Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Spectral Ninja	By : Nescafevh Category: Naruto Crossovers > General Views: 15262 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Legacy Of Kain or any of the associated characters or make money from them, credit goes where credit is due!!!

Chapter List
- 22
- 23
- 24
Once the three were gone Sasuke dropped softly from the tree and approached them, looking at Naruto and frowning "what was that about?"

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked calmly.
Sasuke looked mad "you KNOW what I mean. The brother thing. Why did you call him that?!" Sasuke seemed almost.....jealous?
"Because he is" Naruto said softly.
"He is NOT one of us or even Leaf Ninja, how could you say that!!"
"Because he is, it's the truth, well half-brother really."
"What do you mean?!" Sasuke was getting furious.
Naruto glanced at his student "not now and not here" he knelt in front of the younger boy "Kohonamaru you are to stay away from those three, okay? They are foreign ninja and extremely dangerous-especially the red head-do you understand?!"
"But boss...!"
"NO BUTS, Kohonamaru, promise me you'll stay away and if you see them you'll go no where near them. If you see them on the street you will immediately avoid them and make sure your team does as well" Naruto locked eyes with him "if you want me to continue as your boss you have to trust and believe in my word."
The boy sighed "yes boss."
"Good, now off you go.. Didn't you have to meet Eibsu-sensei and your team?"
The boy's face showed panic and alarm "crap! I am SOOO late! Thanks guys!" he smiled at the three teammates and took off.
Once he was gone Naruto stood straight and looked at them solemnly "come on."
The other two followed him to training ground 7 where he activated the area's in-built sound proof seals. Once they were comfortable Sasuke spoke firmly "explain."
"He is more of an brother than you guys are. When we did what we did when we were seven we mixed DNA to an slight extent making us family. Even though we are ourselves still we are also part of each other. It is why Obito knew I'd receive the Rinnegan, due to YOU. But he is an half brother, on neesan's side."
"Kyuubi?" Sasuke frowned "she doesn't....." his eyes suddenly widened "......you mean he's...... she's......" Naruto nodded.
"Sasuke?" Sakura looked alarmed at his reaction, what could it be? What did Naruto mean by this guy being the demon fox's brother? The tailed beasts didn't have brothers or sisters, they......
That's when it hit her. Naruto called the Kyuubi neesan-or older sister-even though they weren't genetically related in other than their hearts and minds and the ceremony when they were seven that linked them all together.
Naruto was merging very slowly over time as he grew with both his neesan and niisan, they would eventually become one being entirely. She was told by Sasuke once that Kyuubi told them that any major changes wouldn't start happening until he was muture enough, puberty in other words, when the muturity of his body along with hormones and testosterone would signal an reaction in his body to boost his already powerful chakra and essentially assimilate everything, including them. That wouldn't be until a few years yet and until then he was just an normal near teen with some unusual enhancements and kekkai genkai's.
But if Naruto called Kyuubi his big sister who would SHE call a brother other than Naruto and Razeil....? Sakura could only think of one being, or rather EIGHT other beings born from one like the fox was.
"You mean..." she gasped "he's a jin....." she quickly changed her sentence when she saw Sasuke glare at her and remembered how much Naruto hated it "an demon vessel as well?"
Naruto hated the term with an feirce passion, claiming it made him feel cursed, the very word litterally meant 'sacrifice' after all. Naruto loved his Neesan and being told she was evil and he was merely there to be her 'jailor' made him so furious, at people, at fate and at the world in general.
He preferred the term 'demon vessel,' stating it made him feel like he was not just the vessel to help his family stay together, but the 'vessel' for their love, for him, his adopted siblings and even for his chichi.
Sasuke's spoke again "Which one?"
"Shukaku" he answered.
Sakura frowned, remembering her lessons and studies "the one tailed raccoon-dog?" when Naruto nodded she asked "how do YOU know?"
"Kyuubi sensed it in his chakra. They all were once one being, that means that not only can they sense and smell each other, but they still retain an mind link when in close proximity."
Sasuke frowned at him "and what did HE say to Kyuubi, or rather to you?"
"Nothing but both niisan and neesan said he felt tainted."
"Tainted?" they questioned to which he nodded "something in the boy's past traumatised him so badly he's an constant boiling cauldron of anger, hate and pain. Whatever it was has gotten so strong he's leaking into his demon. That's why I told Kohonamaru he and his team need to stay away, sooner or later it's going to boil over and when it does, he'll kill everything and anything around him, man, woman or child, even animal or plant. Even his two siblings."
This was serious "is that why you wanted to see him tonight?" Sasuke asked, surprising Naruto that he had heard that. But then with enhanced senses through Kiba....
"THAT is different."
"How?"
"He has an spirit with him, an uncle I think he said he was. He said HE was the cause of Gaara's pain and he desperately wants to make it up to and with him."
"So you're meeting him to mediate the problem and hopefully defuse him" when Naruto nodded he continued by asking "you're not going to purify him?"
"If his uncle is unsuccessful then perhaps. But hopefully it won't come to that."
"If you think it's not necessary" Sasuke shrugged, it was Naruto's decision, he just hoped his choice wouldn't bite them on the ass later.
Sakura was frowning thoughtfully though "why would Suna send an demon vessel to the chunnin exams? It's not fair to other shinobi villages."
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged looks. They had a bad feeling about this whole thing.
A few hours later Naruto sat in his room, worried. He had spent the entire time after the meeting at the training field listening to the uncle-a man once named Yashamaru-explain what had happened the day that traumatised the young red head.
The Kazekage had wanted a weapon and used his own premature son to do so and when he had lost control due to accidents a few times, had ordered the uncle to stop him.
Even though he had done it for his village, Yashamaru deeply regretted what he had said and done to the nephew he had loved and treasured, he had been convinced by his kage that it was the best for the village and their people, but death had opened his eyes, he now saw how wrong they were.
And so did the Kazekage, he had been assassinated by the leader of another village-Sound-and replaced under the man's guise. It was HE who had oganized the three siblings being there.
The Sound Kage had approached the Kazekage about an invasion of Kohona, but when the man had refused, knowing Hidden Leaf was one of the most powerful villages and it would cost the lives of many of his people, the man had slain him and took his guise before anyone could know any different.
An invasion, this alarmed Naruto, people would get hurt, killed, both citizens and possibly ninja alike. People he knew and loved or at least cared for. His brothers or Hinata or even Kohonamaru!
They had to stop it! When he met Gaara later he would definitely purify them both-even if Yashamaru was successful. He HAD to tell the Third so they could prepare, but if he was seen leaving the apartments and heading straight to the Hokage tower the enemy may be alerted and figure out he somehow knew.
Gaara's siblings had heard him call the other vessel 'brother', they may figure out their connection, or even the Sound Kage in diguise if they tell him what happened. Gaara's ruthless attitude may make them think he'd tell him what was going on and he couldn't Spectral Jump to the Hokage's office, the security seals surrounding the building prevented him from just appearing there.
What did he do?
Something hit him. Rising from his bed he called "chichi!" and immediately went looking for his adopted father.
An hour later Kain walked casually through the doors of the Hokage tower.
NGNGNGNGNGNGNGNGNGNGNGNGNGNGNGNGNGNGNGNG
He stood waiting on the head of his biological father, looking out over the village as if standing watch over it, an lone guardian and protector keeping an eye on and over his people and loved ones.
The red head watched the boy who claimed to be a brother and able to help him from the place he had stood out of sight for an hour, not moving or speaking, as silent and seemingly unmoving as one of the great trees that the village was named after.
Mother had started whispering to him, telling him the boy was just like him, that he contained an sister-demon, and there was something in the way he stood-looking out over the village as if he alone could do this, something so alone and isolated Gaara could only blink slowly.
This...brother knew how it was to be alone, feared and hated, yet he had others. Was that boy who had shot an fire ball at Kankuro also a demon vessel? He had called him brother-just like he did him and that attack was way past an normal shinobi-especially an simple gennin.
Did Hidden Leaf also have those among their gennin who were in disguise when they were really chunnin-or even jounnin?
It would certainly make things interesting for the exam, Gaara would keep this too himself, it would provide him with some enjoyment when he crushed them and feed their remains to mother.
Impatience prodding him, Gaara moved, appearing behind him in an swirl of sand. The figure didn't move an inch but spoke in an soft calm voice "so, you finally decided to come out of hiding and talk to me."
Gaara didn't defend himself or denie he was hiding, instead said "how can you help me?"
"You believe you can exist relying on only yourself, but don't you know, that's what is causing your problems in the first place."
"Having relationships make you weak, there is no one in this world I can trust or rely on but myself."
The other sighed heavily and shook his head slowly "not true. Humans are pack animals-it why villages like ours all started in the first place. Human nature means we crave others to make us what we are, to define ourselves. Without the attention of others we feel empty, useless and as if we don't exist. It's why serial killers eventually either tell another or contact the media. They crave the recognition of another human life."
"But we are not human, we are...." Naruto's head turned and he glared at the other briefly "NEVER say that, ever again. We eat, we sleep, we bathe and blink and feel-both pain and joy, we are human. Just because we bare a little something extra inside us...." He looked at the other more firmly ".....besides, I think you know as well as I do, even our tenants sleep, dream, feel both physical and mental pain and joy. That just makes them human too, no matter how others want to look at them, but WE know better."
"That is your opinion."
Naruto sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, mumbling "he told me it wasn't going to be that easy. I should have listened closer" he looked at an place just over Gaara's shoulder "sorry."
The red head froze "there is no one there, who do you think you are talking too?"
"There IS someone there, you just can't see him." Tensing slightly the fellow vessel spoke "and who is that?"
"Your uncle, Yashamaru."
The demon vessel's face twisted and he barely managed to say "he's dead."
"I know" Naruto nodded "but I bare the unique ability to see what others call ghosts. They are the souls of those who have died either with what they see as 'unfinished business' or a sence of grief or guilt so profound they are tethered to the material plain until they find a way to absolve that feeling. Over the last couple of years that's been me. Nearly every person in the world has someone like that related to them, but not everyone has an ghost following them around looking for forgiveness and the desire to make up for their past actions. Your uncle is one."
"He wishes forgiveness, for what, telling me the truth of my mother? Of him."
"No, for LYING to you."
Gaara froze "what?!"
"He lied to you that day, brother. Yes your father sent him out to you, but it wasn't to kill you, it was to test your control over the being inside you, if you could maintain control even in such high emotions. The assassination attempts over the years were the same thing and to force you to learn to use your sand instinctively so you would always be protected. Unfortunately by worrying about YOUR protection so obsessively, he neglected his own."
Gaara's eyes narrowed on him "what do you mean?"
"Have you noticed strange or completely new behavior in the Kazekage lately, things he wouldn't do normally or at all?"
When Gaara looked about to shake his head Naruto quickly said "what about this invasion?" when Gaara tensed and looked about to attack, Naruto waved a hand at him casually and said "your father told your uncle about it who told me, just answer the question."
Gaara's mouth opened and closed soundlessly so Naruto added "think about it. For a guy who seems obsessed with keeping his people and village safe, even from YOU, why suddenly agree or plan an invasion of another village, an invasion where he KNOWS his own people will get hurt or possibly killed? What's the point? So he proves your village is stronger than us, what buisness will that provide except maybe underhandedness? Who will associate with an village that attacked their allie? Or at least one their LORD was allied with through THEIR Lord. They would think if they risked it you might turn on them at any time, in which case OTHER ninja villages will get their buisness. Then what are you going to do? Invade them, then the next then the next? Sooner or later they will band together and destroy you in fear of what you might or might not do. There are other villages out there with vessel's like us they can use, ones more powerful than Shukaku-no offense." His tails writhed around him "I mean look at me. Not only am I the last of both the Uzumaki and Namakazi lines, the adopted son of the villages greatest immortal warrior, trained by both the slug and toad sannins, Skulk brother of six of the Hidden Leaf's most powerful clans AND I just so happen to also contain another extremely powerful spirit and warrior."
Gaara froze "what sort of spirit?"
"An long-dead warrior who grew up fighting fathers kind. When he and his fellow elite died, my adopted father resurrected them as loyal sons. My niisan was the first of them and the most powerful. When father's kind ARE killed they don't just die, their souls remain here and evolve to eat human spirits. It is because of him I am not only able to see your uncle but communicate with him. Tell me, when exactly did your father first seem to change? Was it some time AFTER the leader of an Hidden village try to persuade him to join his cause for war, or before?"
"Only a few days after" Gaara eyed him suspiciously "and you're saying that he's a fake, an replacement or imposter. It is impossible, he has the same chakra, the same jutsu's....."
"There is something you should know. It concerns your safety and Shikaku as well." Naruto explained about the mysterious figure trying to use an criminal organization to capture the tailed beasts and join them together again, for his own purposes. How he can take control of a persons body-forcing out their soul to replace it as his own and he had been doing so for the last 200 years at least. "Like that he could still use your father's chakra and his jutsu's-if he had prior knowledge of it-and would be able to use you for revenge on our village. Tell me, has anyone beforehand gone previously missing? Someone who KNEW your father? Had known or at least witnessed his jutsu's and abilities and mannerisms?"
Eyes wide Gaara nodded.
If the other was right, and it made sense, then the enemy just replaced one of his father's bodyguards, watched the Kazekage for months, then left. He then confrunted him about the invasion and when he refused he waited a day or two until the Kage was convinced he left and then took his body, how he didn't know but it all made sense now.
Gaara considered himself intelligent, why hadn't he seen it himself? When 'his father' called for war he should have immediately questioned it-and him-he should have felt something was wrong, but he hadn't. Why? Because he hated his father and the village and cared for no one and nothing around him except himself.
Could caring only for himself had almost lead to the death of everyone and thing he had known and possibly his own? He would have had to eventually face either The Blood Shadow or this other....his ....brother, and while he had no worries about fighting the others so-called brother's, even mother said this vessel had way more power than even the two of them combined. THEY would be no match and he could end them so easily.
So, if he was the invasion and his village's secret weapon but he had no chance against this guy, what hope did it have?
The other was right, this was the plan of the other Kage who had taken his father's place. His father had been right to refuse, so many people would die-for what? Some foreign villages whims.
"What can we do?" he whispered to himself.
"We need this guy to show himself, so we can either destroy him or at least stop him in such a way he'll think twice about returning. As I said, my niisan was adapted to eat human souls, if I can get in front of him and hit him with the Soul Reaver I can take his soul and he'll never threaten another village or person ever again, including your village."
Gaara's face twisted again "I shall drag him to you with my sand....."
"No" Naruto interrupted "if you alert him to your betrayal like that, he'll be able to abandon the body and escape."
"Then how do we...."
Naruto looked thoughtful "is there a way you can tell only YOUR ninja about this without arousing suspicion?" When Gaara nodded he went on "act as if the invasion is still on and nothing has changed, but make you ninjas aware of the situation. When it actually starts-have your shinobi turn on the enemy and fight along beside us. Not only will your village win favor with the Fire Lord and therefore the Wind Lord for aiding in presseving the treaty by defending out ninja and citizens, but in the mess of battle, you'll not only take his forces by surprise, but screw with his plans. Taken by surprise will allow me a slim chance to reap his soul before he can fight back or flee."
This seemed like a good plan to Gaara and he agreed, stating he would inform his people of the change. He and his siblings were the children of the Kazekage, if the three of them told their forces what was happening and ORDERED them to do as he said, they would obey.
Then he asked a question about something he had said before "Soul Reaver?"
Naruto summoned the purified version of the Reaver. The light from the blade appeared from the glyph seal and snaked down his shoulder, winding around his arm and into his palm were the entire blade grew out and formed.
Naruto raised the spirit blade so he could fully see, moving it about so it hummed in the air.
"This....." he said "is the Soul Reaver. It was created by my niisan's soul being trapped inside an powerful sword after his spirit was changed." He drew the actual shell and slowly placed it into his same hand, showing him how the spirit form merged with the blade to produce the fully formed version, smiling when the younger demon vessel looked at it in absolute awe and fasination.
He then laughed gently when he heard through neesan the demon exclaim like an child "THAT IS SO COOL!!!!"
Putting the sword away, Naruto kept the spirit form and held both hands out to the other "let me help you both, brother."
Still awed and overwelmed by the events of the night, the red head reached out and lay both his hands in the others, both their fingers closing around each others in an firm grip.
The red head closed his eyes, then jerked in shock when a picture formed on his closed lids. A picture of himself! He saw his closed eyes, his shocked expression, his arms raised to grip the ones in front of him and realised that somehow he was seeing through the others eyes! Was it because of their connection through the demons inside them-or the others uniqueness? Or because the other was purifying him?
A voice suddenly spoke, familiar and hollow-like it held no substance, "Gaara, my little sunaarashi."
Only one person in his entire life had ever called him that, it was his secret nickname. He gasped and found when he snapped his head around to look, the eyes and therefore the veiw, followed.
Behind him, just over his shoulder was an figure, form almost completely transparent but features still visible, young as the day he died and wearing the same, except the vest was closed tightly around him.
"Uncle?" he barely managed to get out.
The figure smiled sadly at him "yes my nephew, I'm here, it's real" he floated forward and reached out to touch his cheek, Gaara almost able to feel the brush of air over his skin.
Needing to feel him, to know he was really there, he withdrew the armor over his face almost instantly. He wanted to reach out and touch him himself, to take his hand and hold him tight to him and never let go, but somehow knew if he let go he would loose him forever.
The figure smiled gently, the sadness increasing as if he knew what he wanted and reached out again to stroke his cheek, letting insubstantial fingers linger.
Gaara could feel nothing but an 'ghost' of wind against his cheek, but to him it was there, it was real, what the other vessel had said was all true, his uncle HAD loved him and the village, the things he had said that day were a lie, his mother had loved him too. For the first time since that night, tears shone in his eyes. "Yes" the voice whispered to him and him alone "We love you and always have. Her last wish was to love and protect you and she found a way."
"What do you mean?"
"Look, look at yourself through anothers eyes." Before he could try and figure it out the veiw changed, swinging back to him.
He gasped, eyes wide.
His sand had shifted without his knowledge and another figure stood behind him, female. Made entirely of sand the figure reached out and without a word the arms arose and surrounded his, the head laying gently on his shoulder.
"Mother?" the tears flowed and he choked out, feeling the warmth and love from both flow through him, overflowing and dissolving the anger, pain and hate, replacing it with their love and gentleness. It filled him up to overflowing and when he could hold no more it flooded his tenant, the demon snarling and trying to fight, but soon overpowered with the flow.
The next thing he knew, the demon was.....was that purring? He had never felt it so content and calm.
Everything went black and he found himself in an bueatiful garden in Suna, sakura trees stretching to an endless sky, koi ponds and thick lush grass.
In the center was a man, sandy blonde hair with thick black patches, yellow eyes and wearing an cream kimono with black stripes. His face bore an black markings similar to his own only wider an resembling an slim mask. His wrists and ankles were bound in heavy glowing chains that weighed him down, attached to huge iron rings rising up from out of the thick grass.
He was humming an vaguely familiar song as he half lay, half reclined there, toes free and idolly playing with the grass, one clawed hand swirling slowly through the water of the nearest koi pond, giggling as jet black fish nibbled the tips.
Altogether he looked like an captive happy with his cage.
And for some reason he knew exactly who and more importantly WHAT he was. But that didn't make sense, where were they there and how did he get here?
"We are in your mind, little brother." Came a voice from behind him "this little oasis is the result of your mind starting to heal. If you continue to do so, this bueaty will spread, turning your entire mind into you're ideal world. THIS is the world your childhood fantasies created when you imagined your perfect world, a world where bueaty existed and everyone was happy and loved each other and no one judged another for their looks or WHAT they were. This is the world you created for you both using the strength of your mother and uncle's love and your brother's faith and belief in you."
He spun.
A woman and a man stood there.
SHE was an tall willowy woman with long red hair flowing down her shoulders to touch and part around the nine fox tails sticking out just over the top center of her buttocks. Two cute red fox ears on the top of her head stuck out of the hair-same red as the tails.
Her old fashioned kimono was forrest green, edged in red flames which bore gold writing so old he couldn't read it even if it looked oddly familiar, but the longer he looked at it the more it seemed some sort of genjutsu, because looking at it made the flames seem to move.
The man however was vastly different. Gaara could only describe him as an demon.
Bluegrey skin covered the figure, hands and feet almost 'cloven' with only two 'fingers' and a thumb. From the very base of his middle back hung two strips of jaggered skin and flesh, his entire body muscle and sinnew, but with no stomach, hips and groin. Yet everything was kept together by the skin, muscles, ligaments and sinnew.
He wore protective armlets of thick leather-like cloth wrapped from his hands all the way up his arms to his mid upperarm, just below the shoulders, as well as shin guards of leather.
His bottom ribs stood out, almost as if someone had disembowled him.
The eyes were solid white, no iris or pupil was distinguishable. The eyes were ringed by thick black areas, much like his own, making the face appear more sunken in than they were and emphasizing the solid white of his eyes.
The hair was stringy black but cut short, revealing high pointed ears.
The strangest thing about the figure though was the strip of brown cloth wrapped around the full shoulders and hanging loosely down the back over one shoulder like a scarf.
The other end was wrapped around most of the figures face, from the nose and cheek bones down, the cloth baring what looked like two reversed fancy half-R symbol in tattered white, upside down-almost coming from the center of each cheek.
The woman smiled and brushed a hand over his face as she moved forward, entering the oasis and crossing the little foot bridge over the pond to kneel in front of the distracted figure with an soft call of "Little brother?"
Instantly the head snapped up to her, frozen in shock and eyes wide "sister?"
"Yes, little Shukaku, it is I."
With a glad cry, a sob of relief and joy behide it and chains clinking as he moved, the figure threw himself in the woman's arms, holding her tightly to him as if afraid if he let go she would disappear.
Considering they were in his mind, Gaara knew that was entirely possible.
"Who are you?" he asked the other who had remained in his spot when the woman walked forward.
He had the distinct impression of amuzement when 'he' spoke, however the covered face showed no sign of movement as the figure spoke "don't you mean, what am I?"
Gaara didn't know wether to be also amuzed or think he was being mocked. Before he could speak the figure turned his cloven arm around, showing the empty palm. As he watched an bluegreen light started, forming into something familiar.
Gaara's eyes widened, his brother's 'older brother', the one who's spirit was changed by death into something that ate human souls! Whose spirit was trapped inside the ancient sword and now was his brothers weapon! This twisted figure was the true son of The Blood Shadow and the reason his brother could see ghosts like his uncle!
It was thanks to this 'man', all his help that not only allowed him to learn the truth but heal this way. If he hadn't become part of his brother he would never have this-the future and all it's possibilities stretched out before him, infinately different to the bleak hate filled one he had felt before, a future with brothers and sisters-biological as well as through his tenant-and an home, a place were despite the people's fear and hate of him, he could accept it (they were only human, just like him) with his family beside him, just as Yashamaru could be there for him in his youth and his mother could now through his sand.
With his mother there for him, he could put up with anything the villagers threw at him. And his....brother, he added thoughtfully, watching the cream clothed man clutching the woman close as he sobbed in her arms. He was right, they were human and so were the demons, they cried, smiled, loved and laughed just like they did. If they weren't human they were humanoid-human enough to BE human.
And why not? If his mother could transfere her soul, her chakra to his sand and try and protect him all his life then why couldn't someone special transfere their chakra and soul into anothers body and live like that along side their own? Why wasn't it possible? If the soul of an ancient warrior could inhabit a sword for eons, and then transfere and inhabit an five year old child who also possessed one of those unusual souls inside him, then why not?
As he watched the two reunite his eyes went to the chains. He knew there were bonds, he WAS bound to him and inside him after all, but it just seemed wrong somehow. Here he was reunited with his sister after centuries of being apart and he was restricted, chained to the ground, barely able to clutch her body to his.
He wished he could help him, free him or at least loosen the chains a little, but he didn't know seals and was cautious of a repeat of what happened that night should Shukaku get it into his head to 'have some fun' again.
The other male looked at him "that is no longer possible, child."
"How do you know for sure?" he half asked-half protested.
"He-like you-was purified by the reaver. While it won't solve every problem or change someone's personality, it WILL calm him and ensure he no longer desires to kill, to murder. By purifying him, Naruto made it that from now on he is more human in emotion."
"What does that mean exactly?"
"It means that he'll be more approachable-more reasonable. He is connected to you, if you befriend him, make him your brother, he'll be always on your side and your protector as well as your family."
"Will he?" he frowned not really believing.
"He is an person, just like you. He needs someone to trust, friends, family. YOU are his only friend here, the only one he can have except us and we may be able to talk to him occasionally but we will never be able to return this way again. Naruto told you, humans are pack animals. The buji are the same-they WERE originally one being. Can you imagine what it would be like being torn from your family and never being able to touch them again, even speak to them again, being trapped inside the mind and body of a child, witnessing every thing they do or say but never actually able to interact yourself. Is it really such a wonder how they act when they gain control, all those feelings overwhelming them at once-their own AS WELL AS their hosts."
Gaara found him agreeing, even understanding his words. Wasn't he the same, except he had willingly isolated himself and by the time he truly knew better he didn't know HOW to reach out to others. He had an older brother and sister, true siblings, but not the first idea of how to reach out to them, let alone be a brother.
Now he had seven powerful brothers and sisters, an fellow demon vessel who understood him and an ancient warrior spirit, plus an mother to protect him and make proud of him.
What scared him the most was how to go about doing just that. How did he make his mother proud of him? How did he get to know his new brother and his siblings?
The spirit beside him spoke and Gaara swore he had an smile in his voice "being willing to do so is an good start, young one. Why don't you try to get to know your brother first?" he motioned at the chained figure "here in your mindscape time slows down. You could be here days and it will be only hours or minutes out there. Try using your dreams when you sleep. You would have plenty of time to get to know each other without worrying about being disturbed."
Gaara got the idea. When he slept, and he definitely felt like he could sleep, undisturbed he could be in his mindscape with his new brother, getting to know him for hours on end and actually develop an relationship with him. The thought about being able to sleep deeply and without worry warmed him and made him feel something he couldn't remember ever feeling since his youth with his uncle, happiness. His vessel brother had given this back to him, his joy, love, friendship and one other thing, hope.
He would do what he needed to protect his brother and his village, he would stop this invasion, he would protect his siblings and his people, just as his father had before, but not at the cost of anyone else but this imposter, this bastard who had tried to use them. He would pay.
Although if it wasn't for this invasion he wouldn't be here, he wouldn't have met his brother. For that he may just kill this guy outright instead of torturing him slowly.
A small mercy it may seem, but one Gaara felt generous enough to give to another. He would let his new brother take his soul, but only after he had killed him.
Before he could speak the two ahead were finally seperating slightly, although the man made sure he was still in the womans arms enough to keep a hold on her "sister, you.....you're free. But how can that be? You were killed, now trapped like the rest of us. How can you be here then? How did this happen?"
She smiled gently at him as she motioned the wraith to her side "it is because of this man, our older brother."
"Brother?" the other frowned at him, disbelieving.
"Yes. He is an ancient warrior spirit, by far older than us, with abilities we can only imagine. Older than the Hidden Villages, Older than the Sage Of The Nine Paths, older even than the Ten Tailed."
The chained man's eyes were wide as he looked at the creature. Gaara felt the same way. When his brother-vessel had said the spirit was ancient, it had never occurred to him he was THAT old.
"It is because of his unique abilities I am able to be here now. It is because of him we were able to purify you both this way. Brother meet Razeil, our new family, our older sibling."
The demon man looked at the wraith long and hard and then slowly reached out, taking his hand in his, eyes thoughtful and thankful.
The red head looked at him with excitement in both eyes and face "we can purify the others, restore us to how we were MEANT to be." Her eyes went distant "I don't remember much of when we were one, least all the way back to the days of our youth, but I DO remember we weren't born that way. Something or somehow we were tainted, changed, and have been since, even separated as we now are." She looked down at him, eyes intent "do YOU remember anything?"
The chained demon man also looked distant "no, I don't even remember being tainted, we just...are. It never occurred to me the way I was wasn't how we always were supposed to be. But now you mention it I can FEEL the big difference. I feel like I used to, like I'm restored to how I'm supposed to be, not was."
The red head nodded and turned to Gaara, motioning the boy to them, "Come, little brother, we have much to discuss."
What felt like hours later Gaara opened his eyes. They had talked in length about what Hidden Leaf knew about this guy, his association with Danzo and Orochimaru. What they had figured out about him and any theories they had on him.
In return Gaara told them everything he knew about the invasion, plans he knew about and how he had been told that the figure who had come to see his father that day was described as an 'snake-like' man and the village he ruled was called Sound, their 'allies' in the invasion.
The wraith and the red head woman exchanged looks. "Orochimaru" they said in union.
They told him about the snake sannin and his interest is Sasuke-Razeil's descendant, also his attempt to take the boy as a toddler.
They had organized a plan, a good plan, the red headed woman assuring Gaara that Naruto would know all this when they returned to his mind.
Gaara's eyes opened and he spun instinctively for the last place he had seen his uncle's spirit, to find him not only still there, smiling gently, but he could still see him, WITHOUT seeing through his brothers eyes!
"That's because you have 'opened your own eyes' so to speak" his new brothers voice said from behind him "by accepting him and believing in him you've given him the power to show himself. You're acceptance made him stronger. Add to that your demon has been cleared of the taint, it allows your human eyes to see things humans eyes usually can't see. Go to him, he can't move on without you."
"I don't want him too" Gaara said softly "I want him to stay with me, like we once were."
"But you are both not what you once were" Naruto pointed out "you have a life ahead of you and he has the rest of his family to return to and be reunited with, including your father and his sister. Do you want to deprive him of that just because you want to keep that feeling a little longer?"
"But mother is with me" he protested softly.
"No, only an remanant of her is with you, not the entire soul. While the rest of her moved on to the Spectral Realm to await your family, her desire to protect you, guide you and love you remained. Think of it like this, her soul moved on, but her love of you remained. Let him go, Gaara, brother, let him join his family. He, and the others, will be waiting for you when it's your turn."
The red head hesitated, torn. He may have been purified but that didn't mean he no longer was incapable of any negative emotions. Humans were basically selfish creatures and Gaara had spent the last few years thinking only of himself. That sort of behavior was-at times-difficult to shrug off.
On one hand, his beloved uncle would always be with him. But if he refused to forgive him and let him go he therefore risked Yashamaru truely hating him, trapping him there were he didn't want to be for the rest of his life and possibly beyond.
He would be chained to their world-just like Shukaku was chained to him.
On the other hand he let him go and forgave him for his betrayal, he weighed up all his uncle had done for him over the first years of his life, the love, protection and guidance and when Gaara thought about it could one final act of betrayal REALLY compare to all those years of being what he most needed it, of being more of a father to him then his his own genetic one?
With his thoughts clear of the rage, hate and selfish desires Gaara knew the answer.
No, what had happened that night could never compare. His uncle was a ninja, just like him, he was following orders and it made his heart soar at the knowledge he had truly loved him from the moment of his birth until his death and beyond.
He couldn't do it, the thought of his uncle hating him after knowing the truth after all this time, the thought of causing the only one who truly cared for him.....
"I forgive you" he said softly "I forgive you what happened that night, I understand you had to do it. You loved me like a father all this time, even when I didn't know you were. To me, you will always be so and I want you to move on. Go, be with mother, be happy."
The smile he received was dazzling, made from both pure joy and pure love. He reached out one more time, stroked his nephews cheek and then, with an blinding flash of light, he was gone.
**************************************
"Have you found him yet?" Temari asked as she entered their hotel room.
"Nothing" Kankuro said as he stood from the couch where he had sat since returning seconds before his older sister.
The blonde sighed and started pacing tight circles "where could he be?! Why did he take of like this?! I mean I know he's an loose cannon, but he's always obeyed the Kazekage before. He's endangering the plan."
"That guy" Kankuro said "the freak. He called him brother. Could he have...."
"DON'T EVEN THINK OF THAT!!!" She yelled, spinning to glare at her younger brother "HE'S NOT A TRAITOR!!"
He flinched back from her, "but if he...."
"Shut up Kankuro" she hissed "never say that around me again. He's our brother, not an traitor and NOT a demon even if he acts like one."
Kankuro lowered his eyes, not wanting to argue.
Temari stormed towards a bedroom "I'm going to shower and change and then I'm going to keep looking" she looked back fiercely and glared "YOU will stay here and wait. He could have had returned while we were looking and YOU will wait unless he returns again."
Kankuro sighed, when Temari was mad even Gaara relented.
Seconds after disappearing into the bedroom though he heard an muffled but panicked cry of his name.
Dashing inside he stopped, stunned, as the last thing he ever expected to see greeted his eyes.
Gaara was curled up in the bed on his right side, eyes closed and both hands under his cheek together, almost like a prayer.
He looked remarkably young and innocent, but he was undoubtedly deeply asleep.
The question was though...."Why aren't we dead, or at least why isn't IT out?" the older boy asked.
Temari didn't speak, eyes locked to the sleeping profile, eyes soft and gentle. Kankuro frowned at her, repeating her name a few times before she reacted. She blinked at him and then looked back at her little brother and said "I don't know, someone must have either strengthened the seal or trapped the demon so it can't surface. But that would only happen if someone here knew what he is. If that's true the entire plan is endangered."
She hesitated a second then grabbed her fan again, moving towards the door. "Where are you going?"
"I think your right about that guy who called him brother. I have a theory about him I need to confirm. Stay here and watch Gaara. If anyone shows up tell them nothing that happened. As far as anyone else is concerned, everything is fine and proceeding like planned."
"But....."
"Just do it" before Kankuro could protest, she was gone.
SNSKSNSKSNSKSNSKSNSKSNSKSNSKSNSKSNSKSNSKSNSKSNSKSNSKSNSKSNSK
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Spectral Ninja