Scarlet Justice: Full Blossom – ep. 51
"Permutations"
[Golden Girls, Part 7]

"Yugito looks like she'll need a bit more time to recover. I don't mind staying for the next while if that's the case..."

I pick up our breakfast tray from the kitchen and carry it upstairs to our room. Yugito is rubbing sleep out of her eyes and sitting up in bed as I enter.

"Another long day ahead," she mutters to herself. "Not quite up to full strength yet, but close. I need to get myself looked at by a medic at some point, but this is more than good enough for now."

"Pleasant morning, Yugito."

"Oh, sorry. I didn't notice you coming in...good morning, Lili. It wasn't too much trouble getting breakfast, was it?"

"Not at all. You can start eating, and I'll do the same. Coffee, or tea?"

"Tea sounds good."

"Coffee it is for me, then." I set my plate on the table and bring the tray over to Yugito so that she can eat properly. Our breakfast time goes by quietly, and I scan the local paper for any interesting news. As far as my other sort of scanning goes, I'm also keeping an eye on the larger area around us. Kisame and Deidara haven't made an appearance, but I worry about what might happen if they figure out that we're here. Indiscriminate destruction is always an option, and Deidara did somehow launch a blast that required a great deal of effort from Gaara to defend against. If he could pressure the man who once wielded an absolute defence – before my magnificence put an end to that – then a tiny place like this would stand no chance, no matter what we tried.

No need to panic in any case...I've been able to wreak havoc on his clay constructs with Mobius, and I have enough useful variants. We can figure something out when the time comes, if it comes to that.

"So we're both in agreement regarding what you wanted to do," Yugito says as she finishes eating. I pick up the tray for her and set it on the table. "You'll have to give us a bit. It's...been a while since we've switched places, and my body isn't used to it."

"And you're currently recovering from your earlier adventures. If you're sure, then I don't mind waiting. Just let me know when."

"Thank you. Are you still reading the paper?"

"Oh, I'm finished with it. Here you are," I say before bringing it over to her.

"Thank you again."

I nod and go back to my chair, sitting down and opening my book to continue reading. It's nice and quiet for a while. Yugito gets up once to go to the bathroom before doing what seems to be meditation for the next hour or so.

"Alright, I think we're ready now."

I set down my book and stand next to the table in the middle of the room. Yugito swings her legs over the side of the bed slowly, and lets out a breath.

"Always a bit weird doing this part..." She closes her eyes, and I feel a shift in her chakra before she gets to her feet. The way she starts to move gives the impression of a completely different person, with a flowing motion that is indeed quite cat-like. She raises her arms above her head and stretches out her body, while two small streams of flame come from her lower back before forming into tails that are a mix of blue and black. The binding on her hair comes undone, and a pair of cat ears made of the same blue flames pops onto her head. Her dark eyes from before have changed, with the right one becoming yellow and the left becoming green. Heterochromia, then. Interesting. A soft purr comes from her as she finishes her stretching.

"Thank you for your patience, Lady Lilith Kobayashi." She bows before getting to her knees on the floor, and I follow suit. The new voice is measured and polite in tone. "I am Miss Yugito's partner, Matatabi. Known commonly in this world as the Two Tails, or the Two Tailed Cat. It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Kobayashi."

I tilt my head downwards to acknowledge her. "Thank you kindly. I appreciate that you've revealed yourself to me, especially after all that you must have gone through because of us humans."

"Your kindness in our hour of need has been more than enough. Miss Yugito and I are very appreciative of everything you've done for us, especially while being from a rival village. As the man with Explosion Release said earlier, it would have been to your benefit to walk away and allow them to weaken the Hidden Cloud significantly."

"Explosion Release...is that what it's called?" Earth is one element, and...it's not fire, since that is covered by Lava. Explosive...lightning, I suppose. So Mobius destroys the structural components, then...

"A relatively rare type," Matatabi explains. "But it has appeared quite a few times within the history of the shinobi world."

"If anyone would know, it would be someone as cosmopolitan as you."

"It must be so." She tilts her head slightly. "I was most intrigued by your mention of our sibling, Choumei. For them to not only trust you with their name, but to bond with you in such a way...it is truly a remarkable thing, Lady Kobayashi."

"So I have heard. I very much appreciate and cherish the friendship I have with them, and with Fuu."

"And you are close with Kurama's host as well. Have you been able to speak with him directly?"

I shake my head. "Not at this time. He's still wrestling with Naruto for control, and the various issues with the seal have made things very difficult as of late. But armed with this new information, I might be able to make a difference. I don't expect it will be easy to reach someone who has gone through so much trauma...but if anyone can do it, it's my precious friend."

"You have that much faith in him?" Matatabi asks.

"Yes. He has a way of touching people's hearts in unexpected ways. He's filled with so much spirit and determination," I say with a smile. "That's how we came to be so close in the first place. No matter what, he won't give up."

She smiles. "A very intriguing individual. Perhaps one day we could meet."

"I hope so, too. As eager as I was to finally talk with you, I did not have any particular topic or agenda to share. I hope it isn't too much trouble," I say.

"Certainly not, Lady Kobayashi. Any topic that comes to mind is more than fine with me," she replies.

"Thank you. In that case...perhaps we could add one more to start a proper round of discourse."

"What might you mean?"

"I will show you in a moment." I concentrate and use my second sight, allowing Yugito to materialize next to her partner. She's wearing a black gown with blue, tiger like stripes going across it horizontally.

"Eh...?"

"What an impressive power," Matatabi says with surprise. "It's...something that reminds me of our Creator. So you too are of the heavenly order."

"Heavenly what now?" Yugito asks, blinking. "This is getting stranger by the minute...but I honestly know better than to ask too many questions at this point." She crosses her legs and leans back on her hands.

"I did access this power by recklessly reaching towards the stars themselves. To see the plains of heaven is a blessing afforded to very few, even those who stand far above their peers in the shinobi world."

"Yes. I could sense the strength of your spirit from my place inside of Miss Yugito," Matatabi says. "Truly unique, and transcendent. It has allowed you to overcome much in the way of struggle, and inspired others. You also control the darkness itself."

"Yes, it came to be a few years ago now. I almost found myself consumed, but it was the power of love that helped me past that obstacle, and to this point."

"What else brought you to this point?" Yugito asks me. "I know that you had a jinchuuriki for a friend already, but knowing someone isn't enough to understand what they're going through. What made you think to try and reach out like this?"

"It started on my last trip to the Hidden Sand," I say. "You're entirely correct, Yugito. It isn't enough to know someone, as I never truly considered the Nine Tails, or rather, Kurama, as an entity similar to me. This was despite knowing Naruto for so many years. Trying to figure out Akatsuki's aims and having a discussion with my comrades made me realize something. To have a name, and identity like Shukaku did...for what were simply supposed to be animate war potentials, or rampaging spirits, it didn't quite make sense. I thought there was more to it."

"If only everyone thought like you." She sighs. "People still don't understand Matatabi now, or even try to. She's just another monster to them that I keep in check. They're grateful for that much, I suppose."

I can sense the sorrow coming from her. "If it's not too sensitive...when did they make you a host?"

"When I was two years old. And...they did a lot to make sure that they had the power inside of me locked down."

"The humans put Miss Yugito through an abominable program," Matatabi says bitterly. "They committed unforgivable acts, and even though I hurt, I was far more concerned with her health. I had spent a long time suffering under the boot of the Hidden Cloud, but to do that to a small, innocent life..." The flames on her ears and tails are surging with heat as she trembles.

"It's over now," Yugito says gently.

Matatabi calms a bit and nods. "I know that it was long ago by now, Miss Yugito. But for me, it feels like it just happened."

"That's what happens when you live a long time. Time ends up flowing differently, for better or worse."

"So they put you both into a most terrible situation," I conclude. "I can't imagine what it must have been like. I'm sorry that you both had to go through such a thing."

"It was definitely paranoia," Yugito says. "Because of the Eight Tails..."

"Brother Gyuki," Matatabi says. "He is one of the mightiest of the tailed beasts, and was quite rebellious, causing untold destruction in the Cloud ever since he was sold to them."

"By the Founder, Hashirama Senju," I reply.

"Yes. Though even he has changed greatly since being sealed into Lord Bee. He is...a unique existence, to be sure. As Miss Yugito must have told you."

"Yes, a one of a kind personality. My Naruto is much the same," I say with a smile. "Very energetic, and a pure child in most every way."

"Yeah, that kind of sounds like Bee. I think we should make sure those two don't meet up without supervision," Yugito says.

"Miss Yugito, you do exaggerate at times."

"Do I? Bee is chaos personified..."

There is something that I wonder about doing. It's not strictly wise in terms of military matters...but this may also decide the fate of the world itself. Every ally and every bond is important. I don't want to hold anything back, no matter how much trouble it might cause.

"I do have some things to reveal to you both," I say. "Normally, it would be of a sensitive nature, but...more than simply trusting you, I believe that these are things you deserve to hear."

"As far as I'm concerned, since they don't even consider Matatabi a person...all of the things we're talking about now are between us. The official story from me would be that I managed to escape the Akatsuki pursuing me, and eventually made my way back home after catching my breath. We never had this conversation on the record, and I've never met you personally," Yugito says. "I know that you were prepared to talk to us without any guarantees, and I appreciate that. But we should give you some cover as well. It's only fair."

"I agree with Miss Yugito. Thank you very much for trusting us," Matatabi says as she tilts her head downwards. "In this shinobi world, many live at odds with each other. Perhaps one day, we can engage in cooperation on a larger scale...but for now, this is enough."

I nod and clear my throat. "Akatsuki's terror is reaching across every nation, as they seek to undermine the economies that hold up the world we currently live in. By providing services at prices lower than that of the shinobi villages, they aim to drive all business towards themselves so that they can control the markets, and at the same time, influence the operations of the shinobi villages. Such a thing has already taken place in the Hidden Rock, which supplements a notable amount of its shinobi forces with Akatsuki mercenaries."

"That's not good," Yugito says. "So it's even worse than we thought...but how does that relate to the tailed beasts? It sounds like it would be enough to cut the legs out from underneath us, and chasing down potential new weapons is getting greedy on their end."

"It seems so. They seem to have a nefarious plan in mind, though as I said before, I do not know exactly what it could be."

"They do not mean to take control of us as we are now," Matatabi says, putting a hand under her chin. "Their aim is extraction...but with their powers, I suspect they could easily steal the sealing containers that each village is sure to have. Or they could create their own."

"I greatly suspect that we are dealing with a power beyond the scope of any mortal."

"The Creator's power...I see. But from my understanding, neither of his sons inherited it."

"His sons," I repeat.

"It was Asura who eventually inherited the Creator's will, and he became the progenitor of the Senju clan. His brother Indra, the progenitor of the Uchiha. Asura gained strength of body, while Indra had ocular powers that became the forerunner to the Sharingan. There is a legend regarding the Rinnegan, that it will appear through a reincarnation in times of great trouble and upheaval. It must have been spread by the followers of the Creator, after his passing."

"How would the Rinnegan appear again in this world?" I ask.

"My apologies, Lady Kobayashi. I have no idea myself how it would be possible, or if it even is possible."

"You have nothing to apologize for. I understand...there are many strange things that have happened in the past millennia, and more secrets than could be uncovered in a single lifetime. With that said, I have something else to reveal. The mastermind behind this scheme, I believe, is Madara Uchiha."

"Madara Uchiha? But he died a long time ago," Yugito says. "The battle between him and Hashirama created the place called the Final Valley, and shortly after, Kurama fell into the possession of the Hidden Leaf. You're saying he's alive?"

"Was. I believe that he has passed on by now, or is in a state unsuitable for normal living. In any case, he is off the board. But his will lives on in another. A fellow Uchiha, called Obito."

"That person...venerated as the Hero of Kannabi Bridge. He was of Leaf, too."

"Yes. He uses the name of Madara, and leads Akatsuki from the shadows. I believe he is using some means to control the one directly leading Akatsuki as it is now. His power is difficult to counter, as it involves space time migration."

"That sounds annoying, yeah. Lord Raikage had to deal with that a while ago, with the only person he considered his equal in speed. The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze. I remember hearing about his passing when I was younger, and it was an incredible shock."

"If this Obito Uchiha is allowed to continue with his ambition, it might mean the end of everything we know. Was Choumei able to provide you with information earlier?" Matatabi asks.

"They were able to, but it was limited in scope. They did direct me towards Kurama, but as we've discussed, it seems that it will be a long while before we can engage in any sort of casual conversation."

"Yes. Brother Kurama and Brother Gyuki would be the most knowledgeable on these subjects, and may have insights beyond myself and my other siblings. Unfortunately, Lord Bee is trapped inside of the country indefinitely. Ah, my apologies, Miss Yugito. Was that alright to reveal?"

Yugito gives her a lazy wave. "It's more than fine. We're sharing a lot of sensitive things as it is."

"Thank you."

"An interesting thing to hear, and confirms earlier reports. Of course, it is wise to take advantage of that flexibility when you have two jinchuuriki at your disposal. If it's not prying too much...why is Killer Bee stuck at home?"

"Lord Raikage is very protective of him," Yugito explains. "I don't know the exact details, but Bee hasn't been allowed to venture outside of designated areas since the passing of Lord Third."

"The Third Raikage...I have studied him as well, and he was an incredible human being. Not just his extreme speed, size, and strength, but durability beyond anything thought possible. I heard many a rumour that he took on Gyuki in single combat, and more than once."

Yugito nods. "Yep."

"I see...quite terrifying, to say the least." But then, that makes me even more impressed with the old man. To be called the God of Shinobi by his enemies and peers, while existing in an era with someone like that. I have a high estimation of myself, but it's still awe inspiring to hear of past legends. I wonder how I would match up at my full strength.

"I have said the same to myself, Lady Kobayashi," Matatabi says. "I could not say that I was fond of him in any way, but he had a strength and tenacity that I could not help but respect."

"Mm. That only makes sense."

I can't really think of anything else to go over at the moment. Akatsuki, Obito...the possible plans they have. There's a lot that I've learned, and still so many things out of reach. If there's really a Rinnegan user, what could they be after? Could they not use their power to directly control the tailed beasts? Why all the secrecy, the plotting, the strange movements? What does Obito with merely his Sharingan, a doujutsu of a lower order, have over them?

"Pain...that is the name of the Akatsuki leader," I say. "He has an assistant by the name of Konan."

"Pain and Konan...never heard of those names before," Yugito says. "Do you know where they're located?"

"No. We've been trying to figure that out for an age now, with no luck. Akatsuki communicates with each other remotely, and has a number of lairs they use. I will give you the data I have on their members that I have gathered, so that you can report back to the Hidden Cloud. Information has been frustratingly slow going around..."

"That's a good idea. With my returning after the whole Akatsuki thing, I think that the village brass will be more inclined to sit up and pay attention."

"Hopefully. Power struggles or otherwise, we cannot allow Akatsuki to get their way. Leaf is currently monitoring Isobu thanks to my earlier efforts, and Choumei is heading west to hopefully talk with Shukaku."

"Wait, what? They've left the Waterfall?"

"Our sibling has finally struck out on their own...encouraged by your affection, no doubt," Matatabi says. "It will cause a slight tremor throughout the shinobi world, surely."

"With terrifying and incestuous beings stalking them, it was for the best," I say to her. "I'm certain that Fuu and Choumei will be able to make a greater difference as free agents."

"It's going to set things off for sure," Yugito says. "And we don't know the status of the other jinchuuriki either. The two guys in Rock, Han and Roshi, aren't around the village often at all and take to wandering Earth Country. If Akatsuki is on the prowl..."

"I fear that one or both of them might have fallen already," I say gravely. "Those murderous youths mentioned by Kisame earlier...they were muttering on about how boring their last hunt was, when Fuu and I encountered them. They're not likely to attack places like the Hidden Sand or any larger village due to the loss of manpower, but anywhere else, like the Waterfall, is fair game. Because of how hosts have been mistreated, we might end up in a terrible situation." I really don't want it to be true, either. Fio...she would take it so badly if her sensei ended up losing his life in this chaos.

"All the more reason for us to knock some sense into the Five Kage," Yugito replies. "We've been on the clock for a longer time than we've realized. Your friend Naruto is under the protection of Leaf, Gaara has been able to repel one attack with your help, Bee and myself will be looked after by Cloud, and Fuu will be on the move, hopefully keeping herself safe. Adding in your eye on Isobu, that's six accounted for..."

"And yet it still leaves us in a perilous situation," Matatabi says. "Since we have no idea what method Akatsuki is using to contain my siblings once captured, there is every chance that they could be used to devastate villages on their own."

"No matter the number of tails, they are still tailed beasts, and utterly terrifying existences to all shinobi," I add. "We're right to worry, even if we maintain a majority. The villages would still be reluctant to come together." That familiar vibration goes through my body, and I wince. Seems that our time together is nearly up.

"Are you alright?" Yugito asks.

"Everything is fine. I simply can't keep this power up for too long as I am, unfortunately."

"Then we'll let you rest. I think I'll want to get back to my body, too. See you in a bit."

I nod and shut off my second sight, allowing Yugito's image to merge with her body once more. I exhale as my chakra returns to normal, and give Matatabi my attention.

"Matatabi, thank you for agreeing to this. I know how hard it must be to trust humans, after everything you've seen and experienced. I also know that I am just one person, but...I want to change things in this world, so that one day both you and Yugito will truly be respected for the people you are. There is so much to do, so much to change. But I won't be doing it alone."

"You are correct. Even now, I cannot truly trust humans. And...as shameful as it is to admit, I still guard my heart when speaking to my partner," she says, a closed hand resting on her chest. "We have been together for many years now, and so much of that time was spent in pain and confusion. But...I feel as if I can change, from this day forward. You have been kind to us both, Lady Kobayashi. To me, who humans regard as a dangerous, unruly beast. And to Yugito, who is from a village that you have nearly gone to war with several times recently. There is so much tension between us, for so many reasons...but you chose to look past that, and instead saw us for who we truly were."

She sniffles and wipes the tears from her eyes.

"Thank you. After so many centuries, alone and unwanted...to have someone else acknowledge me like this is the greatest gift I can think of."

"You deserve this and so much more," I say. "I'm so glad that I could reach your heart like this. I will do my best, for people like you, and for a brighter future."

"Then I will place my faith in you, Lilith Kobayashi. Please...help us bring about the world that my Creator desired."

"This I will swear to you, Matatabi. On my soul, as the beloved daughter of heaven. This age of strife will be brought down by my hand."

"Thank you...Lili."

She closes her eyes and goes still, the ears and tails made of flame disappearing. Yugito lets out a breath and rolls her neck from side to side before standing up.

"Yeah...always a bit strange when we switch over. Doesn't happen often," she says as she shakes out her legs.

"Not too many opportunities, I imagine."

"Not really, no. Most people don't want to talk to someone they perceive as inhuman, even if they pass all the checks. Lili, I...I mean, we really appreciate what you did for us. Thank you again, even if you're sick of hearing it."

I smile. "As if I could get tired of something like that. Seeing you in good spirits makes me happy."

She chuckles at that. "You're one heck of a woman, you know that."

"So I've heard, and will hear for an age yet." I yawn and get to my feet. "Shall I grab us lunch?"

"Well...Matatabi said she'll be sleeping for a while, so it'll just be us. So...well, since I'm feeling up to moving around now..."

"Hm?"

"There should be a nice place to eat nearby, with a patio, if I remember correctly. The weather is nice, and all," she says while looking to one side.

I nod and put my arm around her waist. "I'll take care of everything, of course."

"Sure."

"Good. Let this be the first date of many to come, hmhm."

"You know what?" I feel her put her arm around my waist in turn. "I think I would like that, honestly. Just no funny stuff, remember. You're married."

I pout playfully. "You're no fun."

We head out and close the door behind us.