Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Shinobi and The Miko ❯ Aftermath ( Chapter 16 )

The rain fell from the sky in sheets. Kaguya couldn't really remember when it had started. She barely even noticed it now, except that the way it was falling told her something that couldn't possibly be true.

 

It was falling against another set of robes, interrupted in its descent to the earth below. There was someone standing in front of her, and yet… She could feel nothing. No chakra, no emotion. Nothing. As if the person standing before her didn't really exist at all.

 

“Well?” Came the voice. “Will you agree to it? He'll die if you don't.” The tone was casual, almost off-hand.

 

She clenched a her fists at her side. What choice did she have? “Fine. I will do as you ask.”

 

A note of satisfaction crept into the voice. “Good. Remember, do not mention anything Itachi might have said or felt. Nor that we made this deal.”

 

But Kaguya had already dropped to her knees beside the injured Sasuke. Such things really didn't matter much, she decided. Not when his life was at stake. She could worry about the rest later.

 

***

 

Uchiha Madara watched as the girl bent over his descendant. He really couldn't blame the poor thing for her confusion. In truth, he had suppressed his chakra completely to produce just this effect. It always served him well to appear weaker than he really was; but eliminating chakra signals completely apparently nullified her talents in their entirety. He'd have to remember that.

 

“Is he stable enough to move?” He asked nonchalantly.

 

The girl placed two fingers on Sasuke's wrist and nodded. “As long as we don't have to go too far. He'll need more work than this before the day is out.” She was making an admirable effort to keep the concern out of her voice. Not entirely succeeding, but still.

 

“Good. Because we have to move now, else a party of rather troublesome Konohagakure ninja will find us.” He paused. “Unless, of course, you would like to stay here?”

 

He watched as a few different expressions passed over her face. There was uncertainty, hope, and fear. But then she looked at her friend, and something he could not decipher settled into place on her features.

 

“Well?”

 

She shook her head. “I'll come.”

 

He shrugged. “Suit yourself.” She might prove useful, or perhaps she'd turn out to be a hindrance. Either way, it hardly mattered. His plan was infallible.

 

***

 

“We were too late.” Kakashi's tone was unreadable, likely because he himself was uncertain how he felt about this outcome. He doubted Sasuke's life was in immediate danger, but he was now in the custody of the Akatsuki, and that did not bode well. At least he wasn't caught by Konoha, which would likely mean his death. Still, that was information best kept from the others.

 

“Dammit!” yelled Naruto, mostly to the sky.

 

“There's no way we'll be able to catch them,” contributed Yamato. “We're best off returning to the village.”

 

Kakashi nodded, and motioned for Naruto, Shino, Hinata, and Kiba to follow.

 

“So we're just gonna give up?” asked Naruto. His tone, most unlike him, was defeated.

 

“Not quite,” Kakashi reassured him. “We'll just have to regroup, come up with a new plan.” He grimaced beneath his mask. More than one new plan would have to be made here. He needed to talk to Anko. This wasn't exactly the worst-case scenario, but it was pretty close. At least they were still together, as far as he could tell. That increased both of their chances of survival greatly. That, he supposed, would have to be enough for now.

 

***

 

Sasuke's return to consciousness was probably the most painful experience of his life. He had been prepared for death, accepted that it was coming. He was pretty sure he'd embraced it, actually. And yet, it seemed that death, much like happiness, was to elude him for longer than he anticipated.

 

He felt himself being forcibly dragged back into the world of the living. At first he'd struggled against it. His body no longer held the necessary energy to live; it, too, was ready to die. But, though he had not welcomed it, the surge of life energy had permeated his being once more, and he gave up on resisting it. Something clearly wanted him to live. It seemed wrong to fight that when he had no real inclinations of his own anyway.

 

He cracked an eyelid, and then another. Wherever he was, there wasn't much light. A few pools of candlelight left the room in what seemed a permanent dusk. He blinked slowly a few times, allowing his eyes to adjust. His eyes. He remembered how Itachi had talked about taking them and shuddered, then pushed the thoughts away. He had won, why bother thinking about what could have been?

 

He felt something brush his cheek; he opened his eyes to find Kaguya bent over him. The light brush had been the end of her braid. Realizing that she wasn't yet aware he was conscious, he considered speaking, but something in her expression gave him pause. He lay still as she changed the wet cloth on his forehead. Gone was the mask that usually covered her true feelings. She looked worried; her brow was furrowed, she was biting her lower lip.

 

For some reason, the idea that she would be so worried about him didn't produce the same bitterness in him that the pity of others did. Maybe it was because she tried not to show it in front of him. Maybe it was because he didn't doubt her motives like he did with other people. Whatever the reason, the knowledge left him feeling strangely warm.

 

He shook his head weakly, trying to clear his thoughts. The motion must have alerted her to his wakefulness; her face composed itself into something far more neutral, and she leaned back.

 

“Sasuke. How are you feeling?”

 

“Like I almost died.”

 

A ghost of a smile crossed her face, swiftly replaced by a slight frown. “Well, I suppose that would make sense, wouldn't it?”

 

She said nothing further, but, seeming to respond to some unseen signal, abruptly picked up her things and stood, leaving the room. She was quickly replaced by a man wearing a mask and an Akastsuki robe.

 

“Ah, Sasuke. Welcome…”

 

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A/N: Welcome to the Author's corner! First off, thanks to the people who have taken the time to review! Those minutes of your time have made me so happy, it's silly!

 

Secondly, I'm starting a new fanfic, so yay! I will probably post the ridiculously long first section in a few days. It's Yu Yu Hakusho, so please read it if you like that series. It will be post-canon.

 

I will still be updating this story as often as I can, but I don't want to get ahead of canon, and I'm already messing with the order in which things happen, but that will stop now. I respect the canon, but I also have to respect the butterfly effect. ^.^

 

Thanks again to everyone who reads, and especially those who review!

~Kiku~

 

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