Eroninja

Naruko landed smoothly in the ruined second floor library of Kiyomi's mansion. She let her Natural Energy fade having been in Sage Mode as she had wanted to ensure that she was not followed to the property. Her entrance though wasn't unnoticed as two women were in the room making sure no looters tried to take advantage of the large hole in the wall. To her surprise the dark-skinned woman Yoruichi said, "So the prodigal daughter returns. Strangely I'm being filled with a sense of Déjà vu."

Naruko looked at her in confusion until Yoruichi inclined her head towards the hole that she had used to make her entrance. Realizing the Bijuu was referring to the hole she had made in Kiyomi's bedroom when she had escaped her cheeks colored slightly. "Um... about that..."

"Forget it," Yoruichi said with a wave of her hand. Having noticed how a small smile had appeared on Naruko's face at being called a daughter she asked, "Are you here to see mommy dearest?"

"S-she's not my mom," Naruko sputtered in denial.

"Well she certainly isn't your father," Yoruichi teased.

"Am I missing something here?" the other woman asked as she watched her sister tease the young woman that resembled Naruto.

"Not much," Yoruichi said still amused, "Seven Chomei, allow me to introduce you to Naruko Uzumaki if what I've heard around the village is correct."

"Uzumaki," Seven said as she inspected the young woman more closely, "I suppose that would explain the looks."

Yoruichi smiled at her brown-haired sister as she said, "Oh not by half, but I'll fill you in later." Directing her attention to Naruko, she dropped her teasing tone as she said, "Kiyomi is in the basement playing with her current project."

Naruko looked at Yoruichi in confusion, but moved deeper into the mansion heading to the basement as instructed. Finding the Bijuu channeling chakra into an orange haired woman and having heard from Naruto about Kiyomi's recent tampering with people minds she said, "So this is what she meant by project." Advertisements

Kiyomi sighed in annoyance hearing the disproving tone in Naruko's voice. Turning to face the woman she said, "Is there something I can do for you?"

Naruko frowned at the response since her purpose in coming was to actually thank the Bijuu. However she refused to do so now considering the borderline hostile welcome she had received so she instead said, "I just wanted to catch a glimpse of your latest creations. Naruto was quite disappointed in your recent venture into mind-fucking people." Naruko felt a measure of satisfaction upon seeing Kiyomi stiffen in reaction to her mentioning their shared lover's disapproval of the way she had handled the Taki-nin. To her surprise though, that satisfaction quickly morphed into guilt since she had originally come to thank the woman not taunt her with her recent relationship troubles.

Kiyomi gaze hardened as she replied, "A rather convenient position for you both to take considering that the two of you seem to be enjoying the body I gave to you. Are you shedding any tears for the man whose mind I wiped clean so you could be granted a physical existence?" Naruko was about to remind Kiyomi that the person whose existence had been wiped out so she could be given a body was going to **** one of Naruto's lovers, but was beat to it by the Bijuu who said, "Before you try to regale me with the wickedness of what he was going to do, let me remind you those women were my enemies at the time. Furthermore, they had betrayed Mikoto to Akame for their own benefit, and that is the least of the crimes I would charge them with. Even should they be trapped inside their own bodies its little more than being locked in a prison made of flesh rather than stone."

Naruko could see the Bijuu's point although she knew Naruto didn't see things in the same light. But, Naruko recalled that perhaps one of the crimes that Kiyomi would consider most condemning was that the three women had no qualms about killing a helpless academy student that had just so happened to house her. Considering the Bijuu had likely felt helpless to defend herself as Naruto had yet to tap into her power, Naruko felt that Kiyomi simply considered the role reversal divine payback.

Able to ever so much appreciate Kiyomi's view point she said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come her to start a fight. I wanted to thank you. You gave me the precious gift of life. Thank you."

Kiyomi's gaze softened as she smiled ever so slightly before replying, "You're welcome. I'm glad you found a path that suits you."

Naruko beamed happily the Bijuu's words making her feel like a daughter that had made her mother proud. The comparison was further articulated aloud as a new voice joined the conversation, "You also gave her life. Does that make you her mother?"

Kiyomi was a little startled by Sage's joining the conversation since the woman tended to remain silent unless spoken to directly. Her voice sounded slightly robotic due to her monotone way of talking. Turning to face the former Animal Path since she doubted Sage would be able to understand the reason her face was coloring she answered, "In all honesty I never considered it. I suppose depending on how one looks at it one could draw such a conclusion. But..."

Kiyomi was again startled as she was hugged from behind by Naruko, who said, "I wouldn't be opposed to people drawing that conclusion." Kiyomi looked down at the arms linked around her stomach and recalled the motherly feeling she had felt when she had absorbed the Chakra Entity that would become Naruko having already decided to find a way to give life to her creation.

Those feelings returned full force as she turned to face Naruko and staring into the Sage's blue eyes that while were the same color as her lover's shone with a different light said, "I wouldn't be opposed to such an arrangement either."

The Bijuu had a difficult time keeping her eyes dry when Naruko placed her head against the red-head's chest as she tightened the hug while saying, "Mom!" Kiyomi wrapped her arms around her daughter gently as she basked in the moment. Both women became aware that they were being watched so Naruko pulled away to stare at the blankly watching Sage. Approaching the orange-haired woman, Naruko said, "I guess that makes us sisters."

"Sisters," Sage repeated emotionlessly.

She directed her gaze to Kiyomi who answered the questioning look, "If that is something you want, Sage."

Sage looked at the happily smiling Naruko before nodding her acceptance, "Sisters." She was a little uncomfortable by Naruko's response which was to hug her tightly, but she didn't find it disturbingly so.

Naruko stepped back since Sage hadn't hugged her back so questioned, "What were you doing to her? Adjusting her personality or something?"

"Or something," Kiyomi replied. "I want Sage to develop at her own pace, much as you did. But she...I mean your sister... will play an important role in freeing my siblings."

"How?"

"Go ahead and show her, Sage," Kiyomi instructed.

Sage closed her eyes for several seconds and when she opened them the Rinnegan had replaced her brown ones. Naruko having just fought a bunch of people wielding the ocular jutsu stepped back in surprise. Naruko looked back at her mother, who seeing her questioning gaze explained, "After the battle I had asked Konan if I could have Nagato's eyes. She refused claiming that as Nagato had awakened them, she couldn't in good consciousness just hand them over."

"I guess I can understand that," Naruko said still staring at Sage's eyes.

"It was a half-truth if not an outright lie," Kiyomi said crossing her arms into the sleeves of her kimono. Naruko turned to face her prompting the Bijuu to explain, "I have little doubt that Konan meant what she said about wanting her friend to rest in peace whole. But I believe she is as aware as I am about how valuable the Rinnegan is to Akatsuki's plot. With the public leader of Akatsuki dead it will be time for the one in the shadows to take the stage."

"You mean Tobi," Naruko said her tone making it a statement rather than a question.

"Yes, but if he is going to use the Gedo Mazo statue he is going to need the Rinnegan."

"Use it how?" Naruko said confused, "I mean I thought it was just a means of storing the Bijuu."

"Oh it is far more than that," Kiyomi said. "I've been studying all that I could about my father's battle against the Juubi. After he became the First Jinchuriki, he lived many hundreds of years after sealing its chakra into himself and placing its body into the moon. But he always lived with the fear that should he die unexpectedly, the Juubi would escape to once more menace the world."

"That's when he decided to create you, and the other Bijuu," Naruko stated.

"Exactly," Kiyomi said proudly, "He had already extracted the Juubi's chakra but as it was knew that once he died it would reform and find a way to free its body. Therefore, he divided its chakra into nine new beings and lived his remaining years with us. The reason we could be sealed into people to make jinchuriki was because we lacked a physical existence."

Sage interjected herself into the conversation by saying, "You are therefore of the belief that the Gedo Mazo is in fact the sealed husk of the Ten-Tails."

"Precisely," Kiyomi replied, "It should have been impossible for anyone without the Rinnegan to break the seal. When I questioned Konan about it she said that Nagato summoned it when Hanzo and Root captured her to ambush Nagato and their friend Yahiko."

"Well since Pain had awoken the Rinnegan that seems plausible," Naruko said noticing that Kiyomi gave her an appraising look due to her referring to Nagato as Pain. The moment passed, but although Naruko was pleased Naruto had avenged their teacher. She would be the first to admit that she thought of Pain as an inhuman monster so was unwilling to call him by his name.

Kiyomi didn't seem inclined to question her recently minted daughter on her decision. Instead she said, "Although Nagato may have had the Rinnegan. I believe it was the person that gave it to him, who actually awakened those eyes and summoned the Gedo Mazo back to earth."

"Huh?!" Naruko exclaimed with open mouth surprise.

Explaining the Fox Bijuu said, "Although she wouldn't let me take the eyes, she did let me examine them. But upon my examination I noticed that even in death they hadn't faded."

Naruko shrugged as she suggested, "Maybe they're always there like the Byakugan."

"No," Kiyomi replied with a shake of her head, "My father's dojutsu wasn't always active like that. Instead, I believe someone transplanted them like with Kakashi's Sharingan. I questioned Konan about the circumstances under which Nagato awakened them. From that I hypothesized that the Rinnegan were implanted in him."

"What? How? I think he would know if that happened."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Kiyomi said confident her theory was correct. "Perhaps Kakashi was a bad example. But in my research, I've uncovered instances where Ocular jutsu have been shared between individuals without surgery. For example there is a tale of a pair of Uchiha brothers that lived before even Madara. One had amazing powers and had even awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. The other not so much, yet from overusing his eyes the light began to fade from them. Unable to fight at his peak anymore and aware that they were going to lose against their hated rivals the Senju, they devised a means to achieve if not victory, at least cripple their opponents. On the morning of the fated battle, the more notorious brother headed out to fight with their enemies. As expected they were crushed. The weaker brother sent word to the Senju that he wished to meet with the leader as he wished to discuss terms of their surrender. The Senju unafraid of the weaker brother allowed him to enter their camp where upon setting eyes upon the leader's face his Sharingan morphed into the Mangekyō Sharingan and he used an ocular jutsu his brother was known for the black fire of Amaterasu."

"Maybe he awakened the ability himself," Naruko suggested.

"That is a possibility," Kiyomi replied, "It was a very old legend. But, it suggests the likelihood such a means existed. The Legend also claimed that the older brother entered the battle that day wearing a cloth around his eyes which to me suggested he wanted to hide the fact he no longer possessed the Sharingan or likely its advanced form. But Nagato's jutsu the Six Paths of Pain also proves that it is possible. You see by channeling his chakra into his Paths, he was able to stimulate a mutation that would allow the Rinnegan to appear. The reason I had asked Konan to let me transplant the eyes was to both deny Tobi them, but also because I couldn't be sure that without Nagato's chakra I would be able to duplicate the Rinnegan. Fortunately enough cells existed in Sage's eyes that I could cultivate them to give her a fully functional Rinnegan. The fact that she can deactivate them also leads me to believe that she achieved a true awakening as opposed to what Nagato had."

"Why would someone give Nagato such a powerful jutsu though?"

"A good question," Kiyomi replied, "I believe the answer lies with the Broker that had Rin kidnapped. I've tried to learn what I can about this Tobi, and Konan has proven to be a good source. You might not be aware of this, but he original approached Akatsuki to join forces shortly after Rin went missing. He claimed to be Madara Uchiha but was rebuffed by Yahiko. Konan recalls that Tobi told Nagato that there was so much more that he could do with his Rinnegan."

"Considering the devastation Nagato visited upon the Leaf Village it would appear to be an accurate statement," Sage said in her monotone way of speaking.

"Very true," Kiyomi said, "But when he approached them it was with a man named Zetsu, who although Konan claimed at that time was black and white, is still a being that we believe aided in Rin's abduction."

"Okay, I can buy that, but what does Rin's abduction have to do with Tobi or the Rinnegan."

"We know that the white Zetsu worked for this Broker character so it's safe to assume the black and white one would also. We also know as a result that it appears the Broker had an interest in, Nagato. Providing the route that Kakashi and Rin were traveling was the collateral that Danzou supplied to the Broker to arrange an alliance with Hanzo. An alliance that soon fell apart, after they suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Akatsuki, when Hanzo tried to eliminate them. Yet, it was an ambush that cost Yahiko, his life the one obstacle standing in Tobi's way of getting near Nagato and his Rinnegan."

Naruko eye grew wide as she realized, "You're saying that..."

"All these events are tied together," Kiyomi said with a brisk nod, "What we are currently seeing is the master plan of someone that has been steadily progressing towards his goal over the course of decades. Each move by itself is difficult to see because in the beginning it could be months or even years before the next one was made. Also, due to the separation caused by the Five Village system each Shinobi village might only be affected by a certain portion of the plan making seeing the plot even harder. It's only because of Naruto's ambition and his bringing in outside perspectives that we are beginning to see these seemingly random events for what they truly are. It's also because the plan is moving into its final phase that we're even aware of the plot now."

"If that's the case maybe we should have Naruto try and convince Konan to let us safeguard Pain's Rinnegan," Naruko proposed frowning as her mother shook her head.

"Even if Naruto were to ask, Konan would still refuse."

"Why?"

"Because, a trap needs bait in order to lure in its prey." Her daughter gave her a look that conveyed she didn't understand what was being suggested so Kiyomi explained, "I believe that Konan has come to the same conclusion that I have. Tobi or the person he is working for manipulated events so that Yahiko would be killed leading both Nagato and her to accept his ideal of peace. She also views Tobi as the greatest threat to Naruto's dream, and is aware that she now possesses something he needs if he is going to control the Gedo Mazo statue, or the Juubi should it be resurrected. I believe she intends to confront him alone in order to kill him."

Naruko looked down wondering what the blue-haired woman's odds of success would be. Not liking them, she said, "What do we do?"

"I believe if Konan's plan is transparent to me, it will be to Naruto as well. I suppose we should simply follow his lead."

Naruko nodded, but decided to inform her lover just in case.

*****

Naruto stared up at the ceiling of the Den in what was his true master bedroom. He looked at the woman lying next to him as she snuggled deeper into his chest. He ran his hand up and down her back reassuringly causing her to settle down as she slipped back into restful slumber. Searching her face he could still see the evidence of the tears she had shed upon hearing of her sensei's apparent attempt to end her life.

Tearing his gaze away from Hinata's face he was pleased to see that she appeared more relaxed now as she had blamed herself for leaving Kurenai alone. Naruto had reassured her that if not for her informing Anko things would have had a very different turn. Furthermore, it had appeared Anko had been the perfect person to send. Still, Naruto's heart went out to the Jounin-sensei as he felt partially responsible for the suffering she was now enduring. He knew if he gave voice to it, Kurenai and just about everyone that knew him would tell him that he was being foolish. But it was his existence that had brought Pain to the village; his mind began to briefly turn down the path of wondering if there was something else he could have done. But just as quickly he abandoned such thoughts; it was especially easy to do since he knew that without undergoing the Sage training he would not have been able to protect those dear to him.

The door to his bedroom opened and although he knew who it was via her foxmark. He was unable to deny himself the sight of her, again he looked away from the ceiling. He smiled gently as Ino entered wearing just a transparent purple nightie. Although, it didn't leave much to the imagination to begin with upon reaching the foot of the bed, she pulled it from her shoulders and let it slip to the floor. Climbing atop the bed she crawled on all fours to him where upon reaching him she stared into her lover's eyes before kissing him and then whispering, "You should be getting some sleep."

Naruto couldn't deny that he was tired, but countered, "The same could be said for you." He then created a shadow clone, that henged itself to look like the kunoichi before it Hiraishined to her room in case someone came looking for her.

Ino smiled, as she joined both him and Hinata under the covers where pressing her nude frame against his, she replied, "I had a great nap after you helped me fall asleep." Ino smiled as she added, "I was hoping I could return the favor," it faded though as she stared at Hinata, "but I can see you're helping someone else."

Naruto suspected Ino's other reason was for him to help her forget her own pain for a while as well. "I'm sorry about Asuma."

He felt his lover stiffen as the happy exterior she had put into place cracked. Naruto met her eyes and watched as they grew watery so he reached up to pull her head into his chest where she began to cry over the loss of her sensei. Giving voice to some of what she was feeling she said, "I-it just happened so fast. I...I don't know...I just feel like...like there should have been some epic battle or (sob) ...something... (sob)...not just him standing there one moment and the next..." Ino trailed off and in the pregnant pause Naruto wanted to say something to make her pain go away. But his words failed him as he felt anything he could come up with would just reek of hollow platitudes one tended to find in a store bought card. "They found his body tossed away like a piece of trash...I...I can't forgive him for this Naruto. What...what do I do with this hatred that I feel towards him?"

Ino had pulled her head from his chest to stare into his eyes as she almost pleaded with him for an answer. Although he had his own answer, he didn't know how well it would translate to others as he said, "There is no magic cure for hate, or easy way to get rid of it. In the end all we can do is endure it, and do what we can to stop ourselves from spreading it. I...I haven't forgive Nagato for killing Jiraiya and I hate him all the more for the suffering he has inflicted on the village. But I have to endure that hatred so that it dies with Nagato. There'll be those that demand we seek retribution against all of Ame now, but if we do that Tobi wins. More and more people will fall into hatred who will then seek out others to hurt so they can understand the pain they are feeling and before we know it, we'll be at each other's throats." Cupping her face lovingly he said, "So please try to endure it, but if you can't pass it on to me. I promise to endure it for you."

Ino brought her hand up and placed it over his. Closing her eyes she basked in the warmth that he admitted against her cheek but then pulled away to move her face close to his. With her lips just brushing his, she whispered, "Not for...with me." She then kissed him passionately, but let it end before things progressed too far and they woke Hinata. Ino then laid her head against his chest so she could listen to his steady heartbeat and let it lull her to sleep.

Naruto was pleased as Ino's rhythmic breathing joined Hinata's. Naruto tore his gaze away from his lovers peaceful faces to one more stare at the ceiling. From the warmth now coating him on both sides he felt himself also begin to slip into the much desired embrace of sleep. But able to feel Mabui closing with the village, as well as Yugito's presence moving hurriedly all over Lightning Country feared something else of importance had happened that he would need to deal with. Before closing his eyes he wondered if it was tied to Haku's presence in their country. Of the opinion that sleep was going to be in short supply soon, he didn't fight against it any longer and let his lovers' comforting presence lure him into the land of dreams.

*****

Konan stood in at the main assembly hall at the Konoha shinobi academy and as it filled to capacity of a few hundred people. Normally used for when all the classes were called together for an important lecture or demonstration, it now would be the venue in which Konan would try to do her part to stop the spread of hate that Nagato had set in motion. She knew it wouldn't be easy due to her feeling the malice being directed her way although it wasn't so much focused on her, but the Akatsuki robes that she wore.

She knew it was a controversial choice, but Akatsuki had been Yahiko's creation. Now that she was the only original member left she intended to return it to the noble purpose he had intended. She was surprised by the large turnout, but as Naruto entered last and took up a position at the back of the auditorium next to Naruko, she guessed she shouldn't have been since he had been the one to ask that people listen to what she had to say.

"Why the fuck are we here?" an Inuzuka asked directing his gaze back to Naruto "I don't want to hear any of the garbage some Akatsuki member has to say. Does she think just saying sorry is going to be enough?"

"Kiba..."

"I'm not here to apologize," Konan said before Naruto could say more.

Kiba turned towards her saying darkly, "What did you say?"

"Are you going to apologize for the wrongs that you've done against us?"

"We didn't do anything to provoke this attack." Standing Kiba continued, "This is bullshit..."

Konan carried on ignoring him, "You personally may have not. But there may be those present who have carried out attacks against my home Country. The people who killed my parents may also be present." Kiba stopped in his tracks turning back towards Konan as she continued, "It was also this village that was responsible for the two great tragedies that resulted in my friend Nagato adopting his persona of Pain. It was during the Second Shinobi World War that the first tragedy happened. It was a war that was fought in our backyards while this village was isolated from it and could easily throw around words like peace. Sometimes however that violence wasn't content to remain in our backyards and entered into our homes as was the case with Nagato. A pair of Konoha-nin had decided to ransack his home for supplies believing it to be abandoned. When they were startled by the civilians that called it home the shinobi reacted out of fear killing the adults, Nagato's parents, before realizing the truth."

Konan paused and could see that written on many of the younger people's faces was a genuine surprise that their village could be responsible for something like what she had described. The older more experienced ones understood that in war such mistakes were a common occurrence as if that made it all right. Speaking to these people she said, "Those among us who have seen war's true face can write such an event off as the horrors of war that happen far too often for our liking. It was an accident, they didn't mean any harm. But does that lessen the pain of the child that watched it all happen? Is he then excused when with the Rinnegan that awakened as a result of the tragedy his eyes witnessed he in turn killed his parents' killers? The answer to that is simply a matter of where one stands I suppose. I'm sure the men's families would point out that it was an accident and they didn't deserve death as a punishment. But Nagato didn't even realize he had done it at the time and would only come to that realization later. But I know the pain and hatred created in that encounter would stay with Nagato. I'm also sure that the Konoha-nin's families upon learning of their loved ones deaths would harbor a hatred for those of Ame."

Konan again paused partially since she wasn't used to talking so much as well as to read the crowd. She was pleased to see a few more people appeared to at least understand that while Nagato may not have been right in his attack of the village. Konoha was just as complicit in the hate infesting the Shinobi World as any of the other villages. "I found Nagato and a dog he had been traveling with near death and brought him back to the home I had made with another war orphan named Yahiko. Being an orphan in a small country like Rain was a hard life, but we managed to survive by stealing. The fighting was also reaching is zenith which is when we encountered the man that would become our sensei, Master Jiraiya. Once he realized that Nagato possessed the Rinnegan, I believe that Master Jiraiya saw in him a power that could save the Shinobi World from the hate it was swimming in. Also in time despite each of us having our own reasons for hating Konoha, we still found ourselves caring greatly for Master Jiraiya. So much so, that Yahiko ended up weeping like a baby when he left us three years later."

Konan indicated her robes as she explained their meaning, "Although Jiraiya believed it would be Nagato who would find the elusive dream called peace. It was Yahiko that first gave that dream a name, Akatsuki. Our group made a name for itself quickly and soon those that shared our dream flocked to our banner. But we had become a threat to the power of Ame, Hanzo. Knowing or our desire for peace he came to us with the idea of brokering a peace between the main Shinobi villages that at this time were caught up in a Third Great Shinobi War. Naïve as we were we accepted, but when Nagato and Yahiko arrived at the place the meeting was to take place they learned that Hanzo had already made a deal with someone else. The person was Danzou of Root, who had provided his elite forces to eliminate us. But Hanzo was a cruel man and having taken me hostage told Nagato to either kill Yahiko, or they could both watch him kill me. I pleaded for them to run, but Yahiko choose a third option and impaled himself on the kunai that Hanzo had tossed Nagato to kill his friend."

Konan was surprised as she fought back tears at the memory as she had long felt all the tears she had had been shed. She looked to the back of the room, and supposed that besides being her light, Naruto was also the one that had made her believe that it was okay to feel again. "That was the second great pain that Nagato experienced in his life. It was also the moment that Pain was born as Nagato lost faith in Jiraiya's dream of peace. As Nagato slaughtered the Root and Ame forces present the hate that had been with us since childhood overcame us. Our dream became twisted and the organization that Yahiko founded became consumed by darkness. With Yahiko's death we had lost our guiding light and thus our ideals were subsumed by someone else's."

Konan raised her hand to her heart as she said, "I have done horrible things since then as I believed I was working towards a lasting peace that would be achieved once we captured and sealed all the Bijuu. During a mission I had undertaken for Akatsuki, my paths crossed with Naruto's and in him I say the light that Yahiko once shown with. He's also taken on Master Jiraiya dream of a lasting peace, but despite the hardships he has had to face he never once lost his way. For the first time in forever, I found myself believing that peace could be found which was why I took up arms against Nagato during his attack on this village. Naruto asked me to speak here not to apologize for Nagato, but so that his home wouldn't become the birth place of the next Pain."

The room remained silent as Konan ended her tale. A measure of tension rose in the room as Ino stood from the front row to approach the stage. Coming face to face with the blue-haired woman nobody quite knew what to expect seeing as she had lost her teacher and her father had been gravely injured, but no one was more surprised than Konan when she wrapped her arms around her to say, "I'm sorry for your loss."

Konan returned the gesture, but the moment was shattered as Chouji stood to shout, "Ino, how could you? Have you forgotten about Asuma-sensei or Shikaku already? Do you honestly feel sorry for the bastard that killed them?"

"Weren't you listening Chouji?" Ino replied back just as hotly. "I refuse to let hatred becoming the driving force in my life. I can't forgive Nagato for what he's done. But don't forget that despite what he has done to us. There is someone here just as sad at his passing as we are about the ones we lost. Instead, I'm going to follow Naruto's example."

"What do you mean?" Chouji asked calming slightly.

"I mean that it's easy to get wrapped up in the emotions of everything that has happened. But it's also convenient of us to forget that at some point in his life the person we all now call the Hero of the Leaf, might have wanted to watch the village burn and we would have been the cause of it." Ino wasn't surprised as many of the faces in the auditorium took on a look of shame and guilt, nor that they refused to turn to face the surprised looking young man she was referring too. "We all were responsible for treating him as an outcast with the exception of a single teacher and the Third Hokage. Because of the Third's Law, it couldn't have been easy for him to not know the reason all the adults gazed at him so coldly or why their children emulated them. That confusion at some point surely became anger which morphed into hate, but he never let it overcome him. He continued to follow his path and worked hard for our acceptance. Now that he has it, we shouldn't forget that just through our non-actions we are capable of creating hatred, and if he wasn't as strong of spirit as he is. Our hero could have taken a different path as well."

Konan placed a hand on Ino's shoulder as she said, "Konoha does indeed have a great hero who has inherited the Will of Fire that Master Jiraiya so fondly spoke of. It is for that reason that I pledge that Ame will stand with Konoha against the darkness which wishes to extinguish such a light from the world."

Konan then scattered into sheets of paper which folded into butterflies that then flew out of the auditorium's windows. Naruto was then swamped by the people of the village as they tried to both apologize for their past treatment of him as well as thank him for becoming the Leaf's hero. Feeling embarrassed by the attention, he nevertheless received it happily. But at the same time was worried that despite Konan's pledge to face the darkness with Konoha, she intended to square off against the personification of it by herself.

*****

Mabui felt a measure of relief as she felt her approach towards Naruto's village nearing its end as her emotions had been rather frayed by her sensing the attack that had taken place. The news that it appeared that Killer Bee had been abducted by the combined attack of Sasuke Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki had only made it worse. As a result the Raikage had dispatched Team Samui to the Hidden Leaf to learn all they could about Sasuke as well as to demand a Five Kage meeting.

Mabui had likely surprised her leader though when she requested that she accompany the group. He had nearly refused, but by mentioning that Naruto had been on the same team as Sasuke and she felt they had developed a rather good rapport during his time in Hidden Cloud that she might be able to use for information he had relented. Still, the trip had frayed her already stretched emotions due to the antics of two of her traveling companions. Listening to Karui and her teammate Omoi argue about some ridiculous theory that a rock she had thrown at him might level the Leaf village. Rolling her eyes at the two, she leaned over to whisper to Samui, "I feel sorry for you."

Samui didn't respond with words as she just gave a quick nod of her head. Yet, when the Leaf Village appeared before them and Mabui saw that damage that had been done, she didn't find the routine nearly as funny when Omoi suggested he had been right. In a rare display of anger she snapped, "You two shut-up."

They looked at her in surprise as she began walking quicker towards the gate, which as soon as the guards on duty noticed their approach instantly reached for their weapons. Her traveling companions followed suit, but Mabui held her arm out telling them to relax as she said, "My name as Mabui from Hidden Cloud and we are here to request an audience with the Hokage."

The Leaf shinobi watched her warily, but they relaxed as a voice called, "Mabui, you should have told me you were coming. We would have cleaned up the place." Mabui let the smile she felt appear at receiving visual confirmation her lover was okay. Probably already aware that her appearance signified trouble he let his jovial tone drop as he asked, "Is everything alright?"

"I'm afraid not Naruto," the Raikage's assistant replied. "I'm afraid though that my orders are to deliver my message directly to the Hokage."

"Okay, follow me," Naruto said guiding Team Samui and her to the Hokage mansion. As they walked through the destroyed village a loud shout of, "Shannero," pieced the air followed by the ground shaking.

"What's that, an earthquake, an aftershock? Is that what happened to this place?" Karui questioned a part of her still wondering if the rock she had thrown had caused the destruction she was seeing.

"No, that's my teammate. She's breaking up some of the larger chunks of rubble so that it can be cleared away," Naruto answered.

"Then what did happen?" Samui asked.

"We were attacked by Akatsuki several days ago," Naruto replied. "We managed to defeat its apparent leader, but as you can see suffered pretty heavily for it."

Mabui could see Samui filing away Naruto's mentioning of Pain being Akatsuki's supposed leader. She knew her lover had likely let that detail slip on purpose so as to convince the Raikage that the threat represented by the Organizations members was in no way diminished by Pain's defeat.

Reaching the Hokage's office Naruto opened the door for Mabui, who directed the team accompanying her to remain outside. Naruto was about to close the door, but Tsunade called out, "Naruto, please join us." Quickly stepping into the room, he closed the door behind him and took a position behind Tsunade and next to Shizune, as she said, "Alright so what does the Raikage want?"

Mabui handed Tsunade a letter written by the Raikage. Tsunade began to read it and her face almost immediately took on a visage of worry. Saving their lover the trouble of having to read it Mabui said, "Sasuke Uchiha, has been named as an accomplice in an attack conducted against the jinchuriki of the Eight-tails and Raikage's combo partner Killer Bee. He demands that the Leaf immediately provides us with all information relevant to Sasuke Uchiha. Also, he demands that the Leaf makes its position on him clear by issuing a kill on sight order thus marking him as a missing-nin."

All the women present felt their hearts go out to their lover as he asked, "H-how sure are you Sasuke was involved?"

"He was spotted wearing the Akatsuki cloak. Furthermore, he and the team he is traveling with assaulted several Kumo shinobi to learn where Bee was training at." Mabui stated her evidence unemotionally, but her tone saddened as she added, "After it appeared that Bee had been captured as a result of Kisame's appearance, the team assigned to watching over Bee tracked them down. We believe that Kisame killed several due to the unique wounds his blade Samehada leaves, but a shinobi named Jay appears to have been killed via a genjutsu."

Mabui let the silence hang in the air. She knew the method that Jay had been killed didn't necessarily mean the culprit was Sasuke. But she felt the evidence did lend itself to the theory. Finally after several moments, Tsunade said, "Shizune, please attend to the Cloud-nin outside and take them to the archives. Make available to them any and all information pertaining to Sasuke."

"Yes, Tsunade," Shizune said sending an apologetic smile to Naruto.

Standing once Shizune had left the office, Tsunade said, "As to the Raikage's second requests let's discuss that someplace else." Naruto got the hint and Hiraishined his lovers to the Den before grabbing Ino who telepathically summoned the other kunoichi that could get free.

*****

Mikoto was surprised to have been invited to the apparent gathering of Naruto's lovers by Kiyomi. Naturally though, the Bijuu made sure to inform her that the request was made by Naruto. Mikoto was wearing Anbu armor which Yuugao had supplied to her so she could return the set she had taken from a corpse during the battle. She remained standing away from the large table the women were sitting at, as if to drive in the point she didn't necessarily consider herself one of them. She noticed that Naruto kept sending her pained looks, but when he had stood to approach her Tsunade had placed her hand on his arm. He sighed as he retook his seat. Tsunade then stood as she started the meeting, "It looks like those of us here are the only ones that could break away on such short notice. Let me then just cut to the chase since I'm sure most of you need to get back soon. As you may have heard Mabui was sent to the village with a Team Cloud-nin. Their purpose was to inform us that Sasuke Uchiha has aided in the capture of the jinchuriki Killer Bee and to demand that we mark him as a missing-nin."

"What? You can't!" Mikoto said pushing off from the wall she had been leaning against. She noticed it was an opinion that was in quite the minority. She also noticed that Kiyomi seemed rather pleased by the demand.

Still quite a few faces shifted into surprise when Sakura said, "Why can't we? He's abandoned the village, and it was only because of Naruto's efforts that he wasn't named one already. Now, he not only has spit in the face of those efforts, but is actively aiding an organization that's ultimate goal is to capture him and extract the Nine-tails. I for one don't have a problem with it."

Mikoto could see it was an opinion shared by all the women present. She also knew the politics of it as if they didn't it would damage relations between Leaf and Cloud. Still as a mother she responded bitterly, "Typical, instead of trying to understand him, you all would opt for the quick disposal."

"No hold on a minute..." Tsunade began.

But she was silenced by a scoff from Sakura. When the Uchiha directed her gaze to the kunoichi she replied, "Look you, I can't imagine what you must be feeling right now. But, there was a time when my whole world revolved around Sasuke, so much in fact when he decided to abandon the village...I pleaded with him to take me. A part of me wants to believe that he didn't because he knew the path he was taking was shrouded in darkness. Truthfully though I think it's just because he felt I would slow him down."

"What's your point?" Mikoto asked angrily.

"My point is that the Sasuke of Team Seven is gone. He has been consumed by the darkness of his revenge. When I caught up to him, he had no problem raising his sword against me and the rest of his comrades. Now, he's actively aiding a group hoping to kill Naruto, a person you claimed you wanted to protect. You probably think I'm simply acting selfishly to protect the man I love...and you'd be right. But I'm also not willing to hold onto a dream of Team Seven being reunited at the expense of the progress we have made with Kumo."

Mikoto felt it was a cheap tactic of the pink-haired kunoichi to use Naruto's safety in such a way. She didn't want to see the young man in danger, but she also couldn't choose to sit back silently as people decided to allow her son to be hunted down like a wild beast.

Yet, her attention was pulled to Naruto as he stood. Turning his focus to Tsunade he requested, "I'd like to go after Sasuke."

"Forget it," the Hokage said quickly, "The only people going after him will be the Anbu."

"Tsunade, please," the Jinchuriki pleaded, "Killer Bee may still be alive. According to what Naruko has told me, without the Rinnegan they can't move the statue as effectively as they did before and it may be even harder to seal the Bijuu. This would mean that it is likely that Nagato was actually the one to move it to its current location and if so we have a chance to end this here and now."

"Naruto raises a valid point," Kiyomi said. "But I believe you are forgetting that Tobi may be able to simply teleport it to a location as well."

"I considered that," Naruto replied facing the Bijuu he once housed, "But if he could do it easily he wouldn't have needed Nagato. Plus with their numbers so depleted it'll take them a considerable amount of time to seal away the Eight-Tails. Plus...its likely Sasuke will be there if not close by."

"Naruto..." Sakura said her voice filled with concern. Advertisements

"Sakura, this is something I have to do. I have to stand before Sasuke myself, before I can just accept that he is beyond hope."

"I'm going too then," Mikoto said her voice making it clear it wasn't a request.

Naruto nodded, before focusing on Tsunade. The Hokage sighed before relenting as she said, "Please don't make me regret this. Assemble a team and good luck."

Naruto cupped Tsunade's face before walking away followed by Sakura. Mikoto donned the mask she had been given and decided to head to the main gate to await Naruto's squad.

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