Wagtails of the Mist's Legacy

AN: Hey guys, I have decided to entirely redo Shibito Ashikabi. I went back to the original chapters and just couldn't stand how bad the structure, and content was. For a while, I was planning out the plot of the story. Figured I'd just go back and rewrite the starting chapters but the further development went, the more I saw that the Shibito were overshadowing everything, and the sekirei were more like side characters which is not acceptable to me. I recall that a reviewer said that this might happen and they were right. So, I have decided to remake Shibito Ashikabi.

This new story is quite similar to the original with a much needed changes to plot and story elements. There are still Shibito but I am completely revamping how they are implemented. Naruto is still Miya's son, and his flock is mostly the same, save for a few alterations.

I apologize for the needlessly long wait, but enjoy Wagtails of the Mist's Legacy!

"Human speech"/ "thought"

"Tailed-beast speech"/ "thought"

Chapter 1

Naruto sat at the edge of a hospital bed, clothed in a white gown over multiple bandages mainly covering the upper left side of his chest, in-between his collarbone and heart. The blond youth unconsciously reached over to the area, hesitant to touch the wrapped location. The injury still throbbed painfully.

"I still can't believe he tried to kill me."

A few hours ago, Naruto managed to defeat Sasuke and prevent him from deserting their birthplace, Konoha. Before their final clash, Naruto made a split-second decision to direct his path of attack at an upwards angle, instead of meeting Sasuke's Chidori head-on. This last-second change in tactics allowed him to push his rebellious teammate into the rocky on the far side of the Valley of the End. Not only did this action result in Sasuke losing consciousness upon slamming into the stone, he was unable to deal a potentially fatal blow.

Unfortunately, Naruto did not go unscathed. His shoulder region throbbed in agony, nerves aflame from pain. Before they hit the cliff, Sasuke thrust his hand towards Naruto's face, intent on punching him with a fistful of lightning. Naruto twisted his head out of the way, but could not move his shoulder out of danger, something Sasuke saw as better than nothing when he tightly gripped his rival's shoulder and shoved his thumb into Naruto's pressure point. The lightning from the jutsu melted through fabric and skin, causing permanent scarring.

Naruto winced at the memory. He wiggled his fingers and closed his hand into a fist, a little paranoid he might lose functionality of his left arm. He laid back down with a sigh when it didn't; he knew Sasuke desired power, but he never imagined his raven-haired teammate would abandon Konoha to reach his goal.

"It's probably that damned Cursed Mark. Ever since snake bastard gave him that hickey, Sasuke's been different."

Naruto noticed the change in his teammate start after the Chūnin Exams, when Sasuke challenged him on the hospital's roof. Given his recent escapade, the blond youth had no doubt the higher-ups would fix this issue, and give Sasuke the help he needed. With that final thought, Naruto placed himself in a position which wouldn't irritate his fried shoulder, and soon drifted off into sleep.

After a week of bed rest and physical tests to ensure full mobility of his damaged arm, the doctors discharged Naruto, but he was advised to take at least a month off to give the nerves time to recover. After hearing the doctor's recommendation, the recovering shinobi decided this was a good opportunity to return to the Land of Waves. He wanted to see the current state of the people he had helped free from the tyrant Gatō's iron grip.

First, Naruto needed to get approval for this vacation, and it just so happened he was requested to appear before the best person to get said approval.

"Oi! Grandma! I need-!"

- TWACK!

Naruto recoiled slightly, immediately rubbing his forehead in pain. The object which struck him was a stapler thrown a by an irate woman behind a desk, stacked with towers upon towers of paper.

"I'm not old, brat!" A blonde woman in green with a youthful appearance shouted, appearing to be in her twenties. Despite her irritation at Naruto's rudeness, the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade Senjū held a glimmer of happiness in her eyes which betrayed her frown.

"Turn off the genjutsu, look in a mirror, and try to say that again," Naruto replied snarkily, smirking. The woman simply sighed, shaking her head in amusement. Only he had the nerve to not only insult the leader of his village, but get sassy with her as well. Setting down the pen she used to sign the unending documents tormenting her, Tsunade folded her hands and gave her attention to Naruto, firstly inquiring about the state of his arm.

"It's OK. Doc said not to do anything strenuous for a month while the nerves heal." Naruto answered, slowly bringing his arm up to scratch his head. Tsunade nodded in understanding, remembering the high possibility of Naruto suffering nerve damage from Sasuke's Chidori. So far, there was none detected, which put her at ease.

"Looks like you're on vacation for the next thirty days, then. Have fun."

Tsunade went to pick up her pen to resume working, but Naruto spoke up again. "Actually, I have a bit of a request."

Tsunade redirected her attention back to Naruto, wondering what he wanted.

"If it's not too much trouble, could you have Kakashi-sensei escort me to Wave?" Naruto walked a bit closer to her desk. "I've been wanting to go back for a while, now, to see how much the people have recovered. Given my current state, now seems like a good time."

Tsunade lifted a brow up as she considered his request. While there was the relevant threat of Akatsuki to consider, hiding Naruto away for a while seemed like a good idea. Besides, he deserved a break from everything – given recent events – and the change in scenery may prove beneficial for the healing process. The Fifth affirmatively nodded, but told Naruto to send a letter every week in order to keep in touch.

"No problem. Oh, one more thing, before I go to start packing," Naruto stated with a more neutral expression, eyes staring into Tsunade's. "What's going to happen to Sasuke?"

Tsunade closed her brown eyes, inhaling through her nose. This was a conversation she wanted to avoid, but knew it would be better to tell Naruto ahead of time, rather than him finding out when he came back.

"Sasuke… is receiving heavy punishment for attempting to join Orochimaru."

Naruto noticed a change in the older blonde's posture, her back straightening while her face going void of emotion. She didn't seem to happy talking about this. "After you brought the Uchiha back, there was a council meeting to decide which actions we should take with him. Due to the circumstances regarding the reasons behind his decision to desert Konoha, his attempted murder of a fellow shinobi-"

Naruto stiffened slightly, knowing she's referring to him.

"-along with reexamination of Sasuke's medical files – his psychological files, mainly – we came to the decision to brand him a new type of loyalty seal in order to ensure he does not attempt such an escape again."

She opened her eyes to see Naruto staring at her with wide eyes, mouth slightly agape.

"…what does the seal do, exactly?" Naruto asked cautiously, trying not to jump to conclusions. Tsunade found this odd, expecting him to blow up on her, but she chose not to dwell on it. Instead, she answered his question. Naruto was Sasuke's teammate, so he deserved to be told what to expect.

"Sasuke's emotions and freewill will be sealed away except for-"

"You can't do that!"

Ah, there was the outburst.

"Sasuke definitely needs a kick in the ass for pulling what he did, but turning him into some zombie is crossing more than a few lines!"

"I don't like this either, Naruto, but Sasuke cannot be trusted, and Orochimaru must not be allowed to get his hands on the Sharingan," Tsunade responded evenly, controlling her emotions. "It is obvious Sasuke is more than bit unhinged and hostile towards anyone who gets in his way. Through this seal, we not only ensure he is controlled, but also that the Sharingan is not taken out of service."

"By turning him into a damn drone!?" Naruto shouted, clearly appalled by the conversation. "Just put Sasuke in a cell and bring a shrink in there every few days! He needs help, not this!"

Tsunade sighed, before speaking.

"The decision has already been made, and the seal has been placed. Testing for any issues wrought by the Cursed Mark are being done."

Naruto just stood still, glaring at Tsunade. A science project! That's what Sasuke was now, a damned science project!

"This is wrong…" Naruto growled with his teeth grit.

"Making decisions like this is a part of being Hokage Naruto. I have to think of what's best for the people I lead."

Naruto stood silent for a few seconds, before turning to leave.

"…I'll be back in a month," he stated lowly, before opening the door.

"Kakashi will be notified, and will arrive to assist you within the hour."

The door slammed shut without a reply. Tsunade sighed, rubbing her temples. She knew Naruto was absolutely right in his assessment; however, Sasuke was beyond helping. The traitor had attempted to break out of the hospital as soon as he awakened, which further showed the need for him to be controlled.

The Hokage sighed, picking up her pen. She wanted – no, needed a drink.

True to Tsunade's word, Kakashi Hatake, teacher to Naruto, Sasuke, and their teammate Sakura did indeed arrive within the hour just as Naruto made it to his small apartment. The masked man saw the agitation on his student's face and after they were inside, inquired what bothered him. The two stood in front of Naruto's dresser as he answered.

"Were you… told about Sasuke?"

Kakashi nodded, pausing from putting clothes into a suitcase.

"Yeah. It shook me when I was told, but it is the Hokage's decision."

Naruto gritted his teeth. "Don't you have an issue with this?!" He snapped at Kakashi, the masked man turning to face his student.

"Do I agree with it? No, but I cannot overturn the Hokage's choice," Kakashi answered, his single visible eye locked with Naruto's.

"Remember what I told you, Naruto. Those who break the rules are scum, and those who abandon their friends are worse than scum," he repeated a lesson he was taught a long time to his aggravated student. "Sasuke not only did both, he tried to kill you."

Kakashi put a hand on Naruto's uninjured shoulder. "I understand how unfair – inhumane, really – this course of action is, but it is out of my control. All I can do is make sure Sasuke isn't mistreated any further than he already is."

"What do mean by that?" Naruto spoke, curiosity mixed with frustration.

Kakashi sighed, removing his hand, then sat on Naruto's bed. "I was assigned to be Sasuke's handler since I am his sensei. Tomorrow, I'm going to learn the necessary hand signs to control Sasuke through the seal."

Naruto just stared at Kakashi in disbelief, while the jōnin hung his head. The older man continued to speak, his voice melancholic. "I wish this wasn't the outcome, but it is. I can't overrule the Hokage's decision, Naruto, despite my own reservations. I am an instrument of Konoha and exist to serve her interests. This, and many other things I'm not proud of, are included."

Naruto didn't know what to say. Fortunately for him, Kakashi decided to change the subject as he stood up to resume helping Naruto pack. "Did Sakura visit you?" Kakashi asked while folding some shirts.

Naruto nodded. "She came buy the second day I was there with the others. Didn't stay long, but left a few bowls of ramen."

Naruto wondered if Sakura had been told of Sasuke's… punishment. He thought about asking Kakashi but decided against it. Neither brought up anything related to the boy for the rest of the time spent packing. Once finished, Naruto sealed his luggage in a storage scroll then headed for the main gate of Konoha with Kakashi in tow. After saying a few goodbyes, the two departed to Wave.

Traveling via tree hopping, the sensei and student reached the port village standing before the entrance of a bridge. They managed to avoid speaking about Sasuke along the way, but Kakashi knew when Naruto came back, things would heat up. He's worried this situation may permanently damage Naruto's relationship with both him and the Hokage, but he hoped Naruto would come around. Eventually, that is.

"Great Naruto Bridge, eh? Tazuna has good naming sense," he praised the bridge's namesake with a cocky grin, currently wearing a raincoat due to the wet weather. "They must sell great fish paste here, then. Wonder if there's any stands."

Kakashi had a smile in his visible eye as he saw Naruto's neck turn slowly towards him, the dullest look on his student's face.

"…you better be so happy there's people around or I'd deck ya for that."

Kakashi chuckled as they began to cross the bridge, a light rain fell overhead while they walked. Once across, the two found themselves on a brick road leading to Wave's gate. Following a path walked by other travelers, the two soon found themselves in a bustling market place loaded with people. Naruto found himself pleasantly surprised by how quickly Wave had recovered, with nary a trace of the port villages previous poverty under Gatō.

"Looks like Wave got their second wind thanks to us, Sensei." Naruto turned to his mentor. The grey-haired man nodded, equally impressed by the rapid recovery. Everywhere they looked, a happy and thriving populace filled the space. Buildings appeared strong as any, vibrant neon signs lite drew on heaps of consumers and laughter filled the air.

Naruto felt a warmth develop inside, knowing he played a part in this rejuvenation of a dying village. Kakashi, too, felt pride, but his was directed towards Naruto. He recalled the boy was the one who inspired the citizens of Wave to rise up and reclaim their home. However, a bitter pang also bit into him when he stared at his blonde student, the son of his own sensei, the Fourth Hokage.

'I should've paid more attention to you…' Kakashi thought in minor regret. At first… he thought he should focus on Sasuke, due to the Uchiha showing more promise at first, despite his arrogance. Now, in light of Naruto's victory against the Hyūga prodigy Neji, defeat of the One-Tailed Beast with the help of Gamabunta, boss of the Toad summons, and triumph over Sasuke, did Kakashi now realize which student not only held more potential, but also the purest heart.

'I'm a fool for not remembering the most beautiful blossom… is the one which blooms last.'

And bloomed Naruto had. He was on his way to becoming a great shinobi. Kakashi felt when he returned, there would be a division forming between them, but the Copycat felt he just needed time to fix it. While Kakashi knew they would probably never agree on Sasuke's sentence, he knew Naruto would put up with it for Konoha.

"Hey, Sensei, you remember the way to Tazuna's house?"

The question yanked Kakashi out of his thoughts. The man looked at a slightly perplexed Naruto.

"Things have changed so much I can't remember any sign of where to go," Naruto explained, staring around, looking for anything to give a hint at the way to go. He turned to Kakashi. "Guess it's time to ask for directions."

Kakashi nodded, putting his thoughts of an unknowable future to one side, as he went to a nearby food vendor and asked for help.

After receiving directions from the vendor and buying some takoyaki as thanks, Naruto and Kakashi now stood in front of their former client's house. Obvious exterior renovations were visible, along with a new coat of white and blue paint, making the two-story structure seem new. Light shined from inside, indicating the presence of people.

"Well, mission accomplished," Kakashi stated, saying goodbye to his student. Naruto waved farewell, watching his sensei disappear from sight. Naruto sighed, still unable to accept how Kakashi could go along with Tsunade's decision.

"Nobody should be allowed to control anyone's mind. No one," Naruto reaffirmed to himself, before he turned to the house, shaking away his thoughts. He was told his vacation did not start until Kakashi left him, so Naruto would be allowed to enjoy a full thirty days of medical leave. All he needed to do was mail a letter to the Hokage every week to let Konoha know he was fine.

Moving briskly towards the door, Naruto knocked twice, before stepping back a few paces away from the doors . After few moments, he heard a familiar man's voice from behind the wood. "Who is it?"

"The namesake of your bridge!" Naruto stated.

The response was immediate, as the deadbolt quickly slid open and the chain speedily removed. The door swung open to reveal a man with a grizzled appearance in a clean shirt and shorts.

"Holy crap! You're back brat!" Tazuna exclaimed, before pulling Naruto in for a tight hug.

The boy winced, his nerves protesting the pressure the architect exerted on his injured shoulder. "Ow ow ow!"

Tazuna pulled back, apologizing when he saw the pained grimace on Naruto's face. "Sorry… What happened to you, boy?"

"Combat injury," Naruto explained. "Took an electrified fist to the shoulder."

Tazuna whistled, shutting the door when both stood inside. "Damn."

Naruto nodded. He followed Tazuna to a nicely furnished dining room, sitting across from the bridge builder after the older man went and grabbed a few cans of beers. "Don't care about your age – Tsunami and Inari won't be home for two more days, so we're drinking tonight!"

Naruto paused, before accepting the offered beverage, taking an exploratory sip while Tazuna inquired of the sudden visit.

"The doc said my shoulder needs a solid month of healing, so I decided to take a month of vacation," Naruto answered with an odd face, unsure if he liked the taste of his drink.

Tazuna had already moved on to his second, nodding at Naruto's explanation. "Good choice kid, convenient too – we just made a couple of indoor hot springs."

Naruto made a note of this before taking another sip, still unsure of the beer.

"So, how's the team doing?"

Naruto paused, contemplating on what he should say. Tazuna quickly noticed a change in atmosphere. His can set to the side, Tazuna sat upright. "Did something happen?"

Naruto sighed and made a quick decision. Placing his trust in Tazuna, Naruto told him of the events leading up to Sasuke's attempted departure – including the detail of Sasuke being the one to injure him – and Tsunade's decision regarding how to deal with the betrayal. Naruto also shared his conversation with Kakashi.

"So, what do you think?" He asked after he finished, leaning back in the chair.

Tazuna looked surprisingly unfazed, like he had seen this before. The man took after his glasses, cleaned them, then stood up and went to a pantry. He came back with two glasses and a big glass container filled with a black liquid. Tazuna then grabbed the beers – including Naruto's – and poured the contents down the sink before tossing the cans in a trash bin.

"What you just told me brought back some really bad memories," Tazuna quietly stated. The man seemed a bit distraught, eyes staring into space. He poured himself a glass of the black liquid, then one for Naruto, both glassed filled with ice.

"Around three or four centuries ago, some merchants started to sell a never-before seen drink call rum," Tazuna spoke lowly, as he began to explain the drink to Naruto . "This is a black spiced rum called Kraken. It's very smooth for rum, but it'll get ya' if you're not careful. Smell, then drink slowly."

Naruto did as instructed, taking in hints of vanilla, molasses, and other spices. Tazuna's earlier statement of it being smooth was proven as Naruto took a sip, and held the liquid in his mouth for a few moments. He tasted cinnamon, ginger, and a hint of cherries, before swallowing the surprisingly sweet liquor. He noticed a bit of an odd aftertaste, but he didn't mind it.

"I think I like this."

Tazuna nodded in approval, taking a long swig for himself. "Good. Now back to the main topic – Konoha using that sealing stuff reminds me of how Gatō controlled many of us through fear or money."

From there, Tazuna told Naruto of how Gatō came to control Wave and its people. The thug in a suit used a silver tongue to get into a position of authority, and for a time proved true to his word about making Wave prosperous. Soon after, however, the man began to slowly raise in power until he controlled just about everything.

That's when everything went downhill, and the moment Tazuna told Naruto of the parallel he saw.

"Some of those thugs he had with him were teens I knew since they were born, but Gatō… he got in their heads. Warped their thinking… and dragged them down to his level to serve his purposes."

Tazuna shook his head sadly, taking a sip of rum. "He made them go against their own families… I once saw one kill his own father and mother with a smile on his face. Another time, one forced himself on his sister because Gatō promised him a raise if he did."

Tazuna leaned close to Naruto.

"Gatō used money, and promises of power, to control of his forces. All that seal does is cut out the time needed to twist one's thinking, but both methods give the same result," Tazuna leaned back with a scowl on his face, before finishing his sentence. "They make people into slaves who can't decide for themselves – and mark my words, Naruto…" Tazuna directed a finger towards the younger male across from him.

"If they're willing to do it once, then it's likely to happen again."

Naruto stayed quiet, every so often sipping the rum. He understood the comparison Tazuna made. He might not have believed Konoha would use the seal on others, but he couldn't help but doubt that idea now. He knew that while completely harmless, his pranks could be interpreted as vandalism and harassment, yet he still followed through with many of them and enjoyed doing so.

Could the same principle apply? Could turning potentially runaway shinobi into slaves become a standard punishment?

"No way… that can't…"

"I see those gears turning, Naruto," Tazuna's voice broke the shinobi's thought process. "I'm not saying it'll happen, but I've caught glimpses into the darkness of shinobi villages, thanks to the rogues who hide here."

Naruto stared at Tazuna curiously. Rogue shinobi? "What did they tell you?"

Naruto felt like he was opening a door which shouldn't be, but he wanted – no, needed to know. Maybe it was the alcohol creeping up on him, but Naruto wanted to know what these deserters revealed to Tazuna.

The older man had begun pouring himself another drink, talking as the black liquor flowed over ice. "Most of these rogues left because they couldn't bring themselves to follow orders. I'm not talking about simple ones here; some of things they had been told to do were downright evil." Tazuna shook his head, eyes narrowed with disgust.

"A man from Stone was told to murder a couple of merchants traveling through the country and frame bandits for it, so more escort missions could be open. He was branded a traitor when he refused, and left the same day."

Tazuna shared more accounts with Naruto, each and every one of them having a common theme.

Every shinobi left because they refused to commit atrocities just to benefit their village. Tazuna further went to explain some did just as ordered, only to leave when they began to receive similar missions.

"You see now, Naruto? These villages regularly order crimes ranging from simple vandalism to mass murder if it benefits their interest. What separates them from Gatō?!" Tazuna pounded his fist on the table.

"How many of these shinobi were from Konoha?"

Tazuna chuckled bitterly. Naruto felt the pit in his stomach swell into a cavern. "I guess being the most powerful of the shinobi villages means more red tape, cause I've seen quite a few. One of them told me his reason for leaving when he was piss drunk years ago, and I still shudder from it."

As if to emphasize his statement, Naruto saw the man's body shiver involuntarily.

"He told me he killed his entire family – an entire clan– because they were planning to overthrow Konoha. The man only spared one person and fled."

Naruto's jaw dropped.

"Itachi?!" Naruto stood up with a shout. "You talked to Itachi Uchiha?! That's Sasuke's older brother!"

Tazuna sat still with wide eyes.

"Damn… I heard about a massacre in Konoha, but to think he was responsible for that one…"

Tazuna shook his head again, drinking as Naruto sat back down trying to comprehend what he just heard.

'Is it really possible? Could Itachi really have been ordered to do something like that? No… the Old Man would've never ordered something like that!'

The ever-growing doubt in Naruto had challenged the thought. '"I don't know anything about what goes on behind the scenes, I'm just a foot soldier who's expected to follow orders, regardless of my opinion.'

The tapping of glass brought Naruto to reality. Tazuna quickly refilled his half-empty glass when he saw he had the boy's attention. "It's a messed up world we live, ain't it? But how we survive in it, Naruto – that's what shows our character and who we really are inside."

Tazuna's words reached somewhere deep within Naruto, who for whatever felt compelled to raise his glass.

"I'll drink to that."

Tazuna followed suit and both drank deep, emptying their glasses. As he poured more rum, the older man directed a question at Naruto which he would remember, regardless of how drunk he may get tonight.

"You need to a make a decision Naruto… How much of yourself are you willing to throw away for the interests of Konoha?"

Naruto sat quiet, waiting for more rum. When his glass was filled, he brought the cup to his lips. "Tomorrow I'm going to go see some old friends. When I get back, you'll have an answer."

With that, both males drank. The subject had been tabled in favor of drinking away the tense discussion.

The following day, Naruto knew he faced a choice he never dreamed of making – one he needed the council of a dead man, before deciding.

CUT! CHAPTER OVER!

Finally! At long last, I upload again!

Hopefully you all enjoyed this new opening to my first story. I wanted to explore the more corrupt side of the shinobi villages and I felt that Itachi had to used as the perfect example of how far one would be willing to go for their nation. I mean, killing your family to protect your village is pretty high up there.

That aside, tell me how you guys liked this. Did you prefer the old opening or is this better?

I also should inform all of you that my absence has been heavily caused by incredibly person issues IRL and I really would appreciate it if no one asked. Let's just say that shit hit the fan and spread everywhere.

Ask any questions in the review section or PM if you're not one for commenting. Whatever your method, I want to hear what you have to say!

Later! Greyblueflames burning out!