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Leader	By : mannahpierce Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male > Naruto/Sasuke Views: 2164 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: This story has some of Masashi Kishimoto's characters from Naruto in a universe of my own devising. I do not own Naruto. I do not make any money from these writings.

Chapter List
- 94
- 95
- 96
Thank you to my beta and muse, Small Fox. This story grew from a plot idea he gave me.
Also thanks to satterb, NobodysAingyl, SunaoTsuji and melissen for reviewing after chapter 94 was posted. Readers’ feedback, support and comments mean a great deal to me. Feedback keeps me writing.
Every review is treasured.

OK, wish me luck. I am only a chapter ahead of you but work is now under control and the end of the story is within sight.

Leader
Part 10: Endgame
95: Brothers

Haru kept telling himself that cleaning a ship was always a good thing. Haku-san always said a ship couldn’t be too clean.
He just wished that Tayuya-san would stop referring to it as decontamination because Haru knew that it wasn’t. The viral particles didn’t remain viable in the environment for more than one hundred minutes, so the only living ones on the ship were inside Kazuki, Ryuka or Ryuu.
Only he wasn’t meant to know that. He only knew from the simulation Sai had sent him.
He couldn’t even say that Shi-chan had given him the simulation because no adult would. There was far too much in it about the horrible way in which infected people died.
It was the same with the video in the laboratory records Sai had found. Haru wished he hadn’t looked at it. He kept seeing the litter of wolf-human cubs in his mind’s eye. There had been eight of them and each of them had died horribly.
Almost as bad, the scientists had just made their measurements and observations while the children suffered.

So for the third successive day, Haru was scrubbing an already clean ship to remove viral particles that weren’t there.
“Haru-kun!” Tayuya-san scolded. “Put some effort into it. Not every task you are given can be interesting. Sharing the mundane chores is an important part of being a member of a crew.”
He scrubbed faster. “Yes, Tayuya-san,” he acknowledged. He looked over to Hi-chan to discover that he had ‘decontaminated’ a significantly greater area. Haru tried to mimic him but with little success.
Hikaru might be less than a handbreadth taller but he was much fitter and a great deal stronger. He also had an enviable attention span, no matter how trivia the task.

Haru had hoped to steal some time alone with Ran but it was time for the evemeal when Tayuya-san dismissed them. He suspected Tayuya-san had arranged the duty rosters to keep him and Ran apart; the only time they were scheduled together during ship’s day was for their knife-fighting sessions with Inari-san.
She probably thought he was too reliant on Ran, which, thinking about it, he was.

At the evemeal he was between Tayuya-san and Misora; Inari-san always had a seating plan to encourage conversation. Haru normally joined in but his head was full of thoughts; of not being there for Shi-chan, of Papa’s disappointment when Inari-san told him how useless he was and of people he loved dying in the same way as the cubs in the video.
It took him a while to realise that everyone had finished eating and that they were waiting for him before clearing the plates. He looked at the pile of food in front of him; without Ran reminding him to eat he had only taken a few mouthfuls.
There was no way he could catch up without keeping them waiting for ages. He put his fork on its rest, indicating that he had finished.
“Don’t you like it, Haru-kun?” Kamatari-san asked.
Haru flushed. “It is very tasty, Kamatari-san. I mustn’t be hungry.”
Tayuya-san sighed. Haru was amazed at how much disapproval could be fitted into so small a sound.

He made sure that he helped Hikaru and Ran clear the table. Then Ran had to go on watch, leaving him and Hi-chan to load the dishes into the cleaner and tidy up the galley.
“You all right?” Hikaru asked.
The last thing Haru wanted was Hi-chan feeling sorry for him. “Why shouldn’t I be?”
“Because you look like shit and you barely ate anything. Is it Shika-san? I thought he was better.”
“He is,” Haru assured him.
Hikaru studied him for a moment. “Rin-san will find a cure,” he insisted.
Haru thought about the sick cubs huddled together for comfort and couldn’t speak. He just nodded and cleaned the countertop.

He was looking forward to escaping to his room when Hikaru stiffened. Haru looked up to see Tayuya-san already in the galley and Inari-san standing in the doorway.
“That will do for now, Hikaru-kun,” Inari-san stated. “We would like a private word with Haru-kun.”
This was it. Tayuya-san was going to point out all the ways he had fallen short and Inari-san was going to be disappointed. Then he would report to Papa.
Hikaru quickly finished up but instead of leaving he stood tall and addressed Inari-san. “Can I stay for a few minutes? There is something I would like to say on Haru’s behalf that he won’t think of saying for himself.”
Haru stared at him. What did Hi-chan mean? What was he going to say?
Inari-san slid the door closed behind him and indicated that they should all sit at the table.

Haru realised he was still holding the cloth he had been using to clean the counter. By the time he had rinsed it out and hung it up they were all sitting down waiting for him. He hurried over and sat down.
“Say your piece then Hikaru-kun,” Inari-san stated.
Hikaru took a deep breath. “I do not think all the members of the crew understand about Haru. Everyone thinks of him being like Shikamaru-san without realising what that means. Shikamaru-san and Haru are typed-geniuses. Their minds do not work like other people’s. Papa makes allowances for Shikamaru-san all the time.”
Haru could not see how telling Inari-san and Tayuya-san stuff they knew was going to help but Hi-chan was continuing.
“Haru, like Shikamaru-san, needs to spend a significant amount of each day on tasks that challenge him mentally. This is as important to them as exercise is to a fox-human hybrid. Also, being asked to solve problems that benefit others ties them to the crew. Otherwise their minds, which are always active in ways we cannot appreciate, will work on other things and that makes them seem disconnected and distant.”
Was he like that?
“So you think I should make special allowances for him?” Tayuya-san challenged.
“No, I think you shouldn’t do the equivalent of locking a fox-hybrid in a tiny room,” Hikaru replied.
“That is enough, Hikaru-kun,” Inari-san ordered. He sighed. “Haru-kun, do you have anything to say?”

Haru wanted to run away and hide but he knew he had to say something. Hikaru had risked provoking Tayuya-san’s displeasure for him.
“I do try, Tayuya-san. I know you think I don’t, but I do. I am just really untalented at the everyday stuff.”
To his surprise Inari-san smiled. “Like remembering to transfer the food from your plate to your mouth.”
Haru felt himself flush. “Yes, like that. Kiba-san, Itachi-san and Iruka-sensei have tried their best to train me. I won’t be a liability, Inari-san, I promise.”
Inari-san’s smile vanished. “By no means are you a liability, Haru-kun. You are a huge asset. The route finder alone has revolutionised the way we operate. On Orochimaru’s ship and on the toad hybrid’s planet, you contributed greatly to your comrades’ survival and eventual rescue.” He looked at Tayuya-san.
She sighed. “I thought that you were getting worse rather than better at mundane tasks because you were being stubborn. It did not occur to me that you were a typed-genius’ equivalent of stir-crazy. I apologise for misjudging you.”
Haru was not sure what to say so he nodded.
“It would be good to finish the decontamination before we reach Skyburrow,” Inari-san suggested. “That only leaves us a day.”
“Kamatari-san and Tatsuji-san have already offered to help,” Tayuya-san admitted.
“Excellent. I am sure others would volunteer if we asked.” Inari-san turned to Hikaru. “Make sure that your brother has something to eat before he turns in.”
“I will, cap’n,” Hi-chan replied.

Then Inari-san and Tayuya-san were gone shutting the door behind them. Hikaru got up, found a tin of Choza-san’s cookies, opened it and placed it on the table. Then he started making cocoa.
Haru reached for a cookie. “Thank you for speaking up for me.” He still wasn’t sure about what Hikaru had said. Was it true? Ha-chan obviously thought it was. Even more importantly, it had made Tayuya-san look at him differently.
He began eating the cookie in his usual way; outside first, leaving the gooey middle bit until last.

Hikaru brought over two cups of cocoa. He placed one in front of Haru and then sat down.
“Ryuu and Kazuki made me promise to look out for you before they went into stasis. Both of them. Separately.”
Haru did not know how to reply. He sipped his cocoa instead. Was Hikaru saying that he would not have done it otherwise?
Hi-chan pushed back his hair from his face. “They didn’t trust me to do it. Neither of them did. That’s why they each made me promise.”
“It isn’t your job to look after me,” Haru pointed out.
Hikaru looked at him. “Haru, you need looking after. You probably always will. Like Shika-san does.”
Haru scowled. “I’m not a typed-seven. Klenn-san was a typed-five like me. He didn’t need looking after.”
“You need looking after now,” Hikaru insisted. “And you do not want to end up a lonely old man like Darrent-san, surrounded by people paid to care for you and yearning for what you can’t have.”
Haru had a horrible feeling that Hi-chan was right about Klenn-san. Maybe he was right about the other things too. He drank some more cocoa. “I think you would have spoken up for me even if you hadn’t promised.”
Hikaru smiled. “Thanks Ha-chan. I appreciate that.”

After that it was much better. Almost everyone helped with the ‘decontamination’ next morning so it was complete by noon. When the next duty rosters were issued, the ones for Skyburrow, Haru was occasionally with Ran and he had slots where he was assigned to Kotetsu-san or In-san or Izumo-san.
He actually missed being with Hikaru, which was a first. He also worried that Hi-chan might be lonely with Ryuu in stasis. He talked to Ran about it and they made sure that they spent more time out and about and less making out in Ran’s room. That way Hi-chan was more likely to accept their invitations to hang out.

They had been in Skyburrow five days. Haru was spending the afternoon working with Kotetsu-san on the automated probes that would investigate the surface of the desert planet. They were building a prototype in Izumo-san’s shop.
He was enjoying it. It was like working with Shi-chan only different.
“This is the captain. Haru-kun is needed urgently in my office.”
Haru turned and stared at Kotetsu-san.
“You shouldn’t be standing there, Haru-kun,” Kotetsu-san pointed out. “Go.”

Konohamaru-san was with Inari-san in his office. Haru waited. Inari-san gestured that Kono-san should speak.
“As you know, we have a radio link between Skyburrow and the Gama tribe. Well, Gama-sama is insisting that you come with us when we visit. Apparently Sasuke-sama refused his previous requests for you to visit by saying that you were under fourteen standards and therefore too young. Gama-sama has pointed out that you are now over fourteen and therefore old enough.”
On balance, Haru was pleased. It hadn’t bothered him not to go, other than being separated from Ran, but it would be good to see Riki-san and Kichi and Tatsu.
“You launch this evening so that we can take advantage of a full day on the plant surface,” Inari-san told him. “Tatsuji-san is waiting in supplies to fit you with a suit.”

It was a rush, which was good because Haru couldn’t spare much time to think about Ka-chan and how much he would have enjoyed a trip to the surface. There was barely time for him to pack a bag before they had to board the Silver Leaf.
At least Hikaru didn’t seem to mind that Haru was accompanying them. In the past Hi-chan would have reacted badly if forced to share an experience he had anticipated as being his alone.
Haru suspected that it was because Hi-chan now saw him as someone to protect rather than as a rival. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that.
Then he remembered the giant crocodiles and the snakes. Perhaps he didn’t mind if Hi-chan wanted to play the hero.

Once they were down, Haru persuaded Akemi to allow him to use the scanners. They were at the abandoned spaceport where Kuuya had landed the Snow Willow and they had followed on the Lancet. It no longer looked so neglected, or at least this section didn’t. Haru could see properly maintained launch pads and a number of buildings.
Essentially, this was Uchiha headquarters on the surface.

Despite there being accommodation in one of the buildings, Konohamaru-san had decided that they would be more comfortable on the Silver Leaf.
That meant an old-fashioned, shared bunkroom. Haru was fine with that, especially given that Tayuya-san had stayed in Skyburrow.
He and Ran had talked about it and decided not to ask if they could put their bunks together. They were the only couple on the trip and it would not kill them to sleep apart for a few nights.
When Hikaru chose the bunk adjacent to Haru’s, they knew it had been the right thing to do.

They were up at planetary dawn, which gave them time to check the site, carry out some maintenance tasks and seal the ship before the Gama arrived.
Haru stood at the edge of the secured area, trying to see if he recognised any of the hunters; maybe Gamabunta, or Gamaken, or Gamahiro. He had wondered if Riki-san would be with them but there was only one smaller figure and Haru knew that was Kosuke-san from his maroon and blue colouring.

He had decided that one of four hunters was Gamahiro and another Gamaken by the time they had landed and were dragging their boats up the shore. The tall, skinny one was familiar but he could not quite place him.
Then the hunter he half-recognised began running towards him shouting, “Haru! Ran!” and Haru realised that it was Kichi.
By the Lady he was tall; taller than Gamahiro or Gamaken.

Next thing he knew, he and Ran had been gathered up for a hug. They were pulled tight to Kichi’s chest with their feet dangling off the ground. It reminded Haru of being hugged by Riki-san.
“Personal space, Kichi,” Ran gasped and then said a few words in the toad hybrid’s dialect that Haru guessed meant the same.
Kichi put them carefully back on their feet and stepped back. “I sorry am. Forgot.” He looked sheepish.
“I forgive you,” Haru replied immediately and Kichi grinned, so he obviously understood. “It is good to see you, Kichi.”
“Good for Kichi too. I talking the old way study,” he added proudly. “Haru grew,” he observed, holding out one long finger and indicating how much Haru had grown with another.
“Kichi grew too,” Haru pointed out. Even if he stood on tiptoe he would not be able to touch Kichi’s head. He was way taller than Kisame-san.

Kichi and the other toad hybrids had met everyone but Kamatari-san on previous occasions. Once greetings and introductions were complete, they all headed for the boats.
Haru noticed that they were very polite, almost reverent, towards Isaribi. He knew that was because the few Gama females there were never left the hatchery. Rin-san had promised never to tell anyone what happened there and Haru guessed that Isaribi would do the same.
Isaribi was going to check whether the conception and gestator technology Ran-san had renovated was working properly.

Haru was with Kichi, Gamahiro, Ran, Tatsuji-san and Akemi. His job was to sit still in the middle of the boat while Kichi and Gamahiro paddled. That suited Haru fine; Akemi might be curious enough to peer over the side into the water but he and Ran knew better.
Tatsuji-san knelt at the back of the boat with a laser rifle, just in case.

The trip to the Gama’s burrows was pleasingly uneventful. Tatsu rushed towards them as they climbed out of the boat and Haru was relieved to see that he had yet to grow into a giant.
He was about Papa’s height and, as he got closer, Haru could see that parts of his skin were painted and he was wearing a brightly coloured sash. In fact, he looked like he was turning into an orange and yellow version of Riki-san.
“Kichi is going to be a hunter but Tatsu is developing into a caregiver,” Ran whispered. “It’s a balance between individuals’ tendencies and the tribe’s needs. He might have developed like Kichi before we came but the tribe will need more caregivers now.”

Tatsu was even more into hugging than Kichi. Once Haru finally managed to disengage himself he learnt that there was a formal reception at noon but they were free to enjoy the tribe’s hospitality before then.
Ran smiled. “Gamariki will never forgive us if we don’t go to see him.”
Riki-san had reverted to being called Gamariki when he was accepted back into the tribe. Haru would have to make sure he remembered; calling him Riki-san might be considered an insult.

As they entered the burrow where they had lived, Haru realised what Ran had meant about the Gama needing more caregivers. There were children everywhere; all of them pretty much the same size.
“The first batch from the hatchery,” Ran told him.
Then Gamariki was there and Haru had to submit to being hugged, stroked and carried into the kitchen area. Finally he was deposited on a bench and Gamariki sat beside him.

It was nice. Haru and Ran told Gamariki the good bits about what had happened since Ran had last visited and Gamariki told them how wonderful it was to have the children and how much safer they were with the technology Uchiha had given them to keep the predators out.
Apparently there were ten children, which was a bit of shock for Haru because he had been sure there were more.
He wondered if people had felt the same around him and the rest of the big litter when they were small.

Then it was time to head towards the main burrow for the reception. On the way they spotted Hikaru, who was with Kamatari-san and Akemi.
Hikaru tried to hide behind Akemi but it was hopeless. Haru managed to keep a straight face as Hi-chan was hugged but it was a tough ask, particularly when Gamariki cooed over his ‘pretty hair’.

Then they were in the main burrow and it was all very formal with lots of guards with spears. They made their way to the open space that was the Gama’s equivalent of a great hall. There, at the end opposite the entrance, sat Gama-sama.
He had become smaller in Haru’s memory. In person he was humungous.

It was more than a little boring. The formal exchanges between Konohamaru-san and Gama-sama took over twice as long as they could have because Kosuke translated everything they said one sentence at a time.
There were some really nice bits about Papa and how generous he had been.
Then Haru realised that Gama-sama was speaking directly to him in the old way rather than the toad hybrids’ dialect.
“Haru, we ask you to stand in your parent’s place and accept this gift.”

There was a creaking noise and an object began appearing from a hole in the ceiling of the burrow. The hole was off to one side and Haru had not noticed it before.
It had a square, solid base and Haru was struggling to work out how big it was; Gama-sama’s presence made everything look smaller than it actually was.
As it was lowered, Haru could see that the sides of the object were some kind of mesh.

He had just realised that it was a cage when Akemi made a really weird sound; part gasp and part whine.
Inside was the Orochimaru print.
- 94
- 95
- 96
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