Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Marvel Comics

I dedicate this chapter to my co-author Jesus.

Gathering

A man clad in red wearing a gold mask stood in the center of a desert. His hands began to glow gold as the area began to shake. Slowly a huge castle started to grow from the sand standing twenty feet tall and and forty feet in length the castle stopped. The front of the castle held the face of a hideous demon. The draw bridge fell allowing the man to walk in.

***

Deidara was waiting at a clearing for Sasori to show. The puppet master stayed back to take on Gaara's brother who attempted to stop them. The puppet master showed up not long after Deidara had. "So you made short work of the brat?" he asked.

Sasori shook his head and replied, "He has been poisoned and will be dead in three days."

"I see. So should we continue? I'm sure the rest of the Akatsuki is tired of waiting for us." Deidara asked looking at Gaara.

Suddenly a crow flew into the clearing kawing loudly. Sasori glanced at the crow curiously before replying. "Yes the sooner the better. I hate making people wait." Another crow flew in followed by two others, then three came in. Soon the clearing was covered in crows all staring at Akatsuki.

"What is going on?" Deidara asked nervously. "What are crows doing this far out in the desert?"

"I summoned them here." A voice called out. Both Shinobi turned in the direction of the voice to see a creature wearing a dusty brown hat, tan shirt connected to brown gloves which had straw hanging out. His pants and boots were black with straw around the seams. In his hands was a pitch fork black as night.

"Who are you?" Sasori asked threatening.

"You don't reconize me. Well it's no surprise I have changed a little." The creature replied.

"Orochimaru?" The puppet master asked surprisingly. It had been years since he saw his old partner.

"Ah you do remember me. Of course I go under a different name now. You can call me Scarecrow." Upon stating his new name the crows started kawing and flapping wildly.

As soon as the birds quieted down Sasori spoke again. "I heard you had disappeared as your village tore itself apart trying to get a new leader. Where have you been and what's with the change of appearance?"

"Where I've been is Hell, and the change is why I'm here. I have a proposition for you."

"Were not interested." Deidara replied. "We're quite busy with are own mission."

"Oh but its part of your mission. If you help my master he will give you Kyubbi."

Both Akatsuki members looked at each other in amazement.

"Your master? You serve some else now?" Sasori asked amazed that anyone could tame his former partner.

"If you knew him, you would also call him master." Scarecrow said with fear in his voice. "So do we have a deal."

Deidara looked at Sasori wondering what the next move should be. "The others are waiting for us."

"I'll send them a message that your be late." Scarecrow called one of his crows attaching a message to him. "Now tell the crow where to go and he will take the message that location."

Sasori did so allowing the bird to fly off. "Now what?"

"Now we prepare." Scarecrow said with a cruel smile.

***

Mizuke sat in his cell where he had been for four years of his life. He had been humiliated twice by Iruka his former best friend and Naruto the demon child. Once he had Naruto steal the sacred scroll for him and the second he tried to join Orochimaru. Both times he met failure and disgrace. To make matters worse, a faulty potion from Orochimaru left Mizuke unable to work and die slowly. He wanted vengence and all he was getting was death. A guard whistling a tune came over to Mizuke. "What do you want?" Mizuke wheezed.

"I am here to make you an offer." The Guard said smiling his eyes glowing red.

"What could you possibly have to offer me." Mizuke snapped glaring at the guard.

"Power, health, revenge, all your desires in exchange for two things." The guard answered with a smile.

"Yeah what's that?" Mizuke wheezed rolling his eyes.

"The first is your soul. The second is to kill Naruto."

Hearing the last part Mizuke smiled and replied, "Sign me up."