The world had turned to ash. Where there had once been trees and grass, a forest full of life, now there was nothing for a few hundred feet in all directions. The smell hit Naruto first; a noxious combination of smoke and burnt flesh. Then came the pain. Not the pain he had long since associated with his previous instances losing control of the Kyuubi's chakra, yet not anything Naruto would consider to be an improvement. His head pounded, each beat of his heart pulsing a new sensation of pain through his eyes and ears.
He groaned as he struggled to sit up, his body aching in weird ways. Just what had the Kyuubi been doing with him? After a few seconds, he managed to regain some of his focus, enough to make sense of where he was. Sitting in the middle of a small crater, Naruto could only sigh in resignation. There was no way he could talk his way out of this one. Granny-Tsunade was going to beat him to death for this, assuming Ino didn't kill him first. Shit. His friends. Was everybody still—
"They are fine," the Kyuubi said sharply, sounding slightly offended.
The fox's usually booming voice might as well have been an exploding tag going off inside of Naruto's head with the way it made him keel over and fight to keep hold of his stomach contents. "Please don't talk in my head," he whined. He laid back on the ground to stop the world spinning. "Why do I feel like this?" It was odd to have such intense backlash from using the Kyuubi's chakra. If anything, the effects should have been easier to deal with. He was no perfect jinchuuriki, but he was growing more proficient in controlling the bijuu's power as the years went by. Had he messed something up somehow?
"Your body might be developing to handle my power, but your mind is still far too weak to contain my own for even a short period of time," Kurama explained smugly. "The seal allowed for it to work this time, luckily for you. Consider it a kindness that I did not draw it out and cause you serious harm."
Naruto rolled his eyes. It hurt to do so, but it couldn't be helped. "Gee, thanks. Remind me to get you a bag of puppy treats from Kiba once I can move again."
Kurma growled. "Do not patronize me. You are alive right now by my efforts. You would do well to show some gratitude. Any other being would have stopped saving your life after the first time you stupidly threw it away."
Unfortunately, the fox made a good point with that. How did Naruto know it was a good point? Easy. It sounded suspiciously like the kind of thing Ino would say during one of her lectures. Gods help him if the two of them both became his voices of reason. He wasn't sure he could live with a voice inside and outside of his own head that delighted in pointing out all of his idiocy. Naruto wondered how the previous jinchuuriki dealt with the fox in moments like this.
"My previous hosts were not nearly as self-destructive as you. They were also strong enough to not need my help outside of the direst of circumstances. There was no need to talk, and the silence is a peace I am sorely beginning to miss."
"Hey, you're the one who keeps talking to me. If you want quiet, just say so."
"I would, if you would only stop putting my existence at risk with your actions," the Kyuubi said. "This will be the last time I aid you in such a way. My agreement with your father be damned. If you refuse to take responsibility for your own safety, then I will not exhaust myself to keep you alive."
Naruto took a deep breath. That was fair. He couldn't reasonably keep relying on the fox to always pull him out of a tight spot. It was easy to become complacent, and sadly the years spent with Jiraiya hadn't helped. The worlds preconceptions of what a jinchuuriki was meant to be made things challenging. He couldn't blame the perverted sage for being focused on training him to try and control the fox though. The other villages had been harnessing their own jinchuuriki in very specific ways, so it made sense to match that if only as a precaution.
This little shit show proved just how shortsighted that thinking was. While this time Naruto had only lost access to the Kyuubi's chakra due to the bijuu's own meddling, it had been proven several times now that there were many ways for a jinchuuriki to lose access to their bijuu. The Akatsuki were made up of people specifically capable of dealing with bijuu level opponents, so if Naruto wanted to do any better against those that remained, he needed to be more than just a jinchuuriki, more than just a shinobi.
He grumbled quietly to himself. It was time to finally confront some of his issues, and it was going to suck.
{I}
The separation of shinobi and general village affairs was never so glaringly clear than when someone of some importance died in the line of duty. Shikamaru had known this since his academy days. His father had explained it all to him rather casually, which was understandable given the man's own extensive career. Still, Shikamaru had hoped that it wasn't quite so disheartening. Asuma had been his sensei, so obviously his death meant more to him than most, but he had also been the son of the third Hokage, one of the guardians of the Daimyo, a man known throughout the nations.
As he walked through the busy streets of the village, it was almost as if nothing had changed. Sure, some were moved by Asuma's passing, but many of them were shinobi themselves, and therefor had been prepared and conditioned for such things. Outside of some courteous and brief condolences, the world simply moved on. That was fine, Shikamaru supposed. He wasn't big on drawn out displays of emotion anyway, so he was grateful that no one had dragged him into anything like that just yet. Then again, he hadn't exactly been around for anyone to target.
The journey back from their little mission had been an interesting one. Quiet, surprisingly. Naruto had seemed… off, though he assured everyone he was fine between his extended lapses of silence. Ino was furious, as anyone who looked at her twice could tell, but she was holding it in very well. Shikamaru pitied whoever was unlucky enough to be around when she finally felt it was safe to unbottle everything racing through her mind. He would endeavour to be as far away from that event as he could be. The others were as good as could be expected.
There had been a sense of pride in the group at having completed what they set out to do, however it was laced with the shame of how they had taken it upon themselves to do so. Going against the village, even for seemingly righteous reasons, had gotten more than a few promising shinobi of the past scorned, labelled as deserters, or just flat out dead. They all expected to return to some serious degree of punishment. So, imagine their combined surprise when Naruto all but threw himself at the Hokage's feet and claimed full responsibility.
Shikamaru shook his head at the memory. Naruto was an idiot. A good friend, a loyal comrade, but a complete idiot. If he had planned to lie about everything and take the full blame when they got back, then he should have at least confided in the group so they could prepare a straight story. As it stood, no one had been prepared, and there wasn't a doubt in Shikamaru's mind that the individual mission reports everyone had been forced to fill out would be hilariously inconsistent. He had opted to simply write the truth and answer all questions honestly. Digging the hole any deeper would end poorly for all of them.
If the others were smart, they'd follow the same approach, but there was no telling what they were doing right now. Shikamaru had been released in short order, thanks mostly to not wanting to waste his own time. Suspended from duty until the Hokage came to a decision on what to do with them, of course. Better than being locked up. At least no one was under the assumption that anyone involved in the unsanctioned mission was a risk of going rogue. Prison just didn't suit Shikamaru, not unless his cell had a skylight, which was extremely unlikely.
Shikamaru wasn't sure how things would turn out. The Hokage was understandably upset, so he expected a harsh punishment for his direct involvement. That just made his next move more important. He had to make use of what little time he had. If only he had walked slower, he might have put some time aside to work up the nerve to do what he needed to do. Instead, he had reached his destination all too soon and wasted his thinking time worrying about the team and the ramifications of their actions. And so, there he stood, at the front door of a modest house— well, modest for a famous shinobi that was —frozen in place. What would he even say? Were words necessary? Did she even want to see him right now?
He sighed deeply. Now wasn't the time to shirk his responsibilities. His knuckles rapped against the door and the next few seconds of his existence were spent in apprehensive silence. When the door finally opened, he was met with a sight that validated his fears. Kurenai was usually an incredibly beautiful woman with soft features and a caring expression no matter the situation; always well put together in a way that seemed effortless and yet somewhat unobtainable. That was not the case in this moment. She was still beautiful, no one would dare say otherwise, but she looked haggard. Her hair was messy and unkempt, eyes red and tired, clothes thrown on with no attention paid to appearance. Not at all how the woman would normally present herself, but given the circumstances…
Shikamaru looked down, not wanting to look her in the eyes, but that only made things worse for him. Kurenai was well along the way in her pregnancy and seeing that only reminded Shikamaru of what else had been lost. A shinobi, a sensei, a son… and a father.
"You're back," Kurenai said flatly, eyeing him up and down. "All in one piece I see. The others?"
"Fine," he answered. "No one got seriously hurt." Okay, that might have been a lie, but Naruto had regenerated, so it was almost as if no one got hurt. Kurenai didn't need to know the gritty details.
Kurenai nodded. "Good."
Shikamaru's head jerked to the side as his cheek burned with a fresh handprint. Damn she could slap hard. He turned back to her, wincing at the tears welling in her eyes and awaiting more hits to follow. They never came.
"You are smarter than that," she hissed, her words somehow hurting more than the slap. "Asuma would never shut up about how proud he was of you, how you were destined for great things. Risking your life, the lives of others, risking the hopes he had for you, all for the sake of revenge. It does nothing but insult his memory, his sacrifice. How could someone so smart be so stupid?"
He wasn't sure if she was about to cry or beat him to a pulp, or both at the same time. Either way, he wasn't going to stop her assault, verbal or otherwise. Shikamaru knew he deserved it.
Kurenai didn't seem to appreciate his defeated disposition. "What would you have done had you lost anyone to this foolish cause? What if you had died? Do you think throwing away your life would make up for not being able to save Asuma? Do you think he would want that?"
"No," he said quietly. Actually, now that everything was over, Shikamaru got the feeling that his first moments in the afterlife would be spent suffering his sensei's wrath for doing so. It was a few decades off, if he was lucky, so hopefully Asuma wasn't the type to hold onto things like that. "I'm sorry." He knew saying it was pointless. Before Kurenai could continue, he slipped his hand into his pouch and held something out towards her. "I just couldn't live with myself if we lost everything that day."
Not the whole truth, yet not too far from it. Retrieving Asuma's body had been a priority of the mission, even if they had been willing to give up on it for the sake of survival. The dark reality of the bounty collecting underworld of the shinobi world was that once a body was cashed in, there was no guarantee that the individual's village would be able to claim them again. They could have, were they willing to pay, but more often than not the bodies of reputable shinobi went to the highest bidder, usually for the sake of study or pettiness. Asuma dying was difficult to come to terms with, even if death in the line of duty was something everyone had to become accustomed to. Not being able to give the man a proper burial, however, was unacceptable.
Kurenai took the cloth wrapped object from him gently, unfurling it to reveal the engraved metal plate sewn to the fabric. Shikamaru had made sure to clean and polish Asuma's headband before bringing it here. His only regret was not having been able to bring it back on the same day that he had brought back the news of their loss. It wasn't much, but something was better than nothing.
"Sorry," he muttered once more, turning to leave.
He was stopped as Kurenai grabbed him harshly by the wrist and pulled him back. Shikamaru gave in easily, resigning himself to whatever was about to happen. Instead of another slap, or harsh words, he felt her arms wrap around him as he was pulled into an uncomfortably tight hug.
"Thank you," she said softly, pulling back with a pained smile. "But don't ever do anything like that again. You kids are some of the only things I have left of him now, so I better not lose any of you either. Here—" she took the headband and tied it around Shikamaru's arm, just below his own. "—I have enough reminders. You hold onto this one. A reminder to never let him down, even in death. Asuma gave his life to make sure his team made it back safe, so now it's your job to make sure his sacrifice was worth it."
"That's a big job," he said, shoulders sagging a little more than usual. It wasn't to say that he didn't think Asuma's sacrifice wasn't worth it, far from it in fact. It was just that Shikamaru understood that in the eyes of many, the loss of a formidable jonin for the sake of three chunin, while noble, was likely not worth it. To change those views, to prove that Asuma had been right to choose them over himself, would take a whole lot of effort. Effort which, given any other circumstances, Shikamaru would have been loath to exert.
Kurenai smiled at him. "Then you better get to work."
Shikamaru smirked. He always was the one being hounded to work harder. Guess now he didn't have a good enough excuse to fight it anymore. "What a drag."
Before he could react, Kurenai's hand shot forward and delivered a surprisingly hard flick to his forehead. "None of that."
He rubbed his head, painfully remembering why forehead protectors were called as such. "Do you need anything before I go?" he asked.
"I'm pregnant, Shika, not crippled," she chided lightly. "I was about to go and visit him again. Care to join?"
Shikamaru nodded and created two clones that quickly rushed off. "They'll tell Ino and Choji where to find us," he said, holding his hand out to Kurenai. "We can all go together."
He had a lot of making up to do for his stupidity. This was only the beginning.
{I}
"You know, when you asked me to help you train, this is not what I expected," Shikamaru said.
Naruto ignored the subtle undertone of that statement. Just because he had enormous chakra reserves and seemingly endless stamina did not mean that all of his efforts were devoted to excessive physical and jutsu based training. Sure, it made up a vast majority of his time, but he was older now, refined, capable of enjoying the more delicate aspects of shinobi life.
"You are fooling no one."
He ignored that too. "Are you complaining?" he asked.
Shikamaru hummed. "No. Just pleasantly surprised is all."
That tracked. To be fair, Naruto had been purposefully vague about why he wanted Shikamaru's help with training until they actually got out here. Here being a small hill located on the edge of one of Konoha's public parks. One of Shikamaru's favourite spots for cloud watching, and unsurprisingly, a very quiet place where few shinobi ever bothered to venture.
In his youth, Naruto had never seen the point in places like this. Sections of land that were almost indistinguishable from a standard training ground, left for the civilian side of the village to tend to and make use of. It had seemed a little wasteful back then, but now he could understand the value in having space like this. The peace was unparalleled, and the lack of any significant chakra traces or shinobi in general made it all the easier to do what he needed to do.
It had been just over a week now since their near disastrous mission to take down the Akatsuki duo, during which time every member of the group that had participated had come to the conclusion that they were ill equipped for what was coming. None more so than Naruto himself. The Kyuubi insisted on being a constant reminder of this fact, and one that Naruto could neither silence nor hide from. In the end, he had no choice but to concede and start putting some serious thoughts in how to overcome his fatal flaws for the sake of his friends and the village. Tsunade had made a good point when she had told him that the village needed a good shinobi more than a good jinchuuriki.
As great as the fox's power was, the circumstances of the bijuu being sealed made it all too easy for that power to be made irrelevant by those with the knowledge and skill. If he was going to keep his friends safe, keep the village safe, and somehow survive everything at the same time, then he was going to need a lot more than what he had at his disposal. Thankfully, the toads had already given him a path to follow with the potential to solve at least part of his problem.
"So, this Senjutsu… can anyone learn it?" Shikamaru asked. Whether his curiosity was sincere or merely born of boredom was up for some debate, but so long as the lazy Nara didn't doze off and lose focus on Naruto then questions were a fair trade. At least Shikamaru wasn't quite as harsh with the elder toads sage training rod as Fukasaku was, or Ino.
Naruto shrugged. "Not sure," he answered honestly. "I guess technically, yes, anyone could learn it, but I think the price of getting it wrong might dissuade most people from trying."
Shikamaru stared at the rod in his hand. "You mean partially turning into a toad?"
"Nah, that's just getting the balance wrong. If you really mess it up, you go full toad, then you turn to stone." Naruto still got unnerved every time he got a glimpse at the sage training area at Mt Myoboku. Even knowing the risks and having a pretty surefire way of avoiding that fatal outcome, he'd be lying if he said he was completely confident in pulling it off. There wasn't the option of failing anymore though. He had to succeed. He needed to get stronger. Everyone was counting on him, whether they knew it or not, not that they would admit as much.
"Hmm, I see why Ino was so annoyed with you when you first got back to the village," Shikamaru said. "If you were a smarter man, you might have held off on jumping straight into a form of training that could kill you. You know, all things considered."
If only the world would give him enough of a break to do exactly that. Some time off would be awesome. Now that Shikamaru mentioned it though… "How is she?" Naruto asked, cracking an eye open to peer at his friend.
Shikamaru laughed softly to himself. "Ino is Ino. Grumpy and bossy on her best days," he said. "She isn't alone this time. Choji is upset with me too. They are both hurt that I didn't think to include them on the revenge. It's not so bad really, and not nearly as bad as you've got it." He lazily met Naruto's eyes with a sympathetic look. "She still not talking to you?"
Naruto let himself fall out of his meditative position with a loud sigh. "More or less."
He couldn't blame her, honestly. He had messed up big time, and crying about the consequences of his actions wouldn't get him anywhere. No matter how much the silent treatment from Ino might hurt, Naruto knew it was only temporary, and so long as he waited patiently then there was hope of salvaging things. At least, that was the advice he had gotten from Iruka… and Tsunade… and Sakura, and almost every other person he had gone to in his desperate quest to find a way to make it up to Ino. "Wait for her". That was all the advice he could get, so that's exactly what he was doing. Shizune said that having space was important to some people when they were upset, that it was nothing personal and that he shouldn't think of it as such. Still, a whole week of Ino keeping her distance despite being so close may as well have been an eternity.
"You should probably go and talk to her," Shikamaru suggested.
"But everyone else said that I should—"
Shikamaru butted in quickly. "Give her space, yes, you've done that. Normally I'd say take the advice of other women when it came to girl problems, but Ino is… troublesome." He rubbed his temple and sighed, as though just thinking about any of this was too much for him. It most likely was. "You two have had enough space. Ino is probably waiting for you to do the right thing, which is to go to her, fall to your knees, and beg for forgiveness."
Naruto pinched his chin sagely. "Will that work?"
"Not a chance." Shikamaru met Naruto's downtrodden expression with a smirk. "But… I do think it's what you should do, and what she is expecting of you. If I know Ino as well as I think I do, then trust me when I say that if this comes down to a battle between who is more stubborn, you will lose, badly."
Naruto nodded in agreement. Ino was fast gaining a reputation of being the village's most stubborn kunoichi, and that was saying a lot considering Konoha had Sakura and Tsunade running in the competition for that title. "When should I do it?"
Shikamaru shrugged. "No time like the present."
"Like, right now?"
"Yes, Naruto. Now."
"Oh. Okay, well, I'll just, uh, get to it then," Naruto said, getting to his feet with an unsure feeling settling in his gut.
Shikamaru laid back on the grass and gave him a lazy thumbs up. "You do that. Don't bother letting me know how it turns out. I'll find out soon enough."
Naruto laughed sheepishly and spun around awkwardly, trying to think of where the best place was to find Ino at this time of day. Eventually, he settled on just heading to her house. If she wasn't there then perhaps her parents might know where to find her. As he took the first step, he froze, the feeling in his gut getting more intense. He wasn't scared of Ino, of that he was sure… mostly. What he was scared of was making things worse, of having no one but himself to blame should things fall apart any more than they already had.
If he was going to do this, then he had to do it right, which meant he had to be prepared going in. A difficult requirement considering his penchant for running into situations headfirst and worrying about a plan later. And so, turning back to Shikamaru, he asked…
"What exactly am I apologizing for?"
{I}
Tsunade's fingers drummed irritably against the cold steel of the operating table. Never before had she been so puzzled by a body placed before her, but this 'corpse' had her truly stumped. She hesitated to call it a proper corpse… yet. It was just bits and pieces of a body, brought back to her by the team that had taken down the Akatsuki duo, but showing no clear signs of decay despite having been left sitting for the better part of a week. Actually, there were signs of the pieces trying to regenerate to some extent. Tsunade wasn't quite game enough to stick the pieces back together, if only to sate her curiosity, but she could hazard a guess that the supposed immortal was exactly what he boasted to be.
In other words, that one was best left in cold storage until she could devote some actual time to assuring safety protocols. In the meantime, her attention switched over to the other body, one that was notably more intact than the other, if you could call this 'intact'. Flesh and organs replaced by strange tendrils of fabric and tendons. Some parts still maintained the typical structure of muscle fibres, but a vast majority had fallen limp with the host dead. Tsunade would have loved to dissect this one while he still had all five hearts. Seeing how a forbidden jutsu of this calibre worked, being able to deconstruct its nature and functions, it would have been a medics dream, possibly resulting in a textbook or two being written on the subject. Sadly, it wasn't to be.
"Lady Tsunade?"
"Yes?" Tsunade kept her back to Sakura as the girl entered the morgue.
"You summoned me?" Sakura said uncertainly.
Tsunade hummed. "I summoned my apprentice. Whether or not you are still fit to hold that title is yet to be seen," she said, glancing back to see the girl hang her head in shame. "You've been taking your punishment at the hospital well. Everyone there is still singing your praises since you got back. Not that I expected anything less of you."
Sakura bowed. "Thank you, lady Tsunade."
It wasn't meant to be a compliment, but oh well. Tsunade wasn't in the mood to yell and scream at anyone today. All the members of the team that had chosen to run off on their little self-imposed mission of revenge had been dealing with the consequences of their actions silently and without complaint. Well, except for the Nara boy, but Tsunade was fairly convinced that complaining was his natural state of being. They had all been confined to the village walls, condemned to do only the worst of D-rank missions available, and loaded up with any and all extra duties that could be found. Sakura, for example, was currently at the mercy of the nurses and medical staff of Konoha hospital. Outside of her usual duties, she was required to do anything and everything requested of her, right down to scrubbing bed pans if need be.
"So, I've read the reports, all of them. I've heard you all out, in an official sense that is. But now I want to hear what you actually have to say for yourself." As she spoke, Tsunade didn't stop fiddling with the corpses and taking notes. After a few seconds of silence, she stopped and looked up at Sakura expectantly. "Well?"
Sakura looked terribly confused. "What I actually have to say?"
Tsunade nodded. "Yes. Tell me why you thought it was a good idea to accompany your friends in their unsanctioned mission. Tell me why you betrayed my trust and chose not to bring the matter to me immediately."
She smirked at the way Sakura tensed at the request. The conflict between one's duty as a shinobi and the desire to aid their comrades was a difficult one. Many strong men and women had fallen at the hands of the wrong choice in the moment. The white fang came to mind, though Tsunade didn't bother bringing it up. Sakura was Kakashi's student, so if anyone knew of that history, understood the importance behind it, it was her.
"Forgive me, lady Tsunade," Sakura said, bowing lower in shame. "I know I should have come to you and warned you of what my friends were planning to do, but…"
"But?" Tsunade coaxed.
Sakura stood back up straight, emotions schooled and eyes hard. "But they are my friends. I knew nothing would have stopped them from leaving, and had I taken the time to warn you, it would have only pushed them to move faster and take further risk," she explained. "I chose to go with them, to keep an eye on them and keep them safe, to use the skills you taught me to make sure I didn't lose any of them. I am ashamed of my actions, but I do not regret them in the slightest. Given the choice again, I'd do it all over."
There was something to be said about Sakura's growth, as both a kunoichi and a woman. Tsunade still remembered the incompetent wimp that had come begging for her tutelage only a few years ago. The girl that stood before her was a far cry from that Sakura Haruno, and Tsunade couldn't be prouder. Not that she would say that aloud. Sakura's head was big enough, both literally and figuratively, without her ego being fed.
Tsunade took a step forward and matched Sakura's hardened stare, eyes flickering up to the Konoha headband adorning her forehead. Sakura had taken to wearing it properly this week, as if to remind herself of her place within the village.
"Remove your headband," Tsunade commanded.
For all her strengths, Sakura was too quick to crack. Her face immediately fell as realisation flashed in her eyes. Hesitantly, she reached up and untied the symbol of the village, letting it fall delicately into her hands before she folded up the fabric and gave it one last longing stare before holding it out to Tsunade.
"I accept whatever punishment you deem fitting, lady Hokage," she said, closing her eyes in resignation.
Tsunade didn't hesitate, her hand shooting forward as her middle finger tensed against her thumb. Then, like a spring, her finger shot out, smacking Sakura right in the middle of her forehead with enough power to make the girl stumble back and fall to the ground. Tsunade had to hold back a laugh as Sakura looked up at her with the most dumbfounded look.
"That is for making me worry. Next time, leave a note at least, or send Katsuya with an explanation," Tsunade said crossly, holding out a hand and helping Sakura back to her feet. "Pull another stunt like that, and the next one will put you through the wall."
Sakura rubbed the quickly reddening spot on her forehead and winced. "Of course. I promise it won't happen again." She looked at the headband in her hand. "So does this mean…?"
Tsunade waved her off dismissively. "Yes, yes, you're still a shinobi. I'd have to be stupid to get rid of one of my best medics, especially after what you just showed me." Seeing that Sakura's confusion only grew, Tsunade continued. "A medic is much more than just a shinobi. When I began, I vowed to do everything in my power to heal anyone I could, no matter the circumstances. Orders, the mission, my reputation, none of those were more vital than making sure I could save any life that I could."
"When you began your tutelage under me, I made you swear to follow that belief. You agreed, of course, but I could see that you weren't quite committed to it. That was, until now," Tsunade said. "You chose the lives of your friends over your duty to the village. You came back knowing you might face all manner of consequences, and you stood here and proudly stood by your decision."
The more Tsunade spoke, the more Sakura seemed to be catching on to what she meant. Good. Tsunade didn't want to have to spell it all the way out for the girl. As soon as it looked like everything had clicked into place in Sakura's head, Tsunade patted her on the head approvingly.
"You did well," she said. "I'm proud to call you my student, and I look forward to seeing you perform just as well in the future. Just, don't make me worry again. Like I said, a note will suffice."
Sakura let out a breath and relaxed, smiling at her sensei. "Does that mean I can return to just doing my normal duties now?" she asked hopefully.
Tsunade returned the smile. "No." And just like that she shattered her dear students hopes. Her smile widened. This must have been the joy Sarutobi had felt when he tormented Jiraiya back in the day. She could see the appeal. "No matter how proud I am of what you did, the how is what truly matters. Punishment is still in order. Let's say another, oh, I don't know, three weeks of your current service, then you may return to normal."
There was a flash of horror in Sakura's eyes, followed quickly by a build up of anger that threatened to burst out. A stern look from Tsunade stopped that in its tracks, and Sakura hung her head with a loud sigh.
"Of course, lady Tsunade. I understand, and I accept. Thank you for your kindness."
Tsunade rolled her eyes. Gods how she hated suck ups, but it was what Sakura needed to do. Clapping her hands together, she brought Sakura's attention back to her. "Alright, now that that's over, how's the idiot?" Tsunade asked. "Has he grown a set yet and gone to face the consequences of his actions?"
Sakura chuckled nervously. "I'm not sure. I've been a bit busy to keep an eye on either of them like I normally would," she admitted. "Naruto is still alive, so I'm willing to bet that he has still been giving Ino her space."
Tsunade was upon Sakura in an instant. "Willing to bet, you say?" she asked with far too much excitement. "Think he will overdo it and give her way too much space, or do you think our little heartbreaker is mature enough to realise the next step on his own?"
"I'd rather not get involved, if you don't mind. They are both my friends. Wagering on the outcome of their relationship issues seems in poor taste," Sakura said, doing her best not to cast a disapproving look in her sensei's direction.
Tsunade pouted. "I knew I should have taken a more hands on approach to teaching you. Shizune has tainted you."
Sakura shook her head. "If you say so, sensei." She bowed. "I need to get going. If there is nothing else?"
Tsunade dismissed her student and returned back to her tinkering with the admittedly very fascinating corpses that were now her playthings. Sadly, no matter how interesting they may be, it was nothing compared to the lure of the drama produced by young love. It didn't help that it involved Naruto, who she had taken a vested interest in.
After a few minutes of getting nowhere, Tsunade realised she needed to satiate her curiosity before she could focus. Now, who else in this damn village would be ready to put some real money on the line?
{I}
When Naruto found himself nearing the Yamanaka home, he was surprised to feel his heart rate increase with every step closer he took. Being nervous was nothing new to him, nor was being afraid, but this time was different. Being afraid of dying was natural, being nervous about failure was to be expected; being absolutely terrified of finding out if he had royally screwed things up with the woman he loved? Well, it went without saying that Naruto had a new respect for what true fear felt like.
He fought through it, forcing himself to calm down as he marched to the front door and rapped his knuckles against the wooden frame. Naruto almost expected it not to open at all. Ino could likely sense it was him, as could her parents. She was pissed, and if she had told them of what he had done, then they would be pissed too. They might just leave him here to wallow for all he knew.
Then, the sound of a lock unlatching made his ears twitch. The door opened, and while Naruto sorely hoped to be greeted by Ino, angry or otherwise, he wasn't exactly disappointed to see Himiko standing in the doorway.
"Oh, Naruto. Hello dear," Himiko greeted happily. "We hadn't seen you in a while. I was beginning to worry. Did you just get back from a mission?"
Naruto scratched his head sheepishly and grinned. "Eh, not exactly," he answered. Great, so Ino hadn't explained everything to them. He didn't know if that was a good or bad sign. Maybe both. "Is Ino around?"
Himiko shook her head. "She's just out on a little errand for me. Won't be long. You're welcome to wait here for her if you'd like."
"No, that's alright. I don't think Ino would appreciate—"
"Nonsense," Himiko interrupted, grabbing Naruto by the wrist and pulling him inside with little effort. It wasn't until she had sat him down at the dining table and taken a seat across from him that the look on her face became much more knowing. "Besides, this gives me a chance to give you some advice on how to handle your little… situation."
Naruto paled. "My situation?" Ah, so her friendliness and obliviousness at the door had been a ruse to get his guard down. Ino's mom was just as scary as Ino sometimes, perhaps even more so.
She nodded. "Ino told us everything. Not that she had to. Inoichi has full access to the reports and has read over them more than once by now," she said, ignoring Naruto's growing horror. She clicked her tongue at him. "Dear, oh dear. I knew Ino liked the troublemakers, but this… You should have known better."
He most certainly should have. Naruto hung his head and nodded in agreement. "I know. And I know you and Inoichi are probably pissed at me. No amount of apologising is going to fix any of this, but I promise you it will never happen again."
Himiko peered at him with a keen sharpness to her gaze. "Hmm, well, you aren't a liar, that much I can take comfort in." A soft smile broke the tension as she reached over and held his hand reassuringly. "I take it you've been giving Ino some space after it all? Advice from those wiser than you I bet?"
Naruto nodded.
"Smart move. But I think you two have had enough space now. You obviously think the same if you finally came here, though I have to wonder what your strategy for the next part is." Himiko pursed her lips together. "Ino can be a little difficult when emotions come into play, so if you'd like, I would like to help."
Naruto tilted his head a little, not detecting the faintest hint of lie or deceit from her. It begged the question. "Why?"
Himiko laughed. "Oh, sweetie. I'm no fool. Of all the boys my little Ino could have gotten herself caught up with, you are by far the best choice," she said. "I've seen the way you look at her, the love you feel for her, even if you don't quite know how to express it just yet. It is exactly what I want for my daughter, and I'll be damned if she loses that. So, are you ready to admit that you love her enough to accept my help?"
He gulped. Somehow, nothing had ever felt like more of a trap than this very moment. Surely his instincts were wrong, they had to be. "I do, and I am. Please, I'll do anything."
"Perfect. Just the words I wanted to hear," Himiko chirped, standing up suddenly and walking over to the bottom of the stairs. "'Ichi-sweetie, can you come down here for a minute."
Naruto made a point of forgetting he heard the way Himiko referred to Inoichi. The last thing he needed was to accidentally blurt it out or make a bad joke about it. Being tortured by a Yamanaka sounded like a painful way to suddenly develop debilitating shame and embarrassment. Some memories deserved to stay locked away for a reason dammit.
Before Naruto knew it, Inoichi was sitting at the dining table with him, an unreadable expression on his face. Silence held them until Himiko returned with some tea and joined them.
"So," Inoichi began, his tone failing to give any hints as to his feelings on the matter. "You've come to mend things with my sweet, darling little angel? Are you sure this is what you want? Are you prepared to do whatever it takes to make it up to her?"
Naruto tried to smile. Konoha was experiencing a warmer than usual summer, so why had he worn his jacket today? How did he explain that was the reason he was sweating without it sounding like a cover up? Hmm, nope. An impossible task. Ino's parents could see straight through him, so why even try.
"Yes sir."
Inoichi stared at him with narrowed eyes for a moment before smirking. "You may live to regret that," he said ominously. "If you really wish to earn Ino's forgiveness, you will need to make use of a Yamanaka secret technique normally passed down from father to son. You may be no Yamanaka, but I see this as a worthy cause, so I am willing to teach you."
Now that caught Naruto's full attention. A secret technique? A clan's secret technique? Inoichi was just going to teach it to him? What in the world was happening. Was Ino's anger that serious that he needed to learn a jutsu just to get back in her good graces?
As Naruto raced through possibilities in his head, he failed to notice Inoichi's expression grow ever so slightly evil. "First things first," he started, regaining Naruto's attention. "Tell me, Naruto. How good are you at begging?"
Naruto blinked. "Huh?"
{I}
Ino sighed as she opened the door and let herself in. Her little day of running errands for her mother had proved to be just as uneventful as she had expected, though some part of her was disappointed that she hadn't run into a familiar face; one in particular that was. While having her space to process everything had been nice, Ino would be lying if she said she hadn't been somewhat disappointed in not seeing Naruto around.
She was still mad of course, though it was nothing now compared to how she had felt on the day. Just lingering embers that occasionally sparked an irate thought or two throughout her day. As could be expected, Ino was far too upset to hold onto her anger with Naruto. Asuma's passing had affected her more than she had first thought, and so most of her days had been spent processing that pain and working her way through the grief in her own way. Which reminded her, she really ought to check in with the boys at some point, make sure they were alright after everything.
Ino was on autopilot as she kicked off her sandals and moseyed on into the kitchen. She didn't even blink twice at her parents sitting and having tea, nor at Naruto sitting with them. "Hey," she greeted, dropping a few small shopping bags onto the counter. Her mother could worry about unpacking and sorting through it all; Ino had already done her part in fetching it all. "I'm going to lay down for a bit. Let me know if you need me."
She left them to it, managing to reach the bottom of the stairs before her mind finally shifted into action. With a predatory caution to her movements, Ino backtracked slowly until she was standing in the kitchen doorway, staring at the three with narrowed eyes. Her parents, check. Naruto, also check. Were it not for the obvious aura of barely concealed fear emanating from Naruto, Ino would have thought the three were conspiring against her. Still, it paid to be safe.
"Something going on I should know about?" she asked, watching her parents suspiciously.
It was no secret that her parents liked Naruto. Ino was actually happy about that. But if they thought they could step into her relationship and try to fix things that had nothing to do with them, then they had another thing coming.
Himiko disarmed her with a knowing smirk. "Nothing nefarious. Don't worry."
"Uh-huh." Ino was unconvinced. Crossing her arms, she pinned Naruto with her gaze. "You finally showed up. I imagine you have something you want to say?"
Naruto nodded dumbly and opened his mouth to speak, only to snap it shut as Ino made a pinching gesture with her fingers.
"Not here. Follow me," she said. Naruto was up and at her side in an instant, meanwhile Ino gave her parents one final glance. They each looked far too calm, too pleased with themselves. It didn't sit right with her. "I'll be back to talk to you two later."
"Of course, dear," they chorused in unison.
Ino marched to her room with Naruto in tow, closing the door behind them and making sure to activate the privacy seal she had finally managed to convince her father to allow be placed on her room. She loved her parents, but they were nosey enough without being able to eavesdrop on whatever went on in her personal space.
Taking a seat on her bed, Ino crossed one leg over the other and placed her hands on her knee, looking up at Naruto with a flat expression. "Well?"
She reminded herself that she wasn't actually all that mad at him anymore, but he didn't know that, and he certainly didn't need to be let off the hook just yet. Ino wanted him to squirm a little more. With that in mind, Ino was completely unprepared for when Naruto got down to his knees and dropped his forehead to the ground at her feet.
"I am sorry," he said into the floor. "What I did was selfish and stupid. I didn't consider how it might hurt you, and I fully understand if you choose not to forgive me for it. But just know that I am sincerely sorry, and I promise never to do it again."
Ino's brow nearly met her hairline. It was a small blessing that Naruto, in his current position, couldn't see the look on her face. She had been prepared for all sorts of things to come of this inevitable moment; yelling, screaming, crying, deep and meaningful conversation that led to a fairytale-esque resolution to their troubles. You name it, and Ino had probably daydreamed that exact scenario at least once in the past few days. This, however, caught her completely off guard.
As the silent seconds dragged on, Naruto remained with his face to the ground. Ino didn't know what to do. What could she even say right now? Naruto Uzumaki, the most hardheaded and stubborn boy she had ever met, who never once showed a lick of respect to any reigning Hokage, and who likely would refuse to bow to the Daimyo if he didn't feel like it, was submitting to her completely. It was flattering, concerning, heartwarming, and… suspiciously familiar for some reason.
She pouted and hummed in annoyance as it finally clicked. Ino had seen this type of pathetic display before.
"Ino?"
"Dad set you up to this, didn't he?" she asked.
"…No?"
Ino sighed. "You're an idiot."
Naruto chuckled sheepishly. "Does that mean I can get back up?"
"Nope." Ino popped the word with such amusement that almost forgot she wasn't supposed to have fun with this. Crossing her arms, she schooled herself and continued. "You made me worry and panic for hours, so you can stay like that for a little longer."
She was surprised when he didn't argue. With how well he was pulling this off, Naruto would have made an excellent Yamanaka. Ino still remembered the day she learnt about the age-old, foolproof apology technique of the Yamanaka clan, passed down from father to son over the years. Ino was no son, but she was clever enough to have seen it firsthand once when her dad had accidentally upset her mother once during her childhood. Pure humiliating submission, usually accompanied by no small amount of begging and gift giving, sometimes requiring a date to seal the deal.
It was just as embarrassing to be on the receiving end as it had been to witness her father stoop so low. But hey, people did really dumb things when in love. Meaning Naruto was either really dumb, or really in love with her. Ino preferred the latter.
"Did he tell you to beg while you were down there?" Ino asked.
"Yes."
"Are you going to?"
He shook his head slightly, still keeping his forehead to the floor. "I deserve this. I won't ask you to forgive me if that's something you don't want to do."
Ino frowned. She was starting to understand how this technique worked. It was getting very difficult not to feel sorry for someone being so… pathetic. If she let it drag on any longer, she had a feeling she would lose her conviction to not let him get away with his actions. "Okay, this is weird now," she said, getting to her feet and pulling Narto up to his as she went.
Somehow, being face to face with him only made things worse. Those big blue eyes bearing down on her may as well have been the ocean itself, and her conviction nothing more than rocks on the shore. The rocks never won that battle, even if it took years for them to wear down.
"You know why I was upset, don't you?" she asked softly.
Naruto nodded shamefully. "I could have died. We all could have died," he said. "I went on what could have been a suicide mission and dragged people close to you along with me. In a time when you had just lost so much, I risked taking more from you."
Ino took a deep breath. It was one thing to know something, but an entirely different thing to hear it said out loud. At least he was smart enough to realise the gravity of his mistakes. "That much is true, but not nearly all of it," she said, receiving a curious look. She clarified. "You didn't say goodbye."
Naruto blinked at her, clearly not understanding.
"Naruto, we are shinobi. Dying is a part of our lives. Any day could be our last. I did not go into this without realising that at any moment you may be called away on a mission that you may never return from. I know the risks of our line of work, and I have come to terms with it." She took a shuddering breath and calmed herself, reaching out with her hand to cup Naruto's cheek, thumb caressing the whisker marks. "We could each lose one another in the blink of an eye, and there is nothing either of us can do to stop that."
"I can forgive you for acting out and doing what you did. It was stupid and idiotic, but forgivable. I can forgive you for not including me in a mission for revenge that I had every right to be a part of. I can forgive you for nearly dying, even if it killed me to see you like that. But Naruto… if you ever leave me like that again, without a fond farewell to remember you by in case of the worst, and nothing but fearful thoughts, then I will never forgive you if you fail to come back to me."
Naruto went to say something and Ino silenced him with a finger to his lips.
"No," she said. "No more apologies. Promise me. Promise you will never leave me worrying like that again. Promise me that if this world cuts our time together short, that I will not have to live with the regret of not being able to say goodbye."
Her voice was cracking now, fighting to get the words out clearly past the lump in her throat as her eyes fought valiantly to keep her cheeks dry. It was a losing battle. This whole week had been nothing but an act of delaying the inevitable. Emotions could not just be processed mentally and filed away like paperwork. They needed to be experienced and worked through properly. Ino knew this, and yet she had tried to maintain this façade for all this time.
Naruto's arms pulling her into his chest was the final straw, and just like that, she fell apart. It was a rather quiet affair, consisting of silent tears and the occasional sniffle. Ino had long since grown out of making a spectacle of her emotions when she could help it. Still, she knew she needed to let this happen, and she also knew that subconsciously, she had been waiting for Naruto so she could do just that. Picking up where they left off, so to speak.
As she cried, Naruto held her gently, whispering sweet nothings of reassurance in her ear the whole time. I'm here. Let it all out. I'm not going anywhere. I promise. I love you. Over and over, he repeated them to her, gently stroking her hair and rubbing her back, even planting a kiss atop her head between some of his words. As far as comfort went, it was more than enough.
Eventually, Ino ran out of steam. She had been tired even before this, and now she was exhausted. Peeling herself from Naruto, she pouted at the wet patch she had left on his jacket. Now he was open to being asked questions about it. If he was as honest as he usually was, that could ruin her reputation. It was settled then; he could not be allowed to leave.
She had hold of his hand quickly, weakly tugging him toward the bed. "Stay with me?"
Naruto was hesitant. "Are you sure you want me to stay?"
Ino paused. What kind of stupid question was that? Of course she wanted him to stay with her. Then again, they had just spent the better part of a week not talking to each other, so it made sense that there might be some lingering tension and uncertainty. Too bad she was too tired to care about that right now.
"Please?"
Naruto chuckled. "I thought I was the one who was meant to beg." A swift jab to his ribs had him changing his tune. "Okay, okay. I give."
Settling in on her bed, Ino made the most of her new human sized heater, snuggling as close to Naruto as she physically could. She had been wanting nothing more than to fall asleep in his arms again ever since she had woken up alone in his apartment, and now nothing would stop her from getting precisely what she wanted.
As Naruto's arms wrapped around her and she felt herself fast relaxing into her slumber, Ino couldn't help but feel as though a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Things were still not yet back to normal, and there was plenty more to work through, but at least now she wasn't going to be working through it all alone. So long as she had Naruto, and he had her, then nothing would slow them down for long. Ino fully believed that in this moment. The world just needed to realise it.
{I}
Back down at the table, Inoichi sipped at a fresh cup of tea as he read through a small stack of paperwork he had brought home from work. Nothing of great importance, though there were a few supposed mentions of missing-nin wearing black cloaks with red clouds being sighted near the other ninja villages. Nothing that could be proven or corroborated, of course, but still, something worth bringing up with the Hokage in tomorrow's meeting.
He took another sip and glanced at the clock on the wall. It had been over an hour now since Ino and Naruto had vanished upstairs and locked themselves away. Inoichi had initially held some concern over the advice he had imparted unto young Naruto, but as time dragged on, he felt confident that it hadn't led the boy astray.
Just as his mind began to wander and worry, Himiko came quietly down the stairs and sauntered up behind him to plant a kiss on his cheek. "Is all of that important, or can I steal you away for a while?" she asked.
Inoichi smiled and closed the folder. "Nothing is as important you as, my dear."
"You sweet talker. You know that flattery will get you everywhere," Himiko giggled.
Getting to his feet, Inoichi spared a glance towards the stairs. "How are they?"
Himiko shrugged. "Fast asleep. It's quite a cute sight, all snuggled up together as they are. Took a lot of willpower not to get a photo. I guess Naruto is quite the natural. Broke your record by two hours at least."
"A skill no doubt attributable to his father." Inoichi's eyes narrowed. "Were they decent?"
He knew he shouldn't have asked. There was no right answer to such a question. Still, he needed to know if he had to dial back the friendliness he was extending towards Naruto. He liked the boy, trusted him even, but a father's duty was sacred. Fear was a necessity.
Himiko swatted him lightly on the chest. "Oh, stop it. They are young, but they are plenty old enough to make their own decisions and mistakes. I seem to recall you being far livelier when we were their age," she teased.
A cough did nothing to cover up his reaction to the verbal jab. His eyes still lingering in the direction of his concern.
"Let me put it to you this way," Himiko said. "You can either keep worrying about whether or not your daughter is decent in the privacy of her own room, or you can be assured that I will remain decent in the privacy of our room for the next month. Choice is yours."
With that, his wife slipped away towards their bedroom, leaving Inoichi to fight his own internal battle in solitude. A heavy sigh was the only declaration of a winning side. His sympathies went out to Naruto. The poor boy didn't know what he had roped himself into. Women were not something a man could simply win against. Naruto would learn, just as Inoichi had over the years, and he too would come to understand the struggles that came with loving a beautiful woman.
As he followed after his wife, he spared one last thought for his future son in law. 'You should have run when you had a chance, Naruto.'
{I}
Today was the day. Sasuke knew it was coming, as he had for the past few years. His tutelage under Orochimaru had apparently reached an acceptable level for the snake Sannin, despite Sasuke's caution to ensure that his more advanced skills and training remain secret. It might have been naïve to assume he could have kept anything from Orochimaru, but he had done well enough to extend the time frame that he had initially been given. He would find a way to thank Kabuto for making his masters body last as long as it had.
Unfortunately, that would have to wait. Sasuke had been summoned, and he knew better than to keep his sensei waiting. Even in his weakened state, Orochimaru was leagues beyond a normal opponent, and allowing the man a chance to get the upper hand was not wise.
As he rounded a corner, Sasuke wasn't at all surprised to find Kabuto waiting for him. In all his time here, Sasuke still hadn't gotten a good read on the spectacled man. All he knew was that Kabuto was just as— if not more —slippery than his master. His motives and reasonings behind his actions were a mystery outside of supposedly serving Orochimaru, and that didn't sit right with Sasuke. Kabuto always seemed to know more than he should, understand things better than he let on, and yet simultaneously did his best to present himself as nobody important.
"Prompt as always," Kabuto greeted with a smile that was as hollow as the man himself.
Sasuke grunted. "What's this about?"
He already knew. Orochimaru might have considered himself above everyone, but the snake's arrogance had failed him in this. Sasuke had been prepared for this eventuality for weeks now.
Kabuto adjusted his glasses. "Not for me to say. Best not to keep lord Orochimaru waiting."
Sasuke rolled his eyes and marched on. He had to hold back a smirk as the door closed behind him and the unmistakable sound of a lock latching echoed through the room. Did they honestly believe they had him trapped?
"Ah, Sasuke. You seem to be in good health," Orochimaru said, voice dripping with that same false sincerity that it always did. "Your training has gone better than even I could have expected."
Oh, how Sasuke wished these pointless pleasantries could be over with before they began. Orochimaru prided himself on being able to lower the guard of those he dealt with, and now was no different. He wanted Sasuke unprepared, unassuming, unguarded. It was quite pathetic actually. Someone of Orochimaru's renown shouldn't have to hide behind such tactics. A testament to how far the Sannin had fallen as a result of his experimentations. In the desperate search for immortality, the snake had only clawed his way closer to death.
"You summoned me?"
Orochimaru chuckled. "Indeed, I did."
From the far side of the room Orochimaru's yellow eyes peered at Sasuke with a ravenous hunger that would have better suited a starving beast. The smirk on his face was one of pre-emptive celebration as he licked his lips in anticipation, as though he was already assured victory. Only the bandages that covered much of his body and the entirety of his arms were a sign of the man's current condition. Sasuke had seen enough of Orochimaru's injuries to glean a fair idea of what the third Hokage had done to his former student. Whatever the jutsu was, it left Orochimaru unable to mould chakra into his arms, and the stench of rotting flesh that followed Orochimaru was becoming too much to ignore at the best of times. Even if he were to shed his skin and transfer into a new body, Sasuke couldn't be sure the damage would not pass over to the next host. If Orochimaru got his way, that new host would be Sasuke, and Sasuke wasn't about to let that fate befall him, not when he was so close.
Sasuke sighed softly. This was already a bore. "Let's skip the pleasantries. I know why you asked me here."
"Then you know that there is no escape," Orochimaru said. "A prodigy you may be, but even you have sorely disappointed me in your progress under my instruction. I had hoped you would grow to rival Itachi when he was your age. But no matter. Your body will present a suitable host for the time being, and if it puts your mind at ease, I promise that I will use those marvellous eyes of yours to kill your brother in your stead."
That was almost enough to earn an amused snort from Sasuke. Orochimaru seriously believed himself strong enough to take on Itachi? What a joke. The snake was already taking such precautions with only Sasuke. Even if he were to claim Sasuke's body and somehow unlock the secrets of the Sharingan, there was no way it would help him reach that level.
Sasuke went to place his hand on the hilt of his sword. That was enough of a trigger apparently. Orochimaru was upon him in an instant, shedding the skin of his current body and slithering across the room with surprising speed. What had once been passable as a man was now anything but. Hundreds of white snakes woven and twisted together formed one giant serpentine body, at the head of which rested an almost human like face. Sasuke had seen some horrors in his time, but the form Orochimaru now took was easily at the top of his list.
The beast coiled around him, pinning his arms to his sides. It lowered its face down to his own, smiling ear to ear at its current position. "Poor little Sasuke. So confident, so driven; so much potential that could never be realised," the snake taunted. "Your body deserves a better master. One that is able to see it reach its true potential."
"You don't know anything of my true potential," Sasuke said calmly. "If you did, you never would have tried to face me alone."
Orochimaru chuckled. "Such arrogance."
Sasuke watched as the snake unhinged its jaw, positioning itself to consume him whole. Of all the places to be, the belly of a monster like this was not a desirable one. With his arms pinned, Sasuke was limited. Most of his jutsu were no longer a viable option. Thankfully, of everything he had managed to keep secret from Orochimaru, his Mangekyo was one of them. So caught up in his assured victory was Orochimaru, he didn't notice when Sasuke's eyes shifted into six-pointed stars.
Purple flames enveloped Sasuke, the ribcage of his Susanoo forming around him and prying Orochimaru off his body. The snake hissed in fury as its body was burnt on contact with the jutsu, but before he could slither away to a safe distance, a giant skeletal hand grasped him and slammed him into the ground. Its tail whipped around, wrapping around the offending appendage and attempting to break it with brute force. Black flames ignited across the limb's surface, setting Orochimaru alight and forcing him to uncoil. Another arm materialised, pinning down the other half of his body with little effort. Once all was said and done, the great white snake, a monster that could have fuelled nightmares in the fiercest of men, could do nothing but look up at its captor in fear and pain.
"What is this?!" Orochimaru yelled.
"This is what someone like you can never hope to attain," Sasuke said. "This is the true potential of the Sharingan, and you, sensei, have outlived your usefulness." He drew his sword, lightning surging through the steel as he stepped towards the snake. It squirmed and thrashed uselessly in his grasp. "Be sure to say hello to Itachi when I send him after you."
It was a quick and ruthless affair. What wasn't sliced into chunks was ultimately crushed in the vice grips of his Susanoo, until all that remained of Orochimaru was the clumps of seared snakes and the pools of blood slowly spreading across the floor. Sasuke had to admit, of all those that had fallen by his hand, Orochimaru was the most conflicting. A strange mix of relief and disappointment. He had honestly expected more of a fight from the Sannin, yet at the same time Sasuke was thankful that such a stain on the world was so easily cut down.
With a flick of his wrist, the door was cut from its hinges. Sasuke stepped out, not a drop of blood marring his appearance despite the mess he was leaving behind. Kabuto was still there, watching him warily and with no small amount of disbelief.
"Which one are you?" Kabuto asked.
Sasuke might have ignored him completely at one point in his life. Kabuto did such a good job of making himself seem spineless and worthless without a master to guide him that it had almost been convincing. But the Mangekyo had opened Sasuke's eyes to so much more than he could have hoped. As soon as Kabuto's eyes locked with the six-pointed star of his Sharingan, Sasuke could see the shift in the young man's demeanour.
Kabuto moved first, throwing a kunai at Sasuke. Sasuke deflected it easily, rushing in and engaging the medic without hesitation. Kabuto was good, much more so than he had ever alluded to before, but it wasn't enough. He clearly expected Sasuke to fight more like Orochimaru, and that was his downfall. Sasuke's sword found an opening, slicing Kabuto from shoulder to hip, a deep and fatal wound to almost any other opponent. Kabuto only smirked, his body already regenerating as he closed the gap.
His hits were strong and precise, infused with chakra in a way similar to the gentle fist, yet so much worse. Each strike severed muscle and sliced through deep tissue, with one or two even rupturing organs. In the span of seconds, Sasuke's body was rendered useless, until he was finally grabbed by the throat and pinned to the wall. A syringe plunged into his neck and Kabuto smiled down at him.
"You were foolish to think we were not prepared for this," Kabuto gloated. "No need to worry. The damage I have done is reparable, and Orochimaru is far from dead. As soon as you have recovered, you will become his new vessel. Your fate was sealed the moment he marked you."
Sasuke's eyes glazed over, a small smile tugging at his lips.
Kabuto quirked his brow. "Something amusing?"
"Yeah," Sasuke wheezed out. "I finally understand why Itachi does this."
Kabuto's next question died in his throat as a blade pierced through his heart from behind. The Sasuke in his grasp fizzled away into nothing as lightning flowed through his body and pinned him in place. His regeneration would not let him die to such a simple wound, but even his perfect control over his body couldn't fight against the effects of such powerful electric current.
From behind him, Sasuke looked on boredly. "I'm glad I didn't let you live. Who knows how much trouble you might have caused," he said. He slowly twisted his blade, finding no enjoyment in the suffering it inflicted. "You said Orochimaru isn't dead. I'm inclined to believe you. But I get the feeling that you play an important part in his miraculous revival, and I don't like taking chances."
His eyes shifted, and Kabuto wasn't granted so much as a final scream before his body was consumed in black fire. A death far to quick for someone who deserved so much worse. Regrettably, Sasuke didn't have the time, nor was he in the mood to deliver justice. Now that he had moved against Orochimaru, he needed to put as much distance between here and himself as possible before the world found out. Not out of fear of Otogakure's retaliation, or of fear of any of the other ninja villages coming after him, though he supposed that was also a likely outcome. No, it was Naruto that worried him.
That insufferable moron would take this news far too optimistically and come running at a moments notice. Sasuke couldn't have that. He didn't need his past catching up with him yet, not when he still had so much to do. He was so close now; he could practically feel his revenge within his grasp. Itachi's days were numbered. Then, and only then, would he allow himself to slow. Only then could Konoha be allowed to catch up to him, and only then would he be able to face Naruto and try to deserve even a sliver of the friendship the Uzumaki tried to extend to him.
He paused as he passed the doorway to the room containing the butchered pieces of Orochimaru's true form. Kabuto seemed far too convinced that the Sannin was far from dead, and that simply wouldn't do. When he had the time, he would need to look into that, and he knew exactly who was likely to have more information. For now, he would settle with the simple option.
"Amaterasu."
With that annoyance taken care of, Sasuke left. The panic of Orochimaru's loyal servants would provide him enough time to slip away. By the time anyone caught wind of what had happened, he would be too far gone.
His eyes shifted back to their natural colour, and he wiped the blood from his cheeks. The world had grown a little blurrier, but his goal was that much clearer. Nothing would get in the way of his revenge now.
A/N:
So, I am still alive and have in no way given up on this story. I apologise for the wait, but I've hit an unfortunate case of writer's block and am only having luck with very particular projects at very particular times, some of which will never see the light of day. As such, I'm sorry if the quality of this chapter is lacking, but I struggled through it and wanted you guys to have something.
Not much else to say really. Ino is too soft to stay mad at Naruto for long, Shikamaru has 'sponsibilities now, and Sasuke is on the move. Also, before anyone complains that Sasuke manhandled Orochimaru, the dude squashed the snake in a battle of pure will in canon, so since he has had the mangekyo for literal years here, I figured Orochimaru and Kabuto could finally get a feel for biting off more than they could chew.
Still loving all the feedback from you guys. I enjoy hearing the thoughts of my readers, so keep them coming.
Till next time,
Soul out.