Naruto (C) to Kishimoto and all related companies.

rated for language and mild violence

Of the Kurotenpi

"The Akatsuki are falling apart!"

"They're gettin' killed left an' right!"

A cheer rose among the ranks of Kurotenpi, a gang of lower-class rouges. Bandits, thieves, and even a few former ninja filled the domed cavern and circled the stage. The 'stage' was merely an outcropping of rock, raising out of the center of the floor. On the stage was a very excitable ex-ninja, Hidaka was his name. Hailing from Amegakure himself, he had a strong dislike of Akatsuki and their so-called 'God'-leader, Pein. Along side the youth was a middle aged drug dealer whose coat concealed most of his face.

"Lately, the Akatsuki had been defeated many times over. Beginning with the death of their puppet manipulator Sasori, to the recent deaths of Hidan and Kakuzu. And even their runaway Orochimaru have been killed-!"

"BUT!" Miyagi intruded, a long-time member of this under ground rebel group. "that is not to say that we are able to defeat them. Not in the least! Remember, Pein himself lives. As well as that bastard Uchiha and the scourge of Kirigakure, Hoshigaki Kisame." A ripple of unease spread throughout the dim room at Miyagi's words. Words that they knew to be true.

Hidaka glared at his elder, angry that his tirade was cut short with such oppressive commentary. He shifted his attention back to his audience, determined to convince them to finally take action."But this shows, does it not, that the Akatsuki are capable of being defeated. If they could be bested by such a worthless opponent as Konoha, how will they ever conquer us? Us! Who have been waiting for such a moment in decades-!"

"We have been hiding for decades." Hidaka gnashed his teeth together in fury. Why must everyone interrupt him?

Hidaka rounded on Miyagi, shoving a finger in the lanky man's chest. "We have not been hiding! We have been planning, gathering troops, and strengthening ourselves for the oncoming war!"

"It is already war," the purple headed man said calmly, puffing on a cigarette. "The Jinchuuriki are being captured by the Akatsuki systematically. If we wait any longer then they will surely become a world power."

"Of course! That is why we will not wait. We will--"

OoOoOo

The Council oversaw the meeting with morbid interest. They gathered on a hidden ledge far above the commoners, hidden from prying eyes. Below, Miyagi pulled his machete out of Hidaka's side.

"They seem especially restless today," a tall, dark man with a healthy head of vibrant blond hair commented. "Miyagi is very angry." A grin played on his lips as he fingered the twin scimitars at his belt. At 5'11" and lean, Suzuki Karai was born into a family of mercenaries. He defected from this alliance in favor of ruling the Kurotenpi as one of the five Council Members. Ambitious, cruel, and nearly unreasonable, he lived for the frenzy of war instead of the concentrated effort of silent assassination.

Kudo Naraku stepped forward, his crimson kimono whispering against the jagged flooring. "Yes, they are." His maroon hair was combed back neatly from his face, revealing an aristocratic nose, slim mouth and cool amber eyes. "What shall we do about it?" he said softly. He never needed to raise his voice, its deep resonance always found some path to your heart.

"What do you want to do about it?" the third member and only female present asked. Piercing green eyes looked out from under a fringe of tawny bangs, a young girl, not even seventeen stood among the two other males. Only the three of them saw fit to come to this Meeting and for reasons unknown, the two most powerful members of this organization refused to show up. Usually, there would be at least on present."Onee-sama and Onii-sama are not here, do you wish to anger them by acting without their permission?"

"No, no," Kudo replied, his porcelain lips curving downwards into a small frown. "We would not want that."

Hayashi Saraundo shook her head, her chin length copper locks slapping her face. "No, no. We wouldn't want that," she repeated.

Suzuki sneered at the both of them, remarking, "We have as much control over that mob as they do. I don't need my parent's permission to give those idiots a lesson." One of his swords found its way out of its sheath, hilt hand. "This bunch of bastards are only wannabes. Wastes of SPAACE!" he cried as he leaped from the ledge, plunging headfirst into the melee that was sure to come.

Hayashi looked down upon them with a touch of pity in her emerald orbs, though she made no effort to halt her crazed comrade's attack. "Poor things, they never stood a chance."

"That Karai..." Kudo murmured as he watched the slaughter with impassive eyes. "Always so eager to kill. Such a young fool." He folded his arms together within his garnet sleeves and waited until Suzuki finished fulfilling his urge.

The eighteen year old made quick work of the men assembled here, slashing left and right indiscriminately. Such was his way, he felt no regret or guilt for his work, only a deep sense of self-satisfaction. Wiping his blades on the back of a nearby mutilated body, the blond re-sheathed his swords and did a quick look around to make sure he had killed them all. "Job well done," he congratulated himself, knowing that he would not get praise elsewhere.

Hayashi leaped down from her perch and landed gracefully in a scarlet puddle. A ripple showed that she had indeed touched it, but not a single drop of blood was forced from the shallow basin. Kudo likewise followed down, landing on the far edge of the stage. Heave knows what would happen if the young lord's robes ever got stained.

Suzuki grinned at them, the picture of arrogance and and self-love. "So what do you think, Sara-chan? A new record, ne?"

The girl sighed in exasperation, her tanned fingers fluttering up to her forehead. "You'll have to go to Onii-sama with a report now. You know how much he hates useless bloodshed."

Suzuki's mood did a complete 180 and he grimaced as he pictured going to Big Brother on a bad day. "Perhaps you should soften the blow by going to Onee-sama," Kudo suggested. "She is much more agreeable than Onii-sama."

Suzuki dragged his hand through his spike hair, leaving faint rust stains in his hair. "Probably...yeah..."

Hayashi was thoroughly tired of the two 'second-class' male members of the Council. Suzuki was annoying and childish, Kudo a prick and a kiss-up. The teen began to walk away from the pair, shaking her head in disgust. They were supposed to be planning the eventual destruction of Akatsuki, their greatest rival, and the supreme domination of the world. But instead, here was Suzuki and Kudo, wasting their time with these sycophants.

The unlikely pair behind her forgot of her entire existence as Hayashi Saraundo hurried out of the cave system of Earth Country, and sped towards the border. She did not fear her old village's military, but there were some memories not meant to be unearthed.

OoOoOo

At the outer reaches of Takigakure, Suzuki Karai and Kudo Naraku rested in a less than five star motel. Much less. After the 'discussion' with Big Brother, Suzuki came out with just a couple of broken ribs and a concussion.

Suzuki plopped down on one of the two beds in their room, his swords set carefully against the wall. "Ugh! I'm still bruised," he complained, patting his chest lightly.

Kudo sat primly on his bed, not a wrinkle on his cobalt suit. He might not be able to wear nice silks on missions like this, but he can make do. "You're lucky that Onee-chan agreed with you. Otherwise, you might not have lived at all," he said blandly, as if the thought of having his partner of three years killed didn't faze him at all. He brushed inexistent dust from his shoulders and regarded his accomplice with a look akin to contempt. "Onee-sama took the brunt of the blow. You should have thanked her."

"Awe, what?" Suzuki sat up suddenly, a teasing grin on his face. "Are you sweet on her or something?"

Kudo scowled at the other man. "No, of course not. She is a woman to be respected, to be feared. You should be more grateful of her courtesies."

"Whatever, I thanked her. ("Grudgingly," Kudo added, as if that mattered.) And more importantly, how are we supposed to find this Sasuke brat? And then to get him to join us? The bloody bastard killed Orochimaru!"

"Yes, it is quite a feat," Kudo agreed. "Furthermore, Sasuke is attempting to murder his brother, Uchiha Itachi. It seems that Onii-sama wishes us to have a brush with death, aka the Akatsuki."

"Che..." Suzuki fell back onto the bed and looked out the dingy window to what looked like a tangerine sky. "I bet Onii-baka only put us in this situation because he wanted us killed."

"Do not speak that way!" Kudo scolded, his amber gaze sharpening into a glare. "Onii-sama would never just through our lives away."

"Che...whatever."

oOoOo

Eyes of hardened jade looked down upon the spike head to Uzumaki Naruto, Hayashi Saraundo's most unfortunate target. The teen sat on the roof of the building opposite Uzumaki's apartments, feeling strangely like a stalker. Hayashi had been taken in by the Kurotenpi at birth, or very nearly so. Her parents had abandoned her to the dogs for no reason what so ever.

It wasn't like I was a Jinchuuriki... Hayashi thought to herself after failing to keep her thoughts away from the delicate subject of her parents. Onii-sama had found her as an infant and trained her in the ways of a shinobi. Doesn't mean I have to like it... She shifted to give her ankles a little comfort and forced herself to keep her attention on her mission: keep survelance on the Kyuubi container.

Jeez, what a pain. Uzumaki exited the apartment building, heading down the familiar path to Ichiraku, the ramen shop that the orange-clad ninja frequented often. Hayashi sighed wearily, bored out of her mind with the simplicity of this young man's life. Why did I get assigned to this AFTER he defeated those Akatsuki members? Though not a stab-happy murderer like Suzuki, Hayashi did have a certain penchant for torture. Long, agonizing torture customized to fit the needs of every prisoner. The orphan sighed, content (for now) to daydream all the things she could do to Uzumaki. If Onii-sama allows it...she added mentally.

The 'future hokage' of Konohagakure finished up his meal and headed off, probably to meet with that pink haired medic and his perverted teacher for training. Hayashi stood up and stretched a little as Uzumaki rounded the corner, vanishing from view. What is your plan, Onii-sama? She wondered briefly before heading off after the second blond idiot in her life.

A breeze shifted through the muggy air, tugging a few stands of wine-red hair out of the neat ponytail at the base of Kudo's neck. Absently, he pushed the hairs away from his face and tucked them behind his ear. He and Suzuki had split up as they neared Konohagakure. They had heard from someone at Otogakure that Sasuke was headed in that direction and with no other leads, they could only follow the advice from a crabby drunkard.

Now Suzuki was hurrying ahead in the way young men were prone to, always in a rush to do things. Kudo, on the other hand, came in from the south, opposite from his partner, and walked at a leisurely pace. A bird twittered somewhere nearby and in the distance he could see the high walls of the famous Konohagakure. His lips did an odd twisting gesture, producing a wry smile.

"It won't be long now..."