“Sensei?” Kodan asked, “he’s not here. He died of illness a few years after you were banished.”
“You were revived as well,” Taryn said,” Kabuto brought you back because of your fighting skills and he set you against me to get under my skin. Because you were my teammate. So I’ll ask you again. Where is Tohrun-sensei?”
“Taryn,” Kodan said, “my movements right now may not be my own, but my words are. I do not know if Tohrun-sensei was revived, but he is not here with me.”
Taryn eyed him carefully for a moment, but nodded. “It was good to see you again,” she said and charged at him with Chidori. She gasped when he dodged it and tackled her. “How?” she breathed from the ground.
“You forget I know you,” Kodan told her, “and whoever is controlling my moves knows you too. Do you have something better?”
“I don’t want to use it,” she said.
Kodan sighed. “Taryn-chan, I’m already dead.”
A faint smile crossed Taryn’s face. “No one’s called me that in years,” she said while crawling up.
Kodan grinned. “No one dared to call you that,” he chuckled. He nodded at Lee. “So, he’s one of your students?”
“No,” Taryn said, “he’s not, but for now he is my comrade.”
“But you have students, right? I heard him mention them.”
Taryn nodded. “Your cousin Kuro is one of them,” she said.
“Kuro?” Kodan questioned surprised, “then how? How did you end up back in Suna?”
“I was called back when my father died.”
Kodan looked at her. “The Kazekage is dead?” he asked slowly.
“You don’t know?” Taryn questioned, “he’s been dead for four years.”
“Then … who is Kazekage now?” he asked.
“Gaara is,” Taryn smiled.
Kodan grinned again. “Your father would turn in his grave.”
“He’s doing a good job,” Taryn hissed.
“I’m sure he does,” Kodan nodded and lifted his hands to form new seals, “you wouldn’t have let yourself be banished for nothing.”
Taryn braced herself for a new attack and was surprised when he whipped his chain at her again instead of using ninjutsu. She whirled out of the weapon’s reach and caught the end. She wrapped it around her arm and gave a firm pull.
Kodan was janked off his feet, but quickly recovered and kicked her legs from under her.
Taryn fell back, but managed to flip Kodan over and sent a fireball after him. He rolled over fast and gasped at her.
Taryn narrowed her eyes and watched his every move. His hands formed seals and he slammed them on the ground, vanishing in the earth.
Taryn used her Byakugan to locate him. Kodan had always been good at hiding himself. His jutsu had always worked well with her Ryoki. She could unleash it at the enemy while he hid himself in the earth, out of harms way. So it took her a while to find him.
“Lee!” she shouted, “move out of the way!”
Lee didn’t hesitate. They boy may not have any chakra, but he had excellent reflexes.
When Kodan burst through the earth, Lee was no longer there.
“You’re fast,” Kodan complimented the boy.
“That was nothing,” Lee said, “just wait until I actually try.”
Kodan smiled. “You know I don’t really want to fight, do you?” he asked.
Lee stared at him for a long time. Then he glanced at Taryn.
She nodded at him sadly. “I’ll take him,” she said.
“Are you sure?” Lee asked.
“Yeah,” she said, “I know him. He was my training partner.”
Kodan cast her a sad smile. “This is it then,” he said, “our last spar. I’m glad you’re back home, Taryn-chan. It was an honor to fight alongside you.”
Taryn let out a shaky breath. She never knew he cared so much. She nodded at him. “Thank you,” she said, “you were a worthy partner. I’m proud to have been your teammate.”
His smile widened and something changed in him, like he was letting go of something. He gasped and stared at his hands.
“What?” Taryn asked.
“I’m… no longer bound,” he said, “I can move on my own now.”
Taryn stared at him thoughtfully. The same thing had happened with Itachi, when he had stopped himself from attacking her.
“Taryn,” Kodan broke her thoughts, “you can kill me now.”
Taryn shook her head.
“You know you have to,” he said, “I’m just a walking corpse now. That’s not what I want. You don’t know if I might be controlled again. You have to do it now.”
She felt Lee’s eyes on her, but she kept her gaze on Kodan. She took a deep breath and nodded. Taryn grabbed her fan and braced herself.
“My parents…” Kodan said suddenly, “are the still alive?”
Taryn nodded. “Yes,” she said, “they are.”
Kodan swallowed and his eyes teared up. “Will you… will you tell them I love them?”
Taryn swallowed too and nodded. She didn’t trust her voice right now.
“Okay,” Kodan sighed. He closed his eyes. Taryn closed hers too and aimed Ryoki at him. She would make it fast. She knew the jutsu would do its job.
She dropped to her knees and the fan fell to the ground. “I’m sick of this war,” she muttered.
“Yeah,” she heard Lee’s hoarse voice, “me too.”
***
“Amazing,” Naruto gasped. Now that he finally had control over the Nine Tails, all his senses had gone up. He could feel Bee more clearly now and was even aware of the shinobi outside that had accompanied them on this mission. He wondered how far these sense could reach and tested out their limit.
First to the gate of the property and then even further.
So many people were up and about. He smiled to himself and wondered what they were doing.
And then he froze. His eyes went wide and he let out a gasp. ‘War?’
“The cat’s out of the bag,” the Eight Tails muttered at his host.
Bee sighed. He had noticed it too. He had known it would only be a matter of time. He had warned his brother, the Raikage, about it. The Council had waved his worries away though and had sent an escort with them. As if a few shinobi would be able to stop two tailed beasts.
Bee inwardly sighed. His brother had never understood what being a Jinchuuriki really meant.
Naruto looked a Bee in shock. “We need to get out of here,” he said, “we need to help out. The war has started. We have to go there.”
“That’s the thing we can not do, they keep you here to protect you,” Bee answered.
Naruto narrowed his eyes. “Protect me! People are dying gout there! I can’t just let that happen! I have to fight! It’s me they want, isn’t it?!”
The door to the training grounds opened and several shinobi hurried in. Naruto stared at them in shock and gasped when he recognized one of them.
“Iruka-sensei.”
“Naruto,” Iruka said softly.
“Iruka-sensei, I have to go. I need to fight beside my friends.”
Iruka shook his head. “I’m sorry, Naruto, we can’t let you do that.”
Realization hit the boy. “Everyone knew,” he said, ”everyone but me.”
“We had to keep it a secret,” Iruka said, “you and Bee have the last remaining tailed beasts. The enemy can’t get their hands on them.”
“I can’t let people die for me!” Naruto shouted, “it’s my life and I can do what I want with it! And I choose to fight! And if you get in my way then I’ll just have to fight you too!” He looked at Iruka. “I don’t want to fight you,” he said, “but I will if you don’t let me go.” He pleaded with his eyes. “Please Iruka-sensei,” Naruto said, “you say everyone is trying to protect me, but what about the people I want to protect?”
Iruka stared at him for a long time. He had orders. He knew how important it was to keep Naruto safe. But Naruto was right as well. He closed his eyes. “Go then,” he said.
Naruto’s eyes went wide.
“Iruka,” one of the older shinobi said, “you can’t…”
“I said go,” Iruka cut the man off.
Naruto grinned and nodded. Quickly he ran from the room with Bee in tow.
“What the hell did you just do?!” one of Iruka’s companions yelled.
Iruka looked at him. “The right thing,” he said and sighed. ‘Good luck Naruto.’
***
The Fourth Kazekage edged closer to the rockslide. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. But there was no mistaking. Gaara was standing there, commanding an army. ‘How?’
Sand attacks were flying everywhere, but the boy’s eyes were his own and not Shokaku’s. Had he learned to control the One Tail? Was that even possible?
He took another step and his foot kicked a pebble. It was only a soft sound, but Gaara heard it nonetheless and he turned around. His eyes went wide as he recognized the man. “Father,” he whispered in shock.
***
“Why don’t you and Gai-sensei get along?” Lee glanced at Taryn who was silently waling by his side.
At his question she looked at him from the corner of he eyes. “We have clashing personalities,” she said curtly.
Lee was silent for a while as he considered this. He supposed it was true. Taryn was the solemn type, but she got along with Naruto just fine. Or was that because Naruto was a Jinchuuriki like her brother? But he had met her students and they weren’t exactly quiet. He heard Taryn sigh.
“It’s about Kakashi really,” she said.
Lee looked at her curiously. She sighed again and glanced at him. “Gai’s just… being a good friend.”
Lee blinked, not really understanding what she was talking about. “Gai-sensei is a great friend!” he cheered, “I’m proud to be his student!”
Taryn smiled faintly. “That’s good,” she said, “so why aren’t you with Neji and Tenten?”
Lee shrugged. “Since I can’t use any chakra, I put myself on guard duty. I just escorted the lords of the nations to a safe place and then I came back to Head Quarters. I’m the back up team so to say.”
“Guard duty?” Taryn asked, “meaning you’re guarding me now?”
Lee stared at her. “You don’t seem to need any guarding,” he said.
“Heh,” Taryn answered, “then you’re the only one that seems to think so.”
Lee shook his head. “I can’t even imagine what it must be like to have to kill your teammate,” he said, “it must have been hard. I don’t know if I could have done the same thing if it had been Neji or Tenten.” He was silent for a moment. “Or Gai-sensei,” he shivered.
“He wasn’t my teammate,” Taryn growled, “he was a corpse, controlled by Kabuto.”
“But…” Lee protested.
“No,” Taryn cut him off. She looked at him darkly. “That is how you must see them. If you don’t you’ll go insane.”
He saw the sadness in her eyes and he nodded seriously. “I don’t know if I can though,” he said.
“Yeah,” Taryn said, “I know.” She scanned the area with her Byakugan. They were close to the battlefield. “It’s over the next hill,” she told him, “are you going to joint he fight?”
“Of course I am,” he answered, “I’ll show them what the Lotus of Konoha can do.”
“Be careful Lee,” she told him, “don’t open the Gates like you did against my brother. There’s no telling if we can fix you up again. Not now. Not while we’re at war.”
Lee took a deep breath. “I’ll do whatever it takes,” he said, “everyone is giving everything they can. Why should I be any different?”
***
“Wait,” the Kyuubi said to Naruto, “what do you think you’re doing?” Naruto ignored the beast and kept running. “Naruto!”
“What do you want?” Naruto growled at the fox, “you don’t usually talk to me of your own accord.”
“You’re not serious about joining this war, are you?” the Fox asked.
“Of course I am. Those are my friends that are fighting.”
“And what do you think you can do? You’ll only die. And then what?”
“Don’t underestimate me,” Naruto answered.
“You’re a fool,” the Kyuubi snapped at him, “do you really think you can stop this? The war has already started, people have died. And with those deaths came more hate. Sasuke’s been trapped in a prison of hate since you met him. Have you ever been able to do anything for him? His hate has only grown and it consumed him. In other words, you are powerless.”
“I’ll find a way,” Naruto said determined.
The Kyuubi snorted. “You listen to Desertstorm too much. Even she can’t help Sasuke now. Itachi will always stand between them.”
“Are you done yet?” Naruto asked calmly, “are you saying I should just give up? That’s exactly what you want, Nine Tails. But I won’t. I will find a way to stop Sasuke. And this stupid war as well. And I’ll do it with or without your help.”
***
The former Kazekage of Suna stared at the approaching cloud of sand. ‘the power of Shokaku, the One Tail. Did he use that already?’ He narrowed his eyes and performed a few hand seals.
Gold dust fell down on the sand and weighed it down until it hit the ground. He was the only one able to perform this technique and it was the only counter against Gaara’s sand attacks. He had used it before to stop Shokaku from going berserk.
Above his head, a sand cloud appeared with Gaara on top. The Fourth Kazekage stared at his son in shock. ‘It was Gaara and not the One Tail?’
Sand locked around his legs, disabling his moves. He gasped. ‘His sand attacks are much stronger than they used to be.’
“Father,” Gaara stated calmer than he felt, ”it’s been a while.”
“Gaara, where did Shokaku go?”
“He’s gone,” Gaara answered his father, “I’m no longer the Jinchuuriki you created.”
“You’re not a Jinchuuriki anymore? How is that possible?”
“I died when Akatsuki extracted Shokaku from me, but by the efforts of Chiyo-sama and my friends, I came back,” Gaara explained.
His father stared at him. “You of all people have friends?”
Gaara stayed calm while looking at is father. “You tried to kill me so many times and I grew to fear and hate you. But I don’t hate you now. I understand why you did what you did. I am Kazekage now. It is the duty of a leader to protect the village and eradicate any threat to his home.”
The Fourth Kazekage gasped and his eyes went wide. “You are Kazekage? Maybe this resurrection jutsu isn’t such a bad thing. I will determine your worth by myself. Can you surpass me?” He formed a few hand seals while Gaara lifted his sand. Before they could attack however, a large wind attack separated them, blowing both the sand and the gold dust away.
Both men looked up to find Taryn standing there. Her eyes were fixed on her father and burning with anger.
“Taryn,” the former Kazekage said with an emotionless voice. With her eyes still fixed on her father, Taryn walked closer, taking out her fan. “Whose side are you fighting on?” the Fourth Kazekage asked her. Taryn didn’t answer him.
“Taryn,” Gaara called her.
Taryn turned her head to look at her brother who lightly shook his head at her.
Their father noticed the short exchange and smirked. “Heh,” he said, “I should have known you’d find your way back to Suna. I’m just surprised the council overruled my orders.”
“it wasn’t the council,” Taryn told him, “it was Kankuro.”
Her father seemed surprised for a moment. “Heh,” he said, “what do you know. Perhaps I should have guessed it. He adored you. He never forgave me for banishing you.”
“You asked me to kill my brother!” Taryn snarled at him.
“I did what was necessary,” her father countered, “and I was wrong.”
Taryn was about to say something, but his last words stunned her.
Her father sighed. “You thought I wanted you to kill Gaara, but it was a test.”
“To test my loyalty,” Taryn growled.
The former Kazekage looked at her oddly.
“I wasn’t testing you. I was testing Gaara.” Both Taryn and Gaara stared at him. “I needed to know if he cold control himself,” their father continued while looking at Taryn, “I knew how close you were. How much you loved him. You were the only one he trusted. The only one he loved. The sand had never harmed you. I had to know if he was controlled enough not to harm you. I had to see what he would do if the only one he trusted would betray him.”
Taryn narrowed her eyes. “Then why didn’t you tell me the truth? You let me think you wanted me to murder my own brother!”
“I needed you to be convincing. That would only work if you believed it was a real mission.:”
“Then why did you banish me?”
“You left me no choice. You disobeyed orders. I was still the Kazekage.”
“I was fourteen!” Taryn shouted.
A shimmer of remorse appeared in her fathers eyes. “I know,” he said, “I was wrong, but I saw no other way.”
Gaara looked at his sister concerned. She seemed to be having a hard time hearing all of this. The story didn’t really shock him that much. Maybe because he’d been dealing with several assassination attempts in his childhood. Maybe he understood things more clearly now that he was Kazekage himself.
Their father sighed. “You have your mother’s compassion,” he told Taryn, “but you’re headstrong like me and you have my temper. You were always an excellent shinobi. You surpassed me long ago. Now it’s Gaara’s turn. He’s not a Jinchuuriki anymore. I need to know if he’s ready to lead a village.”
Taryn glanced at Gaara who was concentrating on their father. “He’s more than ready,” she said and took a step aside.
Her father grinned. “We will see,” he said and lifted his hands.
***
Sasuke grinned as he looked at the burnt White Zetsu in front of him. These new eyes had so much more power. He couldn’t wait to use them in real battle.
Behind him Madara entered the room. The man smirked when he noticed the remains of the White Zetsu. “Been practicing?” he asked the raven haired boy.
Sasuke glared at him. “Are you going to let me join the battle now?” Sasuke asked.
“Are you that eager to fight?” Madara chuckled, “war is an ugly business you know.” Sasuke scoffed and brushed past Madara out of the room. “It seems your little friends have betrayed you,” Madara commented.
Sasuke froze at the door and glared over his shoulder. “What are you talking about?”
“That Suigetsu punk and Juugo, they are fighting against us.”
“They don’t matter,” Sasuke said coldly, “and if they get in my way, I will kill them.”
“No mercy huh,” Madara mused and for a moment he questioned the mental state of the boy’s mind.
“Was that all?” Sasuke said and walked outside.
A smirk formed around Madara’s lips. It was time for the last phase of his plan.
***
Suigetsu glanced at Juugo who was silently walking beside him. “Hey,” he said, “I know why I’m here, but what made you decide to join the battle?” He strapped his second sword on his back. The last Mist Swordsman hadn’t been that tough, but he had yet to face his brother. He smirked at the prospect.
Juugo sighed. “Did you feel that dark chakra coming from Sasuke? He’s consumed with hate and anger. I know what it feels like to have that kind of bloodlust. This isn’t right and you know it too. We should never have gotten involved with Madara.”
Suigetsu rolled his eyes. “Oh please,” he snorted, “why would you care about that bastard? He made it very clear we mean nothing to him. He can go get himself killed for all I care. As long as I get my swords.”
“And then what? If you manage to collect all the seven Swords of Mist, what will you do with them?”
“When I have them all, I will have made a name for myself. The one that defeated all the Swordsmen. No one will mess with me then.”
“So it’s fame you want?”
Suigetsu leaned his hands behind his head. “Nothing wrong with that,” he shrugged, “what else is there to fight for? I don’t have any comrades, I killed them all in the Exam in the Academy. And it’s not like this alliance will do us any good. I didn’t hear her offer us any clemency after the war. She’s just as bad as Sasuke you know. She’s just using us to get rid of her enemies.”
“But you knew that,” Juugo commented, “she only told us how it was.”
“Heh,” Suigetsu scoffed, “whatever. If I see her again I won’t hold back though. Stupid Desertstorm, persuading me with swords.”
Juugo hid a smile. He wasn’t too sure Taryn had Sasuke’s best interests at heart, but she did know how to be convincing.
***
“Taryn, don’t interfere. Make sure no one interrupts this fight,” Gaara said without looking at her. His eyes were trained on their father.
Taryn nodded and kept her fan at the ready. It would take Gaara’s full concentration to fight their father. She would stop any other enemy that without a doubt would show up.
The Fourth Kazekage gasped as the sand flew past him. ‘He’s become so much faster.’ He dared a glance at Taryn, who was currently unleashing a wind attack on a new opponent.
More enemies were showing up. He turned his focus back to Gaara. Sand scraped his cheek and arm. Quickly he used his Gold Dust Technique to wear it down, but found it wasn’t as easy as it used to be. He frowned and doubled his efforts.
Taryn was fighting off three attacker that were trying to assault Gaara from behind. “Wind Style, Silver Wind.”
One of the attackers fell to the ground screaming when the wind cut straight through him.
Taryn panted heavily. The constant fighting was wearing her down fast, but she couldn’t afford any rest now. Not until these opponents were defeated. Not until Gaara was safe.
She turned when a shinobi attempted to attack Gaara from the other side of the field while Gaara was about to send a sand wave towards his father. With her fan ready, she jumped straight into the sand, her only way of reaching the enemy on time.
The Fourth Kazekage gasped when he saw Taryn jump right in the center of Gaara’s attack. But his shock was even bigger when a moment later she came out on the other side unharmed. ‘The sand didn’t touch her.’ It had crushed everyone and everything in its path, but not Taryn. ‘Gaara must have complete control over the sand to be able to move around her like that. And Taryn must have unconditional trust in his abilities to jump into an attack like that.’ This was how he had always pictured it to be, ever since Gaara’s birth. Only in his mind it had been Taryn who was Kazekage, with Gaara at her side. It seemed fate had turned things around.
He watched as Taryn used her fan to throw some of Gaara’s sand at her opponents and killed him with it. Gaara didn’t even react. He just kept his focus on his own bate and the Fourth Kazekage found it hard to keep evading the sand. ‘Heh,’ he thought, ‘so this is how you want it to be huh, Karura.’ He sighed. ‘Very well then. It’s time for the truth.’
“You fight well,” he complimented his son.
Gaara narrowed his eyes. “I had to in order to stay alive.”
“Yes,” his father nodded, but that is not all. Did you never wonder why the sand protected you all these years?”
Gaara eyed him oddly. “You put the one tailed best inside of me.”
“Yes, I did. But that is not the reason. No Gaara, it was you mother’s love for you. Yes, she did love you. I know what Yashamaru told you, but he lied. He lied on my orders. I had to test you. When Taryn refused my orders, I had to find an other way. So I told Yashamaru to fill your head with lies.” He sighed sadly. “She loved you even before you were born. She did not agree with my plan to fuse you with the One Tail. She gave you your name. And right before she died she swore to always protect you. Whenever you use your sand, it’s your mother’s love that steers it.”
Gaara stated at him wide-eyed. He had stopped his attack before it crushed his father.
The Fourth Kazekage looked at Gaara. “I swear it’s the truth.”
Gaara’s hand trembled. “My mother… love me?”
His father nodded and coughed. The fight had drained all his energy. He turned to Taryn who had defeated her last opponent and now watched him wearily. “I would have taught you the Gold Dust Technique. But now I see it is not necessary.”
In the distance he could hear approaching footsteps and voices calling out to Taryn and Gaara, but he paid it no attention. He kept his eyes on his children. “I hope you can forgive me one day,” he told Taryn, “but I want you to know I’m proud of the person you’ve become. You have the vision that I lacked. You would have made a fine Kazekage.” He turned to Gaara. “You did well. You managed to defeat me on your own strength. I entrust the village to you now.”
Gaara lowered the sand with his father to the ground as the man drew his last breath. “Seal his body,” he said toneless.
Taryn turned to him in a daze and realized he hadn’t been talking to her, but one of their allies hat had reached them. She wasn’t sure how to react to her father’s confessions. Everything she had ever believed turned out to be a lie.
“Taryn,” she heard Gaara’s soft but urgent voice, “are you okay?”
She blinked a few times and swallowed. She nodded weakly. She should be the one asking him that question.
Gaara turned around to another shinobi. “Please escort my sister to the infirmary. I want her to eat and take rest.”
The shinobi nodded. “Yes Gaara-sama.”
“You hear me Taryn?” Gaara asked.
Taryn shook off her daze and nodded. “Yes. Yes I heard you.”
“Good. Have a medic check you over. Take some rest. After that , see if you can assist the medics. I don’t want to see you on the battlefield again. Agreed?”
Taryn sighed. “Okay.”
“Good,” Gaara stated.
“Are you alright though?” she asked.
Gaara sighed. “You think it’s true? What he said about my mother?”
Taryn gave a weak smile. “Yeah,” she aid softly, “I do.”
Gaara nodded. “Thanks.”
“Taryn-sama,” the shinobi that was to escort her said, “we should go now.”
Taryn nodded and with one last smile in Gaara’s direction she followed the ninja to the infirmary.