The Lineage

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.


The Lineage
By 11


Chapter 24
Traitor: Regen

A deep cavern, the regen camp, Itachi; the regenerates leader. What the heck am I doing here?! Why does this ‘Itachi’ look like a Sasuke clone?!

No wait, I’ve seen this guy before. No it’s definitely my first time seeing him but I know I’ve seen him once before. ‘… older brother … small and broken … touches his head … hand is thick with blood … stains the child …’ why is Darkeyes so small?

“It’s good to finally meet you, Naruto,” Then his cool hands grasps mine and he’s shaking it, smiling so pleasantly. “My name is Itachi.”

I resist the urge to jerk away – because honestly the only thing that’s excessively freaky about this is his overly cheery demeanor. “Sasuke, what the hell is going on?” I ignore the darkeyes clone and look toward Sasuke. “Regen? Aren’t they the bad guys?!”

Great, I’m the one who’s lost but Sasuke’s the one who’s annoyed. What the heck?! Great, and now ‘Itachi’ is laughing. What is up with his grin?!

It’s too wide! Too shiny! Too jovial! “In almost any experience no matter who’s fighting who, there are no bad guys and there are no good guys.” He’s explaining this – still smiling! – to me like I’m a child! “It’s never been that cut and dry.”

Then the ground begins to shake. I can hear the stone crackling like a plastic wrapper. Every muscle in me tenses, but everyone else, including Sasuke, looks so calm.

The shaking stops and there’s a thundering sound from above – echoing down into the cave. A thousand vicious cries that split through stone. The rumbling continues and eventually slowly dies away. Then it starts again.

“A lightning storm?!” I ask, on edge, “What is that?”

“Wolves. I’ll be above,” he’s speaking more to Itachi than he is to me, and the older just smiles, and Sasuke takes off through the jutting teeth of the ground, toward the crannies leading upward. I see that big guy from the door turn back and walk toward this gathering group.

It seems I’ve become a celebrity somehow, there’s a bunch of these regen, not too close, but close enough and watching. Their eyes are all sane but… this is still so weird.

“Wolves?” I ask, since when were the regen and wolves close? I thought the High Lair just renewed the pact to leave their territory alone?

“Wolves.” Itachi confirms with a grin. “Surprised? I’m just so glad they were open to negotiation – they’re very good allies, and we don’t mind the smell nearly so much as some. Though they’re still getting used to us I suppose.”

He shrugs, looking up toward the ceiling, as if considering the rumbling beasts above, “They don’t stop by often. It must be because of you.”

“You’re all regen?” I wonder glancing around. I mean looking at them, I can’t tell the difference, I know they’re vampires, and the fact this isn’t the Order or High Lair, I know they must be – and Sasuke said this Itachi is the leader of the regen!

“What the hell is wrong with being a ‘regen’?” this one guy asks suddenly, in place of Itachi’s response. His teeth look like someone took a nail file to them and cut them all to little points. “It only means a vampire that used to be human.”

That may be so, but this guy irks me. What’s up with the pale blue hair anyway? Is that dye or was he born a freaky blue-hair person?

Pale aqua eyes glare back at me in my non-response. “Where do you get off being high and mighty?” he bites out eventually, “Wasn’t your precious Order gonna execute you or something?”

“It’s alright Suigetsu – I’m sure he’s just confused right now.” Itachi grins and waves the problem aside. I’ve just got a problem with being with the opposite side! I was with the Order up until a little less that 36 hours ago!

These guys are the bad guys! I don’t care what Mr. Smiley Weasel says!

“Regens.” I mutter darkly, still glaring at the blue-hair pointy-tooth guy! Where does he have the nerve to act like I’m the one in the wrong! I don’t even have to be here! I should leave! Right now!

“It is ‘Regenerate’, if you please,” Itachi says softly, still fucking smiling, “Regen has become a bit of a foul term lately – slang, uncouth.”

“Regenerate,” I turn back to him, glaring at the sun-shiny one instead. “And how did you get that scary-sounding name if you’re not the bad guys?”

Pointy-teeth lets loose a scoffing laugh. “Do you know what it means?” he asks mockingly, “Regenerate? To regenerate?”

“Because we were once human, we have a higher propensity to heal, to recover, and also-” he gestures to pointy-teeth, “Suigetsu, would you demonstrate?”

Pointy-teeth grins, looking at me, and his hand reaches back – oh shit he’s got a sword the size of his body! He swings that thing towards me I’m going to back his skull in!

I tense up and he swings the blade out in front of him – and then does the stupidest thing ever – he runs his wrist hard into the sharp. The appendage flips away and lands a few feet from my foot. Idiot! Now he’s got this bleeding stump!

And I am staring as something really gross looking starts to wriggling out of the stump… it’s a crackling bony… stumpy? No it’s taking a shape! It’s a triangle! No! It’s got these little bumps… no those bumps are… fingers.

He flexes the muscle and the bone and the skin tone blends seamlessly with the previously severed wrist. He twists the appendage and the fingers crawl unnaturally at his command – okay so your hand is fully functional! Put it away it’s creepy!

“Regenerate, if we chop off a hand, a finger, a limp; like a regenerative lizard the missing part will grow back.” Itachi enumerates what I have just seen. Like I needed him to! Hey I wonder… does that mean…?

“It doesn’t work if you cut off the head though,” Itachi continues, and kills my current train of thought – there went that idea. And there goes pointy-teeth’s sword back on his back. “Cutting off the head is an effective way to kill anything though, regenerate or pureblood.”

Then white hot iron brands wrap tight around my chest and waist. Hard flesh sears into my skin, crushing my bones and body back against a burning pillar. Then teeth scrape hard against my shoulder.

A sharp and burning tongue pressed firm to the skin. I cry out and my muscles tense, my body stiff and twisting against the fiery grip. I know exactly who this is! Ripping around, my eyes lock on vicious viridian.

“Miss me?” a sexy whisper and menacing growl congealed into two fiercely spoken words. “I knew I’d be seeing you again soon.”

“What the hell are you doing here?” I can’t keep my voice totally level – what on earth is Gaara doing here?!! It makes no sense?! Didn’t Sasuke confirm the truce? Or… no Sasuke… he’s on their side, so the deal he made with Gaara then…?!

“Why so surprised?” A nearly hairless brow arches in amused derision, “I told you we’d be seeing more of each other.”

He was promised a war – and no doubt purebloods to kill. That must have been what Sasuke discussed with him back when we first visited. Sasuke said he had a plan then… I didn’t know it was this.

“I didn’t think it would be under these circumstances.” I admit darkly.

He shrugs, and shoots me a toothy grin, “I’m sure I can improve the circumstances,” he steps toward me and I back away, at least he isn’t lunging. “They probably have a private room around here somewhere.”

Oh dear. No uh… thanks though?

“No, honestly I’m glad to see you too, and all,” I mutter, stepping around a stalagmite so we have something more solid between us. “But this has been a weird day for me,” so I really don’t have to deal with ‘you’ trying fuck/kill me right now…

Shit the muscles in his neck and shoulders are rippling… if he lunges-!! “Do you mean to say you don’t even know what this war is about? What it’s for?” Itachi cocks his head to the side, dark irises considering me.

“Purebloods vs. non-pures. The Order vs. Regenerates. Good guys vs. bad guys.” I mutter, “Basically.”

Pointy-teeth snorts, and Itachi tuts his tongue sadly. “I’d have thought it would be more obvious than that, I mean you’ve faced so many instances of the Order’s injustice already.”

Gaara moves forward again and my back strikes hard against a stalagmite. Gaara’s hand pins me, knotting a burning hand at the back of my head – my fist tucks against his chest to keep the distance. He grins and I scowl back at him.

Sasuke’s chill reenters my radial perspective and I catch his dark form drifting calmly toward us and Gaara. His eyes lock on me and his face twists into something like pitiable annoyance. What did I do?!

“Gaara,” he turns from me to address red, “I need to confirm some things with you, walk with me. You’ll see Naruto later.”

Emerald eyes glanced briefly at darkeyes then turn back to me, boring in deep, as if to promise without words, he’d see me again. Then he grins again, “Pleasure as always,” and releasing me turns toward Sasuke, stalking off ahead of him.

“Naruto, do you like custard?”

“Excuse me?”

“Custard?” Itachi offers smiling, he’s holding a small jar of the stuff and where did he get it? And the spoon? “It’s delicious stuff. I also have pizza and sweets and cake!” he says jovially, turning towards the tent he came out of. “Coming? There are cookies?”

Why would I give a fuck about cookies?!

Oh come on! They’re cookies!

But these guys are evil or something!

Who cares? If the dark side has cookies – go to the dark side, get the cookies.

The dark side lies, they do not have cookies.

Really? Because I can smell that pizza now that he mentioned it.

What? No he doesn-- oh, well actually I can smell it too. So against my better judgement to stay outside with the rest of the freaky regen I follow Itachi inside where there’s food smells and only one regen – the smiley weasel.

And what do you know there is food in here… Itachi sits down and helps himself to a cookie. Okay, they do have cookies, and pizza. And cake. And salad? And punch, I guess. And ice cream… wow. Very nice. Never see food in the High Lair.

“It doesn’t do anything for the thirst of course, but it’s still so delicious.” Itachi tells me as he finishes up his cookies, and invites me to take a seat. “Another perk of once being human – we can digest organic material! A great joy I’m glad I never had to give up – purebloods don’t know what they’re missing!”

I toy with the idea of getting a slice of pizza or cake, I mean the chocolate cake looks really good. I haven’t eaten actually food since Jiraiya got me that burger. I do seem to remember being able to taste it – though he’s right it didn’t help the blood thirst.

“In any case, you must already be aware of the momentous aversion that the Order has to regenerates, that is turned vampires, that is those with ‘besmirched’ bloodlines.” Itachi starts.

Okay fair enough, I know they don’t like regen, heck I really don’t like regen… really. Provided I don’t really know any, and being with the Order has probably given me some bias.

But really it’s just the two types of vampire right? Those that were born vampire and those that were turned. But there’s gotta be more to it.

“The Order does not believe in turning any more humans,” Itachi explains, “They call humans ‘blood-sacks’ and everything associated with them is worthless – color I’m sure you’ve noticed.”

“Machinery – although I’ve learned there’s one among them and they use lots of her devices, but still look down on her as a lesser vampire.” He continues, “Shame really.”

“To turn a human, makes a turned vampire in the Order is a serious crime to them,” he goes on, “Because this is not keeping their blood pure – bringing in new blood. This crime is therefore punishable by death of the sire and the sired vampire.”

Okay, I can figure that much out – I mean first thing when I got there they thought I was a regen and I had to go through a trial… but that doesn’t make sense. Why wasn’t Jiraiya on trial too?

“If that’s so, when my identity as a ‘regen’ was called to question why did they not put Jiraiya on trial also?” I question. I found a hole in his story.

“Indirectly, he was,” Itachi insists, “But were he have been decided guilty they would not have harmed him at all. Jiraiya is one of the sannin, the three elders. If you had been decided as a sired vampire by him, then he would have lived.”

“His power and influence would no doubt have been somewhat reduced, and there would be scandal to his name but he would have been allowed to stay, and you would have been executed.”

“There are certain circumstances where they bend their own rules, but again, they only do that when the rules are at odds with their hierarchy system or with their special need for certain bloodlines or specific blood limits.”

“Which is probably another reason they hate regenerates so much, turned vampires give birth to more different and potentially more powerful blood limits. Pureblood vampires are all inbred by this point I’d think.”

“So?” I have to wonder, “I mean it makes sense of course, but hey, what system in the world doesn’t do that? Protect their own interests and exempt certain people from punishment due to who they are or what they provide or their influence of power.”

“Well for starters it isn’t right.” Like I need Itachi to tell me that, “Our plan for this is to tear down that hierarchy and make something new.”

“Everyone there is so old and so afraid of change, there’s so much more that can be done – that should be done!” Itachi insists.

“There shouldn’t be a rule to kill off vampires simply for once having been human – it’s preposterous and honestly, killing one’s own kind no matter their birth is a matter of great travesty no matter how you look at it!”

Fine, it’s wrong. But you know what? I don’t give a fuck! “The war still means you’ll be killing other vampires anyway.”

“Yes, but when it’s over there won’t be a rift between vampires.” He smiles again, like his plan’s so brilliant, “Isn’t that worth it?”

I couldn’t give a flying rip about your war – I just don’t want to be here. Why am I here? I stand up and head for the tent door – Itachi seems to frown but stands to follow after me.

Back outside in the cave there’s a busy chattering of many voices, a steady hum and I can tell even from here someone else has just arrived… and oh my--!!

“Orochimaru! Welcome!” Itachi calls jovially, “And Karin! Good to see you again, both of you!”

“Where is Sasuke?” Karin whines stupidly. Orochimaru and Karin?! They’re here?! Why Karin?!! She’s so frigging annoying!!

“I believe he’s with Gaara, right now,” Itachi tells her, stepping forward to properly greet Orochimaru, before the snake turns his gentlemanly eyes to me.

I don’t get it. I don’t get it at all! Why are these guys, Orochimaru, Karin, and Sasuke – purebloods! – siding with the Regenerates?!!

“You’re traitors too?! Like Sasuke?!” I want to shout but it comes out as a mangled growl toward Orochimaru. I thought him-- He’s a sannin isn’t he?!!

“Now, now, technically you’re a traitor too,” Orochimaru reminds me, “escaping your execution like that.”

“That’s different,” I mutter, “You’re still with the Order! You’re a sannin!!”

“Yes,” he agrees with me, but nothing fazes that fake kind gentleman’s smile of his, “I’ll be going back there after I’m done checking in with Itachi, though Karin will have to stay here, since the Hunters are on the move, and I’m worried she might do something stupid otherwise.”

Turning back to Itachi, “everyone’s plans are moving up since the Hunters moved, the Order’s moving plans up and so must the Regenerates.”

Then turning back to me, with wistful eyes, “but you are very much mistaken if you think Sasuke is a pure-blood.”

“What? But he’s a prince?!”

“Itachi is a Regenerate,” Orochimaru reminds me, “and Sasuke is his younger brother – what does that tell you?”

“But, huh? What?”

“Sasuke is a regenerate as well.”

“What?!”

“Allow me to explain,” Orochimaru excuses himself from Itachi, “Walk with me.”

Not that there’s anywhere to walk to. We’re underground so we wind up meandering slowly around the stalagmites and cardboard/metal/cloth constructs and regen walking around – hey did that one have a game boy?!

“Sasuke was born a human,” Orochimaru begins, again with stating what was probably obvious and now just confirming my suspicions based on his previous words.

“His brother Itachi was bitten, turned, by a vampire.”

“But-!”

Hey!

“You already know that for the first year Regenerates can’t control their bloodlust-”

“Yeah I know! But-!”

Hey listen to me already!

“-so once Itachi was turned he wound up killing his and Sasuke’s family.”

I have a question!

“Orochimaru, hey-!”

“But that’s probably getting a bit ahead of myself-”

“I wish I was as invisible as you make me feel.” I mutter darkly, willing him to hear me and snap out of his explanatory rant.

Leave him brat, he’ll be done in an hour. Probably.

Probably. Ugh.

“-about the god Kyuubi – has Sasuke explained this to you yet?”

“Not really.” Listening now? Jerk?

“Oh good.” Nope, he didn’t hear a word I said. “So you know about the two families, direct descendants of Kyuubi, and the family split and one of the sides of the family fell out of the god’s favor.”

Think he just loves the sound of his own voice?

No doubt. Who knew.

Yeah with that ‘gentleman’ exterior… ugh.

“So this bloodline of course also resulted in a single member of the clan, much as Kuu was of hers in the favored clan.”

Do I care?

“He was actually a friend of mine then, Tobi. So he turned Itachi and stayed to watch what he did as a newborn.”

Again! Do I care?!

“At that point Sasuke would have been killed along with his parents, but Tobi must have taken pity on him somehow, not really in his nature, but anyway.”

You realize I’m not even listening to you anymore?

“He stopped Itachi from ending him and turned Sasuke as well – he actually transferred his bloodline directly to Sasuke actually. The way I hear it Itachi almost killed his little brother before Tobi turned him-”

No. No you don’t. Just keep talking. I’m not listening.

“-then had to give him a massive amount of his own blood to keep him alive enough to be turned.”

Okay I heard that! So Sasuke has a bloodline somehow related to Kyuubi… Kuu sounds familiar… something to do with why his eyes are red? His blood limit? I dunno I give up – my eyes do it too but I don’t get it at all.

“Yeah, I got a question-!”

“In any case that meant that when Tobi was killed by Hunters, Sasuke was left as the sole survivor to his bloodline.”

Goodness gracious he’s wordy.

“Well Tobi had already told me about the brothers, and I had brought Sasuke back with me after his first year was up – Itachi stayed behind, no doubt dealing with a great deal of guilt – better now of course – but still.”

And he talks way too much.

“I tried to hide him in the High Lair but the Order is much too nosy for it’s own good. You wouldn’t believe how much anyone can hear just by walking down the hall talking to someone. So of course the Order found out about Sasuke-”

And he doesn’t listen.

“-and they would have had him killed for sure, except that the only other bloodline to that clan was also dead with Kuu, so that would have ended the clan’s blood limit entirely!”

Shut up already!

“So since Sasuke bears Tobi’s blood they couldn’t kill him as the last of that bloodline – very important blood since it was tied to Kyuubi and all. I mean after Kuu died in that Hunters Child attempt, whatever it was, Sasuke’s blood was all the Order had left of Kyuubi’s bloodline!”

Nope he’s not shutting up.

“So when the Order found out I plead my case and even named Sasuke my heir – and given the prominence of Kyuubi’s blood – diluted as it may have been – with no other blood in the cycle it was a necessity that they allowed him to live despite him being a abomination as a sired vampire.”

Because Sasuke is the last of some particular highly-important bloodline. Great. I get it, can you shut up and listen to me now?

I had questions… I just forgot what they were. No! Don’t start talking again!!

“So he could not be executed, despite not being a pure-blood, and since Sasuke was now Tobi’s successor as well, he became a prince and all.”

An opening!! “Kuu!!” I interrupt as loudly as I can to his explanatory rant – god he talks too much!! “Kuu was the other one!”

“Yes, I said that,” he creases his brow, “She was the one that went after the Hunters Child – a hair-brained scheme if you ask me!”

“What scheme?” I ask – loud enough to make sure he heard me – and damnit if he doesn’t answer some of my questions and just rants again I’m going to punch him!

He starts to speak but stops as a chill presence sweeps toward us – Sasuke’s back! Normally I’d be glad – but nothing makes sense anymore – I don’t know how I should feel about this jerk!

How about – mad you didn’t tell me what you were, but still fuckable so I’ll forgive you later when we get naked.

Shut up.

“Gaara got impatient, he left already,” he informs me, “Wolves can’t stand the cave depths for long, they prefer the open. The pack will be back tomorrow morning to work out scents to differentiate between enemy and ours. You’ll get a chance to talk to Gaara again then.”

Why wouldn’t he have told me? “You never told me you were a regen.”

His eyes narrow in irritation, “You never asked – I never said I was a pureblood.”

“But you helped in killing off the swarms in the tunnels, back at Jiraiya’s place?” I object, “and you killed Genma?”

“The swarms being unearthed was a shame, but several hundred of them yet survived both the raid of the Order and the Hunters,” Sasuke returns, “and there are many many others, just now ending their year of insanity.”

“But Genma-?”

“Genma would have died anyway – the Order would not have let him go under any circumstances, even if he had succeeded in killing you.” Sasuke tells me coolly, “It’s only a chame that the Order decided that you didn’t pass that trial, all things considered.”

Ouch. These are his kind right? The vampire type he and his brother are fighting to ‘liberate’ or something right? “When were you so cold?”

“I’m dead, of course I’m cold.” Sasuke smirks at me, and for a moment his face makes me want to forget everything before now and just go with it.

“But you’re a regen.”

“Yes.” He regards me, and when I don’t respond; “Is that some reason to hate me now?”

“No.” I affirm. Even if he wasn’t born a vampire, he’s still Sasuke… I just found out I don’t know him as well as I thought I did. “If this is for real, then am ‘I’ a regen? Is that it?”

Sasuke’s eyes narrow again and he sighs in something like fatigue and frustration, “Please excuse us,” he says to Orochimaru, stepping forward to take me by my shoulder and lead me back towards one of the far cloth tent/huts.

Within the flaps it’s more bare than the tent Itachi had me in, no food, but still chairs, and a collection of maps showing complex tunnel workings… the High Lair networks.

“So I’m a regen, since Jiraiya did turn me?” I question, seeking confirmation, Sasuke stared back at me blankly. “Right? That’s why you brought me here? The regen camp? Because I’m really one of you?”

“Did Jiraiya really turn you I wonder?” Sasuke suddenly questions. I pause and realize he just threw me a loop. Of course I’m sure! When I woke up didn’t Jiraiya say that I was a vampire like him? I didn’t believe him first but…?

Jiraiya seemed sure… but after we found out about the sunlight thing… he was pretty uncertain then wasn’t he? Come to think of it I never really asked him about it – I should have, but we were always arguing back then.

Even now … well then… I haven’t been in this life that long. It feels like forever, but honestly it hasn’t even been a whole year yet. I really should have asked him I guess… then I could have been sure, right?

So what happened there? We found out I could go in sunlight, and Sasuke had tried to convince him it was because of their combined blood, and then later that I was a half-breed…

“Fine. So I’m not a regen?” I try to confirm again, “What am I? I know you know – no more excuses, just tell me.”

“Itachi has already explained what we’re trying to do, right?”

“You’re changing the subject; but yes.” I tell him, “And I get it. I don’t hate you, and I can understand that you want to carve out a place for Regenerates to exist where the Order condemns them.”

“It’s more than that – the Order has repeatedly condemned any motion of change or progress. It’s stagnation – you’ve seen how they view Hinata and her work, even though they used her very devices to keep you weak during the trials.”

“You may not know this from the numbers you’ve seen at the High Lair but those halls are mostly empty. Every vampire there is over 1000 years old at least, the newest ones are soldiers and drones, they don’t have blood limits and they aren’t permitted to breed on their own.”

“If we recreate the system we eliminate the descrimination, yes, but we also eliminate the dwindling of our specie and the standstill of progress and reform in vampire society, not only that we would be united again, as a single entity and not two factions of the same kind.”

“Okay – it’s an issue of blood and politics – it’s still a bloody fucking war you’re toting.” I remind him.

“Even if there are casualties wouldn’t a world like that be worth it?” he asks me, “Everyone down here thinks so.”

“And the wolves? Gaara just wants to kill vampires, he just wants his war,” I point out.

“True, but he is a powerful ally, and we need all the help we can get to take down a hierarchy that has been in place for millennia.” Sasuke explains.

“I agree with you, I really do,” I admit. I mean I have seen how they view Hinata, and I don’t think that they should kill vampires based on how they came into being.

And yet war? Against those I consider family as well? Jiraiya? Sakura? Hinata’s on their side too. “I agree with it, but you’re going about it the wrong way.”

“There’s no way the war you and the Order are talking about will be able to build a system like you’re talking about.”

“I’ve already tried to change it from the inside,” Sasuke smiles sadly, “Yet the Order is too pig-headed to listen.”

So he has already tried? Well I’m fresh out of ideas. I plop down into the seat opposite him and try to look nonchalant for this next question, “So where do I fit into all this?”

“You’ve been defending me ever since you met me, trained me, kept me under the radar,” I expound, “never telling me what I am. Come on. It’s the only reason you ever associated with me right?”

“It’s the only reason you ever came near me – because I’m something, and that something fits in with this war. Am I right? So what is it?”

Sasuke’s eyes harden and his face contorts into a distasteful scowl – “That’s not true. Don’t assume things like that.”

“What? That I’m some sort of tool for your ends?” I wonder. Because there’s something tense in his muscles and neck – I know I’ve hit upon the truth.

I must rank somewhere around Gaara on his list of importance. Knowing that it actually hurts worse than if he’d denied it and I noticed no such tension.

I’d hoped I meant something to him – I want to mean something more to him. Because he means a hell of a lot more to me.

He pauses at my accusation, “There’s more to it than that.” He breathes, and my heart sinks lower in my belly, a lead weight.

“Yes, I trained you to take this side of the war, initially that was why I protected you and tried to keep your guise a secret. I’ve been waiting for you for a long time, and initially, yes that’s what you were.” He admits it, and I don’t feel anything anymore.

“Initially?” I wonder, that last shred of hope, “That changed? When?”

“Hard to say ‘when’,” he responds, his mouth sealed shut, as if chewing over words he can’t quite force up his throat. “I meant what I said – whatever you want is fine with me. Anything that you want between us.”

Is this another means to try and insure my support for his side? Damn you Sasuke. “And what does that mean?” I ask him, can’t quite keep the anger from my voice, “I love you Sasuke. Do you love me?”

His eyes freeze over and for a terrifying moment I think I see nothing there but disgust and absolute unfeeling, but then he responds, and I recognize that shade covering his face and eyes steeling his expression closed – fear.

“I think so.”

“You think so?” why does that not satisfy me?

He continues, “You want to know what you are?” to think, now he’s using that as a distraction from the other question I think matters more. “You are Kyuubi.”

That vampire god? I can’t help but snort, but his expression doesn’t change, he’s not joking. “Or you will be.” He finishes.

“Will be?” I repeat.

“It’s why when I first tasted you I knew, I recognized that power, because it’s resonated inside me too – that bloodline.” So that’s what it was, that’s the tool he wanted. That’s why he’s ‘waited so long for me’. What a joke. A cruel nasty joke.

“If you joined the Regenerate forces, that bloody war you talked about could start and end in a skirmish.” He tells me.

“Hmph.” I can’t stop my eyes from glaring and he doesn’t show it but his voice trembled just the slightest. He’s not afraid of me, but he’s wary – he knows I’m upset, but he’s only being as honest as he can be. Or at least he’s trying.

Something tells me he hardly ever tells the whole truth and nothing but, if he can help it. A lie might have helped him, but if I’d have detected him lying I’d really have to hate him.

Now I’m just upset. Because I don’t want him to just ‘think’ he loves me – I want him to know, and to say so. I want him to love me. But he’s not totally lying – his first order of business was to gain me as an asset for this war.

“I always did suck at history,” I sigh, “I never understood wars, and I won’t be able to start now. No matter how I look at it, Sakura, Shino, Hinata, Jiraiya, people I added to my list of kin are on the other side. So now what?”

“It’s a cost, or a risk at the least,” Sasuke agrees, “perhaps they won’t be killed.”
“Perhaps?”

“Do you think the Order, do you think Sakura or Shino or Hinata would spare either of us a second though if the roles were reversed?”

Sakura? No. She’d be pissed – she might even cry. But she wouldn’t hesitate to kill me if we had to fight. Shino too – I don’t think he’d so much as bat an eyelash. He’s not connected to people like that. Hinata…

“…Hinata might.” I figure quietly.

“Sakura wouldn’t. Shino wouldn’t. Haku wouldn’t. Jiraiya wouldn’t. Tsunade wouldn’t.” Sasuke reminds me, expounding all these names I know, “Tenten wouldn’t. Lee wouldn’t-”

“Ah! First off – I have no great love for Haku! Really!” I cut him off before he names every vampire in the High Lair I may or may not have met. Wasn’t there something else screwy going on here too?

“And how the heck do I even qualify for ‘Kyuubi’ anyway? How did that happen? That still doesn’t make any sense whatsoever!”

“Do you know about Kuu?”

Besides that story Orochimaru told me, about a hunters child, that is possibly similar to the one that Ino chick told me about my parents… there something going on there?

“Besides Tobi she was the only other descendent of the vampire clan that Kyuubi left behind a millennia ago or something – right? The clan split at some point,” there was a stone mural in the volcano mountain about that too…

“One stayed in favor of the god, the others not, Tobi was the last of the not-favored, Kuu was the last of the favored. Both are dead now – both killed by Hunters.”

Sasuke nods, “Kuu died within the Hunters base. She met a hunter named Minato and he fell in love with her. I know because this is what Tobi told me regarding her – they were close enough considering the split in the clan.”

“Kuu persuaded Minato to marry another hunter, a Kushina Uzumaki, Kushina loved him, and Kuu could not bear a human’s child. Kuu was likely barren – she left no vampire heir behind.”

“So?” That doesn’t change a thing. I’m still the son of two humans who were linked somehow to this Kuu vampire. “Kushina and Mianto were my parents – so what? They knew Kuu? Or my dad did, whatever.” I never met either of them.

“Yes, your fleshly parents were humans, but you were born solely because Kuu asked it of Minato,” Sasuke tells me.

“When you were born Kuu went to the Hunters base to you and put her blood into you – the last remaining essence of Kyuubi from that side of the split clan.”

So… I have two moms?

“Given the power and adept that you previously displayed I suspect that Kyuubi himself has awakened in your vessel – a mortal god.”

I feel my parasite through me, not responding to Sasuke’s explanation and for a moment I’m not sure I can believe him. Why doesn’t my parasite respond then?

I had no idea – not really. I know I’m awesome though – and I like the name well enough.

So what does that make me – us?

Does it matter?

I don’t know.

“So basically you’re saying a have a vampire god living inside of me.” it doesn’t feel real even when I say it. My parasite buzzes inside me, but he doesn’t remember a thing about this.

Who cares? It’s wicked.

No. This is unfair. This is stupid.

“The blood rite and sacrificial route – Kuu let herself die along with Minato, giving all of her blood to you to awaken Kyuubi within the Immaculate Bloodline – The Lineage.”

Immaculate – latin, from maculates-stained; having no stain or blemish, pure, containing no flaw or error. But I am flawed… what immaculate blood?! This is stupid. This is so stupid.

I realize my fingers are digging into the wood and my muscles are stiff – my eyes hard on Sasuke. He appears calm enough, but he’s regarding me with that same caution like I’m a rattle-snake and he’s wary of my strike.

“This isn’t fair.” I find the words hissing out angrily. I don’t even care about my parents, what I am, what’s pissing me off most was what I confirmed before. “You don’t even like me, you only acted like you did because you knew.”

I stand up to avoid crushing the arms of the chair splinters still curled in my fist, wood beneath my nails.

That’s why he bothered to tell me that before… he wants me on his side, he wants the power I’ve used before. What the hell was that when we fucked then? Just fucking? No emotion? That’s now what it was for me – don’t tell me that’s all it was for him!

“No!” Sasuke’s face contorts in something like anger and agony again, “I already told you, it’s more than that.”

But I can’t even take his words seriously – he said this before, but how can I verify it?! He could be lying again right now.

Does it matter?

YES!!

If he told you the truth about what you were, doesn’t that mean he does care that much?

He had no choice!

He always had a choice – he’s trying to trust you idiot!!

He used me!! He plans to use me again!!

“I realize it must be a lot to take in.” He says standing, still watching me, detached. So detached – icy bastard. I want to seize him by the throat, burn his skin raw and red with my touch.

I want him to scream and cry for me – I don’t want this truth. Damnit – bastard Sasuke!! I want to hate you so much right now!!

“I’ll give you time to think about all you’ve been told,” he moved backward toward the exit, and I feel the tent shift over – it’s stone all around and I realize I’m trapped. “You’ll stay here for now.”

“So I’m a prisoner now?” I growl at him, and he stiffens – the truth again! He can’t hide it from me now – and how I wish he could, lie and make it not hurt so much… but don’t ever let me know it’s a lie, because that would hurt even more.

“No, but please stay here, until you’ve calmed down.” Sasuke insists. “If you need me, just call.”

Then he retreats from the space and I’m left in a cage of cave stone with one open wall of cloth – and Sasuke just beyond, that bastard.

I am a prisoner. I feel stupid – did I honestly ever think that he might have truly liked me?!

I think he does, idiot. You’re not being calm or rational.

How can I be rational?! I feel so stupid for thinking it! I’m angry!! Angry at him! At myself!!

Really? I’m overjoyed! You know what – he said he’s fine with anything, and if you need him call. Call him – let’s fuck him! And screw your emotions!! Pfft!

I wish! I want to!! But if I did I couldn’t stomach it later. He said he thinks he does… he wasn’t lying then right?

Who knows.

If he wasn’t… then even if it takes forever I can wait.

I can’t.

Damn it! Damn that bastard!! Sasuke bastard!! Why do I still love him so much?!! I want to hate him! But I can’t!!

Fuck it then. First things first – get us out of here.

How?!!

I touch the ceiling with my hand and grimace at the distance between me and the surface – I could tunnel out but I’d need several hits, and I’d only get one shot before Sasuke would figure out what I’d done and be right in here to stop me.

We do know a one shot don’t we?

What?

Tsunade, idiot?

Huh?

IDIOT!!

Tsunade’s technique?!! Why didn’t I think of that? I draw my hand back and gauge the distance in my head. I only have one hit – and I’ll have to drag myself up there too – just like dragging something from a distance away toward me – same thing really.

I remember the feeling, my body coming apart, my mist arm, the half-solidification, the grip and pull – it’s been a while. But here goes--!!

I strike up hard at the stone. The rock crumbles away and my molecules come apart. Tumbling up through the layers of sediment. Ripping away everything in it’s path – the open air!

So far up! My arm is all gone. Someone heard that! Then it’s solid!

Grip the edge! And I’m pulling myself up through the stone tunnel. I hiss as my body congeals and comes apart. Then snaps back together!

My arm is torn up along the side. My feet catch the lip of the tunnel and I jolt forward through the forest. Far from the beast-mouth cave. Far from the regen camp. Far from idiot Sasuke.

My parasite burns through my arm – and I hiss feeling the skin sizzling shut. I guess Tsunade’s training finally came in handy – and I didn’t almost pass out this time using that final part!

I rush on through the woods and the dark woods streak past instead, as if I’m not moving at all. It doesn’t feel like I’m moving. I’m so numb. I can’t even feel the wind, though I know it must be cool on my skin.

My foot catches somewhere or maybe I moved too slow too soon – and my body falls darting forward and sprawling back over the ground and dirt and brambles. Why does my face feel wet?

Eye grease, I was running fast enough for the wind to blow out liquid? My chest heaves and I can finally feel – my heart pumping fast and hard – blood coursing through me.

I can feel my parasite pulsing inside me – my anger like a tangible taste in my mouth – more than anger – bitterness and regret.

I feel like I just won the shit-lottery.

So I’m a god or something? Or will be? Two moms – and Sasuke knew, and that’s all he cared about. Why does that last part seem more important than the first? Lame. Very lame.

You are Kyuubi right?

That is the name I picked.

Fine. But you said you could give me immeasurable power once, right?

I guess – I can.

Join with me. This time – join me for good. My body, our body – yours and mine, take it.

It’s the adrenaline speaking. Maybe, but I don’t mind – this is something I’ve been thinking about. The Plan A and the Plan B. Plan A – Let me do my thing. Plan B – let my parasite handle it. Plan A may fail, Plan B never does – what if Plan A was Plan B?

Are you sure that’s okay? For good? I don’t know what will happen. We’ll probably both be gone after this.

Yeah, that’s fine. Just do it.

I am so ready for power. To disappear – to take back control of this farce that feels like it’s slipped away from me. I’m just me – what the hell can I do about all this shit?! If it’s us then maybe.

Ready.

Just do it.

`

And he doesn’t stall anymore. I know because it’s like morphine and acid. Every part of his burns through me.

If there was a fingerprint of my mind, my consciousness ever imprinted – it’s bubbling away.

I’m disappearing.

I’m deaf and I can’t hear. I think I’m screaming but I can’t tell because my parasite is howling inside of me as well – as if he’s bubbling away too.

My eyes burn so badly I can’t see. My face is on fire. It’s melting off. My skin is coming apart.

My muscles are stretched too tight. They’re being torn off the bone. The bone is being bleached and jellied.

I can feel the marrow splinter off and break. My flesh is gone. My blood is boiling all around me.

I can’t see. I can’t hear. I can’t tell anything. My parasite is gone. I am gone – ashes and fire and dust.

`

Then there was no Naruto. There was no ‘Kyuubi’.

But I exist.

And I am the one that opens these eyes – new eyes, my eyes. I am aware – I can remember so much more than I myself really know.

A new face – my face. New legs but my legs. New arms are now my arms. These lips are new too, but they are mine – and I use them to grin to myself – born from the ashes of something else.

I am the storm that will sweep away all sides of this war.

---

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