"Ohh my head." Were the words that scraped across Akina's throat as the pressure between her temples gave her the agonizing pulsing sensation of a migraine. Her eyes slowly opened to a beige ceiling and slowly rotating fan, its edges squeaking with every revolution.
The young woman moved to sit up, pausing as a sharp stinging sensation shot through her stomach. In her mind, a vision of fire laced red eyes and the feel of cold steel made her jump with a start.
Naruto. Her hands, once she was fully upright on her bed found their way to her stomach, recognizing that the clothes on her were not her own, and the feel of freshly changed bandages beneath the over sized shirt made itself known.
The door to her room suddenly opened, revealing a woman in her late thirties or mid forties judging from her looks she wore simple clothes and had black, waist length hair. "Oh my, you're awake one moment I'll get you some food."
Before Akina could even open her mouth to say any kind of protest to her leaving the door was closed and the sound of shuffling feet indicated the woman's departure.
Akina closed her mouth before she glanced around the room, the door was on the other side of the room to the right, and the window was directly across from it to the left, a closet was directly in front of her.
Dragging her legs over the edge the young woman stood up, ignoring the renewed burning pain in her stomach, why hadn't the injury healed yet? She'd have to examine it later herself later.
Walking to the window she looked down onto the bustling market below, this woman lived in what was considered prime real estate, so she had quite a bit of money, or at the very least a stable enough income. Still thats not what caught her eye, it was the fact that she didn't recognize this location, and that set her on edge. There were not a great deal of places in Kumo or Suna that she hadn't been too, in Kumo taking missions as per her training, had taken her all across the lightning country. And in Suna, her image as Suna's angel had taken her just as far as every outlying village and garrison in trouble had been begging for her to come to their aid against Konoha's raids.
So...where was she?
Considering where the battle had taken place...she could be anywhere on the north eastern side of the mainland, or, if her luck was really crappy, she could be on one of Kiri's islands. Sneaking on a ship here wouldn't be difficult. The problem was that all ships from Kiri that headed to the mainland docked at Konoha's sole port, Wave country. And in wave country there were teams of ninja that checked the ship, rumor had it the teams even had Anbu hidden in their ranks to make sure nothing got past them. It would be difficult to get away from them undetected, and in a place like wave country, that had essentially, only one entrance and one exit, she couldn't afford to be detected at the docks.
Of course she'd first have to discover just where the hell she was at in the first place before she could make any plans of escape. She'd have to ask that woman once she got back.
Walking back over to the bed her legs feeling unbelievably weak after the, virtual nothing that was that walk. Just how long had she been unconscious?
As she sat down on the edge of the bed, the woman entered the room again, this time carrying a tray with some re-heated food.
The smell of food seemed to shoot up her nose and Akina became acutely aware of just how hungry she actually was. She swallowed thickly, hoping that she wasn't staring openly at the food as the woman approached.
Placing the tray on the nightstand next to the bed the woman smiled kingly at her. "Here ya go, eat up."
The temptation to do just that was almost overwhelming, but she managed to hold back as she turned her eyes upwards towards the black haired woman. "I'm sorry but how did I get here. Who are you?"
" Ahh of course I'm sorry. My son, Inari, found you while he and his crew were out on their fishing ship. He brought you back here. My name is Tsunami." The woman said smiling with a slow nod. "You're in my house, obviously, in wave country."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Naruto slowly made his way down the beach, the gentle caress of the waves, scratching the sands almost soothing to the chronically aggressive Jinchuriki.
This would mark the fourth day he'd been on the island with Temari and Hinata, sixth since he himself had been there alone.
Now here, away from Temari, Hinata and the world in general Naruto was free to indulge his thoughts freely.
With the almost certain fall of Kumo only Suna now remained. He couldn't plan the invasion here though, he needed to gain a full assessment of his enemies losses, along with his own along with other factors that could shift the tides before he did that, no, his thoughts revolved around the future beyond that.
The world of the ninja as they knew it, was being torn away, villages and their various factions and warmongering ways becoming a mere thing of the past.
This was his ultimate goal. This is what his mission entailed...But...
This was something the Jinchurikki found himself strangely unsettled by.
He had grown up in this world...and this way of living...these wars...this constant need to keep on one's toes...its what he knew...it was all he knew.
Peace...
It was a goal becoming more and more possible with each passing day. But at the same time, it became all the more...imposing.
Akina's words during the recent battle returned to him, her voice echoing in his mind.
"You want to end it here, like this, with this battle because you know some will escape and you know that when they do some may surrender, but many will continue the fight against you. You don't want the fighting to end...you want it to go on, because you're absolutely terrified of the notion of a world without war. A world where you would have no purpose.'
Naruto's eyes closed briefly as he let the memory play through his mind, so vivid the image was. It was as if it were happening all over again.
Foolish girl.
Whatever trepidations or uncertainties he may feel. Whatever foolish feelings of unease plagued him he would bear through it. Because it was his oath. His mission.
His purpose.
Continuing his silent march the Uzumaki did not take long to find himself approaching the beach at the caves entrance, eyes immediately finding Temari standing on the beach, arms crossed in front of her as the gentle breeze blew against her, catching her hair and fluttering her clothes.
Making his presence known by allowing his footsteps to make a sound Naruto marched towards her, watching as her attention was brought towards him fully.
The Jinchurikki paused glancing around for a moment before he spoke. "Where is Hinata?"
"Inside...still resting." Temari answered simply before she turned her eyes back to the horizon.
Naruto nodded and, deciding that nothing would be of benefit by remaining out here staring at the horizon with the Sabaku, he turned towards the cave, ready to leave her to her own devices.
Before he fully turned away however Temari's voice brought him to a pause.
"What did you mean yesterday when you said your body wasn't used to the Kyuubi's chakra?"
The question was simple. Almost as though its subject was an innocent, inconsequential matter. Quick and to the point. He never did take her for one to dance around the subject.
Looking over his shoulder, his gaze finding the back of her head he spoke. "Its just what it sounds like miss Sabaku. Yesterday you insinuated that my physical body is accustomed to the Kyuubi's chakra enough to feel no ill effects. This, is untrue. I merely corrected you."
"Do you feel pain every time you use even a little bit of it?" The Sabaku questioned turning to face him now.
He nodded once, still not quite understanding where she was going with this line of questioning.
"Is it the same for all Jinchurikki?"
"Ahh...you are concerned for your brother I see." Naruto commented with an air of realization in his voice.
"What is that supposed to mean?" She questioned, hostility in her tone.
"Nothing at all." He stated with a shrug. It was the truth, it meant nothing to him, merely an observation of her motivations. "I suppose..." He continued. All Jinchuuriki feel discomfort when they use the Bijuu's chakra. Though, based on the nature of the chakra they should all feel distinct, or unique in their own way. Mere speculation though, I do not have two Bijuu and have never been in contact outside of a battle so I have not engaged one in conversation.
"What do you feel?"
Naruto glanced towards her, an eyebrow raised in curiosity. "What I feel?" Odd, he realized. She was the only person to question him over how using the chakra of the ninetails felt like. Others all speculated, all had their theories no doubt. But none had ever fully questioned him, either out of fear, or respect to his privacy, it mattered not, for he cared not.
….No...no wait...there had been another that had asked him...one other individual.
Suddenly Temari's messy blond hair was replaced by sleek black, stormy silver gray eyes shifting to gentle blue before the vision vanished, as if whisked away on the breeze.
"Why do you ask?" He found himself questioning.
Temari avoided his gaze for a moment before she sighed and sat down on the sand, arms resting on her raised knees. "I don't know...guess...because its interesting...because...you're like the only person to really talk to right now. I'm curious. Any answer I guess can fit right now."
A silence descended over the two for a moment as Naruto stared down at the back of her head before turning fully and standing at her side. "Do you perhaps feel as though you may understand your brother's burden better through me Sabaku? Is this what stems your questions?"
"I guess." She said after a moment with a soft shrug and another tired sigh. "I've never...I mean...Gaara's always tried to be there for me and Kankuro you know. Always tried to be supportive and help us out. I guess he felt guilty about what he is now that I look back at it. But why would he feel that way. We never brought it up, never treated him any different, at least...I don't remember doing that, or tried not to. I don't know...I guess...I just wanna be able to understand him a bit more..." She snorted humorlessly. "Kinda pathetic really...that I'm coming to you of all people with this."
Naruto again continued to stare at the top of her head for a good long while before crossing his arms and stared out to the horizon.
"My experiences are different from your brother. As is my Bijuu, I cannot speak for him." He answered.
"Could you just tell me about your experiences then?" She asked and Naruto again turned to stare at her.
Feeling his gaze searing into the top of her head she turned to look at him, easily seeing the unveiled suspicion in his blue depths.
"What does it matter if you tell me? I cant use it against you, the weakness exists or doesn't weather or not you tell me, and its not something I can exploit like a weak arm or sprained ankle. You operate perfectly with it obviously."
Naruto continued to stare at her raising a thin skeptical eyebrow. "While it is true you cannot exploit this fact for your own benefit, just as it is true I cannot exploit your own brothers physiological weakness to his Bijuu's chakra, your sudden, apparently innocent interest in me Sabaku is enough suspicion in itself."
Temari huffed, her head jerking to the side in an angry, dismissive manner. "Oh for fucks sake!" She yelled standing up as she rounded on him. "Now you look! I am...cut off from any form of human contact by ten trillion gallons of sea water. Stuck on a spit of dirt barely a mile across and the only other form of conversation besides you that I have available to me is a woman that's unconscious 18 hours a day so either you drop all this fucking suspicion or-"
"You'll do what?" He questioned softly, his voice vibrating through her as he turned to face her now, staring down into her eyes as he cut her off mid sentence.
Whatever words Temari was ready to release died in her throat as she apparently remembered just who she was talking to. But, never the less she continued to stare straight at him, never breaking eye contact as she returned his glare full force.
It was another brief silence that descended upon them, and Naruto's eyes once again seemed to see a woman that was not there, her hair and eyes shifting and changing before his eyes before they vanished as though they'd never been there.
"It burns." Naruto stated after a brief moment.
Caught completely flat footed the Sabaku could only blink stupidly for a moment in response. "Wha?"
"The Kyuubi's chakra. It burns. Channeling it through the Tenketsu, attempting to focus and harness it into whatever you want. It is like wielding a Katon jutsu in your hand with no chakra coating your palms. It can be blocked out, managed. But it never truly leaves. I imagine your brother experiences something similar."
Temari seemed to stagger for a moment Sputtering out in cohesive sentences as she struggled to grasp a response. Finally after pausing, and taking a deep breath she spoke. "Then why use it. Why do all Jinchuriki keep using it."
"Once again, you demand answers which I cannot give. I know not why others have relied on the creatures. I can only speak for myself."
"Then why did you use it...if it was so painful? Why didn't you just...rely on your own chakra?"
"It was my responsibility." He answered. "To learn and master this chakra."
"Your...responsibility?" She questioned incredulously.
"My village would need me prepared if there was ever a war upon our capital. My training in how to control the Bijuu chakra commenced immediately after I passed my personal chuunin exam."
"Personal exam? But...you took the exam with us...I remember. You already knew how to use the Kyuubi's chakra by then I know i-"
"Where we met. Was nothing more than a mission given to me by lord Hiruzen. The Sandaime. He wished extra protection for the last loyal Uchiha and the Hyuuga Heiress. Sharingan Kakashi is known for his fame and so any assassins or would be kidnappers would focus on him. Not an as of yet, unknown Anbu out of uniform."
"You...You were an Anbu back then?"
"I would have thought that was obvious." Naruto stated. "My skills were far beyond those of yourself, or your brother."
"Gaara was stronger than any Gennin too but he wasn't...when did you take your personal exam?"
"If I recall correctly..." Naruto stated with a slow contemplation. "I was...four...I believe."
"You were...you were four years old?" The Suna Kunoichi almost yelled, eyes wide and mouth agape.
"Indeed." He answered simply. "Shortly after my training commenced, I received a jounin promotion, and was soon inaugurated into the Anbu corp. My training with the ninetails continued until I seized control of Konoha. After that, formal training ended, and I merely had to learn from my experiences on the battlefield."
Now that, was a subject Temari didn't approach. His conquests and subjugations of the central plains were well known throughout the world. It was where he had gained his reputation as "The devil king." Not a subject she wanted to get into.
"So for my own experience." Naruto continued. "It has always been a matter of responsibility. I always needed to master the chakra if I hoped to guard my village against its enemies. Other Jinchuuriki I immagine feel the same way, or simply rely on the chakra because they feel as though it is the quickest way to achieve strength, then it becomes their only way to achieve strength. "
Temari stared up at him, mouth still agape and only until Naruto turned to stare at her did she regain her wits enough to realize she was staring.
Glancing away from him the Suna ninja cleared her throat. "I...I see." She said awkwardly.
Naruto glanced out towards the horizon, realizing just how late it was becoming, he needed to return to the cave, prepare it for the chill of the night that would no doubt assail Hinata. Turning swiftly he began making his way back to the cave, leaving Temari alone to her own confusing thoughts.