The Art of Family

Chapter Sixteen: Nothing Matters

Day Two Without Naruto

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Obviously.

Info: Naruto is eighteen. Sasuke has left the village and is roaming the country with his new little troop. Sakura-chan is still in Leaf, working for Tsunade. No real manga plot will be involved, beyond what I just told you. ...So far as I know, anyway.

- - -

The pain was gone, but so was his mind. He could not remember his name, his home, his friends, or his family. He was aware that he was not the only one in living in his body, but in an abstract way. He was aware of that other one the way most people are aware they have an appendix – something you never see or feel; easy to forget about unless it gives you trouble.

He could hear the other one growling; the only sound in his dark, forgotten world; and could feel it moving frantically inside of him. He was detached from it, though, and felt only pressure as the other one was being dragged out of him. It was like being under an anesthetic, only much more disconcerting, since he was sort of awake for the experience.

He could hear it screaming now, feel it fighting. But still, there was no pain, and that was all that mattered. He was tired of pain, tired of agony. This blessed numbness was so much easier to deal with.

He felt the other one depart; felt the last of that red chakra seep out of him. Then, there was only silence and Naruto's own drugged and dazed thoughts.

He had lived most of his life unaware of Kyuubi sleeping inside of him. The last several years though, he had been unable to ignore the lightening presence of his fox spirit. He heard the monster's voice, felt his claws at his throat every day.

Now, he was gone. For the first time in Naruto's life, he was truly alone.

He felt an odd mixture of relief and fear. Now, he could die in peace.

- - -

The Nue was…smaller than Takuma expected. In the tales she had heard as a child, the Nue had towered over houses, crushing livestock under its tiger claws. But while this creature was no behemoth, it was still an impressive size. It was about the height of a quarter horse's; with the face of a snarling baboon, the body the color and shape of a tanuki, legs of a tiger, and a tail of slithering serpent. It was a mishmash of horror, with black, rolling eyes that never seemed to fix on anything. Its breath was foul, and smelt faintly of poison. Takuma was glad that she had her antidotes stashed in her kunai pouch, and prayed that whatever she carried could counteract the venom of this strange creature.

Why do you disturb my sleep?

Takuma started, as did Kazama and Uzumaki. The creature had not opened his mouth, though she clearly heard its voice reverberating in the air. The third member of the odd group, Mataku, did not seem surprised, and it was he who spoke to the creature:

"We need to pass, and this is the safest route for us."

Safe? It is considered safe to waken me? To trespass upon my burial mound? The Nue then opened his mouth, laughing aloud. Its laugh was hoarse, inhuman. It was like a tiger roaring and a snake hissing all at once.

Mataku did not seem ruffled. "Compared to the horrors within the temple; yes."

The Nue stilled, his mad eyes suddenly narrowing as he sized Mataku up. You are not afraid of me.

"No," Mataku replied.

The Nue smiled then, showing his sharp, ape canines. I see. Well then, my little ninja friends come and destroy this offending creature.

If you can.

Takuma dropped to a crouch, her kunai in her hands within a heartbeat. Beside her, Uzumaki's hands began to glow deep blue; the chakra swirling and spinning wildly around her fists and the shuriken she held. Mataku pulled his ANBU mask down over his face, his sword drawn and sizzling with white chakra. Kazama was molding his legendary attack; the Rasengan; in his hand. Takuma felt inadequate and old compared to these youngsters; even if two of them were already dead. It had been so long since she had been a ninja; too long perhaps.

But Mai was inside that temple somewhere; or the labyrinth of caves that surrounded it. Her only child left in this world needed her.

Old, feeble, and out of practice as she was, Takuma was going to do her best.

She felt the pull of the water, her affinity swishing and swirling inside her body. She dropped the temperature of her blood, the sweat on her hands slowly leeching out and encasing her kunai. She dropped the temperature more, smirking as the sheen suddenly froze. Well, it seemed she wasn't totally out of practice.

"Water element, huh?" Kazama asked, smirking. "That could be useful."

Takuma did not respond. There was a well on the other side of the Nue, and she could sense the water within it. If she could get closer to it, perhaps she could use it to defeat the creature.

An old woman such as you is no match for me.

She looked up at the Nue, whose crazed eyes were once again rolling and not focusing on anything. She smiled humorlessly at him, licking her lips. "Nevertheless, I will try." The bird on her shoulder twittered and sang, dancing its little feet against her vest.

Pretty little bird, I will eat you too!

The bird sang again, its voice almost like a laugh. Takuma smiled again, lightened by the lack of concern from the Kushinada's familiar.

Kazama was the first to attack. Somehow this did not surprise Takuma; his seeming recklessness had been well known. The Nue let out his animal laugh, and leapt out of the way of the Rasengan with ease, a cloud of black smoke lifting the creature into the air. The attack slammed into the ground, kicking up dirt and breaking tiles into tiny pieces.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Kazama called out from inside the smoke created by his attack. Half a second later, three Kazamas' appeared, all with glowing Rasengan's in their hands. They surrounded the now floating Nue, all leaping up at the same time. The creature laughed again, and disappeared with a flash. The three Rasengan collided, exploding in the air. She heard three distinct "pops!" as the Bunshins dispersed.

The Nue appeared before her then, it's horrible face just inches from her own. Its foul breath burned her nose, and she struck out towards him, sending shards of ice from her kunai into its neck. It laughed again, the ice melting and leaving little more than scratches upon.

Is that the best you can do, old woman?

Takuma smiled grimly, leaping back from it as she formed the seals. "Tentou no Mizu: Koori no Shougeki!" The ice engulfing her kunai sparked, sending off blue shards between the two. She held the two weapons parallel, the ice shards swirling quickly between them. The shards grew in number and in size, until they were suddenly moving not just between the weapons, but all around her hands, her arms, her chest, and back. Within half a second, she was surrounded by a moving cyclone of ice that quickly encased her entire body.

"Scatter!" she commanded, and the ice flew out from her with incredible speed, straight towards the still laughing Nue. It disappeared, reappearing in the sky. She looked up at it and growled, jerking her kunai up. The storm of ice followed her motion, slicing up towards the surprised Nue.

A better attack than I thought. The Nue did not dodge, but opened its mouth instead, sucking in air at an alarming rate. The ice was nearly to it before it released the air, blowing poison mist onto the ice, melting it away.

"No!" Takuma snarled, jumping out of the way as the racing poison mist collided with the ground where she had been standing.

Her best attack was futile. Now what was she to do?

The tiny bird upon her shoulder began to sing, its voice louder and clearer than Takuma expected. She looked to it from the corner of her eye, watching in wonder as the little creature was engulfed in white light. The little bird shot off her like a rocket, the light glowing and stretching as it flew straight towards the amused creature.

So little bird, what can you do?

The bird's song continued, ringing like a bell across the skies. The light shaped and spun, before disappearing in a flash.

No longer was the bird little. It was as large as the Nue, its massive wings beating loudly against the air. Its neck was longer, its legs too. The little chick had become a white heron, its head crested in gold feathers, its eyes shining black in the sunlight. Its long bill opened, and from it came a red ball of energy that caught the surprised Nue right between the eyes.

The creature screamed, falling backwards towards the ground. Uzumaki and Mataku took their chance, racing towards the stunned creature.

"Kujiku: Uzu Nami!" Uzumaki screamed, letting loose her shuriken. The shuriken spun one way, the wild blue chakra the other. They dug into the creature's exposed belly, drilling into it.

"Shiro Ken: Atsusa no Jigoku!" Mataku snarled, slicing his white sword down the creature's chest. Flames of white erupted from where the blade cut, encasing the creature.

The Nue screamed, its chest glowing white, its stomach bursting blue. It twisted and turned in unnatural ways, its back bowing and cracking. The heron flew in circles above, its song loud and ringing over the Nue's pained screams. The bird opened its mouth again, releasing a column of that red light, covering the Nue in its glow. There was a snapping sound, and when the heron closed its mouth, the Nue disappeared into nothingness.

Takuma stood watching from the side, her hands shaking at her side. No matter how hard she tried, she was of no help. Her jutsu was old, her powers unneeded.

What am I, if I cannot even save my daughter?

Her tired thoughts were suddenly interrupted, as a new voice let out an impressed whistle.

"Wow, seems I missed most of the fun. Bummer."

Takuma turned, her kunai covered in ice again. She bared her teeth, aware at once that her unusual team was at her side.

Standing atop the well arch was a woman, wearing the outfit of a Konoha Chuunin; though her vest was unbuttoned a little too low and her clothes just a little too tight. Her long, blond hair was held up in pigtails, her protector shining proudly upon her forehead. She was shading her green eyes with her hand, looking around the site of their fight with wonder. "That must have been one hell of a critter to get you all so worked up!"

"Who are you?" Mataku demanded, positioning himself to stand just a bit in front of Uzumaki.

The woman blinked, dropping her hand as she looked down at him in mild confusion. "You're that ghost-lookin' kid who hung out with Arashi when he was a brat, huh? Shiro, right?"

"Answer him," Kazama said, kunai glittering menacingly in his hands.

The girl lifted her hands in a motion of surrender, then jabbed her thumb in between her…rather ample breast, smiling brightly down at him. "I'm Kazama Midoriko, dattebayo!"

- - -

The journey to Tsukene Mura was made in silence. The child had said half a day, but Sasuke knew the speed of his team. They would make it within three hours.

Sasuke leapt from branch to branch with ease, his body moving independently of his ever thinking mind.

By going to this boondock village, he would certainly meet his brother. The thought sizzled and danced in his mind, his heart rate increasing just slightly. He would finally rid the world of that man, and be free of his quest for vengeance. He would tear out Itachi's heart and stamp on it. Or perhaps he would simply burn the man to cinders. Either way, he would not only kill Itachi; he would eradicate him from the face of the earth.

But what to do about Naruto.

Sasuke pondered this for some time. He could save his former friend, or let him die. It meant little to him, either way. It would depend, he supposed, on whichever would help him achieve his goal. From what the child said, Itachi was not yet at Tsukene Mura, but en route. If Naruto died before Itachi got there, his chance at destroying his brother would dwindle.

But if he saved his old comrade that would make the stubborn blond even more determined to drag him back into Konoha.

The pros and cons of each situation buzzed in his mind, making his lips tug down in the slightest scowl.

"Sasuke-kun, look," Karin whispered, pointing down at path below them. At the base of each tree, a creature stood staring up at them, their white teeth glittering up at them from black faces.

The sharingan eyes that peered up at him made him sick. Whatever it was that Uchiha Madara was up to, it was a disgrace to his family name.

Sasuke's feet barely touched the branch, before he leapt down agilely to the forest floor below. Karin let out a surprised hiccough, and then followed him down, Suigetsu and Juugo following her immediately.

Sasuke stood easily amongst these creatures, looking at them all with hidden disgust. They smelt of death and burial soil. He narrowed his eyes at them, taking in their numbers. There were dozens of them, but he was not worried.

They were mindless automatons, that much he could see immediately. Puppets that he could easily disperse with a single swing of Kusanagi.

He drew his sword slowly, watching as the creatures began to lumber forward. They were pathetic; like the ambition of their master.

Sasuke smiled slowly, his team launching out towards the things with ease.

He cut the first of the creatures to get near him, watching as it fell away. They were as lame as he figured.

It took them less than a minute to dispatch them all. Sasuke wondered why his ancestor would send out such disgusting and useless things to greet them. They were clearly not meant to defeat them; not even really to slow them down.

So what was their purpose? Information gathering? Perhaps.

Sasuke launched back up into the trees, not waiting to see if his team would follow. He felt them close by and went back to his thoughts.

After all, he still hadn't decided yet on whether to save Naruto or kill him by his own hand.

Whatever the case, he knew he would not let Madara keep the Kyuubi container, and he knew he would kill his brother. If Naruto died in process, so be it. If Naruto lived, so be that too.

After all, nothing but Itachi mattered to Sasuke.

Not anymore.

- - -

A/N: Beta'd by the wonderful Sage-kun!

Yes, I intended for Midoriko to reappear like this from the very start. She died, she appeared as a spirit kid, she reappeared as an adult. I know, it doesn't make the most sense in the world, since I'm sure you all realize she was the person racing to Tsukene Mura - and at the same time the spirit that talked to Sasuke. I promise, its not a mistake on my part; its part of the story. You'll see soon enough.

Yay for Midoriko-chan's return! And yes, just picture Naruto's Oroike no Jutsu, only with green eyes and no whisker marks. That's Mit-chan as an adult. ^_^