Hey hey! Naruto's second story is up for those who are interested. You may be lost at first but don't worry, I won't leave you in the dark. And a bit of warning, there's an O.C. in this chpter of this story. He won't be around for long.

Chapter 4: Akatsuki Failing

Meanwhile as Itachi went to find this "old acquaintance," the old organization he once was joined with had their eye following him….

Zetsu sat a fair ways off arguing with himself as he watched Itachi pull along his brother's body.

"I say let's just get this over with and fight him!"

"Please, remember last time? We couldn't fight back."

"He managed to get the jump on us, but now he doesn't susspet a thing. Now let's just do this while we can!"

"He has that Tsukuyomi and the Mangekyo Sharingan. We wouldn't survive, now let's just do our job and inform Pein for our next move."

And so despite his darker half wanting some blood on his hands, he did like living even more so he complied.

…………

At the Akatsuki headquarters

…………

A hologram-like version of Zetsu appeared before his peers as he gave out his report on the traitor's position and company. This received murmurs around by the members there; Itachi quickly became a reoccurring topic that was almost taboo as the Uchiha became a bit of a threat to the organization, unlike Orochimaru who was at least more predictable and therefore controllable. That and he had no allies to fall back upon if he ever decided to fight against his betters. Itachi could, in theory, notify nations that the Akatsuki were contracted against and hunted down if location of the headquarters was revealed. Itachi wouldn't be at the center of the attack as he is known to be insanely tricky and manipulative, even without his jutsu, and combined with the fact he's born into one of the most well known and respected families in the village hidden in the leaf that has contacts essentially everywhere…

Deidara was the first to speak up to Pein who had his arms crossed and eyes closed in concentration. "So what are we going to do? We can't just let him wonder around, and let loose our secrets, un?"

"And so you're right, he's a threat in more than one way but we can't just use all our resources to tie up this one loose end… Deidara, I think that this should be your mission. Find any way to silence our old friend, and accompanying you would be Kisame and the new recruit."

Deidara paled at this order, as he knew about the problems that this possessed.

"Are you sure you want to do that un?! You know Kisame's problem and the other… seems unreliable. I mean, we could pull Sasori from his mission to-."

"NO. His mission is too important, and as I recall you were board from the 'lack of action.'"

"I don't want to die either, I know my limits un."

"That's why you will be sent with two others. As for Kisame, I sent him through a little therapy session that had somewhat positive results aside the fact that he hasn't fully regained himself. Now follow your order and don't come back until completed."

"…Yes sir."

"And while you're at it, tell Zetsu to return. I have another assignment for him."

"Yessssss sir."

…

Already halfway to the destination via clay owl with Kisame and the member who newly re-joined, Tobi, Deidara sighed with anger being assigned with the two biggest morons of the organization against Itachi. He could already tell things looked bleak in terms of succeeding. Contemplating if he should of moved his things out before he left, he noticed he already at his destination. However, one thing he failed to notice was Kisame. During the whole flight, he was more panic stricken than he normally would be as flight wasn't something he would ever do. Combined with Tobi teasing in the background of everything that could go wrong ("See how high we are? Imagine falling all the way down and going SPLAT, hehe!")

"I can't take it anymore! I need OFF!" Gripping the side of the bird, it leads him to trip over his cloak and fall off from the top. In his frenzy of flailing arms, he managed to grab the wing of the owl which set the whole thing to struggle in a futile attempt to steady itself. The clay creation spiraled out of control and crash-landed into its destination, and being a creation of Deidara as it was, exploded without warning. Luckily for them, Itachi was already far enough away to not see it, and barely hear it just to not care.

…

Sasuke on the other hand found himself waking up to find himself strapped to a table with an obnoxiously bright light right over his face, preventing him to see anything that went around him.

"…think this will go well?"

Sasuke recognized that voice as his brothers, but then another spoke up.

"I hope so." Replied a dry voice that had a slight maniacal undertone. "You can't believe how hard to find good specimens like this. Very unique indeed… Needs to be very careful, a delicate operation. It reacts best to being boiled, for the eyes to pop out…"

Sasukes heart dropped when hearing this, especially the word eyes. 'Shit, is Itachi going to pop my eyeballs out?!' In his memory of looking over Uchiha writings, there were only traces of sayings that involved using another Uchihas eyes to improve their own. He struggled against his restraints to only succeed in gaining notice of the two madmen.

"Argh, seems that the frog stew has to wait. Your brothers awake."

…

Itachi walked over and removed the lamp that was used to study the curse mark and loosened the straps so that Sasuke could sit up. The younger brother after getting up surveyed his surroundings, a plain white room with some medical equipment and random oddities of creatures in glass containers-alive or otherwise.

That's when Sasukes eyes locked on what he guessed was a doctor, an old wrinkled man with a thin neck that stuck out like a vultures which held a bobbling head. The figure was bald save for a small tuff of white fuzz that was settled on top of his skull.

Sasuke eyed him carefully as the man himself lost interest and went back to his… frog intestine stew. Finally tired of waiting for an answer, the boy asked the question.

"Where the hell am I?"

"This man's home. He's Monty, odd name right?" Itachi leaned in close and whispered "actually, it's something longer and more confusing, but that's what I call him. Came from someplace from beyond the known charted territories from the east. Tracked him down when I first hunted down Orochimaru who helped study the virus, although the reason he's here was to study chakra. Oddest thing is, where he comes from, the things we take for granted boggles his mind."

"Are we in town?"

"No, the middle of the forest near the more elevated region; prefers to live more of a hermit's life for some reason."

The man looked back at Sasuke with a grin, to show most of his teeth gone, and one eye lazily looking at the container he was using.

"Can't imagine why." Sasuke said, literally feeling himself turn a bit green.

"Anyways, I talked to him to see if he can do something about that little problem that shows on your neck. In payment, I found him a 'meal.'"

"This is rare find." The man… Monty… said in a bit of a broken language. "Toad like this hide in most dangerous place, quite delicious. Child a rare specimen too. Only one I can work on without all those restrictions from the first, or most…. Now, time for study! Need blood samples, hair, saliva, or jump on prototype vaccine. Only used once, patient head exploded but gave great results!"

Sasuke felt his heart drop again. "How could an exploding head give any good results?!"

"Simple mind child! The virus was eliminated; fulfilled intended purpose."

…