34

Chapter 34: thirty-three: the broken bridgeSummary:

In hindsight, this could've been her villain origin story.

Notes:

A user at f f . net (arispuffer) was the first person to get last chapter's question right! The 'Z' in plan Z stands for 'zigzag'. My thought process was that the target would struggle to avoid the poisoned senbon, even more so when they don't necessarily follow a straight line. Congrats!

I do not own Naruto. I do, however, own Chiyuki, any original characters, and this story's plot.

TW: violence; death.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Becoming Hokage 101

.

Section Seven: Sacrifices Will Be Made, One Way Or Another

.

Chapter Thirty Three

.

As a leader - most importantly, as the leader of a military village -, one of the first few things you will come to know intimately is that even the smallest of your actions have consequences. They may not be immediate, but rest assured there will certainly be some, and you must be prepared to deal with them when they come.

Another one is that sacrifices must always be made. No matter how well your alliances are going, and no matter how in control of the situation you think you are, there will be times when you will be stuck between a rock and a hard place - and the 'correct answer' depends solely on your priorities and your morals.

Be prepared to make decisions for the so-called 'greater good' - and believe me, there is no shortage of those. No one is completely black or white; in this world, there are only shades of gray. The 'enemy' is also human, just like you and me, made of flesh and bones, and bleeds just as easily. The 'enemy' also has hopes and dreams, family and friends of their own, and a whole life ahead of them.

'Who are you to decide their fate?'

.

.

History books omit a lot when it comes to wars.

It's not 'a necessary evil'. It doesn't 'bring honor to one's village'. It's not 'a few thousand people'.

It's not about being 'right' or 'wrong'. It's not even about the 'winners' and the 'losers'. It's about old, close-minded, arrogant adults, stuck in the ways of the past, of previous wrongdoings and revenge, buried deeply in their prejudice and distorted truths.

Children have no place in the adult's war.

'And yet-'

Neither the Ame team nor Team Chiyuki had gotten injured. It was a small consolation in the face of an ambush that could've gone terribly wrong if the three Konoha chunin had been by themselves, and Nagato had decided to burn the bodies of the Iwa shinobi, preventing their village from finding evidence of the failed attack.

Deciding that it wouldn't be safe for them to camp out in the night as planned, the red-head suggests they travel through the night, looking at the Konoha team's leader in barely-concealed worry.

"I agree." Chiyuki hums, low and dry. "It would be too dangerous for us to spend the night out in the woods. Besides, there's only a little over twenty hours until we get to the village."

There's nothing blatantly wrong with her, really. Her eyes struggle slightly to focus, and there's a certain edge to her voice that can't be ignored, but she isn't injured. She isn't even winded from the fight.

Her heart is a furnace made of pure, solid iron, and the fire inside her chest is starting to burn her from the inside out, but she's fine.

The rinnegan user catches her teammates giving the twelve year old worried glances, and for a brief second, he catches the boys' eyes, sighing when they shake their heads.

They travel through the night, closer together than before, and the Ame team surrounds the Konoha team in a loose triangle formation, with Rina taking point. The Sarutobi Princess doesn't complain about the protective formation, and so neither do the other two boys.

Time passes in a blur, just like the scenery around them. The silence is both a blessing and a curse - a blessing, because she doesn't have to talk and pretend nothing is wrong; a curse, because it gives way too much time to think.

The scene replays in her head like a broken record, over and over, and even with her eyes closed she can see the younger girl's empty - dead - eyes, staring deeply into her soul, cursing her to the fiery depths of hell a thousand times over.

'Children have no place in a war.'

How much should the ends justify the means, the ash blonde girl wonders. How much of a war is 'justifiable'? Who decided that war crimes are only heinous after the winners and the losers have been decided?

Chiyuki thinks about the two children she'd met in the slums-

suffering from a fate that wasn't theirs, paying for sins they didn't commit-

-and she wonders,

What's 'fair'? Where do shinobi draw the line?

Konoha doesn't send genin to the frontlines, but does it really matter when they're all being treated as cannon fodder? In the end, is Konoha that much better than its 'enemies'?

Daylight breaks slowly, lazily, filtering through the trees almost shyly. The six shinobi stop for a break, and the twelve year old eats mechanically, not really registering the taste of the Akimichi soldier pills. After drinking a huge gulp of water, however, she realizes her throat had been dry as a desert, and the refreshing feeling is like applying balm to a wound.

'What kind of Hokage will I become?'

A cool breeze brushes past her sweaty face, and for a brief moment, the girl allows herself to close her eyes and take a deep breath, enjoying the small break.

The image of the younger girl plummeting to the ground - red warm red warm - makes something die in her. Chiyuki buries it, pays her respects to it, and allows something else to take its place.

When she re-opens her eyes, something clicks into her mind and settles there as if it'd always been there - as if there'd never been anything else in its place.

'There is no honor in war.'

Her will is made of iron and fire, and the whole world would come to know that.

.

.

They arrive in Konoha in the early morning of the second day of travel, exhausted and hungry, but otherwise fine.

The sun is peeking out of Hokage Mountain, and Chiyuki has the slight impression that the three faces on it are sneering at her, mocking her, asking her if she'll ever surpass them in all the ways that count.

She mentally shakes her head and moves along to report to Fugaku, because this is definitely her mind playing tricks on her, and she absolutely doesn't have time to wonder whether she will be enough or not because she has to.

The interim Hokage thankfully doesn't keep them long. Team Chiyuki reports quickly and is dismissed right after, and if the Uchiha patriarch notices she's being quieter than usual, he doesn't mention it. Nagato sends her a meaningful look, and the girl bows slightly to the Ame team, knowing that they'll have to rely on Chou for most of their communication during their stay in Konoha.

"Hey." Genma calls out to her once they're outside the Hokage Tower, streets already bustling with life. Merchants shout out deals, civilians walk around doing errands, and shinobi go back and forth between the Jounin Barracks and the Hokage's office. It's a busy time for everyone, and the blonde briefly wonders if Fugaku has already sent people to destroy the Kannabi Bridge.

The Sarutobi Princess hums, tilting her head to show her teammate she's listening. Her gaze flitters over the busy Konoha streets, mind working through endless possibilities and arrangements. The senbon specialist opens his mouth to say something, then catches Gai's eyes over her shoulder. He closes his mouth and sighs, taking his bandana off as he scratches his head.

"Let's meet up for lunch." The fifteen year old ends up saying, looking down at her with worry barely concealed in his eyes. A small smile blooms on her face, and not for the first time is she grateful for the presence of her slightly emotionally awkward teammate.

"Sure. 12 o'clock at the Akimichi Yakiniku?" Genma nods, and Chiyuki glances questioningly at their green-clad teammate, who agrees enthusiastically.

"Yosh! I shall be there! If not, I shall crab walk around Konoha two hundred times!"

She shakes her head, smile still in place, and lays a hand on the thirteen year old's arm. "You're gonna take a nap, that's what you're gonna do. You may have more stamina than me and Genma, but don't forget that resting is just as important as training."

Gai's eyes get suspiciously wet, and if she didn't know any better, she might've said those were real tears. "Youthful Chiyuki, you are right, as always! I shall rest and meet my Youthful Teammates once I'm Fresh and Ready For Another Mission!"

"Take it easy, dude." Their oldest teammate groans, clearly not in the mood for another mission so soon.

The three chunin bid their goodbyes and head home, looking forward to a hot shower and a good nap. On the way to the Sarutobi compound, the ash blonde girl keeps half a mind on her surroundings, greeting friends and acquaintances, avoiding small talk with people she doesn't really know personally, and keeping an eye out for people's hum of iron. The ANBU assigned to watch over her is already following her, keeping a few meters of distance between them. Whether they know she can sense them or not, she doesn't really know, but avoiding direct contact is probably best for now.

The other half of her mind is dedicated to careful plotting and planning, even as she safely gets home, greets a few relatives, takes a long, hot shower, and settles in bed to try to sleep for a few hours - even though she knows rest is the farthest thing from her mind right now. The Sarutobi Princess can only be grateful she hasn't bumped into her brothers, Kakashi, or Shikaku, because she's sure they'd be onto her odd mood faster than a hawk on a hunt.

Almost like an afterthought, she hears Chou gently scolding her, but unless someone knocks her out, there's no way her overworked brain would actually shut down and let itself rest for a couple of hours.

She'd preached the importance of resting to her teammates, yet her own hypocrisy wouldn't allow her to do the same.

Trying her best to ignore the world around her for a little while, Chiyuki closes her eyes and relaxes her breathing, looking asleep to any inattentive passerby. Her brain, however, settles on a meditative state, and in her mind's eyes, she travels to the butterfly realm, the place where she feels safest at the moment. The girl doesn't actually reverse summon herself, but Chou is more than happy to provide a similar enough background, and thousands of peacock butterflies are quick to surround her frame as if offering support.

'Chou, can you check whether the Kannabi Bridge has already been destroyed or not, and who was sent to do it, if it was?'

The giant insect flutters into eyesight, their compound eyes spinning brightly, resembling a kaleidoscope. 'Of course. Which memory should we take?'

'I used to eat some really popular, industrial-made snacks Before. Take as many of those memories as you see fit; it's not like I'll be able to reproduce them here.'

Beautiful, giant wings flap once, then twice, and the kaleidoscope spins faster, colors blindingly bright. 'Very well. You will not remember ever eating kit-kitties or any of those chocolates, is that acceptable?'

'Sure.' The chunin replies, attempting to shrug mentally. She doubts she'll miss something she has no desire to replicate in this ninja reality.

In her mind, the scenario distorts, colors spinning and mixing together until they settle on a cloudy scenery, a newly constructed bridge in the distance. Like a faraway passerby, the Iron Demon watches, with no small amount of wonder, as Team Kakashi, Kushina, Jiraya, and a Nara kunoichi she has only seen in passing are sent to destroy the construction. She's immensely glad and relieved that Fugaku took her advice seriously, and even if Kakashi's team did end up being sent to do it regardless, they have three jounin as support.

It all goes relatively well. Jiraya's in charge of setting up a perimeter around the bridge, seals glowing and activating to prevent the nearby caves from caving in. Kushina and the Nara kunoichi are sent as heavy-hitters, easily taking care of a platoon of twenty or so Iwa shinobi while providing protection for Team Kakashi, who are tasked with the destruction of the bridge. They quickly and efficiently set up the explosives on the stone pillars, standing close to the Toad Sage as the silver haired boy prepares to press the trigger.

Chiyuki narrows her eyes at the scene, instinct telling her it couldn't possibly be this easy - and, sure enough, there it is.

Something distorts, a white blur flashes quicker than anyone can notice, and hot fury licks at her skin when she realizes just what it is, snarling from her position as a mere viewer.

'White Zetsu.'

The ground gives out, eight explosions ringing out at the same time, and a white arm grabs Obito's legs. Rin immediately grabs onto her disappearing teammate's arm, which makes Kakashi grip onto her hand, and all three chunin are dragged to an underground cave system. The sun barely shines down on it through sparse cracks, shrouding the whole place in a thick curtain of dark shadows, which slightly limits Chou's vision.

Still, it's more than clear to see the barely concealed figure of a White Zetsu, and a pair of sharingan eyes that quickly disappear. The Sarutobi child clenches her fists and grits her teeth together, desperate in her helplessness as she watches something that happened only a few hours before Team Chiyuki and the Ame team were ambushed by Iwa ninja.

'Madara, you absolute fucker. Were you actually planning on getting Obito even though there are three other jounin nearby?'

Obito activates his own sharingan, and the two pairs of red eyes clash for a split second. The Uchiha boy's doujutsu morphs, and Chiyuki can only watch in horror and mortification as his eyes spin spin spin and bleed - red and warm red and warm -, and the mangekyo sharingan settles in his eyes. The three chunin fall down to the ground, unconscious, and the blonde child nearly yells out in frustration.

Exact two seconds pass before Kushina drops down to the underground caves, surveying the scene with sharp violet eyes. White Zetsu morphs into the earth before she can make a move to attack him, and the Uzumaki quickly gathers all the children in her arms before she jumps back into the sunlight, where both Jiraya and the Nara kunoichi are waiting for her.

The Kannabi bridge has been destroyed successfully, bits of rock and concrete scattered all around the place, but all eyes are on Team Kakashi, who are wearing varying expressions of pain and discomfort on their young faces. The leader of Team Chiyuki can only wonder what kinds of horrors Madara is showing them, given that he actually thought he'd be able to kidnap Obito from right under their noses.

The three jounin quickly whisper amongst themselves, each one grabbing a child and cradling their body to their chest before they're flying through the trees at maximum speed, not bothering to remain behind to see if they could catch White Zetsu.

Even if Kushina didn't see Madara, three suddenly unconscious chunin with no signs of waking up anytime soon is more than enough reason to be alarmed, especially considering how quickly everything happened. A journey to the border between Iwa and Kusa should take around two and a half days, so the fact that the three jounin are running as fast as their legs can possibly carry them is of little consolation.

Startled brown eyes fly open, and a glance to the clock on her bedside table tells her it's been around an hour since she laid down. If the whole altercation happened less than twenty four hours ago, then that means-

On the edge of her sensing range, six new hum of iron pass through the village gates in a blur. All of them are running rapidly through their bodies' blood stream, though for varying reasons. The three adults' iron shout in a jittery, anxious manner, their bodies fueled by desperation-induced adrenaline, while the three chunins' screech in agony and pain.

Chiyuki barely remembers to sit up slowly, as if she'd just woken up from a nap. Her ANBU babysitter may not be watching her 100% of the time, but they'd definitely notice if she suddenly woke up and rushed to the hospital when she's not really supposed to know these things.

Forcing herself to lay low, the blonde takes her time in stretching, hearing her back pop and crack. Even if she hasn't slept a wink, the girl does feel slightly better than she did over an hour ago - physically, that is. Knowing that three of her closest friends became victims of Madara's wicked sharingan and that there's nothing she can do only sets off her anxiety, and she drags her jittery body out of bed.

Her stomach grumbles, feeling neglected after surviving solely on soldier pills and cereal bars for days. Brushing her fingers through her hair, the ash blonde paddles over to the small kitchen she shares with her brothers, opening the fridge and finding a couple of ume onigiri on a plate. A small note with Tooru's handwriting lets her know her older brother managed to spend last night in their house before he had to leave for another mission, and for a brief moment, deep affection and warmth distract her anxiety-ridden brain.

'Gods, I miss my brothers.'

She sees Asuma sometimes, whenever their schedules align - which is not so difficult, considering they're only chunin and she's doing missions closer to the village. Tooru, on the other hand, is a full-fledged jounin, and his presence at the frontlines is crucial.

The logical part of her knows they're both strong shinobi, with people next to them who offer support in times of need, but the more emotional part of her screams for her older brothers, the safety and support they offer her, the unconditional love and affection, the relief and love whenever she sees them safe and sound.

Chiyuki eats the two onigiri, forcing herself to chew thoroughly, savoring the fact that her eldest brother made it just the way she likes it - with lots of filling and a hint of salt on the rice. There's still a couple of hours before she has to meet her teammates for lunch, so she makes her agitated body clean the house. A boring but necessary task, especially seen as there's a thin layer of dust on the whole place, the true testimony of a house where three people live in, but who spend most of their time outside of it.

The twelve year old sweeps the place, cleans the floor with a wet rag, wipes the counters and the fridge, and throws old food out. She airs their futons, dusts bookshelves, cleans and sharpens their weapons, and even does some laundry. As thorough as she is, the whole process takes over two hours, and during the whole time, her brain works incessantly.

'Madara didn't get to Obito, so for now he has absolutely no one to get the plan going. If he's desperate enough to attempt something like this under the nose of three jounin, it must mean he doesn't have that much time left, even as his body's connected to the Demonic Statue. Does that mean he'll accept pretty much anyone, distressed as he must be? I wonder if we can get one of Nagato's Six Paths to act as Madara's proxy?'

The blonde pauses, holding Asuma's half-folded clothes in her arms.

'Is it fair to ask so much of Nagato, though? What right do I have to take so much from him?'

The image of the Iwa ninja falling to the ground - red and warm - floods her mind, something inside of her arguing that the ends justify the means.

Is she willing to use Nagato like that, though?

She needs the red-head's help to deal with Madara, no questions there. He's the only other person who knows about the Eye of the Moon Plan, and the Uchiha can't possibly be left to his own devices.

Considering everything, it'd be better to make things happen just as they did Before, because it'll be much easier to plan around things that are predictable. Black Zetsu needs to keep thinking he's got Madara wrapped around his finger, and in turn, Madara needs to 'die' believing that he has a reliable proxy who'll revive him in the near future.

At the same time, certain people need to go, and certain people need to come in.

'I'll have to deal with Onoki, somehow. Unless something extreme like the Fourth Shinobi War breaks out, it's unlikely he'll be able to throw his prejudices aside to settle on a compromise. In addition, Yagura is already under Madara's control, so I can't even try to negotiate with him. I'll have to make Mei the Mizukage, preferably as something like a favor she'll feel like she owes.'

A thought strikes her, but this time she doesn't pause, instead continuing to hang the humid towels in the backyard of the Sarutobi siblings as if not a single thought is going on inside her head.

'Whoever Madara's frontman ends up being, it's very likely the Akatsuki will still be a thing. Maybe they'll use some other name, since it's now being associated with Ame, but both Madara and Black Zetsu need to gather the nine biju, and it's a lot easier to do that using a third party. If I leave it well enough alone, it's highly likely the same members will end up being recruited, with the exception of Itachi, Nagato, and Konan.'

Having Madara's stand-in be her contact inside the ragtag group would be ideal, but it'd need to be someone she can bring to her side before anyone else can, someone she doesn't have much contact with and wouldn't feel too bad about using.

'Kisame would never agree to be a double agent, obsessed with the truth as he is. Hidan only cares about his god, and Kakuzu only cares about money. Both are short-tempered, which is less than ideal. Regardless, if push comes to shove, I can literally buy Kakuzu's loyalty, if I somehow manage to get an enormous amount of money in a very short time.'

A glance at the clock in the kitchen tells Chiyuki it's 11:40, so she leisurely starts to put things back in their respective places.

'Chou, is Akihisa still the Kazekage?'

The memory of a few savory snacks she used to enjoy Before is exchanged for the information; no, Akihisa, the Iron Sand and Sandaime Kazekage, has been killed a few weeks ago, and Suna is keeping the information under a very tight leash. It doesn't really mean much, other than that Sasori has already fled his village and become a nukenin.

'Sasori and Deidara only care about their art. Deidara wasn't even twenty when he got killed by Sasuke Before, which would make him around three or four years old now. That leaves Sasori, who's obsessed with things that last forever and is easy to deal with as long as you don't make him wait and don't question his views on art. He'll eventually manage to turn himself into a puppet, but if I convince him to be a double agent in exchange for that information-'

A whisper from Chou is all the warning she gets before Katsuyu poofs herself into existence on one of her shoulders, sending a wave of soothing chakra so as to not make Chiyuki alarmed.

"Sarutobi Chiyuki-san?" The small slug asks, hum of iron slightly nervous and jittery.

"Yes." The chunin immediately answers, inwardly marveling at how at ease Katsuyu makes her feel.

"I am Katsuyu. Though it's unfortunate we meet in such circumstances, Tsunade-sama has sent for you with the utmost urgency."

A million alarm bells immediately go off in her head, mind jumping from one possibility to another.

'What could be so bad Tsunade's sending for me? Shouldn't she be treating- oh no.'

Dread fills every space of her being, every corner of her suddenly cold body, but the blonde forces all emotions down and focuses on the present, and what she can do.

"Let's go." Chiyuki mumbles, locking the house she shares with her brothers in a hurry and asking Chou to tell her teammates she was summoned by one of the higher-ups. A simple memory of her sweeping the floor is exchanged for that, and soon enough the peacock butterfly tells her the message's been delayed, though her boys weren't very happy to hear of it.

'Sorry, boys. I'll make it up to you later.'

Not for the first time, the girl thanks the gods for being put on the same team as Gai, and all the speed and stamina training it involves. Jumping over the roofs, she gets to the hospital in seconds, where a harried looking Shizune is already waiting for her. The distinct sound of muffled screaming reaches her ears, and she turns a worried frown to the black-haired woman.

"I know you just came back from a tough mission, but Tsunade-sama wouldn't send for you if it wasn't serious." The two immediately turn around and run towards the yelling, the sound becoming clearer by the second. Something cold settles in the Sarutobi's gut, icy and dreary, and she struggles with her emotions for a bit.

"What could I help with, though?" She questions, puzzled and concerned, but they arrive in front of a tightly sealed door before the black haired woman can answer. Shizune flares her chakra twice before the door bursts open, and nearly all occupants in the room turn to look at the newcomers.

From his place next to the single bed, Jiraya makes a motion with his closed fist and the door slams shut behind them, seals clicking in place once again. Beside him is Mikoto, long hair pulled into a ponytail, face flushed with exertion and sweat. The Uchiha matriarch gives Chiyuki a grim nod, quickly turning her gaze to her glowing green hands.

At the other side of the bed stands Tsunade, with a frustrated scowl on her face. She's discarded her haori, focusing on sending healing chakra to the thrashing, screaming body on the bed.

Her brain catalogs the nonsense he's shouting: incoherent yells, sharp howls of pain, and most importantly, the absolute desperation and anguish in his voice as he wails out her name.

A part of her wants to bawl; to curl into herself, to weep and cry herself out, until there are no more tears left on her body, until she has barely any energy left. Another part wants to yell - louder than she's ever yelled before, until her throat dries out and breaks the skin, until her voice gives out, until there's no one in the world who hasn't heard it.

A bigger part of her sees Obito screaming his lungs out on the bed - eyes tightly shut, arms and legs being held down by Jiraya's seals, sweat glistening on his agonizing face - and acts.

"What can I do?" She comes to stand next to Tsunade, in clear view of her friend's tortured expression.

"Talk to him." The blonde medic grits out, clearly not in the mood for long explanations.

"He's under a genjutsu and for some reason won't stop screaming your name. We don't know what he's seeing, but hearing you might help." Shizune's voice drifts over from Tsunade's left side, somehow heard over the yelling.

Chiyuki's lips press into a tight line as she nods, clenching her hands tightly on her sides. "Obi? Obi, it's me. Shh, it's okay, it's okay, I'm here."

The Uchiha boy's brows furrow in confusion and the screaming finally subsides, turning to occasional shouts of pain. After an encouraging nod from Mikoto, the blonde girl continues to speak soothingly, reaching out with one hand to brush her friend's dark hair.

"It's me, Chiyuki. I'm here. It's fine, it's okay. You're safe. I'm safe too. We're both safe. It's okay, Obi. It's okay, shh."

As his body slowly relaxes and his mind finally calms down enough for the medic-nins to work their magic on him, his shouts turn to grunts, until those too fade away. The Sarutobi silently wonders how many ways there are to kill Madara, but focuses on speaking gently to the boy on the bed. A little over an hour passes before the three medic-nin straighten their backs, and as she listens to his deep, gentle breathing, the girl breathes out a sigh of relief.

"The worst is over. Good work, everyone." Tsunade sighs, hand on her hips. "Katsuyu, you stay here and monitor him. Shizune, move his teammates to this room."

It's to be expected, but thankfully the Senju woman realizes that separating a team after they've suffered huge trauma together would be even worse for their recovery.

'Tsunade's all for tough love, but she really is a reliable person, isn't she.'

Jiraya cracks his neck and undoes his seals, both on the boy and on the door. Shizune is quick to leave, presumably to get the rest of Team Kakashi moved to Obito's room, and Mikoto whispers a 'thank you' into Chiyuki's hair along with a forehead kiss. It's a simple but moving gesture, and even if the Uchiha matriarch seems exhausted, she exudes an air of kindness that instantly makes you feel better.

One by one, the adults leave the room, until it's only Chiyuki and Tsunade in it. The medic-nin looks at her with unreadable eyes, no doubt wondering just what happened for Obito to scream her name so desperately.

"How are Rin and Kakashi?" The Sarutobi asks, instead of addressing the white elephant in the room.

The Slug Sage looks at her for a few more seconds, until the woman finally breaks the heavy silence. "Not great, but definitely better than him."

The blonde child presses her lips together, swallowing down the urge to cry and scream. It wouldn't help any in the current situation, and if she wants to change the whole plot while still keeping it relatively predictable, she really needs to let her logical side take over more often.

"We don't know when they'll wake up?" It's voiced like a question, but the girl just wants to confirm something she's suspected ever since she's seen Obito and Madara's sharingan clash. Sharingan-induced genjutsu are no joke at all, and even with outside help, sometimes there's nothing you can do but wait until the victim snaps out of it on their own.

Tsunade sighs heavily, crossing her arms and looking out the window. It's a beautiful, sunny day outside, the temperature is just about the perfect mix between warm and cool, and Konoha wears the colors of autumn like no other village. Red and orange mix prettily with brown and green, and even in the middle of a war, the good weather boosts people's mood like few other things can.

Yet, inside the hospital room, the air feels cold and stifling, and it has nothing to do with the place itself.

"No. It's likely the other two will wake up before him, but even they might take a few days to open their eyes on their own. We don't know what kind of genjutsu was cast on them, only that it was an S-class one."

Chiyuki resists the urge to flinch, choosing to brush a hand over Obito's thick hair instead. The boy, in turn, mumbles something in his sleep, but doesn't rouse, and she's surprised he can look this peaceful when he was screaming so desperately just a few minutes ago. Katsuyu, who's nestled next to his head, sends a wave of healing, soothing chakra whenever his brows furrow, even if it's the slightest bit.

"Can I stay?" She asks, both for her own sake and her friends'. Even if they won't wake up anytime soon, subconsciously feeling for familiar chakra is a thing, and who knows? It might even help with their recovery.

The medic-nin once again takes her sweet time in answering, looking at the girl with an obvious question in her honey-brown eyes - the chunin, however, is just as puzzled as the healer, and it shows in her open expression.

"Fine," The Slug Sage sighs out, "but once visiting hours are over, I want you out of here. Is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am." It's not her intention to stay here 24/7 - it would be counterproductive to stay for so long, especially when she's got planning to do.

It's just that she can't leave Obito alone, not right now, not when he was yelling her name in such a wretched way only a little while ago, not when she doesn't know just what the fuck Madara did to him.

Tsunade eventually leaves after casting her one final, meaningful glance, and neither she nor Katsuyu have any desire to start an idle chit chat. Shizune comes back shortly after with a few nurses, who settle Rin and Kakashi's beds next to Obito's, and Chiyuki tries to relax in the hospital chair someone brought for her. The hum of iron of her ANBU babysitter stays at a respectable distance away, just like it's always been - far away enough that they wouldn't be able to see or hear what she's doing exactly, but close enough they'd be able to react quickly if something were to happen.

She takes the sweet escape that silence offers to close her eyes and settle in a relaxed position, looking, for all intents and purposes, that she's just meditating. Chou answers her call easily, and the blonde child shifts once again to the butterfly realm in her mind's eye.

'Nagato mentioned that you managed to talk to him before?' The Sarutobi Princess mentally walks over to the single fallen log by the lake and sits down on it, smiling slightly when thousands of peacock butterflies leave the bushes to flutter around her figure.

'We did. The rinnegan is the most powerful of the Three Great Doujutsu, and one of its abilities is the Human Path. You are aware of it, are you not?' The tallest of the insects stands in front of her, giant colorful wings dancing behind them.

'Ah, the one that rips people's souls out of their body?'

'Precisely. It also has the power to read someone's mind.'

So that was how the red-head managed to listen to the butterflies, and what he meant by 'they nagged at him'.

'The rinnegan is stupidly overpowered, jeez.' Her mental figure grumbles, and the giant butterfly's compound eyes seem to hold no small amount of amusement.

'It does hold a lot of power. It is fortunate its owner is a level-headed young man.'

'For now.' Chiyuki thinks with a shudder, remembering how crazy Nagato went after Yahiko got killed.

'For now.' Chou agrees with a hum, knowing very well that was not the case for several other realities.

'Do you think you can be a messenger for me and Nagato? It'd be nearly impossible to sit down and talk to him with an ANBU on my trail 24/7.' She questions, tilting her head.

'Of course. It will not be a problem.' The insect mimics her head movement, which brings a smile out of her.

'Alright. Take some of the memories of that show I used to watch. Should be enough for this, yeah?'

'The one with the yellow people? Are you certain?'

'Yeah. I watched at least a couple hundred episodes, I won't miss a few dozen.'

A mental note goes into practicing more kunai and shuriken throwing, if only to have a 'stock' of memories she can easily give up whenever Chou is tasked with playing the role of a messenger.

The huge insect's compound eyes spin in a now familiar way, colors mixing and blurring together, and the Iron Demon breathes out.

'Tell Nagato of Black Zetsu's original purpose, which is to revive Kaguya - at Madara's cost, if necessary. Let him know about the original members of the Akatsuki. After that, ask his opinion on recruiting Sasori ourselves-'

.

.

Her birthday is, once again, a small affair, and she finds out she likes it better this way.

To celebrate Chiyuki turning thirteen, Choza invites them all to eat at the Akimichi yakiniku restaurant as his treat, something he always does whenever it's someone's birthday. It's a rare day off for the four original members of Team Choza, and the cold weather makes it perfect to enjoy some nice grilled meat and a moment of reprieve with your precious ones.

She manages to have dinner with her brothers and parents a week later, and the atmosphere is, thankfully, nowhere near as awkward as she'd thought it'd be. For a few hours, she's content enough in pretending there's nothing wrong with their familial bonds, and the interaction leaves her hopeful for the future.

A month after that, she joins Team Kakashi for sukiyaki at the Hatake's apartment, and things are mostly back to normal.

Rin and Kakashi wake up three days after they've been admitted to the hospital, a mean pouding on their heads but no apparent recollection of the genjutsu they'd been placed under. Both sound genuinely puzzled when the Sarutobi girl tells them of the time they've been asleep, and Tsunade states that it might be better this way.

Obito, on the other hand, worries her to no end.

The Uchiha boy takes ten days to open his eyes, and though there's nothing physically wrong with him, it's like he's a completely different person. He's quiet most of the time, only speaking when spoken to, and sometimes his dark eyes struggle to focus. Fugaku and Mikoto had been understandably worried, even more so when they find out he activated his mangekyo sharingan.

There was a week right during the transition between autumn and winter that he wasn't allowed outside the Uchiha clan compound, and Chou had told her it was because the interim Hokage was trying his best in guiding a lost, despondent Obito. They'd allowed him to leave the compound after he started to get anxious and jittery the longer the days went on, and Tsunade had advised Mikoto to let him stay around people as much as he was comfortable, along with a recommendation to see a certified therapist.

All in all, a couple of months after the Kannabi mission, he is looking a bit better than he was, but the fact is of little comfort. He's looking more alert, responding more to stimuli around him, and every once in a while he'll even smile slightly. Sometimes, though, Chiyuki will catch him giving her a grim, somber look, and he looks so much like the Obito from Before it makes her chest constrict painfully.

The boy never once tells her just what he'd seen in the genjutsu, and she doesn't ask. Instead, she treats him as she always has, letting her actions speak louder than her words. Rin and Kakashi are a constant presence next to him, offering silent and unconditional support, and whenever they find it too hard to bear their burdens on their own, Chiyuki will call for her boys, and they'll all offer Team Kakashi emotional support as best as they can.

The gods know they all desperately need it.

Winter slowly gives way to spring, and the change in scenery lifts everyone's mood.

Konoha - and, as a result, Ame - slowly but surely reaps the results of the Kannabi mission - attacks from Iwa and Kusa become less and less frequent, which means both the ninja and the civilian population can finally catch a breather after five, nearly six, long years. Breaks between missions become slightly longer and more frequent, chunin and jounin get sent to the frontlines less frequently, and shop owners receive bigger, better shipments of food and supplies.

There are a lot less attacks from Suna as well, mostly because the Sandaime Kazekage is dead. Of course it's something only the higher-ups from their village know, but to the outside world, it just looks as if the sandy village has finally had its share of the war.

Orochimaru has been oddly quiet as of late, hidden in the Land of Rice, and Chiyuki knows better than to think it's the last they've seen of him. For now, though, it seems as if he's merely bidding his time and slowly gathering his strength, but for what, she doesn't know.

Kiri has been devastated by their psychotic Mizukage - who Chiyuki knows is a mere puppet of Madara's -, which means they definitely don't have enough manpower to launch big-scale attacks. Minato has recently dealt with some Kumo shinobi, battling against A and B, and has come out victorious. His speed and his deadly attacks have earned him the nickname 'Konoha's Yellow Flash', and a 'flee on sight' warning on his page in the bingo book.

Teams Chiyuki and Kakashi also become famous for their efforts in the ongoing war, the team leaders especially so.

Much like his dad, Kakashi wields his tanto as effortlessly as moving a limb, and his speed as well as wide ninjutsu arsenal earn him a 'kill on sight' stamp on the bingo book. The last Hatake gains the nickname Silver Fang, similar enough to his father's to remind people that Sakumo's legacy lives on.

The Sarutobi Princess becomes increasingly difficult to harm as she easily bends iron to her will, able to switch quickly between the iron armor on top of her skin and sharp, iron spikes that burst out from her body. That, coupled with her already famous iron club and the mysterious ability to manipulate objects made of iron, are more than enough to earn her a 'kill on sight' warning next to her picture on the bingo book.

Chiyuki also maintains a steady flow of conversation with Nagato through Chou, using memories of menial tasks in exchange - such as kunai throwing practice and household chores.

'I think we'll have to recruit him using some other kind of information. Sasori's already managed to turn himself into a puppet.'

It's a testament to the rinnegan's overpowered abilities that she's able to feel the red-head's weirded out expression, even if he's not obvious about it.

'Is using him necessary, though? Does it have to be him, especifically?'

'Well, no. I just thought it'd be easier to influence the 'Akatsuki' if we had a person inside. Y'know, killing two birds with one stone.'

'How would we convince him to approach Madara, though? From what you've told me and from what I've seen, Akasuna no Sasori wouldn't be interested in that kind of far-fetched, insane plan.'

'I'm working on it. What Madara needs is someone who'll get the 'Akatsuki' to capture the biju and get someone with the rinnegan to revive him later on; it doesn't actually matter who it is.'

Back when the war had just started, all those years ago, she'd condemned Minato for what he'd eventually do - killing a thousand Iwa nin on his own, as well as hundreds of other shinobi before that. Nearly six years later, she finally understands a bit better what it means to be ruthless for what they call 'the greater good.'

Manipulating and using people might be just as bad as killing them, in the end.

Perhaps the chunin could never be like Naruto, who had been Konoha's - and the world's - personal sun, full of charisma and kindness and this huge need to help everyone out. Maybe she'd never be able to win people over the way Naruto did, simply by being his charismatic, optimistic self.

She has to bend their will to her own. It might not be real, true peace, but-

If that's what it takes, then so be it.

.

.