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Dragonheart	By : UmbreonMessiah Category: Naruto > General Views: 1644 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 21
- 22
- 23
Dragonheart

Chapter
21

Hyuuga Neji would never have
considered himself an expert on flowers in any regard. In fact, he most likely
would have described himself as completely clueless. He knew nothing about what
each flower meant, nor did he understand the implications between flowers in a
pot and ones in a vase. His lack of knowledge on the subject sent him to the
Yamanaka flower shop, a place that made him feel horribly embarrassed for
having entered. The entire store was awash in floral scents, enough to give the
teenage prodigy a minor headache. His biggest obstacle was discerning which of
the two bouquets Ino had selected for him would be more appropriate. He knew
that the blonde wasn�t mean or cruel, but she did have a habit of playing
subtle tricks when she could. Not wanting to sabotage his own image by asking
the girl which one of the two plants would be more appropriate, he settled on a
small bouquet of yarrows before setting off to the hospital.
After all, he was not buying them
for himself.
Neji took the nurse�s directions
with a quiet nod, slipping into the stairwell and heading up to the second
floor. Each step upward he took made the smile on his face mature quicker,
slowly replacing the overused frown that had been the hallmark of his personality
for years. It was slightly discomforting to know that there was a force in the
world capable of ripping the stoic out of him, but he could no longer deny it
was there. It made him warm at the thought, akin to a feeling he had heard
Hinata describe once before. Recent events had made him realize that there was
no point in denying it anymore.
He had almost lost his chance to
accept it as well.
The door to Tenten�s room let out
a long creak as Neji slowly nudged it open, fighting off the first bout of shyness
he had ever felt. Tenten had barely survived her encounter with Rokujoyu, but
had come back around despite the doctors� predictions. Yesterday he had decided
that enough was enough. He would go see her even if it added a permanent red
tinge to his cheeks. It was a fate he could live with, albeit one that would
garner him many friendly taunts and�
�You know, most people actually
walk into rooms when they open the
door.�
Neji blinked a bit as the voice
dragged him out of his trance. Tenten sat there in her bed, settled in with a
very casual t-shirt and shorts, something she probably would have worn any
other day of the week when she was not working. What truly grabbed his
attention was the sight of her hair, let down from its perpetually gathered
state on her head, flowing down past her shoulders in a brilliant cascade. He
was so entranced that he nearly forgot why he had come in the first place.
After a moment, he offered a gentle smile as he shuffled into the room, holding
the bouquet he had bought in front of him. Tenten�s eyes sparkled impishly as
she looked it over, stifling one of her uncharacteristically girlish giggles as
Neji closed the door behind him.
�Sorry I didn�t come to visit
sooner,� he said softly. �I guess I just��
�You don�t need to explain,�
Tenten smiled. �I understand completely.�
�No you don�t,� he countered,
glaring at her.
�Yes I do.�
�You�re a terrible liar.�
�I know.� Tenten giggled and sat
up in her bed, eyeing Neji happily. �But I don�t think it matters why you
didn�t come sooner. You�re here now.�
Both of them shared a blush as
Neji handed over the flowers that Ino had picked out for him. Tenten accepted
them graciously, taking a moment to give them the required sniff. There were no
vases in the room, but Tenten promised she�d get one of the nurses to bring her
one. She stroked the lovely bouquet several times before placing it on her
nightstand, leaning forward to take the Hyuuga boy�s hand in hers.
�I�m glad you came,� she sighed.
�This place has been weird and hellish.�
�Didn�t Gai-sensei and Lee come to
visit you?� Neji asked her.
�Yeah,� she replied, her eyes
flattening. �That changes what I said�how?�
Neji jerked, trying his best to
keep his cool under the wanton urge to laugh at the expense of his teacher and
friend. It was not news to him that Gai and Lee were a strange lot, and any
time one of them could find to make a joke behind the backs of the two
spandex-wearing shinobi, they did. It was something they had grown used to
after a while and simply tried to live with the fact that their team was
half-professional and half-freaky. It wasn�t as though either of them had to
suffer alone. They also had the entirety of Konoha to share it with.
�Have they been looking after
you?� Neji questioned. �They haven�t been treating you poorly I hope.�
�Neji, this is Konoha,� she
chuckled, �not the inn at the border. Tsunade-sama�s in charge here, so I�m in
good hands. That make you feel better?�
�Slightly,� he admitted with a wry
grin. �I�d feel much better if I could keep an eye on you.�
�Well you can�t, so there!� Tenten
stuck out her tongue playfully, falling into a fit of giggles. �Seriously, you
just have to trust these people Neji. They�re taking good care of me.�
�That won�t stop me from being
concerned, and you know it.�
Tenten blushed a little, turning
her face away from Neji. �I know.�
An awkward silence followed, both
teenagers gripping the white sheets of the hospital bed. The birds outside
chirped noisily, filling the small room with the melodic chorus of nature. At
the same time the young couple turned toward each other, smiling embarrassedly.
Tenten�s hand softly gripped Neji�s, pulling him closer with a placid tug. The
Hyuuga boy dipped forward, his nose brushing up against his teammate�s as they
came face to face. Neji almost spoke, but he was silenced by the soft finger of
a certain brown-haired kunoichi, whose eyes also closed shut as her head tilted
to the side, preparing to do what they had both wanted to do for ages.
Things came to an abrupt halt as a
loud noise jostled the entire hospital, knocking a plastic cup of water onto
the floor in Tenten�s room. The kunoichi yelped in surprise, opening her eyes
only to realize that her lips were mere inches from Neji�s. Both ninjas quickly
snapped apart, their cheeks red as the branch clan member turned to the window.
�What the hell was that?�

Kenshin Jiyumaru sank to his knees
as sweat poured down his face in small rivulets. His breath came in hot pants,
dusting his brow in squalls of warmed air. Before him were the remains of a
dying tree he�d been practicing on for the past half hour, just outside
Konoha�s hospital. His hands were gritty from gripping his family katana so
tightly, dirt and dead skin trapped between his palms and fingers. There was a
ringing in the air which he quickly drew to the humming of his sword, the blade
vibrating against the soil and grass beneath him. He had struck the tree so
hard that his sword was still reverberating long after the chunks of the old
cherry blossom tree had fallen. Slowly he calmed his breathing, drawing in a
deep breath to settle his nerves.
Ten years. After ten years�I still know it. I can still perform it.
Jiyumaru felt himself begin to
smile. At first it felt forced, but slowly he came to realize that he truly
felt happy. After the last few days, he was certain there would be nothing in
the world that could ever make him smile again. He was glad that he had been
wrong.
�Jiyumaru!�
Ayame�s voice startled the
swordsman. His head whipped around to see both his childhood friend and the
fifth Hokage staring at him worriedly. He had hoped to be able to go out and
train without causing a commotion, banking on the fact that his previous
hostility towards the doctors had made them all keep their distance. An hour or
two on his own was all he had truly desired. Somehow though, he was not that
upset about having been interrupted.
�What are you doing out here?!�
Ayame shrieked. �You aren�t going to�are you? You weren�t trying to��
�No, I wasn�t.� Jiyumaru
straightened, flashing his old partner a soft smile. �You can rest easy,
Ayame�you�re not going to lose me that easily.�
Ayame�s downtrodden face slowly
lit up in a glorious, shining smile. Though her agility had been robbed from
her years ago, she still managed to catch the brunet off guard with a flying
tackle that slammed him into the slightly moist earth. He caught her with a
shocked cry, slowly sitting up as she sobbed into his shoulder.
�Jiyumaru!� she cried. �S-so
you�re�?�
He nodded softly, slowly helping
his friend to her feet. �Yeah, I�m okay now�I think. It comes in spurts and
blurs�but I think I�m okay.�
�That�s a rather startlingly fast
recovery,� Tsunade observed. �Care to comment?�
Jiyumaru blushed, turning away
from his superior to hide his embarrassment. �I�d�rather not. It�s somewhat
silly�and it makes me feel like an idiot.�
�Humor me.� Tsunade�s voice was
not lenient, demanding a solid answer from the evasive shinobi. To his credit,
Jiyumaru turned his face around almost immediately, turning to face the Hokage
at attention.
�If you want the honest answer,�
he muttered, �it was what Yakusho said.�
�B-but he called you a coward!�
Ayame snuffed indignantly, her face contorting in an otherwise cute pout.
�And that�s exactly what I was
being.�
Ayame and Tsunade shifted
slightly, the younger woman�s eyebrows rising slightly. �What are you talking
about?�
�When my memories were returned to
me, all I could do is run in fear of what I had done,� Jiyumaru said softly,
clenching his fist tightly. �I was afraid of what I had done. But�whether
killing Yoshiro was a mistake or not doesn�t matter. By turning my back on the
truth, I turned my back on my past, and all the good things that happened back
then. I shunned the memory of my brother, and thusly shunned everything he ever
meant to me. I let my cowardice and weakness turn me into exactly what Yoshiro
would never have wanted me to become�dishonorable.�
A deep silence draped over the
clearing as Jiyumaru finished his speech. Ayame slowly moved over to him and
put her hand on his shoulder, offering a reassuring smile that was meant more
for her own well being than his. She had realized not long ago that she was
partially to blame for everything Jiyumaru was going through, and that was
something she would never be able to forgive herself for. Even if he told her
it was not her fault, she would still feel responsible.
She would make it up to him
somehow.
�I�m ready for duty again
Hokage-sama,� he perked up suddenly. �After you make sure I�m one-hundred
percent, of course.�
�That�s good to hear,� Konoha�s
leader stated powerfully. �If you pass, we�re having another meeting about our
next course of action concerning Ryumoto Kakeru.�
Jiyumaru�s eyes widened. �What did
you just say?�

Yoshi ducked under one of the
broken beams that littered the home he was currently searching through. He
never understood how Kakeru could stand to lord over a place so destitute. He
had often considered asking the great man to repair the many buildings and
houses that were situated outside the temple, but always managed to think
better of questioning his liege�s decisions before it got him killed. Kakeru
respected those who were loyal to him, but those who inquired too deeply into
his motives were usually missing by the end of the day.
Everyone that is, except Ryumoto
Yakusho.
It often irritated Yoshi how much
more Yakusho knew of their master than anyone. Yoshi was part of Kakeru�s
elite, one of the few honored with his presence and power every day. But Kakeru
shared things with Yakusho that he would tell no one else. The two would
discuss the past and the present, the secrets of the Ryumoto clan. If Yoshi did
not know any better, he would have assumed Kakeru had been treating the
miscreant like his own son.
But Yoshi certainly knew better.
It still didn�t stop the pangs of jealousy he felt when he thought of the
brown-haired traitor.
A loud creaking set Yoshi on
guard, the house giving a visible shudder. Tiny bits of debris and rotted wood
trickled down from the ceiling as small clouds of dust stirred from the floor,
causing the young shinobi to flinch irately. The shattered home had been ready
to come down at its foundation even before he had entered. Trespassing on its
already shaky stability threatened to destroy it entirely. Had he not been
ordered to, he would not have even dreamt of stepping into one of the rusty
claptraps that littered the broken village.
�Having fun, Yoshi?�
The short redhead gave a startled
swerve as he turned around to face the voice, his heart jumping slightly in his
chest. Behind him on the broken rafter was a tall young man with glisteningly
well-kept silver hair. Strapped to his back was a massive scabbard that shared
its owner�s height. The ungainly appearance of the weapon hid the ghastly power
its wielder held over it. Yoshi could remember the last time he had seen the
hoar-headed boy fight. He also remembered thinking that his ally could have
used a bit more refinement in his technique.
That had been after Yoshi had
stepped over almost forty corpses.
�Damn it Kosu!� the youthful
shinobi yelped. �Are you out of your mind? Don�t stand on that, this place is
about to come apart!�
�Would you relax?� Kosu huffed,
scratching the back of his right ear. �This place is fine. It only looks like it�s going to collapse.�
The house gave a shuddering groan as
it shifted, more rubble skittering across the ground. Yoshi gave Kosu a fierce
glare that made the jubilant adolescent give an incensed grunt.
�Okay, so maybe it�s a little unstable.�
�Get out damn it!� Yoshi was
furious now, his face turning redder and redder as anger rose within him. �Are
you honestly going to jeopardize this mission? You know Kakeru-sama said it was
important!�
�It�s only important because
Kakeru likes playing mind games with people,� Kosu sighed. He always felt that
Yoshi�s supreme devotion to Kakeru went overboard sometimes. He was glad that
his compatriot was good at his job. If he weren't, Kosu would have had some
choice words for the runt. �Honestly, you need to stop being so uptight.�
�And you need to be more
respectful, lest you end up like Naoko!�
That name caused Kosu to go
silent. She had been their previous partner, a girl with a very flamboyant
attitude and a flippant mouth. Her behavior had drawn the ire of Kakeru one
time too many. The images of those bracelets lighting up was forever burned in
Kosu�s mind, never to be removed.
He could hardly believe Yakusho
had his own pair stashed somewhere. That kind of thing was just�
�So are we clear?� Yoshi snapped.
�Crystal,� Kosu grumbled, waving
off his young friend. �So what are we looking for?�
�This.�
Yoshi was not used to being
surprised in general, but being so twice in such a short time proved to be
incredibly grating. His heart jumped once again as he turned to the right,
gazing upon the pale figure of a young woman. She was dressed very similar to
himself and Kosu, covered in the dark grey trappings of Kakeru�s Honor Guard.
She had the air of a commander, but her porcelain features made her akin to a
ghost, especially with her waist length jet-black hair. Fastened to her belt
were two steel chakram, emblazoned with various symbols from across the land.
�When did you get in here Haruko?�
Kosu picked at his teeth nonchalantly, not even surprised by the appearance of
the phantom girl.
�Just a bit before you did,� she
said quietly. Her voice lingered, wafting through the broken beams and windows
like a true specter. �Yoshi looked�busy, with his inspection of the house. I
thought it would be prudent to examine it more deeply.�
�See?� Yoshi scoffed, glaring at
Kosu. �Why can�t you be more like Haruko?�
�Last I checked she was insulting
you, not me.� Kosu rolled his eyes, stifling the laughter that was building in
his throat. Yoshi snarled at his partner, then turned back to Haruko.
�So what did you find?� he asked
the frail-looking girl.
�Exactly what we needed to find,�
she replied, holding up a small crumpled photo. �This was definitely his
house�which means the graves in the back are the right ones.�
Yoshi took the photo from Haruko
carefully, as if touching her even by accident would bring his life to a quick
end. He examined the dated photo that had somehow survived the destruction of
the village all those years ago, perusing the people within. They seemed regal
in a way, dressed in all sorts of beige. The young shinobi instantly recognized
the pair of Dragon Bracelets attached to the older man in the picture, leading
him to believe he�d been a high-ranking member of the Ryumoto clan. To his
right in the photo was an elegant woman in flowing red satin robes. The silken
lengths of her dark hair cascaded over the garment like water, bringing her
beauty to life. In front of them both was a young girl who would have become
the spitting image of her mother given time. She appeared to have been no older
than Yoshi was now, but already showing the finer points of blossoming
womanhood. She was kneeling, her hands on the shoulders of a young boy with
disheveled brown hair and a bright red t-shirt, who appeared to be no older
than two. Yoshi felt as if he knew the young lad, a grating sense of
recognition scraping at the back of his mind.
�I think he was cute when he was
young,� was all Haruko said. �This is definitely the spot.�
�So what�we�re actually gonna do
this?� Kosu asked. He was eerily serious, the tone of his voice not to be
mistaken with any other emotion.
�Yes we are,� Yoshi said
adamantly. �Kakeru-sama�s orders.�
�Man, I can�t believe he�s going
this far just to fuck with someone�s head,� the tall boy sighed. �I mean, I
know he can be cruel, but come on,
there�s got to be a limit somewhere, right?�
�Is it truly your place to
question what Kakeru-sama�s limits are, Kosu?� Haruko asked him chillingly. �I
believe Yoshi has already reminded you of Naoko today. Must I do so again?�
�No, you mustn�t,� Kosu retorted
sharply. �Stop comparing me to her. I may not see eye to eye with Kakeru at
every given moment, but it�s not like I�m saying no, is it?�
�Enough of this,� Haruko huffed.
She gave a signal for the three to get outside, not uttering another word. The
other two nodded their heads in understanding and followed her out of the
building just as it gave a monstrous groan and toppled into itself, scattering
waves of dust and broken wood into the ruined avenue it occupied.
�Okay,� Kosu admitted, �maybe it was more than a little unstable.�
�Baka,� Yoshi growled.
�Out back,� the ghostly girl
muttered. �That�s where the graves are. No more questions.�
Neither Kosu nor Yoshi said
anything else. The three moved towards the back of the rubble that had been a
home and began to dig away with their hands at the dirt beneath the stones,
searching.
Eventually, their search paid off.

Yakusho peered down at the Dragon
Fang with newfound relief and joy. It would never show on his perpetually stoic
face, but having his family�s weapon back in his possession filled him with an
unequivocal sense of wholeness. His gloved hand firmly grasped the hilt of his
sword, moving the blade about with expert precision. This time he didn�t hold
back like he�d been doing for the last few months, really giving the weapon a
test. He had been hiding his strength for so long he had almost forgotten what
it meant to go all out. Now there was no reason to keep his true ability
submerged. He would be fighting for Konoha and its people this time, so he
could not afford to screw up.
That was a new feeling for him as
well. Never had he been tied to a village before. When he had served Kakeru,
the illusion of upholding the glory of Ryuugakure had been what had kept the
young man motivated. Now he could see the lies for what they were and he was
not going to let them control him anymore. Of course, that was another fa�ade
as far as he was concerned. He had known long ago that Kakeru could not be
trusted. He had been aware of the man�s evil for a long, long time.
It was only now that he had
another choice.
�You certainly are absorbed in
that sword, aren�t you?�
Yakusho visibly jumped as his
concentration was broken. His head crooked over his shoulder to see Sakura
standing in the doorway of Naruto�s apartment. He had often wondered if the
pinkette had her own key, and her opening of the locked door was a good
indicator of whether or not she had one.
Either that, or she was incredibly
good at picking locks.
�What�re you doing here Pinkie?�
Yakusho remained immobile as he spoke, clutching the Dragon Fang in his right
hand tightly, the blade pointing at the floor.
�I thought I�d check up on you,�
she said with a smile. �We have another meeting today, I�m sure you know.�
�I�m well aware,� he sighed. �If
only because I cut the last one short.�
�I think part of you had the right
idea,� Sakura said. �But I don�t think the way you went about it was very
nice.�
�Personally? I don�t think
Jiyumaru needs people to be nice to
him right now.�
�That�s where you and I differ, I
suppose.�
Awkward silence drifted into the
slightly stuffy apartment, causing Sakura to shift ever so slightly on the
balls of her feet. She twitched a bit nervously, looking about the room as if
to find something to break the quiet. It was eerily unnerving to her, making
her head spin a bit. Yakusho turned around and looked at her curiously, and she
realized she must have been making a spectacle of herself. A moment later she
reached into one of her pockets and stuffed a couple of pills down her throat
with a creepy groan.
�The hell are those?� Yakusho
asked with a growl.
�Painkillers,� she mumbled. �What,
you didn�t think I just got better all of a sudden, did you?�
The tall boy cringed a bit,
looking at the medic-nin with curious intent. �It�s just�that�s the first I�ve
seen you taking them.�
�That�s because I�ve started
taking so much that I�m ashamed of it. I hide it.�
Sakura squeezed her right arm
tightly, as if the pressure would take away the feelings of guilt and disgrace
welling up within her. She was Tsunade�s apprentice, practically a medical
practitioner in her own right. How could this happen to her of all people? She
felt as if she was betraying everyone.
The worst part was, she was losing
control of it.
A hand on her shoulder snapped her
out of her panic, causing her head to turn upward as her eyes stopped watering.
Yakusho was looking down at her with a concerned frown, his hand gripping her
shoulder firmly, holding her steadfast in both that room and in reality.
�Are you okay?� he asked softly.
�You�re not��
�N-no!� she blurted out.
�N-not�not yet at least. But I probably will be if I don�t snap out of it and
get some self-control.�
Yakusho�s eyes flitted downwards
as Sakura fiddled with some more pills. The two shared an awkward glance before
she forcefully put them away, whimpering softly at her own weakness. She stood
up sharply, clearing her throat and trying her best to look composed.
�So, what are you doing here?� she
asked.
�I think that question is better
suited for you,� Yakusho chuckled, twirling the Dragon Fang in his right hand
once. �I tend to live here mostly. What�s your excuse? Looking for Whiskers?�
�Actually, Naruto and Hinata are
off somewhere,� Sakura giggled. �Probably trying to spend some time together
before whatever you�ve got planned.�
For but an instant Yakusho almost
looked as if he were hurt. He then shook it off with a laugh. �Well that�s good
for them�but that doesn�t answer my question.�
�Well if you want the honest
truth, I came here to see you.�
Yakusho slumped back into Naruto�s
beaten old couch and let the Dragon Fang lean against the side of the armrest,
letting out a deep sigh. Sakura tilted her head towards him with a smile,
sitting on the opposite side of the couch, pressing her palms to her knees
nervously.
�You�re serious?� Yakusho finally
said. �Why? I would have thought after the other day��
�You�ve always been an asshole,�
Sakura laughed. �Why would we hold that against you?�
Yakusho chuckled a bit, running a
hand through his still rather unkempt hair. �Okay, well you�ve got me there.
Still, I don�t get the point.�
The pinkette fidgeted in her seat,
turning her eyes away from Yakusho. �You�re really going to do this, right?
You�re really going to go off and fight Kakeru, even though you�re not certain
you can win?�
The boy practically choked on his
own thoughts, shooting upward. �Hey, who said that!?�
�I can read it all over you,�
Sakura said breathlessly. �You�re concerned�and not just for yourself for once.
It�s a nice switch�kinda fits you. I�m almost touched.�
Yakusho scoffed irritably, waving
Sakura�s words away. �Oh come off it. Why would I be concerned for you lot?
Hell, you killed Katai, and I know
from personal experience that takes something. I�m not really worried all that
much about you guys. You�ll do fine.�
�But you are concerned,� Sakura
countered. �Not just about us�but what we could do to those you know. You�re
afraid we�ll wipe out your past and everything that gave your life meaning�but
you don�t want to lose us either.�
For the first time in her memory,
Sakura witnessed Yakusho being taken aback by someone else�s words. The older
shinobi visibly flinched as Sakura ended her sentence, giving the medic-nin
something of a sense of accomplishment. She knew at that very moment that she
was right, and not simply drawing at straws.
�Where the hell did that come
from?� he snorted defensively. �You�ve got a wild imagination, Pinkie.�
�Yeah, I do sometimes,� she
giggled sadly. �But this time I�m right, aren�t I? I�ve been paying attention�a
lot more than the others, and maybe a little more than I consider healthy. But
I�ve been keeping my eye on you Yakusho�and I�ve noticed things that I don�t
think the others have.�
�Like what?�
Sakura shifted on the couch,
looking into Yakusho�s deep brown eyes. �I know you didn�t want to hurt
anyone�but I suppose even Jiyumaru figured that one out. But after all the time
we�ve spent together, especially while I was bringing your meals, I could sense
your guilt. I could tell you didn�t want to do what you had done. As if that
wasn�t enough, you saved me when Akuchi tried to kill me. You want to keep all
your friends�because you�re scared of what will happen. You don�t know who to
trust, and it terrifies you.�
Sakura turned away again, a
semi-honest smile curving her lips. �At least, that�s what I think.�
Yakusho stared at Sakura for the
better part of a minute before he cleared his throat, turning away from her
with a huff. �Well that�s pretty farfetched if you ask me, Pinkie.�
�I guess it is,� she admitted with
a wry smile, her hand twitching around her pocket. She pulled it away and
looked toward him again. �But in case it�s not, I think you�re making the right
choice. The only one who can say for sure though, is you.�
Yakusho laughed a bit and tapped
his knee, looking down at the ground. �If you�re right, then what kind of
person condemns his friends to near certain death?�
A soft hand placed itself on his
shoulder and gripped it firmly, leading Yakusho�s eyes over to Sakura once
again. �The kind of person who has friends who are willing to risk it�for
whatever reason.�
Neither one of them said anything
after that. Sakura drew herself a bit closer, as if she had more to say, but a
knock at the door ruined the moment. Sakura had to force herself to move,
prying herself from Yakusho�s side with decided difficulty. She opened the door
and spoke quietly with the person there, looking back at the brunet every once
in a while with a knowing look on her face. Not long after she closed the door
and turned around.
�Yakusho, we�re needed at the
Hokage�s office,� she said. �I don�t know how, but it seems Jiyumaru�s back to
normal.�
The dragon ninja said nothing, but
as he stood Sakura could swear she saw the slightest hint of a knowing smirk.

A single crow crossed the skyline,
letting out its garbled cry as it passed overhead. Birds were plentiful around
Konoha, many of them having much more pleasant tunes to sing. It always seemed
funny to Naruto that whenever he tried to listen to a birdcall, he would always
pick out a crow�s first. After all the training he had gone through over the
years, he figured his hearing would be better than that. Then again, he always
was a simple person at heart. Perhaps meticulously picking out the cries of
each individual bird was more trouble than it was worth to him?
Why was it he only had these
moments of mental clarity when he and Hinata were alone?
Currently, he and Hinata were
sitting quietly in one of Konoha�s many training grounds. It was something of a
special place for the both of them, as it was the training ground where their
relationship had started. It was odd how a place so disfigured by the blows and
scrapes of shinobi could be serene and peaceful. It was beyond the young male.
Even then, he somehow knew that Hinata could express every last one of the
feelings he could not in a poetic way.
Naruto turned his head as he tried
to see Hinata. The most he could see was a portion of her pant leg, as both of
them were on opposite ends of a training post. He faced forward again, smiling
as he ran his fingers through the verdant grass. After everything that had
happened, these last few days with Hinata had been very relaxing. The both of
them had decided to stay as far away from the others and their responsibilities
as possible, and for some reason Tsunade hadn�t seen a problem with it. Not for
the first time, the blond considered himself lucky that the old woman liked him
so much.
�Naruto?�
Naruto perked up as Hinata spoke
to him, his eyes turning upwards as he responded. �Yes Hinata?�
�What�re you thinking about?�
�Not much,� he said. �Why do you
ask?�
�Do you ever just sit and
think�about us?�
Naruto looked at his legs,
bunching his fists just above his knees. �Sometimes.�
�Do you ever think of what would
have happened if we weren�t together?�
This time the blond didn�t stay so
still. He quickly shifted from his spot, looking around the training post to
see Hinata sitting rather calmly with her legs crossed. �What kind of a
question is that?�
�Is it a bad one?� the
raven-haired girl blushed. �Sometimes I wonder�is what we have worth it? I
mean�if we weren�t together like this, then maybe Kiba��
Hinata gasped softly as Naruto
placed his hand on hers, squeezing softly. �You�re not still blaming yourself
for that, are you?�
�I�m sorry Naruto,� she whimpered.
�The tears have stopped�but I can�t help but feel that it�s because we�re
together that he��
Naruto squeezed Hinata�s hand more
tightly, silencing the teenage girl. Her eyes pulled themselves towards
Naruto�s, gazing into his soft blue orbs with trust. He smiled back at her,
slipping in beside her as he gazed at the clear blue sky.
�Hinata, it�s impossible to say
what would or could have happened if we weren�t together,� he sighed. �It�s
impossible because we are, and I don�t think we can go back and change
anything. I understand your guilt�I felt it too. When Kiba died...I felt
responsible, as if I�d led him to his death. But I couldn�t let my guilt
consume me back then. If I�d blamed myself endlessly, we wouldn�t have been
able to save you.
�You can�t let it get to you like
that Hinata. I�m not sorry we�re together�and I don�t blame you or myself for
any of what�s happened. It�s not your fault, or my fault, or our fault.
Besides�I wouldn�t want to be without you. So I�ll stay with you and make you
happy�if you�ll do the same for me.�
Naruto fell over as Hinata
practically tackled him, throwing herself at his waist and pinning him to the
ground. The couple laughed as they lay in the field, both in a happy and a sad
way. The ex-heiress pulled herself up her boyfriend�s body and gave him a deep
kiss, stroking his shoulders as she pressed her lips to his tightly. After
several moments she relented, resting her head on his chest and closing her
eyes.
�What are you going to do?� she
whispered. �Are you going to go with Yakusho?�
�Of course I am,� Naruto sighed.
�How can you trust him so easily,
after what he did?�
Naruto closed his eyes as well,
petting Hinata�s head gently. His fingers toyed with the long strands of her
hair as he contemplated his answer, letting out an ephemeral sigh. �I don�t
think I should�but somehow, I just know I can. I can�t really explain it.�
�I don�t think you have to.�
Hinata rolled onto her back, keeping her eyes closed as she settled against
Naruto�s strong form. �That�s just who you are...and I wouldn�t want to change
you.�
The two stayed like that for a
long time, letting the wind and the sounds of nature be their company. The
breeze picked up and died over and over, flicking locks of hair about as the
dazzling light of the sun shone down on both of them. Eventually Hinata opened
her eyes, gazing into the crystalline stillness of the sky and spoke.
�I love you, Naruto.�
�I love you too, Hinata.�
�I�m coming with you,� the Hyuuga
girl stated strongly. �I�m not going to leave you to face Kakeru or anyone else
alone. Not ever.�
�And I guess I can�t stop you, can
I?� the blond surrendered. �It�s okay�I won�t leave you alone either. I�ll be
right beside you.�
�Promise?�
�I promise,� Naruto smiled. �And I
never go back on my word, remember?�
Hinata wriggled herself deeper
into Naruto�s grasp, giggling as she wormed her way into his arms. She
understood all too well that the next mission would be dangerous, but that did
not matter to her. She would be with Naruto, and that would make any danger
worth braving.
��There you two are!�
The two bolted upright together,
their heads turning as one to see Tenten and Neji standing at the edge of the
training ground, the bun-haired kunoichi hanging slightly off the Branch
member�s shoulder. Hinata blushed and hid her face against Naruto�s shoulder
while the blond waved excitedly.
�Tenten!� he called out. �You�re
okay!�
�Better than you�re going to be if
you don�t hurry,� she giggled. �There�s another meeting and Tsunade�s been
looking for you two.�
�She has?� Hinata squeaked. �We
had no idea!�
�Then you�d best get moving,
Hinata-sama,� Neji said, bowing his head slightly. �Before the Hokage comes
after you both personally.�
Naruto and Hinata quickly got to
their feet and thanked the other pair, hurrying off back to the village. As
soon as they were out of sight, Tenten casually turned on her heel and wrapped
her other arm over Neji�s shoulder, hanging off him with a devious smirk.
�Now did you do that to get them
to the meeting?� Neji asked wryly. �Or did you do it so we could have some
alone time?�
�What do you think?�

Yakusho tapped his foot
unnoticeably as he stood in front of the Hokage�s desk. Of all the people, he
never expected to be held up by Naruto. He supposed he should have seen it
coming in some respect, but it was still a different sensation for him. He
could never have been accused of being very close to any of the Konoha shinobi,
but he thought he had enough of an understanding of Naruto�s character to
predict his behavior.
You learn something new everyday I guess, he thought to himself
with a sarcastic chuckle.
The great double doors to the
Hokage�s office swung open slowly as Hinata and Naruto finally arrived, the two
of them looking sheepishly about as they took their positions at the edge of
the room. To their surprise, a tall figure tossed them a very friendly wave.
�Hey you two,� Jiyumaru smiled.
�J-Jiyumaru!� Naruto exclaimed.
�Y-you�re okay!�
�Yeah, you could say that.�
Jiyumaru dusted his shoulder slightly, leaning against the wall. �You�re
running a little late, you know that?�
�Hey, get off my back,� the blond
frowned. �We only just heard!�
�I hope you are done chatting,�
Tsunade growled. �I�d like to get started sometime today.�
Tsunade�s apparent lack of
patience could well have been attributed to the presence of many people in her
office. Yakusho quickly took a count of the various ninja that had assembled,
realizing that it was much the same as the last meeting. Kakashi and Jiraiya
were once again present, filling the air with a deep pressure that threatened
to squeeze the very air out of Yakusho�s lungs. Jiyumaru�s presence only added
to the pressure that the dragon ninja was feeling, but for reasons that he
wasn�t comfortable with admitting. He was glad to see the ANBU member on his
feet again.
�So this is everyone right?�
Yakusho grumbled, cleaning his ear with his left pinky finger.
�It is,� Tsunade said. �Before we
begin with the mission however, there is something I�ve been meaning to ask you
Yakusho.�
�And what would that be?�
�You have explained the majority
of Ryumoto Kakeru�s plans and motives,� the Hokage explained. �However, you
have failed to explain one very important detail. Now I�m going to ask you�why
does Kakeru need the Kyuubi? Why did he bother to try and kidnap Hinata in the
first place? You haven�t yet told us how the Kyuubi fits in to everything.�
Yakusho sucked in his breath and
took a look at Naruto and Hinata. He had purposely left out that information
last time. Or rather, he liked to believe he had. It was an unpleasant truth he
knew he had to deal with at some point, and now was just as good a time as any.
�The amount of chakra required to
break a Dragon King Seal is incredible,� he recited, as though he had practiced
the words over and over and over. �They were designed to hold in the lords of
dragonkind, never meant to be broken. The amount of power required to destroy
one of those seals would be akin to the chakra of hundreds upon thousands of
people.
�To make this point clear�the cost
of opening a Dragon King Seal is well over a hundred thousand lives.�
Tsunade jumped in her seat a
little as the entire room stiffened in an icy chill. It was the same reaction
that Yakusho and all the other members of Kakeru�s team had had when they had
first heard the number. It was never easy to accept the theoretical cost of
such power, even if none of them had any intention of paying that price. In
some peoples� opinion, even one life would be too much to pay.
But Yakusho and his kin were
shinobi. One life meant nothing in the face of the mission.
�Are�are you certain of this?�
Tsunade pressed, narrowing her eyebrows.
�Yes, quite certain,� Yakusho
growled. �That is the estimate of how much chakra it would take to break a
Dragon King Seal.�
�Then the rest makes sense,�
Kakashi sighed. �The Bijuu are masses of chakra the likes of which humanity
cannot imagine�even the weakest has five times more chakra than most of us
could ever dream of having.�
�But why the Kyuubi?� Naruto
wondered aloud. �Why me and Hinata of all people? Why not chase after the
others?�
�Personal grievance.�
Yakusho stood in the middle of six
different sets of eyes, each and every one of them having turned to him after
his last two words. He grumbled at the attention, as if they should all already
know what he was talking about. He idly wondered if Neji or Hiashi would have
picked up on it, but he had no desire to see Hiashi again, and had kept him out
of the meeting. Neji had found the same treatment out of fear that he would
take his uncle�s place if he were allowed to come.
�I can�t say how my uncle was when
I was little, but he has never truly been all that fond of Konoha.� Yakusho
sighed, rubbing his forehead with two fingers. �He has always, to my knowledge,
been even less fond of the Kyuubi. As
petty and simplistic as it sounds, the only logical explanation I can come up
with for you all�is he wants to make you all suffer.�
�I�ve met the man myself,� Tsunade
sighed. �He was always opposed to Ryuugakure being in any way connected to
Konoha. He displayed his animosity towards us long before Ryuugakure was
decimated.�
�That doesn�t�make enough sense,�
Sakura shuddered. �Are you honestly saying he put us through all that because
he just doesn�t like us?�
�That�s simplifying it a bit,�
Yakusho said. �From just a little over ten years of being with him, I have
determined that he seems to hold Konoha responsible for what happened to
Ryuugakure�so in a way, it�s revenge.�
�Whatever the reason,� Tsunade
called out, silencing the argument, �we have to put an end to it as quickly as
possible. He will either come back here�or go after someone else. I cannot
allow that.�
�Neither can I.�
Eyebrows raised as Hinata finally
spoke up, standing up and away from Naruto for just a moment to find her voice.
She cleared her throat, looking sheepishly about for a moment.
�I won�t let him do what he did to
me and this village to anyone else,� she said as loudly as she could without
shouting. �I�m not going to sit down and let him do it once again.�
�And what makes you think you�re
going?� Tsunade narrowed her eyes, staring down the Hyuuga girl.
�Because if Hinata doesn�t go, I
don�t go,� Naruto stated flatly.
�And I�m not going to show just
anyone where Ryuugakure is.� Yakusho flicked his hair, looking at the Hokage
daringly.
�So what you�re basically saying
is that unless the team you want to
go goes, you won�t help us?� Tsunade actually laughed, smiling just a tad. �I
didn�t realize you were in a place to make such a ridiculous demand. This is an
S-Class mission at the least, and it will be dealt with by Konoha�s finest�that
means Jounin, not Chuunin and genin.�
�Do you really think you can stop
us?�
Tsunade stiffened as Hinata shot
forth again, clutching her chest firmly to stay her nervous heart. �You can
send as many Jounin as you want, Hokage-sama�but we�re going to go anyway. You
can try to lock us up to keep us from going, and we�ll still find a way. I�m
sorry�but you can�t make us stay out of this when it involves us so deeply.�
�You realize that if I let you and
Naruto go to Ryuugakure, we�ll be giving Kakeru exactly what he wants?�
�I also realize that if we don�t
go to him, he�ll come back here,� Hinata shivered. �And this time he won�t be
so nice�and I don�t want to have caused this village any more pain. I won�t
even be remotely responsible for another lost life if I can help it.�
Jiraiya chuckled a bit and stood
up, walking over to Tsunade with a big grin. �Seems you�ve gotten yourself into
a corner, Tsunade. What are you going to do about it? Because it seems to me
you�re going to have a hard time of convincing these children to not do
anything.�
�You shouldn�t tease the Hokage,�
Kakashi muttered. �Even if you are
right.�
�Cut it out the both of you.� Tsunade sneered at Jiraiya
and her most promising Jounin. Her frustration brought forth a yielding chuckle
from her, her head shaking in disbelief. �All right, since I assume the lot of
you are simply going to sneak away even if I put a cadre of bodyguards on you,
then I suppose I have no choice but to assign you this mission. Naruto, Sakura,
Hinata, Jiyumaru�you are to follow Yakusho to Ryuugakure and eliminate the
threat of Ryumoto Kakeru by any means necessary.
�I would also like to mention once
again that this mission is of the highest priority�you cannot afford to be
sloppy or playful here. Do your jobs, and do them right.�
�Hai, Hokage-sama!� was the united
call from her four chosen shinobi. Yakusho simply rolled his eyes, turning
around and walking out of the room with a flick of his ragged brown hair.
Wordlessly the others followed him, leaving the Hokage�s office filled with
only Konoha�s best.
�How much of a chance do you
really think they stand?� Kakashi asked blankly, not even facing his elders.
�I don�t think the odds really
matter here,� Tsunade said. �They never really have where Naruto is concerned.�
�Don�t say you�d bet on him,
please�� Jiraiya groaned. �That would ruin everything.�
�I�ll show you ruined!� Tsunade
growled, the world around her turning dark as she prepared to strike her former
teammate so hard that attaining orbit would be the least of his problems.

Yakusho rounded the corner as he
headed back to Naruto�s apartment to gather what little supplies he would need
on his trip back home. He knew that this mission could very well be the last
time he went back to that place, especially if his faith in Naruto and the
others was misplaced. He was not the kind of person to blindly throw his fate
into the hands of others. He would not delude himself with images of a perfect
team and everyone being able to save each other. He was realistic. At least, he
tried to be.
He rounded another corner just to
have a hand grab his shoulder from behind and slam him into the nearby wall.
Jiyumaru glared at him angrily, pinning him by just one shoulder fiercely.
�And just when the hell were you
planning on telling me your family was behind all this!?� he shouted.
�I didn�t realize I answered to
you Blades,� Yakusho said flatly. �Nobody else was happy with that news�why
should you be any different? Don�t act special.�
Jiyumaru sighed and released
Yakusho, turning his back on the younger man. �Thanks Yakusho�if it weren�t for
you I�d still be sitting in that hospital bed running away from my problems.�
Yakusho�s eyes widened suddenly,
his hand coming up to hold the side of his head. �Wait�what? Hey, weren�t you
just��
�Forget it,� Jiyumaru smirked.
�Just get ready. From what I can tell this mission isn�t going to be a
pushover. I�m going to go talk to Ayame�I�ll see you in front of the gates
soon. Don�t come unprepared, you hear? I don�t think I or Naruto would ever
forgive you if you died on us.�
Yakusho stood flabbergasted as
Jiyumaru walked off, his hand still clasping the side of his head. He frowned
slightly and turned away, shaking his head slowly.
�These people are gonna get me
killed.�

Kosu rubbed his shoulder, his lips
twisting as he worked out the knot in his muscle by himself. He would much
rather have had a pretty girl doing it for him, but those were in short supply
in Ryuugakure. The only one that qualified would much rather slit his throat
than help him relax. Thusly, he was confined to soothing his own aches and
pains.
�I can�t believe you�re just
sitting there rubbing your shoulder when we have so much to prepare,� Yoshi
scowled at his contemporary. �According to Kakeru-sama, Yakusho will probably
be here any day now.�
�You need to relax and get your
head out of your own ass.� Kosu chuckled at his own insult, standing slowly and
rolling his shoulder blades. �Or are you scared that Yakusho is more powerful
than you?�
Yoshi balled his fists, snorting
indignantly at Kosu. �It�s not a matter of him being more powerful. He won�t be
coming alone this time, and you know it as much as anyone else. We have to be
prepared�we are Kakeru-sama�s Honor Guard�his best. If we falter��
�Yeah, yeah, keep your pants on,�
the silver-haired teen sighed. �You aren�t going to get anywhere being a
complete stick in the mud, you know? It�s the reason I don�t like you all that
much.�
�I could care less whether you
like me or not. Our duty is what�s important, and you�re shirking yours.�
�If I have to say it one more time
today, I will make sure one of you pays for it,� Haruko bellowed. �Shut up.�
�Yes ma�am!� Kosu gulped,
straightening his sword on his back. For some reason, Haruko always frightened
him more than Kakeru did. He often wondered if that was because he knew things
about Kakeru, whereas Haruko had always been an utter mystery to him.
�It�s about a day and a half�s
travel from here to Konoha,� the somber girl said. �We must assume the worst,
of course�so we should prepare to be attacked a day and a half from now.�
�Isn�t that stretching things a
bit?� Kosu wondered aloud. �I mean, you don�t honestly think that Kakeru could
foresee everything THIS well, do you?�
�It is not my place to question
Kakeru-sama�s will,� Haruko droned, repeating Yoshi�s favorite statement. �We
are supposed to be the shining example. Kakeru-sama has said that Yakusho will
return�we should be ready for him when he arrives.�
�Fine!� Kosu conceded. �But it
sounds like a lot of extra work to me.�
Haruko smiled one of her creepy
smiles as Kosu finally surrendered to his responsibilities, her hand gliding a
small rag up and down the dirtied metal of a once-discarded hitai-ate,
polishing it to near perfection. She left the cuts and indents alone however,
aiming for that authentic look.
If what Kakeru-sama has said is true, she thought delightfully, then these will be a wonderful surprise for
poor Yakusho-kun.

The sun hung high in the sky over
the mountain ranges that lay a day and a half�s journey from Konohagakure.
Naruto and the others looked at the jagged hills intently, knowing their
mission lay somewhere inside the teeth of the earth. Yakusho�s face was much
more gloomy, drained of its usual sardonic glow from the time it had taken to
travel there. While the others had simply set their minds to ending the whole
mess, Yakusho had been living with the tremendousness of returning to his home
with a goal far less than amicable in his own eyes.
To him, he was only assisting in
the destruction of his clan. He had still not come to terms with that fact, and
realized he probably never would.
The mountain range was
treacherous, covered in sudden drops and cyclical passages that would have
driven even the most astute and professional explorer mad. It was only thanks
to Yakusho�s knowledge of the terrain that the group of five was able to
proceed at all. The red-vested shinobi dragged them through winding trails and
hidden paths, moving them up and down the slopes and jagged points with seemingly
no thought and no pattern. For but a while Naruto began to wonder if Yakusho
truly knew where he was going.
Then all of a sudden, Yakusho
stopped in mid-stride and grappled onto the sheer cliff face to their right,
finding the most inconspicuous holds on the mountainside as he climbed it. Even
more surprising than that was what occurred a moment later. Without warning he
seemed to slide into the mountain, vanishing from sight for a few moments
before the rocks began to shimmer and waver out of existence. Even Sakura
seemed impressed as the genjutsu faded, revealing a large tunnel within the
rock face. The rest of the team scaled the wall one by one, pouring into the
small corridor that ended in rays of light.
What lay on the other end shocked
everyone into complete silence. Hinata slapped her hands over her mouth to
prevent the sounds of horror that threatened to break past her lips. Before
them lay what had to have been a very successful village at one time or
another, but what remained was not even close to a shadow of what it had once
been. The houses and shops had been brutalized and torched so many years ago,
left as gray husks in a valley that seemed to reek of death. A stiff breeze
blew by and knocked a shutter off its hinge, the entire thing crumbling to dust
as it hit the floor. The ghost town seemed to howl with pain as they gazed upon
its ashen self, unable to even move as they drank in the destruction of fifteen
years past.
�Welcome,� Yakusho muttered
bitterly, �to Ryuugakure.�

I want to apologize
for how long it took to come out with this chapter. It certainly has been a
long wait, but I don�t want anyone to think that I�ve been ignoring
Dragonheart, or even thinking that I�ve quit it. Perish the thought, especially
this close to the end. I�ve simply been�preoccupied.
In any case, I�m
going to be putting the URL for the Dragonheart forums and my livejournal into
my profile for you all to read. That way you can get in touch with me and
fellow authors relatively easily.
Hope you enjoyed the
chapter!
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