As Strong as Need Be

Part 7
The Third Hint


"This is the meeting point. You wait here." the sound nin motioned at a fallen log with one hand.

"Uhn." Iruka-Sasuke sat on the ground, back against the log, arms crossed across his chest, bored expression across his face.

"The others will be here in a few hours." the less sullen escort added. "You hungry?"

"No."

"Fine." the sound ninja shrugged before sitting on the opposite side of the log and pulling out a ration cake.


/Yeah, this is a flashback, not a really random contact-the-dead sequence./

"Iruka?" the familiar voice floated down to him.

"Hokage-sama." he made himself smile as he looked up from the scroll he was working on.

"I hope I'm not interrupting?" Third Hokage lit his pipe, coming to sit on the opposite side of the picnic table from the academy instructor.

"Of course not." Iruka finished the line of characters he'd been working on, then laid his brush aside. "What can I do for you?"

"Always so helpful, and on your day off."

Iruka felt his eyebrow twitching at the Hokage's tone. "This isn't about another 'day off', is it?"

The beatific smile on the third Hokage's face didn't fool the Chuunin at all, "Maa, Iruka, you're so paranoid. You really should learn to relax."

"Hokage-sama, the last 'day off' almost killed me." Iruka's tone could have cracked concrete, though his voice never rose above conversational level.

"Who knew fishing could be so stressful."

"Hokage-sama!"

"I'm not here about that, Iruka."

It never failed to amaze Iruka how quickly Sarutobi could change the mood of a moment with so few words. He didn't flinch, but it took all of his training not to. He lowered his gaze, waiting for the words he'd been expecting since the conclusion of the second exam. "I'm sorry that I-"

"Umino, I have a mission for you.", the Hokage cut him off.

That brought his head up quickly. It had been several years since he'd heard that phrase. Missions for Umino were of a different sort than the ones meant for Iruka. They were missions that called for the skills only he possessed, and they were never seldom less than A-rank. He squared his shoulders to attention, waiting.

"Umino, you have a mission starting now, but first you must listen to me."

"Yes, sir?"

"You haven't been close to Kabuto for years, and you have had more than enough on to keep your mind occupied. It is not your fault for not noticing his defection. You will put that out of your mind. For your mission begins now, and will not end for some time. The Village cannot afford your distraction."

"I- I will put it aside."

"Your mission is here." He placed a sealed scroll on the table next to the stack Iruka was working on, "No matter what happens at the Finals, you will carry it out afterwards. No matter what. Even if it is delayed, it still must happen. And you must be the one to do it; no one else stands a chance. Therefore, you will keep yourself alive until it is completed. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama. I understand."

"Good.", the elderly leader smiled, his whole demeanor shifting from stern to cheerfully mischievous in a moment, "And if all goes well, I'll give you a real day off."


They must be waiting for someone. Sasuke decided, settling himself a little more comfortably on the branch. He'd selected his hiding place with care, and eased himself into it with even more. The old apple tree he perched in had been completely over-run with a combination of blackberries and kudzu that made a thick, prickly curtain against detection. Like many bramble patches it had gone hollow, leaving an excellent hiding place for any shinobi willing to risk his skin to get inside. He'd followed the odd trio from a respectful distance and watched their patrol pattern for half an hour before slipping closer.

Why Iruka-sensei had decided to impersonate him Sasuke still didn't know, and because he didn't know, he kept hesitating. Infiltration seemed the most likely reason, but how had Iruka-sensei even known he had left Konoha, let alone intercepted him? The teacher had been out of the village for weeks, leaving shortly after the third Hokage's funeral for parts unknown. According to Kotetsu he'd been given a mission of unknown duration by the Third before his death, the details of which were a secret.

The thought that Iruka's mission might have been to infiltrate Sound in his place occurred to him, but Sasuke found that idea too far-fetched to believe. It would have required that the Third have ridiculous powers of foresight, which couldn't be true; there was no way the Third Hokage would have allowed the Chuunin Exam surprise invasion to happen the way it did if he had known what was coming. So how did Iruka-sensei known where to look for me? Or had it just been luck? Or was something else going on? That was a possibility, he realized, Didn't Iruka-sensei once mention Kabuto during training? He wracked his brain, but he couldn't remember when the medic had been mentioned, or the context. A sudden movement in the clearing garnered his immediate attention, breaking his line of thought.

Think of the devil...


"Ah, Sasuke-kun. You finally showed up."

Iruka lifted his head slightly to look at the traitorous medic. "Kabuto." He'd sensed the younger man and his two escorts approaching for several minutes but effected indifference. Playing Sasuke had ended up being easier than he'd thought; the lack of expressions, the aloof attitude, and the casual rudeness were all rather easy to imitate. "Take me to Orochimaru."

Kabuto sighed, "Rude as normal, Sasuke-kun. We'll go to Orochimaru-sama soon." He turned to the two sound ninja who had escorted the dark haired one to this spot. "You two have rested enough. Proceed to the second meeting point and wait for the Four to arrive. If they do not show up by tomorrow night, go home."

"Yes sir."

"Right." The two ninja gathered their things quickly and left, the friendly one actually smiled at Iruka as he left, but got no response.

"You two, I need the supplies from the Cache." Kabuto tilted his head in the general direction of a tangle of bushes not to far from the clearing.

"Right away."

Better and better! Iruka kept himself from reveling to much in his luck. The other ninja weren't going very far, so he would still need to be very careful.

"Sasuke-kun, let me see your mark's progress." Kabuto motioned for him to come closer.

Iruka shrugged, sliding his hands behind his back in an slight stretch, a motion he'd watched the real Sasuke make many times. He also palmed a small senbon that he had meticulously hidden up one sleeve. It was shorter than normal, and thicker, but it's most distinctive characteristic was the thin layer of paper that had been covered with symbols and carefully wrapped around the senbon. Carefully, carefully... he deliberately pushed his shoulders back, slinking over to Kabuto without enthusiasm.

Kabuto pulled the shirt away from Iruka's shoulder with a surprising gentleness, his hands already glowing with Chakra. Once he seemed fully engrossed with his examination Iruka flexed his fingers to hold the wrapped needle properly, bringing the Senbon up to shoulder height very, very slowly. Ready, Steady...

Kabuto's head snapped up, "Sasu-"

Go! Iruka plunged the senbon into Kabuto's neck, releasing the Jutsu inscribed in the wrappings. Kabuto's body spasmed violently and he managed a short shout before he tumbled to the ground, paralyzed.


Author Note: Yeah, cliffhanger, I know. Sorry Sorry! I'm about halfway done with the next section, but it's about 3 am. Next part tomorrow probably. Happiness!