AN: Well here we are once more for yet another chapter in the Inception of Pain.
This chapter was set to be published exactly a year from the initially upload of the first chapter of Inception of Pain.
I just wanted to say that when I had the notion to post this story a year or so ago I never imagined it would be this well received, for a long time it had merely been a idea just rotting away in my brain. Just this basic outline of events that I thought would be interesting, initially I figured it would merely be a one shot series but after thinking about it overly I decided a chapter story would just make more sense.
So here we are a year later and fourteen chapters in a twenty four part story.
I have most certainly enjoyed writing this so far and I must say that all the support this story has received has critical to the continuation of it, when I felt disheartened all I needed to do was merely look at all of those positive reviews asking for the next chapter.
This chapter marks the ten chapter to completion mark, it also marks where we exit the regular Naruto Time period and enter into the time skip and Shippuden time period.
That mean's that we will see much of the actual canon events either featured directly or mentioned.
It's been a long road to this point but I do believe it will be worth it, so without further ado: Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any associated, media, licences or products.
xxx
The Amegakure Shinobi program had been declared by God himself little over nineteen years ago and in that time there had been many thousands of graduates from the brutal and intensive six month training program; however as the numbers of active shinobi within Ame grew higher and higher the concern became less and less about the sheer quantity of them but rather their quality. With the twelfth annual Jonin selection coming up within Amegakure the needed for a higher quality shinobi became an all the higher a need for national interest.
While their training methodology likely was a far cry from the more prominent shinobi powers and they possessed no great clans that did not stop the shinobi of Amegakure from striving ever forward; it was the will of their nation, the will of their leader, the will of God himself that this Nation, that this people acheive greatness and that drove them ever onward along the road to greater and greater power.
The great elemental nations boasted literally tens upon tens of thousands of shinobi individually far outstripping the petty handful Ame had managed to create in the time frame their own initiative had been in operation but none the less God had declared that Ame would be a shinobi power and with the influx of graduates the process of the Academy was refined upon where once it had merely been rudimentary shinobi craft work and instruction taught now the fields and curriculum were dramatically being expanded one class at a time.
And with that of course the length of the program as a whole expanded but the end result would hopefully be a overall stronger and more able combatant for their national interests. Where once it would take a prospective Amegakure shinobi roughly half a year to complete the required tests and trials for graduation it now took more then double sitting comfortably at around fourteen months but even then there was always room for improvement with every class, with every new shinobi entering the halls of this perspective power's training program there was progress made towards the goal of the leader of Ame.
That goal was simple; to allow his people to fight alongside their God when the time arose, for it surely would once it was learned that Amegakure was the haven from which Akatsuki operated, once Ame had been powerless against the might of the great nations...never again would that occurrence befall the homeland of God. No, now with the Academy he had the means and military power to ensure the safety of all those who dwelt within the domain of it's God.
In merely a few years time he knew his full ambition would be realized and the time for the implementation of his war of conquest and mass destruction would be implemented and with Ame?
He'd have his army.
An army loyal only to Akatsuki.
An army only loyal to him.
xxx
Amegakure, Ame
Tower of God
Upper Floors, Throne Room
The mood within the throne room was thick with tension as the spiral masked Uchiha stepped forward, his one visible Sharingan eye burning with dark amusement.
"Madara." Nagato gruffly acknowledged the man; while he was unsure of just what the "recent events" in question the man had sought him about but in the process he had stumbled upon a moment that had left the crimson God in a horrible light at least within his own eyes. He was a dedicated God of principles after all; his sacred deed was to be the ending of all of man's conflict and strife.
Instead what had been witnessed by his benefactor...whatever it had been left him appearing as if he was some love sickened teenage fool; the position of their relation required that both need something from the other and they worked to achieve their ends together. However this had cast a imbalance into the entire equation; If Madara believed he was incapable of fulfilling his own end of the deal then would he withdraw his support?
Just how much would this little...indiscretion with Konan cost him?
Just what did it mean for his relationship with his longtime companion? What was Konan trying to be to him? She already stood as his right hand, she'd stand at his side in the new world...they'd been friends, siblings, comrades prior to their new incarnations but to be romantically involved? He was above the base and petty driving urges of weak humans, he had evolved well past such things. But when she had stared at him in that light; that train of thought hadn't even seemed to enter into his mind, it seemed in that singular moment, those scant few seconds...that was where she belonged, where he belonged.
Where they belonged; together.
But for now that connection was a weakness, a flaw that the elder Uchiha was bound to exploit and God of Ame knew there was only one recourse to rectify the situation as it sat now. He also knew what it would cost, specifically to his Angel in that moment he had saw her as she truly was...just how devoted and attached she was, he knew ultimately it would be a good thing, she'd never question, never disobey, she'd be the perfect instrument of his will...but for now he needed to distance the Angel from him.
She'd understand eventually; after all he did it for her own benefit.
"Konan, leave us." The ring eyed God proclaimed as the masked Uchiha watched onward in silence.
"Naga-" Konan was cut off by the sheer immobilizing killer intent radiating from the throne, it had years since she had felt the chakra within Nagato thrum like it was a creature all it's own. Not since the day he had confronted Orochimaru in the deadened wasteland of Konohagakure's battlegrounds had she felt him expend that much energy. It was in it's own comforting in that Nagato's body could still produce and regulate chakra to the extent that it would require to produce such a wave of awe inspiring killing intent.
"Leave. Us." The crimson haired God proclaimed in an infinitely colder tone. The Rinnegan eyes met amber and as she stared into the spiraling purple depths she couldn't help but feel the compulsion to obey, Nagato had to deal with the ancient Uchiha and whatever had happened between them...could have happened between them was over, Nagato was casting her out of the room from shame.
"Lord Pain." She agreed monotonously as she turned upon her heels gave a small bow of her head and marched out of the room exiting through the thick metal doubled doors just heartbeats later. On the exterior her posture, her facial expression, her eyes and all other subconscious cues indicated she was at peace, her manner did not indicate rejection or fear of it, nor did it give away that on the inside she was drowning in her own shame. Her weakness, her attachment, her inability to...act once again was going to cost her everything.
Had she seized the moment, had she just been seconds faster, had whatever overtaken her just allow her to feel the contours of her lips meeting that of Nagato's, if she was to be damned, why couldn't it have been after actually accomplishing anything?! Why? Why would she feel the acceptance, the warmth of his flesh against her if it was to be just stripped away from her afterwards?
But her hesitation, her indecision, her meekness...it had allowed that moment, that moment that would have shown if what she felt burning within her was reciprocated. She felt her eyes burning, her body aching, she had felt her heart stop only to restart when she felt the sure and strong fingers of Nagato digging into her back. It was natural, it was instinctual.
It had been like a dream, being held against his chest, feeling his heart beating in her ear, his hand upon her back...it had been perfection, truly if there was an afterlife it would pale to the sensation of comfort and warmth she had felt as her head nestled against the chest of 'her God'. That's what he was, even if Amegakure believed, if the entire world eventually believed...He would always be her God. She who had stood at his side from the beginning and would do so until the end, but in her weakness, she had sought more, she had sought to do something even she would have thought merely seconds prior to attempting it absolutely out of the bounds of their relationship...but she hadn't cared.
In that moment she had felt her head go leaden, desires, thoughts, emotion she had thought that had died in the same rain soaked wasteland as Yahiko had resurfaced with a startling vengeance in her. In those brief seconds where their eyes had been locked, the entire world had seemingly faded away, Nagato was all she saw in that haze ridden tunnel vision as her face edged closer and closer to his...just seconds from completion, from reaching her goal...
That man had ruined everything!
There was nothing for it though, it wouldn't matter to Nagato that Madara had interrupted them before she could express...whatever she felt for the crimson haired Deity, no Nagato wouldn't care that they had been stopped before his lips met her's. To him the entire scenario would likely be construed as a weakness, and in truth she couldn't fault him for the thought, nor whatever his reaction would be although she had a decent idea after spending the better part of the last thirty years with the man.
Nagato would likely cast her from his side, not only had her own lack of restraint. But that she'd fallen upon him in a moment of weakness he was obviously suffering distress but it had occurred in the sight of Madara...whatever Pain decreed upon the matter, she'd go along with the decision. The concept of choice, of free will, of questioning him had gone out of the equation long ago, she served. She served because it helped fill the aching emptiness within her where something warm had been long ago, through service to Nagato, God she felt that sensation again if ever so briefly, for a handful of seconds she could be alive again reveling in his presence, his words, his sight.
The narrowed metallic and stone surfaces of the interior of the great tower blurred as she walked further away from the throne room, further away from the subject of this sensation that was burning within her blood itself it seemed. She hated herself for feeling this way, she hated her lack of control, her lack of restraint, Nagato had been winded and half conscious when she had come upon him in the throne room...she knew she had to rationalize it to herself, if that warmth, if those hands, if those eyes had been genuine...it would hurt all the more knowing he had cast her aside.
He wouldn't understand, she knew that but for a moment when his eyes had met her's...she let out a shuddering gasp as she all but slammed into the door of her personal quarters. Her fingers digging into the hardened metal of the door her felt tears once more escaping her eyes, why? Why couldn't she just bury herself into her duties? Why couldn't she you have been content with what had been, but after feeling Nagato's chakra in the rain just flare and sputter out...if he had died, she would have no one.
The world would be without it's God, but she would be without anyone at all, she felt no true kinship with Ame, she felt no camaraderie with Akatsuki...she certainly felt no devotion to Madara.
She had nothing to live for besides Nagato, his ambition, his dreams, they were what she followed not because she believed in them but because she believed in him.
xxx
City of Obu
Land of Grass
"Hidan remember we are here strictly for the my bounties; the last thing the Organization or I needs is for you to leave a massive body count." Kakuzu stated in his normal gruff and strictly to the point manner.
"Me!? I'm not the one who fucking destroyed an entire village for one guy last time!" Hidan whined in his usual petty,childish manner.
"Shut Up. Or so help me I'll find a way to kill you!" Kakuzu seethed at the annoying immortal.
"Yeah, yeah." Hidan trailed off as they finally ascended the hill they had been traveling up if you asked Hidan for "fucking forever".
Before them lay their destination.
The 'city' of Obu was little more then a enlarged village; a community made wealthy due to it's placement on the map more then anything else. It was one of the principle stops upon the national commerce circuit; Due primarily to it's close proximity to the border with Iwagakure it provided much of it's yearly income strictly through international trade and thus was known far and wide as the "Golden City." Due to it's vast wealth and massive assortment of various goods and craftsmen hailing from the various elemental nations.
However that was not what drew the Akatsuki to the location; no within the city of Obu dwelled several missing shinobi from Iwagakure, Chuunin mostly but the price upon their collective heads was enough to warrant the travel expenses of making it to the distant border village in the remote nation bordering to the north of the land of rain. And that was what brought the duo of Kakuzu and Hidan to the distant trading settlement. Not that Hidan had not complained the entire trip to the far away local the entire trip.
Infiltrating the village had been a surprisingly easy chore for how well off it was; despite being located within a Shinobi power the assigned rotation of Kusa shinobi was surprisingly slim, thus making it an easy matter to merely find a unwarded and unmanned section of the great wall that surely the villagers thought would keep out the various threats and ruffians that dwelt within the remote nation and merely ascend up the wall.
To Akatsuki it was merely a trivial obstacle to overcome.
Locating the targets within the city likewise proved a easy enough task once the zombie like duo of Akatsuki 'interrogated' a few of the locals and surprisingly enough all of them were recognized as they were all holed up in the same location within the city. The former Iwa nin had apparently banded together and opened up 'a fucking house of whores' as Hidan had declared it upon learning of the men's ties into the local prostitution markets and sex trade.
Traveling to the "brothel" in question turned out to be relatively easy enough as, it was a prominent building after all in the city's supposed "red light" district. The building itself appeared to be some sort of reconverted tenement or otherwise apartment styled complex, being a large two story building made out of reinforced stone and wooden paneling left little mistake for their destination.
Not to mention the damn thing had glowing neon lighting at the entrance-way proclaiming: 'Cheapest sex in Kusa' glaring out front.
"Seriously?" Hidan questioned aloud with a raised brow at their destination.
Kakuzu merely gave a slight grunt of acknowledgement, this was their destination regardless of whatever that fool Hidan thought of prostitution, of whores or whatever that ridiculous God of his had to say on it, they were going in and getting his bounties.
"Well at least there will be heretics to kill here..." he trailed off with a sigh before falling in line with the taller former Taki shinobi.
"Remember not to damage the faces like last time, I don't care if you can heal quickly, dead flesh doesn't." Kakuzu reminded in stern warning.
"You are such a fucking buzzkill you know that Kakuzu?" Hidan questioned as the coffee skinned man casually approached one of the "guards" outside of the establishment before promptly flooring the man with a single brutally haymaker to the clavicle which left the man frothing blood upon the dirt street and the Akatsuki duo stepping over his soon to be corpse.
xxx
Amegakure, Ame
Tower of God
Upper Floors, Throne Room
"I wasn't aware you and Konan had such an...intimate relationship Pain." The elder Uchiha stated amicably the moment the Angel had departed the throne room leaving both him and the 'God of Ame' alone.
His response were merely the Rinnegan narrowing at him a fraction and the crimson haired man's rolling chakra that still leaked forth in an impressive display of killing intent for what amounted to a man bound to a mechanical device merely for basic movement, but the killer intent radiated the room daring him to continue to mock him.
"But I suppose it makes sense, childhood friends, comrades, living up here together alone for year after year." The masked Uchiha continued apparently unaffected or unafraid of the potential outburst by his 'comrade' in Akatsuki.
Nagato's nostrils flared; He knew this would be the result, he knew the moment he had heard Madara's query if 'he was interrupting.' Damn Uchiha Madara, he would be treated with respect! Madara was a legendary shinobi, he had aided him in founding Akatsuki, even helped in acquiring the initial bodies of the six paths-which he had long ago replaced with more streamlined and able bodies, he had given him a bounty of lore upon both the Sage and his legend but...He would not mock him again.
Their partnership would not endure another barb from the mouth of the Uchiha who hid behind the mask, it was petty, it was irrational but he would not be disrespected in his own Tower, In his own City, In his own damn Country by some blood soaked relic who fled Konoha at the hands of the First Hokage decades before he was even born!
"Truthfully though I did expect better judgement from you though-" The Elder Uchiha chided before he had to leap out of the spot he had standing within as a sudden burst of gravitonic force warped and ripped free the thick stone tiles from the floor. The sudden blast of gravity seemed to dig into the hardened surface, grit and fragments of concrete were flung up and scattered across the room even as the attack lost potency and began to slow and eventually fade. The attack was a great deal weaker then it could have been, had he pushed enough power into the blast of repulsive and attractive force, he could have rent this chamber asunder...but that would have served no purpose.
No but he did wish to make one thing clear to the Uchiha.
The masked Uchiha merely made a 'tsking' noise as he regarded the crimson haired God as he held a wavering hand outstretched from his throne, the source of the sudden Shrina Tensei was obvious, the attack had been projected and predictable and thus had been easy enough to avoid merely by stepping out of the path of the oncoming way of repulsive fields of gravity. A feat he was more then capable of obviously but...
But that Nagato had attacked him...That had been unexpected to the masked Uchiha.
"You. Will. Not. Mock. Me. Again." Nagato spat at the masked Uchiha, His Rinnegan wide and the spiral lined purple eyes seemed to be literally darkening with their user's anger. His posture was rigid in his throne, his teeth ground together in sheer outrage blood leaking through the porcelain white, his chakra had been a nauseating wave of certain death now seemed to permeate a feeling of promised sheer obliteration from this plane of reality.
Sharingan met Rinnegan for a handful of heartbeats before the masked Uchiha merely inclined his head forward ever so slightly in a show of respect.
"As you wish Pain...I did not come here to battle." Madara spoke quietly after a handful of moments, his tone no longer confrontational but rather it seemed thoughtful.
"You spoke of needing to speak with me of recent events." The self proclaimed God ground out through slowly unclenching blood stained teeth.
The Uchiha nodded seemingly unaffected by the tone as he stepped a foot closer before he spoke, his voice was even but his tone was filled with it's usual darkness.
"In three years time it will be time to gather the tailed beasts, we can delay no longer, not with Orochimaru gaining Sasuke...If the Snake gains the Sharingan he will be easily be able to interrupt our plans indefinitely. So in three years time when the Sannin's current body fails him...when he is too weak to act, when he is too defenseless to mount any sort of countermeasure, We will move upon our objective."
"Why not simply kill the traitor once and for all?" The crimson haired God inquired. Truthfully he would have ordered the damn snake killed years ago if tracking him across the continent hadn't been a massive financial boondoggle that an irate Kakuzu had told him was bankrupting the organization. They'd come close a handful of times certainly, even made the snake shed his skin but they'd never been able to kill the man once and for all and now he was in a position where he could given time openly contest them and their designs.
It was unacceptable.
"Because even weakened as he and his forces are they present too much of a threat to our current progress to engage them directly, Despite the losses he suffered in Konoha he still possesses a veritable army of followers and has an entire system of hideouts, lairs and bases to operate within across the elemental nations and perhaps beyond...It would be a costly, lengthy battle we cannot afford at present."
Nagato merely gave a minute nod of the head in acknowledgement.
Much as he loathed to admit it, he knew the masked Uchiha was correct. While those of Akatsuki were not doubt far above the fodder the Sannin had gathered around him, Akatsuki only possessed nine shinobi while Orochimaru commanded hundreds if not thousands of them. Mathematically it would seem a battle that the organization could never win, even with the advanced abilities, forbidden jutsu and all the other repertoire that Akatsuki possessed...losing dozens or more followers wouldn't impact Orochimaru in any fashion.
Akatsuki at present couldn't afford to lose a single member in such an invasion.
"Very well...We will wait three years and ignore the Sannin at least for the present." Nagato conceded.
xxx
The invasion of Suna acting in concert with Orochimaru had not been a surprise to him; No given that he had learned that the Sannin was behind the formation of Otogakure and had entered into dealings with the now deceased Fourth Kazekage it had been merely the only predictable avenue. But the so called "Konoha crush" had failed spectacularly for reasons that despite his vast network of spies, informants and Zetsu's own considerable skills he knew only a few of. From what he had been able to put together from the event; Sunagakure had been meant to provide the majority of the forces which would be bolstered by the smaller addition of shinobi from Oto.
The linchpin of the invasion however was what truly caught his eye.
The Ichibi, the One Tailed Beast, that had been critical to the entire endeavor and while his sources confirmed that indeed the Jinjuriki had been present it had promptly been defeated before it could even inflict minute damage upon the forces of Konoha reportedly at the hands of a mere Genin something that had caused the crimson haired God himself to raise a brow, while the damage Konoha had received from the invasion had been negligible it had not been left entirely unscathed. Indeed it had not been so forunate; It's long ruling lord: The Third Hokage himself was reportedly dead at the hands of his own former student Orochimaru.
If that report was to be believed...he owed Orochimaru a favor; he'd consider that debt paid when he killed him swiftly rather then drawing out his execution with more painful and lingering manners of delaying death that were available to him. That power vacuum within the Leaf would work to his advantage, they'd be solely focused on merely managing the internal affairs of the village for the immediate future until a successor was found and that left Akatsuki far more room to maneuver within the land of fire then it had in entire history of the organization.
It was a opportunity that he couldn't, wouldn't overlook.
It was finally time for the Kyuubi to find its way into his hands.
This time there would be interference, no subterfuge from Madara; he would order the infiltration himself with the clear and express purpose of capturing the tailed beast and it's container.
"Itachi, Kisame...I have a task for you." The ominous words rung out across the distance traveling as far as they were required to reach the intended parties; distance was no obstacle for this manner of communication and given this pair's completion of their assignment in the mountainous Kumogakure no doubt they where likely going to arrive back upon the mainland continent well within this particular operation's time frame unlike Hidan and Kakuzu whom he assumed where still chasing down bounties to further boost the Organization's coffers further up north and Sasori and Deidara who he assumed where still within Iwagakure completing their own assigned tasks far to the west.
Yes the Kenjutsu and Genjutsu specialists would more then suffice for his purposes.
Uzumaki Naruto...It is time for you to be put to better use then merely as a weapon for Konoha.
xxx
Kakuzu glared down in annoyance as the smoke cleared revealing that the entire upper right hand portion of the cloak had been obliterated in the conflagration. Emerald eyes narrowed into slits, for a Chuunin, a Kusa Chuunin no less to have done this, damaging both his property and flesh was unforgivable. Never in his decades of experience had he faced such insubordinate children of opponents, upon their very entry this entire situation had gone to hell.
First that moron Hidan had to point out that one of the men working the bar area of the 'club' happened to fit the description of the Iwa Chuunin they had come to Obu to kill, that had immediately made the entire interior of the whore house erupt into panic and violence as the other rogue shinobi stormed forth, bursting from backrooms or erupting from the fairly packed brothel.
And of course in that frantic melee one of the Chuunin had in his infinite wisdom thrown a kunai laden with an exploding tag in the confined interior of the building, needless to say the explosive had done little to injure or maim the former Taki nin but it certainly had all but ensured that this cloak in particular was now unusable. And of course as a secondary effect, had alerted the few shinobi within Obu to the altercation going on within the popular club, and within but a handful of seconds the room had now faces, new opponents. Kusa shinobi were not renown for their ability at combat, preferring more to engage enemies in dialogue and other mutually beneficial agreements rather then war but none the less, their number of opponents had doubled. Thus that Chuunin had done something that no opponent had managed since the Leader of what was to be Akatsuki himself had accomplished when they faced off against each other years ago...
He'd earned his ire.
He'd planned to simply kill them swiftly and move on to his next contract but now...his lips curled into a scowl beneath his partially burnt cloth face guard.
"Hidan." The voice was even but had a undeniable twinge of rage within that was laced with enough killing intent to instantly paralyze the assembled shinobi before them with the prospect of not only defeat, but death at the hands of a opponent they had no chance, hope in hell of defeating. Their assembled looks of absolute dread, of horror and terror stroked the sadist within miser but her buried that and kept his chakra pulsing, thrumming with sheer lethality.
"Ya what?" The immortal shot back as he pulled free his pike, the instrument telescoping back as it came free from the vacant hole that had once been a Iwa chuunin's left eye socket. The bounty would still be recognizable so the miser let the disfigurement of his bounty go begrudgingly.
"Do with them what you will...this vermin is worth nothing to me." The former Taki nin spat with venom. As the gathered combination of hidden grass and former hidden stone gazed onward at the zombie like Akatsuki duo. The masked miser merely took two even paced steps back and leaned against the graying wooden paneling of the wall and awaited his idiot partner to do his ridiculous rites to that fake God of his.
The Jashinist merely grinned at the declaration.
"Ya just had to fuckin ask!" The manic priest cackled.
"Leave the rogues from Iwa in good enough shape to identify." The masked miser reminded his partner as the Jashinist pulled that horribly impractical tri-bladed scythe of his from his cloaked back.
The Jashinist merely turned his head and shot the miser a look of pure unadulterated disgust before he charged forward at the assembled Kusa and Iwa shinobi swinging his scythe in intricate and practiced motions that would look like frantic and frenzied swinging to those who didn't see the sheer aptitude it took to use such a instrument in Kenjutsu. As the blood began to flowing across the cheap hard wooden flooring, Kakuzu couldn't help but wonder just why Hidan had to be assigned to him the undying moron was just a damn headache...Hidan for his part was equal parts ecstatic and enraged beyond belief, as such he spent most of the brief if bloody combat mumbling about 'godless heathens and heretic money obsessed bastards' while sanctimoniously praising his God every time he rended an opponent's flesh.
xxx
Amegakure, Ame
Tower of God
Upper Floors, Throne Room
The day following the 'incident' as Konan had internally dubbed it wasn't an especially auspicious day; she'd been hesitant to return to Nagato at all after she had been dismissed, fearing the entire night that one of the paths would come to her room and tell her to vacate the tower. However when that failed to happen she had been at a loss, could Nagato have merely pushed the incident aside? Would things resume how they had been prior to her...indiscretion?
With nothing but decades long practice at being both the partner and aide of Nagato she went through her morning routine of preparing his bath, his meal and going to fetch the crimson haired God from his personal private chambers, however upon her entry she found no sight of the man she'd devoted her being to. His room, his tatami mat was vacant in the floor and there was no sign here he had been here the entire evening...was he still within the throne room? Surely his-meeting with Madara had wrapped up hours beforehand, Madara was never one to sit around and merely talk for hours on end. That was the single attribute that made the masked man tolerable to her, he never struck around for long.
Extending her senses outward she located the familiar chakra of Nagato nearly instantly, had he truly never gone to bed? Just what had been discussed in her absence...clearly this went far beyond merely her weakness and attachments, this tied into whatever business Madara had brought before Nagato and that meant that it was something so important that he had to sit within his throne room and contemplate it all night.
So steeling her nerves and calming her conflicted heart she pushed onward returning to the very chamber she had been dismissed from the night prior, the seat of God's power in Ame: The Throne Room.
Pushing forward the heavy metal double doors once again she found Nagato staring at the far wall, the room was cloaked in darkness despite the sun having rose hours before on the exterior of the door. His head casually turned to regard her presence and his brow seemed to furrow slightly, was her presence displeasing him? She'd hardly blame him if that was the case but never the less she'd tend to her duties until they were stripped from her.
"Nagato made you breakfast and prepared your bath..." she trailed off at the professed God of Ame approached her, his frame looked disheveled and his seemed to peer at her piercingly. The only noise within the vast chamber was the mechanical noise of the throne propelling itself with it's user's chakra.
"You've returned." He stated after a long moment of silence.
"Yes." She responded, she didn't know what he expected from her but to do as she had done for the past what had it been now? Twenty years? In the days since he had become Pain, she had lived for was to see his dreams fulfilled, she'd cared for his physical needs, provided whatever scant comfort she could and completed whatever assignment she had been given. That trend hadn't been broken with the formation of Akatsuki, with the dream to see some ancient horror awakened, with the dream to plunge the world into a war full of such fear and horror of the weapons of Akatsuki that they would be forced to submit to peace.
No, she existed now she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt to stand by his side. She'd survived when Yahiko hadn't to help Nagato accomplish his dream because she wasn't a leader, she was a follower and that was what God needed at his side. She'd become his caretaker, his companion, his weapon and in a moment of grief and frenzied emotion...she'd tried to be even more to the God of Ame.
What she felt, what he felt she couldn't place but it didn't matter what did matter was doing her duties and helping to play her part in fulfilling the ambition of Nagato.
She saw his lips quirk upwards a fraction of an inch, it was another minute, minuscule detail that no one she knew beyond herself would ever see. The God in the tower was worshiped, feared and showered in devotion but for all that praise and tribute... they would never see him smile even marginally.
That was a gift, an occurrence only for her.
He was her God.
"So be it." He murmured a moment later before the Rinnegan once again met Amber.
xxx
Valley of the End
Land of Fire Border with Otogakure
The events at the border region of where sound met leaf had not escaped Akatsuki's notice, indeed by the Leader's order Zetsu had observed the entire conflict between the former Konoha Shinobi Sasuke Uchiha and Uzumaki Naruto. Both Genin were of interest to the orginization for varying reasons, Naruto was the holder of the prize they sought, the Kyuubi. While Sasuke held interest because of his relation to Itachi and the fact that he had defected from Konoha for the express purpose of joining with the former Akatsuki member Orochimaru.
Anything relating to Orochimaru immediately made it's way to the eyes of the Leader himself, and although Zetsu wasn't privy to his exact motives (Not for lack of trying) he knew that he was keeping a close eye on both of these genin, perhaps more so even then Madara. As the plant like shinobi emerged from the cliff side overlooking the famed figures of Uchiha Madara and the First Hokage Hashirama he witnessed the conclusion of the battle he had been monitoring since it's beginning.
"Things have taken a interesting turn. Haven't they?" The white half put forth in his usual singsong tone.
"Indeed." Came the strangely agreeable reply from the darker.
The battle between the Kyuubi Jinjuriki and the corrupted Uchiha had been quite a sight to see; the end result being the Uchiha defeating the container which while an unexpected outcome did point towards the conclusion that Itachi's little brother was indeed growing quite powerful. No doubt that would be something of interest to both the Leader of Akatsuki and the man behind the Leader.
"Should we inform Pain of this development?" The white portion questioned aloud.
"Yes." Came the short reply from the other half of the being that seemingly shared one body but two minds.
"Madara first?" The white half voiced pointlessly, already knowing the answer.
"Obviously." The dark half ground out.
The wounded container had already been collected by Hatake Kaskashi, the boy's Jonin Sensei from what he had observed both personally and through reports since Itachi and Kisame had both confronted the Jinjuriki earlier in the year.
Which was a pity given that in this condition no doubt the boy would be quite easy to capture but revealing his presence to the former Anbu who had faced down Orochimaru and survived...would likely be foolish, not to mention capturing the Jinjuriki at this juncture would be premature, no the stage had to be properly prepared for when it's leading man was struck down.
"That little Uchiha brat could be a threat one day, more so maybe even then the Kyuubi container." The darker half stated as both the collective eyes of Zetsu gazed at the retreating back of Itachi's younger brother.
"Yes, but he has gone over to Orochimaru and no doubt he will be used for that Jutsu the next time the opportunity arises..." The white half trailed off as the darker let out a derisive snort.
"Orochimaru has never stopped chasing after those eyes, losing a hand to Itachi meant nothing to him."
"And now he has them." The white half put forth.
"For now." The darker stated as their shared form began to once more burrow back into the earth.
xxx
She gently guided the freshly sharpened blade across the underlining of his jaw, her motion so smoothed and practiced that it was practically second nature. From her lips a soft and almost melancholic hum of a tune escaped as the razor was angled further down getting the faint hairs that were beginning to escape from crimson God's chin. Her eyes were focused upon the task taking in every square inch of the pale and thin flesh that made up the throat and chin as she slid the straight razor down once more in precise pulls across the sallow flesh.
Nagato was lying completely still, his posture as relaxed as it could be outside of his throne and sitting in a conventional chair with the weight of the Gedo steel pulling him back. His eyes closed and a contented air seemed to be about him, he trusted her not to harm him, there was no need to watch her shave his face. That was something else that she knew for a fact no one would ever be allowed to be witness to. Long ago she had been a conventional woman of taste she mused internally as she wiped the blade into the steel basin before once more beginning to run it across his upper lip and beneath his nose.
She had found romantic overtures beautiful, she had loved when Yahiko held her, kissed her and promised her love but now...what she had with Pain while it might not have been romantic in design or intention it was a life she was content to live, there was no gifts, no promises of devotion and love and no sweet kisses underneath the skies of their rain soaked homeland. In it's place however was something she truthfully found she preferred over it, in Pain she had both a superior and God, a figure of respect and a relation of respect and service. Nagato, Pain, Amekage, The Leader of Akatsuki, the name or title didn't matter to her but with her at his side she stood in a position of responsibility, of respect, and she had ever so slowly found herself becoming content with the role.
She was confident in her place at his side, confident in her ability to protect him, confident in that one day he truly would erase all conflict, strife and hatred from the world. But most of all, she was confident in her devotion to him. There was no force in living world or the world of the dead that would pry her from his side, that belief alone was enough to keep her going when things seemed hopeless, when Pain dictated that she preform some task that she knew that she would eventually be made to account for.
She was a criminal, a killer, a monster that world would surely seek to be rid of sooner or later, but that was no concern to her. When Nagato fulfilled his ambitions, when Akatsuki stood victorious, there would be no opinion on the matter save his own.
After all why would a God listen to mere mortals on anything?
She felt his skin quiver slightly beneath the razor as a faint line of red began to stain the edge of the blade.
She saw the crimson began to bubble from the shallow incision and felt her own flesh pale, hesitantly she pressed her own finger against the still bleeding opening and felt the warmth of the liquid press against her skin.
"I apologize Pain, I was distracted..." She trailed off as curious Rinnegan orbs stared across from her,regarding her.
It seemed like centuries before his reply but in truth no doubt it had been but a handful of seconds.
"It is of no concern Konan, do not take the blame upon yourself...my flesh is entirely too fragile for it's own good." Nagato replied cautiously, his tone seemingly unsure of how exactly he wished to reply to the blood still ebbing against the entirely too smooth and soft skin that his angel possessed despite her arduous and dangerous lifestyle as a shinobi.
xxx
Akatsuki Hideout
Land of Tea
Nine hours after the battle between Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke at the Valley of the End
This was a meeting unlike any that had been held in recent memory all of the shadowy avatars of the Akatsuki stood in attendance, all had been summoned for this meeting for it discussed the implementation of their plan.
At long last Akatsuki would begin it's final preparations.
All had given for this day, through their blood, sweat and toils they had crafted the organization that would herald the end of the Great Village System, the end of the Shinobi System. While few of them knew of that ultimate aim, that the goal of Akatsuki was as much about ensuring global peace as it was domination...it mattered not, for the day to announce their deadline had arrived.
"Well, well how long has it been since we all gathered together like this?" The shark like shinobi Hoshigaki Kisame questioned aloud.
"Seven Years. Not since Orochimaru left us." The darker half of Zetsu supplied in his boredom.
"And now Orochimaru has the Sharingan." Kakuzu stating the obvious in his usual terse manner.
"Is that true Itachi? You're little brother?" Sasori questioned aloud; no doubt recalling his own years as the Snake Sannin's partner. The acquisition of Sasuke by Orochimaru would only further increase the Sannin's ability to interfere with their ultimate objective, no doubt the puppeteer was contemplating just forgoing their given directive to only engage if they encountered the former Konoha nin and deliberately attempt to track the old snake down once more.
However as if reading his partner's mind Deidara cut in before the puppeteer had any chance to argue for the removal of the Sannin.
"Don't be impatient." The blonde artist Deidara put in with one of his usual nasally grunts at the conclusion of his sentence. "We'll deal with our old "friend" Orochimaru soon enough." The youngest within Akatsuki put forth with his usual energetic zeal despite never having even met the Sannin.
"After all, we have only three years in which to prepare." The familiar grunt soon followed suit. "And we all know what we have to do to be ready, right?" The junior within Akatsuki questioned, as expected no one rose to the bait that was left out by the youngest of them or rather they were cut off before they could.
"Of course. No mistakes, remember what we seek...Everything...Including the Nine Tailed Fox." The entry of the Leader of their organization into the conversation immediately cut off any snide remarks and or threats of bodily harm that were going to be directed to the blond artist. No this day would not be sullied by infighting or bickering, today was a day that the Leader of Akatsuki had awaited too long, given too much for it to be ruined by the infighting that plagued his association of rogue and renegade shinobi.
Furthermore he wanted all of his subordinates, all of his comrades to focus on what awaited them in the near future, no longer would their goal be some lofty ideal held back by lack of resources or members. Today was merely the confirmation of what he had told them all at the beginning, today was proof that his resolve, his goal, his dream would not be denied.
He would show the world his resolve, his ambition, his strength in three years, after the time he had spent building up the Akatsuki to act as it had been intended to be, consulting with Madara, building his own strength...a paltry three years was nothing to him, he'd wait another century if he had to but thankfully he didn't have to bother.
Three years.
In three years Akatsuki would send forth its declaration of war upon the entire world.
xxx
AN: Well there we have chapter fourteen! And the conclusion of the original Naruto Timeline, expect time skip and Shippuden events to follow. Also given that I received an interesting PM I have decided to upload a basic timeline of events for the story, note that this will be according to my narrative for Inception of Pain and may not necessarily align with the canon for Naruto in every detail. A final thing, The timeline will be using two distinct frames of reference the Kyuubi Attack and after Kyuubi Attack as it's measuring points.
It's just unfortunately the easiest scale to measure the passage of time by, I really wish Kishimoto had actually taken the time out to be make a definitive timeline of events, it would have made this far less of a headache.
30 years before the Kyuubi Attack- The Second Shinobi World War begins
25 years before the Kyuubi Attack- Nagato and Konan are Born
17 years before the Kyuubi Attack- Nagato's parents are slain by Konoha Shinobi, the orphan later goes on to meet Yahiko and Konan. The Ame Trio are trained by Jiraiya of Konoha's three legendary Sannin for the next three years.
14a years before the Kyuubi Attack- Jiraiya leaves the Ame Trio and returns to the war
14b years before the Kyuubi Attack- The Second Shinobi World War concludes
14c years before the Kyuubi Attack- Amegakure is sacked by shinobi of Konoha during the closing days of the war
13 years before the Kyuubi Attack- Yahiko, Konan and Nagato travel beyond Ame as Shinobi for Hire
11 years before the Kyuubi Attack- The Third Shinobi World War begins
10 years before the Kyuubi Attack- The Ame Trio return to Ame and noticing it's war torn and dismal state form Akatsuki, a organization built upon maintaining peace within Ame
9a years before the Kyuubi Attack- Hanzo the leader of Ame acting in fear of the growing Akatsuki movement's power aligns with Danzo leader of Konohagakure's secretive Root Organization and stages an ambush of the Akatsuki resulting in the slaughter of much of it including it's leader Yahiko.
9b years before the Kyuubi Attack- Nagato summons forth the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path which obliterates all of the Root and Ame forces responsible for the betrayal of Akatsuki, an incident which leaves the Rinnegan bearer in unending agony from being bound to the Gedo
9c years before the Kyuubi Attack- The Amegakure civil war begins with the remnants of Akatsuki battling against Hanzo splitting the nation between the factions.
9d years before the Kyuubi Attack- A masked Shinobi claiming to be Uchiha Madara approaches Nagato
8a years before the Kyuubi Attack- The Amegakure civil war concludes with the death of Hanzo during the siege of Amegakure at the hands of "Pain" and the dissolution of the Hanzo government
8b years before the Kyuubi Attack- Madara approaches Pain about the "Akatsuki" and the Organization is refounded with Konan, Hoshigaki Kisame and Zetsu as it's first members
7a years before the Kyuubi Attack- Kakuzu and Sasori are inducted into Akatsuki
7b years before the Kyuubi Attack- The Amegakure Shinobi Academy is founded.
6 years before the Kyuubi Attack- The Third Shinobi World War concludes
5 years before the Kyuubi Attack- Orochimaru one of the legendary Sannin of Konoha is inducted into the Akatsuki
4 years before the Kyuubi Attack- Hoshigaki Kisame assassinates the Daimyo of Kirigakure
3 years before the Kyuubi Attack- Akatsuki becomes known amongst the criminal element of the elemental nations
The Kyuubi Attack Occurs- Uzumaki Naruto is born
4a years after the Kyuubi Attack- Uchiha Itachi is inducted into Akatsuki
4b years after the Kyuubi Attack- The Uchiha Clan Massacre takes place
5a years after the Kyuubi Attack- Hidan is inducted into Akatsuki
5b years after the Kyuubi Attack- Orochimaru a long standing member of Akatsuki defects from the organization after a failed attempt to obtain Uchiha Itachi's body
7a years after the Kyuubi Attack- Deidara is inducted into Akatsuki
7b years after the Kyuubi Attack- The Akatsuki is declared assembled by Pain
12a years after the Kyuubi Attack- Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame infiltrate Konoha in an attempt to capture Uzumaki Naruto the Jinjuriki of the Kyuubi
12b years after the Kyuubi Attack- Zetsu observes the battle between Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke at the valley of the end
12c years after the Kyuubi Attack- Akatsuki gathers and plans to move upon their objectives in three years time
15a years after the Kyuubi Attack- Akatsuki begins its hunt for the tailed beasts
15b years after the Kyuubi Attack- Pain confronts his one time mentor and master Jiraiya when the Sannin comes to investigate Amegakure and its involvement with Akatsuki and ultimately after a pitched and lengthy battle kills the toad sage
15c years after the Kyuubi Attack- During the course of the hunt for the Bijuu the members of Akatsuki: Deidara, Itachi, Kakuzu, Hidan and Sasori are killed
The Invasion of Pain occurs
There you have it, the timeline for Inception of Pain, I do hope that answers the question I received and helps anyone else who was confused with the pacing of events.
See you all for chapter fifteen and just as a little teaser? I do hope you all enjoy the setting of Takigakure, Oh yes the village hidden by the Waterfall will be a principle location in the coming chapters for...what should be obvious reasons.
-Reborn Akatsuki