Chapter Twenty-Eight

As Sasuke feared, the revelations of Hattori Hyūga's personal effects raised more questions than they answered. He had kept a diary, chronicling his exploits and conquests, some of which was blackmail-worthy. At least a dozen women, including wives of high-ranking members of several prominent clans – some still alive – were among his conquests. Aside from the scandalous affairs with other men's wives, he also kept track of the maids he'd been banging – some willingly, others were victims of rape. The man was impossibly more promiscuous than you were when all the village girls were still fawning over you!

As Sasuke walked the residential district with last known addresses, his sour demeanor did not rise. Questioning high-ranking members of the Aburame, Nara, and Akamichi clans was out of the question for now – leaving only the maids and nurses. A cross-check of the diary against personnel records revealed that most of the maids on the list had left employment suddenly. Further records search revealed little else. Of the five nurses and maids that left service around that time, two had died of narcotics overdoses, two disappeared, and he was here searching for signs of the last one.

Then there is the issue of the little crow he was talking about. A thorough check of names revealed no maid with the name Uchiha. So where did the moniker come from? Something about the situation did not add up.

He reached the entrance of the now rebuilt Stony Bridge Apartments. Far from being a slum, it was a housing project popular among young shinobi orphaned by parents without the benefit of life insurance. The village owned and maintained the property, and even academy students pulling D and E ranked missions as side-hustles could afford the rent. For a time, he and Hinata had shared an apartment here while undercover – before he'd been taken.

Sasuke's fingers clenched into tight wads of flesh and bone as he fought to dispel the memories of all the horrible things he'd gone through during his year-long captivity with the Akatsuki. First had just been torture in the name of extracting information. Later came the experiments Orochimaru played on Sasuke's mind and body. It's over, man! It's in the past, it can't hurt you!

Sasuke entered the building, steeling his mind against further incursion. Apartment 121 was identical to any other apartments – no descript brown wood door greeting him. Sasuke knocked. For a moment, nothing. He was about to knock again when the door opened, revealing a severe young man, approximately Sasuke's age. The man had short cropped black hair and obsidian eyes – lifeless as a doll's eyes. "May I help you?" The man spoke curt but nonthreatening.

Protocol would be to identify himself, but for some reason, Sasuke had great reluctance to show his cards yet. "I'm trying to find Ema Kimura; this is the last known address anyone had for her."

The man's eyes narrowed, "Who are you?"

"I'm a member of the KIB," Sasuke flashed his identification.

"M-, Ema is not here," the other man stumbled over his words, "She's dead."

"I'm sorry," Sasuke wasn't even convinced by his own attempt at sincerity, "Was she a friend or relative?"

"She was my mom," he paused and shrugged, "at least, she was like a mom. I was abandoned and she took me in."

"When did she… pass?" Sasuke asked.

"During the war, the fourth one," the other man answered.

"I didn't get your name…"

"Fuji," he answered crisply. "Now if you don't mind, I have to get ready for work."

"Thank you for your time," Sasuke said as the man closed the door. As Sasuke walked away, he scribbled a series of notes in his notebook and made his way back to KIB headquarters. As Sasuke walked along, Sasuke crossed into the market district, bustling with spring market days. "Sasuke!" a familiar, chirpy voice called out.

"Ino," he walked up to a stall laden with flowers.

"How is Sakura?"

The question wasn't meant to sting, but sting it did. Sakura was still in the hospital almost a week after coming back from the mission to the Land of Whirlpools. "She's…" he searched for words, "…recovering." His words were hollow.

"Sasuke," Ino took his hand, and thrust a bouquet of flowers into his hand, "go to her!"

"Ino…" he froze, but one hand reached blindly for his wallet.

"Pay me back later," she commanded, "now get to it, boy!"

Sasuke nodded, still in shock, and he turned to head for the hospital.


"It's all right, Tenten," Hanabi said as she scanned with her medical jutsu over the now vastly swollen belly of her patient, "The babies are just fine." The early April air in the shrine was refreshing through the open window as she worked.

"Hanabi…" Neji's voice was small, uncharacteristic for his normally strong and confident bearing.

"Yes, big brother?" she knew he was nervous. Who wouldn't be with twins on the way?

"Can you tell us the genders?" Neji exchanged look with his wife, "Please?"

Tenten nodded, "Tell him."

"A boy and a girl, Neji!" Hanabi beamed. "You're going to be the father of a son and daughter."

Neji swayed and shook, and Hanabi braced herself to catch him, but he instead began crying. "Honey?" Tenten took his hand.

"I'm going to have a son and a daughter!" he cried, voice choking.

"Yes, my love," Tenten squeezed his hand further. "We have much to be grateful for!"

"You'll be a fine father, big brother," Hanabi stood and smiled. "Much as you turned out to be a fine metalsmith!" She chuckled.

"Metalsmith's apprentice," Neji raised a finger. "It will be some time before father-in-law turns the forge over to me."

"You'll be ready before you know it," Tenten said, confident. "Even before all of this, you weren't half bad the few times I had you working metal."

Hanabi's watch beeped, "Is there anything else I can do for you two?"

"I think we're good," Tenten answered, "Are you all right?"

"I have another patient," Hanabi began gathering up her kit. "And I need to check in with Mom."

"Do give her our best, as well as Konohamaru!" Neji said.

The mention of her other patient, the person she loved, still tugged Hanabi's heartstrings, "Thank you," she nodded.

As couple left the room in the White Kitsune's shrine, Hanabi hurried along to Mother's office. As predicted, Mother was pouring over a series of scrolls. "Hello, Hanabi, how goes things with Tenten?"

"Well," she nodded, unable to restrain her own impatient inquiry, "Please tell me you found something, anything," Hanabi unconsciously shook her head.

"I have," Mom beamed.

"Bless your heart! Talk to me!" Hanabi bounced from the doorway to the front of Mom's desk in a heartbeat.

"Hanabi, the White Kitsune, the Senju Clan, and the Uzumaki Clan were all able to wield and mold nature chakra in ways that others couldn't; that is why most users of Sage Mode come from those clans."

"Yeah, I knew that," she cocked up an eyebrow, wondering how any of this helped Konohamaru.

"The White Kitsune in particular were knowing to be able to mold nature chakra in ways no one else could; I'm sure you are familiar with the Spring of Fertility Ritual?"

"Spring of Fertility Ritual, Mom, that's to help women get pregnant!"

"There were other rituals similar, this particular one is the Spring of Vitality Ritual." Mom gestured to the scroll.

"How does it work?" Hanabi inquired, hopeful to have an answer, praying the nightmare of the past four and a half months would soon be over.

"Much like the Spring of Fertility, it channels the user's chakra, the chakra of the practitioners, and nature chakra through the intended recipient. In this case, the purpose is to heal rather than promote fertility."

"You guys went to a dangerous location for that?" Hanabi spoke unimpressed.

"The ritual," Mom's tone became crisp, "is known to have brought people back from death, and brought life to a stillborn child." Mom nodded, "and yes, it has healed those with wounds that resulted in otherwise permanent paralysis."

Despite her Mom's hope, Hanabi sensed the unsaid, "What is the catch, Mother?" Hanabi had been through enough in the past few months to know nothing was that simple.

"The catches, are numerous, with varying degrees of complication."

"Name one."

"For starts, we will need a place where nature chakra is abnormally strong."

"Mount Myoboku," Hanabi suggested.

"That is an option, but I'd like to try a nearby nature spring where I used the Spring of Fertility Ritual in the past."

"You actually used it?" Hanabi asked.

"Three times," Mom winked, "Otherwise, you, your sister, and Naruto wouldn't be here right now!" Mom giggled.

Okay, awkward! "Okay, what's the next problem?"

"Normally, this ritual takes four skilled healers familiar with nature chakra to make it work."

"And we don't have it," Hanabi deflated.

"Normally," mom corrected, "I'd be asking Shizune and Tsunade to help; however, they're both hugely pregnant, and I'm not willing to wait the last three months; I want this done sooner, rather than later." Mom turned uncertain eyes to Hanabi, "Ideally, I'd have you, your sister, Kushina, and myself in our current situation."

"I see no reason why Lord Fifth or Hinata would refuse," Hanabi answered.

"There is the awkward factor to consider," Mom's voice became tight.

Hanabi cocked up an eyebrow, "What's that?"

"To perform the ritual… we all are naked… including him."

"Wait, we have to dance bare-ass naked in the woods around him!" Hanabi's cheeks burned. She'd seen Konohamaru in the buff numerous times since taking care of him. He's never seen me in the buff, much less my sister!

Mom turned her palms up, "Do you want to see him walk again?" Mom asked the rhetorical question, "Because that is the cost of admission. Are you in or are you out?"

"All right, fine," Hanabi collected herself, "Aside from dancing around naked like a coven of witches, any other strings attached?"

"Hanabi, this isn't the end of his problems. It will heal his damaged spinal cord, but he's still looking at months of learning how to use the lower part of his body – especially with all the disuse atrophy he's suffered in his core and legs. He's going to have to re-learn how to walk, how to use the bathroom."

"Just as long as we get through the insurmountable, I don't care, and neither will he."

"That brings me to the last one," Mom sighed. Hanabi circled her hand in a gesture for her to continue. "Hanabi, it could heal him, but this hasn't been done in a hundred years. Mito Uzumaki, herself, ordered the technique sealed and kept secret for fear of it being abused."

"What's your point?"

"While we could heal him, there are plenty of chances we screw up somehow…" Translation: we could still easily kill him.

"Mom, if there is a chance, he's willing to take it! Hell, he still been trying to talk me and Hinata into letting him try Lord First's cells despite the extreme risk of tissue rejection." Hanabi began tearing up, and her voice began to sniffle, "Mom, he's depressed. Hope that we might have a way out of this is the only thing that has been keeping him going these past few months," she wiped tears, "Hell, it's the only thing that's been keeping me going!" The dripping tears resurfaced the hard ache Hanabi had developed in her neck, upper back, and shoulders from pouring over scrolls every waking hour she could concentrate. As well, the pain she had been developing in her lower back and knees from bending and lifting Konohamaru so many times

A soft hand on her hand eased the pain slightly, "Dear," Mom stood beside her, wiping away Hanabi's tears, "I don't mean to discourage you, but I need you, and him, to know there are risks, and nothing is guaranteed." Mom hugged Hanabi close, "In fact, I should tell him now, and start coordinating with your sister and Kushina."

"Mom, let me tell him," Hanabi pulled back.

"Why you?" Mom stared, concern in her eyes.

"Because, Mother," Hanabi straightened herself, "If you tell him, he'll say yes without hesitation. If it's coming from me, he'll have to consider my involvement. If he has any real doubt, he won't keep it from me."

Mom nodded in acceptance, "All right. Go ahead and ask him, let me know his answer, I'll call the Hokage."

Hanabi walked from Mom's office at first; once outside the shrine, she began sprinting. She crossed the courtyard, through the garden, and finally reached the clan leader's dojo. Naruto, Minato, and Akane stood and offered encouragement as Konohamaru struggled to move his arms back and forth with an overhead pulley system.

"Hanabi, just ten more minutes," he huffed, "You can clean me up later!" As was Konohamaru's usual coping mechanism, he threw himself almost non-stop in his exercises, potentially in the vain hope that he'd be able to regain his faculties by sheer force of will.

"Everyone, can I speak to him, privately?" Hanabi asked.

"Sure," Naruto nodded to his father, "Come on, lets go play in the garden for a bit with Akane," his baby sister squealed in delight at the suggestion.

Silence hung in the air between Hanabi and Konohamaru; both stared, trying to read the other. "All right, you got me," Konohamaru spoke first, "how bad is the news that you had to send away my Dad, big bro, and little sister?" He deflated in his wheelchair. "They didn't find it? They found it but it's not legible or usable?"

"Mom is actually reasonably confident in her ability to perform the ritual and wants to go ahead sooner rather than later," she explained.

If Konohamaru could have stood up in shock, he would have, "Then what in the hell are we even talking about! Let's do it!"

"Konohamaru," Hanabi raised a hand to stop him, "before we proceed, there are a few things you need to know."

"Lay it on me!" She hadn't seen him this excited since their first date they'd had in secret last July.

"Konohamaru, for one, this ritual hasn't been done in a hundred years. There is a real risk we screw up somehow, and you get hurt even worse."

"Hanabi," he turned his right palm up, still not having full use of the hand, "How in the hell does this get worse!"

"Konohamaru!" she yelled, "We're going to have to do this with a less than ideal group… there is the very real risk that you could die!"

"What does it matter!" he shouted in reply. "Look at me! Death would be a release right now!"

"Dammit, I love you!" she began to sob, "I love you, and the thought of killing you on accident…"

"Hanabi, that's not fair!" he protested, his own eyes starting to tear up. "Dammit, I have to do this! I can't stand being in this chair a minute longer than I have to!"

"It's also…" she heaved, "… not going to be so simple as doing the ritual and being better." Hanabi wiped away tears, "You're still looking at extensive rehab to learn how to walk and function again!"

"Then we'll get through it, together!" He was crying in earnest now. "Hanabi, don't make me a prisoner of this body! I'm not meant to live like this! I'll never be the happy-go-lucky bastard you actually love again if I don't try!" He stared pleading, "Hanabi, please, I don't want you to watch me decay into a bitter husk of a man the same way Grandpa didn't want me to see him die slowly of cancer!"

"Konohamaru," she gripped his right hand, squeezing firmly. She wanted her boyfriend back, she wanted to see Konohamaru smiling again, she wanted to walk with him at her side. She tried gathering words, but none were to be had.

"Hanabi, if anything goes wrong," he swallowed a lump in his throat, "It won't have been your fault! Just know I had to try!"

She struggled to force out words past the lump in her throat, "All right," she nodded, "I'll let Mom know."


Sasuke carried the bouquet of flowers, drawing attention like a bullfighter waving a red scarf in front of a raging bull. You're just delivering flowers to your girlfriend in the hospital, just like any other guy out there. He focused his breathing, a struggle now that he had only one lung – having lost the other during the war. "May I help you?" the registration nurse asked, thankfully, non-judgmental.

"Yes, I'm trying to find Sakura Haruno," he said.

"Third floor, room 301," the lady gestured to the elevators, "elevators are over there."

"Thank you," Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief. The nurse either didn't know him or more likely didn't care. After helping stop falling meteors last December, the general resentment of the village had at least mellowed toward him. Sasuke called the elevator and stepped in. As the doors closed, his breathing again began accelerating. The memories of being strapped to a gurney, in a straightjacket, clawed at the inside of his head. You were very, very sick the last time you were in here!

Sasuke managed to get his breathing under control as the doors opened again to the third floor. After multiple suicide attempts during his confinement, the restraints had been standard protocol any time he wasn't in his padded room. No restraints this time. You're a free man. He left the elevator and turned in the direction of Sakura's room.

"Sakura, I want you taking it easy the rest of the week," Tsunade's voice came from the open door.

"Yes, sensei," Sakura's voice was tired, bordering despondent.

"Sakura, when are you going to take some time off, maybe bring that guy you've been seeing over?" A deeper but still feminine voice asked, freezing Sasuke outside the doorway.

"Mother…" Sakura was both annoyed and uncertain.

"Don't play dumb with me," Mrs. Haruno replied, "it's the worst-kept secret you've ever had! You could at least bring him over for dinner some time!"

"Excuse me," Sasuke walked into the room, pretending he hadn't heard the conversation.

"Sasuke?" Sakura stared in shock. Her right arm was in a sling. Her eyelids hung low over tired eyes despite her surprise.

"I-I brought you flowers," he held out the bouquet Ino had provided.

"Sasuke," the now hugely pregnant Tsunade spoke, "you're just in time!"

"In time? For what?" he asked with genuine confusion.

"To take this little troublemaker home, that's what!" Sakura's mom put a hand between Sakura's shoulders and nudged her closer to Sasuke. "If you're not there to take care of her on a mission, I damn-well expect you to care for her while she's here!"

"Sasuke," Tsunade interrupted, "Sakura is still very much recovering from her injuries," Tsunade raised a finger, "She is going home to rest! She is not to raise a finger until I have followed up with her in one week!"

"You hear that, Sasuke! Not a finger!" Mrs. Haruno reiterated. "Now, take my daughter home and make sure she doesn't do anything to hurt herself even worse!"

"Yes!" Sasuke nodded, as Mrs. Haruno thrust Sakura's red jacket at him. "Sakura, if you're ready?" She nodded, and he brought the jacket over her good arm and draped the other side over her right shoulder. A quick trip down the elevator and at the registry desk for discharge, and they were outside the hospital.

"It's a nice day," Sakura staggered slightly as she walked. Sasuke brought his arm around her to steady her.

"It is," he replied feeling the crisp April air dispelling the gloom of the hospital, "Sakura, I would have come sooner…"

"It's all right," she moved a bit steadier with his guidance. "I know you hate hospitals, and Shikamaru told me about everything you're working on." She paused her words as she struggled to keep her breath, "How goes it by the way?"

"Lousy," he shook his head. "In fact, let's not talk about it; let's get you home."


By the time Sasuke got her home, Sakura felt ready to collapse between nagging pain in her right side and difficulty breathing. She'd broken several ribs, dislocated her shoulder, and separated her AC joint during the mission to the Land of Whirlpools. The fact that she didn't need open surgery was a small miracle.

Sasuke wasted no time falling into the role of caregiver, laying her down on the couch and covering her with a throw blanket. "You're surprisingly good at playing nurse," Sakura was careful not to chuckle too much, fearful of irritating her ribs.

"I had a good teacher," he stood over her, running fingers through her hair.

"I'm not used to it," Sakura rested her head back on the couch. "Mom had no talent for dealing with the sick or injured."

"So, you get it from your father?" Sasuke sat beside her on the couch.

"Heh," a mild sting hit her in the side, "he never made a rank above genin."

"Rank doesn't matter, Sakura," Sasuke stared intently with his raven hair and obsidian eyes. "He and your mom raised you; that has to count for something."

"I suppose," she closed her eyes, "Sasuke… Mom…"

"Wants me to come over for dinner at some point, I overheard."

She opened her eyes again, "You'd end up meeting my father as well."

"Does he approve of me?"

"He's always told me, 'As long as you are happy.'"

"Do I make you happy?" Sasuke's hand found its place on her cheek. "For real?"

"Yes, silly, boy," she strained with a laugh.

"Are you sure," he penetrated her with his stare.

"Dammit, Sasuke," she awkwardly grabbed his hand with her good arm. "If you didn't make me happy, I would have insisted on you taking me to my parents' house; why do you think my mom didn't say anything!"

A look of contentment came over Sasuke. For the first time in a long time, he actually smiled.

A knock at the door vanquished the contented look. "Dammit," he turned to the door, "I'll see whomever it is away." Sakura watched him stroll to the door, her tired eyes admiring his ass as he walked. You're in no shape for fun time!

The door opened, and Sakura tried getting up only for her ribs to remind her why she was down. Itachi stood in the doorway, "Brother, is this a bad time? I can come back."

"That depends," Sasuke stared back at Sakura, "I'm kind of acting as caregiver for my caregiver right now."

"It's all right," Sakura groaned. "Please, come in." Sakura reached up with her left arm, grit her teeth, and levered herself to a seated position. The pain of the act left her dizzy and on the brink of fainting, but she managed to recover after a few moments.

"Are you sure, Sakura?" Itachi asked. "I can easily return another time; I had no idea how bad your injuries had been."

"I'm fine, Itachi," Sakura struggled to restrain her ire against pain. "Please, what brings you here?" she softened her tone.

"My father is planning on retiring at the end of next month," Itachi explained, "I will be ascending as head of the Uchiha Clan."

"Congratulations, brother," Sasuke at least sounded pleased, "You've more than earned it."

"Brother, I want you in attendance," Itachi beamed.

The brief glimmer of light on Sasuke's face extinguished back into his stony mask, "Me?"

"You are my brother, and you are a member of our clan."

"I am an outcast of our clan," Sasuke replied firmer.

"Sasuke, you don't have to decide right now, but promise me, you'll consider it?"

"Sasuke," Sakura took his hand, "how about we talk about it, and we'll see if you are even ready." Using Sasuke's mental health as an excuse felt like a cheap move, but Sakura wasn't sure if he was ready to face his clan so completely yet."

"Please, take your time," Itachi smiled. "I also do have other business with the two of you."

"What sort of business?" Sakura asked.

"I was going to wait to the succession ceremony, but I may as well tell you now – Izumi is expecting our second child!"

"That's great!" Sakura said excited then winced as her ribs reminded her that they had not yet healed.

"That is… wonderful," Sasuke was subdued, but Sakura recognized that he was showing more emotion in the past few minutes than he'd shown in the past several years.

"Izumi and I," Itachi paused cheeks staining pink, "have a favor to ask you two."

"A favor?" Sakura asked.

"We want you two to be godparents to our children."

"You want us to what?" Sasuke balked in surprise.

"It's all right, Sasuke," she stared at Itachi. "Are you sure you'd want us as godparents? We're not even married yet!"

"Yes," Itachi nodded, "I was going to ask some time ago, but I knew Sasuke was not in any condition for it. But now…"

"You'd be entrusting us with your son and your new baby if something happens to you," Sasuke spoke most serious. "Are you sure we're the right ones for the job?"

"My brother and a medical-nin, what is there to object to?" he shrugged.

"You realize if something bad happens, he might be raised away from the clan because of me, right?"

"For one, nothing bad is going to happen," Itachi assured them, "For two, if the clan continues to treat you as a leper… then I don't want my son or our baby being raised in our clan."

"Itachi, it would be his birthright," Sakura protested.

"A birthright stained by the curse of anger and hatred," Itachi shook his head. He stood, "Think on it, let me know."

"We will," Sasuke nodded.

"I'll leave you two in peace then," Itachi bowed and left.

"So?" Sakura asked.

"So?" Sasuke sat beside her on the couch again.

"What do you say?" she asked.

"About which?"

"The first one, do you feel ready?"

"No," he shook his head. "It might be some time before I'm ready for that, if I'm ready for that, ever."

"It's about your father, isn't it?"

"Yes!" he exclaimed, not quite a yell.

"It's okay, then," she said. "If you haven't made peace with him, then there is no reason to force the issue." She nodded, "I suppose that means the second issue…"

"I say we do it," he cut her off. That was unexpected!

"Just like that? You're ready to be a godparent?"

"The position is ceremonial," Sasuke raised the index finger of his right hand, "and as Itachi said, nothing bad is going to happen to him or Izumi. I'm comfortable with it because it's my brother, and he went to the ends of the earth to keep me out of a hangman's noose."

"I mean, as long as you feel you're ready."


"Kitty!" Akane squealed as she chased the black cat around the room. Kushina chuckled as baby Akane picked up and cradled the black cat that had come home from the Land of Whirlpools. Due to the sensitive nature of their unsanctioned trip to the Land of Whirlpools, Kushina had asked Hinata to store the repository of scrolls at the Hyūga Compound. The cat, meanwhile, had insisted on staying with the scrolls; Hinata had even started setting out food and a litter tray for the feline.

"Merow!" the cat protested her captivity. Despite its clear dislike of the situation, the cat did not bite nor claw the child – the only reason Kushina hadn't protested the cat being here while she worked. Normally, Akane would also be home; however, Minato was doing rehab with Konohamaru, and Naruto and Hinata had their own duties. You wanted a baby girl, you got it. Are you going to start complaining, Lord Fifth?

"Kitty!" the cat shook loose and was chased by Kushina little one. Akane truly wasn't a baby anymore. In June, she'd be two years old, she was already talking and walking. And then you get to go through potty training all over again! Kushina chuckled again, until the cat jumped up onto a pile of scrolls, kicking one off the shelf.

Ah, nuts! Kushina raced from the desk, not wanting a priceless scroll to be damaged. Kushina caught the scroll just before it hit the ground. As she slid to a stop, the black cat flopped down in front of her, "Merow!"

"You, little one, are a little jerk…" Kushina eyed the scroll in her hand, noting that it had been addressed to her specifically. How!? She blinked, half expecting the address to disappear; when she opened her eyes, it was still staring her in the face, plain as day.

Kushina frantically clawed her way back to the desk and rolled out the scroll. Inside was a rendering of the seal they had found in the Land of Whirlpools. "The Shibai Ōtsutsuki has been slain and sealed again, but not before it has turned the world on our clan. The Omnipotence has irreversibly turned everyone against reason; even our allies in Konoha are unwilling to come to our aid."

Kushina froze, blinking in disbelief. The Omnipotence? There were other Otsutsuki after Kaguya?! She read on, "The Shibai's remains still hold great power, and it must never be used by anyone – not shinobi nor the other Ōtsutsuki likely to come searching for it. Once I have set everything and sent our future away, I will set a trap for anyone foolish enough to come here looking for the beast's remains!"

Kushina stared in disbelief as she read the signature: Ashina Uzumaki – her grandfather and village Kage. "My god…" the room swirled around her. All her life, she'd believed it was bitter jealousy that had destroyed her village. Now, the truth was even more unsettling than any rivalry – an Otsutsuki had turned the other villages against Uzushiogakure. Panic, cold as ice spread through her veins as the implications of their recent misadventure in the Land of Whirlpools sank in. The Otsutsuki had taken part of whatever the hell this thing had been. She eyed the scroll; there was more, and she needed to study it further.

"Merow," the cat jumped up onto the desk, out of Akane's reach.

"Kitty!" Kushina's daughter squealed.

"Yes, kitty," Kushina eyed the dark-haired feline, "that was rather lucky of you." The cat stared, looking supremely satisfied. "Of course, if we're going to keep you, we will need a name." Kushina rubbed her chin. "Midnight?"

"Merow," that cat shook its head.

Kushina noticed a detail she'd not paid attention to sooner on the cat's forehead, "A crescent moon? Moonie?"

"Merow," the cat shook her head again.

"Luna?" Kushina thought of another name for the moon.

"Merow!" the cat nodded, again looking satisfied.

"Luna, eh?" Kushina scrutinized the cat before turning to her daughter. "What do you think, Akane, Luna?"

"LUNA!" she shouted gleefully.

"Well, that settles it," Kushina said. "Now, time to see what else we have here, Luna." Kushina turned her attention back to the scroll.


Shikamaru knew the meeting at the Hokage's office was not going to be a pleasant one. Kushina, Hinata, and Itachi sat around the Hokage's desk, all serious and not giving anything away. "So, to what do I owe this honor?" Shikamaru asked.

"Shikamaru, Naruto briefed you about everything that happened in the Land of Whirlpools, correct?" Kushina asked.

"Yeah," he nodded. The report had been all oral, nothing written. If Shikamaru hadn't known Naruto and been on the moon, himself, he'd swear his friend was being fanciful. However, recent reports of a massive explosion seen for kilometers corroborated some of what was told, as did the cache of unusual scientific ninja tools recovered. He's also your friend, and you two have been through shit that would give other men grey hair.

"You understand the implications?" Hinata asked.

"Yeah," his stomach soured. "I get it, Hinata. They got away with something that could create a superweapon unlike anything we've seen."

"It has the ability to warp reality in people's minds, Shikamaru," Kushina said, "Even I didn't know the gravity of what had caused the destruction of my village."

"How does this tie into me?" Shikamaru asked, not liking where this was heading.

"Shikamaru, you know this man?" Itachi handed him a photograph of a man with chestnut brown hair showing the first signs of grey, a well-groomed beard and moustache, and thick spectacles concealing light green eyes.

"I assume this is the 'Dude with glasses,' that Naruto referred to in his report?"

"The same," Hinata answered.

"Who is he?" Shikamaru asked.

"Officially, we know his name is Amando. He is a lead researcher at a company called Kara Corps. Are you familiar with them?" Kushina inquired.

"Yeah, big biomedical technology firm," Shikamaru said, "they make advanced, lifelike prosthetics."

Itachi gave a shallow nod, "They also make these," he pulled a device from his pocket and tossed it at Shikamaru.

Shikamaru eyed the device, clearly some kind of gauntlet. Though he'd never seen one, he knew what it was from Naruto's description. "This is one of the scientific ninja tools you came across in the Land of Whirlpools." The data lined up, and Shikamaru tightened his grip around the damn thing. "The Ōtsutsuki have a goddamn corporation working for them?"

"We traced the parts to their operation," Hinata spoke, "and we were able to get photos of Amando. He's the same man we ran into in the Land of Whirlpools."

"He made off with a bone from that Ōtsutsuki you all found…"

"Shikamaru," Kushina spoke up, "what I'm about to tell you I haven't even told Naruto yet." He cocked up an eyebrow in response. Kushina continued, "What we found were the mortal remains of an ancient, god-like Ōtsutsuki named Shibai Ōtsutsuki."

The words, "God-like," shrank Shikamaru's bladder to a peanut. He held up the gauntlet, "If they can make these from the genetics and chakra of normal individuals…"

"They could potentially unleash world-changing or world-ending effects," Kushina finished his thought. "The last Kage of my village, Ashina Uzumaki, apparently slayed and sealed this thing."

"Why was there no record of it until now?" Shikamaru wrinkled his forehead. "Something that important should be in the historical record!"

"This Shibai thing," Kushina's voice strained, as if preparing for the fantastical, "apparently had an ability called Omnipotence."

"What the fuck is Omnipotence?" Shikamaru's heart skipped such that he didn't even register having been vulgar in front of his Hokage.

"Think of it like the ability to rewrite history in everyone's mind," she said.

"Everyone?" Shikamaru asked, not believing.

"Everyone, worldwide," she explained. "Shibai made the world forget there had been an Ōtsutsuki that got loose after the Second Shinobi war and used the ability to make everyone think the Uzumaki were a threat that had to be eliminated."

Shikamaru searched his brain for anything in his historical knowledge that would contradict what was being said. He didn't want to believe what he was hearing. As he tried remembering what led to the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools, he merely remembered something about rival villages. He couldn't track a single fact about how the war progressed. It wasn't simply that he didn't remember; it was like there was a gap where a memory should be. Holy shit… a cold chill made his bladder twitch and his heart constrict. … no one remembers because we can't remember. The event is literally blocked in our memories!

"You see the terror," Kushina said.

"Why haven't they used it yet?" Shikamaru asked.

"Maybe they can't, yet" Itachi said, "but the implications are there if they can unlock that ability. They could simply erase all the changes Himawari has caused after the fact."

"Make us all think Naruto murdered his parents and baby sister," the horrific scenarios poured out, "make us think the Ōtsutsuki are gods and saviors, make us all start seeing each other as rabid, wild animals," Shikamaru's mind worked overtime calculated the numerous ways such and an ability could fuck everyone over without anyone even knowing about it. His mind wandered to the future, a future where his child undoubtedly lived and possibly died before Naruto's child came back. "You think they're playing damage control, and they're trying to get this asshole," Shikamaru brandished the photo of Dr. Amando, "to unlock the key for them somehow?"

"Yes," Lord Fifth nodded.

"So, how do I come into this?"

"Shikamaru," Hinata spoke, "this is a tasteless mission – black op. The conversation we're having does not exist, and never will have existed." An assassination, then. Hinata continued, "In the past year, there has been an extensive proliferation of scientific ninja tools with military applications – giving rise to the possibility of a new arms race among the villages."

"They are trying to start a Fifth Shinobi War."

"Or at the least," Itachi added, "trying to foment mistrust among the shinobi countries such that our response might be limited to an Ōtsutsuki action."

"So, what do you want me to do?" Shikamaru sat back in his chair, knowing how dark things were about to get.

"We need you to infiltrate the Kara Corporation, find out what they are doing with the remains they took, and eliminate them as a threat."

"You are asking me to commit mass-murder."

"Yes, and corporate sabotage, and we need it done discretely," Kushina said without flinching, "If we do not rip this problem out, root and stem, we face the prospect of it returning again in the future."

"Why me?" Shikamaru already planned to say yes, but he hadn't yet agreed to terms.

"You have a better working knowledge of science and technology than most shinobi, a near eidetic memory, and you are not nearly as well known as Naruto or Hinata," Itachi explained. "You also have done undercover work before."

"And what of the murder investigation I've been trying to wrap up?"

"Naruto and the others should be okay to finish things up in your absence," Kushina answered.

"When do I leave?" he asked.

"Ideally, within the next month if you want to do some crash training in the subject material," Kushina answered.

"What a pain, you know this could take months to pull off?" Shikamaru hooked his hands behind his head.

"Yes?" Kushina stared at him, measuring.

"If I'm under cover, I'm going to have to disappear officially for a while." He sat up, "I want Temari on this assignment. That is my condition of saying yes."

The three others exchanged considering looks before turning back to Shikamaru, "Granted," Kushina stated. "You will brief her?"

"Yes," Shikamaru nodded.


Temari didn't know how to feel about the room she was standing in. "What do you think?" Lady Nara asked, "I know the décor is a bit dated, but I think we could easily refresh the room." Yoshino Nara stared, her normally stern features gave way to a smile she'd seen on Lord Fifth and Naruto's faces over the years of knowing both of them.

Temari eyed the traditional décor – wood paneling, wall screens adorned with nature scenes featuring deer. "It's lovely, it just needs a bit of brightening."

"For the longest time, I thought this room would never see use again," Lady Nara smiled, "That is, you two are still planning on making us grandparents, right?"

Temari smirked, "Your son basically made a pregnancy pact with Naruto, but yeah, we are planning on it sometime early next year. Akemi was optimistic."

"Temari, are you sure you're up for it?" Lady Nara stared with focused intensity.

"L-Lady Nara…" the question threw Temari for a loop.

"Mom," Yoshino cut her off, "call me Mom."

"Mom, yes, I'm sure," Temari nodded to reassure her mother-in-law as well as herself. "Mom… what brought this on so suddenly?"

"Well, we haven't talked on the subject in a long time," Yoshino started, "and I know how frightening it can be, thinking about trying again." Yoshino wisely left out the words, "after a miscarriage."

"Mom…" Temari strained against the lump choking her throat, "… how did you get back after…"

"After losing what was supposed to be my first son?" She completed and shook her head, "It wasn't easy. Even with the encouragement your mom gave me, I was almost a year before I got past the guild-factor."

"Guilt?" Temari stared in disbelief. "For what?"

"Temari," Yoshino stared with her wide, dark doll's eyes, "I travelled against my husband's misgivings. Had I stayed in Konoha…"

"You don't know that," Temari cut her off, "there is no way of knowing. You could have still gotten sick here."

"Much as you might have simply miscarried due to the physical strain of war and not any one incident."

"So, how did you know?" Temari asked, "How did you know you were ready?"

"Well, after much soul-searching," Lady Nara paused, "I went on a walk with my husband in a secluded spot on our property one night." She paused with a slight crack of a smile forming at the corner of her mouth, "I told him to drop his drawers and make me a mother." Yoshino laughed, "I had my first bout of morning sickness about eight weeks later."

"You weren't afraid?"

"Oh, I was plenty afraid the whole damn time," she crossed her arms, "having miscarried once before, later term, too; I was deemed high risk from the start. Somehow, we got past every milestone, and I waited for the other shoe to drop. Only, it didn't." Her smile spread. "I survived birth, Shikamaru did, and that was that."

"Out of curiosity, why didn't you have more?" Temari asked, "You were still plenty young when that happened."

"Heh," she shrugged, "after that, I was dealing with being a mother, and let me tell you, Shikamaru was a little heller when he started teething!" They both laughed. "Honestly, after that, I was content with one. My husband became plenty busy after the events surrounding Naruto's birth. After that, it just never happened." She again shrugged, "In hindsight, I probably should have had more. There aren't many of us left."

"Lady Nara… if this goes right…"

"Yes, Temari?"

"Should I have more than one?" Temari asked.

"That is a question for you and your husband to answer, not me." Lady Nara shook her head.

A knock at the door turned their attention. Shikamaru entered, "Mom, may I borrow my wife, please?"

"She is your wife," Yoshino turned her palms up, "just be back in time for dinner."

"Shika, is something wrong?" Temari didn't know why she was suddenly so concerned.

"It's… complicated…" he answered. Anything complicated for him must be pretty damn serious.

"All right," she nodded, "let's talk."

"Take a walk with me," he said, "I need air, and we need some significant privacy for what we're about to discuss." Either he wants a baby now or he wants a divorce. I haven't seen him this razor focused since the war.

Shikamaru guided her out of the house, past the gate, and into the nearby woods. They were secluded here. "So, secluded enough, are you planning on something untoward?"

"Untoward?" he asked crisp as he raised an eyebrow.

"I'm guessing you're not planning on murdering me, you might plan on telling me that you want a divorce, or you might tell me that you want to fuck and just get the baby thing out of the way," she paused, measuring him, "So, which is it?"

"None," he actually cracked a minor smile.

"Oh?" Temari really didn't know how to react.

"Temari, the closest one it falls under is the last one."

"You brought me out here to have sex?" she asked.

"NO!" he brought a hand to his brow, "I brought you here because of something about the baby thing."

"You don't want to have children anymore?"

"Dammit, will you shut up and listen, troublesome woman!" he vented. "Listen," he composed himself, "The Hokage asked met to accept a black op mission, deep cover. I want you to come with on it."

Temari remembered their last time undercover fondly. Operation Red Bloom had been the catalyst that took her relationship with Shikamaru from an awkward more-than-friends and transformed them to lovers and later husband and wife. This isn't a fairy tale, girl. Especially if he's asking you to come along. "To what do I owe the honor?"

"For one, you are my wife," he crossed his arms, "and this could last weeks or months."

"For two?"

"Aside from not wanting to miss you," he kept his arms tightly crossed, "I can't ask anyone else to come with me." He shook his head, "Naruto and Hinata are too recognizable, Ino and Sai are a poor match for the mission profile, and Sasuke is a katana when a scalpel is needed." He stared with his eyes widening, "Temari, there is no one else!"

"What aren't you telling me?" she asked.

"It means doing things… things we might not be proud of."

"It's an assassination?" Temari balked, not believing what was being implied. State-sanctioned assassination was rarely implemented by the Hidden Leaf.

"It's… worse…."

"And yet," she furrowed her brow, "you wanted me to go with you… and you accepted the mission already by the sound of it…" Temari stared at her husband, weighing everything they'd been through since they'd met, "You wouldn't take that kind of mission unless you thought people you care about were going to die otherwise; what is going on?!"

Shikamaru locked eyes with her, lips moving slightly at first, but he finally spoke, "Temari, you remember what Queen Serenity said about the Otsutsuki being here already, with agents acting on their behalf?"

"Yes," she nodded, heart skipping.

He stared biting his lip, "Temari, I can't tell you more, unless you're in. The very future rests on this… our children's future." So, that is why he's asking me to go.

"What happens to our future?" She asked, fists tightening. "What aren't you telling me!"

"Are you in?"

"Fuck yes!" she screeched, "Now tell me EVERYTHING!"

"The team that went to the Land of Whirlpools found the remains of an ancient Ōtsutsuki, apparently one that had the power to literally warp reality and people's memories of events that happened."

"What?!"

"They defeated it, and sealed it, But not before it used an ability to twist the world's memories into forgetting that it attacked Earth, and it turned the Shinobi World against the Land of Whirlpools…" He paused to let the words sink in, "And Otsutsuki and their agents now have at least some of its remains."

"For what purpose? The thing is dead!" Despite the reassuring thought that something so dangerous was no longer alive, the chills crawling up and down Temari's back did not abate. Something that powerful doesn't simply die.

"Its genetics might be useful in recreating the effect that was used then." Shikamaru sighed. "We think the Ōtsutsuki are going to try undoing whatever Himawari did or are trying to stop us from erasing them from the future."

Temari weighed the impact of something as horrific as everything that had changed suddenly being reverted. Lord Fourth is the reason The Konoha Crush ended with minimal bloodshed; imagine if he and his wife had died. Would you have ever met Shikamaru? Would you have ever learned about everything your mom and mother-in-law shared? Would you even be considering having children? What if they use this hellish thing to make you think something terrible about your husband or your friends that wasn't even real? "Okay," she nodded, speaking in a tone hollow, "I understand now."

"You'll come with?" he said hopeful.

"I'm going to come with you on this mission," she spoke disconnected, "Everything I love, everything I cherish is now in danger." She stared, locking eyes with Shikamaru, her fists clenching for battles yet to be fought, "We will find these people" an ember of indignance built in her core, "and we will burn every last one of them to the ground," angry hot tar spilled from her eyes, "and their families if need be." Shikamaru came forward and wrapped her in his embrace, "I'm not going to let these things take our future away!" Temari's hands rested on Shikamaru's chest and shoulders. He remained still, stoic as a rock. "Shikamaru, promise me," she locked eyes with him, "Promise me, we have a future!"

Shikamaru took her right hand and hooked his pinkie finger around hers, "I promise," he nodded. Temari felt his other hand on her stomach, almost causing her to jump, "And I promise when this mission is over, it will be time for us to start putting that future together."


Author's notes: Hi everyone, I hope you are enjoying, and I thank you for reading. I do have several housekeeping things regarding this and the future of the story. First, given that FFN stats and email notifications are janky, I have limited ability to tell if anyone is reading this. If you are, I always appreciate comments left in the reviews section; it helps me know this is still being read.

Just as important, I will continue to post on here as long as FFN is operational. In the event that it goes down permanently, all my stuff is cross-posted on Ao3 with the same titles and under the same username. Know if for some reason this site ever goes down, the story is posted elsewhere and will be finished.

On the last point of business, I need help deciding a particular detail much later in the story. I posted the poll on my profile, but I have no clue if the polls still work. In the event that it is no longer working, please feel free to comment on this question: When Himawari returns to the future, should she A) remember her original timeline and struggle to integrate the new timeline's events, or B) have her original memories displaced by the new memories of the new timeline? Please let me know via poll, private message, or leave your answer in a review.

Thank you all again! Hope to see you next chapter!