Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The warning never comes, which can only mean one thing: their scouts are dead and they have no time except to react and hope to make it out of this fight alive. The armies of risen dead, rag dolls under the thrall of Edo Tensei and Madara’s will explode into the resistant camp, tearing into the unprepared shinobi and helpless civilians they were protecting.

Obito curses as screams erupt, chaos breaking out as people scatter, trying to evade death at the hands of people who once protected them. A flash of hands seals and he spits out a burst of white hot flames, turning the dead bodies to ash in an instant but more come.

A glint of fire light off of steel and he watches Sasuke streak past, sword crackling with lightning as he slashes through a group of five aiming for a huddle of civilians. Behind, the ground shakes gently as Sakura slams two into the ground.

The Kyuubi’s chakra seethes all around them, Naruto facing the most as he draws them away from the civilians, Kurama’s flames eating away at dead flesh gleefully, and the manifested creature swiping at a small group to shred them to pieces.

But for every one they kill, ten more pour in over the ridges surrounding their camp and Obito realizes with dawning horror that Madara’s full force is descending on them. The bastard has found their hiding place at last.

Whirling, he parries a blow meant for his spine and faces the creature that was once his ancestor, now just a being bent on power and destruction. “If you surrender, I will make your deaths swift and clean,” he offers with a grin.

“Fuck you,” Obito hisses, activating Kamui and shuriken rain down on Madara but he’s already gone from that point with a laugh, rushing through the chaos, cutting down people left and right, uncaring if they are innocent civilians or shinobi.

He presses towards Sakura, seeing she’s about to be overwhelmed and ashes a small horde and offers her a hand up. “We need to retreat,” he hisses, eyes seeking Madara amongst the masses and watches as bodies go flying in pieces.

“Where?” she asks desperately. “This was our last resort.”

“I don’t know,” he yells, cutting through more bodies, rushing towards Sasuke to help subdue another cluster of bodies. “We need to retreat,” he informs his cousin.

“There’s nowhere to go,” he grits out, slashing out with his blade as lightning fries the dead in front of him. A look around shows their numbers are nearly gone and the civilians are all but lost.

There’s a roar of pain and they turn to see Kurama backing away from Madara, the man’s manic smile flashing in the flames as Naruto fights a horde to reach his friend. “Shit,” Obito curses, warping to put himself between the two, swiping down though he doesn’t expect to connect.

With a laugh, Madara knocks his blade aside, too fast even for him to react and Madara’s blade sinks home, deep into his chest. Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura rush him, forcing the man back, Kurama fading back into Naruto.

“Hold on,” Obito grits out between clenched teeth, blood seeping out of his mouth.

A last glimpse of death and fire, and then hands grab at his arms and shoulder before he pulls and collapses into his Kamui dimension, barely able to stand as blood pours down his front. “Obito!” Sakura rushes up, hands already glowing green to heal him.

“No,” he hisses out, stepping back.

“What?” her hands fall.

“What’s the use? He just killed everyone we were protecting. What’s the use of fighting if no one is alive!” he yells, his voice echoing strangely around them.

“There has to be something we can do,” Naruto insists, sitting down heavily, exhaustion clinging to his face after months, years of fighting. It’s been almost three years since the Alliance’s fall and their retreat. They’re tired. This fight has been raging for years now with little to show for their efforts besides small setbacks and death, mainly on their side. Their numbers dwindle by the day and the ever looming shadows pushes them back further and further.

“What about the other camps?” Sasuke speaks up.

“Don’t you get it? We’ve lost,” he hisses out, fighting the tide of pain.

“Then we find a new way,” Naruto growls out.

Obito sighs, rubbing at his eyes, the strain getting to him. They’re all ready to drop from exhaustion, but still they keep pushing. Really, what they need is time and access to resources. If they could gather their forces and do a push, maybe they might have a chance.

But that’s how Madara has stopped them. With each shinobi that falls, he raises them under his own banner, turning their powers against them. It’s hard to fight an enemy that was once friends and loved ones and with so many under his sway, they can’t move without being spotted.

They’ve only been able to get around because of his and Kakashi’s Kamui. Except, Kakashi is dead now, his eye returned to Obito as a last gift, Sakura’s healing not able to save the man. That had been the last straw to break what little hope he’d had left.

Resources are gone, destroyed or taken…but time.

Time is a whole different matter.

He snaps his fingers, motioning for Sakura to do what she’s been waiting to do, her healing knitting his flesh but he knows it will only buy him time at the moment. But that is all he needs really. His mind is a terrible place, forced to become that way after so many years under Zetsu and Madara’s harsh tutelage. It can make leaps where other’s balk and a plan is beginning to form under his fingertips.

“We need time,” he says softly, hoping they will understand.

“For what?” Naruto asks.

“No, we need Time,” he stresses the last part.

Sasuke perks up, eyeing Obito. “Is that even possible?” he asks softly.

“Time is just another dimension,” Obito says, “but one I’ve never toyed with.”

“I don’t get it,” Naruto grumbles as Sakura eye widen in understanding.

“He’s talking about reversing time,” she whispers.

“No, not reversing it, starting over,” he says, pieces falling into place.

“How would that even work?” Sasuke asks.

Obito paces, mulling over the logistics of such a jutsu. “I can’t send you physically; your bodies wouldn’t survive such a trip. If I knew more about seals, maybe I could but it’s too late to regret that,” Obito murmurs, following the line of his thoughts, “But your minds, I could send them back, to before all this.”

“But, how would that help?” Naruto demands.

“Think about it Naruto. If we go back, with our knowledge, we could stop everything before it even happens,” Sakura says, hope blooming on her face.

“This is untested, I don’t even know if it will work and the probability of any of us remembering is slim, but it’s our last chance to fix this!” Obito gestures to them.

“But when would we return to?” Sakura asks. “We aren’t even born when you are taken by Madara and by the time we are born, you’ve already set the plan into motion.”

“It will have to be early and I can’t give an exact age, but there are some things we could prevent by starting early,” he says, glancing at Sasuke whose eyes widen.

“Kurama, what do you think?” Naruto asks, letting the fox manifest physically again.

“Hmph, it’s possible. Sage knows with you lot, anything is possible and time doesn’t affect me, not the way it does you humans. I’m a creature of chakra, I will remember, even if you brats don’t. I’ll make sure the world doesn’t end in fire again,” he promises with a fierce look and a growl. “Go for it. There’s nothing left to lose,” he adds before huffing and settling his head on his paws, eyes closing in exhaustion.

“I…I hate this,” Naruto mutters, eyes clenching. “I hate running away!”

“Shinobi use whatever means it takes to accomplish the mission. This isn’t retreat, this is sabotaging his plans before he can even hatch them,” Obito grumbles.

“What about you?” Sasuke asks, speaking up. Obito looks at him. “You say you can send us back but what about you?”

“I’m not sure if it will work for me, as the one maintaining the jutsu. If…when you meet me, don’t hold back brats, even if I do make it back. I need to be stopped, even if you have to kill me,” Obito grumbles, staring at them hard in the eyes until they nod, some more reluctantly than others.

“Ready?” he asks softly.

“Now?” Naruto asks, gulping.

“No time like the present,” Obito jokes, grinning sardonically, feeling blood start to well up in his eyes as he reaches one last time for Kamui and reaches further. Staring at them, he spreads out his chakra, placing a seed of it on them, marking them, even Kurama.

“Let’s hope this works,” he mutters and then stretches out and pulls, feeling the world dissolve around them, darkness engulfing their forms as they fall and fall and fall and then nothing.

~*~

As night creeps over Konoha, three children, two boys and a girl, stir restlessly in their sleep, strange dreams plaguing their minds before sleep pulls them under. In the morning, they won’t remember what they dreamt. In one, a monster sleeps, opening glowing red eyes to huff in amusement, only to close them, exhaustion pulling him back under.

Deep in Amegaukre, a man sleeps as blood seeps from under his closed eyelids, strange visions plaguing him before they fade like mist before the sun.

Chapter Text

Kindle: verb; to light or set on fire; to arouse or inspire (an emotion or feeling)

“Sasuke, it’s time to get up,” a woman’s voice calls out from down the hall and with a faint grimace, Sasuke pushes his blankets back, rubbing his eye tiredly. He’d had such a strange dream last night, but as he tries to recall what it was about, it slips through his fingers and is gone, like water from his hand.

Shrugging, not really annoyed, he quickly dresses before making his way towards the kitchen, where his mother just setting the rest of their breakfast on the table. His father, Fugaku, is already there, reading the morning paper and just nods at him as he enters but doesn’t acknowledge him any more than that. His mother, Mikoto, turns and smiles at him.

“Sleep well, sweetie?” she asks softly, running a hand over his hair.

“Yes,” he says from behind his hand as he yawns.

“Good,” she says, pushing him towards the table. “Breakfast is ready.”

He glances around but there’s no sign of Itachi. “Is nii-san not back?” he asks as he settles at the table.

“No, sorry, Sasuke. He did say it would take a few days to finish his mission. It’s only been two. Even he can’t travel that fast,” his mother jokes, ruffling his hair. “When he returns either he’ll find you first, or we’ll send him your way once he’s returned,” she promises.

“Okay,” he says, happily munching on his breakfast, oblivious to the looks shared between his mother and father.

Finished, he makes for his room to gather his things. “Do you want me to walk you to the Academy?” his mother asks from the doorway.

“No, I can get there on my own,” he says with a huff and she just laughs.

“Alright, well I’ve packed your lunch and its sitting on the table. I’ll see you this afternoon,” she assures him, giving him a quick kiss, in spite of the five year old’s attempts to evade. Mikoto laughs again, “You’ll have to be faster than that to avoid my love, sweet heart.” With one last hair ruffle, she makes her way from the room.

Huffing in annoyance as he rights his hair, Sasuke finishes packing his bag, and then dashes to the kitchen to grab his lunch before leaving. He waves at his mother in her garden and starts to make his way towards the academy, not wanting to be late.

~*~

“Sakura, you’re going to be late,” a man calls from the floor below.

“I’m almost ready!” Sakura calls from in front of her mirror, making sure her bow is just right. Smiling at herself, she quickly grabs her backpack and runs down the stairs, ignoring her mother’s scold for running. “See, I’m ready!” she says, showing off her dress.

“I can see that,” Haruno Kizashi says with a grin, bending down to tweak the ribbon a little to settle it better.

“Here you go sweetie,” Haruno Mebuki says, coming from the kitchen holding out her lunch.

“Thanks mama,” she says with a grin, taking it. “I’ve got to go, Ino is waiting for me.”

“Have a god day, Sakura,” Kizashi calls out, Mebuki adding her voice as Sakura races from the house to where she planned to meet Ino.

“Sakura!” Ino calls, waving her hand rapidly. “Nice bow,” she adds as Sakura draws near.

“Thanks,” Sakura says with a bright grin, following beside her friend towards the Academy.

~*~

“Brat…Brat…Wake UP!”

Naruto nearly tumbles from his bed in shock before the sound of his alarm going off has him blinking in confusion. He could have sworn he heard a voice just before waking up. Rubbing his head, he yawns and perks at the sound of shuffling feet, hearing the other residents moving about outside his door.

The Orphanage Section of the village is pretty full with children of all ages still technically under the care of the village, especially shinobi children. Many are the last of small clans or from first or second generation shinobi families with no lands or clan holdings to speak of. With the other clans refusing to take any in, though there were some exceptions, the village was forced to step up after the Third Shinobi War left so many homeless children in need of a home.

At first it was just an orphanage, but that grew too crowded, so they converted a whole building of apartments, giving them to children over the age of 5 to start learning to live on their own. Once they reach 18 or gained Chuunin status, if they went to the Academy, they are forced to leave and find their own place to live. Some do get adopted out, but not that often.

Naruto’s lived here his whole life, though he can recall vaguely spending more time with Hokage-jiji at his home when he was younger, but it’s been a while since he stayed in that grand residence.

He hates it here, if he is completely honest. He likes having his own place, tiny it might be, but the Orphanage Proctors always treat him with the barest consideration and with that cold, hard look he’s come to associate with most villagers who see him.

Most of his food is passable, but he can’t count on his hands the number of times things have either not been there or were just about to go spoil. He’s learned to not count on them for anything, teaching himself to cook, though he’s nearly burned himself too many times to count, and using his small stipend of money to buy his own food, usually ramen and other easy to cook, premade meals.

But that is fine, because he’s going to shove it in their face one day when he finally becomes Hokage and shows them that he was worth so much more than they gave…then he’s going to kick them out of his village. He giggles a little at the idea of the looks on their faces when he banishes them, begging him to let them stay.

The microwave beeps and he pulls his ramen from the device, hissing at the hot steam scaling his hand and quickly setting it down to let it cool and finish cooking as he finishes getting ready for the day. A glance at the clock and he scuttles over to his breakfast, eating it quickly, huffing at the heat because he’s going to be late and he doesn’t want Iruka-sensei to yell at him again for tardiness.

A quick glance around to make sure he’s got everything he needs and then he shuts the door, locking it, and rushes from the apartments, hoping he makes it on time.

~*~

Naruto scuffs at the grass in front of him in dejection. Today had started out good. He’d made it on time and avoided a scolding from Iruka who was actually late for once, rushing into the class looking harried. They’d done their book work first thing that morning; he even mostly paid attention, with only a few doodles in the margins of his paper. After lunch, they’d gone outside and then things had gone downhill.

Taijutsu practice was fine but then they started a new lesson: survival training. It was just basics: knowing directions by the sun, or moon, identifying some plants (mainly poison ivy and others of that nature) and how to start a fire, without matches.

He’d mostly paid attention, but he got distracted by something the other kids were talking about near his area and he maybe, sort of, almost set Iruka’s pants on fire and he defiantly set some grass on fire before Iruka managed to put it out.

Everyone had laughed, which had been cool, but then Iruka scolded him and as punishment, he’d been forced to stay late to help him clean up outside and in the classroom. Now, it’s late, the sun starting to set and he doesn’t want to go home.

There’s no one there really, and at the moment, he just wants a friend to play with. With a huff, he kicks a rock and watches it sail through the trees near his apartments. He’s tried making friends with the other kids. But most clan kids are quickly shuffled away from him, their parents sending him those cold looks that make his heart feel cold and heavy and the other kids are either too old or none want to hang around with him.

He sighs dejectedly and turns for home. He might as well make dinner before going to bed.

~*~

The trees are gigantic, towering so far over him, he can’t see the sky. He feels like he should be afraid in this unknown forest, but something about it feels…familiar, like a forgotten dream. “Oi, brat,” a deep voice calls out from ahead and in the distance, he can see the flickering glow of a campfire.

Curious about who is calling, he walks forward, the glow getting brighter until a large bonfire comes into view. Its flames shoot ten feet into the sir, sending off sparks and lighting the huge clearing it is in, but the heat isn’t unbearable.

As he gets closer, he sees something on the other side of the fire. It’s bigger than the fire, curled up in a ball; orange fur glows in the fire light as one large red eye watches him approach. Naruto freezes, unsure of what he’s seeing.

“It’s about time you showed up,” the voice rumbles out again and the mass of fur shifts, long legs stretching out in front of the creature, a fox his mind supplies, as it arches and sighs at the stretch, multiple tails shifting behind it.

“What?” he asks, heart hammering in his chest.

“I’m not going to hurt you brat. I couldn’t, even if I wanted to,” the fox says, eyes flicking towards two large trees flanking it and he sees strange symbols carved into the trunks.

“Who are you?” Naruto asks, fear abating as the fox merely sits with its tails curled around it and stares at him, though he is still daunting to look at, and Naruto has to crane his head back to look up at his head.

“I am the Kyuubi no Kitsune, Kurama…and a friend,” he says with huff and settles back down so Naruto doesn’t have to strain his neck to look up at him. “Jeez, I forgot how small you humans get,” he mutters and Naruto thinks he isn’t supposed to have heard that.

“A…friend?” he asks, heart tripping over itself.

The fox, Kurama, nods, “If you want. It must be lonely with no friends.”

“I…yeah,” he whispers, looking down, heart heavy. “But why me?” he asks.

“Because…I know how lonely it can be, without friends,” he admits, though he looks uncomfortable admitting it. “And, well…I’m sealed inside you.”

“What?” Naruto yelps, hands touching his stomach and chest. “You’re inside me?” Will he burst? Kurama is huge!

“Not like that, brat. You remember the story…about the Yondaime defeating the monster that attacked the village?” he asks. Naruto nods, “He sealed me inside you to stop me.”

“That…that was you?” Naruto asks, taking a hesitant step back.

Kurama sighs and his breath makes the bonfire flicker. “Yeah, that was me, but I didn’t want to, not really,” he explains, eyes getting pained, a sneer curling on his muzzle. “Someone bad made me attack the village when all I wanted to do was to run away.”

“They made you attack?” he asks quietly and takes a few steps closer.

“I…yeah, I hated it. I don’t like being control,” he admits, hunching in on himself.

“Are you sorry you attacked?” Naruto asks, eyeing the fox up.

Kurama snorts, “Yeah, if I could have, I’d take it back.”

“Then I forgive you,” Naruto says, the easy forgiveness of a child makes Kurama blink, taken aback.

“Just like that?” Kurama asks.

“Well, if you didn’t mean it and someone made you and you’re sorry, then yeah,” Naruto explains like it really is just that simple.

“Sage, you never change,” Kurama mutters, eyes closing but a smile curling on his muzzle.

“So, you’re inside me?” Naruto asks quietly, looking down to poke at his belly button, his shirt pulled up to show his stomach.

“Yeah,” Kurama nods.

“Is that why everyone hates me?” he asks, looking up with sad eyes.

“Yeah,” Kurama whispers, slumping to the forest floor. “They fear me and so they hate you.”

“Well, then I won’t be there friend if they can’t be nice to you and when I’m Hokage, I’ll make them see that you’re really nice and that’s that,” Naruto says with a huff, a stubborn look on his small face.

Kurama huffs a laugh, “I’m sure you will, brat. You really want to be my friend?” he asks.

“Yeah, you’ll be my first friend and we can become awesome ninjas together, believe it!” Naruto crows, rushing forward to fling his arms as wide as he can around Kurama’s muzzle.

Kurama laughs. “I believe it,” he murmurs and listens as Naruto shares his day with him, curled up next to the fire.

~*~

Sasuke sighs dejectedly as he hefts the kunai in his hand and throws it, nearly hitting the center of his target he’s set up. Itachi was supposed to train with him this morning but right before they were to leave, he got called away, a mission needing his skills.

Sasuke had acted like it didn’t bother him but he doubts Itachi had believed him, looking that particular shade of regretful as he poked Sasuke in the forehead before heading to grab his gear. Now, he’s out here by himself, training still because he wants to be as strong as his brother is so they can go on missions together.

Trudging over to his target, he yanks the kunai out and stops, hearing something deeper into the trees. “Come on, Kurama, let’s train super hard!” a loud voice shouts further away and he frowns, wondering who is out here as well.

Gripping his weapon tight, he follows after the voice and sounds of movement until he comes to a large clearing deeper in the forest. He doesn’t notice anyone at first until a blur of orange and yellow goes streaking through the clearing and he jumps in surprise.

It takes a second to figure out who it is. Uzumaki Naruto is in his class, though from what he’s seen of the other boy, no one really interacts with him besides Iruka-sensei, especially when he gets scolded. The fire from earlier this month comes to mind.

He’s so caught in his thoughts that he doesn’t notice Naruto throw something until a voice yells “Duck!” and he glances up just in time to pull behind the tree he’s behind as a kunai goes flying past his head.

“Oi, hey, you okay?” Naruto calls out, rushing around the tree to look at him.

“I…yeah,” Sasuke assures. “Are you out here training too?” he asks.

“Yep, me and Kurama are training to become super awesome ninjas, believe it!” he says loudly, grinning brightly.

Sasuke glances around but doesn’t see anyone around. “Who’s Kurama?” he asks, stepping away from the tree.

Naruto grins mischievously, “It’s a secret.”

“What? You can tell me,” Sasuke insists, intrigue.

“Nope, Kurama’s my super-secret awesome friend,” Naruto shakes his head.

Sasuke sighs dejectedly and starts to turn away, “Hey, wait!” Naruto says, rushing up. Sasuke startles when the boy grabs his hand, “Wanna train with us? Kurama says it’s okay.”

“You want to train with me?” he asks quietly. Most of the other kids kind of shy away from him in class. Especially when he shows how good he is at some things from all his training at home.

“Well sure, we can become awesome ninjas together!” Naruto cries, looking excited at the thought.

“I…yeah, let’s train,” Sasuke says with a small smile, for once not feeling so bad that Itachi got called away again.

~*~

Itachi sighs as he slides his mask into its hiding spot beneath the floorboards and lays the board back down, slowly pushing Weasel back down and letting Itachi resurface now that the mission is done. Standing, he stretches his arms over his head and turns for the rest of the house, hearing his mother’s soft humming coming from the kitchen where dinner is slowly being prepared.

Mikoto smiles as Itachi finally enter the room. “Better?’ she asks, setting her chopping knife aside and wiping her hands before coming around to pull him into a hug. “No complications?” she asks, knowing he can’t disclose anything about his ANBU missions but that’s not what she’s asking about.

“I’m fine,” he assures, returning the hug. He had seen Fugaku earlier in the compound speaking with some of the elders and had only acknowledged the man before heading to the house. Sasuke’s faint chakra signature is nowhere to be felt.

“Sasuke?” he asks.

His mother gives a knowing look, “He rushed out almost as soon as he got home to go training,” she says with a sigh. “He’s been running off like that all week. I’m glad he’s getting serious, but he’s too young to be going that hard,” she admits softly.

“I’ll go find him,” Itachi says instead of trying to reassure her. They’re shinobi and unfortunately, childhood doesn’t often last long in the village. She sighs but smiles, shooing him from the kitchen with a look to remind him that dinner will be waiting.

Itachi bypasses going through the Uchiha Compound and instead jumps the Compound wall to head for their usual training spot. He feels out for his brother’s familiar chakra signature but doesn’t feel it as he arrives and finds their clearing empty. The targets from their last training session are still there but there aren’t any signs of recent movement through the clearing, most of the footprints days old if not older.

He frowns, a small thread of worry as to what his brother is doing if not training here. He finds the most recent set of tracks and follows them deeper into the woods. Hopefully they lead to Sasuke.

About 10 minutes pass before he finally feels the faint chakra signature of his brother deeper into the forest. He picks up speed, taking to the trees as he nears, the sound of laughter reaching him as he comes upon a large clearing.

He stares in shock for a moment as he sees Sasuke running around with another boy, chasing him as the blonde boy laughs, keeping ahead of his reaching grasp. “Ha, you need to be faster than that,” he crows, darting around a tree. Sasuke darts the other way, tackling the boy before he can get away.

“Ha, I win!” Sasuke declares, standing up.

“No fair, you cheated,” the boy, Itachi recognizes as the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, Uzumaki Naruto, yells from his prone position.

“Did not,” Sasuke huffs with a frown before he smiles as Naruto grins up at him.

Itachi is stunned as he watches the Jinchuuriki stand up and dusts himself off before darting after Sasuke who runs away with a laugh. Sasuke isn’t a sad child, but he’s never really been open like this around anyone except Itachi on a rare occasion, the demands of being Fugaku’s son making him tone down his enthusiasm. He’s acting like a regular child, playing with his friend.

Itachi remains in the trees, watching their game of tag go on before they stop, catching their breaths and sitting down. This is certainly not what he expected, but he can’t bring himself to try and end their friendship, in spite of the ramifications of one of the Uchiha main branch family members befriending the Jinchuuriki. They’ll think they put Sasuke up to it, to gain the favor of the boy, ignoring the fact that they are just children playing as children do.

He glances around but can’t see the ANBU guards on duty watching over the boy but he can faintly sense them. He allows his chakra to uncoil ever so slightly, a courtesy to his fellow ANBU to let them know he is there before jumping down and making himself known to the two boys.

Sasuke jumps up at his approach, “Nii-san!” he calls out, rushing over to greet him. Naruto, unsurprisingly, hangs back, unsure about him.

“Otouto, having fun?” he asks gently, glancing between them.

“Yeah, we’ve been training,” he says, looking at Naruto. “This is my brother Itachi. This is Naruto. He’s my friend,” Sasuke declares, worry about his brother’s reaction leaking through his determination.

“So I see,” Itachi says easily. “Hello, Naruto-kun. It’s nice to meet a friend of my brother,” he says with a small smile, watching the boy eye him with probing eyes before deciding to accept him. Itachi wonders distantly what Naruto would have done if he hadn’t passed the boy’s test.

Naruto steps closer, grinning, “We’re training to be super awesome ninja,” he says easily.

“Is that so?” Itachi says with a nod, “I guess we don’t need to train anymore if you’re already so awesome training with Naruto,” Itachi teases gently.

“We can still train,” Sasuke hurriedly assures, frantic to assure his brother that he didn’t replace him.

“You’re a ninja?” Naruto asks quickly, looking a little awestruck. Itachi nods, “How come you never told me your brother is a ninja?” he demands of Sasuke who looks a little taken aback that he never actually said.

“I…forgot,” he says, sounding unsure.

“I was on an important mission and he couldn’t say,” Itachi soothes the boy’s hurt feelings, silently laughing at his brother’s confused and stricken face at realizing he had forgotten to mention it to his new friend.

“Are you back for a while?” Sasuke asks, quickly changing the subject.

Itachi nods. “For a few weeks at least,” he assures, recalling the Hokage’s gentle chiding at over working himself and ordering two weeks mandatory leave to rest and recover for him and his team. Shisui had been all for it. Kakashi and Tenzo had looked put out.

“Are you going now?” Naruto asks, sounding faintly sad but putting on a brave face for his friend.

Sasuke looks torn between his new friend and his brother. “Keep playing, I’ll see you at dinner. I have to speak with the Hokage about my mission,” he lies easily.

Sasuke smiles in relief and so does Naruto. “See you later, nii-san,” Sasuke says, quickly hugging his brother before he and Naruto rush off.

Itachi smiles and waves before making his way back to the Compound. He’ll keep this little secret for now, if only to see Fugaku’s face when he learns that Sasuke befriended Uzumaki Naruto.

~*~

Sakura sighs and kicks her feet gently on the bench, not sure what to do. Class had been let out early and Ino had to go help out her family at home. Her father is away on business and her mom is busy elsewhere in the village and she’s bored.

There’s a loud yell from behind her and she jumps up turning around. “Sakura-chan!” Naruto calls, she recognizes him from class. “Run, Sasuke’s it!” he cries out, running close and grabbing her arm, pulling her with him.

“What!” she asks and turns to see Sasuke rushing towards them with a determined look on his face. Naruto pulls again and she lets him pull him along, a giggle bursting out as she runs beside the blonde boy who lets out a bright laugh of his own.

Suddenly, Naruto falls behind, Sasuke having tackled him to the ground. “Got you!” Sasuke crows with a grin, standing up.

“No fair,” Naruto huffs from his sprawled position.

“Are you okay?” Sakura asks softly, eyeing the dirt smeared on his face.

“Oh, yeah, this is nothing,” he assures with a grin, rubbing the back of his head. “Do you wanna play with us Sakura-chan?” he asks.

“You…want to play with me?” she asks, confused. No one besides Ino really wants to play with her unless Ino is there.

“Well yeah. Plus, tag is so much better with more people,” Naruto says matter-of-factly.

She looks at Sasuke, “We can play hide and seek if you don’t want to play tag,” he adds.

“Oh yeah, that sounds fun too,” Naruto chimes in, jumping up from the ground.

They both look at her expectantly. “I…yes, let’s play,” she agrees, grinning brightly.

“Naruto’s it,” Sasuke shouts, grabbing her arm and pulling.

“What! Oh,” he grumbles before turning around and covering his eyes. “One…Two…Three…”

The two scatter to go hide and Sakura can’t help but laugh aloud, feeling light with happiness.

~*~

Kurama grins from his spot beside the fire, watching the three children play like they never did the last time around. It feels good, to see such a change. He promised to help stop the world from ending but he never promised to not change anything else and if he’s honest, he doubts the brats would be against this change, even if they did remember.

He will change things for the better, and damn any who get in his way. He’s got a world to save, one brat at a time.

Chapter Text

Protector: noun; one who protects; someone who fights for a person or a cause.

He opens his eyes slowly, frowning as he tries to reach for something that isn’t there. Words hang heavy on his tongue, but he tries to speak them and they’re gone. Fatigue hangs on his body like a heat haze, there and gone and leaves him disoriented like he hasn’t been in so long.

Blinking gummy eyelashes, he rubs at his eyes and stares down as flecks of dried blood cling to his hands, one scarred and one not. He wipes harder and more comes away, a small bead of panic building in his chest before he squashes it.

Walking towards the lone mirror in this room, rarely used and stares at his reflection, noting the marks of fatigue under his eyes and the streaks of blood from his eyes and down his cheeks. A hint of unease enters his mind, wondering what happened? A bit of concentration and his Mangekyō appears and though it shows his face in finer detail, nothing seems any different than when he last looked in this mirror.

Other than the blood, nothing looks wrong…and yet he feels like something should have changed. But even as he thinks it, the thought is dismissed as frivolous and with a growl he stalks away from the mirror to go clean the blood from his face before he has to ready for the day’s plans.

~*~

Mikoto hums softly, finishing packing Sasuke’s lunch as she keeps an ear out for the boy’s approach. He’s seemed happier the last few weeks, more often than not out of the house and coming back only for dinner covered in dirt and smiling. When she cornered Itachi about what was going on, he had just smiled, saying he had made some new friends.

She had been worried there, fearing her son would never make any friends. To hear that he had made two new ones was heartening and she had hugged her eldest before heading back to her garden with a lighter heart.

She perks up as she hears him leave his room, turning to greet her child. “Good morning Sasuke, did you sleep well?” she asks him.

“Yes,” he assures, glancing towards the table to see Itachi sitting and reading a scroll but not his father. “Where is father?” he asks quietly.

“He had an early meeting with the Hokage this morning,” she assures, motioning him towards the table where breakfast is waiting. As he settles down to eat, she goes back to packing his lunch.

“Mother?” Sasuke asks sometime later from beside her as he puts his dishes in the sink.

“Yes Sasuke?” she asks with a small smile.

“Um…could I…bring some friends over after class lets out?” he asks hesitantly, waiting for her to tell him no from the look on his face, born from being Fugaku’s son and having certain expectations placed upon him as an Uchiha. Friendship, like emotions, must be limited and controlled.

“Of course, Sasuke! I would love to meet these two friends of yours who you spend so much time with,” she assures, ruffling his hair. He huffs, straightening his hair back out. “I’ll make some extra snacks for them,” she adds and he smiles again. “Do they have any preferences or allergies I should know about?” she asks.

“Uh, I don’t think so,” he says, thinking on it for a second.

“Alright, well go on, you don’t want to be late,” she says, handing him his lunch.

“Bye, see you later,” he calls out, rushing from the house to head to the Academy.

“Is there anything I should be aware of?” she asks Itachi, eyeing her eldest who still has not revealed the identities of Sasuke’s friends, no matter how she pushes.

“Not particularly, but expect some…resistance,” he says, eyeing her and she wonders just who Sasuke could have befriended to warrant such a warning.

~*~

“Wow,” Naruto says softly, eyes wide as they step into the Uchiha Compound. “It’s big.” Sakura nods in agreement, looking around. At first, no one pays them any mind but then heads start to turn, staring at them as they pass.

Naruto ignores the whispers and looks, used to it but Sakura looks nervous and even Sasuke is noticing the strange looks his friends are getting. “Should we not be here?” Sakura asks softly.

“My mother said it was fine and you’re my friends,” Sasuke with a huff, glaring at a frowning woman who quickly turns away and pretends not to see them.

“This is all yours?” Naruto asks, recalling his tiny apartment.

“No, the Clan owns it. That’s my house,” he says, pointing ahead to the large building they’re approaching.

They follow him inside, taking their shoes off at the front door. “I’m home!” Sasuke calls out.

“Welcome home, Sasuke,” Mikoto says, coming around the corner and then freezes, blinking in shock at the two children standing nervously behind her youngest son. The pink haired girl is cute, looking down and fidgeting with the buttons on her dress. The boy, the spitting image of both his mother and father, is Uzumaki Naruto, Kushina’s son and the current Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi.

Only her own training as a shinobi keeps her from freezing for more than a second before she smiles, “Hello you two. It’s nice to finally meet you. I’m Uchiha Mikoto, Sasuke’s mother,” she greets, bowing to them in greeting.

“Haruno Sakura,” Sakura says with a bow back.

“Uzumaki Naruto,” Naruto greets, looking nervous as well.

“I hope my son hasn’t been too much trouble for you,” she jokes.

“Mom,” he hisses, glaring at her and she laughs. “We’re going to go work on our homework,” he says with a huff and grabs their hands and pulls them down the hall to his room.

“Would you like your snacks now or later?” she calls out.

“Later,” he shouts and then the door shuts behind them.

Mikoto sags against the wall, emotions she had buried long ago welling up at the sight of her best friend’s son. He looked so much like her. “Mother,” Itachi calls from beside her and she startles, wiping the unshed tears from her eyes to turn and smile a little shakily at him.

“I see what you meant by resistance,” she says, banishing her sadness away.

“There’s going to be accusations once word gets out,” he warns and she wonders from where: within the compound or from the rest of the village and can’t tell which will be worse.

“Well, then we’ll just have to beat some stubborn heads in until they see the truth,” she says with a wicked grin, reminiscent of her old friend. People forget how much trouble they used to get into.

“I’ll keep an eye on things, as best I can,” Itachi assures her.

She laughs as a realization dawns on her, “Oh, your father is going to have an aneurysm when he gets home.” Still laughing, she heads back into the kitchen to finish getting their snack ready.

~*~

The three of them are busy working on their homework, arguing over questions and answers when there’s a knock at the door. “Yes,” Sasuke calls and Mikoto enters carrying a tray with a plate of rice balls, three cups and a small pitcher of juice.

“You all look like you could use a snack,” she jokes, eyeing the spread of papers, books and pencils across Sasuke’s floor.

“Yes, please,” Sakura says, standing and helping her set the tray down.

“What’s the topic today?” she asks as they each grab a morsel of food.

“History,” Naruto mutters between bites, frowning down at the offending book that they have to read.

“Ah, the dreaded boring subjects,” she says with a dramatic sigh.

“Right!” Naruto says with a huff. “I wanna learn to do awesome ninjutsu, not what some weirdo said or thought in the past,” he grumbles and grabs another rice ball and takes a bite. “This is really good, ma’am.”

“Yes, these are delicious,” Sakura chimes in.

“Thank you,” Mikoto accepts. “There’s plenty more if you want more.”

“Man, I’ve never had any this good,” Naruto complements.

“Oh, that’s high praise,” Mikoto says with a laugh.

“The ones from the store are usually dried out and I can’t make my own since my rice usually burns,” he sighs and then takes another bite.

“You cook for yourself, Naruto-kun?” Mikoto asks, curious.

“I try,” he says with a frown, “but it usually burns or I burn myself. Usually, I just eat instant ramen, but that’s good too.”

Mikoto frowns, a sinking feeling settling in her gut and forces a smile, “Well, I made plenty so if you want you can take some home with you since you loved them so much.”

“Really? Thanks,” he says and grabs a third.

“We should get back to work,” Sasuke says.

“Alright, I know when I’m not wanted,” she teases and chuckles at the look Sasuke sends her. “Let me know if you want more,” she adds and shuts the door as she leaves.

Her frown returns, a thought spinning in her head. “Mother?” Itachi calls out as she sits at the table he’s working at.

“Did you know that he cooks for himself? Or buys pre-made food from the store?” she asks and Itachi frowns, setting his book aside to give her his full attention. “He’s five years old, Itachi. Five year olds shouldn’t have to fend for themselves like that,” she huffs, anger starting to build as she really thinks about it. “What else does he have to do on his own? There’s supposed to be adults helping them.”

“That’s a serious accusation,” he says, not taking a side.

“It is, but he is Kushina’s son. I’ve looked away long enough and I’m done letting things slide. She would kill the whole village if she knew how he is being treated. Minato too!” she exclaims.

“What should we do?” he asks, seeing her point.

“Can…can you look around the Orphanage? Just look, don’t pry too much. If…if things are as bad as I fear, I’m going to bend Hokage-sama’s ear, whether he likes it or not,” she decides.

“I’ll look into it, just…don’t go on a war path yet,” he adds.

They both look up at the sound of the front door opening. Fugaku walks in, frowning, “What is this I hear about the Jinchuuriki being in the Compound?” he asks and they both smile at the pained look on his face, imagining all the people coming to him as he walked home.

~*~

Mikoto waits until Sasuke and his friends are settled with Itachi watching over them before leaving the house. It has been four week since Naruto and Sakura first came over. Itachi, between missions, has done as she asked him, discreetly scouting out the Orphanage and seeing how things are run. The news he brought her is disheartening and makes her blood boil.

Kushina and Minato wanted their son treated as a hero, not some scourge upon the village, treated lower than they even treat their prisoners. She’s not going to sit idly by while this is going on. She can’t in good conscious allow this or she’ll regret it for the rest of her life.

She knows Fugaku is busy seeing to matters in the Compound and doesn’t have to worry about him trying to stop her. She loves her husband, but sometimes, you just need to cut to the heart of the matter rather than dancing around it the way he does as Clan Head when any political problem comes up and the village Jinchuuriki is very much a political matter, in spite of his age.

She’s in luck when she arrives at the Hokage’s office, the man busy reading a scroll and not in a meeting as he usually is during the day. She knocks politely on the door, though she doubts he failed to notice her arrival. “Ah, Mikoto-san, come in. What can I do for you?” he asks, motioning her towards the chair opposite his desk with his pipe.

“I’m sorry to barge in like this, Hokage-sama,” she begins, falling back on her politeness rather than bite his head off first thing. “Might I have a private word with you?” she asks.

“Of course, shut the door,” he says and she does, taking a seat. She knows it’s more of a semblance of privacy and that the Hokage is very rarely truly alone. She ignores the subtle presence of the ANBU hidden in the shadows behind her.

“I’m sure you’ve heard by now, of Sasuke’s new friend,” she starts off with.

Sarutobi laughs. “I’m sure that was a bit of a surprise,” he says, eyes crinkled.

“You can say that,” she admits, recalling the shock.

“Is Naruto causing any problems?” he asks, used to receiving complaints about the boy’s pranks.

“Oh, no, in fact he reminds me of Kushina. It’s been refreshing to see Sasuke with friends and Sakura is a dear as well,” she assures quickly.

“I’m glad. Naruto hasn’t had an easy start to life,” he admits.

“That’s something I wanted to talk about, Hokage-sama,” she says hesitantly.

“Oh,” he settles back in his chair and motions for her to proceed.

“He said something the other day. I don’t think he realized just what it meant but it raised some flags with me. Are you aware that the boy not only cooks for himself, he also mostly eats pre-made food bought from the store?” she asks, expression turning serious.

“We try to encourage independence so they can learn the skills needed to care for themselves when they come of age,” Sarutobi hedges, but she notices the flick of his eyes to the ANBU behind her.

“That is all well and good, but it should be under adult supervision to avoid accidents and to help fix mistakes. From what I’ve come to understand, Naruto doesn’t know any of the Proctors, nor do they interact with him at all. He told me once he’s trying to teach himself to cook but he usually burns the food or himself and usually ends up just eating instant ramen,” she plows on, angry for the boy who has been neglected by the system that should be supporting him.

“That is...something to look into,” Sarutobi admits, frowning, obviously not aware of this.

“My concern is that of a mother for her best friend’s son. Kushina would despise us all if she knew how he was being treated. He is a child and yet, people treat him like a monster. He is supposed to be a protector for this village when he is older but what will he want to protect, if he despises us?” she asks, voice rising with her passion, hands fisting in her lap before she forcefully reins herself in.

“Oh, forgive me, Hokage-sama. I let my emotions get away with me,” she says, taking a breath.

“No, I am glad you have taken such a shine to the boy,” he assures. “I will admit my time has been taken up mostly by village matters and that I let some things slip through the cracks. I had hoped that the Orphanage Proctors would put their duty first and not their feelings but it seems that might not be so. The health and wellbeing of all children is important and to put even one at risk is not something I will take lightly.”

“Thank you,” she says softly.

“I will look into this matter of course, but you must understand, I can’t force people to change their opinions, at least not overnight. This will take time, Mikoto-san,” he explains.

She knows that. It has been generations since the village was first created and her clan still suffers under the heavy stigma of their past, few people trusting them fully. It is a burden they fight to overturn constantly.

“I do,” she says with serenity.

“I will keep you informed of what I find. As well, I have had some come forward who are concerned of Naruto spending so much time in the Uchiha Compound,” he says and she tenses. “No need for that look, Mikoto-san. I explained to them gently that Naruto is playing with his friends and that I have no problems with it and that any who try and change this will not like the consequences.”

“I…thank you, Hokage-sama,” she says, relief flowing through her. She had feared he would listen to the other clan heads over reason and force the two apart.

“If that is all?” he asks.

“I will let you get back to your work, Hokage-sama,” she says with a smile and bows before leaving.

“Funie-san,” Sarutobi calls out to his assistant who steps up to the door. “Could you send a message to Shikaku and Inoichi to meet me here later this afternoon? Mark it informal and in-village,” he instructs.

“Of course, Hokage-sama,” Funie says with a bow and hurries off to do as instructed. With a sigh, Sarutobi settles back in his chair, frowning as he puffs at his pipe, a slow anger bubbling under his skin with the news brought to him.

~*~

“Mikoto, what have you done?” Fugaku asks, standing in the kitchen holding a scroll that was just delivered.

“What?” she asks, turning from the sink to look at her husband, though she can guess what the message might concern.

“The Hokage is summoning the two of us for a meeting this afternoon, marked important,” he says, waving the scroll towards her.

“I spoke with the Hokage concerning an important matter and he promised to keep me informed,” she explains with a shrug.

“About?” he asks with a frown.

“The treatment of Naruto,” she explains. “I expressed that I feared he was being neglected by those in charge at the Orphanage and he promised to look into it.”

Fugaku sighs, “Let us hope this doesn’t backfire,” is all he says and she smiles at him.

~*~

Mikoto is surprised by the turn out in the room: the head of T&I Yamanaka Inoichi, the Jounin Commander Nara Shikaku, Hyuuga Hiashi, Aburame Shibi, Akimichi Chōza, and Inuzuka Tsume as well as the two of them and four masked ANBU standing in the corners fill the room.

“Thank you for coming, Fugaku-san, Mikoto-san,” Sarutobi greets them as they enter and shut the door. “I’m sure some of you are curious as to why you have been brought here,” he says, looking towards Hiashi and the others who nod.

“A matter was brought to light, regarding the treatment of one of our citizens, Uzumaki Naruto,” Sarutobi begins, sharp eyes watching the group. “I had Inoichi and Shikaku look into the matter and the evidence that was found is most discouraging.” He motions towards the two men.

Inoichi clears his throat. “We conducted the investigation as an internal audit to hide the true mission, but even the audit found too many discrepancies to overlook,” Inoichi speaks up, frowning heavily. “The children under the care of the Proctors at the orphanage are required to receive a small fund each week for an allowance, handled and allotted by the Head Proctor Unizuka Kaede. We found evidence that not only is she giving only part of the funds to the children but that the rest she is keeping for herself.”

Shikaku speaks up next. “We inspected the living facilities of the children and found it to be falling apart. Exposed pipes and wiring, mold, poor ventilation, it is in major need of upkeep. As well, upon speaking to many of the children there, we found that the food that is supposed to be delivered weekly to them, paid for by village funds, is often substandard and often rotting or things they should be receiving are just not there,” Shikaku adds. “The children have been using what little money they are receiving to buy their own groceries and supplies.”

Inoichi speaks up again, expression serious as he finishes the report. “While there were no signs of physical abuse, upon talking with many of the Proctors, as well as the Head Proctor, we have found many of them to be verbally abusive and unfit to care for the children under their supervision. Those that aren’t, are too afraid of the Head Proctor, who holds some sway in the village, to say anything to her or about her,” Inoichi finishes, the silence in the room heavy.

Everyone stands hushed for a drawn out moment. Mikoto’s heart beats heavily in her chest, not expecting things to be this bad. If her children had been forced into a situation like that, she would be beside herself. To think they have let this go on for so long. How many children have suffered in silence under the thumb of this woman, under this system?

Sarutobi lets out a long sigh, smoke wafting through the room before nodding. “As of right now Unizuka Kaede has been arrested on charges of child neglect and stealing from the village funds and her punishment will be decided by myself and the Clan Heads. Any Proctors that were found inadequate for their position have been removed and punishment will be decided upon completion of an evaluation done by T&I,” he says motioning towards Inoichi. “This should not have happened.”

“You have the full support of the Uchiha Clan,” Fugaku assures and the others agree.

“Right now, I have Inoichi combing through the orphanage’s records to see how far back this goes, but as of right now, I am reluctant to choose someone for the role of Head Proctor until this is all sorted out,” Sarutobi explains.

Mikoto frowns, considering the problem. “Hokage-sama,” she says.

“Speak, Mikoto-san,” he says with a wave of his hand.

“I might know a possible replacement for the position,” she says, feeling Fugaku shift beside her to look at her.

“The Uchiha are surely just hoping to curry favor by placing one of their clan in such a valued position,” Hiashi insists, sending her a look.

“That is a serious accusation, Hiashi-san, considering that Mikoto-san is the one to bring this matter to me in the first place, worried, as any mother should be, about the care of the children of our village. Were it not for her, we would still be unaware of this situation,” Sarutobi says nonchalantly.

Hiashi sputters, obviously caught at his own maneuverings and mutters an apology before looking away. “Please continue, Mikoto-san,” Sarutobi says and for a moment she can see the mirth in his eyes at turning one back on the Hyuuga Clan head.

“As I was saying, there is someone who might be a good fit for the position. One of our elders, Uchiha Tenu has been drifting lately, with the passing of her husband. I have been concerned that she has lost her purpose in life. Perhaps this might bring her back to us and restore her purpose in life to help care for these children as she has done for our own clan children,” Mikoto explains.

“Is she an honorable woman?” he asks.

“She is. In fact, she helped raise most of our generation,” she says, looking towards Fugaku.

The man grimaces slightly, “I certainly remember receiving many scoldings from her.”

“Hm, if she is willing to take the position, I would like to speak with her. As well, I would ask each clan to choose a possible candidate for the position of Head Proctor and I will decide from them three who will take the position, now split into three positions. The children of this village are our future and as leaders in this village, we must ensure they are treated like they are our own.”

There are murmurings of agreement. “Very well, I look forward to speaking with those you chose. Until we meet next,” he says in clear dismissal. The group bows and starts to file out, whispers breaking out amongst them as they leave.

Fugaku looks thoughtful as they leave the meeting and head for the Compound. “That went better than I thought it would,” he admits, glancing at his wife.

“Husband, dearest, sometimes you just need to cut straight to the problem,” she says with a smile, happy to have finally done some good for Kushina’s son.

~*~

Itachi leans against the wall of the small inn room they are staked out in, looking out the window. Shisui, Tenzo and Kakashi are ranged across the furniture, as they wait for their mark to appear.

Shisui sighs, “Ugh, I hate stakeouts.”

“Would you rather be on the Ame border patrol again?” Kakashi asks with a look.

“Please don’t remind me. I was wet for weeks. How they can stand so much water, I’ll never know,” he bemoans with a shudder.

“Perhaps they simply know how to dress for the constant rain,” Tenzo mutters and Shisui kicks out at him, Tenzo ducking to avoid it.

“Did you hear about the Orphanage?” Shisui asks, changing the subject after sticking his tongue out at Tenzo behind his back.

“That Hokage-sama is cleaning house?” Kakashi asks.

“Yep, word on the grape vine is neglect and embezzlement of funding. I heard Ibiki cursing up a storm because the Hokage is making a sweep of all village run programs to see if anyone else is up to shady business, so T&I is working major overtime. It looked like an overturned ant nest in there last time I stopped by,” Shisui says with a laugh.

“How do you always hear so much?” Kakashi asks.

“You’d be amazed what people will say if you offer to help. I got roped in to a few evaluations and learned a lot,” he says with a shrug. “Though, Itachi should know more, Mikoto-san was the one to kick the ant nest.”

“It’s not our place to say,” Itachi says stiffly.

“Oh please, Itachi, if we don’t, how will we ever learn anything interesting,” Shisui demands. “How is Naruto doing these days?” he asks, looking at Itachi, the others looking curious.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kakashi asks.

“It means my dear cousin’s little brother went and befriended the boy and they’ve become inseparable,” Shisui gloats his information. “You should have seen Fugaku’s face when people started asking why Naruto was in the Compound. I thought he was going to have a stroke,” Shisui laughs, nearly falling off his chair.

“I’m sure the other clans were against it,” Tenzo says quietly.

“Unless Sarutobi-sama says otherwise, they may stay friends,” Itachi says with a shrug, eyeing the pained expression on Kakashi’s face and then turning away, not mentioning it.

Chapter Text

Beginning: noun; the point in time or space at which something starts; the first part or earliest stage of something.

Sasuke waves at Naruto as he runs off back to his apartment. They’d already said goodbye to Sakura, her parents picking her up for a family gathering and his mother had said that Naruto couldn’t come over today, but hadn’t said why, just that he couldn’t.

He had grumbled but let it go, since he’d see his friend in class tomorrow. As he travels through the Compound, he greets the few clan members he knows personally. They greet him as usual, but it’s stilted, their expressions distracted. As he looks around, he sees many of the clan are acting the same way, something keeping the normal cheer of the clan diminished.

His father and Itachi aren’t home when he arrives, calling out. “Welcome back, Sasuke,” Mikoto says, smiling just as warmly as she always does.

“Is something going on?” he asks, recalling the tense atmosphere on his way home.

“Oh, just some boring clan stuff. Nothing to worry about,” she assures and he shrugs, believing her as he always does. “Where’s everyone?” he asks.

“Your father is in a meeting and Itachi was called away for something and won’t be back until later tonight or tomorrow morning,” she calls out from the pantry. She comes out with prepackaged junk food, “So it’s just you and me tonight. How about we treat ourselves,” she says with a mischievous smile and Sasuke nods. “Good. Go work on your homework and I’ll call you when everything’s ready.” Sasuke races off to do as told.

Itachi slips in from a shadow, “We can’t hide this from him forever,” he warns.

“He’s a child. Let him live a little longer without having to deal with clan politics. Has the meeting started yet?” she asks, setting the food on the counter.

“Soon. We’re waiting on Fugaku to return before we start,” Itachi explains.

Mikoto sighs, “I hope we don’t decide anything rash.” She turns to her son. “You are the best of us, Itachi. Please help them see reason and to not act recklessly.”

“I’ll try,” he placates, face serious.

“Between you and Shisui, maybe there is hope for our clan yet,” she says, hugging him before shooing him from the house before Sasuke can catch her in her lie.

~*~

“This is an outrage,” a man yells out from the back of the room. “How much more will they try and strip away from us?” Uneasy voices murmur around him, agreeing with his statement.

“Mote-san, there is no need to yell,” Uchiha Rukara, one of their elders, scolds, dark eyes sending the man a warning look.

“Forgive me, elder, but I only speak the truth,” Mote says, voice lowered.

“Fugaku, is this all that you return with?” Uchiha Kidashi asks, his aged and lined face turning towards the current Uchiha Clan head.

“Yes,” Fugaku says with a bow. “Between the demands for restricting our movements in the village by the other clans, and the increased taxes and tariffs they are trying to impose, I doubt they could have asked for more without seeming to ask for too much.”

“This sounds like Danzō’s work,” a woman speaks up, voice bitter. “He keeps pushing to take away more from us each year.”

“Peace,” Fugaku calls out to draw their attention. “This is what is being proposed, not that it has been passed. Hokage-sama is in our favor on this.”

“For how long? The Hokage in the past have always folded under the other Clans’ pressure to restrict our clan. The Nidaime himself placed us in this very Compound. It has been generations since Madara’s betrayal and yet we still pay for his crime!” a second man speaks up.

“I’ll lose my business if they increase taxes. How will my family survive if we can’t even make a profit,” a woman calls out, sounding worried.

“How long before we can’t leave this Compound? Will we become prisoners in our own home?” a man yells, ignoring the rebuke from earlier. “If I can’t leave, I can’t trade my goods!”

“Please, calm yourselves,” Rukara speaks up and the voices die to a murmur again. “Tenu-san, you wish to speak.”

Uchiha Tenu looks towards her, her lined face carved with the signs of her grief, but her eyes are clear and her voice steady as she speaks up, “What say those who work closest with the Hokage?”

The crowd turns to Fugaku, Itachi and Shisui, all seated off to the side. Fugaku bows to Tenu, “Thank you, Tenu-sama,” he says. “I have spoken with the Hokage personally. These demands by the other clans only came about after recent events. He knows that they are trying to force his hand in their favor and he won’t allow it.”

“You mean they resent us because the Jinchuuriki has started to come here,” someone hisses.

“Perhaps, or more likely, our involvement with the fiasco with the Village Orphanage, but either way, it has only put our clan in to a better light. We were the ones to expose the Head Proctor’s misdeeds and we were the ones to step up and help look after our village’s Jinchuuriki when none of the other clans would. Already opinions have changed,” Fugaku assures.

Itachi speaks up, “The Hokage has assured that there will be no backlash from Naruto and Sasuke’s friendship, in spite of protests from other clan heads.”

The tense atmosphere eases as some of the tempers cool, but a voice speaks up, “Maybe we should take back what they took? We are a powerful clan, we could take control.”

The room goes silent, waiting with baited breath to see what is said to such a controversial plan. Shisui snorts, “And what, prove them right before they decimate our clan?” The man bristles. “We may be strong but it would be us against the might of the whole village. We wouldn’t stand a chance. You complain we are still paying for Madara’s crimes but still try and follow in his footsteps.”

The silence lingers, no one willing to look towards the man who spoke up. Kidashi speaks up, the elder letting his gaze sweep across the clan as he clears his throat, “For generations, our reaction to anything we perceived as a threat to the clan has been to react first and ask forgiveness later. But we must not forget: we are not just this clan. We represent this village as well. How we present ourselves to the world is how we will be treated. Will we prove them right by lashing out now? Or will we prove them wrong and show them to be at fault? You wish us to stop paying for Madara’s crime, then it is time we stopped acting like him.”

Slowly, a ripple of agreement goes through the crowd. “Thank you, Elder, for your wisdom,” Fugaku says with a low bow. “Have faith in the village and the Hokage.”

More murmurs of agreement before the gathered clan slowly filters out, leaving Itachi, Shisui and Fugaku by themselves. “That could have gone so wrong,” Shisui murmurs, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

“I will have to report this to the Hokage,” Itachi mutters, looking at Fugaku.

“I know. Hopefully, they will hold off on their anger long enough for change to take hold,” Fugaku says with a pained look before standing and leaving the two to close up the room.

~*~

Sarutobi surveys the three people before him, each handpicked by their clans. This whole mess with the Orphanage has been a slap in the face to wake him up to the fact that he’s been letting things slip by. The recent push by the other clans against the Uchiha is not a surprising reaction, nor Danzō’s approval of such measures. They say keep your friends close and your enemies closer and Danzō has been riding that line for years now and he’s not sure how much longer he can ignore the man’s actions.

Pushing his thoughts aside, he motions for the three to sit. “Thank you for coming,” he greets, looking over the three new Head Proctors of the Orphanage. He can readily admit his mistake at giving one person so much power over the children of the Orphanage. A lot of money is given to them for their upkeep and that is a lot of temptation and with few high enough to question them. Better to split it, so there are others to check each person’s actions and decisions.

Uchiha Tenu, Akimichi Nora, and Yamanaka Kenji all bow to him in greeting. “It has been a difficult time fixing the mess made of the Orphanage and I am glad you three have stepped up to help ensure the health and wellbeing of the children of the village. With your knowledge and skill sets, I am sure you will bring honor to yourselves and your respective clans in this endeavor.”

“Hokage-sama, are we to have respective duties?” Nora asks, the large woman sitting forward slightly. He dark auburn hair is just starting to shift to grey and her face is lined with laugh lines.

“That is ultimately for you three to decide. You each have your own skills and will find areas that you feel more comfortable in, but you will all have the same rank and power. For major decisions, it will require at least two of your say-sos before it can be enacted. As well, there will be regular monthly visits to ensure everything is running smoothly and to determine if anything more is needed done,” he explains.

“I assume you chose three retired shinobi for a reason?” Tenu speaks up, brow arched in question.

Sarutobi nods. “Many of the children are training to be shinobi. It is best that there are those who can help, in the case of…accidents. As well, should the village come under attack, I do not doubt you will do your best to protect your charges,” he adds.

“I for one am looking forward to this. Is there a file for what needs to be done?” Kenji asks with a grin, the heavily tanned and weathered face creasing in wrinkles.

Sarutobi laughs, “There are many files to go through, as well as reports on what can be salvaged and what needs to be replaced. You three will have your work cut out for you but I know you will rise to the task.”

They bow and see themselves out, heading towards the Orphanage to begin their work.

~*~

“What!” Sakura exclaims from her spot at the table the three of them are at. “You mean you’ve never been to a festival?”

Naruto rubs the back of his head, “Um…no.”

“But how come? They’re so much fun!” she says, not seeming to notice how uncomfortable she’s making him.

“Not everyone goes to festivals, Sakura-chan,” Mikoto chides her gently, seeing the mortified flush on Naruto’s cheeks. “But, that doesn’t mean you can’t go now,” she adds.

“What, but…but…I don’t have anything to wear,” he stammers out, looking hopeful but restrained.

“Is that all?” she asks with a smile. “Don’t worry, Naruto-kun, I will make sure you have the appropriate attire for the New Year’s Festival,” Mikoto assures, already making plans in her head.

“It’ll be fun,” Sasuke pipes in with a smile. “I usually go with Nii-san but I’m sure he won’t mind if I go with you two as well.”

“Of course he won’t,” Mikoto assures.

“Okay,” Naruto agrees, still looking unsure.

“Come by tomorrow afternoon and we’ll get you ready for the festival tomorrow night,” Mikoto says easily.

~*~

Naruto arrives feeling a little unsure and is greeted by Mikoto at the door. “Ah, right on time,” she says. “Come on, come on. Sasuke is already getting ready so we’ll get your things together.” She leads him by the shoulder towards the living area where a pile of folded clothe is resting. “These are for you.”

He reaches out and lifts the light clothe from the table, feeling the soft fabric as he takes in the sea blue color with darker blue swirls across it. A bright orange obi, similar in color to his usual orange clothes rests under it. “For me?” he asks, awestruck.

Mikoto nods encouragingly. “But, they’re too nice,” he insists, trying to put it back on the table.

Mikoto stops him, placing a hand over Naruto’s. “Naruto-kun, I bought this specifically for you so you will always have something nice to wear. I know things have not been easy for you, but as a mother, let me do this for you,” she insists with a sad smile.

Naruto sniffs, face screwing up as he tries to fight the tears. Mikoto simply smiles and pulls him close, letting the boy cry for something he’s never had: a mother’s attention. She’s sure Kushina would approve. Even if she can’t officially adopt the boy, she can help raise him as her best friend would want him raised.

Naruto pulls back a few minutes later a little more composed and sniffs, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now, head to Sasuke’s room and he’ll help show you how to wear it properly,” she says, pushing him gently by the shoulder towards Sasuke’s door. Nodding, he shuffles off, his yukata and obi clutched to his chest tightly.

About twenty minutes later, the two leave the room dressed in their yukatas: Naruto’s sea blue with an orange obi, Sasuke’s dark blue with a red obi, the Uchiha fan on his back. “My, don’t you two look handsome,” she says, stepping forward to tweak a few edges and adjust their obis to lie better.

They both flush a little but smile all the same. “Alright, you know the rules: stick together, don’t eat too much junk food and have fun. Be back after the fireworks. If it’s too late Naruto, you can sleep here tonight,” she adds.

“Thank you,” he says with a grin.

“Now, go on. I’m sure Sakura-chan is waiting for you. Tell her I said hi,” she says, shooing them to where their geta are waiting by the door. She slips a coin pouch to Sasuke who grins and then they run off in the diming light towards where the festivities are being held to meet up with Sakura.

~*~

“Sakura-chan!” Naruto calls out and Sakura looks up to see her two friends coming towards her. She waves as they near. “You look pretty, Sakura-chan,” Naruto adds as they get within talking range.

“Thank you, you two look nice as well,” she says, smoothing a hand over a pale pink yukata and dark green obi.

“Well, well, don’t we look nice tonight,” a voice says from behind them and they turn to see the Hokage walking up, flanked by two of his guards.

“Jiji!” Naruto shout, running up to hug the man who helped raise him.

“Hello, Naruto, are you having fun?” he asks.

“We were just about to head in,” he says with a nod.

“Well, don’t let me keep you from the festivities. I just wished to give you this,” he says and hands a small pouch of coins to him. “So you can buy you and your friends some treats,” he explains with a kind smile.

“Thanks, Jiji,” he says with a grin.

“Are you not coming, Hokage-sama?” Sakura asks nervously.

“Unfortunately, I can only stay for a little bit before I have to return to work. But you three go have fun. No need for an old man to get in your way,” he says with a laugh.

“Okay, bye Jiji,” Naruto says, grabbing Sasuke’s and Sakura’s hands and tugging them towards the brightly colored stalls and the smells of fried food. As they pass, Naruto’s guards pause to nod towards the Hokage before following from a distance.

~*~

“Whaa!” Naruto shouts as the paper net crumples and tears, the small fish jumping back into the water. Sakura and Sasuke laugh behind him and he sticks his tongue out.

“Come on kid, you’re going to run out of money at this rate,” the stall owner barks out, looking more indulgent than annoyed that Naruto has basically claimed the stall as he tries to catch a fish. Already a few have been forced to move on, unable to reach the stall because of their group.

“Hang on, hang on, one more time,” Naruto insists with a frown, holding out a coin for another round.

The man shrugs, taking it, “Your loss,” and hands him three more paper nets. Two are quickly broken and he growls in frustration.

“Naruto, wait for them to get closer to the surface,” Sakura advices from beside him, “Then you have to be quick.” He nods and waits, watching until one of the fish’s fins breaches the surface and lunges, quickly scooping the fish up, the paper net still holding.

“Yes!” he crows to claps from the stall owner who deftly grabs the fish and slips it into a plastic bag full of water for him to carry.

“Congrats, now scram, I’ve got other paying customers waiting,” he barks and they quickly shift to the side to let the ones behind them in.

“I’m going to name him Ko,” Naruto declares, holding the bag up to his face.

“Come on, let’s get something to eat,” Sakura says, and they run towards one of the fried food stalls. As the night wears on, they find different things to win at. Sakura wins a stuffed tiger toy at a trivia game while Sasuke gets a toy eagle at the ring toss. Naruto can’t remember being this happy.

They find Ino with Shikamaru and Chōji, also from their class and they hang out for a little bit before splitting to go do more games. The night slowly winds down around them, with the youngest children being herded off to home or towards open areas to watch the fireworks that are being set up.

“Where should we watch the fireworks?” Sasuke asks as they head down a mostly empty road, the stalls on either side slowly shutting down.

“Ino said she was going to the lake to watch, let’s head there,” Sakura says and the boys nod.

The street is quiet, the insects buzzing softly around them. It’s peaceful. In the distance, the first firework starts to rise into the sky and explodes in shining reds and golds. “Come on, we’re missing it,” Sakura says, rushing forward.

As they start to follow, Kurama shouts in Naruto’s head, “Stop, brat!”

Naruto skids to a stop, the other two noticing his sudden skid as he looks around. “What?” he asks, lowly.

Kurama isn’t sure though. For just a second there, he had felt a thin thread of hatred and rage so strong it had felt like a shot of adrenaline to his heart. “Don’t go that way,” he says, feeling for what caught his attention, but it’s gone.

“Naruto, come on!” Sakura says, rushing back to him to grab his arm and start pulling.

“Wait but, we can’t-,” he starts to say before the world goes dark and then nothing.

~*~

“—ruto.”

“Naruto.”

“Naruto!”

Naruto opens heavy eyes to see Sakura leaning over him, face worried and eyes filled with tears. “Sakura?”

“Are you okay?” she asks, helping him sit up.

“What happened?” he asks, mouth feeling slow as he tries to string words together.

“I…I don’t know. We were talking and then I woke up on the ground,” she says softly, sounding scared. “I can’t find Sasuke,” she whispers, lower lip trembling.

“What?” he asks, whirling around, looking for the dark blue of his friend’s yukata. They’re alone on the street, no one aware of what happened.

“Sasuke!” Naruto calls out, heart beating a mile a minute.

There’s no answer and he feels fear well up in his stomach, hands shaking. Kurama is silent inside him but he feels something, something big, building in his chest. “Kurama, where’s Sasuke?” he asks quietly.

“Someone took him,” he growls out, Kurama’s voice rumbling in his head like rocks down a mountainside.

There’s a spark, a roaring wave of heat through his body and then force erupts from him, whirling around in a blaze of heated wind and corrosive chakra. Sakura screams but thankfully doesn’t move as the eye of the storm circles them as the anger of Kurama is felt throughout the village.

~*~

Sarutobi is in his office when he feels it, like an explosion on the edge of his senses. He’s out of his office and bounding across the roofs before he even realizes he’s moved. He’s felt this chakra before and it can’t mean anything good.

~*~

They’re just returning from a village patrol, an easy job with nothing to tax them except a few drunks. All four of them freeze as an eruption of chakra in the village signals like a beacon on their senses. Itachi looks to his teammates, Shisui’s eyes wide with shock, Kakashi’s narrowing as he realizes what he’s feeling. Only Tenzo seems calm but even Itachi can see the tension in his face and shoulders. As one, they bound to the nearest roof and rush towards the source of the chakra.

~*~

Screams of terror reach his ears before he clears the last line of buildings and finds the epicenter of the swirling chakra. Heated wind slings leaves, branches, trash and, festivals decorations like missiles. Sarutobi ducks a broken branch, squinting against the stinging wind and dust to see the center of the storm.

He can just make out one figure in the center, hunched over. A second comes into view, pink hair bright in the darkness. He feels approaching chakra signatures and turns as Kakashi’s teams bounds up beside him, still wearing their masks. He can feel other shinobi herding terrified villagers away from the festival grounds.

“Kakashi, Itachi, with me. Shisui, sweep the area, make sure no one is attacking us,” he barks and Shisui is gone in a flash of green, “Tenzo, you’re on standby. If I can’t talk him down, we’ll need you to suppress the Kyuubi.” Tenzo nods, already gathering his chakra for Mokuton.

The three shinobi jump down, fighting against the wind that nearly drags them off course. He motions and the two behind him flank left and right. Sarutobi digs his feet in, pressing forward, against the howling wind and chakra, to get close enough to be heard. “Naruto!” he yells, hoping the boy isn’t too far gone. It doesn’t feel like the seal has broken but this isn’t good either.

A pale face looks towards him, blue eyes filled with tears, looking distraught. “Jiji,” he calls.

“Naruto, you must stop this,” Sarutobi calls.

“I…I can’t,” he says, looking afraid.

“You can, I know you can. Just calm yourself,” he soothes. “You don’t want to hurt your friend, or us, do you?” he asks.

Naruto looks at Sakura whose eyes are round and filled with tears as well. She grabs his hand, saying something they can’t hear. Slowly, the wind dies down until the air is still. The chakra fades and the Kyuubi is contained once more.

Sarutobi rushes forward to catch the teetering child before he collapses, eyes fluttering closed, tears spilling down his cheeks before he falls unconscious. Slowly, the others gather, looking around to survey the damage.

“He didn’t mean to,” Sakura insists, looking scared.

“I know, Sakura-san,” Sarutobi assures.

“Where is Sasuke?” Itachi asks, looking for his brother, worry knotting his stomach. Sakura look stricken. “Sakura-san, where is my brother?”

“I don’t know. When we woke up, he wasn’t here,” she whispers, more tears falling.

“Woke up?” Shisui asks, worry edging his voice.

“We…we were walking to the lake…to watch the fireworks. Na-Naruto stopped. He…he didn’t want to go that way and then we woke up on the ground. He…he got really scared and then that happened,” she gestures around her to the damage.

They’re silent as the realization of what has happened breaks on them. Kakashi grabs Itachi’s arm before he can rush off, Shisui jumping in as well, wrestling his cousin to a standstill. “Let me go!” he grits out.

“Enough!” Sarutobi orders, unleashing his chakra to catch their attention and hold it. “Itachi, Tenzo, you will escort Sakura-san and Naruto-kun to my office and guard them. No one but myself or your team may enter and will be charged with treason should they try and be punished accordingly. Kakashi, Shisui, locate Naruto’s guards, immediately!” The four hesitate, “That is an order!” Kakashi and Shisui bound to the rooftops and disappear from sight.

“Hokage-sama,” Itachi demands hotly.

“Did I stutter, Itachi-san?” he asks, command like steel in his voice.

Clenching his teeth in frustration, he holds out a hand to Sakura who eyes him nervously but eventually allows him to pick her up. Tenzo takes Naruto from Sarutobi. “I will be with you shortly,” he assures and they nod once sharply and take to the rooftops as well.

~*~

Sarutobi sighs in exhaustion and frustration as he climbs the stairs to his office. Already word has spread of Sasuke’s disappearance and Naruto’s slip up. He had been forced to inform the clan heads and the look on Fugaku’s and Mikoto’s faces had spoken of murder for whoever took their son.

Kakashi and Shisui have arrived before him, faces grim and he can already guess where this conversation is going to go. Itachi paces by the window like a caged animal, tension in every line of his body, while Tenzo watches over the sleeping Naruto; ready should the boy awaken and react poorly again.

“Report,” he barks as the door shuts firmly behind him.

“We could find no sign of Naruto’s guards. Either they are in on this and have turned traitor, or they are dead and disposed of somewhere. I sent out orders to keep searching further for them but there is still no sign of them,” Kakashi informs him, looking pained at the thought of a member of Konoha going rogue, but…it wouldn’t be the first time.

Sarutobi walks over to Sakura who looks half asleep in one of his chairs. “How are we doing Sakura-san?” he asks kindly.

“I’m okay,” she whispers, eyes glancing in Naruto’s direction. “Is Naruto in trouble?” she asks.

“No, he’s not in trouble,” Sarutobi assures the child. “I have informed your parents of what has happened and they will be here soon to pick you up.”

“I…okay,” she says, smothering a yawn behind her hand.

They all turn as a faint groan comes from Naruto, the boy shifting in his sleep before eyes slowly open, staring unseeing up at the ceiling. In a flash, Naruto sits up, looking around to see them all staring at him, eyes lingering on the masked individuals. “Jiji!” Naruto cries when he finally spots him, rushing towards the man to clutch at his robes.

“Naruto,” Sarutobi soothes, holding the boy tight.

“I’m sorry, Jiji,” he cries. “We didn’t mean to.”

“I know, Naruto,” he assures.

“Don’t be mad at him,” he asks, shoulder shaking.

“Him?” he asks softly, a nagging suspicion worms into his mind that he doesn’t like the sound of that.

Naruto nods, “Kurama,” he whispers. Kakashi sucks in a sharp breath as Shisui and Itachi exchange glances.

Sarutobi takes a breath and pushes Naruto back a step, a small, fisted hand coming up to wipe at his streaming eyes. “Naruto, who is Kurama?” he asks.

“He…,” he hiccups, “He’s my friend.”

Sarutobi has to brace himself, “Naruto, do you know what Kurama is?” he asks, voice sounding faint even to his ears.

Slowly, Naruto nods. “He…he told me he’s the Kyuubi,” he says, eyes wide.

Sarutobi feels dread rise in his chest at those words. “How long has he been talking to you?” he asks softly, trying to keep his voice even. This isn’t good if the beast is talking to him.

“A few months, since before I met Sasuke,” he admits.

Sarutobi sighs to release some of the tension in his shoulders, “Has he ever asked you to do anything? Anything bad or that you didn’t want to do?” he asks, needing to know how far this has gone.

“No,” Naruto insists. “He only said to do something twice.”

“What was that?” he asks, dreading the answer.

“Umm…” he rubs the back of his head. “That I should ask Sasuke and Sakura if they wanted to play,” he admits, looking down.

There’s a snort behind them that breaks some of the tension in the room but he doesn’t look to see who did it, though one would assume it is Shisui. “That’s it?”

Naruto nods, looking up. “I know what he did, Jiji. He told me. He never kept it secret from me,” he says, accusing eyes glaring up at him. “He’s never lied to me!” he says with heat.

“Naruto,” he sighs. “I just wanted you to live a normal life,” he says gently.

Naruto frowns and looks away, moving away from the man. Sighing again, Sarutobi straightens. “You’ll be staying here until we can figure out who took Sasuke,” he says, deciding to let the boy calm down before trying to talk with him again and explain himself. “You four will remain here and protect him,” they nod and move to different corners of the room.

~*~

Naruto sulks in one of the chairs but stops when Sakura comes closer. “I’m sorry, Sakura-chan,” he says softly.

“It’s okay. That was Kurama?” she asks, sounding awed. He nods sheepishly. “I thought he was imaginary,” she admits with a small smile. Slowly, she grips his hand, “I’m not afraid of him or you,” she assures, voice firm.

“Thank you,” Naruto says, hugging her, ignoring the adults in the room for now.

A knock at the door has them pulling apart as Shisui opens it to admit Sakura’s parents. “Sakura!” Mebuki cries, rushing to pick up her daughter. “You had me so worried,” she says.

“Is she alright?” Kizashi asks the Hokage.

“She’s alright, just tired and a little shaken up. A good night’s sleep will help,” he assures the worried parents.

“Thank you,” Mebuki says with a slight bow, her husband copying. “We’ll be going.”

“Bye, Naruto-kun,” Sakura calls and Naruto waves before the door shuts and he’s left alone. Turning around, he curls into the chair, closing his eyes and letting himself drift to their shared space.

“Kurama, do you know where Sasuke is?” he asks the fox, staring at his large friend.

The fox, for once, looks unsure. “No,” he admits, anger rumbling in his voice. “But I will find the slimy bastard who did,” he assures.

Kurama lowers himself to look at Naruto. “Brat, will you do something for me?” he asks.

“Of course,” Naruto assures.

“Will you let me talk with them?” he asks.

“Can you do that?” Naruto asks, more curious than scared.

“Yes, but only if you allow me. You must trust that I won’t do anything while in control,” he says, face serious. “I promise that I will never willingly hurt you.”

“Okay, Kurama. I trust you,” he says and grins at the fox.

~*~

“Hokage-sama!” Tenzo warns as the pressure in the room suddenly increases, the feel of the fox oozing slowly into the room.

“Wait,” Sarutobi barks, watching the curled form of Naruto slowly shift and unfurl. Slowly, the face turns and bright, red eyes peer at them from Naruto’s face.

“I should feel honored. So much security for one trapped fox,” Kurama speaks up with Naruto’s voice.

“Where is Naruto?” Kakashi demands, pulling his mask off to reveal his Sharingan.

“Peace, Hatake, the boy is safe. He is letting me speak with you. Unlike some people in this room, I actually talk to the boy and ask before doing things for his own benefit,” Kurama sneers, glancing at Kakashi and the Hokage. “Were you ever going to tell him about Kushina and Minato, or leave the boy in ignorance all his life?”

“You do not get to say their names!” Kakashi hisses, striding forward. “They are dead because of you!”

“Kakashi!” Sarutobi snaps, bringing the young man up short. With a glare, he steps back, replacing his mask.

Kurama huffs a laugh. “You lot, you preach so much about seeing underneath the underneath or however that stupid saying goes but you really are blind, aren’t you?”

“You seem to have a different perspective on that night,” Sarutobi speaks up before anyone can fall for his goading.

“I may have been the blunt instrument, but I was not the one wielding me that night. Minato and Kushina knew it. Why do you think they sealed me instead of driving me away? Someone wanted to use me, to make a statement. Your dirty pasts have come back to haunt you,” he sneers. “You lot call me a monster, but I was made this way. What’s your excuse?”

Shisui speaks up, “Only one person has ever had the ability to control you, Kyuubi-san.” Kurama just arches a brow and remains silent. “Are you saying that Madara, who has been dead for generations, took control of you?”

“I wouldn’t say it was Madara but he certainly called himself that,” he shrugs.

“Kyuubi-san,” Itachi speaks up, removing his own mask and he turns to look at the man. “Where is my brother?”

“I don’t know,” he admits, face looking pinched. “But someone was there. I felt them. Anger and rage clenched in an iron fist. I only felt a trace of it, but before I could locate them, they knocked the three of them out. Whoever did this knew they were dealing with me.”

Itachi nods, “Hokage-sama, I request permission to start looking for my brother.”

“Granted,” Sarutobi says with a tired sigh and Itachi bows, placing his mask back on and slips from the room.

Kurama laughs, “I can already guess who took the boy. How long will you blind yourself to him?” Before anyone can ask who, the red fades from Naruto’s eyes and he blinks at them in confusion. “He didn’t say anything mean, did he?” he asks nervously.

“No, Naruto, he didn’t,” Sarutobi assures, dread pooling in his chest at just who the Kyuubi implicated. Tenzo doesn’t look his way, too busy focusing on Naruto but Kakashi and Shisui trade looks with each other and glance at him. They don’t say anything but he knows they are thinking it.

‘Danzō,’ he thinks with a heavy heart.

Chapter Text

Revelation: noun; the making known of something that was previously secret or unknown.

By late afternoon the next day, there is no sign of Sasuke, or Naruto’s missing guards. Itachi and Shisui are called back to the Uchiha Compound, leaving Kakashi and Tenzo to watch over Naruto while the Hokage is seeing to matters elsewhere.

Three more days go by with no sign and Naruto is finally moved back to his apartment, though he’s not allowed to leave, with the two ANBU keeping watch across the street. The village is on alert, with no one allowed in or out without a thorough check.

Naruto is bored and worried, not a good combination. “Brat, I need to speak with you,” Kurama calls and Naruto closes his eyes, sinking into his mind.

“Kurama!” he calls, hugging the fox’s foreleg.

“Still no sign of Sasuke then,” he says though he already knows this.

“No,” Naruto says in a subdued voice, letting go to sit beside the fox’s foot. “Is there any way to find him?” he asks quietly.

“I don’t know,” Kurama admits. This would be so much easier with a fully grown Naruto and Sage mode. He pauses, considering that line of thought. “Maybe there’s a way, but it’s risky.”

“What!” Naruto jumps up, expression frantic. “How?”

“It’s hard to explain, but…everyone who uses Chakra has a feel…a flavor to them. It’s how most shinobi tell friend from foe, even if they can’t see them,” he explains and Naruto nods. “Not everyone can do this and few can feel very far unless it’s a lot of chakra.”

“Okay, so how do we feel Sasuke’s chakra from here?” he asks.

“Most people think chakra is just inside us, but there is natural chakra all around us, brat. If you can learn to tap into that chakra, we can use it to extend your range to sense for Sasuke. Most things meant to block out chakra rarely take into account natural chakra. But…it’s risky, very risky. This is meant for strong shinobi, Jounin and Hokage level risk. You could really hurt yourself doing this,” he warns.

“If it means finding Sasuke, then I’ll risk it,” he says with a glare.

“Why did I expect anything different,” he mutters. “Alright, this will require both of us. I will control most of the chakra, you need to feel for Sasuke,” he presses the impression of Sasuke’s chakra onto Naruto, letting him absorb the feel of it. “Got it?” he asks and Naruto nods.

“Alright, get settled in the real world,” he orders and Naruto does, opening his eyes and glancing towards the window where the sun is starting to set. Feeling Kurama’s pushing, he sits on the floor in a clear spot.

“Close your eyes,” he commands and Naruto complies. “Feel for your chakra,” he says and helps the boy learn the feel for his own chakra better.

“This is cool,” Naruto mutters.

“Focus, brat!” Kurama snaps and Naruto straightens. “Feel around you, the ebb and flow of the natural chakra all around. It knows you, it will respond.” Here’s to hoping that the body will remember what the mind has forgotten. “Breathe, brat, slowly, in and out.”

Slowly, Naruto stills, mind slipping into the calmness of the world around him, like he never forgot. Hours go by without either aware of the passing of time as Kurama coaches him along. Slowly, specks at a time, the natural chakra moves, drawn to Naruto’s pull.

“Easy now, not too fast,” Kurama murmurs, gripping the natural chakra easily. He is a being of pure chakra, this is simple to him, and pulls it in, spooling it like a ball of thread, building it up.

Kurama struggles to contain the chakra. Naruto’s chakra pathways are more developed than the average Academy student, due to being a Jinchuuriki, but even this is too much for such a young body. Kurama bears down and grits his teeth as he feels the chakra shift and mold how he wants it to.

“Kurama?” Naruto asks nervously, feeling the shift in his perception, able to feel so much more suddenly. Kurama can feel it to, the heavy static of so many chakra sources in the village, some just specks of light, others like stars burning in their mind.

“Focus, brat. Feel for him. He’s there, waiting for you to find him. I know you can do it,” he says and Naruto nods, clenching his small hands into fists before taking a breath and feeling out.

Time crawls as they spread out a bit at a time, feeling for anything that feels like Sasuke. If he’s still in the village, and Kurama would bet one of his own tails that he is, then they should be able to feel him.

Then suddenly, they feel it, faintly, a small blip in their senses. He’s far from them, clear on the other side of the village. “We need to move brat. I don’t know how long we can maintain this. We need to get as close as possible.”

Naruto nods and stands shakily, limbs feeling so strong and yet so heavy. Kurama sends a pulse of his own chakra through the boy’s body, healing the strain as best he can. They move together to the window, opening it and stepping out onto the balcony.

Ignoring the shout of the shinobi watching them, Naruto jumps from his third floor apartment and lands with a roll, up and moving faster than he’s ever run, following the faint star in his mind, following Sasuke’s chakra.

~*~

“Hokage-sama,” Funie calls, rushing into his office. “It’s Naruto, he’s left his apartment, the shinobi watching over him are following.”

Sarutobi sighs and stands, opening his window to quickly rush to the Administration Building’s roof. Sensing out, he can sense the approach of Naruto and frowns at how much more of his chakra there is, more than the boy should rightly be able to command at his age. He feels others closing in on the boy who seems to be making a b-line straight towards Administration and the Monument behind it.

A blur of orange rushes down the street, faster than he’s ever seen the boy run and he can make out the two ANBU hot on his tail. He’s just about to jump down and stop the boy when Naruto pauses at the base of the monument.

The ANBU are nearly on him when the boy bounds up, scrabbling up the monument with quick jumps and Sarutobi follows, feeling the ANBU behind him, recognizing Kakashi and Tenzo’s chakra racing up the monument as well.

At the top, they expect the boy to be gone but he’s just standing there, chest heaving from the run.

“Naruto, what is the meaning of this?” he demands, patience frayed after the last three days dealing with the clans’ demands.

He turns and Sarutobi blinks as he takes in the bright orange rings around Naruto’s eyes, his pupils strangely shaped. Naruto grins, “Jiji, I feel him!” he cries.

“Who, Naruto?” he asks.

“Sasuke, he’s here, down there,” he says and points down to the rock beneath his feet.

“What?” he asks, but the boy falters, swaying, and sweat dripping down his brow. Just before he collapses, there’s a flash of red in his eyes and he mutters, “Tunnels,” before he collapses to the ground, unconscious.

“What was that about?” Kakashi demands, pulling his mask off.

“Tenzo?” he asks the man who also removes his mask.

“I only felt the Kyuubi at the last second. Whatever that was, it was not the Kyuubi,” he admits, stepping forward to turn the boy over. “Hokage, he should probably go to the hospital, just in case.”

“Take him than,” he orders and Tenzo nods before bounding with his burden towards the hospital. “What did Naruto mean that Sasuke is here?” he asks aloud.

“The Kyuubi said tunnels, perhaps secret tunnels even you don’t know of Hokage-sama,” Kakashi says blandly.

“Find Shisui and Itachi. If there are secrets here I am not aware of, then it’s time I learned them. Genma, Raidou,” he calls and his two guards appear in a bound. “You will accompany them. I give you permission to kill any who stand in your way and bring me any information you find, but the primary objective is to locate and retrieve Sasuke.” The three salute and disappear in a whirl of leaves.

~*~

It takes Kakashi’s ninken sniffing it out to locate the hidden entrance located deep in the trees behind the monument. Hyuuga Hiashi stands braced, Byakugan activated as he scans the entrance. It’s sheer luck that Hiashi was in Administration when everything happened, the Hyuuga Clan head offering his services to help aid in the search for Sasuke.

“I see multiple concealment genjutsu on the entrance, as well as three traps. Two will incapacitate whoever trips them; one appears to lead deeper into the tunnels, an alarm most likely. I do not see anyone within my range in the tunnel but it does split in two fifty meters in,” Hiashi explains softly, eyes roving across the forest floor.

Kakashi turns to Tenzo, “Root?” he asks, recalling their shared time in the program.

Tenzo frowns, looking pained, “More than likely,” he admits.

“Find us a way through, Hiashi-sama,” Kakashi orders, the lead on this mission as Itachi and Shisui keep an eye on their surroundings while Genma and Raidou perch high in the trees further away, sentries to alert if anyone approaches.

It takes ten painstakingly long minutes to navigate and dismantle the minefield of the tunnel entrance. Genma and Raidou nod at them and take up positions in front of the tunnel. They will keep anyone from coming up behind them and stop any who try to escape.

Hiashi takes lead, Byakugan finding their path. At the junction they pause. Hiashi shakes his head softly, “They go on too far to see more than just tunnel but one leads up and the other down,” he informs them.

“Split up?” Shisui asks.

“I hate to, but we’ll cover more ground that way. Shisui, Tenzo, follow the upward path; Pakkun will be your nose. Itachi, Hiashi-sama, we head down,” Kakashi orders. “Stay safe,” he says softly and they all nod before breaking apart and disappearing down their respective branches.

“We are nearing some larger spaces,” Hiashi warns and they slow, listening for anyone approaching but the tunnels remain silent. The first room they come upon appears empty and seems to be storage, crates of supplies, with Konoha’s symbol on them, line the walls.

“Someone’s been raiding our supplies,” Kakashi murmurs, knowing these to be from ANBU’s supplies.

“It is all dried and freeze dried food, no weapons, only things meant for travel and long missions,” Hiashi says, eyes looking through the crates.

“Let’s keep going,” Kakashi says softly.

“I see three figures in the next room,” Hiashi warns softly.

The next room is large, lit by florescent lights and appears to be a training room. “There are enough supplies here to arm a small army,” Itachi observes.

Kakashi starts to turn, pretending the Root shinobi aren’t there. “Keep go-,” he jerks down as two kunai streak past over his head. Three figures emerge from the shadowed corners of the room. “So much for surprise,” Kakashi mutters before rushing them, Itachi and Hiashi following.

~*~

“Pakkun-san,” Tenzo asks as they pause at another fork.

“The left smells fresher, probably another exit; the right keeps going and smells like hard water, an underground water supply,” he guesses.

“Easier to have your own water supply rather than having it piped in. No one to ask where the pipes are going,” Shisui mutters, Sharingan activated and flicking over every surface of the tunnels. “These tracks seem fresher,” he points towards the right that leads to water, partial tracks in the dust of the tunnel floor.

Tenzo touches the ground and sends a pulse of Mokuton through the rock, feeling through the roots in the earth. “I do sense a water source there, a river. Probably connects to the Naka.”

“Another exit, if you feel like chancing it,” Shisui adds before they slip down the right tunnel and keep moving.

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” Pakkun mutters and takes point, nose to the ground.

~*~

The last Root member crumples to the ground, the heavy impact of an elbow to their temple knocking them out. Itachi straightens, listening for any approaching footsteps, Hiashi straining his eyes to see if anyone is coming.

When no one comes to investigate the nearly silent fight, they sigh in relief. “Hiashi-sama, could you block these two as well? I’d rather not have them at our backs,” Kakashi asks and Hiashi nods, quickly blocking their chakra points.

“They will not be able to move easily nor use their chakra for a few hours at least. Long enough to complete our mission,” he offers and Kakashi nods, he and Itachi quickly binding their hands and feet with ninja wire before they leave the room, the bodies stashed in the corner.

They’re getting deeper and if Itachi had to guess where they are, he’d guess they’ve entered under the monument, the stone around them changing slightly to that seen in the monument itself. Hiashi pauses, “I see three rooms ahead. The closest has four enemies. Three appear to be asleep, the fourth is awake. Barracks, most likely.” He pauses, examining the next room. “The next closest has two enemies, awake. The last is hard to see through. There might be someone inside, but it is too heavily shielded to see into the room.”

“If we can take out the sleeping Root, we’ll stand a greater chance,” Itachi says.

“Good plan, no chakra until absolutely necessary,” he orders, and they stealth up through the tunnel, hoping to surprise the sleeping shinobi.

~*~

“Stop,” Pakkun calls as they cross a wooden bridge over the deafening rush of water below them. They can’t hear a thing over the noise of the river but that means they can’t be heard either. They’re reliant on Pakkun’s nose.

“What’s ahead?” Tenzo asks.

“Five scents, one smells familiar, but not enough to remember,” he says.

Shisui groans quietly. “What do you wanna bet it’s who I think it is?” he asks Tenzo who has a pained grimace on his face. “You going to be okay with this?” he asks.

“I’ll be fine. Kakashi-sempai knew we would have to cross this bridge,” he rolls his eyes as Shisui snickers, “when we came to it. I am prepared.”

“Good, because I have a few things I want to say to Danzō-sama and all of them involve sharp, pointy objects,” Shisui growls lowly and they slip down the tunnel silently.

~*~

Kakashi grunts under the heavy impact of katana, his tanto holding. Kicking out, he forces the Root ninja back before surging forward, hands flashing in quick seals before touching the man’s bare flesh at his neck. A seal blooms on his skin and his eyes roll up in his head and he collapses.

He doesn’t have time to rest on his laurels, flipping over three kunai that would have severed his spine and lands on the other side of the room, tanto flicking out to parry two more shuriken that follow.

A quick glance shows Hiashi facing two Root by himself, the man holding them off with ease as he slowly breaks their defenses and blocks their pathways. Itachi is up against one, his first already down, deep under a genjutsu, not moving.

Jerking back to his own fight, he slides under a trio of senbon, his Sharingan spying the poison coating their edges before he rushes forward. He bites his thumb and rushing through seals, places the hand on the ground. His ninken spring from the ground around his opponent, latching on to his body and immobilizing him long enough for Kakashi to land a heavy blow to the back of his neck, knocking him out.

A beautifully elegant series of blows to both of Hiashi’s opponents and they crumple, unconscious and barely breathing, the Hyuuga looking unruffled, though he is breathing heavy. Itachi’s last opponent falls as well, unconscious. As before, they quickly truss them up, Hiashi blocking their chakra pathways.

“This seems like too few,” Itachi observes.

“We don’t know how many are out of the village on missions. And I’m sure some are mingling with the village acting as eyes and ears,” Kakashi explains, thanking his ninken before dismissing them.

As they investigate the second room, it also appears to be a bunk room, empty currently. At the end of the tunnel, they find a heavy metal door, barred and locked, a heavy seal drawn across it. “This seems like a bit much,” Hiashi murmurers, eyes tracing over it, “The seal dampens chakra signatures. You can’t find what you can’t sense.”

“Well, let’s get to work opening this,” Kakashi says and they nod.

It’s almost too easy to open, but then, one would assume they never expected someone find their tunnel entrance, let alone to reach this far unhindered. Inside, are rows of cells and only one is currently occupied, the child’s small form dwarfed by the large cell.

“Sasuke,” Itachi hisses, darting towards the cell. It takes moments to pick the lock and then he is through, kneeling beside his brother.

“He is under some sort of a sleep jutsu, probably to keep him complacent,” Hiashi speaks up, examining the boy. “I don’t see anything physically wrong with him beside that.”

The stone around them rocks, dust raining down as the sharp feel of chakra rises in the distance. “That sounds like trouble,” Kakashi murmurs. “Itachi, take Sasuke and go,” he orders. Itachi hesitates, “Go, we’ll back up Shisui and Tenzo.” With a pinched expression and a quick nod, he gathers his brother up and rushes from the room, Kakashi and Hiashi leading the way.

They split at the fork, Itachi heading towards the exit while they turn in to go deeper. With a grimace, they run, prioritizing speed over stealth.

~*~

They creep closer, listening to the sounds of training. “Again,” a voice barks out and they recognize Shimura Danzō’s voice, even when it bounces off the tunnel walls.

“Anything?” Shisui asks, barely even a whisper.

“Two smell like children,” Pakkun murmurs.

There’s a whistle of a weapon and they bound back as Pakkun disappears in a puff of smoke, dismissing himself before a kunai embeds into the stone where he had stood. “I know you are there, come out,” Danzō calls and Shisui curses, sharing a look with Tenzo before stepping into the cavernous room ahead.

Danzō stands in the center of the room, flanked by two children, one a pale blonde boy, the other a dark haired boy. Behind them, two more Root stand at the ready, weapons drawn. “Ah, Tenzo-san and Shisui-san, to what do I owe the pleasure,” he asks conversationally.

“Do we really need to explain ourselves?” Shisui asks, sounding bored, though he’s tensed to move.

“No, I guess we don’t. How you learned of this place is unimportant at the moment, but you won’t leave here alive and I’ll get my answers one way or another. And I’ll get those fascinating eyes of yours as well, Shisui-san. A good day, if I say so myself,” he demurs and signals for the two Root to spring forward, four more rushing in from deeper down the opposite tunnel.

Shisui triggers a shunshin, Sharingan barely able to follow his path before his tanto clashes with two kunai, the two boys springing to defend Danzō. “Hiding behind children, huh? Guess that shows how much of a coward you still are,” Shisui sneers, springing back before the boys can attack.

“Not a coward, just pragmatic. My work is not complete and until it is, the roots of this village will protect me as I strive to strengthen Konoha against all her enemies,” he says, waving and the boys follow Shisui to attack.

Ducking a slash, “Please, you’re a coward, hiding in the shadows. Bet is infuriates you that Sarutobi-sama is able to stand so freely in the sun while you crawl like a pale worm down here. You know what he will do with you once he has the truth. There will be no hiding from his wrath,” Shisui hisses, jumping away from one strike and parrying another. A flick of his leg and the blonde boy falls back with a cry from the kick. “I won’t hold back just because you’re children, so get out of my way!”

He springs back as the cave around them suddenly shakes; rocks and dust raining down. A glance shows roots snaking from the ceiling, called by Tenzo who is being overwhelmed. He glances back and Danzō is gone. With a curse, he shunshins to Tenzo’s side, quickly taking down a woman aiming for his back.

“Danzō escaped,” he says in a huff, blowing out a stream of fire to push the enemy back and give them a moment to breath.

“Retreat?” Tenzo asks.

Shisui glances and sees the blonde boy struggling to lift a large stone from the brunette boy’s trapped leg, “Ugh, why am I so soft!” and shunshins to the boy, gripping the rock and shoving it off. “Choose, in or out?” he demands.

The boys look at each other and then the blonde speaks up, “Out,” he says quietly. Nodding, Shisui hefts the injured boy.

“Keep up,” he warns him and rushes towards Tenzo. “Let’s go!” he calls and Tenzo nods, sending up a wall of stone to block an attack before bringing up their rear.

They find Kakashi and Hiashi a few seconds later. “What happened?” Kakashi demands.

“All good. Danzō escaped but we made some new friends,” Shisui says with a grin as they rush down the tunnel. The injured boy stares at Kakashi with emotionless eyes from over Shisui’s shoulder.

“Did you collapse the roof?” he demands, brushing rock and dust off his shoulder.

“Talk to him. Someone got a little too happy pulling roots down here,” Shisui accuses with a glare.

“A minor miscalculation,” Tenzo assures with a grimace, recalling Kakashi’s past.

“Just…remember next time,” is all he says.

“Sasuke?” Shisui asks.

“Itachi has him,” Kakashi tells them as they rush for the exit, light leading the way.

Genma and Raidou pause their attacks upon seeing who it is. “Who was making all that racket?” Genma asks with a lazy grin, senbon clicking in his mouth.

“Tenzo,” Shisui says with a grin, making the Mokuton user grimace.

“Who are you two?” Genma asks, looking at the two boys.

“I’m Shin, that’s Sai. We’re brothers,” the blonde says with a wary look.

“Danzō was training them,” Tenzo explains.

“Come on, Hokage-sama is waiting for us,” Raidou speaks up, keeping an eye on their surroundings. “Itachi already went to meet him first.” They take off through the trees, eyes and ears peeled for attacks all the way back to the village proper.

Chapter Text

Ameliorate: verb; make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better.

Itachi pauses only long enough for Genma and Raidou to recognize him before he continues to run back to the village. His Sharingan whirl as he searches for any signs of movement, any threats to his precious cargo. Sasuke lies in his arms, so still that at first he had thought his brother dead.

Even physically confirming him to be breathing doesn’t help though. Sasuke has never been a peaceful sleeper, always tossing and turning in his sleep, blankets ending bunched up on the floor half of the time. The few times they shared a futon, Itachi was woken multiple times by his brother kicking him in his sleep. To see him so still is wrong.

The moment he enters the hospital, he’s already calling out, “I need someone now.” Medics flow around him, taking his brother and laying him on a gurney and moving him to a room, pushing Itachi out of the way as he follows them as they examine the boy. His heart in his throat, he slinks to the side of the room, unable to look away from his brother’s face for even a moment.

He flinches when a hand touches his shoulder and barely manages to contain his first reaction to go for a kunai as he realizes the person standing next to him is a friend, not an enemy. The Sandaime looks tired, like the confirmation of Sasuke’s appearance is enough to break what time and war hasn’t.

“How is he?” he asks quietly as the frantic nature of the medics diminishes as they confirm what was already known, there are no injuries on his brother, not physical anyways.

The last medic standing in the room is bent over his brother, carefully inserting an IV needle into his brother’s hand before taping it down and straightening and turning to answer the question. “Healthy, Hokage-sama,” he says with a wane smile.

“Why is he still asleep then?” Itachi demands.

“We have determined that your brother is under a Suppression jutsu. Similar to the Sleep jutsu used in combat and the Anesthesia jutsu we use at the hospital, it places whoever it is used on into a coma like state,” he explains easily. “This allows for transporting a body without them waking up from external stimulation and can last for long periods of time without wearing off. However, there can be side effects, the longer they are under the jutsu’s sway.”

The Hokage motions for him to continue. “Coming out of this jutsu is hard and disorienting. I wished to keep his stress reduced by having it be less crowded in here and having a familiar face there when he wakes up,” he explains, motioning for Itachi to step closer.

Nodding, he walks over to stand by his brother’s head, gently gripping the hand with the IV and waits for the medic. “Now, be warned, there will be disorientation and grogginess and possibly some lessened motor control, but that should fade quickly.” Itachi nods and watches as the man makes four quick signs and then places his hand on Sasuke’s brow, green chakra glowing around his hand before fading. He steps back and they wait.

Seconds crawl by like years, but slowly, faint twitches are seen around Sasuke’s eyes as he fights the lingering drag of the jutsu. Finally, eyelids crack open and a dazed gaze peeks out. “Nii-san?” he asks weakly, swallowing a little before flicking his eyes around, trying to figure out where he is.

“Sasuke,” he says softly, drawing his brother’s gaze back.

“Where am I?” he asks with a frown.

“You’re in the hospital. You’ve been asleep for a few days,” Itachi says easily.

“Am I sick?” he asks, frowning harder.

“No, nothing like that, I promise,” he assures and the frown clears up.

“Sasuke-kun,” the medic calls, drawing his attention. “I’m Dr. Takenshi. How are you feeling?” he asks quietly.

Sasuke frowns, trying to find a word to describe just how he feels before finally saying, “I feel bleh.”

Takenshi smiles kindly, “That is a pretty good description, I’m sure. Are you hurting anywhere?” he asks and Sasuke shakes his head. “Thirsty and hungry, I’m betting?” and he nods.

“Good, good, I’ll go see about getting you something to eat and drink. How do miso soup and some apple juice sound?” he asks and Sasuke nods. “Alright, I’ll be back.

The Sandaime grabs his arm as he passes. “Is he okay for questioning?” he asks softly.

Takenshi nods, “He should be okay, but from the dehydration and hunger on top of the disorientation, my guess is he’s been under the jutsu this whole time and won’t have much to say.”

The Hokage nods in thanks, letting him pass as the medic waves cheerily to Sasuke before closing the door behind himself. Itachi eyes the Hokage as he approaches but doesn’t say anything, just grips his brother’s hand.

“Hello, Sasuke-kun, I’m glad you are all right,” he says easily.

“Thank you,” he murmurs.

“If it’s alright with you, I need to ask a few questions,” he says and Sasuke frowns but nods. “What do you remember last?” he asks.

Sasuke frowns, thinking back, “Um, the festival with Sakura and Naruto,” he says hesitantly and the Hokage nods for him to continue. “We…we were going to go see the fireworks…but…but Naruto stopped. I…I don’t remember anything after that.” He looks at his brother worriedly.

“All is well. So between that moment and now, nothing?” he presses.

“No…did something happen? Are Sakura and Naruto okay?” he asks looking around frantically.

“They are both fine, otouto,” Itachi assures him, sending the Hokage a look to stop and he nods.

“But…what’s wrong?” he asks.

Itachi sighs and reaches out to grab the chair near the bed and pulling it close to sit. “You…you were taken, Sasuke,” he explains quietly. “That night, they knocked the three of you out and took you.”

“What?” he asks confused.

“We don’t know why yet but we know you’ve been asleep for the last three days. I found you and brought you back here,” he explains.

The Hokage speaks up, “Actually, it was Naruto who helped us find you. He never gave up,” and he motions to the other occupant of the room, Itachi looking surprised he missed seeing him. Naruto is sound asleep still, in spite of all the commotion.

“Is he okay?” Sasuke demands as he lifts his head up to see his friend.

“Yes, he’s just really tired, is all,” Itachi assures, though he’s not sure if that’s true or not. A glance at the Hokage and the man confirms with a hesitant nod, though he looks grim as he does it.

“Where are mother and father?” he asks, settling back on the bed.

“Not here. I brought you here first but as soon as I can, I’ll send someone to fetch them, I promise,” Itachi assures and Sasuke nods.

“Here we are,” Takenshi calls a few minutes later with a tray of food and drink. “Just as I promised: a bowl of delicious miso soup and some nice cold apple juice. Just what the doctor ordered,” he jokes and Sasuke grins faintly. “Now, take it slowly. We don’t want an upset stomach.”

Itachi steps back as the man helps settle Sasuke up so he can eat and turns to the Hokage now that the crisis is passed. They step a little further away to talk. “Kakashi and the others?” he asks.

“There was a complication. I was ordered out ahead to complete our main goal while Kakashi and Hiashi-sama went to back up Tenzo and Shisui,” he reports.

“What did you find?” he asks, impassively.

“Our team found large food stores taken from ANBU stores and enough weapons to supply a small army if they wished. As well, Sasuke was in a room that was designed to suppress chakra and hide it. Hiashi-sama couldn’t even see through it,” Itachi explains with a frown.

“Any sign of Danzō?” he asks softly.

“We didn’t encounter him, only Root shinobi, but I can’t say for sure what the other two encountered,” he says.

Sarutobi sighs softly, resigned by the news. “Hokage-sama, is Naruto really okay?” he asks, eyeing the boy.

“It’s…complicated. We’re waiting for now to see if he heals or if the healers will have to step in to help him,” he says softly, looking pained.

Itachi just nods, unsure of just what to say to him. He knows the Sandaime has a soft spot for the boy, helped raise him. This has got to be hard.

“Thank you, Itachi-san. Best get back to Sasuke. I will send word to Fugaku and Mikoto to come here,” he assures and Itachi bows as he steps out of the room. Slipping back to his brother’s side, he finally allows the tension of three days to slide away.

~*~

Kakashi changes course halfway to Administration, deciding to meet up with Itachi rather than the Hokage, mainly because he doubts the Hokage is unaware of Itachi’s arrival and destination and is most likely already at the hospital waiting for their return.

He’s not very surprised when they round the corner of the building to see him waiting, eyes unerringly falling in their direction. They slow as they approach, the Hokage’s eyes roving over their appearances and their new additions.

“I seem to recall there being less of you. I know I asked for physical evidence but this is a bit far,” he jokes, though it doesn’t reach his eyes, the weight of their return leaving him with a hard task.

“Yes, well, we always aim to please, Hokage-sama,” he says with a knowing look towards the hospital, wanting to get out of public where anyone could be spying on them.

“Ah, forgive me, that must be painful, let’s get you inside so the medics can look it over,” he says, spying the child’s hurt leg.

“I can stand it,” he says simply without batting an eye.

“So I can see,” he says and leads the way back into the hospital. “Ah, Takenshi-san, might we borrow you for another case?” he calls, spying the medic from before.

“Of course, Hokage-sama,” he runs an eye over the gathering of high level shinobi and the two children between them and he frowns slightly, “Perhaps we should put them in the same wing as the others,” he offers.

“Thank you for the prudence, please lead the way,” Sarutobi says and Takenshi bows slightly and leads their strange procession through the halls to a smaller wing. One of the doors is already shut but Kakashi can feel the faint chakra signature of Itachi inside and can guess that Sasuke is inside.

Takenshi stops before a second door next to it. “This room is empty,” he says and steps in to start arranging things as Shisui carefully settles the boy, Sai, onto the bed inside.

Takenshi walks over, “May I?” he asks politely and Sai nods. He runs gentle hands over the leg. “Broken I’m afraid, but easily fixed. I’m sure it hurts. If you would like, I can numb the leg before I set the bone.”

“I can handle it,” he says simply, expressionless.

“Hm, I’m sure you can but that doesn’t mean you have to here,” Takenshi says sagely and the boy blinks owlishly, like the doctor has given him a new perspective to something before slowly nodding. A sign and glowing chakra and the faint lines of pain around the boy’s eyes fade. “Anything?” Takenshi asks and he shakes his head. “Good. Now, the pain is gone but you might still feel some pressure and shifting from the bone’s movement. Let me know if you feel anything that doesn’t feel right, even if it seems trivial. I want you to make a full recovery and you can’t if you hide anything from me.”

Sai nods and Takenshi gets to work, slowly realigning the broken tibia bone before allowing his chakra to gather around his hands in a pale green glow that lights up their faces. A few minutes later, the glow fades and Takenshi steps back.

“There, good as new. I reduced the swelling and inflammation from the brake and damage from whatever impacted the leg as well. You might be a little sore still once the anesthetic wears off but other than that, you’ll be fine. Thankfully, it wasn’t on a growth plate so no need to worry about that either. Rest it for a few days, no heavy lifting or intense training to let the healing stick and then you’ll be right as rain,” he says with a nod, patting the boy’s foot.

“Thank you,” Sai says, sounding uncertain.

“Thank you, Takenshi-san,” Sarutobi says with a nod, face serious. “If we might have a moment?”

“Of course, Hokage-sama, these rooms have thick walls and are warded so you don’t need to worry about being overheard. Are there any among you with anything serious that needs to be looked at before I leave?” he asks, looking around at the roughed up and in the case of Tenzo, Shisui and the two boys, dusty shinobi and they shake their heads no. “Alright, I will be up front when you need me Hokage-sama, shinobi-san.” He bows slightly and then leaves, closing the solid door behind him.

A few seconds pass in silence and the Sarutobi turns to the group. “Kakashi-san, report.”

“I’m sure Itachi-san will have said the same: large stores of food and weapons, and a room designed to hide people from sensors,” Kakashi reports.

“Good, Tenzo-san, Shisui-san, report,” he orders.

“We didn’t find anything along those lines, but we believe the tunnel system is much wider spread than originally thought. We found at least two exits and were forced to retreat before we could go farther,” Tenzo speaks up. “One was an underground river that we believe connected to the Naka River.”

“We came upon these two during a training session,” Shisui says, “Danzō-sama was there.”

“What happened?” Sarutobi asks.

“We were discovered and forced into a fight. In the chaos, he managed to slip away. Sai was trapped under a boulder and I offered them a chance to leave and they took it. I don’t know where Danzō-sama is now,” Shisui explains.

Sarutobi turns to the quiet two boys. “Can you confirm that this was indeed Shimura Danzō training you?” he asks.

“Yes, Hokage-sama, Danzō-sama oversees all training,” Shin speaks up.

“What was the training for?” he asks.

“Our final test,” Shin says, eyes flicking towards Sai.

“What does this final test entail?” Hiashi speaks up, frowning.

“We would face each other in combat until only one remains,” Shin says in a subdued voice, Sai’s hands clenching in the cloth of his pants.

“And after this test is completed?” Sarutobi asks, sounding resigned.

“We would be initiated into Root and have our seals placed so that we could start taking missions outside of the village,” Shin explains.

“Seals?” he asks and Shin sticks out his tongue, pointing to it, “Ah, for silence. Tell me, were you the only ones being trained currently?” he asks.

“No, there are others but they are kept in different parts of the tunnels. Danzō-sama does not encourage fraternization of pairs during their training. We were the furthest along and were to take our final test soon,” Shin explains.

Sarutobi sighs, “Well, then it is a good thing we came when we did. Rest, we will speak some more later.”

He steps away and the rest follow to the opposite end of the room, leaving the two boys to talk quietly together. Sarutobi watches the way the blonde stands protectively over his companion, and understand just what Danzō was attempting with his training. “Hokage-sama,” Hiashi says lowly, expression fierce, drawing his gaze away from the boys.

“Peace, Hiashi-san, I am not blind nor will I let this go as I might have other incidents in the past. Danzō has shown just what he is willing to do for his goals and they do not align with this village’s goals. As such, I will declare this before you first and announce it in the morning. As of right now, Shimura Danzō is stripped of all titles and power and is marked a traitor. A bounty will be placed on his head if he flees the village and any who are found to have aided in his schemes will face trial and judgement on the same level as him. You have my word as Sandaime Hokage,” Sarutobi declares, looking almost relieved as the words leave him. He has been dreading this for so long but it seems now that it has happened, the dread is gone, only a calm emptiness remaining.

They nod and bow silently before filtering out of the room. “Genma, Raidou, I would ask one more thing of you,” Sarutobi calls as they start to turn. “I do not trust Danzō to not try and remove loose threads. Please, watch over these two and Sasuke and Naruto with Itachi to ensure their safety until Danzō has been dealt with.”

“Oh course, Hokage-sama,” Raidou assures with a bow, Genma copying with a small smile.

“Thank you, I’ll send Takenshi-san back in to continue where he left off,” he says and leaves. It’s not hard to find the medic, “Takenshi-san, a word.”

“Hokage-sama,” he says with a bow.

“I’m sure you are aware of the classified nature of the recent events of tonight,” he says and the man nods. “Please keep this quiet until such a time as I can make my announcement.”

“Of course, Hokage-sama, we have procedures in place for such events and we will act with discretion until told otherwise,” he assures.

“Thank you. They are waiting for you,” he motions towards the room.

“Of course, good evening Hokage-sama,” he says with a small smile and heads off to the room.

~*~

Sarutobi sighs as he steps out into the early morning air. Already, the moon is starting to set and in only a few short hours, the whole village will know of Danzō’s betrayal. It sits bittersweet on his tongue, that his friend, his comrade could have fallen so low.

He feels his age at the moment, the weight siting on his old and aching bones more heavily now than it has ever felt before. He retired once, was ready to fade into the background and let the younger generation take the lead. Circumstances, however, forced him back to the head to care for his village again.

And now…now he must do something that he knows he should have done years ago when Root was first discovered. There are too many coincidences, too many accidents and bad information that have left good shinobi dead. He can’t turn away anymore in the name of their friendship. Though, now that he looks back, he can see that perhaps he was the only one holding onto it. Danzō has long since stopped seeing him as a friend, only seeing a body to remove, one more obstacle in his quest for more.

His feet wander the village, eyes looking over his home with a disheartened light. He has lived here all his life, tried to uphold Hashirama-sama and Tobirama-sama’s ideals, their dreams for a better future, where they didn’t have to send children to fight in war or where they could finally have peace.

But it seems there have only ever been wars and the lead up to more wars. Nothing one could call true peace. The ever present tension and anger from blood feuds always weighed the villages down afterwards. There can never truly be peace, not until they are all willing to put the past behind them.

His steps turn towards a familiar path, one he hasn’t walked in years, decades even. He knows who will be waiting at the end of it. What will happen is as yet unknown. As the end nears, he pauses and calls out, “Iwashi-san, Yugao-san.”

His two guards appear before him, bowed down. “Please remain here. Do not interfere,” he orders.

They both look up, shock and stubbornness written on their expressions and then stop, seeing the cold determination in their Hokage’s eyes. “Yes, Hokage-sama,” they whisper, hands fisted in frustration.

He steps forward, placing a gentle hand on each of their shoulders. “You have all served me well, these last years and I know you feel you should help but this is my wrong to right,” he explains softly and they sag slightly but nod.

“It has been an honor, Hokage-sama,” Iwashi speaks up.

“Likewise,” he says with a kind smile before turning and continuing up the path, the familiar chakra signature waiting up ahead. As he walks, he slowly removes his robe and hat, setting them aside. In this, he is not the Hokage, he is a shinobi of Konoha and he will face this as such.

Danzō is waiting, as expected, in their old training spot, cane settled in front of him, acting for all the world like nothing is wrong. “Danzō,” Sarutobi says.

“Hiruzen,” he replies, voice soft.

“You know why I am here,” Hiruzen speaks up, sighing.

Danzō sneers, the expression causing the lines on his face to deepen, “I have done everything for Konoha, to make her strong against her enemies.”

“No, you haven’t, or else you wouldn’t have had to hide it from me,” Hiruzen says with resignation. “Tobirama-sensei would be so disappointed in you.”

“Do not bring him into this,” Danzō hisses, eye glaring, his hand clutching his cane in a white knuckled grip.

“I speak only the truth, Danzō. You speak of doing this for Konoha, but how many have died for this so called strength? How many good shinobi died because of your machinations? It seems suspicious that any shinobi strong enough to be considered Hokage candidates have either died, been named traitors or have fled this village to never return. How much of that was your doing? How many lives have you ruined?” he yells out, voice raising with each question.

“We are shinobi, we are tools. I simply used the tools laid before me,” Danzō says with a roll of his shoulder. “Your hands aren’t clean either. How many are dead by your orders?” he demands.

“Too many, my old friend. I have sent too many good men and women to their death in the hopes that their sacrifices would bring peace someday and I have had to live with that every day of my life. But there can’t be peace, not so long as you keep trying to incite war to make Konoha into your own twisted image of strength,” he deflates a little at that realization.

“You will bring about Konoha’s ruin,” he growls out.

“Perhaps, or maybe it will finally know peace, but you will not be there to taint it anymore. Maybe it is time we old shinobi died off to let those younger lead it to a brighter future. We’re too set in our ways to truly change. Only they can cleanse the rot you have planted in this village. Goodbye, Danzō,” he says softly, and moves, calling up his chakra. He is called the God of Shinobi for a reason. Danzō will not win.

~*~

The sun slowly peeks over the tree tops, lightening the sky from dark cobalt to light blue, the birds singing to welcome the day. In a distant clearing, the birds do not sing. They have flown off, disturbed from their roosts by a battle of formidable proportions.

In the center of the ruined clearing, only one figure remains standing, breathing heavily and swaying. Before him, the crumpled and broken form of the once Shimura Danzō lies, eye staring unseeing towards the sky. He will never see another dawn again.

Sarutobi forces himself to remain standing even as chakra exhaustion and too many injuries to count weigh at his body like lead weights. He turns and takes a step and can’t stop, the ground coming up to meet him and with wry humor, he realizes he’s going to land hard.

Warm arms grasp him, two forms bracing him on either side, looks of determination on their faces. “Iwashi-san, Yugao-san, I thought I said to stay back,” he says through wheezing breaths.

“We did and now that the battle is over, we are taking you to the hospital, Hokage-sama,” Iwashi explains with a look that says not to argue.

Sarutobi laughs weakly, “I couldn’t resist you even if I wanted to.”

“Hokage-sama, what should we do with the body?” Yugao asks softly, her face turning to look at the corpse.

Sarutobi’s expression hardens, “Have T&I examine it and then burn it. Whatever secrets he had will go with him to the grave.”

“Yes, Hokage-sama,” she murmurs, helping the lagging shinobi down the path towards the hospital.

~*~

With the morning comes the announcement. Uchiha Sasuke has been found, taken by the now traitor Shimura Danzō, whom the Hokage executed himself for his crimes. The people mill about in confusion and trepidation, not sure how to process this news. The Hokage is unseen, heavily wounded from his battle and recovering in the hospital. Many whisper that he will never truly recover and wonder who will take the hat from him.

The clans, for once, stand unified in the face of this travesty, supporting the Uchiha Clan’s demands that Danzō’s estates be searched and every last secret the man had uncovered. For the moment, their demands are being stalled mainly due to the fact that they need to ensure that any traps placed are removed before they allow anyone near the place. Danzō was a paranoid bastard after all and it seems with reason.

With his death, many shinobi find themselves freed from the chains he had placed on them as children. Most go into hiding, waiting to see what will happen in the vacuum of power caused by Danzō’s death, but some come forward, offering information about Root and the tunnels beneath the monument as a bargaining chip to not be killed as his accomplices. It will be a long while before all of Danzō’s secrets are fully uncovered.

~*~

Sasuke slowly comes to consciousness to the sound of distant voices and the warmth of his blanket covering him. He blinks blearily at the ceiling above him, not recognizing it at first. Slowly, the events of early this morning filter in as his mind wakes up and he frowns, looking left, expecting Itachi to still be in the chair he pulled up.

His brother is gone, though Naruto is still on the other bed, asleep. He turns his head right and freezes, the smiling face of his mother greeting him from a second chair. “Mother?” he whispers, feeling a lump form in his throat.

“Oh Sasuke,” she murmurs softly, reaching out to pull him into a hug. “You had me so worried,” she whispers, the hug tight and needed more than anything.

“I’m sorry,” he says with a sigh as she pulls back.

“Don’t be, you couldn’t have known this would happen,” she assures him, wiping moisture from her eyes with a watery smile.

“Where is father and nii-san?” he asks softly.

“Itachi was called away to file his report and you just missed your father. He went to get us some tea. He should be back any minute now,” she assures.

On cue, the door opens and Uchiha Fugaku steps in, not noticing his son being awake as he juggles two cups. When he finally gets the door shut and looks up, he freezes. Slowly, he walks forward, frowning heavily, “Sasuke,” he says softly, as if afraid this is a mirage.

Mikoto takes the cups from him and sets them on the table. “Father,” Sasuke says, looking uncertainly up at his father, not sure how to act with the man.

With a soft sigh, Mikoto pushes her reluctant husband forward until he’s beside Sasuke. “You had us worried,” he admits, resting a hand on his son’s shoulder.

“Father,” Sasuke says wetly and hugs the man, Fugaku freezing up, not used to such displays before finally, hugging the boy back, and for once allowing the emotions he keeps on such a tight leash free.

“I’m so glad you’re safe,” he murmurs, hand resting in Sasuke’s hair. They stay like that for a few seconds before a knock at the door has them breaking apart, Fugaku stepping back to compose himself once more.

“Come in,” Mikoto calls.

Takenshi sticks his head through the door. “Ah, good you’re awake. You have a visitor,” he says with a smile and opening the door wider, admits Sakura through.

She smiles hesitantly, a small bouquet of sunflowers in her hands. “I…I’m sorry, Sasuke-kun,” she says as she nears. “I…I couldn’t help you, or Naruto,” she admits, looking down.

“It’s okay, Sakura-chan,” he says hurriedly, not liking his friend looking so down.

“I…brought you and Naruto some flowers. Ino-chan says that’s what you do when you visit someone in the hospital,” she says with a trembling smile, offering up her parcel of flowers.

“They’re lovely, Sakura-chan,” Mikoto says with a smile. “Why don’t we find something to put these in?” She takes the flowers from Sakura and grabbing her husband’s arm, tows him from the room, leaving the two alone.

“Are you alright?” she asks softly.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Apparently I was asleep the whole time,” he says with a scowl, not liking that bit.

“Dr. Takenshi, is Naruto-kun going to be alright?” she asks, looking over to the still sleeping boy.

“He hurt himself pretty badly and is still healing, but he hopefully just needs some sleep and he’ll be right as rain soon,” he assures the two. He turns to Sasuke. “How are we feeling after that nap?” he asks.

“Still tired,” he admits, frowning as a yawn takes him.

Takenshi laughs “Don’t worry. Your circadian rhythms have been disrupted. Your sleep cycle,” he clarifies quickly. “A few days of a routine sleep cycle and you’ll feel much better.”

Mikoto and Fugaku step back in, a small vase in her hands filled with the sunflowers. “There, much better,” she says, setting them on the table near Naruto.

“When will he be able to leave?” Fugaku asks.

“As soon as the release papers are signed,” Takenshi says with a smile.

“Is there anything we should keep an eye on?” Mikoto asks.

“Hmm, he might have a hard time falling asleep or waking up for the next few days, but that is normal as his body’s rhythms return to normal. Minor dizzy spells and headaches can occur afterwards but they aren’t as common. If he does experience any of these multiple times or if his tiredness continues for longer than a week, you should bring him in for a checkup, just to make sure,” Takenshi assures.

“Of course. Sakura-chan, would you mind staying with them while we get the release papers signed?” she asks the girl. Sakura nods, “Thank you, we’ll only be a few minutes.” They follow Takenshi from the room.

Out in the hall, Mikoto stops Takenshi. “Doctor, might I ask, what is wrong with Naruto-kun? As a Jinchuuriki, shouldn’t he have healed by now?” she asks quietly, keeping an eye out for anyone coming.

Takenshi sighs, “We’re still not exactly sure what Naruto did that allowed him to find Sasuke-kun, but it put a lot of strain on his body. Any other five year old and it would have killed them. His chakra pathways were a wreck when he was brought in and though they’ve slowly begun to heal, we’re not sure if there will be any permanent damage or scarring. Jinchuuriki can heal from a lot of injuries but even they can’t heal everything completely. We have our best insuring that he heals as best he can,” he assures her.

“Thank you,” she says with a sigh. They follow the doctor down the hall to start Sasuke’s release. ‘Oh Kushina, your son is just as reckless as you were.’

Chapter Text

Relieve: verb; Release (someone) from duty by taking their place; take (a burden) from someone.

Two days pass before Naruto stirs in his mind. Kurama has spent the whole time wrapped around the boy, feeding him chakra slowly, bit by bit, as he heals the damage caused by their stunt. It’s hard and delicate work, not something he’s used to doing and he has to work slowly to keep from fucking the boy up any further.

Naruto slowly comes to surrounded by the soft fur of Kurama’s tails wrapped around him, warm and comfortable. One large red eyes peers down at him with a frown. “About time you woke up, brat,” he grumbles though the relief is clear in spite of his harsh words.

“Hi Kurama,” Naruto mumbles, feeling so very tired. It’s hard to just keep his eyes open, even in their shared mindscape.

Kurama huffs but lowers his head alongside his tails to bring Naruto to eye level. “You should be sleeping," he admonishes.

“I’m fine,” Naruto lies, not even able to really move and each blink feels like it takes a minute.

Kurama snorts, “No you’re not, brat. We were stupid to try such a thing. You could have died.”

“Did they find Sasuke?” Naruto asks.

“Yeah, brat. They found him and stopped the guys who took him,” Kurama tells him.

“Then it was worth it,” Naruto says with a grin.

Kurama rolls his eyes and sighs dramatically but doesn’t contradict him. “Go back to sleep brat, you’re still healing,” he says instead and Naruto yawns and lets the lead weights on his eyes drag them closed again.

~*~

Shikaku and Inoichi sit at the foot of the Hokage’s hospital bed, reporting in on all that has happened in the last week since Danzō’s execution and his hospitalization. “More Root shinobi have come forward with more information about what has been going on. We have even located Danzō’s hidden files and though it’s taking a long time to decrypt them, what we have found is enough to warrant the man’s death ten times over,” Inoichi says with a sigh.

“Let me see,” Sarutobi whispers, holding out a shaking hand for the scroll. As he reads, his demeanor shifts subtly. “Ah, this…this is worse than I thought.”

“Hokage-sama,” Shikaku speaks up, frowning. Sarutobi looks his way. “With your condition and the state of things, the people are worried about the leadership of the village. There are rumors spreading that you are dying. Many ask if you will be choosing a successor or if you will continue as Hokage. As well many have come to me asking that Homura-sama and Koharu-sama be investigated as well, as they worked closely with Danzō. The people are scared and worried.”

“There is always fear and worry in times of change and transitioning,” Sarutobi says with a weak laugh. “But they are right to. I authorize you to investigate them, discreetly please, to lay these rumors to rest. As to my dying, I don’t plan to die for many more years and as to a successor, that is something I intend to start now. Shikaku-san, please send word to Jiraiya-san and recall him from the field. As well, assemble a team that you feel would be best to look for and try and persuade Tsunade-san to at least return to the village so I can speak with her.”

“That won’t be an easy task but we will do our best,” Shikaku assures.

“I leave this in your capable hands, gentlemen. Inoichi, a moment of your time, I wish to send a message with the team to give to Tsunade-san,” Sarutobi says weakly.

“Of course, Hokage-sama,” he assures as Shikaku bows and leaves to put plans into action.

~*~

Shikaku sighs and rubs his temple as he surveys the list of shinobi before him. He’s narrowed down most of the team for the search for Tsunade-sama but he knows it needs something more. He knows most of the details of why Tsunade left, unable to stay in the village. This isn’t going to be an easy task to accomplish, let alone keep the shinobi from facing Tsunade’s wrath if they misstep. This is troublesome indeed.

A tap at his door has him looking up to see Uchiha Mikoto standing just outside the door, “Mikoto-san come in, please.”

“I am sorry to disturb you, Shikaku-san,” she says with an easy smile.

“No, I need a distraction,” he assures, pushing his paperwork aside to rub tiredly at the bridge of his nose. “What can I do for you?” he asks.

“Actually, I thought I might help you,” she says instead and he arches a brow. “Word is you are assembling a team to look for Tsunade-sama. I would like to join it, please.”

Shikaku sits forward, mind whirling as he clasps his hands together. “As I recall, you are not on the active duty roster. This is certainly unexpected,” he hedges.

“Let me be frank, Shikaku, the Uchiha are in an uproar over what has happened,” she says simply, eyes hard. “To take a child is bad enough but what has been found in his files, what he was planning to do to our clan is…horrendous,” she says and Shikaku grimaces, recalling that particular file.

“I take it the clan is split on how to act?” he asks, seeing where she is going.

“Yes. Some say one of our clan should become the next Hokage, others call for more power to be placed in our clan’s control after such blatant discrimination and others simply worry that anyone chosen from the village will support Danzō’s hatred of our clan. We are in chaos and none know how this will end,” she admits.

Shikaku remains silent, letting her make her case. “I believe Tsunade-sama would be the best candidate for the position,” she admits. “She hasn’t been involved in the village or its politics for years now, not since she left, which means she has had no hand in any of Danzō’s schemes. As well, she is a healer and right now, this village has too many wounds that need to be healed before we fracture. I know my clan will see it as just another Senju being placed in power, but she is the only one strong enough to take the hat.”

“You’ve thought this out,” he murmurs with shrewd eyes.

“I may have been off active duty as a shinobi, but I still think like one, despite appearances,” she jokes.

“This wouldn’t have anything to do with Naruto?” he asks blandly and she smiles wanly.

“A little. He is healing, but he hasn’t woken up yet. I hope she can help. As well, she is technically his blood, though distantly and he needs more family,” she says simply.

“Hm, well, I was still looking for the final person for the team so you’ve saved me some work. I will send out the message to the others. Meet here tomorrow morning to be debriefed and then you will head out,” he orders and she straightens.

“Thank you,” she murmurs.

“Don’t thank me yet, you have to convince Tsunade-sama to come back,” he warns.

“We’ll do our best,” she assures with a sharp smile.

~*~

“You did what?” Fugaku asks as she continues to pack her bag. Itachi and Shisui watch from the living area sipping tea while Sasuke watches from the hall, looking worried.

“You heard me the first time, Fugaku. I volunteered to look for Tsunade-sama,” she says without looking at her husband.

“You’re not an active shinobi,” he tries to reason.

“I am temporarily for this mission. The paperwork has already gone through, dear. I meet with the others in an hour,” she says with a huff, trying to recall where she stashed her good kunai.

“Fugaku, do you know where-,” she turns and he holds out her old weapons pouch. “Thank you,” she says with a smile.

“Why?” he asks instead.

“You know why,” she says looking his way. “The clan will tear itself apart unless someone steps up. The village would never accept an Uchiha as Hokage, not now anyways. But the clan will accept Tsunade as a second choice. She is free of any suspicion from Danzō that anyone from in the village will carry. They may not like it but they will accept it and you know this,” she says with a huff.

“I can’t change your mind, can I,” he says with a heavy sigh.

“And they say Uchiha men can’t learn,” she jokes, kissing him on the cheek as she carries her things from the room.

“Are you really leaving?” Sasuke asks quietly.

Mikoto kneels down to look him in the eye, “For a little while. I can’t say how long this will take but I’ll be back before you know it.”

“You’ll be safe?” he asks.

“As safe as I can be and I’ll have the others to back me up,” she says with a knowing look. “Hey, look at me,” he slowly looks up at her, “I’ll be back, I promise. But I need a promise from you.” He nods. “You and Sakura-chan need to keep an eye on Naruto for me, okay. Tsunade-sama is a healer and I’m hoping she’ll be able to help him but until we get back, he needs someone to watch over him.”

“We will,” he assures.

“Good,” she says and hugs him tight.

Standing, she continues into the living area, “Keep an eye on them?” she asks, looking at the two sitting at the table.

“Both eyes,” Itachi assures and Shisui agrees.

“Try not to burn my kitchen down while I’m gone,” she adds.

Shisui squawks indignantly, “That was one time! And I was 10,” he hisses.

“We still had to replace the wall,” she says with a grin.

“I was trying to bake you a cake! Never expect anything from me again,” he grumbles.

Laughing, she gives Fugaku one last kiss on the cheek, a hug to Sasuke and a kiss on Itachi and Shisui’s heads and proceeds from the house to go meet with the rest of the team.

~*~

“Well, this is going to be interesting?” Genma drawls from his slouched position in one of the chairs of the room as she enters. Kakashi stands off to the side, sending looks to Guy to keep back that the man is oblivious to and a woman Mikoto has seen but can’t put a name to, is busy rearranging a pack.

“Good, you’re here, we can get started,” Shikaku says, drawing everyone’s attention as he walks in behind Mikoto.

“I have assembled you for this team for a reason. Kakashi, you will lead and act as tracker. Yugira-san is our healer should things go south. Guy and Genma, you are back up and Mikoto will lead talks with Tsunade. I expect you all to act civil and not draw Tsunade’s wrath. If all goes according to plan, you will return within a two week period with Tsunade in tow,” he explains.

“Do we have any idea of where to start looking?” Kakashi asks, straightening from his slouched position on the wall.

Shikaku reaches for a file and pulls out some papers, tossing them down for them to look at. “She was last seen in the town of Kumira, on the border between Fire and Lightning. While it is technically within our borders, Kumo troops still frequent it so try not to draw too much attention to yourselves. We don’t need to give Kumo a reason to start a war with us,” he drawls, sending Genma a hard look who simply grins.

“Here are the mission details and the most recent image of Tsunade-sama. As well, this scroll,” he holds it up, “is from Hokage-sama for her eyes only. Be sure she receives it, even if she declines to come to the village,” he orders and Kakashi nods, taking the two scrolls and tucking them into his pouch.

“Any questions?” he asks. No one speaks up, “Good, dismissed and good luck,” he says and they nod before filing out.

The medic steps up to Mikoto, “I didn’t get the chance to introduce myself, Uchiha-san. I’m Yugira Koharu,” she says, holding out hand.

“A pleasure, but please, just Mikoto. It’s going to be a long few weeks if we remain so formal,” she says with a smile and the woman nods.

“Everyone got what they need?” Kakashi asks and they nod. “Then let’s go,” he orders and springs into the branches of the trees, the others falling into formation behind him.

~*~

Kumira is small, to say the least. A border town, its biggest draw is its many inns for travelers and at least three gambling halls that they’ve seen so far. Thankfully, if there are any Kumo nin around, they haven’t seen them yet.

Kakashi pauses, “Alright, let’s split up. Mikoto and Genma, take the gambling halls. Yugira and Guy, take the inns. I’ll ask around town and see if anyone has seen her. Meet back in the town square by noon.” They nod and split up.

Three hours later, they return empty handed. “Anything?” Kakashi asks.

“She was definitely here,” Genma drawls with a smirk. “Apparently, she lost quite a large sum in at least two of the gambling halls but they couldn’t say where she went. They asked us, if we found her, to tell them so they can collect money owed. It seems she skipped town without paying.”

“She was staying at one of the inns, but she left over a week ago and left in a hurry. They did say she was asking about towns to the south but there’s no guarantee that it wasn’t simply a ploy to throw off pursuers if you say she skipped town,” Yugira says with a sigh.

“They didn’t happen to have anything of hers that was left behind?” Kakashi asks, hoping for a scent sample.

“I’m afraid not, though I did ask,” Yugira says with a sigh.

“Well, south is our only lead, so we might as well go with it,” Kakashi sighs, turning to look in that direction. “If we leave now, we can get some distance before nightfall,” he adds. They nod and quickly leave the town on the southern road.

~*~

Mikoto quietly sighs in relief as Ikotoma, the next town on their list, comes into view. She’d forgotten about this side of shinobi life in the last few years of raising a child. While she’s kept her skills sharp and trains regularly, there’s no real training for the conditioning of being an active shinobi. This is the fourth town they’ve stopped at in three days, constantly on the move and she’ll admit she’s a little out of shape.

When the second town they stopped at was a bust, they had decided to corkscrew around Kumira, hitting the closest towns to it to see if Tsunade had passed through. As they enter, they take their usual teams and split, covering ground faster.

Genma gives her an understanding look when she stretches her back out. “Been a while, huh?” he asks with a grin.

“Yes, though I will admit it’s nice to get back into the swing of things. It’s been kind of dull in the village. I love my son but there’s only so much a mother can do in the day without finding something to occupy her time,” she says with a laugh.

Genma nods in understanding, “Guy and I usually train in Training Ground 9 when were not on missions if you ever need a sparring partner to sharpen your skills on,” he offers.

“I just might take you up on that,” she says with a grin and then pauses, the flash of blonde hair drawing her gaze. They’re checking out the last gambling den in the town and from the back, it’s hard to tell but…

“Keep an eye out,” she says and Genma follows her gaze and nods in understanding before leaning casually against the wall near the door.

Squaring her shoulders, she walks in and hopes that their luck has changed for the better.

~*~

Tsunade sighs in frustration as the dice refuse to land in her favor and with a huff, stands to go to the small bar the den keeps for players. Shizune had left an hour ago, tired of watching her mistress lose with only a demand that she not gamble all their money away. She feels someone come up behind her but doesn’t turn as a woman takes the stool next to her and orders a drink.

One look at the headband says it all and she frowns but refuses to make the first move. Finally, after she’s taken a sip of her sake, the woman turns and Tsunade blinks at a vaguely familiar face, though she was much younger the last time she saw her.

“Tsunade-sama,” she says with a smile.

“Uchiha-san,” she gives a nod. “What brings you out here?” she asks.

“A mission and to bring you news as well,” she says with look and Tsunade tenses, already dreading this, despite not knowing what it will be.

“Your mission?” she asks.

“To find and possibly persuade you to return, Tsunade-sama,” she says frankly.

“Not going to happen,” she refuses with a huff.

“I can’t force you but let me try to persuade you at least,” she asks and with a snort, Tsunade waves her hand.

“Shimura Danzō is dead,” she spits out and the hard look in her eyes has Tsunade wondering just what happened.

“That’s too bad,” Tsunade hedges.

“He was executed by the Sandaime for crimes against the village,” she explains and Tsunade pales, wondering even more what the hell is going on.

“What do you want me to say? Good riddance?” she asks.

“No, I just thought you should know. Hokage-sama is still recovering from the battle and he is looking for a successor, thus our mission,” she explains.

“I’m not returning, you can tell Sensei that to his face,” she hisses, ready to storm out of there.

“Please, wait,” she says softly and Tsunade pauses to see she’s holding out a scroll. “He wanted us to give you this.”

With a grimace, she snatches it and cracks the wax seal on it and lays it flat, seeing it to be a sealing scroll and when the smoke clears, a file with a note penned to it rests on the bar. ‘I’m sorry, Tsunade, I didn’t know,’ is written on the note.

With shaking hands, she lifts the file, opens it and begins to read. Her heart plummets, hands shaking as she reads the plain writing, written in neat script, the details of the plan to sabotage and have her lover killed to drive her from the village and remove two possible Hokage candidates.

“This can’t be real,” she whispers.

“While I don’t know what is in there, I can say without a doubt that it is real, Tsunade-sama,” she whispers, voice husky.

“What happened?” she snaps, slamming the file closed onto the bar, the wood shaking slightly, her heart racing.

“Danzō kidnapped my son,” she says, hands clenching on top of the bar, anger rolling off of her in waves. “When we searched his home, we found plans that he was going to use against the Uchiha Clan. He was planning to have us confined to the compound, watched heavily, backing us into a corner and when we retaliated, because we would have, he would have a justified reason to slaughter us,” she whispers, remembering reading that particular file. “He wanted us gone and a reason to kill us so he could harvest our eyes,” she gets out; nauseated by the lengths this man was willing to lower himself to.

Tsunade motions for the barkeep to place a bottle of sake between them and refills the woman’s cup for her and her own, swallowing the liquor down fast, letting the burn clear her throat. “What else?” she asks, knowing there’s always more.

“I don’t know much else. They’re keeping some of it under wraps, but I’ve heard whispers that he had a hand in the last war, possibly even started it. He also restarted Root, even after Hokage-sama had it disbanded,” she says, drinking her own cup down fast.

“Fuck,” Tsunade whispers, recalling her own time in the Second Shinobi War. She fills her cup again and gulps it down.

“Why are you telling me this?” she asks, not wanting to hear this. She’s gotten by the last decades by burying her head in the sand and ignoring any news heard about the village. She doesn’t want to get sucked in again.

“Because, the only one my clan will accept as Hokage is you,” she admits, running a finger around the rim of her cup. “There is too much bad blood between the Uchiha and the village, and everyone there is suspect in their eyes now. But you…you’ve been gone for decades, refused to even come near the village. You, they wouldn’t fight against.”

“I’m Senju,” she reminds her.

“And also Uzumaki, and I happen to know a little boy who could use some family right about now,” she reminds her, turning sharp eyes on the woman.

“I don’t know any Uzumaki,” she lies.

“Uzumaki Kushina’s son, the Yondaime’s son, that Uzumaki. The child we sacrificed to save the village,” she says softly.

“I can’t,” Tsunade whispers, hands shaking, her cup trembling in her grasp.

“Tsunade-sama, that little boy is the only reason I have my son back. He is the reason you have that file right now. My job is not to convince you to take the hat. It’s to convince you to at least to come back to the village so Hokage-sama can talk with you, face to face. Please, if for nothing else, come for him. He needs a healer right now, and you are the best around,” she begs.

“A healer? He’s a Jinchuuriki, he should be fine,” she says, hesitating.

“He’s healing but slowly. No one is sure what he did, but they say he shredded his pathways in doing it. I can’t get my son back, only to lose Kushina’s son in payment. I would regret it, if I didn’t try everything in my power,” she says softly.

Tsunade stares down at her drink, hands still shaking and she wills them to stop. “I won’t take that damn hat…but I’ll at least visit my nephew, however distantly related we are,” she agrees with a sour look, knocking back her cup and feels it churn in her stomach. She knows she’s going to regret this.

“Well, let’s go collect mine from the inn than,” she says, standing with a grimace, though she doubts Shizune will be against this.

~*~

The village is as she remembers and yet different. The monument is still there, though with a new face, and the people are still as she remembers, but the feel is different. She left at the end of war, when the relief was high and people began to mourn those they lost. This village now is like a bubbling pot ready to boil over at the worst moment.

The five shinobi escort her to the hospital, people stopping to stare, some remembering her from years before. The hospital is as she remembers it though, down to the scent. “Sensei?” she asks.

“Third floor,” Kakashi says lazily, eyeing her over the garbage he calls literature. How she loathes that Jiraiya ever wrote them.

“The Uzumaki brat?” she asks, putting the book out of her mind.

“The first floor, in the isolation wing,” Mikoto says.

Tsunade sighs, “I better go see the old man first, or I’ll never hear the end of it.”

Ignoring the laughing Genma and the side eyeing Kakashi, she storms through the hospital, scattering medics in her wake, recalling just where everything is and taking the stairs up.

The men on guard stare at her as she approaches and she cracks her knuckles, “Going to let me through?” she asks. They quickly nod, rushing to open the door for her.

“Sensei, I hear old age has finally caught up to you,” she calls out as she enters.

“Always the frank one, Tsunade-san,” Sarutobi whispers from his bed. She runs a quick eye over him, noting all the bandages and injuries she can’t see.

“He did a number on you,” she says, pulling up a seat.

“Yes, well, you should see him,” he jokes, relief plain on his face at her appearance.

“Don’t get your hopes up, old man. I’m not here for the hat,” she warns but smiles all the same. “I missed you,” she admits, taking his hand gently.

“It’s good to see you, Tsunade-san. The village hasn’t been the same without your healing light,” he says, squeezing her hand back weakly. “I wish I could have spared you the truth but you deserved to know what really happened that day.”

“How many others did he kill?” she asks.

“Too many,” he admits, expression pained as he recalls all the files that even now are still piling up as they are decrypted.

“How are you holding up?” she asks, gesturing to his injuries.

“I’m healing, though not as fast I once did,” he admits with a chuckle. “The doctors say I’ll recover but my shinobi days are behind me, thus, I’m in need of a successor.”

“Don’t,” she warns.

“I know, but it’s yours, if you want,” he offers and she sighs but nods.

“Jiraiya?” she asks.

“His last report had him far on the other side of Iwa. It will be a few weeks before he reaches our border,” Sarutobi offers up and she nods, lips thinning.

“Don’t let me keep you, Tsunade-san, you should go visit with others,” he encourages and she sighs but nods, taking the subtle hint that isn’t as subtle as he thinks.

“Don’t die while I’m gone,” she orders and he nods.

Outside the room, she takes in a deep breath and lets it out slowly. She thought it would hurt more to be back here and it does hurt, but less like the mortal wound it once was and more like one that is slowly healing. Maybe she can do this, look on this village and not want to run.

Squaring her shoulders, she makes her way back to the stairs to head down a couple of levels. It’s not hard to recall where the isolation ward is, remembering her time here in the hospital. The two ANBU guard in front of one of the doors makes it obvious which room the Jinchuuriki is in.

They nod politely as she approaches but don’t try to stop her and she snorts but doesn’t say anything as she opens the door. Mikoto is already in the room, two other children seated near the bed while a medic stands near the foot of the bed checking the boy’s charts.

She pauses in the doorway, letting her eyes rove over the small blonde boy lying so still on the bed, a thin sheet covering his lower half, chest barely rising with each breath. She can’t see any signs of physical damage but she knows from experience that the worst injuries often show no outward signs.

“Tsunade-sama,” Mikoto says with a smile.

Sighing, Tsunade continues further into the room, “I take it this is your brat?” she asks, eyeing the dark haired child sitting next to her.

“Yes, my youngest, Sasuke. And this is Sakura,” she motions to the pink haired girl.

“Friends of his?” she asks them, motioning to the blonde.

“Yes,” Sakura pipes up. “Can you help him?” she asks quietly.

“I’ll see what I can do,” Tsunade assures and then turns to the medic and holds out a hand for his chart. She eyes his name tag, “Takenshi-san is it? What can you tell me,” she orders, quickly scanning over the boy’s chart.

“Tsunade-sama,” he says with a smile, “He was brought in unconscious and radiating chakra, more than a child his age should be able to muster, even this child. We were able to stabilize him, but there have been difficulties in treating him. We have determine that he has damaged his chakra pathways, but as to what extent and how, we can’t determine. Any who have tried have met with…resistance. He is healing, but at a slower rate than normal.”

“When you say resistance, I assume you mean what I think you mean?” she says slowly, recalling the children in the room.

“It is okay, Tsunade-sama. They are aware of what Naruto-kun is. There were a few incidents and we felt it prudent to inform them so they wouldn’t get hurt because of ignorance,” Mikoto speaks up.

“So the fox is blocking you?” she asks with a nod at Mikoto in thanks.

“Yes,” Takenshi admits.

“Well, let’s get started,” she says with a huff, grateful that there aren’t any physical injuries that would have blood involved. She can at least direct the medics on how to help the boy.

Snagging an empty chair, she sits on the free side of Naruto and settles down; not touching him as she slowly focuses her chakra. This is a technique she hasn’t had to use in quite a few years. Slowly, her chakra builds behind her eyes and with a hand seal; she opens her ‘third eye’ so to speak, opening her eyes to see.

Similar to the Hyuuga’s Byakugan, it allows her to see chakra physically, though in much greater detail, able to see the variations, flow and irregularities of chakra as well. She starts at his feet and scans up, her face paling at the shear amount of damage done to this child’s pathways. Shredded is putting it mildly. It looks more like they burst under pressure. She can see faintly, a different chakra wrapped around his organs and from them, the faintest start of healing pathways.

With a rough sigh, she releases the jutsu and leans back in the chair. She frowns with a hand over her mouth in thought, a distant memory trying to surface. She’s seen something like this once, but it was so long ago and she can’t seem to make it surface any faster.

“Takenshi-san, I’m going to try and get a better look,” she warns, sitting closer, calling up her chakra around her hands. She needs to see how far this damage goes and for that she needs to see the cells. Her hands land on his arm and for a second, she can see within and then the foreign chakra lashes out like a slap, forcing her to withdraw her hands or be stung by it.

“Well, I see what you mean,” she muses with a huff, more amused than annoyed.

With a determined look, she reached back for his arm and grits her teeth as the chakra lashes out, causing her nerves to burn at the corrosive chakra. Gritting her teeth, she sends out her own chakra to smack him back, like smacking a dog with a newspaper and the chakra recoils, more shocked than hurt.

She waits a moment to see if the Kyuubi will retaliate but the fox remains still. With a nod, she lets her chakra trickle out, focusing on a small area, needing to see deeper. She can see damage on a cellular level, especially the cells closest to the pathways. But there’s something else, just the faintest trace of something different. It’s there, in every cell she examines and it takes a second to recognize what it is.

It’s been years since she has dealt with anything related to natural chakra. So few ever attempt to work with it, let alone master it enough to use it effectively. She knows her Grandfather could, his Mokuton making it easier for him. As well, Jiraiya, known as a Sage for a reason, uses it with his toads. For a five year old child’s cells to be saturated with it is…impossible. Except that is what she is seeing.

The memory finally comes up, recalling healing Jiraiya’s arm from a similar injury when he was still mastering Sage mode and lost control of the natural chakra he had collected in his body. It had been months before her teammate got full control of his arm back and was able to channel chakra without there being any difficulty.

She lets go and sits back, looking towards Takenshi, “Who are his teachers?” she demands, wondering just what imbecile decided to try and teach Sage mode to a damn child.

“What?” he asks, confused by this change in questioning.

She looks at Mikoto who looks taken aback, “I believe their teacher is Iruka Umino,” she says with a frown, not understand what Tsunade is getting at.

Tsunade gives a sharp gesture, “His whole chakra system is shredded as you said. Anyone else would have died as their chakra hemorrhaged from their body. The only reason he’s still breathing is because the damn fox is keeping him alive. As well, upon a closer look at his cells, I found traces of natural chakra, in all of them. Someone has been teaching this child to mess with things he shouldn’t be messing with and I want to know who?” she demands.

“I doubt Iruka-san is responsible, as he is a Chuunin, though a high level one,” Mikoto reasons. “Sasuke, Sakura-chan, has Naruto spoken of anyone teaching him?” she asks, looking at the two children.

Sasuke frown, “He says Kurama is teaching him.”

“Who is this Kurama?” Tsunade demands.

“His secret friend,” Sakura admits.

“Secret…are you saying that damn fox did this?” she asks, feeling a headache building.

They both look at each other and then shrug, not sure. She grips the bridge of her nose and sighs before turning to Takenshi. “I need you to start gathering all of your best chakra healers and have them on standby. This is going to take a lot of work to fix,” she grumbles.

“What do you intend to do?” he asks politely.

“I’m going to talk with a damn fox,” she grumbles and he nods before hurrying away to do as ordered.

“Should we leave?” Mikoto asks.

“No, you’re fine, just…don’t disturb me unless absolutely necessary,” she says, already reaching out to lay her hand on the boy’s arm. She sends a small burst of chakra through him, trying to get the fox’s attention. He ignores her and she does it again. The third time she does it, there’s a pulling lurch and she finds herself standing…somewhere.

Huge trees tower over her, trunks wider than any tree she’s ever encountered. She can’t see the night sky but the light is dim and she assumes it is night. In front of her, the towering form of the Kyuubi bears down on her, fur bristling and eyes glaring hatred but he doesn’t advance on her.

It takes a second to see why: the fox is crouched protectively in front of something, his tails curling around it. “What the hell do you want?” he demands, voice like an avalanche about to bury her.

“What do I want?” she asks, amused more than frightened. “I’m not the idiot teaching things to children who are not ready to learn such a technique,” she snaps out, glaring and grins sharply in satisfaction as the fox flinches back, for a second looking contrite before the glare returns.

“What the hell do you care? You show up here like you even know anything about him or me. You should just run away like you’ve always done. Not like you’re good for anything else,” he hisses, steam wafting around her as he growls at her.

She flinches, his words hitting hard but she brushes it aside and looks at him, really looks at him. “You’re scared,” she says softly, shocked. “You’re out of your depth and hiding it. You have no idea how to heal him without messing up and so you’re going slowly. But I at least can help him,” she spits back.

A low rumbling growl echoes out. “I can help you, if you’ll let me, but only if you listen and stop snapping at every hand that tries to help.”

“And why should I trust you? All you humans have ever done is either bind me or control me, all for your petty wars,” he accuses.

“Because if you don’t, he dies,” she says, motioning to the small, still form wrapped in his tails. He growls at her again. “You know it’s true. You’re healing him but not quickly enough. How long can you keep his body functioning without a whole chakra system? I can heal him and show you how to do it yourself but you need to trust me in this.”

He eyes her, long and hard and she holds still, letting him come to a decision. Finally, his posture relaxes a little. “What do you need?” he asks gruffly.

“Don’t fight me and follow my lead. We’re going to need your chakra to fix the damage,” she explains simply and he nods. “Now, why the hell did you even allow him to use such a technique?” she demands.

He shrinks back at her sharp words, “We were out of options,” he mutters.

“I’m sorry, what?” she asks, not believing what she heard.

“It was the only thing I could think of to find the brat. I knew Danzō had taken him but couldn’t find him. I told Naruto the risks. That it could kill him but he still wanted to do it. I couldn’t let that bastard win, not when I could help,” he grumbles.

“You care about them,” she says softly.

The Kyuubi shrugs indifferently, but avoids her gaze, “They’re important to the brat.”

“You care about them,” she repeats, understanding a little better.

“Yeah, well, I can’t…I couldn’t let the brat be alone. I can be a friend but he needs real friends as well,” he admits, glaring at nothing as he admits this to her.

“I thought you didn’t trust humans?” she asks.

“I don’t trust them,” he grumbles, meaning the village. “The brats…they’re innocent. They haven’t done anything to me and I’ll be damned if I let that village ruin them in their greed for more. I’ve seen what you people do to your children.”

She flinches, recalling her own brother, what little was left of him when he was brought back. Her hand reaches up reflexively to clutch at her necklace. “Yeah…we don’t have a good record in that regard,” she admits with a grimace, recalling so many young shinobi killed in the war and even just on missions. Her grandfather wanted to protect the village children, to keep them from having to fight and die so young.

She brushes the deep thoughts aside and straightens. “We’ll do everything we can to heal him but there’s going to be consequences for him. I can’t say what will happen, but I’ll be here to help him through it,” she promises and with a start, she realizes she means it. She can’t leave, not now and she wants to curse Mikoto for convincing her to return to the village, but if she’s honest with herself, she didn’t fight very hard.

The Kyuubi snorts, “We’ll see.”

Shaking her head, she feels the real world around her again and slowly removes her hand from Naruto’s arms. “Tsunade-sama?” Mikoto asks.

“I’m fine,” she assures. “Is Takenshi ready?” she asks.

“He came by a moment ago to say everyone is ready,” Mikoto assures.

“Good,” Tsunade says, standing. She gently scoops up Naruto into her arms. “I don’t know how long this will take but I’ll let you know when we’re done,” she says with a nod before striding out of the room.

~*~

“Is it finished?” Tsunade asks as she finishes mixing the last of the herbs together, looking up at Takenshi.

“Yes, the seals have been drawn to your specification,” he assures.

“Good, place Naruto in the center,” she orders, carrying her bowl towards where the other healers are waiting. “Alright, I’m sure you can guess where this is going. We need to repair Naruto’s damaged chakra pathways and purge the excess natural chakra in his body. In order to do this, we’ll be using the fox’s chakra to supply the necessary power to do it.” They nod and she continues. “I will act as the main conduit for this. I need each of you to hold the Three Waterfalls healing pattern and help guide the chakra through it. This,” she holds up her herbal mixture, “will help protect you from the corrosive nature of the fox’s chakra.”

“Tsunade-sama, are we sure we can trust it?” one of them speaks up.

She gives him a hard stare, “The only person or creature you should concern yourself about is me, but it is that kind of thinking that I will not tolerate. We are healers, the patient comes first and if someone is willing to aid us in that healing, we will take it gladly.” The medic flushes and looks away, the others muttering something to him that she doesn’t try to hear.

She pours a small spoonful into cups of warm water, letting the powder dissolve. “Drink up, we will begin shortly,” she orders, taking a cup of her own and swallows the warm, bitter liquid down. The others copy.

“Get into position around the circle. Takenshi, your job is to monitor Naruto’s status and regulate his internal functions. We’re going to be focusing entirely on the chakra pathways and the fox will be distracted,” she orders and he nods, settling at Naruto’s head within his own seal circle.

The whole thing is contained within one large circle; seals for containment on the outer edge ensure that any of the fox’s chakra that gets away from them won’t affect anyone in the hospital. The inner section has six smaller circles for the six other healers, their own seals and lines linking them together and to the main central circle, seals to smooth and amplify the healing properties they will be applying.

In the center lies Naruto, stripped down, seals drawn across his body, as well as marks around his navel to strengthen the fox’s seal. They don’t need another incident like before. All the lines lead to Tsunade’s circle that will be channeling the chakra and guiding the fox to heal the boy. Takenshi’s circle is warded to avoid anyone breaking his concentration as he helps keep Naruto’s body functioning while they rebuild his pathways.

It is a complex work of art on its own but it will function the way she needs it to. As she settles on her pillow, she turns to Takenshi who nods that he is ready. She looks at each healer and they in turn each nod, hands falling into position for the healing pattern. Taking a breath, she reaches her hands to touch Naruto’s arm again. “It’s now or never,” she murmurs and feels the Kyuubi’s chakra curl towards her.

With grunt, she grasps the heavy chakra in her hands, slowly forming the first hand seal and sending the chakra racing to the first point in the healing pattern. She hears the woman gasp but she holds and as it leaves her to bounce back to Tsunade, she accepts it and moves to the second hand seal, sending it to the next and the next, each new trip slowly altering the feel of the chakra.

The fox’s chakra is not meant to heal, not normally. He is a creature of fire and wind, a natural disaster in his own right, and a being of chakra that for centuries had very little contact with humans with no idea of how to even heal them. What healing he has learned over the years of being imprisoned within human souls is basic healing. Healing broken bones and cut skin is easy, creating a whole new chakra system from the remains of the original is a different matter.

Finally, the last return reaches her and she completes the last seal, the Three Waterfalls healing pattern taking hold. So long as she holds it, the fox’s chakra will keep flowing down the channels she created with the seals and they can heal Naruto.

Delving deep, she reaches for the heart first and draws the fox’s attention, “This is where you went wrong,” she explains mentally and begins to show the fox how to better heal his host.

~*~

Mikoto is a ball of nervous energy as she paces in the hall outside of the operating theater that Tsunade has commandeered. Sasuke and Sakura are curled up in a couple of chairs, talking quietly to each other, though she can see they look worried. A young brunette woman who had entered a few hours back, introducing herself as Shizune, is seated off to the side.

She looks up at the sound of approaching footsteps and is startled to see the Hokage slowly being wheeled into the waiting area by his guards. “Hokage-sama,” she says, bowing quickly.

“Please, Mikoto-san, no need,” he waves his hand and she smiles gratefully and continues to pace. “How long has it been?” he asks.

“Five hours,” she murmurs, stopping to look between the door and Sarutobi.

“All will be well,” he assures her and she nods. She can’t help but worry though. She promised to look after Kushina’s son and it pains her that there’s nothing she can do at the moment.

“Ah, looks like they’re done,” he murmurs three hours later and she has to restrain herself from rushing the door as it slowly opens and a group of weary healers slowly stumble out, looking exhausted. Tsunade and Takenshi are the last to leave, Takenshi wheeling the bed with Naruto lying on it. Seals line his body still and his chest rises faintly.

“Tsunade-sama?” Mikoto asks.

“It’s done, though we left the seals on to help strengthen the healing. Now, it’s just a matter of waiting to see what happens next. The chakra pathways are working as they should but there’s no telling how he will react to this or what consequences will result from it,” she admits, looking tired.

“Thank you,” Mikoto says quietly, eyes wet in relief.

“Oh, go on,” Tsunade says, shooing the woman to follow Takenshi as he wheels the boy back to the isolation ward, Sasuke and Sakura following.

“Thank you, Tsunade-san,” Sarutobi speaks up once the others are gone.

“Yeah, well, I’m sure they would have figured it out eventually,” she grumbles.

“That’s very kind of you,” he offers. “We could use more of that,” he adds on.

Tsunade glares at him and he keeps his face blank. “They would hate me in a month. I would demand too many changes,” she grumbles.

“Change is never easy, but I’m sure you could guide them to the right path,” he murmurs.

“I won’t let the clan’s try and control me,” she insists.

“They’ve needed a humbling for a while now,” he agrees.

“You knew this would happen?” she accuses, impotent anger building in her chest before fizzling out.

“I simply hoped,” he replies.

“Ugh, why not Jiraiya? He’s just as strong as me,” she insists.

“Jiraiya has no head, or heart, for the political games and he would never give up his search for Orochimaru. No, my dear, it had to be you,” he explains.

“Fine, I’ll take the damn hat,” she grumbles. “But I don’t have to like it.”

“Thank you, Tsunade-san. You don’t know how relieved this makes me,” he assures her.

Still grumbling, she starts to follow his wheelchair down the hall, motioning for Shizune to follow, “Are you alright with this?” she asks softly.

“Of course, Tsunade-sama. This is our home and it never stopped being our home just because we couldn’t come here,” she explains and Tsunade smiles softly.

“Yeah, I guess it is,” she admits.

“What changed your mind?” she asks curiously.

“Let’s just say someone reminded me of my Grandfather’s dream,” she says with a gentle smile and grips her necklace tightly. “It’s time I did my part.”

Chapter Text

Deluge: verb; to inundate with a great quantity of something; to flood (something).

The sky opens up with a roar, rain sheeting down to drench the village in minutes. Most seek out shelter from the torrent, the cold winter rain washing the streets clean of dust and debris. For one, he doesn’t seem to notice as he stands before a familiar stone.

Kakashi stares grimly down at the Memorial Stone. His mind is a chaotic whirl of thoughts that can’t seem to find a point of purchase in his own inner storm. Inoichi had come to him earlier at his apartment after they had returned from their search for Tsunade. He had been brief, saying he ‘ought to read these’ and had held out two files before leaving with a lingering look.

Kakashi had been horrified by what the first file had contained. Most of his life, he has lived in his father’s shadow, either as the son of a great shinobi, or as the son of a traitor. It took so many years and Obito’s sacrifice to truly understand why his father did what he did. And why he took his own life in the end.

But in one piece of paper, three short, concise paragraphs, he now knows that his father was doomed from the start of that very mission that ruined him. An infiltration behind enemy lines is already a difficult mission, but your allies are supposed to aid you, not turn you into a scapegoat to start a war. His father was supposed to die that day, to not make it back, to become a martyr to rally behind. That he not only ruined the mission of his own volition and refused to leave his comrades behind only meant that Danzō didn’t have to cover up his part in it.

His father’s name is not on the Memorial Stone. He didn’t die in battle. He died alone, in their family home, with the belief that he was the cause, the spark of the Third Shinobi War. The very people he saved and protected having turned away from him, even Kakashi himself for a while thought his father a traitor. He should have been a hero for what he did, for choosing to save lives.

It sits bitterly in the back of his throat that his father would still be here more than likely had Danzō not acted as he did, had not warned Suna of his father’s mission covertly that led to them being found out. Maybe things would have turned out differently at Kannabi Bridge if he hadn’t been so changed by his father’s supposed betrayal of the shinobi rules.

That thought brings to mind the second file. He’s had years to mull over that mission, to obsess over his failure. Something had always seemed off, things never lining up as they should. They were supposed to have backup that day in case they met more resistance than they could handle. When he had woken in the hospital afterwards, it had been explained that enemy nin had attacked the backup, delaying them until it was too late.

Now, he knows that Danzō had ordered Root nin to disguise themselves as enemies and delay their backup. He wanted them to die there on that mission. He remembers Minato-sensei after Obito died, how hurt he had been and later when Rin sacrificed herself, how it had fractured him even further. If he had lost all of them at once, he can see it destroying the man with guilt for sending them on the mission. He certainly wouldn’t have been fit to succeed the Sandaime as Hokage.

Obito saved them twice it seems: first by saving Kakashi and Rin and second by foiling Danzō’s attempt to ruin their sensei. How much more will he owe Obito for his sacrifice? How many more blows can he take before he shatters into dust? He reaches up and touches his hitai-ate over Obito’s eye and remains standing in the rain.

~*~

Tsunade hums softly as she watches the rain sheet off the balcony’s awning like a curtain of water. She breathes deep and smells wet earth, rain and growing things. Spring is on its way and with it change. She’d forgotten this about Konoha, the smell of the forests and the earth. She’d always found it ironic that they are called the Land of Fire but they are most famous for their forests, a legacy from the Senju that once claimed this land.

She remembers fondly spending time with her grandfather, walking through the trees as he manipulated the wood, shaping the world around himself so easily. He had always made it seem so easy, creating such beautiful places. She remembers him growing flowers for her and plucking some to take back to her grandmother. He was always such a cheerful man, even after everything that happened in his life.

Taking a sip of sake, she lets the liquor linger on her tongue, savoring the taste before swallowing, enjoying the quiet. She can hear Shizune inside the room stowing their things away, humming to herself. She misses Dan so much in this instant. He would have made a wonderful Hokage and even if he hadn’t become Hokage, he would have been overjoyed that she was. They were going to do so much together, change so many things.

And Danzō ruined that. He ruined so much of her life it seems. Orochimaru chose his path but would he have taken it if Danzō hadn’t placed it before him, tempting him with all the man could ever want as a scientist. If she hadn’t left after Dan’s death, could she have stopped him? Would she have noticed? So many questions of ‘what if’ and yet there are no answers. She has so many regrets in her life and yet she can’t change the past.

But she can change the future. She won’t allow another Danzō to appear, won’t allow someone to have that much power in this village, not even herself. She warned Sensei that she would change things and she will, more than anyone will ever think of. For too long they have clung to this old, corrupt system and too many have suffered because of it. Change is coming.

She takes another sip and sighs. Sensei had told her to take the next three weeks off, to reacquaint herself with the village and to start putting down roots like she hasn’t in so long. She can read between his words, knows that some of the clans, and probably the council, are resistant to his choice of successor and that he’s beating some heads into submission before her succession.

She wishes him all the luck she can but knows that soon, it will be her having to deal with the idiots. She never did have any tolerance for stupidity and she wonders how many remember that about her. She gives a soft laugh and Shizune looks her way and she waves the woman off with a smile.

They have a few weeks to relax and while she’ll try, she doubts it will last very long. But she is a shinobi at heart, and they have never truly been good at relaxing. Taking another sip, she watches the rain continue and turns plans over in her head.

~*~

The morning after shines brightly down on the village, the air humid, but cold with the rain from yesterday. The village is washed clean and the many puddles make it sparkle in the sunlight. With a sigh and a stretch, Tsunade steps out from the Hokage residence, Sensei insisting she stay there since she would soon be Hokage.

In spite of her dark thoughts from the day before, the world feels lighter around her, a small bud of hope growing in her chest that maybe she can make things better. She’s a healer; she’s only ever wanted to help people. As Hokage, she’ll finally have the power to do it, instead of having to fight tooth and nail as she once did just getting medics assigned to squads.

Humming softly to herself, she makes a beeline for the hospital. Sensei said to relax but honestly, she’s not sure she can relax, not the way he means. She’s too used to needing to do something after years as a shinobi and after, the ever changing schedule of her more recent nomadic life and raising Shizune, teaching her, or gambling and drinking the hours away.

She needs something to do and so she finds it, holed up in the hospital’s library, reading over books and scrolls, learning all the new advancements that have come about since she was last in the village. She doesn’t realize how much time has passed by, engrossed in reading, until someone sets a steaming cup of tea down at her elbow.

Startled, she glances up to see Takenshi Matsuda staring down at her with a faint smile, a plate of food held in his hand. “Takenshi-san,” she murmurs, blinking owlishly and glancing towards the window to see the light has change greatly and it’s already well past noon.

“Tsunade-sama, they tell me you’ve been in here since this morning and I thought you might be hungry,” he admits with a smile, setting the food in front of her and her stomach reminds her angrily that they barely touched breakfast this morning.

“Ah, thank you,” she says with a laugh at her own version of spacing out. She remembers her own time growing up dragging Orochimaru out of his lab or the library to eat or beating Jiraiya over the head when he skipped a meal because he wanted to get to training quicker.

He takes a seat across from her, his own cup of tea held in his hands as she quickly eats the food before her, sipping quietly. She’s just finishing when he looks up from reading the spines of her pile of books. “Not even back a couple of days and you’ve already done a major operation and are reading through our library,” he murmurs in amusement. “You’re not one to sit still, are you, Tsunade-sama?” he asks quietly.

“You should know. I recall overhearing that you were supposed to be off today, Takenshi-san. Shouldn’t you be resting?” she asks with an arched brow.

He snorts softly, “Caught at my own game.” He motions towards her reading, “What do you think of our advancements since you left, Tsunade-sama?”

“You lot have certainly improved things. I was particularly interested in the new skin grafting technique. Whoever thought of using fish skins for burn grafts must have looked insane at first,” she jokes.

“Ah, yes, Kajima-san, he is certainly…eccentric, but the science is sound and while it’s nearing the end of the research and testing phase, it has great promise. The hard part is convincing people to allow its use as treatment. But, if we can make it a common treatment, it will make it easier to have grafts readily on hand rather than always seeming to be running out,” he explains.

“I don’t miss that about conflict,” she agrees, recalling her own time healing burns as a medic. During the war, the medics were always hard pressed to heal all their people, often having to be sparing of their chakra so they didn’t burn out, using it to stop life threatening injuries and then falling back on more conventional medicine to patch up the rest of their injuries before shipping them back to the village to recover. She remembers too often running out of skin grafts for her burn patients who were the casualties of horrible Katon burns. And with burns being so tricky to heal and the threat of grafted sites becoming infected, it was never an easy battle to win.

“So why are you really here, Takenshi-san?” she asks.

He smiles, “Checking on patients,” he admits.

“Worried about Naruto?” she asks softly.

“A bit,” he says with a shrug. “There have been…problems of late during his stay here. I fear some of the nurses and medics are putting their own personal feelings before the health of the patient,” he admits softly with a heavy frown.

“How bad?” Tsunade asks, anger starting to build in her chest.

“Nothing overt, nothing that can’t be excused as forgetfulness or an accident, but it has happened too much to not be a coincidence,” he says with sharp look her way.

She remembers the healer questioning her before the surgery and wonders how many feel the same way: that they can’t, won’t treat the child just because of something done to him as a baby. She herself is still not sure what to make of the Kyuubi, even after talking to the fox and showing him how to heal Naruto. He is strangely protective of the boy and it seems of Naruto’s two friends.

She remembers her grandmother’s stories, of how she became the first Jinchuuriki, of the fox sealed within her. Mito always spoke of him with sadness, like it pained her to have had to do such a thing but she never spoke of talking to him, of forming a bond with him. She remembers Kushina vaguely; only spoke to her a handful of times after she became the next bearer of the Kyuubi before she eventually left after the Second Shinobi War, so she doesn’t know how their relationship was.

“People have always been wary of the Jinchuuriki but I didn’t think it had become this bad,” she admits. She remembers the scared reverence people treated Mito with. She was the Shodaime’s wife, an Uzumaki princess and a formidable kunoichi in her own right but some feared her after she sealed the Kyuubi within herself.

She remembers the rumors whispered behind her back when they didn’t notice her listening. After Uzushio’s fall and Kushina’s succession of Mito, the rumors never stopped, only transferred. To be a child facing it, what must that have been like?

“Some of it comes from the attack. Many lives were lost that day and hatred runs deep. If they can’t take their anger out on the fox, they take it out on his container,” he says with a sad sigh. “Few have made the effort to realize that he is separate from the Kyuubi.”

Tsunade sighs herself and pushes her tea and empty plate away from herself and stands. “Have you checked on him yet?” she asks.

“Not yet, I thought you might like to come as well, after your meal,” he says, standing as well.

“Come on,” she grabs her dishes to take back to the hospital’s kitchen before they head to the isolation ward.

They’re nearly there, just passing by the observation station, when alarms for the isolation ward start to go off in the booth.  A quick look at Takenshi and then they break into a sprint, barging into the room to see a nurse standing back, looking worriedly at Naruto who is curled up on the bed, clutching his head and writhing.

“What did you do?” Tsunade growls out as she turns to the woman.

“Nothing,” she whispers. Tsunade advances, fury evident on her face. “Tsunade-sama, I swear I did nothing. I was checking in on him and he started to wake up and then he screamed and clutched his head like he was in pain. When I tried to see what was wrong, he burned me,” she says, holding up her hand to show the reddened flesh that is just starting to blister.

“Stay put,” she orders and rushes towards Naruto, Takenshi already fluttering around the boy, checking the machines.

“Heart rate is elevated, breathing erratic,” he murmurs.

Concentrating, she opens her ‘third eye’, watching the flow of chakra through the boy’s new system. Most of it is smooth, but around his head, it keeps spiking erratically, reacting to something she can’t see. The Kyuubi’s chakra is gathered around his head, fluttering unsurely around, like even he doesn’t know what is wrong.

She pulls back. “His chakra is fluctuating too much in his brain, but I can’t see the cause. I need to talk with the fox and get a closer look,” she hisses. She bends closer, “Keep an eye on her,” she murmurs and he nods and keeps checking the boy over, his hands glowing green.

She places a green glowing hand on Naruto’s head but before she can start to look, there’s a familiar tugging and she’s back in that same landscape, the fox crouched protectively over the writhing form of Naruto, the boy in the same position here as well.

“What is wrong?” he growls out, looking frantic.

“What do you think I’m trying to figure out?” she yells back and stalks forward. Bending down, she goes to touch him and he hisses, shying away and she holds her hand up as the Kyuubi growls in warning. “Naruto, you need to tell me what is wrong?” she orders.

“It hurts,” he grits out between clenched teeth, face red with the strain and she wonders how much more this child’s body can withstand if he’s in this much pain.

“Where?” she asks him, though she can guess what he will say.

“My head hurts,” he pants out.

“Okay, can you tell me what is causing it? Can you feel where?” she asks, wondering if it’s isolated.

“No…no, it just hurts, everything hurts, it’s too much,” he whimpers, starting to shake and she curses, hoping he’s not about to seize.

“Too much of what, brat?” the Kyuubi demands, bending his enormous head down close to the boy but doesn’t touch.

“I don’t know,” he hisses, chest heaving with each breath.

“Let me in brat, let me see,” he murmurs, slowly getting closer until the tip of his nose brushes the boy’s chest and then they still and the world holds its breath around her.

As the Kyuubi pulls back, Naruto goes limp, like a puppet with its strings cut. “What was that?” she demands, the boy clearly unconscious again.

“He was sensing,” Kurama murmurs, looking thoughtful.

“Sensing what exactly?” Tsunade asks, though her mind is tumbling pieces of a puzzle that she’s been collecting since she got here, slowly putting it together in her head.

“Everything,” the Kyuubi admits softly, sounding strangled. “He was sensing chakra, all the chakra sources around him, even natural chakra,” he explains sounding a little awed.

“That…would make sense. Did he have much sensing abilities before?” she asks and he shakes his head. “He burst his pathways trying to sense for Sasuke and his mind was forced to adapt to input it never had before. Now, though his pathways have been repaired, the change is still there. He’s a sensor now, and from what you just told me, he’s going to be a strong one once he learns to control it.”

“I’m blocking the input for now,” he says softly, looking…relieved.

“Jeez, you two just can’t let things get quiet, can you?” Tsunade grumbles and forces herself out of the contact before the fox can retort back.

“Tsunade-sama?” Takenshi asks from Naruto’s other side, the boy no longer writhing in real life.

“You can leave,” she says, jerking her head to the nurse who quickly scurries out of the room. Takenshi arches a brow at her, “She wasn’t at fault, thankfully. Naruto apparently changed himself into a sensor with his little stunt and it overwhelmed his mind. This boy is going to give me grey hairs, I can feel it,” she grumbles, straightening from her hunched position.

“At least you’ll never be bored,” he agrees with a relieved smile, resettling Naruto back under his blankets. “I’ll have wards placed in the room and inform the staff to keep their chakra under a tight leash when around him for now.”

“So much for relaxing,” she jokes but can’t really complain.

~*~

The second time Naruto wakes up, it’s easier. He opens his eyes to find a ceiling he doesn’t recognize and frowns. He feels…strange and his head feels almost fragile, like one wrong thought will bring on pain but even that is starting to fade.

“Kurama?” he whispers, voice rasping in a dry throat.

“I’m here, brat,” he answers.

“Where am I?” he mummers, slowly turning his head to look around. There’s a door to the right and no windows in the room. There are wires connected to him and something tugs at his hands weirdly where it’s tapped under a bit of gauze.

“The hospital,” Kurama explains.

“Oh,” he whispers, feeling a little spacy and light headed. There’s a second bed in the room, but it’s empty and he sees strange pieces of paper with writing on them on the walls of the room. He’s never seen anything like them.

The door opens for someone and he’d jump if he could but he’s still tired. A woman comes in; her clear brown eyes stare back at him, blonde hair pulled back into two tails. He can’t help but stare at the strange dot on her forehead, wondering what it means and doesn’t hear what she says at first.

Fingers snapping in front of his face bring him back to attention, “What?” he asks quickly.

“How are you feeling, Naruto-kun?” she asks.

He thinks about it for a second, “Tired.”

She seems to be expecting that. “You’re still healing and it takes a lot out of you. Is there any pain or strange feelings? Numbness or tingles?” she asks easily.

“No, just…tired,” he says and yawns.

“Do you remember what you did?” she asks with a frown.

“I…I went looking for Sasuke,” he says, sounding a little confused at the fragmented memories.

“By using a technique you shouldn’t have…I heard,” she drawls and he frowns. “Bodies have limits, Naruto, even your body. You nearly killed yourself,” she explains with a frown.

“What?” he asks and feels a mental nod from Kurama. “I didn’t mean to.”

“I sure you didn’t but the only reason you are alive right now is because of the Kyuubi,” she explains and his eyes widen. “We had to recreate your chakra pathways, which is probably why you are so tired. It took a lot of energy to heal you, especially from the Kyuubi. Do you remember waking up before?” she asks.

“I…,” he frowns and vaguely remembers pain and then nothing.

“What you did, changed your mind, and now, you’ve become a sensor. You can sense chakra. It’s what hurt you so much before, because your mind had no idea how to understand the new information coming in. Bet your head feels weird right now,” she says and he nods.

“We’re put up wards to block out most chakra and the Kyuubi is blocking the rest. You’re going to need to learn how to control this before you can leave this room,” she explains.

“I’m stuck here?” he asks.

“Not forever brat, don’t get worked up,” she grumbles and he snaps his mouth closed.

“Can I have visitors?” he asks quietly.

“Soon, I need to check you over,” she says with a knowing look. She holds up a hand and her hand glows green, “Can you sense this?” she asks and he concentrates but can’t feel anything and shakes his head. “May I?” she asks, about to touch his arm.

“Yes,” he mumbles, bewildered by all the information she bombarded him with.

The moment she touches him, he sucks in a sharp breath, feeling something strange and a spike of pain and she quickly lets go. “Did that hurt?” she asks.

Naruto, a little shaken, nods, “Sensitive physically to chakra, jeez kid, you don’t do anything by halves, do you,” she grumbles.

“What does that mean?” he asks, confused as the sudden pain fades away.

“Honestly, I don’t know. You can feel chakra and sense it and perhaps more once you learn to control it. You’re going to have fun learning,” she huffs with a small smile.

“Will it always hurt?” he asks softly.

“I doubt it,” she says and then pauses, seeing the worry on his face. “Think of it like this: when someone is born deaf and then suddenly is able to hear, it can be painful at first because they’ve never heard sounds before. Their brain needs to learn what different sounds mean before it stops giving them headaches. You’ve never had this ability before, so now you have to learn what each new thing is.”

“So I was deaf before?” he asks.

“Basically,” she says.

He grins a little, “That’s not too bad.” She just laughs. “Um…who are you?” he finally asks, realizing he has no idea what her name is.

“I’m Senju Tsunade, your Great Aunt, technically, though very distantly related,” she says with a huff, “And you’re Kushina’s son.”

Naruto’s heart lurches in his chest. “Is…is that my mom’s name?” he asks hesitantly, looking shocked and Tsunade’s lips thin at that.

“It is, Uzumaki Kushina was your mother,” she informs him. “Your father was Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime Hokage.”

Naruto is frozen, ears ringing as her words slowly register. His heart beats heavily, his hands fisting in the blanket over his lap as his breathing turns shallow. “I…,” he doesn’t know how to continue. He looks down and presses his hand into his stomach.

“Kurama?” he ask desperately, silently, afraid that she’s lying and that she’s telling the truth.

“It’s…true brat,” he murmurs softly.

There’s a knock at the door that breaks the strained silence and they both turn as it opens, Mikoto poking her head through. “Sorry to bother you Tsunade-sama, but they wanted to know if they could come in?” she says and then pauses, taking in the tense atmosphere of the room and the stricken look on Naruto’s face.

“Naruto?” she asks softly, looking worried. Tsunade steps away, closer to the woman and whispers something and her eyes go wide. “Oh, Naruto,” she says huskily, rushing forward to fold the boy into her arms. Sasuke and Sakura edge in behind her, staying back by Tsunade.

“How come no one told me?” he asks quietly, sounding hurt.

“It’s…complicated,” Mikoto hedges, “But, the main reason was to protect you. Your mom and dad, they made a lot of enemies, people who wouldn’t hesitate to hurt you because you are their son.”

“People want to hurt me?” he asks, eyes going wide.

“Perhaps, but you know, your mom was my best friend in the whole world. She was so excited to meet you, loved you with all her heart. I know she would be so proud of everything you’ve done so far,” she murmurs, running a gentle hand through his hair, “And your dad too. He loved you so much. They gave their lives to not only save the village, but to protect you. They wanted the whole village to see you for the hero you are.”

Tears stream down his face and he sniffs gently. “A hero?” he asks.

“Yes,” she says firmly. “Your mom, she was like you. She carried Kurama inside her. She never wanted for you to have to carry him.”

“But Kurama’s my friend,” he insists wetly.

“And does he want to be stuck inside you?” she asks gently, lifting his chin.

“No,” he admits with a soft shake of his head.

“I know that this is a big shock and you have every right to be hurt and angry, but just remember that we’re here for you, if you want to talk,” she says and motions behind her to where Sasuke and Sakura are standing awkwardly, waiting.

“Can I have another hug?” he asks and she smiles, pulling him in tight as he sniffs wetly.

Pulling back, he wipes his eyes and smiles wanly at his friends, “Hi Sakura-chan, hi Sasuke-kun.”

The two rush towards the bed and quickly climb onto it to pull him into a hug as well. “Are you okay?” Sakura demands.

Naruto nods, “Yeah, I’m okay.”

Sasuke looks to Tsunade, “Are you sure he’s better?” he demands.

Tsunade snorts in amusement, “Down boy, he’ll be okay. He’ll be tired for a little while and he needs to stay here for a bit but he’ll be fine.”

Sasuke frowns but nods and Mikoto laughs before ruffling her son’s hair.

Tsunade steps closer, “You can stay for a little bit but he needs to rest some more.”

Mikoto nods, “Oh course.”

“I’ll let you three chat,” she says with a smile.

“Baa-chan,” Naruto speaks up and Tsunade pauses, looking surprised by the name. “Are you staying in the village now?” he asks.

“I should hope so, seeing as I’m going to be the next Hokage,” she admits and his eyes go wide.

“You’re becoming Hokage?” he asks quickly, for the moment forgetting the turmoil in his head at this news.

“Yep, in a few weeks,” she says with a frown. “Got a problem with that kid?” she demands waspishly and Sakura and Sasuke giggle at the sour look on her face.

Naruto shakes his head hurriedly, “No, I just…I’m going to be Hokage when I get older too!” he says with a small grin, face lighting up.

“Is that so,” she murmurs, eyes getting wistful, “Well, I’ll have to keep my eye on you, as a possible successor. Don’t slack off,” she warns with a stern finger wag.

“I won’t, believe it!” he crows.

“Alright, I’ll leave you three alone,” she says with a laugh. “Mikoto, come get me when you’re done.” Mikoto nods and Tsunade sees herself out.

~*~

“Hokage, huh?” she murmurs, walking down the hall towards the front exit. She can’t help but remember Nawaki and Dan in that moment, her two most precious people who both dreamed of becoming Hokage. She failed them in the end and it cost her dearly.

He reminds her of them, of their utter faith in their dreams. Not just wanting to be Hokage, but planning on it, dreaming of it. She snorts softly. The kid’s got a long way to go, but…she can see it happening. And she’ll make sure this time that there is nothing to stop his dream. She may have failed Nawaki and Dan but she won’t fail him.

Laughing, she walks out into the late afternoon sun light and feels that bit of hope grow even more.

Chapter Text

Portent: noun; a sign or warning that something, especially something momentous or calamitous, is likely to happen.

The darkness around him is a living thing that heaves and shudders around him like a wet, juddering heartbeat. His limbs hang heavy, his right side throbbing with remembered pain so intense that for a second he feels like he’s still beneath the boulders and he stumbles forward a step with a gasp, eyes closing in pain.

The darkness around his legs sloshes and ripples out, thick and viscous like tar and he opens his eyes to it, feeling it drag at him. But the world has changed since his eyes closed in pain, the darkness turning from nothingness to night, the stars winking faintly above.

Around him, branches like spears, like gnashing, misshapen teeth slowly, so slowly, begin to ascend into the night sky, spiraling up in a cork screw to slowly blot out the sky above. The wind howls around him, bringing with it the smell of smoke and rot and blood, while the screams of battle rage distantly, more an afterthought and easy to ignore.

A flash of color and he spins, thin yellow eyes glowing from the darkness, and another pair, another, surrounding him, the faint chuckling of malicious laughter echoes as he tries to keep them in his sight, ever turning, panting harder with the exertion.

He stumbles to a stop as something curls around his leg like a vice, gripping him no matter how he tugs and as he looks down to try and see what has him, pale arms streaked with sickly grey veins reach up through blackness, reaching, reaching, grasping at his clothing, his limbs, clutching tight, a multitude of grasping hands, pulling, pulling him down.

He starts to sink, the tar rising above the knees, above his hips and though he struggles, he can’t break free. It’s nearing his head, and as he looks up, the bright, full, heavy moon stares down at him, bleeding red. It fills the sky, the teeth like branches reaching higher and higher towards it, blotting out the sky, the stars until all he can see is red filling his vision.

A shadow stands over him, momentarily blocking out the moon. It’s eyes shine yellow down at him, sharpened, white teeth splitting its head in a grin and a voice murmurs out, ‘A good tool is one that throws itself away’ and then it turns away, reaching up to the sky and he’s being pulled under, a last glimpse of the burning red moon light that for a moment looks like a Sharingan looking down upon him, a final heady gasp of air and then darkness slowly suffocating him.

~*~

Obito jerks up from his prone position with a growl, kunai already in hand and swinging out against some yet unseen enemy as he gasps for breath. Around him, the darkness of the cave is just that, simple darkness and not the miasmic nothingness of the dream.

Breathing heavily, he sets the kunai down, rubbing at his face, trying to remember the dream. He’s used to horrible dreams and it’s why he sleeps only when he has to but this…this was something different. Something about it seems important, seems to be trying to tell him something but even as he grasps towards it, the dream is already fracturing, leaving only the vaguest memory of retching nothingness and a sense of urgency and fear that he hasn’t felt in a long time.

Growling impatiently, he stands, pacing the length of the cave in frustration as the dream remains elusively out of reach. He whirls as a soft chuckle echoes through the cavern and for a second he feels déjà vu as Zetsu slowly slides up from the earth of the floor, grinning maniacally.

“Bad dreams, Obito,” Zetsu murmurs, eyes flashing in the darkness.

“None of your concern,” he growls out, facing the creature.

Something makes him pause, a moment of hesitance as a feeling of unease washes over him, like a forgotten memory that says he shouldn’t trust this thing. Not that he truly trusts Zetsu. It has always had its own agenda, plans that even he doesn’t know of and while it didn’t bother him before, they all have their own agenda in one way or another, now it makes him wary.

The others are easy to understand in their goals: a means to peace, a refuge from those hunting them, a source of information or resources, they all have their reasons, but Zetsu has always kept its cards hidden, only grinning and going along with whatever Obito decides. Now he wonders if maybe he hasn’t been making all the decisions, like he first thought.

“Zetsu, what is it you want from all this?” he growls out, never taking his eye off the creature.

“Why, what you want: to bring peace to this war torn world, whether it wants it or not,” it croons, voice dripping like honey, but something in Obito pauses, sensing something underneath the saccharine words.

“That’s it? No dreams or goals?” he presses.

“Perhaps,” it murmurs, “but nothing of importance. My goals are yours and I will make your plans a reality.”

“How selfless of you,” he murmurs, hackles raised just a little.

“Of course,” it agrees with another face splitting grin.

“Why did you come here?” he barks out, tired of this word game.

“I have news,” it explains, turning away first, though it feels like Obito lost that game of wills somehow. “Shimura Danzō is dead, killed as a traitor by the Hokage, and the Sandaime Hokage is to be succeeded by the Sannin Tsunade.”

“Couldn’t have happened to a more deserving person,” Obito hisses, knowing full well the scope of that man’s deeds.

“Should we interfere, this might change our plans?” it asks, turning to look to Obito.

“No, it shouldn’t change anything. We’re still gathering our forces and resources for now. Let them think they’re safe, that way they’ll be complacent when we do strike,” he decides with a grimace.

“As you wish,” it demurs. “I will inform Orochimaru of his teammate’s new position. I’m sure he’ll be overjoyed,” it says with a grin, knowing full well Orochimaru will likely destroy things in his anger. “Pleasant dreams,” it hisses with a soft chuckle before sliding away back into the floor and is gone.

Grinding his teeth, he waits until the feel of the creature fades and then grabs and hurls the kunai at where Zetsu had stood. Strangling his rage and slowly composing himself, he reaches down and plucks it from the stone before walking towards his table where his mask lies, grabbing it. Putting it on, he takes one last look around and then the air around him spirals and he vanishes from sight.

~*~

Naruto huffs loudly in annoyance and flops back onto the bed to glare at the ceiling. “I just don’t get it,” he grumbles.

“Brat, you need to learn to shield yourself without my help,” Kurama explains as patiently as he can but they’ve been at this for two hours already and haven’t made much progress besides giving them both a headache.

“I know that,” he grumbles some more. “Maybe I’m just too stupid to get it,” he mutters, frustration mounting.

“Oi, brat, don’t ever say something so stupid again. You’re not stupid. We just need to find a different way to look at it,” Kurama hisses in his head and Naruto smiles softly a little at his words.

“I just…,” he’s not sure how to finish that sentence.

“How do you normally try to figure things out?” Kurama asks.

“Well, I mean I practice a lot, but sometimes, I doodle,” he murmurs, thinking hard. He remembers doing that for a few of their taijutsu katas when he was struggling to understand how they flowed. Of course, that was the few times they had a different teacher other than Iruka-sensei who seemed to understand that he needed a little extra help learning things.

“Come here, brat,” he orders and Naruto allows himself to sink down, eyes closing as he enters their shared mindscape.

“Kurama,” he shouts, running up to hug the fox.

“Focus, brat,” he grumbles but doesn’t shove him off.

“Okay,” he says with a grin, pulling back.

Kurama settles himself on the ground and with a claw, draws a circle into the dirt. “This is you, brat,” he mumbles and Naruto nods, stepping closer to look at the drawing. Kurama continues drawing, a bunch of wavy lines appearing, surrounding the circle. “This is chakra, all kinds of chakra. Right now, you can’t tell them apart and it hurts.”

“Yeah it does,” he mutters with a frown.

“Right now, I’m keeping the pain away but you need to learn to do that yourself. This is what you need to do,” he draws a second circle around the first and erases the wavy lines inside it. “You need to shield yourself, like a bubble around you. Right now, it will just block out all chakra.”

“Oh,” Naruto says softly.

“Eventually, you’ll be able to add layers to it, so you can feel certain kinds of chakra and not all at once but for now, let’s just focus on this,” Kurama explains with a huff, adding other lines inside the first to go alone with the explanation.

“Okay,” he says and opens his eyes back to the hospital room.

“Now focus,” Kurama murmurs.

Sitting up, he closes his eyes and begins to focus, picturing a bubble expanding out from his center until it surrounded him, and pushing back the chakra that he knows is around him. It’s hard to focus on it, the imagery and chakra slippery in in his mental grasp but slowly, something begins to form.

“That’s it brat, focus,” Kurama murmurs. He grins faintly, brow furrowed in concentration. “I’m going to let my shield down. Let me know if you feel anything.”

Naruto nods and waits, feeling pressure build against his mind and breaths slowly, waiting. His bubble quivers under the weight but doesn’t break and he feels a grin break across his face. “Kurama!” he says excitedly.

“Good, brat. We’ll see how long you can hold it then,” he says with a matching grin and Naruto nods, settling back against the bed.

~*~

Tsunade stands before the gathered village as Sarutobi-sensei steps up slowly beside her and with a smile, places the heavy hat of Hokage on her head and steps back, cheers breaking out over the crowds. She never thought this would happen but somehow, this feels right.

She glances at Sarutobi and he nods, motioning subtly for her to step forward and she does, facing the gathered crowd and speaks, “Ever since I was a child, my grandfather shared his dreams with me: to create a village, a place where we could all live and thrive without the threat of war, in peace, where our children could live without dying.”

The crowd waits in silence and she continues. “He never completely achieved that dream in his life time, nor have we since. Three wars and countless skirmishes, so many lives lost but still, I can’t help but believe that his dream will one day become a reality. We have faced so many trials in our lifetimes and with each new trial, we learn and strive to do better. When our ancestors came together as a village, they were fractured, distrusting, but still, they hoped for a better tomorrow. And now, generations later, we stand not as a fragmented people, but as one village.”

“As I look over you all, I see not just the individuals, but the whole and our village is greater than just the sum of its people. It is more than just its clans and its strength in military might. It is its roots, its branches, and the tree as a whole. The Will of Fire burns bright in all of us and though some have tried to smother that flame, to divide our people against each other, we stand true against it.”

“The future of our village stands before us, and with it comes change as in all things. And we will meet that change and use it, to better ourselves and in turn, become an example for those shrouded in the darkness. Let our Will of Fire guide all lost in the darkness so that someday soon, we can truly know peace.”

As she finishes, the gathered villagers break out in cheers and with a deep bow, she steps back, turning to look at her sensei, the man who helped raise her to be the shinobi she is today and set her on this path. He smiles and nods, approval shining in his expression and she smiles back. She looks to Shizune, “Send word to all the clan heads and the council. There will be a meeting this afternoon.” Shizune nods and steps away.

With a grin she looks at Sarutobi, “I hope you’re ready Sensei, because I’m about to kick the hornet’s nest,” she jokes. Snorting out a laugh, he just follows her back into the building.

~*~

As the afternoon finally arrives, Tsunade waits until the last of those she called arrive. “Tsunade-sama,” Shizune says after poking her head into Tsunade’s new office. “Everyone is gathered.”

“Thank you.” She looks around the room one last time before taking a steadying breath and marching after Shizune.

With a smirk, she barges through the door, letting it slam against the wall before it closes with a snap, the gathered shinobi tensing but not letting themselves react as she smirks knowingly at their reaction. “Welcome everyone,” she says before heading to her chair at the head of the large table and sitting.

“This is highly unorthodox, Tsunade-sama,” Utatane Koharu murmurs with a frown, the elderly woman sitting ramrod straight in her chair as she eyes the new Hokage.

“I’m sure it is, but I suggest you get used to such things, Utatane-san,” Tsunade says with a shrug and the older woman sniffs disdainfully.

“And why have you summoned us here?” Mitokado Homura asks quietly, the elderly advisor giving her a long stare of his own.

“I’m glad you asked, Mitokado-san,” she says with a smirk. “As I said in my speech, a time of change is upon us and I intend to be the catalyst for it. For too long, we have fallen back on the old ways and as we have recently seen, they are corrupt or at the very least easily manipulated to be in favor of only a few individuals,” she says with a glance to the two councilors.

“Are you questioning our loyalty, Hokage-sama?” Utatane demands.

“No, I am questioning the system as a whole. Danzō and his schemes should never have happened, as well as many other events and past decisions. We can’t keep going on this way,” she explains patiently.

“You seem to have a plan,” Shikaku voices with a shrewd eye. “What do you have in mind?”

She nods at his perceptiveness. “I do. Power right now is contained to a few individuals: myself, my counselors, the Daimyo and in regards to clan matters, the clan heads. My suggestion is to disperse that power a little more evenly. I’m proposing a unified counsel, consisting of those mentioned, as well as the various departments and groups of the village: T&I, ANBU, merchants, farmers, etc.”

“With all due respect, Hokage-sama, merchants and farmers are not suitable persons to run a village,” Utatane utters with a condescending look.

“Why not? Without the farmers, we would have to import food from other nations, thus making us dependent even further on outside trade. Without our own merchants, we would have to rely on foreign merchants to get any products we can’t make ourselves, again increasing our dependence on foreign support. As well…this is their home, as it is mine and yours. Why shouldn’t they get some say in how we run it?” she demands hotly.

“They would be ignorant of political matters,” she explains as if speaking to a simple child.

“I hate to break it to you, Utatane-san, but these people are far more aware of how a village runs than you give them credit for and what they do not know, we could teach them. I’m not saying give them absolute control, but that also means the shinobi or clans or even myself do not get absolute control. We are one village and as such, its people deserve a voice,” Tsunade explains, reining her temper in before she snaps at the woman again.

“So you would make them aware of the shinobi dealings? Many would balk at what the shinobi are asked to do for the money we bring in,” Mitokado asks quietly when Utatane refuses to speak up.

“Yes and no,” she says. “Some things we can’t hide but the sensitive material would remain under the purview of the Jounin Commander, myself and any individuals that need to be involved, like it has always been for the most part. ANBU assignments and members are not public knowledge to every shinobi, even now. T&I have many secrets known only to the few that need to know. I know this will be a difficult change and will take time to implement and tweak but in the long run, it will greatly benefit us. If the people of our village feel included in the running of the village, they will trust us more and it will be harder for one person to divide us as Danzō was attempting with the Uchiha.”

There are murmurs as people glance around at each other trying to judge how people favor this. Tsunade clenches her hands and firms her resolve. “As well, I would like to implement a decree, which would allow the council, should they have sufficient reason and a majority vote, which would allow them to veto any ruling I or any future Hokage places.”

The gathered people stare at her in silence. “That is…unprecedented,” Hiashi murmurs, voice shattering the silence.

“I am aware, Hiashi-san. The Hokage and any Kage really, have ruled, since the creation of the villages, with unregulated power. We have seen it too often in other villages, of the iron control they hold over their people. More often than not, we have seen it turn to chaos and bloodshed, as the people only really have one way to stop such a tyrannical ruler,” she says and many in the room nod, recalling Kiri and some of the other Elemental nations that have descended to civil unrest and war over the generations.

“Power will corrupt…unless kept in check,” she says, looking slowly over the assembled people, giving them her undivided attention. “You each have something to check you: laws, superiors, clan members, and myself. I would ask that you keep me in check the same as you. I may be Hokage, but I am still only human and I will make mistakes. It seems only fair that there are those who can tell me when I’m wrong without fearing for their lives,” she says with a small, bitter smile.

“Who would be on this council?” Fugaku speaks up, drawing attention to him and breaking the tension.

“Well, that would be up to the various groups. For the clans, it could be the Clan heads or someone they choose to represent them and the same for the various sections of the village, as well as the civilian groups. Once all the members are chosen, we would need to work out a meeting schedule, be it monthly, every other month, and so on. As well as what determines when a council can be summoned out of schedule. Like I said, this will take a lot of work and I will need help to build and fine tune this system. But we must approve of it here and now,” Tsunade explains.

“There will need to be subdivisions for smaller council meetings, for when a full council is not necessary or the matter pertains to only a few sections of the council and village,” Shikaku speaks up, brow furrowed and mind already whirling with thoughts. “But, as a whole, it’s not a bad idea.”

“Are there any opposed to this?” Tsunade speaks up.

None of the clan heads speak up. “This will end horribly and I for one will not be a part of it,” Utatane speaks up.

“You seem to be the only one against this, Utatane-san. Perhaps this much change is too much for one such as yourself and I should allow you to retire before such change can overwhelm you,” Tsunade speaks up, voice mild as milk but eyes hard. How she hopes the old woman will take her up on it. She’s never liked her.

Utatane sniffs, “As if I would allow myself to do such a thing in such a delicate time. No, I will remain here for when this harebrained plan of yours fails and help pick up the pieces.”

“You are entitled to your opinions,” Tsunade says with a shrug and dismisses the woman. “Then it is decided.”

There are nods from all around the table. “Good, now, one last bit of business before we conclude this meeting. This is in regards to Uzumaki Naruto.”

The silence descends again, “You are all aware of the Sandaime’s ruling in regards to keeping silent Naruto’s parentage, as well as the matter of him being a Jinchuuriki.” Again, more nods. “I am repealing that. With all due respect to you Sensei for making a hard decision at the time, but it is no longer necessary.” Sarutobi nods from his place off to the side.

“Your reasoning?” Mitokado asks cautiously.

“Well, for one thing, Naruto is both aware of his status as a Jinchuuriki and of just who his parents are,” she states matter-of-factly and shocked murmurs break out. “Hiding his Jinchuuriki status was meant to give him a semblance of a normal childhood and protection but as I’m sure you are all aware, that back fired spectacularly,” uncomfortable shifting from some of the clan heads, “and keeping his parentage secret was a means to protect him as well from any backlash from enemies of his parents, which is ruined with his status as the Jinchuuriki now public. He’s in just as much danger now as he would have been had his parentage been made public knowledge before now.”

Sarutobi speaks up, “I had considered repealing them soon but I was hesitant to place more of a target on him. If he is aware though, then you are right, it should be lifted.”

“And how did he learn of his parentage or his Jinchuuriki status?”  Inuzuka Tsume asks with a lazy drawl, sprawled in her chair.

“The Kyuubi seems to have informed him of what he is,” the gathered people sit up at that, shocked, “and as to his parents, I told him.  As I am his Great Aunt, though distantly, I felt it prudent that he know of his lineage.”

“The fox is speaking to him?” Inoichi speaks up.

“Yes, and it has spoken to others,” she says with a nod.

“Is that natural? What if it takes control of the boy?” Hiashi speaks up.

“No, that is not possible,” Sarutobi declares. “Minato’s seal keeps the fox in check, letting only a small amount of its chakra to bleed through naturally. As well, the only way for the fox to gain control is if Naruto allows it.”

“The fox could trick him,” Hiashi insists.

“I don’t think it will…not with Naruto anyway,” Tsunade admits and they look to her. “I spoke with it, during Naruto’s stay in the hospital. I helped him heal Naruto, taught him how to heal him better. He is…protective of the boy.”

“As well, were it not for Naruto and the Kyuubi’s combined efforts, we would not have located Uchiha Sasuke nor have learned the true scope of Danzō’s plans. I believe Tsunade-san is right,” Sarutobi adds.

“Can we truly trust the beast?” Utatane demands.

“Completely trust it, no, but we can trust that the Kyuubi at least has Naruto’s best interest at heart,” Tsunade consoles. “As well, I would like the knowledge of the Jinchuuriki and the history of it to be taught once more in the schools. Too many of our people are unaware of just what Naruto’s role is and what was sacrificed. Minato and Kushina wished for their son to be seen as a hero for taking on this burden. Ignorance will only build fear and resentment.”

“I see no problem with this,” Fugaku affirms, nodding in agreement.

Slowly, murmurs of agreements arise from the gathered men and women. “Then, that is decided. I have nothing else I wish to discuss right now. Unless anyone else wishes to add something?” she pauses and no one speaks up. “Then, let us begin to change our world for the better.”

Nods of agreement and then slowly, one by one, they file from the meeting room, speaking quietly to each other over what was discussed, making plans for the future. Smiling softly to herself, she allows a small glow of triumph to bloom in her chest. Not bad for her first day as Hokage.

~*~

Kurama sighs as he settles in his clearing, listening to the slow steady breathing of Naruto as the boy slumbers. So much has changed in the last few months since he woke up in the past. The brats are together, Danzō is dead and Tsunade is Hokage, with the Sandaime alive rather than murdered by the Snake Sannin.

But now, he’s got no clue what to do. To be honest, he’s never had a clue what to do since he awoke here. That idiot Obito didn’t really give them much time to plan before throwing them into the past. Not that he tried to stop him. He huffs a laugh at his own mistake.

But, this feels better, more organic. He knows enough right now to put a crimp in Akatsuki’s plans, even with the changes, but now isn’t a time to strike. Naruto and the brats are too young, not even genin yet. Now is the time to plan and that is something he is a master of. Decades of his life were spent planning his escape from his hosts. He can be patient when he needs to.

But…

If he’s honest with himself, everything up until now has either been easy or pure luck. He hadn’t planned to bring down Danzō just yet or somehow cause the Slug Sannin to come back to the village and take up her future title early. What plans he had for stopping the Uchiha Massacre had been nebulous at best. He can’t keep stumbling around like this; he’s not the brat where everything just seems to work out okay in the end.

Which means he needs to figure out his next step now rather than later. Thinking back on previous conversations with Obito about Akatsuki, he knows most of their current lineup.

Both halves of Zetsu are definitely there, and Obito, though not as Tobi just yet. Nagato and Konan are sure to be there, Nagato acting as the puppet leader, which reminds him that he needs to destroy those eyes of his soon. Kisame is probably there, though his knowledge of the missing nin’s timeline is limited. The same can be said for Sasori as well. As for Deidara, Hidan and Kakuzu, they are unknowns. And the Snake Sannin is definitely there, though probably not for much longer. He’d already left by the time Naruto had become a genin.

Not much to go on, but it’s a start.

The next step is not one he wants to take, if only because he hates dealing with his siblings. He mourned for them when they were taken, each one a blow and he remembers Naruto’s grief at the deaths of each of them and their hosts.

But it doesn’t mean he wants to deal with them…well most of them. A few are tolerable.

He frowns, trying to decide who best to contact first. Shukaku is considered for maybe a millisecond before being discarded. That crazy bastard is already too much to handle on a normal day, but after his previous host, the tanuki has gone positively insane right now. And with his host being Naruto’s age, there’s not much either of them can do.

He considers Matatabi, the cat coming to mind next. She’s…tolerable, when she’s not being her usual smug-condescending-I’m-better-than-you self. And her host is old enough to move about much easier than his. But…she’s in Kumo and in contact with Killer Bee and Gyūki and he’d rather not take the chance of his brother’s idiot host spilling the secret to the current Raikage too early. She’s a maybe then.

Isobu is a no go right now. With Obito currently keeping Isobu and his host under his thumb, there’s no way he’s going to talk to his brother. They will need to figure out that issue eventually and find a way to break Obito’s hold on Isobu, but for now, it’s not the most important step.

Son Gokū and Kokuō are his next thought. The twos’ hosts know each other, and currently are the only ones not under a village’s protection. Son’s an ass and he’d rather not deal with the ape unless he has to but Kokuō…he can stand him, mostly.

Saiken is still in Kiri and won’t be leaving for a few years and he would be best for keeping an eye on Isobu and his host’s movements and could tell him if he sees any Akatsuki members in the village. And the slug is better company than most of his siblings.

Chōmei is a maybe as well. If he recalls correctly, her host isn’t all that much older than Naruto and he’s not sure of her host’s loyalty to her village or even how far along in training she is. It’s best to wait on that front.

Matatabi…Saiken…Son Gokū…Kokuō…Chōmei…Gyūki…

He’s not sure which of his siblings was taken first, and honestly, with as much changes as he’s made already, there’s no guarantee that they won’t go after someone else first, or strike sooner or wait. Matatabi has Gyūki and a village to watch her back. Saiken and Chōmei have a village as well. But Son and Kokuō should be warned first.

Grumbling under his breath about annoying siblings, he reaches for the thread that connects him to Kokuō and sends a pulse of his chakra down its length. When there’s no reply, he does it again and again. Finally, after the third pulse, he feels an answering throb.

Slowly materializing from the shadows of the trees is the pale form of the Gobi, stepping into the light of his bonfire, eyeing him as he settles on the ground opposite of him.

“Kurama,” he murmurs, observing him.

“Kokuō.”

“This is certainly unusual of you,” he murmurs as he looks around. His eyes land on Kurama, looking him over. “You…seem different.”

Kurama snorts softly, “I guess I am.”

Pale eyes stare at him, hard and then nods, “Explain.”

“It’s easier to show,” he admits, not really looking forward to this part. He doubts Kokuō won’t believe him, but…he made a lot of mistakes in his past and he doesn’t feel like giving his brother more ammunition against him than he has to.

Exhaling harshly, he brings one of his tails around, the white tip touching gently against one of Kokuō’s horns and with a faint bubble of chakra; he shows him what happened, the last time around.

When he’s done, he pulls his tail back and waits. Kokuō’s eyes had closed while he was shown the past/future, a faint frown marring his expressions. Slowly, his eyes open, understanding in them. “Ah, so you are different,” he murmurs.

Kurama nods with a faint grin, waiting for the questions to come, “Why me?” Kokuō asks with more curiosity in the question than anything else.

“You and Son are by yourself and Akatsuki will use that to their advantage. The others at least have some back up. I figured, even if the future is changed, you two are still vulnerable. The more you know, the better chance you stand,” he explains.

“You just didn’t want to deal with Son,” he mutters, a smirk on his face and Kurama dignifies that with a roll of his eyes.

“But this future…it feels like something the Sage’s mother would do and yet, I saw no sign of her,” he murmurs, serious once more.

Kurama shrugs, “I can’t say for sure. If it was originally her plan, then she relied on the wrong man. Madara only does what he wants to do.” They grow silent, taking in the memories.

“Do you think they will remember?’ he asks the most pressing question.

“I hope so. So many things have changed in just the last few months that anything that would trigger a memory is gone, but maybe when they get older…I just don’t know. I can only hope that that idiot Obito remembers before I’m forced to kill him,” he mutters, eyes staring into the flames, heavy in thought.

“Jeez, you really are different. The Kurama of old would have just ripped him in half and moved on,” Kokuō says with a huff.

“Yeah, well, I’m allowed to change,” Kurama grumbles indignantly. “Maybe if you actually interacted with your host more than once a month, you might have a better relationship with him,” he snips back.

Kokuō tosses his head in irritation but holds his tongue. “What should we tell our hosts?” he asks, returning to their previous conversation.

“The truth: a group of S-class missing nin is hunting them for the tailed beasts. The villages are a little aware of Akatsuki’s movements, though they don’t know their goals. It will at least make people more cautious,” Kurama says with a shrug. He’ll need to figure out a way to drop clues of Akatsuki’s plans to Jiraiya.

“Very well, I’ll speak to Son for you. Our hosts know each other, so traveling together won’t be horrible. I’ll handle Matatabi and Gyūki as well. I know how to handle Gyūki to keep his host from spilling things too quickly,” Kokuō says with a shrug before standing.

“Thank you, Kokuō. I’ll inform the rest soon,” Kurama says softly.

Kokuō huffs, turning around and pauses, “You’re right,” he admits.

“About what?”

“Our relationships would better if we talked with them more and got to know them better…but that goes both ways. It’s hard to befriend an unwilling host,” he reminds Kurama and then fades back into shadow.

Kurama grumbles softly but he can’t really deny Kokuō’s words. He’d been the same with Naruto, at first, unwilling to do anything for the boy unless it was life or death. But that is also what made their friendship so strong. Despite every wall Kurama put up, Naruto pushed through and won his trust, his friendship…his love.

They’d figure things out eventually. At least now he doesn’t have to deal with Son or that bastard Gyūki. All that left was…

“Damn it Kokuō, you left me Shukaku on purpose!” he yells towards where the Gobi left and only feels a pulse of smugness along their connection, stronger now than it was before.

Chapter Text

Change: verb; make (someone or something) different; alter or modify.

Tsunade glares at the man sitting across from her at her desk. It takes all of her restraint to not reach over and slam the smarmy bastard’s head on to the surface of said desk, though the only reason she holds back is that it’s a really nice desk and she just knows the bastard would mark its smooth surface with his hard ass head.

Jiraiya, seeming to be able to read her mind by the tone of her glare, shifts back minutely out of her reach, though his smirk doesn’t fade. “Jiraiya,” she drawls with more a growl than a word. The man shifts even further back. “Why is it, I was informed you would be back in two weeks and it is only now, a month and a half later that you deign to show your damn face here in the village?” Her glare ratchets up a few degrees and she watches with satisfaction as a bead of sweat slides down his cheek.

“Ah, Hime, it wasn’t intentional, I swear,” he apologizes, hoping the use of her childhood nickname will quell her anger. “You know I couldn’t just all out sprint back through Iwa, not without drawing unwanted attention,” he tries to explain some more.

“And let me guess, you just happened to hit up every bath house in every town and village on the way here?” she asks lazily, but he pales even further.

“No, no, I swear I didn’t,” he insists.

“Then you must have been dragging your feet and taking every scenic route on the way back to be this late,” she says and he gulps. She knows it was a little of both, the man holding out before returning to ensure he wouldn’t have to take the hat from sensei. It doesn’t mean she won’t make him sweat it out a little first.

The silence drags before she finally looks away, waving a hand, “Well, go on, tell me what you’ve found out,” she orders, smirking at the relieved sigh he gives before straightening into a more serious expression.

“Things are tense in Iwa, as usual, but nothing is pointing to any kind of altercation for now. I found traces and hints of Orochimaru as well but it all died out quickly. If the bastard is or was there, he’s got more bolt holes than I’ve ever seen,” he grouses, frustration evident in his unfocused glare at the world as a whole.

“I’m not surprised,” she murmurs, the wound of their teammate’s betrayal sitting between them heavily.

He sits forward, looking even more serious, “I also happened to have a very interesting conversation with two missing nin,” he murmurs.

She frowns, wondering what this is about and nods for him to continue. “They approached me with the offer of free information to pass on to my Hokage,” he murmurs. Tsunade knows Jiraiya’s usual contacts and knows that he’s always suspicious of free information given, especially if they aren’t known or trusted.

“Who were they?” she demands.

“Iwa’s two missing Jinchuuriki,” he offers and nods at the widening of her eyes.

“What did they tell you,” she demands, mind already whirling.

“They wished to warn us about a group hunting the Tailed Beasts,” he admits. “It seems another Jinchuuriki came in contact with them and passed on the warning to them and the others.”

“Do you trust this info?” she asks the more pressing question. The Jinchuuriki are always in danger at some level, other villages hoping to get their hands on them to increase their own power. It’s why they keep their identities secret for as long as possible when they’re young to protect them from kidnappings and attacks.

Some villages, like Suna and Kumo, use family members of their leaders to insure the loyalty of the Jinchuuriki, not that it usually works. Most villages treat their Jinchuuriki so horribly that any loyalty that might be gained is long gone by the time they are old enough to think for themselves. Not that Konoha can stand on any moral high ground after the last five years with Naruto and even before with Kushina and Mito.

“Not at first,” he admits. “But they threw out a name I’ve been investigating already and, well…I’m willing to trust it to a point.”

“What name?” she asks, settling back against her chair with a frown.

“Akatsuki,” he says with a sharp look.

“Any relation to the previous use of that name?” she asks, recalling the small group from Ame years before that disappeared as suddenly as it appeared. As she recalls, there was a file of Danzō’s that spoke about Akatsuki and helping Hanzō to crush them.

“Honestly, I have no idea. I have no names of any members or any information besides a name and whispers of them taking missions as a mercenary group in various nations, for very cheap so I’m told. They’ve been popping up more and more in the last few years but I’ve had no reliable sources to give me any clue just who or what they are and what they want. But if these Jinchuuriki are right, they’re aiming for the Tailed Beasts for some sort of goal,” he admits, worry edging his voice.

“Did they say which of the Jinchuuriki warned them?” she asks, not letting anything show at his worry.

“No, only just passed the warning on before moving on. It seems the two of them are traveling together to watch each other’s backs,” he murmurs. She arches a brow at that. It takes quite a threat to make a seasoned Jinchuuriki wary, let alone all of them.

“I didn’t think any of the Jinchuuriki were on good enough terms with each other to pass any sort of warning,” she admits, rubbing tiredly at her face.

“It seems there is a lot we don’t know about them,” he says with a huff. “How is Naruto doing by the way?” he asks.

Tsunade arches a brow, “You mean you haven’t heard anything?” she asks, amused that he came straight to her instead of spying on the village first as he would normally do.

“I felt it best to appraise you first,” he admits. In other words, he didn’t want to anger her any more than he already had.

Snorting at his cowardice, she settles herself more comfortably in her chair. “You’re aware of Danzō then?” she asks and he nods. “Naruto is the only reason we caught him.”

“What?” he demands, half falling off of his chair before righting himself. “We are talking about the same five year old, right?”

Tsunade snorts, “Trust me, I’m aware how that sounds.”

“Don’t leave me hanging, explain,” he demands as Tsunade pulls out a bottle of sake and two cups, filling one up and handing it over.

“I wasn’t here at the time, but from what we’ve been able to piece together, Danzō was trying to incite the Uchiha into lashing out to justify stricter restrictions and even possibly genocide,” she lays flat out before swallowing down a draught of sake. Jiraiya grimaces at what isn’t included in that sentence.

“When does Naruto come into this?” he asks, taking a swallow as well and holding it out for her to refill.

“It’s coming,” she assures. “From what I’ve been told, about five months ago, the youngest son of Uchiha Mikoto befriended Naruto and over the course of a few months, Mikoto unofficially adopted the boy.”

Jiraiya arches a brow at that, “I can see where this is going already,” he mutters, taking a sip now instead of swallowing it down in one gulp. “This is good stuff,” he adds.

“A gift from sensei,” she says, savoring the sake as well. “I’m sure you can guess how the other clans reacted to Naruto suddenly spending so much time in the Uchiha Compound,” she adds and he nods. “Well, they started trying to place more restrictions, all with Danzō’s approval of course. At the same time, Mikoto brought to light some disturbing news about the Village Orphanage where Naruto lives.”

“Jeez,” he mutters, already feeling a sympathy headache forming for Sarutobi-sensei.

“Apparently it was a huge scandal,” she agrees, recalling reading that particular report. “Needless to say, Danzō didn’t like the Uchiha suddenly getting put into a favorable light. It completely threw his plans into disarray.”

“I’m sure,” Jiraiya huffs, this time filling his own cup. “I’m guessing he overreached.”

Tsunade nods, refilling her cup. “He kidnapped Mikoto’s son. My best guess: he was hoping that it would be enough to make them lash out when the boy wasn’t found. And he wouldn’t have been, if not for Naruto.”

Jiraiya arches a disbelieving brow. “It’s true. Did you know that the boy is talking with the Kyuubi now?” she asks with a smirk as he takes a sip and coughs at her words, sputtering.

“What?” he demands in a croak.

Her smirk widens, “It’s true. It seems the boy has befriended the monster inside him.”

“Is that okay?” he asks.

“I’ve spoken with the fox myself. It’s wrapped around the boy’s finger,” she jokes and he gives her a pained look. “That’s later in the story,” she says with a dismissive wave of her hand.

“Alright, how does that equate to Naruto outsmarting Danzō?” he demands, forgetting his sake for the moment in search for answers.

At this Tsunade’s expression grows heavy, “The idiot fox thought teaching him to use Sage mode was the best solution.”

Jiraiya stills, ears ringing faintly at her words, “Did you say Sage mode?” he asks.

“You heard correctly. They managed to find Sasuke in secret Root tunnels under the Monument but it very nearly killed the boy,” she growls out, anger still bubbling at the stupidity.

Jiraiya sucks down a gulp of sake at the implication of a five year old using such a dangerous technique, “What happened?” he asks.

“Sensei put a stop to Danzō when he was found in the tunnels and Sasuke was retrieved,” she says with a dismissive shrug. “They sent word to you and a team to find me. When I got here, the boy was still barely healing and the fox wouldn’t let anyone help. I managed to smack some sense into him and helped heal the boy who managed to change himself into a sensor, I might add,” she says with an amused huff.

Jiraiya goes to refill his cup and frowns as nothing comes out. “I’m not drunk enough for this,” he mutters. Laughing, Tsunade pushes back from her desk, motioning him to follow.

“Shizune, we’re going out,” she calls out, “Cancel the rest of my schedule.”

“Tsunade-sama, it’s too early to be drinking,” Shizune huffs, looking harried.

Tsunade grins, “It’s never too early to start drinking,” and waving dismissively to the woman, leads Jiraiya out of the building to the nearest bar to get truly smashed over the most recent events and continue where she left off.

~*~

Iruka sighs tiredly, rubbing at his face as the sound of his students slowly arriving permeates the air. He’d spent most of the night grading papers and didn’t get as much sleep as he would have liked. Now, the only thing keeping him going is a solid breakfast and his third cup of coffee. He’s not sure how long that will last when he has to teach five and six year olds the fundamentals of being a shinobi before he will allow them to do the more interesting lessons of taijutsu and weapon training.

“Iruka-sensei!” a familiar voice calls out and he turns to see a bright orange streak coming his way. It’s been over a month since Naruto was last in class, though he only knows some of what happened to keep the boy from coming.

“Naruto-kun, it’s good to see you back,” he murmurs as the boy nearly vibrates in front of him in excitement. He’s much too tired to have to put up with such energy.

“Did you miss me?” he asks with a grin, waving towards Sasuke who has just come in with Sakura.

“Of course I did,” he answers with a smile.

When he’d first learned he would be teaching the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki last year, he had dreaded it. The monster responsible for the death of his parents and so many others would be in his classroom. He had wanted to refuse on the spot.

He couldn’t refuse though, not when the Sandaime had given him that look that said he expected him to do his very best to teach Naruto just like he would any other child in his class. Needless to say, the year started badly, though he doubts anyone would have noticed any change in his demeanor.

It took nearly six months before he had slowly begun to realize that Naruto is just a boy, an ordinary boy with something thrust on him that he had no idea of or that he even consented to. He has seen the way others have treated him, most with the bare minimum of courtesy, others with outright hatred and disgust, shunning the boy who only wanted people to like him.

He finally understands why the Hokage chose him. Any other teacher would have probably put their own feelings over their duty as a teacher. He knows himself well enough to admit he was sorely tempted, so many times but his pride as a teacher wouldn’t let him.

And now, he can’t see the boy as anything other than a child, albeit a very energetic and boisterous child who right now is talking excitedly with his two friends. It’s been over a month and when he had first heard that the boy was in the hospital, he had worried, wondering just what could waylay a Jinchuuriki enough to land him in the hospital.

The only thing he can think of is during the New Year’s Festival when, for one gut wrenching moment, he had felt the choking miasma of a familiar chakra. Had Naruto been attacked as well as Sasuke being abducted? Even Sakura had been absent for those long days of Sasuke’s abduction, her parents claiming she was sick but when he’d asked, she said she was fine.

Then there was the mysterious conversation with the new Hokage, Tsunade having called him to her office just the week before. She had explained that something had happened to Naruto, though she wouldn’t say what and that he had been recovering in the hospital. The only reason she was informing him was that Naruto is newly awoken to sensor abilities, his sensitivity to chakra extremely high and that as his teacher, he needed to know in case something happened while Naruto was in his care.

He’d been let go soon after with the promise to keep a close eye on the boy in case something happened. As the children idle around, still chatting before class starts, he settles back against his chair and feels out. His own sensing abilities are above the average shinobi. It’s one of the reasons he made such a good spy before he became a teacher, able to sense enemy forces from a good distance.

Now, he reaches out, trying to sense for Naruto’s guards. It became a sort of game over the months, to see if he could sense them and if he could recognize them by chakra signature alone from previous shifts. Now, as he feels out, he frowns, feeling not the standard two, but four signatures, and none of them he recognizes from the past.

Four new guards for one boy: has something happened that he isn’t aware of; an impending attack maybe? He doubts he’d be told anything unless it was needed, but right now, it leaves him on edge. Sometimes, he hates the secrecy of the village and the need-to-now clause on anything remotely important. It would certainly help his peace of mind if he knew what to keep an eye out for.

Glancing at the clock, he sees it’s time to start class and with some effort, pushes his worries away. He needs to be focused right now. He has a class full of children that will run all over him if he doesn’t keep them on a tight leash. “Alright, find your seats,” he calls and readies for the battle that is trying to teach children how to be shinobi.

~*~

Kurama grumbles under his breath, ignoring his gathered siblings as they wait for the last of them to arrive. Figures Shukaku would keep them waiting, the crazy bastard. It’s been almost a month since he first contacted Kokuō and explained just what is coming. He’s met with Saiken, Chōmei and Shukaku since then to include them in with his brother, Kokuō helping with the others. But there’s still one sibling left to deal with.

Finally, the smarmy bastard decides to show up. “What the hell took you so damn long?” he growls to the tanuki.

“Keep your damn fur on, Kurama, I came didn’t I?” he huffs back. “We can’t all have precious little hosts who do everything we say.”

Kurama chuckles with wicked laughter, “The little brat giving you a run for your money I see.”

“Shut up, you mangy fox! At least mine isn’t obsessed with ramen,” he grumbles but there’s a faint grimace at Kurama’s words.

Kurama grins knowingly. When he’d first contacted Shukaku, that ‘little brat’ had been resisting him for the most part, in spite of Shukaku’s attempts to make him give in. Kurama had taken great pleasure in beating some common sense and decency into his brother, reminding him that just because he could torment the kid, didn’t mean he should. It had taken some convincing, but what can he say…Kurama is very charismatic when he needs to be.

“You want to go again asshole!” Shukaku huffs and sucks in air to puff up his body to look bigger.

Kurama’s grin widens even further, “Anytime, little brother. But it’ll be the same as before. You don’t have enough tails to take me on.”

“Enough you two,” Matatabi growls out and jumps between the two of them. “We’re here for a reason, and beating you to a pulp is not it,” she snarls with a glare at Shukaku.

“Like you could beat me,” Shukaku grumbles, but let’s himself deflate.

Matatabi smirks, “I still have more tails than you do,” she reminds him, flicking her two tails to smack him in the face before sauntering over to her place, leaving a grumbling Shukaku glaring after her.

Laughing, Kurama heads to his usual spot, listening out silently to check on Naruto, but finds the brat still sleeping, tired after a long day of training after so long mostly inactive due to being in the hospital. Satisfied he won’t wake the brat, he settles onto the ground as his siblings all arrange themselves as well.

He sends a look towards Shukaku, “Well?” he demands, but can already guess what his brother’s response will be.

“I’m working on it,” he grumbles.

“He’s still not talking to you?” Chōmei asks in surprise.

“No damn it, he’s not,” Shukaku admits with a glare.

“It’s to be expected, after tormenting the boy for so long,” Matatabi drawls with a bored look.

“Oh, and you’re so perfect,” he yells at Matatabi.

“My host and I are in perfect agreement and work together, unlike you,” she says smoothly. “Maybe if you tried to actually talk to the boy instead of demanding like you do with everything else, he might be willing to listen.”

“Oh who asked you,” Shukaku yells, crossing his arms defensively.

Sighing, Kurama looks towards Son Gokū and Kokuō across the clearing. “About the same as before, I’m afraid,” Kokuō says with a shrug, Son grunting in agreement. “They did take the warning to heart and are traveling together, but it’s hard to break old habits.” Kurama figured as much. “I do have some news. They stumbled upon the man you asked us to keep an eye out for, the Toad Sage, and passed on the warning about Akatsuki. He should be warning your Hokage soon.”

“Good, that should help matters on our end. Which means they’ll at least pass on the warning to Sand as a courtesy since they’re technically allies,” Kurama murmurs, pieces of info arranging themselves in his head.

He glances at Saiken, “My host has started to listen to me, though reluctantly,” the Rokubi admits with a sigh. “His master is adamant he not listen to me but the boy is…curious. He is also aware of the threat and is on the lookout for Akatsuki in the village. So far, none have come through, which is a good thing in my book.”

“What about Isobu and his host?” he asks.

“No change there, but…” he pauses and Kurama nods for him to continue, “There are talks, whispers going around the village. Many are tired of Yagura’s bloody reign. He believes that a coup is coming soon.”

Kurama frowns, thinking back. “Yes, it fails as I recall. I…” he pauses, remembering a distant memory, of Naruto’s time in Wave and the fight against Zabuza and Haku. If things progress like they should, Zabuza will be forced to flee, taking his apprentice with him. Eventually, should things work out; their paths will cross…hopefully.

“What is it?” Matatabi demands.

“Nothing immediately important,” he says with a shrug, pushing it aside for now.

“If we break the genjutsu now and he returns to normal, will the coup stop?” he asks his brother.

Saiken shrugs with uncertainty, “Maybe, but it is hard to say. His reign hasn’t been…good and a lot of blood has been spilt. Even if it’s revealed that he is being controlled, many will still demand recompense probably.”

Kurama nods, mulling over the information with a sigh. He looks at Chōmei, “My host and I are having a lot of fun getting to know each other. She’s very bright,” she says with a happy buzz of her wings. “I think she’s happy to have a friend finally.”

“That’s good,” Kurama says with a nod. He turns to Gyūki and sighs, “I don’t need to worry about you and your obnoxious host,” he grumbles.

“Bee is a good man,” Gyūki insists.

“Doesn’t mean he’s not annoying to listen to,” Kurama snaps back and Gyūki at least concedes to that, recalling his host’s unique way of talking.

Kurama remains silent for a moment, mulling over what was said. For only being a month, he and his siblings have done better than expected…well, except for Shukaku and honestly; he’s rooting for Gaara to make the bastard work for his acceptance.

Kurama huffs at the thought but focuses back to the current problem. “Do we break the genjutsu holding Isobu and his host now or do we wait?” he asks. Truthfully, he’s not sure. He doesn’t know exactly when Yagura is killed, but it was sometime before Sasuke leaving in the past. Now…he’s not sure if that will change.

He knows Zabuza is getting ready to lead the coup d’état against Isobu’s current host, the Yondaime Mizukage and that it will fail. Should they wait and let the coup happen in the hopes that the current timeline will follow the same path or should they act now before there’s more bloodshed? And when they do, how will Akatsuki react? Will it push Obito and the others to move faster, put them on guard, change plans completely?

Kurama grumbles under his breath at his whirling thoughts. He’s sure he’d have a headache right now if he could actually get one. “Perhaps it is better to act now rather than wait. The coup will likely happen, even if he’s freed. I’d rather not leave our brother under that man’s thumb any longer than necessary,” Saiken finally speaks up in the silence.

“If the bastard was weak enough to be caught in the first place, let him break himself out,” Shukaku mutters halfheartedly.

“It could very well have been you under his control,” Kurama reminds him with a sneer. “There’s no way to break it yourself, I should know.” That night still rubs his fur the wrong way whenever he thinks about Obito.

“Is it really that powerful?” Matatabi asks curiously.

“It’s not powerful,” Kurama explains with a huff. “It’s subtle. It gets in your head and you don’t even notice. Right now, Isobu and Yagura have no idea they’re being controlled. Obito only has to give an order and it seems like their idea. It’s hard to fight your own mind.” His tails flick with agitation behind him and he grits his teeth.

“Will he notice when it breaks?” Kokuō asks.

“I don’t know, but he will notice when Yagura stops doing what he tells him,” Kurama huffs. There’s no way of knowing how this will change the future but he’d rather have his final sibling free and helping them than having to fight him. And if it means that future events don’t happen, well, he’ll just have to figure something else out.

“We’re doing it now,” he barks out and the others sit up straighter and nod.

“Gyūki, you’re with me. We’re going to beat some sense into our brother’s head. That should be enough to wake that damn turtle up. Chōmei, keep him blind if you can. Son, Shukaku, try and pin him down. The rest, you’ll need to pull him in here and keep him from leaving,” Kurama instructs, feeling the world around them shift to their need, widening to give them room to maneuver.

“We have to hit our brother?” Gyūki asks worriedly.

“Unless you feel like hunting down Obito and taking him out, then pain is the best way to break his hold on him,” Kurama explains quickly. He and Gyūki move a distance apart, Chōmei taking to the air to hover over them. Son Gokū and Shukaku move apart as well, readying to jump Isobu as soon as he appears.

The other three stay back and he watches as their chakra colors the air around them, thick chains of it flowing down their connection to Isobu. He watches them strain in effort to pull him here. This is their shared space, a place they willingly come to. It goes against everything to force Isobu here but they must if they want to help him without tipping Obito off beforehand.

A crackle of energy and suddenly, the clearing is full of thrashing as Isobu is flung into the clearing. Kurama can see from here the Sharingan over his eyes, Obito’s hold on him. Son and Shukaku rush him, struggling to keep him pinned. “Let’s go Gyūki,” Kurama growls, springing forward and rushing his brothers, Gyūki a step behind. They close their eyes as Chōmei’s scale powder flashes in front of the turtle.

It doesn’t take long, between him and Gyūki, to cause enough pain to break the genjutsu. Like the sound of cracking ice in a spring thaw, the Sharingan in his eyes fade, leaving Son and Shukaku holding up their brother up rather than pinning him.

“What?” Isobu gasps, glancing around at his siblings, probably the first time he’s seen any of them in decades, except for Saiken.

“Welcome back, thick shell. Sorry to rush but-,” Kurama doesn’t finish his sentence as his tail snakes out, pressing against Isobu’s head and he passes on his memories to the Sanbi.

Silence hangs over them as Kurama pulls his tail away and Isobu shakes his head sluggishly, parsing through the inrush of information. “So, I was…”

“Being controlled, yes,” Matatabi speaks up, sauntering over to nudge against his head.

“How is your host?” Gyūki asks, looking apologetic.

Isobu closes his eyes, concentrating. “Unconscious, but alive,” he assures them.

“Saiken can give you a more detailed version later of what you’ve been doing but basically, a supposedly long dead Uchiha’s plans are begin brought to fruition and you were being controlled as part of that,” Matatabi explains easily.

“You saved me,” he says, looking around at his siblings.

“Well, we weren’t going to let that bastard win,” Kurama huffs, but he looks pleased. “Look, a group called Akatsuki is going to be hunting us down soon to extract us from our hosts. Your host needs to know that bit, but don’t tell him anything else yet. We’re trying to keep things quiet until we’re all ready to make a move.”

Isobu shakily stands, his injuries already healing and he nods, “Yes, I…I saw in the memories you shared. I’ll let him know.” He hobbles over to Saiken who begins to explain what’s been going on excitedly.

Shukaku huffs, “Well, I’m going.” He doesn’t wait for an answer before fading out.

“We should go too. It’s not wise to remain away from out hosts for too long,” Kokuō says softly. He and Son also fade out. Chōmei just waves from above and fades out as well.

“I should go as well,” Gyūki admits and with a knock of his shoulder against Kurama’s, he fades out.

Sighing, Kurama settles in front of the fire as the clearing shrinks back to its original size. Feeling out, he finds Naruto still asleep, in spite of the commotion.

“So, are you going to tell me what had you thinking so hard earlier?” Matatabi asks, settling next to him.

He eyes the blue flaming feline next to him, wondering if it is worth it to ignore her. She just eyes him smugly, already guessing that he’ll capitulate to her questioning.

Kurama sighs and turns back to look at the fire, “I was trying to decide whether this will change things more.”

“Ah,” she murmurs.

“There’s a shinobi, Zabuza, who will be leading the coup in Kiri. When it fails, he will leave with his apprentice to avoid death, since Yagura was still being controlled then. In the future, he crossed paths with my host,” he explains softly.

“And you were hoping history will play out like before to act like a memory trigger,” Matatabi adds and he nods. “You were right no ignore the past.”

“What?” he asks in surprise.

She nods at his question, “To try and manufacture events will more likely cause them to alter even more. If something is meant to happen, than it will, or I’m sure that is what the Sage would tell us. Besides, often, it’s the more meaningful memories that have the most impact: friendships, love, and loss. They will remember.”

“What if they never remember?” he demands.

She shrugs, “Then they will make new memories. You’ll still be there to guide them. But, whether they remember or not, we’ll still have to stop Akatsuki before they finish their plans.”

“Don’t remind me,” he mutters and lets the clearing fade away before she can say anything else.

~*~

He pads silently through stone tunnels, not even an echo giving his movements away. The air feels stagnant and empty, the others either at different hideouts or on jobs. Even the bastard Zetsu is away, though it had only smirked when Obito had questioned it about what it was planning.

He’s been doing that a lot lately, questioning it. Now that he’s noticed it, something always feels off when he is near the creature, like the edge of a blade drawn across his flesh, not cutting but the threat is still there all the same.

The thought of Zetsu has him changing course, sinking down through the stone, going intangible for a few seconds, towards where he knows the creature lairs. He doesn’t come here often, not liking the closed in feeling. There are no exits to this room besides Kamui or how Zetsu moves through the earth. It reminds him too much of being trapped beneath tons of stone.

The cave is empty though, only a few spare cloaks and some discarded kunai to give signs that someone actually stays here. On the wall though, is a familiar weapon held by thick roots keeping it pinned to the stone. The gunbai is old, older than anything else he’s ever seen.

He knows it belonged to Madara, was even trained to it by the bastard when he was still alive. It’s not his weapon of choice, but Madara had insisted he learn it. Now, it just sits down here, collecting dust. He hadn’t even known Zetsu had brought it with it to their current hideout.

Walking up to it, he runs a gloved hand over the wide wood and steel fan. He’s surprised there’s no dust on it when he checks his glove. He didn’t think Zetsu was the sort to dust anything, let alone being sentimental enough to bring this antique.

Reaching back up, he grips the wooden grip and freezes, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead as his hand clenches around the wooden shaft, images flooding his mind.

Fire, screams, the taste of blood coating his tongue that forewarns of an injury he hasn’t had a chance to tend to. He ducks a blade, easily following the next three attacks with his eyes, dodging and striking back before calling up a barrage of fire to push the faceless enemy back, their screams ringing in his ears as the flames catch on their body. He doesn’t even stay to watch before rushing away.
 

He knows this song and dance…duck, parry…kick, duck…snag the kunai and send it back…another bout of fire and he keeps pushing. He needs to move, needs to reach his destination. The faces around him are blurred, empty, like he can’t focus enough to see who he is fighting.

He hears others fighting alongside him but he’s rushing forward, can’t stop for anything. Ahead, the battle field is cleared some, a fight happening, he can see the sparks from clashing steel and the sporadic jutsu.
 

More bodies rush him, delaying him, trying to herd him away from where he needs to be. With a roar, he flings them away, gunbai smashing into them with enough force to shatter bone and send them flying. He keeps running.

He’s almost there, can just make out a familiar head of hair, shining in the fire light but even as he’s arriving, he knows he’s too late. His heart lurches, watches the man stagger, exhaustion gripping him and with a flash of light on steel, the second figure slides their black blade neatly through his chest, splitting cloth, skin, bone.
 

He tries to scream out, but his voice is blocked even as he rushes up. He brings the full force of his rage upon the man, forcing him back and the enemy just smirks, the only part of his face Obito can truly see clearly, though something sings in his brain that he knows exactly who that man is, has seen that smirk before.

He rushes up, grabbing the limp figure from the ground, falling back, calling up Kamui to pull them away, his eye spitting him out away from the battle field, though he can still hear it. He can feel himself calling out, words leaving his lips but no sound reaches his ringing ears.
 

Shaking hands turn him over, blood spattering Kakashi’s face. He needs a healer…he needs…Rin…no not Rin…a name on the tip of his tongue but no matter how hard he tries it won’t come out. Kakashi, that damn fool is just smiling up at him, blood seeping from his chest, staining Obito’s clothing and the ground.

He coughs, harsh and rattling. The sound of footsteps approaching and three figures arrive though he can’t see their faces, only vague impressions. A woman, he thinks it’s a woman, is holding up a hand, glowing green…a healer.
 

She’s saying something, but it’s hard to make out. Just whispers and murmurs slipping through the night, ‘Kakashi-sensei…’ he looks around but he can’t make out the other two, standing just behind her, where’s she’s trying to piece Kakashi back together.

It’s too late though. He knows it is. He can see by the way the idiot is smiling under his shredded mask. Kakashi knows it too, his hands reaching up to stop her, pushing weakly when they were once so strong. He says something Obito doesn’t catch, the healer shaking her head stubbornly but he insists, eyes flicking over to Obito and holding his gaze.
 

No, he shakes his head. He won’t accept this…can’t. A trembling hand reaches for him and he grips it, feels it pulling his hand to rest over the Sharingan and his heart constricts in his chest. Tears running down his cheeks, he nods, accepting his gift.

Obito jerks his hand away with a shuddering gasp, back peddling until the opposite wall hits his back. He looks down at his hands, expecting to feel the still hot blood on them, to see the crimson staining them but they’re clean, empty of anything.

Reaching up, he feels the tears still running down his face. It had felt so real, like a memory and not a dream. And unlike his dreams, he can still recall it, like a horrible black, cankerous wound in his head. Grief and panic still gripping him, he activates Kamui, disappearing in a whirling vortex.

He comes out just inside Konoha, the sun setting and darkness falling over the village. It’s peaceful here, though even a ninja village is never truly at peace. He can sense the many on duty, watching the walls for any kind of attack in the night.

He needs to find one though and he can guess where to look. This isn’t the first time he spied on Kakashi over the years. He’s not surprised to find the idiot standing still as a statue in front of the memorial stone, like usual.

The panic eases at the evidence in front of him that Kakashi is still alive, still breathing. He watches as he presses a hand against his hitai-ate, covering their shared eye. With the panic receding, he focuses on the actual memory, comparing the strange memory to the man before him and frowns. The one in the memory looked older, wearier, there were faint lines around his eyes and new scars on his face that aren’t evident now, his Sharingan easily able to see the difference.

But what does it mean? Is it some strange hallucination his mind cooked up in his loneliness and why that particular scene? Who were the people with them? Is it something…more? A warning maybe? But what about?

With a silent growl of frustration, he pulls back, hands clenching tightly into fists. He glances one last time at Kakashi and as he starts to let Kamui pull him away, he sees Kakashi whirl around, grey eye wide in surprise but before the man can react, Obito is gone.

Chapter Text

Anticipation: noun; the action of anticipating something; expectation or prediction.

Seven Years Later

Naruto collapses to the ground, panting with exertion. Overhead, the sky is clear blue with only a few clouds to mar it. The wind blows softly and he sighs as it helps cool him off. “Kurama, why do I need to keep practicing this?” he whines aloud.

“It’s called training, brat,” Kurama grumbles in his head.

“But I don’t like it. It’s not like I’ll ever use this stupid technique,” he mutters. “It can’t even do anything cool.”

“Brat, it doesn’t matter what it can do. You need to learn it and knowing our luck, it will be what the exam is on and I am not spending another year in the Academy with you pouting because Sakura and Sasuke graduated and you didn’t,” Kurama growls out in frustration.

Naruto puffs his cheeks out in annoyance but wisely keeps his mouth closed. Kurama has a knack for predicting things and this is no different. Still…, “But bunshins are so boring. They’re not even really there, just an illusion.”

He hears a long drawn out sigh before Kurama grabs him and pulls him into his mind. Naruto glares up at the fox. It’s been seven years since he met the fox in his mind and he loves him but sometimes Kurama likes to tell him to do things without explaining why. He knows the fox is probably right but he still would like an answer.

Kurama glares right back, neither breaking their gaze before Kurama finally concedes, looking away. “Fine, don’t practice the stupid jutsu. I guess I’ll just have to keep the jutsu I had planned to show you for another time,” he huffs out, starting to turn away.

“What!” Naruto yelps, rushing up, “No, tell me, tell me,” he yells in excitement.

“Well, I had planned to show you a cool type of bunshin if you passed the exam and graduated but if you feel like you’ll do fine with those wimpy bunshins you’ve been making, maybe you’re not ready to learn this technique,” he says with a shrug, turning his head away to hide his grin as Naruto takes the bait hook, line and sinker.

“What, no…I want to learn a cool technique!” he cries out. “Look, I’ll keep practicing, I swear.”

Kurama jerks around with a wicked grin, “Three, you need to be able to make three bunshins and pass the exam and graduate or I won’t teach it to you,” he declares.

“What! No fair,” Naruto yells.

“That’s my deal Naruto, take it or leave it,” Kurama shoots back.

Naruto glares, mind turning it over in his head before he sighs, “Fine, deal.”

“Good, now get back to practicing,” Kurama orders and Naruto sighs as he opens his eyes back to the blue sky and sits up.

“Yeah, yeah, no need to be such a slave driver,” he mutters but gets up before Kurama can take back his deal and settles into his stance for the jutsu.

~*~

Kurama laughs quietly as Naruto keeps practicing, with more zeal this time now that there are stakes involved. He must say, knowing his host as he does, he’s so much easier to manipulate when he’s holding all the cards, or in this case, the cool jutsus. He’d always planned to teach it to the brat. It doesn’t seem right for him to not have his kage bunshin this time around.

While Naruto is still the cheerful, stubborn and obnoxious boy from the previous timeline, he’s still different this time around. Definitely more advanced in his studies than he was in the past, with Kurama, Mikoto, Tsunade and the other two brats to keep him on task.

Though, his chakra control is still the same. Kurama winces as the brat doesn’t get the right balance together and the resulting clone, singular, is a very poor imitation of the brat. As a creature of chakra, Kurama’s control of his chakra is beyond most except maybe the medics who need the precise control in their techniques. Naruto…well, they’re working at it.

“Kurama, why does it keep doing this?” he asks, frustration coloring his mind darkly as he angrily dismisses the bunshin.

“Your form is fine, brat. But your chakra control needs some work,” he explains gently. “You’re putting too much physical energy into is and not enough spiritual. They’re illusions, so they don’t need as much physical energy as other jutsus might need,” he adds, rising up in the boy’s mind.

“I still don’t get that,” Naruto mutters.

“Think of it like a pie. Right now, you’re trying to use the jutsu with half one filing and half the other when you really only need a quarter of one filling,” Kurama says, hoping the food reference will stick better. “Remember your lessons on sensing. You know the feel of your chakra, now you just need to figure out how to fine tune what you put in it.”

Nodding, Naruto settles back into his stance. Kurama watches silently, feeling the rise of the boy’s chakra. It’s a little better this time, but the ratio is still off and only one clone appears, though this time in better shape. “Better, try again.”

Grinning, Naruto dismisses the clone and calls up his chakra again, the ratio nearly perfect as he unleashes it, a fully formed clone appearing next to him with a grin. “I did it,” he huffs with a grin.

“Not bad, brat. Do it again,” Kurama orders and Naruto groans but nods, dismissing the clone and doing as instructed.

By the time Kurama deems his bunshin satisfactory, Naruto is dripping sweat and exhausted. “Good, brat. Tomorrow, we’ll see if you can make two and then three. Let’s go get some food,” Kurama says with approval. The brat is smart, but his way of understanding things is different from normal people.

“Yes!” he crows, wiping his forehead of sweat and slowly walking back towards the apartment. “Hmm, what should we have for lunch, Kurama?” he asks aloud as the building nears, not really expecting an answer.

“Naruto-kun, you look tired,” a woman’s voice speaks up and he looks ahead to see Akimichi Nora, one of the Orphanage Head Proctors smiling gently at him from her garden on the side of the apartment. The large woman always has smiles for him and makes really good food. She’s one of his favorites here.

“I was training,” he says with a grin, rubbing the back of his head.

“I take it from that grin that you finally figured something out,” she pushes, picking up her basket and stepping out of the garden.

“Yep…though I had to get some help,” he admits.

“There’s nothing wrong with needing help. What do you think teachers are for,” she chides gently as they walk towards the main doors to the building. “Would you care to take lunch with me, Naruto-kun? I was just about to make some,” she asks, looking at him.

“Sure,” he agrees easily, following her to the kitchens of the apartments, Nora’s domain here. Grinning, he settles at the long island counter on a tall stool, watching the large woman move gracefully around the kitchen, putting together a meal for the two of them. Nora is always feeding the residence of the orphanage and always willing to help them learn how to cook. She’s even helped him a few times.

They’re just about to dig in when the door opens and Uchiha Tenu barges in. “Ah, Nora-san, that package you ordered finally arrived,” she informs her counterpart.

“Thank you, Tenu-san; I’ll look at it after lunch. Would you care to join us?” she asks with a wave at their meal.

Tenu frowns, taking in Naruto and the lunch between them. “Ah, no thank you, I already had my own meal. Staying out of trouble I hope, Naruto-kun,” she adds with a raised brow at the boy.

“Yes, ma’am,” he mumbles, cowering under her raised brow a little. She’s always been a little terrifying; even Sasuke is cowed by her whenever he comes over and interacts with her. Of course, she’s related to him and has no problems telling on him to his parents.

“Good, I don’t like to hear complaints about your pranks. A true ninja doesn’t get caught,” she reprimands him with a knowing look and he snickers but nods. She gives one last nod to the two of them and leaves, the door shutting behind them.

“Oh, Naruto-kun, Kenji wanted me to let you know that he fixed that leaking pipe in your rooms,” Nora speaks up as they’re finishing up their meal.

“Awesome, can you tell him thank you for me,” he asks distractedly as he takes his dishes to the sink.

“Of course,” she agrees easily, following behind him. “Off in a hurry?” she asks as he makes a beeline for the door.

Naruto nods, “I’m meeting Sakura and Sasuke,” he calls out, waving goodbye and running deeper into the village. Chuckling softly at the antics of the young, she goes to clean the dirtied dishes.

~*~

Tsunade runs an eye over the gathered counsel before her. “I’m sure you can guess why we’re meeting earlier than usual,” she says with a faint smile as everyone nods. “In a week, the Academy will be having its graduation exam and it’s time we prepared for genin team selections. You’ve all seen the jounin selected for teaching. Are there any issues or complaints?” she asks, settling against the back of her chair.

When no one speaks up, she nods, “Good. Now, I’ve drawn up some preliminary team selections, but they can always be tweaked on the off chance that someone doesn’t pass the exam,” she says and starts to pull out her papers to pass around.

“Hokage-sama,” Utatane speaks up.

“Yes, Utatane-san,” Tsunade says with barely hidden annoyance, already guessing what the woman wants to talk about.

“Are you planning to place Naruto on a team?” she asks.

“Why wouldn’t I? He will be a genin after graduating,” Tsunade says with a raised brow.

“It would be better for the boy to be trained one-on-one rather than a team,” she says with a soft huff.

“Why would you think that?” Tsunade asks, keeping her tone even.

“The boy is a Jinchuuriki and any children placed with him would be in danger should he have another incident,” she answers.

“There haven’t been any incidents since the one seven years ago and that was extenuating circumstances,” Tsunade says with a frown.

“The boy is still dangerous and you place too much faith in the Kyuubi,” she snips backs.

Tsunade arches her brow higher and sits up straighter, “Inoichi-san, you’ve worked closely with the boy over the years? What is your opinion on Naruto and the Kyuubi being on a genin team?” she asks mildly, ignoring Utatane for the moment. Inoichi, Naruto’s teacher for developing his sensor abilities, gulps at the tone of her voice but nods.

“Ah, well the boy is quick to learn. He works well with both the Kyuubi and anyone he is paired with. He has the drive to go far and aside from a few of the more creative pranks drawing some ire down on him, he will make a fine shinobi one day,” Inoichi says sincerely.

“Thank you. I have reports from the Head Proctors of the Orphanage. He’s helpful, kind and aside from some questionable eating habits, at least according to Nora-san, the boy is a model tenant. Iruka-sensei, his Academy teacher, says similarly in his report on the boy. His grades and abilities are above average as well. Now, tell me Utatane-san, any other child with such glowing reports, you wouldn’t even bat an eyelash at, but you still wish to single out Naruto-kun,” Tsunade says thinly.

“You are letting your fondness for the boy cloud your judgment, Hokage-sama. At the end of the day, despite these reports, Naruto-kun is not a normal boy and should not be treated as such,” she says simply.

“We have worked hard to integrate Naruto into the village. We have strived to change how people see him and it has done much to not only improve his life but his abilities as well. Naruto thrives under a good support system and you wish to take that away in one fell swoop by singling him out and making him feel even more like an outcast,” Tsunade grits out, keeping her temper in check.

Utatane sniffs, “The boy needs structure and discipline, not hand holding and coddling.”

“So, every other jounin that has a three man team isn’t able to provide the ‘structure and discipline’ needed for a genin to advance, is that your opinion?” Tsunade asks.

“That is not what I said, Hokage-sama,” she denies.

“I don’t know, Utatane-san, that’s what it sounded like,” Tsunade snaps back.

“That wasn’t my intention,” she apologies.

“Opinion aside, Utatane-san, I can’t do as you asked, even if I agreed, which I don’t. We are stretched thin right now with the number of missions coming in recently. We’re already taking jounin out of the regular pool of jounin to teach these genin and I can’t spare one just to teach Naruto one-on-one, as you said. If the boy passes, he will be placed on a team. Are there any others who feel this is the wrong choice?” she asks to the silent room.

No one speaks up, “Than it is decided. I am aware that Naruto is special and I am taking measures to ensure not only his safety but those on his team, should he pass. Do not take my fondness for the boy as being lax in my duties,” she snaps and Utatane looks away without a word.

There is awkward shifting throughout the room and she lets the silence hang before continuing, “Now, these are my team recommendations.”

~*~

Naruto is near bursting with excitement as he sits at his desk, the heavy weight of the hitai-ate resting on his forehead. He passed the exam, with flying colors to boot and now he’s a genin. Kurama had been right, because of course he was right, the smug bastard and he’s so glad he practiced the bunshin jutsu so much. Even Iruka-sensei had been surprised, knowing that he always flubbed that jutsu in class.

Sakura and Sasuke are seated on either side of him, just as excited. He grins at them and they smile back. ‘Kurama, we did it!’ he exclaims in his head.

“We did brat, but don’t let it go to your head. This is only the first step,” he growls back but Naruto can feel his approval.

‘First step to becoming Hokage,’he insists.

“The only way left is to go up,”Kurama says with a grin.“We’ll show them all what we’re made of.”

‘Believe it!’

Iruka steps up to the front of the class, looking at them all. “Well, everyone’s here, so congratulations on passing your exam and becoming genin. You all worked hard to reach this point,” he says with a smile as laughs and shouts break out. He waits for them to quiet before continuing. “Now, we’ll move on to the next part. You will be broken down into teams of three under the command of a jounin sensei who will continue to train you and take you on missions.”

‘Teams?’Naruto asks Kurama.

Kurama huffs,“I doubt they have enough jounin to teach everyone one-on-one, brat. Now pay attention.”

“Your teams have been preselected-,” Iruka continues.

“You mean we don’t get to choose our own teams?” someone interrupts.

“No, we have chosen your teams to make sure they’re balanced. We decided this based on your grades, performance in class and on the exams, and by watching the way you interact with your classmates. You might not like who you are placed with at first, but I expect you to at least treat each other fairly,” he says with a raised eyebrow, looking over them and though there are some grumbles, no one speaks up against it.

‘What if I’m not on a team with Sasuke or Sakura?’Naruto asks nervously, glancing at his two best friends who also look worried.

“Don’t start panicking yet,” Kurama grumbles but even Naruto can hear a thin thread of worry in his voice. “Now, pay attention.”

Naruto tunes back in as Iruka starts calling off team numbers and names, cheers and groans coming as he finishes each team off. “Team 7,” Iruka calls out, “will be Uzumaki Naruto…Haruno Sakura…Uchiha Sasuke. Team 8…”

Naruto stops paying attention to Iruka as he stares in amazement at Sasuke and Sakura, the two looking just as surprised as they do. ‘Kurama!’

Kurama smirks, "Told you not to start panicking,” he mutters.

‘You knew?’Naruto asks.

“I hoped,” he says smugly. “Pay attention.”

Naruto tunes back in as Iruka finishes with Team 9 and waits for the murmuring to die down before continuing. “Now, you all know your teams. On the wall by the door is a list of the teams and what rooms you’ll need to wait in to meet your sensei after lunch,” people start to rise and he clears his throat and they pause, “Before you all leave, I just want to say, I’m proud of all of you. You are exceptional students and I look forward to seeing the great ninja you’ll become in the future.”

Waving a hand, the class scrambles towards the door, pushing and shoving to see the list and see what room to go to. Finally, the three of them see their room and run off; chatting excitedly over just what their sensei will be like.

~*~

“Where the hell is our sensei?” Naruto grumbles as he pulls his head back into the room from peeking down the hall. Sakura and Sasuke are seated on top of desks in the class room watching as Naruto paces. It’s been well over two hours.

“Are we in the wrong room?” Sakura asks softly.

“No, this is the right room,” Sasuke huffs, bored.

“That’s it. I’m pranking them,” Naruto mutters, grabbing an eraser from the chalkboard and with the help of a chair, wedges it in the door to the class room.

“Really, Naruto, like that’s going to get a jounin,” Sakura huffs, but she smiles secretively with him, having helped him in the past with a few of his more complex pranks.

“Someone’s coming,” Sasuke says, sitting forward, watching the door closely with anticipation.

When it opens and the eraser falls onto a head of silver hair, Naruto bursts out laughing and Sasuke has to fight to keep from laughing as well; Sakura’s too shocked to even laugh.

“Hmm, how can I say this…my first impression of you is…I don’t like you,” the man says, sounding bored and the three at least look a little guilty.

“Yeah, well, maybe you should work on your punctuality. Aren’t you supposed to be a jounin?” Naruto demands and ignores the fact that he’s often late and definitely ignores Kurama’s knowing snort.

“Well, when you become a jounin, you can criticize me all you want but until then, your opinions don’t matter,” he says with a lazy shrug. “Now, follow me.”

Grumbling about mean senseis, Naruto follows the man, Sakura and Sasuke following behind him. They eventually make it to the roof of the Academy. “Now then, let’s start with some introductions. Tell me your names…your likes, dislikes, dreams for the future, hobbies, and so on.”

Naruto eyes the man up. He seems familiar and he leans into Sakura, “Does he look familiar to you?” he asks her quietly.

Sakura frowns, always good with faces, “Maybe,” she shrugs and Sasuke, having heard his question shrugs as well in uncertainty.

“Are you three even listening?” he asks.

“We are, but…well, you’re kind of suspicious, so why don’t you introduce yourself first,” Naruto demands.

“Yes, you first,” Sakura adds.

“Very well, my name is Hatake Kakashi. I don’t really feel like telling you about my likes and dislikes, my dreams are my own and I’ve got many hobbies,” he says with a fake smile from under his mask. “Now, it’s your turn.”

“You literally just told us your name,” Sasuke says back with an annoyed frown.

Kakashi just motions for him to take the next turn. Sighing, Sasuke sits up, “I’m Uchiha Sasuke. I like my brother, my friends Sakura, Naruto and Kurama; I dislike traitors. My dream is to become strong and make my clan proud. As for hobbies, I guess training with my friends and my brother.”

“Good, you next,” he points to Sakura.

“Well, mine follows Sasuke’s pretty much. I’m Haruno Sakura, I like Ino, Sasuke, Naruto and Kurama; I hate kidnappers and people who hurt kids and my dream is to become a strong kunoichi like Tsunade-sama and Mikoto-san. As for hobbies: training and learning new things I guess,” she says with a shrug.

Naruto bounces excitedly as Kakashi motions for him to go, “I’m Uzumaki Naruto. I like Kurama, Tsunade-baa, Mikoto-san, Sasuke and Sakura; I dislike people who treat me and others bad and my dream is to become Hokage and show everyone that they’re wrong about me and Kurama, believe it!” he yells the last few words out in his excitement.

Kakashi eyes them for a long drawn out moment before he nods. “Well, now that that is out of the way, let’s discuss our first mission,” he says and they sit straighter in excitement. “It will be just the four of us. We’ll be doing survival training.”

“Survival training?” Sakura asks.

Kakashi nods, “Yes. I want to see that you’ve actually retained everything they taught you in class. I will be your opponent tomorrow, so don’t hold back. Also…don’t eat breakfast tomorrow.”

“What? Why?” Naruto demands.

Kakashi snorts, “Because you’ll likely puke if you do.”

Naruto glances at the other two with a grimace, wondering if this survival mission is going to be seriously hard. “That’s all. Be at Training Ground 3 at five tomorrow morning.” Kakashi vanishes in a whirl of leaves before they can say anything.

~*~

Kakashi watches from his hiding spot as the three genin make their way from the Academy building, chatting excitedly. He really wants to know who he pissed off to land this bunch: Minato and Kushina’s son plus the Kyuubi, Itachi’s younger brother and a girl whose role model is the bane of many shinobi’s existence when in a mood.

He can guess who is responsible for his team. Tsunade just loves making his life miserable and he can see the Sandaime’s hand in this as well, even if the man is firmly in retirement. ‘At least their goals are worth something,’ he muses. They have a purpose and that’ll help them. It’s been seven years since he last interacted with these three, hopefully they don’t recognize him from his ANBU days.

Now though, he has a dilemma because he just knows Itachi and Shisui are going to be hounding him about Sasuke and Mikoto will be hounding him about Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke and he’s got Tsunade breathing down his neck about Naruto as well. He’d rather not deal with them when he fails the brats.

Groaning and rubbing at his eyes in annoyance, he drops from his tree perch and starts to meander towards a familiar location, pulling out his ‘Icha Icha’ to pass the time before his old team comes looking for him after hearing the news.

~*~

Mikoto hums softly as she sharpens a kunai at the table. The morning has been blessedly quiet with Sasuke off to learn about who his team and jounin sensei are. It had been a little hectic to get the boy out the door this morning but now she’s waiting for him and the other two to come back so she can finally learn what teams they’re on.

She side eyes Itachi and Shisui, not in the least bit subtle about hanging around here waiting for the three to come back. Itachi at least is passing the time reading what looks like a mission report. Shisui is blatantly looking up every few minutes to eye the front of the house with a frown before he goes back to messing around with something in his pouch.

She finishes sharpening the kunai in hand and she moves on to the next one. She has a mission tomorrow and she’s taking the free morning to get ready for it. With Sasuke about to start taking missions of his own…if he passes the final test…it’s going to get a lot quieter here. It seems like it is time to finally become a more active shinobi, instead of taking a few sporadic missions over the years like she has been doing.

The front door opens loudly and Sasuke shouts from the doorway, “We’re back.”

“Welcome home,” Mikoto calls out, waiting for the three to round the corner with huge smiles on their faces. “Well?” she demands impatiently.

“We’re on a team together!” Naruto brags, wrapping an arm around each of his friends who laugh with him.

“What?” Shisui asks, just as shocked as Mikoto. She hadn’t expected the council to keep the three together, honestly.

“Yep, we are officially Team 7,” Sakura says with a nod, pulling out of Naruto’s hug and settling at the table near Mikoto.

“Who did you get as a sensei?” Itachi asks as the two boys collapse into a heap near Sakura.

Naruto snorts, “Some weird jounin who can’t even avoid an eraser trap,” he huffs out with a shrug.

“Ah, Hatake Kakashi,” Sasuke adds when Naruto doesn’t continue.

The three eye the two older males as Shisui collapses laughing and even Itachi has to clear his throat with a small cough at the news. “What?” Sasuke demands.

“Oh, he’s never going to live this down,” Shisui huffs, pushing himself up to stand. “I’m going to go tell Tenzo.” He walks out of the room still laughing.

“What’s so funny?” Naruto demands.

“We’ve worked with Kakashi-san before,” Itachi says with a shrug, ignoring Mikoto’s snort. Sakura takes a kunai and whet stone from the pile and starts to help the woman who smiles in thanks.

“We’ve already got our first mission,” Naruto says with a shrug.

“Oh, what are you three doing?” Mikoto asks.

“Survival training,” Sasuke says with a worried look shared between the three, recalling Kakashi’s warning about eating.

“Well, do your best,” Mikoto says with a smile, knowing just what is coming. Itachi nods in agreement and the three newly made genin grin at them, excited.

~*~

Kurama sighs in relief as he listens to Naruto and the others chat. He’d been worried he had changed things too much when it came to this timeline and the brats would be split up. But, it seems the three of them on a team with Kakashi as their sensei is a constant that won’t change.

The last few years have been quiet, worryingly so. Akatsuki is still out there but there haven’t been any attacks on any of the Jinchuuriki and he knows, just knows, that the quiet is about to be shattered. He can only hope they’ve prepared enough.

The question now is: will the timeline continue to follow the other one? Will Team 7 go to Wave and what about the Chuunin Exams? Is Orochimaru still planning to attack with Suna? Shukaku hasn’t said there are any signs of Suna planning an invasion but it’s been a few months since he last talked with his brother. Though, with a sane Gaara, it might change their plans about relying on him, the boy resistant to any but his siblings and Shukaku…reluctantly.

There’s been no sign of Obito coming to speak with any of the brats, which most likely means that he still doesn’t remember, if his mind even came back with them. He wants to believe that he did and can be woken up, but if push comes to shove, he’ll take the man out like he promised to…if he must.

He swore to stop this before it went too far and he’ll do everything in his power to keep that promise.

Chapter Text

Expectations: noun; a strong belief that something will happen or be the case in the future.

Naruto grumpily turns over and smashes his hand against the alarm clock a few times before he manages to hit the button to turn it off. It’s much too early for this and with a huff, he plans to let sleep pull him back under, still curled up in a warm ball under his comforter.

“Oh no, brat, get up,” Kurama growls in his head.

“It’s early,” he mumbles, eyes refusing to open.

“You’ve got a mission. So you better get up now or you’ll be late,” he informs the near comatose child before waiting, counting slowly in his head “one…two…three…”

Naruto sits up with a yelp as the fox’s words finally sink in. “Jeez, why does Kakashi-sensei want us to be up so early?” he grumbles through a yawn, reluctantly extracting himself from his warm nest and hissing at the cool floor beneath his bare feet. “It’s not like we’re even leaving the village,” he continues to complain, not really expecting Kurama to answer as he grabs some clean clothes and heads for his bathroom to shower.

He continues his litany of complaints through his quick shower, pulling on his clothes and stuffing his feet into his sandals before he stops. His stomach growls a little at the sight of his fridge, where delicious food just waiting to be eaten rests. “Do you think it will really make us throw up?” he asks Kurama, weighing the pros and cons of ignoring Kakashi’s instructions and eating breakfast.

“Do you want to take that chance?” Kurama asks lazily, enjoying Naruto’s dithering over whether he really should eat or not.

“Not really,” he admits. He’s puked a few times in his short life and each time was never fun. He doubts doing it after a long, grueling mission will improve the experience. “Ugh, fine, I won’t eat,” he bemoans before grabbing his bag he packed the night before and leaving, locking the door behind him. “We’re getting Ichiraku Ramen for dinner though,” he informs the fox who only huffs in amusement and doesn’t say anything else.

~*~

Sasuke slowly navigates the early morning traffic of…well not very many people, with a glare. It seems only a few shinobi who are already up for various shifts, or those readying shops for the day are the only ones about this early in the slowly lightening dark of the way too early.

His mother had knocked on this door when he shut his alarm off and went back to sleep, waking him up before he was late. When she had asked what he wanted for breakfast, he had reluctantly explained Kakashi’s instructions to her about not eating breakfast.

Surprisingly, she had blinked, nodded and reminded him that she wouldn’t be home when he got back since she had a mission and that she had meals ready for them in the fridge that only needed to be reheated.

As he nears the training ground, he can make out two lumps settled under a tree and comes upon Sakura and Naruto sitting down and leaned against each other as they try to make themselves wake up. “Morning Sasuke,” Naruto calls out softly, looking up at him.

“Hi, Sasuke,” Sakura adds, not lifting her head from Naruto’s shoulder to look his way.

With a grunt of acknowledgement, he lets his own bag drop, and then collapses next to them and leans on Naruto’s other side, using the blonde as a pillow.

“Why am I the pillow?” he complains softly, but doesn’t make them move.

“Because you’re the warmest of us,” Sakura explains grumpily. “And because I said so.” Sasuke nods in agreement and lets the world fade out for a bit as the sun slowly rises.

They wake an hour later with no sign of Kakashi and the world much brighter around them. “Where is Kakashi-sensei?” Sasuke asks, stretching his arms before standing, Sakura copying him as well.

“No one’s been by,” Naruto speaks up from his spot on the ground.

“You didn’t nap?” Sakura asks with a frown.

“I’m good. I was chatting with Kurama,” he says with a grin.

“Morning, Kurama,” Sakura says with a smile. There’s a flash of red in Naruto’s eyes in greeting and her smile widens. “He likes me more than you,” she teases.

“No he doesn’t,” Naruto huffs. “He’s my super-secret friend, not yours,” he grumbles, using the old phrase he used as a child. Naruto frowns, listening to the fox, “Oh who asked you,” he grumbles to something Kurama says.

Sakura sticks her tongue out with a laugh and Sasuke huffs as they descend into bickering, but joins in as well, enjoying riling up the blonde. Another hour passes before they start to worry.

“This is Training Ground 3, right?” Naruto asks aloud, looking around for their wayward sensei.

“Yeah, I asked Itachi-san yesterday before leaving and he said this was it,” Sakura says.

In a flicker of leaves, Kakashi appears in front of them, a bright orange book in hand as he waves, “Yo,” he calls out.

“You’re late,” Sakura yells.

“Am I now?” he asks mildly, never putting the book away and simply turning a page.

“You said be here at 5 and it’s now just past 7,” Sasuke says with a huff.

Kakashi flicks his grey eye up to them, “I distinctly recall telling you three to be here at 5. I never said I would be here at that time.”

“What? Then why did we have to come here so early?” Naruto grumbles.

“To see if you would,” Kakashi says with an easy shrug and finally tucks the book away. “No matter the mission or the client, when a time is set, you get there at that time, even if they are late. And you don’t complain about it,” he adds, eyeing the three who look mollified by the explanation.

“Fine then, what exactly are we supposed to do on this mission?” Naruto demands.

Kakashi chuckles, “Well, mission is stretching it a bit thin. More like…an exam.”

“But I thought we already passed?” Sakura asks worriedly.

“You did. You showed you were competent enough to pass the exam at the Academy. But, we don’t accept just everyone. It’s easy to pass a test when you prepare for it. This exam is to weed out the failures even further. Of the 27 who passed the exam, only 9 will become actual genin. The rest will be sent back to the Academy to repeat a year,” Kakashi explains with just a bit of glee at the dismay on their faces.

“That’s not fair?” Naruto yells, Sasuke and Sakura glaring along with him.

“Then quit,” Kakashi says mildly. Naruto blinks at that, anger thrown for a loop at those two words.

“If you think this isn’t fair, then quit now because from here on out, nothing is going to be any easier. A shinobi isn’t some easy, cushy job that you can relax and enjoy. It is a matter of life and death. While on a mission, the lives of you, your team and your clients will rest on completing the mission, no matter the cost. People will die if you aren’t careful. Now tell me, do you still think it’s unfair?” Kakashi asks grimly.

“I…,” Naruto glares down at the ground, hands fisting in frustration.

Sasuke glares at Kakashi, “You could have told us this yesterday.”

“True, but I want to see the real you, not those who prepped and readied all night long. In a mission, you’ll be expected to be able to improvise should things go sideways. You won’t always have the chance to prepare a plan or have all the pertinent information. Sometimes, you just need to wing it,” Kakashi explains without sympathy.

“Fine, let’s just do this,” Naruto growls out, looking determined. “What do we need to do for this exam?”

Kakashi grins from under his mask, nods and reaches into his pouch to hold up two bells. “This is your exam. Your task: take these bells from me before noon. If you get a bell, you get lunch,” he explains simply and the three genin glare at him realizing the real reason he said not to eat. “The one who fails to get a bell not only doesn’t get to eat, but fails completely and is sent back to the Academy.”

“But that doesn’t make sense,” Sakura insists. “If only two of us pass and if each team has a similar test, then more than 9 will pass.”

“I never said my test is the same as the others. Trust me, the numbers will add up,” he assures, tossing up the bells and catching them with a jingle. “The only way you can win this, is if you treat this like a real mission. Use everything you have: weapons, ninjutsu, anything. Because if you don’t take this seriously, none of you will get a bell and it’s back to the Academy for sure. So…do you still think you can pass?” he asks.

~*~

Naruto growls under his breath as he rushes through the trees, putting some distance between Kakashi and the others. “Kurama, what do we do?” he asks aloud, stumbling to a stop in a small clearing.

“You tell me, brat. This is your test, not mine,” Kurama growls out.

“But, one of us will fail. I don’t want to fail…but I don’t want Sasuke or Sakura to fail either,” Naruto insists, frowning heavily. “They’re my friends. I want us to get stronger together.” They’ve been through so much together, ever since they first met. He couldn’t bear the thought that he might be the cause of one of them failing.

“Sounds to me like you already have your answer,” Kurama murmurs knowingly.

Naruto pauses, thinking over everything Kakashi said. “He said use everything we had against him. That if we don’t treat this like a real mission we’ll fail, but we’ll fail if we don’t get a bell too. If this is a mission…than my team is relying on me,” he murmurs, feeling Kurama’s nod encouraging him to keep going. “I don’t care if I pass or not, but Sakura and Sasuke come first,” he decides with a nod.

“Then let’s find them,” Kurama says with a grin. “I’m sure you remember how to do this.”

Nodding, Naruto puts his back against a nearby tree. “Keep an eye out Kurama,” he warns before closing his eyes and settling his hands in the Ram seal. Inoichi-sensei had been the one to train him in how to use his sensing, though it was Kurama who helped him actually understand it in a way he could truly get behind.

Slowly, concentrating on his shielding, he peels back one of his layers, feeling out for the now familiar beacons of Sasuke and Sakura’s chakra. It takes a minute before he senses them, some distance away. He feels a third chakra that he doesn’t recognize, much brighter than his friends and he guesses that that’s Kakashi-sensei.

“Sakura’s closer to us but Sasuke is closer to sensei,” he mutters aloud for Kurama. “We need a plan…I’ll go to Sakura first. Sasuke can survive long enough against sensei for us to make a plan,” he decides, starting to replace the layer.

“Keep it down brat. Let’s see if you can hold it while moving,” Kurama instructs.

“But’s hard to focus on anything else,” Naruto grumbles.

“You’ll need to figure this out eventually. Sensing in a battle is hard, but it can save your life. Try to keep it up as you move and see what the others are doing. We don’t want any surprises,” Kurama explains.

“I’m going to have a headache after this, I just know it,” he grumbles, but complies, focusing on keeping it up and starts to move. It’s hard. His attention is divided between sensing chakra and moving his body and he has to stop a few times as it becomes a little disorienting.

There’s a sudden flare of chakra from Kakashi and Sasuke as he nears Sakura’s hiding spot and he unconsciously throws his hands up to cover his eyes, though it doesn’t do anything. Sasuke is still where he was before when he focuses back but he sees Kakashi heading straight for Sakura.

Throwing himself forward, he pulls out a smoke bomb tag and wraps it around a kunai as he rushes towards the faint star that is Sakura in his mind, completely in sync with his senses in his moment of panic.

He arrives just as Kakashi does and reacts, throwing the kunai at the man who snags it out of the air with a lazy grin. He goes to move and realizes too late the tag and it explodes, filling the trees with smoke. Seeing Sakura in spite of the smoke, he grabs her arm and pulls her with him, heading straight for Sasuke as they cough from the smoke.

“Naruto, what?” she asks as they clear the smoke and run flat out.

“I couldn’t let Kakashi-sensei get you too,” he explains with a huff, following the point of light that is Sasuke in his mind. It still hasn’t moved and he wonders if the boy is unconscious.

“But one of us will fail,” she says.

“I don’t care. We’re a team, right?” he insists, stopping to look at her.

Sakura pauses, looking him over and then her jaw firms, “I…yes, we’re a team.”

“Come on, Kakashi-sensei did something to Sasuke,” he says, rushing ahead, Sakura following.

“How do you know?” she asks a step behind him.

He taps his head with a grin and her eyes widen in understanding, remembering his training with his sensing abilities. They played many a game of hide and seek to help him hone his abilities. They burst out of the trees in a large stretch of field and skid to a stop, seeing Sasuke’s head…and nothing else.

“What?” Sakura gasps sounding shocked.

“Will one of you help me out?” he grumbles, flushing with embarrassment.

“I don’t know, this looks good on you, Sasuke,” Naruto jokes, even as he steps forward.

“Shut up and get me out,” he growls, head jerking as he tries to wiggle his arm free. It takes a bit of work but they manage to get his arms free and the rest soon follows suit, dirt clumps and grass roots scattering around him as they pull him the last few feet up.

“What happened?” Sakura asks.

“He said use everything. When I attacked…he wasn’t there. He pulled me under the ground,” he grumbles. “Why are you helping me?” he asks.

“We’re a team,” Naruto insists. “I don’t care if we pass or not, we stick together, always.” Sakura nods as well.

Huffing, Sasuke brushes dirt from his clothes, “I take it you have a plan?” he asks, glancing between the two of them.

~*~

Kakashi chuckles softly from his tree perch as he watches the three genin plan between them. He has to admit, when he heard Naruto rushing him, he expected the attack from the boy. But he’ll admit he underestimated the blonde and was taken by surprise when it turned into a rescue mission. Maybe these three will be different.

Deciding he’s given them enough time, he jumps down, a shunshin taking him to right behind their turned backs as they whisper. “Hmm, sounds like a solid strategy,” he murmurs to them and they all jump and yell, taken by surprise. “You should always be aware of your surroundings,” he adds with a grin.

With a yell, Naruto charges him, the other two following and he lets them get in close, knocking aside a punch and a kick, ducking easily under most of the shuriken thrown his way and letting the rest hit as he uses a substitution jutsu, a log appearing in the smoke. He huffs quietly as Naruto yells in frustration.

Sasuke and Sakura grab his arms and drag him off towards the trees and away from Kakashi’s hiding spot. He glances at the sun, judging they still have about an hour left. This is getting interesting, maybe he’ll let them get even closer next time, perhaps he’ll almost let them reach a bell.

~*~

Naruto walks quietly through the trees, keeping an eye out for Kakashi-sensei. He’d been forced to put his shielding back up earlier, his head starting to hurt too much to concentrate. He knows Kakashi is around here though, watching them.

He’s passing by the clearing from before, where the timer is sitting on one of the logs and pauses, spying a glint of light on metal. It…it looks like one of the bells on the ground. That’s awesome; it will make this so much easier.

He takes a step towards it and freezes, his heart giving a little lurch of trepidation. He feels…strange. He can feel the rough bark of the tree under his hand, the wind blowing through the leaves, but it’s like, for a second, he’s a step outside his body, looking at the same scene from a slightly different perspective. It feels…familiar somehow.

A bird caws loudly overhead and he jerks, startled and the feeling is gone. “What’s wrong?” Kurama asks, sensing his hesitation.

“I…I don’t know. Something felt…weird,” he mumbles, trying to recall that feeling from a second ago.

“Weird how?” Kurama demands.

“I don’t know,” he admits, frowning and glances back at the bell, so tempting…too tempting. “That’s a trap, isn’t it?” he asks quietly.

Kurama laughs, “Probably.”

“Ugh, Kakashi-sensei sucks,” he moans.

As if saying his name called him, Kakashi appears in a whirl of leaves in front of him. “But I’m having so much fun,” he murmurs and with a yell, Naruto turns around and runs away. Kakashi easily keeps up, dogging Naruto’s heels as he darts through the trees, trying to throw the man off his trail.

He sees an opening between two trees and makes for it, heart beating faster and runs between them. Kakashi, a few steps behind follows and with a yell, Sakura and Sasuke trigger the trap, the ninja wire pulling taut under different weights, snagging on the Jounin’s limbs, momentarily halting him.

With a yell, Naruto turns around, rushing back and reaching out to snag the bells dangling from Kakashi’s side. His hand closes on them and then there’s an explosion of smoke, obscuring their vision and making them cough.

As it clears, Kakashi is gone and the wires are empty. With a groan, Naruto opens his hand and finds two acorns held in his grasp connected by a piece of thread. Distantly, the sound of the timer buzzes, announcing that it’s noon.

“No,” he yells, throwing the acorns down in disgust.

Grumbling, the three trudge back through the trees towards where Kakashi is lounging against one of the logs, book in hand. “Not a bad plan, but not good enough I’m afraid,” he says, holding his hand up where the bells hang.

“We had you,” Naruto complains.

“No, you had a clone, so not me,” he amends for him, eye scrunching up in mirth. “Had you been paying better attention, you might have realized that it wasn’t me.” He looks at Naruto specifically at this, meaning his sensing.

“So what now? None of us eat and we all fail,” Sasuke demands, wiping dirt from his face impatiently.

“I’m inclined to give you three one more chance,” Kakashi says with a smile, tucking the book away and pushing off of the log. “There are lunches over there. Eat quickly and I’ll explain afterwards.”

“What’s the catch?” Sakura demands not moving towards the lunches.

“Yeah, you said we’d only eat if we got a bell,” Naruto adds.

“Well, I was being generous and letting you eat, but if you want to finish this here and now, I’m game,” he says with a lazy shrug.

The three share a look, not sure if they want to eat and possibly fall for another trick or finish this now. Finally, Sakura speaks up, “What do we need to do this time?”

Kakashi smiles brightly, “It’s a simple really. I never expected you to get any bells, though you gave it your all, however, one of you still will fail. So…you get to choose. Which of you will you send back to the Academy? I’ll let you eat and decide and then come back for your answer.” He disappears before they can say anything.

They’re silent as they stare at each other. Choose which of them fails. Naruto’s hands fist, frustrated tears welling up in his eyes. “That’s not fair,” he mutters softly, the other two looking away. “How are we supposed to decide that? How can I choose someone to fail just for a chance to get stronger?”

“Naruto,” Sakura says softly, eyes wet as well.

“We’re supposed to be a team,” he insists, looking at his two closest friends in the whole wide world, aside from Kurama. They’ve been through so much; he almost died for one of them once already.

“I’ll take the fall,” Sasuke says quietly, not looking at them as he says it.

“What, no, Sasuke, if anyone should fail, it’s me. I can handle it,” Sakura insists with a frown.

“No,” Naruto says loudly, drawing their gazes. “We’re a team,” he says again. “Either we all pass…or we all fail.”

Sakura and Sasuke share a look and then smiling, they nod, agreeing. They walk over to grab the food and eat quietly, subdued by the choice they just made.

Twenty minutes later, Kakashi walks out of the woods towards them. “Well, have you made a decision,” he asks once he’s close enough.

“No,” Sasuke speaks up. “We’re not choosing. Either we all pass or we all fail.”

“Is that your decision?” he asks again. They nod. “Naruto, do you think someone who fails this exam will ever be considered for the position of Hokage?” he asks simply. Naruto swallows around a lump in his throat. “And Sasuke, what will your clan, what will your brother, think of you when they hear you failed to even become a genin?” he asks the brunette, Sasuke looking away with a glare. “And I’m sure Mikoto-san and Tsunade-sama never failed their exam to become genin. How could you ever measure up to them if you choose to fail?” he asks Sakura and she flushes in shame.

None of them speak up, “Still not going to choose then, eh?” he asks, dragging it out. None of them sees the smile on his face, genuine for once, “Congratulations, you pass.”

“What!” they yell in shock.

Kakashi nods, “Yes.”

“But why?” Sakura asks quickly.

“This whole exam has been a test to see how you will react to certain situations. Situations designed to pit you against your team, to try and divide you all. With the goal of passing and the threat of one failing, many quickly turn to themselves instead of their team, placing the goal, the mission, their own survival, over their team. By yourselves, you would never be able to get a bell. But, as a team, you had a greater chance than alone. Konoha prides itself on its teamwork. One person can be strong but when working together, we can do so much more than we can alone,” he explains with a flourish of said bells.

“This final test was to see your resolve. There will come a time…when your mission will be compromised, when you, someone you’re protecting, or even a teammate, is captured and held hostage. Your enemy will give you options: Kill your teammate to live, tell us what we want to know and you’ll live, surrender or they die. This will happen and many break under that kind of pressure. For many, the mission comes first, even at the cost of their teammates,” he murmurs, eyes looking up towards the large stone behind them briefly.

He glances back, “In our world, many will say the mission comes first and those who break the rules are trash, but to me…those who abandon their friends are even worse.”

They share a look, hearts in their throats at his words. Naruto looks up at Kakashi, “I…I want to become stronger…with my friends,” he declares.

Kakashi smiles, “Then let’s get to work. From now on, we are Team 7.” With a yell, the three newly minted genin surge forward to hug the man, yelling and cheering in excitement.

~*~

The new Team 7 is settled along the counter at Ichiraku for a late lunch, the new genin chatting excitedly as Kakashi reads from his book. Teuchi and Ayame nod along to their quick conversation, congratulating the three and offering the first bowl free in celebration.

“Oi, oi, Kakashi-sensei,” Naruto calls out as they wait for their food to be readied.

“Hmm,” he hums, looking up from his book.

“What will our first real mission be?” he asks excitedly.

“Who can say? It depends on what they have on file when we do start taking D-rank missions,” Kakashi says easily.

“We’re not starting with missions?” Sakura asks.

Kakashi snorts, “No, we’ll be doing training first.” Naruto lets out a groan of complaint. “Yes, yes, training is not as exciting as missions, but before you can work as a team, you need to train as a team. You three haven’t actually done much in the way of coordinating as a team, have you?” he asks.

“There were exercises done in class, but nothing big, or complicated,” Sasuke admits.

Kakashi nods, “It is one thing to say you’re a team, it’s another to actually work effectively as a team. Thus, training,” he explains with a lazy shrug.

“Fine, I guess that makes sense,” Naruto grumbles and is then distracted as a steaming bowl is set down in front of him and the others.

Naruto, about to take a bite, jumps as Sakura elbows him in the side. “What?” he grumbles.

“I wonder what Kakashi-sensei looks like under the mask,” she murmurs softly, side eyeing their sensei who hasn’t started eating yet. Sasuke, hearing her, glances as well. They wait, watching but the man ignores them, still reading, turning the page.

They hear the sound of sandals behind them and turn as the clothe hangings are brushed aside and they grin as they recognize some of the men behind them. “Nii-san,” Sasuke says excitedly as Itachi, Shisui and a third man step into the ramen stand.

“Otouto,” he murmurs, looking over the rest. “I see we weren’t the only ones in need of a late lunch.”

“Itachi-kun, back from your mission already,” Kakashi nods, though he eyes him and the others behind him with a pained look. “And I see Shisui-kun and Tenzo-kun are with you as well.”

“Let’s just say we got tired of waiting for answers,” Shisui says with a smirk, throwing himself down next to Naruto. “So, what’s the word, are you three official?” he asks the blonde conspiratorially in a whisper.

“Yep, we are Team 7,” Naruto crows before taking a bite of his ramen.

“Congratulations,” Itachi says as he settles between Kakashi and Sasuke. Tenzo sends Kakashi a look of apology as he settles on Shisui’s other side.

“Do you know Kakashi-sensei well?” Sakura asks after taking bite.

“Oh, yes, very well. We’ve been on many missions with Kakashi-sempai,” Tenzo says with a nod, quickly ordering a bowl, the others following suit.

“I’m surprised you passed them, Kakashi-kun. All the other teams you were assigned you failed in the last exam,” Itachi says mildly, the three genin turning stunned looks on their sensei.

Kakashi sighs, realizing that he won’t be able to keep reading and tucks his book away, “Well, eventually one group had to pass,” he waves off lazily.

“Heh, we’re awesome like that and we’re going to get strong, fast, just you wait,” Naruto boasts after he finishes off the last of his bowl.

“Is that so,” Shisui drawls, nodding in thanks to Teuchi as he sets his bowl down, “Well, then, I look forward to going on a mission with you guys one day. To Team 7,” he says, the other following and the three genin grin, quickly ordering another bowl, though Naruto does grumble when he realizes that Kakashi ate while they were distracted and they missed seeing under his mask.

Chapter Text

Faith: noun; complete trust or confidence in someone or something.

Sakura huffs quietly as she pulls a stubborn weed from under a bush, fingers sore from so much time grabbing and pulling tenacious plants. Sasuke is to her right in the middle of clearing out that side of the garden and Naruto is on her left, working that patch. Overhead, the sun steadily climbs towards noon. They’ve all shed what layers they could and donned sun hats to combat the heat.

Just as it’s nearing lunch time, she finishes her last section, sighing in relief at being done. This is their second mission today and they still have one to go before they’re done, at least according to Kakashi-sensei. Said sensei is currently lounged under a tree reading while they work.

She stands with a groan, stretching the cramped muscles in her back with a wince and then a sigh when her back pops. Looking up, she sees Sasuke just finishing his, Naruto still finishing the last few spots in his section.

The door to the house opens and the old lady they’re helping to weed her garden comes out with a few glasses of lemonade. Sakura and Sasuke pick up the pace to grab a glass to wet their throats. “My, what hard workers we have,” she says with a kind smile, handing them a glass and walking back inside for a second.

Taking a sip, Sakura turns to see Naruto walking up to them, grinning. His eyes track to the old woman who is coming back out and she watches as his face closes off. Glancing back, she sees the tray is empty when a second ago, she could have sworn there was a pitcher on the tray. “Oh, dear, I’m sorry, it looks like I’m all out,” she says sadly.

“I…yeah, I figured,” Naruto mutters, turning away from them to walk towards the edge of the garden. Sakura glances back in time to see something like a sneer pass over the woman’s face before it’s gone.

Anger bubbles in her chest at this woman’s petty cruelty and she lets the glass drop from her hands “accidentally” and enjoys the sound of it shattering. “Oh, I’m sorry, it slipped,” Sakura apologizes.

Sasuke, taking his cue from her, does as well. “Sorry, my hands must be tired. Oh well, it wasn’t that good anyways,” he says snidely with a glare sent her way before he and Sakura march over to their friend.

Ignoring the woman’s put out exclamations at their destruction of her dishware; they sidle up to Naruto, bumping shoulders with him. The blonde smiles wanly at them in thanks as Kakashi saunters over to the woman to smooth her ruffled feathers and ensure the payment for their completed job, ignoring her protests about their “uncouth” attitude.

They wait until they’re walking back to the main part of the village before speaking up, “Are we in trouble?” Sakura asks.

“For some broken glasses, no,” Kakashi says with a lazy shrug. “We’ll have to work on your sleight-of-hand though. That was atrocious you two,” he says. Naruto chuckles softly at his words, relief flowing through the group.

“Alright, our next mission after lunch will be to retrieve the lost cat Tora,” he declares and with a groan, they follow him, already hating today, as this will have been the third time they’ve had to catch the poor cat.

~*~

Kakashi leads the way back to the Administration building, ignoring the yowling of the cat currently clutched in Naruto’s arms, the poor boy glaring daggers at the beast, scratches littering his face and arms from the cat trying to escape.

“Why is it always me that he mauls?” Naruto asks as they climb the steps to the second floor where the Missions Desk is located. A large buxom woman gives an exaggerated cry of relief at the sight of the lost cat and comes running up. Naruto gingerly hands the cat over, afraid to let it go, least it run away again but the woman’s grip on it is sure and true and no matter how hard it wiggles, Tora can’t escape.

“No wonder it keeps running away,” Naruto mutters as the woman steps away to pay for the mission.

Laughing silently, Kakashi can’t help but agree with the boy. Walking over to the desk, he hands in the required reports to the Chuunin behind the desk who just happens to be Iruka today. “Ah, Kakashi-san, good work today I hope?” he asks as he crosses the completed missions off of one of his scrolls.

“Of course,” he assures.

“Was there any trouble?” Iruka asks softly, looking over to the three where Sakura has pulled out her first aid kit and is cleaning Naruto’s scratches as the boy hisses as it stings. Sasuke just huffs and rolls his eyes at the boy’s whining but his eyes keep watch. They took his lessons to heart it seemed.

“Most of them, no, but one seemed to have a problem with Naruto,” he says softly, pointing to the second mission report. Despite Tsunade’s attempts to change everyone’s views of Naruto to the better, there were still those who wouldn’t change, who saw only a monster and not a boy. It had kept happening over the last few months and they’ve been forced to make a list of those who have become a problem for Team 7.

“I’ll write it down on the list and have it looked into,” he says back with a sad frown. The man has made it his mission to help the blonde out and Kakashi doesn’t fault him.

A loud laugh behind them has Kakashi turning to see that Tsunade has come into the room, laughing at the mauled boy in front of her. “Brat, you’re supposed to catch the cat, not let it claw you,” she huffs, Shizune smiling gently behind her.

“I want to see you catch it without it clawing you,” Naruto mutters, swatting Sakura’s hands away, who just sighs but gives in, packing her things away.

Laughing harder still, she walks over to where Kakashi is standing and holds out a hand to Iruka who hands over the scroll she points at, “Let’s see…” She opens the scroll, reading over it with a nod, “Not bad for only being a team for a few months now.”

“Yeah, because weeding gardens and catching stray cats will really help us become good ninja,” Naruto mutters, glaring at Tsunade.

“If that’s your attitude, I guess I won’t reward you then,” she says with a huff, tossing the scroll back over her shoulder to Iruka unexpectedly and the man juggles it before catching and rolling it up.

“What, what, come on, don’t be like that Baa-chan,” Naruto pleads with his Great Aunt and legal guardian.

Tsunade holds out for a few more seconds of the puppy dog eyes Naruto is giving her before snorting and giving him a love tap in the head, “That’s more like it.”

She turns to the rest, “Team 7, I have a mission for you. A C-rank mission to be exact,” she adds the last part quickly and grins at Naruto’s whoop.

“What’s the mission?” Sasuke asks, trying to sound disinterested but can’t quiet hide the eager look.

“It’s an escort and protection mission. You’ll be taking this man,” she jabs a thumb behind her where a man is just now stumbling into the room, “back to his home in Wave. Your job is to protect him on the road.”

“Really!” Naruto yelps in excitement, the thought of finally getting to travel overriding his excitement from earlier about a tougher mission.

“What’s this, Hokage-sama, they’re all a bunch of kids,” the man grumbles as the unmistakable scent of alcohol wafts towards the group as he takes another swig from the bottle in his hand. “You really think these snot nosed brats can protect me?”

“We may be kids, but we’re stronger than we look,” Naruto grumbles with a glare. “At least we’re not old, drunk geezers like you. Who are you anyways?”

The man snorts, “My name is Tazuna. I’m a master bridge builder and if you’re so great, I expect top notch protection from you three brats. I better not get a single scratch on me.”

“They’ll protect you, plus, you’ll have their Jounin sensei, Kakashi-san to help should things get rough,” Tsunade says with a wrinkle of her nose at the smell. “I expect you three to be on your best behavior. While out of the village, you represent us and what you say and do will reflect back on us as a whole. So, no pranks, try to curb your attitudes and let’s not cause any incidents if we can,” she says sweetly, looking pointedly at Naruto.

“Yeah, yeah, when do we leave?” he waves her off.

“Tomorrow, you leave at dawn by the main gate,” she orders. “Here are the mission details,” she offers to Kakashi who nods in thanks. “I’ll speak with you further about it, later, Kakashi,” she adds and he nods in understanding.

The three genin chatter excitedly as he herds them out of the building, reminding them to pack for at least two weeks’ worth of time and to get a good night’s sleep before breaking away from them to get his own packing done.

~*~

Tsunade sighs softly, sitting back to rub at the bridge of her nose, trying to stave off the headache that has slowly been building all day from too much time spent reading reports and not enough time doing much else. It’s been one of those days of too much paperwork and not enough things to break it up.

She’d even be up for a council meeting right now if it meant getting away from the pile of reports on her desk that seems almost never ending. But it would be at least another week before the next meeting…unless something happened in the interim to warrant they meet earlier.

A tap at her window has her sighing again, for a different reason. “Enter,” she calls, not needing to look up to know who it is. Kakashi is allergic to her office door, or at least that’s what it seems like. She honestly hadn’t expected him so soon, the man being notorious for being late, even with her. That it’s only been an hour can only mean he’s taking this far more seriously than most matters.

“Hokage-sama,” the man in question says as he stands before her desk.

“Sit down, Kakashi, I’ll be with you in a minute,” she waves towards one of the chairs in front of the desk, turning back to the report in front of her. It’s from Jiraiya, and one of the reasons for this meeting.

“I’m sure you can guess just what this meeting is about,” she says, looking up at him a few minutes later.

“I guessed,” he says with a lazy shrug, though his gaze is focused.

“Be on your guard. We still don’t know much about Akatsuki and they’ve been unusually quiet the last six months. Jiraiya’s tried to find more out, but even his contacts are unsure of what the group is doing,” she warns, tapping the report in front of her.

“Have there been any attacks on any of the Jinchuuriki?” Kakashi asks.

“As of right now, no, though it’s not like any of the other villages would share this with us unless it had some benefit. Jiraiya’s keeping an eye out for the two Iwa Jinchuuriki in the hopes that he can glean more information from them but he’s had no luck tracking them so far,” she informs him. “What I wouldn’t give for a spy in their midst,” she murmurs faintly.

“Not recruiting?” he asks.

“It seems they only go for S-class shinobi, and all of ours are too prominent in the village to get away with infiltration on that scale,” she admits, sending him a knowing look, as he ranks up there as well.

“I’ll try to tone down my renown,” he offers mildly with a smile.

“See that you do,” she shoots back with a fake glare.

She rubs at her face, “Just…keep them safe,” she orders.

“I will die to keep them safe,” he promises.

“Thank you,” she waves dismissively to him. Turning back to her reports, she hears him leave by the window.

She muses over the problem of Akatsuki with a frown. They need someone inside, badly, if they’re going to stay ahead of their threat. So far, she’s kept the knowledge of them as need-to-know to only the upper level Jounin and ANBU, in the hopes that Akatsuki doesn’t realize they know more than surface knowledge.

There have been hints of them all over, sightings of the distinctive black and red cloaks, but no matter how quickly they arrive, Akatsuki’s already gone and the only things anyone can offer is vague descriptions. They’ve figured out a few of the members by this method, but they honestly aren’t sure how big the group is or who their leader is.

Maybe it’s time she sent some of her people to the other villages with this information. It will only help to share this with the others, even if they give only piecemeal back. She’ll speak with Shikaku about it later; see if they can draw up a squad for this. A plan forming in her mind, she settles back into her work, hoping to finish before it gets too late.

~*~

Mikoto’s just putting the finishing touches on dinner, her limbs still pleasantly loose after a hard day’s training, when she hears Sasuke come in, calling out from up front. “Welcome home, Sasuke, how was your missions?” she calls, sliding the pan carefully into the preheated oven before closing it and setting the timer.

“Hot and tiring,” he mutters, walking by the open kitchen and she glances up to see his clothes are streaked with dirt and grass stains, especially around the knees.

“Go clean up, dinner will be ready in thirty minutes,” she calls as he keeps walking towards his room. Oh, the joys of being a genin. She’ll admit, she doesn’t miss those early days very much. Though, she and Kushina used to get into so much trouble, running around and just being kids.

Of course, she was aware of the way people treated Kushina. She was the strange kunoichi from Uzushio, with her flaming red hair and her big attitude. It wasn’t until they were on a genin team and running missions that she learned the real reason Kushina was sent to live in Konoha.

But back then, it hadn’t seemed like a big deal. The Kyuubi wasn’t a threat, hadn’t attacked the village, and most people just talked about her behind her back. Kushina never let it get to her though. She just either ignored the assholes or beat them at their own game.

Naruto is very much like Kushina at that age. She’s heard stories, either from fellow Jounin or from Sasuke himself, about the pranks the boy has pulled on people. When investigated, it was found he always had a reason: petty slights and unfair cruelty from those who only see a chained monster, not a boy. Things have improved much over the years but…she still wishes things could have been different.

She hears the shower shut off and a few minutes later, a clean Sasuke comes out, looking much improved. “Better?” she asks with a smile.

“Yeah,” he offers. “We’ve got a mission tomorrow,” he adds.

“Oh, something good, I hope,” she pries a little.

“Yeah, it’s a C-rank, an escort mission to Wave,” he says and settles at the table.

“Oh, your first C-rank, very exciting. You’ll like the ocean, lots of water and the sea breeze. I haven’t been to the coast in a while myself,” she says with a happy sigh, recalling some fun missions there.

“It’s a serious mission,” he mutters with a faint flush.

“All missions are serious…” she says with a nod and then grins, “but, that doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun too. I’m sure Naruto and Sakura would love to go for a swim at the beach.”

“Maybe,” he mutters, but seems at least a little interested.

She misses the days when Sasuke wasn’t so reserved, always trying to hide how he feels. She knows it’s the Uchiha custom and it’s useful in many situations where giving away your feelings won’t help you, but, that doesn’t mean she has to like it.

“Do you want me to help you pack?” she offers.

“I’ve got it,” he says with a shrug.

“Alright, well, good luck and come back safe,” she orders and he nods with a grin.

~*~

Naruto’s nearly vibrating with excitement as he wolfs down his breakfast as fast as he can, impatient to leave and make his way to the gate. “Slow down, brat. I’d rather not have to heal you because you choked eating too fast,” Kurama grumbles.

“Aren’t you excited Kurama? We’re leaving the village for the first time,” Naruto says aloud before drinking the milk from his bowl with a quick chug and a gasp. “I’ve never seen the ocean. What’s it like?” he adds.

“Big, wet and salty,” Kurama mutters.

“But is it going to be really cold? What animals are there? Do you think they have ramen there?” he asks, rinsing his bowl out and setting it aside to dry.

“I don’t know brat. My knowledge of the oceans is limited,” Kurama huffs, sounding distracted.

“Are you worried?” Naruto asks, pausing in slipping on his sandals.

“No, just not a fan of getting wet,” Kurama mutters.

“You sound like a cat,” Naruto jokes. Sandals on, he grabs his pack, settling it on his shoulders. He runs to his bookshelf and grins, seeing the many framed photos there. “Bye mom, by dad, I’ll be gone awhile,” he says, looking at the pictures of Minato and Kushina, given to him by Mikoto years before. There are ones of them individually and one of their wedding, the two smiling at the camera, as well as his team photo. There’s one photo tucked behind the wedding photo, of Kushina and Mikoto together and both pregnant, that he keeps hidden.

“We’re going to be late,” Kurama reminds him, drawing him from his thoughts.

“Alright Kurama, let’s go to Wave,” Naruto says with excitement, racing to the door and locking it behind him.

Sakura is already there waiting when Naruto arrives. A few seconds later, Sasuke rounds the corner, Mikoto in her Jounin vest walking with him. “I just wanted to see you three off,” she says with a shrug. “Your first big mission,” she murmurs softly, giving them each a hug, though Sasuke protests. “Good luck, stay safe, and come home soon,” she orders sternly.

“We will,” they chorus.

“Maa, maa, Mikoto-san, I’ll look after them,” Kakashi assures with a smile, jumping down from a nearby roof.

“You better,” she warns, jabbing him in the chest but she’s smiling. She waves one last time walking away and then turns a corner.

“Well brats, I’m ready if you are,” Tazuna calls out, walking down the main road towards them. He is sans his bottle of alcohol and appears to be sober this time around.

“Everyone got everything they need?” Kakashi asks. “We won’t be back for a few weeks so make sure you’re prepared.”

“Come on already, Kakashi-sensei,” Naruto grumbles, tapping his foot impatiently.

“Alright, then Team 7, we’re off,” he orders with a put upon sigh. With a wave to the two chuunin at the gate on duty, they quickly fall into formation, Kakashi taking up the rear while the genin take the front, Tazuna in between them.

“What are your names anyways?” Tazuna asks as the village disappears behind them, the trees closing in.

“Hatake Kakashi,” Kakashi offers with a nod.

“Haruno Sakura,” Sakura adds next, looking left.

“Uchiha Sasuke,” Sasuke says lazily, keeping his eyes trained to the right side of the path.

Naruto grins brightly, walking backwards momentarily, “I’m Uzumaki Naruto, the future Hokage so you better remember it!”

Tazuna snorts, “Never gonna happen, brat.”

“What!” Naruto yelps with a glare but a look from Kakashi and an elbow in the side from Sakura keeps him from lashing out at the man and with a huff, he turns back around and fumes in annoyance, ignoring the bridge builder.

For a while, the group is content to be silent, the thrill of actually going on their first out of village mission sustaining them for a distance but eventually, they grow bored. Naruto especially grows impatient.

“Hey, Tazuna-san, what’s Wave like?” he asks, half turning to look back at the man, his annoyance from earlier forgotten in his curiosity. “I’ve not been to the ocean before. Is it cold?” he asks rapid fire.

“Ocean, eh?” Tazuna mutters, rubbing his chin. “Well, Wave itself is a chain of islands and we mostly get around by boat and some bridges if the islands are close enough. Though, I’m in the middle of building a bridge to the mainland. As for the ocean, it’s not too cold,” he admits. “Well, except in the winter, but who would be stupid enough to go swimming in the winter,” he says with a loud guffaw.

“Kakashi-sensei, do you think we might have a chance to go swimming after we finish our mission?” Naruto calls out excitedly.

“Maybe, but our mission isn’t done yet Naruto. Pay attention,” Kakashi orders him, reminding the boy that he’s supposed to be watching ahead.

“Yeah, yeah, sheesh,” he mutters, but turns back around and lets the conversation die.

~*~

Kurama remains silent as the team travels further and further from Konoha. He’s not sure what he should be feeling now that the moment is upon them. On one hand, this is what he’s been building up to, hoping it would happen. With so many of his current plans hanging on the three brats, and preferably Obito as well, remembering the past to help him stop the future, he needs this event to happen to trigger their memories.

But part of him wavers. Because the memories of their past aren’t pleasant. They’re steeped in blood and smoke, battles and loss. He knows, like he knows the sun will rise in the east, that when they remember, they will be changed. Maybe not completely into their past selves, but it will still be a difference. He’s worked so hard to give the brats a better life, to give them happy memories after they suffered so much. And yes, he stumbled a few times, but as a whole, this time around has been a vast improvement.

How can he condemn them to such unpleasantness, such loss and betrayal? The Team 7 of the past was a fractured and hastily glued together group that was built on a foundation of strife and betrayal. Probably the only real reason they reformed was to combat first Obito and then Madara.

And afterwards, when they were constantly on the run, there was never any time for them to work through everything that happened, to come to terms with it. The only reason they were whole was from necessity, pure will and a reluctant fondness for each other.

Will remembering the past destroy the future he has tried to build for them? Will it be too much for the good memories he’s given them? He’s felt it once with Naruto. A moment of resonance in his mind: a disquiet and discordant moment of uncertainty that had taken them both by surprise. It had only been a flash, a hint of what more might come and it had concerned him.

He can only hope that the remembering won’t destroy them, because if the next few weeks play out like before, something will be triggered. Maybe it won’t play out exactly like the past, but this is still Zabuza and Haku and despite their stronger connection this time around, they are still just genin being thrown into their first conflict.

He thinks back on their first time in Wave. That was the first time the brat pulled on his chakra, when he really woke up for sure, though he remembers stirring once the night he learned about Kurama inside him. It was the first time Sasuke drew on his Sharingan and almost fell with dreams unfinished. The first time Sakura truly realized just what their world is like and that she would lose people if she didn’t discard her childlike idealism.

It was also the first time they saw death first hand. Even Sasuke, with the Uchiha Massacre in his past, had never actually seen someone killed first hand, had only seen the aftermath and the images of Itachi’s betrayal. It had forced them to grow up and realize just what they were getting into as shinobi.

With a rough sigh, he lets the worries fade back in his mind. He can’t predict everything, no matter how much he knows of the future. There’s no guarantee that they’ll even face Zabuza and Haku this time around. And even if they do, if fate somehow follows the same pattern as the past, there’s no way of knowing if it will even trigger their memories. For now, all he can do is wait and watch and hope that things will turn about better than they were.

He has faith in them and if the brat has taught him anything, it’s that faith can take them further than he ever expected.

Chapter Text

Fulcrum: noun; a thing that plays a central or essential role in an activity, event or situation.

Shisui and Itachi are in the middle of a spar when the hawk finds them; alighting on a low branch of a nearby tree, head swiveling between them with eyes showing more intelligence than normal hawks do. It doesn’t make a sound, simply holds out its leg expectantly where a small scroll is attached.

Shisui sighs loudly in resignation. He’d been hoping for a longer break than the week they’ve had since their last mission. Itachi walks up and slips the scroll from the holder around its leg and the hawk takes to the air, giving one piercing cry before tilting back towards the center of the village.

“Well?” Shisui asks, walking closer to his cousin.

“Team mission, the Hokage will debrief us, we meet in half an hour,” he says softly before rolling it back up and tucking it into a pocket for disposal later.

“At least she’s giving us time to get clean,” he mutters, already taking to the trees with Itachi, the two heading for the Compound.

They split once the reach the outer wall of the Compound, each heading for their own homes to grab their gear. Itachi didn’t say ANBU, but he grabs his mask anyways, just in case. A quick shower and throwing some ration bars and a first aid kit into his satchel and he’s ready, tugging on his sandals quickly.

Itachi is already waiting at the main gate to the Compound. They don’t say anything, just take to the roofs and make a beeline straight for the Administration building. No one even bats an eye as they head up the stairs to the Hokage’s office.

Shisui taps at the door, opening it when Tsunade barks out “Enter.”

Inside, he’s not surprised to see Tenzo already there, the three of them usually on team missions if they’re all in the village. Tsunade is behind her desk, busily writing something in a scroll. She glances up to see the two of them enter. “Ah, good, you’re here. We’re just waiting for the last two,” she says, going back to what she’s writing.

Shisui glances between Itachi and Tenzo. A five man team seems large. Usually, the max is four unless they needed a second team for a larger mission. Itachi shakes his head minutely, the note not saying what the mission is about. Sighing, Shisui shrugs and leans back against the wall, waiting.

They don’t have to wait long. A light tap at the door and it opens before Tsunade can call out. Shizune pokes her head through, “They’re here, Tsunade-sama,” she says, opening the door wider and letting the two shinobi behind her enter.

Shisui blinks and glances at Tenzo to see surprise on his face as well as two familiar figures enter. It’s been a few years since they last saw these two. “Ah good, you’re all here, we can begin,” she says, setting her scroll aside as Shizune shuts the door on her departure from the room.

Shisui snorts, “It took you two long enough to join our ranks,” he says with a smile and a nod to Shin and Sai, the two young teens standing awkwardly off to the side.

“It’s good to see you again,” Shin says with an awkward smile, Sai copying, nodding to the two shinobi that helped them get out of Root seven years before. “We…we decided to take our time in joining ANBU.”

Shisui can read what they’re not saying. It must have been hard to return to a normal life, or as normal a life a shinobi can have, after the harsh conditioning Danzō had put them through. It probably took a couple years just to reintegrate enough before they were allowed to become active again.

“Introduce yourselves later,” Tsunade grumbles, pawing through a towering stack of scrolls before finding what she’s looking for and pulling it out without knocking the rest over, a feat in its own right that speaks of much practice. “Your mission is going to be a diplomatic and information gathering one,” she continues, opening the scroll and scanning over it. “Itachi will be team lead on this. The time frame is broad because I honestly don’t know how long this will take.”

“Not Kakashi?” Itachi asks.

“Kakashi is currently on his way to Wave with his team on an escort mission. Were this a shorter mission and if I could estimate a time frame, I might be willing to pull him from his team, but as of now, the amount of time needed would hamper Team 7’s growth and be counterproductive,” Tsunade says, eyes steely and lips thinned

“What exactly are we doing, Hokage-sama?” Tenzo asks.

“As of right now, we don’t know enough about Akatsuki: their whereabouts, how large their organization is, how far they stretch influentially, and who their leader is. Aside from a few names we’ve managed to acquire based on descriptions of first-hand accounts, no one knows for sure who they are and while I trust Jiraiya and his network, he’s only one man and he can’t be everywhere. The only reason we know they are after the tailed beasts is thanks to the Jinchuuriki themselves,” Tsunade explains rapidly.

“Right now, we need information and since we have had no luck in getting a mole of our own into their organization, we need to move to a different avenue of information gathering. Your mission will be to go to various countries and exchange information with them. A peaceful exchange of information, I would like to add,” she says, sending the five of them a hard look.

“Will we even be able to get close?” Shisui asks. Some of the other villages don’t take to kindly to Konoha shinobi on their doorsteps. He’d like to avoid a fight if he can.

“Your first stop is Suna, since they are technically our ally, no matter how reluctant they are about it. I’ve sent word to Kiri, Kumo and Iwa, as well the smaller nations with Jinchuuriki or where Akatsuki has been sighted in the past. I’ve only heard back from Suna so far. My hope is they might be able to get you an audience with some of the more…difficult villages that won’t take our word alone,” she explains.

“Is this ANBU or normal?” Tenzo asks, holding up his mask.

“Normally, I would prefer it be ANBU but this is a diplomatic mission and I want them to take us seriously. No masks this time. Suna is three days away gentlemen and they are expecting you. Try not to start anything,” she orders. “Here is all we know of Akatsuki and their known members. Memorize it.” She holds out the scroll she pulled.

With a salute, they troop out of the room, Itachi taking the scroll from her hand with a nod. “We should probably change up our gear if we’re going to be country hopping,” Shisui comments aloud. “Meet at the gate in 30 minutes?” he offers. They nod and break away to gather gear for harsher climates.

~*~

Their second day of travel starts with not much of a hitch, aside from a few grumbles about food, since they only really have ration bars to eat for this journey. For the most part though, Team 7 is taking to the mission well.

Naruto is buoyed by the resurgence of excitement at the mission, but like the day before, it wanes quickly and he soon grows bored. He never realized just how boring traveling could be. But then, he never thought about more than just the excitement of a mission, the thrill of fighting and danger and protecting people, being a hero. He guesses that even being a hero has boring moments like travelling and eating ration bars.

Still, despite Kakashi-sensei assuring them they won’t face any foreign ninja on this mission, he hopes they face some kind of action. That would be really cool. He grins to himself, imagining the scenarios in his head, the cool poses and phrases he might say after taking a bad guy down.

He’s distracted to say the least. So when something does happen, he’s taken entirely by surprise. Though to be fair, they all are. When the two shinobi appear as if from nowhere and attack, Naruto freezes in his tracks as they take Kakashi-sensei down.

The one to do anything first is Sasuke, the boy rushing ahead with a growl and kunai in hand, and with a gut retching moment of clarity, he realizes that Sasuke’s going against the two ninja alone. He forces his limbs to move, rushing behind him, Sakura in step with him even with fear in her eyes.

They push them back but when one rushes Tazuna, Sakura acts first, throwing herself in front of the man to protect him. Naruto and Sasuke rush to help her but they’re too far, too slow, can’t move as fast as the enemy and Naruto can only watch in fear as he closes in on her.

Kakashi appears in a blur of speed, one of the ninja already unconscious under one arm, the other he takes out without even breaking a sweat, the second ninja hanging unconscious in his grasp as well. “K-Kakashi-sensei!” Naruto yells, shocked and relieved, Sakura and Sasuke echoing him.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” he says with a smile. “You did well though, for your first encounter,” he praises them. They quickly get to work, tying the two shinobi to a nearby tree. “Kiri ninja and chuunin going by their strength,” Kakashi murmurs.

“You knew they were there sensei,” Sakura says with a moment of realization.

“I did,” he admits.

“But you let us think you had been killed,” Tazuna accuses, still looking pale from the encounter.

“I noticed them a while back when I saw that puddle on this very warm and sunny day. There’s been no rain in at least a week as well,” he explains to his students. “I could have killed them easily but I needed to see something first,” he says.

“See what?” Sasuke demands.

“Who their target was,” he explains, looking up at Tazuna from his crouched position. “Would you care to elaborate, Tazuna-san?” he asks mildly.

“What?” he chokes out.

“That shinobi are after you means this is no longer just a simple C-rank mission. At minimum, it’s a B-rank and above what my team is ready to accomplish. You’ve put them into an encounter that could very well cost lives and lied to the village about just who you really need protection from. This mission should have cost more as well, though that is only a minor offence in my book.”

“I…I’m sorry,” Tazuna mutters, turning away.

“I assume you have a good reason for keeping this information to yourself,” Kakashi says, standing from his crouch.

“I do,” he assures.

“Still, this is more than you three should be facing right now and we should probably turn around,” Kakashi says, turning to look at his team.

“No!” Naruto shouts, drawing Sakura and Sasuke’s gaze.

“How will we ever become stronger if we turn our backs on people just because they didn’t pay enough or the mission becomes harder than expected? You said yourself, Kakashi-sensei, as a team, we can do much more than as a single person. We can do this!” Naruto exclaims.

Kakashi looks to the other two, “Well, what do you say?” he asks them.

Sasuke frowns heavily, glancing back at the two bound ninja, “I want to become stronger. I can’t just turn away either,” he says with a sharp nod.

Sakura looks at her two teammates. “It…it was scary,” she admits. “I…we’ve never been attacked like that before. But I can’t stop just because something’s scary or I’ll never achieve my goal. We should help, no matter how difficult it is,” Sakura decides with a firm nod as well.

“Well Tazuna-san, do you still wish to continue with our team?” Kakashi asks, looking at the bridge builder.

Tazuna smiles faintly in relief, “Thank you.” He bows slightly to them.

“Then that’s decided. As we walk, you’ll explain just what you’ve been doing to warrant death by shinobi,” Kakashi orders and with a faint grimace, Tazuna nods, the group quickly continuing down the road and putting distance between them and the unconscious shinobi.

~*~

‘Kurama,’ Naruto calls silently, keeping his eyes ahead as they continue down the road. They still have about two days before they reach the coast and according to Tazuna, there will be someone waiting to ferry them across to the islands.

“What is it brat?” Kurama murmurs, already guessing what the boy wants to talk about.

‘You’ve battled before, haven’t you?' he asks softly.

“Yeah, brat, I have. I was with Mito and your mother when they were active shinobi. I’ve seen many battles first hand, even war,” he admits.

‘Where you ever scared?’ he asks in a subdued voice.

“A few times,” he admits softly, tails flicking at the memories.

'What did you do?' Naruto asks in a subdued voice.

“I kept fighting,” he says simply.

‘Why?’ Naruto sounds like Kurama’s words will make or break him.

Kurama sighs heavily, thinking back on the future that he is trying to stop: the pain and fear he faced every time he and Naruto went into battle, every time they faced insurmountable odds and still managed to make a win of it and the last time, when they finally reached rock bottom before deciding to take a leap of faith in the hopes of stopping all this.

“Because I had precious people to protect and being afraid wasn’t going to stop me from protecting them,” he answers honestly and with a ring of steel in his voice.

‘Oh,’ Naruto whispers, sounding awed. ‘I moved because if I didn’t Sasuke would have fought them alone,’ he admits.

“We’ll protect them together and watch each other’s backs, brat,” he says with a grin.

‘Yeah,’ Naruto nods in agreement.

“The best way to do that brat is to be prepared for an attack. You know what that means,” Kurama warns.

‘That I’m going to have to face future headaches head on,’ Naruto bemoans but seems to get where he’s going and begins to lower part of his shielding to better see what is around them as they travel.

~*~

Naruto looks around excitedly, taking in the vast expanse of blue-grey water, the scent of brine thick on what little breeze there is. A thick mist obscures their vison after a certain point. “Whoo,” he exclaims, yelping when a wave hits the shore and sprays him with cold droplets of salt water.

“This way,” Tazuna calls, leading them to a small grove of trees that seem to be growing out of the water. As they enter, the ground grows wet and spongy; the thick mud under their feet seeping into their sandals and with a grimace, Naruto wiggles his toes in annoyance. It smells weird too. He pulls in a deep breath, scenting brine, muck and something he can’t name.

Up ahead, they spy a small boat waiting in deeper water, a man watching them approach. “Tazuna-san,” the man says with a nod, eyes darting around restlessly.

“Yuhei-san, thanks for this,” Tazuna says with a smile.

“Don’t thank me yet. We need make it to the islands first,” he warns, pulling out a long oar. “Get in and keep the noise to a minimum.”

The five of them settle in the boat, Tazuna in the center with Kakashi, and the three in the front. “Hey, Sakura-chan,” Naruto whispers and she looks over at him, “Do you know anything about the ocean?” he asks softly.

Sakura shrug, “Just what I’ve read,” she admits. “Why?”

Naruto shrugs with a grin, “Just curious. It’s our first time here,” he says, looking at his two friends.

Sakura nods in understanding, “It is strange after living surrounded by forests,” she admits, feeling exposed on such a large expanse of water. “It’s a good thing we all know how to swim.”

Sasuke and Naruto grin at that before facing back to keep watch. Naruto closes his eyes, feeling out with his senses, feeling small bits of chakra streak by. ‘Kurama! That was a huge fish,” he exclaims as a large blip swims under their boat.

“Might be a good snack,” Kurama says with a huff of laughter at the boy’s excitement.

The mist closes in around their boat and deadens the sounds around them. No breeze blows and the only sound is the swishing of the oar through the water, moving them closer to the chain of islands known as Wave. As the time passes, a large shadowy shape looms up out of the fog.

“Is that the bridge?” Kakashi asks softly.

“It is. We’re nearing completion, but Gatō wants to stop us so he can maintain control of the islands,” Tazuna says softly. “It’s taken years but we’re finally almost done.”

“I’ll take us through the backway to avoid detection,” Yuhei whispers, angling the boat away from the large bridge. A series of arches approaches and as they pass though, the mist recedes. “Almost there, best not to talk until we get through,” he orders and they sit in silence.

Finally, the arch opens up and Naruto blinks against the suddenly bright light as the mist vanishes completely and the sun shines down to turn the blue-grey water bright blue-green. Ahead, they can see the islands themselves, lush and green with small wood and stone bridges crossing the channels of water between them.

Eventually, Yuhei angles them towards a small island and beaches the boat, the craft landing with a dull thump and scrap as it skids on the sandy bottom of the shore. “This is as far as I go,” he informs them.

“Thanks Yuhei-san,” Tazuna says with a look of gratitude. Once they’re all on the shore, he pushes his boat off the shore, and starting up the small motor on the back, quickly speeds away from them.

“Alright, we’re nearly there. Just two islands south of here is home. Lead the way,” Tazuna orders and they fall in around him.

Naruto keeps his eyes peeled even as he senses around them. Through trial and error over the last few days, they’ve come to figure out that the further he senses, the harder it is on him, so for now, he’s keeping his senses pulled in tight around them, just a small bubble that extends maybe a hundred feet in circumference.

He can feel the small specks of chakra that are the animals around him and he’s surprised at how concentrated it is. Even back home there weren’t this many so close together. He guesses it’s because it’s an island and there’s not a lot of room like in Konoha.

There’s a rustle and he looks over to see a small speck of something in the bushes and watches a pair of long white ears peak up through the leaves. “Sakura-chan, a bunny,” he whispers, pointing it out to her.

Sakura and Sasuke look at where he points and Sakura smiles faintly than frowns, “Is white a normal color for the islands?” she murmurs just as something dark and menacing appears in range of his senses. Heartbeat thundering in his chest, Naruto reacts as Kakashi yells out, “Get down!” and grabs Sasuke and Sakura to pull them down as something goes flying by overhead.

The three look up and blanch at the imposing man standing on a gigantic sword imbedded in a tree. Kakashi walks past them, “Surround Tazuna and don’t enter this fight,” he orders sharply.

Gulping, Naruto scrambles up with them, placing themselves in a tight formation about the bridge builder. “I recognize that sword. You’re originally of Kirigakure and the Seven Swordsmen, now a missing nin, known as the Demon of the Mist, Momochi Zabuza.”

“I’m honored that the legendary Copy Nin Kakashi knows who I am,” Zabuza says, smirking under the bandages on his face. “I’m not here to fight you. I just need to kill the old man.”

Kakashi sighs, reaching up to start pulling his slanted hitai-ate up, “Unfortunately, we’ve been hired to protect Tazuna-san, so you’ll have to get through me to kill him.”

Naruto feels Sasuke start next to him and follows his gaze, seeing for the first time Kakashi’s second eye. He’s learned a bit about the Sharingan from Mikoto, Itachi and Shisui. He’s even seen them a few times over the years but he never realized someone other than an Uchiha had one. “Kakashi-sensei’s that strong?” Naruto asks softly, looking at his teammates.

Zabuza just laughs, springing from the tree and yanking the sword out at the same time to land on the water near the shore of the island. “Pay close attention, brats and I’ll show you what a true shinobi battle looks like,” Zabuza calls, hands moving in a blur before he stops, holding a pose and mist begins to swirl around him, filling the area and cutting off their line of sight.

“He’ll come after me first but keep your guard up. Kiri ninja are known for their silent kills,” Kakashi warns, scanning over the mist.

A shiver runs through them, the killing intent thick in the mist and Naruto gulps, searching for Zabuza with his senses, but the mist isn’t natural and filled with chakra. It’s hard to make out much against the haze. A sharp surge of movement through the mist and faster than Naruto can react, the shinobi is between them. “It’s over,” Zabuza mutters and swings.

With a screech of metal on metal, sparks fly as Kakashi stops the blade in its tracks, kunai scatting along the blade’s edge before he lunges faster than they can follow, stabbing deep into Zabuza’s gut. With a start, Naruto watches the man turn to water and splash across the ground. “A mizu bunshin,” Kakashi mutters.

“Kakashi-sensei,” Naruto shouts seeing the approach of the man with his senses and Kakashi ducks the swing of the large sword, foot lashing out to knock the man back. A quick kunai follows and another turns to water.

A third springs behind Kakashi before a warning can be called, blade moving with amazing speed for such a large sword and they watch in horror as it cuts Kakashi in half, before he to turns to water. Zabuza laughs, “You copied my jutsu even through the mist?” he asks, impressed as Kakashi appears from the mist, blade to Zabuza’s throat.

“Too bad I’m not so easily fooled,” Zabuza appears behind Kakashi. Kakashi reacts instantly, kunai lashing out to dispatch the clone and with a jerking lunge; he ducks the heavy sword swing, darting away from the real Zabuza.

Zabuza goes to follow and stops, noting the glint of metal on the small spikes scattered across the ground as Kakashi’s lunge takes him over the water’s edge and with a splash, he lands in the water. “Wrong move,” Zabuza calls, appearing from the mist just as Kakashi emerges with a gasp. “Water Prison Jutsu,” he calls, the heavy sea water swirling around Kakashi too fast for him to react, closing in around him in a tight sphere.

“Too bad, Kakashi, I was hoping for a longer fight but orders are orders,” he holds up a hand and another clone appears from the water. “It’s time to finish this job.”

“Damn, get Tazuna out of here!” Kakashi orders, “His clone can’t move too far from his real body and he can’t follow unless he drops this.”

“But…”

“Our mission is to protect Tazuna first and foremost. You’ll be killed if you fight Zabuza. Now run,” Kakashi orders again.

“No…we can’t abandon you sensei,” Naruto yells back, looking at Sakura and Sasuke who nod. “We don’t abandon our comrades.”

“Tazuna-san?” Sakura asks softly, looking back at him.

“I’d hate to be the reason you broke your code,” he murmurs, looking pained. “Go on, I’ll stay back.”

“Let’s get to work,” Naruto orders, “Time to show off my new jutsu I guess,” he grins and Kurama stirs inside, copying his fox grin. “Let’s show him what we’re made of, brat!”

“Shadow Clone Jutsu,” he calls, a couple dozen clones appearing around him, Sakura and Sasuke blinking in surprise. Even Kakashi looks shocked.

“Shadow clones and a lot of them, you’re not an average kid, are you?” Zabuza calls out. “It still won’t save you though.”

Naruto ignores him. “Sakura, Sasuke, remember ninja tag with Itachi and Shisui?” he asks softly of his two teammates.

“Yeah,” Sasuke nods, realizing what Naruto wants to do.

Sakura grins shakily, “Alright, let’s do this,” stepping forward as two of Naruto’s clones back up to flank Tazuna.

With a yell, the rest of the clones rush the water clone and pile onto him before being scattered around, most disappearing into smoke. Sakura chucks a few shuriken at him as Sasuke tosses some kunai, Zabuza’s clone easily deflecting them around him.

With a grin, Sakura and Sasuke pull on the nearly invisible ninja wire, pulling it taut around his ankles, just enough to throw him off his balance as Naruto pulls out a large fuuma shuriken and throws it right at the clone. “Brats, you’ll need to do better than that,” he growls and easily ducks under it.

With a snort, the real Zabuza catches it with his free hand. “Is that all you’ve got?” he calls out.

“Not quite,” Naruto calls, feeling Kurama’s smugness at the enemy underestimating them and yanks on his own ninja wire, igniting the explosive tags on the underside of the large shuriken as Sasuke and Sakura do so on their kunai and shuriken.

With a resounding boom, the explosion goes off, blowing the mist away. With a huff, Kakashi drops down between them dripping water, Zabuza having been forced to let Kakashi go or take the explosion as well. “Not bad,” Kakashi praises them. “Now it’s my turn.”

Darting out towards the water, he runs across it where Zabuza is just emerging from the water where he took refuge from the blast. “Damn brats,” he mutters, readying himself against Kakashi.

“You underestimated them,” Kakashi points out with a glare.

“True,” he admits with a shrug.

“I won’t fall for the same trick twice,” Kakashi warns and they jump away, hands flying through seals faster than the genin can follow.

With a roar the water surges around them, taking the shape of two huge dragons that lash against each other, canceling each other out. “Sensei’s strong,” Sakura whispers as they watch the two men clash as the dragons explode into a shower of seawater.

They jump back and Kakashi starts to copy Zabuza move for move. “Is that possible?” Naruto asks when Zabuza demands to know if he can see the future and his two friends shrug in uncertainty. With a scream of wind and water, like a storm come down to land, the water around the two men moves, “Water Explosion Jutsu!” and throws Zabuza back as waves wash up to surround the four of them watching, nearly sweeping them off their feet before it starts to recede.

Kakashi rushes forward to deliver the killing blow and Naruto jerks his head around to his left as a figure appears in a tree, throwing two senbon that sink deep into Zabuza’s neck and the man slumps over. A lithe figure with dark bangs hanging over a white mask with red on it, they stand up on the branch and nod towards Kakashi.

“Sorry to take the victory from you Kakashi-san, but I’ve been waiting for a while to find an opening to take down Zabuza. I must thank you for your help though,” the masked individual calls out.

“A hunter nin from Kiri,” Kakashi murmurs before walking towards Zabuza and placing fingers to his throat, “Dead.”

“That was the plan,” the shinobi says with a nod. “Sorry you had to go through so much trouble.” They jump to the ground with ease, walking towards Zabuza’s body.

“Kakashi-sensei?” Naruto asks unsurely, looking back and forth between the two.

“He’s not our enemy,” Kakashi assures, stepping away from the body and towards them.

“Thank you and farewell,” the shinobi says, hefting Zabuza and his sword, disappearing in a whirl of mist.

“That was a kid our age, wasn’t it?” Sakura asks, looking where the shinobi just disappeared.

“It was,” Kakashi admits, wearily pulling his hitai-ate down over his eye once more.

“But…he was so strong,” Naruto stammers out.

“There is one thing you should know about this world, you three. No matter how strong you get, how big your legend, there will always be someone stronger than you. Age doesn’t matter in the world of power. There are children out there younger than you but stronger than me,” he explains softly.

“Then how do we fight someone like that?” Sasuke asks.

Kakashi smiles, “Like we do every enemy. With our team,” he says.

“Right, let’s get going,” Tazuna says with a relieved laugh. “You four deserve a treat for all you’ve done. I’m sure my daughter Tsunami will have something delicious waiting for us.”

They go to walk away and with a groan, Kakashi collapses to the ground. “Kakashi-sensei,” Sakura yelps and rushes over to the jounin.

“Seems I did a little too much,” Kakashi admits ruefully.

~*~

Naruto grunts at the impact as he lands back on his feet, looking up at his tree covered in slash marks. Sakura and Sasuke have already gone back in, tired after so much training but he wanted to keep going. “I thought I was getting better at my control?” Naruto asks of Kurama, panting from the exertion.

“You are brat, how else did you learn the Shadow Clone jutsu I showed you but…this type of control is different from that needed to do a ninjutsu. Most jutsus require a good amount of chakra of different ratios. This exercise is learning to work with the smallest amount necessary. We’re not going for strength here, we’re going for subtlety,” Kurama explains patiently.

“So perfecting this will make me stronger as well, like Kakashi-sensei said,” Naruto says with a sigh and collapses back onto the ground.

“Exactly, your control problem is that you put too much chakra into a jutsu rather than not enough, hence why you usually make so many shadow clones when you’re rushed and not focusing on controlling the jutsu. This will help you so you only summon what you intend without throwing excess chakra away. You may have a lot of your own and have mine to back you up, but they’re not infinite,” Kurama warns.

“That makes sense,” he mutters, picking at a blade of grass and twirling it between his fingers as he lays there for a bit.

“Kurama,” he says quietly.

“Hmm,” Kurama hums softly.

“What was Uzushiogakure like?” he asks hesitantly.

“Why the sudden interest?” Kurama asks curiously.

“I…it’s just…Mikoto-san told me that mom was from there. She said it was a village on an island surrounded by the ocean. I just…did you ever see it?” he asks softly, sounding vulnerable.

Kurama sighs softly, “Only a few times, with Mito. By the time I was in Kushina, Uzushio had already been destroyed by Kiri and Iwa.”

“Was it pretty?” he asks.

“It was. White stone walls and red tiled roofs; it was built on hills, with terraces going all the way down to the sea. You could see for miles from the very top where the Uzushio Headman’s office resided. Uzushio was famous for their seals and their murals and the island was painted with both, works of art wherever you looked. Mito and Kushina missed it terribly,” he admits softly, remembering the seeping sadness from his last two hosts. Mito at least had a large chunk of her life there before marrying Hashirama. Kushina didn’t and it had wounded her the most. He always tried to use it against her, to make her call on his power, to slowly begin to corrupt her, but it never worked.

“I wish I could have seen it,” Naruto murmurs, throat tight and eyes a little wet.

“Me too, brat,” Kurama murmurs back. Naruto doesn’t say anything else, letting the conversation die and slowly begins to drowse in the warm sun, the cool breeze nice against his sweaty skin.

He doesn’t know how long he’s dozed when he feels a hand on his shoulder, shaking him awake. For a second, he thinks it is Sasuke or Sakura coming to get him for lunch but when he opens his eyes, he doesn’t recognize the face looking down at him.

“Wha!” He jerks up and nearly head butts them in the process. “You startled me.”

“I’m sorry, I was just checking to make sure you were okay,” they murmur with a faint smile.

“I’m fine, I was just taking a nap after training,” he admits with a grin. He looks closer and can’t help but see that they’re pretty, as pretty as Sakura, Mikoto and Baa-chan.

“Training? You’re a ninja?” she asks, tapping her forehead to indicated his hitai-ate.

“Yep, I’m training to get really strong,” he says with another grin.

“You seem plenty strong now,” she murmurs.

Naruto shakes his head, “Not really, at least, not yet. I’m still learning.”

“Then why do you want to get stronger?” she asks.

Rubbing the back of his head with a grin, he declares, “So I can become Hokage, the strongest ninja in the village.”

Her brow arches faintly. “An admiral goal, but strength alone won’t help,” she states.

“Really?” he asks, intrigued.

“Do you have someone precious in your life?” she asks softly.

Naruto pauses, thinking on Kurama, Sakura, Sasuke, Mikoto, Tsunade-baa, Sarutobi-jiji, Iruka-sensei and now Kakashi-sensei. He has a lot of people he considers important to him. With a nod, he grins faintly, “I do.”

She smiles, “That is what you need to be truly strong. Remember your precious people and strive to protect them, no matter the cost.”

Naruto’s heart beats hard, remembering Kurama’s words from days before, when the demon brother’s attacked them. Protect his precious people; no matter the cost…he nods solemnly. His heart feels heavy in his chest as he embraces her words.

He looks at her and feels…something, a sense like he’s had a similar conversation, but he can’t remember. “Have we met before?” he asks, confused.

She shakes her head, “No, I don’t believe we have.” She stands with another smile. “Maybe we’ll meet again.”

“I’d like that,” Naruto agrees.

“Oh and, I’m a boy,” he calls out, leaving Naruto blinking in confusion as Kurama laughs loudly in his head.

~*~

Naruto grins in excitement as they ready for the day. Kakashi-sensei is finally better, he can climb trees now and he’s realized something important about himself, thanks to that strange pretty boy in the woods. All that’s left to do is finish this mission and then they can head back home.

“Brat,” Kurama calls out as he pulls on his sandals, the others having already stepped outside.

“What?” he asks softly.

“Leave some clones behind, just in case,” Kurama orders, sounding distracted.

“Why?” he demands, curious.

“It’s…just a gut feeling. This Gatō guys is sleazy and he would definitely go after the bridge builder’s family to get him to stop,” Kurama explains.

“Yeah, I guess he might,” Naruto agrees, quickly forming the hand sign and four clones pop into existence. “Hide in the house, protect Tsunami and Inari,” Naruto orders and they all salute, quickly disappearing from sight. “Alright Kurama, let’s go.”

Chapter Text

Freefall: noun; downward movement under the force of gravity only.

The first sign of trouble is when the fog rolls in. Sakura’s standing off with Naruto and Sasuke, Tazuna nearby as Kakashi keeps watch a distance away. It’s thick, even thicker than the last time they fought in fog.

“Kakashi-sensei?” she calls softly, looking over to her teacher who is also watching the fog bank rolls in.

“I know,” he murmurs, stepping closer to them.

Footsteps echo softly from the mist, two pairs and they watch as two figures emerge: Zabuza and the masked shinobi that lied to them. They stop a distance away, but the mist keeps coming until it completely obscures their view.

“Still protecting the old fool, I see,” Zabuza calls from the mist, “and still lugging around those brats too. You sure they’re not just going to run away on you?”

Kakashi snorts, smiling under his mask, “No, they’re too stubborn for that.” Sakura can hear Naruto’s cackle and even Sasuke give a soft huff. She can’t help but giggle with them; glad Kakashi-sensei finally realized they meant what they said.

There’s a shift of fog and movement and suddenly Zabuza’s clones are surrounding them. “That’s too bad. Guess I’ll have to kill them then,” Zabuza says.

“Still underestimating them, Zabuza,” Kakashi calls. “Why don’t you show them how you’ve improved,” Kakashi says gently with a wave of his hand.

Grinning, Sakura springs forward with her team, kunai flashing in what little light makes it through the fog. She can feel it. The training made her stronger, faster. She always prided herself on her chakra control, was always praised in class because she was smart, but she never stood out like Sasuke and Naruto who caught everyone’s eye.

She didn’t have their strength or their stamina, but now, she can feel her chakra so much better. It’s all there, just waiting for her to use it and now, she’s not afraid. She has her team at her back and they can do anything they set their minds to.

Ducking under the swing of the sword, she channels a touch of chakra to her feet and springs up, arching over the clones’ heads, kunais leaving her hands in a blur, sinking into unprotected backs after the slash. Landing on her hands, she does a hand spring strengthened with chakra to drive her feet hard into the next one at the same time as one of Naruto’s shadow clones comes charging in and it turns to water.

When she lands in a crouch, three shuriken leave her hands in quick succession to take out the next one, it blocks them, only for Sasuke to come whirling in from behind to slash his own kunai down into its back and turning it to water.

The others are already down and she stands with a grin, picking up one of her discarded kunai and grins over to where the fog has thinned some and they can make out Zabuza and his partner again. Zabuza laughs, “Some competition for you, eh, Haku?” he asks, looking at the kid next to him.

“So it would seem,” Haku says with a nod.

“So, who do you want to fight first?” Zabuza grins under his bandages, eyeing the three genin up.

~*~

Naruto curses under his breath, yanking another senbon from his arm, glaring up at Haku in the mirror. Sakura is panting beside him, helping keep Sasuke standing as the boy yanks two from his leg. He’s tired and frustrated. No matter what they throw at this kid, nothing sticks. He’s just too damn fast.

Even sensing isn’t helping to pin him down. He can follow him in his mind, but he just can’t react fast enough, though Sasuke seems to be faring a little better than either he or Sakura. “Any suggestions?” Naruto mutters, feeling Kurama stitch the punctures closed.

“I can’t even follow his movements, let alone block them,” Sakura huffs.

“I…I think I’m starting to see it,” Sasuke admits, sounding a little uncertain, “not much, but…maybe enough to try something.”

“I’m game. What do you need us to do?” Naruto asks, Sakura agreeing with a nod.

“Draw him out, distract him,” Sasuke says and with another nod, they spring apart, leaving Sasuke in the middle while they try to breach the wall of mirrors.

Naruto braces for the pain of the senbon hitting home. Even knowing Kurama can heal the wounds, it still hurts. He hears Sakura’s cry of pain a second before the first needle hits home. He tries to twist away but he’s just not fast enough and feels more pierce his shoulder and thigh before he falls to his hands and knees while behind him, the heat of flames ignite again.

“At this rate, we’re gonna be more hole than person,” Naruto mutters, turning over to see Sakura struggling to stand as well. She looks the worst of the three, holding her arm close where the senbon managed to hit something in her shoulder.

“Well?” he demands as they regroup in the center, Haku just watching from up high.

Sasuke turns to look at him and he blinks, “Sasuke…your eyes,” he whispers and the boy blinks.

Sakura shifts around to see and she gasps. “Your Sharingan,” she whispers as well.

“I…I can see him,” he admits, sounding awed.

“Guess we’re not done yet,” Naruto growls triumphantly and Sakura grins viciously with a lot of teeth.

Haku takes the moment to move, having heard their conversation and even more senbon fly. Sakura yells in pain and Naruto moves automatically, throwing himself over her and hisses as more senbon stab into his back and shoulders, the pain radiating hotly across his nerves.

He hears the tinging of metal on metal, but the pain is too great, his mind whiting out for a moment as he rides it out. He tries to reach up to pull some of them out but it hurts to move and his elbow buckles. “Naruto, Sakura!” Sasuke yells, rushing them but he can barely move, let alone turn his head quickly enough to see as Sasuke rushes to put himself between more senbon flying their way.

There’s a wheeze of pain and Naruto manages to push through the pain, pushing himself up to see Sasuke standing over them, back to them and too many senbon to count sticking out of his body. “Sasuke,” Naruto calls weakly, Sakura crying out in shock faintly at the sight. “No…no, no, come on,” he coughs out, lunging up to grab Sasuke as his legs give out.

“I’m okay,” Sasuke coughs, eyes still red but even as he watches, they fade back to black and his eyes fall close.

“Kurama,” Naruto calls out desperately.

“I’m here,” he says and Naruto can feel him looking through his eyes.

“I don’t…I can’t beat him,” he admits, tears running down his cheeks, grasping desperately to his friend in his arms.

Kurama sigh softly, “I know…but I can…if you want me to.”

“Is…is Sasuke…” he can’t finish his sentence.

“Can’t you still sense him?” Kurama asks.

“It hurts too much, I…I can’t concentrate,” he mutters shaking his head in frustration.

“Is this the first time you’ve lost a friend?” Haku asks from where Sasuke managed to knock him out of the air, the boy staggering to his feet.

Naruto’s hands shake, tears clouding his eyes as he glances at Sasuke, unconscious or dead, and then at Sakura who is struggling to get to Sasuke even with her arm not taking her weight. “We’re…we’re a team…friends always. We win together…or we lose together,” Naruto looks up at the boy as he gently lays Sasuke down and Haku pauses, taking in the one blue eye and the one burning red eye. “We’re done playing around.”

“My turn,” Kurama growls out as Naruto takes a mental step back and stands. Haku retreats back into the mirror closest to him and Kurama grins, chakra pulsing around his body, forcing the senbon out and healing the damage. “I’ll make this quick,” he assures the boy and then moves.

He’d forgotten what it was like, to fight with a human body. For over seven years he’s let Naruto use this body, except for a few rare moments. It takes a few precious seconds to get back into the swing of things, drawing Haku’s gaze away from Sasuke and Sakura, the girl trying to pull senbon from his body with her good hand.

Haku rushes through the air, senbon flying with deadly accuracy. With a wave of his hand, heated air gusts across the distance, knocking those heading for the two away even as he jumps back, dodging those headed for him easily.

He tracks the boy’s movement and lunges, grabbing at his obi and yanks, only just pulling his punch to smash him through his precious mirrors and with a resounding snap like shattering glass, the mirrors crack and splinter, tinkling as they hit the ground around them.

Huffing, Kurama straightens, shaking the faint ache out of his knuckles from hitting that damn mask. He can feel Naruto watching and they watch as Haku staggers up, the mask split in two and slowly falls away. ‘Kurama!’ he says, recognizing the boy from the woods.

“I see, brat,” Kurama says and glares at the boy, stalking forward. “Oi, brat,” Kurama calls out, stopping in front of him.

“Why didn’t you kill me?” Haku asks softly, swaying where he stands.

“Because I’m not a monster, despite what people call me…and you’re not a heartless tool either,” Kurama grumbles.

“I am Zabuza-sama’s tool,” Haku insists.

Kurama snorts, “If that were true brat, you wouldn’t have hesitated. You’d have killed the brats and not let this drag on and you wouldn’t have used these,”he holds up one of the senbon, “Hard to kill with these.”

“Who are you?” Haku asks with a frown.

Kurama grins, all teeth, “Just another weapon.”

There’s the sound of breaking earth and Kurama jerks around, heart beating quickly, mind whirling because now is the time of decisions: let things play out and have them die or save them and change the future. Naruto always regretted their deaths and honestly…so does he.

With a curse, he turns to Haku, “Sorry, but I can’t have you interfering,”and a clone appears, grappling the boy to the ground, pinning him as Kurama darts through the fog towards where the sound of chirping birds is just starting to reverberate across the bridge.

He pushes his chakra to his legs, springing forward. Kurama is a creature of wind and fire, he can move faster than anything when he puts his mind to it. He can see the shadowed forms ahead, one stationary as the other starts to lunge.

There’s no time for finesse and with a rumbling growl, he lashes out with his chakra, a shockwave screaming through the air to cut between the two as the displaced air forces the fog back and reveals Kakashi and Zabuza, both bloodied and battered.

The shockwave tears through the summoning scroll even as it forces Kakashi to change course, his Chidori impacting the bridge with a scream of lightning and sending up shards of stone. Kurama doesn’t stop, springing forward to knock Zabuza to the ground, jamming a knee into his gut and knocking the air out of lungs in a whoosh, kunai held to his throat.

Kurama grins down at him, “I thought you swordsmen were supposed to be better than this?”

Zabuza huffs a strained laugh even as he frowns, “You’re looking different brat. Who…what are you?”

Kurama just grins wider,“Why don’t you ask Yagura or Utakata just what I am.”

“Jinchuuriki,” he growls in frustration, realization dawning on his face.

“Very good. Now, I’ve got a few things to say to you before I let you up so be good boy and listen. You’re going about this all wrong,”Kurama grumbles.

“What do you even know about me?” he wheezes out still catching his breath, he goes to move and stops at the feel of steel at his throat.

Kurama glares, digging his knee in harder, “I know more than you’ll ever be able to fathom. I know what you did and why and I know what you aim to do again.”Zabuza pales and Kurama nods, “What if I told you there’s no need?”

“What?” he grits out.

Kurama nods again, bending closer, “I know on good authority that Yagura will be stepping down soon. His reign is coming to an end. It’s time you stopped hiding like a coward and faced Kiri once more.”

“Who the hell told you that?” he asks, but he’s not refuting it.

Kurama smirks, “Take a wild guess,”and holds up his hand to show the claws that have sprouted there.

Zabuza curses, “Fucking Jinchuuriki.”

“Watch your mouth before I punch your teeth in,”Kurama warns. Zabuza looks away, “From what I’ve heard, Terumi Mei will be taking the hat soon. I’m sure she would be more than happy to accept you back, considering she was part of your little coup before.”

“And Yagura?” he demands.

“Yagura was being controlled by one who all Jinchuuriki are keeping an eye out for. He’s dangerous and needs to be stopped. My siblings and I managed to remove the genjutsu controlling him some years back and now Yagura plans to announce his successor at the Chuunin Exams in a few months. Change is here and instead of throwing your life away for some petty criminal who more than likely plans to betray you, maybe it’s time you actually did something good for once. Plus, I doubt she will even blink at your brat’s kekkei genkai,”he adds smugly.

“Get the fuck off me,” he grumbles and Kurama stands smoothly, stowing his kunai away, hearing Kakashi coming up.

He turns, smirking at the jounin who eyes him warily and then let’s himself fade back so Naruto can take control again, the blonde stumbling as exhaustion hits him. Kakashi steadies him before he can fall over. Before Kakashi can ask him anything, Naruto turns around and rushes back to Sasuke and Sakura, the girl propping the boy up who is thankfully alive.

~*~

Kakashi watches Naruto rush to his team, suspicious of what he just witnessed. The Kyuubi talked with Zabuza. He didn’t catch much except the last few words exchanged and it doesn’t make much sense. Zabuza forces himself up, despite his injures.

“Do I need to keep going?” Kakashi asks mildly, hoping they are done, chakra exhaustion eating away at his joints and limbs.

“No, that asshole made it clear there’s no need,” he grits out, slowly staggering up to stand, though he sways on his feet. Kakashi raises a brow at that in question, “Nothing you should concern your pretty little head about,” Zabuza grins through his blood spattered bandages.

They both turn at the sound of excited exclamations, seeing Naruto and Sakura hugging a bloodied and battered Sasuke. “You’ve got some good brats,” Zabuza admits wearily.

“I do, don’t I?” Kakashi admits, putting aside the strange incident for later. “Haku is good as well,” he adds on, emphasizing the ‘good’ a little.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re not subtle, Kakashi,” Zabuza grumbles and walks over to where his apprentice is coming up to him, looking worse for wear and a little hopeful.

Naruto’s head jerks up a second before Kakashi hears the scuff of shoes over the stone of the bridge and jerks around to see what he assumes is Gatō with a hoard of armed thugs behind him. “Well, well, well, what is this Zabuza? Is this all the service you can provide me?” Gatō calls out with a smirk.

“Gatō, what is this all about?” Zabuza grits out, though his whole body is coiled and tensed to fight.

“It’s simple really, shinobi, whether they’re in a village or not, are expensive. So I hire them, let them tire themselves out against the opposition and then sweep in to clean up the mess. No matter what, I win: I don’t have to pay anyone and, my problem gets solved, a nice little plan. I’m sure you know what comes next? No hard feelings, but…I never intended to pay you from the beginning,” Gatō says with a mockingly regretful expression.

“Fuck you,” Zabuza yells back at the man. He turns to Kakashi, “Guess I’m out of a contract. Mind lending me a hand, Kakashi?” he asks with a manic gleam in his eyes.

Kakashi smirks, “I think I’ve got enough chakra to help some,” he agrees.

“Haku, you know what to do,” Zabuza orders without even looking at the boy.

“Yes, Zabuza-sama,” Haku says, hands moving through his seals as Kakashi and Zabuza move.

“G-get them!” Gatō orders as he rushes through the crowd to the back.

Before they even meet the opposition, Gatō makes it to the rear position, turning around to watch the confrontation and doesn’t see the mirror of ice appearing behind him. Too fast to follow normally, senbon go flying, striking fast and true, a cluster centered on the vital organs in the man’s body.

With a surprised wheeze, Gatō turns in time to see Haku pulling himself out of the mirror, face as cold as the ice he commands, and then he falls over, breath gurgling on the blood filling his lungs. There are shouts of surprise as they realize the enemy is behind them.

“We can still take them,” someone shouts, yells of agreement following.

A loud twang sounds and the whistling of a bolt through the air before it strikes the bridge draws everyone’s gaze. “If you think we’ll let you take one more step onto our island, you’ve got another thing coming,” Inari shouts, the hoard of villagers behind him shouting as well, brandishing makeshift weapons.

Kakashi blinks in surprise to see four of Naruto’s shadow clones amongst the crowd and looks over at the boy who is grinning in delight at Inari’s arrival. Chuckling, he brings up his hands and calls up some shadow clones of his own.

The crowd of thugs takes one look at their numbers and runs, quickly jumping back onto their boat to get away from them. Sighing, Kakashi lets the jutsu go and slowly pulls his hitai-ate down to cover his Sharingan.

It doesn’t take much work afterwards to clear Gatō’s body from the bridge. The villagers, wary of Zabuza and Haku for working with the man, refuse to do much for them, despite their offer to pay for services. Kakashi and his team find them camped out in the clearing they had used to climb trees.

“What now?” Kakashi asks Zabuza softly as the three genin chat with Haku who seems to be enjoying the attention, though his gaze slips to Zabuza every once in a while.

“Keep your nose out of my business, Kakashi,” Zabuza growls halfheartedly.

“Maa, maa, just curious,” Kakashi says with a fake smile, holding up placating hands.

Zabuza eyes him for a moment before looking away. “I…I think the brat and I are going back to Kiri soon,” he finally relents.

“Is that wise?” Kakashi asks, recalling the reason Zabuza became a missing nin in the first place.

“Eh, I haven’t heard anything terrible coming from there in a few years. Maybe things have finally turned towards the better, but I’m done running,” Zabuza says with a shrug.

“That’s good,” Kakashi murmurs, but he still can’t get the image of the Kyuubi talking to the man on the bridge out of his head. It’s something to mull over at least. “Well, good luck with that.”

Zabuza grins, “I don’t need luck, Kakashi.”

~*~

Morning brings a bright warm sun and no fog in sight. Zabuza and Haku bid farewell to the group at the bridge. “We’ll miss you, Haku,” Sakura says softly, Naruto and Sasuke agreeing, despite the fight before.

“We’ll meet again, I’m sure,” Haku says with a small smile.

“Stay out of trouble brats, unless it’s trouble you’re trying to start,” Zabuza calls offhandedly.

“Don’t let Zabuza do anything reckless, Haku,” Kakashi calls with a grin.

“I’ll try,” he agrees with a bow, ignoring the glare sent his way by Zabuza. With a final nod, the two soon head off down the bridge. The three genin keep waving until they’re out of sight.

They spend the next two days recovering and keeping watch just in case, while the villagers finish the last small section of the bridge until finally, it is complete.

“You’ve got to visit soon,” Inari insists with a strained voice as he tries not to cry.

“We will,” Naruto promises with a grin, eyes suspiciously damp.

“Thank you, for everything,” Tazuna says with a deep bow. “When you report to your Hokage, will you tell her I plan to pay for what I would have owed her had I not lied about this? It seems only fair since you all risked your lives for us.”

“I will and I’m sure Konoha and Fire would be more than happy to open trade with Wave to help you along in reestablishing yourselves. Don’t be surprised if someone is sent along soon,” Kakashi says with a nod.

With a few tearful waves, they head off towards the bridge and home. They’re passing near a small cliff that looks out over the ocean when Naruto stops. “Naruto?” Sakura asks softly, following his gaze where the thick trees open up to the view.

“I…,” he can’t continue. Something about this place feels strangely familiar, but they’ve never been this way before. His vision wavers, like a heat mirage and for a second, he can see additions to the landscape: two crosses…grave markers with strangely familiar additions. He blinks and they’re gone.

He comes to with Sakura and Sasuke standing next to him, both frowning as well. “This place feels familiar,” Sasuke whispers.

“Yeah,” Sakura agrees, voice hushed as well.

“If you don’t keep up, I’ll leave you here,” Kakashi calls out from up the trail, breaking the subdued silence between them. They give the cliff one last glance and then turn away, unease sitting in the pits of their stomachs, not sure what it means.

~*~

Mikoto finds Tsunade in the hospital enjoying her morning tea as she reads over reports. It’s one of the few times she lets herself step back from her Hokage duties, one morning a week to keep her skills sharp unless something comes up that needs her expertise.

So, she can’t be helped snapping at Mikoto’s pacing when it interrupts her morning. “If you can’t stop pacing, take it outside,” she orders with a frown at the jounin.

“I…oh, sorry Tsunade-sama,” she murmurs, stopping to glance out the window.

Tsunade sighs, anger already fading. “No…it’s…it’s fine. They’re fine,” she adds on.

“They’re five days overdue,” she says with a worried frown.

“The Hatake brat would have sent one of his summons if something serious happened. Most likely things just went a little long is all. Don’t borrow trouble, Mikoto-san,” she reminds her, though even she’s feeling a little twinge of worry.

With Akatsuki still hanging over them, she can’t help but worry about the delay. She already ordered the gate guard to send word when they were spotted. She can’t lose another precious person. She grasps her necklace and preys silently to let them be fine.

As if reading their minds, there’s a knock at her door. “Come in,” she calls and Kotetsu sticks his head through the door.

“Hokage-sama, they’re just coming up to the gate now,” he offers with a smile. “They look a little worse for wear but all walking on their own power. They might be heading here actually,” he adds.

“Thank you,” she says and he closes the door.

Mikoto sighs, leaning back against the wall. “Well, shall we go greet them?” Tsunade says with a huff, standing from her chair and beckoning Mikoto out of her office.

They don’t have to wait long, the four rounding the corner of a building and Tsunade arches a brow at the ragged looking group. Naruto appears to be the only uninjured one of them, though that is too be expected with his accelerated healing thanks to the Kyuubi. But even then, his clothes look ripped and filthy, hasty stiches the only thing holding some of the larger tears closed.

Sakura looks the worst off, her arm in a sling, a faint limp showing with each step and thin cuts littering her arms, legs and face. Sasuke is in a similar state, though with no limbs in a sling. Kakashi looks tired, with dark bags under his eye and the faint white of bandages peeking out from under his glove and his jounin vest.

“Well, aren’t you a sorry looking lot,” Tsunade says with a relieved smile as they come to a stop before the two women. “Well, come on, let’s look you over and see what the damage is. And don’t try to hide anything,” she warns with a look towards Kakashi who smiles faintly.

Mikoto at least manages to keep herself contained until the door to the large exam room is closed before she quickly pulls each genin in one after another, doling out hugs, whether they’re her child or not.

“Bed, Hatake,” Tsunade orders and the man grimaces, but complies, hopping up and shrugging out of his vest. He pulls up his shirt and lets her place a hand to the thick gash under the bandages where Zabuza’s Kubikiribōchō had cut the deepest in their fight.

Her hand glows green and some of the lines around his eye ease as she heals the damage. When she pulls her hand back, he offers up his palm willingly for once and she quickly knit the flesh back together.

“Not too bad, but you strained quite a few muscles and chakra pathways. Bed rest is the best medicine for that,” she informs him, letting him off the bed. “Sakura, up you go. Let’s take a look at that shoulder of yours,” she orders.

Sakura obliges, letting the woman probe it first with just her fingers, moving it as she orders and then letting her examine it with her chakra, “Nothing too serious, thankfully. The senbon just nicked a tendon. It’ll hurt a little healing it but afterward, you should be able to move it easier.” Sakura nods and bites her lip as Tsunade does just that. “Keep the sling for the next few days to let the tendon tighten back up and then you’ll be fine. Let’s see the ankle as well.” Sakura holds her leg up. “Hmm, it’s just a light sprain. My best advice is to rest it, ice it and keep it elevated for a few days as well to let it heal.”

She helps the girl down and simply motions for Sasuke, the boy taking Sakura’s spot. Tsunade does a quick exam, “Hmm, nothing serious either, though I’ll heal some of the deeper punctures to insure they don’t get infected,” Tsunade informs him and he nods. It’s quick work to seal up the wounds.

“I’m assuming I don’t need to look at you brat,” she says eyeing Naruto.

“No, Kurama got me,” he says with a smile.

“Good,” she says as the tension leaves her shoulders. “Report Kakashi,” she orders.

Kakashi shrugs, “In short, what was supposed to be a C-rank mission became an A-rank mission,” he says with a sigh.

“And the mission?” Tsunade asks.

“A success, with some bumps along the way,” he says with a smile.

“Indulge me and describe these bumps in great detail,” Tsunade glares at Kakashi’s flippant tone.

“The Demon Brothers, Momochi Zabuza and his apprentice Haku of Kiri’s old Yuki clan,” he says, Mikoto sucking in a breath as the names click. “As well, a merchant turned crime lord who had taken over Wave’s economy and didn’t want Tazuna to finish his bridge. He’s dead.”

“I get the feeling there’s a whole lot more than what you just said, but I can wait for you to submit the official report, good work you four. For now Team 7, you’re good to go and you’re off missions for the next week to recover,” she says with a nod.

Giving them one last look over, Tsunade taps Naruto on the head as she passes, gives Kakashi a look that says they’ll talk later and then heads back to her interrupted morning.

“I’m glad you’re all okay,” Mikoto says with a wane smile. “You had me worried and after that…extremely vague report, I’m even more worried.”

“They did good work,” Kakashi assures her. “Also, this one has a surprise for you,” he says, pushing Sasuke towards her.

“A surprise?” Mikoto asks, intrigued.

Sasuke nods and, concentrating, let’s his vision shift. Mikoto gasps, “Sasuke, you awoke your Sharingan. Oh, you’re father will be so proud. We’ll have to announce this to the Clan as well. Oh, we’ll need to have a celebratory dinner too once you’re brother gets back,” she gushes.

“Nii-san isn’t here?” Sasuke asks.

“No, he was called out on a long mission a few days after you left. He couldn’t give an exact timeframe,” she says knowingly. Sasuke nods in understanding. “I’ll take them from here Kakashi-san. Thank you for keeping your word,” Mikoto says with a smile.

Kakashi huffs, “They helped protect me too,” he says back before turning to his team, “Rest, relax and we’ll meet at our usual meeting place next week,” he tells them before slipping out of the room.

“Alright, let’s go get you three something to eat and then I want all the details,” Mikoto says with a smile and herds them from the hospital towards the Uchiha Compound.

Chapter Text

Duplicity: noun; deceitfulness; double-dealing.

Two months earlier…

The sun warms the air weakly as he settles in a pool of it. This far north, it feels more like the beginning of spring rather than the beginning of summer and the wind still has a bit of a bite to it out of the sun. He’s restless and while he can go days, even weeks cooped up in his laboratories without noticing the passing of time aside from his body’s demands, sometimes he just needs to see the sky instead of stone walls.

Red maples make up the majority of trees here on this stretch of the mountain slop that hides this base and he eyes the late red flowers on their branches. He would never admit it, but they’re one of the reasons he chose this particular spot to build this base.

Orochimaru sighs, tilting his head back with his eyes closed, enjoying the sun’s warmth, very much like the snake people call him. But though his eyes are closed, he is not unaware of what is going on around him, his finally honed senses making up for lack of sight currently. That and his snakes prowling around through the leaf litter.

He’s languid but ready to move should he must, a snake coiled and ready to strike at a moment’s notice. Jiraiya used to always call him cold blooded, a snake searching for the sun when he got like this. He doubts the oaf would realize how much closer he is to that description now than he was while still in Konoha.

He’s altered himself so much in the decades since he left and now, he feels more animal than human. Not that his humanity has ever been an issue. He seeks knowledge, power, understanding of all things in this world and things like humanity, morals and ethics have no sway on his dealings and experiments. If he must kill a hundred people to understand even one small part of this world, he will and never care for the lives lost. They served their purpose and their deaths helped him further his knowledge.

Jiraiya always acted like it was Danzō that turned him this way, the man unable…unwilling to understand his mind. But Danzō was merely a means to an end, a handy tool and resource for his research. That he was caught was not a concern and merely a setback. He didn’t need a village to get what he needed and thanks to Danzō, he had contacts aplenty to get what he desired.

That the fool Jiraiya still hunts for him, even to this day is…laughable in its absurdity. He’s often considered letting himself be found to finally kill the idiot and be done with him, but…he’ll admit there is still a faint fondness for the oaf. You don’t spend decades with someone without growing some attachments, Kabuto and Anko being perfect examples. He could kill them but for now, he doesn’t need to and that is enough.

He’s as close to dozing as he will allow himself when there’s a shift of…something in his senses. Anyone else would never have noticed it, mistaking it for the natural sounds around them. He is not just anyone and while he doesn’t have the ability to sense with natural chakra like Jiraiya when in sage mode, he can sense other things.

He doesn’t move, remaining as he is, waiting to see what his little spy will do. A flare of annoyingly familiar chakra and he opens his eyes to slits to watch the creature Zetsu emerge from the ground ten meters down from his spot. “What do you want, plant?” he growls out, annoyed that it is disturbing his quiet.

Zetsu smiles, nodding, “Orochimaru, you’re looking…healthy,” it murmurs.

“I care not for your idle chatter. Speak quickly or I’ll cut you down where you stand,” he hisses, closing his eyes again to continue basking in the sun, though all his senses are centered on the creature.

“Very well, I have a proposition for you,” it murmurs.

“Is this for Akatsuki or Madara?” he asks, opening one languid eye to see the surprise on its face at his knowledge.

“I see you know far more than you let on,” it chuckles darkly. “No, this is…something else.”

“And what’s in it for me?” he asks, mildly intrigued. He’d thought the creature completely under Madara’s command, but now it seems it has a mind of its own.

“I would like to make use of your knowledge of the Shodaime’s cells…and Edo Tensei,” it murmurs and he arches one fine brow at the request. “In return you can keep any knowledge gleaned in the endeavor.”

“I think I’ll pass,” Orochimaru sighs, closing his eyes once more.

“Your method of controlling those summoned by Edo Tensei is flawed,” it states baldly.

Orochimaru hisses, eyes snapping open in annoyance and ready to lash out at the gall of this creature, killing intent rising as he spits out, “My seal is perfect.”

“Not completely. To have complete control of them, you must effectively wipe their personality, otherwise, the seal is too weak and the soul can be persuaded to depart,” it answers.

“And you have some way that could surpass my seal?” he asks with a sneer.

“I do and I’m willing to show it to you…after you aid me,” it says with a sharp, knowing smile.

“This could all be a trick to get my help only to find out you had no such ability,” Orochimaru says, though he sounds intrigued.

“I could demonstrate it of course,” it offers. “I would need a specimen…perhaps your little spy over there,” it murmurs, pointing where Kabuto is currently hidden.

“Come,” Orochimaru hisses out and Kabuto jumps into the clearing, hands poised to attack but currently empty. “Allow him to demonstrate on you. If you kill him, I will be very put out,” he warns the creature.

Giving a look to Orochimaru in understanding, Kabuto forces his muscles to relax and walks closer to the creature. Zetsu grins, “Don’t worry, this won’t hurt a bit,” and it touches a single finger to the base of Kabuto’s neck.

Kabuto gasps, eyes going wide as thin tendrils of grey snake across his skin, eyes clouding over faintly and his body goes limp, standing like a puppet before it’s master waiting to pull the strings. “Tell me your last assignment,” Zetsu orders.

“To infiltrate Konoha as a genin and it was a success,” Kabuto replies without resistance or hesitation, acting like he is speaking with Orochimaru himself.

“Attack your master,” it orders and Kabuto lunges, hands glowing green, towards Orochimaru who quickly pins Kabuto to the ground with a hiss.

“Enough,” he orders and Zetsu nods, letting the control go.

With a gasp, Kabuto comes to and gags, emptying his stomach onto the ground, coughing and panting as if he’s just run a mile. “What?” he asks, looking around to see Orochimaru towering over him.

“You can show this to me?” Orochimaru demands, plans sparking in his mind.

“I can…after you help me of course,” Zetsu assures.

Orochimaru nods with a smile. “I have most of my research already, but some of it I hid in Konoha in a place only I can access. Perhaps it’s time I paid my dear teammate a visit and congratulate her in person,” he murmurs, mind whirling with plans.

“I look forward to your assistance,” Zetsu murmurs with a wicked smile, sinking back into the earth.

~*~

The whirl of Kamui is a familiar drag on his body as he steps into his dimension. The void of grey nothingness, broken only by the strange pillars, fits his mood right now. Here, he is both nobody and somebody, no matter how hard he tries to cut that part out of his mind.

A realm fit for a king, a kingdom of one…a kingdom of trash. He would have liked to have shown this place to Rin. She was the smart one of their group, despite Kakashi’s genius. She would have been better able to explain this to him and if she couldn’t, she would have researched until she could.

Too little too late.

He knows Kakashi hasn’t been here, doesn’t have the chakra or the control yet to enter this place. It’s one of the draw backs of using a Sharingan and not having their DNA. He wonders if the man will ever be able to enter this place. Most of his mind never wants him to come here (a tiny part that sounds suspiciously like Rin wants it so bad, it’s like a physical ache).

Thoughts of Kakashi inevitably lead to other tangents. The strange visions…dreams…memories, whatever they are, still keep occurring. Not often and in no particular order or progression of time. They’re disjointed, fragments of a whole of…something. That much he has figured out.

At first, he thought he was losing his mind, more so than usual but if that is so why are they mostly of fighting? They’re constantly of battles against nameless, faceless enemies and those same three faceless individuals fighting beside him. No Kakashi, not after that wretched vision of the man’s death.

His second guess was someone trying to influence his mind, a genjutsu, but he quickly dismissed it. He would know if he was under the sway of genjutsu. It’s one of the perks of the Sharingan, few as they might be.

He runs a gloved hand over his mask, feeling the whirling ridges, the slickness of the wood. Dreams fit better, but his dreams are usually much more…chaotic and nightmarish than just simple battles. And as to the people he keeps seeing, he’s not sure who they are. There’s never enough to identify: a flash of hair color there, the light of fire on a blade, the hint of teeth in a snarl, in a laugh, in a grimace. It is both intriguing and infuriating to not know what this is.

His glove covers the eye hole of his mask, blocking off the ambient light of this place, leaving him in darkness. Maybe it has something to do with his eye. There’s honestly so much he doesn’t know about it. Not even the Uchiha records that he’s managed to gain access to speak of this ability as more than just a rumor passed down from far distant ancestors.

Maybe there are side effects from dimension hopping. Bleed through perhaps? He’s often wondered if this could take him to other dimensions. Maybe he’s seeing an alternate timeline? Some place one step sideways from here? It’s all theoretical though and he doesn’t plan to test his theories anytime soon.

With a growl, he clenches his hand into a fist and let’s Kamui drag him from the dimension. It spits him out in Ame, the rain a soft constant hiss as it taps on the roof of the walkway he appears under. No one is around, though that’s to be expected as this is off limits to anyone but Akatsuki.

He waits and a few minutes pass before he hears the sounds of approaching steps. Turning, he watches Konan and Pain walking up to him, the two still wary, despite all the work they’ve done together. They have good instincts though and he can’t fault them that, especially since he is using them.

“Report,” he orders.

“Most of the Jinchuuriki are located and accounted for,” Konan says softly.

“Most?” he tilts his head in question.

“The Yonbi and Gobi are still on the move and we haven’t located them…yet. As well, the Nanabi’s host is still an unknown and we’re still searching,” Pain says monotonously, Rinnegan eyes staring at him.

“Also, it seems your puppet is no longer a puppet,” Konan says with a pointed look.

“That’s impossible,” he grits out.

“We just received word from one of Sasori’s spies in Kiri. Yagura plans to step down and will be appointing Terumi Mei as the next Mizukage,” Pain speaks up over his denial.

That should be impossible. He laid the genjutsu on Yagura and the Sanbi himself, layered it so tight that the fools wouldn’t know up from down unless he told them. It was subtle enough too that no one would have realized it was on them either, not unless they could…but…that sensor…Ao, perhaps he saw it with his stolen Byakugan? It’s possible, if the genjutsu weakened enough, for the man to break it.

When he first laid the genjutsu on them, he went back often, ensuring his twisted vision of Kiri came to pass, each interaction reinforcing his control over them. But as the years went by, he came by less and less, their plans drawing him away for longer stretches of time that took much of his attention and while he has checked in regularly on Kiri to ensure things were still running smoothly, he hasn’t kept as close of an eye on Yagura as he did at first.

He’ll admit, if only to himself, that the pleasure of his revenge has waned. He still wants his revenge but now it’s just another burden, just another job to do rather than something he looks forward to. Maybe…just maybe, he allowed his grip on them to weaken enough to break his control. Not that he’ll admit that aloud.

“A minor inconvenience only. I’ll see to it personally. So long as he remains in Kiri though, it really doesn’t matter. We’ll get the Sanbi from him eventually,” he waves it off, making plans to visit again. It’ll be nearly impossible to catch the Jinchuuriki off guard now that he is more than likely aware that he was being used, but he’s accomplished worse tasks.

“Find the two roaming ones and figure out the Nanabi Jinchuuriki. We don’t move until we have all our pieces lined up,” he orders and when they nod, he whirls away again to make plans.

~*~

She opens her eyes to find herself in the middle of a crowd. People surround her, constantly moving, voices a cacophony of sound that makes it hard to hear anything, let alone think. She looks to her sides, expecting to see Naruto and Sasuke, her best friends, her team, beside her like always.

They’re not there.

Grunting with exertion, she pushes through the crowd, for once forsaking politeness to find her boys. Hands grab at her, slowing her down and still she pushes, can’t stop because they need her, just like she needs them.

Finally, she breaks through the last line of bodies and stumbles out onto a long dirt road that keeps going ahead of her. They’re there, backs to her, walking away. “Naruto! Sasuke!” she yells, pumping her legs to catch up.

But no matter how hard she runs, how hard she pushes herself, they keep getting further and further ahead. “Wait!” she yells desperately, breathing hard.

A hand grabs her arm, pulling her back and she whirls, ready to lay into whoever is holding her back and blinks at the woman looking down at her. Dim, sad green eyes stare at her, tanned skin lined with age and exhaustion. Scars litter her form from years of fighting and like a lone star; a small diamond rests on her forehead.

She…she looks like herself…but older.

“It’s no use,” the woman whispers, mouth pulling down in a frown…in grief.

“What?” she asks in confusion.

“You’ll never catch up,” she murmurs, hand still like a vice on her arm. “Why fight it? They’ll just leave eventually…leave you behind.”

Shaking, Sakura yanks her arm free, “They’re my friends! I’ll never stop trying,” she hisses, angry tears burning in her eyes and with one last glare, she rushes after them.

But the delay was too great and they’re gone…gone from sight and with a cry, she stumbles and falls to her knees. Hot tears course down her cheeks, shoulders heaving, “Don’t leave me alone,” she sobs, arms wrapping around her body, trying to hold herself together.

Sakura comes to with a sob; breathe heaving as hot tears slide down her cheeks. Her mother’s soft hand is on her shoulder, pulling her to sit up, pressing her to her shoulder as sobs rack her body. She cries…for what, she can’t say. It sits heavy in her chest like grief and scalds her throat like burning rage.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Mebuki asks softly, looking down at her distraught daughter.

Sakura shakes her head against her shoulder, “No,” she mumbles softly. She doesn’t even know what she would say.

~*~

It’s dark out, the sun setting behind the trees surrounding the village and he rushes home as quickly as he can. He promised to not be late for dinner but got distracted training, since Itachi was busy as usual with another mission.

He doesn’t notice the lack of people around him, too focused on getting home to avoid his mother scolding him and his father’s disappointed frown. It’s quiet as he steps through the Compound gates, slowing to a walk.

There’s a scent on the wind, heavy with the taste of metal…of iron. It coats his tongue and for a moment, he gags, covering his nose against the smell. He looks around, getting ready to ask what the smell is before he notices that no one is out, despite it not being that late.

He takes a step and his foot slips in something slick. Grimacing, he looks down and frowns at the liquid on the ground. It’s too dark to make out the color. The lanterns that would normally be lit at this time are dark. Bending down, he dabs a finger in it, bringing it up to sniff and gags again, the strange smell coming from it.

There’s a trail of it, leading in towards the Compound. His curiosity over takes common sense and he follows it. It leads deeper and eventually turning a corner, he finds the source. Akane, the flower seller that always waves at him as he passes is slumped on the ground, her chest rent open by slash marks, blood soaking her front, and paling, he looks back at the trail of what he now realizes is blood…her blood.

Stumbling back, he trips over something and falls onto his back. Looking, he sees a man face down, another Uchiha that he’s seen around. Trembling, he forces himself up, rushing back to the main road frantically.

He needs to get home. Everywhere he looks, there are bodies slumped to the ground, blood pooling and filling the air so thickly with its scent that he’s forced to bend over and gag, stomach acid coming up.

Stumbling, he turns a corner, his house coming in view and he goes to enter when a hand grabs him by the back of his shirt. He yells, turning and looks up at…an Uchiha.

The man’s eyes are blood red, the Sharingan standing out starkly on a pale face, his dark hair falling around his face. Grim lines bracket his eyes and mouth, a heavy grief settled on his shoulders as he looks ahead towards the house.

“Don’t,” he murmurs in a voice barely above a whisper.

“I need to find mother and father,” he hisses, struggling to free himself from his grip.

“It’s pointless. You know the truth,” he insists, eyes scanning around at the other dead bodies around them. He’s seen no living people, just corpses.

“No!” he yells, tears building in his eyes.

“We can get revenge. Kill the man who did this. We don’t need anyone, just our revenge,” he whispers, eyes blazing with a maddening grief, silent tears running down his face.

With the sound of tearing cloth, he frees himself, stumbling forward a step, staring in horror at this man…this man that looks almost like him, scars littering his flesh and eyes a Sharingan he’s never seen before.

“We would burn the world down for them,” he offers, hand outstretched.

“I…no…I don’t want that,” he insists, shaking his head and turns away, rushing into his house, though he knows what he’ll see.

His mother and father lie in a pool of their own blood and he falls to his knees, gasping for breath, mind reeling. A sound, the creak of a board and he looks up to see familiar eyes looking down at him from the shadows, glowing faintly in the dark.

With a scream, Sasuke yanks himself from the dream, chest heaving, sobs tearing from his throat as he lies hunched over on the floor, his blankets thrown off. The door to his room opens with a snap and he jerks back, terror clawing at his throat.

His mother rushes towards him and the relief is so strong that he can’t even speak, shaking so hard. She pulls him close, shushing him gently and he sobs harder still as he sees his father come in a second later, eyes red and looking for a threat that isn’t there.

“Sasuke, shh, it’s alright, it was just a dream,” Mikoto murmurs.

“You…you were gone, all of you were gone,” he mumbles brokenly, clutching at the sleeve of her sleeping yukata as he fights to control his sobs.

“We’re all here,” she assures, holding him tighter as his breathing grows ragged, struggling to pull in enough breath. “I promise, no one is dead,” she assures. “I think he’s having a panic attack. Grab a wet clothe,” she murmurs to his father who quickly rushes off. “Breath with me, sweetheart…in and out,” she murmurs soothingly, taking his hand and placing it on her chest so he can feel her breath.

“In and out,” she orders and he struggles to copy. Slowly, his breathes come easier; a cool, damp cloth pressed to the back of his neck helping to ground him as the dream slowly loses its grip on him. Eventually, he falls asleep again, exhausted.

“Do you think it was because of his mission?” Fugaku asks softly, seated across from her on Sasuke’s other side.

Running a gentle hand through his hair, she sighs, “Maybe,” but she’s not so sure. His words bring up the unpleasant memories of Danzō and his plans.

~*~

He’s running.

It’s the first thing to register in his mind. The second is the forest surrounding him, trees whipping by as he pushes himself harder and harder. He needs to run, to keep going, something deep in his mind urging him onward.

He looks ahead and sees a shadowy figure racing ahead, too far away to make out much detail but he recognizes them anyways. “Sasuke!” he yells, throat cracking at the intensity of his cry.

He doesn’t turn around, doesn’t stop and just keeps running.

The trees seem unending. Exhaustion drags at his limbs, his lungs burn with each desperate gasp of air he manages to drag in. There’s a reason he’s chasing Sasuke, some horrible nagging sensation that says if he stops, the other boy will slip away and he’ll never see him again.

“Please,” he calls out desperately.

There’s a light up ahead, growing brighter with each step he takes. He goes to take another step and someone appears in front of him. With a yelp, he skids to a stop, looking up and freezes.

He sees blonde hair, blue eyes that seem broken by the world, despite the determination still shining in them. Familiar whisker marks on his cheeks and Naruto takes a step back, shaking his head. His lungs still burn as he tries to drag more air in.

“There’s no point,” they murmur, grief aging his face.

“What are you talking about? Sasuke is right there!” he yells as he flings out an impatient hand, tries to run around him but the man stops him.

“You’ve already lost him,” he says simply.

“No I haven’t,” he yells back, jerking his arm from the man’s grasp, angry tears burning in his eyes.

“His anger is too strong,” he insists sadly.

“So! I’m not giving up on him. He’s my friend,” Naruto yells and shoves passed him. “Sasuke!”

“Sasuke!” Naruto shouts as he flings an arm out and falls out of his bed with a thump.

Heart beating a heavy tattoo in his chest, Naruto looks around, expecting to see Sasuke in his room. It’s empty though, no one here. He blinks and feels tears escape his eyes, for a moment feeling so alone that if physically hurts.

“Brat,” Kurama murmurs in his head.

“Kurama,” he whispers brokenly, a sob tearing from his throat. He doesn’t understand why he’s crying, why he feels like he’s grieving.

“It’s going to be okay, brat,” Kurama whispers, a warm presence in his mind, soothing the wild hurt and angry grief that swirls around his chest.

“I…I don’t understand,” he gets out through strangled sobs.

“It’s okay to not understand,” Kurama finally settles on saying. “Just…you’re not alone in this. You’ll never be alone, so long as I’m here with you.”

Naruto nods, wiping the tears from his check, breathe still hitching softly. Crawling back into bed, he pulls his blanket around his body, curling into a ball. It takes a while to find sleep again, but eventually he does.

Chapter Text

Pensive: adjective; engaged in, involving, or reflecting deep or serious thought.

Shisui stares out of the lone thin window of their small room, eyes scanning over the shifting people on the street below. Suna is such a different place compared to Konoha. He pulls in a breath, grimacing at how dry the air is here. It lacks the humidity he is used to when surrounded by the trees and rivers that are common place back home. It’s not his first time in the desert, but each time is a new experience all the same and makes him respect the people who somehow survive in this harsh environment all the more.

He looks at his team huddled around the table. Shin is seated next to his brother Sai, reading over what the boy is writing down in quick brush strokes. Tenzo is stationed by the single door into this small room, ready should things turn bad, despite Konoha and Suna being allies.

Itachi is elsewhere, speaking with one of the Kazekage’s people about getting them access to Taki. They had hoped to get to Iwa, since they have two Jinchuuriki, though according to Jiraiya’s reports, they abandoned their village some time ago, but Suna doesn’t have good relations with the other Elemental Country, so they went for the next best thing.

Sighing, Shisui turns back to keeping an eye out of the window, “So, does this feel a little too easy to anyone else?” he asks softly as he watches a patrol running over Suna’s rooftops.

“What do you mean?” Shin asks softly, not wanting to distract Sai from his copying.

“When was the last time Suna did anything without some token protesting? The last two joint missions we had with them, we spent just as much time keeping an eye on them as we did on our actual targets. Those were tense days,” he says with a shrug.

He thinks back on their meeting with the Kazekage when they first arrived, the man hidden behind his voluminous robes, his Kage hat and the draping face clothe and fragrant cedar screens. He remembers the intense gaze of the man, mainly on Itachi who spoke for them, but on himself and even Tenzo. The man had only spoken a little, using one of his people as a mouth piece when needed but still…it had set his nerves to high alert, despite the almost hospitable quality to their visit so far.

“Well, Suna hates being beholden to Konoha, despite it being their fault with wanting war and then losing,” Shin says with a careless shrug.

“They wouldn’t risk something like this with Konoha. They can’t exactly afford another war,” Tenzo soothes but even his eyes are wary.

“They’re struggling,” Sai speaks up, lifting his brush away from the scroll. “I overheard some of the farmers on the way in. Their crops are failing and they’re being forced to import food just to feed their people.”

“Did they say what was killing their crops?” Tenzo asks.

“If they did, I didn’t catch it,” Sai says in way of apologizing for his failure, though they all catch it.

“Don’t worry about it. We can’t catch everything,” Tenzo assures. “Done?” he asks.

“Yes. I will wait until we leave before sending it to Tsunade-sama,” he says, then blows on the ink softly to help it dry faster before finally rolling it up and handing it towards Tenzo.

“Keep it,” Tenzo says with a smile and then knocks on the locked door.

A click and it opens to show the Suna shinobi that was sitting outside the door guarding and watching them. “We’re done,” Tenzo offers blandly, holding out the intelligence report they were copying from. The woman nods and takes it from him.

“Your captain is waiting below,” she offers, turning to lead them from the room. They’re all silent as they follow, eyes peeled and bodies tense and ready should anything happen.

Itachi is watching them as they come down the stairs. “We’re done and ready to go when you are captain,” Shisui says to his cousin.

Despite Itachi being his junior, Shisui is glad his cousin is in charge of this mission, as he tends to not have much of a head for political maneuvering and keeping his tongue leashed. It’s gotten him into a lot of trouble over the years. Tenzo didn’t question it either, the man preferring to steer clear of being in charge unless needed, something Kakashi had been working on with him before he got singled out as a jounin sensei.

“Kazekage-sama has sent word ahead of us to Taki of our arrival. It should at least allow us to approach without causing too much of a fuss,” Itachi informs them.

“Would you like to stay the rest of the day or will you be leaving now?” their escort asks, her voice kept neutral.

Itachi eyes the team up and then turns back to her, “We’ll be leaving now. We wouldn’t want to cause any more strain here.”

She nods, “Then I’ll escort you to the entrance.”

They follow her silently, eyes trained high and low, just in case as they make their way from Suna and back into the desert that surrounds it.

~*~

Kakashi watches his team from his hidden perch in the trees near their usual meeting point. That Naruto isn’t using his sensing to single him out and yell at him is quite telling, as are the pinched looks on all three of their faces.

‘They’re distracted,’ he thinks to himself, seeing the tension in their shoulders and the way they don’t seem to look at each other. He wonders what could have happened in the week since their return that could have caused this change in them.

With one last stare at the three, he flickers through a shunshin, appearing in front of them, the three genin jumping in surprise. “Yo,” he says simply, eyeing them.

“You’re late again, sensei,” Sakura says with a huff, but the usual bite is missing and Naruto doesn’t join her like he normally would.

“Well, I got lost on the road to life and lost track of time,” he says with a bullshitting smile at them, hoping to draw them out.

A few huffs and an eye roll greet his words. “Alright, we’re done for the day,” he says, turning to leave.

“What?” Sakura yelps out and the other two seem to come from their deep thoughts finally.

“You’re distracted and distraction leads to accidents,” he says with a shrug and notes the way they don’t really argue. “Get your heads in order and meet back here tomorrow, same time,” he orders. With a spring, he jumps to the tree he just left and shunshins back into the village.

~*~

Sakura meanders down the road, lost in her thoughts. She’d waved farewell to Naruto and Sasuke, the two going their own separate ways, minds elsewhere and she can see why Kakashi-sensei said they were distracted. It’s hard to train or fight, when your mind isn’t all there.

She can’t help it though, her thoughts constantly going back to that dream. It had seemed so real and…important. Something about it had a hold of her and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t shake the feeling of…loneliness.

Naruto and Sasuke are right here, learning and growing right beside her, but even she can tell that she’s starting to fall behind. Not a lot, they’re all genin and still learning, but…Sasuke has his clan doujutsu now and Naruto has Kurama and his insane amount of chakra and stamina. She’s just…Sakura. No clan to fall back on, or tailed beast to help out. How can a twelve year old girl hope to compete with that?

“Sakura-chan,” a voice calls out and she starts, realizing that this isn’t the first time her name has been called.

She looks up to see Tsunade staring at her with an arched brow, Shizune just behind her. She looks around and can see the hospital just up ahead.

“Ah, good morning, Tsunade-sama, Shizune-san,” she greets them, a flush at being caught in her thoughts rising on her cheeks.

“Deep thoughts?” Tsunade asks with a faint smile. She’s not in her Hokage robes like she normally would be.

“I…I guess,” she admits with a shrug.

“Hmm…didn’t you have training today?” she asks.

“Yes, but Kakashi-sensei gave us the day off since we’re all a little distracted,” she admits.

“Well, if you’ve nothing to do, would you like to help me?” she asks, motioning towards the hospital.

“But I’m not a medic,” Sakura says.

“Don’t worry; you won’t be helping in any surgeries. I’m just making rounds with some of the patients and could use an extra set of hands,” she assures with a laugh.

“Okay,” Sakura agrees, following behind the two women.

They lead her through the main doors and down a side hall that ends at two doors. The right one has men’s; the other has women’s on it. They take the left door and she finds what appears to be a changing room. There are lockers lining one side of the room, benches take the center, a door across from the entrance leads to a tiled shower area and the other side has racks of medic uniforms and baskets for the dirtied uniforms.

Humming, Tsunade rummages through the medic scrubs before finding a small enough smock, pair of pants and a bandana to cover her hair. “Here, change into these. I suggest you pull your hair back if you don’t want it getting into anything,” she advices with a grin as Sakura takes the stack from her.

Shizune is already half way changed, pulling on the scrubs with ease of familiarity, she and Tsunade falling into a quiet conversation as Sakura starts to change. They’re a little rough, the material thick but comfortable. Sakura breaths in and the strong scents of detergent and disinfectant wafts up from the fabric as she pulls the smock over her head. Rummaging through her pouch, she finds the hair tie she rarely uses and pulls her long hair back in a low tail before pulling the bandana over it and tying it off.

Tsunade looks up as she approaches, “I’d say it looks good on you, but no one looks good in these scrubs,” Tsunade says with a grin, Shizune laughing beside her. “Ready?” she asks and Sakura nods. “Alright, let’s go. Shizune, let me know how your surgery goes,” she calls as she leads Sakura back the way they came.

They stop by a large desk, the men and women behind it eyeing Sakura a little but make no comment when she follows behind Tsunade down a long hall. “How much do you know about medical ninjutsu?” Tsunade asks.

“Ah…just what they teach us in the Academy: it’s very specialized, takes years of study and you need to have good chakra control to practice it effectively,” she offers up, having to rush a little to keep up with Tsunade’s longer strides.

“Good answer,” Tsunade says as she stops before a door with ‘121’ on it. Opening it, she steps in with a faint knock. “Maryuda, how are we this morning?” she asks as Sakura follows in. A woman in a hospital gown smiles with a faint grimace.

“Much better, Hokage-sama,” she says, eyes flicking to Sakura before flicking back.

“Any pain, numbness or tingling?” she asks, pulling the woman’s arm forward to examine the faint red marks that spider web across it.

“No,” she answers.

“Good, you should be ready to leave sometime tonight or tomorrow morning. What have we learned from this experience?” she asks as she scribbles something in the chart at the foot of the bed.

“When the enemy uses Raiton jutsus, don’t get hit,” Maryuda says with a huff, settling back against the pillows behind her.

“Or if you can, a fūton works wonders as well,” she advices.

“I’ll remember that, Hokage-sama,” Maryuda says.

“This way Sakura-chan,” Tsunade calls.

She gives one last curious look at Maryuda who nods at her in farewell and then she hustles after Tsunade’s retreating form. “Raiton injuries are nasty. They disrupt chakra flow and scramble the signals from the brain. If it’s strong enough, it can cause nerve damage and even brain damage depending on where it first hits. The most common ailments are muscle spasms and difficulty moving for a while afterwards,” Tsunade explains quickly over her shoulder.

“Were the red marks where she was hit?” Sakura asks.

“Hmm, yes, we call it Lichtenburg Figures. It is the path the electricity followed as it moved through her body. How long and prominent it is depends on the strength of the Raiton used,” she says, pausing long enough for Sakura to catch up and glance at her file to see her next patient before continuing.

“You know of elemental affinities I’m assuming?” she asks.

“Yes,” Sakura says with a nod though the woman can’t see it.

“Good, remember them. They will save you a lot of pain if you can counteract a jutsu before it can cause damage,” Tsunade advices before stopping before a new door with ‘146’ on it. She doesn’t open it though. She turns back to Sakura, “This one is a hard one. If you need to leave, that’s fine, but quietly,” she warns before Tsunade opens the door and steps in.

Wondering what she’ll see, she follows to see a young teen, maybe fourteen or fifteen on the hospital bed, the majority of their upper torso and face covered in bandages. A faint scent lingers in the air and she swallows uneasily.

“What happened?” she asks softly. The…boy she realizes, it heavily asleep and judging by the many tubes connected to him, it is probably due to some sort of drug and not natural.

“Backfired Katon jutsu,” Tsunade remarks, eyes checking machine readouts. “This is why you shouldn’t practice jutsus without supervision right now. Genin, no matter how good their control, will always make mistakes.”

“How does a jutsu backfire?” she asks.

“Most often, a jutsu just won’t work, usually due to lack of chakra control or not enough chakra put into the jutsu,” she explains as she steps forward, her hands glowing green as they run along the boy’s bandages.

“A backfire is when you put too much chakra into it and lose control of it. It gets away from you and can do a lot of damage if you’re not careful. Chuunin and Jounin usually have enough control or a good understanding of their limits that they can practice new jutsus without fear of backfire, though some do still make mistakes on occasion. Genin need supervision so that should they cause a backfire, their sensei can either stop the jutsu before it goes wrong or get the genin out of the way before they get hurt. I better not here about you practicing stuff on your own,” she warns with a sharp look at Sakura.

“I won’t,” she assures. “Is he going to be okay?” she asks softly as Tsunade removes her hands.

“Yes, he’ll be fine. Burns, no matter how they’re caused, are tricky but treatable. We have him sedated because we’re currently in the middle of encouraging new skin to grow and it can be itchy and painful in turns as the nerves heal so it’s easier on them to sleep through this phase in treatment,” she explains as she steps back.

Tsunade quickly adds something to his chat and then beckons Sakura from the room. “So, what’s got you so distracted that even your sensei noticed?” she asks as they meander down the hall towards her next patient.

“I…it’s nothing,” Sakura lies.

Tsunade abruptly stops and whirls around, brow arched, “Child, you are far too young to try and hide something from me. Now, what’s bothering you?” she asks again, not unkindly.

“I…I don’t know. I…I guess I feel like I’m falling behind,” she admits quietly. Tsunade just motions for her to continue her train of thought. “Sasuke’s got his Sharingan now and Naruto’s got Kurama and his sensing and I’m just…me,” she admits softly. “I know it’s stupid,” she adds on.

“Why is it stupid?” Tsunade asks softly. “It’s natural to see your friends moving forward and to want to do so as well,” Tsunade says. “You’re not the first person to feel this way nor will you be the last.”

“But…how do I get better? They’re already so far ahead,” she asks quickly.

“Well, for one thing, you need to stop comparing yourself to them. You are not Sasuke or Naruto, you are Haruno Sakura and there is nothing wrong with that,” Tsunade says sharply before softening towards the end. “Secondly, you find what you’re good at, and you make it your own.”

“What I’m good at?” she asks.

“What do you excel at that they don’t?” she asks simply.

“Um…Kakashi-sensei says I have good chakra control and a quick mind,” she says.

Tsunade hums in acknowledgement. “Chakra control will take you further than raw talent or brute strength,” Tsunade assures her. “And a good mind will take you even further. So, is there anything you would like to learn? T&I is always looking for promising shinobi with smarts and control. It takes both to be able to handle what they do. R&D as well likes those who can think for themselves and preferably outside the box. The hospital is certainly a good place as well and if you want something even more challenging, learning sealing is another that needs strong chakra control and an imaginative mind,” Tsunade throws out a list.

“I…what?” Sakura stammers out.

Tsunade laughs at her confusion, “Don’t get me wrong, we need people like Naruto who can keep going long after others would pass out from chakra exhaustion or people like Sasuke with a sharp reflexes and unique abilities, but they are honestly in the minority. The main forces of this village are those like you, who can use their heads,” she taps gently against Sakura’s forehead, “and then apply what they know to a situation.”

“Did you always want to be a medic?” Sakura asks her.

“Not at first, but I always wanted to help people. How much do you know of the Sannin?” she asks back.

“Uh…not much, aside from that you were one of them,” she admits.

“I am indeed one of them. I’m a front line medic, the first of its kind. There is Jiraiya, a fuuinjutsu master and then there is Orochimaru, a man who has probably learned and created more jutsus since the Nidaime’s time,” she explains, her voice sounding regretful.

“What happened?” she asks softly, sensing that there is a story to this.

“War…loss…ambition,” she says softly, eyes far away. “We fell apart. Orochimaru was declared a traitor and fled from the village for horrible experiments. I left the village after the Second Shinobi War, Jiraiya stayed to care for some orphans in Ame and…we broke. Being able to stand by your friends is important, but don’t forget that they are human. Too many shinobi forget that sometimes,” she advices her.

Sakura nods, mulling over Tsunade’s words. She thinks back over the last few months and even the years she has been friends with the two. She remembers Sasuke’s silent determination to be recognized as more than just Itachi’s brother, Naruto’s drive to prove that he is more than just the monster inside of him and that Kurama isn’t just something bent on destruction and her own desire to help those around her. It was why she first decided to become a shinobi, despite her parents misgiving.

But…

Shinobi are killers. It’s a fact and while it’s not something most take pride in, it is still a part of the job. Kill those that would harm you, those you protect, your home. She will eventually have blood on her hands, whether she likes it or not, even if it does put good in the world. She would like to be able to say she does more than kill people.

“Tsunade-sama,” she murmurs, heart beating heavy in her throat as she makes the first big decision of her life besides entering the Academy. This will change her world completely.

“Yes,” she asks patiently allowing Sakura to come to her decision.

“I want to do what you do,” she breathes out softly.

“Oh…which part, to fight or to heal?” she asks.

“Both,” she says with her voice steady and eyes sparking with determination. “I want to stand beside them and help people. Really help people!”

Tsunade smiles gently, “Well then, let’s get started.” Sakura nods. “I’ll speak with the Hatake brat about giving you time to learn with me. Come along, we still have patients to see,” Tsunade says sharply, turning on heel and striding down the hall without slowing for her to catch up.

~*~

Naruto sighs softly as he lies back, staring up at the cliff face. From his vantage point, he has a good view of most of the faces; only the Shodaime’s face is half showing. His father is right there, looking down over the village he died to protect.

He’s still not sure what to make of that dream. It took everything in him and Kurama reminding him that it was the middle of the night, to keep from rushing over to the Uchiha Compound and demanding to see Sasuke to make sure he was still in the village.

Kurama’s been silent since last night, the fox giving him space to think and process. The dream had felt so real, more like a memory than something his mind came up with, but that doesn’t make sense. Sasuke is still in the village and doesn’t plan to leave, at least not without his team. Why would he chase him like that though?

“Naruto-kun,” a soft voice murmurs from behind him and he cranes his head back and looks upside down at the figure behind him. Sarutobi smiles fondly at the boy sprawled on top of the Hokage Tower, leaning on his cane as he steps closer.

“Jiji,” Naruto murmurs.

“No training or missions today?” he asks, settling next to the boy on the wide bench so he can stop straining his neck.

“Kakashi-sensei gave us the day off,” Naruto informs him.

“What brings you up here than?” the man asks softly, following his gaze to stare up at the monument.

“Thinking,” Naruto admits softly with a faint grimace.

Sarutobi huffs softly, “By the sound of your voice, I’d say they’re not good thoughts.”

“It’s nothing,” Naruto shrugs awkwardly, forcing himself up into a seated position.

The Sandaime snorts softly, reaching into his pocket to pull out his pipe. As he starts to pack the tobacco into it, he murmurs, “I have found that when I have something I need to think over, it helps to have someone to talk to. Even if they can’t help, that they listened is often enough,” he says, a spark of chakra lighting the pipe and he takes a drag from it, waiting to see what Naruto will do.

Naruto pulls his legs up, crossing them and stares down at his hands, fingers fidgeting. “I…I had a strange dream,” he admits.

“Ah, dreams…a tricky subject and they are often heavily symbolic rather than literal,” he says, blowing out a stream of smoke and keeps looking up at the monument, giving the boy space to figure out his thoughts.

“I…I was chasing Sasuke,” he admits softly, hands clenching into fists at the franticness of the dream surfaces again, though it’s only an echo of what he felt before. “We were running through a forest and I called out to him but he wouldn’t stop and then he was gone.”

Sarutobi sighs softly, “Perhaps you fear losing him,” he offers up. “Has something happened recently with your team?” he asks, looking over at him.

“We…we went to Wave for a mission and there was a strong ninja there, Haku. We…we couldn’t keep up and I was down protecting Sakura and he…he jumped in the way of an attack. We…we thought he had…,” he can’t finish his sentence, eyes screwing shut at the memory. That heart stopping moment when he had thought Sasuke was dead, the anger and grief heavy on his tongue as he let Kurama fight for him.

“Death and near death experiences can be hard to get over; especially the first time it happens, and when it is those we care about, it is even worse. I won’t do you the disservice of saying it will get better. Each time is unique and each time leaves a mark, but death is a part of being a shinobi, a part of life and it is scary,” he says kindly, hand settling on Naruto’s shoulder and squeezing with his words.

“You’ve lost people?” Naruto asks softly.

Sarutobi nods, “I have lost many people over the years: my sensei, my wife, your mother and father, many dear friends, people under my command. Each left its mark…but, I don’t let the fear of death keep me from making connections, or push me away from those who I have left.”

“What do you do…to help?” Naruto asks.

“Spending time with Sasuke will help to reassure you that he is really here and not gone. Training, as well, helps and the experience can be a powerful motivator to get stronger, better. Spending time with friends and loved ones as well, will always help,” he adds on with a gentle smile.

“I…okay,” he nods, smiling back.

“Sensei,” a low voice calls and Naruto turns with Sarutobi to look behind where a man with a wild mane of white hair is coming up the stairs onto the roof.

“Ah, Jiraiya, back already?” he asks as the man comes closer and finally sees that Sarutobi isn’t alone and his brow arches a little as he takes in Naruto.

“Yeah though hopefully not for too long; I’m trying to get Tsunade to let me back off the leash before the Exams start but she keeps making threats about my manuscripts,” he laments with a heavy sigh.

Naruto snorts, picturing Tsunade-baa doing it with an evil grin. “Ah, Naruto-kun, this is Jiraiya, one of my students. He was also your father’s teacher.”

“What!” Naruto exclaims, eyes wide.

Jiraiya snorts, “I should have recognized that blonde hair and those chakra reserves. You’re definitely Minato and Kushina’s son.”

“You knew my mom too?” he asks.

“Who doesn’t remember the Yellow Flash and the Red Hot Habanero?” he jokes, squatting down to bring himself to their level.

Naruto grins and then pauses, “How come I’ve never met you before now?” he asks.

Jiraiya grimaces and even Sarutobi sighs, “That is mainly my fault,” Jiraiya admits softly. “I spend most of my time outside of the village as a spy and I’m not home very often. I felt it might be better let you grow up without me constantly coming and going. Though from what I’ve been told by Tsunade, you’ve got good friends and you’re keeping everyone on their toes.”

“Yep,” Naruto says with a small, slightly forced smile.

“I’ve got some free time. If you want, we could grab some ramen and I can tell you some hilarious stories of some of the things your parents got up to,” he offers.

“I…okay,” he decides, letting the lure of ramen win him over. “Do you want to come too, Jiji?” he asks.

“I think I’ll pass for now. I hope I was able to help though,” he adds.

“You did,” he says, a more genuine smile spreading across his face as he rubs at the back of his head.

“Let’s go short stuff,” Jiraiya calls from the stairs and Naruto waves goodbye to the Sandaime. “So, how about I tell you of the time your mother pranked your father into streaking through the village…” his voice trails off, Naruto’s laugh echoing out as Jiraiya begins to weave his tale.

~*~

Sasuke grunts, letting the burn of his muscles and the ache of his lungs as he pants for breathe wipe away any thoughts that try to surface as he moves from one kata to the next, never slowing down or pausing as his stance changes. He’s on his second hour of training, trying to remain mindless.

But no matter how hard he moves, how much he…ignores it, the memories of the dream keep rearing up, teasing the edges of his mind like a glint of light in darkness, always drawing his eye no matter how hard he tries to ignore it.

With one last lunge at the end of the sequence, he lets his aching limbs fall and stumbles back over to a nearby tree to collapse beneath it, panting to catch his breath and cool off in the shade. His eyes close and all he can see is the blood spattered and slumped forms of his parents.

His teeth clench in frustration and he scrubs at his sweaty hair, trying to physically scatter the image from his mind. A faint growl rumbles from behind his clenched teeth. “That sounds serious,” a voice murmurs from above him and he jerks forward, stumbling from his prone position to turn and look up into the tree where someone is seated.

“Who are you?” he demands, noting the glint of light off of the man’s hitai-ate that’s shaped like a bandana and worn backwards.

The man snorts, “Down boy, not an enemy. I was here when you came and stayed to watch is all,” he assures, jumping down from his perch with ease. “Shiranui Genma, Tokubetsu Jounin,” he greets with a faint smirk and a lazy salute, senbon clicking faintly against his teeth as he shifts it.

“Why were you in the tree?” he demands, though some of the tension eases from his frame.

“Hmm…oh, napping,” he says with a shrug, like its normal for a high ranking shinobi to take a nap in a tree which…is probably totally plausible actually.

“Right…,” Sasuke trails off before turning away.

“Ryo for your thought?” Genma throws out and Sasuke turns around to see him stretching.

“What?” he demands.

“You don’t have to talk, but you look like you could use someone to talk to,” Genma says with a shrug where he’s bent in half, touching his toes.

“It’s nothing,” Sasuke grits out, turning away to leave again.

“Right, because training nonstop for almost two hours straight is you just keeping in shape,” Genma drawls, but doesn’t try and stop him.

“And what do you know?” Sasuke grumbles.

“Kid, you’re not the first person to try this, but no matter how much you train, your mind’s not going to stop unless you work through it,” he offers up, rising to start stretching his arms.

Sasuke sighs, running his hand through his hair again. “I don’t even know you,” he tries to reason.

“That’s good, I don’t know enough about you to make any biased judgements,” he says. “So, going to talk?” he asks.

Sighing, Sasuke settles near him and begins his own cool down stretches. The silence lingers as he stretches before he finally relents, “I had a really strange dream last night,” he admits, not looking at him purposefully.

“And?” Genma prods.

“And what?” Sasuke snaps back.

“More information is needed before I’ll say anything,” Genma says with another huff of laughter but his eyes are serious when they meet Sasuke’s. “I’m assuming it wasn’t a good dream if it’s still got a hold of you.”

Sasuke shakes his head minutely, hands clenching where they rest against his thighs. “No…,” he swallows heavily. “It…everyone was…dead. My parents, the clan, everyone,” he admits softly, afraid that by uttering it aloud, it will make it come true. “I keep seeing it.”

Genma’s silent beside him, no longer stretching but not looking at Sasuke either. “Has anyone ever explained to you about what was going on, the night you were kidnapped?” Genma asks out of left field and completely throws Sasuke for a loop.

Sasuke’s shock must show because he shrugs, “I was one of the team that extracted you and recognized you…and it’s not unrelated but I need to know what you know,” he explains.

“I…I was told that Shimura Danzō had me taken, though they never actually said why,” Sasuke admits, puzzled but willing to play along.

“The short of it was that he was trying to set up your clan,” Genma admits.

“Set them up…how?” he asks hesitantly.

“After the Kyuubi attacked, rumors started to spread around the village that they saw a Sharingan on its eyes. It didn’t help that your clan was delegated to protecting the civilians that night and many accused them of protecting the clan before the village. Danzō started those rumors, by the way,” Genma says with a focused calm that is a contrast to Sasuke’s racing heart with each word the man speaks.

“Afterwards, he went on his own personal campaign to restrict your clan, confining them to the Uchiha Compound, having them watched constantly, increasing taxes against them, turning people against them politically,” he continues.

“Why would he do that?” Sasuke demands.

Genma shrugs, “Can’t say I know the inner workings of a man like Danzō. Unfortunately, his plans started to unravel as your clan became better recognized so he decided to try and force the clan to rebel by taking you. After we found you and Sandaime-sama executed him, we found his secret files. He was driving your clan to try and rebel…so he could have you clan killed off.”

“What!” he yelps, heart rabbiting in his chest.

“Yeah, not a pretty picture, is it?” he offers.

“You think my dream…,” he can’t figure out how to word it.

“You were asleep the whole time he held you, but that doesn’t mean you weren’t aware, on some level. It’s entirely possible your mind heard his plan and it’s been in your head this whole time, waiting for something to jostle it loose,” Genma explains easily. “The mind is a scary place and there’s much we don’t know about it. Honestly, anything is possible.”

“It felt so…real,” he whispers, hands clenching into fists, gripping the cloth of his pants tight.

“It usually does,” Genma says with a wry smile, but his eyes show shadows in them, remembering probably his own dreams.

“How do you make it stop?” he demands.

Genma shrugs, “It’s not going to go away, but…I’ve found that making better memories, good memories, will help dull it so it’s not so…sharp,” he finally settles on.

Sasuke nods at his words, accepting the advice, though a little unsure of how to achieve such a thing. “Why were you napping in the tree?” he decides to ask instead of revealing any more vulnerability.

Genma laughs, “Waiting for a friend,” he offers.

“Genma, my friend!” someone calls just then and they both look to see someone approaching and Genma laughs again at the long blink and puzzled look on Sasuke’s face as he takes in the form of Konoha’s Noble Green Beast.

“Hey Gai,” Genma says and waves in greeting as the man approaches the training ground.

“Forgive my tardiness, my friend. I was delayed due to my mission,” Gai says with a regretful look.

“It’s fine Gai. It gave me time to offer up some help,” he assures with a soft smile, nodding towards Sasuke.

“Such youthfulness in my dear teammate can’t help but draw those in need. You couldn’t have chosen a better man for help,” Gai assures with a large grin and two thumbs up.

“Uh…” Sasuke gets out, not sure how to react.

Genma snorts, but gives him a helpful nudge to jump start his stunned mind and allow him to start to leave. “Thanks,” Sasuke offers softly to the man who nods.

“Come on Gai, I’m in need of a good workout,” Genma calls out, distracting Gai and allowing Sasuke to slip away without drawing Gai’s eye again.

Chapter Text

Abrade: verb; to scrape or wear away by friction or erosion.

The roar of the wind is strangely muted, muffled by the walls of the cave they’re huddled in. Temari eyes Baki and the few other adults huddled around their small camp fire, talking in hushed voices, gazes flickering around furtively.

Something’s going on, of that much she can figure out. The last few months, everyone has been running about, coming and going from the Administration Building constantly with scrolls and strange items, important meetings at all hours, the forges running over time. The few pieces of the puzzle she has paint a grim picture in her mind. She’s always been smart, quick to grasp things and this…this is big.

She’s tried to talk with her father, with Baki, even some of the Elders, but no one will speak with her, turning her away with platitudes or simply telling her to stop before she is punished. That alone sent up red flags. She is the Yondaime Kazekage’s daughter and while she doesn’t use her position lightly, she is still high enough up the chain of command to have been told something.

When she laid it out for Kankuro, he had agreed with her: they are being purposefully left in the dark. She couldn’t figure out why though. Not until he pointed it out to her, the obvious reason. Her gaze shifts from the adults, to Kankuro who is also watching them out of the corner of his eye while he pretends to mess with one of his puppets and keeps moving to the mouth of the cave where Gaara is sitting, watching the sand storm rage outside the mouth without a care in the world that he’s slowly being covered in sand, though whether it’s the storm or his own doing, she can’t tell.

She remembers clearly, years before, the time when she was terrified of him. She is his big sister, she is supposed to protect him, but he had been terrifying. She’d still tried to be close to him, even as he slowly lost more and more of himself as that thing inside of him slowly turned him into a monster.

And then one day, it stopped. The only reason she knows is because one morning she went looking for him to try and invite him to train with her only find him asleep…and no demon in sight. Her baby brother, who for years couldn’t sleep for fear of being possessed, was sound asleep in the window seat of their manor, dozing in the sun.

Suddenly, he was her little brother again and not something of nightmare, though…part of her still waited for the other shoe to drop. When she had voiced her shock and concern with her Uncle, Yashamaru had been shocked as well, but, the look of relief on his face still lingered in her mind to this day. Even her father had looked relieved when she informed him of the change. Of course, he is Kazekage and was responsible for cleaning up after Gaara when he went on a rampage so maybe it was relief that Gaara is in control now.

But with this change for the good came something…different. Gaara refused to listen to their father, no matter how he ordered the boy about, he would simply shake his head no and go off to train or whatever else he felt like doing. Missions, he would do within reason and nothing involving using the creature inside him. Even when father insisted he should train to use the creature’s powers, Gaara refused.

Not that she minds. The Gaara of before was unhinged, dangerous. If it means he won’t touch the creature’s powers, she will gladly keep her sane and happier brother over that kind of strength. But…sometimes she does wonder, if he is simply refusing their father for a specific reason or for something else entirely, because she’s heard him muttering to himself when he thinks he’s alone and it sounds like he’s talking to...someone.

His refusal to do as the Kazekage orders can only mean that whatever the village is planning, revolves around her brother, or at least the thing inside him, and that they don’t want him to know about it until it’s too late.

She clenches her hands into fists. She won’t let them use him. If she must chose: her father or her brother, she will choose Gaara in a heartbeat. Father put that thing in Gaara and it nearly killed her brother, or at the very least, nearly broke him. She won’t let him use him like that again. She’s only just gotten him back and she won’t lose him a second time.

~*~

Kakashi saunters up to his three students and feels a small bit of relief at the clear expressions on their faces. Whatever had been bothering them seems to have disappeared or at least been resolved enough to allow them to focus on training rather than their own thoughts. He’d felt worry at this strange turn and had been forced to squash the feeling. Like he told Iruka, they’re not just his student’s anymore. They’re his soldiers, his subordinates and the time to coddle this is long past. It might seem harsh and cruel, but he’d rather they be alive and prepared for the world they are entering into. It wasn’t kind to him at their age, just look at his track records for friends. He won’t let the world break Team 7 again.

He doesn’t bring up their earlier distraction and neither do they. Instead, he simply starts their training, letting the normalcy wash away any misgivings or worries that he might question them. He might be their sensei, but that doesn’t mean he’s their therapist. You couldn’t pay him enough to do that kind of job. Studying a person, understanding how they think is all well and good when it comes to manipulating them for a mission, but not when it’s for, gods above, feelings!

He can barely stand his own fractured mind and emotions, let alone anyone else’s. The training session slowly winds down and they settle beneath a tree, cooling off. “I have news,” Kakashi speaks up, drawing their gaze.

“In two weeks’ time, Konoha will be hosting the Chuunin Exams. Hokage-sama has asked us to put out the offer of taking the exams to our teams, though you’re the newest genin teams currently,” he informs them holding out the information sheets for them to take.

“The Chuunin Exams?” Sasuke asks, reading over the paper.

“Are we even ready for that?” Sakura asks as well.

Kakashi shrugs, “Whether you’re ready or not is up to you. You can only enter as a team so if one of you isn’t ready, none of you can enter. If you do decide to enter, we’ll be village bound for the next two months, so no missions, except in-village D-ranks.”

“What are the Exams going to be like?” Naruto asks excitedly.

“I can’t say. You’ll just have to see for yourselves. I nominated you to be allowed enter and so have Asuma and Kurenai with your year mates. So, the final decision is yours. Think it over and let me know by tomorrow. If we go for this, we’ll have two weeks to get some hard training in to refine what you know already,” Kakashi explains.

He doesn’t give them time to ask any more questions. Anything he can say is already on the paper and they need to make this decision on their own. Instead, he heads towards a different training ground for some peace and quiet and to maybe train with some of his ninken to distract him.

~*~

Naruto eyes Sakura and Sasuke, waiting for them to finish reading their own papers. Well, rereading them since he was apparently not as fast in his reading as they were. When first Sakura and then Sasuke lower their paper, he pounces, figuratively. “Well?” he asks, grin on his face.

“I don’t know, honestly,” Sakura says with a contemplative look on her face.

“Come on! It’s the Chuunin Exams. We could become Chuunins!” he says excitedly.

“Not necessarily,” Sakura points out while Sasuke remains tight lipped, just watching their back and forth for now. “You don’t become a Chuunin just by entering,” she reminds her team mate.

“I know that, but if we win…” he leaves the sentence hanging. Sakura looks back at the paper and he does as well. It doesn’t say much about what the exams will entail. Only that all three must enter at the same time, the date and time to enter and that it will consist of three parts. There’s a bunch of legal mumbo jumbo about possible injuries and even death…blah blah blah and that by sighing the registration forms, they consent to the exams’ dangers and anything that happens to them is no one’s fault but their own. He knows that already. They’re shinobi, of course there’s a chance of danger and injuries.

“What if we lose?” Sasuke finally speaks up.

“Then we lose and try again next year,” Naruto grumbles. Come on, they’re so over thinking this. “There’s an exam every year. It says so uh…,” he searches for the right passage, “here. Next year’s exam is going to be held in Suna. So, if we don’t get promoted, we work on our sand walking for next year.”

Sasuke actually looks surprised by that, like he hadn’t thought that far ahead…which to be fair Sasuke probably hadn’t. His friend is not one to look far ahead. He is better at reacting to things than planning for possible problems. That is Sakura’s department. She has plans upon plans for everything that might come their way. He’s seen her notebooks where she keeps them organized. It makes his head hurt sometimes. He isn’t very good at that kind of planning. His ideas are more…I need to do this, so come at it from this angle and everything works out fine and lets ignore any bumps along the way. Sakura usually yells at him because it usually involved him getting hurt, but come on, he has Kurama and can heal from a lot of damage. He calls it thinking outside the box, she call it being overly optimistic and reckless. Sasuke tends to side with them both since most of the times, his plans do work…though not how he originally thought they would.

“So, what you’re saying is, use this as a practice run? If we get promoted than good all-around and if not, we can use it to get better for next year,” Sakura extrapolates.

“Pretty much,” Naruto says with a shrug. “I want to do this,” he adds and holds out his hand, waiting to see what they do.

Sasuke frowns, thinking it over and then nods decisively, smacking his hand onto Naruto’s. “Oh, what the hell,” Sakura says with a grin, smacking her hand onto Sasuke’s. “Let’s do this!”

“Yes, between Sasuke’s Sharingan, my sensing and Kurama, and Sakura’s brains and plans, we’ll get far!” Naruto crows.

“Oh, I’ll have to come up with some plans just for the exam,” said kunoichi pipes up, looking inspired.

“Come on, let’s get some lunch and we’ll help you plan,” Naruto says, standing in a rush and helping his team stand up.

“We’re not getting ramen,” Sasuke informs the boy.

“What! Come on,” Naruto wheedles as they gather their things and start to make their way back into the village.

~*~

Kurama listens silently as the three make plans for the exam, discussing just what they’ll have to face and how they should prepare. His own mind turns towards his own plans and the upcoming events. He’s removed the possibility of Gaara being used as a weapon. There’s no way in hell Shukaku would allow himself to be used in such a way. The tanuki has become increasingly fond of his host, albeit reluctantly at first. He’s not going to allow them to endanger the boy like that, especially not while Akatsuki is still a threat and the possibility of being extracted and forced back into their Juubi form still hangs over them all.

But that still leaves Orochimaru and his scheming. He’s not sure if the man will follow the same path again as last time. With Sarutobi firmly retired and his ex-team mate as Godaime, the man wouldn’t attack unless he knew he had a way to stop Tsunade in her tracks. The Snake Sannin had felt confident he could beat Sarutobi last time because of his age and by isolating him away from any help and calling on Hashirama and Tobirama. He might still do that actually. It would certainly make Tsunade pause to have to fight both her grandfather and granduncle at the same time.

But the question is: will he go after Sasuke again? Last time he wanted the boy for his eyes, since he was the last of the Uchiha line except Itachi, and to get back at Itachi for humiliating him. Now, with Itachi very much a Konoha shinobi and the Uchiha still thriving and strong, he’s not so sure how things will play out.

Kurama lets his mind wander over the possibilities to come when there’s a tug in his senses, the only kind of warning Shukaku will give him before the annoying tanuki is suddenly in the clearing, looking annoyed and put out at having to be in his presence…so, the same as usual.

“Oi, mangy fox,” Shukaku grumbles.

“What do you want, Shukaku?” he grumbles.

“My brat is on his way to your place,” he explains prissily.

“And?” Kurama asks, hoping his brother will have good news for him.

“Something’s definitely going on but the brat’s in the dark about what, exactly. If it’s going to be like in your memories, then I figured I’d better warn you now,” he says with a shrug.

Kurama sighs in frustration and annoyance. It seems Suna is still going to try to invade, with Sound maybe or perhaps a different group this time. He hates trying to think up possibilities. “Thanks,” Kurama says, somewhat sincerely.

“Are we having a brat gathering when we arrive?” he asks gruffly not looking at him.

Kurama blinks and then cocks his head to ponder that thought. He hadn’t planned to keep Gaara from Naruto. In fact, it would do him good to meet others like himself but it hadn’t been a big part of his planning. Maybe he should introduce them. It would certainly make things a little easier than surprising it on the boy in the middle of the exams.

“Why not,” he decides. “Let me know when you’re in the village and we’ll arrange a meeting point.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Shukaku grumbles and fades back into the shadows, only the faintest hint of his chakra remaining behind, like sand caught in his fur.

~*~

It’s nearing the end of the two weeks. There’s three days until the official start of the Chuunin Exams and Naruto and his friends have been training hard, Kakashi putting them through the ringer. As the afternoon session of taijutsu practice slowly comes to a close, Kakashi finally lets them go, reminding them to be back tomorrow morning as usual.

“He’s trying to kill us,” Naruto huffs out, chest heaving as he lies limply on the ground. His muscles feel like limp noodles, even with Kurama helping to ease some of the aches. Sakura and Sasuke look just as bad, covered in sweat and dirt, too tired to move for the moment.

“My hands hurt,” Sakura moans softly, her hands twitching where they’re still half curled from constantly keeping them clenched into fists as they sparred. They’ve been sparring back to back for the last five hours, with the only break being for water and switching partners. The worst was fighting Kakashi-sensei, the man not holding anything back.

“If I wasn’t so tired, I’d strangle Kakashi-sensei for that stupid attack,” Sasuke grumbles, the poor boy having been on the receiving end of a rather…pointed attack to his ass when he’d been off balance from overreaching for an attack.

Sakura snorts, probably remembering the shock on the boy’s face. With a growl, Sasuke kicks weakly at her from his prone position but she’s too far away and he only kicks air. Sakura laughs harder, rolling onto her side as she clutches her sides. Sasuke crosses his arms, a flush on his checks as even Naruto starts to chuckle, her laughter contagious.

“Hey, Sakura, you said Baa-chan is going to be teaching you,” Naruto pipes up, a thought coming to him.

Sakura’s laughter dies off to a few chuckles and she nods, “Yeah. Why?”

“Well, when is she going to start teaching you?” he asks.

“Uh, she said after the Exams since she’s so busy with getting everything ready. Though she gave me some stuff to start reading beforehand,” she explains, slowly sitting up to look at him.

“Darn, I was hoping you would have learned some stuff. That would be really helpful in the Exams,” he explains, sitting up as well and reaches out to haul Sasuke up, the other boy huffing at his demanding tugs.

“Oh, I hadn’t thought about that,” Sakura admits. “She did give me a few pointers though,” she admits and holds up her fist, concentrating and they watch a faint glimmer of chakra appear around her fist. “I can do some damage now,” she explains with a sharp toothed grin and then lets the chakra go. Sasuke actually looks a little worried at the implication of Sakura being able to hit even harder. Her punches aren’t weak and that’s before they have chakra behind them.

“Did you see some of the other genin teams that have arrived?” Sakura asks, stretching her arms out with a grunt, fingers spread to help them loosen up.

“I saw one from Kusa,” Sasuke says with a nod.

“Three more days,” Naruto says with a grin.

“Oi, brat,” Kurama mutters in the loll of silence as they’re contemplating what might happen during the exams.

“Hmm,” he hums softly. Sakura and Sasuke look at him and he points to his head, indicating Kurama and not them.

“Are you done for the day?” he asks.

“Yeah, Kakashi-sensei didn’t leave anything for us to do,” he mutters.

“Good, there’s someone I want you to meet,” he explains.

“Who?” he asks and can see the curious looks on his team’s faces.

“It’s a surprise,” Kurama huffs, getting annoyed at his questions.

“Can I bring Sakura and Sasuke?” he asks.

Kurama pauses for a moment, probably thinking about it and then huffs, “Sure, why not.”

Sakura and Sasuke are staring at him. “Kurama says there’s someone he wants me to meet.” He shrugs at the question of ‘Who?’ in their eyes and they all stand up. “Lead the way,” he says to Kurama and begins to follow the fox’s directions.

~*~

Temari follows behind Gaara, Kankuro a step behind. It seemed almost as soon as they stepped foot into the village, Gaara had said he needed to go somewhere. They’ve never even been here. Where could he even need to go?

She sidesteps a large bush, feeling uncomfortable with so much green around them. They’re from the desert for gods’ sake. This humid heat is killing her and is going to mess with her fuuton jutsus unless she calculates in the increased moisture in the air. She glances at Kankuro and sees he’s not doing much better. His heavy, draping clothe is better suited for the desert than thick forests. She’s need to remember to bring extra water to keep him hydrated.

Gaara finally stops. His head cocks to the side as if listening for something and turns right, pushing through some bushes and into an open space on the other side. They quickly follow him and stumble into what must be one of Konoha’s many training grounds. The area is pockmarked with craters, bark and grass blackened by Katon jutsus that tend to be prevalent here in Fire Country. She swipes her bangs out of her face and looks forward to see three figures standing on the opposite side of open clearing. Two boys and a girl around their own age, the blonde seems to be at the head of the group, blue eyes staring with curiosity at Gaara who is staring back just as hard.

Then the boy smiles, bright and excited, “Kurama says you’re just like me!” He steps forward, nearly vibrating with energy and her quiet brother smiles, actually smiles, stepping closer.

“I have Shukaku, the Ichibi,” he murmurs and the blonde grins.

“I’m Uzumaki Naruto, Kurama’s the Kyuubi,” he says. “That’s Sakura and Sasuke,” he points to his friends who haven’t moved.

“Sabaku no Gaara,” he murmurs.

Temari is frozen still at the blonde…at Naruto’s words. The same as Gaara and all she can see is a little boy destroying everything in his path, controlled from within and now there’s another one. She forces her thoughts to still, taking a closer look at Naruto. He seems happy, not burdened or like he has no control. It took years for Gaara to recover from his time fighting the demon within himself. Naruto doesn’t look like he’s ever had to fight at all, though there’s still an awareness in his gaze, a knowing kinship to Gaara.

Gaara looks back at her and Kankuro who is just as silent. “That is Temari and Kankuro, my siblings,” he admits.

“Hi,” Naruto waves excitedly and with a huff, she steps forward, Kankuro following. Sasuke and Sakura take that as their cue and follow. “Are you here for the Chuunin Exams?” he asks, noting their Suna hitai-ate finally.

“We are,” Temari says quickly. “You?” she asks.

“We’re going to kick so many butts, believe it!” Naruto crows, bouncing and Gaara, who is selective about who can enter his personal space, lets him, seeming to accept it. Gaara has never accepted anyone’s presence so quickly, making people work for his acceptance, even their own father. The only one he ever allowed close is their uncle, Yashamaru, who helped raise him.

“It’s nice to meet other genin from different villages,” the pink haired girl Sakura says with a smile. “I look forward to competing,” she offers her hand to Temari.

Temari eyes it for a second and nods, shaking it as well. “May the best team win,” she adds with a bloodthirsty grin, one Sakura matches. The brunette boy rolls his eyes at the same time as Kankuro sighs in annoyance and they eye each other up.

“Oh, you should come have dinner with us,” Naruto decides, seeming incredibly take with the idea despite them technically being rivals in the upcoming exams, even though Suna and Konoha are technically allies.

“We can’t,” Temari says sharply, sending a look to Gaara who nods in understanding. “We have food waiting back at the inn. Maybe another time,” she adds to soften the rebuke. Baki has been keeping a sharp eye on them and told them to be back in an hour for a briefing with the others.

“That’s okay. Maybe after the Exams then,” Naruto says with a nod.

“I would like that,” Gaara says softly.

“Cool,” Naruto grins again and then hugs Gaara like he does it all the time. “We’ll have to exchange stories,” he adds before stepping back. “Well, it was nice meeting you. Good luck in the Exams,” he says and the three turn to walk away, fading between the trees.

“Come on, Gaara, we need to get back to the inn,” Temari calls to Gaara who is still looking to the place they disappeared to. Gaara nods, expression closing off a little as they make their way back to their inn.

~*~

“Kurama!” Naruto yelps, rushing up to the fox and throwing his arms around his foreleg. “Why did you never tell me there were others?” he demands.

Kurama shrugs, bending his head down to be level with Naruto. “It never really came up, brat. Those that are like you are scattered all over the Elemental Nations and it was unlikely you would run into them any time soon. Shukaku let me know his brat was entering the Exams and I figured it was a good time for you to meet,” he explains, “Plus, it was a surprise,” he adds.

“There are more than us?” he asks.

Kurama nods, “I have eight siblings, so nine Jinchuuriki in total.”

“What are their names?” he asks, settling to lean against Kurama’s crossed legs.

“Shukaku is the Ichibi. He’s an obnoxious tanuki who likes sand,” he grumbles. “Then there’s Matatabi who is the Nibi, a meddling witch of a cat who loves fire. Isobu the Sanbi, he loves to play in the ocean, the overgrown turtle.” Kurama huffs softly. “Son Gokū is the Yonbi and an arrogant hot-tempered ape. The Gobi is Kokuō, fastest of us. Saiken, the damn bubble blowing slug, is the Rokubi. Lucky Chōmei is the Nanabi, the overgrown bumblebee. And then there’s Gyūki, the Hachibi, an annoying octopus.”

“That’s a lot of family,” Naruto murmurs, tilting his head back to glance up at Kurama. His eyes are focused on something far away and the faintest of smiles is tucked into the corner of his muzzle.

“Eh, family is annoying,” he mutters but Naruto doesn’t seem to buy it, grinning up at him.

“Where are they all at?” he asks quietly.

“Shukaku’s from Suna obviously. Matatabi and Gyūki are in Kumo. Isobu and Saiken are in Kiri. Chōmei is in Taki. Son and Kokuō, I can’t say. They travel a lot. Technically, their hosts are missing nin, since they abandoned Iwa,” Kurama says with a shrug.

“I hope I can meet them all one day,” Naruto decides. “They sound really cool.”

Kurama huffs softly, “Maybe one day you will brat. But first, you’ve got an Exam to get through. You better not slack off,” Kurama reminds him.

“I won’t,” Naruto laughs.

~*~

Utakata sends a quick glance around the ship’s deck, noting where his apprentice and the two genin that have been appointed to her to make a team are lounging, watching the shore of Fire steadily approach. The two other genin teams are also watching, all of them excited and chattering about the upcoming exams in Konoha.

Deciding that he can slip out of view for a few minutes and not have to worry about something exploding, he slips through the door to the inner hold of the ship and takes the narrow stairs down to the lower deck.

A door at the end of a short hall is closed and he quietly taps on it. “Come in,” a voice calls out and he slips in, shutting it behind himself and activating the privacy seals etched all around the small room.

“Mizukage-sama,” he murmurs, frowning at the man who for the longest time, he hated.

“Peace, Utakata-san, I am simply Joro right now,” Yagura, the Yondaime Mizukage and current Jinchuuriki of Isobu, the Sanbi, sighs from his cramped bunk. Dark brown, almost black eyes, contacts over his paler irises, look up to meet his stare.

“Force of habit,” Utakata admits and Yagura motions for him to find a seat. “We’re almost to Fire.”

“Good. I’m tired of hiding down here,” he grouches.

“Is it wise for both of us to leave Kiri?” he asks quietly. It’s not the first time he’s asked.

“Like I told you before, neither of us is traveling alone. Since your apprentice is entering in the Chuunin Exams and that requires you to leave Kiri, then I must come as well. Plus, I would have come anyways to represent Kiri as Mizukage for the final matches. This just makes it…simpler,” he waves an impatient hand. His hair is still the same light shade, but makeup hides his signature scar on his cheek. His very recognizable staff is currently tucked away in a scroll. A clever bit of seal work by Harusame cloaks his distinctive chakra, making it seem smaller than it really is.

“The Hokage isn’t going to like you entering her village unannounced,” he decides to go with, since it’s impossible to fight him on this. With Terumi back in the village readying for her coronation as the next Mizukage once the Chuunin Exams are finished, it’s only him and Ao that know of Yagura’s presence on their ship.

After that night almost eight years ago, when Yagura had collapsed in his chambers and Saiken in his head urging him to seek out the man, he’s been reluctant to let Yagura out of his sight. He’s already fallen prey to the masked man’s control once and he’d rather not have him fall prey again. That Yagura had to sneak out of his own village to ensure that no one knew he had left is an indicator of just how far things have changed. The man who once ruled with a bloody iron fist, now simply wants to just step down and let someone else take over. Utakata can’t fathom what it must have felt like to have to relive everything he did under the man’s control and realize that no matter the excuse, the blood of so many shinobi and innocent civilians is on his hands. A kage is supposed to protect their people, not rule over them like a power mad dictator.

“Well, soon I’ll simply be a jounin of Kirigakure. Maybe I’ll take up a team of my own,” he muses.

“That’s if Terumi doesn’t try and rope you into being part of her council,” Utakata replies.

“No thank you. I’m done with politics,” Yagura declines vehemently.

“I should probably get back to my team,” Utakata says with a sigh, reaching up to deactivate the wards. “See you up top, Joro,” he adds and Yagura nods.

‘Saiken, is this a good idea?’ he asks the Rokubi as he climbs back up the stairs to the upper deck.

He feels what is probably a shrug in his head, “Who can say. Best keep your eyes open though,” he adds and Utakata nods before heading up to find his team.

Chapter Text

Remembrance: noun; the action of remembering something; a memory or recollection.

He has lived for centuries, first as the Juubi and later, as the Kyuubi. He was there for the birth of the world as is it is now and he will be there when the world finally dies and he meets his final death and can rest. In all that time, he has seen so much in this world: strange, wondrous, mundane, horrible and calamitous, and anything, everything, in between. With so much time to live, to be, his memories are something no mortal thing can fathom…but then again, he is no mortal.

He is chakra, is a being of pure life force and intent, with a will and a purpose. His father made sure of that when he split them and set them on this path in the hopes of peace one day. He is by no means mortal. Which means he doesn’t dream…not like mortals do. Because to dream, you need to sleep and Kurama doesn’t need to sleep. He sleeps because he wants to, likes to. In the beginning, he slept often, months, years at a time, secure in his isolation, the humans so far away from his hidden home deep in the mountains and forests he had claimed as his own. At the time, they were only just pulling their civilizations into some sort of order, had barely begun to twist and turn his father’s Ninshū into the Ninjutsu it is today. Later, when he was first approached by the puny things, he laughed at them, at their fumbling attempts to worship him as a god, scoffing because he is no god. But he indulged them and that was perhaps his first mistake.

He became known, the worship of him spread and eventually, decades, centuries later, it would lead to the moment when Uchiha Madara, seeking something to destroy Konoha with the first time, decided to use him as a weapon.

When Mito ensnared him, trapped him, stripped him of his very being and purpose…he slept. Long years interspaced with bitter resentment, plots and plans to get his revenge on her, on Hashirama, on Madara, on every puny human he could sink his fangs into. He would set the world aflame in his rage and in the ashes, a new age would rise to quell beneath his claws.

Needless to say, it never happened.

Instead he was passed down to Kushina and he resented all the more as he was bound to a new host and denied his freedom again.

Mito at least had an excuse. He was being used and it was the only way she could think to keep him from destroying her home. But the village, its leaders- Hashirama- took it a step too far. Hunted down his siblings like animals, like senseless beasts with no free will, no purpose, no destinies and trapped them too. He felt it, when they were taken, one by one, caught by the man who wanted peace and instead bartered weapons to his enemies. Traded them away like they were nothing but tools.

And still he planned, plotted. He strained at Kushina’s chains for years after Mito’s death…and then freedom, for just a moment, sweet freedom. He felt the wind on his fur like he hadn’t in so many years. But new chains fell upon him, first by that brat Obito and then, once more chained to a human, a child…a twice cursed Uzumaki.

He slept for the first twelve years of Naruto’s life. Having your soul, your very being, split in two, ripped apart and flung so far away, it drained him like nothing else had ever done. So he slept and awoke on a bridge surrounded by mist and ice mirrors and felt the first break in his chains. He pushed, he strained, chipping away at the crack, at his prison, hoping to push the stupid boy far enough to be free. He was so close, so damn close but for the meddling of Namikaze Minato. The fool was dead and still he thwarted him.

And then came the war, Naruto wrestling his chakra from him with Kushina’s help. He still remembers Naruto’s words, his unwavering determination to befriend him. Like a hopeful fool, he started to believe him, was willing to work with him like he had never done with anyone since his father. And in one small slip of a boy, a blip of life in the ongoing existence of the world, he found a friend where he had only ever had enemies.

In this time, Kurama doesn’t sleep, doesn’t dream, but he does remember. He remembers everything, from his creation to the ending of the world around him. He remembers because he was there. He saw it…the moment when it all began.

Or more precisely, the moment when it all ended.

They land in the Kamui dimension with a thump, sand spilling in all directions. Sakura, the only one of the three brats with any kind of sense, is left stunned, staring around her like a gapping fish. If things weren’t so dire and if he wasn’t trapped within this cursed parasitic...thing, he’s laugh himself hoarse at her face.

Obito, though, is his ever stoic self. He holds up his hands, one clutching the Sage’s staff and the rings jingle at the motion. “I can save him,” he murmurs, waiting for her to nod in understanding. He pauses though, inches from Naruto and Kurama strains to reach him, feeling the bits of his siblings with him, trying to bridge the gap. “I need to ask you for a favor Sakura,” he says and she frowns heavily at him, not trusting because she’s not like his fool of a Jinchuuriki. Slowly she nods for him to continue. “The moment I am done, you must destroy this eye,” he growls, eyes burning like a man deranged, motioning towards the Rinnegan surrounded by Black Zetsu’s inky form, held by will alone.

“What?” she asks not understanding.

“There is no time. The instant I am done, destroy it, please,” he presses and she nods. Her free hand comes up, glowing green, the other still pumping Naruto’s heart.

“Thank you,” he murmurs and reaches.

“Don’t you dare!” Zetsu shrieks, straining against Obito’s hold on it, trying to peel away, but there’s nowhere to hide. They’re in a different dimension and in this moment, Obito will not lose this battle of wills.

Kurama surges forward the moment he feels Naruto, curling around, through him, spreading out his chakra, fixing the damage being ripped from the boy caused. His siblings curl inward as well, staying out of his way. They don’t know this body like he does.

As the last drop of chakra leaves Obito’s hand, Sakura, always practical and pragmatic, doesn’t ask any questions. She strikes out, fast as a snake. A thin needle of chakra pierces the eye, snaking through to the back. It branches out and burns away the ocular nerve there, rendering it useless. If he ever were to get another eye, it will never function unless fixed by someone of her or Tsunade’s level of healing. Threads branch out, surrounding the eye, spreading, merging until a thin layer of chakra surrounds the orb and with a faint twitch and a wet pop, the eye comes free as the chakra heals the damage as it’s caused.

She looks only once at Obito as the small orb floats above her open palm and he nods. Grimacing, she closes her fist around it and crushes the eye with a wet, sucking pop.

“What have you done?” Zetsu screams. “So much work, so many centuries for everything to align and you ruin it,” it struggles against Obito’s hold.

Kurama starts, for a moment, sensing something he hasn’t felt in centuries surround him for just a moment and then the world warps around them, Obito depositing them out of Kamui and the feeling is gone and surely he must have imagined it, even though his siblings eye him in confusion.

They find Kakashi and the Yondaime next to them, Gai battling Madara and for the moment, winning. Naruto stirs, eyes opening and then it’s too late to do anything. Gai’s final attack should have killed Madara, but he just shrugged it off and Gai is unable to move, fading to ash before their eyes.

The Juubi’s Jinchuuriki never gives him another glance, coming up to their group. “Zetsu, do you have it?” he demands mildly, like he has all the time in the world.

“No! It’s ruined! So many years, so many sacrifices. Everything for nothing. Your plan is ruined, they ruined it. We can never see the end,” it growls out, peeling away from Obito finally, the man staggering as his will starts to fail. “I did everything for you and you failed in this moment,” he accuses Madara.

The man freezes, eye staring straight at Zetsu. “Everything for me, you say,” he murmurs and then his hand lashes out and grabs the creature. “For me,” he murmurs with an almost manic frown. “That was a lie,” he says lowly. “If this wasn’t for me, then who is this for?” he asks, eye boring into Zetsu’s eye.

“For you, for your dream,” Zetsu assures in a voice like an oil slick.

“And still you lie. Too bad, but it seems I don’t need you anymore,” he murmurs and Zetsu screams and they can only watch as the creature begins to diminish and with dawning horror, they realize that Madara is absorbing him, consuming him. And then a brow arches. “Well now, isn’t that a unique ability,” he murmurs.

He moves before anyone thinks to do something, hand lashing out and just the tip of a finger taps Minato on the throat and as they watch, thin grey tendrils branch from that single point of contact. With a shudder, his backward momentum to avoid the touch halts and he just stands there as the tendrils snake further across his dead skin. “Who do you serve?” Madara asks with his voice still at a conversational level, like they’re not in the middle of a battle in the middle of a war.

Minato never hesitates, eyes looking up and stares straight at Madara, “I serve you.”

A blood thirsty grin breaks across Madara’s face, “Well now…I think I can work with this.”

It was only because of Obito and Kakashi that they managed to escape that day. They managed to grab Sasuke and a few others and meet back up with the rest of the Alliance. But Madara didn’t give chase. There was no need. He had everything he needed to bring the world to his knees because once he had the Shodaime and Nidaime Hokage under his thrall; he had Edo Tensei and Mokuton at his fingertips. As the Juubi’s Jinchuuriki and with the Rinnegan, he could reach anywhere.

The Alliance scattered, spreading across the nations. Sakura managed to find a way to keep Obito going and with his and Kakashi’s shared Mangekyō, they managed to rally their allies, mounting assaults, hit and runs, covert spying to glean what they could about Madara’s plans. But with each attack launched on him, the more fell under his control, either to be sacrificed as bodies for Edo Tensei or to be used as puppets on their own. Each day, month, year…they fought, struggled. The brats ran themselves into the ground helping. With Obito and Kakashi, they could move between camps easily, bringing food, weapons, move troops but with each attack their forces dwindled.

They fought and they fought. Neji was only the first to fall: Chōji, Lee, Shikamaru, Hinata, Ino, Kiba, Shino, Ten Ten, Kakashi, Tsunade, Ōnoki, A, Terumi, Gaara, with each one that fell, they were raised by Madara, pulling from the civilian populations when he had no living bodies to reanimate shinobi with.

They gathered what civilians remained, hiding them away in the hopes of limiting his army, but it was never enough. With each shinobi that fell, information got back to Madara of different camps. They stopped checking in with each other to limit the damage should a camp be compromised but it only slowed him.

By the end, there were only a handful of shinobi that could fight and possibly oppose Madara. They were dead tired, constantly on the run and fighting, drawing his army away from camps, leading them on a chase. They learned quickly to put the Edo Tensei shinobi down hard and fast. It might not kill them, but it took time to reform if their whole body was destroyed.

And in the end, if there were any other camps left, they didn’t know where they were. If there were any other pockets of resistance, it was too late. So they did the only thing they could think of: a desperate plan. A plan fueled by grief, helplessness and desperation to stop the end. Either it worked and they made it back or it didn’t and they didn’t need to fight anymore. A plan with no return, but then…what was there to return to?

Kurama stares into the flames of the fire, seeing the memories play out in the blaze. He hasn’t slept since before he came back in time, since he woke up on that bridge over the ocean a lifetime ago feeling the grief of a child that would one day become his first friend. He can’t afford to sleep right now. The sand beneath his feet is shifting constantly and one wrong misstep could send them all falling back into the same future. Even with his siblings’ help, even with the faint hope of the four brats remembering, there is no guarantee that they can rewrite history completely, not until they destroy Zetsu. Not until the Gedō Mazō and the Uchiha’s tablet are shattered beyond repair. Not until the Rinnegan eyes in Nagato’s head are destroyed once and for all.

Closing his eyes, Kurama concentrates on Naruto, on his slow even breaths of sleep. If he dreams, they are good dreams, dreams of the Chuunin Exams to come, of new friends and endless possibilities. Kurama will do everything in his power to ensure he has them.

Shaking himself and resettling his fur, he lets his mind wander and remembers happier times, the sun on his fur, wind caressing his tails, the world at peace around him as it hummed with chakra and life. It soothes the agitation his memories caused and allows him to relax enough to, if not sleep, than to rest.

~*~

Naruto is near vibrating out of his skin as he waits for Sakura and Sasuke at their meeting point. Today’s the day: the Chuunin Exams! He’s surprised he got any sleep last night. He thinks Kurama might have had something to do with it, but that’s okay because he can’t be tired for this.

He jumps up and waves as he sees Sasuke come around the corner. Mikoto is with him and he waves harder and she laughs, waving back and points behind him as they close the distance. A hard thump on his head makes him yelp and he turns around to see Sakura staring at him with hard eyes, “No wave for me?” she asks softly.

“Hi Sakura-chan,” he waves quickly, still rubbing his head from the love tap. You’d figure with Baa-chan’s love taps, he’d be used to it. Then a thought occurs that makes him blanch a little: Sakura’s going to be learning from Baa-chan. Her punches are going to hurt even more now.

Sakura grins brightly, laughing, “That’s what I thought,” and she slings her arm around his shoulders, scuffing his blonde hair and waves to Mikoto as well who is laughing harder, Sasuke snickering beside her.

They finally reach them, Sakura and Sasuke moving to stand beside him, Mikoto standing before them with a look like a general inspecting her troops. “Are we ready?” she asks in a serious tone, not as a mother figure that has cared for them all, but as a Jounin to her subordinates.

They straighten, “Yes,” Naruto says with a sharp grin. Sakura cracks her knuckles with nod and Sasuke just flashes his Sharingan at her.

“Show them what it means to have the Will of Fire,” she says and then her serious expression shifts to a loving one and she reaches out to pull them into a hug. “I’m so proud of you three. Somewhere along the way, you grew up without me noticing.”

They hug her back because before Kakashi-sensei, it was Mikoto pushing them, encouraging them, always with a kind word or some advice when they floundered. Without her, they would not be who they are today. She steps back, subtly wiping her damp eyes. “Now go on. You don’t want to be late. I’ll be watching,” she adds with a grin.

“We’re going to win, believe it!” Naruto crows and she nods, waving her hands to shoo them on to where the first part of the exams are taking place.

They break into a light jog, the Academy coming into view. They had registered last night, one team amongst many, each pushing and shoving to get in line. They climb the stairs up and wave to Ino as she comes into view, Shikamaru and Chōji next to her as they talk with their other year mates. Hinata looks as shy as ever, stuttering out a hello as Kiba bumps fists with Naruto and Shino nods in greeting.

“Should we head in?” Naruto asks with a grin, looking up to see that they had reached the right floor.

“We can’t,” Ino huffs with a toss of her ponytail, letting it smack into his face as Hinata nods shyly in agreement.

“What? But it’s almost time to start and-,” Naruto starts before Sakura elbows him in the side.

“Naruto, how many floors did we just climb?” she asks lowly, eyeing the two teens standing in the doorway ahead of them.

“Huh, uh…,” he frowns because he could have sworn and then his eyes widen, “But…”

“The test has already started…how bothersome,” Shikamaru grumbles, turning away from the milling crowd.

Sasuke slaps a hand over Naruto’s mouth before he can say anything else and gives him a look. “Come on,” he urges and Naruto finally gets what’s going on. Just to be spiteful, he licks Sasuke’s hand, the boy pulling it back with a roll of his eyes and wipes his hand on Naruto’s shirt before he pushes Naruto ahead of him, Sakura in front as they follow their year mates up to the next floor.

~*~

Sakura stares down at the test in front of her and frowns. This was not what she was expecting for the Chuunin Exams. For one thing, these are all high level problems and not easy to solve. That she can is only because she’s read and studied these things, wanting to learn all she could. How many in their class actually know the answers?

She looks further down where Naruto is slowly sinking lower and lower into his seat. He’s got to be panicking. She knows her friend isn’t stupid. But he learns differently than she does, always doing horrible on tests but excelling at the hands on stuff. He learned better doing, not reading and studying, though he still tried.

This is definitely the boy’s worst nightmare. She looks for Sasuke and sees him scribbling down answers and just catches the hint of red in his eyes and has a moment of understanding of what they want them to do. Shinobi need to be able to gather intelligence without being caught. Information gathering it the bread and butter of the village, secrets bought and sold by those in charge.

Not Naruto’s forte unfortunately. Stealth he could do, but he didn’t really have any skills for information gathering aside from being sneaky. Heck, Sakura didn’t really either and the only reason she is okay is she actually knew the answers to the test.

Would they fail before they even reached the second trial?

~*~

“Brat, if you don’t stop gnawing on your thumb, I’m going to stop healing it and make you deal with the pain,” Kurama grumbles in his head and Naruto jerks slightly, pulling his thumbnail from between his teeth and looks to see the rawness of the skin around the nail from his nervous biting.

‘Kurama, what do I do?’ he asks worriedly, staring down at the test in front of him that might as well be in a foreign language for how much he understands it.

“Why ask me? You think I can answer this any better than you,” Kurama grumbles in his head.

‘But, we’ll fail if I don’t answer the questions,’ he laments, glancing around furtively, trying to see if anyone is reacting as bad as he is.

Kurama gives a mental shrug at his plight, “Then cheat,” he says without sympathy.

‘I can’t cheat. If I get caught, we’ll definitely fail and cheating is wrong anyways,’ Naruto berates him.

Kurama snorts, “Brat, you do realize that you’re a shinobi where thieving, cheating and underhanded tactics are in everyone’s skill sets, right?” Kurama reminds him. Naruto fumes at him silently. “But what do I know. I’m only a centuries old chakra construct who knows nothing about the ways of boring humans and tests. I don’t need to become chuunin.”

‘Kurama!’ Naruto yells in his head, pencil clutched in his hand and staring down blankly at his test.

“Enough, brat. Use that head of yours. I know you’re not stupid, so think,” Kurama grumbles and mentally turns away, flicking his tails in dismissal.

Mentally sticking his tongue out at the fox, he tunes back into reality and actually looks around. Others look panicked like he feels, but many seem to be taking this in stride. Frowning, he lowers one of his shields and blinks when he sees a lot of chakra being used right now for a sit down test. Glancing over towards Sasuke, he can see even his friend is using chakra, eyes glowing with chakra as he uses his Sharingan.

‘They want us to cheat?’ he asks slowly. ‘But they said we’d fail if we get caught.’

“Then don’t get caught,” Kurama answers back snidely.

Growling in frustration at Kurama’s goading, he glances at the clock and blanches. Only twenty minutes left and he hasn’t answered a single question. Panic makes his heart beat faster. He looks at the final question. He’s got no skill in getting information. Sneaking and pranking people, he can do easily, but being subtle…it’s not his forte.

Jeez, he’s going to fail but he’s not going without a fight. He might as well just go all or nothing on the final question and hope they pass. He watches the minutes pass slowly, leg jiggling under the table.

~*~

“Congratulations, you pass.” The words are still on repeat in the brat’s head. Kurama can’t keep his snickers quiet at his heart felt relief to have passed.

The brat waits until he’s gathered with his team, following the Mitarashi woman towards the Forest of Death. Naruto appears in front of him and makes a face at his laughter. “You knew that was going to happen,” Naruto complains, loudly.

“Maybe,” Kurama hedges.

“You let me think I was going to fail,” he huffs.

“I can’t give you all the answers,” he reminds the boy.

Naruto grumbles but finally relents with a nod, and then a look comes over his face. “Wait, how did you know the test was going to be like that?” he asks.

Kurama huffs, “I’m not psychic. Kushina faced a similar challenge when she went for chuunin,” he says with a shrug, telling the truth and lying at the same time. That’s a first.

“What, she did? Did she pass?” he asks excitedly, always eager to learn new things about his parents.

“She passed, but not with her skills. You’re a lot like her in that regard,” Kurama mutters.

“Hey, I can be subtle,” Naruto grumbles.

“Please, the both of you are as subtle as a bag of hammers to the face. Like mother, like son. She’s lucky she had Mikoto on her team for information gathering or they would have gotten nowhere,” Kurama says, waving off his protests.

“I’m really that much like her?” Naruto asks, looking happy.

“Oh yes, the Tomato was loud, annoying and prone to punching her way out of every situation she could get away with it,” he grumbles with an eye roll, but…there’s a fond quirk of a smile on his muzzle.

“Heh, my mom was the best,” Naruto grins. “What about dad? Am I like him?” he asks.

“Kushina liked to call him an airhead, and he was, but he was also brilliant. I’ve seen sparks of it in you. You’re going to be hell in battle once you stop yelling out your attacks and giving the enemy a chance to counter it,” he pokes the boy with one of his tails to get the point across.

“Yeah, yeah,” Naruto mutters but his grin is brighter than the sun. The brat looks up at him, eyes as blue as the sky and runs up to him, throwing his arms around his leg. “You know I love you too, right?” he says a little uncertainly, looking back up at him. “I’m glad you wanted to be my friend.”

“Don’t go mushy on me now, brat,” Kurama grumbles, but doesn’t pull away. He sinks down, head level with him and his tails curl around him, a hug of sorts. “You’ve got an exam to continue. Go kick some ass.”

“I will, believe it!” Naruto agrees, vanishing from their shared space and Kurama sighs softly, letting the feeling of his hug linger for a moment before focusing back on reality. It’s almost time to skin a snake.

Chapter Text

Apprehension: noun; the suspicion or fear of a future evil; the act or power of perceiving or comprehending something.

“For the last time, we haven’t received any messages from the Kazekage and even if we did, we still wouldn’t let you in, not while the Chuunin Exams are going on. Now leave before we have to make this physical,” a beleaguered gate guard wearing Taki’s hitai-ate glares at them, heavy hand resting on the katana at his waist. His partner, a tall and thin kunoichi, already has her blade drawn, eyeing them suspiciously.

“Are you sure you haven’t received anything from the Kazekage?” Shisui wheedles. Itachi can already feel a headache building.

“I won’t tell you again,” he growls out.

“Shisui,” Itachi says, laying a hand on his cousin’s arm and Shisui sighs, shoulders slumping.

“You’ll be hearing from the Hokage about this,” he warns with a wagging finger without any bite to his words and the two gate guards sense it and don’t react.

“Forgive the intrusion. We were lead to believe word would have reached you, but it seems there has been an issue with communication. We’ll be going now,” Itachi says and the guards nod, eyeing them as they back up and then quickly take to the trees.

Shisui at least has sense to wait until they’ve traveled for an hour to put distance between Taki’s hidden village and themselves, before cussing up a storm. “That asshole lied to us,” he growls, pacing a tight circle in front of Tenzo, the man taking it with aplomb.

“We don’t know that,” Itachi says, though he doesn’t sound convinced, even to his own ears.

“A messenger hawk would have gotten here days ahead of us. So either they got it and still wouldn’t let us in, the message was lost in route which is a possibility with information thieves, or he never sent it and just said it to get us out of his village. Either way, we’re left with egg on our faces,” he grumbles, throwing his hands in the air before crouching down with a huff.

“Tenzo, were we followed?” he asks the man, ignoring his cousin’s pouting for the moment.

“My clones have seen a few patrols but none have followed us since we passed their outer ring of defense,” he says.

“Sai?” he asks the teen.

Sai shakes his head, “My birds haven’t seen anyone following us either.”

“They did say the Chuunin Exams are going on right now, which they were scheduled to be held in Konoha this year. It’s possible they’re just being cautious with so many jounin and genin out of the village right now,” Shin offers up.

“Ugh, thank the gods were not there now. It’s bad enough on the Force on a normal day. Fugaku’d have us running triple shifts to cover all the foreign shinobi,” Shisui grumbles and Itachi silently agrees with him.

“What now?” Tenzo asks, keeping an eye on their surroundings.

“The only other villages with Jinchuuriki are Kumo and Kiri, neither of which is on very good terms with Konoha,” Shin says.

“Well, Hokage-sama told us to keep our ears open for any signs of Akatsuki. I vote for information gathering,” Shisui says with a raised hand.

“Which is closer, Kumo or Kiri?” Sai asks.

Itachi pauses, thinking over his mental map of the Elemental Nations, “Both are far but Kiri would require chartering a ship to take us there. Both supposedly have two Jinchuuriki as well. Kumo seems our best option in terms of travel. If we can’t secure an audience with the Raikage, we’ll head south to Kiri,” Itachi decides, plotting the course in his head. “It’s a week at normal pace to Kumo’s border and then a few days more to the village itself. If we stop at villages and towns along the way, we can resupply and gather any information on Akatsuki while we’re there.”

“There’s a small border town about two hours south east of here,” Tenzo offers.

“We’ll stop there than,” he orders and they fall into formation, taking to the trees again and making a fast pace to the south east.

~*~

Sasuke shudders as he kicks the leech away that falls towards him, feeling the wet and slimy give of his foot against it before jumping back. Sakura and Naruto gather at his back, knocking more aside. “We should move,” he suggests with a grimace, kicking another away from its path to Sakura’s back.

“Ugh, these are disgusting,” Naruto grouses as they make a quick retreat from the clearing they were cutting through, aiming for the small brook that they crossed earlier. “What is it with this forest?” he grumbles as they tumble out onto the water, standing on the far bank.

“It is called the Forest of Death,” Sakura reminds them, stooping down to wash the slime off her hands from punching the leeches. “I’m guessing this is one of the many dangers we were warned about.”

“Anyone nearby?” Sasuke ask Naruto, crouching down next to Sakura and looking up at the blonde. Naruto frowns, eyes going distant as he senses for any chakra signatures.

“No one immediately nearby,” he murmurs. “There a lot of big creatures we will be avoiding at all costs in multiple locations around us. They don’t seem to have noticed us yet,” he grimaces. He shudders and shakes his head rapidly, trying to clear something from his senses. “This forest is creepy.” He rubs his arms.

“What do you mean?” Sasuke asks, keeping his eyes and ears trained for any movement, Sakura copying in his blind spot.

“I don’t know,” he admits with a frown. “The trees feel…alive, I guess, or at least aware. Normally, trees and plants only register as living, but this felt like…more than that,” he shrugs, trying to put into words his feelings.

“Well, this is a training ground full of dangerous creatures and is specifically fenced off from most people. Maybe the trees here aren’t natural either,” Sakura guesses.

“Like, grown specifically to be dangerous?” Sasuke asks.

“Maybe,” Sakura says with a shrug.

“I didn’t sense any other teams but, I wasn’t sensing as far as I could,” Naruto admits, kicking a loose stone in annoyance.

“Well, let’s pick a direction other than the one’s we’ve been in then,” Sasuke grumbles as he stands, Sakura following.

Sakura frowns, eyeing what little of the sky they can see and looks back at the directions they’ve traveled. “We’ve got five days to complete the second test. I would like to finish it quickly but I doubt we’ll finish in the first day. Let’s pace ourselves for now. If we find a team and feel we can take them, lets but for now, let’s just not get eaten alive by insects or large beasts,” she decides.

Sasuke and Naruto nod with her and Sasuke takes point, Sharingan active and heads in a new direction. Naruto and Sakura fall in on either side of him, keeping pace as they take back to the branches above.

~*~

The knock sounds in the gloom of the room. “Enter,” Pain calls, never looking away from the reports in front of him, separating them into different piles based on importance.

He doesn’t need to look up to guess who it is, the faint scent of oil and poison and the faint sound of shifting parts gliding smoothly together announces Sasori’s arrival. “Anything?” he barks softly.

“The Nanabi eludes my spies still but the Yonbi and Gobi have been located,” he answers hollowly.

Pain glances up, looking at the empty eyes staring at him. He knows it’s not the real Sasori, though how much of the real Sasori remains is a bit of a mystery even he doesn’t feel like delving into. “Where?” he asks simply.

“To the south of us, near our border with Oto,” he says simply. “They’re staying in a roadside inn and are planning to keep traveling east.”

Pain frowns faintly, bringing up and considering their options and plans. Madara had ordered them to wait to begin collecting the tailed beasts until they were all located but when would such an opportunity such as this arise next with two of them so close to their door step. If he and Konan moved quickly, they could catch up before they moved too far.

“Orochimaru?” he asks, recalling their once member and that he had claimed Oto as his territory in recent years.

“He is currently occupied elsewhere according to my little spy in his ranks. He won’t be a problem and from the looks of their route, they probably plan to push into Oto as they keep moving east,” Sasori projects.

Pain nods, accepting the facts. Even if they didn’t extract the tailed beasts from them right away, it would be simple to keep them subdued with his chakra rods until they were ready to extract them. “Konan and I will collect them. Give me their last location and keep watch over the base,” he orders.

“Of course,” Sasori murmurs, setting a slim scroll on his desk before shifting around to leave.

He waits until Sasori has left, giving him time to clear the outer tunnel before he stands, storing the reports for later inspection. Walking to the wall, he presses a hidden panel and a section slides open. Five faces peer out from the hidden tunnel and move seamlessly together, leaving the room to head to where he and Konan are staying. It shouldn’t take much work to secure the two Jinchuuriki.

~*~

Naruto grins from his perch seated on the back of the unconscious Kumo genin that he had taken out. He holds up the scroll he managed to dig out of the boy’s weapons pouch, holding aloft the Heaven Scroll. “Jackpot,” he crows.

Sakura and Sasuke are dusting themselves off, Sakura’s opponent, a girl with some interesting clan tattoos, is tied up on the ground, glaring at them, a slowly darkening bruise on the left side of her jaw showing where Sakura had landed a blow to stun her long enough to be trussed up. Sasuke’s is also unconscious and a little singed from the fireball the Uchiha spat at him.

They’re on day three of the exams, having bypassed a few of their own teams before finding this one in the middle of building a trap and ambush spot. Far enough away to not been noticed by them and with Naruto keeping an eye on them, Sakura had quickly whipped out her notebook, finding a plan that would work for such an attack, involving Naruto’s clones, henges and a good old fashion butt kicking while they were distracted by his clones.

“Finally, we can head for the tower,” Sakura grumbles, finishing tying the last rope and making sure it won’t give anytime soon. “Thanks for the scroll,” she adds to the kunoichi who just glares silently at her.

“Come on. Someone might have heard that fight and I don’t want to wait around for them to find us,” Sasuke grumbles, collecting his kunai and shuriken from the ground around them.

Naruto hops up from his perch and jogs over to them, stowing the scroll into his bag, Sakura holding the other one currently. “Which way is the tower?” he asks with an easy grin.

Sakura frowns, looking up at the opening in the branches from the clearing, judging the sun’s path, “That way,” she points towards the west. “If we move quickly enough, we might get there in a few hours, though we should definitely stay hidden. No need to get jumped on the way there which I’m sure some of the teams plan on.”

“I’ll see them long before they see us,” Naruto huffs.

“Come on,” Sasuke grumbles and with a roll of his eyes, Naruto follows, Sakura on his right. They go high, keeping to the thinner branches but giving them more cover from being seen below, Naruto quickly guiding them around the clusters of more of those nasty leeches from before and a second team that is busy securing their own scroll. He spies a Kiri hitai-ate and guesses they’ll be seeing them in the finals.

They’re just passing through a larger opening in the trees when a wave of something washes over them. Sakura gives a startled cry, missing a step and Naruto quickly grabs her arm, hauling her back, trying to ignore the part of his mind that is screaming to run, that there’s a predator nearby.

Sasuke is standing in front of them, trembling like a leaf, eyes darting around for the source. Naruto winces, a spike of pain lancing through his head at the sudden surge of heavy, corrosive chakra lashes out, making him stumble a step, Sakura holding him up.

He looks through watering eyes, seeing a figure slowly emerge from one of the trees ahead of him and his heartbeat picks up, recognizing the creeping kunoichi from the start of the exam. “Well, it would seem I have found you too late. You already found a scroll. How troublesome?” she murmurs, voice as smooth as silk as it carries across the clearing, the strange pressure increasing and he feels sweat break out across his brow, swallowing heavily.

‘Kurama,’ he murmurs softly, afraid to take his eye off the woman least she move. A tremble works through his body and he can’t stop it.

He can feel the burning warmth of Kurama’s chakra pushing back against the instinctual fear, easing some of it, but not erasing it. “Get to the ground now!” he orders and Naruto reacts to the command in his voice, hearing the anger but also fear in his voice and moves.

“Down,” he huffs, grabbing Sakura’s arm and the back of Sasuke’s shirt and pulls, knocking them off the branch. His friends thankfully react how he expects, jumping from branch to branch until they land on the ground, the hiss of annoyance following them down.

“Sorry brat, but I need to take over for this,” Kurama rumbles in his head and Naruto nods, releasing his hold and feels Kurama step forward mentally, though he keeps Naruto with him, letting him see what is going on.

“Sakura, Sasuke, stay out of this,” Kurama barks out, voice a strange resonating mix of his and Naruto’s voice, red eyes flicking up to see Orochimaru’s descent from the branches above, the man lazily jumping from branch to branch. He knows they can’t get away and like the snake he is, he’s toying with them.

It’s second nature to call up a shadow clone after so many years of Naruto using it. “Guard them,” he barks out and the clone nods, hands flying through seals far faster than Naruto can do currently, already understanding what he wants. He has years, upon years of memories stored in his head, memories as the Juubi, as himself, as the prisoner and eventual friend of his Jinchuuriki. He was there with Mito, learned with Kushina and Naruto from nearly the beginning for both. That this snake thinks it knows more jutsus than any before is laughable. He has no idea just the breadth of his knowledge.

The seal blooms to life beneath the clone’s feet glowing the bright red of his chakra. It pulses, growing brighter as crimson walls coalesce around the two, hardening into a solid dome that not even this snake could ever muster the power to break, not as he is now. It is Mito’s greatest seal, one that only a Jinchuuriki can even hope to maintain with how much chakra it takes to sustain it. It can withstand even a bijuudama without shattering, absorbing any ninjutsu that hits, blocking any genjutsu that tries to pass through it. The only one he can think of with the strength to possibly physically break through would be a Maito with all their gates open, the pure force of their blows the only thing that could shatter the barrier.

Everyone always looked to Hashirama, to Madara, even Tobirama as symbols of towering strength and few remembered just how powerful one woman could be. Her strength, Uzushio’s strength, is the reason Iwa and Kiri rallied to destroy it in the Second Great War, fearing they would turn the tide for Konoha. If the fuuinjutsu masters of Uzushio had truly wanted, they could have conquered the world with their seals. Even Hashirama and Madara could have been stopped by them, given preparation and enough chakra to power the seals. Kurama would like to see this cowardly snake even try to break this seal.

Orochimaru raises a brow as he lands, taking in the barrier with curious amusement and he’d forgotten this about the man. He doesn’t even recognize the feel of his chakra, having never truly interacted with him or his hosts until this time, Mito having long since retired from her public life by the time he was truly coming into his power and when Kushina took the mantel, he had already been neck deep in his experiments, already a play thing of Danzō’s and what interactions he had with the woman were brief, usually when he was communicating with Minato.

“Well now, where did a mere genin learn this kind of power?” he murmurs, voice poisonously sweet as he saunters a few steps forward, still wearing the Kusa woman’s disguise.

With a lazy flick of his wrists blurring through seals, razor wind cuts through the clearing, Kurama jumping back from their force as they strike the barrier and are absorbed into it, feeding the barrier as it glows brighter, like a breeze blowing over hot coals before it settles back once more. Orochimaru actually frowns at that, surprised to have been so caught off guard. “The only person I know of with the knowledge of seals to create such a barrier has been dead for decades. How did you come across this?” he hisses, turning to face Kurama.

Kurama grins a fox’s grin, full of cunning and mischief, “Oh, you know, one tends to pick things up over the years,” he says with a careless wave before he lets his chakra fully roll out from under his tight control, the force actually knocking the Snake Sannin back a few inches as it presses the killing intent back. Hopefully if those idiot proctors are paying attention, they’ll have felt that little power display and at least come to check on things.

Slit pupil eyes narrow, taking in his form as his chakra begins to bubble from Naruto’s body, coalescing around him. He doesn’t want to do this, knows how destructive his chakra can be to the brat’s body right now before they’ve become fully connected, the full seal still between them, but he can’t pull any punches, not right now. He has brats to protect and he’d rather die than let that bastard get his fangs into Sasuke again.

“I don’t believe we’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting,” he murmurs with a faint smirk, understanding sparking in his narrowed eyes recognizing just what is in front of him. The killing intent doubles down, matching the force of his chakra and Kurama would be impressed but he’s faced worse men, worse creatures than this.

“Trust me, I could care less about such a lowly creature beneath my notice, but in this case, I think I’ll make an exception and take care of you right here and now before you can become a real problem,” Kurama growls out, tensing.

Orochimaru smirks, mouth pulling impossibly wide. “Oh, I’d like to see you try,” he hisses and lunges, pulling Kusanagi free of its sheath. Growling, Kurama rolls away from the strike, already done with this fight.

~*~

He pauses on a branch, eyes unerringly looking behind and to the right, feeling a sudden surge of chakra that makes something in his chest respond. Blinking slowly, Gaara feels Shukaku press against his mind, trying to get his attention. He blinks again and he’s in a dry, dark cavern, sand heaped in piles across the stone floor as the distant sound of a sandstorm moans outside the mouth. Shukaku rests on a large pile of sand, eyes closed in concentration. “You felt that brat?” he grumbles, opening burning, sand colored eyes to look down at him

“What was it?” he asks, feeling it much clearer here than he had in the real world. The heat of flame brushes his skin like warmed silk, the bite of wind following it to ruffle is hair, heavy with the scent of spice and something faintly acrid, something with bite to it. It reminds him a little of Shukaku.

“That damn fox is caught up in the middle of something and if I know him, he’s in over his head, the idiot,” he grumbles, sand shifting with the reverberations of his voice. Gaara frowns at the hint of worry in his voice and across his face. Trouble that could give pause even to a Jinchuuriki?

“Should we go help?” he asks, recalling the blonde boy he met days before, the bright infectious smile and easy laughter that warmed him. He’d never felt so easy around anyone except Yashamaru, but something about the boy drew him in like a moth to a flame. To have someone accept him so quickly, to look at him and not be afraid or disgusted by him had felt like a balm to a wound he’d been ignoring for a while now. Temari, Kankuro, even his father and Yashamaru, they cared for him yes, but only because he was family. To have a complete stranger act like that was completely new to him. Even the villagers back home still eyed him suspiciously, waiting for the other shoe to drop, remembering his time before Shukaku stopped trying to control him.

Shukaku lets out a breath, sand hissing as it slides around in his agitation, drawing him from his thoughts, “Ugh, that idiot is going to owe me big time for this,” he huffs. “Find him and I’ll lend you my power to help,” he orders.

Gaara nods and blinks his eyes open to see Temari and Kankuro staring at him, expressions concerned. “I need to help someone,” he says simply, turning unerringly towards the heavy sense of chakra in the distance. “You don’t have to help,” he adds, not wanting them to feel obligated to get into this fight.

“We’re coming too,” Temari says simply, trust in her eyes and he nods, feeling warmed by her confidence in him. He trusts her, and he trusts Kankuro. They’ll watch his back that much he knows.

“This way,” he says simply, leaping to the next branch, already pulling sand from his gourd to start laying it across his form. Better safe than sorry and feels Shukaku’s approval at his preparations, the tanuki seeping his power into his defense to strengthen it.

~*~

Han peels one eyelid back as something kicks his bed and squints up at Roshi standing over his bed with a heavy frown. “Come on lazy asshole, get your ass up,” the shorter man grouses. “We’re burning daylight.”

Han opens his other eye and turns to the only window in their small two bed room and can see the faint lightening of the sky as dawn slowly approaches, “What day light,” he yawns, slowly pushing up from his blankets, stretching out his limbs in a long stretch. The worse thing about staying at inns, they never had beds big enough for him. He either slept curled up or with his feet hanging off the end of the bed. Sometimes, he cursed his height.

“Come on. I want to get moving before the traffic picks up. I’ll even buy you breakfast,” Roshi adds and Han sighs but nods, knowing he won’t be able to convince his friend to sleep in for once.

Roshi spends the next ten minutes packing up what few belongings they took out and helping him into his armor to speed up the process, bitching the whole time that he wears too much of the stuff. He just lets the complaints roll away, knowing it’s just the man’s way, complaining about anything just to complain. It used to annoy him, but over the years, he’s come to see it as just another quirk of his friend, something to help him feel a little more in control of his life. They’ve both had very little control over large chunks of their lives as the sacrifices they were made into.

Finally, he’s dressed and pulling on his pack before they trudge down the narrow stairwell, Han having to duck to not bang his head on an exposed rafter. Roshi hands off their key to the suspicious inn owner who eyes them like they’re planning to rob the place and she’s just waiting for them to give some sign. She looked at them like that the last time they stayed here and he honestly doubts she trusts anyone. He saw her staring at one of her workers like that last night. Not that he blames her, honestly. These establishments along the borders tend to get hit the hardest in times of conflict. It’s not been that many years since the end of the Third Great War and even here, there are still signs of battle and the recovery from it. He’s seen more and more merchants with more guards as they travel, tensions spiking again between the larger Elemental Nations. They never did have a care for their smaller neighbors caught between them.

Outside, the air is cool as the sun slowly starts to truly rise, birds waking up with it. The area around the inn is starting to wake as well, paper lanterns lit at stalls, steam and smoke wafting from fires and cooking pots announcing the preparation of food for hungry travelers. The inn is the only true building at this large crossroads where six major trade routes converge along Konoha’s northern border near Tsuki and Oto. Surrounding it though, are the various tents, stalls and carts of merchants from all over stopping to sell some wares before moving on to the nearest cities and towns. Last time they came through, they saw a completely different batch of merchants than now.

Han simply follows his shorter friend, letting his decide on their breakfast, not being picky. A hastily erected stall easily sells them a hot breakfast and tea, Roshi chatting with the man and picking up any interesting news. Han’s always been surprised by how sociable his friend is. For a man who is spent most of his adult life as a nomadic hermit constantly on the move as he sought meaning to his life as a sacrifice, he can certainly kept up with the changing social scene, easily acquiring info from people of all statuses and from different countries.

Bidding farewell to the cook, they find a stall selling some onigiri, quickly buying three each for the road. Han learned a while ago to appreciate premade food, knowing how often he rarely gets to eat it and how often he has to hunt for his own food. Money might be scares most of the time, but he takes pleasure in the simple things he can afford and not having to cook after a long day of traveling is always better.

The sun is just barely peeking over the tops of the nearby forest when they finally hit the road, kicking up dust with each step and thankfully avoiding the larger rush of merchants leaving to continue their treks. He waits until they’ve put some distance between them and the pop up tent city before speaking up, “Anything?” he asks, side eyeing Roshi.

“No one wearing Akatsuki’s cloaks has passed through there recently. Nor has anyone seen them elsewhere,” Roshi grumbles. His friend had spent the night drinking at a pop up bar stall, trading stories with some of the guards that were passing through.

“No word from the others, according to Kokuō,” Han admits. It’s been quiet recently and his nerves are singing that it’s the calm before the storm. He’s learned to trust his gut while traveling on his own. It’s gotten him out of more than a few tricky situations. Judging by the frown on Roshi’s face, his friend is thinking along similar thoughts.

He eyes the smaller Jinchuuriki quietly as they walk. He’s yet to have any sort of conversation with the man about anything pertaining to their status as Jinchuuriki. He’s not even sure if he’s talking with Son Gokū like he does Kokuō, or if he’s still of the disposition that if he ignores the creature sealed within him, it’s just go away. He knows some of Roshi’s story, how the man was given no choice in becoming the sacrifice, forced to bear this burden simply because of his connection to the Nidaime Tsuchikage, a nephew of the kage. That’s not an easy betrayal to get over, though his story is much the same. From what he’s heard, most of the Jinchuuriki have had similar stories. Sometimes, he wonders if those in power will ever learn the lesson that is the Jinchuuriki or just keep making the same mistakes over and over again. Shaking his head to clear the depressive thoughts from it, he ignores Roshi’s frown in his direction and focuses on the road, feeling Kokuō’s understanding through their connection.

They keep walking, silent except for a few attempts at stilted conversation but neither is really in the mood to talk. They’ve just paused for lunch near a stream when the forest goes silent around them. Roshi eyes Han, reaching for a blade, but not drawing it. They edge closer, putting their backs to each other, waiting for whatever has caused the silence to appear.

He watches them emerge from the shadows under the forest’s edge, six figures, the distinctive cloak making his pulse accelerate, Roshi cursing as he turns, hearing their approach. He feels Kokuō pressing against his mind, peering through his eyes. Six against two, with unknown abilities and strengths is not good odds, no matter if they are Jinchuuriki. From Kokuō’s warnings, they’ve trained to capture Jinchuuriki, with abilities to counter their power.

One steps forward and he frowns at the ringed purple eyes he can see and starts when he notices the others bear the same eyes. “Your time of running is over. You will help end war and bring peace to the world once and for all,” the man speaks, voice hallow and echoing strangely.

“And if we say no?” Roshi shoots back, heat starting to shimmer around his form.

“You have no choice in the matter,” the man says. “You will come, willing or not.”

“Yeah, I figured as much,” Roshi growls as lava pools around his fist and he lunges.

Chapter Text

Conjunction: noun; the action or an instance of two or more events or things occurring at the same point in time or space.

Kurama can say without a shred of doubt: he fucking hates Orochimaru. “Stand still!” he growls, ducking under a lash of blade and fire, a shockwave sweeping out from his strike only for the damn snake to twist away from it again.

Oh how he mourns the old days of Naruto, older and fully come into his and Kurama’s power. When they could fight so seamlessly it was like they were one mind, like shifting through a well-choreographed kata. If this were before, he would have just pulled out a bijuudama and punted it into the ass’ smirking face and just been done away with him.

But he can’t. He can feel the way Naruto’s body strains, still just a genin in terms of strength and endurance, even with the power of a tailed beast to back him up. He’s still growing and building up his chakra coils and reserves, hasn’t even hit his fucking growth spurt yet. He can’t unleash his full power on the ass, not without hurting the brat at the same time and he’s already made that mistake once already. He won’t make it again.

He focuses on dodging the blade aiming for him and the jutsus flung at terrifying speeds, while lashing back, keeping the bastard at a distance when he can. Where the fuck are the proctors of the exam? How the hell have they not noticed the Sage damned S-class battle happening in the middle of this forest? Snarling and jumping over the spikes of a particularly nasty Doton, he retreats a distance, breathing hard and glaring at the Snake Sannin who at least looks ruffled from the fight.

He flicks a glance at the barrier over Sakura and Sasuke, the two watching with wide eyes, weapons out and waiting, just in case. He can’t keep this up for too much longer. The clone won’t be able to maintain the seal for long before it runs out of chakra and disperses and there haven’t been enough ninjutsu attacks absorbed to supply it.

He curses, barely dodging Kusanagi’s lethally sharp blade as Orochimaru takes advantage of his momentary distraction. A back slash and he notices the wind coating the blade too late, extending the blade an extra few inches, enough to do some damage. He braces for the blow, knowing this is going to hurt the brat but unable to dodge it.

A spike of sand erupts between him and Orochimaru, forcing the snake to dodge or be skewered. The sand doesn’t remain passive, morphing into a fluid limb, reaching out and Orochimaru hisses, moving back, trying to avoid the sand’s reaching grasp but it closes around his hand holding Kusanagi.

With a snarl, the Sannin manages to wrench his hand and blade free before the sand compacts and would have crushed the limb, though the limb bleeds from the abrasiveness of the sand. Kurama looks over to see Gaara standing on the edge of the clearing, feet planted as he waves his hand, directing the sand. Kurama remembers another time, remembers an older version of this boy, eyes kind but willing to do anything to protect his people, to protect his precious friends. He remembers watching him fall beneath Temari and Kankuro’s attacks, unwilling to fight his brother and sister under Madara’s control. With a snarl at the impotent rage that memory brings, he lashes out and manages to catch the snake, knocking him out of the air until he lands with a hiss against a tree, blood trickling from a gash across his cheek, the disguise falling away even as his skin heals.

“What are you doing here brat?” he growls, not wanting to admit he’s grateful for his meddling younger brother’s interference. Sage, he’s never going to hear the end of this from Shukaku.

Gaara blink, “You needed assistant,” he says simply. Temari, just coming from the shadows behind Gaara, jumps and brings her war fan out to counter the fuuton jutsu that Orochimaru had sent their way. “Less chatting more fighting,” she suggests, jumping back to avoid a few well aimed kunai, fan blocking most of them. Gaara nods, sand coming up and Kurama lets out an annoyed sigh but follows.

~*~

Han grits his teeth and digs his feet in as the sudden pull on his body exponentially increases, his armor suddenly feeling ten times heavier. With a hiss of steam, he channels Kokuō’s chakra through his legs, letting the pull add even more speed to his lunge, moving faster than anyone should be able to follow, aiming a kick for the short haired man in front of him.

And yet he dodges it easily, moving out of his path, thought the pull on him stops and he quickly lets another burst of steam powered speed propel him away from the man, ducking the whistling blade launched at him, bounding over a rather terrifying dog summons, before landing with a rush at Roshi’s back.

“What the hell are these guys?” Roshi growls, a wave of lava rising up impossibly high before crashing down over something large that Han hadn’t been able to see before it suddenly disperses in a puff of smoke.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Han huffs, darting away in another blaze of speed, aiming for the one with the multiple faces and manages to impact an arm with his kick, but he was aiming to cave in his chest. From within the shattered metal arm, a chain shines, spikes along it looking sharp and it whips the broken arm around like a flail, large spikes emerging from the broken appendage and it takes everything in his power just to not be impaled, the scream of metal across the front of his breastplate saying how close that was to being lethal.

‘Kokuō?’ he ask the bijuu, ducking under the drilling beak of a rather large bird, hopping back out of range and curses as the feeling of heavy gravity on him increases and he’s yanked sideways. Shooting steam from his palm, he manages to change his trajectory enough to avoid the strange black rod the man is wielding.

“Keep them busy and avoid the rod. It is a means to subdue. I need ask my brother what we should do,” Kokuō orders and with a grunt of acceptance, Han pushes away, barely avoiding the ball of lava Roshi launches at the one with the rod, moving to put his back to Roshi’s again.

“Avoid the rods,” he huffs.

“Already aware,” Roshi grunts and then there’s no time to talk as they come from all sides.

~*~

Kurama feels the insistent tugging in his mind and wants to yell in frustration. Now is not the time to talk with his siblings. He’s got a snake to skin. He feels it again and with a growl, he launches another shockwave and moves closer to Gaara.

“Shukaku, something’s wrong. Keep him busy,” he growls. Gaara looks at him and the boy’s eyes flash, Shukaku staring out at him and the tanuki thankfully doesn’t question it, sand curling into a dome over him as he focuses inward.

He blinks into the dim light of the clearing and nearly chokes on his tongue, seeing Naruto staring up at Kokuō, the Gobi looking distracted. Fuck, he forgot the brat was in here while he was in control. “Kokuō, what is it? I’m a little busy at the moment,” he growls, keeping part of his attention on Naruto’s body and its connection to the clone.

“Kurama, Akatsuki’s found us,” he gets out and Kurama’s breath freezes for a second, mind running in circles because it’s too much, between currently fighting a Sage damned Sannin, trying to prevent the Snake from getting his hands on Sasuke and now Akatsuki suddenly making a move after being quiet for so long.

Gritting his teeth, he brings his swirling thoughts to a halt, “Who?” he demands.

“Six of them, they all of the same eyes,” Kokuō huffs, sounding distracted and Kurama can feel the draw on his brother’s chakra as his and Son Gokū’s Jinchuuriki fight fucking Pain right now.

“Fuck,” he snarls and Naruto looks shocked by the venom in his voice and he brings his anger under control. Sage how he hates Nagato and his damn eyes. “I take it isn’t going well?” he asks and Kokuō shakes his head. “Get out of there, now,” he barks, remembering all he can about them. “They’re puppets but the one controlling them is nearby. He has a range limit though. A couple miles and they don’t have their powers. Further and they stop moving. You’re the fastest of us. Grab the damn ape and just get out of there now.” One of his tails snake forward and he presses everything he has about the Six Paths of Pain to Kokuō. “Don’t let them realize you know anything about them. We need the surprise.”

“Where should we go?” Kokuō asks.

“I don’t care, just get away. Stay away from populated areas unless you wear a henge. Keep out of sight,” he growls out.

“Okay,” Kokuō murmurs and fades away.

“Kurama?” Naruto asks, sounding worried.

“Not now brat,” he barks and the boy startles and he cringes, forcing himself to take a breath. “I’ll explain later. I’m still in the middle of something,” he reminds the boy and he nods in understanding.

Kurama comes back to reality as the tail end of a fuuton breaks through the sand dome and slices across Naruto’s arm. With a growl, he throws himself back, already healing the wound. He sends back the bladed wind three fold, throwing as much raw chakra into it as he can, feeling Naruto’s body strain.

The wind howls, shaking the trees, limbs falling as they’re cut and Orochimaru at least looks the worse for wear, hair tousled, clothing cut in various places, dirt and blood smeared everywhere. Kurama feels it a few seconds before the Snake Sannin does and he frowns. “I think we’ll have to finish this at another time,” he murmurs with a smirk before slipping underneath the ground. Kurama follows his retreat away, sensing out before he turns to face the oncoming beacon of chakra that is Tsunade.

She lands hard, the ground shuddering under her impact and Kurama sighs, releasing his clone and letting the seal barrier drop with an annoyed huff as ANBU appear around them in the upper branches. The Mitarashi woman is staring around at the damage, pale with the lingering feel of killing intent that is the distinctive flavor of Orochimaru.

Tsunade looks around, taking in the damage, seeing the battle that took place and then turns to look at Kurama. “So nice of you to join us,” he grumbles before looking away. He walks over to Sakura and Sasuke. “Grab hold brats,” he orders and they grab his arms.

With a sigh, he settles back into his clearing and Naruto steps back into his own body and nearly collapses as the exhaustion hits. Sakura and Sasuke quickly pull an arm over their shoulders, supporting their friend. “Hey guys,” Naruto mutters.

“What happened?” Tsunade demands and walks closer to them. She reaches out a glowing green hand and presses it to Naruto who smiles in thanks as some of the exhaustion is pushed back.

“We were on our way to the tower and that…woman…man…,” Sakura frowns before shrugging, “That person appeared. Kurama told us to stay back and put up some kind of barrier and was fighting them and then Gaara came and then he ran away just before you arrived.”

“Brat?” she asks softer, seeing how tired the boy is.

“I’m fine, Baa-chan,” he assures with a grin. “Kurama seemed to know who they were.”

“Are you going to tell me fox, or leave me in suspense?” she demands waspishly.

Kurama rolls his eyes as he presses just enough to talk through Naruto, “If I gave away all my secrets, what would I have left? You should know better than anyone who that was, Slug-hime,” he huffs.

“Orochimaru,” she growls. “What was he after?” she demands.

“I didn’t really get around to asking, not that he seemed inclined to tell little old me what his grand schemes are. I doubt it was anything good,” he says and, done talking, fades back and blue eyes look up at her.

With an annoyed huff, she turns away to look at Gaara, Temari and Kankuro. “Are you three okay?” she asks.

“We’re fine, Hokage-sama,” Temari assures.

Tsunade drags in a deep breath and then lets it out slowly, pinching her nose. “You were on your way to the tower?” she asks the Sand genin.

“We were,” Temari answers.

“Then return to your exam,” she orders the two teams and then turns to one of the ANBU standing nearby. “Search the forest and village. I want the Detection Division to run a fine tooth comb over every square inch of the village now. Bring me Inoichi and put the barrier squad on high alert. No one comes into the village and no one goes out,” she barks out and in a blur of speed, the ANBU disappear.

The only one left is Anko, the woman still looking shaken at the return of her one time sensei. “Anko-san, what do you think he was after?” Tsunade asks, looking over at her.

Anko swallows but frowns, “I can’t say for sure, but it wasn’t to kill them,” she murmurs and Tsunade nods in understanding. Her gaze falls to Sasuke and frowns but she doesn’t say anything else. “We’ll keep watch from a distance, but you must complete the exam yourself,” she reminds the two teams and they nod before making their way from the clearing, Naruto mostly under his own power.

~*~

They feel it before they ever see it. A faint tremble in the ground and a blooming of such concentrated chakra, that even the least sensitive of their group looks to the north east where the feeling and apparently the tremors, seem to be coming from.

“What is that?” Shin asks, sounding ever so faintly awed, even for one trained by Shimura Danzō himself. It not every day one feels chakra on this level.

Shisui looks between Itachi and Tenzo. The last time they felt something on par to these levels had not ended well for so many. “Tell me we’re not going over there?” Shisui asks with a whine, not really wanting to get close to whatever has this kind of power, a few guesses coming to mind that makes him want to stamp his foot in refusal, even as Itachi nods yes, the little traitor. He’s so not his favorite cousin anymore. He’s going to lavish all his love and attention on Sasuke from now on…if he lives that long to see the boy again. “I hate our job so much right now,” he sighs, standing and dusting dirt from his knees where he had been kneeling while they took a short break.

“Spread out, don’t engage unless we need to. Observation first,” Itachi murmurs and they all nod, springing quickly to the trees, following the feeling of the battle ahead.

The first inkling of what is going on is the sudden super-heated burst of air that blasts through the trees, carrying the scent of burning metal and sulfur. An explosion rocks the ground ahead, sending up flames, chunks of rock and broken trees into the air.

“Sai, Shin, take to the air,” Itachi orders and the boy nods, quickly pulling out a scroll, brush moving in sure strokes before a large inked bird appears in a burst of smoke. Sai and Shin quickly jump on the large creature’s back, large wings buffeting them with air and dirt as it takes to the air.

A signal from his cousin has the remaining three splitting up, going wide to get a better idea of just what is going on. He’s not expecting to see a wave of lava come spewing forth from nowhere and swamping the battle field that looks like a volcanic eruption just took place, heated rock slowly cooling even as more is called forth.

He does a quick head count, noting six against two, taking in the distinctive cloaks they have been ordered to look out for from the start of this mission. Finding Itachi, he quickly bounds over, “What are the odds these are the two Iwa Jinchuuriki?” he asks, griping onto a branch as a burst of steam comes from nowhere and the tall man moves faster than even his Sharingan can follow, only for his blow to miss by mere inches before he’s forced to dodge an attack from behind, steam barely getting him away in time before he was stabbed in the back with a dark looking rod.

“That’s Akatsuki,” Tenzo says, coming up as well.

“Are they finally making a move?” Shin asks softly over their earpieces. When Shisui looks up, he sees no sign of them, a clever genjutsu from the blonde keeping the circling bird from being spotted below.

“It would seem so. They can’t be allowed to get their hands on the Jinchuuriki,” Itachi says calmly.

“Ugh, I knew you were going to say that,” Shisui huffs, already reaching for his weapons pouch. “Distraction and extraction?” he asks, looking to Itachi to make the final order.

“Not yet, we know nothing of their capabilities. Observe for as long as we can, then extract. The more information we can gather for our report, the better prepared we’ll be,” he decides. “Shin, Sai, observation only. You’ll be part of the extraction,” Itachi orders.

“Yes, Taichō,” comes their reply over their earpieces. Itachi signals and Shisui throws himself into a Shunshin as easy as breathing, and intercepts a blow from one of the smaller figures aiming to get into the smaller Jinchuuriki’s blind spot while the second is engaged with another one. A quick sleight-of-hand before he lets another Shunshin carry him away and an explosion rocks the area. With a grin, Sharingan spinning lazily, he eyes his handy work and sees the woman down.

He doesn’t have long to gloat, barely ducking the snapping maw of a -holy fuck!- huge dog summons, multiple heads aiming to rip him to pieces. A burst of wood between him and those snapping jaws gives him just enough purchase to push off of and redirect with another Shunshin, kunai screeching as he locks blades with a man with short spiked hair and gulps as he realizes what kind of eyes he’s looking into.

He knows his history. He was a curious child and wanted to learn about everything, especially his clan history. He may have only seen sketches and read strange myths and accountings of the fabled Rinnegan, but he’d bet every last bit of ryo in his bank account that this is what he’s looking at.

Pushing off and away, he lands lightly near the taller Jinchuuriki, the man eyeing him from under a pile of heavy armor and a wide armored hat. “Don’t mind us,” he says blithely with a quick salute before he throws himself into another Shunshin, aiming to take the largest of the enemy from behind.

He nearly gets skewered by surprise when the man, who shouldn’t have seen him coming, turns at the last second, bringing a nasty looking blade around, aiming for center mass. Kicking the blade away, he tucks into a roll, ignoring the heat from the rock beneath him from the fucking cooling lava, and comes up to block another blow.

He blinks at the same eyes staring back from the man that nearly made him into a kebob. “Nice eyes, where’d you get them?” he asks conversationally, jumping back to avoid a hail of thin spikes coming from the man’s fingertips. “Alright, that’s just not even fair. Are you even human?” he bitches and rolls away from another blade strike and Shunshins away, putting his back to Tenzo’s. “They’ve all got the same eyes,” he pants.

“I’m having trouble landing blows,” Tenzo admits, a wall of wood coming up to cover them as fire erupts around them.

There’s a screaming hiss of steam, as the taller Jinchuuriki comes flying by only to miss again by inches. Shisui sees the rod being aimed for the man’s momentarily unprotected back and lunges, griping a shoulder and throwing them into a Shunshin, landing them near the short haired one.

“Brace yourself,” the Jinchuuriki grits out and he does, only to feel like gravity has tripled suddenly, barely remaining standing by locking his knees and sheer will.

“What the hell! How is this a fair fight,” he bitches, grabbing an armored arm and pulling them away again when the force lessens just before he begins to feel the pull on his body.

“Taichō?” he yells at Itachi, his cousin who is  currently dodging between two of them before one lands a blow and crows erupt from the clone they were fighting, blocking everyone’s sight momentarily. There’s a rumble and a geyser of lava shoots up from under one momentarily blinded Akatsuki. It dodges away, but not completely fast enough to avoid the heated rock, its arm and part of a leg getting caught in the eruption.

Itachi appears at his side, “Shared line of sight,” Itachi murmurs and fuck, that makes so much sense, doesn’t it.

“Roshi,” the taller Jinchuuriki calls out and the lava user jumps back to him.

“Well?” he barks, bringing up a wall of lava to block a blow aimed at him before delivering a couple of punches to the air, balls of lava punching out from the wall to push them back.

“Retreat, they’re puppets and have a range limit,” he says loud enough for only them to hear.

“Suna puppeteer?” Itachi asks, letting a handful of kunai with explosive tags go to drive back a large bird creature.

“No idea,” the taller one says, he frowns, “Wait, no, definitely not Suna, but…Ame, I think,” he huffs. “All I’ve got is flashes,” he admits with a shrug. “I can get us out of here quickly, but I’ll need a minute,” he adds.

“Oh, you better not mean what I think you mean,” Roshi grumbles, ducking a blow from the larger one and tries to engulf him in lava but he moves too quickly, only catching the edge of his cloak.

“Yes,” he says simply. “Grab hold when I’m done or I’m leaving you behind,” he adds and before Shisui can ask precisely what he’s talking about, heat and steam seems to coalesce around him.

“Keep them off him,” Roshi barks out, slamming a fist to the ground. A crack in the earth snaps open and a fountain of lava spews forth, catching a few of the Akatsuki members, though not enough to do much damage, but it forces them back.

Shisui blinks as he notices a large face thing further away and watches it open, only to see the woman he took out when they first waded in, step out, healed and looking completely refreshed. “How is that fair!” he cries out, throwing up a quick earthen wall to block a rocket, the explosion sending him tumbling back, a burst of roots keeping him from going too far. “I’m demanding triple hazard pay when we get back,” he bitches to Tenzo, before rushing back in, ducking under the dog summons, placing an explosive tag on its belly and using a Shunshin to get away before it goes off.

There’s a burst of steam blocking his sight for a second and then he turns to see a giant freaking…thing! He’s not even sure what the hell it is, but he can see five tails lashing behind it. “Well,” it demands with a deep voice and with a hard leap, he prays silently he’s not misunderstood and lands on the creature’s back. Itachi and Tenzo follow, Roshi already there and gripping tight to strangely coarse fur, more like quills or the spines of feathers rather than fur.

“Best hold on,” the freaking bijuu orders before they can feel muscles bunch under them and push. Shisui yells but no one hears over the rush of wind, the creature’s legs eating up distance far faster than any speed he could ever hope to achieve with his Shunshin. Even with his Sharingan, everything is a blur with random snapshots of trees, distant roads and once, even a town.

By the time the thing stops, his teeth are rattling in his head, he’s freezing from the cutting wind and he’s ready to get off this ride. “Anything?” a deep voice booms and he shakily glances behind but can’t see anyone following.

“N-no,” he stammers and swallows, forcing himself to take calming breaths. He does a quick head count and curses, “Sai and Shin,” he mutters.

“I ordered them to retreat to the nearest safe house. I’ve one of Sai’s scrolls and will send him a message once we find a place to hide ourselves,” Itachi assures.

He breathes a sigh of relief, glad they hadn’t abandoned the two in their haste to retreat.

“Off,” the creature orders and they quickly scramble from its back, dropping from a staggering height to the trees below. More steam engulfs them and then the creature’s massive form is gone. Below, in one of its hoof prints, the Jinchuuriki stands, looking a little worse for wear.

“We can’t stay here for long. We need to go somewhere else,” Tenzo reminds them as they gather.

“And why the fuck should we go with you?” Roshi barks. “For all we know, you’re also after us too.”

“Well, to be fair, we we’re looking for you,” Shisui yelps, quickly putting his hands up as the man suddenly heats up, “Not to catch, I swear.”

“Roshi,” the other murmurs tiredly, putting a hand on his companion’s shoulder and he stands down. “You were looking for us?”

“We’ve been tasked with gathering any information on Akatsuki that we can. We’ve been hitting up villages with Jinchuuriki first, but we’ve only been able to get a little from Suna, Taki turned us away and Iwa, well…” and Tenzo gestures to the scratched hitai-ate the two are wearing. “We were on our way to Kumo when we felt the battle. When we realized who was attacking, we stepped in, mainly to help but also to gather info on some of its members.”

The taller man nods slowly, “Thank you, for the help,” he offers and Roshi huffs but nods. “I’m Han, this is Roshi.”

“I’m Tenzo, that’s Shisui and our captain is Itachi,” Tenzo says before Shisui can stick his foot in his mouth again.

“Where do we go from here?” he asks, looking to Itachi.

“Where are you two headed?” Itachi asks softly, eyeing the two missing nin.

“Away from here and we’ll stay low and away from civilization for a while. Henge when we can’t,” Han says with a shrug.

“We’ve a safe house half a day’s run from here. We can offer you shelter and some supplies from there, at least to recover before you head out,” Itachi offers.

The two look at each other, obviously having a silent conversation. Finally, they seem to come to a decision because Han nods, “We would be grateful for the aid,” he admits, looking tired behind his face covering.

“This way,” Itachi says simply, leaping into the trees and they follow, aiming southward.

Chapter Text

Fragment: noun; a small part broken or separated off something; an isolated or incomplete part of something.

The rain hisses against the branches overhead, dripping from the leaves in larger drops. He’s soaked through his cloak, body cold and aching, though whether it’s from the chill or his normal lower temperature and the pain in his limbs, he doesn’t really care.

He lets his eyes sweep wide, taking in everything around him, the thick trunks of the trees, the earth being turned to mud and puddles. For a second, memory overlays reality: the dark of night, the flash of a Raiton, the splash of blood.

He shakes his head, tearing away from the pain those thoughts bring. He can’t let the pain distract him right now. He has a job to do, but he couldn’t stop from pausing here. Sometimes, he needs to remind himself of why he’s doing this.

He turns away, putting a hand against one of the trunks before Kamui pulls him to the north. Opening his eyes, he stares up at the Gedo Mazō, eyes tracing over the closed eyes, the gnarled bark. They turn down to see the flesh fused with it and can’t help but shudder, a little, at the Shodaime’s face there. A clone, he knows that much, but it doesn’t stop him from turning away. He’ll never understand Madara’s obsession with the mokuton user.

He feels Zetsu arrive behind him as he makes for the tunnel to his room. He needs to sleep before he makes for Kiri. He needs to be at his best and he’s been running on fumes the last thirty-six hours. “Well,” he snaps out, turning to face the creature, unwilling to have his back to it.

“They grow stronger with each day that passes. Once we have the tailed beasts, the process should increase exponentially,” it says with a sly grin and something in him doesn’t trust the tone but he can’t figure out what.

“Fine. Keep me updated. I’m headed for Kiri in the morning,” he orders and Zetsu nods before sinking back into the ground. He waits until he can’t feel it before continuing to his bed. He falls into it after stripping the waterlogged cloak off, stripping out of his soaked clothing and falling into it with a grunt. As he taught himself years before, he lets sleep pull him under quickly.

“I didn’t want to,” the voice whispers next to him. He’s staring into the flames of a small campfire. Around him, the sounds of many bodies breathe easy in sleep. He can’t look to the voice, not with the pain cracking open his chest right now.

He turns to look up to the ceiling of the cave they’re hiding in. He can feel the tears welling up in his eye and hides them away. He can’t let them out, not now.

“She begged me to kill her...” the voice is hoarse, cracking, he glances out of the corner of his eye to see a taut back turned towards him, shame bowing wide shoulders. “I couldn’t stop…she…she…” They stop, breathing raggedly, breath hitching and rattling.

“They found traces of…something in her afterwards. Something foreign and…corrosive. Something that wasn’t there before,” the voice whispers and his eye widens at the implications. He turns to look to the bowed head, silver hair drooping, a hand pressed against a hidden face.

“What?” he asks, voice shaking. “Bakashi, what are you saying?” he asks, reaching out for the man…

He blinks up at a dark ceiling, breathing heavy, and sweat rolling down his temple. He stares uncomprehending upwards, mind replaying the words in his head over and over…foreign and corrosive…but no, that couldn’t be…

He sits up, looking around his room devoid of anything but what he needed. Reaching up, he presses against his left eye. It is not his eye, not the one he gave, but still the Sharingan whirls to life with his real eye and he stares around, expecting to see the threads of a genjutsu spanning the room, ensnaring him. All he sees is empty air.

His internal clock tells him he’s slept for eight hours. He needs to move, get to Kiri. He has work to do there, needs to prepare. He shoves the dream, the thoughts, away into a dark corner of his mind. He can’t be distracted, not by things that aren’t real. He won’t be distracted by lies.

~*~

Sakura sighs and settles back against the wall, Sasuke already leaning there. Naruto is out cold between them, the day having finally caught up to them after…well, everything. They’d made it to the tower with only one clash with another team, the Suna genin helping them simply because they were all tired and didn’t feel like having a long drawn out fight.

They’d split ways at the tower, seeking out their door that matched their gate number. It had been pretty easy to figure out the riddle and when Iruka-sensei had appeared to congratulate them, it had been so relieving to know they had finished the test.

But they still had a day and a half until the end of the exam, so now they’re stuck in the tower, in a large communal room. The other teams that arrived before them are all scattered around the large room, a few chuunin stationed in various points to keep an eye on them until the exam ends.

There aren’t that many, though, it was expected. They were warned that at max, half the teams would pass and not even that many were actually expected to pass. Team 8 had arrived before them, Team 10 after them. The Suna genin are there as well. A team of Kiri genin is tucked away in a corner, she remembers passing them just before the confrontation in the forest. Another Konoha team, older than them, is also here, keeping to themselves. About an hour ago, a Sound team had sauntered in, smirking at the competition.

Reaching into her pouch, she hands over a ration bar to Sasuke, the boy grunting in thanks, both tired. She wants to sleep, but something is nagging at her. “Hey, Sasuke,” she calls softly.

“Hmm,” he hums around a bite of food, keeping an eye on the other teams.

“Why do you think he came after us?” she asks softly, shivering a little, remembering the feeling of such intense fear.

Sasuke crumbles the paper in his hand quietly and then shrugs, “Honestly, I don’t know,” he admits. “I mean, we’re just genin, even if Naruto has Kurama.”

“But he wasn’t after Naruto,” she says, sliding sideways until her shoulder is bumping his. “He didn’t even realize it was Kurama until they started to fight,” she murmurs, fiddling a little with some of Naruto’s hair where it brushes her knee.

“Do you know anything about him?” he asks, knowing full well Sakura is the information person in their team.

“A little,” she admits. She read up on the Sannin after Tsunade spoke about her team, “Hokage-sama was on a team with him and someone named Jiraiya, with the Sandaime as their teacher. They were named the Sannin in the Second Shinobi War and were incredibly strong,” she explains. “I…I couldn’t find out why, but something happened…something bad and he defected and became a missing nin.” She swallows a little, recalling some of the entries she read, “A lot of medical and scientific breakthroughs were found because of him as well.” She can read between the lines and see experimentation when it’s not written. How many enemies did he experiment on to make his breakthroughs?

Sasuke nods, seeming to see where her thoughts have gone. “He was after something but I just can’t see what we could have given him,” he grumbles and she can’t help but agree. They’re genin, despite them trying for chuunin right now. What could they even hope to offer someone as strong as Orochimaru?

“We should get some sleep,” she says instead with a sigh and Sasuke nods. “I’ll take fist watch,” she offers and he shrugs, slowly slipping down until his head is pillowed against her hip, a few inches from the tips of Naruto’s hair. They don’t have any blankets but the room is warm enough that it’s fine.

The sound mutes over the next few hours, other teams following their lead, taking naps and recovering from the trial. She lets her eyes wander and sees the blonde girl, Temari, is still up, her team sleeping around her and she sends a smile and a nod to her. Temari frowns a little but nods, clearly not expecting it but she lets it go.

She fiddles with her notebook, not really up to doing any actual planning, not without her team’s input but needing to keep her hands occupied. She looks down at Naruto, seeing the tears in his clothing from the fight. She’s never seen anyone fight like that except Kakashi-sensei. It was scary and to see Naruto, or actually Kurama, doing it, was eye opening.

He was pale under his tan, after the fight, looking so exhausted. He’s so still right now, sleeping deeply. She remembers that time, from years before, when he’d been stuck in the hospital for so long, so still and unmoving, only his chest rising and falling to show he was alive. She runs a quick hand through his hair and he shifts with a small noise, a sleepy complaint mumbled and she smiles in relief.

She glances over to Sasuke and blinks, eyes going wide. There’s something on his neck. She watches it grow, crawling across his skin, strange black wavy lines. She’s frozen in shock, heart rabbiting in her chest. She reaches out, hand shaking and Sasuke’s hand grips her wrist, burning eyes staring up at her, Sharingan whirling as the lines slide across his face.

She jerks away and smacks her head against the wall behind her. Blinking away stars, she quickly looks down to see clean skin, Sasuke stirring at her sudden movement. “Sakura?” he mumbles, half awake.

“S-sorry, leg cramp,” she whispers and he nods, letting sleep pull him back under. She swallows heavily, not sure what she just saw but it had not felt good. She breathes deeply, feeling the sudden spike a fear and adrenaline slowly leaving her system and settles back against the wall. What the hell was that?

~*~

“You’re safe then?” he asks Kokuō and Son Gokū, the two sprawled on the other side of the fire, looking fine, despite the fight.

“We’re fine, quit the worrying,” Son grumbles with a huff.

Kurama narrows his eyes but lets it slide. “Where are you at right now?” he asks instead of the biting retort he wants to spit out.

“Holed up in a safe house somewhere in northern Fire,” Kokuō says before Son can say anything else. “Some of your people lent us a hand and offered shelter for the night. It seemed prudent to get out of sight as fast as possible.”

“My people?” he asks.

“Konoha shinobi,” Son grunts.

“Who?” he asks, mind whirling.

“Didn’t stick around for names, but a couple of them have the Sharingan and one’s got a wood affinity,” Kokuō says easily.

Tenzo, and he’d bet a tail the other two are Itachi and Shisui, the two Uchiha having been absent for a while now, off on a mission. “If it’s who I think it is, they‘re trust worthy…for the moment. I’m not sure what their mission is but if they stepped into a battle like that, then I doubt they mean you harm at the moment,” he admits reluctantly.

“What do we do now?” Kokuō asks. “Should we start to head towards you? If Akatsuki is starting to collect us, we shouldn’t stray too far from each other and you’re by yourself.”

“Shukaku’s here in the village right now. His brat’s taking the Chuunin Exams. If I need some muscle, I can use him. Matatabi and Gyūki are fine together. Saiken and Isobu are still together in Kiri. Maybe you should head towards Chōmei. She’s the only one alone right now, though hopefully they haven’t figured out her host’s identity yet.”

“We’re not too far from Taki,” Son admits.

“If they’re actively seeking us out, wouldn’t heading toward her draw them to her?” Kokuō asks, shaking his head in agitation.

Kurama hums, considering that. “I think…they took a chance,” he admits, trying to tease the pieces together. Kokuō nods for him to continue. “One of their bases is in Tsuki, in the Mountain’s Graveyard. Sasori, their spymaster, has people looking for you and that you just happened to be passing by Tsuki’s border, it was too tempting. If they could have secured the two of you, it would have given them the first step in their plan.”

“Any idea where their other bases are?” Son asks gruffly.

“No, I only know that they’re based out of Ame and if you value your host’s and your independence, you’ll stay away from Ame,” he says heavily, tails shifting in agitation.

“Taki’s a little too close to Tsuki for my liking and I’d rather not give them another chance,” Son grumbles. “I say, we head south for now, put distance between them and us.”

“What about sticking with the Konoha shinobi?” Kokuō asks.

“Did they say where they were heading next?” Kurama asks, curious.

Kokuō frowns, “Hmm, Kumo I believe. Something about getting information on Akatsuki,” he says with a nod.

“We could always meet up with Matatabi and Gyūki for a bit. Our hosts know each other and the island Gyūki’s host stays on is hidden very well,” Kokuō says mildly.

“I’ll let you two figure out where you should head,” Kurama huffs and they nod before he fades out of their shared space into his own personal area. He listens out, but Naruto is still sound asleep, recovering from the fight. A quick check finds nothing wrong, thankfully, from the fight. He settles down, letting the lull and the flickering fire before him slip him into a meditative head space, trying to working through what to do next.

~*~

Kurama listens with half an ear to the brats chatting as they head for the inner portion of the tower, to the preliminary test for the third round of testing. He doesn’t have to worry too much about them here. The Snake won’t make his appearance here, not so soon after his last attack.

Still, he keeps his senses peeled, eyeing the crowd of genin, chuunin and jounin that are observing the fights. The lineup is a little different from the last time, a couple of new teams having made it through but enough remains the same.

The crowd begins to scatter, before the first fight is announced when one of the genin goes running by. He spies the Kiri headband before getting a good look at her face and feels himself freeze, recognizing her from somewhere. It takes a moment to realize why as he follows her path to a man standing off to the side, wearing a familiar blue yukata.

Kurama feels something in him snap as he realizes just what he’s looking at. Pushing into their shared space, he yanks hard on Saiken’s thread, pushing his annoyance and impatience through to his brother.

A few seconds pass before a sheepish looking Saiken appears from the trees. “Ah, Kurama, did you need something?” he asks cheerfully, not meeting his eyes.

“Why the hell are you here, idiot?” he growls.

“Oh…you know,” he mumbles.

“Of course I know. My brat is standing in the same fucking room as your host,” he growls and then a thought comes to him. His eyes narrow, “Where is Isobu?” he asks lowly.

“Not here,” he says evasively.

“Not here as in still in Kiri, or not here as in not in the same room as our hosts?” Kurama ask.

“Well,” Saiken says slowly.

“Saiken,” Kurama growls.

“We were going to surprise you,” he admits. “My host’s apprentice was coming to take the exam and well, you said not to travel alone, so Isobu’s host came and he was coming anyways because he’s representing Kiri at the exams, so he came early and well, here we are.”

If Kurama could get a headache, he’d be feeling it right about now. “Sage damn it, you should have told me before you came,” he growls out.

“I’m sorry,” Saiken huffs, seeming to slump down. “You don’t have to be so worked up,” he mutters.

“Worked up!” Kurama huffs. “Saiken, Son and Kokuō were attacked a few days ago by Akatsuki, I’ve already got Shukaku in the village and now I find out you’re both here as well. Why not just send an invitation to Akatsuki to attack Konoha with four bijuu in the village for the taking,” his voice rumbles out and the Rokubi at least looks a little shocked.

“What? Why didn’t you say anything earlier?” he asks.

“I was a little busy fighting the damn Snake Sannin and afterwards, I was busy. Look, you need to stay low. Akatsuki knows what your hosts look like,” he reminds him.

“Sorry, Kurama. I just wanted to surprise you,” he sighs. “I’ll let Isobu know and we’ll warn our hosts.”

Kurama rubs at his muzzle a little, gives a nod and fades back to his own area, looking out to watch the first bout of fighting going on and tries to smother the urge to strangle his siblings. Some days, he wishes he were an only child.

~*~

Sasuke huffs tiredly, collapsing down next to Sakura and Naruto. His limbs feel weak and he’d kill for a shower after so many days of trekking through forest and fighting so much. Now if only he could convince his tired body to actually move, rather than sit there.

He glances up at approaching footsteps and looks up to see Kakashi and Iruka staring down at their slumped and exhausted forms. “Time to go you three. The preliminaries are over,” Iruka says with a faint huff.

“Iruka-sensei, I’m an over cooked noodle. I can’t move,” Naruto whines faintly.

“Would me treating you three to ramen give you the energy to stand?” he asks with a faint laugh.

“Help me up,” Naruto demands while making grabby hands and Iruka helps the boy stand up. Kakashi helps him and Sakura stand as well.

“Come on, I’m sure you’re all ready to eat something you didn’t have to catch,” Iruka jokes and they slowly follow their teachers out of the arena.

It’s a bit of a walk back through the forests, but eventually, they stumble out of the fenced off area. Sasuke blinks as he realizes just who is waiting for them. Mikoto is smiling at them, Fugaku standing just behind, while Sakura’s parents are beside them. Even the Hokage is standing off to the side, talking with some of the exam proctors before she sees them and steps closer.

“Well, don’t you three look about one strong breeze away from collapsing,” she huffs before reaching out a hand to ruffle Naruto’s hair. “You good brat?” she asks.

“I was promised ramen,” he mutters and laughs filter around the group.

Mikoto looks at the three of them, “Well?” she asks.

“We’re all in the finals,” Sasuke mutters, looking away with a flush.

“That’s good to hear. Come on, let’s get you three fed and then to bed. You’ve got a month to prepare for the final matches. I think you can take tonight off,” she says with laugh, looping her arm through Fugaku’s and starts to tug him towards the village proper, Iruka and Kakashi herding the tired genin ahead of them as the adult chat, too tired to contribute.

They manage to make it to Ichiraku without falling over. Sasuke enjoys the warmth of the gathering, though part of him is sad Itachi and Shisui aren’t there to celebrate. It’s been weeks since he last saw them and he hopes they return before the finals.

Naruto is the first to nod off, two empty bowls next to his head that’s pillowed on his arms. Sakura’s not far behind him. Sasuke fights it for as long as he can but eventually, he can’t keep his eyes open any longer. He’s not really awake, but he’s aware enough to realize when someone picks him up. Too tired to open his eyes to see who, he lets sleep pulls him under completely, trusting them to get him home.

Chapter Text

Reverberation: noun; a continuing effect; a repercussion.

Tsunade doesn’t even glance up when the knock sounds at her door, simply barks out, “Enter!” as she works through paperwork. The sound of geta across the floor lets her know who it is and she looks up to see Jiraiya standing just inside the doorway.

“Good, you’re here,” she says, settling back into her chair with a frown.

Her old teammate takes one look at the expression on her face and his shoulders sag a little, “I take it this is not you wanting to tell me I’m free to go back to my information gathering?” he says dejectedly.

“From the repeated complaints I keep receiving about someone spying on the bathhouses throughout the village, I’m sure your information gathering is going quite well,” she says with a glare. He has the grace to not dig a deeper hole for himself. Looks like age helped him learn when to keep his mouth closed finally. “And no, you’re needed here.”

“Tsunade, I can be of more help out there looking for the bastard,” he tries to reason. “And we still know next to nothing about Akatsuki. How long will it be before they make a move? You need me out there trying to track them down.”

“I already have a team for that right now. I need you here. That bastard is up to something and we’re the only ones who will stand any chance against him should he try something again,” she says without holding her words back.

“So what, you want me to sit on my hands for the next month?” he grumbles.

“Oh, no, I’ve plans for you,” she says with a shark grin and he gulps. “He was obviously planning something to do with Team 7. Sasuke is currently being taken under wing by Kakashi and Fugaku for training before the finals. I’ve taken Sakura under my tutelage. All that is left is Naruto and who better to teach the brat than his godfather,” she says with a grin.

“You can’t be serious?” he huffs.

“I am,” she says, tone sharp. “The boy can’t rely on the fox in him to always fight his battles. I’ve already got Inoichi-san working extra time with him to further develop his sensing, but he needs to be able to fight. As well, should Orochimaru go after him, he needs someone there who can protect him.”

“You just love making me miserable,” he grumbles.

“It’s what I live for,” she says with glee. She waves her hand, “Go on. You meet in an hour in front of the Academy. I’ve informed him I’ve found a teacher to help him improve before the finals. Try not to suck too much,” she says, turning back to her paperwork. She listens to him grumble as he leaves her office. She’d never admit it, but there’s certainly some perks to being Hokage.

~*~

The clouds shift across the sky as he watches them from the patch of grass he’s lying in. He’s still got an hour until he need to meet whoever Baa-chan wrangled into training him for the finals so he lets the sun warm him as he sinks into his mind.

When he opens his eyes, he finds the cool darkness of night beneath a thick canopy. The crackle of a familiar fire greets him, Kurama is stretched out next to it, head settled on his paws, eyes half lidded as he watches him.

“What is it, brat?” he grumbles but there’s no heat to it.

Naruto grins, walking over to lean against one of his forelegs, leaning his head back to look at the huge fox upside down, “Nothing really,” he admits with a grin and Kurama’s eye narrows but he doesn’t contradict him.

“Hey, Kurama, do you think I can win…the finals,” he adds on to clarify.

He feels a huge shoulder shrug, “Who knows brat. Anything is possible. Best stay on your toes though,” he grumbles.

“I guess,” he agrees, lowering his head to look down at his lap. “Can…can I ask you something?” he asks hesitantly.

“Can’t stop you, brat,” Kurama mutters but his head lowers, large red eye staring at him to show he’s listening.

Naruto hesitates before plowing ahead, “Is…is something going on?” he asks quietly the question that has been bugging him for a while. “Something you can’t tell me?”

Kurama sighs, long and slow, making the fire dance crazily and flare brighter before it stops, “Yes,” he admits.

“Is it…is it bad?” he asks, hands clenching into fists on his lap.

“It is,” he admits, looking a little sad.

“Will you tell me…eventually?” he asks, trusting this creature, his first friend.

“I will,” he says sincerely, eye holding his. “When the time comes, I will tell you everything,” he adds.

“Okay,” Naruto murmurs, nodding.

“Go on, you’ve got somewhere to be,” he reminds the boy and Naruto nods, jumping up and hugs the fox before he opens his eyes to see the sun has shifted some since he last looked at it. With a huff, he stands and starts making his way towards the academy where he’s supposed to meet his new teacher.

~*~

He feels the creature’s arrival before he sees it, turning away from Kabuto. Watching dispassionately as Zetsu rises from the floor, he arches a brow and refuses to be the first to speak. Zetsu is grinning at him, “Well, you certainly know how to make a scene,” it murmurs.

“And you felt the need to check my work,” he snaps back.

Zetsu shrugs, “I simply wished to see the master at work,” it murmurs with a smile full of teeth.

“Why are you here?” he snaps.

“To see if you accomplished your task,” Zetsu says simply. “Things are starting to move and I’d like to get your work started sooner rather than later.”

“I have it,” he assures with a glare. “I will require enough of the clones to experiment on. This is not a simple task you have set for me,” he informs him.

“How many?” Zetsu asks simply.

Orochimaru smiles, “A dozen should be sufficient for now,” he assures.

“They will be waiting for you,” Zetsu assures. It starts to slide back into the ground when it pauses, head cocked to the side, “Why did you go after Team 7?” it asks, curious.

Orochimaru’s smile widens, “What better way to distract them from my true plans than to lay a false one,” he murmurs. “They’ll assume I’m after one of the brats and not after a much bigger prize.”

“Ah, well, have fun. I’ll check back in soon,” it warns and vanishes back into earth.

“Orochimaru-sama?” Kabuto murmurs.

“Keep tabs on Team 7 and Baki. Make sure he knows when to activate that seal on the Ichibi. We’ll strike soon enough,” he orders and Kabuto bows before Orochimaru dispels his clone. Opening his eyes, Orochimaru looks around his lab as he slots the new memories into place and begins to ready for his new test subjects’ arrival.

~*~

“Tell me again why we’re heading towards Taki?” Roshi grumbles as they move quickly through the trees, keeping away from any of the main roads and sticking to the denser sections of forest.

“Because Taki’s jinchuuriki is by herself right now and I’d rather we not leave a child defenseless against the likes of Akatsuki,” Han huffs out, landing on a branch and pushing off.

“We’re going to be putting ourselves pretty fucking close to them,” Roshi reminds him.

“They likely suspect we’ll be heading as far away from them as possible, which means south. So long as we avoid being seen as ourselves, we won’t be hunted down,” Han explains with a little bit of annoyance.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m not very familiar with Taki. We’re not just going to be able to walk up and say take us to your jinchuuriki,” Roshi grumbles.

“Let’s just get to the border first before we start any in-depth planning,” Han says with a sigh.

“If I die because of you, I’m going to haunt you forever,” Roshi says but lets the conversation drop as they focus on putting distance between them and the safe house they had stayed in.

~*~

Itachi watches as the shores of Fire slowly approach, from a distant thin ribbon until now, a large expanse of greens and browns, the sharp lines of buildings the only contrast to nature as they slowly pull into port.

He turns to Sai, “Still no word from Tsunade-sama?” he asks quietly.

“Nothing. I’ve sent multiple messages to her and she has the means to reply back,” he murmurs quietly.

“You think we’re compromised?” Shisui asks from his position leaned against the railing, back pressed against the wooden rail.

“We’ve sent plenty of information and she has sent no new orders, which she should have. The only conclusion is that someone is intercepting your messengers,” Itachi says with a nod to Sai.

“Fuck,” Shisui mutters and Tenzo nods as well.

“How do we want to do this?” Tenzo asks quietly, eyes scanning the milling crowd of dock workers waiting for the ship to finish docking so they can start unloading its cargo.

“Stay low and in disguise, get to Konoha, make contact with someone we trust and go from there. They’re not expecting us to return so quickly,” Itachi decides.

“Our best bet is to send word to Ibiki. If anyone can find our traitor, it’s him,” Shin offers.

“How many people know of your messengers?” Itachi asks Sai.

“A few,” he admits. “I don’t advertise my jutsu but I’ve worked with other teams in the past and used them. It’s possible one of them is the traitor or told the information to our traitor,” he admits evenly.

“Thank goodness the Mizukage was out of the village and we we’re denied entry, like Taki. Otherwise, we might not have noticed soon enough,” Shisui mutters. “Although, seriously, what is it with the villages and being assholes. It’s not like we were trying to sneak in. I’m mean, come on, we actually went through official channels and they act like we’re going to go on a killing spree.”

The ship shudders slightly as it bumps the dock, lines being thrown quickly to moor the vessel. “Come on, we’ll throw off any tails in the crowds and disappear,” Tenzo says and they all nod, trooping over the gangplank and disappearing amongst the people there before slipping into the city proper.

~*~

She’s standing at the gate as the five figures finally appear around the last curve of the road before reaching the road. She spies the large blade strapped to the back of one of shinobi and guesses he’s one of Kiri’s Seven Swordsmen. Her gaze is drawn to the shortest of the group and feels a vein throb in annoyance.

As they finally reach her position, stopping before her and her own gathering of hand selected shinobi, she bows slightly, the Yondaime Mizukage doing so as well. “Welcome Mizukage-sama, to Konoha,” she greets.

“Thank you for having me, Hokage-sama. I hope my people have held themselves with honor and have not done anything questionable while they have been partaking of your hospitality,” he murmurs as he bows, his hat of office briefly obscuring his face and its distinctive scar.

“They have behaved themselves,” she assures with a nod as he steps closer and they fall into step together. She waits, letting a few minute of silence pass, before speaking up. “You know, you have an uncanny resemblance to one of your shinobi, Mizukage-sama. A man by the name Joro,” she says dryly, not looking down to the shorter man. The faint thump of a hand hitting a forehead in exasperation, greets her words.

“Ah, yes, a cousin of mine,” Yagura dismisses with an easy wave. “I asked him to keep me updated on our teams participating in the exam and send periodic reports. Once I was on my way here, he left to meet me at the port to give a full update before I sent him back to Kiri.”

“Of course,” Tsunade murmurs and feels her eyebrow twitch. “Perhaps next time, you will inform me of such an arrangement that I might know ahead of time,” she says and he nods.

“Of course, Hokage-sama. I wouldn’t wish to incur any ill will from Konoha,” he agrees readily. “Perhaps after the exams, you can have a long discussion with Terumi Mei, my successor,” he murmurs, motion to the woman at his right shoulder.

“You’re stepping down?” she asks in surprise, looking at the blonde woman.

Yagura nods with a faint smile, “It seemed…appropriate, after the reign I held. I do need to speak with you privately, as soon as possible,” he adds, sending her a meaningful look.

“Of course, we can speak in my office,” she assure, directing them deeper into the village towards the Hokage’s Tower.

Yagura turns to the one with the sword, “Zabuza-san, find Ao and inform him of my arrival,” he orders.

“Yeah, yeah,” Zabuza grumbles, breaking off from the group. “Haku,” he barks out and a second one drifts away with him.

“Hokage-sama, Mizukage-sama,” Haku murmurs with a bow before they start making their way towards where the Kiri delegation is staying in the village.

~*~

Kakashi stares at three genin with a critical eye, noting the changes in the two he hasn’t seen much of in the last month. “Well, you three have certainly grown,” he murmurs with an eye smile, despite Sakura’s annoyed huff at his lateness, though honesty, what did she expect by now.

“Yeah, we’re going to win, believe it,” Naruto assures with a grin, hands folded behind his head.

“Technically, only one person can win, idiot,” Sakura grumbles but even she looks excited, eyes sparkling and hands fisted where a new pair of reinforced gloves now wrap her hands, a gift from Tsunade for the exams. She loved her new gloves, demonstrating them to her team after getting them and scaring them with her new strength.

“I know that,” Naruto mutters, but his eyes flick towards Sasuke who looks determined, back straight and hands fisted as well.

“Winning isn’t everything,” Kakashi reminds them with a sigh. “Even if you don’t win, you can still be promoted to chuunin, if you demonstrate well enough. Defeating your opponent might be the main goal of this exam but showing you are ready for the responsibility of becoming a chuunin is also your goal,” he reminds them and they nod. “But, just do your best. Even if you don’t make it this year, there is another exam next year.”

“Well, well, my Eternal Rival, such hipness in your inspiring speech to your youthful students!” Gai calls out as he approaches with his students, though only one of them is actually competing, Neji sending a sharp look toward Naruto.

“Gai,” Kakashi murmurs stepping to the side to give them room.

“May all of you demonstrate the springtime of your youth in this upcoming exam and make all of us proud!” Gai’s voice booms out again, shifting into his nice guy pose, both thumbs up as he grins.

“Umm…thanks,” Naruto finally gets out as they shift awkwardly.

“Neji-kun, do your best,” Gai says, slapping a hand onto the Hyuuga’s shoulder, sending the boy teetering forward a few inches before he catches himself to glare back at his teacher. “Come my Rival; let us find a good seat to watch our precious students demonstrate the springtime of their youth!”

Kakashi nods, sending a wave to his students before following Gai up the stairs to the stands, Lee and Ten Ten following behind them after sending a smile, or a nice guy pose in the case of Lee, to Neji.

Without saying a word, the four genin turn and make their way towards the field. The others are already gathered. Sakura eyes the blonde Kiri kunoichi she has to fight and smiles at the girl when she looks her way. Her fight in the preliminaries had been interesting, using a lot of Suiton jutsus and quick, evasive taijutsu. She’s excited to fight her.

The three Suna genin are grouped together, eyeing their approach. The rest of them are her year mates, chatting together while they wait for the stands to fill and the visiting dignitaries settled in their seats. “Wow, that’s a lot of people,” Naruto murmurs, looking around.

Sasuke nods with him, eyes unerringly finding a darker section of the stands where many of the Uchiha Clan are seated to watch. “Still no sign of Itachi-san and Shisui-san?” Sakura asks softly of her friend, leaning into his shoulder in support.

“They’re still caught up in a mission,” he murmurs, Naruto turned to face them as he listens, though his eyes still watch the gathering crowds.

“Well, you’ll just have to get promoted and rub it in his face that he missed it,” she mutters and Sasuke at least smiles a little at that.

Someone enters the arena, walking slowly towards them in a loose walk. “Morning, everyone,” he calls as he comes to stand before them. “Names Shiranui Genma and I’ll be proctoring your fights. We’ve already shown you the order of fights but just to remind everyone, take a look,” he orders, holding up a clipboard with the order: Sakura fighting Hotaru, Naruto fighting Neji, Sasuke fighting Gaara, Shikamaru fighting Temari and Shino fighting Kankuro.

“Just a reminder, everything is allowed in these fights. The objective is to knock out your opponent or force them to yield. While killing won’t disqualify you, it will be reflective of your performance. Accidents do happen but deliberately aiming to kill will not be tolerated. Is that understood?” he barks and his eyes unerringly falling to Neji and the pale eyed boy frowns but nods.

“Good. Now, everyone but Sakura-san and Hotaru-san, please make your way to the seating area provided for you,” he orders and they trickle towards the seating area and Sakura turns to face her opponent.

Genma adjusts his mic, turning it on, “Hokage-sama, are we ready to proceed?” he asks, voice echoing across the stands.

Tsunade stands from her chair, flanked by two other chairs, one with the Kazekage, the other with the Mizukage. Her hands flash through a few seals and her voice booms across the stands. “Welcome, everyone, to the final round of this year’s Chuunin exams. With are ten contestants gathered, we are ready to watch these exceptional shinobi show their skills before us. Genin, your leaders, your teachers and your village are watching. Fight well and honorably.”

She settles back into her chair and Genma turns to the two of them. “Face each other,” he orders and they do. “Haruno Sakura of Konoha, Hotaru of Kiri, you will fight until one of you is unable to battle or yields. Now, the first fight…begin!” he orders and jumps back, leaving them to their fight.

Sakura grins, Hotaru smirking back at her. “Let’s put on a show, shall we?” Sakura asks and darts forwards, fist glowing with chakra and Hotaru nods, already having pulled out a pair of kunai.

The two clash with Hotaru dodging Sakura’s fists and aiming with her kunai, only for Sakura to suddenly dance out of the way. They continue for a few minutes, sticking mainly to weapons and taijutsu, gauging each other. They’re pretty evenly matched in regards to speed and stamina, sticking to more standard taijutsu forms.

Hotaru, seeming to grow tired of the fight and trading blows, jumps back from another chakra laden punch and her hands start to move through three quick seals before bringing her hand to her mouth, “Suiton: Wild Water Wave,” she hisses, a surge of water shooting across the distance faster than expected and strikes at Sakura who yelps as she’s inundated by the water and forced back against the wall of the arena with a hard impact.

When Hotaru lets the jutsu go, the water falls into puddles and where Sakura was, is simply a log. Hotaru hisses, jerking around, looking for Sakura’s hidden form. With a surge, the earth beneath her feet bursts outward, Sakura’s chakra laden fist clipping the Kiri kunoichi in the chin, knocking her back to collapse on the ground in a sprawled heap.

Before she can react, Sakura darts forward, kunai drawn and presses it to her throat, pinning her arms with her knees as she straddles her chest. “Do you yield?” she asks, panting.

Sighing, Hotaru slumps while holding her empty hands up, “I yield,” she calls out and the crowd roars. Grinning, Sakura stands and offers her a hand up. “You’re tough,” she murmurs to the blonde. “You almost had me there.”

“The winner of this round: Haruno Sakura,” Genma calls out.

“I’ll admit that was a good trick. I need to remember to look down,” she agrees, rubbing at her jaw and wincing.

“Eh, I know the feeling. I got the idea from my sensei. He loves pulling the same move,” she reassures her and they start to make their way back to the sitting area.

“Sakura-chan, that was awesome,” Naruto crows from beside Sasuke, the paler boy looking impressed.

“Don’t get distracted, idiot. You’re up next,” Sakura warns and Naruto nods with a fox’s grin.

“I know. I’m looking forward to it,” he assures her and she nods. Nodding to Hotaru, she settles into Naruto’s vacated seat while the other girl continues to the medic in the back row to have herself checked over.

Sasuke waits until Naruto and Neji are gone before he leans into her, “You do know that if Naruto wins, you have to fight him,” he reminds her.

“Don’t worry. Tsunade-shishou showed me a thing or two,” she assures with a sharp grin and Sasuke smirks back. “I’m not going to go easy on him.”

“Good,” he mutters before facing towards the arena where Naruto and Neji are getting ready to face off.

~*~

Kurama, for the most part, sits back and lets the brat fight the Hyuuga. He remembers that fight. It had been a good wake up call for the arrogant fool and he doesn’t want to deprive him of a good ass kicking. It follows a similar pattern, though there are changes, as he expects.

He floods the boy’s body with his chakra, relishing the surprise on his face when he forces the brat’s tenketsu points back open. What can he say; he loves tricking people and can feel Naruto’s glee at the Hyuuga’s shocked expression.

When the fight is called, Kurama grins at the blonde boisterous excitement, jumping up and down to the cheering and clapping. This was a moment that stuck in Naruto’s mind, the first time he got such a positive acknowledgement from the village. It was the first building block of his path to Hokage and he plans to finish it this time.

“Go sit down before you fall down, brat,” he orders and Naruto silently nods.

“Did you guys see me?” he yells to his team and they both grin. “You better win this one Sasuke or me and Sakura are never going to let you live it down,” he adds and the Uchiha glares at the blonde.

“You better not have jinxed me,” he mutters as he and Gaara are called down to the field for the next round.

“Kick his ass, Sasuke!” Sakura calls and he waves before disappearing down the stairs to the field.

Kurama settles down, watching. Things will go differently here, he can feel it. Gaara’s stable which means Suna won’t be able to use him to go on a rampage like last time and with Shukaku on the brat’s side, it will be interesting to see the two fight. He wonders just what Kakashi and Fugaku trained Sasuke in. Did he give the boy Chidori again?

“The third fight is between Uchiha Sasuke of Konoha and Sabaku no Gaara of Suna. Begin,” Genma shouts and darts away.

The crowd grows quiet as the two size each other up. Pulling out a kunai, Sasuke charges in. His speed on par with last time as he takes a leaf from Lee’s fight with the sand user in order to get around his defensive capabilities.

For the moment, Kurama looks away from the fight, and feels out towards the balcony that houses the three Kage. There’s four up there he realizes, sensing the Sandaime sitting next to Tsunade in another chair, the two watching the fight. He senses to the left and sees the Kazekage. Is it him or is it like last time? He hates not knowing.

There’s a collective gasp and he jerks back to Naruto’s vision, the boy’s eyes watching the fight where, similar to last time, Gaara has holed up into a sphere of sand. Sasuke pulls back, clutching his arm where a spike scored his arm before he could get out of the way.

The crowd is silent, waiting to see what Sasuke decides to do to get around this new technique and he feels it, unable to see it, as a sudden flaring of chakra emanates from the sphere. Naruto starts, having felt it as well. ‘Kurama?’ he asks in him, hand fisting.

“I don’t know brat,” he says back, waiting. There’s a loud snap, as cracks start to snake across the sphere, sand pooling to the ground before the sphere collapses and Gaara falls with a slump to the ground, cushioned by the pile of sand.

He’s bent over, hands fisting into the sand, and Kurama’s lurches, feeling the slow seep of Shukaku’s chakra building beneath the boy’s skin. He pulls back into their shared space, reaching for Shukaku’s thread and hisses when it burns in his paw.

Ignoring the pain, he reaches again and presses, trying to get an idea of what is going on and feels rage, bloodlust, insanity, pressing against him before it becomes too much and he pulls himself away, returning to reality. “Brace yourself, brat,” he orders just as the chakra peaks and surges, spilling out and grabbing at the sand, pulling it to his body.

With a roar, Gaara jerks back, pale green eyes replaced by the maddened pattern of Shukaku’s eyes and he can only stare at the lines of seals sliding across his skin before they’re buried by sand. The sand surges up and up, more and more being pulled from the ground and with a collective scream, the stands break out into chaos, as Shukaku takes form in front of them.

Chapter Text

Pandemonium: noun; wild and noisy disorder or confusion; uproar.

Yagura feels the fountaining of corrosive chakra before he sees its effect, feeling Isobu’s worry in the back of his head as he watches the Ichibi’s slow growth. The arena isn’t that large and at the rate of sand being pulled in from the ground and walls around it, it won’t be long before its mass exceeds the fighting grounds and starts to press against the walls.

A flurry of movement to his right has him pulling his hooked staff from its seal on his wrist and brings it up to parry a blow to his neck and takes in the scene before him. Two ANBU are dead around them and the Kazekage has the Sandaime in a grapple, kunai held to the older man’s throat. Around them, four cloaked figure are poised to attack, awaiting some signal.

Tsunade is as still as stone, eyes like chips of ice as they glare at the man. “Let him go,” she hisses, hands fisting.

“Now, now, Tsunade, so quick to act, but do you truly wish to fight me or will you leave one of your precious genin to face off against the wrath of such a creature?” he murmurs.

Yagura spares a glance and sees the Uchiha boy clinging to the wall of the arena, dodging spikes of sand deftly but slowly being pinned in as the Ichibi bears down on him. “What will it be, Hime? Our dear Sensei or your shinobi?”

He sees Tsunade flinch, eye widening as she pales. Hiruzen’s eyes narrow, realizing something that Yagura probably doesn’t. “I’ll take care of the Ichibi,” Yagura murmurs and the Kazekage’s eyes flick to him, seeming to have forgotten him in the moment he was having. “I’ll leave you to handle him,” he offers with a sharp grin.

In a blur of seals, a wave of water swamps the cloaked shinobi around pinning him in and he’s disappears in a blur, aiming for the Uchiha boy, drawing on Isobu’s readily offered power, feeling it cloak him as he intercepts a blow the boy can’t dodge.

~*~

Sasuke stares, heart in his throat, as the…thing towering over him grows bigger and bigger. The killing intent coming off of it has him sweating and swaying, hardly able to move under its pressure. The ground under his feet shifts, the creature pulling the packed sand there to add to its growing form and he jumps back, sticking to the wall in a desperate effort to get away.

He needs to get out of there, now! He forces himself to move up the wall at his back and barely ducks a spike of sand that cuts off his path, dodging left only to pull up short as more sand spikes out. He looks behind him to see maddened eyes narrowed as they look at him and he gulps.

For a moment, the scene changes, trees surrounding him, a burning pain in his neck, those same crazed eyes staring at him, then he blinks and he’s back in the arena, dodging another spike and jumping back as the huge clawed hand gouges lines in the stone where he just was.

The wards on the walls flicker, straining under the pressure of this creature. Wards that were meant to contain genin and chuunin level damage are barely holding under this monster and won’t last much longer before the walls give out.

The claw rips out chunks of stone before it moves to strike once more and he looks around quickly for an escape only to realize there aren’t any, the spikes of sand hemming him in and his eyes widen, realizing he can’t get away from this and braces.

The sound of something heavy impacting a hard surface has him opening eyes he finally notices he shut and finds a figure standing in front of him. His first thought is that they’re someone his age, going by the height but as his gaze flicks up, he sees the Mizukage’s hat perched on his head, though the robes are gone.

He’s also wreathed in rippling pale red chakra, three long portions of it arching up around him to hold back the clawed paw with ease. “Are you okay?” he asks, looking back and Sasuke can see a long scar curving down his cheek.

“Yes,” he nods, still clinging to the wall of the arena.

“Utakata!” he shouts and a second man appears near them and Sasuke watches in surprise as grey blue chakra ripples around the new man in the blue yukata he had seen before. “Help me keep him contained until they can get all the civilians out,” he orders and Utakata nods. He reaches down, hands flying through signs before a seal blooms under his hand and he bounds away, keeping to the wall and avoiding more spikes of sand.

“Sasuke!” comes a shout and he sees Naruto bounding over, dodging spikes of sand before he finally lands next to him, Sakura a few steps behind, eyes wide. “Are you okay?” he asks quickly.

“I’m fine. We need to get out of here,” he insists.

“But something’s wrong with Gaara,” Naruto says.

“What is wrong with Gaara?” the Mizukage demands before he sends out a whip of water to lash around the Ichibi’s tail and pulls it to keep it from crashing into the stands where civilians are still scrambling to escape, shinobi guarding them as they fend off Sound nin that have swarmed into the arena. Utakata is running along the wall, pausing to touch a section of wall and a seal blooms under his hand before moving to the next section.

“I saw lines from a seal on his face before the sand covered him,” Kurama growls out, sending out a shockwave of chakra to knock a volley of sand aiming for the Rokubi in the middle of laying another seal. The spikes shatter, showering sand across the arena before the grains are pulled back to the Ichibi’s body.

“He’s being controlled?” Sakura asks, getting what Kurama is getting at.

“Did you see what the seal was?” Yagura demands, letting the lash of water go and the tail crashes with a tremendous smash against the barrier Utakata is slowly erecting, nearly two thirds of the arena covered.

“Do I look like a seal expert?” Kurama demands and Yagura blinks before shrugging, “The seal was meant to draw out Shukaku’s wrath. He’s never been the most stable, so it probably wasn’t that hard. These barriers won’t hold him for long. We’ll have to knock some sense back into his cracked head,” Kurama grumbles.

With a bound, Utakata lands beside them, but doesn’t lay his hand down to finish the barrier. “You need to leave now,” he informs Sasuke and Sakura.

“Go, brats. We’ll take care of this,” Kurama orders and they slowly nod before they bound up the wall.

“What should we do?” Sakura asks Sasuke as they reach the top of the wall and the barrier closes with a crackle of chakra.

“Find Kakashi-sensei,” Sasuke decides, eyes scanning for their teacher before he takes off, Sakura right on his heels.

~*~

Kakashi feels the warmth of Gai at his back and refuses to let the killing intent coming from the arena get to him. Around them, an array of Sound and Sand shinobi stands. “This is a lot for one arena,” he murmurs, glancing around, counting. He can see the Uchiha that were in the stands standing as a barrier between the fleeing civilians and the encroaching enemies.

“It worse than that. Look at the watch tower,” Gai murmurs and Kakashi glances to see the clearing of smoke and the burning purple color of a barrier over top. He looks closer and can see three figures standing on the roof, Tsunade’s blonde hair standing out the most.

“Orochimaru has the Sandaime,” he curses, seeing the stalemate for what it is.

“I doubt Tsunade-sama will allow it for much longer,” Gai assures and then there’s no time to talk as the shinobi attack, forcing them to defend themselves. He watches Gai punch one straight towards the arena only for the man to smash with a crash into a barrier surrounding the tailed beast inside.

He’s been ignoring the fight going on inside, but now, he can see three figures standing against it, one of which appears to be the Mizukage, cloaked in chakra like he’s seen Naruto. The man next to him, the jounin from Kiri he had noticed at the preliminaries is also cloaked in chakra, Naruto standing beside him, burning red chakra washing over the boy’s body and he realizes quickly that there are four Jinchuuriki in that arena.

“Kakashi-sensei!” Sakura yells as she and Sasuke landing near him.

“Someone placed a seal on Gaara,” Sasuke explains quickly, ducking as Gai goes charging past with a fist griping an enemy’s shirt, his free fist pummeling his face. “It forced him to do this,” he finishes.

“We can only assume this is Orochimaru’s doing,” Kakashi huffs, parrying a kunai aiming for Sakura’s side. He jerks back as a faintly glowing fist lashes out and Sakura punches the Sound shinobi clear across a section of stands and doesn’t get back up. “I see Tsunade-sama has been teaching you some of her tricks,” he says with a smile and the kunoichi grins. “You two, go help protect the civilians. We’ll stay here and thin out the herd,” he orders and they nods, bounding across the backs of seats, dodging enemies and allies to reach the back of the stands where civilians are still pushing to make it down the stairs.

~*~

They see the smoke before they see the walls of the village. “What do you want to bet that it’s simply an accident?” Shisui asks as they pause for a second on a wide branch high in one of the trees to get a clear view of the smoke.

“That’s not normal smoke,” Shin murmurs, pulling out a scope to see further. “It’s summoning smoke… a large snake summons.”

“Let’s move,” Itachi orders, the team bounding at breakneck speeds through the trees, Shisui out pacing them to get there first. His feet barely have a second to land on the wall’s top before he has to duck out of the way of flying debris as a giant toad lands on top of the snake summons.

Seeing some Sound shinobi ganging up on a few chuunin, he shunshins forward, ignoring the toad to smash through their ranks, tanto flashing with each strike. By the time he’s helped dispatch the group and made it back to the wall, the rest of the team has arrived.

“Sound shinobi and there’s a Suna shinobi dead over there,” he reports.

“That’s the Toad Sage,” Shin says, seeing the man in question in top of the giant toad.

Itachi bounds to the top of a nearby building where Ibiki is issuing orders. “Ibiki-san,” he murmurs.

“Good, you’re back,” he huffs, plucking a kunai from the air and sending it back the way it came.

“What’s happened?” Itachi asks.

“A joint invasion between Sound and Sand. They used the Chuunin Exams as a cover to move troops closer. Godaime-sama and Sandaime-sama are at the testing arena. I’ve had reports of something going down there, but nothing clear on what exactly. We believe Orochimaru has some hand in this,” he informs them.

“Do you need us here?” Itachi asks.

“With Jiraiya here, we can hold. Go figure out what the hell is going on at the arena,” he orders and they salute before bounding away.

“Shin, what do you sense?” Itachi asks the sensor of their group.

The teen frowns as he concentrates while moving quickly from roof to roof, “There’s a large concentration of chakra coming from that direction. Similar in scale to Akatsuki’s battle with the two Jinchuuriki,” he calls out.

“What the hell is going on?” Shisui mutters, sharing a glance with Tenzo, noticing the pinched look on his face. “You going to be okay if he’s there?” he asks quietly.

“I will be,” he assure, jaw tight but he nods.

Screams can be heard distantly, civilians fleeing the area where the arena sits and even from this distance, they can feel the swelling of chakra on an unimaginable scale. “What’s that on the roof over there?” Sai points and they can see a square purple barrier.

“Nothing good. Shin, Sai, aim for that, see what you can do to help. Shisui, Tenzo, with me,” Itachi orders and the team splits slightly. Ahead, a roar echoes across the roof tops.

~*~

“Any idea what seal this is?” Yagura asks Utakata as they watch Sakura and Sasuke run towards the stands along the wall..

“It’s hard to say,” the jounin mutters, blowing a stream of bubbles that explode across the Ichibi’s flank. It doesn’t do much damage but it distracts it from aiming heavy blows against his barrier. “Whoever made the seal would need detailed knowledge of the seal used to contain the Ichibi within the boy to keep them from disrupting each other.”

“I think we can safely assume we know who is responsible for the seal’s creation,” Kurama growls out. “How did it do this and how do we break its hold?”

“It would have needed to suppress the host’s natural resistance, as well as pulling the strongest emotion from the Ichibi, in this case rage,” Utakata explains. “As to breaking it, we can’t. Not unless we can reach the boy inside Shukaku. The seal was placed on him not Shukaku.”

“We could do enough damage to force him back into his host, but not without doing a lot of collateral damage to the surrounding buildings,” Yagura growls, bring his hands together to form seals around his staff. As he twirls it, a water spout forms and slams into Shukaku’s side, soaking into the sand and making it heavy, slowing it down for a few moments.

“My barriers would not be able to contain that kind of power,” Utakata agrees.

“What about our shared domain? Could we reach Gaara there and remove the seal?” Kurama asks, ducking under another tendril of sand, snarling as it lashes back at him and clips him in the side before he can completely dodge it.

“Perhaps, but I don’t know the full scope of the bijuu’s mental domain. I don’t know if the physical effect of the seal will manifest inside the domain,” Utakata admits.

“Then looks like we’ll just have to kick his ass,” Kurama grumbles, allowing a second tail of power to emerge. He charges forward, aiming for the lone tree in the arena that is still barely standing though it’s tilted slightly, leaning heavily against the wall of the arena. “Oi, Shukaku. Don’t eat too much sand or you’ll be too fat to even put up decent fight,” he yells with a wicked grin and Shukaku roars, clawed paw aiming right for Kurama.

Kurama jerks as suddenly the branches around him surge to life and wrap around the limb, holding it tight as Shukaku aims his tail to break through them. Kurama looks around and finally spots the three shadowed figures on the wall nearby. “Utakata let them in. We can use them!” The Kiri jounin looks where he’s pointing and a small hole appears in the barrier. They jump through and it closes with a crackle behind them as Kurama bounds over.

“Oi, bark skin, you got enough juice in you to suppress him?” he asks as the three newly arrived shinobi.

“Bark skin,” one of them, Shisui, mutters and the mokuton user glares at him.

“What’s happened?” Itachi asks calmly while Shukaku is still distracted by the clinging branches.

“A seal was placed on the Ichibi’s Jinchuuriki. It’s suppressed the boy’s consciousness and pulled Shukaku out by force and sent it into a rage. If we can suppress Shukaku long enough to reach the boy, we believe we can remove the seal from him. The only problem is getting though the sand coating him to form Shukaku’s form,” Yagura explains quickly and they nod.

“I should have enough, but I’ll need a few seconds uninterrupted,” Tenzo says with nod.

“I’ll stay near him, keep him protected. Distract him,” Kurama orders and Yagura and the other’s nod as a third tail of chakra appears around Kurama.

He keeps one eye on the shinobi flicking around Shukaku, keeping him distracted, Utakata snagging sand away from him and sending them up high where a small horde of bubbles has been growing over the last few minutes. It’s not much but even a little less sand for Shukaku to control is worth it.

Tenzo closes his eyes, frowning and then his eyes open. “Something’s increased his strength. I might not have enough,” he mutters with a frown.

Kurama sighs in annoyance. “Don’t get used to this,” he mutters as the tail connects to the jounin and sends a crackle of chakra into the man who grunts in surprise. “Hurry up. I’m not sure how much longer bubble’s barrier will hold,” he growls out.

Nodding, Tenzo’s eyes close again and the ground rumbles, thick beams of wood slamming up from the ground to encircle Shukaku. A hum causes the air to vibrate as a line of chakra shoots from Tenzo to Shukaku and the Ichibi roars as he suddenly stops moving, eyes widening in shock. Cracks begin to form in his form, snaking across him as chunks being to fall away to land in small piles without any chakra to holding them together.

A whole section in his core collapses and a pale arm can be seen against the darker sand. A blur of movement follows as Shisui lands right in front of Gaara and begins to pull the boy from the sand, a second blur following, Utakata landing next to him as he quickly examines the seal.

“I can break it,” he calls, pulling out a brush and a bottle of ink. Kurama grunts, feeling the draw on his chakra from Tenzo as he struggles to maintain a hold of Shukaku. Utakata draws quickly across Gaara’s skin, the ink sinking in and with a sound like breaking glass, the seal on the boy breaks.

Shukaku blinks, looking around before, with a grumble, he allows himself to return to his host, the sand he had been controlling, suddenly losing all hold and collapsing in a wave over everyone in its way. A few seconds later, Shisui and Utakata appear, struggling through the pile of sand as they pull Gaara out with them.

Kurama looks around and sees a lot of the fighting in the arena itself has died down, most of the enemy shinobi dead or subdued. His gaze flicks over to the watch tower and frowns at the purple barrier, noting the abnormal growth of trees inside and realizes that some things have repeated while he was distracted.

He can’t focus on that right now. He needs to make sure Gaara is alright before he can move forward. He sends a look to the others. “Go, I’ll take care of Gaara. You’re needed elsewhere,” he points and they look to see the barrier as well.

All but Tenzo make their way towards the conflict, Utakata’s barrier coming down with a final crack. “I’ll remain here in case something happens,” Tenzo says and Kurama nods, accepting the offer.

He closes his eyes for a moment, pulling himself into his head and finds Naruto staring at him. “Is Gaara okay?” he asks quietly.

“He will be brat,” Kurama assures.

Naruto looks…distant, like he’s trying to figure out something to say, “This…this has happened before,” he murmurs, brow pinched.

Kurama pauses, eyes scanning over the boy, wondering if something has finally triggered a bigger memory. “What makes you say that?” he asks hesitantly.

“I don’t know,” Naruto admits, eyes worried as he looks at Kurama. “I…when it started, something about it felt…familiar, like déjà vu.”

Kurama sighs, because he honestly doesn’t know how to explain this or even if he should because a feeling is not remembering and he needs his brats to remember. “Does this have to do with the thing you can’t talk about yet?” Naruto asks.

“Yeah, brat,” he admits.

“Okay, I trust you Kurama,” Naruto reassures.

“I want you to let me know if anything else feels familiar,” he orders and Naruto nods. “I need to keep an eye on Gaara,” he says softly and Naruto nods in understanding, pulling back into reality in time to see the barrier go down and the blurred figures of Orochimaru’s guard fleeing.

~*~

If she had time to reflect on this battle, she would be roiling with rage and grief at Orochimaru using her precious people against her. She had loved her grandfather and granduncle and to see them turned into mindless tools destroying what they worked so hard to build from the ashes of war is a blow she’s not expecting.

Unfortunately, she doesn’t have time, dodging reaching roots and while trying to avoid the cutting blade of Tobirama’s sword. It’s been a long time since she’s had to put her skills to the test in this way, drawing the two Hokage’s attacks while Hiruzen readies a jutsu she knows will be the death of him.

She wants to scream at him to not use it, that she can face them. But, she’s too practical for that. There’s no way she can fight off the original God of Shinobi, one who was once called a Storm God for his Suiton and face Orochimaru at the same time.

She’s strong but she’s not a god. So she bites back her bitter tears and, ducking blows that would kill her if they connected, fists punch holes through trees and bodies that slowly repair themselves. A blur of movement from either side of her throws her into motion, fist snapping down,  throwing out a shock wave across the tiles of the roof, sending up debris to distract her family as two Hiruzen clones go sprinting past to grab onto Hashirama and Tobirama.

She hears a grunt of pain but doesn’t turn, seeing the way the false bodies stiffen before clarity comes back to them, for just a moment. Hashirama smiles, eyes locking into hers, “I’m proud of you, hime.

Tobirama nods as well, “Saru, we’ll see you soon,” he murmurs and the clone nods before they bodies crumple to a pile of ash and the limp corpses of two Sound shinobi are revealed. The two clones pop and with a burst of speed, she aims a heavy fist right for Orochimaru, the man smirking at her.

She knows something is wrong when he doesn’t try to dodge an as her fist strikes true, the Snake Sannin crumples into a crater on the roof. She blinks and then the vestiges of Orochimaru are gone, leaving behind a different body, chest caved in from her strike. She only feels a residual of Orochimaru’s chakra before even that disappears.

The barrier flickers out of existence and the four Sound shinobi bound away, Konoha ANBU on their trail as they aim to escape. She can’t focus on them, turning instead to her sensei, propped against a tree, his staff gone as his life and chakra bleeds away like water through a cracked jar.

“Sensei,” she murmurs, running a glowing hand across him but she already knows what to expect, can see the seal blazoned across his chest.

“I’m sorry, Tsunade,” Hiruzen murmurs, reaching out a weak hand to grip hers. “It seems you must pay for my mistakes.”

“I once called him my brother sensei. He is all our mistake and Jiraiya and I will eventually ensure that mistake is fixed,” she assures, wiping away a tear.

“I’m glad I could defend the village one more time as her Hokage,” he murmurs, voice fading and she nods, gripping his hand tighter as his eyes fall shut and his chest doesn’t rise again.

The sound of footsteps approaching has her looking up to see a couple of ANBU walking closer, masks hiding any expressions they might have on their faces. “Godaime-sama,” one murmurs. “The Ichibi has been stopped and most of the enemy have been killed or captured,” he informs her.

She nods, straightening with some difficulty, her joints aching fiercely after the fight and it’s a struggle to maintain her henge. “Begin sending out squads to do a full search of the village. Let no enemies remain hiding,” she orders huskily.

“Hokage-sama,” he salutes and they blur away to do as ordered.

Chapter Text

Quietude: noun; a state of stillness, calmness and quiet in a person or a place.

The village is quiet in a way it hasn’t been for a number of years. The last time she can recall such a yawning silence was the weeks after the Kyuubi’s attack, when no one talked except when they had to, people moving to and from various locations quickly, subdued and stuck in a fugue state, a miasma of disbelief.

That was also the night Minato and Kushina died and it’s stuck with her for years, an empty aching hole in her heart that won’t ever heal.

It’s been three days since the events of Sound and Sand’s invasion. She’d received the notice that the Sandaime’s funeral would be tomorrow morning. Needing to do…something, Mikoto heads to their room and starts to pull out hers and Fugaku’s funeral attire. She’s always found it morbid that they have funeral attire set aside specifically. But the life of a shinobi is long and hard and filled with death and death means many funerals.

She hasn’t seen Itachi or Shisui in a while, only had brief moments to speak with them, to assure herself that they were whole and unharmed before they were whisked away towards the Hokage’s Tower to debrief with Tsunade or called out to patrol the village with Fugaku and the rest of the clan in the Police Force.

She turns at a soft tap at the door and sees Sasuke standing in the door, looking a little pale after everything that has happened. He sees what she’s holding and frowns a little. “Hey, sweetheart,” she murmurs, setting the clothing down neatly before walking over to her son. “Everything okay?” she asks softly, running a soft hand over his hair.

“I’m fine,” he assures her. He’s grown so much in such a short time. He’s not going to let her coddle him much longer, wanting to seem strong. “They’re getting volunteers to help with clean up and I’m heading out,” he tells her.

“Of course, keep an eye out for your brother and Shisui and tell them I expect them home soon,” she orders and he nods with a faint smile. “Also, the Sandaime’s funeral is tomorrow,” she adds softly and his expression gets a little solemn.

“Okay,” he murmurs before leaving her to finish what she was doing. She watches him leave until he vanishes past the door frame and then she sighs, rubbing at her eyes. She hates that she has funeral clothes, the same ones she wore for the funeral of another Hokage.

~*~

People work around them, some patrolling the area, other loading and unloading materials and tools. They work silently, sifting through rubble for anything that can be salvaged. The section of wall behind them is a gaping wound that constantly draws their gaze. It feels wrong for the wall to be broken so.

Sakura huffs and picks up a chunk of stone to check it over before she tosses it towards the pile of stone behind her. Naruto is seated a distance behind her, tools scattered around him as he pulls nail, screws and other bits of metal from broken wood and stone. For each one he finishes, Sasuke brings another and carts away the pieces for another pile.

It’s slow progress. They’re not the only genin here, most of those who were in the exams have been corralled into clean up. The sound of building can be heard a block away as crews begin to repair buildings that were only partially damaged in the rampage of Orochimaru’s summons and the destructive jutsus by the enemy shinobi.

“Any sign of Kakashi-sensei?” Naruto asks as Sasuke hauls a large joint of wood over to him, careful of the nails protruding from sections of it when it was wrenched out of the roof of some building.

“Not yet,” Sakura says, taking a short breather to stand beside her team, sipping from a water flask before handing it to Sasuke to take a drink. They haven’t seen him in a couple of days, not since the attack really. From what Naruto had been able to get from Iruka-sensei when asked is that he and other jounin are still scouring the village, ensuring no one remains hidden while they’re vulnerable all while others continue to take missions like nothing has happened.

Naruto curses and pulls his hand to his mouth, teeth digging a splinter out of his palm. He spits the wood out and goes back to the section of wood in his lap with a glare. “The funeral is tomorrow,” Sasuke says quietly and the hammer in Naruto’s hand lands with a thump on the ground. He picks it back up and goes back to pulling a stubborn nail out of some wood and glares at his work while seeming to ignore the wetness in his eyes.

Sighing, Sakura places a hand over his where it grips the hammer just a little too tight, knuckle white. “Naruto,” she murmurs. He shakes his head mutely, not looking up at her. The Sandaime had been like a grandfather to him. To lose him has to be hard for the boy. “We’re here if you need us,” she finally settles on and he gives a faint nod before she pulls her hand away and he continues where she stopped him.

Sasuke trades glances with her but there’s not much they can say. Death is part of life and in a shinobi’s life death is much more prevalent than life. Shaking his head faintly, he grabs what Naruto has already finished and hauls it away, Sakura going back to picking through rubble for anything of value.

~*~

Tsunade waits until the five man team and Jiraiya are settled in her office before activating the privacy seals, blocking out the sounds of building that echo through her window and keeping anything said in this room amongst them.

“Report,” she barks, settling back against her chair.

Itachi bows slightly before speaking, “Hokage-sama, have you received any of our reports?” he asks mildly.

Tsunade pauses, sending a glance to Jiraiya before shaking her head. “No, I assumed that you wished to keep the information secret until you returned,” she murmurs. “I take it that is not the case?”

“We have sent information by way of Sai’s jutsu to keep you updated of our progress and give a basic run down of what we had uncovered. We didn’t realize until we were on our way to Kiri from Kumo that someone has been intercepting our messages,” Itachi explains.

“A spy amongst us working for Akatsuki,” Jiraiya speaks up.

“We believe so. Someone high enough to know Sai and be familiar enough with his jutsus to know how they work and how to stop them,” Shin speaks up. “Someone either once part of Root or in ANBU has been turned.”

“This is not what I need right now,” Tsunade grumbles, rubbing tiredly at her eyes. “Give me the highlights first,” she orders.

“Akatsuki is on the move,” Itachi reports. “We came across six of their members attempting to subdue the two Iwa Jinchuuriki who respectively hold the Yonbi and the Gobi between them. We managed to gain quite a bit of intel on the attacking group and helped get the two men away from them and to a safe house to lie low for a few days before we split ways,” Itachi finishes.

“I thought you said we had time, Jiraiya,” she grumbles, glaring at the white haired man.

“I guessed we had time. What I’ve been able to find out on my own is just bits and pieces of the whole. From what I’ve come to understand, they were waiting until something specific occurred, what I don’t know. That they moved now means that either the trigger they were waiting for actually happened or they decided to move early for a different reason. You said there were six of them?” he asks the group.

Itachi nods. “Yes, a mix of men and women from various countries, all of them were missing nin. They all wore the distinctive cloak with red clouds, had rod like piercings across their bodies and they all had the same eyes,” he murmurs.

“Eyes?” Tsunade asks.

“The Rinnegan eyes,” Shisui speaks up with a frown.

“You’re sure of this?” Jiraiya asks with a heavy frown.

“I’m very sure. I saw them up close and personal. They each had a shared line of sight and unique abilities. One of the Jinchuuriki, Han, had some information, though I’m not sure where he got it from. He said they weren’t alive. They were puppets, that the real Pain was elsewhere controlling them. As well, we believe they’re operating out of Ame,” Shisui continues.

“How sure?” Tsunade demands.

“I can’t say one hundred percent but pretty damn sure. Han knew how they moved and how to get away from them. They have a range, like moving out of a radio’s receiving range. It’s how we managed to get away,” Shisui says with a grimace.

“Jiraiya,” Tsunade murmurs, seeing the pinched expression on the man’s face.

“The only time I ever saw the Rinnegan was in Ame. A young boy I helped train,” he murmurs, looking at Tsunade and sees understanding flash across her face. “He died some years ago, or so I thought. If…if he’s been alive all this time and is part pf Akatsuki…”

“We can’t know for sure who Pain is. Eye thieves exist for a reason and Konoha isn’t the only place with information on the Rinnegan. It’s possible he was killed for his eyes,” she murmurs. He doesn’t look convinced but nods anyways. She turns her eyes back to them, “I want your report as soon as possible but you’re free to go for now.”

They salute and make their way out of the room once the wards are down. “I’ll write the report. You four head out to rest,” Itachi assures them. Tenzo, Shin and Sai nod before walking off.

“Let’s go cousin, you can write it just as easily in the Compound as you can here and I recall Mikoto-san ordering us to come back once we were done,” he reminds his cousin.

Itachi sighs but nods, the two quickly taking to the roof tops, aiming for the Uchiha Compound.

~*~

The days trickle by slowly. The repairs to the village wall, the arena and the buildings damaged in the invasion, are slowly completed over the next few weeks. A few Sound shinobi are discovered trying to hide as spies amongst the population and are quickly dealt with.

A week after the invasion by Sound and Sand, an official group from Sand comes under the white flag of truce. They’re not allowed into the village itself, but Tsunade meets them outside the wall, with an array of her jounin on view and her ANBU hidden.

At the head of group is one Yashamaru, brother-in-law of the Yondaime Kazekage. With him comes news of a double crossing, that the Yondaime Kazekage has been dead for a few months at least, with Orochimaru and his people infiltrating the village. Whether the Yondaime originally agreed to the invasion plan and was then assassinated or was taken out first, no one is sure. Yashamaru, as the second highest ranking shinobi of the village after the Kazekage, has been tapped to inherit the hat as Godaime Kazekage and to begin negotiating the return of their shinobi imprisoned in Konoha, including his nephews and niece Gaara, Kankuro and Temari, as well as to begin negotiating a more binding peace treaty with Konoha in reparation for their village’s actions.

By the time the negotiations are finished, Konoha is repaired almost to as it was before. Kurama, for his part, spends most of his time talking with his siblings, gleaning what news he can. He knows Son and Kokuō are near Chōmei to back her up should Akatsuki discover her host’s identity. Isobu and Saiken had returned to Kiri soon after the attack, returning with their people to begin facilitating Mist’s own change of power as Yagura steps down. There have been no sightings of Obito there thankfully, but that is also worrying.

Matatabi and Gyūki are mostly silent with no news to give and assuring him that there have been no humans except those allowed on the island. Shukaku is mostly silent, still recovering from the seal Orochimaru placed on Gaara. He isn’t sure how to help his brother and anytime any of them try to talk with him, he snaps before withdrawing deep into his own personal space. Maybe time will help, but Kurama isn’t sure they have time.

Things are moving faster here than they did in the past. Last time, Akatsuki didn’t really start to move until at least a year into Naruto’s travels with Jiraiya, at least not seriously. He’s not sure when exact Han and the other were taken, but it was definitely spaced out, requiring time and chakra to extract the tailed beasts.

And the brats have been acting off lately. It’s nothing extreme, but he’s started to notice a tension in them as the days creep by, almost like they’re waiting for something to happen. He’s tried asking Naruto about it, but the boy’s not even sure what he’s talking about.

Kurama pauses in his mussing, feeling a swell of uncertainty in Naruto’s mind and peers out to see the boy standing on a roof looking into the distance. It takes him a moment to place what he’s looking at, not having seen this particular rooftop in a long time.

Naruto jumps closer, as if pulled by a rope until he standing on the roof of the hospital, eyes raking slowly across it, stopping on each of the two water tanks there. “Brat,” Kurama calls out. He does a quick mental count in his head and realizes that this is around the time they fought, when the brat left to seek out that snake Orochimaru.

“Naruto!” he hears Sakura call out and the boy turns to show Sakura and Sasuke bounding over to him with frowns at his sudden change in direction. They had been heading home from a day of light training with Kakashi.

“What’s wrong?” Sasuke asks, eyes glancing around, frowning, lips thinning as he looks at what Naruto can feel but not remember. Kurama watches Sasuke’s hands fist suddenly, a fine tremble starting up as he glances at Sakura who seems to also be reacting as she bites her lip as her eyes flick around.

“I…I don’t know,” Naruto admits, voice wavering. “I’ve never been up here, but something about it…”

“Yeah,” Sakura admits softly, eyes wide and wet. “I don’t like this feeling.”

Sasuke has paled and he stuffs his hands into his pockets to hide their shaking. “Let’s get out of here,” he mutters and they slowly nod.

Kurama watches their path for a few minutes as they head for the Uchiha Compound where Mikoto is waiting to feed them.

He can’t wait any longer. He needs to tell them, if only to help them understand what they’re sensing. Either they’ll remember and that will be the end or they won’t and he’ll work on preparing them for the time to come. But it needs to be soon.

He waits until Naruto is alone in his apartment after leaving the Uchiha Compound to ask him a favor. He needs to speak with Tsunade.

~*~

She’s tired. She’s been tired for a while now, at least since the fight with Orochimaru on the roof if not earlier when he first appeared in the Forest of Death. It feels like her work load has doubled in the last month between repairs on the village, ensuring missions are still being carried out and political negotiations between villages. She’d received word from Mist a week ago about them wanting to negotiate a truce.

She met Terumi Mei at the exams; saw the results of the woman’s fight against a group of Sound nin in the melted and burned bodies in pools of lava. She’s not sure she wants to be on the bad side of such a woman, but she’ll let her diplomatic people finagle that whole deal out. She trusts them after they worked so hard on their dealings with Sand before that.

She’d sent Shizune off to bed an hour before, settling into her cups and her work and now, with a nice solid buzz smoothing out the edges of her exhaustion and grief, she’s ready for bed. When she finally notices the short figure sitting in her living room, she wants to bang her head on a wall and punt the shrimp out of her home but doesn’t.

“Naruto, it’s late. Why aren’t you in bed?” she asks a little harshly, but the brat doesn’t seem to take notice of it.

“Um…Kurama says he needs to speak with you about something. Something really important,” he says, fidgeting with his jacket as he stares at her.

She narrows her eyes, not really wanting to deal with this now. “Can it wait?” she asks.

Naruto pauses, a faraway look she’s associated with him speaking with the fox, crossing his face before he looks back at her, “He says it can’t.”

Tsunade sighs heavily. “Fine,” she grumbles. “Come along, brat,” she jerk her head towards the kitchen, grabbing her tea kettle from the top of the stove and sticks it under the faucet to fill it up before she sets it on the stove and flicks the burner on with a careless twist of her fingers.

She ignores him, grabbing a tea pot, a couple of cups and a box of her good tea, the stuff she uses when she’s stressed, which is often. The tin clatters onto the kitchen table and with a groan she pulls back a chair and settles heavily into it. “Alright idiot fox, what do you need to say?” she grumbles.

It’s always a little disconcerting to see the blonde’s eyes go from blue to red, the pupils slitting. “No need to be grumpy, witch,” comes the snappy reply and she sends him a sharp glare. Kurama sighs and settles more into the chair, fiddling with the empty cup in an uncharacteristic display of nerves.

“I need to take the brats somewhere,” he admits softly.

“Why do you need to take them anywhere and where would you be taking them?” she demands softly.

“To the Valley of the End. It’s time the brat got control of my chakra and that involves unlocking part of my seal. As well, there are things I need to tell his team that I can’t tell you…yet,” he admits.

“Why the Valley of the End?” she asks, ignoring the main part of the request.

“Precaution mostly. It’ll be far enough away from the village that nothing important will blow up and it will give us room to practice. If the brats are going to be working together as a team, they need to train with me as well as Naruto,” he explains simply.

“You can’t just give me that and expect me to allow three genin: one my apprentice, one the second son of a clan head and one a Jinchuuriki, to gallivant across Fire without a better reason,” she barks out, standing to grab the water as the kettle starts to whistle. Kurama is silent as she pours the water over the tea, letting it steep for a moment as he gathers his thoughts.

“I’ll be able to tell you how exactly we tailed beasts know so much about Akatsuki,” he says with a hard look at her.

Her hand jerks at the name. “How do you know that name?” she demands.

“Did you think we needed to be physically close to communicate, Hokage?” Kurama asks with a sharp grin. “There’s much you people don’t know about us. Though, in the past, you didn’t care to know. You simply ran us to ground and sealed us away without ever even considering just what you were doing,” he grumbles with a glare.

Tsunade flinches a little at the reminder of just what her grandfather did. “I had no hand in that,” she protests but concedes the point. “So, you can give us something more on Akatsuki?”

“I can give you everything on Akatsuki and what they plan. Tell that Toad Sage not to go to Ame just yet,” he says in an offhanded way and she stares at him heavily. They hadn’t told a soul about Jiraiya’s plans to head to Ame in the coming months.

Her heartbeat picks up as her mind turns over the puzzle pieces before her. “You won’t go alone,” she decides.

“I assumed you would send minders. Just so long as they don’t interfere unless it is something of life or death,” Kurama grumbles.

“When do you need to leave?” she asks, thinking over who is available for such a mission.

“The sooner, the better. Thing are happening and I’d rather not be taken by surprise,” he grumbles.

“Fine,” she snaps. “I’ll inform Team Kakashi when it’s time to go. Now, go away fox,” she orders.

Kurama gives one last pointed glare and then fades back, blue returning to Naruto’s eyes. “Baa-chan?” he asks softly, worriedly.

“Do you know what he wants to tell you?” she asks, hoping the boy can give her more information.

Naruto frowns, twisting his cup around in his hands. “I think it has to do with what we’ve been feeling,” he admits softly.

“Feeling, like sensing?” she asks with a frown.

Naruto shakes his head, “No…like, feeling emotions. It’s been happening a lot here recently. I don’t know what it means, but Kurama does. He said he’d explain it to us eventually. I guess that’s happening sooner rather than later.”

“What have you been feeling?” Tsunade asks softly, concerned.

Naruto shrugs, “Mostly…a lot of sadness,” he admits, “Sadness and loneliness. Like what I used to feel before Kurama started to talk with me but…more.”

Tsunade knows a little of the life Naruto had before she arrived back in the village. “Do you feel that now?” she asks, reaching out to touch his hands and still his fidgeting.

Naruto shakes his head quickly, “No, I’m happy now. I’ve got so many friends and family now, though I do miss Jiji,” he admits softly, eyes looking sad.

“I miss him to,” she admits. It’s been a while since she’s actually talked with the brat like this. Between his training for the Exams, her own always hectic schedule as Hokage and working at the hospital, and just life in general, they haven’t done much but greet each other and have the occasional meal when they can spare a moment. “He was my sensei, did I ever tell you?” she says lightly.

“He was?” Naruto says with shock.

“Yep, he knew me as a snot nosed brat, just like you are now,” she jokes and he sticks his tongue out at her. “He taught me so much,” she murmurs softly.

“He taught me things too,” Naruto admits as well. “And so did Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei and Ero-Sennin. I’ve had a lot of sensei,” he says with a cheeky grin.

“Well, if you’re going to be Hokage someday, you’ll find you need a lot of sensei to help you get there,” she informs him. Naruto glows, grinning hard enough to crack his face almost and with a laugh, she stands. “Come on, brat. Help me make dinner and I’ll tell you some stories of the stupid stuff Jiraiya got up to as a kid,” she orders and Naruto jumps up, abandoning his cup of mostly cold tea to help her make some food.

~*~

He watches from a distance as the village gathers. Sees the traditional passing of the Kage hat from one to the other and feels frustration, anger and confusion well up inside him. He’d come here expecting to see the village in disarray like always, the blood thirsty and power-hungry shinobi of Mist constantly battling for dominance over each other.

His plans are falling apart and he honestly doesn’t know how this happened. He was supposed to keep Kiri distracted, using them to instigate skirmishes with its neighboring countries so they wouldn’t look anywhere else. What better way to distract the other great Elemental Countries than the threat of war?

Now, Konoha has an alliance with Sand and Mist is aiming to do so as well. The village is consolidating its power, bringing order to the carefully cultivated chaos he had spent so many years on. He’s still not sure how the Sanbi Jinchuuriki escaped his control. He hasn’t been able to confirm with Sasori’s sources just how and when the Mizukage broke free, but it was obviously a while ago if this much change has happened since he last seriously checked in.

He lets his thoughts slip to the words that haven’t left his head in weeks: foreign and corrosive. The only thing he can think of with a descriptor like that is the tailed beasts. He recalls quite vividly the feel of the Kyuubi’s chakra that night, years before. If a chakra could have eaten away at flesh, it was that creature’s chakra.

He remembers the Mist shinobi he killed that night in his rage over Rin’s death. He knows they had been chasing the two, but he never truly learned why. But with the idea in his mind, taking a leap of logic is so simple. It shouldn’t make sense, but…if they had put something inside her…something to take back to the village?

He had checked the archives in Mist, and there was nothing on sealing the Sanbi in anyone before Yagura and the Rokubi was still contained in its sealing container, the village at the time not having anyone they felt could survive the sealing, not until Utakata had come of age to be sealed.

He would need to speak with the Sanbi to get any kind of truth but he doubts the tailed beast would do anything but aim to kill him after what he had done. There is someone else who might know, his mind whispers but he can’t go that route. He can’t speak with Kakashi about that night. All he will see is Rin’s blood on his hands and then nothing will be accomplished except him trying to kill him for his actions.

He shakes the thought out of his mind with a sharp sound of frustration. He can’t be distracted with such things. The villages are on alert for Akatsuki, especially now that Pain disobeyed his orders and went after the Yonbi and Gobi, though he can understand why he did it.

They need to move quickly, get ahead of everyone and do some damage control before things escalate even further. Maybe he should instigate a war. Iwa has been pressing a lot at its neighbors’ borders, still frustrated by its previous losses, Ōnoki not satisfied with what he has. And A is always willing to press an advantage for more power and land. Perhaps pushing the two together would be a good idea.

Letting the thoughts percolate in his mind, he lets his Kamui away. He has plans to seed to make things a little more chaotic.

Chapter Text

Worthy: adjective; having or showing the qualities or abilities that merit recognition in a specified way.

She waits until the last of those summoned enter her office before she brings up the wards in her office. This is not a conversation that she wants overheard. Shizune is seated in the corner at her small desk, Tonton in her lap while she watches the five figures settle into chairs or stand as they like, eyes focused on their Hokage.

“Hime, I’m assuming there’s a reason for this meeting?” Jiraiya demands, eyes still blurred from a night of little sleep. A strong cup of coffee rests on the corner of her desk near his elbow that it resting on her desk as well, his head cupped in his palm as he yawns.

She eyes the other four. Kakashi is a lazy line of muscle leaned against the wall, his visible eye sharp as he takes in the gathered group. Tenzo is seated in a chair with his face blank and serious, back as straight as a board as he waits for his orders. Shisui and Itachi are standing off to Tenzo’s right, Shisui half leaned on the chair in front of him, Itachi standing at parade rest.

“Yes, it is,” she admits, rubbing tiredly at her own aching eyes. She hadn’t gotten much sleep last night after that conversation with the Kyuubi. “I had a very interesting conversation last night,” she admits, leveling sharp eyes on all of them and they straighten slightly, except for Kakashi who seems to slouch even more.

When no one speaks up, she continues, “Naruto came to me last night saying Kurama wanted to speak with me about something. Something important that the damn fox felt couldn’t wait.” She knows she has their attention now. “It seems the fox has decided it is time Naruto was given control of his chakra,” she says flippantly and watches Jiraiya jerk at the news.

“What?” he demands.

“Actually, more accurately, he wanted to take the whole team to the Valley of the End so he can train them together,” she continues and watches the faint twitch in Kakashi’s shoulder and the side eyeing Shisui and Itachi give each other.

“I’m assuming you said no,” Jiraiya demands.

“On the contrary, I’m allowing it…within reason,” she says.

“May we know why, Hokage-sama?” Itachi finally speaks up.

“Because apparently, that damn fox knows more about Akatsuki than any of us,” she says with a glare at Jiraiya who pulls back from the desk and grabbing range, coffee secured in a tight grip to keep it from her as a possible projectile.

“How sure are you that he knows anything and isn’t playing you?” Jiraiya demands.

“He told me to tell you not to go to Ame just yet,” she says with a loaded look to the Toad Sage and Jiraiya frowns.

“How would the Kyuubi know about that? We only finished discussing the plans three days ago,” he hisses.

“I honestly don’t know but apparently the tailed beasts can communicate across distances,” she lets that news drop as well.

“They’ve known this whole time…about Akatsuki?” Shisui says, sounding strangled.

“Hm, it would seem so. I get the feeling the two Iwa Jinchuuriki warning you, Jiraiya, and their knowledge about the Akatsuki members that attacked them isn’t a coincidence. The fox knows something…probably more than something, and if it will help us stop this threat before it can escalate into a full on war, I’m willing to take a risk. In three days, the five of you will escort Team Kakashi to the Valley of the End. There, Jiraiya will give Naruto the key to his seal. Your jobs are to protect them from outside threats and if the Kyuubi proves to be false and attempts to break from his seal, you will stop him using whatever means necessary to ensure he does not leave that seal. Is that understood?” she barks out.

“Yes,” comes the murmured replies.

“Good, then get out of my office and ready yourselves to leave in three days,” she orders, bringing the wards down. They file out one by one and she rubs tiredly at her eyes, already feeling a headache coming on and it’s barely an hour after dawn. It’s going to be a long day.

~*~

Kakashi watches their group slowly gather at the gate, the sun just starting to peek over the horizon to splash the sky with the pale reds and yellows of the beginning of the sunrise. Team Kakashi is lagging near him, bleary eyed and slowly waking up with each sip of hot tea shared between them, courtesy of Sakura’s mother.

He’s glad he wasn’t the one having to explain to Mikoto and Fugaku just where their team was going and why. From the looks Shisui and Itachi had given him, it had involved a lot of arguing and demands to come along. They never told him how the argument had ended but the two heads of the Uchiha Clan are not here and that is that.

Tenzo is an annoyingly chipper presence next to him, always a morning person, though whether that is due to his personality or because of the Mokuton and a plant’s love of the sun, he’s never been able to tell. Needless to say, it annoys him no matter what the reasoning.

Shisui and Itachi are also nearby, sharing a thermos of coffee between them as they wait for the last arrival of their team. He’s still not sure how he is actually on time for once but his mind brings up images of Tenzo’s “ghoul” face and he shudders, recalling his Kohai’s threats if he didn’t arrive on time. It’s not fair that he was forced to be here on time when they’re still waiting on Jiraiya’s lazy ass to show up.

As if thinking his name summoned him, there’s a poof of smoke and the Toad Sage is standing in front of their group. “Well brats, let’s get this over with,” he grumbles, geta clacking on the hard packed road, aiming for the gate out. The two Chuunin on gate duty are eyeing their gathering with curiosity and confusion. Kakashi can understand why. How often did you see four jounin and the Toad Sage escorting a genin team?

Giving them a jaunty wave and an eye smile just to fuck with them, he tucks his hands into his pockets and ambles behind Jiraiya, the three genin in question falling in step next to him. Tenzo takes the opposite side, and Itachi and Shisui take the rear.

If they pushed themselves, they could reach the Valley of the End in about six hours if they didn’t take any breaks. With three genin and no time limit, they’re aiming for about a day, less if they only took a few breaks to reach their destination.

The first few hours are mostly silent, the jounin from habit, the genin from still waking up, passing the time eating some trail rations while keeping up with the adults. Once everyone is sufficiently awake and alert, they take to the trees, putting some speed in their steps.

Jiraiya, for his part, doesn’t talk much, but then again, the man is used to traveling alone on his journeys and to have to deal with this many people must be strange. He and Tenzo usually only talk when they need to while on a mission, at least when traveling. The quicker they got to where they needed to go, the faster they could get back and talking while running took up much needed air. When they did talk, half the time it was in hand signs.

Itachi and Shisui are similar, but it seems in this, they’re willing to be more talkative, answering a few questions from the three as they run the branches. No one talks about where they’re going or why. It’s not needed.

~*~

A sudden thunderstorm forces them from the trees a few hours from the valley. Between the heavy rain limiting visibility and the heavy crackle and boom of lightning and thunder across the sky, none of them feel like traveling further unless they absolutely have to.

With a few seals and a surge of chakra, Tenzo builds a large enough house to hold all eight of them, Jiraiya pulling out a handful of barrier seals to place around it to hide them away for the night. “And this is why we always request you for missions,” Shisui says good-naturedly, slapping Tenzo on the back, the Mokuton user sending him an unimpressed look.

Sakura snorts when Tenzo trips up Shisui and the two tumble to the ground, wrestling while Itachi stands off to the side looking long suffering and Kakashi cheers them on.

She pulls her hair out of its tail and wrings it out with a sign at how soaked her clothes are. Naruto and Sasuke don’t seem to have noticed that they’re soaked to the bone, arguing over something quietly. There doesn’t appear to be a fire place, or any separate rooms. Just four walls and a roof but, she’s not complaining. She doesn’t want to be camped out in this rain.

She reaches for the hem of her dress, wringing out the material as best she can, leaving a puddle of water around her sandals. She pauses and watches the water slowly seep into the wood and disappear, like the wood soaked up the water. It’s neat but a little disconcerting all the same.

“Here you go, Sakura-san,” a soft voice says behind her and she looks up to see Itachi holding out a towel towards her, a storage scroll in his hand.

“Thank you,” she murmurs with a faint smile and takes it, pulling it over her head to start drying her hair. Itachi nods and steps over to the others, handing them a towel as well and subsequently ending their argument as they too start to dry off.

Dinner is field rations, none of them willing to try and hunt for a meal in this weather, though they do eventually light a small fire to chase off the chill and to help dry their clothes and gear. Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto settle off to the side, pulling out blankets and using their packs as pillows while the adult talk to each other on the other side of the room.

Sakura feels a hand grip hers and looks to see Naruto gripping it, eyes wide in the flickering shadows of the fire. “I don’t like this feeling,” he admits, squeezing her hand.

She nods in understanding; feeling like her own heart is breaking. It’s been growing stronger with every mile they crossed to reach their destination and she knows that this place, this Valley of the End, is going to feel like the hospital roof.

“What do you think it means?” she whispers reaching out her other hand to grip Sasuke’s. That the other boy doesn’t shake her off shows that he’s feeling this just as strongly as they are.

“I don’t know,” Sasuke mutters with a heavy frown, pupils wide in the shadows and for a second they flicker to red before returning to their normal black.

“Kurama knows,” Naruto mutters. “He says he’s going to explain it to us. It’s why we’re going to this valley.”

“I’m scared,” Sakura admits softly. Some of the feelings she’s felt hurt so badly, like someone carving a dull knife across her heart. And the dreams…she knows their important, not like her usual dreams. They don’t feel like her usual dreams, more like memories. But in these dreams, she’s seen things that scare her more with flashes of fighting, healing wounds and frantic voices. They’ve never really made sense, always disjointed and in no particular order.

“We’re in this together,” Naruto mutters with a hard gleam in his eyes, his free hand reaching out to grasp Sasuke’s free hand, looking between them. “We’re a team.”

“Okay,” Sakura whispers, Sasuke nodding at the blonde, but his knuckles are white with how hard he’s griping their hands. They don’t talk much after that, dropping off to sleep with heavy hearts and racing thoughts. If they do dream, they don’t remember and dawn comes quickly.

~*~

Naruto stares with wide eyes as the low fog begins to dissipate and reveal the wide valley before them. He knows this place. He can’t say how, but he’s been here before with a certainty in his bones, in his blood, in his soul. Sparks of anger, betrayal, grief, loss pass through his mind so quickly, each burning so brightly, they leave an afterimage. For a second all he can taste is the ozone of lightning on his tongue and smell blood on the air.

He shivers in the cool morning air, the low lying clouds blocking out much of the early morning sunlight and washing the world in dull grey colors. Everything is damp, the leaves of the trees dripping on them as they move through them. In the distance, the roar of a waterfall echoes across the steep cliff faces that make up the walls of the valley.

“Why is this place called the Valley of the End?” Sakura asks quietly, her voice subdued.

“This is where Senju Hashirama, the Shodaime, and Uchiha Madara fought for the last time. It is where Madara was killed. Their battle was so great that it changed the land itself, creating the valley you see here. They named it the Valley of the End as a tribute to that battle, the ending of their friendship and as a reminder of the cost of peace,” Jiraiya murmurs, eyes hard.

No one says anything else as they follow the edge of the cliff towards the waterfall where they eventually can make out the two large statues bracketing the large waterfall that has been getting steadily louder the closer they got to it.

They pause some distance from the waterfall itself and well back from the edge of the cliff. “Let me speak, brat,” Kurama says in his head and Naruto takes a step to the side, Kurama pushing to the front enough to speak. “Toad Sage,” Kurama grumbles and the five adults turn to look at him. “The key, if you please,” he murmurs with a sardonic twist to his grin, seeing the way the Sage’s eyebrow twitches at the thought of giving Kurama anything. “You have my word on my father’s name that I will not try to escape nor break the seal,” he grumbles out with an eye roll.

“You have a father?” Shisui sputters, eyes wide.

Kurama grins, full of mischief, “Wouldn’t you like to know,” he mutters and Shisui’s eyes narrow, trying to decide if he’s playing with him or not. He decides to cut them some slack, “The Sage of the Six Paths,” he says simply before turning to face towards the white haired man whose expression has turned thoughtful. “The key,” he reminds him and the man nods. A few minutes later, the scroll is before them, the toad fused into it looking unhappy to be there, unrolling to the key for his seal.

Kurama steps back. “Touch the box, brat,” he orders in his head and Naruto nods, stepping slowly towards the seal and pressing his hand to it, chakra sparking at the tips of his fingers, buzzing and warm before it settles and is gone.

‘What was that?’ Naruto asks silently.

“The key to my seal. We will need it quite soon,” he says and Naruto nods.

~*~

Kurama stretches out his limbs, readying for what is to come and speaks once more through Naruto. “Give us space,” he orders, ignoring the frowns directed at him.

“And why should we do that?” Kakashi drawls, languid as ever, nose shoved into his book without a care in the world but Kurama can see the tension in his frame, knows the jounin is ready to move if he must.

“Because I’m not testing you idiots, I’m testing the brats and your input is not needed,” Kurama grumbles.

“Testing?” Sakura asks.

Kurama grins, “Did you think I would just hand over my chakra without testing you brats?”

Sakura and Sasuke exchange glances and then nod, Naruto agreeing as well with an excited grin from within. There’s a shifting of feet and before he can jerk his eyes away, Itachi and Shisui are before him, in his personal space where no Uchiha has been allowed, not in years. Kurama growls, low and deep, hackles rising as he prepares to lash out.

“How dare you,” his voice rumbles like an encroaching avalanche.

“Why should we trust you, fox?” Itachi demands placidly, completely unfazed by his display. “You expect us to accept your word, to believe you will bring no harm to any of these children, yet you give nothing to assure us.”

Kurama presses closer, ignoring the stinging of the seals keeping him back until he’s looming over them, heated breathe wafting around them like steam. “You Uchiha and those damn eyes think you’re so superior. You come here into MY sanctuary and demand answers. If I could, I would have wiped your clan out ages ago,” he hisses.

“You expect us to trust you with Sasuke after that,” Shisui demands incredulously. “You would kill us all, even him?”

Kurama turns away for a moment, “I would not kill him. He is one of the few that can stop it from happening,” he murmurs darkly, tired of dealing with the two of them.

“Stop what?” Itachi demands.

“War, little Uchiha! A war the likes of which this world of Shinobi has never seen. A war that will wash the world in blood and darkness. A war sparked by your clan’s curse. A war I aim to stop before it can be started again,” he growls out as he spins to face them once more and with a twist, the fire in the clearing roars up, fifteen…twenty…thirty feet high, shadows playing across it until a single figure can be seen within the flames, eyes wide and crazed, the ringed iris clear, even without their signature color and echoing through the clearing, a hollow, echoing laugh.

Neither speaks as they stare at the flames, hearing the laughter fade, before the flames dim and the fire returns to how it was. “How do you know this?” Itachi finally speaks up, face pinched, frame tense.

“That will be explained, if you people will stop hindering me and let me get to work,” he growls out.

They stare up at him with those cured red eyes taking in every little detail before slowly, Itachi nods, Shisui following just behind him. “We will trust you in this. Do not think to betray that trust,” Itachi murmurs.

Kurama crouches low until he has Itachi squarely in his sight, “You do not scare me, kinslayer. I have seen far worse than anything you could do,” Kurama hisses out and takes satisfaction in the faint widening of the teen’s eyes at his words.

Before either can speak, he blows out a harsh breathe and forces them from his space and glares at them in the real world. “You will not do that again,” he growls out lowly. “Not unless you want to lose a few limbs,” he warns and they nod. The others glance between them, not sure what happened in the last few seconds.

Itachi bows slightly, “We will give you the space you request,” he murmurs, sending a look to the others.

Jiraiya looking intrigued by the sudden change, eyes flicking between them before he nods. “We’ll set up a perimeter around them and set up a barrier. You’ve got twelve hours, Kyuubi. After that, we’re leaving,” he informs him and Kurama scoffs but nods. Jiraiya reaches into a pouch and pulls out seals to hand to them before they scatter, leaving the three genin to themselves.

“Kurama?” Sasuke asks, eyes looking in the direction his brother went in.

“I hate people who come in uninvited,” he grumbles and Sakura giggles nervously. “Sit down brats, in a circle and I’ll explain what’s going to happen,” he orders and they nod, settling in a loose circle and he settles in front of them. “Grip my hands and don’t fight me,” he warns and they nod, easily taking his hands.

With a twist of his chakra, he pulls them into his world, the trees towering over them. Sakura gasps, looking around wide eyed and even Sasuke looks awed by the sudden change. “Where is this?” he asks, stepping away.

“This is Kurama’s place,” Naruto says with a wave, coming out of the trees at a jog. “In here,” he adds, tapping the side of his head. “This is where I go to talk with him.”

“You’ve got a whole forest in your head?” Sakura demands with a skeptical look.

Kurama laughs above them, “It’s not physically there, brats. This is just how I felt like decorating my prison,” he grumbles.

“Prison?” Naruto says, turning quickly to look up at him, eyes wide. “You never called it that.

Kurama sighs and settles down, crossing his front legs. “I never kept it from you, brat. This has always been a prison for me, but that doesn’t mean I resent you for it. It took me a long while to realize that,” he admits. “I resented my jailers, but they had no choice, just like me. I’ve come to terms with this. Maybe one day, I won’t be sealed within someone, but for now, that is not why we are here.”

Naruto sniffs softly. “I’ll make sure you get to be free,” Naruto says firmly, a steely look in his eyes. “No one will ever make you a prisoner again.”

“Thanks brat,” he murmurs.

“You said you were going to test us,” Sakura pipes up. “How?” she asks.

“You three are going to fight me,” he says with a grin.

“What!” Naruto yells out, eyes wide. “Kurama, we can’t fight you. You’re huge!”

“This isn’t about defeating me brat. I know you can’t defeat me, at least not right now. This is about showing me you ready to use my chakra,” he explains simply.

“A test,” Sasuke says, stepping closer to his two friends. “Which is why we’re here, so we can help.”

Kurama nods. “You’re a team. You’ll fight me as one. The goal is to pull my chakra from me. Plus, when will I ever get to do this again,” he says with a grin and Naruto laughs.

“Um…is anything allowed?” Sakura asks.

“I expect you to go full force, brats. No holding back,” he orders and they nod. “Brat, use the key on the seal,” he orders.

Naruto frowns and nods, looking down at his hand to see the key suddenly visible on his skin. Slowly, he pulls up his shirt and presses it against the seal and feels it click, turning until something gives. They all look up as suddenly, energy they hadn’t been able to see crackles to life between them and Kurama, connecting to two large trees with seals carved into their trunks. Slowly, the energy dims and then vanishes and a hush falls over the clearing.

Kurama grins, standing with a stretch and stepping out of his cage for the first time in years. “Well, brats…shall we?” he asks with a mischievous twist to his grin as suddenly the clearing expands impossibly wide, the fire disappearing but the moon over head full and bright, lighting the wide expanse before them.

Naruto grins and laughs next to his team, “We’re gonna kick your butt, Kurama. Believe it!”

With a laughing yip, Kurama jumps forward and falls onto them, careful of where he places his paws as the three genin scatter. He feels a hard slam against his flank and glances back to see Sakura jumping away from where she had just punched his side and turns back around to have his head dog piled by a hoard of Naruto clones.

With a shake of his head, he sends them flying, puffs of smokes temporarily shrouding his vision as the clones dissipate and he jerks when he feels something thin and metallic wraps around a paw. With a huff of laughter mostly suppressed, he allows the wire to stay there, feeling the sudden burst of chakra and the burst of flames that dance down the wires.

Smart brat, already trying to hobble him. He’d forgotten how quick Sasuke was at reacting and planning on the fly. To reward his quick thinking, he lets the flames wash over his fur, feeling the heat and sensing the triumph from Sasuke. With a jerk of his leg, he snaps the wire, flames dancing along his fur but not bothering him, not when flames are his element and grins at the frustrated glare Sasuke sends him. “You’ll have to do better than that brat,” he growls.

There’s another surge of chakra and more clones swarm up his side, some aiming for his head, but others aiming for his tails and he spies the glint of more chakra wire in the brats’ hands. He flicks his gaze towards where Sakura has stationed herself and can’t help but feel a little pride at the kunoichi’s planning: distracting him with multiple attacks while they try and pull him down. She always was his favorite when it came to plans, even in the past.

He jerks his head, snapping to dissipate more clones, tails flicking to knock other off of his back but he can feel the wires snagging on his body. The remaining clones leap from his back, wire trailing after them and he allows it to happen, wants this to happen.

Sakura rushes forward and with a chakra assisted grip, uses the strength she’s only just starting to discover from her Shishou and pulls. Kurama blinks, not having realized how much wire they managed to get around him and feels his rear right leg fold as the wires pull tight. He could break it so easily, but he won’t.

He feels a tug on his chakra, sees Naruto, the real Naruto, tugging at one of his tails. Kurama feels a bit of nostalgia rise up and for a moment, he sees his Naruto of old fighting him, eyes burning with determination. He hadn’t known it at the time, what that stupid brat would come to mean to him.

He lets his grip on his chakra loosen, just a hair, making them work for it. Sasuke rushes up behind Naruto, wrapping his arms around the blonde’s torso as he helps pull, Sakura coming to his help as well, grabbing onto Sasuke.

Kurama lets them pull some of his chakra out but there’s something he needs to do, a gift to the brat. He pushes his anger, his grief, his hate, just a little of it, down the connection. He needs to do this. Naruto needs to understand how to overcome his anger, the little festering seed of hurt he still carries within his heart. The one he used to use so long ago to overwhelm him. It’s not as big as in the past, but it’s still there.

He sees the way Naruto’s eyes go wide, tears springing up as he stares wide-eyed at Kurama. He watches the way the corruption seeps into him, only a little, but it’s enough. He was taken by surprise last time, but now, he feels it, the unfurling of a chakra he hasn’t felt in years.

But just because he’s expecting it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt when the chains arch out of Naruto’s body to wrap around him and pin him down. He fucking hate’s Kushina’s chains, no matter that he’s a changed tailed beast. He hates this technique with a passion and he has to force himself to not lash out.

“What?” Naruto yelps, still holding onto Kurama’s chakra, but his grip has loosened, Sakura and Sasuke stare at the chains in shock.

Kurama sighs in annoyance, “Hello, Tomato,” he grumbles as the red haired kunoichi steps out of the shadows next to the three genin with a sharp grin and a spark of killing intent at the nickname.

“Who are you?” Sakura asks softly and Kushina turns, looking with a frown at the three pint sized brats currently wrestling with Kurama.

Naruto’s eyes are wide with shock as he looks at a woman he’s seen only in photos. “M…Mom?” he asks hesitantly.

Kushina gasps softly, “Naruto?” she murmurs and he nods vigorously. She steps forward, “Oh, you got so big,” she murmurs, hands pressing against Naruto’s cheeks.

Sakura and Sasuke let go of him, stepping back and Kushina looks at them, gaze flicking between them and Kurama’s annoyed expression. Her brows furrow ever so faintly, “You’ve changed,” she murmurs, eye boring into Kurama’s.

Kurama huffs, “Yeah, well, your son has a tendency to befriend anything that breathes, including things that are trying to kill him,” he grumbles with a roll of his eyes and Naruto giggles.

Kushina looks down at the grinning Naruto. “They told you about us?” she asks, not seeming to believe that he knows her.

Naruto nods again, “Tsunade-baa-chan told me and Mikoto-san gave me pictures of you and told me all kinds of stories about you. Ero-Sennin told me some as well, and Jiji told some to me and…and…” he stops to take a breath.

“Mikoto told you?” she murmurs with a grin, eyes growing wet. She wipes away the tears. “Who are your friends?” she asks.

“That’s Sakura-chan and Sasuke-kun,” Naruto says with another radiant grin. “We’re a team.”

“You are?” she says. “Who’s your sensei?” she asks.

“Kakashi-sensei, though, he’s always late and reads that stupid book of his,” he grumbles, Sakura and Sasuke nodding to his words.

Kushina snorts at his words, “Did you know your dad was Kakashi’s sensei?” she murmurs with a fox grin.

“He was?” Naruto yelps, looking excited at the information.

“Yep. You’ll have to get him to tell you some stories,” she says with a laugh, turning back to look at Kurama.

“You’re evil, Tomato,” he mutters and she glares at him.

“Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you,” she informs hm.

“Kurama is testing us!” Naruto defends the fox.

“Testing you?” she murmurs. “Kurama?”

“My name, Tomato,” he grumbles and enjoys watching her brow twitch at the name.

“You never told me your name,” she says softly.

“You never asked,” he reminds her snidely and her eyes widen a little bit.

“No…I guess I never did,” she admits. She looks towards Naruto who looks worried and Sakura and Sasuke who are waiting to see what’s going to happen next before looking back at Kurama. “You’re not fighting them…not for real,” she says, eyes widening in shock.

“They’re genin, Tomato. That would be a death sentence if I went all out,” he reminds her.

Kushina grins then, laughter bubbling up as she clutches her stomach, “Oh, this is too precious. You’ve gotten soft,” she says, doubling over.

Kurama growls, “I have no problem smashing you to pieces, Tomato,” Kurama grumbles.

“Oh, no, Kurama. I’m gonna show my son a thing or two about wrestling with you,” she says with a fox grin and the chains tighten. “Let’s go Team Kakashi, let’s show this big ol’ softy just what we’re made of,” Kushina orders and with a yell, the genin throw themselves at him as Kushina holds him down and Naruto bursts into clones, pulling on his chakra.

“Damn it, Tomato. This is not your fight,” he grumbles, ducking chakra hardened fists from Sakura as Sasuke breathes fire in his face.

He feels the brat pulling his chakra and with a growling grumble, he allows it. Naruto gives a yell of triumph, Kushina’s chains letting up. Kurama huffs and shakes his fur out, seeing the way the chakra blazes across Naruto, a familiar sight he’s missed.

Kushina turns to Kurama as Naruto shows off to his teammates. “Does he know…about what happened that night?” she asks softly.

“He knows and I plan to stop that man’s plans from happening,” he assures. Kushina looks at him, really looks at him,

“You really are changed,” she murmurs.

“I made a promise to them that I would change things for the better,” he admits, crouching close to her to keep their conversation between them.

“You’ll watch over him for me?” she asks and he nods. She frowns, looking away before looking at Kurama, “I don’t blame you…for what happened that night,” she admits.

“What?” he says, eyes widening.

“You heard me,” she murmurs with a wane smile.

“I killed you idiot. How can you just forgive me?” he growls.

She smiles, bright and happy, “Because you forgave him,” she murmurs, looking over towards Naruto. “None of us ever had a choice in our lives when it came to becoming Jinchuuriki. To blame you, I would have to blame my son and I would have to blame myself. I chose to have him and the only reason I was vulnerable enough for them to try and break my seal was because of him. I know myself well enough to know I would never blame him…or you for things that you couldn’t control. But,” she adds, “You better do everything in your power to protect him.”

“I will…Kushina,” he murmurs.

“Thank you...Kurama,” she whispers, hand reaching up to brush against his fur for just a moment. With a wistful look, she turns away, “Naruto,” she calls out and the three genin turn. “I can’t stay much longer. There’s something I need to give you, before I go,” she tells him.

Naruto runs up to her with his eyes wide and wet. With a smile, she bends down and presses a kiss to his head and Kurama can feel the faint curl of chakra that passes between them as Kushina places the memories of that night into his mind. She smiles faintly, wiping away his tears that stream down his face. “I love you, Naruto, with all my heart. You’ve grown up to be so big and I know you’ll become every bit the hero this world needs. Keep your friends close,” she says, sending looks to Sakura and Sasuke, “And listen to Kurama. I won’t see you after this, but know I’m watching you from the Pure Lands with your father. We’ll see you again one day.”

“I love you, mom,” he whispers and she hugs him tight before she slowly fades in a shower of sparks, chakra fading away.

“Goodbye, Tomato,” Kurama mutters.

The area around them slowly shrinks until it returns to his clearing once more, the fire burning brightly before them. “Brat,” Kurama murmurs, looking at the crying boy.

“Thank you, Kurama,” he murmurs with a wane smile.

“There’s one last piece to do,” he murmurs and Naruto nods, wiping his eyes. Kurama concentrates before the final piece of the seal is before them, the familiar paper stuck to a large tree to his right. “This will remove the last barrier between us. Only you can remove this.”

Naruto nods and steps up, reaching out, still glowing with Kurama’s chakra. He reaches out to grip the paper, starting to peel it away and a tan hand stops him. He watches the boy jerk, looking up to see Minato looking down at him.

“Hello, Naruto,” Minato murmurs.

“Dad?” Naruto chokes out.

Minato nods with a smile. “You got big,” he murmurs, ruffling a hand through Naruto’s hair. His gaze flicks over Naruto, taking in the Kyuubi’s chakra he’s using, gaze moving on to Sakura and Sasuke behind him and finally landing on Kurama, who arches a brow but doesn’t say anything. “You seem to know what you’re doing,” he says softly, looking back at Kurama.

“I put a bit of myself in the seal, as a failsafe but it looks like you didn’t need it,” he admits.

“I met mom,” Naruto admits softly with a smile.

“I’m glad you could,” Minato says with a nod. He sighs and kneels down to look at Naruto, “I’m sorry, for what my actions might have done for you, Naruto. For any pain and loneliness you felt. I wished that things could have been different, that you wouldn’t have to bare your mother’s burden or my mistakes. I wanted you to be a hero. I hope you can forgive me,” Minato murmurs.

“I’m not mad,” Naruto assures him. “I’ve got friends and family and I’m going to be Hokage just like my dad was,” he says with a grin. “I’m gonna show everyone that me and Kurama are heroes. Believe it!” Naruto crows.

“You’ll be the best Hokage,” Minato says with a grin, ruffling Naruto’s hair again before he stands. “I can’t stay much longer. It’s your decision to remove that seal, but it seems I don’t need to worry.”

Minato looks to Kurama and he nods. “I love you Naruto. I’ll see you again one day,” he assures the boy and Naruto grins, tears in his eyes again. With a grin, Minato fades, leaving the clearing empty of his faint chakra.

“Kurama,” Naruto calls out, voice wet.

“I’m here brat,” he murmurs, Sakura and Sasuke stepping up beside him, pressing close to comfort him. Eventually, he straightens, wiping his eyes. “Ready, brat?” Kurama asks and Naruto nods. He reaches up with a determined look and pulls the last bit of the seal away and Kurama sighs.

Naruto stands still for a long moment before he laughs faintly. “I can feel you, Kurama,” he says aloud. “You’re so big.”

“I’ve always been this big, brat. You just couldn't feel all of me. With the seal gone, you now have access to all of my chakra,” Kurama informs him.

“Are you finally going to tell us now?” Naruto asks softly.

Kurama nods. “It’s time you know the truth.”

Chapter Text

Sorry everyone. I know I left it on a bit of a cliff hanger in the last chapter, but I'm taking a short break to keep from burning out on this fic. Next update is going to be on April 30. :)

Chapter Text

Transition: noun; the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another.

Kurama eyes the three genin sitting in front of him, the fire outlining their shadowed forms in gold. He lays before them, front legs crossed as he drags his roiling thoughts into some semblance of order on how to go about this. He’s not exactly sure what to say that will trigger their memories. He knows they’re there, in one form or another but something is blocking them.

They keep looking up at him expectantly and he sighs softly, lowering his head until he can look at them. “Tell me brats what you’ve been feeling, seeing?” he says, hoping to find inspiration from them.

They frown, glancing between each other before Sakura speaks up, “Um, I’ve been seeing things, in my dreams,” she admits. “I don’t know what it means exactly, but…they’re not nice images.”

“Same,” Sasuke says. “Sometimes I feel things with them: pain from injuries, strong emotions. It’s…confusion.”

Naruto nods along determinedly. “I know things…things I shouldn’t be able to know,” he says softly, blue eyes wide as they stare up at Kurama.

Kurama nods in understanding. It’s about what he expected from being privy to Naruto’s thoughts and feelings like he is but he wasn’t expecting them to be remembering so much. Kurama sighs again. “You’re not sure what is real, are you?” Kurama asks and they all nod hesitantly. “It’s all real,” he assures them. “These feelings…these memories, they’re yours, but not yours at the same time.”

“How?” Sakura asks.

“The best way to explain it is to tell you the full story,” he says, shifting onto his side to get comfortable, the three genin settling as well. “This all started long before you were born, before Konoha even existed,” he admits. “You remember those statues by the waterfall?” he asks.

“Ero-Sennin said they were the Shodaime and some guy names Madara,” Naruto mutters.

“Yes,” Kurama assures. “Hashirama killed Madara that day,” he says with a heavy frown. “But the bastard didn’t stay dead.”

“What?” Sasuke yelps.

Kurama nods, “I’m sure you’ve started to learn more about the Sharingan and its evolutions and abilities. There is one called Izanagi. The basics of it are that by sacrificing one of their Sharingan, a person can control fate. You can change anything. Make a killing blow hit, or for an injury to be no more. You can even reverse death. Madara sacrificed one of his eyes to keep from dying.”

“What did he do?” Sasuke asks, subdued.

“He plotted and planned, experimenting with some of Hashirama’s cells and in doing so, managed to unlock an ability he should never have had: the Rinnegan. Afterwards, he put a plan into motion, corrupting on of your clan into helping him. Eventually, he died, but the plan was put into motion to revive Madara and unleash a war onto this world,” Kurama explains.

“You speak like you were there, that you lived it,” Sakura murmurs, green eyes wide with shock.

“Because I did live it…and so did you,” he explains. “We fought him and lost. We kept fighting him but we couldn’t win. It got to the point where we were some of the last shinobi not under Madara’s thumb and so we did something stupid and reckless, all to stop him. We went back in time,” he explains simply.

He watches them as they process his words, eyes boring into them, watching the shadows and light flicker around them and for a moment, he swears he sees forms behind them, just a flicker of an outline. “How is that even possible?” Sakura demands.

“Honestly, I don’t know how it happened. You’d have to ask Obito to explain it,” Kurama admits.

“Obito?” Naruto finally speaks up, frowning in concentration.

“The Uchiha boy Madara corrupted and turned to his plans. He eventually turned to our side and it was his Mangekyō Sharingan that sent us back in time,” he explains.

“That name is familiar,” Sakura murmurs.

He sees the flicker again and grins. “Obnoxious, surly, no sense of humor with a martyr complex a mile wide,” Kurama describes the man in question. The flicker happens again and slowly solidifies behind the three genin who remain unaware of the three figures slowly coming into focus behind them. “He was a bastard but we wouldn’t be here without him,” Kurama murmurs, eyes boring into the laughing blue eyes staring at him from behind his smaller counterpart.

“Don’t tell lies, Kurama,” Naruto murmurs with a fond smile and the three genin jump and turn to see the three figures behind them.

“What?” Naruto yelps, eyes wide as he looks up at his older self. “Wait…I remember you,” he says. “From that dream.”

“That was me,” the man murmurs with a grin. He looks to the other two, “I forgot how short we used to be.”

“Says the one who was always the shortest,” Sasuke murmurs with an arched brow, Sakura snorting beside him.

“Oi, Teme, nobody asked you,” he grumbles and Kurama can’t help but laugh, heart feeling too big for his chest at hearing their familiar banter. He’d missed this…missed them.

“Kurama, what’s going on?” Sakura asks, looking between the three new arrivals and her friends, the three genin sharing incredulous looks before looking up at Kurama.

“What do you think is happening?” he asks back, staring at the young kunoichi, seeing the gears begin to whirl to life in her mind as she glances back to the three figures standing patiently beside the fire.

“They…they look like us, but older,” she murmurs. “You said ‘we’ came back in time, but…it was them,” she says, eyes going wide at the implications. “They’re us.”

“I don’t get it,” Naruto grumbles. “We’re us. How can they be us as well?” he demands and even Sasuke seems to agree with him, frowning as he looks up at his older counterpart.

“When we came back in time,” Sakura murmurs, stepping closer to the three genin, “we didn’t come back physically. Our bodies were destroyed by the time shift. Our minds, our chakra, our souls, they remained though and found a home inside you three. We are and aren’t the same. We share the same DNA, the same soul and chakra, but we were just different enough that we didn’t fully…mesh,” she finally settles on.

“We couldn’t interact easily with you either,” Sasuke admits. “There was something blocking us and we could only really connect with you three in your dreams, sharing memories in small bursts.”

“That still doesn’t make sense,” Naruto grumbles, arms crossing as he glares at them.

“It’s like what mom and dad did,” the older blonde murmurs, walking up, “We’re chakra impressions. All our memories, our abilities, our emotions, they’re here,” he taps the smaller blonde on his head. “We’ve been here all along, waiting to share everything with you. We’ll always be there.”

“But mom and dad disappeared,” Naruto counters.

“Different chakras,” Kurama supplies for him. “Their impressions only lasted so long as their chakra lasted. When it was used up, they left. But you have the same chakra. So long as you live, so will he,” he finishes.

“What if I don’t want your memories?” Sasuke demands, glaring up at his counterpart. “I’ve seen some of the things you did. They were wrong. I don’t want to remember that.”

Sasuke’s expression looks apologetic, “I can’t change my past and my choices, but what I did doesn’t define you. You are not me. You need to remember to stop the war from happening, but I hope my memories will help guide you away from my dark path.”

“You talked about Obito. But we’ve never met him. Where is he?” Sakura asks, looking up at Kurama.

Kurama shrugs. “I can’t say for sure. I don’t even know if he is remembering like you three or if he’s unaware. I’ve felt him a few times, in the village, checking in on Kakashi and even the Uchiha, but I’ve had no contact with him and neither have any of my siblings, except for Isobu, but that was before we arrived. The timeline has changed, possibly even accelerated, but I doubt his goals have changed one bit,” the fox assures with a sigh.

“How are we supposed to stop a war?” Naruto asks softly, eyes wide. “We’re genin. You were older, stronger than us and you couldn’t win. What can we do?”

Naruto smiles down at him, “You’ve already changed things just by remaining a team. With knowledge of what’s to come, the villages can stop this before it explodes out of control.”

“I don’t want to,” Sakura whispers in the quiet the blonde’s words create.

The older kunoichi looks solemn at her confession, “I know.”

“If I could have done this any other way, I would have brats,” Kurama assures them.

“How come you remember, Kurama?” Naruto asks.

“I am, first and foremost, a creature of chakra. I don’t need a physical form to define me and so I can’t die because chakra can’t be destroyed. I will always come back, and until the day everything ends and the world goes to its death, I will live. As such, when I traveled back in time, it was similar to being reborn into the world again, like drawing to like,” Kurama explains with a shrug.

The three look at each other, silently communicating with each other before they nod, looking back at their older selves, Naruto answering, “Fine, we’ll do it.”

The three older versions nod solemnly before stepping to their younger selves. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry,” Sasuke whispers, eyes sad, before he places a hand on the Uchiha child’s head.

“I never wanted to hurt you,” Sakura whispers, reaching out to touch the younger kunoichi’s cheek.

“I’m glad you lived the life I never had. It was the one thing I always wished for,” Naruto murmurs, looking down at Naruto before looking up at Kurama. “Thank you, Kurama,” he adds before pressing his hand to Naruto’s chest, above his heart.

The world goes blinding white and Kurama closes his eyes to block it out. A few seconds later, the light flickers out and he opens them warily. The others are gone, the clearing empty except for one lone figure, staring up at him, Naruto stares up at him with amusement. “It’s take time for the memories to integrate. They’re sleeping,” he offers up to the fox.

Kurama nods, “I missed you, brat,” he admits as the blonde walks closer.

“Same, you crazy fox,” Naruto says with a wide grin, arms going wide to hug him close and Kurama sighs, settling into the feeling of his friend’s presence.

~*~

They feel it before they see it. A sudden upsurge of chakra that burns like a beacon, even for those not sensitive enough to sense chakra. Kakashi glances across the way to see Itachi on his perch in a tree, eyes trained unerringly towards where they left the genin. He doesn’t need to be close to know the man has his Sharingan out.

He hears a crackle over their close range radios and hears Tenzo’s voice. “I think whatever the fox was doing is done. They're all unconscious,” he murmurs, voice sounding worried.

Pulling his part of the barrier from the tree he’s crouched in front of, Kakashi runs towards the rocky, open expanse they left hours before, Itachi and Shisui already ahead of him. They find them sprawled out on the ground, breathing evenly and unconscious.

A quick check over them finds nothing physically wrong. “What do you think happened?” he asks, if only because no one else will.

Jiraiya huffs as he bends down to pull Naruto’s shirt up and examine the seal. It’s intact and holding. “What do you know, the fox was telling the truth,” he murmurs with a grumble before pulling the shirt back down and picking the blonde up.

Itachi quickly picks Sasuke up, the boy hanging limp in his arms. “Is that blood?” Shisui murmurs, reaching a finger up to swipe over one of the boy’s eyes and it comes back faintly red. The two Uchiha share a look none of them can really interpret.

With a sigh, Kakashi picks Sakura up, the girl feeling so small in his arms. He sometimes forgets just how young they all are. “We'll have Tsunade-sama look them all over thoroughly,” he says and the group nods. Flicking his hand, Tenzo sends his clone that was watching over the group ahead of them as they settle the genin on their backs and start to make their way back to the village.

“What did you see, Tenzo?” Jiraiya asks.

“They remained sitting the entire time, meditating, from what I can tell. I saw when Naruto gained control of the Kyuubi’s chakra. His whole form changed…glowed with the chakra. It flickered out a few minutes later and then nothing until there was that surge of chakra and then they just collapsed, like puppets with their strings cut,” he informs them as they make it into the trees and take to the branches.

They’re silent as they push themselves towards home. No one wants to remain out here any longer than needed and as a group they decide to not stop for breaks. Even then, the sun has long set and the moon is well on its path through the night sky, by the time they make it back to the walls of Konoha. They don’t use the main gate, accessing the routes the ANBU use to go over the wall, Tenzo’s clone having alerted the wall patrols of their arrival ahead of them.

Tsunade is still at her desk when they arrive, trooping in with their sleeping burdens. She gives them all a hard glance over before motioning for them to take them to the hospital. “I’ll be there in a moment,” she adds and they all nod.

A small commotion occurs before it is finally decided to settle the three into the secluded ward, the very same one that held Naruto years before after his stunt with using natural chakra. Tsunade comes into the room with the sharp snap of her heel echoing out and making Jiraiya flinch ever so slightly.

She runs quick checks over all of them, silent and efficient in her role as medic. No one speaks until she finishes, her glowing hand resting over Sasuke’s eyes for a bit longer but eventually, she pulls away.

“Well?” Itachi demands, worry coloring his usually calm and almost monotone voice.

“Some irritation from overuse but nothing life threatening,” she assures him and he nods in relief. “They’re all fine. They show signs of chakra exhaustion…well, except for Naruto but that’s to be expected. In fact, other than the exhaustion, they’re in perfect health. Nothing to worry about.”

“You’re sure?” Jiraiya asks.

“I’m sure,” she says with a hard glare at the white haired sage and he holds his hands up to placate her. “Once they wake up, we can talk with them then, but for now, get out and go home. You all look about ready to fall over,” she orders.

The others go out ahead of them, but Kakashi lingers, eyeing his students. “That was an order, Hatake. Don’t make me force you to rest,” she warns and holds up her hand as it glows faintly green.

“Of course, Hokage-sama,” he agrees with an eye smile and steps out of the room ahead of her. She shuts it firmly behind her and follows him as he walks out of the hospital.

“I better not hear from my people of you sneaking in to watch over your students,” she warns before walking away back towards the Hokage Tower and probably a bottle of sake in her desk.

Sighing, Kakashi does as ordered and makes for home. He needs sleep, but he doubts he’ll get much, not with his swirling thoughts and churning memories.

~*~

Naruto grumbles at the sounds of someone walking around him. A squeaky wheel grates on his ears and someone is humming off key as they push it. The person walking around his room leaves and he falls back asleep. He’s not sure how long he sleeps after that, dreams churning, memories playing like a movie in his head, revealing a life that isn’t his own.

When he finally does wake, he feels…the same. He’s still him, only now, there are memories there that aren’t his. He knows so much now: taijutsu katas, ninjutsus, some seals, weapons, it’s all there, at his fingertips.

Blinking open his eyes, he stares up the white ceiling, letting a stillness settle over him that he hasn’t felt in years, not since the first time Kurama showed it to him. He can feel the ebb and flow of the natural chakra all around him, so much clearer this time around, with his sensing. If he strains, he can even see it a bit. Like a faint pattern in the air, ripples through the chakra that he realizes are coming from him.

With a sigh, he lets the chakra go, feels it trickle out of him like water from a cup and sits up. “How are you feeling, brat?” Kurama asks.

“I…I feel like me,” he admits. The memories are there, almost like a loose tooth. He wants to poke at them, but also, he doesn’t. He’s seen them once already and felt the emotional rollercoaster that was his other self’s life. But they don’t overwhelm him. They haven’t changed him, aside from giving him new memories, new abilities.

“I’m glad,” Kurama murmurs.

He feels a small brush of…something that feels like him and realizes that he can sense his other self faintly. He’s not sure how to take that, but he’ll have to think about it later. They have more pressing matters to see to.

He glances around to finally take in the room and recognizes where they are, though there’s a third bed in here when there used to be two. Sakura and Sasuke are awake as well, the paler boy just starting to sit up while Sakura has already risen, her legs dangling over the side of the bed.

Naruto smiles faintly at his friends. They’ve been friends in two life times. He likes that, though the memories surrounding their friendship from before are sharp and somewhat bitter. That friendship had been so complicated and full of so many harsh emotions. He’s not sure if he could have handled that now. He’s glad they have something easier, this time around.

“We should probably find baa-chan. We need to talk with her,” he murmurs and they nod in agreement. They slip from their beds and the world is steady even though it’s been flipped on its head for them. Nothing has changed and yet everything has.

Naruto paused before they open the door and he quickly pulls them into a hug. “I’m glad you’re my friends,” he whispers. “Nothing will change that.”

“Don’t be stupid,” Sasuke grumbles, but his grip on Naruto’s jacket is tight and his hands tremble faintly.

“Don’t worry,” Sakura assures with a sharp grin. “I’ll always be there to knock some sense into your thick skulls.” Laughing faintly, Naruto nods, Sasuke rolling his eyes but they finally separate, feeling closer than ever. As a team, they step from the room to go change the world as they know it.

Chapter Text

Prove: verb; demonstrate the truth or existence of (something) by evidence or argument.

Tsunade glares harshly at the wavering lines of the scroll in front of her. She can feel the sharp, glowing edges of a migraine waiting for her to remove her glowing green hand from her brow that is staving off the pain of a long day and even longer night after the return of Team Kakashi and their escort. Part of her doesn’t want them to wake up; knowing full well that whatever that damn fox has to say is going to be reality changing. She can feel it in her bones.

Still, she is Hokage, and she won’t turn away from a fight just because it isn’t what she likes. She’s so tired of being Hokage. She’d honestly thought that by now she would have found someone worthy to succeed her but the only person even close enough to succeed that she might consider is Kakashi. She might even consider Itachi if her weren’t so young, not even in his twenties yet. Either way, neither of them are even close to being ready to take over which means she still has years ahead of her before she can finally retire.

A steaming mug is set in front of her and Tsunade sends a grateful look to Shizune, taking the tea and swallowing it back in one gulp like a shot of liquor and shudders at the bitter taste that coats her tongue. But soon after, the sharp edges of her migraine start to recede slowly and she sighs in relief.

“Thanks,” she mutters and Shizune smiles.

“I just got word the hospital. They’re awake and saying they need to speak with you,” she murmurs and Tsunade lets out a huff of agitation before nodding.

“Shizune, gather their escort and send word to all the council of an emergency council meeting. This is something that I can’t hide and from what the fox hinted at, I’ll need all the minds we have to fix this,” she barks out and Shizune nods hurriedly, rushing out, Tonton at her heels, to do as ordered.

Rubbing at the faint ache that still lingers in her temples, Tsunade stands and makes her way out of her office and towards the council room, the only thing big enough to hold the crowd that’s soon to descend on the Hokage Tower. “Cat,” she barks out, and a figure steps from the shadows, keeping easy pace with her. “Escort the three of them to the council chambers. No one is to stop you and any who try will be detained for questioning, is that understood?” she says and Cat nods silently and slips away.

She takes her seat in the council room, ignoring the silent presence of the ANBU stationed in the room as slowly people begin to trickle into the room. Most are silent, expressions curious about why an unscheduled council meeting has been called.

Fifteen minutes later, Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke step into the room. She frowns, watching them walk in. They look the same as before they left and even when they returned but something is off. It clicks as they make their way towards her chair. Their steps are silent. Not the forgetful gait of a genin still remembering to move silently but that of someone who has learned by rote and time. Their bodies move easily, motions constrained, no energy wasted by extra action, like how they used to be.

The biggest change is their eyes though. They’re eyes have aged and her heart speeds up because those aren’t the eyes of children barely into their life. They’re the eyes of someone who has seen too much of the world and all the darkness it holds.

“Hi, baa-chan,” Naruto murmurs softly and that alone is a red flag. Naruto is never quiet when he speaks. He’s always been boisterous and obnoxious, having trouble being stealthy because he forgets that he’s supposed to be quiet.

“Naruto,” she says, not giving away any of her worry. “Did you three sleep well?” she asks them.

“Yes, Tsunade-sama,” Sakura nods, back straight, shoulders squared, like a soldier and not the young kunoichi still coming into her form. Sasuke just grunts, eyes flicking around the gathering people. Finally, the last figure, Shikaku, steps into the room and takes his seat.

Tsunade motions towards the four ANBU in the corners and as one, they move, raising the protection and privacy wards of the room. “Thank you all for coming on such short notice. Some things have recently come up and it seemed now was the best time to lay everything out. I’m sure you are all aware on some level about the threat of Akatsuki,” she says and murmurs race across the room, eye flicking towards Naruto but he’s not paying attention, whispering to Sakura and Sasuke.

On the back wall their escort from before watches them, also seeing the change in the three genin that wasn’t there before. “This meeting will decide our future actions. Naruto,” Tsunade barks and the boy straightens up, looking over at her. “If you would be so kind,” she murmurs.

“Oh, yes…um, don’t do anything,” he warns and Tsunade frowns as the pressure in the room increases, the feeling of the fox’s chakra suddenly increasing to worrying levels. She can see hands straying to weapons already and even Jiraiya and Tenzo are tensing just in case.

Slowly, trickling from his body in a bubbling stream, red chakra emerges, slowly shifting and forming until it begins to take on a familiar form. Tsunade’s heart is beating heavily in her chest, eyes wide as slowly, the Kyuubi, much smaller in size to account for the size room, solidifies. Burning red eyes flick around the room, a slow grin spreading across his muzzle.

“Thank you, brat,” he murmurs and Naruto grins. With a huff, Kurama settles, though even while lying down, his shoulders still rise a few feet above the table. “You called?” Kurama murmurs, looking at Tsunade.

“Could you always do that?” she demanded sharply.

“Manifest physically outside his body?” he murmurs. “No, not until the barrier between us was removed. It requires a lot of chakra to do,” he explains with a shrug. “I don’t think this is what you wanted to speak of though I’m happy to talk about it.”

“Tsunade-sama, what is the meaning of this?” Hiashi demands, pale eyes glaring at the Kyuubi who grins back sharply, tails waving languidly seemingly unaffected by the man’s glare.

Tsunade sighs heavily through her nose, knowing that her headache is going to becoming back soon. “Five days ago, Kurama came to me to ask a favor,” she starts, all eyes turning on her. “He felt it was time that Naruto was given access to his chakra in full. In order to do that, part of the seal that separated them internally would need to be removed. Three days later, Team Kakashi, with Jiraiya, Kakashi, Itachi, Shisui and Tenzo, accompanied the three genin to the Valley of the End to allow this to happen. In exchange for this, he has offered everything he knows about Akatsuki.”

The room is silent, taking in the full meaning of her words. “And did he gain control of the fox’s chakra?” Shikaku demands lazily, brow arching.

With a grin, the Kyuubi’s chakra flares and suddenly the boy starts to glow. “I did,” he assures and then lets the chakra die and he returns to his normal self.

“Well then, Kurama. What can you tell us about Akatsuki?” Fugaku speaks up, voice even and unaffected by the sudden change in things.

“You’ll need to be a little more specific. I know so much,” Kurama murmurs with a huff, the tips of his tails flicking.

“What is there goal?” Tsunade barks out before anyone can throw out a question.

Kurama hums softly. “Their ultimate goal, as in most groups like this, is power, the likes of which none of you have ever seen. The kind of power that can shape the very land itself,” Kurama murmurs into the silence. “You all fear me and my siblings. You call us monsters, natural disasters, weapons,” his eyes glare across the room, noting the eyes that turn away. “We are nine beings of pure chakra…nine beings that used to be one.”

“That’s…” Mitokado starts to stammer out.

“Impossible?” Kurama huffs. “Well, seeing as how I was once part of the Juubi, I can say with certainty it is very much possible. Akatsuki seeks to gather us once more and force us into one being once more so that they can seal us into a new Jinchuuriki.”

“That kind of power could destroy whole countries,” Tsume whispers, eyes wide.

Kurama nods gravely. “What better way to rule over all than with the threat of total annihilation,” he says with a sharp snort.

“You said a new jinchuuriki. There’s been a jinchuuriki for the Juubi before?” Jiraiya asks in the sudden silence.

“Someone is paying attention,” Kurama says with a snort. “Yes, there has been one Juubi Jinchuuriki before. Our father, the Sage of the Six Paths, was the Juubi Jinchuuriki. It was by his hand that we were split and scattered to stop its rampage once and for all,” Kurama explains.

“I thought the Sage was a myth,” someone whispers, but no one can see who said it.

Kurama lets out a sharp bark of laughter. “You humans think you know everything. The knowledge I have in my head would destroy you,” he growls out, chakra flaring in agitation before he settles, Naruto’s hand on his leg helping to ground him.

“You know who is in Akatsuki? Their numbers, members, leadership?” Shikaku asks, breaking the silence.

“I do. As for their leadership, you’ll need to be more specific. Do you want the shadow leader, the puppet or the puppet’s puppet?” he asks with a sharp grin.

“All would be helpful,” Shikaku says with a bored wave.

Kurama glances over at the three and they share a look before Naruto nods faintly. “The true leader, the one who came up with the plan was Uchiha Madara,” he says with a shrug.

“That’s impossible,” Fugaku barks out, hands slamming onto the table as he half stands from his chair.

“Fugaku-san, please,” Tsunade barks out and he subsides.

“I’m aware how this sounds,” Kurama says with a wave of his paw. “History has a way of missing things until after the fact. Uchiha Madara did indeed die that day by Hashirama’s hand. But he didn’t remain dead.”

“Explain, please,” Itachi asks sharply.

“Izanagi,” Kurama says with a sharp grin, watching the three Uchiha in the room pale at his words. He nods knowingly. “He sacrificed one of his eyes to change reality and with the help of a parasitic creature known as Zetsu he managed to remain hidden from the world, pulling the strings from the shadows.”

“He should have died long ago,” Homura says sharply, her eyes glaring at him.

“A normal human would have. However, it seems in that fateful fight, Madara managed to gain some of Hashirama’s cells. Using them to help extend his life, he stumbled on a secondary side effect: the Rinnegan,” Kurama explains. “With it, he was able to summon the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and by connecting himself to it, extend his life further,” Kurama continues in the utter silence.

“Is he alive right now?” Shisui demands.

“Oh, no, currently, he’s dead. He however plans to be revived by using the Rinnegan he planted in a second host and using the Nidaime’s Edo Tensei, currently only perfected by one Orochimaru,” Kurama says with a grunt.

“Who did he plant the Rinnegan into?” Jiraiya asks, voice sounding strained.

“I think you know, Toad Sage. You trained him after all,” Kurama murmurs with a knowing look. “The puppet’s puppet. Currently, he goes by the name of Pain and using the Rinnegan and chakra control rods, he has six corpses that he uses to channel the Rinnegan’s abilities through. They are called the Six Paths of Pain. You three fought them as my siblings told me,” he says, looking from Itachi and Shisui towards Tenzo.

“Then who is the puppet you have spoken of?” Shibi speaks up, his voice soft.

“That one is a little harder to explain,” Kurama admits. “Madara was dying. Even the Demonic Statue and Hashirama’s cells couldn’t keep him alive forever. He needed someone to continue his plans until he could be revived. So he found someone…an Uchiha,” Kurama says, eyes glancing over to the three Uchiha.

“No Uchiha would work with Madara,” Fugaku insists.

“No, they wouldn’t. But I’m sure you are aware of how…fallible your clan is when it comes to loss and grief. It doesn’t take much to twist them. The right trigger can turn even the most stalwart person,” Kurama reminds him.

“Who is this Uchiha then?” Tsume demands sharply, anger evident in her eyes.

“By your records, he died during the Third War. It’s been what, thirteen…no, fourteen years now, since that day,” Kurama says, turning his gaze towards Kakashi.

All eyes follow his gaze and they watch the blood drain from what is visible of Kakashi’s face. “That’s impossible,” Kakashi whispers. “I watched him die. He was crushed under the rock fall,” Kakashi barks out, hands trembling.

“He was. In fact, it should have killed him if not for Zetsu pulling him from that death trap and Madara using Hashirama’s cells to heal him,” Kurama explains.

“Are you saying that Uchiha Obito is the one currently running thing?” Shisui demands.

“He is. He is the one who pulled me from Kushina that night and set me on the village using Madara’s eye to control me,” Kurama adds.

He can see the gears shifting in Kakashi’s head. The genius taking everything he’s said in this room and finding answers. Kakashi sucks in a breath. “He was there, the night Rin died,” he spits out.

“He was. Pretty convenient, don’t you think. He manages to get away from Madara’s clutches just in time to watch the woman he loved be killed by his best friend. A loss and grief profound enough to shatter a mind and he was ripe for the twisting,” Kurama says icily, fur bristling.

“It was a set up,” Kakashi whispers.

“It was,” Kurama admits.

“Who else is in Akatsuki,” Tsunade asks as the silence grows thick.

“Hmm, from what I recall…you know of Nagato or Pain and his group. Konan is with him as well,” he adds with a nod to Jiraiya who stiffens. “Orochimaru was part of it for a while before he left, though I’m sure he still keeps tabs on them. I believe he has a spy in their midst. There’s Deidara of Iwagakure, Hidan of Yugakure, Kakuzu of Takigakure, Hoshigaki Kisame of Mizugakure, Sasori of Sunagakure, and Zetsu. If anyone else has joined, I can’t say, but all of them are S-rank missing nin,” Kurama counts off, using his tails.

“Where are they based?” Chōza speaks up.

“I only know of three bases, though they are sure to have more. They’re main area of operations is in Ame where Nagato is currently acting as the village’s leader now that Hanzō is dead. To the north, there’s a base in the Mountain’s Graveyard. That is where Madara spent most of his time. There’s a base near our border with Suna, a few days south east of here. It is not an active base,” Kurama lists off.

“How…how can you possibly know all of this?” Hiashi demands.

“You wouldn’t believe me even if I told you the truth,” Kurama says with a huff of laughter, glancing at the three genin.

“Try us,” Tsunade drawls out, heartbeat a heavy pulse in her chest at everything he’s just given to them.

Kurama turns hard eyes on her, the bright red orbs boring into hers, judging whether she means it. He snorts softly. The silence and tension builds as they stare but eventually, he blinks, ears flicking back and he turns away. “This isn’t the first time this has happened,” he finally says as his tails sag a little.

~*~

Naruto’s eyes flick from Kurama to Tsunade, the disbelief clear on her face. “Come again?” she barks out, hands fisting on her chair.

“You heard me hag. This isn’t the first time any of this has happened,” he growls, fur bristling at her tone.

“That’s not an explanation, you mangy fox,” Tsunade growls.

“Please, explain for those of us who aren’t versed in sarcasm,” Shisui pipes up, sharing a glance with Itachi before looking at Kurama again. “That’s a very broad statement you just made.”

Kurama growls and Naruto grips the fur on his leg again, pulling on it to distract the fox from lashing out. “Kurama,” he huffs and the fox subsides.

“Four years from now, a war happens. The Fourth Great Shinobi War, to be exact. Akatsuki, using the tailed beasts they had already captured and an army of clones created from Hashirama’s cells and the Demonic Statue’s influence attack the Five Great Nations, demanding they turn over the Hachibi’s Jinchuuriki and Naruto to them. It is a war unlike any ever fought, with the five nations allying together against the threat. In the chaos, Obito manages to create an incomplete Juubi using himself as a host. While they manage to defeat him and extract the bijuu from him, he is forced to revive Madara who had already been brought back using Edo Tensei. Madara becomes the next host for the now complete Juubi and starts to put his plan into action: Infinite Tsukuyomi. A genjutsu so powerful, it could ensnare the whole world. He needed both the Rinnegan to accomplish this but we managed to destroy the second one before he could get it. With that plan destroyed, he instead found a new way to enslave the world using an ability he gained from absorbing Zetsu into himself. An ability to completely control any he touches. He slowly places any he doesn’t kill under his control, using the weak as hosts to summon the strongest shinobi of old with Edo Tensei. With his army, he swept the world in a wave. We held out as long as we could, but it was a lost cause. As a last ditch effort, five of us jumped back in time to attempt to stop it from happening by changing things,” Kurama spews forth, ignoring the increasing incredulity on everyone’s faces, eyes wide and faces paling at his words.

Someone clears their throat, another shifting awkwardly in the silence as they digest his words. “You said five,” Itachi speaks up in the continuing silence. “Who were the other four?”

Kurama grins, “The brats here,” he nods to Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke. “And the one who sent us back. Uchiha Obito has a unique Mangekyō Sharingan that is able to travel dimensions and apparently time,” Kurama explains.

“We don’t really believe what this creature is saying?” Mitokado snaps in the hush.

“Brats,” Kurama murmurs and they all look at him. “I’ll let you show them,” he says with a huff.

Sakura grins with Naruto, Sasuke rolling his eyes. She holds up her hand and murmurs a soft “kai” as the subtle henge she had been wearing lifts and the small violet diamond on her forehead appears. “It doesn’t have much in it yet. I only just made it,” she admits, looking hesitantly over at Tsunade. The woman’s eyes are wide. She hadn’t even told Sakura yet about the Byakugō.

Naruto holds up his hands, a clone appearing next to him as he holds out his hand and slowly a Rasengan appears in his hand. He holds it out towards Jiraiya for the older man to see, eyes wide. He’d been planning to start teaching it to the brat in a few months. Naruto lets the energy and his clone go and he glances at Sasuke.

Sasuke closes his eyes, chakra rising before he opens them and his Sharingan appear. Slowly, they begin to shift and his Mangekyō glows faintly. “We remember everything,” he murmurs in a flat voice.

Naruto reaches out grab his hand and squeeze it, Sakura pressing against his other side as he lets the doujutsu go, subtly reaching up to wipe away a bit of red. He glances towards his father, brother and cousin and sees them staring at him, eyes wide.

“This…this is a lot to take in,” Tsunade finally manages to say after clearing her throat.

“Does Obito remember too?” Kakashi speaks up, eye looking faintly hopeful.

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen him since I woke up in this time line,” Kurama admits, standing with a huff, shaking his tails and fur out. “I’ve given you all I will for the moment. The brats and I are leaving,” he announces, startling the room.

Tsunade looks over at them and nods. “Go. We can speak more later,” she assures. With a flicker of chakra, Kurama disappears back into Naruto, the boy staggering a little before he catches himself.  Still keeping hold of Sasuke’s hand, he and Sakura push and pull the other boy from the room, feeling the wards drop to let them leave. He can feel a faint tremble in Sasuke’s hand but doesn’t say anything.

“Our usual place?” Sakura asks softly, eyes showing worry for how pale Sasuke looks.

“Yeah,” Naruto agrees. “Come on teme, hold on a little longer,” Naruto whispers as they get to a large open window in the hall and shunshin towards a familiar training ground.

Chapter Text

Anguish: noun; severe mental or physical pain or suffering.

The training grounds are just as they last saw it the week before: a large stretch of open, grassy ground surrounded by trees and the small river flowing past. The wooden posts are still there, and the memorial stone is just as she remembers. But part of her mind, the part she has labeled other, brings up images of ruin; a wide crater and destruction everywhere. It is both relieving and bitter sweet to have lost this and regained it again, except part of her knows she hasn’t lost it, not yet and she won’t. Not if she has anything to say about it.

They don’t stop, they don’t linger, aiming for the thick wall of trees and for a more hidden place to tuck themselves away. Thankfully no one is using the training ground and so no one sees the pale and distant eyed Uchiha sandwiched between her and Naruto, eyes glancing worriedly between Sasuke and each other.

They find a small clearing, one used in the past as a place to hide and regroup with each other when training against Kakashi-sensei. As soon as they stop, Sasuke’s knees buckle and only their mutual grip on his arms keeps him from falling face first into the leaf litter.

“Easy, teme,” Naruto murmurs, rubbing at his back as Sasuke’s breath rattles in his chest, too fast to be comfortable. Sasuke’s shaking like a leaf caught in a gale, hand clutching on Naruto’s jacket as if his life depends on it and Sakura hates this.

Since they woke up this morning with the memories, she’s been waiting for this. Her mind runs through her index of medical knowledge that she hasn’t learned in this life and yet still possesses, recalling what exactly to do for someone suffering from a shit ton of PTSD from multiple incidents as well as multiple bouts of survivor’s guilt. Fuck, they’re all a mess, aren’t they?

Naruto just lets the other boy cling to him, murmuring softly, nonsense falling from his lips as Sasuke tries to process through the memories involving his Mangekyō that have been brought to the forefront of his mind as well as the baggage leading up to that traumatic moment.

She herself can faintly feel feelings from the other that she is refusing to poke at yet. She knows they won’t be pretty and they will be hurtful and sharp, but she wants to go through it alone, away from Naruto and Sasuke. She can’t taint her relationship with them by revealing the anguish she can feel pulsing just beneath the surface of her consciousness.

Slowly, Sasuke’s breathing comes under his control, though they all pretend not to notice the tears streaking down his cheeks or the way he still shakes ever so faintly and how he still hasn’t let go of Naruto’s jacket.

“I’m sorry,” Sasuke croaks out with his voice sounding like he gargled rocks.

“Teme, don’t,” Naruto mutters, frowning.

“No,” Sasuke says with a glare up at the blonde, eyes red and glassy. “I…I need to say this. I don’t think I ever said it before…well,” he shrugs, a whole war in that shrug. “I’m sorry…for what happened. I realize now, that I chose wrong-,” Sasuke continues.

“Shut up, teme,” Naruto growls, “you’re acting like an idiot.”

“Naruto,” Sakura hisses.

Naruto shakes his head quickly, “Look, I realized a while ago that you made the only choices you could live with at the time,” Naruto mutters, scratching at the back of his head. “And I didn’t like it, but that wasn’t why I chased you,” Naruto grumbles.

“What?” Sasuke asks with his eyes wide.

“You left us, Sasuke. We were a team and you left. We would have done everything in our power to help you get your revenge and you decided we weren’t good enough,” Naruto plows on, faintly red in the face. “You were family. Like Kakashi-sensei and Iruka-sensei…like Ero-Sennin and baa-chan and I couldn’t stand the fact that you chose power over family,” Naruto mutters, looking down at his hands.

“Naruto,” Sakura whispers, eyes getting wet and she quickly pulls the blonde into a tight hug.

Sasuke tentatively wraps his arms around the blonde and Sakura drags him the rest of the way in, using her strength to hold them tight. “We have a second chance here,” she whispers. “We’re not them. We can do so much more…be so much more. We’re family and a team and we’re not going to let anything get in our way,” she insists.

“Believe it,” Naruto says with a huff against her shoulder, one arm around each of his friends. “Kurama agrees as well,” he adds a second later.

“Does that make Kurama our mother since he basically raised us?” Sasuke asks quietly, a small smirk on his face.

“Don’t even think about it, brat!” Kurama snarls from Naruto’s mouth and the three of them fall over laughing.

Snickering, Naruto flops over, half on top of Sasuke, the boy letting out an ‘oomph’ at the weight. Sakura copies him, sandwiching the brunette between them again. They stay there for a while, not talking, simply soaking in the closeness and ignoring the pressing needs of their new memories and the looming shadow of a future that still might happen.

“I don’t know how to act around my family,” Sasuke admits quietly. “Do I tell them…or do I keep it hidden?” he asks.

“Honestly, I don’t know,” Sakura admits. “I’m waiting for Kakashi-sensei to corner us and demand more answers,” she huffs, recalling the shell-shocked look on the man’s face when Kurama dropped the bomb about Obito.

“I vote we all run away and just take care of everything and never face anyone,” Naruto mutters, grabbing a handful of leaves and tossing them into the air.

“What happened to you facing every challenge, scaredy-cat?” Sasuke asks with a huff, glancing at the blonde.

“You don’t have to face baa-chan,” he reminds them and the brunette has the decency to pale at the reminder of the Godaime’s wrath when she is pissed.

“You have our condolences and we’ll place flowers on your grave every year,” Sakura says solemnly before snickering at the face Naruto makes at her.

“Ignoring that,” Naruto grumbles, “What’s our first step?” he asks aloud, watching the clouds passing by through the branches overhead.

“I…I think we need to find Obito,” Sasuke admits, sitting up and forcing them to follow or fall to the ground when their pillow moves.

“Any idea where he might be? There’s no way we’ll be able to find him by just searching. He can travel anywhere instantly, including an alternate dimension. The bastard is a pain in the ass when he’s sane. I don’t feel like dealing with him while he’s bat shit crazy,” Naruto mutters.

“I think I can help with that,” a voice calls from behind them and they glance around to see Kakashi leaning casually against the trunk of a tree, book in hand as he lounges on the branch.

“And how long have you been there, you pervert?” Sakura demands waspishly, but not really surprised to see the man there.

Kakashi shrugs, “Long enough,” he admits.

“So, what’s your plan?” Sasuke demands with an annoyed huff.

Kakashi closes his book with a soft snap and tucks it away, giving them his full attention. Reaching up, he pushes up the hitai-ate, revealing the Sharingan- Obito’s Sharingan- that is there. “Oh,” Sakura says with surprise. “I see.”

“What?” Naruto demands.

“We don’t try to find him. We get him to come to us. Send him a message he can’t possibly ignore and a place to meet up. If nothing else, it will at least allow us to figure out if he remembers or not,” Sakura says, glancing at them.

Kakashi drags the hitai-ate back down with a nod. “I don’t have much control over it and it will leave me drained but it should work,” he offers, seeming unfazed by his students’ knowledge about his eye.

“Me and Kurama can help with that,” Naruto assures. “We’re always good for a power boost.”

“I take it that the meeting is done if you’re here?” Sakura asks in the silence after Naruto’s words.

Kakashi shrugs, “More than likely. I skipped out early.” He doesn’t need to explain why. “Your brother asked me to tell you to find him when you’re ready,” he adds, glancing at Sasuke and the boy nods faintly.

“It’s okay, teme,” Naruto whispers, nudging his shoulder with his own. “It’s Itachi. You’ll be fine.”

“Shut up, idiot,” Sasuke mutters but there’s no bite to it and his eyes look a little grateful.

“I should probably go face the music,” Naruto mutters. “Sakura, come with me, please?” Naruto begs her.

“Nope, you’re on your own,” she says with a laugh.

“Ah, no fair, Sakura-chan! She’s your teacher too! She’s going to want to talk with you as well,” Naruto reminds her and she sighs.

“Fine, I’ll go with you,” she grumbles but faintly grimaces at the thought of the conversation to come. “Sasuke, what do you want to do? Come with us or go face your own music?” she asks softly.

“I…I think I’ll go talk with Aniki first,” he decides hesitantly.

“Do you want us to come with you before we go see Tsunade-shishou?” she asks.

“Please,” he asks softly, still looking shaken.

“Of course,” Naruto assures him, standing with a huff and offering his hands to his two friends to help them up. “Let’s go and get this over with. Maybe I’ll still be alive after baa-chan is done with me,” he pipes up.

They glance back towards the tree but Kakashi is gone. “Coward,” Naruto mutters after the retreating man. “Come on, let’s go,” he says, dragging them back out of the trees.

~*~

“You’re brooding,” Shisui comments from the branches above him and Itachi ignores him, leaning against the tree’s trunk and waits. After the meeting had let out, they had split off from Fugaku, choosing instead to go to their usual training spot, where they hope Sasuke will come find them.

Shisui sighs and jumps down beside him, leaning back as well. “War, huh?” he asks conversationally, both of them remembering Kurama’s words. “Do you believe it?” he asks, glancing at Itachi.

“You saw his eyes, you know it’s true,” Itachi says simply. That had felt like a kick in the heart, seeing his baby brother with the Mangekyō. If he could have had it his way, the boy would never have cause to carry such a burden. He saw how heavy it weighed on his father, on Shisui. His own awakening was not a memory he cared to remember. The death of a friend, a comrade, caused by his mistake had left a mark he would never be able to forget.

“So much history wrong? Fugaku’s probably pulling out every last scroll and bit of history on Madara right now,” Shisui murmurs, sounding grim. “If this gets out, it could do a lot more damage to the clan.”

“Nothing we can do about that right now. Focus on what we can do,” Itachi murmurs, feeling familiar chakra signatures approaching, Shisui following his gaze to see the three coming through the trees. Sasuke looks pale and drawn, eyes the red of crying and not their bloodline. Naruto and Sakura walk close, shoulders brushing.

They stop a few feet away, neither group speaking for a long drawn out silence, only the wind blowing through the trees making any noise. Finally, Naruto steps forward with a hard, determined look, glaring at both of them. “You make him feel worse or push him too far and we kick your asses, got it?” he growls, Sakura adding her own glare to the mix.

“Understood,” Itachi agrees readily, Shisui nodding curtly.

The blonde turns around, saying something softly to Sasuke, Sakura adding her own words and them with a quick hug, the two leave Sasuke standing in front of his brother and cousin. They wait for the two to disappear back through the trees before Sasuke shift his weight awkwardly, “Aniki,” he murmurs, voice sounding rough.

“Otouto,” Itachi murmurs, stepping forward slowly, like Sasuke is a wounded animal that will run at any sudden movement. “Are you okay?” he asks.

Sasuke shrugs with a grimace, hands fisting and trembling faintly. “I’ve felt better,” he admits. Itachi stops just in front of him, afraid to touch least Sasuke flinch away. Sasuke doesn’t seem to care, suddenly flinging himself forward to wrap his arms around his older brother, breath hitching faintly as Itachi is forced back a step, arms automatically coming around his brother’s shoulders to steady him.

He shares a panicked glance with Shisui before focusing back on Sasuke, the boy shaking and it takes a moment to hear the muttered “I’m sorry” Sasuke is saying repeatedly into his chest. “Shh, Otouto, it’s alright,” Itachi murmurs, not sure what else to say to help his brother. He’s seen Sasuke cry before, but never like this, so broken and fragile.

It takes a while for the boy to calm down, Sasuke pulling back, face flushed with embarrassment and blotchy from crying so much. He looks away, rubbing at his eyes, sniffing. “Better?” Itachi asks. Sasuke shrugs. “Do…do you want to talk about it?” he asks hesitantly.

“I don’t know if I should,” he admits, staring at the ground, refusing to meet their gaze.

“That bad, huh?” Shisui comments finally, breaking the awkward atmosphere.

Sasuke snorts humorlessly, “Yeah,” he croaks out.

“Do you feel comfortable telling us anything about it?” Itachi asks softly.

Sasuke tenses, brow pinching as he decides what to say, if anything, before his gaze looks up at them, serious and distant, “Danzō happened,” he says simply. The two still completely, taking in everything those two words imply.

“Well fuck,” Shisui mutters, running a hand through his hair with a shaky laugh. “Definitely bad then,” he adds. “Damn it, come here, brat,” he mutters, pulling Sasuke into a hug of his own. “You don’t have to tell anyone anything, you got that?” he grumbles and Sasuke nods against his cousins’ chest. “Good, now, I’m sure Mikoto is waiting for you and she’ll kill us if we don’t show up with you.”

“I don’t know,” Sasuke mutters.

“You don’t have to say anything you don’t want to,” Itachi assures him as well. “Not even if father or the elders demand it.”

“Okay,” he whispers, for a moment looking like he’s years younger and not the genin he is. Shisui wraps an arm around his shoulders, leading him towards the compound, Itachi walking next to them, sharing worried glances with his cousin at Sasuke’s silence.

Mikoto is waiting in front of the house, eyes worried, no doubt informed by Fugaku what happened. She doesn’t ask a single question of them. She just rushes up, pulling Sasuke into a hug and whispers assurances into his hair as he clings to her just as hard as he did his brother.

~*~

Tsunade glares up at the two genin standing in the doorway to her living area, a cup of sake halfway to her mouth. “Sit,” she barks out, pointedly looking at the couch across the way before gulping the sake down in one shot. Naruto and Sakura do as ordered, sharing a look.

“You brats have a lot of nerve pulling this shit out of nowhere. I was hoping for a peaceful retirement, not a fucking bloody war that will shape the damn world,” she growls, drowning down another cup of sake.

“Sorry, baa-chan.” “Sorry, shishou,” they mutter together.

“Are you going to fucking come in here idiot or do I need to drag you in here,” she calls out and Jiraiya steps through the door, sending her an annoyed look as he sets down a couple more bottle of sake and a pot of tea for Naruto and Sakura.

“Hey, Ero-Sennin,” Naruto says with a faint grin.

“Naruto, Sakura-chan,” he murmurs with a hard look at the two, still a little put off by what happened earlier. “Tea?” he offers.

“Yes please,” Sakura says, Naruto nodding and he pours a couple of cups for them.

“Alright, brats. Spill,” she orders. “How much has changed?” she asks.

Naruto and Sakura share a look, seeming a little uncomfortable to be talking so frankly about this but Tsunade doesn’t care. She has a fucking war to prepare for and the discomfort of two brats is not high on her list right now. Fuck, she’s going to have to call a summit now.

“Not much,” Sakura starts slowly, thinking back. “The biggest change was…well our friendship, at least at the beginning. What happened with Danzō happened much later and for different reasons. But everything has played out along similar lines. Oh, Gaara happened differently too.”

“Is there anything I should be braced for?” she asks, Jiraiya filling her cup again and his own.

“No clue,” Naruto mutters.

Tsunade glares at the brat but Sakura beats her to the punch, speaking up before she can berate him. “We don’t know if you knowing will change what happens and honestly, we won’t be waiting for things to fall into place again,” she says gruffly, hands fisting, he eyes sharp.

“You died in Ame,” Naruto whispers, blue eyes hurt, looking at Jiraiya. “Pain killed you.”

“I’m not dead yet, brat,” Jiraiya says gruffly, reaching out to ruffle his hair, the room tense with the boy’s admission.

“How much do you know, training wise?” Tsunade demands of Sakura.

“I remember everything you taught me Shishou,” she assures her with a sharp grin. “Honestly, I’m the only reason those idiots survived as long as they did.”

Tsunade snorts, but some of her anger slips away and she sips at her cup instead of shooting it back. “This changes a lot of plans,” she admits and turns to Jiraiya. “I’m going to need you back in the field. I need to call a summit about this. We can’t hold back any of this information. Not if we want to stop Akatsuki from getting even a single step closer to their end game.” She rubs at her forehead, the headache from earlier finally coming back.

“How do we explain how we got this information?” Jiraiya asks, not questioning her decision.

“We say we have a spy in their organization. Who’s going to question us when none of them have ever gotten the far? Besides, we have a few allies now and they owe us some favors,” she says with a shark grin.

“I’ll get my people in the other countries looking out for any signs of movement by Akatsuki and if we’re lucky, we can narrow down some of their base locations. We don’t want them getting suspicious too early but once the summit is called, they’re going to know we’re onto something,” Jiraiya reminds her.

Tsunade shrugs, “Let them know. The fox said it himself. They’re after the tailed beasts and so far, they’ve not gotten their hands on any. They won’t make a move until they know they’ll have an advantage.”

“Brats,” she snaps and they both straighten. “You’re coming to the summit. And keep it to yourselves until I make it official,” she orders and they nod. “Good, now get out of my hair and let me get properly drunk while I come to terms with that mangy fox’s story,” she huffs and they grin, quickly making themselves scares. “Fill me up,” she orders and Jiraiya silent fills her cup again and his own as they spend the rest of the day drinking and planning.

Chapter Text

Assemble: verb; (of people) gather together in one place for a common purpose.

The scent of ash and burning wood hangs heavy over the ravine. Still smoldering piles of wood and corpses send up dark plumes of smoke, a signal of the attack that occurred there for all to see for miles. The soft crunch of their steps through the debris has the whole squad on alert in case it covers up any hidden sounds. Eyes flick constantly from shadow to shadow, the sun casting longer and longer shadows as it makes its final descent to the horizon.

“Fuck, this was a massacre,” Omoi mutters, squatting down next to the charred remains of one of Kumo’s patrols. “They didn’t have much time to react,” he calls out, noticing the gaping wound from a sword slash to the back.

“Someone was making a statement,” Karui agrees softly, using the tip of her blade to flip one of the bodies over. “Samui, does this look familiar?” she calls, using her blade to hold up the ash covered kunai that had fallen from the body when it landed.

The blonde steps closer and looks the blade over, “It does,” she agrees with a faint grimace. The scent of burning bodies hangs heavy over the clearing and sticks to the back of the throat. “Konoha made weapons and an overabundance of Katon used. You think this was a Konoha ambush?” she asks the red head.

Karui shrugs, “It’s what it looks like.”

“But what if someone is expecting us to think that? Maybe they’re trying to lay blame on Konoha. Or worse, Konoha is hoping we’ll think that and it’s really their attack and-,” Omoi argues.

“Omoi, stop overthinking and help us look for clues,” Samui sighs.

“Oh, yeah,” he says with a weak laugh.

“Captain, someone’s still breathing!” a voice calls and they all dart over to the other area the second squad is checking.

“Who is it?” Samui demands.

“It’s Ashikawa, sir,” Kunoa calls out as the two figures stumble out from between a couple of large boulders. One is leaning heavily on the other.

“Ashikawa, report,” Samui orders once she’s close enough.

“Captain,” Ashikawa’s voice is thin and scratchy from the smoke. “We were taken by surprise. They were waiting for us, knew our patrol route. One of them used something to knock me out. The last thing I saw before I blacked out was Buki going down,” he admits with a grimace.

“Did you see a hitai-ate?” she asks.

“It happened so fast, I can’t say for sure, Captain,” he admits.

“That’s alright. Kunoa, you and your squad take Ashikawa back to the village. We’ll gather the bodies and meet you there. Tell the Raikage we will report in as soon as we get there,” she orders and they nod, Kunoa helping Ashikawa onto his back, the other three chuunin arranging themselves around the duo before starting to leave at a quick pace.

“Karui, how many were on this patrol squad?” Samui asks, glancing back the way they came, silently counting.

“Eight, including Ashikawa,” she says. “There should be seven bodies.”

“Then why do I count eight?” she asks, exchanging a glance with the other two. “Search the bodies, even if they’re our own. Make sure they’re actually ours and not an enemy,” she barks and they spring into action, moving from body to body and doing a thorough check on them.

“Captain,” Omoi calls as he stares down at the body in front of him. It’s one of the few not torched by flames. The face is misshapen, like something very large and heavy crushed it. They walk over and look down at what he’s pointing out to them. Omoi had cut away the sleeve, revealing a pale shoulder and the unmistakable inked lines of a Konoha ANBU tattoo. “This isn’t good,” he mutters around his lollipop, grimacing.

“Seal it up. We’ll get the rest of the bodies for burial. I don’t want to remain here any longer than needed,” Samui orders and they nod, quickly getting to work sealing the dead away in the specialized scrolls.

“Do you think this will mean war?” Omoi asks softly of Karui.

“Don’t go looking for trouble before it finds you. A will decide what to do about this,” she grumbles but even she looks worried.

~*~

Tsunade’s just sitting down to start on her morning load of reports when Shizune comes in suddenly, knocking as she opens the door. “Tsunade-sama,” she calls out, voce sounding urgent.

“What’s happened?” Tsunade barks, tensing.

“This just came in on a messenger hawk,” Shizune says, holding out a black scroll case, the unmistakable symbol of Kumogakure emblazoned in gold on the dark leather of the case. “It was double checked for tampering or traps but the seal is in place and there is nothing besides a small scroll inside. No chakra was found on or in it,” she says, hesitantly handing the scroll case over.

Tense, Tsunade cracks the wax seal, impatiently dumping the thin scroll from its case to open it with a flick of her wrist. The writing is broad and impatient, written most likely by someone angry. The words sit heavily in her gut.

“Bring me Shikaku and Jiraiya, now,” she orders and Shizune nods, quickly rushing from the room to do as ordered. She sets the scroll to the side and sits back to wait.

Ten minutes later, the two in question are shown in, frowning at her. Tsunade waits for Shizune to shut the door behind her and for the privacy wards to buzz to life before picking up the scroll and holding it out to them. “Read,” she barks and Shikaku takes it tentatively, Jiraiya reading over his shoulder, the two growing tense as they read the short message written on it.

“Tell me gentlemen, how is it we only just decided to call a Kage Summit two days ago and I am now receiving a message from the Raikage demanding I attend a Summit he is calling?” she asks sweetly.

Shikaku quickly rereads the scroll again without answering at first and then he looks up, “Obviously something has happened the A feels warrants a Summit.” He sends a look to Jiraiya, Tsunade copying.

“I’ve not heard anything. Honestly Hime, I’m a spymaster, not a soothsayer or a mind reader. I can’t know everything. I’ve only got a few contacts in Lightning and none in the village itself. We’re in the dark in this,” he shrugs.

“Shikaku, I want you to send word to all our patrols near Lightning’s border to keep a sharp look out for any movement or mobilization of troops. The same for our border patrols closest to Rock. I don’t trust this to be some sort of strange coincidence. Shizune, begin drafting messages to the Mizukage and Kazekage. If A’s calling a Summit, they should have received a message by now. Maybe they will know more. The date is set for a week from now in Iron,” she orders.

“I’ll send a message to the few informants I have in Lightning. Maybe they’ve caught wind of something. Are you still taking the brats like you originally planned?” he asks.

“Whatever this Summit is about can’t be good and my gut tells me it’s connected. We’ll bring them. A can go have a hissy fit about me bringing more than two people to the Summit. They have the information we need to give to them,” she says, rubbing her eyes.

“Do you know who you will bring with you to the Summit?” Shikaku asks, eyes still scanning the scroll as if looking for hidden messages.

“Yes, get Kakashi and Tenzo in my office. I’m not taking the brats anywhere without some good babysitters,” she says with a smirk.

~*~

Tsunade steps back to look over her gathered tagalongs, ignoring the filth in Kakashi’s hand for the moment or the fact that the three genin look more like they’re going off to war than she is comfortable with. She can’t help thinking back to that meeting and realizing that even if they haven’t, the memories of a war are still there. Maybe she should speak with Inoichi about therapy for them after all this is over, if only so they can cope with the memories better.

With a mental shake of her head, she turns around and looks back at Jiraiya. “My village better be in one piece when I return,” she orders.

“No promises,” Shisui calls from where he’s leaned against the wall with Itachi after the two had bid farewell to Sasuke.

“Give him the worst D-ranks we have,” Tsunade orders and smirks at the unintelligible protest Shisui lets out.

“Try not to start a war, Hime,” Jiraiya orders back.

“Only if A or Ōnoki doesn’t do anything stupid,” she says with a huff but give him a knowing look. Neither of them wants a war. They’ve seen enough of that for one life time. “Keep me updated. I left one of Katsuya’s segments in my office and I have another on me,” she adds and Jiraiya nods.

“I’ll keep him on task, Tsunade-sama,” Shizune assures her, Tonton oinking in her arms.

“Make sure he does most of my work,” Tsunade orders and Shizune nods with a grin.

“Get going Hime before you grow any older,” Jiraiya huffs out and quickly ducks out of the way to avoid her fist, a small crater forming in the wall behind him, cracks spider webbing from it before the wall collapses. The two Chuunin gate guards blink owlishly at them, Naruto cackling at the scene.

“Best clean that up,” Kakashi offers helpfully as Tsunade sniffs and turns to walk away, the others falling in behind her.

“This is going to be a long trip,” Tenzo mutters.

“Hey, at least we don’t have to sleep out doors with you around,” Naruto reminds him.

“Why do you think I always requested him for team missions,” Kakashi says with a side eye of the man, Tenzo glaring at him before speeding up to walk closer to Tsunade who has fast walked further ahead.

~*~

The forests that surround Konoha quickly swallow them and the group takes to the trees, heading north at a quick pace with senses alert for any attack. They don’t stop to rest until nightfall, eating lunch on the move. It’s a good distance to Iron and the Summit date is fast approaching.

They stop in a small village, securing three rooms in the local inn. The three of them sit off to the side in the dining area, watching silently as Tsunade, Kakashi and Tenzo make tentative plans while they try to figure out what A called the Summit for. “I don’t like this,” Sakura mutters, biting into her small loaf of bread harshly.

“You don’t think what happened last time will happen again?” Naruto asks, looking at Sasuke.

“The last Summit was about me,” he reminds them softly, a brief flash of guilt crossing his face before he schools it. “I doubt Akatsuki is unaware about it though. We should be prepared for infiltration,” he adds.

“I’ve been keeping an eye out for them since the valley,” Naruto assures them. “There aren’t any Zetsu in Konoha currently.”

“Have you sensed Obito?” Sakura asks.

Naruto shakes his head dejectedly, “No, but I doubt he’ll come anytime soon before we put our plan into motion.”

“That will be tipping our hand if he doesn’t remember,” Sasuke puts in.

“What else can we do teme? We need to know for sure if he remembers and the only way to do that is meet face to face,” Naruto grumbles.

“I know that, which is why I’m going along with it, but if he doesn’t, I doubt we’ll be able to take him by ourselves, not in our current state,” Sasuke mutters, glancing around at them, indicating the fact that they’re all genin again and not the power houses they were in the past.

“What about Nagato?” Sakura says softly, eyes thoughtful as she crumples up the heel of the loaf into the soup she ordered, stirring it absently.

“What about him?” Sasuke asks.

“Well, Naruto managed to persuade him once to turn from his path. If we could get to him, show him what is coming, we could get him on our side. Maybe even get him to destroy the Rinnegan. Without them, they have nothing,” she says, explaining out her thought to them. “They need them to revive Madara fully.”

“Ame’s a long way away, and I don’t know how we could get into it undetected, let alone find Nagato or Konan and convince them to not stab us through with chakra control rods so they can have Kurama ripped out of me,” Naruto mutters but even he looks thoughtful.

“If Obito remembers or we get him on our side, he can take us right to him. If not, we’ll talk with Ero-Sennin. He got in last time undetected,” Naruto decides and the other’s nod.

“Oi, brats, get some sleep. It’s a long day tomorrow,” Tsunade barks and they nod, finishing up the last of their meal and then trudge up the stairs to their room to find some sleep.

~*~

“Welcome Hokage-sama, we have been awaiting your arrival. I am Mifune,” the man before them bows slightly in greeting. “As the Hokage is aware, she is only allowed two body guards,” he adds, eyeing the three genin behind them.

“Yes, yes, I’m aware. They aren’t here as body guards, but as informants with important information I must share with the other Kage. They will behave themselves and follow all the rules or I won’t hold back my punishment,” she growls, sending the genin a look and they nod solemnly.

Mifune nods, “They will have to remain outside of the meeting hall then until you need them,” he says and she acquiesces.

“It’s cold, I forgot how cold it gets here,” Naruto mutters for only Sasuke and Sakura’s ears and they nod with him, shivering under their heavy parkas as the snow falls around them.

“If you will follow me, I will show you to your rooms. We are still awaiting the arrival of the Mizukage and the Kazekage,” he informs them, leading them deeper into the building, thankfully cutting off the harsh and biting wind.

They’re led to a large suite of rooms, a roaring fire pushing back the chill in the air while ice frosted glass shows the snow covered landscape around them. “I will have tea and snacks sent up,” Mifune assures them and leaves with the door shutting softly behind him.

“Naruto,” Tsunade demands and the boy frowns.

He shakes his head, “We’re alone,” he assures her and she nods. He doesn’t mention what else he feels but he sends a look to Sakura and Sasuke that they recognize.

“There was a Summit before, wasn’t there?” Kakashi asks, leaning against a low couch.

“A called it. Akatsuki attacked and captured Killer B, his brother and the Hachibi’s jinchuuriki,” Naruto says, not mentioning just who it was that did it. “Only, they didn’t actually capture him and he turned up eventually.”

Kakashi frowns, looking over the three, “You’re not leaving anything out, are you?” he says with a knowing look.

“Oh, most definitely,” Sakura says with a grin. “We can’t give away everything,” she says. “Besides, that was a different time and what happened then hasn’t happened now so there’s no point dragging it out of the past.”

“Are you expecting something to happen?” Tsunade snaps.

“I don’t know,” Naruto hedges, “Akatsuki used the last Summit to declare war on the nations to try and force them to hand me and B over. But they had already collected the other tailed beasts except the last two. They have none currently. They won’t declare war without something to back them up.”

“Tenzo, has your clone seen or heard anything?” she asks.

“Nothing, Tsunade-sama, but it can’t move too quickly without drawing attention itself. The samurai here may not be able use chakra but they can sense it and have trained many in it. The only reason I can get away with my wood clone is because of how rare the mokuton is and that they’ve never encountered it,” Tenzo explains.

“Keep me updated. Jiraiya’s last report was the all clear so we must focus completely on this meeting. That bastard A has something up his sleeve and I don’t want to be taken by surprise,” she grumbles. A knock at the door announces the arrival of their food and drinks and they fall silent as the man sets the tray down on their table before bowing out again.

Tsunade sends a look around the room. “Do and say nothing until we know more. Don’t leave these rooms unless you absolutely have to. I don’t need you running into one of the other Kage or their guards and causing an incident because you might have a past with them,” she orders.

“Yes, Hokage-sama,” they all murmur. With that, they dig into the food, passing the time quietly.

“The meeting is tomorrow, so get some sleep. More than likely, the Mizukage and Kazekage we’re just behind us in arriving so expect to be up bright and early,” she warns and the three genin nod, standing and slipping into one of the available rooms for them.

A secondary fire place, though smaller, keeps the room warm, thick fabrics across the walls helping to keep the heat in and any drafts out. Naruto waits until they’re all sitting on one bed before reaching out and pulling them into Kurama’s space.

“You sensed something,” Sasuke says without preamble.

Naruto nods, “Two Zetsu so far, though I don’t know who they are pretending to be or where exactly they are. I don’t know this place. It’s possible they were here before the Summit.”

“I don’t believe in coincidences,” Kurama grumbles near them where he’s been listening in. “A called this meeting in, so my guess is there’s at least one amongst his people and sent a message out. A’s a warmonger and this isn’t the first time he’s threatened a war. Akatsuki would benefit from a war to distract everyone from their movements.”

“And make it easier to get closer to the other jinchuuriki,” Sakura adds.

“We can’t attack unless we know who they are and what’s going on. We could start a war if we do this wrong,” Sasuke reminds them and they nod.

Kurama sighs with an annoyed huff, “Why does anyone think wars solve anything?”

“Says the creature of malevolence and destruction,” Sasuke deadpans with a look up at Kurama.

Kurama grins wickedly, “I never started wars, little Uchiha. I ended them,” he reminds the boy who simply rolls his eyes but smirks all the same.

Chapter Text

Upheaval: noun; a violent or sudden change or disruption to something.

“Well,” Sasuke demands as they dress the next morning, shivering faintly in the lingering cold, despite the fire’s warmth.

Naruto shakes his head, “Nothing’s changed. I’m not sure if that’s good or bad,” he mutters.

“Are you two done yet?” Sakura calls out from the other side of the door. She had shared a room with Tsunade the night before with Tenzo and Kakashi rotating on guard duty through the night.

“We’re ready,” Naruto calls, tugging on the knot of his hitai-ate to make sure it’s tight. The door opens and Sakura sticks her head through the door.

“Breakfast is here. Someone just came to say the Summit will start in an hour so hurry up and eat,” she says and they nod, quickly leaving the room to follow into the main area where a small spread of food is waiting for them.

Tsunade waits until they’ve grabbed food before speaking up. “Alright brats, I know you’re planning things,” she barks and they send each other looks, Sakura looking a little guilty. “I’m not mad…well, not totally. You have an advantage over most of us right now with what’s in your heads, but you need to keep those plans to yourselves and uncompleted right now. This Summit could stop or start a war, which we really don’t need right now,” she reminds them.

“No promises,” Sasuke mutters.

“Don’t make me confine you to these rooms,” she hisses.

“Tsunade-sama, I think what he means is that if something happens that we can stop, we’ll stop it but we won’t do anything unless it’s dire,” Sakura assures her with a faint smile.

Tsunade eyes them for long seconds moving from one to the other before nodding. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” she grumbles, rubbing her temples. “I really don’t want to have to talk with A or Ōnoki right now,” she mutters, more to herself than any of them.

A soft tap at the door draws their attention and Tenzo answers it, letting in a woman who bows as she enters. “Hokage-sama, the Summit is soon to begin and Mifune-sama is calling the Kage to assemble with their bodyguards.”

“Thank you, we’ll be just a moment,” Tsunade says and the woman bows again before leaving, Tenzo shutting the door.

Tsunade stands, straightening the drape of her official robes with a huff of annoyance at having to wear it at all. She picks up her wide kage hat but doesn’t settle it on her head just yet. “Listen up. We’re going in blind with this Summit. A obviously has something to use against us or the other kage but even he’s not stupid enough to try and start a war over something small. Be prepared for anything.” She turns to look at the three genin. “Mouths closed; eyes and ears open. You are here as informants which means you won’t be allowed into the Summit chamber until I call for you. Don’t start anything, unless it is life or death,” she warns.

“Don’t worry baa-chan. We’ll be good,” Naruto assures her with a wide grin.

“I know that look Naruto,” she reminds him. “Try to keep the mayhem to a minimum, that includes you, you mangy fox,” she adds.

“Try not to start a war, hag,” Kurama mutters, red eyes glaring up as Tsunade smirks.

Tsunade looks at Tenzo and Kakashi. “The same goes for you. Eyes and ears open,” she orders and they nod. Sighing, she settles the hat on her head and marches towards the door, heels clicking on the stone of the floor loudly as they fall in behind.

The woman is waiting for them at the end of the hall and she bows once more before leading them silently to where the Summit is to be held. The halls crawl with samurai in heavy armor and laden with multiple swords. Some nod at their passing, most ignore them but they can still feel their gaze on them.

Mifune is standing impassively before a large double door in a huge, echoing chamber that four halls enter at once. Around the chamber, samurai stand at intervals, watching the gathered shinobi passively. The others are already gathered with their guards. The Yondaime Raikage, A, stands off to the side, arguing with Killer B while his second guard watches silently with a smirk at the tongue lashing the man is getting.

The new Godaime Kazekage, Yashamaru, and two of his shinobi stand silently off to the side, watching the groups warily. Of the two, only Baki is known to them and he sends a nod their way as they enter. The new Godaime Mizukage, Terumi Mei, isn’t too far away from them with a familiar face as a bodyguard. Zabuza is bundled under a heavy coat, looking annoyed to be dragged out here while Ao sends him smug looks. The Sandaime Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, stands farthest from them as he mutters to his two guards, thick brows drawn in a frown.

All eyes turn to their entrance, the sudden silence making everyone tense. “Welcome Hokage-sama,” Mifune says, seeming immune to the tension in the air.

“I thought we were only allowed two guards?” Ōnoki demands waspishly, “Not that three genin would count as guards,” he mutters.

“They are not here as my guards but as informants. I have news that needs to be shared with you and it is best heard from the source,” Tsunade says mildly, keeping her temper in check.

“They may wait in here,” Mifune says mildly, motioning towards a cleverly hidden chamber between two pillars. “An antechamber for guests,” he supplies.

Tsunade looks down at them, “Go, behave,” she reminds them quietly and they nod, following behind the woman who escorted them.

“Shall we?” Tsunade says with a pained smile, motioning towards the door.

~*~

They start to fall in line and Kakashi notices one aiming to stand near him. He smiles with his eye, nodding to Zabuza. “No Haku?” he asks this time.

Zabuza snorts, “The brat’s keeping an eye on things while we’re away.”

“Too bad, my team would have loved to catch up,” Kakashi says with a shrug and Zabuza’s eyes dart towards where the three genin disappeared.

“What’d your brats find?” he asks.

Kakashi shrugs, “It’s not for me to tell,” he says and Zabuza scowls harder but nods. Orders are orders.

“You better hope this doesn’t explode in our faces. I still want a rematch Hatake and a war will put a crimp in my plans,” Zabuza barks out.

“Maa, maa, so determined,” Kakashi says with a laugh before they’re forced away from each other, following the outer ring that will hide them away as their kage step into the center of the round chamber where the U-shaped table awaits.

Mifune waits until all are seated before speaking. Thankfully the clothe between them and the kage is fairly transparent so he can see who is talking so Kakashi leans back against the wall, side eyeing Tenzo before his eye is drawn back to Mifune.

“Remove your hats,” he instructs and the five do as told, letting the representation of their power settle before them. “As you are all aware, the Raikage has called this Summit. I will be your moderator for this Summit. There will be no use of chakra or weapons in this meeting. I have samurai stationed in and outside of this room as well as your own personal guards. Any who disobey this rule will be removed from the Summit. Is this understood?” he asks sharply and nods are exchange. “Then the meeting begins now. Raikage, as you are the one who called this Summit, perhaps you will enlighten your fellow kage as to why you have done this,” Mifune says before settling in his chair before them.

“Yes, tell us why you drug us all the way out here, Raikage?” Terumi asks mildly, a coy smile on her face. “I’m a busy woman as you know.”

“Hmp, you mean you’re still cleaning up the mess your predecessor left,” he grumbles and Terumi’s smile sharpens but she doesn’t comment. “I called this Summit for one reason and one reason only: to demand to know why the Hokage is trying to instigate a war despite her stance on it,” he growls, pointing an accusing finger at Tsunade.

“What?” Tsunade demands sharply, eyes widening.

“Don’t play dumb, Senju. You’ve been pressing our borders for years and now you’ve gone a step too far,” he growls.

“What proof do you have of this accusation, Raikage?” Yashamaru demands quietly.

“A dead border patrol, taken down with Konoha made weapons and their love of Katon jutsus,” A growls out.

“I have also had two patrols killed recently with a lone survivor saying the shinobi that ambushed them wore Konoha ANBU masks,” Ōnoki growls out.

“That is mere speculation,” Tsunade snaps back. “We are not the only country that uses Katon jutsus and anyone could have gotten their hands on Konoha made weapons from old battle grounds or even off of our own people. And one person who says they saw Konoha ANBU is a rather convenient excuse, Tsuchikage, to start a war. How many have you lost so far? Two?” she demands with a glare at Ōnoki.

“You want proof, I’ll show you proof,” A roars, fist slamming onto his portion of the table and suddenly the room is filled with shinobi, Kakashi and Tenzo quickly flanking Tsunade, eyeing everyone around them, waiting for someone to move. The tension is like a living entity in the room it’s so thick.

“You will refrain from such rude behavior, Raikage,” Mifune orders and slowly, the tension trickles out of the room. Tsunade jerks her head at them, and he and Tenzo quickly return to their previous positions.

“Show me your proof,” Tsunade demands.

“C,” A barks out and the blonde shinobi of his two guards appears besides A, holding a large scroll.

A looks to Mifune for permission to use the scroll and the samurai nods though the room tenses again. C moves around the U-shaped table before stopping at the end of Mifune’s own table. “May I?” he asks and Mifune nods.

C unrolls the scroll on the wide table and with a small burst of chakra, smoke explodes from the scroll, quickly dispelling to reveal the mangled corpse it contained. The face is crushed in, most likely by a large rock or a heavy, maul like weapon and is unidentifiable, aside from pale skin and dark hair. On a pale shoulder, for all to see, is the dark swirl of a Konoha ANBU tattoo.

“Is that proof enough?” A demands smugly. “This was one of the bodies left at an ambush of one of my patrols.”

“Without a recognizable face, there’s no proof that this is anyone from my village and I doubt any of you are unaware of what our ANBU markings look like. It would be easy to dress up someone, tattoo their arm and then kill them just to give you an excuse,” Tsunade remarks mildly, tone unconcerned.

“She’s right, Raikage. This is at most an attempt to frame Konoha,” Terumi speaks up. Ōnoki makes a rude noise at her words. “I’m sure you would benefit nicely were Konoha and Kumo to go to war, Tsuchikage? Perhaps you want them to fight each other, waiting until they’ve tired themselves out against each other and then swoop in to wipe them both out?” she says softly.

“You dare accuse me of this?” Ōnoki snaps.

“I am simply drawing from your past history. Iwa is responsible for two wars already. Maybe you think third times the charm?” Terumi snaps back.

“Enough!” Tsunade barks out as her hands slap onto the table in front of her, making her hat jump a little and drawing their eyes to her.

“Hokage-sama, the same warning applies to you,” Mifune remarks mildly and she nods.

“I am aware but sometimes you need a loud noise to be heard over the squabbling of children,” she bites out, eyes glaring at the kage before her. “I will say right here and now, that Konoha is not responsible for any attacks on either of your patrol, Raikage, Tsuchikage, not by my orders.”

“Perhaps they weren’t ordered by you. Maybe an overzealous subordinate thought they didn’t need to go through you?” Ōnoki says snidely. “We all remember Shimura Danzō and all his schemes. How do we know another Danzō isn’t working from the shadows?”

“If someone is, then I will flush them out and deal with them myself, but this is not the most pressing issue,” she says harshly. “There is a bigger threat closer to home and they’re in all of your countries,” she says.

“You can’t be serious, Hokage?” Ōnoki snaps.

“I am,” she says. “Akatsuki is a threat at all of our throats and I for one will not let you idiots drag us into a war and blind us to their threat.”

“Your people came to Kumo about them. They can’t be that much of a threat if they’ve already blown their cover?” A admonitions with a huff.

“I have informants who will say otherwise,” Tsunade growls.

“Those three genin?” Ōnoki mocks aloud. “What can mere genin have information wise that we wouldn’t know ourselves?” he demands.

“Mifune, will you have someone escort them in please?” she asks and Mifune nods, looking to one of the guards by the door that bows and steps out of the room.

~*~

Naruto jerks from his half slumped position on the thin couch they’ve been sitting on for the last twenty minutes, listening to the distant and muffled yelling coming through the thick walls. They can’t make out any words that are being said.

“A third Zetsu just appeared,” he mutters.

“Where?” Sasuke demands.

“In the center of the Kage,” Naruto says, frowning as he concentrates. “It’s not moving, so it could be hiding underground. Except…”

“What?” Sakura asks.

“If it had traveled underground, I would have felt it coming. This one just appeared,” he explains.

“Obito’s doing maybe?” Sasuke tries.

“Maybe,” he says with a shrug. “We know who two of them are: the blonde with the Raikage and the woman with the Tsuchikage. We need to be careful and not say anything until they’re taken care of. If even one of them gets away, Akatsuki will be warned.”

“You still remember that seal?” Sasuke asks, hands twitching with his need to have his katana back.

“Yeah, hold on,” Naruto says, rummaging through his pouch until he finds a small stack of seal paper and his ink and brush. “Remember, they only last for three minutes, so get what info you can from them and then kill them,” he reminds them as he quickly inks the intricate seal onto the paper.

Blowing on them quickly to dry them, he hands one to each of them and they tuck them away in places to easily pull them from. A few minutes later, the door to the room opens and they hear the soft clanking of one of the samurai coming towards their antechamber. Naruto quickly stuffs everything away back into his pouch.

The samurai doesn’t say anything, just motions for them to follow and they nod, quickly walking out of the room and towards the large door. It opens near silently and the step through to see multiple eyes on them.

Naruto shares a quick glance with Sakura and Sasuke who nod faintly before they move further into the room. Tsunade waits until they’re standing next to Mifune, the mangled body still on the table. “This is Team Kakashi. They have information on Akatsuki that needs to be heard by all of us. Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, please, if you will,” Tsunade orders.

Naruto looks from one face to the next, while mentally he locates the shinobi behind the kage and the three Zetsu hidden amongst them and realizes that the body on the table is also a Zetsu. Naruto turns to look at Tsunade. “I can’t,” he admits with a frown.

“Naruto, I just gave you an order,” Tsunade snaps.

“You also told me to keep my eyes and ears open. I have everything open and I can say with certainty that we’re not alone right now,” he says, hoping he can convey what he means without saying too much.

“Are you saying there are spies here, boy?” Ōnoki demands harshly.

“Yes,” he says.

“And how would a mere genin know this?” A demands harshly.

“Naruto is an incredibly strong sensor,” Tsunade says with a frown, eyes glancing around the room. “Kakashi, Tenzo,” she orders and the two appear behind her. “Have you seen anything?” she demands.

“Nothing, Hokage-sama,” Kakashi assures her, but his eyes are scanning the room.

“Are you accusing us of bringing spies now?” Ōnoki demands as his two guards appear behind him, the rest following and the room falls into tension.

“I can assure you, no one could be hiding in this room,” Mifune says with a heavy frown, glancing at his guards who have also taken ready stances.

Naruto takes a long breath in, feeling the natural chakra slowly building in his chest, unnoticed by the shinobi around him and with a quick look at Sakura and Sasuke, they move. The burst of wind and natural chakra from his mouth screams through the room, knocking the kage hats to the ground and catching everyone off guard just enough for Sakura and Sasuke to move.

Naruto pulls the seal from his sleeve and slams it down onto the body on the table, the flare of it activating leaving spots behind. He can feel the burning and jagged chakra of Sasuke’s lightning striking the Tsuchi shinobi as Sakura’s cool and pinpoint strike with her fist pierces a hole through the Kumo shinobi. Twin flares of the same seal nearly blind him as the room goes deathly silent around them.

With a howl, the body on the table shudders, limbs convulsing as slowly, the color and shape of its form fades, leaving behind the pale, sickly green form of a white Zetsu, pale yellow eyes glaring up at him, sharp teeth bared in a feral grin.

“Well now, isn’t this a surprise,” it murmurs and Naruto glances over where Sakura and Sasuke have the other two pinned, ignoring the blades pointed at their backs by the other shinobi that reacted to their attacks instinctively. “How did you know?”

Naruto grins, “A little birdy told me,” Naruto says back mockingly and Zetsu glares at him. “What’s Akatsuki’s plan?” he demands.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Zetsu mocks back. “You can’t keep me stuck forever.”

“I don’t need to keep you stuck forever. Just long enough to get some answers. You were trying to start something, weren’t you?” he asks.

“Who can say,” Zetsu says back.

“Are there any more of you in the other villages?” Naruto asks.

“You tell me since you seem to be able to sense us. How is that possible? No one should be able to,” Zetsu says back curiously.

“I’m just that awesome,” Naruto retorts and ignores the snort from Sasuke across the room. “Last question, where are the ones whose forms and chakra you stole?” Naruto demands.

“They’re around somewhere,” Zetsu says back with a grin, glancing down at the seal across his chest keeping him bound. “Tick, tock,” he murmurs.

“No, I got all I wanted,” Naruto says with a grin.

He steps aside mentally and Kurama looks out on the clone, seeing the eyes widen in realization. “Let’s have some fun, shall we?” Kurama murmurs, chakra starting to appear across his skin and with a growl, he sinks his claws into the clone. The stink of dead, burning plant matter permeates the room as the clone screams in a high pitched wail before it shudders and goes limp. Not fooled, Kurama keeps going, letting flames lick up the body until it is burning merrily on top of the table.

Two more fires start on the other side of the room, filing the chamber with smoke. Kurama grins, looking around at the faces staring at him. “Well now, who has questions?”

Chapter Text

Spark: noun; a trace of a specified quality or intense feeling.

The tension holds for long drawn out seconds as everyone stares at Naruto, the Kyuubi staring back at them. Kakashi waits, body primed to move should things turn south, ignoring the smoke steadily filling the wide chamber.

The tension breaks with a loud cough and a muttered curse as Killer B steps forward, waving his hand in front of his face, dispersing the smoke and Kakashi blinks at the change in his eyes, glowing faintly a pale pinkish color with a darker ring around them.

“Kurama, was that absolutely necessary?” Gyūki speaks up, sounding annoyed by the fox’s actions.

“Nobody asked you, you overgrown octopus,” Kurama grumbles with a glare and the rest of the tension in the room bleeds out, weapons lowering.

“Perhaps we should relocate out of the room,” Mifune speaks up finally, eyes squinting against the sting of smoke and his heavy brows pinched in irritation.

“B, what the hell is going on?” A yells out, thumping his brother over the head as people begin to shuffle out into the hall.

“The hell if I know, Gyūki’s been keeping secrets from me yo,” B raps out with a grin.

“Leave the fires burning. I want to make sure they’re dead,” Kurama orders as some of the samurai go to start putting out the fires. They pause to look to Mifune who nods and they step back away from the three burning bodies.

“Kurama, I want an explanation and I want it now!” Tsunade growls out as she towers over Naruto, hands on her hips and glares down at him.

“Where is Kurotsuchi?” Ōnoki demands and storms over to glare at him as well.

“And C,” A demands while keeping a restraining hand on B’s shoulder when he tries to get closer to Naruto.

Kurama shrugs, stepping back towards Sakura and Sasuke and giving him space between him and the angry Kage. “At best, they’re tied up somewhere. At worst, they’re dead. Either way, we have bigger problems than a few dead shinobi,” Kurama reminds them.

“Who were they?” Kakashi finally speaks up and a few eyes glance his way before looking at Kurama.

“White Zetsus. They’re clones, made up of plant matter from the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and Akatsuki plans to make more of them to build an army,” Kurama explains with a glare at the gathered shinobi. “They can absorb a person’s chakra and become them in a sense, blind even to the greatest sensor’s abilities and able to fool the best barriers. They are the perfect spies and infiltrators.”

“Then how can you sense them if no sensor can sense the difference?” Terumi asks curiously.

“I don’t sense chakra, human. I sense evil, dark thoughts, malicious hearts. No matter how hard you hide your chakra, you can’t hide that from me,” Kurama says, grin turning wicked. “Shall I tell everyone what I feel from you?” he asks, looking from one kage to the next. “It’s painted like a panting across your very being: every little bit of darkness you’ve embraced, every dark thought you’ve ever had, and every drop of innocent blood upon your hands. You humans call me a monster and yet I am only what I was made to be. What should I call you?”

The hall is quiet at his words, the disquiet loud in the silence. Kakashi looks down at his own hands and can see the blood that never truly disappears and clenches them into fists before looking back up. Tsunade snorts loudly. “We’re not here to debate the morality and ethics of the lives of shinobi, fox,” she reminds him.

“True, but sometimes you humans need a reminder,” Kurama remarks bluntly.

“What was Akatsuki’s plan?” Mifune speaks up in the quiet.

Kurama shrugs, “My best guess, a war to distract. If Kumo and Konoha go to war, or Tsuchi and Konoha go to war, sides will be drawn, alliances called on. The world is distracted and Akatsuki is suddenly able to move much more freely, even allowed into villages as extra bodies in the war. It’s not the first time one of the countries has used them as mercenaries,” he reminds them and Ōnoki looks away.

“They’re hunting the tailed beast right now. With each one they capture, they can create more and more clones, building up their army and once they have us all, they can create the ultimate weapon: the Juubi. No country will be able to stand against that power alone. Even if everyone allied, right now, there’s no guarantee you could stop such a creature,” Kurama speaks plainly.

“The Juubi?” Yashamaru asks.

“It’s what we tailed beasts used to be. One massively powerful creature with the might to change the world at a whim,” Gyūki speaks up before Kurama can. “The Sage of the Six Paths split its power and gave birth to the nine of us.”

“You speak as if you have foreknowledge of their plans,” Mifune speaks up. “How have you come by this knowledge?” he demands.

Kakashi watches Kurama pause, pondering whether he should share this with the wider world. He looks to Sakura and Sasuke, eyes flicking over to Gyūki who is still looking through B’s eyes. “This has happened before,” he says slowly. “Akatsuki’s plan happened…for the most part and those in the future sent back a warning through the tailed beasts. Part of ourselves was sent back in time to us with the knowledge of what is to come. My siblings and I have spent the last seven years attempting to thwart Akatsuki’s plans without their knowledge,” Kurama says.

“Time travel seems a bit much, even for me,” Yashamaru murmurs. “How do we know you aren’t lying?”

Kurama turns to face the man, eyes hard, “Tell me Kazekage, how much longer did you have before the Yondaime ordered to assassinate Gaara?” Kurama asks and the man pales. “Did you know you would fail or did you hope? You did by the way and it drove him insane, spurred on by the villagers’ hatred of him and Shukaku’s whispers. If I hadn’t stepped in and knocked some sense back into that damn tanuki’s head, history would have repeated itself and you wouldn’t be here as Kazekage.”

Kurama turns to Terumi, “And you Mizukage. You didn’t gain your title for two more years and in that time, Yagura’s bloody wrath continued. It wasn’t until Ao finally noticed the genjutsu placed upon Yagura and removed it did things change, though Yagura didn’t survive it,” Kurama says motioning towards Ao. “My siblings and I worked together to remove the chain around Isobu’s neck and in doing so, stopped his bloody reign.” He turns to Zabuza, “You should have died on that bridge with Haku,” he continues and Zabuza’s narrows his eyes at him.

He faces Tsunade who narrows her eyes at him, “Danzō was responsible for quite a lot, as I’m sure you’re well aware. Did you know he succeeded in killing the Uchiha Clan?” he asks conversationally and Tsunade pales. Kakashi shares a look with Tenzo whose eyes are a little wide. “He used Itachi’s devotion to his village and made a thirteen year old boy massacre his whole family so long as they promised to never lay a hand on his little brother and then your precious teacher used Itachi as a spy in Akatsuki. Danzō wasn’t killed until just before the Fourth Shinobi War by Sasuke to avenge his brother and his clan,” Kurama continues softly sensing Sasuke’s grief and Kakashi looks passed him to see Sasuke has turned away, pressing his face into Sakura’s shoulder as she hugs him.

“Is that enough for you or should I continue? I’m sure there’s more you want laid out in the open,” Kurama spits out.

“No, fox, you can stop,” Tsunade says through a tight throat, her eye landing on Sasuke. Kakashi can see the way her hands tremble ever so faintly.

“If they’re such a threat, let’s just find their base and kill them all now,” A growls.

“It’s not that simple, Raikage,” Tsunade barks out. “From what Kurama has told us, their main base of operations is in Amegakure and they are acting as the leader of the village. We can’t just invade a country, even to root out Akatsuki. Besides, one of them has the ability to move across vast distances in the blink of an eye. We invade Ame and they disappear to some other base. The only way to do this is with a light touch,” she adds.

“So then what do you propose?” Ōnoki demands.

“We talk,” she says with a grin. “Right now, we need information and strategies. If you can keep your temper and your unneeded opinions to yourself long enough, we might be able to come up with a decent plan to stop their plan from bearing fruit.”

Ōnoki huffs but nods in begrudging acceptance. “I can offer one thing,” Kurama speaks up. “The seal they used earlier forces the Zetsu into their original form for a short period of time. It can be added to barriers as well. While it won’t protect your people outside the barriers of the villages, it will help keep your secrets remain secrets and prevent Akatsuki from discovering any plans made. But that means that once you leave this Summit, you keep your traps closed until you can get the seal activated. Anyone could be one of them and if words reaches their ears, this will have been all for nothing,” Kurama growls out.

“I think it is time we moved to a better location,” Mifune says easily in the tense silence at Kurama’s words. Slowly, the gathered shinobi make their way to a different room, the previous one still trickling smoke from the open doors.

~*~

Tsunade storms into the room ahead of them hours later, expression thunderous and chakra snapping under her iron will. Kurama ignores her for the most part, eyes still focusing on the tight shoulders and stiff back of Sasuke before him.

“Are you even listening?” Tsunade yells and Kurama tunes back into his surroundings to realize that the woman has been yelling at him for a few minutes now.

“No,” he admits readily and Tsunade growls. Kurama ignores her and walks over to where Sasuke and Sakura have taken over one of the couches. “Brat,” Kurama murmurs.

Sasuke looks up, eyes guarded and Kurama feels a curl of guilt in his gut. “I’m sorry,” he murmurs and Tsunade goes silent half way through her rant at his words. “I should have asked before I said that,” Kurama admits.

“It’s fine,” Sasuke whispers, looking fragile and the guilt rears up higher. He hates having forced this on them, these memories and emotions that he would have preferred they never have to experience.

“It’s not fine,” Kurama grumbles. “That wasn’t my story to tell,” he adds. Sasuke stares at him for a long drawn out moment before nodding but doesn’t say anything else. Kurama looks over at the others who are watching their exchange, “We won’t apologize for ruining the Summit. The Zetsu needed to be taken out before anything could be actually planned,” he grumbles.

“You should have warned me,” Tsunade growls.

“And yet I didn’t,” Kurama growls back. “It’s time you realized I don’t give one fuck about your wants. My only concern is stopping Akatsuki and making sure that madman stays dead. If you have a problem with that, then you can find someone who cares,” he hisses with a glare.

“Tsunade-sama,” Tenzo speaks up and she closes her mouth before she can yell at him, flush high on her checks in her anger. “He was right to not speak up. You might have acted differently and given away the element of surprise. We can’t afford to let Akatsuki know more than we already have,” he says with a frown.

Tsunade glares at the mokuton user for a long drawn out moment before she heaves a large sigh and her shoulders droop. “I’m aware, but I don’t like being surprised like that,” she admits and walks over to one of the free couches and sits heavily, rubbing at her aching head. “This nightmare just keeps getting worse and worse,” she grumbles.

“Imagine living through it,” Kurama snaps and she has the grace to look guilty at his words.

“Well fox, I’m assuming you and the brats have a plan, or at least the beginning of one,” she grumbles, pushing past the heaviness in the air and straightens to look at Kurama.

Kurama nods, “A few seed plans,” he admits and looks to Sakura who nods.

“We have two options to go with right now,” she explains, expression serious. “We go for Obito or we go for Nagato. Obito’s the wild card in that we don’t know if he will have his other memories. If he does, it will change everything. If he doesn’t, we’re showing our hand to him and Akatsuki will change all their plans. As well, he’s not going to be easily persuaded from his path, even if we tell him what’s going to happen.”

“What do you plan with Nagato?” Tenzo asks.

“The Rinnegan that Nagato has are not his. They’re Madara’s that were implanted into him as a child. If we can get into Ame and talk with him, show him what is going to happen if he doesn’t stop, we can completely derail Akatsuki’s plans. And if we can destroy the Rinnegan he possesses, Madara can’t come back fully and can’t use the Demonic Statue to seal away the tailed beasts to become the Juubi’s Jinchuuriki. But that means sneaking into Ame and getting close enough to talk with him and convincing him to talk. It…it took a lot to convince him last time and that was after he destroyed half of Konoha trying to get to Naruto,” Sakura admits.

Tsunade hums, expression turning thoughtful. “I don’t like the odds on Obito,” she murmurs. “Jiraiya can get you into Ame. He was already planning to head there before your big revelation of time travel,” she grumbles and Naruto grins, eyes blue now that Kurama has taken a step back. “Getting one person in undetected will be hard enough, let alone all of you though.”

“We only need to remain undetected long enough to get close,” Sasuke speaks up.

“And right now, we register as genin in terms of power…well, most of us,” Sakura adds, glancing at Naruto. “If we had a way to dampen the feeling of his chakra, we could very easily pass unnoticed,” she murmurs.

“I’m sure the idiot can figure something out,” Tsunade says with a nod but then frowns, “I don’t feel comfortable sending you three into this, not without help,” she mutters.

“Jiraiya will protect them,” Kakashi reminds her and she sighs.

“Well, we have the cooperation of the other villages now…partially. They’ll be looking after their own right now, but this is more than we’ve ever had before and those seals will help expunge any Zetsu from the villages too. Yashamaru and Terumi have tentatively promised aid, should the worst come about but A and Ōnoki are still holding back. It’s hard to prepare for something that hasn’t happened yet and we’re going to have to talk with the Daimyo and warn him as well,” Tsunade muses. “We can plan better back in the village,” she finishes, looking tired.

“I’m sure Shikaku and Inoichi will be more than happy to help,” Kakashi murmurs.

“Let’s get to sleep. We leave for home in the morning and we have a lot of planning to do before we put anything into motion,” she orders and the group slowly disperses.

~*~

He feels the eyes upon him before he senses the approach of a familiar figure. He ignores Zetsu as he continues to read through the reports Sasori had compiled. Things have been moving along quicker than he expected with the Raikage calling a Summit. He’d expected it to take A longer and a few more ‘attacks’ before he took this route.

Still, he won’t look a gift horse in the mouth and he readies his plans to further push the war that is soon to break out. It’s honestly not hard to cause a war, or to keep it going. A few convenient dead bodies here, an ‘assassination’ attempt there, leaked information at just the right moment and the shinobi world is putty in his hands.

It’s honestly sickening how easy it is for him to manipulate a society that is supposedly able to see underneath all the lies. So many impassioned speeches and proud boasting and yet they still walk around blindly.

He doubts the Summit will result in a war right away. The kage are too good at talking each other down when they do gather. But should someone try and kill one of them, blame will get spread around and when a conveniently ‘dropped’ note is found, they will play to his tune.

“Report,” he orders, not looking up from the scroll in his hand on the still unknown identity of the Nanabi. Sasori is really trying his patience with his lack of results in that area.

“Nothing,” Zetsu murmurs and Obito looks up.

“What do you mean nothing?” he demands.

“I have nothing. None of the Zetsu sent to the Summit have returned and I just received word from the others in the villages that the kage have returned back to the village. They’re being very tight lipped about what happened at the Summit and nothing has been written down,” Zetsu reports, looking angry and agitated at being thwarted.

“You said no one can sense any difference when you take on a form and their chakra?” Obito comments idly, keeping his temper in check for the moment.

“They should not have been able to. Something has happened that you didn’t account for,” Zetsu accuses.

Obito glares at the clone, hand tightening around the report in his hand and the paper crinkles and warps under the pressure. “Figure out what happened at the Summit, now,” he orders, anger rolling out of him and it cowers a little under the pressure.

Zetsu snarls at him but does as told, sinking back into the ground and disappearing from his range. He waits until he can’t feel it any longer before his fist slams onto his desk and cracks the wood into a splintered mess. His plan should have worked. How could they have known? Did someone misstep?

He pauses, considering. Perhaps there’s a traitor amongst them. He glances at the report still clutched in his fist. A shinobi that works with traitors has no qualms of being one himself and Sasori has been failing in finding out the Nanabi’s identity for a while now. Maybe it’s time to oversee this personally rather than working through the puppet master and if he learns any damning information on the shinobi…well, it won’t be hard to take him out.

Plan in mind, he lets Kamui whirl him away towards Sasori’s last known location.

Chapter Text

Camouflage: verb; hide or disguise the presence of (a person, animal, or object) by means of camouflage.

It’s raining a heavy deluge of cold water as they emerge onto the wide expanse of water bordering Ame’s village. Sasuke quickly pulls up his hood against the rain, glancing behind him as Naruto and Sakura emerge from the toad – hadn’t that been a strange experience, though he has memories of being inside snakes which doesn’t help – and then Jiraiya emerges last.

“All accounted for?” Jiraiya mutters, pulling up his own hood.

“That was creepy,” Sakura mutters with a shudder, glancing down at the toad that just croaks and gives a shrug of indifference.

“If you had a better way of getting in undetected, you should have spoken up before we left,” Jiraiya grumbles. “Come on, I doubt we’ll remain unnoticed much longer if we keep standing here,” he orders and they set off at a steady jog across the water, keeping low.

“How’s the seal holding, Naruto?” Jiraiya asks lowly as they quickly take shelter between two buildings, standing under a thin awning out of the rain.

Naruto frowns, “We’re fine. It’s weird to be so cut off from Kurama though,” he admits, sounding a little worried.

“Let me know if it starts to hurt or if the seal starts to break down,” he orders and Naruto nods. “Any idea which way we need to go?” he asks conversationally.

“No clue,” Sasuke pipes up with a shiver as some of the rain slips past his hood and down his back. “This is our first time in Ame, in either life time,” he admits.

“Figures,” Jiraiya mutters under his breath. “Alright brats, time to learn how to get information,” he explains and sets off at a quick walk, the three of them keeping pace as they step back out into the rain.

~*~

“He’s not going to kill them…is he?” Naruto asks, staring at the toad hidden away in some water plants while they sit up high on a ledge of a building, tucked away under an overhang. Seals glow faintly around them, masking life signs from anyone passing by while they wait for Jiraiya to finish interrogating the two shinobi he managed to catch.

“I doubt it,” Sakura mutters, shivering as a cool breeze blows through and she pulls her wrap tighter around her. “They’re information sources. I think he plans to send them back, like he did last time,” she adds.

“Shh,” Sasuke hisses, pulling them back deeper into their hiding spot as suddenly the rain stops, a few rays of light peeking through the thick clouds. A few minutes later, something flutters by their hiding spot.

“It’s paper,” Sakura whispers, eyeing the butterfly shaped origami.

“Konan,” Naruto mutters, sharing a look with the other two. Three more fly pass their hiding spot without seeming to notice them thanks to the seals, but they still hold their breaths until the paper turns around and goes back the way it came.

“They know we’re here,” Sasuke mutters, eyes glowing red in the shadows, watching the last piece of paper disappear between two buildings across from them.

“How?” Sakura mutters with a heavy frown. “Did they sense you?” she asks Naruto.

He shakes his head, “The seal’s still holding.”

“It was the rain,” Sasuke murmurs as the rain suddenly starts back up once more, the sunlight disappearing back behind the clouds. “There’s a small amount of chakra in the rain. Whoever is controlling this can probably sense when someone with a lot of chakra enters the rain and then they have Konan scout out who it is,” he mutters.

“Is it Nagato?” Sakura asks.

Sasuke shrugs, blinking and his eyes return to their normal dark color, “Maybe, or someone from Akatsuki perhaps, or even just someone from Ame. We’ll need to warn Jiraiya when he comes back out.”

A few minutes later, the toad jumps from the clump of plants and spits up the Sannin who is frowning heavily. “Return to the village and give them to Ibiki and Inoichi,” he tells the toad and it nods before jumping into the water and swimming away.

The three of them jump down from their spot after wiping away the chalked on seals. “They know we’re here,” Sasuke says without preamble once they’re close enough. “The rain has chakra in it. They knew we were here the moment we emerged and they sent Konan searching.”

“Then let’s not keep them waiting. We’re heading for the tallest western tower where supposedly, the god Pain lives,” he mutters, eyes flicking around. “Disguises up from now on. Naruto, keep your sensing active. Sasuke and Sakura, I want you on guard duty. He’ll be distracted. Make sure nothing gets to him,” he orders and they nod. Naruto pulls the black mask up over his nose, hiding the distinctive whisker markings on his cheeks as a henge dulls the brightness of his blonde locks and bright blue eyes. Sasuke pulls out dark shaded goggles, pulling them over his eyes as Sakura pulls up a simple henge to change her appearance subtly. Her hair goes from pink to a mousey brown, her eyes to a dark brown and the Byakugō on her brow vanishes.

Jiraiya doesn’t shift his appearance at all. He’s the bait currently and it’s doubtful a henge would fool Nagato and Konan when they know the feel of his chakra from years spent around the man. They stick to the narrow streets of Ame, avoiding heavily crowded roads.

Slowly, the shorter buildings of what appears to be a mix of residential and shopping districts grow taller and thinner and fewer and fewer people appear in their path. It grows steadily quieter, the rain a steady, unending drone. They pause frequently, Naruto muttering for them to stop as patrols of shinobi pass by them.

“Is that it?” Sakura asks as they clear a wide stretch of road and look ahead to see a cluster of towers with one standing tallest in the center of the group. Bridges span the spaces between them. Around the towers is a wide, empty stretch of land. No cover for anyone trying to get close to the towers.

“Looks like it. No sign of movement,” Jiraiya mutters, frowning heavily. Overhead, a wide bridge between buildings blocks most of the rain for the moment as they eye their target.

“Move!” Naruto shouts out, grabbing Sakura and Sasuke’s arms and they jump back, Jiraiya dodging to the side as paper kunai and shuriken rain down from above them, cutting deeply into the stone. Naruto looks up above and watches as paper begins to peel away from the underside of the bridge, taking form until Konan is standing in front of them.

“Well, isn’t this a pleasant surprise,” Jiraiya says with a smirk. “Here I heard you had died and now you’re standing in front of me. I should really have a talk with my sources if they got such an important piece of information wrong.”

“I don’t care, sensei. You are trespassing where you are unwelcome. It is time we cut our last ties,” she says impassively, eyes flicking over to the three of them. “You even brought your new students with you. They’ll die because of you.”

Jiraiya shrugs, “Technically, they’re not mine. I’m just borrowing them and you won’t be killing anyone today.”

“You seem confident, sensei? But can you keep them alive while fighting for your own life?” she asks as her form shifts, paper wings spreading out around her and she lifts up higher above them. “I have my orders and you all will die.”

With a curse, Jiraiya ducks away from another flurry of paper blades, quickly spitting out a Katon to burn away what he can before plowing through the rest, his hair growing and wrapping around him to protect against the blades as he propels himself up, hands flying through a quick series of seals before he spits out a wave of sticky, seeping oil, coating her and her wings.

With a frown she drops, catching herself before she impacts the ground and stares at him and then down where his hair has grown into a long rope, wrapping around her. “Tell me sensei, why come looking for us now?”

“Why don’t you tell me? You were the smartest of the three of you. I think you can guess why I came looking for you from the rumors I’ve heard,” he says with a hard look. “Where are the others?” She just stares at him, blinking slowly. “Tell me about Akatsuki,” he orders.

“You seem to know enough already,” she murmurs, unfazed by the restraints he has on her. “Surely you don’t need my information.”

“Then who is Pain?” he asks.

“Pain is god,” she murmurs softly.

“Behind you, Ero-Sennin!” Naruto yells out and Jiraiya duck as his hold on Konan loosens as the hair retracts and spikes out. The blades that come towards him screech and slide off his defense to clatter to the ground.

Konan retreats a few paces and Jiraiya ducks another volley of blades as he turns to see the cloaked figure hanging from the bridge above them. “Ah, good timing,” he calls out with a grin. “Pain I presume?”

“You have gone far enough Toad Sage. It is time we ended you once and for all,” Pain calls out in a monotone voice.

“Ah, see, that’s just it, I didn’t come here to die,” Jiraiya calls out, keeping an eye on Konan and Pain. “I came here to speak with the real Pain. I came to speak with Nagato.”

The silence rings out as they stare at him. “I am the real Pain,” he says, ringed eyes staring at Jiraiya hard.

“No, you’re not,” Naruto calls out and all eyes turn to him. “I can sense the real Pain…in there,” he says, pointing to the central and tallest tower. “I can feel his chakra going to those rods in his body.”

“You are not a normal sensor,” Pain intones.

Naruto grins behind his mask, “I can sense a lot of things,” he admits.

“What will talking with the real Pain accomplish except accelerating your deaths?” Pain asks.

“Show us to you and you’ll find out, Nagato,” Jiraiya taunts.

Pain shares a long glance with Konan who has managed to shed most of the oil soaking her paper form. “You will come willingly?” she asks with a frown.

“So long as you do not harm them, I will come willing,” Jiraiya assures, gesturing towards the three.

“Pain,” she murmurs and the blonde figure nods. “Follow me. If you try anything, we will kill them before you can blink,” she threatens.

“Lead the way, angel,” Jiraiya goads with a smirk and she frowns harder before turning her back. “Come on brats,” Jiraiya orders, motioning the three to his side. Pain brings up the rear, keeping close as they move through the open space surrounding the towers.

Konan stops at the smooth side of the central tower and presses her hand to a section of the metal, chakra flaring momentarily before, with a grinding rattle, a hidden door pulls back to reveal the dark interior inside.

Slowly, one by one, they step into the darkness and with another grinding sound the door shuts behind them and cuts off the light completely. Someone flips a switch and small circles of light slowly flick on, traveling up the outer curve of a spiraling staircase to light their way.

“Move,” Pain orders and they follow behind Konan as she starts up the steps. It seems to take forever to climb the tower, the curve of the stairs never ending. They pass many landings and dark archways that hide secrets but they don’t stop, aiming for the highest point of the tower.

Konan and Pain don’t seem winded from climbing so many stairs, probably used to the climb. The top comes into view in a burst of light. The whole top floor of the tower is nothing but walls of glass overlooking Ame as rain spatters against the glass and causes a ripple effect over the view.

A figure waits in the dim light away from the windows, the whirring of machinery reaching their ears as the electric chair Nagato is forced to use turns and they get their first look at the thin and emaciated form of Pain.

“Sensei,” he murmurs, eyes glowing faintly and the other Pain echoes him. “You’ve gone through a lot of trouble to speak with someone you thought dead. Why shouldn’t I just kill you now?” he asks and more voices echo him, five more Pains appearing from the shadows, their eyes glowing with the Rinnegan.

Jiraiya shrugs unimpressed, though he is still tense, “Curiosity. A desire to know just how much I know and if I’ve shared my information with anyone are pretty good reasons, wouldn’t you say?” he asks with a cocky smirk.

“Then talk sensei and let us be done with this charade,” Nagato whispers.

“Ah…that’s just it, I’m not the one who wants to speak with you,” he admits and looks to the three genin.

“They wanted to speak with me?” Nagato and six other voices ask, sounding incredulous.

“Trust me, I was shocked as well,” he admits.

Naruto steps forward a few steps, Sakura and Sasuke right on his heels. “We needed to speak with you…and to show you something, if you’ll allow it,” Naruto says softly.

“And why should I talk with you?” Nagato asks, the chair humming as he leans closer and he frowns, looking at Naruto.

“Because I have information that will change your view on Akatsuki,” he murmurs as one hand reaches up to pull his mask down and the other reaches under his hooded cloak to pull the seal stuck to his stomach as the henge disappears.

As the feel of his chakra and Kurama’s fills the room, Nagato’s eyes widen. “The Kyuubi,” he whispers, shocked.

“His name is Kurama,” Naruto informs him. “We need to show you something important. Will you let me?” he asks again.

“Why would you walk in here, knowing you won’t walk out?” he demands, the voices echoing his words.

“Because you can stop history from repeating itself,” Kurama’s voice rumbles out.

“Please?” Sakura asks, her henge fading and Sasuke lifts his goggles, eyes glowing red.

“How will you show me anything?” he asks, sounding curious.

Naruto offers his hand, “Kurama will show you,” he admits.

“Nagato,” Konan hisses in warning. “This is surely a trap. Capture him now while we can.”

“No, let him show me what he wants. It won’t change my mind,” he commands and his thin hand slowly reaches out as the six Pains shift to surround them, Konan coming to stand behind his chair, her hands resting on his shoulders. “If you try anything, you will regret it,” he warns and Naruto nods.

Three hands rest on his shoulders, Sakura, Sasuke and Jiraiya connecting with him and with a twist of chakra, Kurama drags them all into his inner sanctum. The forest is gone, the fire snuffed out. Instead, the battle torn fields of the Fourth Shinobi War surround them. The scent of mud, rain, ozone and iron hangs heavy in the air, a familiar scent to all of them who have survived wars.

“What is this?” Nagato demands, looking down at himself…whole and standing before them.

Kurama snorts, “This is the mind, human. How we perceive ourselves in our heads is echoed here. Physically you might be crippled but your mind thinks otherwise.”

“Where is this?” Konan asks, looking around.

“Near the border between Frost and Lightning,” Sasuke informs her. “This is where the Fourth Shinobi War will be fought in four years’ time.”

“What are you talking about?” she snaps.

Kurama growls and the world around them changes to fill with the sounds of battle as memories suddenly surround them. They stare as the gathered force of shinobi battle against the forces of Akatsuki, the grinning faces of the White Zetsu clear for all to see.

“Akatsuki’s plan succeeds,” Sakura admits.

“Why are you showing us this?” Nagato demands. “How are you showing us this?”

“So you can know fully what your actions will cause. So you can see the true scope of destruction and horror you will unleash upon us,” Kurama growls out.

With an echoing laugh, a new figure comes into view: Madara, whole, alive, and altered with his first Rinnegan eye implanted as he lashes out with the powers of the Sage. It shifts again to their desperate battle to stop him and his absorption of Black Zetsu.

The battle moves and flows as he cleaves through their forces, watching as he takes control of the resurrected Kage, shifting again to the sound of retreat being called. Memories come hard and fast, desperate fighting against controlled and resurrected shinobi. Supply raids, hit and runs, ambushes, their forces dwindling with each attack. They watch Madara’s ranks swell, watch the destruction across countries as the hidden villages fall one by one, leaving death and ash in his wake.

The memories slow until it comes to their last desperate act, Obito’s offer of restarting, of going back in time to stop this all from happening and the sudden ending of everything as it goes dark around them as the memories stop.

“That…that can’t be true,” Konan whispers.

“Those eyes don’t belong to you, Nagato. You are merely a puppet, a place holder until you are no longer needed. Your dream of peace has been twisted so far from what you originally wanted and you don’t even realize it has changed. Madara used you all,” Kurama murmurs in the silence.

“That’s not true,” he insists, pale and shaking.

The darkness suddenly shifts again and the memory of the desperate fight between Naruto and Pain plays around them. They watch the destruction and mayhem, Naruto’s struggle with Kurama and his father’s words to him. They watch the exchange between Naruto and Nagato, the man’s acceptance of Naruto’s words.

The world shifts again and suddenly the trees are back, the fire burning in front of them. “If the Rinnegan remains, there is a chance that he will come back. You want peace but not at the cost of everything in the world.”

Naruto blinks and they’re back in the real world and he lets go of Nagato’s hand. “Jeez,” Jiraiya mutters, running a hand over his face. “Warn me next time,” he mutters.

“This could be a trick to mess with his head,” Konan tries but even she doesn’t sound convinced, her face paler than normal and her hands shake where they rest against Nagato’s shoulders.

Naruto laughs somberly, “I don’t have a good enough imagination to come up with that. No one does,” he whispers.

“You want me to destroy my eyes,” Nagato murmurs.

Sakura nods, “Without the Rinnegan, Obito and Madara won’t be able to seal the tailed beasts and you or Obito won’t be forced to revive Madara. Without those eyes, their whole plan will be for naught,” she explains.

“And what about me?” he demands harshly. “Akatsuki was supposed to bring peace. Yahiko gave his life dreaming of peace. Wars will keep happening. I could use the Rinnegan to stop the fighting,” he insists.

“Violence has never ended violence. All it does is continue the cycle,” Kurama grumbles, red eyes glaring at the man. “My father didn’t give you humans chakra for a weapon. He gave it to you to connect you. The world is imperfect and you won’t stop the fighting, not in your lifetime but if you lay a foundation strong enough to whether the years and the fighting, perhaps future generations can know peace. Maybe it’s time you made a legacy you can be proud of,” Kurama murmurs.

The silence after Kurama’s words lingers, Nagato mulling them over. The stillness is broken as, one by one, the Six Paths of Pain step away and disappear down the stairs to somewhere else.

“Who was your father?” Nagato asks, sounding shaken.

“The Sage of the Six Paths,” Kurama informs him. “He was the first to desire peace and to stop the destruction of war. He spent most of his life spreading his desire for peace to those who would listen. Ninshū was a means to connect people.”

“Using chakra to connect with others,” Nagato murmurs. They wait, watching the thoughts shift behind his eyes. Finally, he looks up, “I will destroy them,” he declares.

“I can remove them for you,” Sakura says softly. “I’m a medic,” she explains.

“Are you sure about this, Nagato?” Konan asks.

Nagato nods. “I don’t think I’ve been surer about anything. We’ve spent years fighting, Konan, with little to show any kind of progress,” he murmurs.

“We’ve done good for Ame,” she insists.

“True, but was that the fighting, or showing the people here that there is a better way of life. They don’t fight for us out of fear, like they did Hanzō. They fight because they believe in us. I want to build a foundation of peace,” he admits, sounding awed. “We can turn Ame into a beacon for others to follow, an example for the future.”

Konan smiles faintly, “Yahiko would have loved that idea,” she admits.

“Do it, quickly,” Nagato orders.

“Please hold still,” Sakura instructs as she steps closer, hands glowing green and she places one over each eye. Nagato holds out a hand to Konan and she grips it as he gasps, clutching it tight in pain.

A few minutes later, Sakura steps back with the two eyes held aloft by her chakra. Nagato’s eyelids remain closed, blood seeping from under them. She looks at Sasuke and Naruto and they both nod. She clenches her hands and the organs burst under the pressure, destroying the Rinnegan once and for all. She lets the chakra burn brighter and the flesh dissolves to ash before she lets it drift to the ground. “I might be able to help you a bit,” she adds. “I can’t fix the paralysis, but with Kurama’s help, I can remove the rods and help you regain your health,” she explains.

“You can?” Konan ask, shocked.

“It won’t be a complete fix and I can’t guarantee it will extend your life. The Rinnegan sapped a lot from you, but I can at least try and help,” she shrugs.

“Please,” Nagato asks.

“Kurama,” Sakura asks and Naruto’s eyes flash red as he reaches out to grip her shoulder, acting as a battery.

It’s slow work removing the rods, but as the minutes crawl by, the last one is removed and Nagato’s form starts to regain some of its color and muscle mass. “He’ll need a heavy, calorie rich diet for a while to help him regain muscle mass. The body isn’t meant to survive off of chakra alone so you’ll have many lingering effects: arthritis from the loss of cartilage in your joints, phantom pains and tingling along the nerves that were damaged. Your chakra might recover in time but your coils were heavily damaged by the demands you put on them using the Rinnegan. If you get more treatments from myself or Tsunade-shishou, we might be able to do more, but this is all I can do for now,” she finishes, stepping back and wiping the sweat from her brow. “And, we might be able to give you implants for your eyes so you can see again. You ocular nerves were undamaged that I could see. It’s one of the few benefits of the Rinnegan it seems.”

Nagato frowns, shifting his arms around. Konan reaches out to run a hand over his thin hair. “You look better already,” she admits with a faint smile.

“We’ll need to go into hiding,” he tells Konan. “Once he realizes what we’ve done, he’ll kill us.”

“He can try,” she mutters.

“Where will you go?” Jiraiya asks.

“We have a few bolt holes that even he doesn’t know about. The village will be fine for a while if we’re gone. I’ll hide Nagato and act as a go between to keep things running for now,” she explains.

“I’m sorry, for leaving you,” Jiraiya murmurs, stepping closer to his students. “If I had known, I would have taken you with me,” he admits.

“Even you can’t predict the future, sensei, despite the apparent discovery of time travel,” Nagato admits, turning blindly towards Jiraiya’s voice. “We made our choices and have to live with the consequences of the paths we chose.”

“You should leave,” Konan murmurs. “I don’t know when he’ll be back to check in.”

“Be safe,” Jiraiya insists, reaching out to briefly touch Nagato’s shoulder and Konan’s hand that rests there. “I’d hate for those rumors to become true.”

“Go sensei,” Nagato orders and he nods, stepping back.

“I would say thank you, but there is not much to be thankful for right now. But I hope I can repay my mistakes and change the future for the better,” Nagato says towards where he can hear the three genin.

“That’s the thing about traveling back in time. Everyone gets a second chance,” Kurama says with a grumble. “Don’t squander it or the next time we meet won’t be so pleasant.”

“We won’t,” Konan assures and Kurama nods before the group turns away and aims to go back down the stairs. They make it down and out of the tower without being stopped. By the time night falls, they’ve left the village and are well on their way to making it back home.

Kurama looks at the other two with a wide grin, “One down, one to go.”

Chapter Text

Deteriorate: verb; become progressively worse.

The hiss of water over rocks and the rumble as it crashes to ground below is loud in the quiet of the night. Around him Taki slumbers unaware of his presence. He watches from his vantage point as a patrol of shinobi follows the edge of the cliff, skirting the waterfall and disappears from sight. He’s meeting one of Akatsuki’s contacts up here, away from prying eyes.

The faintest scuff of a sandal over loose gravel, barely heard over the waterfall, draws his gaze behind him to see a shadowed figure stepping out from between two tree trunks. The moonlight reflects off of glasses and he frown, recognizing the teen before him.

“Kabuto,” Obito murmurs, mind whirling. “How did you know to come here?” he growls, already reaching for his hidden blade.

“Sasori-dono sent me word that you were taking a personal interest in this. He told me where to meet you,” he informs him, hands held up in front of him.

“I thought you were Orochimaru’s puppet,” he snaps, still not satisfied.

“I was placed to keep an eye on my master for Sasori-dono. When he asked for my aid in his search, I came as soon as I could,” he admits.

Obito stares, long and hard at the grey haired medic before he nods curtly and resheaths his blade. “Talk,” he orders, not in the mood for games.

“We haven’t been able to find out much. I think someone tipped them off that Akatsuki is after the tailed beasts a while ago. No one is talking and what people we had infiltrated in the village have disappeared over the last year and a half under strange circumstances.”

“What do you know then?” he snaps, feeling a headache building behind his eyes.

“We’ve narrowed it down to a gender so far. The jinchuuriki is female. Her name, age or even a basic description are still unknown. For all we know, she’s been moved out of the village as a precaution. There is one piece of information I’ve managed to pick up on,” he does add.

“Go on,” Obito motions.

“There have been multiple sightings of two Iwa missing nin spotted in the area around the village. Never in one spot for long but always the same two. A shorter man with red hair and beard and a taller one in red armor,” Kabuto says.

“The Yonbi and Gobi’s jinchuuriki,” Obito murmurs.

“It matches their descriptions,” Kabuto concurs. “Perhaps keeping an eye on the Nanabi’s host?” he offers.

“Which means she’s still here if they’re staying close to the village,” Obito murmurs. “Have you learned anything about previous hosts?”

“Nothing written down, but it seems this will be the third host of the Nanabi, though no confirmed identities. One would assume family members of previous village heads,” Kabuto reasons.

“What of Hisen’s family?” Obito asks.

“Lord Hisen has a son, Shibuki. His parents are dead as well as grandparents. His wife is distant from the family. From what I have come to understand, it stems from Hisen’s use of Hero Water,” Kabuto explains. “There are a few distant cousins within the village but all have been checked and found to not be the Nanabi’s host.”

“Which leaves the rest of the population of the village,” he muses. “Perhaps we need to draw her out?”

“It might work,” Kabuto nods.

“I’ll think on it. Keep searching and let me know as soon as you find anything of note,” he orders and Kabuto nods. With a bow, he fades back into the shadows and disappears from Obito’s senses. With a frown, he looks down on the village shaded by the giant tree growing at its heart. Lanterns glow amongst its branches like distant lightning bugs and he can see small figures moving amongst the lanterns lit around the village. Shinobi villages never truly sleep.

Perhaps it’s time to start going on the offensive. Taki is a small village compared to others, fairly isolated and with few allies. It wouldn’t be difficult to lay siege to it. His eyes are drawn back to the tree. They value the tree for its Hero Water. A threat to take away that resource might be enough to make someone listen.

He blinks and suddenly, the world feels different.

Taki is still below but now it burns, belching great plumes of black smoke into the noon day sky. The great tree is barren, withered. Its leaves are gone and a great crack splits its trunk in two, one half fallen over a large swatch of the village as the flames start to catch at his bark.

“We’re too late,” a voice murmurs behind him sounding heartbroken. He looks towards it and his gaze is stopped by the river that fed the waterfall. It is dried up, the earth and stone parched. The trees as well have withered, leaving very little shade to hide them.

“He’ll aim for Iwa next,” a woman says matter-of-factly. “We need to warn them before it’s too late.”

“We need to help them,” the first voice shouts and Obito turns to see the same figures he’s seen before in his dreams and visions, though as usual, the faces are obscured. “There are still people down there fighting.”

“Idiot, we’re four shinobi against Madara’s army. We’ll be slaughtered. If they’re smart, they’ll run and regroup, but they’re not the only people we have to think of,” a new voice snaps at him.

“We can still try,” he snaps back. “Even if we can’t save everyone, we can still save some.”

“---, we need to warn Iwa now before Madara’s forces reach it. There’s no time,” the woman says softly, reaching out to lay a hand on his shoulder.

“Damn it,” he growls, lashing out to punch a nearby withered tree trunk and it cracks. “I…fuck, fine, let’s go,” he growls hoarsely. They all step close and with a whirl, they vanish into Kamui.

Obito blinks hard, looking back down to see the village still whole and peaceful. That was not what he was expecting. His heart beats heavily in his chest at their words: Madara’s army. How can he be having visions like this? Who are the three of them and why is he helping them?

This is getting worse and worse. These visions, dream…whatever the hell they are, aren’t going away like he’d hoped. And the things they keep showing…it makes something in him hesitate which he can’t do right now. His plans are falling apart around him and he needs to fix this.

With a growl, he throws himself into Kamui and aims himself towards where he left Sasori. He’ll talk with the spymaster and then he needs to find Zetsu. They might need to accelerate their plans if they’re going to get anything done.

~*~

His steps barely sound in the confines of the tunnel as he walks deeper into their base. Taki had been a bust, though the news of the two jinchuuriki staying close to the village is good to know. Once they locate the Nanabi’s host, they can take all three in one attack. He’ll talk with Pain later about organizing an attack on the small village.

He glances up as the tunnel opens up into a larger chamber. No matter how much time has passed, he still can stop the shudder that passed down his spine as he stares up at the Demonic Statue. Something about it feels…unnatural, even to him.

His gaze is drawn to the base of the statue where a throne like chair still rests, even after all these years. He almost expects Madara to be sitting there as usual. Even dead, that man still has hooks in him, mentally and physically. He rubs absently at his heart with a frown hidden behind his mask.

He feels the approach of Zetsu and watches the creature ooze from the ground with a split faced grin, sensing his disquiet. “I see Sasori still has not fulfilled his mission,” it murmurs.

“The host is still in the village and two of the other jinchuuriki are keeping an eye on her. It’s only a matter of time before someone speaks,” he growls.

“Good, that will make capturing them easier when they’re all grouped together just for us,” it says with a grin.

“How goes progress?” Obito demands, following it through the ground towards the roots of the statue. They emerge into the vast chamber, the statue’s roots snaking through it and connecting to the hundreds of clones filling the chamber, a sea of greenish white as far as he can see.

“Good,” it assures him. “The Snake Sannin’s research came through. We might not have as much as we wanted but they are stronger than ever. With a few of the tailed beasts, we can create even more clones to fill out our army.”

“What of the events of the Summit?” he demands.

“The Zetsu I sent were found and burned to ash,” it growls, eyes narrowed. “Somehow, they realized they were there. As well, I have more bad news. The ones sent to Kumo have been discovered. Most were killed but one managed to escape and warn me. They seem to have found something that forces us into our original shape. None can enter the village. It’s been written into their barriers it seems. More than likely, this has been shared with the other villages,” it explains with a growl, looking infuriated to be thwarted so.

“So you’re not infallible like you would have us believe,” Obito murmurs with a sharp look, though rage burns quietly in his chest as even more plans are upended.

“You would have nothing without me,” it hisses, turning to face him. “You wouldn’t even be alive or able to move without me,” it adds with a sneer, motioning towards his left side. “Do not think to criticize me when it is your plans that are falling through.”

Obito snarls but remains where he stands, though his hands are clenched into fists. “What of the Sannin’s Edo Tensei?” he snaps, getting them back on track. “Can he provide it to us?” he demands.

“He claims to still be fine tuning the process. It seems his little…experiment in Konoha revealed a few flaws. Soon, we’ll have what we need from him and then you can cut the head from the snake once and for all,” it assures him with a smirk.

“Good, keep me updated. The moment he gives us what we want, kill him. Also, send a clone to keep an eye on Sasori and Kabuto. I don’t trust them and this coincidence that Orochimaru’s right hand man just happens to be in his pocket. The Sannin is too crafty to have let that go unnoticed,” he orders.

“Should I send one to watch Orochimaru?” it asks.

“No, if there’s anyone who would be able to know he’s being watched, it’s him and having access to the clones only increases those odds. Though…keep one near his current location and keep tabs on who comes and goes. We might be able to learn who he works with,” he adds as an afterthought.

“Of course,” Zetsu assures and gestures. Three of the clones disconnect from the roots and nod before merging with the ground and disappearing from sight.

“I’ll be in Ame planning with Pain and Konan. Inform the others to go on the offensive. I’m done waiting for the Nanabi to reveal herself. If they have an opportunity to take one of the hosts, then they should take it. Maybe if we take enough of them, she’ll reveal herself and if not, it’s only a matter of time before we find her,” he informs the creature.

“Of course,” it agrees and with a smirk, sinks into the ground and out of sight. With a sigh, he lets Kamui pull him from the cavern and towards Ame.

~*~

He emerges on one of the bridges between the towers. For a moment, he lets himself take a breath, looking out of the village, watching the steady fall of rain across the land. It’s peaceful here, the people going about their lives without a care in the world, despite the rain. Part of him misses that ignorance, that naivety of his youth.

He was a fool back then, so easily caught up in the idea of blind loyalty to the village, to his friends and superiors. Madara had ripped the blinders of him and Kakashi had shown him that the only one he can look out for, the only one he can truly trust is himself.

He reaches into his cloak and pulls out the creased scrap of photo from a hidden pocket. Rin grins back at him, the photo cutting off Minato-sensei, him and Kakashi: the one piece of sentimentality that he allows himself. The one piece of his past he clings to, even now.

The grief and bitter regret still weigh heavy in his chest. “Why must they fight me so, Rin?” he murmurs to himself. “This would be so easy if they could see reason.” There’s no answer but he’s not expecting one. Squaring his jaw, he tucks it back into its hiding spot and straightens. He makes for the central tower wondering what is keeping them so long.

The tower is silent around him and he pauses, that gut feeling that has kept him alive all this time telling him to be wary. He shifts to place his back to the wall, Sharingan glowing faintly in the dark from beneath his mask. Bright lines of chakra pulse under the walls, the security grid humming but he can’t see anything abnormal.

He creeps up slowly, senses straining for anything out of the ordinary. Eventually, he reaches the top platform, eyes flicking around. A rustle of clothe has him jerking to see Konan standing at the far window wall, looking out over the village. She’s alone as far as he can see.

“Where is Pain?” he demands with a low growl, his instincts screaming at him.

“Seeing to something elsewhere,” she says simply, not turning around.

“Summon him, I need to speak with him,” he orders, straightening cautiously.

“No,” she says simply, turning to face him, “If you need to speak with someone, you can speak with me.”

“I will speak with both of you, now summon him or one of his puppets, I don’t care which,” he orders. “Our plans are accelerating and he is needed to start taking the jinchuuriki.”

“No,” she says calmly, eyes staring at him. “He has asked me to inform you that he will no longer be helping you and that Akatsuki, as it once was, will no longer be affiliated with you.”

“What?” he growls out, mind whirling, trying to figure out what the hell is going on. “There would be no Akatsuki without me, or have you forgotten Hanzō’s crimes so easily?” he demands, eye flicking around the room for hidden traps or enemies.

“We haven’t forgotten, but we’ve found a new path to our goal, one that does not lead to more war and suffering for everyone. We’re done fighting other people’s battles,” she says with a shrug.

“Where are you really?” he demands, suddenly realizing her for the paper clone she is.

“Someplace you won’t find us,” she says simply.

“You would turn your backs on me so easily. Perhaps I should raze Ame to the ground to remind you of what will happen if you do this?” he asks flippantly, taking a step back.

“You won’t leave this tower to do such a thing,” she says with a smile and the windows grow dark as a cloud of paper obscures it and with a deafening whoosh, the cloud of explosive tags surrounding the tower ignites and explodes.

~*~

They watch from a distance as the towers explode. The barrier erected around the towers contains the explosion and keeps any debris from raining down on the village. It honestly feels good to see the towers go down and know that that smear on their pasts has been destroyed. She doubts Obito was killed in the explosion. That man is too good at escaping to have been caught so easily but as declarations go, it’s something to be proud of.

She turns to Nagato perched on a boulder, face turned towards the sound of the explosion, though he can’t see it. Bandages cover his eyes. His face has filled in some since that girl healed him. His hair which had been thinning over the years seems thicker, his skin looking healthy for once and not the grey of exhaustion and malnutrition.

“Ready to go?” she asks quietly.

“Let’s go,” he agrees and the paper carrying frame lifts to deposit him on her back. He’s thankfully still light enough to be carried easily by her. In his lap rests a sealing scroll. “Let’s take Yahiko home.”

Smiling, she takes off, paper wings unfolding and she flies into the sky, aiming towards a distant cottage that she hasn’t been back to in years. It’s time they said their farewells once and for all.

~*~

With a gasp, he emerges from Kamui into the open air and collapses into a small lake. The water puts out the few glowing embers of his cloak, though thankfully, the damage to his body is minimal. He barely made it out of there alive. One second slower and he would probably be dead.

With a groan that is mostly a growl of frustration, he sits up in the waist high water. Around him, the fog of morning sits low in the valley he landed in. Trees surround the lake and go on for miles. A small section of unmolested land, where very few have ever been.

He’d discovered it on one of their missions back when he was a chuunin, back when he was simply Uchiha Obito. He used to visit whenever one of their missions came this way or even a few times just for alone time when the village and his clan became too much.

Now it seems it was instinct to come back here in his flight from Ame. With a grimace, he glances down at his body, noting the burns already healing across his arms. His cloak is ruined and with a throb of his heart, he reaches for the scrap of photo and finds it ruined. Most of it is ash and what is left is waterlogged.

“Fuck!” he yells, slamming a fist into the water and sending up a small wave in his angry lash of chakra. What the hell is going on? Why is everything falling apart all of a sudden? What has happened to cause this?

With a growl, he pulls himself from the water, wading to the shore and startling a few water birds from their nests, the creatures crying out in fright. He throws himself down onto the muddy shore and runs a shaky hand through his sodden hair, his other hand pulling off his mask to shake the water out of it.

Taking a few calming breaths, he slowly pulls his control back around his raging emotions. Obviously something has changed and he needs to figure out what. Someone, somewhere, is fucking with his plans, that much is clear. Someone who knows far more than they should about his plans and goals. How else would the jinchuuriki know to beware of them? How else would the villages know so much of their movements and know of Zetsu and his clones?

There aren’t many on that list that he knows of. He can count that number on both hands. He wants to lay the blame on Pain and Konan. It seems almost too perfect that they were the inside source but that doesn’t sit right with him. Up until now, they’ve been loyal to Akatsuki’s ‘goal’ from the beginning of its inception. They’d been so easy to manipulate to his fit his own plans. The only reason Konan had even gotten a jump on him was he had believed they wouldn’t turn on him, stupidly loyal to the end. It seems even he could be taken by surprise.

No, this was someone else, someone with no reason to hide their secrets. The Snake Sannin comes to mind but he doubts that pretty quickly. The man has no desire to help out the other villages unless it benefits his own twisted goals. Kabuto also comes to mind but even that is far reaching. He doubts the teen is fully aware of his goals and certainly not to the scope of his master’s knowledge. Orochimaru would have saved those tidbits of information for a moment when they would have the most impact.

“Fuck!” he growls again, hand curling into his hair harshly in his anger. With a snarl, he stands and pulls himself back into Kamui.

Chapter Text

Accuse: verb; charge (someone) with an offence or crime; claim that (someone) has done something wrong.

Kamui spits him out in the tunnel outside his room. Anger a bubbling mess barely contained beneath his skin, he storms into his room, ripping the burned remains of his cloak off with harsh yank, ignoring the way the fibers bite into his still healing burns.

A glance down at his arm shows the once bright red burns have faded to a dark pink, the injured flesh having shrunk in size as his regenerative abilities kick in. He quickly yanks the sodding clothes off him, rooting through his stash of clothing for new, dry clothes and pulls them on, mind whirling a mile a minute, mulling over the puzzle pieces.

They don’t want to mesh though, no matter how he turns the data or how he places them. The only people who would know enough about his plans are himself, Madara who is dead and Zetsu. He never shared everything with anyone else, though Konan and Pain perhaps knew the most about his ‘plans’ though even that was more a smokescreen to hide his true goals.

The Snake Sannin probably guessed at more than he let on but he doubts even he knows the true scope of Akatsuki’s agenda. None of the lower Akatsuki members would have been told everything, merely pawns to be thrown at the tailed beasts, a means to capture them without risking key players.

Blowing out a harsh breath, Obito leaves his room, ignoring his mask for now. The base is empty; he doesn’t need to worry about his identity being found out. His steps echo loudly in the stilted silence of the tunnels and soon quiet as he emerges into the main chamber of the base, the Demonic Statue still where it was when last he was here only an hour before.

He gaze settles on Madara’s chair and then flicks to the bit of Hashirama peeking out from the base of the statue. He closes his eyes and can faintly feel the roots of the statue below and all the clones connected to it.

He stands there, just breathing slowly, hands fisted loosely at his sides, mind whirling and with a start, he realizes he doesn’t know what to do next. Without the Rinnegan, everything is ruined. They can’t seal the tailed beasts, they can’t cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi…he can’t get Rin back…he can’t fix this broken world of pain and loss.

Over a decade of careful planning, of sacrifice and silently pulling the strings from the shadows, ruined in one explosive declaration. He doubts Konan and Nagato will be easy to find and they know about his abilities and Zetsu’s. They won’t be taken easily and trying to take them without damaging the Rinnegan will be hard and even he will be hard pressed to withstand the powers those eyes possess.

There’s a faint ripple in his awareness and his gaze snaps to the other side of the room, watching as Zetsu emerges from the ground. He looks surprised for a moment to see Obito standing there with his mask off but it quickly shifts to amusement and Obito’s hackles rise at that.

“Done planning so quickly?” it murmurs with a sneer. “I figured you would be gone for a while fixing your mistakes. Are you sure you planned everything out correctly?” it asks. Obito simply stares at him, watching the creature silently. “Cat got your tongue, Obito-chan?” it asks sweetly, grin splitting its face even further.

“Nagato and Konan are gone,” he grits out, leashing the anger that demands he lash out for the creature’s words.

“What?” it snaps, pale yellow eyes going wide at his words. “What do you mean gone?” it demands.

“I mean they are gone and left a trap for me in the tower. I barely escaped,” he says mildly, eyes watching the creature closely like he hasn’t in a while.

A faint tremble shakes its dark form at his words, “And the Rinnegan?” it demands, looking frantic as the words sink in.

“Gone,” he growls out.

“No…no, this is unacceptable. What have you done?” it shouts, gesturing wildly. “You were supposed to keep them blind and loyal to our cause until we didn’t need them anymore. How did you let this happen?” it demands, pacing.

“What I did?” Obito asks mildly, eyes narrowing. “I’ve done everything asked of me. You wouldn’t even have them at your beck and call without me. None of this would have been possible without me. I recruited our members, I pulled the strings, I killed off those standing in our way, I laid the foundation for this plan,” he hisses. “What have you done? You who stay in this base and work from the shadows? If it wasn’t for me, you would still be struggling to make your plan work, you and Madara both. Remember you needed me, not the other way around,” he says with a snarl, stalking closer to Zetsu.

“Please, if it wasn’t for us, you would still be that loyal little play thing for Konoha, a loyal soldier ready to be made into cannon fodder and more than likely dead by your dear Hokage’s orders. Do you even remember why you’re doing this? What changed your mind? You’ll never get to see your precious Rin now,” it taunts him.

“Don’t say her name,” he growls, getting into Zetsu’s face, teeth bared in a snarl, “or you won’t like my reaction,” he finishes lowly.

“Pathetic,” Zetsu murmurs with narrowed eyes. “Still you cling to your past, your precious ties. How much more must you sacrifice before you realize these ties will kill you?” Zetsu asks, stepping out of his reach, turning away as if Obito’s rage is unimportant. “We tried to warn you, to show you and still you cling so stubbornly. All these ties will bring you is pain and death,” it adds, turning to glance behind at him.

“Stop,” he grits out, fisted hands shaking at his side, barely restraining his urge to pummel the creature.

“Still so naive,” Zetsu tuts with a sad shake of its head, “It seems I’ll have to clean up this mess. I’ll search for Nagato and Konan. I doubt they’ll be able to hide from me forever.” Obito grits his teeth but doesn’t say anything. “Try to remember what’s truly at stake here, Obito and let’s hope you haven’t screwed this up as well,” it huffs before sinking back into the ground once more. He senses a couple dozen of the clones disconnecting from the roots and then they all disappear from his senses.

With a yell, he lashes out, fist coming down with a resounding crash on the stone throne Madara once used. It shatters into chunks and collapses to the ground with a shower of stone dust and chips. Huffing, he clenches his fist, relishing in the ache in his knuckles. His eyes clench tight as he takes in a slow, deep breath.

Kamui drags him out of the chamber and he lands on one of the columns with his shoulders bowed. “Rin,” he murmurs, slumping to the ground, the palms of his hands digging into his eyes, pressing harshly in the hopes to keep the tears that threaten from falling.

Minutes pass as he slowly pulls the tatter edges of his control back around his ragged and raw emotions. He rubs at his face, taking a calming breath that only sounds a little rough in the silence of the alternate dimension.

The sound of something falling with a soft thump behind him has him stiffening, whirling with a kunai out and already being thrown before he fully takes in the scene before him. He blinks when he realizes no one is there. A closer look shows something small in the center of an adjacent pillar, resting innocuously in a dimension that no one else should be able to get to let alone send something to.

Standing warily, he eyes the object from afar but it neither moves nor seems to have anything special about it. He can’t see any chakra in it. It’s… ordinary. Hesitantly, he jumps to the other pillar, getting closer and then he stops, frozen in place as he stares down at it.

A small pouch, innocuous in shape and coloring rests there in front of him. It shouldn’t mean anything but he can’t help reaching out to it with a shaking hand to pick it up. He turns it over, and there, stitched in dark thread by a practiced hand, is the Hatake clan symbol, a small personal touch for the gift the pouch was meant to be.

Kakashi…

Only one person could have sent this, would have access to his dimension and have sent this pouch, Rin’s gift to Kakashi so long ago he’d forgotten about it until now. With shaking fingers, he unsnaps the clip, lifting the flap. It’s empty but for a small curl of paper stuffed inside.

Pulling it out, he unrolls the paper and stares at the numbers scrawled in a familiar handwriting. His mind is already whirling, taking the string of numbers and quickly realizing the encryption sequence used, mentally altering what each number means in his mind before he comes to the conclusion that they’re coordinates.

It takes a moment to place the location they point to, mind dredging up a mental map, placing the coordinates used by Konoha shinobi, a system he hasn’t needed or used in over a decade. When he realizes where they point, why he recognizes the numbers, his hand tightens around the pouch.

Kannabi Bridge…

There is no date, no time but that doesn’t matter. This can’t be a coincidence and if it is…well, Kakashi obviously suspects he’s alive to have sent this message to his dimension. Zetsu’s words echo in his mind and his mouth tightens into a frown. Maybe it’s time he cut his final tie once and for all and finally freed himself.

Stuffing the empty medicine pouch into his weapon’s pouch, he focuses on a location he hasn’t been to in over a decade. Kamui whirls silently around him, dragging him out of his dimension and into the early morning of the forests that surround Kannabi Bridge.

~*~

Kakashi stares down at the ruins of Kannabi Bridge. It’s been years since he was last here. Grass never rebuilt it, choosing to build a new bridge closer to their village to better secure it against attacks and so the ruined stones of the bridge have long since been taken over by nature. There are signs of a few people still using the bridge, most likely shinobi in need of a quick way across the river and using the tumbled stones as jumping points but for the most part, it is undisturbed.

“Kakashi-sensei,” Sakura says softly, standing next to him and looking over the second biggest impact on his life. “Are you okay?” she asks quietly.

Kakashi hums softly, “Just regretting my past mistakes,” he murmurs with an eye smile that she doesn’t seem to buy into. “Let’s get this started. I doubt Hokage-sama will allow us to linger here for long.”

After their success with Nagato, Tsunade had reluctantly agreed to this harebrained scheme. With the Rinnegan gone, it’s not like Obito could do much against them, though there is still Akatsuki’s army of clones to consider. The four man team had been granted permission to come to this location, with Itachi and Shisui in tow. If Obito attacks, they’ll need all the help they can get to combat his Mangekyō Sharingan. He’d wanted to secure Tenzo for this mission but Tsunade had put her foot down after learning about the man’s kidnapping and being used to power the clones in Fourth Shinobi War. She won’t give Akatsuki access to their only Mokuton user.

“We know the plan,” he says, looking to the gathering of genin and jounin that are resting at the cross roads near the ruined bridge. Tsunade had sent word to Grass to ensure they won’t be interrupted or attacked by their shinobi. Word had spread fast from the other Elemental Nations to the smaller countries about Akatsuki’s threat over the past couple of weeks in the wake of the Summit.

“We’re backup in case things go to shit,” Shisui drawls, glancing at his cousin who nods.

“Kakashi-sensei will talk with Obito first and we’ll come in henged as our previous selves,” Sasuke speaks up curtly. His hand rests on his new katana, the boy seeming much more relaxed with the weapon on his person.

“We try to convince him of the truth and hope it jump starts his memories,” Naruto adds.

“And if worst comes to worst, we try and take him down,” Sakura whispers, fists tightening, her mouth pulled into a grimace at the thought of killing the man.

“Are the seals set up?” Kakashi asks, turning to Naruto.

“Yeah, he won’t be able to sense us so long as we remain behind the barrier,” he nods, looking distracted, more than likely by something Kurama is saying. “Kurama says you better not die,” he adds with a faint grin.

“Maa, maa, I don’t intend to,” he assures.

“Well, let’s get started, mutt,” Kurama mutters, walking up to Kakashi as Shisui and Itachi quickly disappear into the trees to their respective hiding spots and barriers. Sakura and Sasuke wait still for Naruto and Kurama.

Nodding Kakashi holds out a hand and Kurama grips it, claws biting into the fabric of his gloves as he clutches tightly at it, letting out a grunt as Kurama’s chakra rolls through him in a sudden wave of caustic power. Breathing deeply to settle the added chakra, he reaches up and pulls his hitai-ate up, revealing the Sharingan.

Reaching into his weapons pouch, he pulls out a small cloth pouch and gently runs his thumb over it, a sad smile hidden under his mask as he looks at his clan symbol Rin stitched into it for him. “Wish me luck, Rin,” he murmurs and focuses on Obito’s Sharingan.

It burns as he taps into it, the heavy draw of chakra nearly bringing him to his knees before, with a grumble from Kurama, the power demands lessen as the Kyuubi takes the brunt of the chakra draw. The world slowly takes on a sharper quality. He watches a moth flutter by and can see its predicted path through the air, like it’s moving through oil and is being slowed.

The colors become brighter, the light sharper, he can see the buzzing chakra being syphoned into his arm from the Kyuubi, can trace it along his coils. With difficulty, he focuses on the task at hand. Looking down at the pouch, he brings all his concentration onto it, aiming to push it from this dimension into the other.

With a whirl of the air around it and a faint pop, the pouch vanishes from his hand and with a wrench of his mind, he shifts the Sharingan back to its basic form, quickly shutting his eye and yanking down his hitai-ate to lessen the draw even more. With a grunt and one more pulse of chakra to ensure he has enough to fight should things go south, Kurama lets his hand go.

“Be ready mutt, and try not to start a war,” he grumbles before Naruto is back and the three disappear into the underbrush of the forest to fade from his senses as they step behind Jiraiya’s barrier seals.

With a sigh, Kakashi walks a little further away from where they are, looking down at the ruins again. He doesn’t know how long this will take. It could take minutes, hours…days. Not even the three know fully how Obito’s Mangekyō works and how long it will take him to notice the message.

So he settles in for a wait, hands in his pockets and his mind wanders back to that day. So much could have been avoided had he realized earlier just what Obito could have meant to him. Rin would still be alive, Minato and Kushina would still be alive, and Naruto would have his parents. So much of his own misery throughout the years had been caused by his own arrogance and self-righteous idea that he was always right. Everyone called him a genius and yet he really wasn’t, not in any way that truly mattered in the long run.

He’s not sure how much time has passed when he hears the faint rustle of clothe behind him. He doesn’t turn, can’t make himself see the truth that he has been silently denying since Kurama dumped it on them weeks before.

The silence is telling though and he can’t keep quiet, even if he can’t bring himself to look, “I’d hoped it was a lie,” he murmurs softly, hands fisting in his pockets. “I wanted it to be a lie so badly.”

He can hear faint breathing behind him, the scuff of a sandal as Obito shifts his feet. Steeling himself, he forces himself to turn. Even if he can’t face this man for himself, he’ll do it for Obito. He deserves that much from him. “Hello, Obito,” he murmurs softly, taking in the wide frenzied eyes staring back at him. There’s no mask obscuring his face and Kakashi can see the heavy scars on the right side of his body, evidence of the stones that crushed him so many years ago.

“Why did you call me here?” he demands harshly, voice sounding strained.

“To be sure,” he admits. “And because there are people who needed to speak with you.”

At his words, Obito tenses, his eyes flicking around searching for enemies as he pulls a large battle gunbai from thin air. A rustle of leaves draws their gaze and Kakashi freezes as he takes in his students’ image. He had known what the plan was from the beginning, but nothing could prepare him for the shock of seeing Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke as they once were…as they might have become had things repeated again.

They’re older, bodies lean and battle scarred. Their clothing is a mishmash of whatever it seems they could scavenge, even Naruto is completely devoid of his habitual bright orange. But it’s their expressions that hold him. Exhaustion and weariness stand out prominently on faces thinned more by hunger than extensive fighting. They're expressions he’s only ever seen on war orphans when famine begins to strike the civilian populations. There are no hitai-ate, not even the shinobi one they described the alliance having made for the Fourth Shinobi War.

“Who are you?” Obito growls out. He backs up, removing Kakashi from his back though Kakashi’s still rooted to the spot and couldn’t move even if he wanted to.

“We…we’re friends…or we will be friends…eventually,” Naruto speaks up, his voice sounding deeper, no longer that of the young genin he currently is.

“You know us,” Sakura insists, her eyes shining as they take in the shaken man.

“You’re mistaken. I have never met any of you,” he growls, hand clenching around the handle of his gunbai until his leather glove creaks with the strain.

“You once asked us what the point of fighting was if there is no one left to protect,” Sasuke murmurs, his eyes piercing as they stare at the other Uchiha. “You once told me you lost all hope the day you lost Rin,” Sasuke adds softly.

“Do not say her name!” he roars out, eyes widening at their words.

“Why not? Why should we not remember a woman who gave her life to protect her village and her friends?” Sakura asks sharply. “Why should you be the only person to remember her?”

“She didn’t give her life for the village, she was murdered,” he hisses, eyes bleeding a brighter red as his Sharingan whirl into life, the Mangekyō mismatched, one is his while the other  is Madara’s.

“I didn’t want to kill her,” Kakashi whispers and Obito jerks around to stare at him, face paling. “She begged me to kill her,” his voice cracks and bleeds his grief as he speaks. “I couldn’t stop her…she…she jumped in front of me.”

Obito steps back as if struck by his words, eyes widening. “It’s a lie,” he grits out.

“Madara sealed the Sanbi into her to unleash it on Konoha. He used her death to manipulate you. You Uchiha are so easy to manipulate when blinded by grief,” Kurama growls out, stepping forward to stare at Obito. “If you want proof, talk with Isobu and he’ll tell you what really happened that day.”

“You’re lying,” he snarls, expression looking unhinged and he lunges forward, aiming to smash the gunbai into Kurama.

With a growl of his own, Kurama lashes out, the henge holding even as one of his tails manifests and wraps around the weapon, holding it tight and yanks Obito forward until they’re face to face. “Wake up idiot,” he rumbles out. “Don’t make me kill you,” he hisses, fist flicking out to smash into Obito’s chest over his heart with a pulse of bright red chakra and sends him flying back to smash into a tree a good distance away.

“This…this isn’t real,” Obito insists, righting himself out of the indent he made in the tree, hand pressing against the point Kurama struck, blood seeping from under his hand. Gnashing blood stained teeth, Kamui whirls around him and he disappears from sight.

As if he’s a puppet with its strings cut, Kakashi collapses to his knees, breathing hard as his hands scrap furrows into the earth beneath his palms as they fist there. “Kakashi-sensei?” Sakura whispers, kneeling next to him. When he looks up, the henge is gone and Sakura looks at him with sad eyes. “I’m sorry,” she whispers.

“Yeah,” he gets out, his voice sounding like grinding glass. “So am I.”

Chapter Text

Illusion: noun; a deceptive appearance or impression.

He lands on his feet as Kamui deposits him in the alternate dimension, staggering harshly before falling to his knees with a gasp, hand still clutching his chest. His mind is in chaos, mind jumping from thought to thought but unable to truly grasp onto anything for longer than a second before skittering elsewhere.

It can’t be true. They’re lying. Rin was killed…It can’t be true…because otherwise, everything he has built around him to bolster him is nothing but lies and he has only ever wanted to destroy the lies that cloud the world.

He dry heaves a little, gritting his teeth against the pain in his chest which isn’t abating despite the time that has passed. With a growl, he yanks the cloak open and pulls it off, yanking his shirt over his head clumsily, mind too distracted for finesse.

He looks down at his left pec and blinks at the bright red imprint there, like a clawed hand was burned into his skin. In the center of the palm, a thin line oozes blood sluggishly, his body trying to heal the damage.

“Damn it,” he growls, settling back on his heels, trying to regain control of his mind.

He glances down impatiently and freezes as what he thought was a burn starts to shift and morph. He can feel it now, a corrosive presence in his mind, like hot coals giving off heat, the heavy chakra of the Kyuubi plastered across his chest.

He brings up his hand, hoping to use his own chakra to force it out of him but before he can react, it finishes changing and he stares down at an intricate seal plastered across his chest, centered over his heart and with a yell, he crumples forward as burning pain erupts across his chest, centered deep in his ribcage.

It radiates out, pulsing and sending scathing signals across his straining nerves, the pain doubling, tripling and he grits his teeth against another yell even as he can barely keep his eyes focused. Blood pours out of the small slit in his chest, pooling bright and garish against the dull color of the pillar he’s on.

It’s getting worse, his heart beating wildly and for a second he fears it will burst in his chest. There’s a tearing sensation and he can’t stop himself as he retches up bile to mix with the blood pooling beneath him. His arms fold and he falls to his elbows, his sweat covered forehead pressing against the smooth material of the pillar as his vision dims and tunnels, his awareness of the dimension around him waning to nothing as the pain overrides everything.

The pain eventually stops rising but it still grips him wholly and each wave is the only sign of time passing, each stuttering beat of his heart the only sign that he’s still alive and breathing, though his lungs feel like they’re only working at half capacity and unable to draw in a full breath, leaving him gasping and reeling.

It’s a faint tugging sensation that draws him from his semiconscious state to the world around him. With a choked gasp, he pushes himself up a little, limbs shaking as he looks down at his chest, his skin covered in blood. He watches in detached fascination as something seems to be pushed from the cut in his chest, along with a second gush of blood. It lands with a faint plop into the puddle beneath him and he can only stare in confusion, blinking heavily against his blurring vision.

The pain slowly ebbs, a faint burning sensation washing through his body but compared to before, this pain is a relief and he feels his muscles unlock and relax. With a wet gasp, he falls to the side of the puddle beneath him and rolls onto his back.

He blinks up at the grey nothingness above dotted with other pillars. Once, twice and then a burning red eye stares down at him, the pupil slit. He’s too tired to react or move. “Maybe now you can make a decision of your own for once,” a voice growls in his head before the eye flashes bright red, washing everything crimson before the burning heat dissipates and the world returns to its dull color scheme.

Glancing down, he sees that beneath the blood, the red seal is gone. With a groan, his let’s his head thunk onto the ground and unconsciousness creeps up on him until it finally pulls him down into darkness.

~*~

The scrape of metal through earth is loud in the silence of the night. Only the trees and the few remaining animals that haven’t fled the fighting remain to witness his work. He can feel sweat trickling down his face and back as he digs up one shovelful at a time. It’s rhythmic, soothing and he zones out as much as he will ever let himself.

It’s not a big hole. It doesn’t need to be big, but it is deep. He blinks sweat from his eyes that stings and it feels strange to have two again after so long. He ignores the insistent ache that thought wants to invoke. He has more important things to do than to wallow in grief. He’s had a lifetime ignoring his own feelings, pushing through them to accomplish a goal. He won’t waver now.

Metal screeches as he hits a rock and he bends down to slowly feel around the edges, judging how big it is and if he’ll need to use a Doton to move it. It’s fairly small and with a grunt, he manages to wedge his hand under it and force it up, dirt crumbling around it in clods as he hefts it and flings it away from the hole.

Steps through the leaf litter draws his attention but he keeps digging, making sure the hole is deep enough. “It’s ready,” a woman’s voice calls out, tired and scraped raw from grief and crying.

Obito finally stops and looks down, realizing he’s dug nearly six feet down, the hole easily three feet wide. “You’re sure?” he asks, not looking up.

“That bastard will never be able to find him, no matter how hard he looks. The mutt will be safe from his clutches,” a deep voice growls out and he finally looks up to see Kurama, shrunken in size to keep from being spotted from afar, glaring in the direction they can feel Madara is in, though he’s too far away to sense any more than that.

His gaze turns to see Sakura walking up, her eyes glassy and red rimmed, a small stone urn clutched tightly in her grasp. It’s clumsily made, the jutsu used not meant for such small work but they have learned to make due when they can’t find what they need. Sasuke is a silent shadow behind her, eyes ever focused on their surroundings vigilant against attacks, though he can see his cousin’s hand is white knuckled where it is clutched around the hilt of his katana.

Naruto is a few feet between them and Kurama, shoulders bowed, hands fisted. This is the closest he has ever seen the teen come to true despair. A faint tremble shakes his body, but Obito doesn’t point out the tears that slide silently down his gaunt cheeks.

He sets his shovel aside and motions for Sakura to hand him the urn. She does and he glances at it, seeing the intricate seals laid into it, each line of it pulsing with Kurama’s bright red chakra. There is no lid, the stone of the top fused with the body. He can understand bits of the seal; can see the trap placed on the urn for whoever tries to unseal it without knowing how to do it. He approves greatly.

Gently, he sets the urn into the hole and steps out. They circle around it, silently looking down at it. “Bye, Bakashi,” Obito murmurs, reaching for the shovel and begins the slow process of filling the hole back in. No one says anything else as the hole fills up until it is finally full. With a wave of his hand, Obito calls on the Mokuton he possesses and feeds chakra into the surrounding grass and shrubs he disturbed digging the hole. As they watch, the plants grow, filling in the gap in the forest until it blends with the rest, undisturbed and hidden.

They remain silent as he uses both eyes to take them to another camp, the group splitting ways to go mourn in their own ways. Obito settles heavily on his bedroll and reaches into his pocket. He slowly pulls out a battered and filthy hitai-ate, staring down at it. He lets a finger trail along the spiral of the Konoha symbol. “I’m sorry,” he mutters and for the first time in years, feels tears in both eyes.

~*~

With a gasp, Obito wakes, mind whirling and chest heaving with too many emotions to name. He’s still in Kamui thankfully. A glance down at his chest shows it to be clean and clothed. There’s no blood on the ground next to him. It was just another one of those strange memory dreams, obviously. It can’t have been real.

“Sage, you’re pathetic,” a voice growls and echoes around him and he whirls aruond, eyes searching frantically for the source while gripping one of his kunai tightly. There, up on one of the higher pillars, a shadowed shape.

He springs up, chakra propelling him up and up and he lands with a faint thump on the pillar but the figure is gone.

“All that talk about revealing the truth, destroying lies and you’ve woven the biggest lie of all around yourself,” the voice calls out again. There, three pillars over, disappearing around the edge of another.

He bounds over but they’re gone. “What a good little puppet you’ve become. You jump so easily to his tune, even when he’s dead,” they call out again.

“I am no one’s puppet,” he growls out, breathing heavily.

“Says the puppet. You claim to be doing this all for Rin, always for her. You know what I think?” they ask and he whirls seeing the shadowed form disappear behind another pillar.

“I don’t care what you think,” he growls out, eyes searching for the intruder to his dimension.

“I think she’d be disgusted by what you’ve done and you know it. Deep, deep down, you’ve always known it. It why you dream of this new world without lies because if there are no lies, there’s no need for her to know about the stain you’ve become on this world. If she were here right now, she’d know just what you did to Minato and Kushina, to Kakashi and Konoha. All the little bits of darkness you claimed were justified to reach your goal that has slowly stained you. She’ll never have to know in your little fantasy world of illusions and excuses,” the voice growls out, harsh and guttural.

“Who the fuck do you think you are to say this?” Obito howls, whirling frantically, searching for something to crush. “You know nothing about me.”

“I know everything about you,” the figure retorts.

“How?” Obito growls out, pausing and hears a faint shifting of movement and whirls, kunai raised and freezes.

“Because I’m you,” he says, gaze heavy and dark, expression somber.

Obito stumbles back with a choked off sound, managing to hold onto his kunai, but putting space between them, eyes wide in disbelief. “This is a trick, a genjutsu. You’re not real,” he hisses, bringing his hands up and shouting “Kai!”

“The only illusion here is that you think you’re not a puppet. You’ve been dancing to Madara and Zetsu’s commands for so long, you’ve forgotten the chains are even there,” the other one murmurs, not moving, simply watching him.

“I’m not a puppet,” he snaps, hand fisting around the kunai.

“Really? Name one decision in the past decade that you made that wasn’t planted in your mind, that wasn’t all part of their grand plan. Go on, I’m waiting,” he demands.

“I don’t need to justify myself to you,” he growls.

“But you need to justify it to yourself. You’ve always justified your actions by claiming they’re for Rin, for this Promised Land that Madara spun for you out of smoke and mirrors. What do you justify it with when those are removed, hmm? Because I know for a fact that Rin would never have wanted to be a part of this. She always faced her problems head on, never let lies or delusions cloud her truth. She would hate what you’ve done in her name,” the other murmurs, voice going soft. “What we’ve done,” he adds.

“You don’t know that,” Obito barks out, heart rabbiting in his throat.

“Don’t I?” he asks with a raised brow. “You claim you knew her so well, but if this is what you think she would have wanted, you never knew her at all.”

“Rin is dead!” he screams out. “It doesn’t matter what she would have wanted. She’s not here to tell me what she wanted. She was murdered by Kakashi. She was murdered by our teammate.”

“Another lie you embraced so easily. You never questioned it did you,” he murmurs.

“Questioned what?” he asks, hands shaking.

“Up until that moment, you always planned to return to Konoha, to return to your team. How is it that the very day you managed to escape, Kakashi and Rin just happened to be running from the Kiri nin near Madara’s hideout? That those Zetsu clones just happened to go scouting and sense them and helped you escape? That was the day you got your Mangekyō, the day you fully accepted Madara’s plans,” he murmurs. “I’m sure you remember how an Uchiha evolves their Sharingan into a Mangekyō.”

“Trauma…watching the death of someone close to you,” Obito murmurs, mind whirling silently.

The other nods grimly. “Rin’s death guaranteed not only that you would stay, it evolved your Sharingan and made you hate the world. The one thing that bastard needed from you happened and you never once questioned it. Why is that? Shinobi question everything. You were suspicious of him from the very beginning and suddenly you believed everything he said. Why?” he asks.

“I…I…,” Obito pauses, thinking back. Why did he never question it? He never looked deeper into Rin’s death, never questioned how it came to pass. Why were those Kiri nin chasing them? “I don’t know,” he admits, paling.

“He didn’t want you to question it,” the other says with a shrug. “While he was healing us, he placed a seal on us, a cursed seal on our heart. It ensured we would never question his motives, that we would follow his orders, his plans without fail. We’d never deviate from the goal. Everything we did was to further the plan. It would even prevent us from suicide should we ever learn the truth. It’s ingenious actually. If you never looked deeper, why would you ever question? It took me a while to realize what he had placed on me,” he admits with a scowl, staring off to the side.

“No, this…this can’t be true,” he murmurs, sounding lost.

“The seal is gone. Kurama managed to remove it without killing you or destroying your heart. That was a nice touch. For once in your life think for yourself, question what you’ve never truly looked at,” he demands.

“And what about you? I should take your words at face value?” he snaps.

“No, you should accept them because they’re the truth but I never expected you to take them without questioning. I know myself, I know how you’ll react,” he informs him with a faintly wry smirk. His expression grows serious. “Think about the plan, really think about it. Infinite Tsukuyomi: a genjutsu to blanket the world. Then what?” he asks.

“What?”

“What does Madara plan to do next? You know genjutsus, you know how they work. The genjutsu ensnare the senses while they live whatever illusion you plan for them. They become sitting ducks, unable to move, unable to see passed the illusion. They don’t eat, they don’t drink, and they don’t even realize they’re dying of starvation and dehydration while they’re under the genjutsu. So, basically, his plan is mass extinction. Because that is the only outcome of the Infinite Tsukuyomi,” he says with a shrug.

“You can make them move, program them to go about their days like normal,” Obito argues, though even he sounds uncertain.

“True, that is one way to do it. How does he plan to do that? There are billions of people in the world. Is he going to program them all? How will he know what a normal day is for them and eventually, people will notice the pattern, will stop following it, even while under a genjutsu. Then the same outcome occurs. The plan is flawed for anything except mass extinction. Is that what you want? To kill everyone in the world? Men, women, children, completely innocent of anything having to do with Rin’s death and the ‘disillusionment’ of your childlike naivety?” he snaps at Obito, frustration in his voice.

“I just wanted to make the world better. To stop all the lies and wars,” Obito growls.

“Well, mass extinction would do that. With no one alive, there will be no one to lie or make war,” he admits.

“What do you want from me?” he yells, frustration exploding out of him as he throws the kunai at the other and it passes right through him.

“I want you to admit, even just to yourself, that you are wrong. Admit that you are a puppet. Admit that he played on your ties and emotions to turn you,” the other snarls, hands fisting at his sides. “For once in your life, face the truth instead of running from it!”

“Fine!” Obito howls out, angry tears coursing down his cheeks. “I was wrong. I let him use me. I let him play with me and I buried my head in the sand all this time to ignore my guilt. Is that what you want? I’m a damn puppet!” His chest heaves with each ragged breath he pulls in, shoulders shaking faintly.

Obito blinks and tries to move back as the other appears in front of him but before he can move a hand grips his arm in a vice like grip. “Good, now I’m going to cut your strings,” he says with a sharp grin. “I’d say I’m sorry for what I’m about to do but I’m not,” he informs Obito and then his dark eyes whirl to life, burning bright red, the Mangekyō unveiling and Obito can’t look away, even as he feels his own come out in reaction.

The world falls away around him until all he can see is red spinning eyes, warmth bleeding down his cheeks and then darkness.

~*~

With a groan, Obito rolls over and his hand lands in a puddle of something cold and tacky and he blinks gritty eyes open that feel heavy. His hand is resting in a pool of coagulating blood, the fluid darker than when it had first spilled.

“Fuck that fox doesn’t play fair,” he groans, siting up and looking down at his chest. It’s still streaked with blood, but the seal and wound are gone. Standing on shaky legs, he looks around. He’s not sure how much time has passed in here. It could be days, it could be hours. He feels the faint tickle in the back of his mind and ignores his other self.

There’s so much more in his mind now. Memories that had never made sense in the past, now have clarity, context. He can see it all: his turning against Madara, the war, their struggles, their desperate plan to change it all. A part of him flinches away from the double memories of his mistakes, of him being a puppet.

But the pieces are already starting to slot together of just who has been sabotaging his plans over the years. Kurama was never one to just go straight into a problem. He always needs to come at it sideways, making plans inside of plans. If he had just does this stupid plan from the get go, years could have been avoided of his plans being built up.

He ignores what is most likely an eye roll from his other self at his hypocrisy. “Yeah, yeah, I know,” he growls out in the silence. “No one asked your opinion. I need to get clean, and then I need to find a fox and slap him around some,” he grumbles and feels faint agreement to his plan. “Thank you for you approval,” he says snidely and ignores the other as he lets Kamui while him away.

Chapter Text

Chapter 36- Pique: verb; stimulate (interest or curiosity); feel irritated or resentful.

Night has settled over Konoha and still he hasn’t moved from the Memorial Stone. The guilt that makes him come here whenever he feels its pull is still there but it feels sharper, digging deeper, tugging at wounds long scabbed over, making them bleed once more.

Obito has been alive all this time. Maybe if he had realized what had really happened, they could have saved Rin together. Of course, if he had figured it out and gotten Obito back, Madara might not have gone after Rin in the first place.

He had left Tsunade and the others making plans for possible retaliations if Kurama’s plan didn’t work. It’s so much to hinge on the possibility that Obito’s memories might be inside him, just waiting for a catalyst to make them resurface.

The sound of a foot step behind him has him tensing, though he remains in his usual slouched position, pretending like he hadn’t heard the noise. If someone thinks they’ll sneak up on him, they’ve got another thing coming.

“You know, I can’t tell if it’s nice or creepy, you brooding here over me, Bakashi,” a voice murmurs behind him and Kakashi’s eye closes, his hands fisting in his pockets.

“Yeah, well, there wasn’t actually a body to bury so, this was the next best thing,” he murmurs before making himself turn.

There, standing amongst the shadows like a pale ghost, Obito stands, mouth a crooked slash of shame and regret. “I’m not really worth that much brooding,” he admits, dark eyes down cast. “Not anymore at least.”

“And what about now?” Kakashi asks hesitantly, wanting to take a step closer but his cautious side takes over and keeps him rooted to the spot.

“I’m still not, but this was never supposed to be about me,” he says with a shrug.

“You remember,” Kakashi breaths out softly.

“Yeah, Bakashi, I remember,” he nods. Then his expression grows annoyed. “Now show me to Kurama so I can beat his head in,” he grumbles.

~*~

He frowns down at the slide, peering through the microscope as he adjusts the focus. The room is silent but for the hum of machines and the bubbling of liquid. A background hum that always soothes him in his search for more.

Most know not to disturb him when he’s working, not unless they want to be eviscerated. Only a few do not fear his wrath and as he pulls back, the oily smear on his senses tells him just who is disturbing his thought process. “Go away before I become truly annoyed,” Orochimaru hisses, ignoring Zetsu as it emerges from the shadowy corner of his lab. That it managed to get passed his ward without setting them off does not sweeten his mood.

“You have a deal to fulfill, or have you forgotten so easily what was promised us?” Zetsu demands testily.

“I’ve already given you my notes on Hashirama’s cells and his Mokuton. What more do you want?” he says with a pointed look at the creature.

“You promised us the Edo Tensei,” it growls out, form shivering with its anger.

“Did I now? That doesn’t sound like me, though I lie so much, I tend to lose track of everything I’ve said. Though, to be fair, you lied as well so it wasn’t that hard to promise you nothing,” he reminds him mildly.

“We didn’t lie,” it says smoothly, form stilling as it turns yellow eyes on him. “We will give you what we promised. A way to perfect control,” it says.

“Hmm, except that right there is a lie,” Orochimaru says with annoyed hiss, growing tired of the creature’s presence. “Did you really think I would roll over for such a paltry creature such as you and give you all my secrets? I saw right through you the moment you offered. You can’t fool me like you do all your other little pawns.”

“You will give Edo Tensei to us–,” it starts, form elongating to make itself look taller.

“Or what?” Orochimaru murmurs softly, a thin edge of his killing intent spilling out, making the air hum around them. “Do you really wish to challenge me, little parasite? Do your plans factor in dying on my blade?” he asks softly, taking a step closer, killing intent increasing. “Are you willing to gamble your plans on being able to beat me?”

Yellow eyes narrow with a low hiss but Zetsu backs down. “I thought not. Now leave before I decide you are better off being dissected. I wonder what I could learn from you?” he murmurs with a thin razor smile.

“You will regret this. You won’t be allowed to live,” it mutters, slowly sinking back into the ground.

“Hmm, I have been informed by many that I have no heart in which to hold regrets, or any other lowly emotions and I doubt I’ll attempt it anytime soon,” he dismisses, golden eyes glowing in the shadows as he the creature disappears beneath the ground and eventually, disappears from his senses.

With a hiss, he reaches out towards the wall and sends a spark of chakra into a ward matrix there. “Maybe now I can work undisturbed,” he mutters and returns to his slide and the humming silence of his lab.

~*~

“You’re sure?” the man in the shadows murmurs, eyes flicking around him for any sign of someone listening in on their conversation.

“Yes, we just got word in from the Tsuchikage. There have been sightings of Akatsuki in multiple countries actively seeking the other Jinchuuriki. They warned us to be on our guard and to be ready for any kind of attack,” the second shadowed figure, a woman, murmurs back. “We can’t let them get their hands on Fuu,” she adds.

“Shh, no names,” he hisses, head jerking up to scan around and the woman winces, sliding her sword free and looking around as well. When nothing stirs, they relax a little though the woman keeps her blade drawn.

“I’ll inform our border patrols and the barrier squads to be alert for anything strange. Send out word to any of our shinobi leaving on missions to be alert for Akatsuki’s presence and to report back any sightings,” he orders and she nods before they quickly head separate ways.

An hour passes before a small section of shadowed wall stirs, the area rippling as the chameleon jutsu is disturbed by the movement. The distorted air leaves the way it came, silently and slowly until, once out of sight of any of the patrols, Kabuto lets it go, a henge quickly snapping up to alter his appearance.

It’s a matter of minutes to slip from the village and make his way towards the small village Sasori has set up shop in a day’s travel from the shinobi village. The man in question is awake, even that early in the morning, though whether he actually needs to sleep or is just an early riser, Kabuto doesn’t know, nor cares to know.

“Well?” Sasori demands gruffly, his dull eyes boring into Kabuto’s.

“The girl’s name is Fuu. The villages are tracking our movements and any attempt at a surprise attack on the village will not go well. I suggest we hit hard and fast to avoid any of the other countries coming to Taki’s aid,” Kabuto says easily, absently pushing his glasses back up his nose.

“Good, you have done well. I’ve no need of your assistance any more. Return to Orochimaru and keep me updated on his movement and plans,” Sasori orders and Kabuto bows before slipping from the room.

It doesn’t take long to gather his things stashed in the room he had claimed in Sasori’s temporary hideout. Packed, and ready to go, he makes his way east, away from Taki. Orochimaru should still be in Oto, in his main base. His last messenger snake had let him know of his plans to shift bases soon and where to find him should he not return before then.

Setting a quick pace, he makes steady progress through Taki, aiming more south than north. While Tsuki is predominantly neutral in regards to politics, he’d rather steer further away from its northern section and the Mountain’s Graveyard. He may play at being a spy for Akatsuki, but he has no wish to go there unless he absolutely has to.

Night falls before he reaches the border Oto shares with Tsuki and Konoha and he decides to camp for the night, setting up his usual traps and barriers and settling down with his back against the thick trunk of a tree. Kunai in hand, he lets a light sleep fall over him, more  meditation than true sleep but still able to let him rest up.

He’s not sure how much time has passed but enough has passed for the air to have cooled dramatically and for a low lying fog to have formed close to the ground. He can feel the hairs on the back of his neck standing up, the familiar sensation of eyes on him.

Straining his senses, he can’t hear anything out of the ordinary, but that alone makes his paranoia, honed by his master and his time in Root, to surge up. He’s not alone and if something can hide this well from his senses, it is far stronger than he is.

“What is a little one like you doing so far from your master?” a voice hisses softly from the darkness but he can’t pinpoint its source.

“You need to be more specific. I serve many people,” Kabuto says softly, keeping his body loose, but ready to move at a moment’s notice.

“True, but which one do you truly serve little sneak? Who holds your true identity?” it asks and he frowns at the direction its words seem to be going.

“I serve whoever I like,” he says quickly, hand clenching a little tighter around his kunai. “Show yourself,” he orders.

“As you wish,” it murmurs and the shadows bulge and grow in front of him until shining yellow eyes and gleaming white teeth are feet away from his face.

“Zetsu, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?” he asks, though his heart is beating faster. If it’s here for him, than more than likely Orochimaru turned him down.

He shudders, remembering months before when the creature took control of him. The roiling feeling of helplessness as his body moved, but part of his mind had been trapped away behind a film of oil slick and shadow. He’s never felt so helpless, even in Root and after when they tried to kill him.

“I think we know why I’m here,” it says as its grin grows impossibly wider.

“I don’t know why you think I would know any of Orochimaru’s secrets. The man doesn’t trust me as it is. He knows I work for Sasori and he only keeps me around because it’s convenient,” he tries to persuade the creature before him while his mind tries to come up with a way to escape.

He doubts he can fight it head on. He’s not a heavy hitter, better at sneak attacks, evading and manipulating. He’s a spy.

“Oh, but I think you do know something. All that time in his bases, surrounded by his work. You didn’t get curious, not even a little bit? You didn’t go snooping where you shouldn’t hoping to find something interesting?” it asks, slipping closer. He’d say it slithers but that would imply its movements are natural. This is not a natural creature, nothing moving with any recognizable patterns.

“I really don’t. Anything you might want to know he keeps close to his chest,” Kabuto says, tensing and readying to spring away in the hopes of out running this monstrosity.

Faster than he can follow, something whops around him from behind to clamp tightly around his neck and chest, yanking him hard back against the tree behind him. The air in his lungs expels out harshly at the impact and he wheezes trying to regain his air.

Zetsu crowds in closer, the heavy stink of rotting plant matter and something he can’t name, but it makes the part of his mind that is all instinct to shiver with fear and scream out ‘Predator’ as he stares up into glowing yellow eyes. “I think you know exactly what I want and you’re going to tell me. You’re going to tell me everything I want to know,” it murmurs. He’d scream in fear but there’s no control, his mind struggling, straining against the chains binding it and he realizes with dawning horror that its happened again.

“Now, let’s begin,” it murmurs, slipping back and he sits up. “Tell me everything you know on Edo Tensei and how to perform it,” Zetsu orders and he does.

~*~

The moment they enter the village proper, they can feel multiple eyes on them. Kakashi signs quickly to stand down but follow and while he doesn’t see anyone sign back, no one attacks them, keeping their distance though keeping them in sight.

He’d sent Pakkun ahead before they’d even left the memorial Stone, so he’s not surprised to see the lights on in the Hokage Manor, nor is he surprised to see Itachi, Shisui and Tenzo standing at the gate, watching their approach.

“Well, I probably should have expected this warm invitation,” Obito mutters behind him and Kakashi can’t help but snort a little. “I see Kurama’s been busy. At least he kept his promise to change everything.”

“Senpai,” Tenzo greets, though his gaze remains on Obito.

“He’s here to see them,” Kakashi says simply, not needing to explain who ‘they’ are.

“How do we know you’re telling the truth? You claim to remember, so prove it,” Shisui drawls, leaning against the gate post.

Kakashi hears Obito huff in annoyance, but he nods, “Danzō stole one of your eyes and you gave the second to that one before killing yourself,” he points to Itachi. “I helped him massacre our clan, and you,” he points to Tenzo, “I captured and used to make the Zetsu clones even stronger before turning you onto your comrades and allies. Is that sufficient for you?” he asks.

“No, that just makes we want to stab you even more but Kurama has already told us to let you in,” Shisui hisses with a glare.

“To be fair, I don’t blame you,” Obito admits with a grimace and follows them inside the walls of the compound.

Tenzo opens the door ahead of them and they step inside, slipping off their sandals before following Itachi towards a larger room where voices can be heard coming from. When the door slides open, Kakashi steps in first and the other three remain behind, forcing Obito to follow. The room grows silent as all eyes turn to stare at him. “Well now, look what the cat dragged in?” Kurama mutters snidely.

“I should skin you for that plan of yours. Do you know how painful having a seal carved off your heart while awake is?” he hisses with a glare.

“Would you have rather I stabbed you through the heart with lightning?” Kurama asks calmly and Kakashi sucks in a breath at the implication.

“Don’t even start on the guilt trip Bakashi, now is not the time,” Obito grumbles at him.

“Seal?” Tsunade drawls.

“A sort of control seal, placed on my heart. It made me…malleable, more willing to follow his goals and to not question him about his plans as well as preventing any attempts at suicide,” Obito says with a shrug. “Not to say that I wasn’t already willing after his manipulations with Rin, but it made it easier for him.”

“But it’s gone?” she asks.

Obito nods and waves his hand, the air warping where it passes and something falls with a wet splat to the floor. “A gift, for a successful plan, you damn fox,” he growls and Kurama grins sharply.

“No thank you, I’ve already eaten,” he murmurs.

“So what now?” Shisui demands sharply. “If he remembers, then that’s it, we stopped the future from happening again.”

“Not quite,” Obito mutters resignedly.

“What’s left?” he asks.

“Zetsu is still out there. He’s looking for Nagato and Konan and I’m sure he still has plans that need to be stopped. Until I know that thing is dead and gone, nothing will be safe. As well, Akatsuki is still active, even if I’m not leading and they’re looking for the Jinchuuriki. We’ll need to either kill them or persuade them to find work elsewhere,” he adds.

“As well, the Demonic Statue is still a threat and needs to be destroyed. We may have destroyed Nagato’s Rinnegan but that doesn’t mean others won’t try and recreate its work. And Edo Tensei needs to be destroyed once and for all and I don’t know about you, but I’m in the mood to skin a snake,” Kurama says with a bloodthirsty grin.

“Whatever our next plans, we need to include the other kage. A coordinated hit by the other countries on the various Akatsuki members should neutralize that threat and with your knowledge of Akatsuki bases, it shouldn’t be hard to locate Zetsu and kill it. Can it be killed?” Tsunade asks with a frown.

Obito shrugs, “I’ve no idea but I’m looking forward to finding out. I’m at your disposal,” he says, settling onto the floor near the table piled with maps and they quickly get to work planning the last leg of their plans.

Kakashi, for his part, simply sits back and watches, still trying to wrap his head around what the five time travelers are discussing. It’s a lot to take in and he wonders whether the strangeness of it will wear off in time. He shares glances with his team, seeing conflicts in their gaze at working with a man responsible for so much misery in a different timeline and even in this one.

He’s not sure if he can reconcile that and what it will mean for Obito once they finish this mission.

Chapter Text

Escalate:  verb; become or cause to become more intense or serious.

“You want me to what?” Jiraiya asks, brow arched.

“Come with me when I speak with Orochimaru,” Obito says again, face serious. “That paranoid bastard won’t believe me, not after everything, but you…well, he’ll at least believe you believe our story.”

“He’ll be more likely to skin us alive before he listens,” Jiraiya grumbles, rubbing a hand through his hair. “I don’t even know where he’s at,” he adds.

“Then it’s a good thing I do,” Obito says with a grimace of a smile. “We kept tabs on him after he left…just in case.”

“Of course you did,” Jiraiya mutters. “Do you plan to kill him?” he demands sharply.

“That depends entirely on him. If he’s willing to destroy Edo Tensei and anything related to it, then I think I’d feel magnanimous enough to allow him to live for a while longer,” Kurama speaks up from the other side of the room.

“And if he won’t?” Jiraiya asks, though he looks like he already knows the answer to his question.

“Only the dead can truly keep a secret,” Obito says simply, expression hard. The room goes silent at his words and Jiraiya grimaces. “Don’t tell me you’re hesitating now, Toda Sage. He’s had more than enough chances to reform, to change…or was him killing the Sandaime not enough to convince you?” Obito asks harshly.

Jiraiya looks away, towards where Tsunade is watching with a shuttered expression. “No…it’s…I’ve known for years that he would die for his crimes, most likely by my hand. But I’m only human and I cared for him once, still do…a little,” he admits sadly.

“Then let’s hope he is open to persuasion,” Kurama mutters before looking back at the map. “This will need to be a coordinated attack by all the countries, all within the span of a day. We can’t give the rest of Akatsuki any place to hide. Once we initiate the attack, we won’t have much time to act before Zetsu is aware of our assault. We hit the Mountain’s Graveyard as soon as the signal is given,” he tells them.

“It will probably take at least two days for the information to arrive at the various villages and for them to concoct their own plans of attack. Two days to prepare and get into place. Five days total from start to finish. Will that be enough time?” Shikaku asks from his position leaned against the wall, eyes scanning over the map.

Obito hums and nods, “That should be enough. If we leave within the day of the messages being sent to the other Kage, we should be able to hopefully finish with the Snake Sage and be back in time for our own planning, unless something goes terribly wrong.”

Tsunade looks over to Shikaku, “Do you think you can pack enough information into a message scroll?” she asks.

Shikaku smirks, “I can fit everything into it,” he assures.

“Good, then get to it. Inform me as soon as you are ready to send them out to the other Kage and village heads and then start preparations for fortifying the village. I’m not letting this thing take us by surprise and if it’s got an army of these clones, I want to be ready for them,” Tsunade barks and nods are made all around. With one last glance at everyone, she storms out of the meeting room, Shizune on her heels.

“I better get to it,” Shikaku grumbles and follows her out.

Obito looks to Jiraiya, “We leave once she gives the word. I hope you’ll be ready by then,” he mutters.

Jiraiya sighs, rubs his face and nods. “I will be,” he assures and then leaves as well.

~*~

Zetsu paces the cavern, expression curious as it watches Kabuto lay out the components for the ritual of Edo Tensei. Impatience wants the medic to hurry up but it knows that waiting a few extra minutes to ensure that the ritual will work is more important than instant gratification.

Kabuto sits back, seemingly done drawing the symbols across the cavern floor. “It’s ready,” he murmurs, looking over at Zetsu. Faint grey veins spider web across the exposed areas of his skin.

Zetsu grins, mouth drawing so wide it nearly splits its face in half. It looks over to the clone standing off to the side and motions it towards the center of the seal. “Such a simple and devastating jutsu,” it murmurs.

“It’s not perfect and there are still limitations, but Orochimaru was able to improve it further than the Nidaime took it,” Kabuto admits as he stands and takes a step back.

“Limitations how?” it asks, creeping closer, studying the seal.

“I won’t be able to summon a large amount of souls if you are hoping for an army,” Kabuto explains. “As well, while they will be strong, they won’t be at their peak performance,” he admits. “Orochimaru was still attempting to overcome those limitations. It was how the Sandaime was able to defeat Hashirama and Tobirama when Orochimaru summoned them. They weren’t as strong as they were in their previous life.”

Zetsu nods, “Can their form be improved on after being summoned?” it asks.

Kabuto frowns, “Perhaps, though it would take time and research,” he explains.

Zetsu shakes its head, “That will have to come later. Right now, we have more pressing matters. Begin the ritual,” Zetsu orders and takes a step back.

Nodding, Kabuto steps back up to where he was before and runs through the four seals needed for the summoning and claps his hand. As they watch, ash and dust begins to slowly crawl towards the clone in the center of the seal. It starts out as only a trickle but it quickly escalates. The matter builds and crawls up the clone’s pale body as it writhes and jerks but remains silent.

Zetsu feels excitement grow in its chest, watching the form beginning to take shape before it until finally, with a last jerk, the body stills, bits of ash and dust fluttering around the form of one long since dead.

Pale lids snap open and dark eyes stare at them, head tilting curiously. “Is it ready?” Madara asks, looking over at Zetsu and completely ignoring Kabuto.

Zetsu scowls, “There have been problems,” it hisses, stepping closer as Madara steps away from the few remaining bits of the seal, mostly consumed by the ritual.

“Problems how?” he snaps, gaze flicking over the chamber, taking in the Demonic Statue, empty still of any of the tailed beasts, and the shattered remains of his chair.

“Your puppet is beginning to question and the one you implanted the Rinnegan into seems to have grown a conscience and has since gone to ground,” it grumbles.

“You are searching for the host?” Madara asks calmly, seeming unfazed by Zetsu’s news.

“I am. They will not escape our reach,” it assures.

“What of Obito?” he asks.

“He is doing his own search, but he fights us, questioning our motives and goals,” Zetsu explains.

“The seal would prevent that,” Madara murmurs with a frown, flexing his hand a few times.

“I do not know, I only say what has been observed,” Zetsu hisses softly.

Madara’s eyes flick over to Kabuto who has remained where he was when he summoned Madara, “And this one?” he asks.

“A handy little pawn with knowledge of Edo Tensei,” Zetsu explain with a grin.

“Indeed,” he murmurs. “How many more can you summon?” he asks.

Kabuto frowns, thinking over what he knows of the jutsu, “Including you, ten more maybe,” he theorizes.

“Good, Zetsu, begin preparations to gather what he needs to summon more souls. Then tell me what has happened in the time since I passed,” he orders, hands flicking through a few seals and the remains of his chair rumble and scrap as the stone chunks slide against each other before coming to reform the original throne like chair they once were. Settling himself in his chair, Madara listens intently to the creature informing him of the last few decades.

~*~

Shikaku slides open the door, looking in on their gathered group. Only Jiraiya, Obito and Naruto will be going for this trip: Obito to get them to the Sannin’s lair and into it, Naruto, and Kurama to some extent, and Jiraiya to talk to and convince the man to listen to them.

“The last messenger hawk just flew off. Hokage-sama has given the go ahead to leave with a reminder that if you die, she will be very displeased,” he informs them with a bored look.

“Thanks, Shikaku,” Jiraiya says with a nod. “Hopefully, we should be back by tomorrow at the latest.”

“Try not to give me more work,” Shikaku grumbles and slides the door shut.

Obito looks over to the others. Sakura and Sasuke are remaining with Kakashi. As the only one able to use his Kami dimension, he needed to stay here just in case things went south. “You brats going to be okay without us?” he asks them.

“I still think I should go too,” Sasuke grumbles. “He was my teacher after all.”

“I’m not bringing an Uchiha twerp into his lair. We’re trying to convince him to destroy some of his precious knowledge, not tempt him with the one thing he’s wanted for decades,” Obito grumbles with a glare sent towards the boy.

“I know how he thinks and I convinced him once to turn to our side,” he reminds him.

“The destruction of everything from the Fourth War was a pretty big motivator for him, as was Kabuto and his obsession with Orochimaru. Without those factors, the likelihood of him following the same pattern is too low. The Snake Sannin is above all else, a survivor. With Kurama to show him what’s to come should he keep on this path, it will hopefully be enough to alter his path some,” Sakura says with a sigh. “This is not the same man you remember,” she reminds him as well.

“What she said,” Obito adds. “It’s already decided, brat. Stay here, help organize and coordinate the attack and prepare for shit to hit the fan.”

“We’ll be fine Teme,” Naruto says with a grin.

“Fine,” Sasuke grumbles but steps back towards Sakura and Kakashi.

“Don’t do anything stupid Bakashi,” Obito says, glaring at Kakashi.

“Maa, maa, so negative for someone returned from the dead,” Kakashi says with an eye smile and Obito rolls his eyes as the air warps around the three of them and deposits them into the grey void of Kamui.

“Good so far Toad Sage?” he asks, looking over at Jiraiya whose eyes are wide as he stares around him. “Yes, yes, it’s strange and unnatural. Good?” he asks. Jiraiya reluctantly pulls himself together and nods. “Alright. I’ll land us outside the first base. You take over from there brat. You remember what his chakra feels like?” Obito asks Naruto.

“Kind of hard to forget,” Naruto says dryly.

“Hold on,” he says instead of retorting and the world whirls around them again to deposit them on a wide stretch of grassland, large boulders and lone trees scattered here and there, adding to the desolate feel of the landscape. “The base entrance is about two hundred feet over there, hidden by genjutsu and seals in the boulder. The complex goes pretty far, so you might have to stretch.”

Naruto nods and closes his eyes, stretching his senses out to feel out and down, feeling passed the barriers meant to hide the base from sensors. It seems even Orochimaru, who grew up with and learned beside Jiraiya as he studied the Sage Arts, can’t completely block out natural chakra without completely blocking all chakra.

Naruto opens his eyes, “Not here,” he says with a grimace, trying to forget some of the ‘things’ he sensed down there. The air whirls again and they jump once more, eventually coming out on a more mountainous landscape.

Trees skirt the base of the mountain in front of them and as they land, a deer that had been grazing nearby startles and runs away with a low, moaning cry. Naruto doesn’t even wait for Obito to say anything before he’s sensing out. The wards here are stronger, this is probably one of his main bases, but even then, he eventually manages to sense through them, like water slowly seeping through tightly packed dirt. It was only a matter of time.

“He’s here,” Naruto murmurs, opening his eyes to look over at Jiraiya who nods in understanding. “Two hundred feet that way,” he points north east, “about seventy feet down. He’s got heavy wards and traps activated around the room he’s in.”

“Good, back into Kamui. I’ll either bring you out or put him in. I’ve not decided yet,” Obito informs them and the air warps around the two before they can comment and they’re gone. Flexing his shoulders and neck, Obito lets out a long, slow breath and moves north east for a bit before he begins to sink into the earth, going intangible.

The first sign that he’s in is a tunnel opening up suddenly before him. Stopping for a moment to feel out, he can’t sense anyone around which helps in their plans to go undetected as long as possible. On the other side of the dampening barriers, he can feel it now, the caustic edge of Orochimaru’s chakra and killing intent seeping out of part of the base to his right and down.

Angling better, he goes intangible again, going down two more levels before he stops again. He’s on the same level as the Sannin and he can feel what Naruto meant, the hum and buzz of wards and traps activated to kill anyone trying to get in uninvited. It’s a good thing he’s got an all access pass.

Shifting forward on silent feet, he follows the honed edge of killing intent deeper still, side stepping hidden traps and alarm seals. This must be his main lab if this much security is in just the hall. Two large double doors greet him, twisting serpents carved across it. It takes a moment to realize that the illusion of movement the carving makes is also real, snakes shifting through the shadowed crevices, their eyes glinting in the low light.

Ignoring them, he lets himself go intangible again and slips into the floor beneath his feet before moving forward. He comes up inside the dim, thrumming confines of the Sannin’s inner sanctum. Honestly, he was expecting it to be more…blood spattered horror room. This orderly, almost sterile work place is a bit jarring. On the far end of the room, cylindrical tubes filled with strange liquid take up a lot of space and he can make out patterns in the liquid.

The killing intent intensifies as he goes solid again, his presence finally registering to the Sannin’s senses and the man in question turns slowly from where he was bent over something to examine it. The head tilts slightly even as his bright gold eyes seem to glow in the low light.

“So you’re the pawn that creature is using,” he murmurs, though the abrasive feel of the man against his skin increases even more. “Tell me why I shouldn’t just strike you down now?” he asks with a faint hiss to his words.

“I’m not the one here to speak with you,” he says simply and the air whirls around the Sannin and he vanishes from his lab. Taking a breath to brace for a possible fight on the other side, he lets Kamui whirl around him again slips to the other side.

~*~

When the air finally warps, Jiraiya’s seated on one of the pillars, waiting. Honestly, he should have expected a pissed off Orochimaru being deposited nearly in his lap, the man lashing out with a scything gale of wind the moment he registers Jiraiya’s presence. “Really, Jiraiya, this is getting quite old. How much longer will you chase my shadow? Will you die trying to get to me?” Orochimaru hisses in anger as the Toad Sage rolls out of the way of the cutting wind.

“Yeah, well, a lot of shit has happened in the last few months and what I need to talk to you about is more important than just running you to ground,” he gets out, rolling to his feet as the air warps again and Obito appears.

“Actually, the one who you should listen to is me, Snake, unless you want to be skinned right here, right now,” Kurama growls out as his voice becomes an echoing rumble in the infinite nothingness of Kamui. Orochimaru’s eyes flick up to see the Kyuubi perched like a huge menacing gargoyle on one of the higher pillars, Naruto a small golden beacon at his feet.

“Kyuubi no Kitsune,” Orochimaru murmurs, one fine brow arching in amusement. “Should I be afraid of a child’s pet?” he asks snidely, eyes narrowing.

“You have two options before you, Sannin: right or left…death or a better option. You are outnumbered and out classed here and you won’t leave here alive if you press us. What will it be? Will you listen?” Kurama asks.

Orochimaru turns to send a mocking glare towards Jiraiya, “And what do you think I should do, Jiraiya? Should I be a good little goon and listen to them?” he asks with a hiss.

“For once in your life, shut up and put your ego aside, teme,” Jiraiya growls out, eyes narrowed. “This…it’s insane, but it’s the truth,” he grits out.

Orochimaru sniffs, but his posture shifts, losing some of its tension, though he doesn’t relax fully. “Fine, I’m listening. Regale me with whatever tale you came to spread,” he snaps.

With a bounding leap, Kurama jumps from one pillar to the next; coming down until he jumps a gap to the pillar Orochimaru stands on. Even at a fraction of his size, the fox still towers over Orochimaru’s lithe frame by a solid three feet at the shoulder. The Snake Sannin tenses to move but Kurama is faster, rushing forward to tackle the shinobi to the ground. A flare of bright red chakra and they both grow still as Kurama passes on whatever he deems the Sannin needs to know to convince him of the truth of their travels back in time.

Time passes weirdly in Kamui and it feels like hours have passed when only minutes have gone by when Kurama steps back, removing himself from Orochimaru’s prone form.

With a hiss, the man sits up, but he doesn’t lash out. Calculating eyes glance from one to the next until they settle one Jiraiya with an arched brow. “Don’t take that tone with me, you ass. I couldn’t have come up with this. No one could have come up with this.”

“I take it you want something from me to have gone through all this trouble of showing me these…possible events,” he murmurs and they can see the gears turning in his head over the implications of time travel.

“You need to destroy your work on Edo Tensei and anything connected to it before they get their hands on it,” Kurama growls.

Orochimaru huffs humorlessly, “If I were to follow your command, I would have to kill myself and my assistant Kabuto.”

“Where is Kabuto?” Obito asks, speaking up finally.

“Currently working for Akatsuki as their spy, or so they think,” he admits with a smirk. “Sasori thinks he can get such a paltry jutsu like that passed me.”

“You’re absolutely sure he knows Edo Tensei and he’s still with Akatsuki?” Obito demands.

I sent a message a few days back to inform him of my moving bases soon and last I heard from him, he was still in Taki seeking the identity of their Jinchuuriki,” he murmurs, eyeing Kurama who lets out a low growl. “Don’t look at me, beast. I care not for your kind. I’ve nothing to learn from you at the moment.”

Obito growls, rubbing at his face and then the air whirls around all of them and they land back in Orochimaru’s lab. “We need to find Kabuto soon rather than later. If Zetsu gets its hands on him…,” he trails off.

“What’s the worst case scenario?” Jiraiya asks lowly.

“Worst: Madara is brought back and we have to deal with him and his fuckin army of clones. If history repeats and he realizes just what kind of power Zetsu possesses, we will face the very thing we’ve been fighting to stop,” Obito lays out for them.

“It won’t be exactly like it was,” Kurama points out.

Naruto nods, “He won’t have the Rinnegan and without Kabuto perfecting the Edo Tensei, he won’t be as powerful. Plus, he doesn’t have any of the tailed beasts to add to his power as the Juubi Jinchuuriki,” Naruto adds.

“He’ll still be effectively immortal with Edo Tensei, but I see your point,” Obito agrees. He turns to look at Orochimaru with a glare, “You’ve seen what that jutsu can cause, the damage it could unleash. Destroy all of it or I will be back to end you once and for all and this time there won’t be any way to slither your way out,” he threatens the man.

Orochimaru sniffs disdainfully but even then, there is a slight hesitation in his eyes. Golden irises glance towards Jiraiya, “Fine. Jiraiya will stay to confirm I have done as you asked.”

Obito glances at the Toad Sage and he nods in acceptance. “Fine,” he bites out. “Naruto,” he snaps and the boy steps closer, Kurama fading back into him as the air warps once more and they’re gone.

Chapter Text

Crescendo: verb; increase in loudness or intensity.

A gloved hand runs slowly over the map laid before them, noting the various countries drawn across its surface. “Tell me, what are the current locations of the various Jinchuuriki?” Madara asks, gaze flicking up to Zetsu.

Zetsu motions to Kabuto and the man steps up, markers in his hands and begins to lay them out. “The Ichibi is in Suna currently and hasn’t left in a while. Our spies say he spends his days training,” he says, laying the first marker down. “The Nibi and the Hachibi are still in Kumo, though they have gone to ground, they have not left Lightning. We know who they are but A keeps their location secret and though B, the Hachibi Jinchuuriki, occasional comes to Kumogakure to meet with his brother, Yugito, the Nibi, hasn’t been seen in a few months. Our spies are working on using B to lead us to her.”

He moves to Kiri next, setting down two markers, “Yagura, the Sanbi Jinchuuriki and Utakata, the Rokubi Jinchuuriki, are still in Kiri and have been working closely with the new Mizukage, Terumi Mei. Somehow within the last decade, the Sanbi Jinchuuriki was able to throw off the genjutsu controlling him. We believe Ao, one of the Mizukage’s guards who possesses a stolen Byakugan, was the cause of this,” he explains.

“Iwa’s two Jinchuuriki, the Yonbi and Gobi,” he sets two markers on Iwa, “left Iwa some decades ago. They travel frequently and have remained close to watch each other’s backs, though only within the last decade as well. We think someone tipped them off. Our last known intelligence has two Iwa missing nin with their descriptions outside Taki’s village. We think they are keeping an eye on Taki’s Jinchuuriki, the Nanabi, whom we just recently learned the identity of. A girl child named Fuu. Sasori should have her full description by now,” he adds, moving the two markers next to Taki and adds a third.

“And the Kyuubi?” he asks, gaze shifting to the point where Konoha is located on the map.

“He is still within the village. There have been a few forays outside the village with his team but nothing we haven’t accounted for. He is being closely watched and it shouldn’t be hard to collect him,” Kabuto assures.

“What of our people?” he asks and Zetsu hisses in frustration.

“We are down a major chunk with Nagato and Konan’s defection,” Kabuto admits with a frown. “Kisame and Jūzō are currently hanging close to Kiri. Their knowledge of the village will make infiltrating and taking the Jinchuuriki much easier than if we were to send our other members. Deidara is currently on the border between Ame and Suna and can be sent for the Ichibi easily,” Kabuto continues.

“Kakuzu and Hidan are hidden in one of our bases just inside the border of Lightning. They would be the best to take on the Nibi and Hachibi. Sasori is currently closest to the three here in Taki but he would be ineffective to take on all three, especially the adult Jinchuuriki,” Kabuto adds, motioning to Taki.

“As for the Kyuubi, we don’t have anyone nearby, though Obito has been keeping a periodic eye on the village to ensure nothing is happening,” Kabuto finishes.

“Good. Send word to them. Remain ready and be prepared to move out quickly on my signal. They are expecting us to take them one at a time. A coordinated attack all at once will take them by surprise,” Madara murmurs, settling back against his chair.

“Without the Rinnegan, we can’t hope to extract and seal the tailed beasts,” Zetsu whines, “nor will we be able to execute the Moon’s Eye Plan.”

“Then find me my eyes,” Madara orders, gaze drilling into Zetsu, “Or are you telling me you’ve failed?” he asks.

Zetsu bristles, “If anyone should be blamed for failure it is that puppet of yours. He has let too many things go and now the plan has fallen to pieces,” it grumbles.

“I will speak with him once he returns,” Madara murmurs with a smirk. “My orders still stand though. Find the traitors and send my commands to make ready. Once I have the Rinnegan in hand, our plan will start at once.”

~*~

They all look up as the door opens and Shizune comes in clutching something in her hand. She quickly moves to Tsunade and give it to her. Arching a brow, Tsunade breaks the wax seal and quickly reads over the message.

“Suna is in place. The Kazekage’s people say they only sense one person in the base but they have been briefed on the members of Akatsuki and are prepared to deal with any of them,” she informs the group.

Obito nods, setting down a mark on their map. “Iwa has its two bases covered, and the Kiri has the two amongst its islands and the one on Uzushio covered as well. What of Kumo?” he asks Shizune.

Shizune nods, “Shikaku just got word from A that his people are in place as well and have located at least two members in one of the bases near the border. He’s ready to go once everyone is in place.”

“So at least three of the members accounted for,” Kakashi says easily.

“We knew it would be impossible to locate them all. Akatsuki is too few and is skilled at moving around unseen unless they want to. I doubt they will remain hidden much longer. Someone will find them eventually. Which just leaves the Mountain’s Graveyard,” Obito mutters.

“How likely is Zetsu to be there?” Tsunade asks.

Obito shrugs, “Highly, but there have been times it has gone off on its own to do plans it felt I wasn’t suited for. It is still the likeliest place it will be currently and even if we can’t take it out now, we can still take out the Demonic Statue. That is our main priority.”

A tap at the door has them pausing and Tsunade calls out, “Enter.” It opens to reveal Inoichi.

“Hokage-sama, sorry to interrupt your planning. We believe we’ve found two more members,” he informs them.

“Where?” she asks.

“Here,” he says, stepping closer to the map and pointing to the coast line near where Fire borders Hot Springs. Directly east is Kiri. “A couple of our shinobi stayed in this small town on their way back from a mission and spotted the distinctive cloaks they wear. Our forces have been briefed to send a message as soon as anyone is spotted and it was just sent in. When they asked around discreetly, it seems they’ve been staying in town for the last few days.”

“Waiting for orders, more than likely,” Obito murmurs. “Did they give descriptions?” he asks.

Inoichi shakes his head, “They couldn’t see their faces but both carried large wrapped swords,” he says.

Obito huffs, “Kisame and Jūzō,” he mutters.

“Jūzō?” Naruto asks, frowning. “I don’t remember him.”

“You wouldn’t. Biwa Jūzō was a member of the Seven Swordsmen like Kisame and one of the earlier members of Akatsuki and he died facing the Mizukage. This was a year or two after the Uchiha Massacre and he was partnered with Itachi in that time. He survived that encounter this time around but as I recall his bitching, he lost Kubikiribōchō in the battle. Zabuza would take up that blade after him,” Obito informs them.

“Who better to infiltrate Kiri than two of its missing nin,” Kakashi murmurs.

“Inform the Mizukage. We’ll coordinate our people with hers to take them down,” Tsunade informs him and the man nod, quickly leaving to do as ordered. “Everyone is nearly in place. Will you five be okay with infiltrating the main base?” she asks.

“Between Bakashi and I, we can get in and out without a problem and with the brats, we’ll have plenty of power should a fight ensue,” he assures her.

“We’ll still be sending Naruto into the lion’s den. If they get their hands on him, even without the Rinnegan, they can do a lot of damage if they manage to take control or extract Kurama into a new host,” Tsunade murmurs, eyes worried.

“We’ll protect them,” Kakashi assures, snapping his book closed and tucking it away.

“How soon will everyone be in place?” Obito asks, changing the subject.

“Once Inoichi gets back from speaking with the Mizukage, I’ll organize shinobi to send to the town on the border. The Kage and other village heads agreed to midday on the fifth day to make sure everyone is in place. They should arrive by then to take on the two members there. Kurama, inform your siblings of the plan as well and the time. I don’t want anyone being taken by surprise,” she orders and Naruto’s eyes flash red as the Kyuubi acknowledges her words but doesn’t speak up. She nods, “Rest up everyone. We end this tomorrow.” With her heels snapping against the floor, she marches out of the room to head to her office.

~*~

The silence of Kamui is heavy as the five of them stand atop one of the pillars. As he glances from one face to the next, it feels almost like déjà vu, a reflection of a future that they plan to stop today. Already, Inoichi has heard word back from the other leaders of the go ahead, the sensor’s machine allowing him to communicate across the distance.

“Well, this is it,” Sakura murmurs glancing around at them.

“It’s hard to believe this plan actually worked,” Sasuke mutters.

Naruto grins, “What are you talking about, teme? Of course it worked. We came back and now we’re making sure it will never happen again.”

“We haven’t won yet,” Obito snaps, frowning at the three. “Not until the last pieces are destroyed.”

“Then let’s get going,” Kakashi says easily, though they can all see tension in his frame, in all their frames.

“I’ll go first and infiltrate the Mountain’s Graveyard. Don’t come out until I signal you, Bakashi,” he warns, adjusting the Akatsuki cloak to hang easier and picks up the spiral mask from the ground. “If something’s wrong, I’ll sign for trouble. Hopefully, we can take Zetsu by surprise and end this quickly but be ready for anything. We still don’t know of Kabuto’s whereabouts, despite Orochimaru eradicating his work and until we know for sure where he is, I’m not discounting that he might already have been taken. Especially after that Snake kept the information from Zetsu.”

“You think Madara might have already been brought back?” Kakashi asks, grey eye serious.

Obito shrugs, “I can’t say for sure, but it’s what I’d do, had I still been…you know,” he mutters, waving the mask a little. “Even at reduced strength, Madara will be a terrifying force on the battlefield and he was cunning enough to create this plan and execute it. A mind honed on the battlefields of the Warring Clans Era is not one to be trifled with. Zetsu would bring him back, if only to figure out the next step in the plan, though I doubt they know of the Rinnegan’s destruction yet,” he explains with a grimace, face pinched and the scars on his face growing heavier.

“We’ll be ready then, just in case,” Kurama growls, fur bristling and Naruto pats his leg, though he can’t reach up much further than the Kyuubi’s knee.

“Alright, sit tight. I’m not sure how long it will take and time is strange here, so don’t try to use it to tell how long it’s been,” he warns and they nod before the air whirls around him and he opens his eyes to the dark shadows of his room.

Shifting, he places the mask back onto his face, grimacing at the feel of the cool porcelain against his skin. It makes his skin crawl, the reminder of what he once was and only the need for deception is keeping him from throwing it against the wall and shattering it.

Taking a steadying breath, he sinks into that dark core that never truly went away, even in the middle of an endless war. He broke the day Rin died, Madara and Zetsu twisting that part of him, pulling out his rage and hatred to use for their plans. Kakashi and the others helped scab it over but it never truly left him and now he will use it for something good for once.

Feeling his old persona settle around him, he feels out, sensing the base and freezes, heart rabbiting in his chest as a chakra signature he hasn’t felt in years glows in his senses. “Shit,” he grits out quietly. It looks like his hunch was right.

He can’t go back into Kamui, not without alerting Madara to his turn of heart. A sensor himself, he doubts Madara is unaware of his presence, probably felt his arrival. Any deviation from the normal will give up their plans. Focusing on his hand, he hides it in the folds of his sleeve and makes it intangible, signing to the others in their own personal hand signs of Madara’s presence and then he lets it go and steps out of his room.

The tunnel is dark as usual and he makes for the main cavern where he can feel Madara waiting. Light shines through the exit ahead and as he exits the tunnel, he slowly examines the cavern, in no hurry. Why would he be, he has nothing to be anxious about. His gaze flicks over to Zetsu, tucked into a corner of the cavern, going over a map. Beside him, Kabuto is murmuring something, light reflecting off the lenses of his glasses and even from this distance, he can make out the distinctive grey veins threading across his skin. Two for two, he hates his luck sometimes.

His gaze flicks up to the Demonic Statue and even before he all this, the thing always creeped him out, looking nightmarish and not natural. Following down the statue, it finally lands on the seated figure, like an emperor on their throne. The red of the Sharingan stand out starkly against the grey sclera of his eyes and the distinctive cracks across his face is just as familiar.

“So, the prodigal son returns at last,” he murmurs with a smirk.

“I’m not your son,” he growls back, “nor would I want to be. Zetsu, why have you summoned him back now? We are not ready,” he demands.

Zetsu sneers at him, moving closer, “The plan has crumbled under your watch and we required a firm hand to guide us back onto the correct course to fix your mistakes. Thus it was deemed necessary to bring him back early, though it doesn’t change our plans too much,” it says with a condescending lilt to its words, head tilting just so.

“Then you should have informed me of your plans so I could be here,” he growls.

“We tried to locate you but you have been most difficult to locate, always holed up in that dimension of yours. With no way to contact you, we went ahead with our plan,” it says with a shrug, turning back to Kabuto with a dismissive look.

“Then what is the plan since I have been deemed unfit?” he demands, looking at Madara.

“Patience, Obito, I will explain in time. Tell me what have you been doing in these…trying times?” Madara asks with a sharp look.

“Searching for Nagato and Konan,” he growls out. “We can’t actually complete the plan without the Rinnegan and any plans made before we have them can’t be done.”

“True, but it is still good to be prepared for the future, as I taught you. Plan far enough ahead that nothing is a surprise when things change,” he reminds him.

“I know,” he growls back. He lets his gaze flick over to Zetsu and then back to Madara. “I think we have a mole,” he informs him.

“Explain,” Madara orders.

“At first I thought it was just a coincidence, but somehow, the Jinchuuriki found out about our hunt for them. Then from there the villages became aware and it spiraled from there. Someone helped Yagura shake my genjutsu on him and the Sanbi when for years it held without wavering once. The Kage held a Summit and Zetsu assured me his clones could get in undetected and start a war to distract them. Not only did they find the infiltrating clones, they destroyed them and found a way to add something to their barriers that prevents them from shifting their forms and preventing infiltration into the villages. So either he lied about their undetectable nature…,” he trails off.

“Or someone in the know informed them ahead of time and gave them the means to stop them,” Madara finishes with a frown.

“Exactly and now, not only have Nagato and Konan turned traitor, they’ve taken the one tool we need to make your plan into reality. I think they knew what you planned, at least in part and decided to have no part in it. It was hard enough to convince them to join us, but now, they will never trust us and with the Rinnegan, they are going to be hard to take down without destroying the eyes in the process,” Obito growls, pacing.

“Whom do you suspect?” he asks, eyes flicking over to him and he pauses his pacing.

“At first I suspected Sasori. The man works with traitors, is a traitor himself. I wouldn’t put it past him to sell our information but even he could not have guessed this much of the plan,” Obito explains. “Then I thought of that snake Orochimaru, but he has no reason to help the villages against us, even if he knows more than he lets on. As for the others, they are too often away from here and have only been fed bits and pieces of the plan. They wouldn’t know unless they found out by accident,” he huffs.

“What about the traitors?” Madara demands while standing up to pace in front of the statue.

“I considered it and it is still possible that they figured out enough of the plan to see where it was leading. I’m not sure though. I spoke with them not two weeks before and they were all for the plan. So either they are very good actors, enough to fool even me or they only recently discovered the true plan,” Obito says, laying out his thoughts.

“Well then, that leaves only a few options, doesn’t it,” Madara murmurs, stilling. “Either you or Zetsu has turned against me, as I have been dead until quite recently. So how do we decide this?” he murmurs.

Obito remains where he is, keeping any tension out of his frame as Zetsu steps closer, “I have always done as my master bids,” it reminds him with a sneer, “Never questioning, always loyal.”

“True, but don’t think I’m not unaware that you have your own little schemes,” Madara reminds him and Zetsu flashes a grin up at him. “So long as they don’t interfere with the plan, I won’t kill you.”

“You think I’m unloyal? That I haven’t dedicated my life to this plan? I have done everything asked of me and more. How much more loyalty must I show before I’m no longer questioned?” he demands, glaring at Zetsu.

“True, you have been quite the loyal little pet,” Madara murmurs with a grin. “That girl’s death was the tipping point where you finally saw the truth.”

“Do not talk about Rin!” he snarls.

“You are definitely Uchiha,” Madara laughs. “You remind me of myself…after Izuna,” he murmurs, looking away for a moment. “If neither of you is the traitor, then there is a possible third option,” he says.

Obito shifts, “And that would be?”

“Someone else has found out things they shouldn’t have been able to,” he says simply. “Unfortunately, nothing truly remains secret and we’ve left just enough bread crumbs in our work to leave enough of a trail for someone to figure some things out and then make a leap. I doubt I’m the only one to have read the Uchiha tablet and figured out what I plan.”

“Then what should we do?” Obito asks. “There’s no way to know who this unknown person is.”

“Well, there is one way to go about this,” Madara says conversationally, turning away.

“What would you have us do?” Zetsu asks.

In a burst of speed, Madara lungs, twisting through the air and before Obito can pull away, a blade sinks home into his chest and for a moment, déjà vu crashes over him to that last desperate fight before reality reasserts itself and he finds himself hurtling through the air and pinned to the wall, Madara’s blade still in his chest.

“We kill the traitor,” Madara says with a grin. “Did you think I wouldn’t notice the absence of my seal? That I wouldn’t notice your obvious manipulations? Who do you think taught you boy?” he growls lowly.

Letting out a gasp of breath, he goes intangible and sinks into the wall, moving away from the cavern. The rock around him shudders, cracking and crumbling as Madara slams against it but he moves further away until he stumbles into another tunnel.

With a hiss, he ducks as Zetsu springs at him and a plume of fire leaves him, pushing the creature away before the wall near him bursts inward and with a curse, he focuses on warping out of there, ignoring the blade sinking into his side as he falls into Kamui by himself.

“Obito!” someone shouts as he gasps on his hands and knees, blood and ichor from the clone material drips onto the pillar, a bright splash of color against the grey material. Green glowing hands suddenly appear in his line of sight and Sakura’s face swims into focus as she starts to heal him.

“What happened?” Kakashi demands, face pinched.

Coughing, he sits up and let’s Sakura get to work. “Zetsu has control of Kabuto and raised Madara. I don’t know what they plan but they’re planning something. He knew my seal was removed. Fuck,” he hisses as Sakura closes the gut wound.

“What’s the plan then? Go in and kill him?” Sasuke asks.

“No, we can’t kill him, not while he’s immortal with Edo Tensei. We need to take out the statue. Naruto, how’s your Bijuudama in this timeline?” he asks.

Naruto grins, “Just as strong as before,” he assures.

“Good, call it up and when I say release, I’ll teleport it into the cavern, right into the statue. He can’t move it out of there without the Rinnegan. That was our main priority. Anything else comes after,” he says shortly.

“There, all good,” Sakura says with a pat to his chest.

Nodding his thanks, he stands stiffly and looks over to Naruto. With a grin, Naruto closes his eyes and the feeling of the Kyuubi intensifies until, like a burning beacon, the fox’s chakra envelops Naruto. Red eyes open and he nods, hands lifting as he begins to form the bijuudama. “How big do you want it?” he calls over the loud hum of the spinning chakra.

“Big enough to turn that mountain into a crater,” he growls and Naruto nods, face going grim and expanding it bigger and bigger.

“Ready,” he calls, straining to keep the dense chakra held up and contained into a tight sphere.

“Go,” Obito orders and Naruto throws it and Obito focuses on it, narrowing his focus until, with a warp, the ball disappears.

“Come on,” he orders and the air around them warps and they land with a thump on the shores of Lightning across the water from the peninsula that the Mountain’s Graveyard is on. Even from this distance, the explosion is visible, the ground shaking beneath their feet.

“You think that killed him?” Kakashi asks conversationally but what little of his face is visible is pale at the sheer destruction they just wrought.

“For the moment but he won’t remain that way for long and as for Zetsu, we can only hope,” Obito growls.

Sakura lets out a gasp, eyes going wide. “Kabuto, that blast would have killed him,” she murmurs.

“Which means we have no way of ending the Edo Tensei on Madara,” Sasuke mutters, finishing her thought with a sigh.

“Then we’ll seal him away,” Obito growls out in frustration. Taking a breath, he calms himself down with force and pulls the mask off. With a growl, he chucks it against a nearby boulder and it shatters with the force of the blow. Yanking off the cloak, he tosses it and aims a Katon at it, incinerating the cloth. “We need to head back and report in.”

With nods, they gather close and the air around them warps as they head back to Konoha.

Chapter Text

Climax: noun; the most intense, exciting, or important point of something; a culmination or apex.

The Hokage Tower is chaotic, shinobi rushing back and forth with scrolls and messages. In the center of it, Shikaku stands, directing the madness with lazy gestures and sharp commands. He doesn’t even look surprised to see them back so soon. “She’s with Inoichi and his machine,” he informs them and they nod, trooping out of the building and heading for T&I where Inoichi keeps his amplification machine.

Tsunade is seated at a desk, reading through a stack of reports as Inoichi communicates with distant people. She arches a brow as they enter, “Back so soon?”

“There were…complications,” Obito growls out in annoyance.

“These complications wouldn’t have anything to do with that explosion that we could see from here and that made the ground tremble, would it?” she asks with an arched brow.

“Information from Suna has come in. They’ve engaged their target: Iwa’s missing nin Deidara. They managed to subdue him with their puppets but he set off some sort of kamikaze explosion. They pulled back in time though there were a few casualties from the blast who weren’t fast enough. The entire base has been destroyed and all that’s left is a crater,” Inoichi informs them from the other side of the room.

An aid beside him quickly jots down his words and then brings them to Tsunade to add to her stack of reports. “How is everything going here?” Kakashi asks.

“The two bases here in Konoha have been scoured and secured. We’ve sent in teams to find anything of worth that we can use. Once it has been cleared, they’ll collapse them both. We heard from Iwa’s team leaders that they have their bases secured and are doing so as well. Tani, Kusa and Ishi have also reported in that they’ve taken out their bases and found no one inside. There’s still no word from Ame, but they’re in a bit of disarray with the absence of their leaders, but last we heard they were in route. Yu and Shimo are still in the middle of clearing their bases. Tsuki has secured their bases as well and are asking what caused that explosion. We’re still waiting to hear back from A and Terumi about their bases,” Tsunade says with a grim look of satisfaction.

“What about Jūzō and Kisame?” Obito asks.

“We’ve not heard anything yet, but Terumi assured she would send someone who could take on Kisame,” Tsunade informs them.

“She sent Yagura,” Kurama informs them with a sharp grin.

“Ironic and fitting,” Kakashi murmurs.

“I’m getting word from the Raikage. They’ve secured one of the bases. They’re still fighting the two Akatsuki members in the border base. It seems they’re having a bit of trouble killing them,” he says.

“You did tell them about Hidan and Kakuzu’s abilities, right?” Obito asks.

“They’re aware, but knowing about an opponent’s abilities doesn’t mean killing them is easy. They were classified as S-rank for a reason,” she says.

“The Mizukage is reporting in. They finished securing the base on Uzushio and have all of them secure,” Inoichi says and Tsunade sighs in relief.

“Isobu says they have taken out Kisame and Jūzō,” Kurama informs them.

“So that’s three of Akatsuki’s members. Good, now…tell me what the hell happened,” Tsunade barks out, glaring at their group.

“We were too late. Zetsu had already gotten ahold of Kabuto and used his knowledge of Edo Tensei to resurrect Madara. He was there when I teleported into the base. I tried to figure out their plan, but unfortunately Madara seemed to have already guessed my changed loyalties. I managed to escape and warped one of Naruto and Kurama’s Bijuudama into the base, destroying the Demonic Statue. Unfortunately, Kabuto was also taken out in the blast more than likely which means we have no way to end his Edo Tensei,” Obito grumbles, rubbing at his face.

“What of Zetsu?” she asks with a pinched look.

“Honestly, I have no idea. It’s possible the blast killed it but Zetsu is not something natural and it is conceivable that it managed to survive a Bijuudama,” Obito admits.

“Most if not all of the clones beneath the base should have been destroyed in the blast,” Sasuke points out. “But once Madara reforms, he’ll more than likely be heading our way,” he adds grimly.

“How likely?” Tsunade demands.

The ground shakes before any of them can answer, knocking people off their feet. “Inoichi, what the hell was that?” Tsunade snaps, righting herself using her desk.

“Shikaku’s heading up high to give me a visual,” he says with a frown and they wait, “Something’s attacked the north eastern wall,” he reports. “There’s too much smoke to make out anything from this distance.”

“Get our people organized and start civilian evacuations,” she snaps and he nods, already relaying the orders to Shikaku. She turns to them, “What are the odds he could have reached us here that fast?” she asks with a harsh look.

“This is Madara we’re talking about. Anything is possible,” Obito says and the air warps around him to pull him into Kamui.

Tsunade turns to the others, “Figure out what or who is attacking and take them out. Try to draw them away from the village if possible, but I give you permission to use full force,” she orders and they nod, rushing out of the room and up the stairs. “Inoichi, send word to the other Kage and village heads. We’re under attack by Akatsuki more than likely and to be on alert in case their villages are also attacked.”

“Yes, Hokage-sama,” he answers.

~*~

The air is choked with smoke as he appears on top of a building facing to the north. The smoke billows and shifts but he can see it brushing against a large shape hidden in its concealing depths. Obito clinches his fist, realizing just what he’s seeing. Near the ground, where the smoke is coming from, black flames crackle and burn everything in their way.

He feels a sudden spike in pressure on him and moves, jumping aside as more black flames erupt where he just was and the smoke parts to reveal a pointed shoulder before a wing flaps, blowing away smoke and revealing the hulking figure of Susanoo. Even from this distance, he can see Madara in its center, laughing wildly as the tengu sweeps out its blade to cut through a nearby tower, the structure toppling with a crash as yells and screams sound out.

The flames behind him suddenly reduce and disappear and Obito looks up to see two dark haired figures come towards him across the roof tops. Itachi and Shisui nod silently at him, looking up towards Madara. “We’ve got three Mangekyō between us. Think we can take him on?” he asks with a grimace of a grin, the scars on his face pulling harshly.

“Six with Fugaku, Kakashi and Sasuke,” Shisui adds.

“No, Sasuke needs to stay out of this,” Itachi says sharply.

“You can’t protect him forever. If he chooses to use the Mangekyō, it’s his choice,” Obito reminds him.

“I’m not having him go blind, not if I can help it,” Itachi says, lips thinning. He looks to Shisui and the older Uchiha sighs but nods.

“We need to draw him away from the village then. Think you can keep his attention for a bit? We can’t end the Edo Tensei so we need time to figure out how to seal him away for good,” Obito says.

“Yeah, I think we can hold him for a bit,” Shisui mutters. The two Uchiha bound forward and as they reach the village wall, chakra blooms around them as two more Susanoo appear, one green, the other red and charge the blue winged tengu Madara had brought forth. Their clash is loud, the blow causing a gale to scream past as it blows even more smoke away, revealing the swath of black flames across the section of village.

Leaving the fight to them for the moment, he heads towards the bright beacon that is Naruto, already glowing with the Kyuubi’s chakra, the others being carried along inside Kurama’s manifested chakra form. Jumping up, he allows the chakra to lash out and pull him in until he’s close to them.

“Madara must have flown here on Susanoo’s wings,” he says in frustration.

“We’ve got bigger problems as well,” Naruto shouts over another ringing clash from the three Susanoo as Itachi and Shisui manage to draw Madara further away from Konoha’s wall. “I can feel a large mass of the Zetsu clones heading our way. It seems we didn’t destroy them all. We’ve got a few minutes before they get here.”

“Any idea on how we can seal that bastard away?” Sasuke asks, eyes tracking over the fight happening in the distance.

“The only way I can think of is the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, like the Sandaime used,” Kakashi says grimly. “It’s a death sentence for whoever does it and they’ll need to be strong enough to subdue Madara long enough to pull his soul out and seal it away.”

“No, there needs to be another way to seal him,” Naruto shouts, moving closer towards the fight.

“Well, we’ll need to figure something out soon. They’re here,” Sakura shouts as the ground surges and white clones pour out into the streets of Konoha. “We’ll help with this. Go help Itachi and Shisui,” she adds before she and Sasuke jump down out of Kurama, moving fluidly together as Naruto turns to aim towards the fight currently destroying the forests surrounding Konoha.

As they’re nearing the wall, something catches his eye and he looks towards Naruto and Kakashi, “Keep going. I need to check something out.” They nod and he warps away, appearing on the shattered remains of a building. Two figures turn to face him.

“You have horrible timing, Toad Sage,” Obito growls, glaring at the cloaked figure next to him. “You better hope Tsunade doesn’t know you’re here, or she’ll break ever bone in your body, Snake,” he adds to Orochimaru as he pulls the hood of his cloak back.

Orochimaru sniffs disdainfully but doesn’t deny his words. “I take it Kabuto is dead then?” he asks with an annoyed hiss.

“If you’re going to throw a hissy fit for killing him then know that there was no way to save him. We never found a way to reverse the hold Zetsu and later Madara could place on people. Only they could release it. His death meant that he couldn’t summon any others,” Obito growls.

Golden eyes narrow but Orochimaru remains surprisingly calm at his words. “His death means nothing to me, puppet. Do not expect me to mourn him,” he hisses. “I simply came to offer my help against this monster.” He pulls out four scrolls from a pouch. “This is the last of me research on Edo Tensei. With it, I can summon four souls back for you. I think you know which I speak of.”

“They’re sealed within the Shinigami. You can’t bring them back anymore,” Obito snaps.

“Hmm, did you think the Uzumaki who created the Dead Demon Seal never created a means to undo it?” he asks with a faint smirk and pulls out an old porcelain mask shaped as a grimacing face with horns. “I’ll need a little assistance but I can indeed bring them back as I saw in the memories.”

Obito looks at Jiraiya who shrugs. “Who better than Hashirama to stop Madara long enough so we can seal him away? I for one won’t turn Sensei’s help away either.”

Obito glances back towards the fight and watches as Madara knocks the Kyuubi back with a massive punch. One of the Susanoo is gone, the green one disappeared and he wonders briefly what happened with Shisui before he focuses back on this.

“Fine, do it. Do you have bodies?” he asks.

“I do. A gift from our dear Zetsu,” Orochimaru answers handing him another scroll. “Please restrain them while I kill myself,” Orochimaru says with a smirk.

Jiraiya rolls his eyes, “Stop being creepy, idiot,” he grumbles and moves to help Obito set up the bound Zetsu clones, five in total.

“We’ll need to be fast about this,” Orochimaru warns before he slips the mask on. His hands blur in front of him as chakra builds. The air shimmers behind him, though neither of them can see it, they can guess what has appeared behind the Snake Sannin. With a grimace, Orochimaru smoothly pulls out a tanto from behind his back and slashes across his gut, blood and viscera spilling out across the ground.

Pulling in a shuddering breath, Orochimaru’s hands quickly move through seals again and with a ringing clap, a seal blooms around him and moves to encircle the four bound clones, the scroll containing the DNA of the ones to be summoned back reacting to the seal.

Movement nearby has him shifting and throwing a barrage of shuriken as three clones leap from the ground towards them to stop the ritual and they’re shredded by the blades. With a hiss, Orochimaru sheds his form and leaps to the clone bound near Jiraiya’s feet and takes it over as the four bodies begin to change until at last, the stop moving.

“This again?” Tobirama says with a frown, glancing over towards Orochimaru as he stands up.

“Hokage-sama, we don’t have time to explain much. Madara has been summoned back with Edo Tensei like you have and is attacking the village. We could really use your help right now,” Jiraiya says before Orochimaru can say anything.

To prove his point, the ground shakes, a gust of wind from an attack gusting passed them. Tobirama frowns even harder, “This is somehow your fault brother. Don’t deny it,” he grumbles and Hashirama sighs dramatically.

“Don’t be so mean, Tobi. He’s just lost,” Hashirama tries.

“No offense, Shodaime, but now is not the time to be defending him. You can try and rehabilitate him after you’ve stopped his rampage,” Jiraiya snaps in annoyance as the ground shakes again.

“Yes, let us make haste,” Hiruzen agrees.

As they rush towards the fight, they can hear Hashirama ask just who Minato is before their conversation is drowned out by the chaos of noise around them. Jiraiya snaps his hand out and grips Orochimaru’s arm before he can slink away. “Don’t even think about it, teme. You’re coming with me to help Hime.”

“I would prefer to not have to change a new body again so soon,” Orochimaru hisses with a glare.

“Too bad. Now come on,” Jiraiya orders and with a hiss, Orochimaru actually follows as they head towards where Tsunade is shouting orders even as she punches her way through clones. Shaking his head, Obito lets Kamui warp him towards the battlefield and watches as Madara completely loses all interest in anyone else once Hashirama appears on the field.

Kakashi lands next to him, bleeding from a nasty cut to his shoulder, but still going strong. He side eyes Obito, “Are all Uchiha this obsessive?” he asks mildly.

“Says the man who modeled himself after me,” Obito snaps with a glare.

“It was to honor you,” Kakashi huffs.

“Keep telling yourself that,” Obito says, but can’t stop the tiny smile from appearing on his mouth.

It’s almost too easy to stop him once the four pervious Hokage appear on the field. Without the perfected Edo Tensei and the added power of the Juubi, Madara is just human, though immortal with Edo Tensei. Roots from the trees surrounding them rise up to pull the man down, restraining him and wrapping him in a cocoon like form until only his head is visible, a vine covering his eyes to keep his Sharingan covered.

In the village, the fighting dies down quickly as the hoard of clones, small compared to the alternate timeline which had thousands of them, are killed off. Obito walks up slowly until he’s standing next to Hashirama as they stare at the struggling Uchiha. “You will never win. Once I get the Rinnegan, I will be unstoppable,” he growls out.

“The Rinnegan are gone, destroyed,” Obito snaps out and Madara stills. “Nagato handed them over to us once he learned what you really intended. You will never achieve your goals.”

“You lie,” he hisses.

“I don’t. I have waited a long time for this. I have done the impossible to bring you to your knees,” Obito growls. “And I will see this plan through, even if I have to sacrifice myself to stop you once and for all.”

Madara laughs, long and drawn out. “None of you are strong enough to stop me. Even these binding can barely hold me. I will get out eventually,” he says mockingly.

Obito looks over to the Yondaime, the man busy staring at his son in joy. “Yondaime, could you teach me the Dead Demon Seal?” he asks and Minato turn to look at him with a grimace.

“I could,” he admits.

“Are you strong enough to be able to pull his soul free?” Hiruzen asks. “You will only have one shot and if you fail, it will still cost you your life.”

“I am willing to risk it,” Obito says with a shrug, not concerned about his death. He should have died a long time ago.

“No,” Kakashi hisses, gripping his arm and turning Obito towards him. “You will not use that seal.”

“Then what else is there to use? No other seal will so wholly contain him,” Obito shouts, jerking his arm from Kakashi’s grip. “Unless you have some other way, this is the only one.”

Silence hangs over them, Madara laughing in the background at their arguments, still straining against the vines and roots holding him. “Perhaps there is another way,” Minato muses, aloud, glancing towards Naruto as the boy releases Kurama’s chakra and touches down to the ground where Sakura and Sasuke have just arrived.

“A modified version of the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style,” Tobirama speaks up, seeing where Minato might be going.

“Exactly, though that will be tricky to do. With the way it currently is, it allows some bleed through, but it was designed by Mito-sama to be used on the tailed beasts, since their chakra is immense. While Madara has large reserves, he doesn’t have the power of a tailed beast. We could make it a completely closed seal, to keep him contained and to keep him from influencing his host,” Minato explains.

“That seal already exists,” Tobirama says with a shrug. "Mito considered it at first, but decided to allow the bleed through to keep the seal from breaking down so quickly,” he informs them briskly. “I can draw it up from memory.”

“Who would be his host?” Hashirama asks sadly, looking over to his once friend.

“It seems only fitting that I bear the burden,” Obito says with a glare at Madara, “to pay for my crimes and his.”

“Will it be like with the tailed beasts who return after a few years after the host dies?” Kakashi asks solemnly.

“No. He will not return should and when Obito dies. My siblings and I are pure chakra. We will die when the last bit of chakra leaves this world and no sooner. Our deaths are only a temporary rest. He is a soul and when he is no longer bound to Obito’s body, he will return to the Pure Lands from wince he was summoned,” Kurama says, speaking through Naruto.

“Wow, a lot has changed since I died,” Hashirama says with a laugh.

Kurama’s eyes narrow to slits. “Don’t think I have forgotten your role in my imprisonment, Senju. We’re you not dead already, I would kill you now for what you did,” he growls, eyes enraged.

Hashirama takes a step back, “He used you, would keep using you and there was always a chance of someone else turning you against us. I made a choice.”

“Who gave you the right to steal our lives from us? You sealed me to keep from being made a weapon against you, then hunted down my siblings like wild beasts and gave them to your enemies as gifts, weapons that were then turned on your village anyways. This mess is just as much your fault as it is Madara’s,” Kurama hisses, furious.

Tobirama steps between the drooping Hashirama and Kurama. “Blame can come later. Right now, we have more important things to do,” he reminds them and with a muted snarl, Kurama turns away.

The next few minutes pass by in tense silence as Tobirama teaches the signs to Obito to perform the modified seal. Kakashi steps up next to Obito as Tobirama steps away. “Are you sure about this?” he asks softly, brows pinched as he stares at Obito.

“I’m sure Bakashi. I’ve done a lot of harm, in two lifetimes now. If my penance is to carry this bastard to my death, then so be it,” he says with a bleak smile.

As they turn towards Madara’s still bound form, the earth surges under their feet and black vines snap around Obito’s leg, crawling up his body until a single yellow eye is staring at him. “I don’t think so,” Zetsu hisses with a manic grin. “It seems I need a new puppet,” it adds and with a yell, Obito pulls himself into Kamui, dragging the creature with him as it clings to him.

He can feel its oily presence on his mind, tendrils reaching out to overpower, to take control and he fights against it. “You can go fucking die already,” he snarls, reaching a hand up to yank at the black mass covering his face and neck, but for each handful he grabs, more tendrils snake around him, gripping tight.

The air warps next to him and suddenly, more hands are yanking and pulling and as a section is pulled back to let an eye see past the black mass, he can see Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke helping to pull Zetsu from him as Kakashi stays back, looking exhausted from using Kamui but still standing.

With one last snarl, they manage to pull the last clinging vine from him and throw Zetsu to the ground where it writes for a second and then coils, ready to launch itself once again but he’s not having any of it. He concentrates on it and warps it away, to the one place he doubts even it can survive.

“Let’s see how you like lava, you fucker,” he growls, sagging down onto his hands and knees as he sucks in deep breathes into oxygen starved lungs.

“We should probably confirm he’s dead,” Sakura says with a sigh and Obito nods, staggering to his feet and warps all of them to the edge of the active volcano he sent Zetsu to. The creature is nowhere in sight but on the surface of the lava, still bubbling faintly, is a black, oily substance that slowly sinks into the liquid rock even as they watch.

“Fuck,” Obito huffs, relief at that creature’s death swamping him.

“Just one last thing to deal with,” Sasuke says with a grimace and Obito nods, bringing them back to where they first left.

“What was that?” Hiruzen demands as they reappear.

“Zetsu, the real mind behind all of this,” Sakura says easily.

“Are you ready then?” Tobirama asks them.

“Hang on,” Naruto says and steps up to Obito. Chakra glows around him for a moment as he feeds some to Obito, the man’s reserves low after everything that has happened. “So you have the strength,” Naruto says with a grin.

“Thanks, brat,” he grumbles and then steps up to Madara’s still bound form. He doesn’t speak a word as he starts to run through the hand signs, hands a blur before he stops, one hand glowing and he reaches out to touch his glowing palm to Madara’s cheek.

“No, you will not win,” he howls out, thrashing against his bonds and Obito scowls fighting against Madara’s strength but eventually, Obito’s resolve wins out and with a blinding flash of white light, the seal takes, branding itself across his navel with white lines as the body before him crumples to ash until all that remains is the clone that had been used to revive him, now dead.

For a moment, all he can feel is incandescent rage and a burning insanity as strong as the sun before it becomes muted and distant, easily ignored as the seal completely closes off. Obito staggers and Kakashi reaches out to steady him.

Obito looks to Naruto, to Sakura, to Sasuke and sees the same relief and exhaustion mirrored on their faces. Two life times, countless battles and struggles and it was finally over. “Fuck,” he hisses out, feeling the tension and the hypervigilance he’s been carrying all these years, consciously and unconsciously, seep away and with a groan, his knees give out as he takes Kakashi down with him to the ground. A manic laugh bubbles up as his shoulders shake. “It’s over,” he gets out, “It’s fucking over,” and if tears are falling, he ignores them as smaller bodies press close to join in his relief and his grief.

Chapter Text

“Time travel?” Minato says incredulously as he and the other Hokage sit with Tsunade and Jiraiya as they explain what has been happening, and what happened once before.

“Trust me, I’m aware of how this sounds,” Tsunade says with a sigh and takes a large sip from her cup of sake.

Jiraiya nods, “I’ve seen some of their memories. They’re real. It’s…it’s hard to contemplate but they stopped something horrible from happening with their actions. I’m just about willing to believe anything after today.”

“So much trouble and grief. Was it really our fault?” he asks, turning to Tobirama. “I just wanted him to join me in our dream. I didn’t mean for it to become like this.”

“It’s is always easy to see where we went wrong after the fact. We made the only choices we could at the time,” Hiruzen says with a weary sigh, rubbing at his face. “You are not the only ones responsible for this mess. And Madara takes as much blame as any of us. They were still his choices, even driven mad.”

“True, but it makes you wonder what one change in a timeline can cause later on. Time travel is a scary ability contemplate. Imagine what someone could do if they traveled back in time. People could be erased from history, never born. Clans, villages, whole countries could fall because of one change,” Minato says with a shudder.

“It seems to have limits and I know Oro is making up theories already on how it is possible. Hopefully, he doesn’t try to make his own time travel jutsu,” Jiraiya grumbles, glaring into his cup.

“Don’t worry Jiraiya, I’ll remind him not to before he leaves,” Tsunade says with a gleam in her eyes as she pats his hand and Hashirama blanches at his granddaughter’s words even as Tobirama nods proudly at her. Hiruzen shakes his head but doesn’t say anything.

Minato stands with a bounce. “I’m going to find Naruto. Come find me when it’s time to go,” he calls and rushes out of the room.

“He would have made a wonderful father, given the chance,” Hiruzen murmurs morosely and no one comments on it.

~*~

Sakura stares at the vest in front of her with a frown. She’d made chuunin in her previous life, would have made jounin had things not gone the way they did. It feels good to have the vest once more.

“Sakura-chan, look,” Naruto says, barging into the room, wearing his own vest. “I finally made chuunin,” he says with a grin and Sakura laughs.

“About time,” Sasuke mutters, coming up behind him wearing his own vest.

“What are you talking about, teme? You never made chuunin either, Mr. Missing Nin,” he grumbles.

“I was a Jounin of Oto technically,” Sasuke says with a smirk and Naruto sticks his tongue out at him.

“I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that we actually changed the future,” Sakura says, reaching out to pull on her vest, shrugging her shoulders to make it sit better.

“Yeah,” Naruto murmurs sadly. “I keep turning around expecting to have more to do. We can finally have a normal life…well, as normal as we can have with these memories.”

“Maybe you actually be Hokage one day then,” Sasuke mutters, looking away with a flush and Naruto looks at him and blinks before grinning.

“Yeah, that would be nice, but I think I just want to take some time to just be me for now,” he says, reaching out to pull Sakura and Sasuke into a hug. “We did it,” he whispers and they nod, grinning.

“How are Itachi and Shisui?” Sakura asks as they pull apart.

Sasuke shrugs, “Better. Tsunade-sama was able to repair their eyes some but the strain was a lot. They’ll never be able to see very well again. She warns if they use the Mangekyō any more they’ll be permanently blinded,” Sasuke says with a wounded look.

“Maybe that’s for the better,” Sakura says and he looks at her. “They can finally rest and just be themselves and not just tools of the clan.”

Sasuke nods, looking a little better, though his gaze hardens, “I have a lot of plans for the clan.”

“Save it for latter, teme. Right now, let’s just take a breather. We’ve been going for a while now. We can discuss revolutions after we’ve had a chance to just be us.”

Sasuke huffs but nods, “Fine.”

“Naruto!” Minato calls from down the hall.

“Come on, let’s go,” Naruto says with a grin, stepping away and they both follow as he rushes out to his dad to talk with him.

~*~

Obito hears the scuff of a sandal behind him and stops, turning to look behind him. Kakashi is leaned against the gate, looking at him. “You weren’t going to leave without saying anything, now were you?” he asks with an eye smile.

Obito shrugs with a grimace. “It seemed better this way,” he admits. He glances back at the village, just starting to be repaired after the fight. “I don’t belong here, not anymore. There are too many ghosts.”

“Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke will be sad you left,” Kakashi says instead of dissuading him.

Obito huffs, “They’ll get over it and I doubt I could stay hidden from them for long. They can find me if they need to.”

“And what about me?” Kakashi asks, eye going serious as he straightens.

“I’ve already done enough to you Bakashi. It’s time to live your life without me weighing you down,” Obito says sadly, a small grimace on his face.

“Ah, except, you don’t get to decide that for me, Obito,” he says with an eye smile, pulling a pack out from behind the edge of the wall and shoulders it. “Where are we going?” he asks.

“You can’t just disappear, idiot. They’ll mark you as a traitor and hunt you down,” Obito grumbles, though a look of happiness shines in his eyes.

“I left a note,” he assures. “So, where to?” he asks again.

“I hear Tea Country is nice this time of year,” Obito says on a whim and Kakashi nods.

“South it is then,” he says and they take to the trees, quickly disappearing into the leaves.

Decided to follow the road of life where ever it takes us. Be back eventually. Don’t wait up.

~Kakashi

End.