Chapter 10: The Return of the Ki-I mean Kage.
"The Emperor hasn't reached Kiri yet?" Tsunade asked.
"No. He's in Kumo." Answered the Mizukage. "Who knows what chaos he's causing there."
"What's this thing?" Emperor Transbaal asked.
"It's a vending machine sir." Answered one of the bodyguards. "We have those at home."
For the past four days that Tsunade had spent recovering, the Mizukage had visited her periodically to discuss various issues, the current one being Emperor Transbaal. Yesterday was the Jinchuriki, the day before that was Akatsuki, and the day before that was the Summit. But let's move to the current topic: The Emperor. In Iwa, he had insulted the previous Tsuchikages. To say the village was angry was an understatement. In Suna, he had mocked Gaara. . . again, and destroyed a shipment of food and water. . . somehow. And while nothing has happened in Kumo yet, he would then move onto Kiri. Security would have to be tightened, and make sure his visit is brief. Who knows how Empire City's would retaliate to the loss of their leader?
Once the discussion was done, the Mizukage bade Tsunade farewell and got up to leave.
"By the way," Said Tsunade as the Mizukage stood up. "Thank you for helping me and my team."
"Glad I could help." Said the Mizukage, smiling.
"I'm sure your son would be proud of you."
The Mizukage's smile disappeared.
'You always know what to say kaa-san.' Thought Yagura as he finished folded up the letter and pocketed it. Moving to the closet, he pulled out some sealing scrolls and proceeded to start sealing away his personal items.
"Are you ready?" Naruto asked.
"Almost." Answered Yagura. He grabbed the photo of himself and Utakata. 'Well nii-san, looks like I'm going home.'
"Here? Are you nuts?"
"What's the matter?"
The two men stood outside the gate into the swamp.
"This place is cursed!" Said the old man. "I've heard the tales about those Tribals! I've heard they transform people into one of them!"
"You, scared by a few savages?" The man asked. "Honestly, I expected better from the Sandaime Mizukage of Kirigakure."
"We're not talking a few savages, we're talking about HUNDREDS of them! I may have been Mizukage, but I'm not stupid!"
"Don't worry, I have a friend who will help us."
As if on cue, the gate was blown to pieces, and on the other side stood a strange man. There were two things that stood out to the Sandaime:
1: He didn't show any skin. He wore a plain black cloak, and a straw hat, like Akatsuki, his hands were gloved, His feet were covered with boots, and the part of his face that could be seen, was covered with a face mask.
2. He was carrying a book. That wouldn't be too bad, if it didn't creep him out just by staring at it.
"What took you so long?" Asked the man.
"I just wanted to take my time, what with the host of the three-tailed beast passing by, carrying the host of the nine-tailed beast to his home." Answered the third stranger. "Well, enough talk, let's get moving."
"Wait a minute!" Demanded the former Mizukage. "Tell me who you are!"
"What great manners you have," Said the third stranger. "I am. . ."
The group left the village, keeping an eye out for Tribals. However, this time, the swamp felt. . . empty.
"Ah, there you are."
The group moved into a defensive stance as a man walked up, wearing a black cloak. His right hand had a metal gauntlet on it.
"You evaded me for a long time Yagura." Said the man.
"What do you want with me?" Yagura asked.
"To help you and your friend in the orange jumpsuit." Answered the man.
"Me?" Naruto asked.
"You see, I work for a man who had heard about the Jinchurikis and their hardships. He heard about how the lives they live are horrible. How they are hated for their prisoners. How they want to be loved, to have friends, to be seen as a person. He hired me to find the Jinchurikis and bring them to him so that they can gain what they want: Recognition! Respect! I can help you make them a reality!" The man explained.
"Well, hate to break it you, but most of the hosts have been captured by Akatsuki." Said Ao.
"Well of course they have to go to Akatsuki to get their Tailed-Beasts removed, I don't want any trouble when I turn you into sculptures."
"Sculptures?" Tenten repeated. "You heartless monster!"
"You flatter me." Said the man. "But I'm a busy man. Get him!"
"Katon: Grand Fireball Jutsu!"
"Duck!" Yagura shouted. The group ducked as a fireball flew over them, hitting a tree and exploding, releasing more fireballs that landed around the explosion.
"Oh by the way, I brought friends." Said the man as the Sandaime Mizukage walked up.
"Who's he?" Asked Kiba.
"My predecessor." Yagura answered.
"You'll pay for humiliating me!" Shouted the Sandaime as a man with a creepy book entered the battlefield.
"When are you gonna tell him?" Asked Tsunade.
"When he gets back." Answered the Godaime, tears falling from her eyes. "How is he?"
"He has become a strong, powerful ninja." Answered Tsunade.
A smile crept onto the Mizukage's face.
The battle raged on, as Naruto and Kiba fought the man with the book, Sakura, Tenten and Yagura fighting the Sandaime, and Ao fighting the man who we shall call for now 'The Collector.'
"Come on, is that the best you've got?" Said the man with the book. Naruto attempted to kick him in the face, only for the man to teleport away.
"Stop trying to hit me, hit me!" Kiba eagerly responded and tried to punch him, but the man teleported away. Akamaru ran at the man and pounced, but the man teleported again.
Ao punched the Collector again.
"I should have brought a sword." Said the Collector, throwing a punch at Ao, only for the eyepatch-wearing man to block it and deliver more punches to the Collector. Stumbling back, the man added, "I'm not the best at hand to hand."
Throwing another punch at the man and seeing him shrug it off, Ao activated his Byakugan.
The Sandaime Mizukage had a very. . . unorthodox fighting style. Most of the time, he seemed to run around, summoning Fire Clones and the occasional Exploding Clone. The Fire Clones had the routine of screaming and bursting into flame, and then charge at the group. The Exploding Clone was twitchy clone who charged and, well, exploded. And these were usually a distraction for:
"Katon: Grand Fireball Jutsu!"
"Katon: Fire Kick!"
"Katon: Fire Punch!"
"Katon: Firestorm Jutsu!"
Taking down another Fire Clone, Tenten pulled out another kunai. Nearby she saw Sakura leap away from the Sandaime as he performed another Firestorm Jutsu, which involved the area around the Sandaime bursting into flame. Leaping out of the flames, the Sandaime focused his Tenten and quickly uttered:
"Katon: Fire Kick!"
But as his fire-enhanced kick headed for the weapons user, Yagura countered with:
"Suiton: Great Waterfall Jutsu!"
The blast of water hit the Sandaime, interrupting his attack and sending him falling.
Beep Beep Beep-
The man with the book stopped, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone.
"Well, I gotta go," Said the man. "I have business to take care of." Teleporting far away from the fight, he answered the call.
"Hello? So, has he finally- Where? I'll deal with it. I know."
As soon as the call ended, he reached for the book and uttered a few words in a strange language. Within seconds, a small army of Tribals ran up to him. He pointed to the battle, where Naruto and Kiba have joined the fight against the Sandaime.
"Capture the one in orange and the one in black and green, and don't harm the one in the black cloak." Said the man. "Everyone else, is fair game."
The Sandaime backed away from the group. He was now outnumbered, and had spent most of his chakra. He needed to make an escape otherwise-
"Duck!"
A spear landed in front him. To his right, was Sakura, whom the spear nearly went through. And behind her, were some Tribals, and behind them, was an army of Tribals.
"Katon: Fire Wall Jutsu!" The Sandaime shouted, putting a wall of fire between him and the group, and then running as fast as he could.
The group, not wanting to get skewered, started running back to the entrance. However, at every bush, there seemed to be a Tribal leaping out and grabbing someone, thus slowing down the group with the need to pull the Tribal off. And of course, when they reached the entrance, they ran into another problem that was created near the beginning of this chapter.
"The gate's broken!" Shouted Sakura.
"We can't fix it in time!" Yelled Ao.
"Well we can't allow them to run free!"
"I have an idea!" Said Yagura. "Follow me!"
The group ran after Yagura as he headed through the swamp, towards the ocean.
"Are they still following us?" He asked.
Naruto looked back and saw the Tribals still following, and shouting.
"Yes." He answered.
"Good." Said Yagura.
"Why is that?" Naruto asked.
"You'll see."
They reached a beach with tons of fallen trees. Yagura pointed to some bushes and intact trees.
"Over there! Hide!" He shouted. As they hid, some bubbles rose up from the water. The Tribals ran onto the beach, still shouting, waking up a giant turtle. It was as big as the Sanbi, with red skin and a spiked shell. Seeing the large meal before it, the turtle crawled onto land, jaws open. The Tribals, on the other hand, fled the area.
"What was that?" Naruto asked as the turtle gave chase to the Tribals.
"Big turtle." Said Yagura casually. "First time I came here, I nearly got eaten by it. Anyway, didn't you say something about heading back to Kiri?"
Finally got this chapter done. The ending might not be good, but I felt like I was taking too long, and wanted to move on.
The next chapter shall be about. . . revelations.