Obito-Sensei Chapter 59
Black Skies and Red Clouds
She'd done it.
She'd done it!
Sakura wasn't someone who sang or danced, but in the wake of the Akatsuki's meeting she felt like she should. As some members filed out of the room and others stayed behind to discuss the meeting with one another, she had to resist the urge to leap out of her chair with joy. This was just short of the hardest proof she could ever possibly get that Itachi Uchiha had been lying; he really hadn't kidnapped Fuu on behalf of Rain. The Nation didn't have a Jinchuriki, and wasn't even that interested in getting one.
It had taken more than a year, but her mission had been a success!
"What's your proposal going to be?" Haku asked, and Sakura jumped, turning towards him. He looked honestly curious, and Nonō too. "Does it involve the Hidden Leaf?"
"It does," Sakura confirmed. "But to be honest, I'd rather not tell you until I know if it's approved or not. Is that okay?"
"It makes me more curious," Haku said with a soft grin. "But if it's your idea, it should be a good one."
Looking at Haku's grin, Sakura slightly amended her existing plan.
"We'll see," she said with a shrug. "Should I just approach them, or…?"
"It looks like they're coming here," Nonō noted. Sakura followed her gaze to find Konan steadily approaching their cluster of chairs. She steeled herself, trying and failing to keep the excitement off her face.
"Did you enjoy the meeting, Sakura?" Konan asked, and she had to nod.
"It was fascinating," Sakura said truthfully. "I've never heard… well, I've discussed this sort of thing before, but I've never heard it put so comprehensively. Yahiko in particular, I never thought he would speak like that."
"Oh, it's a little embarrassing to him," Konan said with a grin. "He has a talent for speaking, but he prefers to keep it more casual outside of meetings. He's scared people away before."
"I can imagine," Sakura muttered. "I think you're entirely correct to attempt to displace Sand. I felt I should have agreed, but I didn't want to interrupt just to show approval."
"That was the right decision," Konan confirmed. "I'm sure you noticed that few members believe it's a worthy contribution to simply show assent." She cocked her head. "You think the Hokage will go along?"
"I think he will," Sakura confirmed. "And actually, my proposal is related to that. When will be a good time to meet with you and the other Amekage about it?"
Konan nodded with obvious approval. "Within the hour, if you can," she said.
"Can I bring anyone?" Sakura asked, and the Amekage raised an eyebrow.
"Do you intend to?" she said. When Sakura nodded, she shrugged. "That would be your decision as a member of the Akatsuki."
Complete agency. Sakura wasn't sure how she felt about that. She noticed Haku eyeing her out of the corner of her eye.
"Do you need company?" he asked, and Sakura suppressed a blush.
"Not like that," she said. Haku had a curious look, and it grew more open as she spoke. "I want Naruto and Sasuke there as well. It's gonna involve them."
"But not me?" Haku said, half teasing and half serious. Sakura smiled uncertainly.
"You too," she said. "I don't want anyone to feel left out. But there's some stuff I want to discuss with the Amekage and my original team. Is that okay?"
To her shock, Haku hesitated. He'd seemed fine since they'd gotten back, but Sakura now saw a fragile core to him that she'd never been able to detect before. As he uncharacteristically paused, Sakura realized a lot more had hinged on her delicate but nonetheless carefree question than she'd assumed.
"I understand," he said after a moment. "But you'll tell me afterwards?"
"Of course," Sakura promised. She surprised herself by leaning forward and touching his hand, and Haku stiffened. "You'll be the first to know."
"Adorable," Nonō said dryly, and both Sakura and Haku jumped. "You've only got an hour. You better go find Naruto and Sasuke if you're planning to drag them along, Sakura. They could be anywhere."
Sakura looked to both Haku and Konan for permission to leave, and they both gave it.
"Alright!" she said, springing up. "Thank you! I'll see you in an hour!"
She walked as fast as was polite out of the chamber, greeting people in passing, her mind racing.
This could work, she thought as she left the building and made her way out into the light rain. This could work, this could work, this could work. Now, everyone could win.
Sakura was sure of it, so sure that she started discounting the negative possibilities before her mind could latch onto them as it usually did.
If she went in sure of the outcome, Sakura thought, it would turn out alright.
###
Sakura tracked down Naruto in about twenty minutes, and Sasuke in thirty. Worried about being late to her meeting, they all returned to the Amekage's tower with twenty minutes to spare. An older Chunin with dull green hair led them to a casual meeting room with several chairs and bid them to wait, and so they did. Sakura and Sasuke had both come in their full shinobi uniform, but Naruto had been coming home from the hospital and was just in a casual tee-shirt and pants. He hadn't bothered to change.
So for some time they waited and talked, and Sakura tapped her foot against the carpet incessantly as an internal pressure mounted.
"That's a new one," Sasuke noted. Sakura jerked towards him. "Usually when you're nervous you just scrunch your face up."
"Is it annoying?" Sakura asked. They'd all taken different chairs around the room which faced the center, and she stopped her foot as she spoke. Sasuke shook his head.
"Just different. Maybe you should walk around a little?" he suggested, leaning back.
"I don't want to be standing when they get here," Sakura said, and Naruto laughed. "It could be disrespectful."
"You're thinking too much," Naruto said. "Relax! You're already in the Akatsuki. I doubt they'll care if you're standing or not. That meeting sounded really cool, you know!"
"It really was," Sakura confirmed. "I hope I get to see more."
"Do you think you'll get the chance?" Naruto asked. It could have been biting, but he made it sincere. Sakura nodded.
"I hope so," she said, and as she did the door opened. Team Seven turned, and the Amekage entered with Yahiko at the front.
"Well!" he said, and Sakura was once again thrown by the difference between the easygoing and effortlessly charismatic man he was in person compared to the highly formal and professional revolutionary leader he'd presented at the meeting. "This seems familiar. I don't think it's been the six of us in one place since the night you all arrived here, has it?"
Sakura rose and bowed, followed by Sasuke and Naruto, and Yahiko rolled his eyes. "Please, Sakura. You're a member of the Akatsuki now. We're equals."
"Then I'll bow as your equal," Sakura said. Yahiko laughed.
"Good enough, I guess." He sat down, and Konan and Nagato followed his lead. It was three facing three now, and Sakura couldn't help but note the overwhelming symmetry of the room. "Well, I'm glad to see you all. What was your proposal, Sakura? We're all excited to hear it."
Sakura took a deep breath. Right to it. There wasn't any reason to mess around.
"I was sent here to spy on you," she said. "I told you that the first time we met like this, all six of us. Nagato asked me if I'd been sent as a spy, and I told the truth."
"Of course," Yahiko said graciously as Sakura pressed on.
"You never asked me why exactly I'd been sent to spy on you," she continued, "but that was probably because it was obvious. I was sent here to determine if Fuu was here; if Rain really had stolen the Nanabi Jinchuriki from the Hidden Waterfall."
"That was our suspicion," Konan confirmed. "In which case, I imagine the meeting today was exciting for you for several reasons."
"Yeah." Sakura paused, pondering exactly how to move forward. "But I can't just take a meeting alone as proof of that. I do intend to report back to the Hokage, but I want the highest proof I can get before I do that. I don't want the Leaf thinking that the Nation of Rain is hiding away a Jinchuriki. I think it's to both Ame and Konoha's benefit if the truth is known, especially since Itachi tried to frame you in the first place."
Sasuke sat up straighter as Yahiko shifted. "And how would you get that proof, especially in a way that Konoha wouldn't believe you were just lying for our benefit? That seems like a tricky one."
Sakura started to speak, but Nagato interrupted her. "She's clever," he said, standing up from Yahiko's side. "She's already figured it out."
"Your interrogation jutsu," Sakura confirmed. She saw Konan's mouth tighten and rushed forward, determined to finish before she could be countermanded. "It grabbed my tongue to keep me from asking questions, right? It goes both ways. If I asked you anything, you'd have to tell the truth too, right?" She stood up, matching Nagato. "If I can prove that I learned about the Nanabi through that, the Hokage won't have a choice but to trust me."
"Though as you said, you could ask anything," Nagato said with an amused smile.
"Then you could end the jutsu, right?" Sakura said. Nagato shrugged. "If I asked anything you didn't want to answer you could just end the technique. I'm sure there's plenty that even a member of the Akatsuki doesn't necessarily have a right to know. I don't intend to disrespect that."
"You're half right. I couldn't end the technique until I'd answered that question," Nagato said, peering down at her with his frightening purple eyes. "The entity that keeps us honest, the King of Hell, is closer to a summon than my own chakra; it has a will of its own."
Sakura balled her hands into fists; Naruto and Sasuke were completely still, while Yahiko and Konan watched with careful eyes. The room could push either way now: what she was proposing was just past the line that they'd all so carefully built in their time in the Nation of Rain. "I won't ask anything out of line," she said. "I can't prove that without your jutsu itself, I know. But I can get as close as I can, right?"
She turned, reached up, and began unzipping her flak vest.
"Whoa!" Naruto blushed and turned away as Sakura shucked the vest onto the floor and began pulling up her shirt and the chainmail beneath it. Sasuke averted his eyes as well with a chuckle. "Sakura, what're you-?!"
Sakura finished removing her shirt and bent forward, channeling chakra to her back. She reached back, lifting the strap of her bra just slightly, and felt the Amekage tense up behind her.
"Can you see it?" she said, glancing at Naruto and nearly laughing at how red his face was.
"You had that on you the whole time?" Konan was the first to speak. "Nagato never noticed it."
"The Hokage told me it would be invisible so long as I didn't channel chakra to it." Sakura felt a new respect and terror for Naruto's father; hiding something from the Rinnegan only seemed crazier now that she knew a little more about it. "It was my final safeguard. He put it on me before I left, and told me that if I ever needed to go back to Konoha, I could signal him with it."
"Wait," Naruto muttered, standing up and still partially averting his eyes. "What did he…?" He walked around Sakura's side to join the Amekage, out of her line of sight.
She heard Naruto suck in a breath.
"He put that on you?" Sakura blinked. She'd heard Naruto angry before. She'd heard him sound hateful before.
But she'd never heard raw contempt like this in his voice, and certainly never directed at his own father. Sakura started to pull her shirt back down.
"Stop." Konan's voice froze her. "Why show us this?"
"To show I don't have any secrets," Sakura said, her voice clear. "I trust you, and I trust the Nation of Rain completely. I didn't accept the invitation to the Akatsuki just to accomplish my mission. I did it because I believed in it, and the meeting tonight just made me more sure of that. The world isn't right, even I can see that, and people need to try and fix it." She hesitated. "The Hokage told me that something marked with the Hiraishin becomes a weapon. That's not what I want to be."
"It can't be taken off," Naruto snarled, and Sakura jumped, spinning towards him. He was seething, his teeth bared. "It's a Curse Mark when it's placed on another person. It's integrated with your chakra system, and on your spine, Sakura. You couldn't take it off without taking out some of your vertebrae."
Sakura didn't even have time to begin to understand the full implications of that before Nagato stepped forward. "What a beautifully loathsome thing," he muttered, and then he placed his hand on Sakura's back.
Nagato's hand was unexpectedly hot, and Sakura almost jumped at the sudden touch. She felt a rush of boiling chakra and then a yank, like Nagato was trying to pull her back. The sensation ran up from the base of her spine to the nape of her neck, sending every hair on end, and then there was a sense of release, pressure abating, like a heavy scab falling off and leaving pink, raw skin.
Nagato stepped away, Sakura breathed out, feeling lighter, and Naruto gaped in obvious shock.
"What?" She twisted to find Nagato less than three feet away from her and resisted the urge to stumble away. "What did you do?"
"I trust you," Nagato said instead of answering her question. Sakura looked around the room, not bothering to hide her confusion.
"He took it off," Naruto said, looking just as confused as she felt. "He picked it off, like it was paper."
Sakura frowned, not sure if she'd heard correctly because of the apparent impossibility of it, and Nagato extended his hand. "You couldn't have known that mark could be removed when you accepted it. You are one who devotes her all to everything, Sakura Haruno." He grimaced. "But be warned. You may not like some of the answers you receive today."
She took his hand and was locked in place. They both were; the ghastly face, the King of Hell, emerged at their side, instead of behind Nagato like it had the first time. Its mouth opened, but nothing emerged; Sakura was free to speak.
"Is Fuu in the Nation of Rain?" Sakura asked. She could see everyone else in the room staring at them, taking in how rigid their bodies were and the obvious care with which Sakura spoke.
"She is not," Nagato said, and Sakura smiled.
"Is the Nanabi in the Nation of Rain?"
"It is not." Nagato's face was unreadable.
She had to be thorough, even though she was already sure of the answer. Sakura felt free and sure, relief washing over her. Her plan had worked perfectly.
"Then, the Nation of Rain, the Akatsuki, and those under the employ of either, do not possess a Jinchuriki or a Tailed beast?"
At that, all three of the Amegakure shifted. Nagato's grip tightened, and he sighed. Sakura looked up at him in confusion.
Nagato spoke. "Neither the Nation of Rain nor the Akatsuki possess any of the Tailed Beasts, or any of the Jinchuriki containing them. However, I must assume that someone who was in the employ of the Nation does possess a Tailed Beast."
Sakura faltered. "What?" she asked. "I don't…"
She felt Nagato's regret so strongly through their connection that she initially confused it for her own. "By all indications, Itachi Uchiha currently possesses the Nanabi Jinchuriki, and he was sent to the Land of Waterfalls to acquire it by Rain. By us. That would put him in the employ of the Nation."
The monstrous face at their side ponderously blinked. Sakura mirrored it, staring up at Nagato.
"Nagato…" Yahiko said as he stood up, and Nagato turned towards him.
"They have served us faithfully for more than a year. And more than that, you truly do believe in the Akatsuki, don't you, Sakura Haruno?"
"I do," she said, and when she didn't die Sakura was astonished to have her beliefs validated by what seemed to be an impartial judge. It gave her the newfound confidence to keep going.
"I think it will be better to give them the full truth than only half the context," Nagato said simply, and Yahiko sat down with a worried look. "Please continue, Sakura." His sincerity was bleeding into her as well, leaving her less confused and more determined. For now, however strange and impossible it was, Sakura and Nagato were equals.
"Itachi was hired by the Hidden Rain to steal Fuu from Waterfall?" she said, and Nagato smiled sadly.
"He was. In fact, he approached Rain with the offer. He claimed that he would steal a Bijuu for the benefit of the Nation of Rain in return for a favor."
"But he wasn't trusted."
"Not at all. He was a mass murderer. But the idea was tempting due to its strategic implications, and Itachi was obviously powerful. We, all the Amekage, gave it serious consideration for several weeks before deciding it could be worth the potential risks."
"But the intention couldn't have been to destroy the Hidden Waterfall. Not when Rain has amassed the gratitude of other minor villages. That would run counter to that strategy."
"That's correct. Itachi was contacted, and his proposal was agreed to. We demanded that the village not be harmed, only that Fuu be kidnapped, and then we made a mistake."
"Then what was the mistake, and what was Itachi's favor?"
"The favor was a personal meeting with myself. We don't know why, and it never came to pass. Perhaps he believed his dojutsu could overpower mine and give him a powerful tool in the future. That would have been an amusing attempt. The mistake was hiring another mercenary to both keep watch over Itachi and increase his chances of success."
"Kakuzu the Immortal?"
"Precisely. Kakuzu was a native of the Hidden Waterfall, and tremendously powerful. Rain has plenty of wealth, which was all he desired, and so we paid him a substantial amount to assist in Fuu's kidnapping and to, if necessary, betray and kill Itachi if it seemed that he was going to harm the village."
"But your mistake was not realizing how much Kakuzu hated the Hidden Waterfall, and its leaders. He killed them all."
"It was very surprising to us that Kakuzu went so far. He was well regarded as a mercenary for his loyalty to money, and he must have known how much he would be giving up for his actions in Waterfall. It seems that Itachi pulled together all sorts of rogues for the attack on Waterfall, even those that might normally oppose him; we have supposed that that was the result of a powerful genjutsu of his, so perhaps he applied the same sort of manipulation to Kakuzu and made his grudge more powerful than his greed. It doesn't really matter; in the end, Kakuzu and Itachi sacked Waterfall together."
"They stole Fuu when that happened; we were there to see it. But then… they must not have returned."
"Yes. Neither Kakuzu nor Itachi ever returned. We presumed they were simply covering their tracks at first, but after you all arrived it became obvious to us that both had disappeared. It's difficult to say if Kakuzu is still working with Itachi, or if they turned on one another and he perished after they captured Fuu."
Sakura breathed out, the flood of questions petering out. Nagato didn't let go of her hand, watching her carefully. He could feel her disappointment and acceptance clashing.
"Would you have treated Fuu better here?" she asked, and saw Naruto twitch in her peripheral vision.
"Of course," Nagato said firmly. "That was how we rationalized it to ourselves to quell the fear of escalation. Fuu was a prisoner in her own home, kept as a sword or a bomb in case of emergency, with no agency for herself. We intended for her to be a true ninja here in Rain with all the freedom of any other."
Sakura frowned. "But you say it was a rationalization?"
"It's the paradox at the heart of all shinobi," Nagato said with a fierce expression. "Power, freedom, the tension produced when an individual has the potential of a natural disaster. Could I ever say with a straight face to that girl 'I have kidnapped you to free you?'" He sneered, a self-hating look that Sakura had never seen on his face before. "For all the noble language and intentions of it, Fuu would still have been seen by both the Nation of Rain and the other villages as a strategic weapon. That's the hypocrisy that Jiraiya-sensei always speaks of, and rightfully so."
He let out a sigh, closing his eyes. "My apologies. This is growing difficult. Are you satisfied?"
"No," Sakura said with a laugh, and to her relief Nagato laughed as well. "But I understand. I've had more than enough answers." She loosened her grip, and Nagato did as well. Their chakra and souls became untwined, and Sakura stepped back with a shaky breath and the King of Hell sank back into the floor and out of sight.
She had too much rushing through her mind to put into words, but Sasuke spoke up instead. "So my brother was never here," he said, and Nagato nodded. "That's why you gave me that file on him. Were the redacted parts your dealings with him?"
"Yeah," Yahiko said. "And our suspicions as to why he decided not to return Fuu to the Nation of Rain."
Naruto was pacing, his hands fidgeting. "They really did treat her like crap there," he muttered. "But still…"
"It's an unwholesome thing to admit to," Konan said. "To kidnap a young girl because of her power. We thought about telling you when you first arrived, Naruto. All of you, and all of it. But you had no understanding of Rain then, not like you do now. You know that we're not the monsters that action would represent; that we committed it in the sincere pursuit of reducing the risk of war between the villages."
"So you didn't tell us so that we'd stay," Naruto said, and Konan nodded.
"More selfishness, yes. But I think it also gave you a better understanding of the world, and of yourself," she said carefully. "You've grown here, all of you, in ways you never could have in Konoha, and for the better of yourself and the world. We sincerely believe that."
Sasuke was mulling, Naruto pacing. Sakura spoke up to give them time to process everything. "It came up during the meeting," she said as the room turned to her. "That another Jinchuriki has gone missing, over in Cloud. You think Itachi was responsible for that as well?"
"Indeed," Nagato said. "It's our suspicion that Itachi is in possession of three Tailed Beasts by this point, which he is presumably keeping controlled with his Sharingan. The Nibi, Sanbi, and Nanabi."
"He controlled Fuu like that," Sasuke said. "But three? Aren't there only nine?"
"Yes. It's likely that a third of the world's premier power is in your brother's hands," Nagato said. Sasuke just looked confused at that as he continued. "And by the look on your face, you don't have a clue as to why either."
"No. He was never… he wasn't the kind of person to do something for no reason," Sasuke muttered. "He…"
Sasuke hesitated, and Sakura was sure why. The motive for the massacre was a secret to all the world, and it completely recontextualized both Itachi's previous actions and those going forward. A crazed rogue ninja collecting the Tailed Beasts for his own purposes was alarming and inexplicable: a Leaf loyalist who'd murdered his own family for planning treason stealing the other village's Jinchuriki was even more sinister.
But Sasuke didn't say anything, and Sakura was content to let his decision stand. It was his family, not hers.
Naruto kept going. "So Waterfall getting burned down wasn't part of your plan, but you still sent Sakura and Nonō to make an alliance with them afterwards?"
"Yeah," Yahiko admitted. "That was cold. Even if we hadn't intended for that to happen, we still took advantage of it afterwards. Do you think less of us for that?"
"Yeah," Naruto said, just as straightforward as the Amekage, and Yahiko laughed. "I get it, but that's still super shitty."
Sakura didn't say anything. She agreed with both Naruto and Rain; it would have been stupid not to take advantage of Waterfall's newfound weakness, even if they'd partially caused it. But it still ran counter to the values of the Akatsuki. Destroying someone's home to pacify them couldn't be a founding principle of peace, even if it was practical; it was too cruel.
The room was quiet for almost half a minute as everyone turned what had been said over in their heads. Konan was the one to break the silence. "So was this your proposal, Sakura? To report back to the Hokage?" she asked, and Sakura shook her head. "I didn't think so. That was your preamble then."
"Then what is it?" Yahiko asked, sitting back and crossing one leg over the other. "I hope we haven't soured you."
"No," Sakura said honestly. "I understand completely. In fact, I think all this with Fuu is a part of what I want to talk about in the first place." She composed herself. "I've been thinking a lot since I got here about, well, everything. I think it's what you wanted me to be doing, and the Hokage too, since he told me to convert as sincerely as I could."
Konan nodded, and Sakura continued. "It started when we got here, and then when I went to Waterfall again, and met Jiraiya here, in a room just like this. He asked me a question then about loyalty, and how Rain could be different from other villages. And I said it was by coalition."
"We remember," Yahiko said with a grin. "That was when we knew we had something special on our hands."
"Well," Sakura said, "I just kept thinking about that, and building on it, and trying to figure out if there was something I could do. I don't think there is a panacea, or a real answer to something like war and peace and all those kinds of things. It might be that there are people out there like the Hokage who have the power, both personally and politically, to try to find a lasting solution, but I couldn't think of something I could do by myself, or even with my team. And I was stuck like that, thinking I was useless, until we went to the Land of Waves."
"What changed?" Nagato asked, and Sakura balled her hands into fists.
"Gaara," she said, her face twitching. "I hate him. I hated him when I realized he was there, and after what he did I realized I hated him even more than before. I wanted to kill him; I still want to kill him."
Naruto gave her a slightly concerned look and Sakura did her best to breathe out her anger. "But that sort of crystalized it for me. I hate Gaara, and he hates me, and that's because of what we've done to each other and to others. But people all over the world hate the Nation of Rain, or any other country, not always because of what they've done but because of what they could do. That hatred comes from fear and uncertainty instead of actions."
"Though a village like Stone certainly hates the Leaf for what it's done," Konan pointed out. "Or what the ninja representing it have done."
"Yeah," Sakura admitted. "It's not a perfect thesis. I don't think it will ever be, no matter how much I think about it. But everyone, even the Akatsuki, sees the world in binaries; all people, especially ninja, get divided up into categories, and usually by loyalty to clans, villages, and countries, and that division and competition creates hatred. But that hatred is a little easier to fight than the sort of… irrational hatred that gets created between people."
"Irrational?" Konan asked.
"If I'd been thinking straight, I wouldn't have said what I had to Gaara," Sakura said. "It was stupid; it may have made him act even more violently than he would have otherwise. Since my own hatred was irrational, I'm assuming most people are."
"I'll accept that assumption," Yahiko said. "And I like your ideas, but where are you going with this exactly?"
Sakura shrugged. "Even villages in military alliances don't share ninja; they just cooperate in wars. I'm sure that's because they're terrified of letting other villages access their secrets, even if they're supposed to be allies." She squared herself. "Naruto, Sasuke, and I should return to Konoha as ninjas of the Nation of Rain. We should be shared ninja and ambassadors for both villages and both countries. That's how Rain will build towards a victory by coalition, and how the Akatsuki can get closer to its goal without having to undermine its message with violence or subterfuge."
Yahiko laughed, and Sakura kept herself from showing any hesitation. "Feeling homesick, Sakura?" he asked as the other Amekage leaned in.
"Surprisingly, no," Sakura admitted. "To be honest, going back to the Leaf terrifies me. I'm afraid of its judgment, and of being misunderstood. But I think us being here represents a huge opportunity, so I'm not going to let my fear get in the way."
"Elaborate," Konan asked. She looked intrigued, while Nagato was more unreadable. Naruto and Sasuke were staying quiet at her side, but Sakura could feel their anticipation.
"The Hidden Leaf is your guy's main military rival, aside from Stone," Sakura said. "The meeting made that clear to me, but it was already obvious. Even if you're not in conflict with them, you have to plan around it just in case because of how powerful its military is and how close they are, even though you and the Leaf probably generally agree when it comes to most things."
"It's a nice but dangerous assumption," Yahiko noted. "Even if we and Minato Namikaze were both trained by Jiraiya-sensei, the Hokage is obviously interested in maintaining Leaf as a superpower. He shows more interest in controlling the villages than in keeping peace, and he's willing to sacrifice just about anything to do it: him sending you here is proof enough of that.
"I think the Hokage would probably say the exact same thing about the Nation of Rain," Sakura said, staying steadfast, and Yahiko nodded with a small grin. "Rain has already made moves to strengthen its military and strategic position by making alliances with the minor villages: if those alliances stayed in place and it also began sharing shinobi with Konoha, binding the two villages closer together, it would create a military bloc that no one would ever be stupid enough to challenge." She swallowed. "And if Konoha does maintain its alliance with the Hidden Sand… well, I'd hate that, but the bloc would be even larger. People would be less and less willing to provoke it because of that power."
Nagato spoke up. "Sensible," he said softly, and Sakura felt a thrill from head to toe. "Have you considered the similarities to the original founding of the villages?"
"A little," Sakura admitted, "but I'm not a historian. I just know the basics, that Konoha came together as a combination of many clans, primarily the Senju, Uchiha, Hyuuga, Yamanaka, Nara, Akimichi, Sarutobi, and several others, and that caused the other villages to form to match them."
"Then have you considered why this hasn't happened yet, and the potential consequences of it?" Nagato asked. Sakura swallowed.
"I think it hasn't happened because of fear, like I said," she answered. "That Rain is afraid, and maybe rightfully so, of showing its actual capabilities and allowing foreign ninja access as more than spies or lay-ninja, because of how opposed it is by the Daimyo. And I think there might be another fear, or at least one I've had; that if a large coalition does form, another will have to form against it, like the villages originally did to manage the Hidden Leaf."
"Like what you talked about…" Naruto muttered, and Sakura turned to him with a nod.
"If the Hidden Rain, Leaf, and Sand, alongside many minor villages that form buffer states with the other major countries, formed a military alliance and went so far as to start sharing ninja, it might be that the other villages would feel pressured to form alliances like that of their own," she said, watching the Amekage nod along; Nagato passively, Konan thoughtfully. Yahiko was just watching her, his mouth twitching. "That could end up with the Hidden Stone, Mist, and Cloud alongside one another, though I don't know enough about their relationships to know if that's actually realistic."
"It depends," Yahiko said with a smirk. "Cloud and Mist hate each other, but they could put that aside in the face of a great enemy. And Stone is tolerated by everyone but the Hidden Leaf, but certainly no great friend either."
"Well, assuming something like that did happen," Sakura continued. "The world would be split in two; if a war happened, there would no longer be any chance at neutrality." She frowned. "But I don't know if that would be any different than the previous wars; the fighting would just be more organized instead of the opportunistic alliances and betrayals that happened in the past."
When she finished that thought, no one immediately spoke up. Yahiko looked around, taking in the silence, and then turned to Naruto and Sasuke. "What do you guys think?" he asked, and Sakura turned back to watch them as well. "It's clearly her idea, but I doubt she didn't give you a heads-up."
"I think it's a good idea," Naruto said with a grin. "No bias, obviously," he continued with a laugh that Yahiko shared. "I've been here long enough that I think the Rain and the Leaf would get along, and should; people here agree on the important stuff, so they've got no reason to fight. And, well, I'm the Hokage's kid."
He scratched his chin. "Me leaving was a big deal: me coming back would be a bigger deal, especially if it was with your guys' permission. I don't like thinking about it, but if someone like me is being a shared ninja, an ambassador, it'll make it seem more real and legitimate to a lot of the village, and I bet to someone like Daimyo too. Sakura said that you guys were trying real hard to make Rain seem more like the other villages, less threatening to politicians and stuff. I don't really get the nitty gritty of things like that, but I know that the Daimyo likes my dad a lot. If he approves of his kid working with Rain, the Daimyo might start swinging that way too. "
"The Daimyo of Fire is currently trying to push blame for the Land of Waves onto us," Yahiko observed, and a sneer flashed across Naruto's face. "Do you think you could fix that?"
"Maybe, but I doubt I could by myself," Naruto said, crossing his arms. "But maybe I could be part of what makes him realize the real problem is people like Gaara, and not the Akatsuki locking up his dipshit cousin a couple decades ago."
"Uncle," Konan absentmindedly corrected. "And you, Sasuke?"
"I don't really care about all the village stuff," Sasuke admitted guilelessly. "My brother is up to something, and it's gotta be bad if it involves stealing something like the Tailed Beasts. I think it'll be better if Ame and Konoha are on the same page, both hunting him. I don't want him causing another catastrophe."
"Do you think he would?" Konan asked. Sasuke sneered.
"Itachi…" he said, choosing his words with care. "Has strong beliefs. He told me some of his reasoning for the massacre when we saw each other again in Waterfall. He'll do anything if he thinks it's the right thing to do."
"Interesting." Konan left it at that.
"It's a bold plan," Yahiko said, standing up. Everyone in the room followed his lead. "But it won't necessarily work. I hope you accept that, Sakura." He focused on her, and Sakura stood her ground before his considerable presence. She could feel the same leader that had been present at the meeting fully emerging, looking her over without attachment. "Hatred takes time to erode, time that none of the villages necessarily have. Your initiative may fall apart before it can even begin under the inherent mistrust of all ninja; not to mention the more dangerous possibilities like the other villages misinterpreting your actions and attacking the Hidden Rain, Leaf, or Sand to force the alliance one way or another. Attempting to build peace by strength as you've proposed can lead to war all on its own. I'm sure everyone here is all too aware of that."
"I know that," Sakura said, adamant. "And I understand the risk. I'm young, but I'm not stupid. I cannot see any easy solutions, but this is one of the few that isn't just amassing power on your own to intimidate others into inaction." Something clicked in her head, and she folded it into her argument. "Short of this, you'd have to do something like collecting all the Tailed Beasts to create an unchallengeable hyperpower. Maybe Itachi is planning something along those lines, though I wouldn't know his motive; a way to turn himself into the one person who could hold the world hostage."
As Yahiko obviously considered the notion, Sakura continued. "But I don't think that's a good plan, and by good… I should say sustainable. I think that would create resentment, and that would eventually turn into more violence and war the moment there was any weakness. An institution is more powerful than any single person, and by the same logic something as powerful as the villages combining is more powerful than any alone." She put her hands behind her back and bowed her head. "Please, believe me when I say this is not a yearning for home. Maybe you've had the same or a similar idea in the past, but you never had anyone like my team who could make it a reality. I don't want to sound arrogant, but if there's anyone who can unite Jiraiya's teaching… it's us."
The room was silent, watching her. Sakura closed her eyes, trying to make it clear she was speaking from the heart. "This is my best try," she said. "It's the best I could come up with to make the Akatsuki's dream real. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work, but that won't be the end of the world. Can we at least try?"
Yahiko smirked. "We'll sleep on it," he said, and Sakura nodded, trying not to be frustrated. It was a potentially huge decision; there was no way she would have gotten a yes or no right away. "Though, I'm curious, were you planning for it just to be the three of you?"
"Not quite," Sakura said. "If you approve, I was going to ask about the rest of the cadre as well. We work well together, and it would show Rain's commitment." It sounded good coming out of her mouth, but she knew that Yahiko could see right through her. It was obvious to him she just didn't want to leave her friends, and especially Haku, behind.
"Of course," Yahiko said with a faint smile. "Well, as I said, we'll discuss it." Konan and Nagato both nodded, but Sakura was sure she could feel obvious approval from the both of them: was Yahiko slowing things down on purpose, or was it just part of the Akatsuki's traditions to not immediately approve or disapprove initiatives? She bowed, drawing back to join Naruto and Sasuke.
"Will you make a run for it if you're denied, Sakura?" Konan asked as she began to sit back down, and Sakura frowned.
"I don't think so," she said, and Konan cocked her head. "As you said when I arrived here, if I ran I'd be mistrusted by both Konoha and Ame. I might have accomplished the Hokage's mission, but I don't think that would be worth it." She laughed. "I'd rather they both mostly trust me, you know?"
"I know," Konan said. Sakura was surprised to find she looked a little melancholy. "Well, we appreciate your time. Hopefully you'll be hearing from us within the next couple days."
It was as obvious a dismissal as they were going to get. Team Seven filed out of the room, Sakura at the back, and then out of the building. The sun was just starting to set when they stepped out into the light rain, looking around and blinking at the bright light reflecting off the surrounding buildings and puddles.
"Well, that went pretty well," Sasuke said as they shuffled to the side and stopped to catch their breath. "They seemed to like it."
"Yeah. That stuff with Waterfall…" Naruto leaned back against the wall, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "I mean, I guess it makes sense. Sorta. I don't get why Itachi would have approached them if he was just planning to stab them in the back."
"Maybe so they'd offer help," Sasuke said. "Or maybe he changed his mind halfway. He's not…" He grimaced. "Well, you know."
"Yeah. He's not all there," Naruto mused. "What do you think, Sakura? Do you really think he was just after the Bijuu?"
"I dunno," Sakura said. Now that the meeting was over and she didn't have to keep herself composed, she could feel her whole body jittering as her tension worked itself out. "I gave them my best guess; I could see Itachi thinking that if he had a Tailed Beast, he could do whatever he'd want. It's what I'd think in his position. Or, if he is really loyal to Konoha, maybe he's planning to give them back to the Leaf."
"It's all bad no matter what," Naruto said. Sakura was surprised despite herself: a year ago, would any of them have dreamed of Konoha having all the Bijuu being a bad thing? "What should we do until we hear back?"
"The usual," Sasuke said, and Sakura nodded in agreement. "It's like Sakura said; making a run for it will just hurt us right now. We should wait to see what the Amekage decides, and then make our decision from there."
"I'm going to give Haku a heads-up," Sakura said. Sasuke gave her a look, and she blushed. "I don't want him to be surprised if we do end up heading back. Maybe you guys should do the same with everyone else." As she said it, she found herself grinning at the realization that of all of them, Naruto had the most new friends. Of course it would have ended up like that; he just couldn't help himself. It was another thing that was so great about him.
"Just in case," Sasuke agreed. "Do you think we'll see our contact soon?"
"I've got no idea," Sakura said. "But I'm sure they know I got into the Akatsuki. I'd be surprised if they didn't reach out, however they've been doing it." She paused. "Nagato didn't ask about him. Do you think the Amekage will be watching?"
"They probably always are," Naruto said. "But who cares? It's not like everything's gotta be secret anymore. You just told them you're a spy!"
Sakura could only admit that was the truth with a laugh, and after a bit more chatter they went their separate ways, vibrating with excitement.
###
That night, Sakura had a visitor. Despite its incredible importance, she didn't remember the conversation that she had with him. The next morning, she woke up with a sense of acceptance: now, more than ever before, she simply had to wait.
###
The thirteenth of April was a Friday, and it passed quickly. Sakura kept herself busy training, visiting the library, and making dinner plans with the cadre. She tried not to anticipate the future, and that made it draw closer with more speed. They agreed to meet for a meal at a ramen restaurant that Karin liked late in the day; by seven in the evening the sky was already blocked out by thick black clouds that let down sporadic bursts of rain on the city, and Sakura was getting ready to leave her apartment.
As she was putting the finishing touches on her nails, there was a knock at her door. Sakura called out without looking away from her hand.
"It's open!"
The door swung open, and she heard bickering kids in the hall. When Haku stepped through, Sakura wasn't surprised in the slightest.
"Hey!" she said, leaning back and wondering if pink on pink was too much. Well, too late now. She swung around in her chair towards him with a grin. "Come to walk me there?"
"It's not a bad thought," Haku said with a grin. He hefted a bag in his right hand. "But I brought you something as well. I thought you might want to see it before dinner."
"Oh?" Sakura said, standing up and making her way over. She peered over Haku's shoulder curiously as he set the bag down on her bed; she was just a little bit taller than him now, though only by a centimeter or two. "What is it? It looks like-"
"Your uniform!" Haku said with more than a little excitement, taking something folded up and vacuum-sealed out of the bag. Sakura couldn't help but grin.
"That was fast!" she said as Haku spread the sealed clothes out on the bed. "Can I try it on?"
"I think we have a little time," he said, removing a senbon from his hair and slicing the packaging open. Sakura spread it out, looking it over with a joy she couldn't fully contain. The idea of wearing the uniform of the Akatsuki had an unconditional pride burning in her chest.
When it was laid out, she blinked. "It's not like yours," she said, and Haku nodded. The uniform was made of a thicker weave than the thin material of Haku's haori, almost like cotton but surely much stronger. It was a full black jacket speckled with red clouds, with an attached hoodie at the back. "A hoodie?"
"Every member of the Akatsuki has their uniform chosen by the Amekage," Haku said as Sakura lifted the jacket up, looking it over. "But usually it's a cloak, or something else that's traditional. I wonder why they made yours so casual?"
"I'm not sure," Sakura admitted. "But… I do like jackets." She carefully pulled it on over her shirt and was pleasantly surprised to find that it fit perfectly. When she turned to look at herself in the mirror, she couldn't help but smile. The jacket fit like only tailored clothes could, but she still looked like a ninja; if she did get another sword, it would fit well around the hilt. It even had plenty of pockets to hide tools in, and a quick exploration confirmed they had a mesh-mail coating, perfect for storing sharp objects without damaging the uniform.
She pulled the hoodie up, her long hair falling down the inside without much issue, and snorted at herself in the mirror.
"Intimidating," Haku said with a little chuckle. "I guess it suits you, Sakura. Yahiko has always had an eye for fashion."
"Yahiko?" Sakura asked. "Well, I guess it could have been any of them."
"He was the one responsible for the original design," Haku confirmed, sitting down on the bed and looking her over. "You look like a real Akatsuki member now. It's almost too good to be true."
"Yeah, I uh…" Sakura couldn't look away from herself. It was like she was a completely different person. She absentmindedly picked up her sheath and sakura-embossed knife from the stand next to the mirror and fixed it to her belt and stepped back, inordinately pleased at how it completed the look. "Well, I guess I was never sure if I would get this far."
"I always knew you would," Haku said, either painfully sincere or lying with incredible skill. "From the night we talked in the forest, I knew."
"Really?" Sakura asked, giving him a look.
"Really," Haku confirmed. "You've got something that other people don't, Sakura. I don't know what to call it, but it…" He faltered. "It's amazing. Even if you don't draw people to you like others, or have some instant natural genius, you've got strength and conviction that's just as important. It's helped keep me going since Zabuza… well…"
I don't want that, Sakura thought, but it was too cruel to say. I don't want people relying on me, especially people like you. I'm not ready for that. Instead, she walked forward and sat down at Haku's side.
"I came here with the village's permission, you know," she said, and Haku nodded. "I think it's been long enough that you should know."
"I imagined that to be the case," Haku said with a shrug. "The timing was ideal for that. But you still wanted to come."
"I did." He turned towards her, and Sakura was drawn towards his dark eyes. "I've got other stuff to tell you, everyone, at dinner, but for coming here… I wanted to see you again. I'd be lying if I said that wasn't a big part of it."
"Hah." Haku laughed, but he looked just as distracted as her. "Well, that's a little flattering."
They fell silent, unable to look away from one another. Warm and secure in her new jacket, her new position, her new ideals, and her new confidence, Sakura found herself leaning forward. To her muted surprise, Haku did the same, their faces drawing closer together.
Her heart sped up; her face grew heated; gravity pulled them closer together nonetheless. Then-
With a high, clear sound, the room-wide balcony window cracked.
###
"Aren't we here a little early?" Naruto asked, and Karin vigorously shook her head, gesturing around the restaurant.
"This place fills up fast!" she said, and Naruto was forced to agree as he and Kabuto took seats across from her. "Especially in the evening! If we weren't here now, by the time everyone else got here there'd be no seats!"
"Well, there's certainly no harm in it," Kabuto said with a genial grin. "At least we'll have time to look at the menu." He gave Naruto a glance. "How did Sakura handle her first meeting? Mother told me that she did well for herself, but I'm sure she told you more."
"She had a good time!" Naruto declared. "She said it really impressed her. I dunno if I'm really cut out for that sort of thing, but I bet it would be cool to sit in on one sometime. Have you ever been to one, Kabuto?"
"It hasn't really interested me, to be honest," Kabuto admitted. "Mother's made it sound more theoretical than practical, and, well, you know how I am." He took a sip of water, smiling past it. "But maybe we could go together. At least that way we could keep each other entertained if things got boring for us."
"Ah, I bet it wouldn't be boring. What do you think, Karin?" Naruto asked, glancing at the menu. He liked ramen, but not nearly as much as his cousin did. She was staring down at the list with a furrowed brow, and didn't answer him right away.
"Hey?" Naruto asked, leaning over and flicking her. She flinched, staring up at him. "What's wrong? You've been to this place before, right? Did they change the menu?"
"No… no," she said, squinting like she had a headache and then closing her eyes. "Something… something's wrong."
"Huh?" Naruto frowned. He could feel his skin prickling; Karin was freaking him out. "Whadya mean?"
"Karin," Kabuto said, leaning over the table. "Do you feel something?"
Her eyes flew open, and Naruto almost jumped back at the fear in them. Karin was terrified, her whole body suddenly vibrating with golden chakra. "I feel something," she muttered, before leaping out of her chair and looking around frantically. Other people in the restaurant, ninja and civilians alike, looked at her in alarm. Some rose out of their chairs as well, trying to see what Karin could. "I feel something!"
She spun towards Naruto, eyes wide and red. As she did, all the street-facing windows of the restaurant suddenly cracked.
"It's coming! Fast!" She rushed towards him and Kabuto, golden chains bursting out of her back and bowling them over. The whole restaurant erupted into confusion and pandemonium as Karin's chakra filled it.
"Get-!"
###
"Do you get ramen?" Suigetsu asked, and Sasuke shrugged. They were walking down the streets of Amegakure, enjoying the light rain from the endless black clouds above, making their way to the restaurant Karin had picked out. "I mean like, it's just soup."
"It's not just soup," Sasuke said patiently. "The noodles are made with just as much care as the broth, plus all the other ingredients. It's not my favorite thing in the world, but c'mon. If you call it soup in front of Karin, she'll punch your head off."
Suigetsu scoffed. "She could try. But between you and me, I'd take phó any day."
"Cause it's usually lighter?" Sasuke asked, and Suigetsu nodded firmly.
"Maybe that's my clan's fault," he admitted. "But ramen usually sits with me forever. I mean it really gets down in there and-" He paused. "Hey, what the heck's with that?"
Sasuke followed Suigetsu's pointing finger and looked up into the black sky as the street surged with activity around them. Other people pointed and wondered, gasped, a murmur spreading throughout the crowd. The black clouds were lightening almost imperceptibly, like the setting sun was starting to pierce through them. In just seconds, the light grew fiercer; the whole sky began to burn a dull red. Some people threw themselves to the ground, not in fear but in awe; a few of them began praying.
Sasuke frowned, activating his Sharingan to get a little more clarity as Suigetsu whistled. "Damn, that's pretty. Red clouds? Do you reckon that's the Amekage or something?"
The moment Sasuke's Sharingan activated, his eyes burned. He had a split second to realize that what he was seeing was fundamentally beyond his comprehension, a long enough time for the world to slow to crawl as his heart began beating so fast the sound of it deafened him.
"Suigetsu!" he roared, and his friend turned towards him slowly, so slowly. "It's-!"
With a sudden scream, the red light overcame the world.