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Eight
Holding the title
"Are you kids lost? This forest is pretty big."
"Kobayashi Shoko." A captain inquired. He wore a white cloak and an otter mask.
She looked down at herself then looked back to the speaking ANBU. "Last time I checked. Is there something I can do for you, Kawauso (1)?"
"Uchiha...Kobayashi Shoko?"
"...Heh. I probably should have gotten that taken care of. Just been a little lazy."
"Like 80 years of lazy..." Fujiki added, annoyed. Shoko chuckled awkwardly.
"We're under orders to detain any and all Uchiha by any means necessary." The otter ANBU informed her.
"Ah. A loophole." Leave it to Danzō to find one. More so, he had patiently waited for two months for her to gain Tsunade's trust and had venture out alone before sending his minions. Clever. "Well, I suppose even if I offer to come willingly..."
"We would still kill you...hai."
Shoko laughed, "Did ya hear that Fu? They sound confident." Fujiki 'tch'd and gripped his tessen. "I'm sorry Kawauso, but we don't have time to weigh egos. We've a mission to complete. Assigned by the Ho-ka-ge...the real one. You remember her, yeah?"
Just as she finished Fujiki leapt at the branch behind her and swiped his fan toward the three ANBU in her blind spot. A powerful wind blew through the forest, forcing them to abandon their positions.
Shoko gripped her tekko-kagi gloves and vanished, appearing in front of the otter ANBU and swiping at his mask. He blocked and kicked out at her.
"Futon: Fujin!" (2)Winds condensed with electricity, seemingly blasted from her in every direction knocking a few ANBU that had advanced to closely into trees. There was little chance she could fight them all and win, even with Fujiki's help but she would fight until she no longer had the upper hand, after which she would simply grab Fujiki and leave like she always did when things didn't go her way. She had been that way ever since she was demoted from 'Yogo-Sha.' And why shouldn't she? She possessed the ability to. It might seem like a cowardly move to some but there weren't too many who would stick around to die in such a manner if they had the ability to simply vanish from sight and live to fight more important battles another day. ROOT scum didn't deserve the satisfaction of being her end. Danzō didn't deserve it. In all her life she hadn't met anyone who did deserve it. If she had then perhaps she would stick around for the grand finale. Oh and her death would certainly be a grand finale. She was always dramatic that way. With her constant desire for dramatic entrances, albeit most were fashionably late, it was only right to have a dramatic exit.
The only good thing about being the object of desire for a flock of 'enemy' ninja was the 'enemy's' reluctance to use ninjutsu on you for fear of hitting their own companions. Of course, with ROOT they used any means necessary which meant most of the time 'companion' didn't register in their minds but in Shoko's case, she was formidable. She didn't want to brag but even ROOT knew that while confronting someone of Yogo-Sha stature, more was always better.
Shoko on the other hand could let loose if she had wanted. Fujiki was intelligent enough to stay out of her way, had she decided enough was enough. If they had any chance at all of winning this fight then she would need to take out more than one at a time, which was where the small lake a few meters away came in handy. She glanced at Fujiki and only took off after catching his eye. He would know that unless she had made a grab for him or a gesture for him to follow then his job was to remain there and that she would be back for him.
The otter captain whom she had been mid fight with, along with seven others were right behind her. She didn't take off full speed since losing them wasn't her goal but she did make sure to keep far enough ahead as well as weaving through as many obstacles as she could in order to dodge the paralysis jutsus being aimed at her.
Fujiki was holding off a few and she had left at least five unconscious or at least unable to fight, on the ground after taking them by surprise with Fujin. She couldn't use it again though. Fujin was only usable in assistance with her kekkei genkai which she had no plans on fully using ever again. The consequences it had on her body were too dire. Perhaps in her final battle.
Her feet hit the surface of the lake and she continued running until she had almost reached the middle. Her eight pursuers followed, just what she wanted. She held back a smirk. The thing about ROOT was, they were too robotic to have minds of their own. Had they been thinking even a little, of self-preservation instead of elimination then perhaps they wouldn't have followed her out here.
"So class, can anyone tell me what water is good for?"
The ninja glanced around, a little thrown off by her demeanor when she was so clearly outnumbered. She saw a couple shift, probably water users, thinking of canceling out whatever water jutsu she was prepared to perform.
"Hm...okay. Here's a hint." She didn't need to but she made the sign of the ox and a moment later, realization dawned on a few faces. Really, didn't Danzō inform them of her affinity? She might use wind a lot but it wasn't her main element.
It was too late for the ANBU though, they had come to the middle of the lake with her. Unless they had the ability to fly, which would be awesome, then their fate was inevitable. She would use a simple B-Rank jutsu since, with the availability of water, even the lightest lightning jutsu would render them unconscious. In the middle of a lake, they had little hope of waking up before they drowned and Shoko had little motivation to save them before they did. They had attacked her with the intent to end her. Leaf or no, she refused to show an enemy mercy. Danzō wouldn't comment to Tsunade about any of his lost minions, if he even cared.
"Raiton: Denki Unagi"(3) Jagged blue lightning in the shape of a serpent shot from her left palm straight toward the water. She channeled the electricity through her own body to keep it from damaging herself. Eight ninja went rigid with the shocks. "Conducting electricity." She sighed and vanished before all eight ninja sunk into the frigid water. If any survived then she'd give that one an A- for setting the bar.
Elsewhere, Fujiki, not one to kill so mercilessly, had rendered all three of his opponents unconscious. Shoko narrowed her eyes when he limped toward her.
"Nothin a little sake won't fix." He assured her. She debated whether or not to make a vet joke but decided against it since he didn't look to be in a good mood. She turned to the still living ANBU. "Don't." He scolded. He knew she was intending on finishing the job. If she didn't they would only keep coming after them but ROOT were like weeds, no matter how many died, somehow more would take their place. Killing these, who were now defenseless, was inhumane and unnecessary.
"Come on then, I don't wanna look at em anymore." She growled and sped off.
Little did either of them know, they were being watched from the shadows.
"Pein will want to see how she handled herself with so many opponents." "Hm, yes. It's too bad. She would have been mouthwatering." Zetsu commented to himself. "There are plenty snacks around and Leaf-nin are all delectable." His black half smiled, warping his face into an evil smirk.
After reaching the village, Fujiki took off toward the first bar he spotted with the promise to ask around while there.
Shoko made for the message station to see what she could find out about any suspicious characters sending word out to Konoha.
"No. I don't remember seeing anyone 'suspicious' and no one came in with anything for Konoha on my shift the past week or so. Matter of fact I can't recall the last time anyone in this village sent a message to the Leaf." The manager of the station told her as he eyed her warily, "Say you look just like-
"Yeah, I get that sometimes." She said, cutting him off. He knew who she was but she wasn't going to confirm it. It would only scare him off and she needed answers.
"Actually there were some suspicious characters in town about four days ago." The manager informed her, offhandedly. "They never came in here though. A few gang members or some mercenary type I suppose." She raised a brow for him to elaborate. "Well, I only figured since they were all in the same garb."
"What..."
"Some uh...black cloaks with red on them. Hats...kind of like yours only, not."
Shoko pursed her lips. "Do you know why they were here?"
"Nope just glimpsed them passing by is all. They were gone by the very next day though."
"Do you remember what they looked like? How many?"
He eyed her again for a moment before shrugging, "I saw four of them. I don't know what they looked like...three were wearing the hats, one of the hat wearers was taller than anyone I've ever seen...another had long blonde hair and the other had long dark hair, I think. The only one without a hat was wearing a bright orange mask."
She closed her eyes a moment. She was fairly certain one of them was Deidara. The tall one could be Kisame. He was the tallest bastard she'd ever seen too. The other two could be anyone but Hoshigaki Kisame was known to travel with Uchiha Itachi.
She bowed to the man slightly, and left.
Shoko entered the bar she had seen Fujiki saunter up to earlier and scoped him out; ignoring the intense looks she was receiving. She got them everywhere she went, whether it was because she was an attractive female or because she was a notorious criminal. Who she was, was clear as a bell. If her eyes didn't give her away her clothing and the fact that she traveled with a talking Tanuki, did. She wasn't bothered by recognitions. Not many would do anything about it and the ones brave or foolish enough that would, usually were the same vermin who would commend her on her 'crimes.'
It didn't take long to spot the only furry, talking customer.
She sat next to him and he slid a small cup of sake to her without really acknowledging her presence. She thanked him. Fujiki was the only one she was actually willing to say the words 'thank you' to.
"Akatsuki were here." She said quietly over her cup.
"I heard. That can't be a coincidence."
"Mm. Which means he's more than likely involved with them."
"Why would they send a message out to Konoha? Why lore us? We were searching for him anyway."
"Maybe Madara isn't with them...maybe they just wanted Naruto, maybe that's why they haven't attacked yet. Because he isn't with us."
"Or maybe they're just waiting for us to leave the village." Fujiki glanced over his shoulder. "The guy over there says there were four of em. I know you're itching for a good fight but we can't even defend against four Akatsuki. It isn't feasible." Fujiki said, pouring her more sake.
"It doesn't matter. It's not like they could catch us if I don't want to be caught."
Fujiki sighed, "Sho you can't keep being so overconfident in your abilities."
"I'm not overestimating myself Fujiki. Maybe you should stop underestimating me. Nothing can-
"You've been gone for fifteen years. You're not top shape. You can tell whoever you want that you are but I know better. No one...not even an immortal ninja can spend 15 years in the conditions that you did and just be fine after a mere two months. You've been overexerting yourself training Minato's boy and you're still exhausted from the earlier fight with Danzō's ninja."
She stared at him angrily for a moment. "Exhausted? No I'm not." He shot her a sideways looks. "I'm fucking not!" She barked, gaining a few curious and wary glances. The lackadaisical raccoon was the only one who seemed unaffected by the outburst. "If they're waiting, let them fucking come then. I'll kill them all." She mentally snorted at herself. That would never happen. Fujiki was right. At this point she probably couldn't take one decent Akatsuki, much less four. There was nothing worse than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong. She huffed and scrambled out of her chair. "I'm getting a room. Come find me when you feel a little more confident in your summoner's abilities."
He sighed and held his paw up for another bottle of sake. He didn't plan on going near the motel anytime soon. When Shoko threw a tantrum, she really threw it and various other objects, including him.
They loitered around the village for three days while Shoko rested in between scouting and gathering information on the suspicious gang members.
Apparently they had kept to themselves and were only there for a few hours. There was no point in having gone after them since no one knew where they had come from or where they were heading when they left and Fujiki stuck by the idea that they were somewhere near and waiting for the two of them to leave before making a move.
Shoko tried meditating and stretched her senses as far as she could, the way Hashirama had taught her so long ago but she was never good at it. She could only sense so far before it just became painful. All she could detect were a few random chakra signatures, probably from common ninja or jutsu practitioners but nothing powerful enough to be an Akatsuki. Even one concealing their chakra, a small amount would give away the potency of it.
"I need a Hyūga's what I need." She mumbled while she sat in the lotus position with a huge headache and a defeated slump.
"It's too bad they all despise you." Fujiki gibed, walking through the doors of their hotel room with two takeout boxes of Kami only knew what. This town certainly wasn't the cleanest, especially when it came to the market streets. She shuddered and resumed her headache inducing meditation.
"Uh uh...eat." He threw a pair of chopsticks at her. She caught them without opening her eyes and blew out a frustrated breath before hoisting herself up and dragging her feet to the tiny table and digging into the mushy...stuff Fujiki had so kindly brought back. "Anything?"
She shot him an annoyed look, "Obviously not. We need to leave soon before Tsunade sends hunters since we've got two days before our time limits up."
"M." Fujiki grunted.
"Look, I can teleport us in the very least, if they do attack. That won't be too exhausting for my feeble, decrepit body." Shoko said in bitter sarcasm.
"You can...but they're Akatsuki. The most powerful, active mercenary group today. They would've done their research. Uchiha Itachi could have even filled them in on Konoha knowledge about you. He was old enough to remember you and I'm sure he'd have been told stories, even more so than other children. He's an Uchiha after all." She gave him a 'so-what' look. "My point is; they probably wouldn't have sent members who wouldn't be able to detain you if that is what they want to do. Maybe-
"Don't you say it." She sneered.
"Well you need to hear it because...shit, you have one tremendous ego and you could use a little deflation. Maybe they have someone just as fast or...maybe even faster than you or even someone who can teleport like you can."
"Impossible." She said pushing her food away in disgust. Disgust from the appearance of the 'noodle' concoction or disgust from what Fujiki had just suggested, she wasn't sure. Maybe both. "Unless Madara is one of them, which I'm beginning to doubt. But no one..." She began. "No one is faster. No one will ever be faster than I am even with time/space jutsu. Equally, maybe...unlikely but maybe...but faster? No. Don't say shit like that. It's ludicrous."
"And you're severely pompous."
She growled and stormed to the window to look out. It was almost twilight. "I can be overpowered, outnumbered, outsmarted…outclassed. Hell, I can even be killed despite this double edged jutsu I use. Easily even. But I cannot- will not be- out…momentumed..."
"Outmaneuvered?"
"Whatever…Just let me have that. It's my strength. It's what makes me great. And I'm thoroughly aware that it's all I got so don't call me pompous because I'm my worst critic just like every other normal person but I know what I'm good at and Kami help anyone who doubts it." She said pacing, then threw a look at Fujiki and added, "Even you."
"I'm just sayin."
There was a good three minutes of eerie silence and Fujiki was just about to excuse himself to the pub down the road when Shoko spoke.
"Let's go. I haven't felt anything. If they were the ones who sent the tip then they sent it for Naruto. They're probably long gone."
"It's night." Fujiki informed her.
"So what? We travel at night all the time."
"Yeah but if you're wrong-
"I'm not fucking wrong!" She snapped, grabbing her belongings and stuffing them into her duffle all the while glaring at the exhausted raccoon dog. "I'm…almost never wrong." She grumbled quietly.
"Never huh." Fujiki mumbled under his breath. Shoko heard though and whipped her head around to glare at him.
"I said almost never." She retorted. She glanced up at the moon and thanked whatever hateful Kami that had decided to top this cake with so much icing she wanted to gag.
"Can I fucking help you?" She drawled with disinterested glances at the four Akatsuki members who stood between herself and Fujiki.
(1) Kawauso – otter
(2) Futon: Fujin – A-Rank – chakra consuming wind jutsu used by members of the Kobayashi clan. It sends a powerful blast of winds using the caster's body as its main source of energy, allowing the winds to expel in a complete circle around the caster. It's only obtainable through the Kobayashi bloodlimit so it's unable to be copied. Shoko's kekkei genkai hasn't been revealed yet but I think it's safe to say it has to do with the atmosphere or weather.
(3) Raiton: Denki Unagi – B Rank- Lightening jutsu. (Electric Eel)
