Yeah! This is, like the fifth time I posted today! What now, mother sassers? So I'm continuing with my Itachi/OC fanfiction. Itachi will probably only appear in flashbacks that Ayu has for the next couple of chapters because, you know, they're trying to capture Sasuke.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Ayu.
So this chapter is back in present time so we're skipping ahead into Shippuden.
Lady Tsunade—the fifth Hokage—called Ayu Namikazi into her office late one Thursday night. "You remember when Itachi Uchiha left the village?" Lady Hokage asked the twenty-year old girl.
She nodded in response. How could she forget? She let him get away. She was too weak to stop him, but not anymore. She could take down even the Hokage. She took those years and the example of Itachi beating her, and she trained her ass off, always honing her skills, becoming stronger. So that one day, when she meets Itachi again, she could beat him and bring him back to the village—either dead or alive.
"Well, three years ago, his younger brother Sasuke left the village," Tsunade said. "We have gained intel that Sasuke has killed Orochimaru, and is forming a team to kill Itachi."
"Milady? Are you saying that we're going after Sasuke?" Ayu asked.
"Yes, but—to kill two birds with one stone—I want you to bring in Itachi with your team. Bring him in alive, and lure Sasuke and bring him back to the village."
"No offense, ma'am, but we haven't been able to catch Itachi and it's been around seven years," she told the Hokage. "What makes you think that we could catch him now?"
"Because I know what Itachi meant to this village, and I don't know what he was thinking when he murdered his entire clan, but I do know one thing," she looked at Ayu, completely serious. "There are people here who loved him—who still love him—and are willing to die to bring him back, and you are one of them."
"Lady Tsunade!" Ayu gasped. "Itachi Uchiha is a wanted S-rank criminal. He's a horrible person and a murderer. He betrayed my trust. He betrayed his clan and this village. There is no hope for salvation for him. I hate him."
"So you care for him?"
"I never said that! I hate him!"
"You can't hate somebody without feeling the tiniest bit of love for that same person and vice versa," Tsunade said, sagely. "You and your team will find and capture Itachi Uchiha, so that we can get Sasuke back."
Something inside Ayu snapped. "Both Itachi and Sasuke betrayed the village," she said. "How come after a few months of searching, we gave up on Itachi, but here we are three YEARS later, still hung up on Sasuke?"
"I told you that you cared about Itachi," Tsunade said.
"What? No I just don't understand. It makes no sense. Both are traitors to our village, so why would we want them back?"
"One reason," Tsunade held up her pointer finger. "Hope."
"Hope?"
"Bringing Sasuke back will bring hope," she continued. "Naruto believes that Sasuke will wish to return. He has hope, and I'm not going to crush that hope."
"Oh, I see," Ayu said, looking at the ground. "There was no one who believed that Itachi would wish to come back, so we gave up on him, but people still believe in Sasuke, so we'll still seek him."
"Exactly," Tsunade nodded. "Now, Sasuke's after Itachi. To get to Sasuke we need Itachi. To get Itachi, we need you."
"You need me to capture Itachi because…"
"Because you can see past his genjutsu, and you are strong enough to take me down," Tsunade explained. "Not to mention that you know Itachi, and I'm positive that he'll remember you. Not to mention the fact that you are a major on justice. Just because you knew Itachi, you won't go easy on him because he has done something wrong."
"I understand," she nodded. "Is this an Anbu mission?"
"It doesn't matter anyway," she waved away the question. "It's an Anbu mission, but don't wear the masks. They'll only be a hindrance while trying to fit in."
"Yes, ma'am," she nodded. "When do we head out?"
"Immediately."
Ayu nodded in response and went to gather up her team, explaining—in brief—what they were to do. Once she had found all of her teammates, and they were heading out of the gates, she told them the whole story.
"So, you're saying that we're going after Itachi to get to Sasuke," Ayu's only female subordinate said.
"Yes, exactly," she replied.
"Well, how would we know where Itachi is?" one of her other subordinates asked.
"That's where I come in," Ayu replied. "I know Itachi better than anyone else in the village, so it won't take me long to know where he's going."
"I heard that they're after the jinchuuriki hosts," he said.
"Yes, and if I can find out which one they're after…" Ayu mumbled. "Hey, does anyone know what number of tails they got up to?"
"Three was the last I heard," the female—Jennifer—answered. "Captured by the blond and the one in the mask."
"Deidara and Tobi," Charlie said. "Why does this matter?"
"They're going in numerical order, and in different groups to capture them," Ayu noted. "You," she pointed to Kevin who usually donned a wolf mask. "Find out what village the four tales resides in. Arnold, you find out where the five tails lives, just in case the four tails has someone else on them."
"Hai," they declared before digging into our books of information on the other villages as they came to a stop in a clearing of the forest.
Fifteen minutes later found the team with the information they needed. "The Four-Tailed Demon Ape's jinchuuriki lives in the Hidden Rock Village. His name is Roushi," Kevin told Ayu who nodded in approval.
"What did you find?" she addressed Arnold.
"The five Tails' jinchuuriki, Han, also resides in the Village Hidden in the Rocks," Arnold told her.
"Then we're headed to the Village Hidden in the Rocks," Ayu declared, taking off in that direction with her team following closely behind her.
Jennifer quickly caught up with Ayu, having great stamina. "Namikazi-sempai, what is the plan for when we do find Itachi?"
"Only I have the power to take him down," she told them. "Once we find him, you, Jennifer, will send word to Lady Hokage. I will approach him and I will allow him to capture me. You three are to stay out of the range of his Sharingan, but follow behind as closely as you can without being caught."
"What if he hurts you?" Arnold asked.
"Trust me, he won't."
"I understand that you knew him before he went psycho and murdered his clan, but I'm sure he's changed since then," Jennifer snapped.
Ayu came to an abrupt stop. "Look, I know Itachi. I can handle myself against him. He may be strong, but I've gotten a lot stronger since the last time I've seen him," she said through gritted teeth. "I am in charge, and you will not question what I say. You three will not engage. If you get in my way I will not hesitate to kill you. Do I make myself clear?"
The three nodded, not making eye contact. "Itachi's too strong for any of you to fight," Ayu continued. "But if he does take me down, send for backup immediately. As many people that Tsunade-sama can send without attracting too much attention."
"Hai," the three said in unison.
"Now, let's move," Ayu commanded. "We have a four-day journey at best."
*Four days of nothing but running, eating, and resting later*
They finally arrived at the gates of Iwagakure where they were met by guards who didn't know they were coming. Thanks, Tsunade…*insert eye roll*. So, they had to spend four and a half hours that could've been used towards finding Itachi just to prove that they were ninja from Konoha were are looking for a missing nin.
"Well that was troublesome," Kevin said after they were finally cleared to enter the village. "Where to next, Namikazi-sama?"
"Tsuchikage's office," she replied, heading towards the direction of the giant building located in the center of the village.
…
"So, you're Konoha ninja, eh?" the Tsuchikage asked as we waited in his office.
"That's right, sir," Ayu replied, face void of any emotion. "Lady Tsunade sent us to retrieve Itachi Uchiha so that we may lure Sasuke back into returning to the village."
"And you have reason to believe that Itachi Uchiha would be here?" the old man asked.
"Yes, sir. We have reason to believe that Itachi Uchiha and his partner Kisame Hoshigaki will come to this village to retrieve either the four tails jinchuuriki or the five tails jinchuuriki."
"Very well," he nodded his approval. "You may stay in my village as long as it takes. You have control over my men as well. If you need help just call on them."
"Thank you very much for your hospitality, sire," Ayu bowed in respect.
"Yes, thank you," the three repeated, mimicking her bow.
The four Leaf shinobi were walking down the street, quietly going over their game plan. "Jennifer, Kevin, you will stay with the five tails. Arnold and I will take the four tails. If you sense anything wrong or out of the ordinary, do not hesitate to find a way to contact me about it."
"Okay, then what'll we do now?" Arnold asked.
"We go meet the jinchuuriki of course," she replied with a sly smile. It didn't take as long as the group thought it would to find the bijuu hosts." Excuse me, are you Roushi?" Ayu asked a man that they knew was the host, politely.
"Hmm? Yes, how may I help you?" he replied.
"We are ninja from the Village Hidden in the Leaves," she told him. "The Akatsuki are currently tracking down and killing jinchuuriki. We have reason to believe that they are coming for you next, and that the one who was sent to capture you is a missing nin from Konoha that we need to take into custody."
"I see, and why are you telling me this?"
"Because if it's alright with you, sir, we would like to be your personal body guards, twenty-four seven."
"All four of you?"
"Just the two of us: Arnold and I. my name is Ayu, by the way." The four tails' host agreed to their conditions and standards and allowed them to take residence in his home for the duration of their stay in Iwagakure.
They then proceeded to find the five tails who openly flirted with Jennifer, much to Ayu's chagrin. "Jennifer, focus." She had to repeatedly tell the girl who openly flirted back with him. He also agreed to let the Konoha nin to guard him.
…
A week passed and there was no sign of the Akatsuki. Arnold and Ayu were having a minute to assess what has happen in the past seven days. "Nothing absolutely nothing," Ayu complained.
"You sound like you're eager to fight Itachi," Arnold pointed out.
"Not eager to fight him-"
"Just eager to see him," Arnold interrupted. "I understand."
"Look, Arnold, you are a good associate and you're very strong and intelligent on the field, but I don't see you like that, okay?"
"Is it because of Itachi?" he asked, sadly. Ayu was taken aback.
"W-what would give you that idea?" she demanded, trying to hide the slight blush that spread across her cheeks. "Itachi Uchiha is a criminal who almost killed me in the past. I have no romantic feelings for him!" Liar, liar, pants on fire…
"Sorry for bringing it up," Arnold mumbled. "There's been no sign of danger to either jinchuuriki hosts, how do you know that they're coming? How do you know that Itachi wasn't already killed by Sasuke?"
Ayu looked down. "To tell you the truth, I don't know. But I have this gut feeling, telling me that we have to stay and wait, and something will turn up."
"A gut feeling?" Arnold asked. "A gut feeling? You expect us to go on a gut feeling?"
"I am in charge here," she snapped. "IF I need to remind you. We will stay until I tell you that we will leave. Now, Roushi," she addressed the jinchuuriki, and got no reply. "Roushi," she turned around, seeing no one there. "Arnold, I thought I told you to bring the jinchuuriki!"
"I-I did! He was right behind me the whole way here," he said. "I swear!"
"Well, he's not here now," she yelled at him. "Where is he?"
"I-I don't know!"
"Fuck!" Ayu stood. "Arnold, go get Jennifer and Kevin and keep an eye out for any strange chakras."
"Where are you going?"
"To find myself a jinchuuriki," she growled before running out the door trying to find Roushi. She sensed a powerful chakra that seemed familiar. Deciding that it was probably Roushi's, she followed it only to find out she was right.
"Roushi," she sighed, the worry vanishing from her system. There he stood, completely unharmed in the…middle of an open grassy landscape. Something suspicious? Maybe, maybe not. "Roushi, thank the stars you're okay! You had us so worried," she said, making her way to the jinchuuriki host, only to have her path blocked by two very tall figures.
Ayu's eyes widened as her gaze fell on the sight before her, and she felt her heart stop.
"You…" she murmured.
Cliff-hanger! Dun dun DUUUNN! Aren't you all mad at me? You should try to insult me. Sasori was being mean to me, by the way. He called me a little bitch so I called him a soulless ginger. Then he told me that I was a ginger too, but I told him that I had a soul.
Anyways, please read and review!