Chapter 21
AN: Wow! Already chapter twenty-one!
With Naruto…
"Again," Okami orders. I pant, trying to control the two chakra tails. I could make them weave but anything more seemed to be impossible. Sai throws rocks at me while I attempt to grab them. Instead the rocks either dissolve or my tails can't grasp them.
"Argh, the journals say I should be able to do this!" In my frustration I fail to notice I'm holding one of the rocks. As soon as I start paying attention to it the rock dissolved.
Konoha….
Kakashi Hatake was in a bad mood. Not only had he abandoned his sensei's son and ignored him, even while the Uchiha cousins of all people trained him, but he then failed to find Naruto when he went missing. Now everyone save a few thought his sensei's son was dead and Kakashi couldn't do anything about it.
He had just gotten back from the Hokage, who gave him a tounge lashing worse than the time Naruto got hurt once while he was on watch duty. Kakashi demanded he be sent to find his supposed to be little brother. The "God of Shinobi" had blandly said that Naruto was on a long term top secret mission and didn't need a man who abandoned him once to suddenly take an interest in him out of guilt and endanger his mission by interfering. Kakashi then made the mistake of trying to call the Hokage's bluff since Naruto couldn't be on a mission. The "Orange menace" of ANBU (try as he might, the genjutsu didn't seem to work and Naruto quickly went back to orange, while becoming somehow more obnoxious.) was not one to be able to handle a covert mission.
Baiting the Hokage was never a good idea. As punishment he was taken out of ANBU to become a jonin-sensei. The only one he wanted to teach was Naruto, but his mistakes made that dream impossible.
With the Hokage…
"Lord Hokage, was it really a good idea to give Kakashi a genin team?" Nezumi, one of his most trusted guards- and best fighter in ALPHA- questioned. The man barely spoke, but when he did Hiruzen Sarutobi always listened.
"Yes, Nezumi, I do. As you recall I've been wanting to take the mask away for years, and teaching will do good for him." Sarutobi said, blowing on his pipe. "Naruto is out of his reach for now but another team could be just as good for him."
"Yes, Lord Hokage," Nezumi bowed, still uneasy with the situation, but his leader was clear.
"Now, I need a report: how is operation pack rat going?" (AN: foreshadowing. Just remember this for some time in the future).
With Naruto…
After practice I stare at the storage scroll that held all my ramen cups in horror before trying again. No. It can't be. I'm out of ramen?! It was true, but I checked yesterday: I had over a hundred left, plenty to last me for the week until D-day, where I would then be treated to an Ichiraku buffet. Suddenly the smell of burning ramen and plastic waif through the air. I follow the scent to see Okami burning ramen-sama. He looks at me, the final cup held above the fire. Over his uniform he wore a shirt that spoke blasphemy: Ramen is not God's gift to man. Kurama. Tails. I must destroy this HEATHEN! Kurama complies without complaint. Okami seems to grin through his porcalin mask as he drops the cup.
Just as the fires of hell lick the bottom of the cup my tail grabs it gently. The other tail picks up my former, now dead sensei, intent on slamming him into the ground. Sai sticks a Bijuu suppression seal on my back just as I lift him up. I collapse at the sudden lack of chakra.
"Good work, my student. You can now control your tails," Okami says over me. I glare at him.
"You killed my ramen. Prepare to die." I move to stand up.
"Oh? Then I guess you don't want to go to Ichiraku's tonight?" Was his light reply. I stop in my tracks. "Lord Hokage was going to let us use hirashin to arrive tonight and let us stay in the mansion for the week. He even opened an unlimited tab for you so that you can have some fun before our job. But, if you love instant ramen soo much more, then I guess I'll just send a hawk and tell him to give the tab to someone else." I hirashin throughout the secluded training ground. Within a minute everything is packed up.
"Hold on, we have four jumps to go!" I stick Angel in my jacket and grab onto Sai and Okami. Sai sighs in resignation but Okami…
"Hold on, you can just take us one at a time! Four bodies is dangerous and"
"No time! Ramen-sama, here I come!"
Four jumps later, Hokage's office…
We appear in a place I haven't been in for three years, using a tag the Hokage had me give him. I barely glance at anything, one thing on my mind.
"Jiji! Glad to see you, now let's go get ramen you promised after letting Okami-baka burn a hundred of my instant cups!" I say, jumping back into my old mask, bouncing up and down. Sniggers can be heard behind me, as both Sai and Okami are collapsed on the floor from the multiple jumps and Angel falls out of my jacket. I turn around. To see thirty ANBU looking at me, Shisui rolling on the floor laughing in his captain's cloak.
"Oh, he didn't! He just called the infamous "Demon's bane Okami" a baka!" Most of the other captains face palm while many regular ANBU can't help but show various signs of amusement. Okami sits up unsteadily and seems to glare behind his mask.
"Watch what you call me, or we'll play hide and explode for the next week." I pale slightly and start bowing in apologies. Some of Okami's men hidden in the room (and the captains who had to train with him) winced in sympathy. Hide and explode was a variation on the children's game where the area would be riddled with pressure sensitive kunai, exploding traps and clones and you had to avoid them all for an hour. Mess up once and the timer resets.
"Please no! Last time it took sixteen hours for me to win!" Shisui snorts at my pathetic record.
"I wouldn't be laughing, Uchiha. If I remember correctly the last time we played you took ten hours to win while Naruto-who's ten, by the way- is on his way to beating your time. By the time he's twelve I'd say he'll only take an hour." Silence permeated the room as even the Hokage's mouth dropped open. Even the Hokage was shocked by that record, it seems. I preen a little at the praise. "Of course, I could do it at eleven, but twelve is alright too." Okami adds. My form twitches as the jab hits.
You walked right into that one Kit! Kurama roars in laughter.
"Naruto, mind telling me why you risked blowing your cover just to get ramen early? If it had been anyone but my ANBU in here… and Okami was supposed to tell you to come tonight!" The Hokage interrupts the moment. I slip into being
"Jiji! It's not "just ramen!" It's ramen-sama, get it right! And if you wanted me to wait then this guy," I point to Okami accusingly, "Should never break Life's most sacred rule."
"Oh? And what rule is that, Naruto? What sacred rule have you learned while away?" A crow masked ANBU-obviously Itachi-nii-asked. I stare at the non-believer. "That burning ramen is paramount to treason. Nobody messes with my ramen!" The Third Hokage puts his head in his hands.
"Are all Uzumaki's obsessed with ramen?" I look at him strangely.
"Of course not! Ren, she's obsessed with poisons and sharp things." Everyone seems to pale at this, the thought of an Uzumaki completely enthralled by killing devices.
"Let me rephrase that: are all Uzumakis completely nuts?!"
"Of course, Jiji. The stronger you are, the crazier you are. Just look at Gai. And everyone knows the Uzumakis were the strongest clan before three armies ganged up to wipe them out, ten of them dying for every Uzumaki." Nobody seems to be able to comment on that, for Gai was the strangest-yet one of the strongest- shinobi they had, and the Uzumaki's did have a… colorful history.
"Achem, thank you for the entertainment, Naruto. Since you're here, would you three like to sit in on the meeting, seeing as you and Sai are key parts?" I nod and walk over to stand next to Itachi and Shisui, my serious mood back. Ramen could wait. Sai, after picking himself up, stands at attention with me. Some look at us weird, as if wondering what two ten year olds could do. Angel, after becoming quite attached to Okami over the last month or so as he taught her advanced tracking, settled herself on his shoulder. No one dared to laugh at the stoic man with a "kitten" draped around himself as he stood behind the Hokage, in fear of incurring his ire.
"Excuse me, Hokage-sama, but what can two ten year olds do, especially the orange menace?" One ANBU, the Boar masked one that never liked me, asked. Sai stiffened slightly at the insult but I held his shoulder, I would not rise to the bait. I haven't enjoyed wearing orange in years and only kept wearing it before I left for my mask. If they didn't want to let go of the past that was their problem.
"I have to agree, Hokage-sama. Is he here because he can use the hirashin to carry people? Lord knows he's too weak and short to do anything else." Another ANBU pipes in. My hand drops from Sai's shoulder. Must not kill ANBU. Must not hurt loyal Konoha ninjas. As I contemplate ways to make the dreaded short comments stop- I've grown two inches! I'm not a midgit- Shisui's hand ruffles my hair. I glance up but he's not looking at me but at the ANBU behind us, his Sharingon eyes spinning behind his mask.
"Don't you dare insult my little brother, especially when you all know what he's accomplished. You've heard from the Hokage about his alter ego being a key player in Kiri's bloodline rebellion. You've read the Bingo books from Kumo and Suna listing him as a high B, low A ranked bounty hunter, with a large bounty to be captured alive for his skills. If the Hokage and three other nations recognizes his worth, what right do you have to question it? Hn." And with that he turns back around to me. "Plus, the only ones who can pick on my little brother's height are me and Itachi." The moment of gratitude I felt towards him disappears instantly. Well, at least it wasn't a ramen nickname.
"Okay, Naruto. Why don't you tell us what your little spy has found? Are the preparations in order?"
Underneath the Forest of Death, ROOT base…
Danzo Shimura normally never smiled, but this was one of the exceptions. His greatest achievement kneeled in front of him, her red hair and fox ears unmoving. Ren Uzumaki was truly a gem to be found. One of Orochimaru's escaped experiments apparently, she was more animal than human, his prized pet. Why Orochimaru lost her he didn't know, but the girl was his now, and she had become unquestionably loyal. With the proper training the past seven months she had risen in the ranks, becoming one of his most trusted-and strongest- agents. And she was only five! Oh yes, soon she would be ready. Once he trapped the jinjuriki in his grasps then Konoha would be his to shape… for its own good, of course.
"Rise, my pet. You have done well, and next week you and Hikari will have a final test in front of the entire ROOT." There was not a twitch at the name, and her face remained impassive. Danzo couldn't help but pat her head. Again no reaction. Good. It had taken time but now nothing could get a reaction out of her.
Remember the training. Can't kill him, attacking would ruin the plans. I can't kill him. Ren repeated this mantra inside her head as she continued looking like a doll.
Heh, such violent thoughts, kitten.
Angel?! How the heck are you in range?
The midget ramen freak had the audacity to bring us here early for his favorite dish.
Why am I not surprised. At least I have you to talk to. I've missed you.
Ren cut the connection to gaze obediently at Danzo's feet. The mummy was not aware that in six days at the beginning of her "test" the Hokage and the ANBU would be cleaning out the hallways of Danzo's loyal men while Naruto swept through setting the "chain" in place. As soon as the "chain" activated all the kids that sided with Ren would swarm the senior agents. The Hokage would take on Danzo and the ANBU would provide back up. Just six more days of this.
"Continue working on your Mokuten. I will send Rei for your Kenjutsu lessons tonight. Dismissed." Ren nods.
"Yes, Danzo-sama." It was amazing how arrogant the man was. So paranoid but when given a prize he would overlook the minor things. That would be his downfall.
At the underground training area Ren used for Mokuten training- however slow that training went- she passed by Hikari.
"Minion," Ren's word caused the girl who-despite being half her age- was almost an inch taller, to stiffen
"Y-yes, Ren-sama?" The girl knew Ren was older than her and that she could kill her in an instant if she didn't behave. Not that Ren would, but the perceived threat was there.
"The zoo will be in town in six days. We can go get ice cream afterwards. Spread the word." Hikari's eyes lit up slightly. The "zoo" was the Hokage and the ANBU while "ice cream" was what she wanted to go eat when they were free. Ren wasn't lying to her then, she would be free soon!
"That would be acceptable, Ren…nee-chan." Ren jolted at the change. She quickly swatted the girl's head and continued walking, making sure not to show her sudden blush of happiness.
Six days later, Naruto…
I whiz through the underground passages, completing my special task. The Hokage had issued the warrant officially for Danzo's death after "he" ordered the bombing of the senior Uchiha council. Itachi was "supposed" to be there but was "running late," and had to watch the building burn. The Uchiha were out for blood, and they would get it.
Even if it was the wrong blood.
Tag after tag is thrown at the walls as I follow behind an ANBU squad. Clones went to do the same with other squads. A pulse rings on my wrist and let Itachi, who's the captain of the squad, know.
"It's Ren. Everyone's ready."
"Hn. We'll be done in five minutes with our passage, and the other squads should be the same. Will your role be complete by then?" He never looks back as his squad either takes out or subdues every ROOT agent they come across-all adults and teens. The children and newly inducted were in the "arena" to watch Ren, Danzo's personal favorite at the moment, complete her test. Once the caos started the ROOT agents would funnel through the passages, where a rather nasty surprise awaited them.
"Yes. Once my clones dispel I will start my second task."
Arena…
Silence rang through the air, as two warriors gazed at eachother. They were just informed only one would survive. Ren stared impassively while Hikari started crying.
With a thud of his staff Danzo Shimura started his pet's induction test, not noticing the scroll in his pocket that had all the curse mark indicators was becoming less populated as the agents sent to guard the halls dropped like flies.
Kunai clashed in midair before two identical tanto blades glimmer in the dull cavern. Just then a chakra released explosive tag tuned into Naruto's chakra explodes on the sealing. Hikari looks towards at Danzo, who was already giving orders as the young rebelled in too great a wave to be controlled and the Hokage's ANBU swarm in. The girl jumps next to the old warhawk and kneels submissively.
"What are you doing? Go and squash this uprising." Danzo demanded. Hikari lifted her head.
"Boom". She said. And with that an overpowered exploding clone- a jutsu taught to Ren by Danzo- rang out in the cacophony of war.
Outside Konoha, backroad…
Ren's clone jerks up at the sudden memory and laughs lightly. She knew he lived through it, but still. Glancing at the girl riding on Angel's back next to her she smiles. Technically Ren shouldn't be wasting chakra to make clones-especially an exploding clone of her minion or one of herself to take said minion to safety- or having Angel assist her, but it didn't matter.
"Don't worry. I know of a safe town over the border in the Land of Iron. A samurai there is a contact for the Fox clan and will take you in."
"Why are you doing this?" Hikari was confused, even more so as Ren-well, her clone anyway- unsealed an ice cream cone and let her eat it. Ren was always unforgiving and harsh, plus all ROOT agents were to be taken in by Konoha and made into ninjas.
"Heh. I couldn't let my little sister get hurt, could I? You hate being a ninja, your journal talked about you wanting to own a tea shop: well, this samurai will let you enroll in the trade school there."
"Really?"
"Yes, minion, really. Now hang on we have to speed up if we're going to get there before I dispel."
Outside ROOT base, right before signal…
I sit down in the middle of my seal array. My masterpiece- a truly horrible seal matrix really- was entrapped around me. Clones of me were now set up in the cavern, ready to assist the ANBU and the evacuations. The signal, the start of the match, goes off and one clone's dispel informs me. I take a deep breath. Running through hand seals at a fast but even pace, a one-hundred piece chain is complete.
"Uzumaki sealing: links of cutoff!" And with a glow, my task is complete as long as I keep the chakra flow even in the circular pattern surrounding me.
The Links of Cutoff would block anyone's chakra linked to Danzo's curse seal from being accessed in the barrier, which was linked by tags a set distance apart. If one tag was set wrong, the whole chain fell.
Now I just had to sit here and make sure my chakra stayed even. A shuriken comes hurling towards my head. I duck under before one of the ANBU assigned to my protection kills the ROOT agent, no doubt one of the many sleepers signaled by Danzo when the assault started. A bead of sweat rolls down as I continue the chakra stream. Cursing, I notice six more ROOT in the trees above me.
This was going to be a long night.
END! What, you didn't think Naruto would only have a support roll, right? And who will finally get the drop on Danzo? Or will he slip away? Find out later.