37

Chapter 37: standing at the end of the final masqueradeNotes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

As soon as they hear the telltale sounds of a battle making its way to the floor below them, Minato is off like a shot, uncaring of if anyone manages to keep up with him as he triggers a shunshin and disappears in a blur of yellow and white. He comes upon triggered traps and barely falters at the possibility of untriggered ones lying in wait as he pulls out one of his three-pronged kunai and throws it to the opposite end of the corridor.

Teleporting to the anchor, Minato snatches the kunai out of the air and presses on, leaping over wrecked passages and blowing right past disoriented ROOT agents. Most of them sport injuries of varies degrees of seriousness, he notes, but he has yet to spot any dead bodies lying around despite all the destruction and heavily chakra-charged air. Clearly powerful jutsu have been thrown around here and yet there appear to be no fatalities so far.

The screaming of harsh wind torrents fills the stillness of the headquarters and Minato grits his teeth past the noise, changing course sharply to follow it to its source. It is followed by a resounding bang that shakes the entire building, causing dust and debris to rain down from the ceiling, threatening an impending collapse if the fight continues to test its structural integrity. It rings in Minato's ears, drowning the rest of the world out.

But he's close, he can tell. Raijin's chakra hangs thick in the very air here, lingering like smoke from the remnants of what looks like a chase judging by the damage left behind. The notes of afternoon-seasalt-storm-starburst only call Minato to push his speed even further, though he does falter at the sulfuric undertone that streaks through the remaining signature.

Something about it is horribly familiar, though he has never felt it from Raijin before.

Finally, he comes upon the heart of the fight, skidding to a halt in front of the mouth of the corridor where an entire section of a wall has collapsed in and smoke still billows in the air. The smell of blood fills the air and Minato's heart all but beats in his throat and he carefully picks his way through the wreckage, employing a minor wind jutsu to dissipate some of the dust and debris before they can choke him.

"Raijin?" he calls out softly.

His hearing is still recovering from the earlier explosion but even so he can hear his shinobi approaching. Minato would prefer to find his brother for himself before they get here, though he can't be sure he will be so lucky.

Nothing but silence answers him. Minato swallows harshly and begins to mould sensory chakra together before letting it spread out. He frowns, receiving no signs of life in the hallway aside from the approaching ANBU.

Is Raijin not here either then? But the dissipating sparks of chakra that linger in the air in the aftermath of a consuming jutsu undoubtedly belong to him, so he was here, and quite recently too.

And then Minato freezes as he finally approaches the heart of the conflict and its outcome: Shimura Danzou's lifeless eyes stare back up at him, though they are mismatched—one hazel and one black.

His headless corpse lies in a crumpled heap a small distance away.

"We've secured the perimeter, Hokage-sama," Commander Takigawa informs, materialising at Minato's side. "The police inspectors are taking statements from the ROOT agents right now. I have a quarter of my forces working on gathering them all at the central chamber and looking into where the assailant might be."

Minato purses his lips and nods. "He hasn't been dead long," he states, nodding at Danzou's head. "The corpse has only just stopped bleeding."

"So, the killer must be nearby," Takigawa concludes grimly. "I'll have them keep an eye out around the village and the borders."

They are interrupted by ANBU Macaque approaching them, an air of wariness surrounding him. "Sir, I think you need to take a look at this."

'This' turns out to be the prosthetic arm that Danzou had apparently been hiding behind all those bandages. It's a disturbingly close design to the modifications that were done to Obito. It's also implanted with ten sharingan.

Takigawa hisses in an uncharacteristic display of emotion, "Bloodline thief."

Minato stares, mind dangerously blank. He'd known Danzou was a threat with his unshaking faith in his own authority and willingness to make questionable decisions even by shinobi standards, but he could never have imagined the man would resort to the ultimate taboo of their village. Ten sharingan. He can't even imagine how the Uchiha will react.

"I want every inch of this place searched," he decides, voice cold even to his own ears. "Go through every file, every record, every room, every crack in the walls. Nothing remains hidden. I want to know everything else Shimura Danzou may have kept secret from us."

"Yes, sir."

Swallowing, he adds, "His eyes. Check his eyes. They don't match."

A pause. With icy professionalism, "Yes, sir."

"I want the Police Force to take point for this," Minato states. "Danzou had eyes and ears everywhere, but it is unlikely there were any among the Uchiha given…recent developments, let's say. Until I can be sure of who was loyal to him, I'd rather not take risks with such a sensitive situation. Make sure none of the ROOT agents are allowed to leave here until all the evidence is secured. And—"

The rest of his words are lost to a gasp as the threads of chakra in the back of his consciousness find what they are reaching for, Raijin's connection to him coming back to life like a flare in the dark, blazing through every other thought in Minato's head.

Takigawa inclines his head, face unreadable behind his Crane mask. "Hokage-sama?"

But Minato can barely hear him over the sound of his own heart beating in his ears. Raijin is close. Minato can feel him again. His brother has restored the connection for a reason—he wants to be found. Minato takes a shaky step back and then another. "I need to go," he breathes.

The ANBU Commander is obviously taken aback. "Sir?"

"I need to go," Minato repeats. "Something just came up. I'll be back. Do as I said until then."

Hokage Monument. That's roughly where Raijin's location seems to be. Minato knows he has a Hiraishin seal there somewhere. He doesn't think twice before triggering the transportation, ripping through space-time with less grace than he usually affords in his frenzy to reappear just above the Sandaime's stone head.

And there he is, waiting.

Raijin stands on the cliff's edge before him, eyes like flint and face unreadable, features cast in a shadow under the light of the setting sun at his back. The ROOT uniform he wears is ripped in places and sports dark patches that are telltale signs of bloodstains, but there are no visible injuries on him at least.

When he smiles, it is one of the wry false smiles that don't reach his eyes. Something about it feels like a shard to Minato's heart. "Hey, nii-chan."

Minato licks his lips, mouth suddenly dry. "Raijin," he returns. Now that they're here, he finds that he isn't quite sure what to say.

"You know," his brother starts thoughtfully, "I think I just didn't want to believe it would ever get to this, but a part of me knew there would be no avoiding it."

Everything about that immediately has Minato on his guard; from the detached emptiness in Raijin's eyes to the tone of inevitability he has adopted. Wary, he asks, "What do you mean, otouto?"

"I killed him, nii-chan," Raijin states simply. "I knew the things he has done; the things he was planning on doing. I knew I was running out of time. I should have done something sooner, but—" He cuts himself off, inhaling deeply. "Well, it doesn't matter now. It's done. I killed him. It's finally over."

Minato stares. "Did you plan this?"

"It had to be done," Raijin says simply. "I made a promise. I couldn't go back on my word. Letting Danzou be was never an option."

"You made a promise to kill Shimura Danzou," Minato repeats, head spinning. "It was premeditated."

"He will never harm anyone else ever again," Raijin states plainly. "I've finally fixed everything I could."

He looks dazed as he says this, as though coming to a realisation for himself. Minato has never seen him look like this. Raijin is usually such a spot of brightness, it's like he radiates a sense of life. His brother has always had his eyes fixed on a far-off horizon somewhere, a larger-than-life kind of energy fueling him like he is a supernova trapped under human skin.

Now, though, Raijin looks…empty. He might be looking at Minato but it's like he sees nothing, his mind somewhere far away. Lost. Like a puppet whose strings have been cut.

In some ways, it's terrifying. Minato's thoughts are racing, blurring into one another as he desperately tries to understand just what has happened and what is happening right now.

"Raijin," he begins slowly, deliberately, "listen to me—you need to turn yourself in, okay? Your chakra signature and DNA is still going to be at the scene of the crime, and the Police Force knows you have motive to act. You just ran an illegal operation to take over ROOT and kill its leader. They're going to be looking for you."

Snorting, Raijin sets his jaw. "He deserved it."

"Maybe," Minato acquiesces, "but that isn't for you to decide. He should have been tried and punished by the village."

Raijin's eyes narrow slightly, a cold presence leaking into them that makes him look more awake at least. "He was a bloodline thief, nii-chan. He was a warmonger and a child stealer. You can't even begin to imagine half the things that man is responsible for."

Minato closes his eyes and inhales deeply. "Raijin, you don't understand—a shinobi of your calibre and standing cannot choose to throw his strength around like this and act out instead of trusting the systems we have in place for a situation like this."

His younger brother scoffs. "Like Danzou wouldn't have figured it out the moment anyone tried to look too deeply into any of his actions," he argues. "Do you think it's a coincidence that Konoha faces abnormal amounts of border skirmishes? Or that the last person who managed to rise to political influence in this village before you was the Sandaime? What do you think happened to Katou Dan, nii-chan?"

Ice crawls through Minato's veins. "What?"

"Katou Dan," Raijin repeats. "Senju Tsunade's fiance and famous Hokage candidate? His last mission was sabotaged. Hatake Sakumo wasn't driven to suicide by any old coincidence either. Even Orochimaru for that matter. Haven't you ever thought about just why a decorated shinobi—a Sannin, of all people—has such a poor reputation in the village he dedicated his life to? What about Uchiha Fugaku never getting recognition for his contributions to Konoha?" Brows furrowing, he asks, "Nii-chan, why do you think you had to face a thousand enemy shinobi with a team of fourteen and no backup in sight?"

The implication that Shimura Danzou could have had his hand behind each and every one of those incidents has shivers crawling down Minato's spine. "How—how do you know all this?" 

Raijin shakes his head. "I've known since before I even came to Konoha. Shimura Danzou would have driven us all to ruin." Running a rough hand through his windswept hair, he admits, "I'd hoped imprisonment would be enough. That I could just make you see how much of a threat he was and let you deal with him. But it would have taken too long, and it could put you and Kushina-nee at risk. Besides, he went after Shisui. Itachi would have been next. And then—" Swallowing, he stops. His eyes have lost focus again, like he isn't even talking to Minato anymore. "It's better for everyone this way. Danzou needed to pay for everything he has done. It's the least I can do for Sasuke."

This wasn't just premeditated, Minato realises. Raijin has had his eye set on Danzou's downfall for much longer than he expected. If he did this for that friend of his, Sasuke, then this is something that Raijin has had in mind since that friend was alive. Since before he pledged allegiance to Konoha. There is a history here. This was personal.

Not for the first time, Minato realises just how little he truly knows about his brother. He has tried to be patient and understanding about it. Tried to wait until Raijin feels comfortable enough to come to him of his own accord. Tried to look past all the unknown history Raijin is deliberately tight-lipped about and see a future in which his brother is at his side.

Now though…

Minato tries to swallow past the painful lump in his throat. "Raijin, who are you?" Every second of silence feels like an eternity. Minato tries again, "Where did you come from? How did you get so strong? How did you know Danzou before you even came here? Who are Sasuke and Sakura?"

In stark contrast to his desperation, Raijin's face is blank. He stands perfectly still, like he is more statue than human, with his distant eyes. Like a ghost.

"I can't tell you."

Minato thinks he could cry. "Don't you trust me?" he asks, and it comes out like he is begging to be believed.

Raijin is quiet. Every moment of his silence feels like a knife being twisted in Minato's gut. Finally, he says, "You're a good Hokage, Minato." His lips pull into a smile that is simply an expression of heartbreak more than anything else. "And you're everything I could ask for in a brother. I've been happier with you than I could have ever imagined."

"Then why won't you tell me the truth?"

"I don't even know where to start," he admits softly. "I don't know how to tell you or how to stop being afraid that you won't believe me." His face crumples. "That you won't want to keep me anymore."

"Raijin," Minato says, pleads, heart aching, "Raijin, I will always want you. You're my brother."

But Raijin shakes his head and takes a step back. "Minato, don't you see? I don't belong here."

Minato steps forward, instinctively knowing he cannot let Raijin put distance between them. Even now, it's like he is slipping away. Like Minato is losing him all over again in as many days. "What are you talking about? Of course, you belong."

"You don't understand," Raijin refutes, eyes glassy. "I'm not supposed to be here. Everything is finally fixed, and now, I'm the only thing that's wrong. Namikaze Raijin isn't even supposed to exist, but he's all I have left and still I don't know who he's supposed to be. Who I'm supposed to be. What do I do now?"

And Minato doesn't know how to respond to that. Raijin isn't making any sense, ranting on with his glassy eyes blown wide in some half-crazed frenzy that Minato doesn't even know how to begin understanding because Raijin won't tell him.

He takes a deep breath and forces himself to calm down. Minato just needs to focus on the next step in front of him. "Raijin," he begins, "let's just go home, okay? We'll go home and you will turn yourself in. Then we can start preparing for your trial and Danzou's."

Raijin stares at him, tension leaving his frame and leaving him limp. "What's the point?" he asks softly. "It will fix nothing."

"Of course, it will," Minato snaps, control slipping. He closes his eyes and inhales deeply again. Calm. Focus. "It will help," he repeats. "You can explain yourself and clear your name and everything will return to normal again."

His brother tilts his head as though considering this. Something about the angle strikes Minato as oddly unnatural. "Will that be a good thing?" Raijin asks, voice barely carrying over the wind.

Minato blinks, stumped. "Why wouldn't it?"

Smiling wryly, Raijin says, "Because we can't live like this forever, nii-chan."

Breath caught in his throat, Minato forces out, "What are you talking about?"

"You will always want to know the truth," Raijin states with his unshaking certainty, "and I might never be able to tell you. How long will we last like that?"

A very real fear takes root in Minato's chest, squeezing painfully around his lungs. It almost sounds like… "Raijin, are you leaving?"

No. He can't. He wouldn't, would he? He wouldn't just leave Minato like that. He can't. Minato won't let him. Raijin has to know that. Has to know that Minato would give anything to keep him here, would do anything to make him happy. He has to know that Minato would chase after him forever for the chance to drag him back home and make him see that he does belong. He belongs right here with Minato and Kushina and the whole host of people who love him.

But Raijin isn't saying anything. He only looks back at Minato with pursed lips and no denial.

Minato freezes. "You can't leave," he says, and it comes out so small, no one would think to imagine the Hokage could ever sound like this. Yet here is, reduced to such helplessness by his own little brother.

"I can't stay, nii-chan," Raijin whispers. "They're all going to want answers I can't give them. I was never supposed to be here to begin with.'

Tears well in Minato's eyes, blurring his vision and he stubbornly blinks them away. "You're not leaving. You can't," he states. "Raijin, please, let's just go home."

"I'm sorry," Raijin says, offering him a half-hearted smile. "I don't know how to tell you the truth, but I know I can't keep lying to you anymore either."

Minato reaches for him, all but stumbling in his haste. "I don't want the truth. I just want you to stay."

"Ah," Raijin says, gaze briefly drifting down to where Minato has curled his fingers into the material of his stolen cloak, "now you're the one who's lying, nii-chan."

Some part of Minato wants to sob. The other wants to scream and rage and shake the sense into Raijin. "Why won't you just trust me?" he begs.

"It's not your fault," Raijin soothes, lifting a hand to gently swipe his thumb under Minato's eye where a tear manages to slip past despite his best efforts. "I could never wish my burdens upon you."

'It's not a burden,' Minato wants to say. Wants to scream. 'You're not a burden. You're my brother.'

But by then Raijin is smoke slipping through his fingers and Minato realises he was too late right from the very start.

Raijin is long gone.

Notes:

Sike! It has in fact been Minato's No Good, Very Bad Day all along.

I think a bunch of you saw this coming and expressed how much it'd upset you if I decided to do this, but honestly, I've been craving drama and I aim to create the problems I want to see in the world. I mean, I watched Home Alone and thought "ha ha that'd be a funny action sequence" and that was basically last chapter, so by this point you should expect this bullshit from me.