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starfighter10 · 4 years ago

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tlou2 opinion

So I really had to share my opinion(rant) on the last of us part 2 and boy I have a lot to say. I am gonna dwell deep into this one, so bear with me if you can and want to

But before that I have to share the feelings I hold for tlou1.Back when I finished tlou1, I knew I experienced something truly magical. I was pleasantly surprised by the beautifully crafted story, the execution of the characters, the music, the gameplay , and the effort that went into shaping the journey of the game,the character arcs and bonds. You could see and experience the uniqueness and passion that went into the first project. This game immediately became a favourite of mine.

When tlou2 was announced, my expectations were skyhigh,was elated to continue Joel and Ellie's journey and how it unfolds. The bar set by the first one was exceptionally high and probably impossible to achieve, but I had trust and faith in naughty dog, thought they couldn't go wrong with this one. After experiencing tlou2 , I am speechless.... not in a good way. I have no words to express my disappointment,frustration and anger I feel right now. I don't even know where to begin.... the absolute mess of a plot, the original characters being blatantly ignored, retconned and disrespected in favour of new bland characters, the plotholes in the story, the false advertising and marketing, naughty dog's hubris, making a complete mockery of your fans who are paying money to play something but getting baited for something else. I am utterly heartbroken and angry.

The plot - the driving force of the game is over ambitious, lazy,sloppy and nihilistic. It felt forced. Naughty dog bit off more then they could chew with this one. Tlou2 could have gone several ways in terms of plot with the existing characters, yet we get the cliche revenge plotline with the character abandoning the quest altogether to realise revenge isn't the answer. This trope has been done several times before, with more finesse and better execution. The writers aim for the " Ellie breaks the cycle of the revenge" but it really fails to achieve this as she blatanly annihilates several characters,npcs along the way in quest of her revenge. The damage has been done practically speaking. According to naughty dog's logic , I should expect Nora's sister or a random npc's friend/relatives in tlou3 hunting down Ellie in their revenge quest. Also Abby's quest literally does nothing for me. This character was so poorly written, executed and shoved down our throats, I didn't have any sort of attachment or empathy for her. I simply don't care about this character.

The circumstances that lead to Joel's death was out of character as well. Since the trailer drop in 2016, I was prepared for his inevitable death. Thought he would probably go out like the badass he is, maybe sacrificing himself for Ellie/tommy. The Joel I know from tlou1, a hardened survivor who has fought tooth and nail to survive the past 20 years would NEVER end up in a situation like that. Joel was intensely alert, critical,clever and intuitive. The argument here may be that he has softened in Jackson, but I feel at this point this should be 2nd nature to him. Something that is automatic. Yet the writer's now want you to believe he is a dumbass who would trust a group of strangers, make small talk and introductions and end up in a situation like that. One of the bigger issues was the constant reinforcing that Joel wiped down the fireflies in cold blood and doomed humanity for death by robbing them of their cure for survival,Ellie believing the cure would have been a guaranteed sure shot success ..... WHY? This retcons the first one completely. The beauty of the tlou1 was it's moral ambiguity and uncertainty. We were constantly hinted that fireflies is a mess of a group whose agendas weren't clearly known, whose actions caused the sacrifice of many people for the sake of a slight possibility of a cure.They were power hungry and were cruel enough to send a 14 year old girl to her death with no remorse,consent or any proper investigation or medical research. Joel initially negotiates to find someone else, gets shut down immediately, gets his means of survival snatched and was practically marched to his death. He had no option but to wipe clean these people who planned on killing someone dear to him, for something that is uncertain or in vain. And yes this was a selfish decision on Joel's part, and that was the beauty of it. The moral ambiguity. He was right or wrong or both - open to your interpretation. BUT NOW NAUGHTY DOG WANTS TO TO ERASE ALL THAT DEVELOPMENT. The active reinforcement that Joel was a cold, ruthless murderer who killed fireflies and deprived humanity of its cure? Trying to erase the fact that he was surviving and trying to keep his dear ones safe in this cold, brutal and unforgiving postapocalyptic world. So that we sympathize with Abby and enjoy golfing the tf outa Joel?. Ellie seems like a different character in this one, but again this character is immediately pushed to a whirlwind of traumatic events right from the start of the game. I missed her spark of joy,humour and enthusiasm. The treatment of the main chatacter in her own game is utterly cruel and disappointing, and seemed unfair to me. By the end, Ellie is broken beyond repair. Though she thematically chooses to be the better person and gives up on her vengeance and hate, she still manages to be on the losing side as she ends up losing her father figure which was her closest bond, loses Dina and the kid , she doesn't have her community, her people, her fucking fingers as well. Why? So Ellie could suffer a little more and be unable to do most important thing that bonded her to Joel. Not to mention she loses her switchblade too, her mother's final memory. Surprised that ND spared her mother's letter . Feel her pain and despair. Why does Ellie get such a shitty,depressing, worthless, futile and a hopeless conclusion while Abby not only gets her revenge successfully, forms a close bond in Lev and gets to escape possibly to a fresh start. Ellie? Nah she gets to suffer alone. Her BIGGEST FEAR has become a reality by the end. The least they could do is let Ellie have some solace and calm, surrounded by her loved ones on that farm,her trying to recover from her trauma slowly but surely, it's what joel would have wished for. But no, she is left all alone, absolutely traumatized, all by herself with nothing to look forward to. Oh and tommy is whole new character in every scene. So keep your eyes peeled for various versions of tommy throughout. The character inconsistencies are ridiculous.

The gameplay, beautiful sceneries, and new characters like dina and jesse are few of the positives of game - leaning more towards Jesse. Dina felt perfect for Ellie and Jesse did manage to lighten up few of the moments. The space shuttle cutscene, the museum flashback sequence, ellie and joel's flashbacks were the only parts that remotely captures the magic and beauty of tlou1. I got emotional watching them. The space shuttle sequence hits you with the feels. Joel slaying a bloater with a machete was cinematic art. (Hot too)

Abby... the forced deuteragonist, is an utter failure of character execution. Her character was forced onto us, felt hasty and lacked real build up. She starts off on the wrong foot by killing one of the most popular characters. If ND really wanted this character to work, the only possible way would have been to play her point of view and backstory prior to her mercilessly killing and torturing a guy who just saved her life. What was ND thinking? That a few hours of her pov,forced out of the blue background story, her getting to play with dogs while ellie has no option but to attack the dogs, the abby-lev bond which is pretty much discount or the walmart version ellie and joel would be enough to side with her over ellie and joel???? The part where they force you to play as abby against ellie? It made me sick. I felt cheated and disgusted.

The false advertising to make us believe joel is alive and good? That this is an ellie and joel centric game?To tug at your heartstrings like this. A complete mockery of the fans who waited 7 years to see their favorite characters get horribly treated,retconned, disrespected and thrown under the bus in favour of new unlikable characters. Butchering the heart and soul of the last of us - Joel and Ellie's bond. The fact that these two don't even get a heart to heart before his death, that Joel dies uncertain of ellie's future, maybe thought he could not save Ellie in those final painful moments, that she had never forgiven him, Ellie never getting her closure with Joel, or really getting to tell him how much he meant to her.... all these thoughts legit made me shed tears. Broke my heart. This is how much ND wanted to honour and respect ellie and joel.

The game's conclusion is hollow, futile, worthless and depressing. And in my opinion, this is non canon. This is the only way I can cope with this unsastifying conclusion. It is immaturity I guess... but I will feel better about it.

Though I utterly despise tlou2, tlou1 will continue to remain one of my favorite pieces of work in fiction. JOEL FUCKING MILLER WILL ALWAYS BE THE BADDEST BITCH AND NOTHING WILL CHANGE THE LOVE I HAVE FOR HIM.

If someone actually read it all the way, thank you for your time and effort. Really needed to rant and let these negative emotions out.

#the last of us #the last of us part 2 #tlou spoilers #tlou #tlou2 #tlou joel #tlou ellie #my rants #ellie #joel miller #joel

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ladyiceflame-blog · 7 years ago

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An Inconvenient Wedding:

Chapter Eleven: Black and Silver

Akamaru couldn’t suppress a soft whine of ill-ease as the six genin closed in on the Tsuroyuni pavilion. It smelled so....unhealthy. “I hear you, Akamaru,” Kiba sympathized, hugging his ninken closer to his chest, as he rode on the inside of his jacket. “This place stinks.” Naruto sniffed the air experimentally. There was a strange incense smell, but he couldn’t factor much beyond that. But it was definitely creepy. The main pavilion was made of some black material, which seemed to greedily swallow the lights of the braziers around its perimeter. “Whoever this Tsuroyuni guy is, he has horrible taste in wedding decor!” Sakura whispered harshly. “This looks more like a funeral.” Hinata shuddered. “I...I believe that black is his clan color. Even his....scrolls are made of black paper.” “Where do you see that?” Kiba asked. “...and how could you write anything on a black scroll?” Naruto demanded. “It was...in my father’s office...at home, Kiba-kun,” Hinata explained to her team mate. “And the ink was silver....Naruto-kun,” she added, blushing. “The Tsuroyuni clan has long been steeped in matters macabre,” Shino informed. “It means, ‘creepy’, before you ask!” Sakura informed Naruto. “They were one of the founding clans of Kirigakure, and specialize in espionage...and some say, the occult,” Shino continued. “What...do you mean...?” Naruto demanded, sounding a bit rattled. “Oh...you know,” Sasuke smiled cruelly, knowing his team mate’s fear of all things eerie: “...ghosts, zombies, werewolves howling under a full moon....” “We like to howl at the full moon, don’t we, Akamaru?” Kiba smiled. “Nothing wrong with that...” “I am also guilty of such a thing, but now is not the time,” Pakkun reproached, as they found a thick cluster of trees to hide amongst. “We need to formulate a plan, based on what we can observe. Those braziers fill my nose with a ridiculous scent that is obviously meant to confuse a ninken’s smelling ability. This man already offends me.” “This whole wedding offends me!” Naruto growled back. “What’s the point if no one even knows each other?” “Arranged marriages can be difficult,” Shino began, sagacious as ever, “...but are sometimes necessary to secure a sense of stability within a family. Or a country. The Aburame Clan has occasionally made overtures to families who were deemed worthy.” “How romantic,” Sakura huffed. “We don’t get out much,” Shino excused. “Some...some of my...cousins...were married that way,” Hinata came to the aid of her team mate. “Its something that the noble clans generally concern themselves with,” Sasuke added. “It normally ends well enough.” “Well, ‘well enough’ will never be good enough for me!” Naruto swore, prompting Hinata to blush yet again. “My...my father...didn’t believe that Asaito-sama was good enough, either,” the shy Hyuga finally shared. “What?” Kiba demanded. “Did Tsuroyuni propose to you, too?!” “No!” she rebuked, annoyed at the suggestion. “My cousin....Hibani...” she resumed. “He...wanted to marry her. My father refused.” “On what grounds?” Sakura pressed. “He didn’t say,” Hinata admitted quietly. “But, his refusal was...immediate.” “We have got to find out why,” Sasuke intoned gravely, steeling everyone’s resolve. “Hinata, can you employ your Byakugan? My Sharingan can’t see into the main tent.” Hinata focused, and tried to peer past the dark, shadowy material, to no avail. “I can’t see anything, either,” she admitted sadly. “The cloth seems to be woven of some...strange chakra substance.” “Our noses are worthless here,” Kiba lamented. “Akamaru and I will keep watch over the main path that leads here from the Frost encampment.” “I’ll guard the northeast, and use my insects to surround the camp,” Shino volunteered, as Hinata finished her scrutiny of the rest of the area. “There are guards in the other tents....and sitting around a fire-pit. They look like they are eating supper, or sleeping, for the most part.” “Then this is the perfect time to strike,” Sasuke decided. “When their guard is down.” “And the secrets lie inside that main tent,” Pakkun wagered. “Team Seven, follow me. Hinata, keep a sharp eye out here.”

Miriyume looked across to the complete stranger on the other side of the table, and silently wished that she had inherited her mother’s eyes instead. Renara’s unique dojutsu could effortlessly see into the very core of a person...their inner thoughts, their hopes, their regrets.... It had been impossible to lie to her, growing up. But Renara’s uncanny insight into a person’s soul had forced her to become somewhat reclusive. In her words, prolonged exposure to ‘darker souls’ caused her mental, and even physical pain. In remote Shimogakure, she was safe. In the larger world beyond, she tended to suffer. Miriyume had noticed how her mother was trying to keep her focus on the Hokage, while her father was conducting most of the expected questions and replies with the groom, and that creepy-as-hell monk. Renara ate and smiled, but this was clearly paining her. The Hokage seemed to realize this, too, and tried to catch her eye often. He was such a compassionate man. Her mother had often alluded to Sarutobi-sama’s soul as a brilliant sunrise: a life-sustaining manifestation of hope that never failed to strengthen those who were caught in its light. <“Just one more course, Mother,” she silently soothed. “And then you can escape Asaito’s dark aura.”> “So...” Ryuumaru began, as he signaled for his dinner plate to be removed. “How exactly did my darling little Stormfly catch your attention, Asaito-san?” Asaito looked taken aback. “Was my poem not clear enough?” “Poem..?” the Shimokhan echoed in confusion. “The hundred and eight-line love poem that accompanied Asaito-sama’s letter of proposal....” Wakame reminded. “Written on black parchment...in silver ink...?” “Oh, that poem!” Ryuumaru remembered. “I....never had much of a head for those kind of things....” turning in desperation to his wife. “Was it a good one?” “It was exquisite,” Miriyume recovered for her father, “In form and language, it ranks alongside the classical works from the Land of Ancestors, of which I am much enamored, but it is perhaps a bit overly generous on the praise...” “Nonsense!” Asaito retorted sternly, catching Miriyume’s eyes fully within his own. “In fact, I lament that I only had the clumsy medium of mere words to express how completely you have enchanted me, dear lady.” Despite the menacing tone, the pure ardor kept everyone intrigued. Or was it his eyes? Kakashi couldn’t be certain.... “I will never forget the day I first saw you....” Asaito continued, buoyed by everyone’s rapt attention. “Do tell,” Matsuko prompted after a beat of awestruck silence, “...for all of our edification.” “It was a beautiful spring day, not unlike today, in the Outer Whalebones Islands,” the bridegroom continued, standing up, “I had committed one of my own fleet captains to the Water Daimyo’s cause of bringing down a notorious water baron, and had joined the crew to lend further assistance.” “I think I remember this....” Gekido began. “...that bastard who called himself ‘Man-of-War,’....? “Correct,” Asaito acknowledged with a small nod. “Our motley armada had closed in on the sea-faring tyrant, only to fall prey to his nefarious Labyrinth of Fog jutsu. One by one, our ships were tricked into crashing into each other, or attacking our allies out of paranoid desperation. Even my thermal vision dojutsu couldn’t pierce that infernal mist. The bastard had turned our greater number suddenly against us, and we were at his cruel mercy....until....” He looked at Miriyume. “...the Storm Sage Priestess appeared, screaming her fury, and dispelling the mist. I looked up from my wave-battered deck to see this....armored angel with thunderclad hair, and eyes like a tempest, perched on the prow of another ship a mere six paces away from my starboard side. Had she not froze the water between our ships, the collision would have surly sunk us both. “Dressed for battle, her long hair swirling in the whirlwind of her heady, lightning-infused chakra, eyes containing every shade of color that ever existed, she was as a primordial goddess to me as she stood there. “With a gesture, you launched a blinding harpoon of electricity at the retreating tyrant’s ship, and brought down his main mast and rigging. Then with a sweep of your arms, you directed the sea itself to turn your ship, the Freewind Star, toward our shared enemy, and renewed the hunt. The Daimyo had him in custody only an hour later. “You spared my ship, saved my life, and stole my heart in a single moment, Miriyume-sama,” Asaito gave her a bow of respect. “Please allow me the honor of spending the rest of my life thanking you.” The reverent hush that had stilled even Gekido’s tongue deeply disturbed Kakashi. Kurenai had paled, and was blinking excessively. Ryuumaru swallowed hard. But nothing cut him as painfully deep as the look of glassy-eyed ardor on Miriyume’s face. Had this silver-tongued, cold-cored man so completely enthralled her? Kakashi silently cursed the gods that had dealt him this fate. Enduring this anguish. Every fiber in his being was screaming out in protest of this union. This marriage of hell and heaven. How could something so foul ensnare someone so radiant? His words were honey-coated poison, miring everyone’s ill-ease in a bog of amorous musings to which Asaito’s heart was utterly alien. Why couldn’t anyone else see this?!? Those kids had better find something solid enough to use as evidence...or he might have to revert to some of the tactics he employed during his Anbu days.... “Again, you are overly generous with your opinion of me,” Miriyume recovered, after a moment “Our success that day was the result of all our efforts.” Ryuumaru, ever the doting father, chuckled at her persistent humility. “My girl has always been overly humble when it comes to accepting compliments.” “But she makes up for it by being ridiculously eager in giving abuse,” Gekido quipped, “Which she did that day...” “...and many days since,” Matsuko added. “...and many more days to come, no doubt,” Hiruzen concluded, with a toast. “Perhaps a marriage to a noble clan can curb some of her hell-raising habits...” Oda mused aloud. There was a full five seconds of dead silence before the Shimogakurans all burst into laughter. Even Renara was wiping away tears. “My daughter is called the ‘Storm Priestess’ for a variety of reasons, Oda-sama,” Renara returned. “There has been nothing yet discovered that can quell her wild ways. And nothing should seek to.” “Yes, well...” Oda tried to recover, “that’s what they all—“ A sharp sound and an alarmingly vicious glare from Lord Asaito cut the monk’s words completely off. Oda even paled somewhat beneath his jaundiced pallor. “...and I certainly intend nothing of the kind, honored Heron Priestess,” Asaito’s harrowing aspect snapped back to geniality so fast that it nearly gave one whiplash. “Miriyume’s spirit is a rare, wondrous bloom amidst a sea of bland flowers. It would be the highest of crimes to wish to change her,” Asaito pledged. Oda was looking rather sullen at the moment, fielding a new tension between him and his lord. What had he nearly let slip, Kakashi wondered? “I know that my own village of Konoha would feel immense pride to have such an accomplished kunoichi marry into its citizens,” Hiruzen smiled, in an attempt to lighten the darker mood. “In fact, had I known that Miriyume-sama was considering proposals, we of the Land of Fire would have provided Asaito-sama with some competition...” “First...you attempt to charm my wife, and now you’re going after my daughter, Hiruzen!? You’re as bad as that trashy-romance writing Toad Sage!” Ryuumaru playfully scolded. The Hokage blushed, as Kurenai stifled a laugh, badly. “That’s not what I meant!” Hiruzen snapped, as everyone else had a chuckle at his expense. “I only meant that there are a number of single jonin in Konohagakure who would be very taken with Miriyume-sama’s charms, and I would have been in complete support of their attempts.” He smiled tenderly at Miriyume for a moment, and sighed. “For some strange reason, well beyond my humble understanding, I always thought that the daughter of my dear friend would have made her home in the Village Hidden in the Leaves. At least, for a little while...” What was this? The Philosopher of Konohagakure hinting at prophecy? Hiruzen was well known as a ‘sensor type’ shinobi, capable of seeing what most could not. Or was this merely wishful thinking out loud? “The world is my home, Hokage-sama,” Miriyume returned, as the last of the dinner plates were removed. “Ever since Team Three of Shimogakure changed their name to the Wandering Lights Brigade, and took to the road all those years ago.” “Its gonna be strange,” Gekido smiled, “Setting up a home base on this island....” “We can have an actual library!” Miriyume smiled at him. “...and a Rock Garden!” Matsuko added. “So, you both intend on becoming citizens of the Land of Water?” Asaito asked Miriyume’s team mates. “Of course we do!” Gekido returned. “We’re a team, aren’t we?” “Then you are aware of the fact that you will be ranked among the lowest caste of our society....?” Oda warned. “If it comes to that, I’ll not take offense,” Matsuko stoically replied. “I will!” Miriyume returned immediately. Hotly. Her chakra had flared so bright it made Kakashi wince. “They are my equals, in all things, and will be accorded the same respect as I am....or I will not marry you!” The last was spoken with the full gravity of a sacred vow before the gods themselves, and drained all semblance of mirth and levity from the room. “To insult them, is to insult me,” Miriyume continued, her eyes growing painfully luminous, sparking visible lighting from the outer edges in response to her ire. “They are my team...my friends...my kin....” her every word was a hot needle, stitching her feelings into all ears. A hard lump formed in Kakashi’s throat, as he regarded her stormy aspect. This was The Bond. The nigh mythical tie that bound only the most blessed of teams. The bond that had been so cruelly sabotaged in his first team. The bond he so desperately wanted to forge for his current students. Had he known nothing else about Miriyume Yaseiarashi, this moment alone would have caused him to fall in complete love with her... He swallowed as he felt a tear well up in his left eye. The eye that had belonged to the teacher of his most treasured lesson. Reflexively, he covered the Sharingan, and his emotions. All was silent. Even the wait staff were holding themselves back from intruding on the tense moment that had followed Miriyume’s proclamation. Was this farce finally at an end? Would the legendary solidarity of the Wandering Lights Brigade spare him the hell of tomorrow? “I had expected as much,” Asaito smiled, “After receiving all the reports on your...various adventures throughout the Land of Water. You are undoubtedly devoted to one another, and I have planned for this. “I have commissioned a small manse to be built on the grounds of my estate, big enough for two grown men....and a large dog, to live quite comfortably. Miriyume will have different lodgings, of course, but I have always wanted the Brigade to feel completely welcome, and granted the highest respect my Prefecture can offer.” “Then...we’re still on for tomorrow,” Miriyume’s frightening ire ebbed away, to be replaced with her diplomatic poise, as she sipped her wine. Ryuumaru and Wakame sighed in relief. Hiruzen resumed regular breathing. Kakashi nearly sobbed. “Allow me to apologize if I did not clarify Lady Ice Flame’s unyielding position regarding the inclusion of her team mates, Oda-sama,” Wakame stood, and formally bowed her apology to the monk as the wait staff set bowls of vanilla bean ice cream in front of the diners. “I was careless, trusting that their particular fame would have enough to signal their desire to remain together.” “Your oversight is forgiven, Wakame-san,” Oda returned, as a splendidly attired cooking-nin and an assistant bearing a large bowl filled with sliced apples, a shaker of powdered cinnamon, and a bottle of brandy on a cart entered. “My Lord had once again seen and provided for what I have failed to.” “Well,” Ryuumaru segued, “We’re all on the same page, now, so let’s not belabor the misunderstanding with blame. Dessert looks ready to serve, and we’ve got a party to get to....” “Yes!” Gekido picked up on the Shimokhan’s lead. “We’ve got to give our girl a proper send-off!” “Must keep with tradition,” Matsuko seconded, as the head chef lit the brandy-doused apples with a fire jutsu, nearly torching his assistant in the process. “Speaking thusly,” Wakame began, as everyone watched the serving of dessert in mild alarm, “I understand that the Lord Asaito will be taking a vigil tonight, but, would he be willing to join us for the Father’s Toast, at least?” All eyes regarded Asaito, as he lowered his head, causing the uneven locks of his raven hair to conceal his pale face and burgundy eyes for a moment. “I regret that my own traditions prevent me, Wakame-san,” Asaito smiled. “The men in my family have always spent the night before their weddings in deep meditation, to focus the mind and spirit for union. And I believe that I will need every ounce of spiritual strength to even hope to do proper justice to my bride.” “Hmm....” Ryuumaru mused aloud, as he savored his first, and highly anticipated, bite of flambeed apples, “Those of Shimogakure tend to lean in another direction, regarding the groom’s mental state.” Hiruzen gave a sudden bark of laughter that made his honor guard jump. “‘Lean’ is an apt word, Ryuu-kun! If memory serves me, and it does far too well, you nearly required crutches to stand at your own wedding alter!” “In my defense, ‘Sake reveals the true heart,’” quoting a well-known adage. “And my heart was never truer than on that day,” turning to his wife and kissing her cheek. Miriyume smiled brightly. Hiruzen sighed in defeat. Kakashi regarded Miriyume. “Aww...” Gekido cooed, feigning teary-eyed sentimentality. Miriyume lifted a piece of ice-cream soaked brandied apple toward him, then let it fall into Aoseishin’s open mouth at the last second. Matsuko laughed. “And I fervently wish that my daughter’s heart will be as true at her own wedding,” Renara added, then gave Kakashi a subtle glance and smile. Kakashi blushed at the enigmatic woman’s attention. Was she being cruel....or conspiratorial? Back at the Tsuroyuni camp, three genin and a well-seasoned ninken had managed to slip inside the main pavilion, and were perusing its interior. Despite the warm, fresh spring air outside, the climate beyond the inky curtains was stale, preternaturally cold, and redolent of decay. “Is he farming mushrooms in here?” Naruto complained, suppressing the urge to shiver. “It is cold in here,” Sakura agreed. “Too cold. Almost like a cave.” “Or a morgue,” Sasuke added, as they inspected a curtained-off chamber containing four empty sleeping cots. “There doesn’t seem to be anyone in here. Anyone living, that is....” “Did you find a dead person?!?” Naruto demanded, trembling. “We might, if you three keep yapping instead of searching....” Pakkun warned. “Let’s hurry up and find something useful. It feels as if this place has eyes...” “What do you mean, ‘eyes’...?” Naruto fretted, slightly quieter, as they parted another shroud-like curtain, and crossed into a new chamber. This one looked like a study, full of ebony scroll-racks and a small desk. In the far corner was a lone cot. “Whoever this person is, they like to read,” Pakkun commented, ignoring Naruto’s question, and crossing to the cot, sniffing the bed clothes, “...and use a disgusting unguent...” Sakura wrinkled her nose in agreement, as she moved closer, “This is that monk’s room. He reeked of the stuff.” “It’s very off-putting,” Pakkun continued, taking a moment to scratch behind an ear. “It almost wants to make me stop breathing–like the incense from those braziers outside. Very suspicious, too, such a deliberate attempt to thwart my nose.” “Maybe he doesn’t like dogs,” Naruto offered, as he examined the ink well on the desk. Silver ink. “Then there is something horribly wrong with this man!” Pakkun fired back angrily. “Only deeply evil people don’t like dogs,” he declared, as he watched as Sasuke reached for one of the many of the dozens of scrolls. Black scrolls. With a flick of his wrist, Sasuke unfurled the dark parchment, causing a cloud of dust to appear. Sakura and Pakkun moved back to avoid breathing it in. Naruto didn’t. Sakura’s finger was suddenly lodged beneath Naruto’s nose, cutting off the sneeze that would have surely resulted. “What did you find, Sasuke-san?” Pakkun asked, as the boy’s eyes angrily scanned the dark page, absorbing every detail with his Sharingan. “This is a roster of the Uchiha Clan, but it only mentions the women.” Sakura released her hold on Naruto’s nose, and moved to regard the scroll. Silver ink on black parchment... “Why have some names been circled and crossed out?” she asked. “No idea,” Sasuke admitted. “The closest in relation to me that have been marked is a cousin on my Mother’s side...who was a little older than...” he paused a moment, then forced the next words out: “...my brother. The next closest is a great aunt who died long before–“ ”A cousin...” Naruto repeated, following a muffled sneeze. “Like Hinata’s cousin...? Like she mentioned earlier?” “What are you muttering about?” Sasuke snapped, clearly on edge about the sensitive information in his hand. Sakura’s eyes registered Naruto’s train of thought, “Sasuke-kun....this is silver ink...on black paper....like Hinata described....” Sasuke’s eyes flashed red, making the connection. He scanned the other scroll cases. “Look for the Hyuga Clan seal...” “Here!” Naruto announced, taking the scroll and unfurling it. “All the women again...” Sakura observed. “But almost all are circled,” Sasuke continued. “From both the main and branch houses. In fact, the only ones who aren’t circled are women who married into the family.” “They wouldn’t have the Byakugan,” Pakkun noted. “Most of them have been crossed out as well,” Sakura related, as suddenly recognized a name. “Look, there’s Hibani! Crossed out.” Sasuke’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “But look who’s circled, and not crossed out....” Sakura gasped, as she followed Sasuke’s finger. Naruto looked. “Hinata...” Naruto intoned. “This monk seems awfully interested in the maternal genealogy of people,” Pakkun growled. “There are scrolls from all over in here.” The ninken stopped to examine the mon of a low-racked scroll. “This is the mark of the Kamizuru clan, from Iwagakure...” “Are there any more from the Leaf?” Sasuke asked. “This one looks familiar...” Naruto suggested, pointing to a scroll. “That’s the Senju crest!” Sakura easily recognized. “And the Yamanaka, the Aburame....Nara...” “Yaseiarashi....” Pakkun called out, before plucking it from the shelf. He nosed it open on the floor, as the genin crowed around. It was a small lineage, it seemed. Only a handful of women were listed. One was Renara. Circled, crossed out. One was Miriyume. Circled. Circled again. “It would seem that Asaito has been very meticulous in his selection process,” Pakkun deducted. “Seems a bit overdone, though.” “But why is someone like Hinata circled?” Sakura posited. “She’s way too young to even be in contention for a man like him!” “I don’t like this,” Sasuke announced. “This is sensitive information. We should destroy it. At least, the scrolls concerning the Leaf Village.” “Ordinarily I would agree with you,” Pakkun returned. “But that action would prove that someone was here, and Kakashi said to take no risks in getting caught.” “Actually, what he said was, ‘Don’t get caught,’” Naruto amended. “...which entails using the first Rule of Espionage: Leave no trace,” the pug retorted. “Now, roll all these up and put them back where we found them.” Sasuke huffed, but did as advised. Naruto began to roll up the Yaseiarashi one, and suddenly stopped, regarding an entry. “Hurry up, Naruto!” Sakura urged, moving to assist him. His wide eyes were fixed on something. “What....?” She followed his gaze, and gasped softly. Uzumaki.....Renara! “She’s....my....” Naruto began, hardly able to form words. “Blood relation!” Sakura finished for him. Sasuke scoffed. “Figures. She’s almost as ridiculous as you are...” “Sasuke!” Sakura chided, but laughed a little. “You know...I can kind of see a little of the resemblance, now that I think about it.” Naruto smiled and even blushed a little. “But you’re still goofier than she’s ever been, I am certain!” Sakura ended. “Enough!” Pakkun barked. “Let’s keep moving.” Once the scrolls were all replaced, they parted another, thicker curtain, and found themselves in a pitch black, shockingly cold space. Sakura began to rummage in her ninja pouch for a flashlight. “Ugh...its too cold in here,” Naruto whispered harshly. “Did we just find a freezer?” “No. A bedroom,” Pakkun returned, as Sakura’s flashlight cast a ray of illumination on an ornate, iron, four-postered bed. Sakura gasped, and instantly clutched at Sasuke, who winced slightly from the minor pain she had inadvertently caused his arm. Naruto also glomped onto the reassuring huddle, and the flashlight fell at their feet. As it rolled away, its light passed over a few more pieces of equally uncomfortable furnishings, until it stopped on a large, rectangular object, opposite the bed. It seemed to be made of some coal-black wood, and carved with a riot of ‘unwholesome’ designs involving captive maidens, sadistic demons, and lustful beasts. Sakura averted her eyes. Naruto openly gawked. Pakkun and Sasuke took it in with their own brands of stoicism. “Its like something out of a horror movie!” Sakura accused. “Is the Lady Ice Flame going to be some kind of sacrifice in some weird ritual?” “I’ve seen enough,” Sasuke announced disgustedly, moving back toward the curtain-door that they had just stepped through. “I’m going to regroup with the others, and see if they found anything.” Pakkun huffed, letting the boy go. He knew full well why the Uchiha had excused himself. His clan compound had become a rather cold and forbidding place since that horrible massacre. He couldn’t blame him for being uncomfortable here. “I don’t see any blood stains,” Naruto reported, as he dared to inspect the strange piece closer. The bas-relief of a woman and a squid....locked in a passionate embrace made him turn bright red, and bleed a little out of his nose. “Its not blood that the Tsuroyuni Clan craves, child,” came a soft, sibilant voice from the shadows behind them, startling them all. “Their tastes are much more....refined.” The same voice was now on top of a grim-looking wardrobe. Sakura and Naruto both drew kunai knives. “Show yourself, coward,” Pakkun demanded, upset with himself for not sensing the new presence. “If I were a coward, I would have just kept watching you bumble about from the shadows...” replied the voice, as a black cat, wearing a metal-plate collar, padded into the flashlight’s beam. Her bright, golden eyes seemed to carry a smile, “....clumsy ninken.” The ninekko’s insult was too much. Pakkun barked and lunged, propelled by deep-rooted, natural animosities. “Pakkun! No!” Sakura pleaded, hardly believing what was happening. Wasn’t Kakashi-sensei’s ninken supposed to be the calm, level-headed one?!? Outside, Sasuke had chosen to find Shino first, out of a desire for clear-headed intel. He wasn’t disappointed. The spying beetles had been deployed, and had heard a tremendous amount of gossip amongst the guards, and it all indicated a deep sense of communal fear and loathing for their employer. “One man even expressed a desire for this Lord Asaito to die, to be rid of the clan for good,” Shino reported. “Although he was reprimanded for airing such an opinion, no one seemed to disagree. The monk seems to be equally reviled.” “How can one surround themselves with such an apathetic group of guards?” Sasuke openly wondered. “Because of what all odious people of power come to rely upon: hired muscle,” Shino answered. “If the pay is good, mercenaries can tolerate all manner of abuse and atrocity. And these men are paid well.” The sound of a dog barking ended their conversation abruptly. “That was not Akamaru....” Shino immediately deducted. “Crap...” Sasuke muttered, springing into motion. Naruto had used his well-practiced, yet poorly thought out, cat-catching technique of ‘pounce-and-grapple’. The ninneko was incensed enough to claw his cheek before teleporting a small distance away in a cloud of gray smoke. “How dare you grab me!” the ninneko hissed, “After I shared information with you!? Perhaps you’re not as helpful as the Mistress thought!” “‘Mistress’?” Sakura picked up. “You mean, you don’t belong to Lord Asaito?” The ninneko made a wretching noise, obviously insulted. “I don’t belong to anyone! And least of all....Asaito Tsuroyuni! My Mistress and I have a contract, because she’s interesting. And has good food...and fluffy blankets...” “So, you’re a spy....?” Pakkun demanded, having composed himself. “Just as you are,” the ninneko replied back, as she delicately washed behind an ebon ear. “Although....I’m a better one, for Yonome is never caught. Farewell, fools!” She then slipped out of sight, like the shadows that seemed to cling to her, just as a trio of Tsuroyuni guards burst into the tent chamber. “How’d you get in here?!” a particularly burly one demanded, grabbing hold of Naruto, as the other two pounced on Sakura and Pakkun. “Uh...um....” Naruto floundered for an excuse, squirming in the guard’s iron grip, “I...was...chasing after my dog! He ran in here, and I got lost...” “And why are you here?” the guard holding Sakura continued, as he rather noticeably shied away from standing too close to the strange alter. “Because I was chasing him!” she raged. Kakashi-sensei was going to be furious! At least Sasuke had escaped. “Sounds fishy,” the guard holding Pakkun by the scruff of his neck commented. “Why would a dog willing run into this tent?” shuddering slightly in the dim light provided by Sakura’s flashlight. “Good question,” came another voice, from the other side of the room. “But a better question is how did it escape the notice of you, and the rest of that sorry lot outside?” A tall, dark figure, as tall and muscled as Zabuza had been, stepped out of the cold, deep shadows. Much in the same way the ninneko had. He wore the same sooty-hued armor as the others, but surmounted by a long, black, hooded cloak. His eyes were onyx pits, and his mouth was a little more than a sober slit, devoid of any warmth or emotion. “Who are you...?” Sakura’s captor asked nervously. “I’m the guard our Lord assigned to secure this sanctum, knowing full well that you morons wouldn’t be enough to ensure its safety,” he replied gruffly, taking Pakkun out of the guard’s hand, and holding him up to his own eyes. Pakkun actually cowered and whined plaintively. “Pakkun...?” Naruto called out in concern. “Put him down!” he raged. “I hope your mutt is well-worth the punishment you’ll be receiving from your Village’s own hands, little shinobi,” the dark guard warned, as he shoved the dog into Naruto’s arms, then grabbed the two genin roughly by the collars, and began to march them outside. “Not to mention the little abuses I will inflict on the way there...” Out of genuine shock and dismay, Naruto and Sakura went along without much resistance. Had this man seen all that they had done? Pakkun’s nose was useless! “So, they’re not spies? Or thieves?” one of the guards, the highest ranked, probably, pressed as he followed the procession to the edge of the campsite. “It was as they said,” the dark guard assured. “The dog snuck in, and they followed. No real harm done, unless we’re talking about your reputations...” scowling back at the unwanted escort. “I’ve half a mind to tell Lord Asaito all about your incompetence, get you all fired. Or worse...” The trio of guards, and the few who were brave enough to be curious all paled at the last part of the dark guard’s theat. “But being as how this has all been so absurd, and our Lord had much more....pleasant business at hand, I’m willing to remain silent to preserve all of our integrity. Agreed?” Everyone nodded. Many swallowed hard, and looked skyward in gratitude. Asaito’s rage was apparently the stuff of nightmares.

“Let me go!” Naruto demanded, as he struggled against the man’s unrelenting grip on his turtleneck collar. “I just wanted to get my dog back!” The dark guard gave a soft chuckle. “We both know that’s not true....” Sakura screamed. “You’re hurting me!” as the man steered her forward with a handful of her pink hair. “You bully!” Naruto seethed, as he attempted to begin the hand jutsu that gave him ludicrous back-up. Pakkun wasn’t helping. The ninken bit him, forcing Naruto to drop the dog, and the guard came to a stop. He turned both his captives to face him, giving each a withering scowl. “‘I lost my dog’? Was that seriously the best cover you could come up with?” A familiar, mocking tone had crept into the man’s voice, as he released his hold on them. “You...? You’re not a...guard?” Sakura puzzled out aloud. “You aren’t turning us in?” “I should,” the man crowed, “But, since our sensei is so keen on improving our teamwork...” Sakura’s smile of relief quickly reverted to alarm as a ball of feral rage slammed into their cunningly disguised team mate. “Kiba, no!” she screamed, as the Inuzuka stood proudly over his body-slammed target, dusting his hands. Hinata and Shino quickly closed in. “Why are you complaining, Sakura?” Shino demanded. “We were only trying to assist....” “Where’s Sasuke?” Kiba asked. Akamaru informed him with a soft whine. “Oh,” the feral boy acknowledged with a blush, stepping away from his victim. “Yeah! Where is that good-for-nothing deserter?!” Naruto demanded. “Right here, you moron!” the dark guard sat up from his sprawled landing, and wiped away the blood from the minor cut on his lip. Sasuke then dispelled his Doppleganger jutsu, and stood. “I don’t abandon my missions.” “Oh, Sasuke-kun, you were brilliant!” Sakura gushed, as she pressed a medicated gauze patch to his cut lip. “You scared Asaito’s guards absolutely silent!” “Why’d you bite me?” Naruto demanded of Pakkun, as he sucked on his bitten finger. Hinata attempted to examine his hand. “Because you would have ruined the illusion that Sasuke-san had created to ensure the guards’ silence!” Pakkun huffed. “So you knew it was Sasuke-kun all along?” Sakura asked. “Of course!” Pakkun returned. “My nose is the best out of Kakashi-san’s pack! And I could read his intentions well enough. A truly gifted ninja is a master of guile as well as stealth.” “Speaking of stealth,” Shino spoke up, “Why was it that you started barking?” Pakkun had enough decency to look a little ashamed as he considered his reply. “Because he saw a cat!” Naruto blurted, as Hinata succeeded in wrapping his hand in a bandage. Kiba laughed. Akamaru growled in sympathy. “But not just any cat,” Sakura defended. “It was a talking cat, who moved in the shadows like a fish moves through water.” “A ninneko?” Sasuke sighed. “So, our mission’s secrecy has been compromised after all,” he fumed, kicking at the loamy trail in frustration. “No, I don’t believe so,” Pakkun countered. “The cat was also a spy, for some unknown woman, who also seems to suspect Asaito of bad intentions.” “....and considers us as allies, to some degree,” Sakura added. “So there must be someone else among these guests who thinks that this wedding is a bad idea. Kaka-sensei will be so relieved.” Kiba scratched the back of his head, and smiled in smug satisfaction. “Kurenai-sensei had been skimming your teacher’s thoughts lately, out of a growing concern for his...excessive oddness. She says its been...interesting,” the Inuzuka smiled. “Interesting how...?” Naruto pressed. “Interesting in how uncharacteristic it is for Kakashi-sensei to be so swayed by his emotions,” Shino provided. “In fact, Kurenai-sensei has said that she has never known him to be so emotionally transparent as he’s become since arriving here. It troubles her....and the Hokage.” “Well, you can just tell them that there’s nothing to be worried about,” Naruto defended. “He just wants Lady Priestess Knock-Out to be safe, is all.” “I think it goes a little deeper than that,” Kiba smiled, glancing over at his Hyuga team mate. “Hinata-chan knows what I’m talking about....” giving her a playful wink. Hinata’s cheeks flushed an immediate crimson, since she’d been caught staring at Naruto again. “Knows what?” Naruto asked, utterly lost.

#kakashi naruto

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