Disclaimer: For the.. what? Is this the fourteenth time now? Naruto is not mine.
Warning: Another political play and a cliffhanger. Yeah I'm that cruel, I know HAHAHA. Out of character characters, way out of character. Introduction of not so new characters.
Notes: Yeah... the response to the reviews haven't been posted yet. I'm still thinking on how to answer them but nonetheless I appreciate them and gives me idea on what to write next, so thank you everyone.
I won't hold you anymore, please read at your own leisure!
Convergence
It was hours after the chaos has subsided. Order had been established, bodies are recovered, messengers are deployed. Medical tents are erected all over the place offering help for enemies and allies alike.
A blonde haired woman can be seen simultaneously shouting orders to the medical shinobis and instructing the non-medical shinobis to go and search for any more survivors, and in extent, collect the bodies of the fallen ones.
The woman is none other than Lady Tsunade who was suddenly pulled out of her self-induced exile when things starts to go awry. Thinking that it was time to put personal grudges against her village for the lives of many. Beside her is Jiraiya, who also got his hands full with summons from different villages asking to have audience with the acting authority of Konoha-which is them. They are the ones elected by the hokage to act in his stead if he was incapacitated in time of emergency. Seeing that they can't find the venerable hokage, they were handed the hat, so to say.
After Tsunade has given her orders she faced Jiraiya with demand in her eyes. "I suggest we ask the hidden villages to have a temporary truce, and form a state emergency meeting for all daimyos and kages of every nation."
"I agree, we are low on man power and resources right now, we can't afford to incite their ire. Though, I think no one will make a move against us with what just happened. They all know now that we have a very volatile jinchuuriki in our hands who can easily destroy any place she wants." Summoning a scroll, he quickly wrote the requests and the call for a meeting to be held after a couple of hours.
Nodding her agreement, she then ask for the more important issues at hand. "Has anyone found the old man yet?" Racked with worry and unsettled by the uncertainty concerning their sensei, she can't help but be frustrated by the situation.
They have begun the search the moment the dome has settled-meaning it doesn't burst every period anymore even if it is still pulsing within-and it was three hours ago. They have been searching for three hours now and with the state of the forest right now, there really is no need to search every nook and crany because everything has been burned-more like melted by the chakra. They have suspected that he, alongside the Uchiha and Naruto, are still inside the dome. They are the only three who was not accounted in the list of Konoha's missing person.
Having already accepted the fact that his sensei is in the dome and might be dead, ''Cause I know him. He won't stay steady for long.' He said what he have been saying to her in the past two hours. "No Hime. All reports have been the same. There is a hundred percent chance he is inside there."
She sighed, "Well, we can do nothing about that for now. Those who have attempted to approach the dome either lost conciousness or came back nuts. Kakashi haven't woken up from his sedation yet. Luckily, you got there in time to subdue him or he would have been lost to us too." Remembering the state the young Hatake was in when he was brought to her. It was truly a pitiful sight what with Jiraiya dragging him in while snarling and trying to get out of the hari jizo.
"If you are just there Hime you wouldn't believe how it felt. It was only when elder Fukasaku showed up and forced my sage mode that I was able to attain a rational mind. That is why I was able to reach the dome without getting mad."
Tsunade hummed at that, locking away that information for future use, but for now she has more pressing matter to attend to. "I had the Yamanakas looking into psych of those who lost conciousness and those who had a 'mad spell'. We will bring the Ino-Shika-Cho trio with us to the emergency kage meeting. I can't even fathom, much more explain how such a thing can happen, and here I thought the Uchiha's dojutsu is the worst when it comes to mind games."
With a last round to the patients she and Jiraiya went to get the Ino-Shika-Cho for the summit meeting.
It was tense as they arrive to the meeting with the Tsuchikage glaring holes at them the moment they arrive. 'So much for a simple affair.' Tsunade inwardly thought as she settled into her seat.
Indeed it was supposed to be a simple meeting held in Tani no Kuni and mediated by the samurai from the Land of Iron. But what will you expect from a meeting with enemy villages? Of course, there would be disagreement and that is saying it politely with Iwagakure and Kumogakure still sore with their scuffles with Konoha.
"Shall we start? As much as I want to chat with you all I have to go back right away and allay the fears of my people. What do you say Lady Tsunade?" Gruffly said by the kage of Kumogakure, A. He was boringly reclining in his chair with his face supported by his fist, the total opposite of what he just said.
"Why I didn't know that you care that much Raikage?" Tsunade haughtily replied, not wanting to pass up a chance to provoke the arrogant piece of rod.
When Jiraiya saw that the raikage is going to snap back he swiftly said, "Hime we didn't come here to goad anyone." Everyone raised a brow at that. They didn't expect the oddball of The Sannin to be this pacifist. They thought he is a hotheaded, stubborn idiot that is stereotypical of the deadlast of the group. 'Surprise, surprise. Never ever judge a person because he is 'deadlast'.'
"Alright, alright. Shikato would you please do the introductions?"
A muttered, "Mendokuse.." was heard by his comrades as he straightened up on his chair and yawned. His teammates snickered at his antics. Whatever the situation may be, the Nara head never failed to lighten up the mood.
"At 0500 hour, scouts have reported sightings of ninja along the border, though not moving further into our border they are there lurking and seemingly waiting for the right time to move forward. The said ninjas are composed of the shinobi of the newly established Otogakure, and our ally, Sunagakure." Pausing to yawn again and stretch a bit, "At 0600 Jiraiya-sama was deployed to the northern borders where the largest movement was detected, simultaneously, ANBU and jounin rank shinobis were deployed to south-western border to deal with the Suna ninja."
Leaning forward and steepling his hands together, he looked sideways to Tsunade for confirmation for what he is about to say next and when he saw an inclination of her head he proceeded. "Around dawn, gate patrols reported that the hokage himself gave them orders to let Tokubetsu Jounin Mitarashi Anko and Retired Hunter Kotarou pass without question through the southern gate and relay the message until to the southern border. They saw that Tokubetsu Jounin Mitarashi Anko was carrying the unconscious jinchuuriki Uzumaki Naruto. When they have departed, the hokage moved towards the rampaging Ichibi in the south-western border. A few minutes later an ominous suffocating chakra enveloped the southern hemisphere of Fire Nation. According to Tokubetsu Jounin Mitarashi Anko, that was when the jinchuuriki woke up. Apparently she is feeding off on negative emotions that was triggered when Retired Hunter Kotarou was 'killed'. She reacts to danger that is..."
Scowling and yawning again. He faced his mind-invading teammate and said, "You know what? I'll let Inoichi explain this part. I'm out." And he proceeded to nap in front of them.
Inoichi to his credit, just smiled and continued as if his teammate isn't an asshole in front of the respectable-though questionable-kages. "As my teammate have said, the atmosphere is a result of Naruto's response to negative emotions. It is a defense mechanism of sorts. And when I say 'of sorts' it is not only activated when the jinchuuriki is in danger, it is always active one way or another. Before Jiraiya-sama was deployed, he checked the jinchuuriki and found that there was no more seal. No seal containing the churning chakra mass of nine-tailed bijuu, and mixed that with an Uzumaki reserve, we got ourselves a ticking time bomb the size of Konoha in our hands."
Looking around the kages present he emphasize, "You have seen the effects of being in contact just with the residue chakra of Naruto, it made your own men slit their throats because of madness. We, Konoha, doesn't even attempt to come near the dome. Our infamous copy-nin was a snarling mess when he was brought back by Jiraiya-sama." As he finished he eye smiled to everyone, knowing he have delivered the hidden message to them. To not try and do stupid things such as kidnapping the jinchuuriki the moment she was free. Because, really, when they do, she will literally blow up in their face and no one will be spared. 'And someone will really try to.' Inoichi thought.
"Questions, questions. Because I hate to do reports and be asked to repeat what I have just said. Better to let you ask now than let me blubber here."
The kages are scoffing and grunting at the audacity of these tree huggers. 'No wonder everyone is an enemy of Konoha.' Thought all the kages.
Oonoki, the Tsuchikage grunted and cscowled some more. "We all know the reason the chunnin exams was postponed and our genins were sent back, Sarutobi was smart enough to give us an explanation," Tsunade rolled her eyes at the jab on their mentor. "But what I want to know is why he didn't told us that the jinchuuriki is out of control."
Sharply, Tsunade answered him, "With all due respect Oonoki-dono, the matter of the jinchuuriki is our own concern no need to inform outsiders."
"Not much of your own concern now is it?"
"Why you-" As she was ready pound the insufferable fossil she felt she is being pulled back to her seat. She saw Jiraiya gripping her forearm and looking at the tsuchikage. "Hime let me."
"Oonoki-sama, we want to contain the situation and give solution to it without much fuss. We don't want to give other villages a reason to attack us and take advantage of the situation. We want to make this peaceful as much as we can. We don't want the situation with Kumogakure to happen again-I'm not pointing out person or villagers-I'm just stating example for clarification." He placatingly answered the query of the provocative kage.
Stunned by the surprisingly peacemaker nature of the toad sannin, the tsuchikage had no choice but to concede. "Sufficient."
On the far side of the room, A voiced his concerns. "If what you said is true, then why do Jiraiya-boy, the Anko-woman, and Kotarou are not affected? If everybody else had succumbed to the effects, then why do the three mentioned came out literally unscathed?" Gruffly asked by the raikage.
"Indeed. Very good question, Raikage-sama and one that we are not so sure ourselves. To be honest, the effects varies from one person to another. From those who we have examined-of course we haven't subjected your shinobis to our mind jutsu-the effects are different. There is no clear correlation to why others lost consciousness and why others went mad. In the case of Jiraiya-sama, he was saved by the elder toads, for Anko and Kotarou we have to further study why they are not harmed in any form. But we have a theory. You see, the chakra that Naruto merged with was a sentient one. It has a mind of its own. Basing from the Ichibi, we think that the chakra ought to protect its vessel, if the Ichibi has the control of sand as its defense mechanism then the same is true with the Kyuubi, and we all know that the Kyuubi was a creature of hatred. Anyone that it deemed as a danger to its vessel will be dealt accordingly. Then again, Hatake Kakashi is her sensei. 'Til the dome recedes and the jinchuuriki is examined we won't kmow for sure."
"Keh. You are sure you are not just saying that because you are protecting your jinchuuriki from us?"
"Of course, we are protecting our jinchuuriki. What kind of shinobi would we be if we don't protect our own?" 'The ignorant kind.' Jiraiya thought. He have known the treatment that his goddaughter have suffered from the hands of the villagers.
"And if you may Raikage-sama what was your intention when you sent out your people to our borders?"
The raikage didn't present an answer to that and just lean back to his chair, pretending that didn't didn't strike nerve in him.
Inoichi just smirked and Tsunade is so smug that she is not even trying to hide her shit-eating grin. Leaning forward in her seat she faced each kage present, "Anymore questions gents? Takigakure? Kiri? Kusagakure? Tani? Taki? Ame? Anyone?"
"Okay, none. Suna is out of question, we found out that Yondaime Kazekage was murdered by Orochimaru. No corpse was found so we assume that he was taken and will be subjected to whatever Orochimaru does with dead bodies. Be warned, because the last time we have checked, Orochimaru managed to copy Nidaime's ressurrection technique." The present kages shifted at thier seat, perturbed by the notion of being a puppet in the after life.
"Until grandfather's trees have stopped calming our volatile jinchuuriki we won't be able to do anything about the effects. So I repeat, please don't do anything that will cause you your men. Don't worry, we are not so heartless, send us your men who was incapacitated due to this event and we will treat them. You have our assurance that we won't look into their minds and look for your secret, we don't have interest for that in the moment. We have to address the-" Tsunade was interrupted when a wave shook the building their meeting is being held.
In a blink of an eye, all have vanished from the meeting place. They all have shunshined to the epicenter of the quake, which is the dome. What they have found when they arrived are the trees uncoiling from their position. They are just far enough to be safe from the miasma but close enough to see as the tails recede back into Naruto.
As the trees completely uncoiled the miasma dispersed but what replaced it is a heavy unsettling atmosphere. The kind that makes you want to go far far away from the place, far away from feeling unimaginable sadness, fear, uncertainty and hatred.
They saw as a small child was suspended in the air, supported by a single frail looking vine. They also saw the form of the sandaime hokage lying in the ground unmoving.
Tsunade didn't think twice before running to her sensei's side. Though illogical and near impossible, she was hoping that he was still alive but as she loomed at the edge she saw the sandaime bathing in his own blood.
She didn't come far when she is suddenly stopped by an unsettling feeling and a voice. "Who are you?"
When she look up, she saw Naruto walking towards her, looking at her and at the sandaime. "What are you doing?" Asked Naruto, as finally placed herself between the woman and her jiji.
Tsunade felt she needed to move back, far away from the child as the unsettling feeling rose to the point that she can hear her blood pumping in her ears. Following her instinct, she moves back until she cannot feel that dread anymore. In fact, all who followed them move back immediately the moment they felt creep to their soul.
It is a sensation of someone touching and violating your insides. It is like someone is looking at you in every direction. It somehow incites paranoia and dementia to those present.
The only one who didn't move is Jiraiya who is in a sage mode again. He carefully approached the confused Naruto. "Hey Gaki, remember me?"
So that's it. Way, way confusing as hell. I opted to make this chapter like this to introduce those characters that will play a vital role in the future.
Naruto's power is like that because I want her to be vague and unpredictable. Sort of no one knows so she'll be a mystery.
I hope you get it... somehow. Sorry for the confusing chapter because I'm confused too. I also hope you get my innuendo. There are lots if you have noticed.
Anyway until next chapter. Ja!
MadPumpkin