Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

 The easy-blowing, tepid air worked its’ way across his skin, Spring clime ruffling clothes and carrying local temptations wafting on the wind. A giddy, mischievous vibrating thing of a smile broke loose unbidden standing chest to the breeze. Easygoing shoppers and distant raucous construction work sounded alongside stall advertisements and enticing sizzles of street side food. Once he got so soak in the life of it all, everything would be well again. Sucking in an especially sprightly zephyr, the teen cupped his mouth, eyes sparkling with glee. He was gonna so make the most of this. “H~ello Konoha!! Uzumaki Naruto back in your face! Think y’all ready t’watch me kick some major ass!?” He laughed as he heard clinks of things being dropped and various disapproving noises. He was home.

The utility post he was standing on quaked twice before Naruto realized the trouble, which looking down to only proved to highlight. Pink hair and a glare to put an Iwa lizard to shame was presently storming up the pole, every calculated step shaking with the young woman’s righteous ire. Now stark pale, the blond made a break for it. Alas, not one rooftop later she was hot on his heels, fury singing at his nape. “You better be gritting your dumb-ass teeth, Naruto!” 

He nearly tripped at the threat. “Awe, come on Sakura! Cut me some slack, I was just about t’check on everyone, ya’ gotta believe me.” Dodging a blistering chop to the neck, Naruto discovered that was not the right thing to say. Balking, he made a well timed leap into a lucky open manhole. Belatedly, he realized his escape route lead him directly to sewer maintenance.

They say disgusted screams could be heard in stereo that day. 

‘Shower, eat, change, ‘xplore’, thought the proud owner of the springy blonde pigtails, swaying along as if vibrating along with her. ‘What else’mm?’ 

Sunny yellow banners caught her attention, glittering specks elegantly flashing along with flutters of cloth. ‘Oh, that shop wasn’t there lasstime!’ the girl crossed under the threshold in a skip, grin crinkling wide at all the accessories on full display. She easily bounded up to the shopkeep manned by a tanner-than-her, short-haired sandette. Ever the avid conversationalist, she lofted a manicured wave to the man. “Heya, you’re new! When’d you plant roots here mister?” 

It must have been infectious. The man smiled merrily, gesturing with a small flourish. His hands held several bands of rings adorned, fingertips and palms ground to callus, modest metallic hoops hanging lazily about his wrists. “It’s good business, jewelry I mean!” The man smiled like his profession, waving to customers making their way inside. “Trade with Konoha these days is working wonders for silversmiths.” The girl’s blue eyes shimmered in delight as she listened, casting her gaze at the gemstones and chain loops. 

“I came over from Suna. After all the tension settled, I saw a chance to bring my county’s natural beauty anywhere it can be cherished. To be honest, it’s girls like you that are why I set up here. A little peacetime luxury lifts all our spirits, I feel.” 

Blonde hair bobbed bashfully, suddenly out of element. Konoha adults were rarely so passionate in her presence. “Tha’so cool! I’m so glad you did! I’mma, uh, go check around!” Shuffling restlessly she jump-started her tippytoes, taking off to mull over the display cases, ignoring the easy laugh from the handsome man as she shopped. 

“Girls like me huh?” Hiding her burning ears, she nodded determinedly. Turning back to look at the owner, she pointed eagerly. “These ones are perfect!” 

Checking over her shoulder, the owner nodded. “Excellent choices, let me get those out for you ms…?” he paused.

“Naruko!” Beaming, the young woman eagerly shared her name. “Uzumaki Naruko, future Hokage!” 

He laughed, but not how she was used to. Her skin tickled, a little warm.

Having thanked the nice man properly for the new purchase, the blonde mulled over her next destination. Clutching her new passion project, she turned her feet towards a familiar haunt. ‘You’ve gotta treat yourself sometimes right?’ She tugged at her hair tips, fiddling shyly as she walked. 

“Maybe there is something to that ‘self-care’ junk pervy sages’ friend talked ‘bout..?” Naruko blushed thinking what else the woman may have been right about, hoping it wasn’t much else. 

“You – can’t – catch – me!” Naruto pulled a face at the childish taunts sing-songing his futile attempts at corralling academy students brought. The nostalgic grin that pulled him face first into playing Ninja had come back to bite the woefully unprepared self-appointed babysitter. 

“M’just.. holding back is all,” He did not look convincing, apparently. Puffs plumed off the black-orange as he patted his pants of dust. Cheeks scrunched, he muttered. “I’m way better at Protect the Princess than Grab the Getaways.” He had an honor to defend after all. The pout on his whiskered cheeks was met with another choir of chortling children challenging the older boy’s credentials. 

Naruto’s grin again turned up merrily, eyes glinting with a devious shine. Slipping in a giggle - giving one last pat of his clothes – the older boy leaned towards the gaggle conspiratorially. “Hey, y’guys ever play Trap the Target? I can teach ya’ some of my old moves on yer teachers.” A cheer and a single whoop answered that question. 

“I’m so sorry madam Hokage, I had to drag this doofus here by hand.” 

‘Shaa! I searched a damn half of Trade district before catching team 8’s help. You’re so in for it now.’ 

Sakura’s face flashed from apologetic to glaring lasers then back again. The dragged in question could swear she had three heads for a second, like some sort of cherry flavored hydra.

The leader of the village leaned her jaw into her fist, elbow resting upon the resolute desk. Faintly seen cracks having long since worn along the well polished surface, indicating years of similar frustrations. “Really Naruto, must you trail chaos in your wake? I’m beginning to regret Jiraiya’s unsupervised influence,” Naruto remained inflated, seat firmly on the floor, scruff of his coat still ruffled from being dragged several dozen meters with no small fuss. The boy huffed with a pout, 

“Really Grandma?” He resolutely ignores the cold sweat tickling his neck from the crackle of reinforced wood heaving underfist. Treading lightly, he defended himself. “I just wanted ta say hi ta everybody, Hinata seemed happy ta see me I’ll have ya’know! 

Trimmed bubblegum locks snapped like a whip along with the head. “I caught you lounging in a Nashi tree, in full bloom! I damn near had to hose you down to get out that awful stench!” She leaned over to scold Naruto more directly. “Admit it, you just wanted to goof off when you should have reported in hours ago.” 

In retaliation, the blond menace blew a raspberry. “You’re just jealous there’s a better smelling flower than Sakura.” 

The namesake simmered, “It smells like piss.” Veins worked overtime around the twitching eye.

He only huffed in response. “W’tever, ol’ lady already knew I was back! The perv came straight here after passing the gates yeah?” 

The room nearly heaved at the ask. “Yeah??” He endeavored. 

Several blinks passed before blond hair steamed red at the realization. “That crooked pervy jerk!!” 

Clack-clack. As if summoned. “Who are you calling crooked?! I’ll have you know I’m known far and wide as the Honest Sage of the Leaf! Hither and tither for settling all debts!” Suddenly posing in the window frame the old seasoned man held a hand aloft, the other clutching his heart as if struck. The perv accusation went unchallenged. 

Clack-clack. “Trusted across the Elemental Nations as the peaceful and unassailable beacon of virtue! The Gallant Jiraiya is heeeeere!!” His chin jutted about in a circle, spiked hair framing a flushed face easily sporting a haughty smirk, alcohol and other pursuits plainly the culprit. 

Unmoved, Tsunade languidly swiveled her chair to show the man-child her unimpressed face directly. “This is precisely why I was so disinclined to let you flit about the continent with a minor. Shame on me for being right. Again.” 

Naruto was already up off the floor, nose-to-nose with his mentor in a fury. “Oi old asshat, I won that bet fair’square and you know it!” He earned that free pass. Poor little Gama would have been struggling greatly had that gamble not gone so well. 

‘Hey-ey, easy Squirt, I didn’t back out on ya, I just got caught up in a few detours! I’m here aren’t I?” The bigger man puffed out his chest. “A good master always sticks by his apprentice! Gaahahaha.”

Sakura and Naruto gave him sidelong glances as the only adult in the room sighed into her hand.  

Turning eyes back to what remains of Team 7, the Hokage began. “Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi. Your new assignment is to reassess team deployment readiness. Team head may decide assessment parameters and will report back his findings at O’ Nine. Is that understood?” Sakura tried to look normal and composed – nodding affirmative while Naruto, face scrunched, counting down from three looking down at his fingers as he did. Unperturbed was a scarecrow man who stood at attention, hand in salute, masked expression not at all matching the clear professional tone. 

“Yes Lady Hokage, team 7 will be in top condition by tomorrow, ma’am!” Sakura’s determined visage contrasted by a.. distracted leader and the dumb-ass. Everyone easily ignored Jiraya, still pontificating his own praises.

“Oh!” The sound of the blond catching up drew looks. “Hey, Teach! When’dya get here?! You haven’t changed a speck! I’ll bet that stain is from my farewell party!” They boy cackled mirthfully, “‘Member Neji almost getting his arm unscrewed keeping Lee ‘way from the liquor table?” While Kakashi squinted down his vest in scrutiny, Sakura’s visage protested with a creaky groan. ‘Shaa! I am so kicking both their asses! The second we’re out of here, I swear.’ 

“I was sure I scrubbed that out..” 

“Do you really have to look like that, Naruto?” A worn out voice huffed out with a little bite, though she quickly rued having done so. Hours of whatever Kakashi deemed as catch-up having long chipped away at her sanity and vocal cords. She needed a shower and a nap, stat. 

The trio were walking the streets, dawn’s shadow sneaking after the team’s heels. Twigs broke through pink threads, sticking about in its’ best impression of a toppled bird nest. It was difficult to tell if their teacher trudged languidly ahead of them because he was always like that, or still convinced his student really had spoiled his most recent literary acquisition. The girl next to her though, dragging herself upright with exhausted vigor, otherwise looked none the worse. Twin-tails secure and combed, tan peach tone eyeshadow unsmudged, sapphire nails with nary a chip, mascara perfect.. It grated the pinkette’s nerves that she could be out girled by Naruto of all people. 

The blonde casually craned her direction. “Aww, come on, you got me all wrong! When I’m like this it’s Naruko ‘kay? I’m not playing House ‘er anything, I promise.” 

Sakura looked her blonde friend square in the eyes. The same blue she’d learned to tolerate shone back in earnest, apparently not at all offended by the green tinted scrutiny. On the contrary, the now girl seemed to vibrate under her gaze. ‘So long as I don’t have to deal with that stupid crush, he can be a girl all he likes.’ She shrugged, “If you say so. But isn’t it tiring? You couldn’t get me to cast any illusions right now.”

The taller girl had to just about shield her eyes from how bright Naru.ko’s grin got. “That’s th’ best part- I’m all solid; no puffing out anymore for me! Trus’ me, you’ve got no clue how much I had ta’ beg the Perv so I could work on this.” The blonde scoffed and blew at her bangs. Fingers waved in the air peevishly as she pulled a face. Sakura wondered if she could work out the hows of the technique. “I swear, he still complains ‘bout missing some sorta mountain ‘cause some reason or ‘nother.” Turning elsewhere, the living blonde light bulb dimmed a shade before her eyes. “Glad I could walk ‘ya home, Sakura.” The shorter haired girl suddenly realized they stopped walking. Her childhood house greeted her, spotlighted by the rising sun. Sparing a glance, unsurprisingly Kakashi had already absconded to who knows where while they were talking. 

With a small flair, Naruko gently sprung around, heels towards the crossroad. “I’ll head this a’way then! See ya’ later.” She bound off casually, her hands comfortably in the hoodie pockets. Sakura raised an eyebrow at the sudden departure. Watching twin tails lazily swish a-step across a retreating back, the younger girl shrugged. ‘Where does her energy come from, I wonder.’ Sakura opened the door. “Guess I can make breakfast before bed..” 

Hand-carved glass panes and bay windows progressed to rustic-bound sliding frames on her trudge back home. Looking closely, steam could be imagined about the distressed teenager’s head.

Naruko hid still inflamed cheeks in her fluffy ruffled hair bunched up along with her black sleeves. 

‘Gahh, she’s too freaking pretty ta’ talk to proper-like!’ A hand flipped out mockingly sericeous. 

‘“Glad I could walk ‘ya home”, what the heck is wrong with meeee??’ 

Early morning shoppers ushered their children along, not wishing for them to mixed up with a crazy person’s exuberant languishing embarrassment. 

Cold droplets echo across the darkness, the sound disappearing behind some dip or curve, waves of rock worn through in eons past. One had to hone focus to still hear the water crashing along slick stone, depositing down into the massive lake outside. The millennia old glacier remained steadfast, carving facets and leaving dips that would form into channels, awaiting the warmth lying beyond their confines. 

Inside one such facet, two men stood waiting. The thin crack opened up into a chamber, walls no longer glossy but rough like it has been scrubbed with iron wool. The hidden room remained somehow untouched by moisture. A flicker drew their eyes. Lines of muted, sickly color wavered into relative place.

Gray, ringed eyes clearly visible within the silhouette, unmoving despite the wavering form. 

“Report.” 

Chapter Text

“You know, this is marginally better than I remember.”

Sakura’s casual tone buzzed in his ear, electric hum of the channel coming in and out with it. Glad he was sure no one could see him, whole face likely an unflattering neon pink, Naruto gave in to the urge to kick about on the high branch he adhered against.

‘Firs’ that mornin’ a few days ago and now duo missions?! How the heck’m I supposed to ask her out before you got’ta head out, stupid perv!’ Old guy must be trying to give him ulcers now that he wasn’t road bound anymore. He could only stew over it, regretting his past boldness. Accepting dares has got to be his ninja vice.

‘Still, I don’ wanna come off like an insensitive weirdo.’ The way Sakura reacted to that name said all he needed. Uchiha Sasuke were words always just beyond the tongue, kept away protected behind their lips. It wasn’t like he didn’t understand. He was sure that raven hair showed up in Sakura’s dreams just as often as his.. ‘Protective crushes have frustrating staying power, huh Sakura?’

Trying to stay casual Naruto traced fingertips across a band of woven silver dangling gently about his wrist, repeated patterns of the metal helping the young blond swallow his worries.

‘T’snot like I don’t got time, right?’ That decided, he perked up andheld down a button, “Right? I’ll take this over clearin’ gutters any day.”

“Oh yeah, I bet he’d be so ‘noyed with the way ya’ copied his royal huff at that late delivery guy’s excuses.” He heard her laugh through the wire.

‘’m I even gonna survive this mission?’ What would the report say? <KIA: cute girl liked a joke>. Utter humiliation. At least go out in a prank gone horribly right.

His hypothetical demise was interrupted by sudden movement, a break from thinking.

“Target ascending from B to I, North your last ping. Looks like she’s taking the bait.” He waited. The last two awkward hours will finally conclude, as will his chance to put himself out there, maybe one final time. So he waited.

The scratches and yowls he expected cut in through the earpiece speakers. “Ribbon is confirmed, target captured. I’m on my way.”

He didn’t have to wait much this time. “Now let’s get that freaking snack I’m owed.” Sakura’s voice cleared the foliage as she did, eager to get report in and enjoy her reward stress free. A glaring cat making her displeasure known from inside a wooden trap.

Last chance! “Ah ah,” he wagged his finger with a haughty grin. “We still have half’a bell beforereport time, I can totally sneak in one more D-Rank before then!” He knew he was the diversion reigning champion.

“Is that so? Well,guess I’llhave to head back andspin the tale of know how I swept up the whole canal all on my own while the Great Naruto decided eating trash with a wind technique, again, was a more productive use of his time.” The next hit calculated for maximum damage.

“Maybe Konohamaru will be there, I’m sure he hasn’t seen just how lame his ‘big bro’ gets.”

Feigning hurt the blonde boy scoffed. “Hey, that so too came in handy!” He turned away to mutter, “at the end there..”

“B’sides,” he eyes the box, “I’ve got one las’ trick up my sleeve.” With a poof, Sakura was holding a makeshift birdhouse and the orange clad menace took off with the credit, as if on the menu.

Which wasn’t wrong by Sakura’s count.

“Oh, finally a table!” Ino grabbed a spot swiftly, her assorted bags behind her flats in practiced smoothness. “Things have really gotten busy lately, I haven’t seen clothes fly that fast in.. well.” The ponytailed blonde slid a coy grin at the Wind native. “Speaking of; how’s that layabout of a teammate of mine been, huh Temari?” The older young adult in question guffawed, grinning despite the cold blush she was sporting. “Oh we’re doing this already?”

Settling down into her own seat, she casually trotted through the euphemism, maturely. She shrugs, “What clothes? I never see them.” As Temari’s eyebrows tweaked rakishly, Ino and Sakura let out scandalized whoops on their wooden seats. Naruto himself held back amused cackles against the shaded fence, his own purchases sat at his sandals.

While settling back into village life, he quickly realized neither bodies had any casual wear that passed scrutiny, and he couldn’t not join his friends out shopping. Now he could finally appreciate how different the experience compared to alone. Ino came out the gate with an itinerary, leaving brunch and breaks to Sakura while Temari and himself scouted accessories and hyped up choice fits. Once his blonde peer figured out his ‘situation’, the Yamanaka immediately dropped all past qualms and scheduled an emergency spree. “I can’t have a girl I know waltzing around rumpled and raggedy, sometimes or not” she had said when he tried to assure her he wasn’t a girl all the time. Clearly there would be no objections.

“So Naru, how about you? Find yourself waking up under some girl’s sheets out on the wild road?” The older blonde leaned her chin atop her fingers, conspiratorial gleam in her green eyes. His blush was blessedly light, expecting the prod.“Or guy’s!” Ino jumping in with a combo, his whiskered cheeks sufficiently pink now.

Naruto waved his arms out before himself, “Nonono, defn’ly not! I was way too tied up in wrangling the old sage fer that!” The girls didn’t let up.

“Umm, oh. There was one town we stopped by for a month or so. That innkeeper’s son asked me out for a couple lunch dates. ‘Nyway, nothing happened, he touched m’ hand once, swear!” They deflated, muttering lamely. He was so not gonna tell them the handsome boy made him think of a far less gloomy Sasuke..

Sakura piped up, “Have you taken up accessorizing, Naruto? That’s a nice design.” Her gaze flickered upon the blond boy’s wrist, looking to him with honest interest.

Oh, his new bracelet. He held his left hand out to display his newest acquisition for the girls. The chain gleamed lightly under the sun as if basking in the newfound attention, much like the wearer himself.

“Yeah, I thought I’d put something ’ve been tinkering with into action; part of a big project I begged the sage to help me on. Complicated junk I tell ya but crazy important, ya know? Can’t fulfill my dream without it!” Tracing his fingers along the woven metal, he grinned.

The poly-pigtailed girl hummed at the craft, “That’s Wind country smithing isn’t it? I remember seeing those patterns back home.”

He eagerly regailed the older girl with his recollection of the purchase, emphasising how impressed he was with the shop. “He even threw in a pinwheel hairclip as a homecoming gift! I should probably drop by again sometime, huh?”

“Wait so backup, I’m still stuck on you going to fancy ryokan while getting personalized training with a Sannin.” Ino expressed her consternation with a pout, passing a suspicious glance his direction. “All the luck, for real.”

“Naa, don’ get it twisted, sister. Go through the tower scrolls. Every other mission summery is ‘geriatric babysitting’, not even kidd’n.” Granny Tsunade wasn’t above a little rueful abuse of authority at the perv’s expense, something he had zero qualms over.

Temari chortled out a hearty laugh, nearly coughing on her own amusement. “Gaara ought to take a note from your Lady Hokage, I think!”

Naruto smiled big. Friends are really nice.

Everyone in the room could hear each tick of the seconds hand tocking as they took the news. For an agonizing moment, Naruto struggled to grasp what he’d heard. Flipping a page lazily, Kakashi pretended to read as he gauged the blonde’s mood with side-eyed glances. Sakura knew there was an odd closeness between the two boys, worry for him on her face. Tsunade stoically held her attention on him, unyielding. A many pig-tailed blond stood rocking on arestless leg, large metal fan folded against the wall just in reach, glanced towards everyone anxiously.

Usually comfortable in the center of attention, the boy felt small under the scrutiny. Why look at him? The Hokage was the one briefing them.. But he knew why. The redhead could be his brother at this point, the only one he knew that understood what his life had been like, what it could have been like.

In the past, the short-tempered boy would have lashed out, screamed at the absurdity of what he’d just heard. Today, he grasped his fury tight in his fists. He looked past the seat of power, through the Tower windows framing the village. This is what all that time away had been for, stopping the exact scenario he was now being forced to handle. Releasing his palms, Naruto slid an arm out and set his eyes on the figure behind the desk.

“Don’ you dare try an’ stop me, granny Tsunade. I’m not gonna sit back and let those assholes trample all over Gaara’s dream! He worked so hard t’ get to be Kazekage! Send whoever want, but -”

“Granted.” The Hokage hadn’t budged a lick. Her typical unimpressed gaze replaced with a smirk.

“All present now stand on classified grounds. Chunin Haruno and Genin Uzumaki, under the command of Jonin Hatake, will accompany Temari of the Sands to rendezvous with our allies in the West, Sunagakure. Once there, you are to cooperate with local agents and assist in mission critical requests. Your assignment is to locate -and return- the Fifth Kazekage of the Land of Wind to his home.” She slapped her palm against her desk. “Am I heard?”

“Yes Ma’am!”

“Sha! Stop gagging at the samples and bring me that pale vial, the flat one!” Sakura was on a roll now and she wasn’t about to slow down for this circus either. ‘I swear, those clones are his only saving grace.’ She watched him squeamishly pass the correct glass vessel with his most tippy of fingertips as though the sterile solution would whip out like a snake at him, the medical phobia would be obvious even if she hadn’t known him.

Transferring fluid from one container to the next, the third most competent medic ninja in the Leaf kept up the pace with fervor she attributed to showing that jerk hag just how wrong she was about Lady Tsunade. Time’s changed everything and the fact was, Sakura refused to wear whatever dated costume Chiyo had prepared for her. Leaf scum, war-profiteer, naive; all these generational reruns weren’t her style. She remembers her father’s father complaining endlessly how bad Stone ninjawere and it drove her to tears in boredom. The old lady wanted a ‘Best Hits’ record to satisfy her ego, to pass off her miserable mood as wisdom. Sakura respected the hell out of the woman for her skills but..

‘Well, my own ego won’t stand for her freaking attitude.’

Hours of effort as she worked on a toxin no singular perspective could have deciphered had finally blossomed into proof the older woman had an apology to write. There was a reason none of the common practices stuck.The first hour was just her scrambling to find the connection, a strand of knowledge she would have never considered without even monitored access to Suna medical records. This Sasori was certainly a genius.To say the aged Puppeteer didn’t spend five decades doing nothing would be putting it lightly.

‘I’ve got a new goal Lady Tsunade; something like this shouldn’t just sit on some shelf.’

The mind capable of such ingenuity impressed and intrigued her. All the trouble he’s caused really made her job way more difficult; She would have wanted to pick his brain like the smart old expert he could have been. ‘This use of Iwa lizard antibodies to specialize against Banded Mist venom is incredible enough, but incorporating Copper root’s anti-clot factor slowed its effects to a crawl and gave it time to anchor into every gland and membrane. What would usually be a quick fate of organ failure instead ensured an agonizingly slow suffocation..’ Whatever source of water in the body got a hold of soaked up like rain in the hot sand. Just a drop of this would mummify someone in an agonizing week, faster if there was no civilization nearby.

‘The first thing to really go ends up being the lungs..’ The idea of this man going around using this stuff on people chilled her blood.She cast a glance at the testing subjects they had to sacrifice to unlock this mystery, making a note to discuss local burial honors to observe forthe mammals after Kankuro awoke.

As an ambassador, Temari became something of a friend of a friend hanging around with Ino and Shikamaru. They didn’t talk much but they both enjoyed fashion and she was sure the older girl respected Tsunade the same way as her. The pinkette decided doing something so horrid to such an earnest girl’s brother counted as a score to settle.

Distinct temper flared, she set to her work with a fury. ‘Genius or psycho; whatever. He’s gonna be sorry he ever pissed off Haruno Sakura!’

“And yer tot’ly sure this goop and junk is supp’osta go inside someone’s body? Kinda too wacky, yea-”

The blonde’s question cut off as he looked to ask, deciding it was smart to keep his mouth shut for once.

“Wait! Don’t look him in the eyes!”

Kakashi slipped a hand across the group, swiftly drawing their gaze away from the robed man’s own. Holding focus on his shoulder line, she could just make out the troughs dragging along the young man’s face, almost compelling her attention. Naruko jerked in place as she realized who blocked their way to Gaara. She recognized him too easily; the confused panic of first impressions, her righteous anger at the man beating her closest friend like an abused pet, a deep cutting chill of learning exactly who she’d narrowly dodged. This was Uchiha Itachi. And she was going to kick his family murdering ass.

Kakashi’s short conversation with the man confused her, he mentioned something about eyes going dark.. didn’t the Sharingan have stupid good eyesight? He turned his head her way.

“Let me take first punch, eh Naruko?” The silverette crinkled his eye at her, mask scrunching up to follow. “Don’t worry, I’ll make an opening for you all.” She could only nod. He would hold the line for the right moment.The three of them would take down the person Sasuke was after. If they had to drag the man to his younger brothers’ feet, they would do just that.She refocused as the raven-haired mansmoothly lifted a finger, ringed hand ominously directed her way.

“Vessel of the Beast, we are to relieve you of your pain.”

Before she could ask what the hell that meant, her teacher leaped to intercept. A familiar puff sound retaliated, clone slashing through the teacher with practiced grace.The already prepared Earth-crawler jutsu opened up beneaththe real Itachi, who was forced to create distance just as Kakashi sprung from the dirt below.Leaving the clone up to his comrades,the Copy Ninja couldn’t help but admit he’d raised pretty reliable students. The masked man made a mental note that it was hit turn to take care of souvenirs for the return trip.

Sakura engaged the clone firstwithhandfuls of shuriken down range, aiming to tighten the clone’s approach. Chiyo stayed still and ready.

Both were all but ignored in favor of the blonde target. Itachi weaved through the blades, barely giving his many-times elder a glance.

Naruko held hands with a clone, launching towardsthe man straight down unrestrained. Once in range, the girl swung herself by the arm up and over the older teen, the replicataking theswoop of Itachi’s kunai.As close as she dared to sail, the girl landedlow into acrouch at the man’s heels.Fingers crossed, the girlquickly appeared on her own back, fist primed to plant into her foe’s gut. Her reward wasa leg to the rib cage. Her clone stumbled as its’ makeshift platform flung back from beneath it. A kunai jabbed up through the jaw later, his hand’s aim hurling to hoist her up by the neck, crimson sleeve rolling up from the motion. Unblinking,another her appeared again between them, springing out toshoveherself out of the man’s reach, forcefully dispelled as shedid.

Naruko came to a halt crouching, dirtand gravel kicking up.Gritting her teeth she glared at the man, narrowly catching herself from making eye contact. Rushing to her feet, the blonde tossed her own fistful of her own kunai, easily dodged and falling into the surrounding ground. Plan B. Well, Naruko was nothing if not persistent!

Lifting a hand out to her side, hernew clone’s helpful hands already pouring whirling chakra into her palm as it arrived. Like wrapping a melon with string after string she set to cradling the shell, cutting off every gap as the ball swelled and strained against the pressure.She squeezed the energy snug from all angles until only whirling threads could be seen.

The clone still kept his attention on her, leaving Sakura and the old lady off to the side to observe and make an opening. The time came when the elderly woman twitched a finger, the Uchiha’s head daring a swift turn. Instantly, a dozen perfect twin-tailed doppelgangers began crowding one another, dashing and weaving in sync. Clouds of chakra puffed, dispelled by smooth strikes and precise slashes. Soon back to only three, two clones cradled a bulging orb, visibly flexing against its confines.

“Eat this!” The shouting teen shoving her special move towards the copy of the man she would personally drag to Sasuke’s feet.

He turned to slash them both through and came to a solid stop. Faint glows wrapped along the kunai blade he held, tethering the man from his strike. The Naruko next to her exploded and she found herself suddenly cradled by the neck, feet easily leaving the ground. A light clanking of abandoned metal following. The blond gripped around the iron vice on her jacket collar. Black sandals flashed out with curled knees fruitlessly. She could still just breath; Akatsuki for certain needed them alive.. She couldn’t help loosing a smirk.

“Here’ya go, I think you’ll getta kick out of this!” Holding out the glowing ball, the clone’s chakra body broke, leaving a very real and suddenly unstable ball of energy they’d passed around to go critical from pointblank range. She would never know for sure, but she hoped his eyes widened a smidge.

‘Rasengan Burst!’ Cracked earth ruptured, sending thick plumes aloft and the lashing windsnapping nearby tree branches. Gravel tapped the ground like rain against a roof.

Before the sounds faded, the smudged girlextracted herself from the hole Kakashi’s jutsu dug up. Neither her or anyone’s vision were clear when she was surprised by the sensation of arms suddenly wrapping around her torso, tight like vices. Straining to turn her head she could make out Sakura and hag Chiyo through the fading smokescreen, pinning her where she stood.

“Hey, what giv-” Her eyes widened as the two womeneach send deadly glares her direction, faces contorted with blame. This Sakura weeps painfully, cheeks and lips stained with tears, her every curse punctuated by a bone-quaking tug. Old lady Chiyo’s tears seemed to have ran dry decades ago, frown lines etched as wrinkles adorning her enraged guise, generations of misgivings borne out before the young blonde. The old woman’s bony grip grows tighter on her shoulder. Cut between clenched teeth, hushed words were nonetheless loud in her ears.

“This is why Sasuke isn’t here, all because of you! You and your damn stupid mouth!”

“Konoha is truly blighted if this is all one who calls themselves ‘future Hokage’ can muster..”

Naruko dug the ground under heel, efforts weighed by the two powerful women and how worryingly convincing the voices were. Everything itched at her that it wasn’t real but her shoulder ached at the old woman’s nailed grip. Her ribs felt every new bruise she could swear she’d have the next morning each time Sakura tightened her hold. The stabs across her heart at their words lingered all the same. A phantom Itachi only watched her distress from afar, letting his victim stew in the trap.

“What the hell is your problem??” She couldn’t help herself. Naruko grit her teeth and did her best to ignore her illusory anchors. “He went through so much ‘causa you! Do you even care?”

The eldest Uchiha’s image still did not pursue, his hands resting passively at his sides taking no action. The man’s exact visage stolid expression remained, unchanged from years ago. Was this him hearing her out or did he like to watch people struggle? Was the real him even listening? This was something that ticked her off about this guy. It wasn’t something she could pinpoint, really. It was just impossible to gather anything from this man. Even Zabuza had something she could lean into.This man, though, gave away nothing. Body language putting in more work to enshroud him than even his regrettably sick-ass cloak could. Something sat off kilter every time she saw Uchiha Itachi.

“I don’ know much about brothers or anythin’, but aren’t yousupposed ta’ put people you love first?”

Khaw.

The atmosphere began to chill her blood in one breath. Khaw-khaw.

“Naruto…” Chills themselves froze as they ran down her body at the voice. The misnaming didn’t even register. “You hypocrite.. as if you’re any better.” That voice.. Hell no. She wrenched harder, eyes quaking desperately. the voice persisted, echoed against her skull. “You always worm your way into people’s hearts, don’t you? What I wanted didn’t matter, did it? Hypocrite..” His voice rose barely to casual. She winced, finding herself ashamed of the effect hearing even these biting, illusory words had.. “I thought you just..”

She shook her head, it wasn’t him. None of this was real. Doing her best to shut out his senses, Naruko pushed herself to recall what Jiraya told her about illusions.

‘They make it so much easier to peep -I mean spy, for my job!’

Dammit, useless. Why’d genjutsu have to be so bullshit! So not fair! The blonde was struck with a quick burst of déjà vu.

‘No fair? Always the lip with you, isn’t it? Anyways, your problem is that you’re thinkin’ too linearly. That headstrong, A to B style takes you places, kid, but you gotta take stops along the way, smell some flowers, you get me?’ They didn’t really but sure, we’ll go with that.. Half of the lessons the old man gave had some metaphor or cryptic story.

‘It’s kinda like that pinwheel game, you played that at the academy didn’t you?’ Alone, yes.. ‘Well, it’s always riiight when the blades stop twirling that you can ramp up some real momentum!’

Taking in a steady breath, she’d try again. Hands still clasped, Naruko’s chakra surged again. ‘Well, this is how I played the game.’ Her energy flaired to it’s limit, stretching wide as if to flood the lands. The pressure laxed, pulling back from the shore to loosen the genjutu’s grasp on her coils. If she could taper it down after a wave, surely thencatching it after a storm...!Giving one more go she held it down tightly right as it ebbed, like straining to hold your breath from expelled lungs. All at once, chakracrashed out across the field, drenching everything with its signature. Tree limbs shook, the dust at her feet left ripples stread out upon the battleground. The girl at the center panted. If that didn’t do it, she was out of ideas..

“It’s almost as if you’re trying to be pathetic.” Naruko jerked in place. Eyelids squeezed tight, jaw set in a grimace. Her illusory companions released their grasp and fell, forms sinking to the floor like mounds of sludge at her sandals. Clamped figures gone, the girl began to trip and stumble to her butt.

The next second she felt it; That missed, familiar back that once begrudgingly used her own when exhaustion won out over propriety. His voice stained with venom in her ears. Everything she’d swore to claim as her own hinged on saving him.Sasuke knew what her days were like. One dawn after another terribly, bitterly alone. Living like a shadow of a ghost unwelcome in the pure lands. The very first to see something in her that no one else would.He looked at her with expectation..

She had to close the chasm they’d both widened on that fateful day.

The walls she’d smash on the way to Hokage would only fall with her people at her side.And this wall ground up against her fingernails raw with blood and dirt, unmoved..

Something struck her mind just then. Another vague tale spun by her most unscrupulous teacher, one that only clicks in the nick of time.

“I wasn’t always this amazing, I’ll have you know! There’ve been dozens of times I had to be yanked from some trouble by my oh so delightful squad back in the day. Even that pale bastard lent a hand or two when I was in a pinch. The way they’d scold, there’d never been such a spectacle! Anyway, if you’re ever struggling, there’s no shame in being bailed out by your pals.”

Taking a breath and leaning back a little further, Naruko tilted her head up to the clear skies above. “I used to think I could beat the anger outta me. Maybe in an exhausted, bloodied heap I’d stop burning inside. Guess I thought I’d do the same for everyone else..” She closed her eyes, trusting not her senses, but her heart. She knew he wasn’t the real deal, just a mirage conjured to torment her. Still.. she’d make a promise anyway. “The old man is right about one thing for sure. So next time I see you, the real you, it’ll be to say to your face what I should’ve said that time too..” The teen girl heaved a sigh, smiling up at the blue expanse. “Wait for me, Sasuke.”

“Hnn. Don’t regret saying that, loser.”

She felt gentle palms upon her shoulders. Alongside, a sensation like time catching up after an overlong nap washed through her. The pain and soreness disappeared in an instant, body easily correcting the misconception. The pressure against her back vanished.

Barely a moment had passed. Knowing it had never actually been there, however, was a bit harder for her mind. She made herself aware of Sakura and Chiyo actually at her side, concerned relief and measured satisfaction instead of hate. They pulled her out when she couldn’t on her own. The young girl could have cried. ‘That might all have’ta go in the shutup box..’

Having assessed the situation, a gravelly voice swept the remaining confusion away with its practiced calm and practicality. “I should think it’s about time you support your Team Leader, no?”

Kakashi, locked in a long glare with the notorious missing ninja, morbidly tried to connect his memory to the reality in front of him. The prodigious Uchiha was still of the same likeness as last they met, only a handful of years to bridge the gap. Echos of an earnest, if inscrutable boy of thirteen replaced by the kin slaughtering enigma gripped the older man’s loyal heart. The familiar ache only sharpened his gaze, sharingan gleameddefiantly.

“That illusion of yours.. Are you planning to use up your eyes on little old me?”

His opponent lowered his lids lightly in response. “Shadow clone. I see. Quite ingenuitive.”

The silverette smirked beneath his mask. “If you find that impressive, wait until you see my student.” On cue, the twin-tailed blonde swung into view above her teacher, raging blue ball whirling and screeching in hand. Kakashi dispersed in a cloud of gray smoke leaving his foe who, leaping back, inhaled deep. With a flash of hands,soft dirtburst forth from the ground between them, immediatelyerupting whiteat his breath; viscus glowing fire stacking cloyingly upon the floor. Melted glass satbetween him and the coming maelstrom, molten wall thick as she was wide. At the sight, Naruko briefly wonder if the man had any hobbies.

Pushing forward, herRasengan groaned through the air in her hand to meetingits’ target undeterred. Sounds resembling hot cement against sandpaper screeched into the obstruction, bubbled layers warping and shattering under the handheld catastrophe. Her vision grew obscured behind the molten mass formlessly contorting under twisting, flashing destruction.

‘Now!’ In a blink, a dozen scattered kunai turned into a dozen blondes, each holdingviolent orbs suddenlysurroundeda singular mass, armsalready held out-stretched. “ShowerRasengan!”The crash of air and gnashing of debris splashed throughout the battlefield as the orbsbore into the cloaked man from every angle.

Silence finally fell as dust settled in layers, the thinnest still clinging to hair and clothes. As the short girl panted, she wrenched her arm out of the newest art installment now marking the lands bordering Wind and Fire. For reasons she couldn’t quite articulate, she got the strangest feeling that the man smiled at her for just an instant..

Shaking her head of the impossible image, Naruko stepped away from the still glowing heap to join her team inspecting the damage. The body, laying in craters within craters, mauled and disheveled, was a far cry from Uchiha Itachi. Only brown hair, gray-tan skin, and obviously plucked from someone’s family to be used as disposable distractions.. The young woman clenched her hand. She dimly noticed Sakura discussing burial practices with Chiyo for her Sand comrade. Kakashi placed a hand on her shoulder, the comfort only lightly easing the teen’s worries.

‘Gaara.. I’m not gonna let this happen to you.’

Naruto’s tears continued to boil into steam before they could escape from his eyes. Untamed fury crashed through him again and again as he replayed the image of this man using Gaara as if he were a cushioned chair. His teeth ground against each other as he slashed clawed fingers against the surrounding trees, felling one after another in the desperate searching for his prey. “Come out already! I’ll kill you! You still have limbs to rip off!” Crimson chakra visibly roiled across his body, tri-tails writhing recklessly without care for collateral. He batted aside his teacher’s attempts to calm him, enraged he would bother to rein in his righteous wrath. “How dare you take him, you’ll pay for what you did to Gaara!” He knew the foul man was still nearby and he would turn the entire area to rubble if that’s what it took. He would give his friend his revenge!

Oh.. Naruto stopped mid swing, halting at the thought. Vengeance.

His arms fell limp at his sides. His teacher took the chance to tag a paper seal onto his forehead, covering the symbol of the Leaf engraved onto the headband he proudly wore. Blazing red ichor seeped back into skin, whatever strength keeping him upright going with it. Pained, aching eyes turned blue once more behind clenched lids.

He couldn’t recall the following hour as they reconvened with everyone, only later able to learn that Neji and his team had found and dealt with their exploding foe.

He told himself long ago that crying was useless, nothing could be accomplished that way. He watched that belief crash to the ground upon passing through the foliage to see Gaara’s stiff, lifeless form surrounded by companions. Allies the redhead worked tirelessly to protect and gain the trust of grieving for their leader.

Granny Chiyo placed a hand on his arm. “Boy, come.”

He followed as she lead him passed the crowd of Sand ninja, each brushing a hand across their shoulders as the two made their way to the lifeless Kazekage lying upon the grassy field. This time, Naruto didn’t bother holding back; hot tears cascaded freely from puffy, bloodshot eyes. ‘This isn’t fair..’

His elder let go of his arm and sat cross-legged at her Kage’s side, sighing wearily at the effort. “Pay attention, child, I shall not be saying it again.”

The old woman bore her wrinkled eyes into him, words heavier than ever. “Going a single day without death in our world is a foolish, impossible dream. If you wish to take a path of a leader, you must come to terms with this single truth.” Chiyo’s expression was measured and callous, uncompromising. She may had well have chopped him in the neck for all the delicacy her voice held. “Sacrifice is a given as ninja, to the point of contradiction. You will give up everything to keep everything. This is the way of things.”

Anger welled up in him again, entirely his own this time. It was almost surprising, just how different it felt from the fox. He wanted to hit her. How many times had he broken himself in pursuit of his dreams, only to be told it wasn’t enough. He wanted to scream.

“And so,” she continued. “It is time for the past to give way to the future, instead of clinging to foolish dreams of a bygone era.” Chakra flared around the woman’s hands in a way that reminded him of when Lee unleashed the gates against a younger Gaara years ago.

Chiyo gave a long glance at the boy who once confirmed her values, that nothing good came of bonds with outsiders. His short red hair caked with dried blood and dirt, who ended up this way only because of a profound connection with a past enemy. Who defended their home so fervently due to such an outsider.

She lifted her eyes to Naruto again. “This is my sacrifice to this new generation. See to it that it goes not for naught, future Hokage of the Leaf.”

When Gaara suddenly gasped awake, Naruto couldn’t help but think to ask Sakura what she’d learned about dignified burials from Granny Chiyo.