chapter 107

Eiji was, at that moment, watching his teammates spar against each other. He wasn't paying too much attention to that though. After all, he'd been working with them for a while now. By that point, he'd given them as much advice as he could, really. From there, it was a matter of them finding the different things to work on together, mostly.

There was also the fact that something else had him slightly distracted too.

[Fuinjutsu – Lvl 5

Improves the quality of seals drawn by 5%.

Improves the quality of modified seals drawn by 2.5%.]

'Fuck, this is slow,' He cursed in his mind, grimacing. He'd been working on that ever since he came back to Konoha after the Iwa mission. Not a terribly long time, for sure, but this had to be one of the slowest skills to level he'd come across so far. Made even worse by the fact that he had most of the clones he could possibly make working on that as much as he could.

'I should have started working on this sooner,' He lamented. Then again, he'd always had other things to work on, and he hadn't had the Shadow Clone technique for that long. 'Gotta ask Naruto for classes or something,' Eiji mused. Although, he didn't have high hopes of that working. Seals came naturally to his blond brother and that might make it impossible for him to really teach them, at least to those that didn't share the innate understanding that he had of the art.

"You are lowering your guard, Tayuya," He called, noting that the genjutsu user was lagging down on her movement, as she usually did. Not that he blamed her, playing music and jumping around couldn't be very comfortable or easy. However, that could get her killed out there, and he couldn't have that. "I know you love the wind, Temari, but you gotta work on your Earth Release more," He added.

In hindsight, maybe there was much to be told to his teammates still.

Despite that, Eiji felt his eyelids heavy. He didn't have it in him to care overly much for this training session, so it bored him easily. It was something that was happening more and more. He felt so done with everything. He just wanted to lie down on the ground and sleep for days.

Unfortunately, he couldn't do that.

"You are going back to the Mindscape?" Shirakumo asked, having learned to read him over the time they'd started spending together lately. It wasn't a difficult guess, he supposed. When his weariness started to get the better of him, Eiji would dive into his own mind, spend some time relaxing in a place that held no dangers and only friendly faces. Play something with the twins or pamper Tsuchi.

"Not yet," Was his response, however. His hand fell on Yuki's head, which was resting on his lap. "How's your training going?" He asked the spider on his shoulder curiously.

"It's… um… going," She replied uneasily.

"That bad, huh?"

"Genjutsu is evil," Was all the not so little arachnid answered with, making him chuckle.

"You could talk with Tayuya, maybe she can help you with that," He suggested, more because he'd been unable to help Shirakumo progress much faster after trying to help the little spider. He wasn't a genjutsu specialist though. Hell, he hadn't used illusions much in a while, actually, besides the Void genjutsu, that is. 'Something to keep in mind,' He mused.

"I was considering that myself," Hachi commented from his Mindscape. He supposed that did fit her style rather well, actually.

He'd need all the tools he had available for his future fights. Of that he had little doubt. Even then, it was unlikely to be enough, but there wasn't much he could do anymore. He was already working on too many things. He couldn't very well add more and expect it to help. He could only work on so many things before it started being inefficient. Even with clones, he just didn't have enough time in his days.

"You are going away again," Shirakumo told him, making him smile wryly at her.

"Sorry," He apologized, sighing.

"It's fine," She said, understandingly. "Everything is under control with the prisoners," She continued then in an obvious attempt to keep his mind from spiraling again. He appreciated it though, so he just relaxed, leaned back against the tree behind him and listened to her talk. "And the spiders you asked to keep an eye on things report no trouble, either in Suna or in Konoha."

"What about Taki?" Eiji asked, his eyes half-closed. Falling asleep wouldn't be the worst thing in the world he supposed. First though, he made a clone, just in case. Looking at it though, he saw why everyone shot him concerned looks from time to time. He looked like another person. His skin was paler than usual, his hair even more of a disaster and his eyes had bags under them. He seemed like a muted version of himself.

His turned his gaze away from the clone.

"Well, they've certainly noticed that their greatest asset disappeared," Shirakumo commented drily. "They are searching all over the place and anyone that looks remotely important is understandably angry. They still don't know who did it though."

"Not surprising," Eiji mumbled, only half hearing.

"I suppose. It's a little disappointing, I guess. Although, it's not like you aren't good enough to pull that off," Shirakumo said.

"Thanks for the reluctant compliment."

"Idiot," She grumbled, although she didn't seem to mean it, as usual. "Will we be going sightseeing again later today?"

"Hm, I think I'd prefer to just stay here and draw," Eiji replied, before continuing. "We can do that tomorrow though. I know you like that."

"There are nice viewings around here," The spider mumbled.

"It's not like you have to explain yourself, Shira-chan," He reassured her with a weak chuckle as his eyes closed. "I like just walking around too."

"... Sleep well, Eiji," Shirakumo whispered to him, and he'd have replied if his mind hadn't drifted off before he could.

[}-o-{]

[Fu]

She sat next to Eiji one day. The girl hummed quietly along with the song that Tayuya was playing. Her legs swung beneath them under the tree branch, somewhere between a lazy motion and a content one. Her eyes, meanwhile, continued taking in the sight before them, yet another one she'd guided the team to.

Following Eiji that day was proving to be a great decision. Fu had already enjoyed herself far more than she had in… she didn't even know how long. Even if Konoha ended up being the same as Taki once she actually reached the place, the decision was already worth it just for the break she finally got, short as it may be. Not that she expected things to go that way, really. Over the time she'd been traveling with the team, she liked to think she'd started to get to know them at least a little. Eiji didn't seem like the kind of person that would lead her to a place like that.

Or so Fu hoped, at least.

Regardless of all that, she focused on the present. She expected it to be quite a while before she ever came close to looking at the sights around Taki. After all, even if Konoha bought her decision to just join them, they might be reluctant to send her to the place much less by herself. She got that, but it'd be sad. For all that she hated Taki itself, the surrounding area had some beautiful places. Places that she might not get to see. Although…

Eiji was drawing everything. Maybe she could ask for copies of those? She didn't think he'd tell her no for something so simple. Then again, making those pictures couldn't be easy, especially with how good he was. Still, she had to try. She'd do that… eventually, probably.

Eiji Satou was scary after all. Nice, because he'd taken her out of Taki, but also terrifying. He'd demonstrated it to her without even having to show her his full power. She remembered, to the last detail, looking at him back then, with a hole on his side, blood dripping down his face and the oppressing feeling of his killing intent. And he kept on going, hunting down Sasori of the Red Sand like he was a silly little genin. He didn't even take that much of a break once the whole shitshow was over.

No, the man that had rescued her was no normal one, that was for sure.

She was surprisingly fine with that though. As much as Eiji had terrified her back then, she'd soon realized that she had nothing to worry about. That is, unless she messed up big time. Something that she had no intention of doing, at all. That would spell her doom, and she was rather curious to see if life had finally dealt her a good hand.

"You seem happy," Eiji asked her, seemingly having decided to take a break from drawing. He was looking better than he did after the fight, but that wasn't saying much. He still looked at the brink of passing out from exhaustion and his mood could drop at the slightest of things. The team was being very careful to avoid such things and Fu… Well, she was used to having to be careful with what she said.

"I am," She agreed easily, smiling widely at him. That got her a slight, weary one from him, but that was a win in her books. "It's just… so nice, to be able to see all this. And not have to worry about my superiors getting angry."

Well, she did have to worry about Eiji not getting angry, of course. However, he was a lot more reasonable than her superiors. Honestly, as long as she didn't purposely decide to annoy him, then she was sure she would be fine. That mindset had worked well for her so far, at least.

"Well, I'm glad you are enjoying yourself," Eiji commented, giving his notebook a passing glance, as if considering whether to go back to drawing. "You sat next to me though," He pointed out, turning back to her as she tilted her head. Had that been a mistake? She didn't think so, but then again, people could get angry at the weirdest of stuff. "You've never sat so close to me by yourself. I'd go as far as saying that you've been sort of avoiding me, which would be… understandable, I guess," He added, grimacing slightly.

"I was just… assessing the situation," Fu explained with a wry smile. "Making sure that you weren't mean," She clarified, just in case, earning a chuckle from Eiji. "And you aren't, so there's nothing to worry about."

"If all things were that simple," Eiji mumbled, but he was smiling, so Fu probably hadn't screwed up just yet. Victory! "You've been looking at me drawing a whole lot," He pointed out then and she chuckled awkwardly. "Anything I should know?"

"I just… Was wondering if I could have some. To remember this place," She explained hesitantly, rubbing her arm with one of her hands. "If it's not a bother."

"Not at all, any in particular you want?" He asked with a slightly less tired smile on his face. "Also, I like this you a lot better than the nervous one from before. I'm glad you are loosening up."

"Thanks," She said, beaming at him. "I like this much better myself," She added with a chuckle that the team leader shared. There was a moment of silence before Eiji broke it once more.

"I think you and Naruto will get along," He commented. She'd been hearing things about Eiji's surrogate brother for a while now and she could honestly say that she thought so too. Having friends would be new, but she was looking forward to it. If it was anything like the team then it was everything she'd ever wanted.

"Thank you, Eiji."

"Don't mention it."

[}-o-{]

[Kabuto Yakushi]

Yuki whined on his lap and he could only give her a tight smile.

He knew exactly what had the ninken so upset. It had the whole team on edge and concerned and that was Eiji. They were on edge because he seemed to get annoyed very quickly. Granted, they had to do something very stupid still to get him angry, like Yugito had done, but the fact that he would snap like that instead of doing as usual and just pointing it out said a whole lot.

They were also concerned, because like it or not, Eiji was their ticket back to society, at least for those that had worked with Orochimaru. He was the personification of their second chance at life. Nobody else would give a damn for the people that had helped the Snake Sannin of all people. The world would happily see them thrown into a cell and melt down the key.

Temari and Yugito didn't quite get it, but Kabuto couldn't fault them for that. They were in completely different situations. If anything happened, they'd at most be sent back home and that would be that.

Kabuto tried to imagine it.

He tried to picture how things would be if something happened with Eiji. If the other boy got tired of their mission and decided to call it quits. Nobody would be able to stop him if he suddenly said "Yeah, you know what? I'm tired, I'll take a vacation". Or even if he decided to retire in a more permanent manner, what would people do? Force him?

That was a joke.

Kabuto was pretty sure there wasn't a single person in the world that could force Eiji to do anything. Oh, there were probably people that could beat him, yes, but the boy would put up a fight, of that there was no doubt. And if there was a fight, Eiji was bound to at least make the opponent pay the price of their insolence.

Alternatively, the boy could die, if he continued like he was. Kabuto knew very well that Eiji's sanity was hanging by a thread. One just needed to look at him to notice. If he snapped, the absolute best outcome for him was that he decided to retire as a ninja. Other options were going rogue or getting himself killed.

If any of those things happened, not only Kabuto, but Tayuya and Jirobo would be screwed too. Eiji might have been doing his best to get Konoha to take them in like they were normal ninja, but the ex-spy knew that if he were to be out of the picture in any capacity, then that support would vanish. If there was nobody to vouch for them, then they'd be back to square one.

Kabuto thought about how that would be.

To be thrown back in a cell after having gotten a glimpse of what having an actual life was like. He couldn't let that happen, no. There was no way he'd just sit by as everything he'd built up was destroyed. He both cursed and thanked Eiji for showing him what he'd been missing all that time, if he was honest.

Eiji had given him something he hadn't even known he wanted.

An identity.

"What we do and what we feel, is what we are."

Kabuto smiled at the memory of those words before momentarily closing his eyes.

'I'm Kabuto Yakushi. I like dogs and medicine. I dislike people that don't see me as a person. My dream for the future is to open an orphanage. In the meantime, I like spending time at the Inuzuka vet, training with the… Suicide Squad,' He thought, that last part almost making him chuckle. 'And finding out things about myself.'

It had taken so very long for him to come up with that. So many moments in which he wondered if something was truly him or if it was just a remnant of his past masks. Masks that had become a part of him, like a stain that he couldn't get rid of. Time had helped though, together with a lot of introspection. Kabuto felt like he was getting a handle on things.

He was starting to be himself.

And it was amazing.

"Who said that our identities have to be complicated?"

Eiji had been right about that too. The less Kabuto tried to think it over, the easier it was. Sometimes, he wouldn't even wonder anymore. It was like he was a completely different person now, which he supposed was an apt allegory. Where before choices had felt constricting and stiff, now they felt natural and easy.

And he owed it all to his leader.

It was why he was doing his best to help Temari control the Squad while Eiji continued recovering. The girl tried her best and Kabuto could see why she'd been chosen to be the boy's second in command, but she wasn't quite there. She had the mind for it, but she didn't have the experience nor the power. Being strong didn't mean one would make a good leader, but for Temari, it was necessary.

The girl's weakness meant she didn't have confidence in herself. She was probably the weakest of them all, except Yuki, and she knew it. That fact seemed to eat at her, undermining her leading skills.

Kabuto sighed.

It was what it was. Eiji couldn't very well choose someone else. The only other real option was Yugito and Eiji wouldn't trust her. Oh, he trusted her to be a team member and to follow orders, for sure. However, the boy would never give her any kind of power if he could help it.

Thus, Kabuto would have to help Temari.

Fortunately, the Squad was more than willing to accommodate Eiji for the moment. Tayuya only needed to play her flute, which she loved to do anyway. Only thing Kabuto had to worry about was keeping her from being too annoying. Jirobo was a good choice if they had to communicate something whenever Eiji was in a particularly bad mood. The guy's calm and simple personality helped a lot.

There were a whole lot of other things to keep in mind, but Kabuto owed Eiji a whole lot more.

This was nothing in comparison.

[}-o-{]

[Eiji Satou]

A slight smile spread over his face as he jumped over or on branches, running and maneuvering around obstacles. He'd decided that walking was a little too boring for him that day, but he didn't feel like Flickering or tree hopping. Thus, he'd started free running through the forest.

They'd finally entered the Land of Fire not so long ago, so the trees and forests were growing bigger and bigger. That made the whole idea even better, really, which might have been part of the reason why he'd come up with the idea. The team was keeping up, simply hopping over him, but he'd been slightly surprised when Fu had decided to join him. It made the whole thing even better, really, since then it felt like a bit of a race. Just a bit though, because the girl clearly didn't have that much practice with that in particular. Or, at least, not nearly as much as he had.

Since they were going slower though, Temari had decided to join the fun in her own way. She'd taken to flying over them with her fan. She was going just the smallest bit slower than them but she could easily catch up by using stronger wind techniques to push her to go a little faster for a little bit.

Also, Jirobo had expressed his desire to see if the two of them could come up with a mobility based Earth Release jutsu. That was an interesting idea. Eiji would definitely help him with that. That was certainly something that he'd want to get himself. Maybe it'd start his incursion into yet another element.

For the moment though, he was having fun, so he pushed those thoughts away.

"You having fun?" Eiji asked his partner in parkour, who would occasionally let out a delighted laugh whenever she made a maneuver that looked particularly good. She'd also occasionally burst out chakra wings that would push her to correct her path whenever it looked like she'd made the wrong move. If that was any indication, Fu and her "partner" were certainly enjoying themselves.

"I am!" She exclaimed, confirming his guess. She wore a big grin on her face, one that reminded him of Naruto and sometimes Ino. That was good, certainly better than the dead eyed stare she wore when they met or the nervous wreck she'd been after joining them. 'That's more like it,' He thought contently.

"I think it's even more fun inside a city. Maybe you can join me in Konoha sometime," He offered, because having someone join him was always much better. Kiba had done so a few times, but he'd joined sort of late, so they hadn't had that many opportunities. Naruto would go with him too, but most of the time it was only when it was on the way to a prank or something of the sort. He could certainly use a free run buddy.

"That sounds awesome!" Fu all but shouted, much more excited than before, for whatever reason. Eiji didn't try to understand too hard. He didn't want to put that much effort into thinking, after all. He was temporarily leaving that to Hachi and Kage.

"She took that as confirmation that things will be different in Konoha," Hachi informed him, which made sense. Indeed, he could see those kinds of thoughts forming in Fu's head.

"Just keep being you," Kage advised. "No need to complicate things. It'll go well either way."

And that was that.

Eiji would take their word for it. He really couldn't be bothered. He was on a break. No work, no plans, no complications. Those were the rules he was following. He felt much better now, but there was no need to stop his little "vacation" if it truly could be called that. He could go back to full seriousness whenever they reached Konoha.

Besides, it wasn't like he'd completely stopped working or whatever. It was just that he left that to his clones. Since their emotions became more muted whenever they dispelled, it didn't affect him too much, and they continued growing skills that he needed. It was win win, really. He couldn't train physically like that, but that was a small price to pay, really.

It wasn't even that great a loss, honestly. Eiji doubted he'd be growing his stats much through training anymore. Most of his latest progress had been made through Quests more than actual hard work. It was likely to remain the case too, which was more than a little disappointing. Not even weight seals could help anymore, it seemed. It was sad, but it was what it was.

Certainly helped him not feel guilty about his vacation though, so there was that.

"You are getting slower, Eiji!" Fu told him, laughing as she passed him with ease when he got a little too distracted. Now, obviously, he couldn't let that be, that was for sure. Thus, he used a little burst of active Free Running to dash forward. He gave the girl a little kick on the shoulder as he both pushed himself forward and her backwards. "Hey!"

"First to the next clearing wins!" He called over his shoulder, his smile widening.

"Hey!" She protested again, even louder.

"She's using her wings," Shirakumo told him, which made him chuckle. Even the little spider sounded excited, even if she was just audience for their little game, basically.

"She's still not gonna win," He said, keeping Free Running active and adding normal Running on top of that. No way he was losing a race. Who did the girl think she was? Energy skills didn't count as cheating, right? Maybe he could pull Intermediate Taijutsu and Kenjutsu if he needed a little boost.

He could definitely beat her without jutsu.

"And you call the group childish?" Kage asked, unimpressed.

"What can I say?" Eiji replied with another short laugh. "They've rubbed off on me."