The meeting was to be held in Iron Country. Tobi… or Madara… sat in a chair at the round table the Kages had previously been sitting at; grinning maliciously. He knew what he wanted… he knew exactly what he wanted now. In a room in the village near the meeting hall, three ninja from Konoha were oblivious to what was going on. Kakashi and Yamato sat next to each other, making idle chit chat. Naruto was resting, he still felt relatively beat up from Karui's onslaught of punches and the rejection of the Raikage weighed heavily on the blonde boy's mind. Time ticked by and soon, Yamato and Kakashi looked up at the presence of someone familiar. Naruto jerked from his resting spot and bolted out to where the two Jounin sat.
"Sasuke!?" Naruto cried out in surprise.
"It's a surprise that you came to us… Sasuke." Kakashi said evenly.
"Yamato… there's a meeting you have to attend at the hall." Sasuke stated, blatantly ignoring the other two.
"What?" The brunette raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I'm not sure I understand why I would have to attend a meeting with the Kages."
"Neither do I; I was just told to come fetch you." Sasuke said uninterestedly.
"How do we know it's not a trap?" Kakashi frowned.
"If it were a trap, I wouldn't be after Yamato… and I wouldn't be the one fetching him." Sasuke turned. "Let's go."
"…Cheeky little jerk." Yamato grumbled and gathered his things.
Naruto and Kakashi mimicked Yamato and grabbed their own possessions. After draping their cloaks over their shoulders, the three joined Sasuke in the snowy landscape. They walked in silence… it was eerie to see Naruto so quiet. The group headed toward the meeting hall. Once reaching the entrance, samurai guards promptly stepped in front of all of them. Their weapons were removed from them and Yamato's arms were grasped by two guards. Briefly, he almost felt that he was being treated like a criminal, but the grip on his arms was gentle from both. It seemed that they were almost flanking him for protection. Or perhaps it was a warning that the brunette shouldn't attempt to run, but from what?
"Hey, what's going on? Let Yamato-taichou go!" Naruto growled at the two guards.
"Naruto, I don't think we have any say in the matter." Kakashi held Naruto back from smacking the guard closest to him.
"But Kakashi-sensei, he didn't do anything!" Naruto retorted angrily.
"We don't know that, Naruto." Yamato supplied. "We'll just have to wait and see what's going on."
"I don't like it…" Naruto said.
"Neither does Yamato or I, but we don't know what's going on. We don't want to start any unnecessary fighting." Kakashi warned the blonde and eyed Sasuke for good measure.
"Tch." Sasuke didn't seem all that bothered by anything other than the fact that the guards had taken his sword.
The guards jerked Yamato's arms forward as they started to walk and the Jounin allowed himself to be guided. Kakashi and Naruto followed next, Sasuke lagging behind them unhappily. Their footsteps echoed through the hall as the now larger group padded along. As they grew closer and closer to the meeting hall, Yamato felt apprehension swirl about in his abdomen. He was beginning to believe that he wasn't going to like what was going to happen. The doors opened and Yamato was led into the room. For a second, it almost appeared that Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke weren't going to be allowed in. However, Gaara and Danzo motioned to allow the three in. Kakashi frowned at Danzo; he was surprised that the old man was allowing them in. Yamato was placed in the center of the tables, facing toward a member of the Akatsuki.
"You…" Yamato remembered him… the one with the mask… and the sharingan.
"Pleased you remember me." An amused tone drifted out from behind the mask of the Akatsuki member.
"Well… let's get on with this then." The Raikage ground out menacingly.
"Very well…" The spiral-masked man leaned forward and propped his elbows on the table's surface. "As I informed you all earlier, I'm the true leader of the Akatsuki. I went by the name Tobi, but to be honest… my real name is Uchiha Madara."
Everyone's attention was officially caught at this announcement. The five Kages openly stared in shock at the masked man. Yamato felt that earlier sense of dread returning to the pit of his stomach. There was still the question of how Madara could possibly be alive with such an old body. As if sensing the question on everyone's mind, the masked member turned his hidden gaze over toward Kakashi. The silver haired Jounin shifted to stand straight as he noticed the stare.
"I should really be thanking you, Kakashi." The man claiming to be Madara said. "Had you not left Uchiha Obito's body behind… I wouldn't have been able to do what I am now."
"What?!" Kakashi felt emotions rush over him and collide.
"Yes, I stole Obito's body… had Orochimaru assist me in returning the body to a livable condition and had my mind transferred into it. Amazing little technique Orochimaru had… it worked wonders." The man finished with a satisfying sigh.
"I suppose anything could be possible for you and Orochimaru…" Yamato uttered solemnly from within the circle of the Kages.
"Yes, we're quite remarkable." Madara nodded. "So, it's easy to say that well… I'd have no problems knocking off your villages."
"We won't let you do that!" The Raikage shouted.
"Of course you won't!" Madara agreed heartily.
"What do you want!?" The Tsuchikage asked furiously.
"Back in the days when Shodaime Hokage and I were young… we had actually grown to be friends." Madara stated calmly. "In fact, we grew to be more than that. Our relationship wasn't well looked upon by the other villages. They believed that the Shodaime should marry a woman and bear children. So, the Shodaime dropped me from his life. A whole new fight broke out and it ended with me leaving Konoha. I believe that's even the same place that Naruto and Sasuke fought three years ago!"
Naruto and Sasuke looked up at the mention of their names. They remembered that fight still… they remembered where it had taken place. Come to think of it, one of the statues looked a lot like the carved visage of Shodaime on Mount Hokage. That meant the other statue was carved to look like this man. His appearance had obviously changed since then.
"However, the Senju clan died out…" Madara sighed. "Until that is… I learned of this man here."
Madara pointed in Yamato's direction. The Jounin felt as though his body had grown hollow like the trees he manipulated. Everyone's attention shifted toward the man standing in the center of the Kages tables. Yet, there was a deep silence that had washed over everyone as they strained to catch all of Madara's words.
"Naturally, Orochimaru had many things he'd never told me about. This being one of them. Probably, because he had thought all the test subjects had died." Madara mentioned absently. "Still, when we met in the woods… there was something awfully familiar about this Yamato. Something achingly familiar."
"The Mokuton no Jutsu…" Yamato offered aloud.
"Why, yes!" Madara chuckled from behind his mask before adding in a more serious tone. "In fact, you're more like him than you know, Yamato."
"What does his Jutsu have to do with anything?" The Raikage snarled, losing his patience once more.
"Fine, fine… down to business then." The Akatsuki leader grumbled a little. "I have a proposition. I will call off everything… I will even hand the Bijuu back to their respective villages and disband the Akatsuki… if Yamato is handed over to me without a fuss."
"What!?" This single word chorused among the people listening, including Yamato himself.
"Why else do you think I called him here specifically?" Madara shrugged lightly as he leaned back in his seat. "Again, I'll call off everything… if Yamato is given to me in return for my generosity."
"What do you want him for!?" Kakashi was the one to shout this out at Madara.
"What else… but to keep him for myself." Madara's masked face fixed itself in Yamato's direction.
"K-keep him?" Naruto mulled the words over in his mind.
"I'll give you five hours to discuss it… have your decision when I return." Madara stood and disappeared from the hall.
Yamato stood stark still in the center of the tables. His eyes were boring holes into the walls across from him. As he stood there, he could vaguely hear the people around him. There was arguing, shouting, pleading, but he didn't really hear any of it. His mind went over what he'd heard and what he gathered from what happened. The leader of the Akatsuki would stop everything if Yamato handed himself over to the man. The thought of avoiding another major war passed through his mind in bright colors. Soon, even the Kages were starting to see this to be the best option. One to save millions. Yamato felt his will unconsciously resigning to the fact already. Several hours of the debate rolled over Yamato's mind before he pulled himself out of his reverie with a conclusion.
"No, we can't just hand over Yamato to him because he wants him." Kakashi growled out.
"Kakashi-san, it's the best chance to avoid war." Gaara said.
"I'm with Kakashi-sensei… I don't think we should hand Yamato-taichou over to this guy." Naruto stood next to his teacher.
"No… the Kages are right." Yamato muttered softly. The room slowly grew silent as people processed that the man in question had spoken. "I should hand myself over to Madara so we can avoid all out war."
"Ya-… Tenzou!" Kakashi couldn't believe his ears.
"Don't worry." Yamato turned and stared at everyone. "I understand the situation perfectly. Madara's probably unhappy with how Shodaime-sama dropped him and wants retribution of some sort. If being handed over to him will appease him, then I'll do it."
To illustrate his point, Yamato reached up his hands and lifted his face plate off of his head. As he brought the piece down, he gave it a sad glance before steeling himself and walking over to Danzo. The old man looked up as the Jounin of Konoha approached him. Yamato set the face plate down onto the table, then removed his Jounin vest and placed it next to the face plate. Then, he turned and went to stand back in the center. This time, however, Yamato felt strangely uncomfortable. Removing those two simple items left him feeling… vulnerable.
Meanwhile, Kakashi stood near Danzo radiating fury. Those that stood around the silver haired man could feel the heat as it rose from his body and worried that he would snap. Naruto couldn't understand why Yamato was willing to give up so easily. However, he pushed his confusion aside and called to his teacher. The man turned toward the blonde Genin and was greeted with a solemn, whiskered face. Kakashi saw resignation even in Naruto's eyes. Thoroughly upset, the Jounin left the meeting hall. He couldn't be there when Madara returned. He knew he'd end up trying to kill the man and blow the deal. So, Kakashi had to go somewhere. He had to leave while everyone waited for the leader of the Akatsuki to return. The last hour passed torturously slow… especially for Yamato, who refused to speak to anyone.
"Well, now that your five hours have come and gone. What's your decision?" Yamato was rather surprised when the voice spoke up and a body stood behind him.
"He's willing to give himself up to you, Madara." Danzo said calmly.
"Is he now?" The leader of the Akatsuki turned to face the back of his prize. "Wise choice… Tenzou."
Yamato, or rather, Tenzou didn't even feel surprised that the man knew his real name. It just reminded him of who he was giving himself to. He could feel Madara looming over him and he forced himself not to sigh in agitation.
"Right then…" Madara looked back at the Kages. "I'll hold up my end of the deal. Zetsu will be returning the Bijuu to your village starting tomorrow; after he sends out the word that the Akatsuki have been disbanded. Pleasure doing business with all of you. Tenzou and I will be leaving now."
With that, Tenzou felt an arm latch around his waist, pull him against Madara's body and they disappeared. Naruto stood there and still tried to process what happened. He couldn't believe that his captain had been taken so easily. That his captain gave himself up like that. Even Sasuke, who stood next to Naruto, was surprised. He spared a glance at the blonde and the two had one thought. Find Kakashi. The two left instantly and ran down the hall seeking out their teacher. They had so many questions… what did Madara want with "Yamato"? When they finally came upon the silver haired Jounin, the two were stunned. Kakashi's right hand was broken and bleeding onto the white snow in front of a bloody and battered tree. The man had let out all his frustration on the tree, now he just felt like screaming again.
Tenzou was surprised how quickly Madara worked. The Uchiha had already stripped his prize of clothing and had Tenzou's hands bound tightly behind his back. The, now former, Konoha Jounin stared up at Madara blankly. This was what he had actually expected. Perhaps not quite as soon as this, but Tenzou knew exactly what Madara would want from him. The ebony haired man sat and pulled Tenzou into his lap. Madara moved his spiral mask to the side so he could use his mouth. It amazed him that this young man even felt like the Shodaime.
"Pray Tenzou… pray that your sacrifice is highly appreciated by Konoha." Madara stroked a hand down the skin of his prize's back. "And that they don't try to rescue you." He lightly scratched down along the back. "Besides… they won't like what I've done with you." Madara plants a harsh kiss on Tenzou's lips. "So… you, Tenzou… will be with me… until I'm bored with you."
This is based off what I did on Tegaki E.
Yes, I'm a TobiTenz fan… what of it? MWAHAHAHAHAHHAAHA!
Oh, and I'm actually going to put A Switch on hiatus… I've lost my muse for it right now. It might come back later.