A/N: The fact that I keep promising that THIS time I've got my shit together and the chapter will be on time, and then everything proves me wrong... I'm not even gonna make promises. I hate it, y'all probably don't like it, but ugh the universe is determined to hate me.
I've got a rash under my armpit that's NOT going away even though I stopped using deodorant over a month ago, knots in my back so bad they're making my fingers go numb sometimes and then if my roommate tries to massage it it literally HURTS like not the good hurt but like CRYING-hurting because my back is literal hell I guess, I STILL haven't filed my taxes, I STILL haven't transferred my 401k from my old job's agency to my new one's (even though I changed jobs over SIX MONTHS AGO), and all the stress is making my executive dysfunction even worse, to the point that I will literally stare at my computer screen for HOURS, doing NOTHING, as I tell myself to just pick a task and start – writing, making a dr's appointment, taxes, ANYTHING.
And then I do nothing.
And then I scream internally forever as I try to do something but keep failing in a never ending loop of WHY AM I LIKE THIS?!
Finally managed to request time off from my boss though, so that I can make the arrangements for having my sister come out and live with me, so at least I've done SOMETHING productive.
As far as the actual chapter goes, this one went through more intense editing than usual, an entire segment got completely re-written, which changed enough of how the chapter went that I had to make minor edits through the rest of it – personally I feel like the re-written segment improved it for the better, but honestly this fic sometimes feels like a tree and I'm staring at it wondering how it ever grew so big, because I thought they were FLOWER seeds or something.
I don't know, that analogy got away from me.
Anyway, thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy!
Jiraiya does not get paid enough to deal with these brats.
He's got an unconscious kid, two more panicking ones, a sleazy merchant choking out his lungs while shiftily looking around for a way out, and an enemy shinobi he can just barely sense, already fleeing the scene.
Jiraiya makes a clone to pursue them, and then another to try and get the fire under control before it spreads.
And then, miraculously, Naruto and Sasuke start tying up their captured merchant before he can make good on his intent to bolt, and Jiraiya's left with just Pinky, sprawled in his arms and nose steadily leaking blood.
It's going to be a long day, he can already tell.
Jiraiya figures it's best not to stick around town, especially not when there could be any number of spies around to report his still-breathing merchant to the enemy shinobi. He could handle anyone they sent, of course, but the last thing he wants is the kids freaking out, or worse - trying to get involved.
Kami-sama these brats have the worst luck.
He scoops up their quarry, coughing weakly and demanding to be released, and gestures for the kids to pick up their teammate.
"We're heading back to our camp," he says, watching in amusement as Naruto all but forces Sasuke to carry their unconscious trouble-maker.
He'd ask, he really wants to, because Naruto's been practically attached to Pinky for as long as Jiraiya's been with the team, but he can't risk knocking their merchant unconscious and giving him health complications, so...
Jiraiya will just have to put his curiosity to rest for now, he supposes.
Ah, the sacrifices he makes for the mission.
He's sure he could get even that legendary Uchiha composure to break, with this sort of situation!
He shakes the thought off with a sigh, and waves the kiddos into motion, positioning himself in the rear to keep an eye on everything.
It's a quick trip to the lake, the kids laying down Natsu, Sasuke's face pinched and annoyed as Naruto's twists up in worry.
Jiraiya's going to have to deal with that...
Later.
Pinky's not awake, which means whatever information he's got is useless to Jiraiya right now. But he blatantly ignored Jiraiya's orders on chakra usage to run into a chemical fire, all to save the life of one civilian merchant, so Jiraiya's going to trust there was a reason for it.
Kid's not an amature at least, so he shouldn't have to worry about Pinky doing something that reckless for no reason.
Kid's an idealist though... could have rushed in just to save a life, nothing else to it.
Jiraiya shakes off the thought and looks at the merchant, then at Naruto and Sasuke, sitting by their unconscious teammate.
He needs information, and the sooner the better but, well.
His best techniques take time.
And he doesn't have enough of it, with an attack like that already behind them. Who knows what else could happen, now that they're involved.
And something tells him they're about to get very involved.
So he puts on a friendly smile with just a little too much tooth to it, and looks at the merchant.
"Do you know who I am?"
The man's eyes skip across his face, just that side of too quick, and Jiraiya's sure the man does.
He shakes his head though - an attempt to get set free, or an attempt to lay the groundwork to deny everything?
Guess that'll be something to figure out.
"I know who you are," Jiraiya continues when he's certain the man won't speak. Playing omniscience isn't his preferred strategy, too much of a chance to say something wrong and show his hand, but he thinks the guy's just scared enough for it to work, as long as Jiraiya's careful. "You came from Kiri, didn't even get a good haul for all your trouble - I hear their trading tariffs are still obscene for your average dealer. Had to have been miserable, right? Maybe you picked up some extra cargo, just a couple things, no one was supposed to know - only someone did. Tell me, who could want to kill you so badly? This was no Kiri assassination, not unless they're hiring out these days. Perhaps I can even arrange some protection, if I know who I'm dealing with."
It's an empty promise, as much as Jiraiya wishes it weren't.
He's in no position to be offering a guard, and Konoha will take far too long to send someone.
Even if it's part of the job, lies always feel like ash on his tongue.
"I-it wasn't-" the man breaks off into coughs, wet enough that Jiraiya's pretty sure there'll be blood coming out soon.
Man probably needs a medic more than a protection team at this point...
"It was just some weapons..." the merchant all but whispers, and a stone drops in Jiraiya's gut.
Merchants being assassinated by foreign shinobi, after smuggling weapons?
And with Orochimaru being in Konoha itself, and those rumors about Otogakure...
He's not seeing a pretty picture here at all.
It's not hard to get the man to spill once he starts talking, but that's half because the guy doesn't seem to know much at all.
A couple names of people who might have been paranoid enough to keep multiple sets of physical records, a few addresses, and not much else.
Jiraiya has half an urge to wake Pinky up, just to try and confirm what he's got, see what else the merchant is hiding, because he knows there's something left out here, but.
He saw their original target run out, and get cut down.
If he wants to find any paper trails, they're out of time.
"Out of everyone you named, who's the most likely to have records?"
A point in his favor, the merchant doesn't hesitate. "Sakuragi-san."
Jiraiya nods, and smoothly proceeds to knock the merchant out before he creates a second shadow clone.
Shinobi secrets, and all.
Then he glances back to the kids, and sighs.
Time really is of the essence here... he can't quite keep a scowl off his face as he jerks his thumb to the clone.
"Uchiha, you're with him. Information's the priority here, so once he gets you in close I want you to activate your dojutsu and memorize everything. I'll- I'll worry about the seal, keep an eye on Pinky's just in case. Get going."
Naruto lets out a half-hearted protest as Sasuke immediately scrambles onto the clone's back, and Jiraiya waves him over.
"Help me re-do these bindings, I think it's putting too much pressure on his lungs. They won't be long, half an hour at most, kid."
It's the best distraction he can offer. His first clone hasn't dispelled yet, so hopefully it'll still be following that kunoichi - best case scenario, he gets the base and the paperwork all in one go.
A guy can dream, at least.
***
Natsu groans at the overwhelming scent of sakura petals.
"S'kura-chan?" he mumbles, eyes closed.
"Nope. Sorry about this, but we have a bit of a problem."
Natsu bolts up at Sakuni's voice, drawn tight with exhaustion.
Her hair hangs limp and loose, and she doesn't look hurt, really, but her entire appearance is sloppy and tired. He scrambles over, concerned, and she waves it off with a tired smile.
"It lasted longer than I thought it would, that bastardized trap we'd made for that shade, but I think something happened? It sort of fell apart a little bit ago... I tried to get that stupid jerk to help, but he's still not leaving your mind so that was a waste of time..."
Sakuni trails off into curses, and Natsu still wants to ask what jerk, because he's not supposed to have anyone in his head, but Sakuni's dodged the question every time it's come up, and it seems like they've got more important stuff to do than play at interrogation.
He's not forgetting, though! They'll talk sooner or later, and he won't stop asking til he gets an answer!
For now though, Natsu focuses. "I don't see 'im anywhere," hestarts, glancing around the Bridge for their errant visitor.
It's quiet.
There's the flickering fire that cuts off his own Heart from everything else, a shadow unmoving just behind it, and there's Sakura-chan's tree-lined path, still warm and inviting.
And the Uchiha gates, still so new and strange, still cracked open just a bit. They feel ghostly, like something that isn't supposed to be there, two minds unnaturally joined together by this stupid curse seal. Natsu's still not sure about the whole Ancestor thing, but at least it's never felt unnatural being with Sakura-chan and Sakuni, if anything it's been the opposite. A little too natural, even while it was so so wrong, because Sakura-chan should have rejected him, her body should have rejected his soul, it's not supposed to work like this.
Sasuke's gates stand as part of their Bridge, an unnatural entrance to a mind that isn't supposed to be there, and it's not hurting either of them, being connected like this, but.
Natsu has a bad feeling.
Especially when he still can't find that snake-shade guy, and that gate's still so ominously open.
"Is... Sasuke okay?" he asks, softly, and Sakuni's sighs.
"The shade's not over there. Not- not really. You can feel it, right? The way it's trying to influence you?"
Natsu considers for a moment, then shrugs. "No, I don't feel anything. Do you? Wait- is this like how Sasuke was having weird thoughts and stuff?"
Sakuni stares incredulously for a moment, then groans. "Guess that loser's good for something," she mutters, glaring at the wall of fire still cutting off Natsu's Heart from the rest of the Bridge. "But yeah. I'm protecting Sakura-chan, of course, she shouldn't feel anything, but Sasuke doesn't have that. I've been doing my best, destroying any tendrils of chakra as I find them, but they're getting subtler- harder to spot. We need to drag the shade back into the open, so we can lock it up again, but it's just going to keep failing... probably faster too as it gets more used to how our minds work. It's just- I don't know what we can do, long-term, to stop this!" Sakuni stomps her foot, furious, and still so exhausted. Natsu couldn't ignore the concern if he wanted to.
It really isn't right, leaving her to do this all alone!
He's not sure what else he can do though. Sakura-chan doesn't seem to be able to slip out of the cabin like Sakuni could, he still doesn't know why, so it's not like he can stay here and help. And leaving Sakura-chan to fight like this, that's even worse. Even if he doesn't know why Sakuni is so much older, she still is, and somehow more... something- but-
Natsu groans, scrubbing at his head for a moment.
"Argh, enough! Let's just beat this guy up again, and then kick Jiraiya's ass and tell him to hurry up already!"
Sakuni snorts, offering him a tired grin, and then they get to work.
***
They need to talk. Sakuni knows they need to talk, about the seal, about what that shade said before, about who Sakura is and how Natsu's affecting them and how Natsu affected her, changed her-
About things Natsu doesn't even know he's forgotten.
The curse seal's really a double-edged blade. Sakuni knows she wouldn't have been able to leave the mindscape like she did before without it, it's destabilizing things and giving her more freedom, more power, but. Well.
It's destabilizing things. And what's giving her more power now is going to start hurting Sakura soon, and that's not something Sakuni will ever be willing to do.
Her job is to protect Sakura, to protect her Outer self, from those threats that target deeper things than flesh.
And if this shade keeps doing things like he is, she knows Sakura's going to be affected.
A part of her wishes she could be selfish, but. She is Sakura, and Sakura is her.
They both care about Sasuke too much to leave him to suffer the burden alone, but if Sakuni doesn't find a solution soon she knows it's going to come down between Sakura or Sasuke and-
She's older now, changed, maybe, by Natsu and his mind and the things that sleep inside it.
She doesn't want to make the choice, but she can if she has to.
Even if neither Sakura or Natsu would ever forgive her for it.
For now though.
For now, Natsu's trying his best, and there's so many things he doesn't realize, about himself, and his power, and how it's affecting Sakura and how it's affecting himself in turn and-
There's a chance, Sakuni thinks, that maybe it won't come to that sort of choice at all.
When he stands there, in the Bridge that is Sakuni's own Heart, wreathed in fire and burning with the force of his determination, Sakuni almost thinks there's no need to worry at all.
He turns to look at her, grinning sharply, eyes wild with exhilaration, and Sakuni can't help but grin back.
It feels like anything's possible, standing there with him, side-by-side, unburned by the raging fire.
Knowing that even if the fire were real, and not a mental projection, it still wouldn't burn, because Natsu wouldn't let it-
Well.
Standing like that, Sakuni feels like she could do anything.
Like nothing could ever be impossible as long as they worked together.
Natsu's family... I hope they know how lucky they are.
"Ne, Sakuni, c'mon! Let's fight!"
Well.
If they don't already know, she'll just have to find a way to follow Natsu back so she can beat it into their skulls.
For now, she's got an entirely different skull to beat in.
"Right!"
***
Sasuke clings to the clone's back as it leaps through the town. They might be too late, might not be able to get anything, but if there's something to see Sasuke's Sharingan is their best bet.
So he doesn't mention the throbbing ache in his shoulder, or how, just for a moment, he'd calculated how to best snap the clone's neck, before he remembered it was a clone and not actually Jiraiya.
It's just more proof of how much he needs Natsu to protect him, and he knows he didn't really want to drop his teammate, but he still wishes Naruto had carried him.
Maybe then the thoughts wouldn't have come.
He can't afford to think about this now though.
Jiraiya- Jiraiya's clone taps his leg, a prearranged signal, and Sasuke activates his dojutsu.
The world snaps into perfect clarity. He can see everything, could do anything, and for a moment there's burning fury at Jiraiya, who dared to tell him he wasn't allowed to use his family's own power-!
He stomps it down, it's a distraction, he doesn't need to think about that now, for now he has a job.
Masterfully constructed chakra threads open the window just before the clone and Sasuke sail in, and Sasuke is absolutely going to learn how to do that.
It takes only a glance to know someone's already been through the room, and clearly even Jiraiya- or his clone- can see that as well, because he leaves immediately, into the rest of the house.
There's a door across the hall, and a flash of movement-
The clone bursts into the room, Sasuke keeping his eyes wide open-
Everything imprints.
The crackling fire, devouring books and furniture and loose papers deliberately tossed. But the shinobi, already fleeing out the window, didn't put them face-down and Sasuke will never forget the scraps of still-burning parchment he can see, or the fully-intact one still in the shinobi's hand that may have only faced them for half a second, but even that's as good as an hour to his eyes.
The clone reaches into the flames without fear, shifting as many papers around as possible, as quickly as it can, and Sasuke memorizes everything.
Then they're gone, fleeing back out of the room and exiting at the other end of the house, rushing back to their meeting point.
Sasuke deactivates his Sharingan, and tries to ignore his shoulder.
Tries to ignore the urge to destroy the clone and rush after that shinobi, because he could catch them, he knows he can, and maybe those papers were important-
Sasuke's grip tightens around the clone's neck, and it looks back at him a moment. "Alright kid?"
Sasuke takes a deep breath, loosening his arms.
He tries not to feel too pathetic, as he wishes for Natsu to get better soon.
The clone, at least, seems to take Sasuke's silence for confirmation, and doesn't say anything else the whole way back.
Sasuke only thinks about destroying it three more times.
He wishes the urges didn't feel so much like his own, because if someone is going to mess with his head they should at least do so in a way he can fight-
His shoulder burns.
Sasuke grits his teeth, and the clone slams to a stop fast enough for their heads to collide.
Sasuke jerks back, annoyed- practically furious, but freezes as he spots the shinobi standing in the tree.
"Just a clone, huh?" The shinobi muses with a grin. "Must be our lucky day then! We'll be taking the kid, if you don't mind."
He drops down, and there's a slight rustling in the bushes as more shinobi come out. Sasuke lets his Sharingan whirl to life, as he drops carefully off the clone's back.
There's eight of them.
And they look pretty confident. Sasuke's shoulder burns, and he knows a clone can only ever take one good hit.
Fuck.
He grabs a kunai and turns, putting his back to the clone. Jiraiya's a Sannin, so even a fraction of his strength should be enough to take these guys, is what he tries to tell himself.
He actively avoids thinking about how a single clone, in this situation, is probably useless.
Sasuke can make it work.
He has to.
***
Naruto tries to sit still, he does, but Natsu's burnin' up and Sasuke n' Clone-Jiraiya are late and the real Jiraiya's pokin' around that nasty seal and he looks worried but he won't say anything-!
He leaps to his feet with an aggrieved shout and starts pacing again, wishing he could do something.
He keeps pacing, for ages and ages until he knows that Sasuke and Clone-Jiraiya are really really really late, and then he can't hold back anymore.
"We've gotta go look for them!"
Before Jiraiya can respond though, he remembers Natsu, Natsu who's asleep and still way too hot, and can't help but scrub violently at his head.
"What do we do?"
"Calm down, kid." Jiraiya says, voice even and calm.
Naruto wants to scream.
How is he not freaking out, 'ttebayo!?
But even if he doesn't understand, even if he's so worried he feels like he could explode, somehow it's nice, that the old man can be so calm.
It makes Naruto think everything really is alright.
Jiraiya waits until Naruto stops vibrating so much before he continues.
"My clone hasn't dispersed yet, so I'm sure they're fine - and look! The parts of the seal that'd been repairing themselves before are breaking again, it's actually really fascinating, c'mon kid, your mom was great with seals, it'd be a shame if you didn't learn a thing or two-"
It's a clear attempt to distract him, Naruto's not an idiot, no matter what that jerk says!
But-
"SHE WAS?! I- You said- I thought you meant that she p-put the book together after buying them o-or something- she actually-" Naruto stops, as his mind catches up to the rest of Jiraiya's words.
"WAIT- Whaddya mean your clone hasn't popped yet?!" Naruto's so torn - it's possible to tell when the clones pop? HIS MOM WAS GREAT WITH SEALS?! He wants to ask everything, a-and it sounds like Natsu's getting better too, even if he still isn't waking up yet, and Jiraiya says everything's fine so it's gotta be and-
The old guy laughs. "Kid, your mom could spin circles around me with her seals, she was one of the best in the village, and when she hosted the Kyuubi it was a seal of her own invention she used to do it, though I think Mito-sama helped her construct it..." he trails off with a shrug and a grin, as Naruto inches close. "And she personally hand-crafted every single seal in my storage booklet."
"S-she was that good?" he asks, a little hesitant, because it's weird to think that his parents could have been so awesome, that his mom, who had the same name as him, could have been so awesome, but people still didn't-
No! He'll show them! Maybe they don't see it yet, but he's gonna be the best Hokage ever dattebayo!
Jiraiya reaches out and ruffles his hair, a grin he's almost scared to call affectionate on his face.
"Course she was kid. Now what's this about the clones?" His expression turns stern, but Naruto's pretty sure the guy's making fun of him, and not actually angry, so he scowls right back.
"Whaddya mean? I meant what I said, how d'ya just know your clone's still there?" he crosses his arms and glares.
Jiraiya blinks stupidly. "Uh. Kid. You- you had to have realized, right?"
Naruto squints suspiciously. "Realized what?"
Jiraiya slaps a palm against his face, dragging it down in the universal sign of exhaustion. "That you get the memories of your clones when they dispel?" he says like a question, peeking one eye out from between his fingers.
"Whaaaaaaaaa?" Naruto's face scrunches in confusion, and he tilts his head at the guy. "I haven't noticed anything like that!"
A white eyebrow twitches in visible irritation. "How the-- you've never noticed?! Kid you spam those things like they're going out of style! You have to have noticed!"
"Nope!" Naruto says, popping the 'p' as he does. "Never noticed a thing. Maybe you're just crazy?" he cracks a wide grin, and he's pretty sure he hears Jiraiya mutter prayers to the kami-sama under his breath.
Naruto's amusement's short-lived though, as Jiraiya launches into a lecture of all the boring theory behind the jutsu- he skipped those parts in the scroll for a reason, they're too dull!
He groans loudly, and Jiraiya just talks louder, a smug grin on his face as Naruto's brain starts to feel like it's leaking out of his ears.
Then he stops, mid-word, and Naruto starts to feel sick to his stomach.
It almost isn't a surprise, when Jiraiya's amusement fades into a serious look, and he says those words.
"My clone dispelled."
A/N: and I guess, for anyone who's interested, I do have a tumblr? I really don't know how that site works, but enough of the other fic authors I follow post status updates, so I'm slowing getting into the habit of that! I also plan to start posting some original fic prompts, maybe even snippits from my original novel when I finally start editing it...
I dunno, basically, I've got a tumblr and I don't know how to use it but I guess I'm just gonna throw writing updates and original works up there for anyone who's curious. Also probably lots of reblogs lol. Thanks again for reading!