"I don't understand...from what I know of human metabolism and poisons it should have already been broken down after so much time."
Temari's worry reached her voice clearly, eyes taking in Hinata's pale, sweat soaked form as she lay on the floor.
Her moments of consciousness had been becoming less and less frequent of late, until, for nearly three days or so she hadn't woken up at all. Between herself and Naruto they'd had to bathe herfeed her and maintain her with what little they could in this state. It was a grueling process and one that was unfortunately, seemingly fruitless.
"It may have already been metabolized." Naruto answered, placing the feather blanket over her, having finally killed enough of the local birds to put together the new barrier against the cold, finally being able to remove his red hood and cloak from atop her. "Her body is now simply too weak to fight the sickness that afflicts her now."
Temari nodded, it made sense, and if that were the case it increased her chances of survival by a lot. Though dangerous, it was much easier to survive a fever than a poison actively attacking your immune system
That didn't mean she was out of the woods, far from it, her temperature was through the roof, she could already suffer brain damage and if it went any higher she could become a vegetable.
It was frustrating to her, being caught in this situation where all her skills as a ninja was utterly worthless.
But even though the Sabaku felt frustrated, it paled in comparison to Naruto's own agitation.
He was angry, a seething anger that seeped into his bones and gnawed unto his flesh.
He was no stranger to the emotion, but before it was focused, it held a purpose, a function. Here it did not, a completely irrational sentiment that would do nothing for him in this situation. It certainly would not give him an infused knowledge of medical arts
As much as he tried to suppress the feeling though, to discard it, even to ignore it every glance towards the deathly pale Hyuuga sent the familiar burning red into his eyes, and the anger returned with startling ease.
He wasn't sure why, but something about Hinata, a woman he had fought beside for a decade, strong confident and sure in her convictions. To be laying there like some weak, shriveled husk of her former self...It was utterly...disgusting.
He stood, taking hold of the red shroud which had previously shielded his former teammates weak form from the biting cold. He marched out of the cave, leaving Hinata alone with Temari as the Sabaku stoked the fire within.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Yoshihiro Shimazu. My isn't this a surprise."
Though Kakashi's tone was nonchalant, his expression was anything but, sharp brown eye watching as the Kage from Iwa and his nephew marched into the command tent he currently resided in.
His memory wasn't so faulty that he did not remember the former Tsuchikage's near successful suicide run against him and Guan. It also appeared as though his nephew Toyohisa remembered their, until recent, status quo as enemies judging by how his fingers tightened around his spear as his eyes fixed themselves on the copy ninja.
Tayuya, who stood at his side openly glared at the younger Iwa nin, eyes narrowed in something akin to suspicion.
Ironically enough the one person that didn't seem at all angry, suspicious, or tense in this situation was the former Tsuchikage himself, easily pulling out a seat and propping his legs on a nearby table while allowing his warhammer to fall onto the ground.
"Hatake Kakashi." The large senior greeted with a nod and a ready smirk. "I suppose the rumors are true then."
"Depends what rumor's you're talking about." Kakashi said calmly, with a slow incline of his head.
"Kumo's been beaten." The Shimazu said as though it were obvious. "Most of your men aren't injured, and they're not dragging their feet around like a bunch of beaten dogs. You succeeded didn't you? You got the job done."
Despite himself Kakashi smiled. "Oh yeah. Kumo is a pile of rubble now. No way they can muster any kind of considerable manpower for the next ten years.
Yoshihiro smirked. "Good. Though, one thing. On my way in here I noticed very few prisoners. I noticed some, but not many. The fact that I noticed some indicates that you did take prisoners but for a major village like Kumo there should be a lot more. Care to elaborate?"
Kakashi sighed, his smile dimming. "Thats the only sour note. Mid battle the forces you all fought at sea arrived, and most managed to escape onto the ships. No doubt heading for Suna now. Its safe to assume that the pirate navy was destroyed then?
Yoshihiro nodded. "Yea. We arrived in wave a week and a half ago, shipping out the wounded and supplies before me and my boys left about four days ago to head back to Iwa.
Kakashi nodded. He had expected that. Though for a normal ninja team getting from Konoha to Kumo took about a week, the sheer size of their host, the fact that they were carrying prisoners, as well as the spoils of their conquest slowed them considerably. As it was they were about three days march from Konoha at their current pace.
Yoshihiro's smile faded for a second though. "Got some bad news though. In the naval battle. The big guy in red went missing."
"Big guy in-You mean Naruto?" Kakashi questioned with a raise of his eyebrow. A tenor in his voice that wasn't completely masked.
Yoshihiro nodded once. "Yes."
The Copy ninja's eye narrowed. The cogs in his mind turning and locking into place as he contemplated the ramifications of not being able to find the conqueror soon.
It was then that Yoshihiro's eyes caught sight of a familiar set of armor and sword at the end of the tent.
Standing up the Tsuchikage's eyes narrowed as he marched over to the assorted pieces of metal "This armor. Its that Ginchiko girl's right."
Kakashi stood, marching next to the Tsuchikage with a nod. "Yes" We also found Mika's body nearby, it appears they both died fighting against other ninja near the coast.
Yoshihiro looked to the copy ninja, head shaking. "No. They were fighting each other."
"Hmm?" Kakashi started, single visible eye now wide open in curiosity, Tayuya and Toyohisa not too far behind. "What do you mean?"
"In the battle, Mika betrayed us. When Naruto was negotiating Suna's surrender in exchange for the Kazekage's sister. She stabbed our bargaining chip, threw her overboard, and then attacked the others before making her escape on a water dragon. They most likely fought and killed each other.
Kakashi shook his head. "That cant be."
Yoshihiro rolled his eyes. "Oh please Copy cat. Surely you're not so naive as to believe your "union" is infallible, Ninjas betray its part-"
"No you don't understand." Kakashi interrupted with a shake of his head. "The damage around the battlefield was caused by high level water Jutsu."
"So? They're both Kiri nin aren't they?"
"Ginchiko was a lightning element, and Mika from what I've seen, is an assassination and stealth specialist. She uses precision strikes not high level destruction techniques."
A heavy silence descended over the four in the room, it was Tayuya that spoke up.
"What are you saying Cyclops?"
Kakashi turned to her but before he could answer Yoshihiro spoke up for him.
"That someone wanted to make it look like they fought each other. Someone that wants the villages to stay at each others throats."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The city was cold on this night, Itachi realized. Biting winds with chilling howls screeching through the empty streets and empty homes. Its former occupants...now dead. Deemed a hindrance by their leader, Pein.
There was always silence before a battle, he knew. Some strange, freak act of nature but there was always this hush before a fight. In the environment, in those around them. As if the sense of danger transcended to every aspect of the individuals lives, telling them to keep quiet.
But this...this was oppressive, almost bordering on physically painful.
He was no stranger to mass murder. He had, after all, killed his entire family in a single night so his unease was not due to recent actions or trauma.
He realized that it was due to anxiety.
He was nervous. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd been nervous, the last time he'd ever felt as though he was truly in danger from an opponent. Not even when he stood before Pein himself for the first time, had he felt this way, even knowing he may have to take on the wielder of the Rinnegan alone if he deemed him unworthy.
And yet here he was with other individuals that held enough strength, chakra and power within their bodies to destroy entire villages by themselves, each, in order to fight him. And he was still fearful, still nervous.
The only experience he held with the so called, devil king, was years ago, just after he'd taken control of Konoha. He and Kisame had attempted to capture him then, and had failed. And though he knew, that both he and Kisame had been forced to hold back due to the fact that they had wanted their presence to remain a secret, the fact that he could only have become stronger since then did not sit well with him.
If at the age of 12, this boy was able to fight 2 S class criminals to a withdrawal. Just how much stronger was he now? How many of those rumors and stories and garbled, fear induced accounts of his power were true? And how many were false?
It was a terrible wrath indeed that held an entire country together through fear alone. And it was a wrath that he and his fellow Akatsuki members would soon be subject to.
They were all strong, they all held their strengths and distinct abilities, each more than enough to defeat any one Jinchuriki they had previously fought against.
But this was different wasn't it? This was a Jinchuriki unlike the others.
And he knew that in the end the question it came down to could be stated very simply.
Were they strong enough to break the man whom had broken the world...
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"We can rule out Suna, Gaara wouldn't have attacked his own sister."
"Then that just leaves Kumo." Toyohisa put in, watching as Kakashi paced and his uncle held a fist beneath his chin in silent contemplation.
"But how did Zhuge Liang know his spy would be on the ship? I mean...we didn't even know. I'm not even sure anyone outside of wave knew." Tayuya responded. "Even I don't think this Liang guy could have a spy network that quick and sophisticated, especially with us actively looking for spies from Kumo.?
"Could it have been someone inside of Konoha then?" Yoshihiro put in.
"No no." Kakashi said shaking his head. "Everyone in Konoha just wants to end the war. I don't think there's anyone who'd want to expedite it."
"Then she was acting independently." Toyohisa put in. "From the accounts while she was staying at Sakai, many of the men felt that the kunoichi Mika was unstable, insatiable bloodlust and a love for battle. She could have simply wanted to expedite the fighting as long as possible."
Kakashi shook his head again. "She may have been crazy but Mika was never stupid. Attacking Temari made her not only our enemy but Gaara's and by default Zhuge Lian's as well. She wouldn't have put herself in the middle of everyone's wanted list."
"So you're thinking a third party altogether. Someone not in Konoha or involved with Kumo and Suna." Yoshihiro put forth.
"Yes but who." Kakashi said continuing his pacing.
"You guys made a lot of enemies over the years. Any groups you may have failed to put down completely?" Yoshihiro questioned.
"Actually Kakashi now that he mentions it." Tayuya spoke. "Don't you remember a few years ago, back when we were still subduing the central marshlands. We'd been receiving sporadic reports of some guys wearing red clouds."
Kakashi nodded. "Yes. Akatsuki. But those reports ended years ago why-"
"Yea." The former Oto kunoichi interrupted. "They just ended. We didn't hunt down those missing nins, and they've all just fallen off the grid since, pretty hard considering just who they were."
"So you think they've just been laying low this whole time?" Kakashi responded. "If so then whats changed? Why act now?"
Tayuya's features soon became irritated. "How the hell should I know I'm just tossing shit out there and that group just vanishing always seemed weird to me."
"Akatsuki." Yoshihiro hmmed. "That sounds familiar to me as well. Do you remember what they were Toyohisa?"
The younger man shook his head. "No uncle. They had always been extremely elusive to our spy networks."
"If they are active now..." Kakashi continued. "Then they can only have one reason to have manipulated Mika. They want us to keep fighting each other, to keep everything in chaos. To keep our eyes away from them. That means they're planning something big."
"How big are ya thinkin." Yoshihiro said as he crossed his arms infront of himself.
"Real big. Something that may lead to the massive destabilization over both factions. They obviously have no love for Suna or Konoha. Maybe they're even planning to make an entirely new faction of their own."
"Thats insane." Tayuya said with a shake of her head. "Naruto-sama would stop them before they were finished even giving their opening speech. You know how brutal he is against uprisings."
Kakashi's eyes widened for a moment before he rushed over to the map. "Yoshihiro. Where exactly was it that you all fought at sea show me on the map."
The older Tsuchikage stepped forward, easily pointing out their coordinates. "Right here."
Kakashi blinked for a moment. "If I recall correctly from my travels to Kiri...there's a very strong underwater current near those coordinates. If Naruto was caught in it then he could have easily been washed to any of Kiri's small islands further east."
"Ok and how does that help us?" Yoshihiro stated with a shrug. "All you've given us is a lead to Naruto's location not any insight into this Akatsuki groups plans."
"If Akatsuki is as bold as I think they are then they may just try to assassinate Naruto himself. As Tayuya said. If they hope to succeed in bringing in another faction they'd have to fight and get rid of him before they could even hope to get started with any modicum of success"
Tayuya, from her place scoffed, showing what she thought of the notion clearly. "Good fucking luck with that one."
"Stupid I know but you remember who was in that group when they were last active right? Sasori of the red sands, Deidara from Iwa, Uchiha Itachi, Hoshikage Kisame" He emphasized the last two. "If Kisame deduced Naruto's whereabouts as well then they may try to reach him. Even he cant take on half a dozen S class Nuke nin on his own. You know that. We need to reach him first, and guard him once he makes landfall in wave." Kakashi stated towards the redhead.
Yoshihiro sighed in aggravation. "Well at least our bags are already packed."
The statement brought Kakashi's single eye towards him. "You're coming?"
"Of course I'm coming. Think I'm gonna pass up a chance to fight S class criminals?" The Tsuchikage stated with a haughty air. "Toyohisa. Your in charge of the men. Make sure they get back to Iwa safely."
"But uncle." The younger man began to protest only for Yoshihiro to level him with that familiar chiding gaze. "Toyohisa." He warned.
Kakashi thought for a moment before turning to Tayuya. "Tayuya, the same goes for you. You're in charge. Get the army back to Konoha."
She nodded. "Allright." A smirk soon spread over her features, no doubt already cracking the proverbial whip over her teammates. "I promise to get em back in one piece."
The copy ninja nodded before turning to Yoshihiro. "Alright." I'll meet you at the eastern edge of the camp in an hour."
The Tsuchikage nodded before smirking. "Good to be workin with you. Copy Cat."
Kakashi's eyes narrowed, wondering just how sound it was to leave, alone with this...so called ally.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
When Temari emerged from the cave near sundown, as she had taken to doing since she'd realized that, with its isolation, this place held one of the most beautiful sunsets she'd ever seen.
It was one of the few pleasures she could derive from this place seeing as how must of her days consisted of doing nothing, or helping take care of Hinata.
She made towards her usual spot when she spotted none other than Naruto standing on the beach, the familiar red shroud of his cloak now flapping in the ocean breeze, his hood shadowing his features once again as he stood with his arms crossed in front of himself.
Temari paused in her stride, the sands beneath her feet crunching softly as they shifted beneath her weight.
Though she hadn't spoken or given any indication as to what she had heard him mutter in his sleep, the name he had released from his lips while he'd been unconscious, it was not as though she hadn't pondered over it.
I mean...how the hell could she not. The man known throughout the world as a cold hearted murderer, responsible for the genocide of thousands, said to be more monster and beast, than man, had actually dreamt of someone. Of a woman no less.
The possibilities ran rampant through her mind, every scenario from an enemy ninja, to a former teammate that had betrayed him to...someone he had loved.
That last one was particularly outrageous in her mind. Not only that any woman could fall in love with him, but especially, that he could love them back.
Pointless speculation had succeeded in nothing but giving her a headache, and an overly taxed imagination.
Standing there as he was now though, muscles coiled tight in barely restrained aggravation she couldn't help but wonder if he really could care for someone. It was Hinata's condition that was the seeming cause for him being so high strung.
If he could care about her...it wasn't so unbelievable that he could care about someone else...right?
Her legs carried her closer towards him, eroding the distance previously between them.
He didn't move, he didn't look, merely stood there, completely still except for the movement of his cloak as it caught the wind. "Why are you here?"
She opened her mouth, pausing awkwardly as she realized that she really had no answer for the query. No real reason to be here...other than...
"Do you want to talk?" She offered. Perhaps, if she got him to engage in conversation over this situation with Hinata she could see if the man actually had something other than a cold slab for a substitute to his heart.
"What would I desire to converse about Sabaku?" He questioned blandly, not turning to speak to her seemingly content to keep his eyes fixed on the horizon.
More than accustomed to his dismissive, borderline rude manner on the best of days, the answer didn't phase her as she sat down, turning her eyes to mimic his own gaze out towards the sunset.
"Don't you want to talk about Hinata?" She offered shifting her eyes to glance upwards towards him.
"She is ill, dying and I do not have the medical knowledge to cease her deterioration. I do not see how our discussing it would change these facts." He stated calmly
"No but it'll help you." She stated calmly.
This time he did turn to look at her, eyes glinting beneath the hood as his head turned to look over his shoulder.
"Help me." His tone was dangerous, and it made her muscles tense beneath her clothing. "And why-" He continued, still not turning to face her. "would you want to do that?"
She swallowed, not turning away from him. She licked her lower lip rather nervously before shrugging. "I don't know...guess...maybe you shouldn't be beating yourself up over the fact that you cant help someone you care about." She ventured carefully.
"Care." The word escaped his lips with a scoff. "Why do you humans choose to relate such a useless emotion to so many situations that have nothing to do with one another."
"We humans?" She questioned incredulously. "What? You think your not human?"
"Do you regard me as human?" He questioned calmly.
"Aren't you?" She shot back.
"That doesn't answer my question." He replied calmly.
Silence was her response, causing her to look away from him. Something akin to guilt lining her face.
"You do not hold me as one of your own. Why should I?" The blond male questioned rhetorically as he too looked away, returning his gaze to the horizon.
Turning back to him, eyes narrowing she spoke, voice a strange mixture of heat and...compassion. A tone that reminded him far too much of Yoshino. She had always spoken in a similar way whenever she spoke to him. "Then your saying you don't care about anyone?"
"Attachments are weaknesses in our world Sabaku. I would think that a person of your rank and current predicament would realize this. If your brother was not so attached to you. Then it would not be so easy for Liang to manipulate him as he does."
"My brother is not weak!" Temari defended anger now in her voice.
"The fact that you become angry will not change anything." Naruto replied calmly. "He is still very much in the dark over Liang's role in your and your other siblings injuries. And with no inclination to discern the truth simply because he is too blinded by a desire to gain you back from me."
"So you don't care about anybody? No one but yourself and this megalomanic dream of yours to rule the world?" She asked with easily discerned disbelief.
"Myself?" He questioned, turning to face her over his shoulder again. "No foolish Sabaku it is not for me that I do what I do."
Now that caught her attention, eyes now wide and mouth slightly parted. "Not for you? Then who are you doing it for?"
He didn't answer, standing like some red shrouded monolith beneath the orange and brightly colored sky.
"Are you..." She paused, contemplating the possible consequences of her next words if she chose to utter them. "Are you doing this...for Yoshino?"
He rounded on her so fast Temari couldn't react before he grasped the front of her shirt and hauled her to her feet, gasping in fright at the fury she saw behind those eyes.
"How do you know of her!?" He hissed, his tone laced with such venom it made the kunoichi tremble within her clothing.
"I-I..."
"Speak!" He roared bringing her closer to his face, so that her nose was almost touching the dark metal of his mask.
"You said her name in your sleep!" She said hurriedly, swallowing as she looked into his eyes. Gripped by some sensation, unable to look away.
For his own part, Naruto himself was uncertain what he was feeling. Anger was there certainly. But its source was lost to him. No one knew of Yoshino. Those that had fought during that short campaign certainly speculated. But their speculations were worthless and in most cases, wordless. And so, meant nothing.
For her to speak of her so directly, so bluntly...
To be confronted with her, so directly, so bluntly...it was something that drove strong emotions through him, emotions in which he only knew how to express in a single way, anger.
He scented no deception from her, and through her fear it was easy to read her regardless even if he could not detect such things. He released her, watching as she caught herself on unsteady legs, ironing out her shirt with her hands as she took a few steps back, away from him.
She swallowed, eyes narrowing as she refused to allow this opportunity to pass her by. She repressed her fear, and ignored the part of her mind which screamed for her to simply let the subject die, given his previous reaction, as she spoke again. "So you can feel something for someone."
"I did not-"
"What? Didn't care about her? Sorry but a reaction like that doesn't come from someone that doesn't care." She interrupted with some vehemence.
Naruto's eyes narrowed beneath the veil of his hood glaring down at the much shorter kunoichi as she stared back up at him, the usual fire of her defiance stoked and now kindled into a rapidly growing inferno as she realized that she had caught him off balance.
"So who was she? A former teammate? A sensei? Some enemy Kunoichi? A traitor?"
Naruto remained silent, his slow, even breathing calm beneath his mask. He gave no answer...because...there was no answer. She was all of those to him at some point in his life.
After several seconds of his silence Temari had to fight the urge to growl her impatience. This man was so insufferable. Everything in this emotionally deadening experience had to revolve and end solely in conflict...
In conflict...
The thought struck Temari like an epiphany, blindsiding her from nowhere. Perhaps...she could get answers from him using a different approach. He was used to fighting, verbally and physically. She wouldn't get anything out of him using those methods.
Placing a soft expression over her features the kunoichi spoke again, her tone, more pleading than aggressive, her body language more submissive than demanding. "Was she special to you?"
It was a tactic he knew well regardless of his ability to detect her deceit through his sharp sense of smell.
"Fool girl." He said, voice emerging from the mask like a growl. "Do not think your false concern and falser empathy will garner you hidden knowledge over me. You will gain no leverage on this day."
Temari blinked, her features soon becoming confused before becoming truly...pitying. A simmilar expressionto the one she had given him shortly before she died as well. "Is that the first thing that comes to your mind? That someone is going to take advantage of you."
"Do not claim it to be false kunoichi." He hissed out the last world, as if reminding her just who and what she was. "You seek knowledge to learn more of me. To learn of my possible weaknesses. My vulnerabilities."
Temari lowered her eyes from him, expression now genuinely sad as far as he could detect.
"Is that how you feel about everyone around you?" She questioned. "Even with Hinata and your other ninja?"
"To do otherwise would be to deserve death Sabaku. You should know that." He answered
It must be such a miserable experience. To be so closed so...isolated...from everyone and everything. To feel as though you always had to have your guard up. To not have one person you could confide in. You could trust and feel safe with.
"Did she make you like this?" Temari asked softly, eyes once again traveling upwards to look into his own, as he stood there, with arms crossed in front of his chest, guarding himself.
Those eyes of silver gray gripped him, made him pause as she seemingly tried to bore right through him with her gaze. As though her answers would come if she looked deep enough within the ice blue."Did she betray you after you'd given her your trust. Is that why you're like this now?"
Naruto straightened just a little bit more, allowing Temari to see that she'd hit very close to home in her guess.
But there was no smug satisfaction. No feeling of accomplishment here. The fact, that she may be the only living person with this knowledge gave her no rush. It only filled her with...pity.
As she looked at him now, standing there, he was no more than three feet away, but he was still alone, even the physical distance between ourselves and the mainland seemed to pale in comparison to just how far apart he held himself, and was held, to the rest of humanity.
"You really did love her didn't you?"
He remained silent, unmoving for several seconds, as if contemplating weather he should answer or not.
Finally, he said. "Once again...You associate useless emotions to me Sabaku. She is dead now, regardless."
His eyes returned to the horizon after that, gaze narrowing. "It appears Hinata may survive after all."
Her eyes followed his, soon settling over a ship that approached this desolate place. Their rescuers...