Old Knowledge, New Deals
(With Kakashi and Shikamaru's group)
After spotting the ruins, the lot of them crept their way towards it. Kakashi took point with Hinata right alongside her. Lee swiftly went from rock to rock coming in from the far right and Sakura from the far left. Shikamaru and Ino weren't far behind, staying some twenty feet away from Kakashi and Hinata, and Itachi and Kisame we nowhere to be seen.
If the building was impressive from a distance it was a sight to behold up close. Although the foundation was built close to the ground it was still larger than most. Beyond a short flight of stairs stood four imposing pillars holding the entrance up and above that there were layers of aged rock stacked atop one another high into the sky so high that Kakashi and Hinata had to strain their necks just to see the top. Resting at its peak was a pair of huge bronze hands reaching for the heavens and they appeared, at one time, to hold something in their clutches.
"What do you suppose this place is, or rather used to be?" Ino asked Shikamaru. He gazed upon the temple with an unnerving look in his eye. "The thing that comes to mind is that it's an abandoned temple from way before our time, but something like that shouldn't be here, surrounded by nothing but a wasteland of stone and of such size. If I am right, then the thing that's been bugging me should be right too." He answered. "What do you mean? Is it really so odd that there's something like this out here?" She said with doubt laced in her voice.
"If it was on a map than I would have believed it to be an old monument of sorts. Think about it logically, anyone with half the talent that Itachi has would have noticed the genjustu and found this place too. I find it suspicious when we find something like this, and none of us know a thing about it? No, something is definitely wrong." He replied.
Kakashi placed a hand on his communicator. "Is everyone at their positions?" Shikamaru's voice sounded off. "Just waiting on you two." "Good. Hinata, are you ready?" She nodded and gulped out of nervousness. The duo walked up the steps, entering the ruins.
There wasn't much to look at. Moderate-sized piles of rubble were scattered about the floor leaving holes in the ceiling to act as skylights. The ground was laid with loose bricks and gave the look like it would collapse even at the slightest application of pressure. At the center stood a large pedestal with the remains of a statue with missing parts no doubt added to the slowly growing debris. At the far end was an archway with a stone tablet, untouched by time and was perhaps the only part of the building that wasn't in shambles.
"It would appear that Shikamaru was right on the money but the place is so wrecked I can't tell what kind of temple it is. It should be alright for everyone to enter. Follow the plan just in case." Kakashi said through his communicator. "Understood." Shikamaru replied. Kakashi inspected the statue with interest while Hinata studied the walls and ceiling with her Byakugan.
The two were soon joined with Sakura and Lee, their eyes wide with awe at the sights. "Whoa, seeing all of this at our present time makes me wonder when it was constructed." Lee said, bemused. Sakura patted him on the shoulder. "Come on, you and Gai-sensei must have been all over the map by now. Gawking at ancient ruins like a bumpkin in a big city doesn't seem like you at all." She giggled.
"I know. I spoke with Shikamaru on our way here and he told me a theory he had, though he didn't say what about. I have a feeling that we will find out shortly. I mean it is Shikamaru." He said.
"Do you see anything that looks alarming or dangerous, Hinata?" Sakura asked. Hinata shook her head. "Nothing yet, it looks just like an ordinary temple. The foundation is constructed out simple limestone with traces of an element I don't recognize. I'm also detecting something radiating from the stone tablet based at the far-side of the room. I don't know how to explain it, really." She said with an air of anxiety around her.
Kakashi examined the slab which depicted three carvings: the first on the left stood a man with animals around him, all of them carrying orbs in their mouths and balls of fire floating about. The second on the right showed a powerful looking dragon and two elderly men, one carrying a bag over his shoulder and the other holding a drum with a wolf standing alongside him. In between them was a great bat engulfed in flames with fiery claws reaching up for the sun, covering all in its shadow.
What is this, this sense of unease? Why would something like this be in an old temple? Kakashi thought. "Hey, come and take a look at this." He called to the others. While he, Sakura and Hinata were inspecting the ruined archway and it's tablet, Lee eye's traveled everywhere else from the roof to the pillars and finally over the entrance where he saw a peculiar sight.
"I believe we may have a problem. We are no longer alone." Lee warned the others and unconsciously put a hand on his weapon pouch. All eyes went to Lee then passed from his to the direction he was looking at. There was an old woman walking in with a cat at her side.
The room filled with tension in an instant and thick enough to cut with a knife, for how was it that an elderly civilian could enter a guarded building that was mysteriously hidden not too long ago from such skilled ninja, and in the middle of nowhere? Kakashi whispered into his communicator, "Ino, Shikamaru, why aren't you two watching the temple entrance?" "What are you talking about? We are watching it? Why, what's going on?" Ino responded. "There's an old woman and she has a cat with her coming through the entrance."
Shikamaru edged pasted the rock he was hiding behind for a clearer view. "Where did she come from? She couldn't have gone past us or we would have noticed." He gasped. Ino turned to him. "Should we do something about her?" She inquired. Shikamaru put a hand to his chin in thought. "No. Let's hold off and see how this plays out. If necessary we can always use plan B. Do you hear that Kakashi?"
"Fine then, understood." Kakashi confirmed.
The old woman was as ordinary as they came. She donned a light-blue robe with a white sash wrapped around her body from her right shoulder to the left side of her waist. In her right hand she held a knobby cane that looked even older than the temple. The feline was gray with a pure white streak with triangle-shaped markings on each side running down its back.
Her eyes went from each person, stopping at Kakashi. When she talked her voice was as you would expect coming from an elderly person. "My, my, it's so rare for this place to get visitors. From where do you hail from, if you don't mind my asking?" She said.
Everyone hesitated; no one was sure what to say. Then Kakashi, first bowing out respect and carefully choosing his words, spoke. "We come from the Hidden Leaf Village born in Konoha. My name Kakashi Hatake and these are my teammates. We are presently on a mission to find our friend. Can you tell me if you have seen anyone pass through here?" He said.
The old woman smiled. "Oh how nice. Mannerisms are such a rarity to see these days. Not too long ago a young man did in fact come by. He rested for a while and then was on his way. Is it possible that he's the one you seek?" She answered. Their eyes went from one another. We must be catching up! Kakashi thought. "Was the young man that you saw tall and have yellow hair and blue eyes?" He asked. The old woman rubbed her head in thought. "No, not particularly; this one was tall but he had black hair like a raven and carried a sword on his back. His eyes were a strange sight. They were red with markings I couldn't see very clearly."
Sakura's eyes widened in shock at the description she heard. That sounds like Sasuke! What's he doing in a place like this? "How long was it that he was here? Can you please tell us?" She pleaded. The old woman did nothing but gradually walked passed them. "Before I answer your question, I would like you to hear a tale of sorts. Humor an old woman if you will.
"There was once a young beautiful girl right around your age young pink haired one. She had a loving family with a mother and a father and a sister, as well as a love of her own: a handsome man, brilliant and talented and brimming with promise. Over time the two lovers grew closer together until their love could not be denied." A sad smile replaced the one before and she stopped in front of the tablet.
"One day the man asked the girl to marry him. Of course she accepted her heart filled with joy at the thought of being with the one she loved for the rest of her days. Not long after they were married and lived with each other for many years. On one such year the woman's husband fell ill from the unforgiving winter season.
"Of course the woman did everything she could to help her husband. When the man was on his death bed and the woman had almost lost hope she remembered a story of a hermit that lived nearby and was rumored to have powers that could help her husband. She tended to her lover one last time and then headed out to find the hermit."
Back outside Shikamaru and Ino could hear every word. Jeez, I hope this story has a point to it. I'm about to fall asleep just hearing it. Shikamaru thought. Ino leaned in to whisper. "I don't get it. She doesn't seem like a threat, so why is everyone so tense?" She asked. Shikamaru gave her a look to keep quiet as he listened in.
The old woman reached in her robes and pulled out a small pipe and lit it. She took a short drag and continued with her tale. "A day had passed before she found the hermit in a cave with glowing plants hanging from the ceiling. She found the hermit, a man covered from head to toe in rags so she couldn't tell what he looked like, she could barely tell that it was a man because of its voice.
"'Why have you come here?' The hermit said to the woman. She told him her plight and asked for his help. 'I will make so you can be with your loved one, but you must give me something in return.' The woman said she will give him whatever he so desires that is within her power. 'Take one of the plants that hang from the roof of this cave and boil its leaves for the nectar they possess has the power to cure your husband. But you must hurry; they only have the power to cure while they still glow and once plucked, the glow will fade and the cure will turn to poison and kill your husband.'
"Without a second thought the woman took one of the luminescent vines and hurried as fast as she could to her husband, all the while keeping an eye on the plant. When she got home fortune smiled on her as she found her husband still alive by some miracle. She did as she was told and gave him the nectar from the boiled down plant.
"For the moment it looked like the nectar had cured him. He turned healthy and lively and the woman slept peacefully believing everything would be fine. But come morning the woman woke to find that her husband had died in his sleep. She went back to the hermit and demanded an explanation. 'I gave you what you wanted; your loved one was cured. I merely took what was rightfully given. I told you that you would be with your loved one, you did not say for how long your time together should be. Now leave and do not come back or death shall be what you find.'"
"In a rage she took out a dagger she always carried and took the hermit's life. When she unbound the man she discovered that the hermit wasn't a man at all, but an inhuman creature she couldn't identify. From that day on she was cursed to walk the earth, living out her days miserable and heartbroken."
"That's horrible, for something like that to happen to someone. It's too cruel." Hinata said. "I can't disagree with you there. The world is a cruel one, where the lives of the innocent, young or old, are nothing more than playthings for the wicked to use as they see fit." The old woman replied. "It's true that bad things sometimes happen to people who don't deserve it." Kakashi's hand went to his left eye as his thoughts went to his fallen comrades.
The old woman put her pipe away and stared at Kakashi with a look he didn't like. "Yes that's very true. It's also true that people do what they must to survive when necessary." She snapped her fingers and pieces of rubble started flying at them. No one had enough time to react as the rocks piled on and began to compact and solidify, imprisoning them. "What the hell is this!? How are you doing this?" Sakura demanded.
The old woman laughed maliciously and her mouth opened so wide it threatened to split her head open. "Allow me to finish the story. The woman was cursed alright, cursed to spread her misery and make others suffer as she has suffered, and in her darkness a demon was born; a demon who feeds on those who are unfortunate enough to cross paths her in their lifetime."
While they struggled against their stone prisons, Ino and Shikamaru were running towards the temple to give aid. As they were about to enter they were stopped by the old woman's cat. It hissed at them and right before their eyes it transformed. It grew bigger, its tail grew longer and became split, fangs and claws sharper and stronger until it become a seven-foot long beast with a forked tail. "Come on, it's just one cat. We need to help the others." Ino said frantically.
"I have a feeling we won't be able to." He said. Shikamaru groaned. Where are they? We could use the help right now. He thought. The beast sat where it was and stared at what could be its next meal. It opened its mouth and instead of a growl words come out. "You will wait here until Mistress Baba is finished, or else you will deal with me." Ino's jaw hit the floor. "That thing can talk!?" She screamed. "What are you?" Shikamaru questioned the monster.
Its bright beige eyes turned to Shikamaru. "I am called a bakeneko. My name is Mata and I am a servant of the Demon Witch Baba. She has used this temple to lure in curious wanderers to devour. Anything she cannot eat I take care of and right now you two would fall neatly into that category." "I've been through all kinds of books and I remember everything I read, and not once have I come across anything like you." Shikamaru stated.
Mata's face contorted into what could be designated as a smile. "It would surprise me if you did. There are so very few humans who even know of us. The most popular of our kind you know as the tailed beasts. But there are more, so many more of us of many shapes and sizes. The world has more in it than you realize, things that you should never bear witness to. Only now it's too late for you and your friends, my mistress's powers are far stronger than your skills." He said.
"Are you sure about that?" A shadow appeared above Mata and a figure landed on him before he had a chance to move. Mata, about to retaliate, was stopped by a bandaged weapon. Shikamaru smirked. "Well, better late than never I suppose. A little earlier would've been nice to." Kisame flashed his pearly whites. "Sorry about that. Itachi wanted to see how much he could get out of this one. I have to admit kid, I knew we would be used to take care of the enemy, but I didn't think it would be something this interesting. I might just stay with you guys if I wasn't a wanted fugitive." He said.
Kisame leaned in closer to Mata's face. "Why don't we take a look at your mistress and see how she's doing, shall we?" The three of them entered the temple with Shikamaru using his Shadow Possession justu to keep Mata under control. Baba was about to consume Hinata first when she saw the others along with Mata. Kisame took one look at her and laughed. "Ha, and I thought the blond kid had a big mouth on him! I'm sorry to spoil your meal, but we have to talk. My comrade believes you can be of use." He enlightened Baba and to her astonishment found a kunai at her throat and three shuriken digging at her back.
"I have a bargain I wish to make with you, Baba." Itachi said. Baba's face changed from bewilderment to one of greedy curiosity. "Well now, if it isn't the young Uchiha prodigy? It has been a long time. How have you been?" She asked her face turning back to normal. "Other than the fact that almost my entire clan is gone and my little brother wants to kill me, life's not bad." He replied.
Kakashi was dumbfounded. "You two know each other?" Itachi removed the weapons from Baba. "In a matter of speaking, yes I know her. It was from her I discovered the information about the tailed beasts years ago. To explain, Baba is a demon hag who indeed eats people foolish enough to come by her. Each time she does all of the memories and knowledge that her victims possess, she absorbs and makes all of it her own.
"It is known to those who know the existence of Baba, know that she can be reasoned with if you're willing to strike a deal with her. A trade of sorts: she gives information and in return she demands sacrifices. We haven't been in touch for such a long time now I actually forgot all about her, so I say that this was fortunate for us. I have a special deal to make with you but first I need you to release them." He said pointing at her captives.
"If I knew they were with you my dear, they would not have been harmed." She snapped her fingers again and the rock dissolved into sand. "Now do you think you can release my pet? He's of no danger to you now." Baba insisted. Shikamaru looked at Itachi who gave the go-ahead and dropped the justu. Mata growled at Shikamaru but silently returned to Baba's side.
"Good, now we can get down to business. You said to had something special to offer up?" Baba said with a profound interest. "That's right. This one is special, because the payout will exceed everything you've asked for but in return I ask that you join us in our mission to the Light Country far in the north."
An inquisitive look passed over her face. "The Light Country is it? The same Light Country that houses the prison known as the Nine Hells would it? I've heard very disturbing things about that place recently." She asked petting Mata on the head. "That's the one. I have a feeling that we could use your help in getting there and getting out if required." He answered. "And this "payout" you described? What makes you think that it will be worth my time?"
Itachi smiled and countered, "Because of some new information me and Kisame obtained while we were there, regarding something of precious value to someone of your…experience. Not to mention all of the "sacrifices," you can find there, ripe and fresh for anyone to take. Do we have a deal?"
Baba stopped stroking Mata and reached for her cane that she dropped in all the excitement. Grabbing the top she pulled and it came off. The inside was hollow save for a rolled up piece of paper. She pulled it out and unrolled it, presenting it to Itachi. He took his kunai, cut his thumb and wiped the blood in one stroke. When he did the paper glowed red and more writing appeared, showing a signed contract.
"Itachi Uchiha, you have a deal. You will have the support of me, my knowledge and all manners of creatures I call upon. But should I be cheated I will have your life in place of my prize. You understand of course?" Itachi bowed his head in acknowledgement. "Yes Baba." Baba put the paper back in her cane and Lee, who was the only one still covered in dust, spoke up to Baba.
"Now that we are working together I was thinking of something that may have been on everyone's mind. The carvings on the tablet, of the man and the bat and the others, what do they mean?" He questioned. Baba looked upon said stone. "It is hard to explain, but it may make sense later down the line." Itachi shook his head. "For the first official piece of business, what will be facing now that we have your aid? Tell me everything." He said.
Baba smiled her wide smile and told them a great deal of things, all the while the most important one that Shikamaru heard Mata say. The world has more in it than you realize, things that you should never bear witness to. "What did he mean when he said that? I can believe that there are more of these things existing in our world, but what else could there be?" He said to himself with all new concerns in his thoughts.
A/N: A little longer than usual but some things needed to be explained. Cyber cookie to whoever can tell me what the tablet really means. I want to point something out to Caitlin who in turn pointed out something to me. Itachi as powerful as he is will have a different role to play than just be an epic ass kicker like a prodigy should be. He, and some of the others, will have some awesome fight scenes in the future, just not yet. I have to think it out like everyone else does.
Another one is that the Kyuubi isn't demonic enough. While it is true that the Kyuubi is a blood hungry spirit of death, I made her out to be less than such because of two things: one is the most notably obvious, is the fact that Naruto and Yunika are holding back a nuke sealed away inside of him (evil laughter). The second is because I am holding her back for an essential scene in the future where I will show her true colors and she just rapes and kills for a time. You are welcome. Read & review as always.
