Chapter 26: The Malice Lingers
"Bittersweet? No, just bitter, the taste of your tongue.
Words you can't have back, so they linger."
― Coco J. Ginger
Naruto, Team 7-Land of Wind Outskirts
It's easy to pretend Neji isn't here.
He's said little after all since their departure from Konoha nearly 2 days ago now except to review the map and confirm who they'll meet with upon arriving in Suna. The ground beneath them slowly turns from grass and dirt to layers of brown to yellow sand, sky becoming filled with patches of gray as the wind picks up.
Sakura purses her lips, looks to Kakashi for help who refuses to engage seeing what's simmering beneath Naruto's carefully blank look.
Chiyo's brows furrow at the two boy's behavior, blows out a breath looking down to her hands.
Her fingers are still tingling, side eyeing Kakashi that her earlier attempted attack hasn't fazed him at all.
'I acted in haste.'
She can't be too proud to admit it knowing she's supposed to be their guide, this man who bears such a striking resemblance to his Father who took so much from her years ago.
"I apologize for my rash actions, and I know it may not be my place to ask considering my earlier behavior, but does Konoha not offer up valuable gifts to their jinchuriki?" She questions Kakashi gently, falling behind to match his pace.
Kakashi blinks, follows her gaze to Naruto and Neji's ongoing war of tense silence. "No. Well, I mean, it hasn't been perfect. However, we do offer up gifts. Why?"
Chiyo shrugs, nods towards Naruto. "I just wonder is all going by the boy's current temperament. Not that Gaara was ever fully pleased with his sacrificial gifts either considering they were just people meant to test his strength or offerings of foods and wines to protect a family for another year from his wrath. However, we revered him and his abilities. We knew the dangers of trying to test his power when it wasn't time for appeasement."
Kakashi hums. "Gaara has definitely mellowed throughout the years though; hasn't he? He's the Kazekage now and has the scar Naruto gave him during the Invasion to prove his dark past is slowly moving behind him. As for Naruto, well...he's calmed down some."
He considers how to word it at Chiyo's continued prodding look, sighing.
"In Konoha, we have the same traditions of annual sacrificial gifts to our jinchuriki, but it's only recently have those gifts been actually proper items and not just leftovers or junk that the villagers didn't want. Lord Third couldn't really get people to give Naruto actual decent offerings and in retaliation, Naruto caused destruction about the village in his foulest moods. He really only started changing some upon receiving the sacrificial gift he got for his 13th birthday: Hinata Hyūga."
Chiyo's brows lift. "Ah, the clan known for the prowess with their eyes."
Dark eyes shift to Neji briefly, so there's the connection.
"I assume Neji wasn't pleased to have a member of his clan sacrificed?" She assumes.
Kakashi shakes his head. "He...tormented Hinata and seemed pleased with Hiashi's decision to sacrifice her for being seen as weak and unfit to lead the clan as the heiress at the time. Instead of harming or killing Hinata though, Naruto's grown affectionate with her. He holds an anger towards Neji for how brutally he's attacked her in the past and how some of Hinata's lingering shyness and timidness stems from his treatment combined with her Father's."
Chiyo nods slowly, knows that's all Kakashi will say of the subject.
"Will they be able to work together?" She finally asks as they approach a sand dune.
Kakashi's features remain the same. "...Maybe."
They walk on a bit more in silence, Chiyo stopping them noting the distinct rising smell of ash in the air, eyes searching left and right. They'll be at the entrance within the hour at the pace they've been moving, but there's a lack of guards nearby. The measures Suna put up in preparation for the Akatsuki might've failed at seeing wisps of black smog rise towards the sky in the distance.
The wind rattles and whistles, briefly clears away smoke.
No, Suna's buildings remain upright.
She clenches her teeth. 'Gaara, did you protect the village?'
They had meetings about this very scenario potentially happening without his knowledge, what they would do in the event he was captured while defending them...
"We'll curse the village with bad luck for a century should we not go after him! We must do so not just to honor all he's done as our village's jinchuriki, but as Kazekage as well!" Ebizo remarks with a slam of a fist to the table.
Chiyo gives him a look to stay calm. This is only a meeting to discuss the possibility of Gaara's capture; not a sure thing that will happen.
No jinchuriki has been taken from their home village in decades now anyway. At least that she can recall from recent times or from the days of her girlhood. Nobody wants to test their power unless absolutely necessary, curse their village and surrounding areas to the jinchuriki causing economic collapse and calamity at not receiving proper offerings at being forced to do a human's bidding.
A series of nods fill the room, Tōjūrō clearing his throat before they can move on to the next topic of business.
"Sorry to disagree Master Ebizo, but do you really think it's in Suna's best interest to go after Gaara if he truly gets captured by this Akatsuki group? And before you say it, yes, I too worry about the potential risks of not honoring our jinchuriki for its protection. However, we must think of Suna as a whole and the future of the village's survival along with potential casualties. None of us in this room have forgotten the fiasco we dealt with in never finding out what happened to the Third Kazekage. Not to mention the disaster and embarrassment involved in the Fourth Kazekage's death."
The room falls to a hush, slow wave of more somber nods now.
"-He has a point. None of the appeasement gifts we've given Gaara this year and the previous year have seemed to change his personality or gotten him to open up much in these meetings." Ikanago mutters.
"That's not true! You and Joseki just the other day said you saw him smiling at the greenhouse! Gaara is not the same boy we knew from childhood! Hell, he isn't the same boy he was just a few short years ago!" Ryusa thunders.
A flurry of whispers fills the area as Tōjūrō smugly sits back in his chair, meets Chiyo's onyx eyes with a grin.
He doesn't need to say anything to her of all people in this room.
She's the reason Gaara's a jinchuriki in the first place, doomed him to be having this very conversation right under his nose.
Chiyo's gaze falls back to the swirls of sand pits that usually pop up around Suna at this time of year, clicking her tongue at the ribbons of red between grains of sand.
'Ah, so that's what else I was smelling.'
Blood.
Neji's byakugan tracks meters ahead, rushing forward abruptly.
"There's a body out near the dunes to the west!" He yells out.
They come upon Kankuro, sweaty with fever, crimson soaked cloth clutched in his hands.
Sakura rushes in front, assesses him from head to toe quickly. His heartbeat rises by the second as she checks his pulse, matches the speed of his labored breaths. Telling by his paling skin though, the hints of blue to his nails, his blood pressure is steadily dropping.
'Poison. Not an ordinary type either; if he doesn't get care soon, it's going to spread and lead to his organs shutting down.' She notes.
Verdant glances back to Chiyo to get her expert opinion only to see her gaze is on Kankuro's pained look, lips contorting as he manages to softly grunt out a plea.
"Don't worry about me...just go after my brother."
Hinata & Jiraiya-Uzumaki Apartment/Training Grounds 5
"Hmm, seems I'm too late! I thought I could stop you two lovebirds before the stone hit the pond!" Jiraiya greets Hinata over tea.
'What is he talking about?' Hinata studies his cheshire grin, absently checks herself in the hallway mirror to ensure none of Naruto's hickeys he left behind on her skin are visible. He left hours ago, so Jiraiya isn't here to talk to him.
Probably for the best considering Naruto wouldn't put up with him talking in strange riddles or idioms, even when she's sure there's nobody around to eavesdrop on them.
Still, she stiffens at his presence here in the apartment without prior warning. He must've seen her come from Naruto's room to retrieve her jacket, reluctantly takes the seat opposite him.
He's apparently made her favorite green tea, has set out an assortment of fruits, miso soup, onigiri, natto, and fish.
"Why...Why are you here?" Hinata mutters between bites of rice and tea.
Jiraiya leans forward with a conspiratorial grin, ignores her question.
"You and Naruto did the deed, huh?!"
Tea scorches the roof of her mouth.
"Wh-What?"
Jiraiya sits back in his seat with a cross of his arms.
"Isn't that what teenagers these days call it? I'm gonna write a book catering to young adults eventually and I need to use the right lingo! Maybe it's called popped your cherry? Devil's Tango? Made it to Third Base? Or is it just straight to the point called fucking?"
Heat burns at her cheeks, grip on her cup tightening.
She flicks her wrist, a streak of white cuts through the air.
Jiraiya catches the senbon needle right between his fingers, probably deserves these little cuts that nick the sides of his nails at her glare.
"You came here just to ask me that?!" Hinata hisses, scooting back from the table, appetite following after her at his bemused grin.
Jiraiya chuckles.
"No, but it's obvious going by what I've heard of Naruto's neck being riddled with what looked to be like 'mosquito bites' as he was leaving out earlier per Izumo and Kotetsu that something happened."
Hinata draws out a slow breath to calm her flushed cheeks, looks away to the streets below. Sunlight highlights the greenery of the trees, wind rattling up leaves' shades of amber to gold.
"I assume most civilian might feel doing so was just a part of my sacrificial duties, but it wasn't. Naruto didn't...force me to do anything."
Jiraiya holds up a hand, he doesn't need the full details of his godson's escapades despite his teasing.
"You're about to go meet with your team at the training grounds; aren't you?"
Hinata twists her gaze back to him, nods slowly.
"Yes, we have a mission planned to the Land of Rivers to investigate a series of arson attacks."
Jiraiya shakes his head.
"That will need to be shelved. I need you and your team to look into one more person. I can't be sure if he's dead or alive, so you must not engage. Repeat that as many times as necessary to the Inuzuka boy."
Her heart pounds just a bit faster, Jiraiya's expression flickering with a grimness he rarely openly shows.
"Is this in connection to the Akatsuki?" Hinata questions.
Jiraiya rubs his chin.
"Perhaps, highly likely to be honest. I don't know if he's affiliated with them fully or just helping them with a few missions here and there to get some ryo. But my spies and connections across the nations keep bringing him up as someone to put on my radar."
Hinata's brows furrow. This is even less details than her solo assignment.
"What do you need us to do?"
Jiraiya smiles lightly to put her at ease.
"It's nothing major; I promise! If everything goes according to plan, then you guys won't even need to get into any fights! All I need is a description of what this man looks like beneath his mask! I'm sure your byakugan and the Aburame boy's insects will come in handy for this!"
Hinata still sends him a skeptical look.
"Why not use your toads? You're a better spy and have more experience than all of us combined."
Jiraiya sighs. "I did try that option with two toads a few weeks ago. Though before they could transmit the information back to me, they were killed I assume by him. Plus, it's highly likely this masked guy knows my face and will be further on alert for any signs of me like my toads and disguises. I'm still reviewing the intel you gave me on those corpses too."
Her throat knots adding to her heart's skittering, Jiraiya patting at her shoulders.
"It's different this time! You'll have Gamakiri who specializes in reconnaissance, plus this masked guy will be distracted by the teammate he's apparently meeting. You'll be far enough away to avoid detection just as I taught you."
He repeats this same spiel to the rest of Team 8, Kurenai the least impressed despite Kiba's eagerness and Shino feeling they're capable.
"I request we have back up from Team Guy or Team Asuma for this assignment. There's too many unknown variables when it comes to the Akatsuki." She voices.
Jiraiya pulls a paper from his vest pocket with the Hokage's stamp of approval, wiggles his brows.
"Done. It's Team Asuma! Lucky for you, right Kurenai?! Team Guy is providing back up for the Suna rescue of Gaara."
Kurenai reddens, now she knows why Lady Tsunade is always decking this man with punches to the head or gut.
"Hey, so where's this supposed spy or masked individual having the meeting at anyways?!" Kiba pipes up.
Jiraiya gazes over to him.
"Glad you asked! It's supposed to be in Kusagakure, near the Tenchi Bridge."
He fixes them all with one last serious look before they get ready.
"Stay vigilant. I don't know what abilities he's hiding."
Hinata-Team 10 & Team 8, Land of Fire Outskirts
"Choji, Ino and I are heading out on our first real mission out of the village in a while, so we won't be able to visit you for a few days." Shikamaru begins as he replaces the withered lilies at his grave.
Ino passes him the fresh carnations, spreads them out just as she taught him while polishing at his gravestone.
"Asuma-sensei says we're to provide back up for this apparent surveillance of two Akatsuki members to get a description on one of their faces. Seems simple enough, but we both know how assignments like these can turn into a drag with one wrong move." He grumbles.
Ino nudges him with a huff, scoots in beside him as she lays down Choji's favorite barbecue chips.
"What Shikamaru means to say is, that it's going to be...different since we haven't collaborated with Team 8 on a mission in months and Sai is still rather distant with us, doesn't go to any of our barbecue outings or tell us anything about his likes or dislikes. Shikamaru and I hope this assignment will really build our teamwork and get him to open up some. Ah anyways, I'm sure you don't want to hear us complaining! Please keep watching over us!"
Tears sting the edges of her eyes she quickly swipes away, Shikamaru patting at her shoulder.
"Ready?"
Azure glances to him and sees his auburn eyes hold the same tinge of redness, nodding.
"Ready."
Asuma nods to the pair as they stride up to the entrance, Sai glancing between them.
"You two are late, a secret rendezvous?"
Ino instantly bristles, pink flooding her cheeks. "No, geez! We were just saying goodbye to Choji before we head out!"
Sai arches a brow, flat look remaining. "Why? He's already dead, it's not like he can hear you."
Ino balls her hands at the side, storminess clouding the blue of her eyes while Shikamaru studies him akin to a fly.
He steps forward before Asuma or Ino can speak, pats at his shoulder.
"Sai, have you ever lost anyone close to you? Say, a close friend or a family member?"
Sai considers the question, a static of memories rise up of a boy and a woman who used to softly smile at him, paintings he used to weave of them during long afternoons amid the forests before it disappears into a void of black. Danzo erased such frivolous recollections once he fully became a Root member, emotions aren't necessary on the battlefield.
"Not that I can recall." He admits after a moment.
Shikamaru squeezes at his shoulder then, a bruising grip that Sai breaks away from, features unchanging despite the growing sting.
"Oh? Then don't talk when you can't even remember what it's like to lose someone." He warns.
Asuma moves between the pair, glad he packed extra cigarettes for this assignment.
"Alright, Alright. That's enough of that. We're here to work together. This mission is important despite it not involving any outright attacking unless absolutely necessary." He emphasizes, looks between both boys until they nod.
'Ugh, now I know how Kakashi felt dealing with Naruto and Sasuke.' Asuma sighs, Kurenai smirking at him as her and the rest of Team 8 thankfully arrive a short while later to the entrance gates.
Kiba nudges Hinata, Akamaru yipping at Sai's stare towards them.
"Yeah, I agree Akamaru, something's...off about that guy. Who is he anyways? I've never seen him around the village really."
'I don't recognize him either.' Hinata considers. She briefly recalls Sakura mentioning in passing that Team 10 got a new team member, but her mind had been clouded with too many other things at the time.
"We don't recognize him. Why? Because he's a Root operative. He's been assigned to Team 10 to replace Choji's vacant spot." Shino updates them, already knows where his two teammates' thoughts have gone.
Kiba hums at that. "What about Team 7? Didn't they lose Sasuke due to him going rogue to that snake guy before Choji died?"
Hinata sends him a look not to say anything more, but it's too late, Team 10 has already overheard him.
He clenches his lips shut, Kurenai lightly flicking the back of his head.
"Everyone, get into position." She orders as they get into formation to head out.
Ino sidles over to Hinata's side as they start moving through underbrush and vines of curling moss, smile very much reminding her of Jiraiya's earlier silly grin.
She drops her voice to a whisper to keep the men in front from eavesdropping.
"Soo, how are things going with you and Naruto? He hasn't given you any trouble since coming back home from his training trip; has he?"
Hinata shakes her head, smile rising to her lips.
"No, not at all! I'm happy he's home."
Ino hums thoughtfully at that, she's heard through the flower shop and around the village Naruto hasn't changed much at all. The only new things are that he's taller, older, and even more capable of destruction.
"Hmm, it's just, you never even got a chance to date outside of him. What with sacrificial rules and all. Granted, not many guys to pick from in our generation. Sai is pretty cute though if not for that personality of his!" She bemoans.
Hinata follows her gaze to the Sai, features a mask hiding his feelings and thoughts, just staring straight ahead.
Goosebumps rise on her skin, he's too much like Father...
She considers though what she would be like if she wasn't casted from the Hyūga, if she wasn't Konoha's sacrifice.
'Would I just be in Neji and Hanabi's shadows?'
Naruto once told her in his own fumbling way that she was better off with him than his clan.
"You're bleeding." Hinata startles mid-greeting.
It's only been a few days since he returned from his Land of Waves mission, barely 2 months since her being sacrificed to him.
Since his return, he's been doing low D-rank missions with his team around the village.
And every night he returns back with blood upon his hands.
Naruto shrugs, pushes right past her into the apartment.
"I'm aware. Don't worry about it."
Hinata patters after him, squirming as she watches him rummage through his cabinets leaving droplets of red in his wake.
"Y-You can eat the leftovers! I made yakitori and rice!"
Cerulean shifts to the table, blinks in surprise.
"Oh. And here I was about to eat instant spicy ramen again y'know!" Naruto beams.
Hinata settles opposite him, his manners would have Dr. Hashijimi or Lady Natsu slamming at his fingers with chopsticks.
Naruto meets her gaze, scarlet gleaming through cobalt.
"You know about my nightly walks messing with all the shopkeepers' stores or the guards once they close up for the day or get off duty. And yet, you haven't even tried to stop me once. Not being a very good sacrifice." He taunts.
Hinata stiffens quietly, shame burning at her face.
On the 4th night upon his return, she grabs him by his jacket before he can even fully announce himself, leads them into the living room.
"Sit. I want to look at your injuries properly." Hinata determines.
Her heart hammers in her chest at Naruto's sardonic look, features only softening when he notes the first aid kit and herbs beside her.
"I-I'm going to use the herbal remedies and ointments that I've seen you collect from the forests." She explains.
Naruto watches her work closely as she forms a paste from the yarrow leaves and turmeric. "I didn't know they could be used in so many ways."
Hinata nods, lilac to blue meeting.
"Well, I didn't either. Though there's a lot I've learned since coming here Naruto."
A week later Naruto greets her with cinnamon rolls and burnt yakisoba.
He scratches at his cheek at Hinata's utterly puzzled look.
"Sorry for being a jerk the last couple of days. Every mission we do since we came back from Wave is either the customer doesn't want to pay or requests I not help y'know-
"You mean a week of being grumpy?" Hinata gently teases to interrupt him, squeezes at his hand.
Naruto reddens, squeezes her hand back. "Yeah. Yeah. I'm happy that you're here Hinata. In fact, it's better that you're here because...because I'm going to teach you a bunch of cool stuff all those Hyūga members are too stuck up to do! They'll be jealous and you can rub it in their faces when we're both super powerful!"
Hinata smiles. "I look forward to that day."
Asuma holds up a hand to halt them and the memory slips away.
Two dark figures move towards the bridge, trademark red clouds lining their black robes.
Akatsuki members.
"It seems the leader has little faith that Sasori and Deidara can complete their assignment. I haven't heard word of either of them dying; have you?" Orochimaru hums. Really, he's grown tired with this organization with the little they've offered him, needs to find the right time to slip away.
Ino freezes beside Hinata. "Damn it, he's here too?"
Shikamaru sighs. "Not really a surprise knowing how many connections he has in the black market."
His eyes sharpen across the terrain.
'That probably means Sasuke is somewhere close by too.'
Hinata notes the second man's bashful laugh, clap of delight.
"Gosh, I sure hope not! Master Deidara and Sasori can deal with Suna easily though, so I'm not worried! We need all the members we can get; the more the merrier!"
Orochimaru says nothing in return, Hinata getting into position with Shino as the masked man walks on towards the bridge, activates her byakugan.
'That's him.'
Naruto, Kakashi, & Neji- Suna Medical Center Operating Unit
"Sakura's medical abilities is astounding." Neji mentions as they wait outside in the hall.
He sees why Hinata may hopefully still have some interest in the subject of medicine mixed with the Hyūga clan's techniques beyond just the basics they learned at the Academy.
Though there's always a chance that like most subjects Uncle didn't think was of use, that said interest was fully drilled out of her.
Only Temari and Lady Chiyo have gone in to aid Sakura while he, Naruto, and Kakashi remain in the waiting area to see if she can fully remove the poison from Kankuro's body.
Naruto side-eyes him flatly. "Who are you talking to? Yourself or Kakashi-sensei?"
'Of course he wouldn't make this easy.' Neji restrains a sigh.
"I was talking to you considering you're her teammate."
Naruto snorts. "If this is your way of trying to make small talk and amends, you suck at it. And it isn't going to sway me of my current opinion of you."
Kakashi sends him a look he ignores, spitefully blows up a gust of wind swirling dust into Neji's face.
His eyes swirl with vermilion, going on at Neji's silence. "You want me to forgive you; don't you? Just pretend that what happened a few years ago is a thing of the past now, right? Is that what you think Hinata should do? After you implied that I would harm or kill her once she was sacrificed to me? That her being sacrificed was a 'gift' to the clan?"
Neji's gaze doesn't waver. "I haven't had a chance to speak with Lady Hinata properly since her return, though I can assure you I don't think that way any longer. I...I don't expect to ever have you or Lady Hinata's forgiveness, just that I acknowledge I was wrong about how I felt and acted in the past."
He pulls down his jacket to emphasize his point, Naruto studying his chest scar curiously.
"This is a daily reminder of what Lady Hinata has done for me." Neji relates.
Naruto hums. "Hinata might forgive you and that's fine with me if she does, but all your flowery language and noble talk mean nothing to me. We'll complete this mission and I'm sure you'll find the time to apologize to Hinata, then you can stay out of our lives unless need be for an assignment or some important update on her former clan. That's what you wanted all along when she was first sacrificed."
He gets up to go wait in a different section of the wing, Neji and Kakashi watching him go.
Kakashi sighs as he snaps his book shut, he'd been trying to dance around and avoid this subject since arriving in Suna, but it's clear he's going to need to step in to properly clear the air between the two for this assignment to be a success.
"I wouldn't push it, right now Naruto is focused on trying to rescue Gaara and little else. No matter how revered and protected a jinchuriki may be by their home nation, it seems the Akatsuki is picking them off one by one. A jinchuriki being taken from their village spells alarm at how powerful this group truly is, and Naruto sees what could happen to him should they capture him."
Neji looks back to Kakashi, nods slowly.
"You're right. However, for this mission to truly go well he's going to at least need to acknowledge my presence."
Kakashi readily agrees as he moves to stand.
He tenses for a moment as his thoughts drift to Sasuke. All that advice he gave him, all that dredging up of old memories did nothing to stop him from defecting to Orochimaru for power...
He blinks away that day.
"Let me talk to him."
Shikamaru, Team 8, & Team 10-Tenchi Bridge, Kusagakure
'Who is that supposed to be?' Shikamaru's brows furrow.
He takes in Sai's drawing of the man based on Hinata's description before he tears at the page and hands it over to Asuma and Kurenai-sensei to review, the swirl patterns of scarred skin on his right side, dark hair and eyes that to him just looks like the dozens of retired shinobi or civilian back in the village.
But, this is a man Jiraiya warned them to not engage with.
Orochimaru sighs as golden eyes turn skyward.
"Ah it's a pity Tobi. It seems we have unwanted company in the forests to the east. I'm afraid this conversation regarding if I should continue my connections with the Akatsuki will have to be put on hold for now."
The masked man follows his gaze, snaps his fingers.
"Oh that's alright Lord Orochimaru! That's why I rigged all of the surrounding woods with hundreds of paper tags above and below ground!"
Shikamaru clicks his teeth as the first explosion of white comes from their left.
'Shit.'
Forced out of their hiding spots, they leap for the bridge, land in front of this masked man and Orochimaru with Kabuto waiting in the wings.
Tobi staggers back seeing both their teams, looks to Orochimaru for aid.
"Yikes, there's so many of them! Should we retreat for now?" He recommends, Orochimaru shaking his head.
"The boy with the ink pen: I received your message via your ink rats. Come with me back to my lair for us to further discuss."
Before Sai can step forward, Shikamaru slinks his shadows forward, binds him in place.
"What message?" He reiterates Orochimaru's point.
Sai stays silent, Ino moving in beside him.
"What business could you possibly have with Orochimaru?! Unless it's to be a traitor as well? Wait, you don't have tell me; I'll just probe your mind for the answers I need." She decides.
Orochimaru chuckles at the duo. "Ah, aren't you the ones who lost a teammate to one of my old bodyguards? Jirobo; wasn't it? I can't recall with his corpse and the others being of no use to me, just nutrients for the forest and earth now like your old comrade too! It's a shame the infamous Ino-Shika-Cho fell apart in the 16th generation after ongoing since the Warring States period. Unfortunately, I'm afraid you can't mess with his mind until I get the answers I need from him."
Shikamaru keeps his gaze on Sai, ignores the twitch of his hands to draw his shadows to crush at the Snake Sannin's neck.
Kurenai's eyes narrow, slowly blows out petals of jasmine and foxglove into Sai's face.
"You may not be able to speak of what these secondary plans of yours are, but we have other ways of getting answers out of you."
Kabuto scoffs at these multiple interruptions, draws out a series of chakra scalpels. Hinata glances to Kiba and Shino, Kiba and Akamaru have already sniffed out and disabled the undetonated bombs and tags, part of Shino's insects moving for Orochimaru's hideout.
She draws lightning to her fingertips, channels it across the bridge.
"Lightning Release: Lattice!"
The network of electricity can at least keep Kabuto too far for his scalpels to fully strike.
'We need to make sure he's far enough away to not capture Sai.'
Tobi casually watches beside Kabuto, makes no moves to help or further hinder Orochimaru for now.
Asuma discreetly looks to Shikamaru and Ino who nod, moves forward to the front of the group to keep Orochimaru back.
"Fire Release: Ash Pile Burning!"
Gray smog instantly coats the bridge, Shikamaru slinking his shadows forward with the distraction to paralyze the man next. Orochimaru cuts through the ash just as Asuma detonates the smokescreen, fire latching to his skin he regurgitates out of.
"Interesting combination. Though I've studied both your clans well enough to deal with you two." Orochimaru slithers forward, drops low to the ground spitting out snake after snake into the thousands until the bridge is covered with a river of black and gray.
"You all stay back; I'm cutting a path forward!" Asuma orders, chakra blades slicing through the cobras and vipers, tears through Orochimaru's gut only for his snakes to reconnect him once more.
The snakes untouched weave beneath lightning and shadow, abrupt gale of wind tossing both them and the smog away.
"What is taking you all so long?" A voice snaps from overhead.
And Shikamaru finally turns his gaze from Sai.
Sasuke.
Orochimaru looks up to him as well from the remaining undamaged trees.
"You didn't need to bother with coming, I'll be returning to base shortly; head back ahead of us."
Sasuke ignores his command, dark eyes moving to Kabuto for answers only for him to look at Orochimaru with agreement.
Ino stiffens beside Shikamaru. "That's truly Sasuke? Did he just unleash that gust of wind?"
Shikamaru shakes his head, unsure what skills he has when such information is kept to only Lady Tsunade and her advisors. As far as he's aware, his nature affinities are only fire and lightning.
Though it's easily possible Orochimaru taught him a wide variety of ninjutsu and attacks outside of those two areas. There's a reason why after all so many missing persons from across the nations are rumored to have ended up as one of Orochimaru's experiments or possibly target practice for Sasuke...
His chest tightens, the repercussions of said experiments and curse seals led to Choji's death.
'Am I strong enough to take him on?' Shikamaru considers, runs through his mind quickly of scenarios where his shadows clutch and bind at his head or neck.
Spots that will give him a quick kill.
Even with the assistance he currently has, it would still be a difficult match-up knowing Orochimaru, Kabuto, and this masked guy won't just standby.
Plus, Sasuke knows all of their abilities from their days of sparring at the Academy too...
One eye moves back to Sai.
'And then there's this guy. Someone who may want to kill Sasuke too knowing his ties to Danzo.' He determines.
He digs his nails into his palms until his breathing calms, until this rage seeping into every muscle and bone within him cools.
'Troublesome as it is, I can use this chance to learn what techniques Sasuke knows.' Shikamaru considers, pictures Choji, the scars that remain on his hands and arms from that failed mission.
'Your death wasn't in vain Choji; I'll make sure to finish the job.'
-x-
My apologies on how long this chapter took. The clinic has been busy as patients and my team members return back from summer holidays; life has been busy with its ups and downs.
I plan to visit family overseas at the end of this month, I'm hoping I can maybe get one more chapter out of either Mistaken Identity or The Emperor and I, but if not, I'll be on a mini writing break until early October. (Not including updates or things I post on my pa-tre-on TheLovelyMidnightWriter where I'll probably post some extra material/omake stuff from chapters that I've thought of as of late that didn't make it into the official chapters).
Otherwise, would appreciate any thoughts at all these shake-ups to canon!
Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow!