Disclaimer: Nao is my baaaaaaabyyyy. But she's my only child in this tale.

Warning: Fighting. Language. Etc.

Beta: Kalafina94

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Interlude - Omniscient - 8

Hinata fidgeted nervously, her fingers twitching, and she had to consciously resist the urge to poke her two index fingers together and look away. No matter how nervous she was, she wasn't going to be deterred. Not this time.

She reached into her pocket, producing a carefully written, brief letter. It had taken months for her to get the nerve to even start writing it, and a while longer for her to finish it. It was already posted and addressed to one Uzumaki Naruto and all Hinata had to do was drop it into the little mailbox. That's all she had to do.

Hinata held the letter over the opening, her fingers clenched tight around it. Her face felt like it was on fire and her stomach was doing all sorts of flip-flops.

A minute passed and she lowered her eyes, dropping her hands.

I still can't do it, Hinata thought softly, staring down at the letter.

"Oi! Hinata-chan. What are you doing here?"

Hinata stiffened and sent a panicked look at her letter before shoving it behind her and turning to face Ino. Ino grinned brightly at her, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Is that a letter? Who's it for?"

"U-Um."

Ino waved her hand. "Never mind, never mind. Look, I came here because I wanted to invite you to a little party I'm having. It's pretty small, but that's alright."

"Party?" Hinata asked quietly, thankful for the change in subject.

"Mm-hmm."

Hinata's eyes flew over to the quiet murmur from behind Ino. Peeking from behind, Nao gave Hinata a small smile. Hinata reflexively returned it with one of her own. Hinata wasn't all that familiar with Nao, nor was she with Ino. They were classmates, certainly, and she knew Nao was a friend of Naruto's. She knew Ino was one of the girls that followed Sasuke around, and she knew that both of their teams were one of the three that graduated the academy and passed their Genin test.

She knew them both fairly well, but she wouldn't think they were especially close. She visited their family's flower shop frequently, and she and Ino shared in quite a few topics on botany. Nao preferred for her sister to do the majority of the talking, choosing instead to sit in a corner quietly and listen to their conversations.

"I-I would be honored," Hinata said, bowing slightly.

Ino's nose crinkled. She whined, "So formal, Hinata-chan. I thought we were friends."

Hinata giggled nervously, a little worried she had offended Ino. But then Ino giggled along with her, her face warm and open. "You're so cute. It'll be this Friday, our place at seven, okay?"

"Okay," Hinata said, fidgeting with the letter behind her back a little bit. Ino beamed at her and turned away, ruffling Nao's short hair as she left.

Nao looked fondly after her sister, before she turned a wide, single pale-blue eye on Hinata. She moved towards Hinata and sidestepped around her, plucking the letter out of her hands and inserting it into the mailbox.

Hinata gave a startled squeak, her eyes wide with panic. "Wh-Wh-Wh—"

"He would have liked that letter," Nao said softly, already turning away. "He likes getting letters. Especially from people he likes."

Hinata's mouth opened to respond, but after a moment, she found she had nothing to say. She gave a long look at the mailbox, and another look at Nao's retreating back.

Hinata took a deep breath, ignoring the pleasant flutters in her stomach, and she turned and walked away from the mailbox.

She was smiling.

.

. .

. . .

"What exactly are we going to do when he wakes up?" Naruto asked me quietly, the two of us standing a little ways from the group. Yagura and Yamato continued to watch over Sai while Kakashi and Sasuke tended to the camp.

"Sensei will probably want a confession. We need a bit more solid evidence to convict Danzō," I whispered back. "But. I'm not sure how he'll get it. Sai doesn't really have much interest in us, and. and he does have the seal on his tongue to prevent him from verbally speaking about Root, I think."

Naruto frowned, standing up and heading over to Sai. I watched him as he kicked Sai's feet.

The effects were almost immediate. Sai's eyes shot open and he quickly took in his surroundings and the situation.

"Caught and bound before I could even complete my mission. I would expect nothing less from such a trusted officer of the Hokage," Sai said, smiling falsely.

Yagura stared indifferently at Sai, his voice completely apathetic when he said, "Enough of the pleasantries. Tell us everything willingly and I might not have to resort to more drastic means."

Naruto gave a snort, his eyes glinting with anger. There weren't all that many things that truly got to Naruto. He could almost always bounce back from them, but when it came to anyone harming his precious people, or his precious village. Especially when the danger was supposed to protecting the aforementioned with Naruto. Naruto couldn't stand betrayal like that, and neither could I.

Sasuke placed a warning hand on Naruto's shoulder before he brushed past him towards Sai. He threw the book down onto Sai's lap, staring at him apathetically. "That belongs to you."

"Mn. Thank you."

"Tt," Yagura muttered. "Sai. You're here under Danzō's orders, aren't you? Danzō, the traitor of Konohagakure, has teamed up once again with Orochimaru. Or at least, he's trying to. You were chosen as the go-between for Danzō and Orochimaru. What exactly are they planning?"

Sai did not respond.

"Like before, they're planning on destroying Konoha. Right?" Kakashi asked, his voice deadly soft.

Sai's smile somehow became more fake. "No. That's not—"

"Shut up!" Naruto snapped. "I can tell when that smile's fake, you jerk. And I can tell right away that what you were about to say is a bunch of bullshit."

"Now that the circumstances have upturned like this, my mission is ultimately considered a failure. I can't handle all of you by myself, and I'm not even sure I could escape these bounds. Although, since you already know so much, then there's no point in hiding anything.

"You're exactly right. We're going to crush Konohagakure. The real mission I was given was to gain favor with Orochimaru and create an opportunity for a collaboration in order to crush Konohagakure."

"Do you know what the hell you're saying?" Naruto snarled, taking a step forward. Yamato held him back and I slowly moved towards Sai.

"That's not all," Sai continued, completely unperturbed by Naruto. "I was also secretly assigned to send information about Orochimaru to Danzō-sama. In other words, I have also been entrusted with a mission as a spy. Orochimaru will definitely betray us once Konoha has been crushed. I'm to make sure we've always got the advantage.

"The information I write in black ink transforms itself to animals and carries the information out while protecting itself, you see. Sai was the name given to me for this mission. I am nobody. I am a tool for Danzō-sama. I don't exist. So no matter what you say to me, it's pointless."

"You do exist," Yagura spat. "A tool? Do you even know what you're saying? Are you really going to lie still, and roll over for someone else? Are you really going to give up your free will so easily?"

"I am a tool for Danzō-sama," Sai repeated.

"But you weren't always," Yagura countered, and for a brief moment, I could have sworn I saw Sai frown, but it was gone too quickly for me to confirm. "You were an orphan boy. You had a family. You had a brother that you loved."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"That book," Sasuke said, gesturing to it. "You drew it for him, didn't you? And the boy on the cover, that's him."

Sai's eyes widened briefly before he glanced down at the book in his lap.

"You wouldn't have drawn that if you didn't care. And you wouldn't hold on to it if you didn't care. You have memories. You have emotions," Kakashi said, moving a bit closer. "No one can be the perfect shinobi. Humans weren't meant to hide their emotions like you do."

"They weren't meant to be someone else's slave," Yagura bit out. "You can't blindly accept what's happened to you. You have a choice, Sai. You don't have to be his tool. You don't have to be anyone's tool."

Sai continued to steadily look down at the book.

I hesitated a moment before I lowered myself to Sai's level, squatting down and wrapping my arms around my knees. I wasn't trained in the arts of the mind or reading people like Ino was, but I knew some basics.

"You lost your brother," I said, "and I can't even begin to imagine what that must have been like. I don't even want to think what I would do without Ino. You were forced into a barbaric program where you were desensitized of anything that made you human. Again, I can't even begin to imagine what that had been like. But I know, somewhere, you're still that little orphan boy who loved to draw for his brother."

(He's so lost now, isn't he? He doesn't even know how to connect, does he?)

"And I think," I finished slowly, "and I think that boy deserves a chance at a better life. And what Danzō is doing is wrong. What he's making you do and what he's done to you is wrong. You're a human being and you deserve to be able to smile for real."

I lost my nerve at the end and I looked away. I wasn't all that good with words like Ino or Naruto were, but I felt like I wanted to add my own voice. Like I needed to actively help Sai understand and to make him see what I saw.

Perhaps it was because I couldn't stand the idea of anything like that happening to Ino or me. And maybe, maybe, it was because I saw what could have been myself in Sai. Sai was what I could have become without my family's help. What would have happened if I continued to close the world out from me? What would have happened if I became so self-conscious of myself, I grew detached from this very reality? That I began to think so poorly of myself, that I didn't even think I was human? That I was someone else's tool?

It was unsettling.

Granted, his reasons and my hypothetical reasons for thinking such things were vastly different, but the outcome was the same.

And that was wrong.

(Wrong, wrong, wrong)

(Like, like, like,)

(Madarakillinghisbrother!)

I jerked and fell backwards from the giggling voice in the back of my head. Only Kakashi seemed to have noticed my movement, because the others were focused on Sai (he was talking again, and I guess I didn't notice). Kakashi cocked his head at me and I shook my head, my stomach churning and my heart settling.

The voice continued to giggle for a moment before it stopped.

I swallowed roughly. It was only the fourth time I had heard that voice, and already I was growing to hate it. It didn't have any specific time it came, and it said the oddest things. But it always giggled or sung.

I considered having Ino mind-walk through me to see what was going on, but my instinct told me that was a bad idea. Besides, it was a voice. Harmless, really.

"know about how you killed your brother—"

"No," Sai said quickly, looking up sharply from his book, his tone holding a surprisingly hard edge. He blinked before quickly recomposing himself. "No. I did not kill him. I was planning on giving this book to him, but when I was about finished, he. he. died from sickness. In this book, there was something I wanted to show him most of all. but now I can't remember what it is at all."

"Then maybe we can help you remember," Naruto said quietly.

Sai's eyes widened and he looked up at Naruto.

"I have a feeling," Naruto said carefully, "that what you lost, we can help you find it. But we can't do that without your help. I'm not talking about Root or Danzō anymore, Sai. Even if you don't spill your beans, we'll get Danzō one way or another so it doesn't matter anymore, got it? But you. Nao's right. You deserve a chance. You owe it to yourself, and you owe it to your brother."

Sai continued to look at Naruto in disbelief. "You can't possibly mean that. You can't take on Danzō-sama. Not like this. And I doubt you'll ever get the information you need to uproot him from his position. Danzō-sama—"

"Is full of shit," Sasuke said bluntly. "We can handle him."

"Damn straight," Naruto declared. "I'm going to be the next Hokage, and I will protect my village from traitors like him. Even if I have to break a few rules, I'll get rid of that rotten apple once and for all, I swear, and I never go back on my word! So don't you worry about it, Sai."

Sai abruptly looked away, falling into silence.

"Although more evidence would be nice," Yagura muttered dryly and I had to fight back a smile.

"Danzō. Danzō-sama outmatches you. You cannot hope to defeat him," Sai said softly.

"Konoha is my village. It's the place where I've made precious people, where I've made special bonds," Naruto said, his voice starting off low.

Sai's eyes widened again and he stared up at Naruto. Naruto gave him his signature grin. "It doesn't matter who the opponent is! If my arms get torn off, I'll kick him down. If my legs get torn off, I'll bite him down. If my head gets torn off, I'll stare him down. If my eyes get torn out, I'll curse him in my grave! Even if I get chopped up into pieces, I'll protect Konoha, no matter what."

Sai looked back down at the book, his face a perfect mask of shock.

A minute ticked by before Sai looked up and stuck out his tongue.

There, as perfect proof, was the seal.

"Sai. are you implying?" Yagura asked carefully.

Sai blinked at him before retracting his tongue.

"Nod if you are confirming the proof of Root and that you are a member," Yagura ordered. Sai nodded.

"Nod if you answer to Danzō."

Sai nodded.

"Nod if you can take us to one or more Root bases."

And for a third time, Sai nodded.

"Sai." Naruto trailed off, his eyes wide with disbelief. He then gave the brightest, sunniest smile I had seen him give in a long, long time.

"If we can get him to Tsunade-sama now, then we have the proof we need." Yamato murmured.

Silence fell through the clearing as everyone contemplated this turn of events. Part of me was pleased by it, the other part indifferent. I was pleased with the evidence. With this information, along with Itachi's testimony. surely it would be enough for a conviction.

"Alright. It's time we headed back to Konoha, then," Yagura declared, eyeing everyone. "We can't go after Orochimaru— he has too much of a lead, and our priority was evidence for the treason of Danzō. With Sai's seal on his tongue, as well as the confirmation of Sai himself. and while the seal prevents you from speaking about Danzō, I doubt it would prevent you from taking us to the current headquarters."

Sai shook his head to confirm Yagura's assumption. Yagura gave a cold smile. "Then it's safe to say that Danzō's fate is set."

"Good riddance," Naruto snorted, folding his arms over his chest.

"Do you know who else is in the Root division?" Yamato asked.

Sai shook his head.

"Right. so then what are going to do about that?" Kakashi asked, gesturing to a sleeping Jūgo.

And as if beckoned by the mention of him, Jūgo's eyes slowly creaked open. He stared at us blearily for a moment before seeming to come to his senses. He sat up straighter, his eyes more alert as he scanned everyone, before his eyes finally rested on me.

I inched away from him, disliking his rather intense gaze.

Yagura's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Good question. What exactly are you to Orochimaru, carrot-head?"

Jūgo dragged his eyes away from me and stared at Yagura. He looked sheepish. "Orochimaru was the only person who could keep me tamed. My. my kekkei genkai allows my body to absorb nature chakra, however because of this. I am unstable. Orochimaru kept me away from everyone, so I couldn't harm anyone."

"And what did he get in return?" Sasuke asked dubiously.

Jūgo shrugged. "He was interested in my kekkei genkai. He said it was essential to the Curse Mark."

I froze, and beside me, I could feel my comrades stiffening.

"Your kekkei genkai?" Kakashi murmured. "I think Tsunade-sama will be very interested in your kekkei genkai, if it's truly related to the Curse Mark."

"I think she'd be interested even if it's not related— it's definitely a unique kekkei genkai," Yagura mused. "Why are you telling us this information willingly? How can we know your words are true?"

Jūgo frowned and looked down, staring at his lap for several moments. Finally, he looked back up, his eyes on me again. "Orochimaru broke his promise. I—I did not want to fight. I don't like fighting, but you. you subdued me. You can tame me."

I shifted awkwardly, uncomfortable with his gaze again. It almost seemed like he was placing a responsibility on me, a responsibility I didn't even know what entailed. "I—I did defeat you, but."

"You can do it again, too. You can keep me from hurting anyone," Jūgo said softly.

Naruto placed a hand on my shoulder before he stepped towards Jūgo. He squatted down in front of the teenager and scrutinized him. "Hmm."

Jūgo looked uncertain what to do under Naruto's narrowed gaze.

"Well, I like him," Naruto said, standing up and grinning. "I don't know why I do. I say we trust him."

Sasuke swatted at Naruto. "You idiot. You trust anyone who isn't with Orochimaru."

"Na-uh! I didn't trust Sai!"

"Fine. Anyone who hasn't betrayed Konoha in some manner," Sasuke revised.

"Na-oh. Hmm. Not anyone."

"Anyone, Naruto," Kakashi agreed, patting his head. "That's in your nature."

"Well—well then what do you guys think? I vote we trust him."

I hesitated. "I—I feel like we can trust him. I vote with Naruto."

"I vote against," Sasuke said immediately. "He still admitted to working with Orochimaru for a prolonged period of time."

"I'm going to have to go nay, too," Yamato said, frowning. "Nothing personal, but I don't know enough about you."

Kakashi shrugged. "I am completely indifferent. It's true that in most circumstances it would be a no brainer to not trust him, but. I don't know. I think Naruto's on to something, and I know Nao is a fairly good judge of character."

Yagura snorted. "You can't remain neutral. Pick a side, Kakashi."

Kakashi shrugged again, scratching the back of his head. "I guess I'll vote with Naruto and Nao on this. Should be interesting, at least."

"I don't trust him," Sai added, giving another fake smile.

"And I vote we give him a chance," Yagura said dryly, running his hand through his hair. "Alright, I guess we'll take him back to Konoha now and let Tsunade decide what to do."

Jūgo nodded his head, accepting this.

"Yo."

Eyes snapped towards the voice. A small orange toad hopped into the clearing. Naruto frowned at him, stepping forward. "Gamakichi? What are you doing here? Does Pervy-Sage need me?"

"Not you," Gamakichi said dismissively. "I'm delivering a message to one Kame."

"But you aren't normally a messenger," Naruto said, looking confused.

"I lost a bet, it's not important."

"What's the message?" Yagura cut in smoothly.

"The crow will be home," Gamakichi said. I stilled, processing the information.

So Itachi will be back in Konoha by the time we return? I translated, stealing a glance towards Sasuke. He was frowning thoughtfully at the message.

"Does the chick need to be informed?" Yagura asked softly.

Gamakichi was quiet for a couple of seconds. "Mm. Nah. The crow will sing for the chick."

Yagura nodded his head.

"Wait, what? What's going on?" Naruto asked, looking bewildered.

Kakashi placed a hand on top of Naruto's head. "I have a feeling we'll find out soon enough."

Yagura and I exchanged glances. Slowly, I said, "It would seem that we have even more evidence to sentence Danzō. However, before we can reveal this information to the Council, the. witnesses. will need to be informed. When we return to Konoha, I would imagine Tsunade and. and the crow will want to debrief us in some manner."

Naruto grinned. "Oh, so it's more evidence. Why didn't you say so? No need to be all weird about it!"

Yagura snorted and looked away. "There's very good reason to be weird about it, Naruto-kun. But here and now is neither the time nor place. Let us return to Konoha. And Jūgo." Yagura gave Jūgo a sidelong glance. "You can either walk with us with your hands chakra-bound, or we knock you unconscious and carry you. If you walk with us, you will behave."

"She can control me. I will behave," Jūgo said firmly, still looking at me.

I inched away from his focus again, feeling my cheeks warm and I steadily looked away. Yagura placed a hand on top of my head. "Fine. Kakashi, get him set up. When you're finished, we'll move out."

. . .

. .

.

Interlude - Nao - 8

I did not see Ka - Yagura for another week. It took that long for Jiraiya to arrive and for plans to be set in motion. Not that I was privy to the plans for the moment. I knew my place— I was only a bargaining tool, not a player. Not yet, at least.

I stayed in Konoha, suspending my training trip for the moment.

Shikamaru moved his knight into place. "Checkmate."

I stared down at the board another moment before I sighed. "Why did I even bother?"

Shikamaru shrugged and fell back, his arms splayed out around him. "Why do girls do anything? Where's the food anyway?"

"Here," Chōji said, plopping down in between us. He had trays of food balanced on each of his arms. I carefully took one of the trays for myself, and split my chopsticks. Chōji placed one of the trays on Shikamaru's stomach, and left the other two trays for himself.

Shikamaru sighed. "It's too troublesome to sit up."

"Then your food is going to get cold," Chōji told him, happily starting to eat. "Hey, where'd Ino-chan go?"

I nibbled on the shrimp. "Umm. Big Sis said something about visiting a new nurse at the hospital? Or something? I don't know. I wasn't really paying attention."

Chōji blinked at that and shrugged, nonplussed. "Oh, well. More for us, then."

I smiled at that. "Mn."

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