Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Duality ❯ Stiff Breeze ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter Three: Stiff Breeze

Sasuke approached Sai shortly after Sekai disappeared into the building. “You can leave. I’m taking over.”

Sai blinked curiously. “I was told that Yamada-san was coming…”

“He was held up,” Sasuke said, truthfully. Not that he was all that bothered by it. He wanted to keep an eye on Sekai anyway. No matter what Naruto said, he was not going to trust that weirdo.

Sai nodded slowly, aware that the village’s security was still very tight. Many of the ANBU were busy doing work dealing with the Akatzuki. Since he’d rejoined their ranks, that was primarily what his missions had been about. “Very well. Good evening, Sasuke.”

Sasuke grunted and, after he’d left, took point on the roof of the building across from Naruto’s home, crouching low in the shadows and masking his chakra. Looking in the window he dimly saw Sekai and Naruto in bed together, presumably sleeping. He glared at the shadowy figures, anger stirring in his chest; though at the moment he did not know who he was angrier with.

It was only a few minutes later that he saw a familiar person appear a few feet away from him.

Sasuke stiffened. Sakura? What’s she doing here?

He did not speak up though, far too curious to see what the girl was up to. But all she did for a long time was stand there, staring at the window that looked into Naruto’s bedroom.

Sasuke looked back at the window and saw that Naruto was alone in the bed.

God damn it!! He’d been distracted by Sakura and hadn’t been paying attention.

He needn’t have panicked, however, for only a second later did Sekai jump onto the roof as well, dressed in his customary short blue dress. He stood in front of Sakura with his arms folded over his chest and a cold expression on his face.

“Well?” he asked, his stance tense, as if he expected to be attacked.

Sakura smiled cheerfully. “Come with me,” was all she said, and she took off, jumping from rooftop to rooftop with Sekai at her heels.

Sasuke followed, wondering what the hell was going on.

The two headed out of the village and into the surrounding forest, stopping in a clearing. Sasuke found a secluded spot in a tree nearby, but the wind was picking up and unfortunately he couldn’t get any closer without risking detection. Their dialogue only distantly reached his ears. Sekai seemed angry and afraid about something, and he glared at Sakura menacingly.

Sakura continued to smile.

“I see you’ve been getting along well with your cute little brother,” Sasuke finally heard her say.

Sekai shifted uncomfortably. “So what?”

“I just didn’t know you were into that sort of thing,” Sakura giggled in a teasing manner, and that was when Sasuke knew that it was not really Haruno Sakura.

It must be Kain! Shit! Unlike with Sekai’s Haruko disguise, Kain’s genjutsu had been completely discernable to him, even with his Sharingan activated. Sekai was obvious with his illusion, but Kain’s was much more subtle. It was a work of art.

Orochimaru would even be impressed by it…

The wind picked up again and Sasuke couldn’t hear what they said for a long moment, until:

“… so you’ll go to the Hokage tower and fetch me Orochimaru’s notes on his Fushi Tensei technique,” the fake Sakura was saying, one hand poised on her hip and a mocking smile stretching her lips.

Inside, Sasuke’s chest went cold. Orochimaru’s immortality technique!

No… I can’t let anyone get that. Orochimaru died. I won’t stand by while another’s created.

He didn’t bother to stay for the rest of the confrontation. He silently sped back toward the village to report his news to Kakashi.

Though, a large part of Sasuke couldn’t help but feel vindicated by this revelation.

You didn’t fool me, you asshole. I won’t let you win…

He very carefully did not think about how much this would hurt Naruto.

-

Sekai clenched his fists angrily as he faced down his dreaded master. He had only followed him out this far from the village because he hadn’t wanted Naruto to get involved. He had assumed Kain had just come to fetch him. He hadn’t seen this coming at all.

“And you’ll let Yume go if I get this research for you?” he prodded, needing to be sure he was betraying his village—no, it was not his village, it hadn’t been in sixteen years. No, he was betraying something so much worse than that. But he needed to be sure he was betraying that for a reason.

Kain nodded. “I will. She can even come to live at the village. But you,” he pointed finger at him, “will be returning with me. If you try to escape, I’ll kill her instantly. She’s useful, but not that useful. You know I’ll do it.”

Sekai hesitated, feeling desperate. “What use am I to you?” he asked bitterly. “You never taught me all the talisman techniques, and you made me dependant on that chakra technique on purpose so I’d never have much growth. What’s the point?”

Kain laughed softly, still using Sakura’s voice, which was fairly creepy. Sekai knew he did it for that purpose. “Do you think I’d just let you have what you want?”

Sekai sighed in resentment. It did not matter if he was any use to Kain or not—Kain just did not want anyone to get the upper hand over him. He’d probably just kill him later rather than let him live. Or worse—let him live so he could regret what he had helped his master do. “Where do I meet you?”

“Ah, well…” Kain seemed oddly uncomfortable about something.

“What?” Sekai asked, curious despite the situation.

“Do you remember where Saburo’s cottage is?”

Well, there was a name he hadn’t heard in ages. “Yes, I guess so… Does that mean he forgave you?”

“Well, not exactly… I’m still working on it…”

Sekai snorted lightly, amused. No wonder Kain was embarrassed, crawling back to Saburo after their last fight… “I’m surprised he didn’t throw a sake bottle at your head first thing.”

“… He did.”

Sekai laughed.

Kain glared. “Just get the notes!”

Sobered by the reminder of what he was about to do, he turned to go.

I shouldn’t have run away, should never have tried to make my dreams come true… Even though I thought I’d freed myself, I’m still his puppet…

Again, he’s taking my life away from me…

He supposed he should be grateful he wasn’t being asked to kill anyone.

-

The vault was easy to locate. He vaguely remembered once being taken there by his mother to fetch his father. Sekai remembered how tired he’d looked, and how shiny his hair looked in the candlelight… But not much else.

The tower was dark at night and security was painfully minimal. Sekai had hoped that one of them would actually catch them, or that their conversation in the woods had been overheard, but he couldn’t actually turn himself in. The memory of Kain’s words taunted him.

“I want you to do something for me. If you don’t, then Yume-chan dies. If you try to warn the Leaf ninja or tell them the truth, then she dies. It’s that simple. If you don’t do as I say, and I’ll send her to you in pieces…”

Sekai cursed inwardly. He should never have split up from Yume. It had never been his intention to put his best friend in danger. Now he had no choice but to correct that mistake.

Even if it meant giving up his freedom and his relationship with Naruto, forever. The thing he’d wanted most in all the world, since nearly four years ago, was a bond with his brother. But with this action, no matter how it turned out, he was throwing that away.

Still… Yume was his best friend. He could not just let her die!

I’m sorry, little brother…But you’re better off without me in your life.

The vault was warded of course, but Sekai thought he could blast through. If he was quick, he could get the research and make his way out before anyone could get downstairs fast enough.

Sekai jumped when someone behind him cleared their throat. As he turned, the lights in the chamber abruptly came on.

His insides dropped when he saw it was Tsunade, with Kakashi, Sasuke, Sai, and many ANBU and Jounin guards standing behind her.

Sekai bowed his head in supplication, a deep and sharp shame filling his chest and making his eyes water. “Looks like you caught me.” Actually, he was relieved too. He couldn’t say he hadn’t tried. Yume was safe and Kain would not get the research. It was a small, small victory.

Tsunade’s glare was unforgiving and dug the metaphorical knife that much deeper. “Looks that way. Well? Are you going to resist?”

Sekai held up his hands, slowly so as not to appear to be trying anything. “There’s no point.” They could defeat him easily. Kain hadn’t ordered him to die, after all. Damn it, it was a fool’s errand after all…

And worse of all, now he would have to face Naruto…

Still, this is what he had to do. He had no choice.

“Do you have anything to say for yourself?” the Hokage asked.

“No,” Sekai answered immediately, and he said nothing more.

He had no choice…

-

It was only the next morning that Naruto was finally informed of his brother’s plight. Long after Sekai had been interrogated and locked away in a cell.

Once again, he was pissed.

Then he was even more pissed when he heard it was Sasuke that had gotten Sekai arrested.

Kakashi was the one who’d broken the news to him and who had taken him to the village prison.

“Let me see him!” Naruto demanded angrily.

Kakashi held up his hands defensively. He’d known Naruto would be angry. In fact, he looked around and saw that Tsunade had been prepared for this as well. The security in the building had been upped. Not that it would matter. “Now, Naruto, I know you’re concerned, but the truth remains that he tried to steal that research—”

“It’s a misunderstanding! I know it is!”

Kakashi sighed sadly. Though Naruto had been hurt so many times as a child, he still believed so strongly in people. Sasuke had tried to kill him and yet Naruto could not let him go. Kakashi knew it would be the same for Sekai and no matter what any of them said, it wouldn’t change Naruto’s mind one bit. The fact that Sekai was actually family would make it even worse than Sasuke, though. Naruto had never known his family before two days ago, and now that he had, he probably would be unable to let that connection go.

Kakashi opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a scathing snort. He did not need to turn around to know who it was. Dread filled him.

This day just kept getting worse and worse…

Sasuke walked up to them, coming out of the crowd. “You’re unbelievable. He betrays us and you stand there screaming denial. When will you grow up?”

Kakashi resisted the urge to tape Sasuke’s mouth shut. Instead, he stood back and let the scene play out, wondering how badly this would end.

But if anything, three years ago Kakashi had learned that some conflicts could not be avoided. Naruto and Sasuke were going to fight. There was nothing any of them could do about it.

It was sad, but it could not be avoided.

Naruto growled, his rage building visibly and his fists clenched, shaking. His fangs even began to show but thankfully his eyes remained blue. “You… You fucking hypocrite! You’re the one that’s unbelievable! How can you say that when you betrayed us too!?”

The room fell silent at his words and the surrounding shinobi stared at them, watching the scene unfold. They were probably waiting for a fierce fight to break out between the two notorious rivals.

Kakashi was glad that, during their last battle, Sasuke had managed to put a new seal over the Kyuubi. He may have learned it from Orochimaru, and he may have done it just to cripple Naruto’s power, but it had had the reverse effect in helping Naruto use his own chakra, which was stronger anyway.

Sasuke’s fists were shaking too, but he contained his anger a little better than his teammate. Coincidentally, it was harder for him to control his anger than Naruto, since he was used to letting it have free reign while training with Orochimaru. His glares had stopped giving people cold shivers at least.

Also, he did not bother to defend himself. They all knew it was true. “I’m saying this for your own good, you idiot. Brothers aren’t always good,” he said, coldly. “You should realize that. If you let your family sentiment blind you, you’ll only get hurt, maybe even killed.”

Naruto was so angry his face was beginning to flush red. “That’s your brother. Not mine.”

Kakashi tensed, expecting Sasuke to reach new levels of furiousness, but instead the boy’s reaction surprised him.

Sasuke flinched. Naruto might as well have punched him. It would have hurt less. He just… hadn’t expected Naruto to say something so cruel. “Fine. Have it your way.” Damning his pride, he pushed passed Kakashi and ran out of the building.

Naruto stared after him, the look of hurt on his friend’s face obvious, surprising him. Sasuke had seemed so emotionless lately. All he’d wanted to do was break through that barrier between them, to get even some feeling to show on his face. Instead, he had made things worse.

Still, Sasuke was being a bastard. That brought Naruto back into focus. He had a mission. He needed to get Sekai out of here, to get his name cleared.

He was more important.

Kakashi sighed loudly and rubbed his forehead. Things were just never easy. “Geez, you two… Well, come on. I suppose you won’t shut up until I get you in to see him.”

Naruto nodded stubbornly. “I’ll yell until my voice breaks, and then I’ll just fight my way through.”

“You know, your stubbornness is cute sometimes, but now it’s just annoying…” Even so, Kakashi led the way to where Sekai was being held.

-

There were many grumblings, but after having some examples of just how loud and obnoxious Naruto could be in a pinch, he was eventually allowed into the cell block. Having the Hokage order them to did not hurt either.

“Has he said anything?” Kakashi asked as he watched Naruto being led by Izumo to where Sekai was being kept.

Tsunade’s expression was stern and serious, her arms folded underneath her predominant chest. “Not a thing. He’s resisted the interrogators, even Ibiki. He’s unresponsive to stimuli and seems to have become almost introverted.” It was such a drastic change from the cheerful persona he had been acting like before.

“You think Kain taught him to resist interrogators too?”

“No… I think he’s just slipping into depression.” Tsunade sighed. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that he didn’t have a choice in all this.”

Kakashi hummed thoughtfully and watched Naruto disappear down the long hallway. Sekai was being kept in one of the most secure cells, he knew. It was a good distance from the entrance. “Maybe he didn’t…”

“Aniki!” Naruto shouted as he finally reached the cell. He was sure that once he spoke to Sekai that he could find out what really happened and then all he had to do was tell Kakashi or Tsunade and then everything would be alright.

On the stone bars, Naruto saw seals hanging strategically. Inside the cell it was dark, even from the light of the hallway. He could barely make out the lump in the bed, which stirred at the sound of his voice.

“Naruto-nii?” Sekai asked, voice cracking. No, Naruto, you can’t be here… I don’t want you to see me likes this… And, I can’t face you. Not after what I tried to do. If Kain had gotten those notes, another Orochimaru would have been born… You and Sasuke nearly died defeating him… And I nearly made that in vain…

“Aniki! I’m here to get you out!”

Sekai tensed. “How?”

“I’m just gonna tell them it was all a big mistake! Right, right? Just tell me, and I’ll explain everything to them!”

Sekai sighed. God, he hated himself so much right now. But he had to keep his promise to Kain. Yume’s life depended on it. If he told Naruto the truth, Kain would find out somehow and she would die. “I’m sorry, little brother,” he answered, hollowly.

Naruto’s grin wavered until wide, soulful eyes stared at him in the gloom. “… Aniki? What are you saying?”

“I’m sorry. That’s all I can say.”

Naruto couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He shook his head in denial. “No… no way. You… Was Sasuke right? Did you really betray us? Aniki!” It couldn’t be true, it just couldn’t be…

Sekai stood slowly from his bunk and walked closer to the bars so Naruto could see his face. He was tired, but he knew the bruise on his face was far more noticeable than that. “I said that was all I could say.”

“What happened?” Naruto asked. “Who hit you?!”

Sekai smiled a little, even though it hurt. “It’s alright. My interrogators were a little enthusiastic, that’s all.” His teeth had stopped bleeding at least.

Naruto just stared at him, his heart breaking. The smile on Sekai’s face was still honest—kind and sad. Denial swelled up inside him once more, a fierce and blazing fire. “Aniki, tell me what’s going on! You promised that you’d answer any of my questions, right?!”

Sekai winced. “It’s not that simple anymore, Naruto-nii. I’m… so sorry. I swear all I ever wanted to be was someone you could be proud to call your brother. I didn’t want this to happen.” Abruptly, Sekai realized he was saying far too much. But he couldn’t, he just couldn’t let Naruto be angry at him. It was a pain he could not bear… “I’m just so sorry.”

Naruto’s mouth hung open, unsure of how to respond. He knew, more than ever, that Sekai wasn’t a traitor. He believed it with all his heart and nothing would make him think differently. Still… what was going on?!

“So it was Sasuke who turned me in, huh?” Sekai laughed softly, amused. He thought he should have seen that coming. It was karma, had to be. Pissed the evil kitty off too many times…

“He’s…” Naruto gripped the bars angrily, the ire from his fight with Sasuke returning in full force. “He’s such an asshole! He thinks you’re a traitor like his brother!”

Sekai’s expression softened. He smiled and gently touched Naruto’s hand. “Don’t be mad at Sasuke. Protecting you, and me being here, hurts him more than you think. He doesn’t want you to go through the same thing he did.”

Naruto was heartened by his show of kindness. “But he’s wrong right? You’re not like Itachi, right?”

Sekai’s expression dropped, as did his hand. “I can’t say any more. I’m sorry.”

“Why?! What did Kain say to you?!”

Sekai smiled sadly. “Please, Naruto-nii. Just give up on me. I’m not worth your concern.”

Naruto stared at him, shaken, but he quickly shook his head to clear his doubtful thoughts. “No! I won’t give up! Even if you can’t tell me what’s going on, I’ll find out for myself and get you out of here! I promise!” With that, he breezed past Izumo and ran in the direction he’d come.

Weakly, Sekai crumbled to the floor, tears in his eyes. No, he didn’t deserve this! I don’t deserve your kindness!

TBC. Will Naruto be able to get Sekai out of jail?