Five

The Sidekick

She awoke the next morning, with a grin as the sunlight shone through the white curtains and straight into her eyes. Sunlight. It had been so long since she's had this kind of glorious annoyance.

She leapt from the bed, not surprised that Jiraiya hadn't been awakened by the jostling. The moment her feet hit the floor, however he stirred at the lack of warmth. He watched her make a few hand signs, bite her thumb and place her hand on the floor at her feet.

A poof of smoke later and a large tan and brown raccoon dog, wearing a pointed green bamboo rice hat appeared. Shoko grinned, "Fujiki." She whispered.

The raccoon blinked at her, "You look like shit."

Her eyebrow twitched and she grabbed him by the scruff of his neck before shaking him and yelling, "Don't you know to never say that to a woman! You're a real dick, you overgrown rat! And to think I was actually worried about you for fifteen years when I should have known you were off bar hopping and livin it up without me!"

Fujiki gagged and threw his paws to his mouth. Shoko dropped him in disgust and he bolted to the bathroom across the building.

A few moments later he came stomping into the room with a scowl. "If I had known you were planning to abuse me I never would have drank those last two bottles of sake last night." He grumbled while he rubbed the back of his sore neck.

Jiraiya had to suppress a chuckle at the scene before him. Like old times. The infamous, never ending bickering between the two of them had become something the whole village could appreciate before the accusations had begun and was even something her enemies spoke of.

Fujiki glanced past Shoko at the 'sleeping' Jiraiya in in her bed then switched his gaze to her and wiggled his furry eyebrows. "Seems like you had a nice welcome home party."

Shoko grinned at him and shockingly told Fujiki that she would give him details later. Shoko was just as perverted as Jiraiya, though the raccoon dog had them both beat by a long shot. Jiraiya remembered the times when Shoko would help him carve peep holes in the women's bath and how she often liked to recite pages from his books, complete with sound effects, when she wanted to make people uncomfortable.

Shoko broke Jiraiya from his thoughts a few minutes later.

"…have to kill him. Do you think it's possible?" She asked. She had filled Fujiki in on her mission and the news of Madara's existence, though both she and Fu had known for a long time that he had survived the battle with Hashirama. She hadn't known, however, that he would be able to create am immortality jutsu.

"'Possible' as in physical capability or 'possible' as in mental capability?" He asked her.

She sighed and scratched behind his ear where he always asked her to. He flopped down beside her, completely under the spell of her magic fingers. "Both. Though, it may be helpful if I had an idea of how it is he's been keeping himself alive. If he somehow stole my own jutsu then killing him will be easy as pie but if he actually succeeded in his own…"

Jiraiya decided to keep up his sleeping façade. He had never heard anything about Shoko's jutsu. She kept it a secret from even her closest people. The only other person…well thing, who knew was Fujiki.

"Easy?" Fu scoffed.

"Well if his soul is sealed into an object then all I need to do is find it and destroy it. He's too old and its common sense he would be dead by now without the jutsu. Destroying the object will send his soul back to his body and the jutsu will be broken. His age will speed up and he should turn to dust. I wouldn't even have to fight him." She explained quietly. "At least, that's if he's used Tamashī Shīrā."

So she had sealed her soul away. Her immortality wasn't even a ninjutsu. It was a Fūinjutsu. That explained the seal on her neck. Jiraiya worried about how easy it would be for an enemy to end her life if they somehow found out. He suddenly realized why she kept her jutsu a secret.

"If that's the case then you had better keep your existence from him. He could use the same method against you." Fujiki said. "As far as he knows, you're still in prison."

"I know, but if he wants to destroy the container of my soul then he'll have to come to me to do it." She said. "And he'll know I've been released soon anyway, everyone will."

Fujiki narrowed his eyes at her. "I know what you're thinking Sho. It's a foolish idea, even for you." Jiraiya assumed he was talking about her using herself as bait. If her soul really was sealed into something she had, like Jiraiya guessed it was then she could draw Madara out with the concept of him finding and destroying her soul. Shoko was, after all only a few years younger than Madara. Her body wouldn't survive the ageing.

She shook her head, "Yeah, I won't. It's just always what the hero does in the books, though."

Fujiki rolled his eyes. "You're not a hero. You're a side character that provides a few laughs for the readers."

She shoved him with her foot. "I am the hero. You're my sidekick."

"You're not pretty enough to be the hero." He grumbled. She growled at him. "Do you think you can handle killing your own 'brother', Shoko?" He asked her.

It was silent for a while before she spoke. "Hell no." She said. "I don't want to kill him. I mean, I did at first. He blinded my husband, left me alone, tried to kill the First…when he summoned the Kyuubi and just stood aside to let me die. But he is my brother. My family. Even though he wanted me dead, I couldn't bring myself to feel the same way."

"He's changed Shoko. I don't know why he changed but, something in him broke. He's been insane ever since the truce he made with Hashirama. That was when the arguments between you three started, remember? When he started making ridiculous assumptions about the Senjus' motives." Fujiki paused. "He lost his mind back then, imagine what he must be like now. You won't be killing the Madara you knew. Remember that."

"I will. But if he's created his own jutsu then I could be up against an impossible situation. Madara was stronger than me and I'm sure he's only gotten stronger while I've been reduced to some weak ancient relic that's just been dug up."

"That's true." Fujiki said, earning him a flick on the nose. "If Madara is so strong then you just need to get stronger. If anyone can kill that bastard it's you. Wait a second," Fujiki thought back on something else, "If Madara is behind this thing with the tailed-beasts…he must have some plan in controlling them right?"

"If he is behind it then of course." She too became silent as she thought about the past. "It wouldn't surprise me if he could use his Sharingan to manipulate a tailed beast just like he used to do with the spirit beasts that were sent to attack our mercenary before the village was founded. Remember?" Fujiki nodded. "I mean, there's a world of difference between a spirit beast and a tailed beast but he was always the strongest ninja I've ever known, maybe that's how he controlled the Kyuubi when he ordered it to destroy Hashirama-sama during their battle in the Valley of End."

"What if he was the one behind the Kyuubi attack 15 years ago?" There was a short silence. Jiraiya thought back on the attack. It made sense. Madara had been trying and failing to get revenge on the village since he was exiled. If that were the case the Madara was almost certainly behind the tailed-beasts extractions. Then that meant…

"He's trying to create the ten-tails." Jiraiya said as he sat up in bed. Shoko whipped her head around to stare wide eyed at him before nodding in agreement.

"It's a good theory but I thought the ten-tails was only a myth."

"So did I." Jiraiya said.

After getting dressed Shoko, Jiraiya and Fu made their way to the Hokage tower. They decided to keep the theory to themselves for the time being. Until they at least knew if there really was a connection between Madara and the Akatsuki. Shoko really wished Jiraiya's informant could just tell him everything he knew but sadly, nothing was that simple.

"But!" Naruto exclaimed. He, Sakura, Sai and Kakashi were sitting around Tsunade's office, waiting for their new team-mate when Naruto tried to pour himself a cup of coffee. Turning to see Tsunade, Sakura and even Kakashi rushing over to separate him from the cup, each yelling something about caffeine and the apocalypse.

"Absolutely not! Now stop askin me before I throw you out the window." Tsunade seethed, effectively shutting the blonde boy up. He knew damn well that she wasn't bluffing. He'd made far more trips up the stairs to her office than he had down the stairs. "Sho'll be he-

Tsunade cut herself off at the sound of a single bell. Naruto whipped his head back around to stare at the magnificent Goddess lazily leaning in the window seal, arms crossed and a pocky stick hanging from her mouth. Now that he could actually get a good look at her in the daylight, he took advantage by completely and shamelessly gawking.

She was short and thin and her long mahogany colored hair flowed down her back, one lock was wrapped in a deep purple cloth and had a bell tied to the end. She was wearing a loose fitting, baggy sleeve, simple black robe, undeneath which she wore a green kimono style top, held closed by a white obi. She wore geta clogs and her right arm and left leg were both bandaged.

She was carrying the old staff from last night. It towered almost a foot and a half over her head and was covered in ancient writing as well as a dark blue dragon that twisted around it from top to bottom.

All and all, she kind of resembled a monk from the Fire Temple. Her facial features were elegant. Though marred by the large scar she still looked strikingly beautiful. She had a small nose and full bottom lip. What stood out the most though, were her eyes. They were two different colors as Naruto had noticed before but now, in the sunlight he could tell just how different they were. One being brown and the other was a pale ice blue with a darker ring around the blue. Both surrounded by thick dark lashes. They were odd but somehow extremely beautiful on her.

"I assume you're feeling better today?" Tsunade said with a raised brow. Shoko smiled and shrugged. It amazed Tsunade just how much one night out of the pit could do for her health. She looked like nothing had ever happened and her clothes…Tsunade felt a pang of nostalgia. Just seeing her like this brought back so many memories.

Just then the door opened and Jiraiya and a rice hat sporting raccoon dog waltzed in causing Tsunade to groan in annoyance and Kakashi to smirk beneath his mask though he didn't look up from his book. She should have known she wouldn't get one without the other. Shoko and Fujiki were a package deal.

"Hime." Fujiki purred as he leaned against her desk at her feet. "It's been too long. I have to say though; you still look as appetizing as ever." She stared down at him in disgust but he failed to notice since his gaze was directed somewhere else.

"FU! Stop staring at the Hokage's boobs, ya filthy rodent." Shoko yelled. He winked at Tsunade before he turned with a bored look at Shoko.

"Honestly." He whined, holding his ears dramatically. "It's too early for your shrill voice right now."

She leapt down and kicked Fujiki across the room before turning to Naruto and hopping into his lap, ignoring Fujiki's string of colorful language as she trapped Naruto in a bear hug that rivaled a real bear. "Uzumaki Naruto, I vow to protect you with my life from this moment on." She said, tightening her grip on his neck and giving him a big noisy kiss on his forehead. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when you were younger but I promise to make it up to you. I'm going to train you… uh, if you want me to." She added a little sheepishly as she pulled back to look questioningly at him.

He blinked at her for a few more moments before a huge goofy grin spread from ear to ear, "Are you kidding me? The Jinsoku is going to train me?" She beamed back and nodded. "But why?" He added a little hesitantly. It was often someone offered to train him especially a famous ninja. He'd had to beg Ero-Sennin to teach him.

"Because I want to. I know good potential when I see it and you," She pointed at his chest. "Are excellent potential." She immediately regretted using that as a reason since she was sure Orochimaru bitterly popped into about half the people in the rooms heads.

"Wow. Th-Thanks! I'm going to be Hokage someday, ya know! Maybe you can be my bodyguard." She smirked at that. To be a Guardian again… "Will you teach me your teleport jutsu? OH! And your…immortality JUTSU!" He was so excited at the prospect of learning more famous jutsu it was amusing. Shoko snorted and leapt from his lap.

She ruffled his hair, "That's cute kid." He was like the male version of Kushina. He was going to be bothersome but Shoko couldn't wait to start teaching him.

"Jiraiya caught me up on everything that's happened since…you know." She said to Tsunade. "So the deal is, I'm going to kill Uchiha Madara and you will set me free." Tsunade nodded, a little annoyed at Shoko's demanding tone but that had long grown on her. Shoko was always demanding and blunt, it seemed as if nothing changed. "I'll be free to leave the village? No ANBU…that includes ROOT." She added.

"Yes, completely free. You won't be in any Leaf Bingo Books thought I can't say the same for the other villages once they've learned you've been released." Tsunade said. Shoko shrugged, not really concerned with foreign ANBU. It was common knowledge that Leaf ninja's were the most troublesome when you're a wanted criminal.

They spent a while going over everything while Tsunade and Fujiki bickered over a bottle of what she claimed was the best sake in the world. Shoko learned more about Sakura and Sai.

She learned Sakura was in love with the younger Uchiha. Shoko wanted to tell her that Uchiha's weren't worth the trouble but decided to hold her tongue for now. She also found out Sakura succeeded in defeating Sasori of the Sand. Tsunade told her about Sakura's medical skills rivaling her own. Shoko could help but notice how proud Tsunade sounded when she talked about the young girl. Despite their differences, it made Shoko smile to know Tsunade had found someone worthy of passing on her talents. The ninja world needed more medical ninjas.

Sai, she learned, was from Root. Shoko immediately liked the unfortunate boy. He was blunt and completely oblivious to other people's feelings. He nicknamed her 'Weird Eyes', but he said that was only because 'Ugly' was already taken.

Kakashi filled her in on Jiraiya's Icha Icha books and how everyone had been. He gave her a rough estimate of how many girls Genma had brought to taint her house while she was gone. It was a depressingly large number. She felt like she should probably scrub the place from top to bottom soon. He told her about Gai and his new student. He didn't mention Asuma and Shoko didn't ask. Neither comfortable with bringing him up since both knew just how much Asuma despised her. He was just one of the many who believed her to be guilty, though his hatred ran a little deeper for personal reasons.

Tsunade and Jiraiya filled her in on the profiles of each Akatsuki member. She already knew Kakuzu, as he had been a pain in the ass when she was a missing-nin. Her Bingo Book bounty rivaled that of a Fire Temple Guardian. They didn't have much on him, only what allied villages would relay. There was Hidan, whom she thought looked like a cocky SOB from the picture. They didn't know much about him either, only that he traveled with Kakuzu and he could wield a scythe.

Sasori was dead, Deidara was only a kid but from what she heard he would be a pain in the ass.

Itachi, she hardly knew anything about only that she and a few others had put up a huge fight long ago about sending children his age into the war which was completely disregarded and from the looks of it her point was made with Itachi. Though there were things Tsunade, Jiraiya and Kakashi all knew that they weren't about to say in front of the younger ninja. Jiraiya had told her about the massacre and the orders that were given to Itachi to carry it out. Some things about it bothered her though. Some things just didn't add up.

Then there was Kisame whom she knew most about. Every time she looked in the mirror she was reminded of him. During the time she had left the Leaf behind to travel she had a run in with three of the Seven Swordsmen and Kisame had been lucky enough to land a nice gash from her right temple to her collarbone. He had made sure to leave a reminder for Shoko to never assume size meant a damn thing when it came to speed. Having been traveling alone and one with exceptionally crappy medical skills, she had no way of healing the gash and it scarred nice and pretty. She didn't mind it though. He was formidable and it made for a decent story.

They had nothing on the Leader…or 'Leader-sama' or 'Pein'. Shoko wondered if this 'Pein' could be Madara. Of course Madara would never use his real name. At least not until he was ready to be discovered. By then everything would be too late. She had a feeling Jiraiya knew more about this leader of the Akatsuki than he was telling, but she wouldn't ask. Jiraiya always knew more than anyone else. Despite his carefree demeanor, he really was observant.

There was a possibility of more members, though, there was no information on them at the time.

"So, basically, it's a club for freaks." Shoko said, draped over the window seal like a lazy cat and staring out towards the village with Kakashi occupying the other side of the window reading his book while she absently tapped her clogs on the bottom of his feet. She had three pocky sticks hanging out of her mouth and about 6 discarded pocky boxes on the floor beneath her. The sight made Kakashi smirk beneath his mask. He'd forgotten how much she loved that stuff. When he and Obito were kids they could get Shoko to do anything for a box of green tea pocky. "Perhaps I can join it…" She said more to herself than anyone else but quickly corrected her mistake when she felt the room tense. "I mean infiltration. Destroy it from the inside out. If Madara-

"If Madara does have anything to do with Akatsuki then you'll be a sitting duck. He'll kill you before you could even make your first move." Tsunade said, thoroughly annoyed at Shoko's foolish ideas.

"Do you think it would be so easy for him to kill me?" She asked, turning from the village to look at the Hokage. "Physically, perhaps, but do you think my own brother would kill me just like that?"

"He's already proven he would when you fought him with my Grandfather. And your 'own brother' has a history of killing family just like that." Tsunade said. Before she could say anything else Shoko stood in front of her, eyes narrowed. Tsunade held her hand up to everyone in the room before they could even think to make a move to stop Shoko.

"Don't talk about him like that, Tsunade." She warned. Tsunade didn't back down though, she narrowed her eyes in return.

"What's wrong? Having doubts about the mission already?" She taunted.

"I told you I would and I will. But you have to realize that he is my fucking family! The only family I have left and killing him just like THAT," She snapped her fingers in Tsunade's face causing Tsunade to clinch her fist and growl, "Will be impossible!" She yelled. They stared at eachother for a moment in silence, eyes glaring. No one moved. They all knew, Shoko included, that if she so much as made the wrong move, everyone would be on her. "He's my family." She said softly.

Tsunade's expression softened. It was true, Madara was Shoko's only family. The only person left from her past. The only person who could possibly understand her because he had been there when she was just a child. He had taken care of her and protected her and he loved her. But he wasn't the same person. He had gone insane, lost his mind somewhere along the way and the old Madara, Shoko's only family had died. This Madara needed to be stopped before he destroyed everything the old one stood for.

Shoko turned and walked back to the window, "I told you I would and I will. Madara is as good as dead." She said with finality before sighing and grabbing a pocky stick she spotted lying on the floor and popping it into her mouth with a smile. Kakashi wondered briefly if crazy ran through their family, even if she wasn't a true Uchiha she must have picked it up while living with them or something because her mood swings were unbelievable.

"What about the labs." Shoko asked.

"The labs? They've been abandoned since Orochimaru fled and ANBU tore them apart, searching for all the children." Tsunade said bluntly making Shoko wince. Tsunade knew what she wanted though. "No. It was hard enough getting you released, there is no way possible for you to have clearance into those labs."

"Okay." Shoko said simply. She didn't need permission but she had asked for it to be polite. There were things down there that she would need if she were to have even a fighting chance against Madara. Tsunade, Jiraiya and Kakashi eyes her suspiciously. They knew she wouldn't have given up so easily when denied something unless she had a plan to get it anyway.

"Anything else I need to know or do? I was thinking about going home for a while. All this talking is exhausting" Tsunade looked skeptical but Shoko smirked and strode over to Jiraiya, running a nail down his chest to the rope around his kimono shirt then turned back to Tsunade. "Jiraiya kept me up for most of the night." She said smugly, knowing it would absolutely piss Tsunade off, though she would never admit it. Shoko nearly grinned at the slight eye brow twitch but she held it back.

"No, that's it for now. You need to come in sometime tomorrow and let Sakura check you over to make sure there's nothing wrong…physically."

Shoko snorted at the insult. "FU!" She yelled, standing two feet away from the unconscious raccoon dog who was conveniently passed out under Tsunade's chair. He stirred a bit, scratching his belly before letting out a huge snore and falling back asleep. Everyone watched in amusement as Shoko huffed and bent down, grabbing the raccoon and swung him over her shoulder then gracefully flipped his discarded hat off the floor with her foot and caught it with her free hand.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Here." Tsunade said reaching behind her desk and pulling out a suitcase. "All of your funds before your exile. Shizune found it down in the basement about a year ago. You're lucky, I almost used it on the village, but I had a feeling…"

Fujiki seemed to come awake at the sound of funds. He craned his head to glance over Shoko's shoulder at the suitcase before scrambling off and hoisting it onto his back. "Good, I haven't been to a Konoha bar in 15 years." He said, dragging the money towards the door before Shoko lifted it off his back and fixed him with a scowl.

"Well then I guess that means most of the girls you used to hit on might be of legal age now." She said seriously. Naruto and Sakura started laughing hysterically while Kakashi and Jiraiya shook their heads at the two. "Come on." She said. They walked out the door and shut it behind them. She bent down and opened the case, grabbing some yen and handing it to Fujiki. "Take the case home before you paint the town red, pleeease." She said. He looked at her and nodded, though he was a little suspicious as to why she wasn't taking it. She smiled. "Thanks Fu. I'll see ya later." Then she vanished.

Next chapter is last chapter before a three month time skip, then events will start taking place and you'll get a better idea of where this story is as far as the anime goes.