The white masks of the Mist ANBU – plain but for a single, colored shape, each one unique to its wearer – remained immobile as he approached. The Administrative Building was an impressive, stout cylinder of red-roofed shingles decorating two stories arranged like the bread layers of a sandwich. Between them was a layer of square windows tinted so that the sunlight shone blue against them, preventing anyone from seeing in, but giving the Mizukage an ideal vantage point to watch over the village.
Yagura was there now, perhaps watching his approach.
Utakata continued walking forward, furtively glancing at the looming archway that marked the building's entrance. A fluttering mixture of excitement and nerves built in his gut as the heavy wooden doors appeared more imposing with each step.
He never even heard the swords leave their sheaths, but the pair of katanas barring his path sent his stomach tumbling with dread. "Step back," ordered one of the ANBU.
"I'm here to be assessed as the Mizukage's bodyguard," he replied cordially.
"You're ineligible."
"I didn't realize there were requisites to apply." The brunet's voice was an echo of his master Harusame, neutral yet leading.
"There isn't. You are ineligible."
"I'm not sure…" he trailed off, the thought reaching its conclusion in his mind. Ah. It wasn't his credentials that were in question, but rather his status. The Mizukage wasn't in charge of choosing his own bodyguards, and whomever was likely didn't want one Jinchūriki protecting another. If Yagura was busy running the village, Utakata couldn't be allowed to watch over him; he instead needed to be available for anything else the village required.
Disappointment slumped his shoulders as he turned away from the two ANBU and made the long, slow trek back to the bubble-users' compound. Now what?
-l-l-l-
Utakata watched the other Jinchūriki from his spot by the Senju compound's pond, golden gaze unfocused. Fū and Gaara were sparring under Han's discerning eyes, the armored shinobi a sentinel to his juniors' training.
In stark contrast to the Iwa-nin, Fū was darting around the Suna-nin, throwing quick jabs at her fellow Genin with hands covered by swirling winds. Since the pair had returned from their self-ascribed mission weeks before, the green-haired girl had come around to embrace their situation, a complete turn from her first month in Konoha. She was chipper and energetic and…unburdened, he mused, not wholly dissimilar from Naruto. It reminded him of her joy when he'd promised to take her away from the Hidden Waterfall.
Even Gaara's attitude in the interim weeks seemed different. Nothing so obvious as Fū's – she'd at least shown some capacity for happiness when they'd initially met – but he was less standoffish now, though he tended to stick close to Fū or Han, even if the latter seemed to be in a training capacity only.
That they were able to grow with each other was a net positive in Utakata's eyes, especially since Naruto had not been around much to facilitate their interaction, something he'd been counting on. He supposed that whatever adventure Gaara and Fū had been on had forged a bond that allowed them to serve as a surrogate Naruto for each other, with the real blond reinforcing that connection at the sporadic times he was around.
The Leaf native's frequent absence was due to the plethora of missions Tsunade kept sending him on now that he'd been promoted to Genin, an announcement that had surprised Utakata and his seniors more than the two younger Jinchūriki, judging by Gaara's stoicism and Fū's cheer. Or, a cynical part of the brunet posited (and Rōshi had grunted in presumed agreement when he'd mentioned it), it was the follies of youth; it hadn't escaped his notice that the older redhead tended to make himself scarce when Naruto's rotating band of teammates – a large group of Genin his age, though rarely the same assembly of two or three people – showed up to the Senju compound to collect him.
He would be lying if he couldn't admit that the sight of the three youngest Jinchūriki together didn't spark an ember of envy. It reminded him all too keenly of his friendship with Yagura, of his years-long failure to protect the grey-haired boy from the evil influence controlling him.
Han stepped forward to correct Gaara's form, and Utakata found himself immersed in his own sparring sessions with Yagura, ducking the smaller boy's laughably large staff and learning how to bend his slight form around every attack thrown at him. A sad smile crept around his mouth, the sudden weight of the memories as suffocating as his friend's Rough Sea Spume technique.
Not for the first time, he wondered when Yagura had fallen under the control of Akatsuki, and how he hadn't seen it. Or maybe he hadn't seen it because it had only occurred after his friend had taken up the mantle of leadership. The moment he'd been turned away from applying to be the Mizukage's personal guard had haunted him for two years – right up until he'd fled the village – a failed attempt to retain the close friendship he'd spent six years cultivating.
"Hey, Naruto's back!"
Utakata's head snapped up towards the compound's main entrance at Fū's announcement, finding the blond waving an energetic goodbye to his latest team: a black-haired boy wearing a vivid green jumpsuit, a female brunette with hair twisted into two buns, and a male brunet with white eyes and a no-nonsense countenance. It was hard to tell, but it looked like the white-eyed boy offered someone – Fū or Gaara – a curt nod of his head before turning and leaving with his team, a boisterous yell from the green-clad male accompanying their departure.
Fū raced ahead and threw her arms around the blond, Gaara following sedately behind her and stopping a respectful distance from the pair. "He certainly has a charisma about him," Han noted, deep voice carrying notes of Rōshi's wry humor to Utakata's trained ears as he joined the Kiri-nin. "That he attracts so many different personalities is the mark of a unifying figure."
Utakata shot him a sidelong glance. "So you think he can be the Hokage?"
"Hokage?" The word was delivered with a scoff. "Is that his objective? Like anyone in our position would ever be selected."
"Yagura—"
"The Mizukage, yes? And I'm sure he was eager to take the mantle, chose it of his own volition." Utakata found himself mute in the face of the older Jinchūriki's searing sarcasm, his words an accurate reminder that Yagura had been forced into the role in an effort by the Hidden Mist's hierarchy to grow the village's power and prestige. "Duty is a tedious thing. Those with our affliction don't seek the impossible."
Utakata considered the armored shinobi's words, watching the three younger demon containers converse with an ease that hadn't existed upon his first observation of each of them. "Rōshi said something pretty similar when we first started out," he rebutted quietly. "Repeatedly. But I think what we've accomplished so far is a pretty clear sign that the impossible is not as out of reach as you Iwa-nin think it is."
Han scoffed again, arms crossed over his broad chest, and he looked so much like a larger version of Rōshi silently conceding defeat that the Kiri-nin couldn't help but grin. He left the older shinobi at his back, moving towards the trio of Genin with a hand raised in greeting to Naruto's exuberant wave. "Another exciting mission, Naruto?" Golden eyes swept over the blond's form, taking note of the wear and tear displayed prominently across his new uniform.
Jiraiya's gift – a cross between a graduation and birthday present, according to the older man's note – was a grey hoodie with a zipper and convenient front pockets. The long sleeves were decorated with a stripe of orange that contrasted the dark blue pants that fell to his ankles. Apparently the design was very similar to what his father had worn as a Genin, which was probably why Naruto had taken to wearing the outfit with unbridled glee.
"You bet! I was just tellin' Gaara and Fū about how Raiga threw this huge lightning—"
"Sorry," Utakata interrupted, visible golden eye wide, "did you just say Raiga? Kurosuki Raiga?"
Naruto scratched his temple with a finger, offering the brunet an embarrassed grin. "Heh, maybe? Don't know his full name…"
"Green hair?" Utakata probed, the question striking like a bolt of lightning. "Lots of bandages? He'd probably look similar to this," he added, and with a quick sign, he was engulfed in a cloud of smoke as the Transformation Technique took effect.
Naruto's blue eyes gleamed with recognition. "Hey, yeah! That's a pretty good likeness, Utakata-nii. You know him?"
The illusion fell when Gaara and Fū's gazes swiveled to him as well, three pairs of curious eyes waiting for a response. "He was once a member of Kirigakure's Seven Shinobi Swordsmen, if one of ill repute." His explanation was slow, measured, a recollection of information gathered in years of self-learning. They didn't react to the name – and he wondered how far his home village had fallen that their shinobi with the greatest renown had no name recognition to other villages – so he elaborated, "The Seven Shinobi Swordsmen are – or were, I suppose – the best of the best, Kirigakure's elite fighting force. Not only were they experts in Silent Killing, but they were masters of kenjutsu. Unparalleled. Together, it was rumored they could annihilate an entire country.
"Their swords only made them more famous, or infamous, as it were. Each one was designed to do something different, with its own unique ability, and they could only be passed down upon the death of the wielder. Raiga…he used raitō, twin swords that could channel both natural and chakra-based lightning to cut through anything. He got them from a kunoichi named Ringo Ameyuri, who he killed while she was lying sick in bed.
"Ameyuri was…revered. The first and only kunoichi to ever join the Swordsmen, people idolized her. Understandably, the nature of her murder didn't go over well with the people of Kirigakure. See, even though Kirigakure has a reputation of being bloodthirsty, it prides itself on combat and winning in battle. The way Raiga killed Ameyuri was cowardly; it went against everything Kirigakure stood for. So he fled, taking the raitō Kiba with him." He cleared his throat, the history lesson wearing on him. "I'm sorry for interrupting your story, Naruto, but what happened to Raiga? Did he have Kiba?"
"Oh, uh, yeah! He had a couple swords. And he was real big on lightning. But he, uh, fell over a cliff? I think the swords went with him."
Utakata cursed under his breath, but quickly schooled his disappointment and hopefully probed, "Naruto, where was this mission?"
"Um…Katabami…something? Sorry, Neji was in charge. It was in the Land of Rivers, about a day and a half away."
"Much appreciated."
The brunet turned on his heels and walked back into the compound. His room was one of the closest to the entrance, and he entered with a swish of his kimono. Golden eyes flitted around, directing him to a rucksack Naruto had bought for him during an outing through the village. He took the rucksack to the kitchen and began to rifle through the cabinets, grabbing a medley of non-perishables and throwing them in the bag.
"What're you doing?"
He turned at Fū's voice, finding her watching his movements from the entryway. "I need to find Kiba."
"So you're leaving?"
"Just for a little bit." He returned to foraging through the cabinets for food, only pausing when a caramel-colored hand waved a small tin can before his eyes. Utakata grabbed it, turning it so that he could read the label. "No thanks, I'm not big on nattō."
"It's for me," Fū told him, a touch exasperated. "You shouldn't go by yourself, and two pairs of eyes are better than one."
Utakata almost protested, then decided better of it. Though he knew a great deal about the history of the Swordsmen and each sword's ability, the origins of the blades themselves were shrouded in mystery and mythology. At a minimum, Samehada, Hiramekarei, and Kubikiribōchō were all imbued with chakra; if Kiba was similar, Fū's sensing abilities could be a great asset. Instead, he placed the nattō in the rucksack and offered her a nod of acknowledgment.
When he felt he had enough supplies, he left the kitchen and ventured back into the courtyard, Fū trailing behind him. "Hey, Gaara, Naruto!" she shouted. "Wanna come on an adventure with us? We're gonna find the swords Utakata was talking about!"
Naruto let out a whoop. "Yeah!" Beside him, Gaara looked between the Leaf and Waterfall Genin, then bobbed his head once in agreement.
"Ah, well…" Utakata began, caught flat-footed, "while I appreciate the support, Naruto, you're an official shinobi, and you can't leave without the Hokage's permission."
"Aw man!"
The brunet offered him a crooked grin. "You've done more than enough at this point, thank you. Although, if you could maybe inform Tsunade of our whereabouts, that might help…smooth things over when we return. And I can't ask you to go with us," he directed to Gaara.
Teal eyes blinked at him, slow and methodical. "You didn't."
Utakata didn't know what to make of the younger boy's response, but since it didn't seem an outright rejection, and Fū was grinning cheerily at him, he assumed the redhead was joining their team. He turned to Han, who was lurking nearby, and politely offered, "If you'd like—"
"Pass," came the giant's swift, curt response. One large, gloved hand came to rest on Naruto's shoulder. "You have training to do."
Naruto's expression waffled between excited and disappointed, granting the remaining demon containers a mournful glance that he couldn't join them. When the Iwa-nin had steered the blond away, Utakata glanced at the two remaining Genin, both of whom were watching him expectantly. "Well, I guess we're ready to go then."
-l-l-l-
But for the sound of shoes landing or leaping from branches, silence reigned among the trio. Fū had to keep slowing down to allow her two companions to keep up, her apparent familiarity with tree-hopping leagues ahead of Utakata and Gaara's. The brunet rued that he couldn't use his Drifting Bubble, but the idea of being in an enclosed space with Gaara – who struck him as uncomfortable (at best) when confined – made that a dangerous option.
So they traveled the old-fashioned way, which was tedious, but at least the Land of Fire offered them a scenic view.
"Wheeee!"
Utakata smiled despite his uncharitable thoughts; at least someone was enjoying herself.
"I have a question."
The Kiri-nin turned to Gaara, who was watching him apathetically. "Yes?"
"Your interest in these swords seems to transcend intellectual curiosity. They are…important. I do not understand why."
"They're of significant cultural and military significance to Kirigakure—"
"Yet you are no longer a denizen of your village," Gaara pointed out with bland indifference. "Your allegiance is to the group you have formed, is it not?" Fū slowed down so that she was keeping pace with them, backwards glances allowing orange eyes to flicker between the pair as best she could while still one jump ahead. "You have not displayed a proficiency in handling weapons or Raiton chakra that would suggest this mission is intended to improve your own skills. Therefore, its purpose is of great personal import to you specifically."
Stunned by the Sand Genin's analysis, Utakata couldn't formulate a reply before Fū piped up. "Is this part of your plan to rescue Yagura?"
"That's…they're…separate issues," he managed.
"Inoichi says that to solve an issue, you must identify its root cause."
Utakata stared at the redhead, again unable to find a response, and Gaara met the teenager's gaze with his own even look. After a long moment where neither seem inclined to elaborate further, the brunet sighed. "My father was one of the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen," he explained. There was a moment of silence in which he considered what else to divulage, and as the weight of his companions' gazes continued to bore into him, he quietly admitted, "He wielded Kiba."
Fū jerked at the revelation, fumbling her jump and releasing a breathy gasp. Gaara didn't seem to react, instead commenting, "You mentioned a kunoichi named Ameyuri—"
"I know," he interrupted, an uncharacteristic bite to his voice, "and she was. But she took over from my father. He died fighting the Sanbi when I was two, in the same fight that almost killed the previous Rokubi Jin—container," he corrected, eyes flicking to Fū. "I got Saiken, and Ameyuri got Kiba. So yes, you're right that this is personal. But there's more to it than that.
"See, Kirigakure has been in steady decline for a while now, despite having two Bijū and the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen. The Sandaime Mizukage started a tradition of having Academy students fight to the death in order to graduate, which both halved our forces and gave us the reputation of being bloodthirsty and savage. It was the hope of the village's hierarchy that, by raising a Kage who also contained the Sanbi, the village would reclaim some of its original glory. Yagura was supposed to…reverse Kirigakure's trajectory.
"It didn't work. When Yagura took over, Kirigakure's history of bloodshed spread. The graduation ceremony continued, and we exacerbated a systematic purge of clans with kekkei genkai that, until recently, had been more of a pattern of local discrimination and isolated attacks. Since last year – or, well, a year before I left anyway – Kirigakure has been embroiled in an escalating civil war that has set those with kekkei genkai and their supporters against the institution that's been in control since before I was born."
"Absolute power corrupts absolutely," Gaara intoned.
"I…yes, I suppose so," Utakata acknowledged, surprised at the younger boy's insight, "although it wasn't without rebellion. Several of the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen fought back against what was happening, but none were successful. I already told you what happened with Ameyuri and Raiga, but three others – Zabuza, Jinpachi, and Jinin – all tried and failed to overthrow the Mizukage. Jinpachi was killed to set an example; Zabuza and Jinin fled the village. Kushimaru and Kisame stayed loyal, but Kisame's really working for Akatsuki, and Kushimaru was killed by Rōshi. Mangetsu was killed on a mission not long before I left."
"Rōshi must be very strong to have beaten someone you refer to as elite." There was a note of longing in Gaara's voice, and when the bubble-user glanced at him, his normally flat eyes seemed to be gleaming with hunger.
"Gaara!" Fū warned sharply, and the redhead's gaze immediately snapped to her.
He shook his head, and when his feet propelled him forward on the next jump, the look was gone. "Ah…thank you."
"Mm." Fū turned towards Utakata. "When we were in the Hokage's office, you gave her a sword-ssu. Was that—?"
"That was Kushimaru's weapon, Nuibari." He cleared his throat, unsure how to properly segue out of the younger pair's interaction. "The swords provide…clout. As I said, Kirigakure has been struggling for a long time, and returning something of such cultural, military, and historic significance could offer us leverage."
"For what?" Fū asked. "Do you think you're gonna bargain with people who don't care about you-ssu?"
Utakata opened his mouth to reply and again found no words. Fū had a point, especially given her experience in the Hidden Waterfall, and that wasn't even taking into account that he was a wanted man whom the Hidden Mist's hierarchy wouldn't be willing to negotiate with. "The…" he swallowed hard, unsure of what to say. "Kirigakure needs new leadership. If we're able to get Yagura out of there, change the status quo…then maybe… They'll come in handy, I'm sure of it," he reiterated with more confidence than he felt. "We just need to get Yagura out of there."
"It sounds as if you care for Yagura a great deal," Gaara observed.
"He's the only person who really understood what it was like to grow up like me. When things got to be too much, we always had each other." The brunet nearly bit his tongue, bitterly reminded of his failure. "Before Yagura became the Mizukage, I promised that I would watch over and protect him. He used to call me 'Utakata-nii'—"
"Naruto calls you that."
Utakata smiled sadly. "Yes, I'd noticed. He and Yagura aren't so different, and apparently where Yagura considered me his older brother, so does Naruto. But when it mattered most, I failed to protect Yagura. I'm hoping to rectify that, not just with Naruto, or by saving Yagura, but…" he shrugged, unsure what more needed to be said. "So yes, you could say I care about him. We didn't really have anyone or anything else."
Gaara was watching him with the same blank visage that seemed a permanent fixture of his persona, his mood unreadable. As the silence among them dragged, Utakata began to feel guilt edge around his conscience. The months of dealing with Rōshi's pessimism had taught him that he apparently had his own short fuse when it came to the Three-Tails' Jinchūriki, and Gaara – his apparent sociopathy notwithstanding – didn't deserve his snark.
He opened his mouth to offer an apology, but Gaara's raspy monotone gave him pause. "Recently, Inoichi and I have been talking about family." Despite the boy's stoicism, Utakata found himself intrigued by his junior's comment, curious to its relevance. "In our sessions, I have noticed he often draws a comparison to his own teammates, calling them…brothers-in-arms."
He paused, teal eyes swallowing their surroundings, seemingly lost in the moment. Utakata arched an eyebrow in Fū's direction, silently asking her if this was normal when she finally caught his gaze. The Taki-nin shrugged, orange eyes flickering to Gaara, apparently waiting for him to continue.
After several seconds, the Sand Genin seemed to recover his thought process, continuing blandly, "He often tries to impress the importance of these people, as if a familial association makes them…special. But I have siblings who also served as my teammates, and they were…tedious. Weak…unimportant…afraid…they were a means to an end my father imposed upon me. That we share blood does not make them important."
"Gaara…"
Utakata held up a hand to forestall the rest of Fū's melancholic whisper. "Do you think that may be because you never had a relationship with your siblings?" Gaara stared at him, and as several seconds passed, his head slowly tilted to the side, teal eyes blinking lethargically. The motion made him seem bird-like, and in the moment, the Kiri-nin thought that he might be able to interpret the redhead's strange mannerisms; he appeared to be learning everything anew, a child studying those around him. "Just because you have siblings doesn't mean you automatically know what a sibling relationship is like. You need to actually have the relationship."
After another long pause, Gaara turned away, unable or unwilling to continue meeting the older Jinchūriki's gaze. "Hm. That is something to consider."
-l-l-l-
"Someone's near."
Utakata tilted his head towards Fū, Gaara mirroring his movement on her opposite side. They were only a couple hours into the Land of Rivers, traveling in quiet ease after the emotionally charged conversation from the day before. Gaara had offered – more like insisted, in his flat rasp – to keep watch the previous night, and despite his initial unease, the Kiri-nin had acquiesced, eventually falling into a deep sleep.
Now rejuvenated both physically and mentally, he was focused on the mission at hand, following Fū's exuberant pace and trusting her direction. "Could it be the village by the mine?"
The Taki-nin shook her head. "It's only five people, and they're moving like us. Definitely shinobi. What should we do?"
Surprised by the question, Utakata turned from the kunoichi's open curiosity to Gaara's blank expression, looking for an opinion and receiving nothing in return. To the green-haired girl, he asked, "You're in the lead, what do you think?"
"Yeah, but you're the leader-ssu."
Another glance at Gaara was greeted with silence, although this time the boy gave a slow, single nod of agreement. "I'm…flattered…you think so," he managed, "but we're supposed to be a team, and I trust your judgment." Fū seemed to glow with the praise, and Utakata mused that additional positive reinforcement might help to continue breaking the Taki-nin out of her shell.
There was a moment of quiet while she appeared to focus on her sensory abilities, then, "I think we can avoid them. Follow me." She veered sharply to the south and the two boys followed, and after a half-minute of travel, Fū hesitantly said, "Um, they changed their path. I think…I think they're following us?"
Concern began to bubble in his gut, and he forced himself to be calm when he probed, "Are you sure?"
Fū nodded, managing a hurried, "They're moving faster now."
"Let's outrun them."
"Unlikely," Gaara stated. "I cannot sustain a greater pace than our current one."
"Okay…" Utakata allowed, mind whirling, "then we're going to have to incapacitate them."
Gaara's eyes appeared to glimmer with the same madness from the day before, an expression the brunet was beginning to realize was probably bloodlust. "That idea has merit."
The Kiri-nin scrutinized the younger Jinchūriki, trying to judge someone he still knew far too little about and who seemed to be in the process of fighting a slew of personal demons. "Can you control yourself?"
Teal eyes snapped to him. "…Well enough," he said, and his voice sounded almost normal.
Of all the traits he'd observed so far, lying did not seem like something the redhead embraced, so Utakata decided to take him at his word. "Alright, then let's find a more advantageous location. Fū, keep an eye on them." The kunoichi tossed him a casual salute as he passed her to take the lead, maintaining their speed while keeping his head on a swivel for any sign of better terrain.
It only took a couple minutes of travel for the sound of running water to make its way to his ears, and he steered their group in the direction of one of the Land of Rivers' multiple namesakes. The trees opened into a grotto with a small cave whose mouth was protected by flowing water. They stopped in front of the cave, and after scanning their surroundings, Utakata turned to Gaara. "You're good with defense, right?"
"I was raised a weapon."
"So were we all," the Kiri-nin replied, "but that's not what I asked." Gaara stared at him, unblinking, and after an agonizing wait, wherein Utakata wanted to yell that time was of the essence, finally bobbed his head once. "Good. Fū and I will take the lead on offense, and you cover any blind spots from the cave so they can't see you or where your attacks are coming from." He received another nod, this one much more responsive, and as the Sand shinobi stalked towards the hideaway, the brunet plucked his bubble blower from where it was tucked inside his obi. Loading it with solution, he brought it to his lips and blew out a slew of bubbles.
Wonder dawned on Fū's face as countless spheres spread out around them, dappled sunlight refracting rainbow colors off their surfaces. Utakata watched her joy, musing that this was one of the first times, if not the first time, that the green-haired girl had seen him use Shabondama; most of their training at the Senju compound focused on taijutsu, and when Utakata served as Naruto's teacher, it was mostly just to refine the boy's Suiton. "It's a start," he said.
"What can they do?"
"A lot. Keep your distance. And let me know when they're near."
"They're pretty close."
"Alright, get ready—"
A thick drizzle swept through the clearing, and Utakata's bubbles dissolved into the rain. Golden eyes widened with surprised and a small amount of fear. Kirisame…so then—
He ducked the first water whip that shot out towards him from the woods, but the second one lashed around his ankles and bound his legs together. There was a tug, and he crashed to the ground with a yelp. Fū shouted his name, dashing forward and severing his bindings with a slice of her arm. She took up guard around him while he scrambled back to his feet, scanning their surroundings for any inkling of the hunter-nin hiding just beyond his sight. "What's going on?" Fū asked. "This rain is full of chakra, it's hard to sense anything—"
"It's Kirisame," Utakata explained hurriedly, "a jutsu used by Kirigakure's oinin to absorb any manifested chakra of the people they hunt. It's especially effective against my Shabondama, which is why they're using it."
"They're after you?"
"Indeed," intoned a new voice, deep with authority. Three figures stepped out of the forest, all dressed in neutral colors contrasted by the nearly stark white masks of ANBU that disguised their identity. The lead Kiri-nin took several more steps forward and removed his mask, revealing a pale face with a trim goatee and a long scar cutting through his left eye. "Utakata."
The brunet grimaced, returning the hunter-nin's greeting with a curt, "Tsurugi."
Back in the Hidden Mist, he'd only known of the man by reputation as an oinin division subleader, one of the few people in the running to eventually replace Kushimaru as the wielder of Nuibari. The scar was a memento of an ugly training session with the now-deceased Swordsman, a story that had spread through the village like wildfire. There would likely be no negotiating with him. "Utakata, I'm offering you a single opportunity to turn yourself in, and your companions can leave unharmed. Should you resist, there will be no mercy."
…Well, that's more generous than I was expecting.
"He's not goin' anywhere!" Fū retorted.
Her heated defense took him by surprise, and if it wasn't for the situation at hand, he thought the support might have overwhelmed him. As it was, it was probably ill-timed. "Tsurugi, wait—"
The hunter-nin slipped his mask back on. "So be it." An ōdachi was removed from its sheath, the three-foot blade held threatening in front of him. He charged the brunet, bringing the blade in a downward slice that nearly removed his right arm; only a last-minute dive to the left saved the limb. Utakata hastened to his feet, only to immediately gag as something wrapped around his throat, constricting his airway. His hands scrabbled against the threat, working fruitlessly against a mass of liquid as his vision began to blur—
He gasped as the noose loosened, golden eyes opening amidst a coughing fit to find Fū leaning down beside him. "C'mon," she urged, and then immediately spun around, a raised arm slicing through an incoming water whip like a blade. "Someone else's comin'."
Utakata spun her out of the way of a second swing of Tsurugi's ōdachi, grunting when the older Mist shinobi kicked his unprotected back. "Shouldn't Gaara be helping?" he hissed.
"Probably!" She spun around him and sliced through another water whip and the wave of electricity that followed behind it.
Assured that she seemed to be able to take care of herself, and pushing the missing-in-action Suna-nin from his mind, Utakata turned to face Tsurugi, racing through viable combat options while the Mist Rain technique was in effect. Without ninjutsu, he was forced to resort to taijutsu, which seemed to be working for Fū, but…it didn't explain how the green-haired girl was so easily countering the oinin's elemental techniques. His periphery caught her negate another burst of water, the spray repelled outward off her forearm. She's using Fūton…I guess Kirisame doesn't stop chakra being emanated off the user?
That was an interesting tidbit he'd have to keep in mind for any future conflicts.
Tsurugi's fingers twisted through one-handed seals, liquid orbs the size of his head coagulating from the mist. Utakata began to dodge each of the Drizzle technique's projectiles, keeping an eye on the swordsman and nimbly twisting his body around the ōdachi's slashes when they came. With each move, he allowed the protective chakra coating his body to dissipate until only the Rokubi's gift remained, his Acid Armor giving him some measure of confidence with his taijutsu.
When the ōdachi came at him again, water swirling around the blade, the brunet focused chakra to his hand and caught the weapon on its downswing. The metal melted with a sizzle, the sword's tip falling to the ground as the Six-Tails' acid ate through the blade. If the oinin was surprised, his mask hid it, but Utakata managed to slam his left fist into the porcelain while he was momentarily flat-footed.
When Tsurugi staggered back and looked up, an imprint of the Jinchūriki's fist was missing from his mask, revealing a portion of the right side of his face. He glanced at the remaining two feet of blade still attached to the hilt and then threw it to the side. "So you've learned some new tricks in your time away."
"I just leaned into who I am."
Tsurugi made an indistinct noise and then removed the mask, dropping it near his discarded sword. "So be it."
A loud creak caught their attention, the pair looking over in time to jump apart from the shadow of a collapsing tree that hit the earth and stopped all fighting. Standing over the broken base of the tree was a man with a square jaw and short brown hair receding from his large forehead. His face was dark, like cocoa, but as Utakata watched, it faded to a rough tan, a scar clear on his left temple; the rest of his body was hidden by a black cloak decorated with large red clouds that sent dread shuddering down the brunet's spine. Oh no… "Fū, we need to go!"
"So, Kakuzu, what do you think?"
From the shadow of the first Akatsuki-nin stepped a second, this one at least a foot taller, head covered by a grey hood and black face mask, leaving only lurid, pupil-less green eyes visible. Clenched in his hand was the head of a Kiri-nin, the shinobi's body flaccid beside him; with a casual movement, he tossed the corpse into the clearing, where it rolled to a stop, a large gash evident in his chest. Green eyes flitted across the gathered shinobi, from Fū to the two Kiri-nin she was fighting, then to Utakata and finally Tsurugi. "Those two," he said in a deep baritone that reminded Utakata a little of Han's voice. "Utakata and Biwa Tsurugi, both valuable bounties."
"Fū!" he hissed. "Get the hell out of here! FŪ!"
She wasn't moving, and Utakata moved away from Tsurugi to get closer to her. She appeared catatonic, orange eyes wide with terror, and he wondered if the reality of what they were up against – what all the Jinchūriki were up against – was finally hitting her. Another shout of her name finally drew her wide-eyed gaze to him, and when she finally spoke, it was only to whisper, "That's…Kakuzu…"
"This rain is annoying. I leave them to you, Kontsuchi."
"He's after me, not you, so go. Go!" Utakata repeated when she didn't respond.
"Go where?"
Utakata whirled on the spot to be greeted by a hammerblow that sent him soaring towards the cave they'd left Gaara. He crawled to his knees with a groan, looking around to find the dark-skinned, brown-haired Akatsuki-nin – Kontsuchi, he presumed – stalking towards him. Kontsuchi stomped the ground, and a jagged series of earthen spikes raced towards him, but something lifted him off the ground and carried him into the cave, narrowly avoiding impalement. He glanced over to find Gaara's hand stretched out with the palm up, manipulating the sand beneath him. "Thank you, but what have you been doing?"
"Sand and water do not mix," intoned the redhead. The silica beneath the brunet disappeared, only to reform as a veil blocking the cave entrance that shielded them from an incoming punch; it exploded into individual granules that immediately reformed to protect them, and Gaara grunted, "He hits as hard as Han. I cannot hold this long."
"They're after me," the brunet said hurriedly. "Something's wrong with Fū."
Teal eyes snapped to his face, holding golden irises in a deadly gaze. "What is wrong with Fū?"
Utakata shook his head and divested himself of his kimono. "I don't know, but I need you to get her out of here. And take this with you," he added, holding his clothing out for the redhead.
"You can take these men by yourself?"
"I'm not sure, but if I can give you and her the opportunity to escape, we need to take it."
The redhead's stare remained unwavering for a long moment, despite the Akatsuki-nin beating his barrier, and when he finally released it, taking the kimono wordlessly, he said, "You are a good leader."
Utakata didn't know what to say to the younger Jinchūriki's admittance, but in the next instant, the sand barrier dropped and Kontsuchi charged into the cave. The brunet blazed through seals as chakra built in his chest. Funshasan!
Greenish liquid blasted from his mouth and hit the Akatsuki-nin in the chest, drawing a laugh from the man. "You think that'll stop me? My Doton: Domu is as hard as steel, you're not gonna do anything with—ah!" he hissed, scratching at his chest and sidestepping the stream's range.
Utakata cut off the Acid Spray technique to see that the liquid had burned a hold in his opponent's black cloak and had apparently started eating through his hardened skin. Good, I have a chance. "Go now!" he hissed to Gaara. The Suna-nin nodded in response, slipping silently past the Akatsuki-nin while the larger man was distracted. If I keep him in here, I won't have to worry about Kirisame…
"I guess you've got some tricks up your sleeve to make you worth something, huh? Whatever. Doton: Ganchūsō."
Thick pillars of rock shot out from the cave's walls, floor, and ceiling at random locations, forcing the brunet to contort his body around each obstacle. One clipped his shoulder, throwing him off-balance, and a second one slammed into his stomach, knocking the breath from his lungs. The slime covering his skin allowed him to slide off the stone before it could crush him against the wall, and Utakata sent a mental plea to the Bijū sealed within him. Saiken, I need your chakra. I don't think I can take the oinin and two of Akatsuki if we don't get out of here before that other guy comes back.
Likely not, burbled the slug, but be careful.
I know.
Chakra exploded out of him, disguising his form in an amorphous, oblong-shaped blob of mixed red and black. Five equally oblong tails trailed from the base of his spine, and Utakata oozed through the spaces between the columns created by the Rock Pillar Spears technique, body flattening and flowing as if boneless. He made it to the front of the cave, where Tsurugi and Kontsuchi had started trading blows, the Akatsuki-nin fending off the Mist shinobi with a large broadsword and darkened skin. Tsurugi caught sight of him approaching, movements stalling as he gasped, "Rokubi…"
Then the broadsword cleaved through his torso, and the oinin's body fell into two pieces.
A sliver of sympathy trickled through Utakata, which quickly changed to trepidation as the Akatsuki-nin turned to face him. "So, you're a Jinchūriki, huh? If that was in the Bingo Book, Kakuzu sure kept it close to his chest. Probably didn't want to step on Zetsu's toes, or whatever that freak's got for feet. Guess he'll just have to take the Nibi."
He swung the blade at the Kiri-nin, and Utakata dove under the slash, fluidly avoiding the weapon and lashing his tails around the base of the blade, holding it in place. His acidic skin began to eat through the metal, but with a hard yank, the sword slid from his grasp, cutting through the tips of his tails and eliciting a pained roar. Kontsuchi's leg kicked out, and Utakata grabbed the man's ankle, focusing on the acid covering his hands.
The Earth Spear technique dissolved under his hold, but a block of stone burst from the floor, forcing him to release the older male or risk being brained. Utakata sat on his haunches and observed his adversary, drool leaking from his open maw to erode the stone it dripped on. Chirōkyū!
A cloud of white gas billowed from the transformed Jinchūriki's mouth, engulfing the space between them and turning the broadsword into puddled steel. Kontsuchi immediately released the hilt of his blade, sacrificing it to the Wisdom Wolf Decay, and leaped from the cave to the open air, where the vapor was more likely to disperse. Utakata slithered through his own technique, hiding in its midst, until he was close enough to stretch out his tails and wrap them around the Akatsuki-nin like a constrictor, bringing the brunt of his acidic skin against his enemy's hardened one. Hiruma!
Kontsuchi's dark skin began to erode beneath the touch of the Leech Gap technique; he grunted in pain, flexing against the renegade Mist shinobi and supplementing his form with rock until the Jinchūriki's body was stretched to its limit. A roar spilled from the teenager's throat, acid building in his esophagus, but the Akatsuki-nin moved close enough to grab his head with a stone-encased fist, tightly squeezing heedless of the acid dissolving his defenses.
With a transformation of his chakra, Utakata slipped from his enemy's grasp, body contorting like an eel, and swung his tails like a bat. Kontsuchi grabbed them with both arms – reinforced with rocky armor – just before impact, then lifted the Jinchūriki into an arc and slammed him against the ground with a bellow. Dust billowed around them, and when it cleared, a hole could be seen where the teenager's body had lain. The Akatsuki-nin's hands shed their stone gauntlets to blaze through seals, palms slapping against the earth with a grunted, "Doton: Kaido Shōkutsu!"
The ground formed into a gigantic anthill, a heatless volcano that shot the demonic boy forth amid a cavalcade of dirt and pale green liquid. Kontsuchi hissed and fortified his Earth Spear technique as acid rained down like lava and ash, the liquid eating through leaves, wood, earth, and skin indiscriminately. Then the bulk of the deluge crashed down with the weight of a tsunami, engulfing the once-peaceful grotto in burning fluid. Utakata's trajectory continued through the air unimpeded, the momentum of the Open Earth Rising Excavation technique combined with the Mist shinobi's expelled chakra sending him soaring far from the battlefield.
By the time Kakuzu returned from dispatching the remaining oinin squad members, the Rokubi's acid had left smoking ruins in a small pocket of the Land of Rivers. Kontsuchi laid in a crater that had a depleting volume of acid seeping through the ground, chunks of flesh eaten out of his body, both feet burned off by the pool of liquid. "This was unforeseen." His partner's gaze turned towards him, angry red splotches on his face identifying where the acid had burned him, mouth opening and closing slowly in an attempt at speech. "You're still alive? How fortuitous."
He raised an arm and black threads wriggled out from a suture that kept his forearm tied to his elbow. They wrapped themselves under Kontsuchi's armpits and dragged the man's body out of the pit, setting him on the flat earth before digging under his skin, eliciting a choked sound from the prone shinobi. When the tendrils emerged, the Akatsuki-nin's heart was in their grasp, pulsing a thready beat, and then they returned to Kakuzu's body, assimilating the organ. Kakuzu's green eyes fluttered closed for a brief moment as he absorbed his now-deceased partner's power. He raised his hand and activated the Earth Spear technique, watching his skin darken to a deep pitch in mimicry of Kontsuchi's specialty. "Worry not, Kontsuchi, you shall live on, if in spirit rather than body. I suppose that will not be sufficient to prevent Pein from finding me another partner."
Green eyes roved towards the untouched cave entrance, where a body lay protected under its roof. He strolled over and stared down at the torso and head of the oinin Tsurugi. "At least you achieved your goal." With no effort, he slung the top half of the Kiri-nin over his shoulder and then walked back over to his former partner. "It seems you didn't get Utakata, but I think you should serve as a sufficient replacement." He grabbed the corpse's black cloak and lugged him over the other shoulder, both bodies a minimal inconvenience for his six-foot frame.
With one last glance around the area, Kakuzu left the destruction behind, two high-class bounties on his back.
-l-l-l-
Utakata reclined against the trunk of a sturdy tree and took a deep breath that wracked his body. The momentum of the Opening Earth Rising Excavation technique had carried his transformed form away, where he'd crashed into an unknown area of woods in a shower of acid and debris. His Vat of Acid technique had at least taken effect, and would hopefully keep Akatsuki distracted long enough for him to recover and rendezvous with Gaara and Fū.
Despite the genial relationship he'd nurtured with the Rokubi, tapping into a significant amount of the gastropod's chakra always left him in a weakened state. He wasn't Yagura, with unquestionable control over his Bijū, nor was he Han, who could apparently utilize the Five-Tails' chakra on a whim with little to no consequences.
He let out a groan, hanging his head as another spasm shuddered down his spine. "Well this has gone pear-shaped," he muttered. And to think, all he'd wanted was to find Kiba.
"You are okay."
Utakata looked up to find Gaara standing before him, expression as inscrutable as ever. Fū was approaching at a slog behind him, appearing only slightly less out of sorts than when he'd last seen her. "You got away," he said, breathing a sigh of relief. The redhead nodded, offering the older boy his kimono, and the Kiri-nin took it, asking, "Are you okay?"
Gaara followed the older male's gaze to Fū, and after several seconds of non-responsiveness from the kunoichi, intoned, "We are physically unharmed."
Utakata nodded, but continued to scrutinize the Nanabi Jinchūriki. "Fū…what happened back there?"
"…That was Kakuzu-ssu," she finally whispered. She still seemed traumatized, but the fact that she was talking now was reassuring. "He's from Takigakure. I read about him in a book. He was imprisoned for failing to assassinate the Shodai Hokage—"
"The…the Shodai Hokage?" the Kiri-nin interjected, stunned. "That can't be possible. He would be almost 100 years old!"
"I…I can't explain that part-ssu," Fū admitted, "but it was definitely him. He had a Taki hitae-ate, and his eyes…I would recognize them anywhere; there was a mugshot of him from when he was imprisoned. The story goes that he broke out and murdered the village Elders, but no one knows how. Kakuzu's the best and worst shinobi Taki ever produced. He's…scary-ssu."
Silence reigned among the trio as Fū's shaky words were digested. Utakata decided to break it, saying, "Well, we know more now about Akatsuki than we did before. And we made it out alive. I think we should consider this a win."
"Then we are to continue? You seem…indisposed."
"Yeah, are you sure you're okay-ssu? Your chakra feels…tired."
"It's Saiken," Utakata explained, dragging himself to his feet and gesturing with his head that they could keep moving. "The Rokubi. We're compatible, but we haven't gotten to the point where I can use his chakra in excess without being unaffected."
"Compatible?"
Gaara's dry timbre sounded almost…curious. Utakata spared him a glance, golden eyes flickering over to Fū, whose expression seemed to match the redhead's tone. "Right, I keep forgetting you guys don't really know what it's like to be a Jinchūr—ah, uh, Bijū container. The power of the Bijū cannot be contained by just anyone; their individual chakra have to be compatible, otherwise the host will reject the Bijū, and, well…"
"So…" Gaara stated, absorbing the older boy's explanation, "we were destined to carry these burdens."
The Kiri-nin opened his mouth to respond and, not for the first time, found himself at a loss for words. "I…"
"We never had a chance for a happy life, did we?"
Utakata grappled for some way to relieve Fū's melancholy, finally managing, "It… We… We can't change the past. We can only move forward from here and live good lives, irrespective of the cards we've been dealt."
Gaara grunted, an indecipherable noise. "You sound like Naruto."
"Maybe he learned it from Utakata-nii?" Fū suggested. The brunet shot her a surprised look, startled by the familial address, and received a shy smile in response. He offered her a smile of his own, glad for a definitive sign of the forgiveness he'd been seeking from the green-haired girl for untold weeks.
"I think Naruto's optimism is inherent," he responded, bemused, "but I appreciate your faith in me."
"You're our leader," Fū chirped, cheer nearly drowning out Gaara's intoned agreement.
That simple sentiment pushed their conversation into a companionable silence, Utakata humbled once more by the others' admission, and the trio continued their trek unhurried through the Land of Rivers. The brunet's energy slowly returned as they traveled, posture straightening into a semblance of its usual ramrod.
By the time the lush foliage of the Land of Rivers thinned to reveal a series of more barren, rocky steppes framed by dark mountains, the sun had passed its zenith, and Utakata – sad as it sounded – felt a little more at home, the desolate atmosphere a nostalgic reminder of the Hidden Mist Village. "If this is where Raiga made his home, I can see why."
"Why?"
Fū's curiosity carried the same genuine warmth as Naruto's, and Utakata felt himself smile in spite of the bittersweet atmosphere. "Well, this place isn't so dissimilar from Kirigakure. Not everyone who leaves their village wants to escape it."
"This place is kinda gloomy, Utakata-nii."
"It's not Takigakure, that's for sure," he agreed, shooting the green-haired girl a glance. Her upbeat façade faded, replaced with something more pensive, and the brunet realized he'd erred with his glibness. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean…I was referring to the climate, not that the people there are any better than…" he cut himself off and sighed, annoyed by his own rambling. "Sorry."
"It's okay-ssu. I get it." She took a deep breath. "You're right. We need to keep moving forward."
Gaara's disaffected rasp interrupted their conversation. "There is a town below."
The other two Jinchūriki stepped closer to where the redhead stood on the road's edge, stoic gaze fixated on the civilization hugging the mountainside. "That could be it," Utakata said.
They traversed a winding road built into the mountains that led down towards the village, a thin gloom growing around them as they descended. It was almost a surprise when they finally caught sight of a residence up close, its inhabitant outside taking down laundry. "Oh, visitors. How unusual."
Utakata stepped forward. "Yes, um…sorry for intruding. This might be a bit of an odd question, but have you heard the name 'Raiga' before?"
The woman nodded. "It's familiar, yes. I believe that was the name of the man who took over Katabami Kinzan. The stories we heard from there…"
"Is that where we are?"
She laughed then, genuinely amused by the question. "Goodness no! This is Katabami Ginzan. Katabami Kinzan is further ahead. If you go back up this trail and then continue walking for, oh, maybe another half-day, you'll come across it."
Utakata sketched a hasty bow. "Apologies if I caused offense. Thank you for your help."
The woman waved him off. "Not a problem. Such a polite young man…"
Embarrassed, the brunet took a step backwards to rejoin his companions, gesturing for them to follow him back up the mountainside and offering the woman his final murmured gratitude. He could feel the younger Jinchūriki's eyes on his back as they ascended, and when they were finally well out of earshot of the residents of Katabami Ginzan, Fū commented, "You're so good with people, Utakata-nii."
The Kiri-nin let out an awkward chuckle. "You think so? Rōshi calls it pandering."
"He doesn't really care about bein' nice, does he?"
"He's…unused to dealing with people," Utakata hedged, obligated to defend their companion but mentally conceding that the green-haired girl wasn't wrong. "I don't think he likes accepting that people have to rely on other people." Gaara made a noncommittal noise that had the other two Jinchūriki turning to look at him. "You don't agree?"
The redhead seemed to stare straight through him, teal eyes intense but unfocused. "…In my experience," he uttered slowly, "people…"
He trailed off, lost in some unknown thought. Utakata and Fū exchanged glances when his silence continued to drag, and the kunoichi prompted, "Gaara?"
The redhead shook his head slowly, as if awakening from a dream. "…are complicated." Teal eyes finally focused on the pairs of orange and gold that stared at him with varying degrees of concern and apprehension. "Once, I would have agreed with Rōshi, but…circumstances have changed. I do not believe I can judge."
"You're still allowed an opinion," Utakata said.
"…Perhaps," the Suna-nin acquiesced after a moment's thought, "but it would not be well-informed."
Utakata hummed in thought, letting his attention fall off the younger boy. He's…complicated. But he was also careful…thoughtful…traits not too dissimilar from the Kiri-nin himself. There, at least, was a (non-depressing) thread of commonality between them.
It only took a couple hours of walking for Fū to comment that she could sense another congregation of weak chakra, likely Katabami Kinzan. With careful direction, she navigated them toward its heart, their long years of training cutting the woman's estimated arrival time by a fraction. Gaara, head slowly swiveling like a pendulum to take in the geography, pointed out a sign that identified the village as their target, and Utakata felt a surge of optimism fill his chest. "Fū, can you sense anything?"
"Mmm…maybe? There's something that has a pretty different chakra than everything else-ssu. It's weird."
"That sounds promising. Where is it?"
Fū pointed down, deep into the bowels of the rocky valleys, where swirling mists hid their depths from sight. "Somewhere down there."
"Worth a shot." He brought his bamboo blower to his lips and exhaled a large bubble, casting a glance at the two younger Jinchūriki. "I think this should be quicker, if you're willing."
"Yeah!" Fū cheered, and her response prompted the brunet to create another Drifting Bubble before turning his attention to Gaara.
"I will remain here."
"If you're sure…"
With that, Utakata stepped into his bubble, Fū mimicking his actions with the second one he'd created. A wave of his hand sent them floating down into the abyss, and Utakata felt a sliver of trepidation as the air around them grew thick, reminded uncomfortably of being surrounded by oinin and inhibited by the Mist Rain technique. He looked over and spotted Fū with her hands splayed against the bubble, glee stretching her lips wide as they descended.
Her blatant joy alleviated some of his apprehension, and the Kiri-nin felt himself relax. He focused on controlling their descent, the fog thinning out as they neared the bottom to reveal a stream cutting through the grey landscape. The two Drifting Bubbles burst with a quiet pop, and both Jinchūriki turned to gaze at the clusters of rock scattered around them. Fū started walking towards one of the piles and Utakata followed behind, trusting the kunoichi's sensory abilities.
She stopped suddenly and turned to face him, expression solemn. Utakata closed the distance between them and looked down at a scattering of charred bones, most blackened to pitch. "Is that…?" Fū began. The Kiri-nin nodded to her unfinished question, golden eyes fixated on Raiga's remains, and Fū stepped to the side and bent down. "Hey, Utakata-nii, this what you're lookin' for?"
In her hands were two three-foot swords, thin blades ending in leather hilts. Two short, curved protrusions – one near the hilt, one near the tip, oriented opposite each other – stuck out from each blade like fangs, giving the weapons their namesake. Utakata nodded mutely, taking the proffered weapons and wincing as a prickle of electricity – perhaps Kiba's innate lightning-natured chakra – danced down his fingertips, through his arms, and to his feet. It felt vaguely familiar, a memory from his childhood long buried.
"…Utakata-nii-ssu?"
He blinked out of his trance, meeting Fū's concerned orange gaze; he must have lost track of things in the nostalgia of handling his father's blades. "Yes, sorry. Yes, this is exactly what I was looking for." He offered her a small upturn of his lips. "Thank you, Fū."
She smiled back, shy, embarrassed, and the brunet took that as his cue to create another set of Drifting Bubbles that brought them back to where they'd left Gaara. The bubbles popped, and the redhead greeted them with a bland, "Did you find what you sought?" Utakata held up the blades for his scrutiny, a thin bolt of lightning crackling between the two fangs of one sword. Gaara flinched, teal eyes widening for a moment as he stepped away, breathing suddenly ragged, and when he spoke again, it was in a harsher-than-normal rasp. "You must be relieved."
"Pleased, actually," replied the Kiri-nin, tucking the blades back into his obi. "Are you okay? You seem—"
"Fine," Gaara said, and his voice had returned to its normal timbre. There was a pause, then, "Inoichi says healing requires honesty. I have learned that lightning is…deserved respect."
Utakata nodded. "Wise words."
-l-l-l-
Their journey back to Konoha was done in a roundabout, sedate manner, Utakata (perhaps overly so) cautious of running across any Akatsuki members who might still be skulking around the Land of Rivers. From behind him, Fū kept her focus on their surroundings, stretching her sensing abilities to their limit so they would have advance notice of any interlopers. Gaara, at the rear following a night of guard-duty while his two companions rested, was observing the natural world around them, teal eyes curious at each tree, bird, and mammal they came across.
Eventually, the Mist renegade slowed his pace to drop behind Fū, drawing even with Gaara and asking, "What are you doing?"
For almost a minute, the redhead's eyes remained fixed on the leafy boughs of some towering tree. Then he turned to Utakata and said, "Life is…strange. Plants and animals exist in a balance that humans…lack." Teal eyes returned to their surroundings, pointing with a rigid arm to one of several trees ahead and to the left. "That is a coast redwood. It is very young, as they can grow in excess of 200 feet. The bark holds large quantities of water—" he gestured around, as if referencing the Land of Rivers around them, "—which affords protection from forest fires. They have existed for millenia, and have evolved to resist fungi and insect infestation."
"The Land of Wind isn't exactly known for its foliage," Utakata observed. "I'm impressed you know all that."
"I have taken to reading in my spare time." He turned deadset eyes on Utakata, the dark rings that marked his sleep deprivation making the teal coloring all the more prominent. "Of which I have much."
Utakata nodded, conceding the point. "What else have you learned?"
Gaara's slow monotone began, a litany of strange, seemingly useless knowledge about the passing flora and fauna that the brunet listened to with polite interest. It was surreal to hear the normally quiet boy speak, especially for long periods of time, and the Kiri-nin was admittedly curious to hear what could keep the Suna-nin's interest. Fū slowed down to listen as well, the pair asking questions to keep their companion talking.
When his voice eventually grew hoarse, beyond its normal desert-dry rasp, Fū took over, describing some of her studies from the Hidden Waterfall, all innocuous topics, with a heavy focus on the Hero Tree that was a centerpiece of the village. Utakata eventually jumped in, sharing his own stories of being brought up in the Hidden Mist. It was fascinating, he mused as they traded stories, how they were bonding over the most inconsequential things, the topics completely separate from the one thing that did bind them: their status as Jinchūriki. It was probably better that way, given what a depressing thread of commonality that was. By the time their voices were raw, darkness had fallen, and Utakata called for another night's rest.
Their fourth day of travel passed in relative silence, and by mid-afternoon, Fū indicated that she could sense Konoha in the distance. Heartened by the announcement, the trio agreed to pick up their pace, moving into an easy gait that left no room for conversation. Dusk was settling in when the Hidden Leaf's great walls came into view, and Utakata came to a sudden halt outside them, the two younger Jinchūriki skidding to a stop beside him. "Utakata-nii?"
He turned to face them, expression earnest. "I just wanted to thank you both for coming with me. I don't…I know that you may not understand how much this means to me, but…I don't think I could have done this without you both, and I know that you had no personal investment in my mission." He bowed deeply to them, a gesture he was sure neither had ever received before. "So thank you. I'm in your debt."
"Utakata-nii…you saved me from Taki when I thought I had nothing. When I was nothing. And now I'm here, and I've got you, and Naruto, and Gaara…" She paused, perhaps thinking of whether to include the two Iwa Jinchūriki, and simply continued, "We only have each other, right-ssu?"
Utakata glanced at Gaara, half-expecting the redhead to say something, but the Suna-nin only cocked his head to the side and blinked once. If the several days of camaraderie had taught him anything, he took that to mean the younger boy agreed with the kunoichi's assessment. He offered them a smile and another murmur of gratitude, even though it was apparently unnecessary. "If there's any fallout with the Hokage, I'll take the heat."
He got matching nods of assent before leading them through the gate and immediately being accosted by ANBU, one of which stated, "You're to come with us."
"I assumed."
They were taken to the Senju complex, where Utakata was led away, leaving Fū and Gaara alone in the foyer. "Will he be okay?" Fū asked.
Gaara made a noncommittal noise. "One assumes."
He received a nod in return. "Okay-ssu. I'm gonna go to bed. See you in the morning!"
"Sleep well," Gaara offered.
Left alone, he gravitated to his usual nighttime haunt, finding a moon on the cusp of being full looking down on him. He stared at it for a long time, musing on Utakata's unfamiliar gratitude, especially towards him. It was novel, being appreciated, especially for something beyond the purpose he'd originally been created for. He hummed to himself, intrigued by the prospect.
"Mm, Sabaku no Gaara. We've found you at last."
Gaara turned his head in the direction of the unfamiliar, masculine voice, and then saw nothing but darkness.
-l-l-l-
Author's Note: Well…that was a doozy. Been awhile since Utakata had some focus. It's been fun to mix together Kiri's canon history, filler, and the blank spaces. Hopefully this also provides a growing look at how Gaara, Fū, and now Utakata's relationship will be moving forward. With any luck, you found some enjoyment in this installment.