family she had left. She's orphaned like him.
It was a good ten minutes before the two could calm down from their grief, and it was then that Naruto could take in some of the ramen.
"It's fuckin' delicious," He said in a cracked, bitter voice.
"Language." She sniffled. "It better be. I made it with all I had left. I could barely get through making it with feeling his ghost on my shoulder guiding my actions. I had to use another source of ingredients since the shop..."
He understood instantly. He nodded and ate the bowl carefully, savoring every bite until, in what felt like a blink, it was devoured.
"I hate that I'm not at the stall. I'd ask for more." He said with a weak grin, his voice still thick with emotion.
Ayame sniffled, her eyes red and her face tear-streaked. "You and me both."
He let out a shaky breath and adjusted himself so his feet were dangling off the side of the bed. "Where are you staying?"
"The shelter. The shop was also our house." She said in a small voice. "It's not bad there, even if... The sound of crying keeps me up... It's also crowded."
He scowled and glared at the floor. "I'll help in any way I can. I owe you guys too much to see you struggle. If it's the old place you want, I'll have it repaired in no time. If it's a new place you need, consider it yours."
"N-No, Naruto. You-" She stopped when she saw the look. Arguing wasn't an option with him right now.
She sighed and wiped her still-falling tears, nodding. "Okay... Thank you..."
She was grateful. But it was more than she could ever ask for. Literally.
"Listen, Naruto. I don't think I'll be able to run the shop... It's... Too much for me. I can barely get out of bed as it is." She said softly.
Naruto bit his lip hard enough to make it bleed. The idea of Ayame just being left to rot at the shelter after this was a hard one to take in, but the thought of her being unable to go on making ramen was world-shattering. He couldn't make her go on to make ramen, given what happened to her, yet even still, it left the most bitter feeling he'd ever felt.
'Sunagakure, Orochimaru, and Danzo. I'll remember it all. Each and every one of those pricks took something from me, from us all. I won't allow this to go unavenged. Not on my life.'
"It's okay... We'll work something out. Just take things easy. For me?" He said in a quiet voice, his lip healing instantly.
Ayame smiled weakly and nodded, pulling herself up to stand. "Yeah, you too, ok? You've got to take it easy as well."
He nodded and watched her leave. The moment she did, he flipped onto the bed and forced the window open. He was gonna spend some time on the roof. He's had enough of this stuffy room.
Line break.
[4 days later]
{Haruno Residence}
Sakura knew today was gonna be a huge pain to deal with. No matter how much she prepared herself mentally, she had the foresight to brace herself for a potential meltdown.
It had nothing to do with the funerals of her father or the Hokage; it had to do with her mother and uncle.
You see, for the past three days, her uncle has been hanging around the house to give his condolences like any other family member. Unfortunately, unlike her other family, he had an ulterior motive for coming around.
He'd been getting into her mother's ear more and more about getting close to Naruto through herself, and she knew they were building up the courage to ask her to do so.
What she couldn't understand was why they'd think today was the day to bug her over something well out of her control. It made no sense.
It didn't matter in the end. Now, she was dressed for the Hokage's funeral and was going down the stairs, her mother, aunt, and uncle waiting on her with the rest of the family who is likely being briefed on Mubuki's scheme.
"Ah. Sakura. I was wondering when you'd come down. Come. There's something we need to discuss. It's important." Mubuki said with a strange smile.
Sakura's dour expression morphed into an annoyed glare, but she had to bite her tongue. She didn't have the luxury of making her life any more miserable today than it already was.
"Fine. Just make it quick. I'm going to be late to meet with my team."
Both her mother and uncle gave pleased looks at the mention. It creeped her out.
She was led into the living room and sat at the couch where some of her other family was. Mostly on her father's side.
There was her aunt named Haruka. Her father's younger sister who has two children of her own, her other uncle who is painfully the spitting image of her dad. His name is Daichi. Both with bright auburn hair and green eyes like her own.
Daichi was sitting in front of her in a lounging position, with her aunt at his side and her mother standing beside Mubuki with an anxious smile on her face.
Sakura had a bad feeling about all this.
"We need to discuss a very important thing, something that affects all of us." The man said with his arms crossed. "As you know, your father is gone now, and having been the provider of this household, it puts you and your mother in a... Strange position."
Sakura said nothing and let the man talk. "This is being taken care of by me. I intend to donate a large sum to you and your mother to keep you guys afloat until you can deal with this financial issue that is just around the corner."
Sakura blinked at this. 'That's what he wanted to talk about?' She thought to herself as she nodded. "Thank you, uncle. I appreciate your support."
He chuckled. "Ah, of course. But-
'Here we go.' Sakura thought bitterly.'
-Unfortunately, there is a catch. You see, my business is being compromised, and though I'm dealing with the one... Eh... Confiscating it, it would mean having to come to an understanding with him, something I'm going to need some assistance with."
Sakura's eye twitched at this. She proceeded to lean back on the sofa, smoothing out her black dress, and took a calming breath. 'Here it is...'
"Now, as it happens, your teammate is Namikaze Naruto. He is in line to inherit quite a bit of his father's... Er... Possessions, including a little something that was... Passed down to me fair and square. I need you to persuade him to have a conversation with me and negotiate to keep my business and lands since by all means-"
"Uncle," Sakura interjected, her hand raised and her eyes closed. "Listen. This has to do with me convincing Naruto to be cooperative in something I have little understanding in. He's not in a very good state of mind for this, and nor am I." She said tiredly.
"Then get him in the mood. Isn't this the same boy you used to complain about constantly asking you on-"
"People change, uncle!" Sakura hissed, the girl now irritated. "That was the past, this is now. I won't use his prior crush on me to... That's dirty. And he's moved on, so just drop it." She said with a bit of venom.
The man sighed and began pacing. "All I ask is that you reason with him to have a conversation, perhaps with his current guardian or financial advisor. Something, Sakura. If this doesn't happen, I can't help you!"
Daichi rolled his eyes at that. "Sounds like you're using her to get what you want and she's getting little in return. I'd be reluctant too."
"Shut it!" Mubuki said with a hiss, worried the comment would piss off Sakura.
It was too late, though. The girl stood up and went straight for the front door. "I don't have time for this. I have someplace to be."
Her mother shook her head and rushed in front of her. "Sakura, no! This isn't something you can walk away from! We are dealing with a situation that could result in us being in the streets!"
Sakura gave her mother an incredulous look. "I'm not capable of doing anything to convince Naruto to help! I can't afford to damage my relationship with him over an issue that doesn't-"
"It does concern you, Sakura! It has everything to do with you! Your uncle is offering help! He just needs something in return!" Sayuri yelled.
"Fuck him if he can't assist us then! He shouldn't have come to manipulate us into his schemes, using our situation to get what he wants! He's an asshole for doing that, and it's why grandfather and father hated him!" The girl yelled.
Mubuki's eyes widened with rage as the girl turned to storm off. He grabbed the girls wrist tight and hissed. "Who do you think?!-"
He yelped when his world spun, Sakura throwing him over her shoulder and against the glass cabinet holding collectible dishware.
The loud shatter made everyone freeze, the sight of Mubuki being sent crashing against the cabinet stunning them into silence as he curled into a ball, glass falling on him.
Sakura was frozen as well, having done that on instinct when she sensed his intent. Yet, she didn't stay paused for long. She rushed out the door and was off in a heartbeat.
Sayuri stormed after her, but girl was already roof-hopping across the neighborhood. "Sakura Haruno! Get back here and apologize this instant! You're grounded for a year! You hear me!" The woman bellowed as tears of frustration built up.
Meanwhile, Mubuki was trying to keep it together as his back-up plan was falling apart before him. His lawyer failed him too. This meant only one thing.
He had to speak to Murata. That was the last thing he wanted.
"Fuck!" He cursed out loud, startling his siblings.
Haruka resisted a smirk at that. "She's not wrong to feel that way. Are you going to help your brother's family now, even after rejection?
He glared at his little sister. "Don't start."
"It wasn't a remark. Are you going to help them?" She said with more authority.
"If she cooperated, yes. Now that she's left, I've got no choice but to pull back." He growled while leaning over the nearby table.
"What?" Sayuri whispered at the archway. "But we need help! You said it yourself, our situation is dire!"
Mubuki turned to her with a blank expression. "I have to find a way to keep my business and land. Giving you money will hasten my downfall. I'm not risking that. Not until I have a steady stream of income."
"W-What? You have plenty of income!" The woman yelled.
Daichi smirked. "Indeed, he does. But, there might be another way out of this."
Mubuki scowled. "Don't."
Daichi shrugged, but Sayui Wasn't having it. "No! Tell us. Don't let this prick silence you! Tell me the alternative."
The younger man smirked and sat up. "Simple. We aren't in any position to bitch and complain. I'll volunteer to had over my part of the inheritance. Sakura gets her grandfather's money on top of what her father would've received. That should help."
"No!" Mubuki yelled, gripping Daichi's collar. "What the fuck are you doing?!"
Daichi chuckled and shrugged. "I don't need money like they do. I don't have kids or a wife. It's just me. I'll get by."
"The solution is clear! I keep my business and donate funds once Naruto-"
"Oh shut the hell up. I thought this was going to be us coming together and helping one another, not the same bullshit as before." Haruka said with a scornful expression. "I'll hand over my piece of the pie too, Sayuri. It's not much, but it should help."
Sayuri bowed deeply, tears streaming down her face. "Thank you so much... Thank you..."
Mubuki glared at his sister. "What the hell, Haruka?! What are you thinking?! You know what? Forget it! I'll fix this myself.!" The man said as he stormed off, leaving the house.
"Daichi rolled his eyes and fixed his uniform. "Damn. And I just found out how to get this thing to stay still."
Haruka sighed and shook her head. "He's not gonna change. Ever. Last time I'm entertaining him."
Sayuri nodded and slumped onto the sofa. This has been a terrible week for them all.
Line break.
{Konoha hospital}
[Naruto POV]
As a result of him being moved to a different and less private room, as well as his visit from Ayame, his room's location leaked. This resulted in the numerous gifts from the villagers, ranging from flowers, stuffed animals, and other sweets that now lay untouched around his bed.
He'd have been joyful of this, and in a way, he was. But it was overshadowed by bitterness. In essence, he was numb to it, angry and grateful at the same time. He wasn't concerned about the gifts, though.
Jiraiya came by and helped him out in getting him some attire for the funeral, and boy was it formal. It is a really deep midnight blue Yukata, almost black, made from high-quality silk with intricate patterns of swirling gold that resemble the spirals of the Uzumaki clan and the wave motifs symbolic of the Namikaze lineage. Over the Yukata, an opulent haori would be worn, and a black jacket would be adorned with silver and gold embroidery along the edges, something only worn by those related to a Hokage. Beautiful work and obviously designer in nature. It also explained why he had his measurements taken earlier.
'This is the most expensive thing I've ever owned save for my apartment... Well, Jiji owned the apartment, so...'
He shook those thoughts away and scoffed at the thought of having to figure out where to begin dressing. It was pretty, but admittedly, he had no clue how to dress in any of this.
'I can't be the only one who doesn't know how to wear these things. This is gonna take forever.' He thought to himself as he tried to put on the bottom portion of the outfit. Pants are pants. It should be as simple as that. But the upper layer was a separate issue. The layers that go beneath the damn Yukata came in multiple pieces.
"Kami... These bastards made it more complicated than it should be! Is this even necessary?! Dammit! It's just clothes!" He hissed as he struggled to put it on. Every time he thought he was getting it right, he'd find that it was in the wrong order, resulting in him throwing it off and putting it on again. He couldn't look stupid at his grandfather's funeral, but he was close to just winging it at this point.
"Oh, for fuck's sake, man! Why is this so complicated?!" He yelled, throwing his arms in the air, the boy tangled in a mess of silk.
As he struggled with the upper portion of the clothes, the door opened, and he froze. "Ero-Sennin, could you please-" He paused when he saw who was at the door.
Kiba stared at his struggling form before he burst into hysterical laughter. "HAHAHAHAAA!" He wheezed, keeling over at the sight of the blonde. "Look at this! The hero of the leaf doesn't know how to put on a simple Yukata!"
Naruto glared at him and threw a pillow at his face, to which it was caught. "Shut it! It's more complicated than it looks, dog breath!" Naruto yelled out with irritation.
Kiba ignored this and showed off his clan's formal wear. "Obviously, it's not. You're just not trying hard enough! See? This isn't as complicated, " he said as he showed off his own.
Naruto's jaw clenched at the sight of Kiba wearing a black and brown kimono.
Shino peered around the corner and scowled at Kiba's japes.
"Kiba, cut it out. He's obviously new to wearing formal clothes. He's not like you, who's been forced to attend formal events. And if I remember correctly, you were experiencing difficulty in-"
"Quiet, Shino!" Kiba hissed.
Naruto snorted at the comment. "Oh? What was it you were saying about it not being complicated? You should think before you speak, especially towards the village hero.
Kiba glared at the two and scoffed. "Oh piss off. More like village idiot. They are all exaggerating your... Feat. I know better, so drop the hero act."
Shino shook his head. "I disagree. I think we can all agree that the invasion would have ended much worse than it did had he not acted as he did."
"What's with all the racket?" Ino asked until she stumbled on Naruto. She gasped at the sight of the boy struggling to put on his clothes.
Naruto blushed and crossed his arms. "Ok, this is a bit much now. Can you people leave already? I'm not some sideshow to gawk at." The boy said, ready to usher them out at a moment's notice.
Ino smiled with a huge blush and shoved the two boys out of the way. "Out of the way! Damage control coming through!" She said as she rushed over, startling all the boys in the room.
Kiba stared at this with bewilderment.
"Ino, what are you doing? He can dress himself!" Kiba yelled.
"Shut up. He's new to this, and you're no help." The girl said as she looked over his outfit. Yet, she ended up pausing when realizing how intricate it was. The layers need to be put on in a certain way, and unlike theirs, his had ornate accessories on top of that.
"This is beautiful. I've never seen anything like it." She whispered, feeling the fabric between her fingers.
Naruto nodded and picked up his brooch. "Er... Yeah. It's... It's not what I'd usually wear, but I'm gonna make it work."
Ino nodded. "Well, this is a little different than mine, but I should be able to help you with this."
Kiba groaned and was about to say something when he smelled Hinata nearby and straightened up.
The girl peered in, a little annoyed and wishing to be out of the hospital already.
"What's going on?" She asked.
Kiba shook his head. "This dweeb can't dress himself."
Ino rolled her eyes. "Kiba! Don't be rude! He's just having trouble with the formal wear. His version is more complicated than it looks."
Hinata frowned and walked in with her own attire, a black kimono with lavender patterns along the hems.
She leaned forward and noticed Ino struggling with his sashes.
Ino frowned as she looked over his stuff for a moment. "Naruto, where did you even get this fit? It's so-"
"It's formal wear strictly for the Kage's family. It's akin to royal attire in quality." Hinata said as she gently took the sash from Ino.
Kiba's face bristled with jealousy at seeing Hinata assist the blonde as well. "Royal? What makes you think you're entitled to such a thing?"
"He's the son of the 4th Hokage. Naturally, he would be wearing something only worn by them." Shino said as he readjusted his sunglasses.
Kiba scoffed and slumped in the chair. He'd forgotten about his status. 'This punk has two chicks helping him with his clothes. They're treating him like the main character of a novel all because of his damn title! Where the hell was my help? huh?!' Kiba thought bitterly.
Naruto stiffened at having the two work their magic, Hinata finishing it off by adjusting his haori and planting his broach on. The experience was making him feel awkward in a way he hadn't before. 'Ok. This is very new.' He thought as he kept his gaze up as best he could.
"There! You look amazing!" Ino said with a smile.
Naruto blushed a little at the proximity, both girls being rather close, but he nodded regardless. "Thank you guys. I really appreciate this."
She smirked and leaned forward. "You're very welcome, Naruto-kun."
Hinata noticed the flustered state of the boy and gave a slight smirk.
"Be gentle when you move around in that, Naruto. It's expensive silk." Hinata said as she left the room with her team, Kiba sending one last glare on his way out.
"Noted," The boy sighed as he backed away from a smirking Ino, not wishing to be teased further.
"By the way, where's your team at?" The boy asked as he grabbed his frog wallet.
Ino sighed. "Probably waiting for me outside. Shikamaru's downer attitude was getting on my nerves. We came to see Lee and Neji... Mostly Lee."
The boy nodded and pushed the door open. "Let's go then. I have to meet with my team as well."
Ino nodded with a smirk and walked with him. "How gentlemanly."
The boy rolled his eyes but didn't say anything. 'Ok. Now I know there's something off. Where was all this during the academy? I could've used the confidence booster then rather than now.'
Line break.
{The Konoha Memorial}
The walk there was enlightening for the boy, with many bowing in respect or nods of approval here and there. Ino ended up splitting off with her team, leaving Naruto to meet with his own.
Though everyone was also dressed in black and mourning, he felt bad that he preferred this, but he did. This way, everyone was minding their business and not in his face. He was mourning too, after all.
Like clockwork, during his walk, his teammates joined him: Sasuke, his usual quiet self, and Sakura, who was also wordless in her greeting, as they fell in line with the rest of the village.
"Nice outfit," Sasuke said quietly.
Naruto glanced down and scowled. "It itches." He growled as he adjusted his collar. "I feel like a damn clown."
"You don't look like a clown at all. It fits you well." Sakura said with a small smile.
He was going to give a remark, but seeing she was also exhausted from just a glance, he just gave a nod of acceptance. "Thanks, Sakura. You look stunning as well." He said with a small smile.
Sakura wore a slight blush at that and nodded. "Thank you."
Nothing else was said between the team, even as their sensei joined them, following close behind.
More and more people joined the gathering crowd until, eventually, everyone in the village was present for the funerals.
The location is beautiful. It was called Itama's rest, a location built for Tobirama and Hashirama to honor their fallen brother. His death was a cruel reminder of how life is cut short for the young. It was perfect given the war crim committed.
Now, this place was given greater significance. It was well put together, with a new and massive concrete pathway built in. Sakura trees adorned the sides of this new road, and it opened into a massive plaza where a fountain lies in the middle, an obsidian obelisk in the middle with a miniature bridge to walk across and the fountain and into the inner island sat within.
The crowd was being divided, with the civilians in the outer layer and the more important individuals closer together toward the monument.
Kakashi sighed at the sight and placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Naruto, head up to where Jiraiya is. You have a spot reserved up there."
Naruto turned to Kakashi with a surprised and confused look. "Huh?!"
Kakashi shushed him and nudged him forward. "Just trust me, okay?"
He looked entirely uncomfortable but went with it, walking down the center.
People moved out of his way, letting him through, and it only took about five minutes before he made it to the front and up to Jiraiya who was already waiting on him.
The man looked down at him and nodded, placing a hand on his shoulder and guiding him to where he needed to be. He was next to a mourning Konohamaru. The smaller boy was in an attire close to the same quality of his own, it's design similar yet different.
At this, Naruto sighed and accepted his place. "You ok?" He whispered to the boy, only to be embraced tightly by him.
"No, Naruto-nii... I'm not..." The boy whimpered, holding onto him for dear life.
Naruto was taken aback by the action and could only nod, returning the hug and offering comfort as best he could. He looked at the photo of the Third Hokage and felt his eyes water at the sight of him. He couldn't even formulate thoughts as the precession began.
Clan heads would come up to the front with offerings, the same for other nobility. He was lucky; nothing was expected of him. He felt stupid for not thinking to get some kind of gift for the occasion.
Konohamaru sobbed and sniffled into his chest as he continued to hug him, the boy trembling. Naruto knew the feeling well enough, so he kept a hold on him.
"I'm sorry about your grandfather. He was the closest thing I ever had to family too." He said softly as he rubbed the boy's back.
"I-It isn't just him, though. I-I lost M-Moegi t-too." He whispered.
Naruto's eyes widened in horror before he knelt down to his level in a flash. "What?!" He hissed in utter surprise and horror. "She... She died?!" he whispered.
Konohamaru nodded and started openly sobbing. "T-They couldn't revive her. They didn't know what blood to g-give. She died b-because of me!" He said as he clutched onto Naruto.
The blonde froze in shock, memories of the sweet girl flashing in his mind. Of the three little rascals, she was the kindest and most pleasant. A huge joy to be around.
Naruto closed his eyes at this. Another blow. Another name to add to the list. On top of this, his little brother figure is no doubt affected in the worst possible way, blaming himself for something he has no control over.
He didn't know what to do in this situation. He didn't think of a way to help him.
"It's not your fault. You were attacked." He said softly.
"I should've-" The boy's mouth was covered, and Naruto shook his head.
"Don't do that. Just..." The blonde trailed off, not knowing what to say, so he embraced the boy, letting him express his feelings.
Jiraiya watched silently, pondering something.
'Even with all the loss you've suffered, you still have the strength to lend a shoulder. Wow.' The man thought to himself.
Line break.
Hours upon hours passed until there were few left.
Naruto was one of them.
He was lying on a bench, staring up at the moon that had decided to show itself early before the sun even fully set.
This day was a lot for him to deal with. He felt drained. Not only mentally, but physically, emotionally. All of it.
Yet, he was strangely at peace at this moment. It wasn't a very good peace, but one brought on from drowsiness.
Jiraiya watched him from a distance, pondering something. The village knew of the boy's heritage, and with war here, he won't be around anywhere near as much as he wanted. So, he knew he needed to speed things up, and fast.
He glanced to the other side of this newly built park to see Danzo watching the boy from a distance, as well as many of the minor clan heads, ranging from the Kurama clan, the Izuno clan, Kohaku and Hojo clan, and more. They were only kept at bay due to his presence, knowing full well that Naruto wasn't to be approached today. But these clans, being minor clans, are itching to elevate themselves as soon as possible.
'Konoha has changed drastically. Naruto's status in itself is a huge tremor as is. Too many people are out to get him now. All dangerous, but none more so than him.' Jiraiya thought as he stared at Danzo.
'Inoichi is right about one thing. With this change, adjustments need to be made. Starting with him. But I don't agree with simply taking power from this man. He needs to be dealt with entirely. Permanently. If I'm not around, he'll approach Naruto regardless of whether he has power or not.'
Danzo needs to be dealt with. Period.
Line break.
End chapter.
{A/N}
I suppose it was a little niave of me to assume I could do a chapter a week given the fact that summer is over. My bad.
At the very least, you can all expect a chapter a month. Not that it would be only one every time, but just to play it safe. It's better not to make promises I can't keep.
I do intend to post another chapter soon, though.