X - 01.10

The large, winding trees signature to the Land of Fire were finally starting to fade, replaced by luscious fields and hills, small streams and lakes scattered around them. The Kaguya were finally nearing the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rivers, which meant their conquest on Tanigakure sat along the horizon.

The change in attitude was clear to all. The Kaguya marched through the Land of Fire with a strong resolve, one that strengthened with each passing day. Kimimaro had designated the early hours of the day towards their journey, leaving the latter half to rest.

The Kaguya hadn't done much resting at all. Their tents were barely standing, the rush to get to training nearly causing the loss of the portable housing. The groups in which the Kaguya trained in had grown to accustom the entirety of the clan, moxy tournaments held nearly everyday.

Kimimaro worried a bit about his brother's absence, having left for Tanigakure almost an entire month ago. He hadn't told the clan patriarch the intended length of his journey, so all Kimimaro could do was hope he was safe.

The time away from Katsuo was good for him, though. Until now, he hadn't realized just how many responsibilities he'd levied to his brother. He didn't hope to become the absolute dictator that Kyo had been, but there were times where it seemed the older boy was truly the one in charge.

If Kimimaro was going to see his clan prosper as he hoped, he'd have to be better. Although not long at all, the month without Katsuo had lit a fire underneath him. He tried his hardest to interact with as many clan members as possible, aiding them with anything he had the power to rectify.

He'd taken Katsuo's role as the instructor of the other children, transferring all the knowledge that he could. Although his skillset wasn't as diverse as his elder brother's, Kimimaro held pride in the results he saw.

Beyond the rare manifestation of the Shikotsumyaku and the congenital dots on their foreheads, the Kaguya had little to actually distinguish themselves as a clan. Although a good deal of them fought similarly, they didn't have a signature fighting style that only they knew, or a Jutsu taught specifically amongst themselves.

How could the future generation prosper without any foundation to build upon? Kimimaro wasn't the most knowledgeable in terms of Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, so he'd turned to Taijutsu and Kenjutsu as a way for the Kaguya to solidify themselves beyond just name.

During their travels through the Land of Fire, Kimimaro had devised and instructed on two styles he hoped would become staples of the clan. 

The 'Gray Knuckle' Taijutsu style had been based off of the fighting style of Katsuo, as well as the deceased Koroko. Even without possessing the Shikotsumyaku, the Kaguya naturally had a larger frame. Although not giants in any way, their members tended to grow up either tall, stocky, or a mixture of both. 

Their biology had steered them to a more brutish style of combat—one that could easily be picked apart if they didn't have a sizable strength advantage over their opponent. To fix this, Kimimaro created a style that relied on their endurance rather than their strength.

Gray Knuckle was a fighting style that relied greatly on the movement of its user, but not in the ways typical of a style of its calling. Instead of being an agility-focused style, Kimimaro wanted to incorporate the already existing strengths of the Kaguya.

The constant movement within the style was used to create momentum among their bigger bodies, rather than to avoid the attacks of the other. Instead of dodging, the style relied on the trade of damage. The Shikotsumyaku could then diminish their bargain in that trade, as well as use the opponent's momentum against them. Of course, the vast majority of their clan didn't have access to that aspect of the style, but it was good to think towards the future as well.

Kimimaro hoped to explain the style to Katsuo and get his opinion on it as well. His brother had always been better than him at Taijutsu, so he hoped he could think of ways to improve on it.

Kimimaro's forte was Kenjutsu, which was why the 'White Nail' Kenjutsu style had seen more success since its creation. Kimimaro had personally created the swords used within the style, which had also served well for his own practice with the Shikotsumyaku.

The bone-blades were a combination of a kabutowari and a tanto. Two small, sharp white hooks erupted from the base of the weapon, a double-edged blade of bone stationed between them. 

He'd made the 'Nail-Blades' in a plethora of sizes, but none of them were as big as a standard sword or katana. He'd designed them that way so that they could be wielding with one hand. He'd of course gotten some complaints from the bigger members of his clan.

Like 'Gray Knuckle', 'White Nail' was a style designed to use the superior endurance of the Kaguya through constant movement. The hooks both worked to deflect attacks and dig into the enemy. Combined with the double edged blade, every movement of the sword was designed to cause damage.

The skinny frame and lack of size meant the blade wouldn't cause any large injuries, instead focusing on a dozen smaller injuries that weighed the opponent down. The dense bone it was made of also made it much more sturdy than its size suggested, able to weather the blows of much bigger blades. 

Kimimaro took great pride in the designs, as well as the instruction of the style the blades used. The Kaguya were finally starting to feel like the clan they were meant to be, and with Tanigakure less than a month away, they'd have a place to call home as well.

/6/​

'The moon always looked beautiful at this hour'. That thought was all that traced Kimimaro's mind as he stared at the bright, white rock above. The stars surrounding it painted a beautiful picture, installing a sense of peace within him.

For some reason, Kimimaro couldn't sleep as of late. He hadn't been plagued with nightmares, or dreams at all really. Instead, he just hadn't felt the need. Even after hours of travel, followed by extensive training sessions.

He tried to chalk it off to his nerves. As much as he denied it, he felt anxious of the battle approaching. Prior to becoming patriarch, he wouldn't have cared about the greater numbers of the clan. Back then, he'd only cared about Katsuo and their mother, but now things had changed.

"Treat the clan as they truly are, an extension of our family." It was now where his brother's words of encouragement came back to haunt him. He did see them as parts of his family, and the thought of losing even a few of them struck at his heart even now.

Kimimaro cared for all of the Kaguya, whether it was the bitter Makato who still held a grudge against him or the vibrant baby Sandatsu who seemed to be the opposite of his mother. If their current goal hadn't been a way to better their future, he'd have probably pulled away by now.

Even with the anxiety he felt regarding the future of his clan, that hadn't been what was keeping him up as of late. He'd shut his eyes and clear his mind, but sleep rarely ever claimed him. He was starting to worry that it'd affect his health, which was why he took to watching the sky above to clear his mind.

He didn't know why, but the sight of the moon always seemed to soothe him. He remembered the stories his mother used to tell him, how their father would take him and Katsuo out to watch the moon. He'd said that the moon was actually Kaguya herself, watching over the children of the clan and making sure they were safe. The others simply called him crazy.

A rustling in a tree nearby caused his eyes to break away from the white ball in the sky. He'd quickly dropped from the tree he'd been atop himself, landing on one of the larger branches. Before he'd left, he'd made sure that a vast majority of the clan were asleep. 

He tried his hardest to match the pace of the quick moving shadow, his target seemingly having much more experience moving along the trees than he had. The two seemed to be moving away from where his clan were stationed, but he'd continue chasing just in case they were someone dangerous.

The gap between the two grew with every second, causing Kimimaro to fear that he'd lose sight of the person. His lack of sleep had finally seemed to take effect, as he could feel himself becoming tired much quicker than he usually did.

In a stroke of luck, the mass of trees seemed to stop suddenly, replaced by a large cliff overlooking a lake underneath. The person was still at the cliff clearing once Kimimaro caught up, their back turned to him.

Slick, jet black hair faced him. The person didn't seem to be much taller than Kimimaro was, wearing a black collared shirt with similarly colored pants. A gray vest was stationed above the shirt with a long sword attached to it. Kimimaro could see what looked like a village headband wrapped around their forehead, causing him to panic slightly.

The person turned towards him, allowing Kimimaro to see their face. Jet black eyes met his own emerald green. The person was a boy, who looked just a little older than Katsuo was. Harsh bags were placed under his eyes, and he held a sad expression on his face.

Kimimaro's eyes left that of the boy's own, taking in the metal placated on his forehead. His instincts screamed at him even harsher than before as he saw the familiar signal of Konoha. 

The only difference was that the swirling leaf had been crossed out.

Kimimaro's mind flared as he pondered what to do. This person wasn't just a rogue-nin, but hailed from Konoha as well. The power that the Great Village had was more than enough of a deterrent towards anyone who wished to desert. The few ninja to ever successfully desert from the leaf-hidden village had been those of incredible strength.

The fact that one was staring at him sent chills down his spine. The fact that they weren't that much older than he was added on to his state of fear. 

Before Kimimaro could even think to move, the ground in front of him seemed to take shape. What sprouted out didn't even seem to be human. 

The thick green plant akin to a venus flytrap sprouted from its body, nearly concealing its head, which was a clean split between pure black and pure white. A black cloak with red clouds draped down its body, concealing whatever the giant plant didn't already conceal.

"Ahh, Itachi. This is the place Madara told you to come to, isn't it?" Its voice sounded like two people talking at once. The thing glanced back at him before returning its attention to the now named Itachi. Whatever it was, it had taken Itachi's attention away from himself.

There was a pause between the two, whistling wind attempting to fill the silence. Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, Itachi spoke. "I want to join the Akatsuki." Itachi's words were calm. Kimimaro wondered what expression the boy had, the plant interceding between the two.

Another moment of silence filled the cliff, until the plant began moving forward. It handed Itachi what appeared to be a cloak similar to the one it'd been wearing, before turning back towards Kimimaro. 

The plant said something, but Kimimaro couldn't process what it was. Instead, his senses were suddenly assaulted. He'd attempted to disrupt the apparent Genjutsu, but was too late.

The world began to swirl before fading.