somedayisours: I think everyone does. For some reason now I'm thinking of the bunny in Monty Python...
Felicity Dream: I threw in the hat tree for the hell of it, I'm glad at least one person liked it. As for votes, I do have a deadline in mind, but I can't really say much other than 'a few chapters from now' without giving anything away. I've got major plot points and such mapped out but for the most part I'm just writing this stuff as I go along, so I won't know exactly how many chapters it will be until I cut it off.
Namikaze541: The only Konoha girl I've blocked is Hinata, simply because I can't stand her. If you want Sakura, sure, but you'll be the first vote. Ino has one or two, but it's looking like Karin or Tayuya will win. There's still time until I cut it off though, so who knows. (I haven't added a vote for you yet so you can decide who you want.)
Ramen Junky: I can't take credit for the altered rabbit proverb. I got it from a game. (Of course in the game it applied to harem related stuff, but it fit, so...)
Chapter 20
A man with black hair and Sharingan eyes appeared from the shadows. "If you try to catch two rabbits at once, then the two rabbits will surround you and beat you to death."
"Uchiha Sasuke," Danzō growled out.
"I believe this is the first time we've met. I'd say it's a pleasure to meet you, but it would be a lie."
Danzō turned and backed away to keep both boys in his sight. He turned his gaze to Menma. "So the rumors I was spreading to destabilize your power were, in fact, true. Ironic."
The two boys walked to each other while keeping an eye on Danzō. When they reached the center of the clearing Danzō had reached the edge.
"It was only a matter of time until people found out anyways. I'm honestly surprised it lasted as long as it did," Menma said with a shrug. "Even with this though, I still have some time left in Sound. After taking care of you I'll make sure to squeeze every last bit out of it before I have to leave."
"You think you've won?" Danzō asked. "Root!"
Sasuke and Menma watched on impassively as Danzō's agents appeared in front of him. Some jumped out of the trees while others walked out on foot.
"Naughty Danzō," Menma said. "This is more than fifty, and even after I went to the trouble of sending your men on suicide missions to thin your numbers." In truth, he had nearly double that number, even with how many Menma had managed to kill off.
Danzō backed away from the clearing, pulling his 'injured' arm out of his robe as he did so.
"He's planning something," Sasuke said, as he watched the man run off.
"Yeah, but I need to deal with his minions anyways," Menma turned to Sasuke with a smirk. "Besides, it'll make the fight more fun. Well, for Kurama."
"You're going to summon him? You told me Danzō has Sharingan implants," Sasuke replied.
"Yeah, he does," Menma said, pulling up his sleeves. He performed the hand signs, bit his thumb, and smeared it across the tattoo. "But mine is stronger."
Kurama appeared with a roar and began to systematically destroy the Root ninja.
Sasuke and Menma backed off and watched as Kurama went on a rampage. Stepping on some ninja, tearing others apart with tooth and claw. They caught a glimpse of Danzō off to the side of the battle removing what looked like giant metal bracers from his arm.
The two looked at each other and Sasuke drew a sword. 'Damn it, that's it, after this I'm never going anywhere without a weapon.' Menma shook his head, to hell with Sound, he was tired of crippling himself to keep up his charade. Menma pulled out a kunai and the two jumped into the fringes of the fight, killing off any Root that didn't engage Kurama.
Menma kept an eye on Danzō as they were destroying the Root ninja. The man was staring up at Kurama with an odd look. 'Determination? Desire? Why is he so focused on... ah! So that's what he's planning.'
By the time the three of them had killed off the last of the Root ninja Danzō had already finished removing his bracers. He leapt up onto Kurama's nose and stared him in the eye.
They remained like that for a few moments before Kurama and Danzō turned to face Sasuke and Menma.
"You have lost. I control Kyūbi," Danzō said, staring down at them.
"I thought you said yours was stronger!" Sasuke hissed out, not taking his eyes off the two.
"Mhmm," Menma nodded, not worried in the slightest. "Go ahead, Kurama, I'm sure he's got a trick ready anyways."
Danzō suddenly found himself flying in the air with just enough time for a single jutsu before he was torn in half by Kurama's razor-sharp teeth.
One.
The two halves vanished shortly after the attack only for Danzō to be standing on the ground nearby. Kurama swiftly stomped on him. The body underfoot vanished.
Two.
Danzō appeared in another spot and was immediately hit with a tail, crushing him and throwing him through several trees.
Three.
Danzō appeared near the trees this time and tried to flee. Kurama gathered chakra in front of his mouth before launching it at Danzō, vaporizing him.
Four.
Danzō appeared near the two boys this time, where they were on guard. Kurama couldn't attack recklessly with them being so close.
"Truly a fearsome beast," Danzō said glancing down at his arm. 'Especially to destroy four eyes in so short a time. I'll have to be careful.' Knowing his odds would be better against the boys he quickly swiped some blood and formed a hand sign. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu."
A giant creature that looked somewhat like an elephant with tiger legs appeared from the smoke. "That's all yours, Kurama. Have fun with your new chew toy."
With a snort, Kurama tackled the beast. The three ninja jumped away through the forest to get clear of the giant creatures.
As they jumped through the trees Sasuke threw some shuriken at Danzō, forcing him to jump to the side to dodge them. Menma used the fact that he was midair and couldn't dodge to his advantage and used a Rasengan to drill through his spine, breaking it.
Five.
Danzō appeared on a branch in front of them, sucking in a huge breath. The boys jumped to opposite sides, splitting up as bullets of air tore the forest apart. Trees and rocks shattered as the air hit them.
When Danzō stopped the boys dove behind trees and out of his line of sight. Sasuke appeared on his left, charging him with a hand glowing and his sword ready to strike. Three Menmas rushed from his right.
Danzō pulled out a kunai to parry Sasuke's sword. He used his free hand to redirect his Chidori into one of the Menma's that were attacking from behind. Sasuke looked surprised for a moment before the Menma dissolved into mud. Using the distraction, Danzō kicked Sasuke away and turned to face the other tw- one Menma? In his own moment of confusion the single Menma ducked and landed a bone crushing kick upwards to his jaw. Danzō lifted into the air only to suffer another massive kick straight towards Sasuke.
Sasuke had flipped and landed on the tree with his feet. When he saw Danzō flying towards him he readied his sword and cut him in two as he flew into him.
Six.
Danzō appeared behind the Menma that had kicked him in the air and cut his head off. He dissolved into mud. The remaining Menma popped up and backhanded Danzō at Sasuke once again. This time Sasuke used a Chidori to skewer his heart.
Seven.
He reappeared on a branch. "Amaterasu!"
Eight.
He reappeared and quickly poured wind chakra over a kunai. He blocked an attack from Sasuke's sword just in time to avoid a decapitation. Menma attacked from behind, but he jumped to the side and sucked in another breath.
The two boys jumped apart to dodge what they expected to be more air bullets. Instead, Danzō blew out a stream of air to fly around and deliver a brutal slash with his kunai across Menma's chest.
Menma staggered back and flopped against a tree. He placed his hand back against it to push himself off but Danzō lunged and stabbed him through the heart with his wind kunai.
Menma had a look of shock on his face... then melted into mud. 'All three were clones?!' An exploding tag on the tree where the clone had placed its hand went off.
Nine.
Danzō appeared in a small clearing this time. Menma walked out of the shadows of the trees and into the moonlight. Danzō kept on alert, waiting for Sasuke to reveal himself. His eyes darted from shadow to shadow, trying to find Sasuke in the trees.
Menma grinned and pointed up as Danzō heard a sharp whistle above him. He jerked his head up to briefly see a shadow in front of the moon swoop down out of the sky at him. His head rolled off shortly after.
Ten.
Danzō appeared on the ground in the woods and was just about to rush off when Menma appeared in front of him and stomped on his foot, crushing it. He followed it up with a headbutt that sent Danzō reeling. With two quick flashes of a kunai, the fight was over.
Danzō clutched his covered right eye with pain as his Sharingan had been cut out and let out a grunt of pain as his right arm dropped to the forest floor.
Sasuke landed behind Danzō, his level two seal fading away. He delivered a blow to the back of Danzō's head with his sword hilt, knocking him unconscious.
"I really wish we could beat him to death, but you're probably right. Her plan will work better if she tries and publicly executes him for treason," Sasuke said with a frown.
Menma shrugged and dismissed Kurama. With Danzō out cold his summon wouldn't stick around.
Sasuke tied Danzō up and stood, slinging the man over his shoulder. He rummaged around in a pouch for a moment before pulling out Menma's old headband and holding it out to him. "Let's go home."
Menma stared blankly at the headband without reaching out for it. Sasuke frowned at his hesitation. "Menma..."
"I can't. Not yet," he replied. He looked Sasuke in the eye. "Soon though. I still have business to take care of in Sound. I need to gather up people that are loyal to me and willing to move to Konoha. I also need to do something about those that won't. With Danzō out of the way and Tsunade making him go through a trial it will buy me a little bit more time. I can pose as Orochimaru for a little bit longer and get more of the... unsavory types killed off. I'll triple the Akatsuki bounties. The more of them that get killed off trying to kill Akatsuki the better off we'll all be when they finally realize I really wasn't Orochimaru all along."
"You... will come back, right?"
Menma grinned. "I also need to hunt down someone's older brother, you know. Tell him how his name will be cleared and he'll be welcomed back in Konoha as the hero he is."
Sasuke nodded at him. "Things will finally be set right."
Menma grinned. "All that will be left for your dreams of the future will be restoring the clan. Time to get married and start popping out babies, huh? Maybe some pink-haired Uchiha?"
"Wha- I- you-" Sasuke stuttered as Menma laughed at him.
Menma waved him off. "Whoever you decide on, make sure she's not just after the name, hmm?" He looked at Danzō slung over Sasuke's shoulder. "You'll want to get him back as quickly as possible. The sooner he's in chains in Konoha the less you have to worry about. Who knows if any of his Root puppets are still alive and hiding somewhere."
"Right," Sasuke said. "I'll see you soon, brother." He jumped off into the night headed for Konoha.
Menma looked up at the moon and stretched. "That went surprisingly well, despite how hard he was to take down."
He turned and headed back for Sound. "Now to deal with Sound before everything falls apart..."
(Hidden Location)
Several figures were standing in a cave, all but one of them ethereal.
"Kisame is dead," the only person actually in the cave said.
"How?"
"He attacked Sound, and was defeated by the Kyūbi jinchūriki," Itachi replied.
The ethereal image that was obviously their leader frowned. "Did he get the ring?" Itachi nodded. "Three dead with four of our rings now in his possession." He turned to a strange plant-man. "Is it true that he's sent out his ninja to hunt us down?"
"Yes. We have a copy of their bingo book," the man replied.
"The bounties are quite substantial," Itachi added.
"He is becoming troublesome. When we finish with Kakuzu's and Hidan's jinchūriki I'll have to deal with him," the man said. "They should be returning with their targets soon. Be ready for the ritual."
Itachi watched as the other figures vanished. The last one wore a hooded robe rather than the usual robes with high collars that the others wore. Kakuzu and Hidan were out collecting their targets and he had clearly seen Pein, Konan, and Zetsu. 'A new member?'
The cloak concealed all of the person's features but their height. They were only slightly shorter than he was, but that didn't seem to impact their presence at all. The cloaked figure turned to look at him before fading away.
'That person gives me a very bad feeling.'
He turned and quickly left the cave he was in. He briefly thought of heading to Konoha to see what was going on but changed his mind and headed for Kumo instead. Konoha wouldn't go anywhere and if they were going to pardon him the news would spread like wildfire.
End Chapter 20
A/N:
No rabbits beating people to death here. Danzō's too slimy to get a death during battle. Instead, he'll be executed like a loser. I'll likely have it happen off camera and just have people make passing remarks about it, so don't get your hopes up or anything.
A review mentioned something about setting a cutoff for voting. Rest assured, there will be a cutoff. I'm just not going to tell any specifics about it ahead of time. I don't want to ruin the story. I can say it'll happen in probably a couple chapters or so though, so if you haven't yet, tell me who you want. Also, anonymous voters, sorry, but I can't count yours because I have no way of knowing if you're individuals or one person making multiple votes.
Votes so far:
Karin - 3 (6)
Tayuya - 2 (4)
Ino - 1 (2)
Anko - 1
Isaribi - 1
The numbers are omitting the "x or y" votes. If I add a tally for each name of those votes it's the numbers in parentheses.
Oh yeah, and death 8 was a salute to all those who've played an FPS and died immediately upon respawning. Don't you love that?