I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters.
New Management
Ryuu leaned on the railing and sighed. They had been on the open seas for a day and Ryuu was, understandably, bored as hell. Yugao leaned back against the railing beside her and looked over at him through her mask. She had decided they should keep them on when around anyone so they had yet to take them off except to sleep.
"You can aways run along beside the ship for exercise," Yugao suggested.
"Keeping my Sharingan active is exercise enough," Ryuu stated. "Though, would it really kill any giant man-eating sharks or something to give me a job once in a while?"
"These waters are fairly empty of anything bigger than a tuna," Yugao stated. "The only danger we would face is a school of them jumping onto the ship and sinking it."
"Could be fun for a few minutes though," Ryuu smirked.
Yugao grinned behind her mask, though Ryuu couldn't see it, then sighed and drew her sword.
"Let's spar," she suggested. "It'll give us something to do and it'll kill time."
Ryuu nodded, deactivating his Sharingan and drew his trench knife and a kunai. She slashed at him and he blocked it with the kunai then slashed at her with the trench knife. She jumped back, out of the way then raised her sword just as the ship shook and she stumbled, Ryuu catching her before she could fall.
"Thanks," she said looking around.
The crew was looking over the side that had gone up first so Ryuu and Yugao walked to the other side and looked down. Something was looking back.
"What is that?" Ryuu asked putting away his knives.
"That's a big fist," Yugao breathed. "We may have something to do after all."
They both jumped off the ship, landing a ways away and the "fish" rose to the surface, revealing itself as a barracuda the size of the white snake Orochimaru had returned to life in when he had tried to fight Itachi.
"That thing's huge," Ryuu breathed. "I hope it's not hungry."
It lunged at them, opening its mouth and Ryuu extended and hurled a wooden spike into the roof of its mouth, forming the Ram hand seal. The barracuda screamed in pain, a loud screechy sound, as wood spike impaled its mouth. Unfortunately, the were so small comparatively, that they did little beyond making it mad. It lunged again and this time Ryuu picked up Yugao and leapt into the air as the thing passed under them. They landed on its back and Ryuu set Yugao down forming a Flame Sword.
"I really didn't want to have to do this," Ryuu sighed.
He stabbed the barracuda then extended the blade until it was almost twice as long as the barracuda was wide. Then, he swung his arm up then back down, cutting the thing almost in half. He and Yugao jumped off, running back to the ship and climbing in then looked back at the corpse. The water was bubbling around it as smaller fish, likely piranha, ate it.
"As much as I love exercise, I rescind my request," Ryuu stated. "I just want to get there and find the targets."
Yugao nodded in agreement and they returned to leaning on the railing.
Yugao sat down beside Ryuu on the bench and sighed.
"Nothing," Yugao sighed. "Not a single person here has heard anything about Jinchuriki or bounty hunters, or missing nin."
"You're not asking the right questions," Ryuu stated. "Switch masks with me for a second."
Yugao looked around, making sure no one was looking then traded masks and Ryuu stood, walking over to the nearest person and tapped them on the shoulder.
"Excuse me, do you have the time?" Ryuu asked.
"Oh sure," the man smiled. "It's about ten o'clock."
"You're awfully kind for talking to an ANBU Black Op from an enemy village," Ryuu noted.
"Village rivalry is important during war but pointless outside of it," the man stated. "Besides, I'd rather not make you mad."
"A wise decision," Ryuu nodded. "Tell me, have you heard any rumors about unknown people, probably shinobi, anywhere in the Land of Water that wear black cloaks? Specifically ones with red clouds on them?"
"I don't know anything about red clouds, but there was a shinobi on the northernmost island that supposedly took down a small army of bandits just because they were in his way," the man stated. "He wore a black cloak, I think. It might have just been dark blue though."
"You have my thanks," Ryuu bowed slightly.
He walked back over to Yugao and the two left the small village before swapping masks back.
"So?" Yugao asked.
"Northernmost island," Ryuu stated. "We're going to need something warmer. And I think I'm missing a tattoo, now that I think about it."
"True," Yugao nodded. "I'll give you the tattoo on the way. We'll stop at the next village for cloaks. ANd you'll be wearing this for the rest of the mission. That skull is starting to creep me out."
She held out the same kitsune mask he had almost bought and he laughed, switching masks and giving her the skull. She put it away and they continued to the next village. She bought them both winter cloaks, hers being a dark grey one that looked like the standard ANBU cloak while his was a full length black cloak lined with white fur that showed on the cuffs that he had to roll up and the hood and front of the collar.
"Sorry, they didn't have any more of this type," Yugao apologized.
Ryuu grinned behind his mask and shook his head.
"This thing is warm," Ryuu stated. "I love it."
Yugao smiled behind hers and nodded and they continued to the island.
Ryuu watched the man carefully. He was going from one grave to the next, as the island was apparently a burial site. Finally the man pulled out a shovel and began to dig.
"He's not Akatsuki," Ryuu whispered. "Should we stop him?"
"Probably," Yugao nodded. "Our mission is to investigate the Akatsuki here but the intel came with a description of a man wearing black robes that could take out a group of bandits quickly. Even if not the Akatsuki, this is the man we're looking for."
The man suddenly reached a coffin and pulled out a skull before climbing out of the hole and moving the dirt back into the hole with a pulse of chakra from his hand.
"Let's go then," Ryuu said walking out of the trees. "Hey buddy, I'd like to talk to you if you don't...damn you!"
The man had turned and Ryuu clearly saw and instantly recognized, Kabuto Yakushi.
"Why hello Ryuu," Kabuto smiled. "Nice mask."
"Kabuto," Ryuu growled. "Guess I shouldn't be surprised that it's you. Now I get to repay you for keeping me locked up."
Kabuto turned toward him, spreading his arms welcomingly and Ryuu charged. Ryuu extended then hurled a wooden spike at Kabuto who only narrowly dodged it. Ryuu formed a Chidori and leapt into the air, falling toward Kabuto. Kabuto held his arm out, seven white snakes shooting out of his sleeve at Ryuu. Ryuu spun, severing all of the snakes with the Chidori then held his hand out, extending a Chidori Spear at Kabuto. Kabuto managed to dodge it but the moment Ryuu landed, lightning shot across the ground and hit Kabuto, lighting him up for a moment before launching him away.
"You copied Sasuke's techniques," Kabuto grunted standing. "Shame you can't kill me with that one hit."
"Wasn't trying to," Ryuu growled holding his hand out. "Shall we continue?"
A dozen snakes shot out of Ryuu's sleeve, latching onto Kabuto before he could react. Just as he raised his hand to break free, half of the snakes lit up with lightning and the rest all burst into flames, lighting Kabuto on fire as well. Kabuto shrieked in pain for a moment before falling away as snakes. Ryuu pulled his arm back, the snakes all disintegrating, and turned to his left where the real Kabuto was standing, now free of the cloak. He had on black pants and his glasses but was otherwise free of clothing, revealing the scales covering the majority of his torso and his entire left arm.
"You've been running tests," Ryuu stated.
"I injected myself with Lord Orochimaru's DNA in order to gain his power," Kabuto stated. "He's now a part of me."
Yugao appeared behind Kabuto, slashing his sword and he spun, slashing at her only for her to explode into crows. Kabuto spun around before blood sprayed out of his left side. He staggered to his right and the same thing happened. He growled in frustration and a snake grew from his arm biting him on the neck and freeing him from the Genjutsu just in time for him to catch Yugao's sword and smash her into Ryuu.
"Enough of this," Kabuto growled slamming his hand into the ground. "Summoning Jutsu!"
A coffin rose in front of him and he stepped up beside it as it fell open. Both Yugao and Ryuu stare in shock at the contents. Hayate Gekko stepped out, drawing his sword. His sclerae were black and his irises a pale white but aside from that he looked completely alive.
"What is this?" Ryuu snarled.
"Impure World Reincarnation," Kabuto stated. "I'd love to stick around but my dear Sound Village needs they're leader back. Hayate, kill them."
Then, Kabuto left and Hayate charged. He attacked Yugao first and she blocked the sword before Ryuu kicked him away and placed him under a Genjutsu.
"Is he alive?" Ryuu asked.
"I don't know," Yugao said watching Hayate with a mixture of pain and confusion. "He's obviously being controlled though."
"Yes he is," Ryuu agreed. "What do we do?"
Hayate suddenly stood, charging again. He attacked Ryuu who blocked his first slash with his tanto then shoved Hayate away, slashing him on the sword arm as he did. Hayate stumbled back, the flesh around his wound turning to paper and ash then regenerating, including the clothes.
"He's paper," Ryuu stated. "He's only a puppet now."
"He's still Hayate," Yugao stated. "I...I can't."
"I'll handle him," Ryuu promised. "You just stand clear."
Yugao nodded as Ryuu put his tanto away and extended a wooden spike, breaking it off and hurling it. The moment it neared Hayate, he slashed it out of the air then vanished. Ryuu extended a Flame Sword and spun, slashing at Hayate, who blocked it, becoming visible again.
"You've forgotten Hayate," Ryuu growled. "You taught me that jutsu, and my eyes can see your chakra."
Hayate shoved Ryuu's sword away then leapt backward, creating two clones. They all charged at Ryuu from different sides but Ryuu merely created a clone who destroyed the three clones in front of Ryuu while Ryuu leapt into the air, blocking the real Hayate's sword. The two fought as they fell before Ryuu caught Hayate's arm and flipped over him, kicking him away. He landed on his feet and Hayate stood, picking up his sword again as Ryuu put his Flame Sword out and drew his trench knife and a kunai. Just as he stepped forward, a second coffin shot out of the ground falling open and allowing Fu to step out of it. Ryuu stopped, kunai faling to the ground then sank to his knees as Hayate charged. Yugao blocked his sword but Fu sped past the pair, drawing her kunai with the finger guards, and slashed at Ryuu.
"Ryuu!" Yugao screamed.
He blocked the slash, grabbing his kunai and shoved Fu back then staggered to his feet, stumbling away from the girl. She charged again and they began to fight, Ryuu mostly blocking her attacks and not fighting back, resulting in her having the upper hand and forcing him back toward the edge of the cliff off to one side.
"Ryuu, she's a puppet!" Yugao shouted. "She's gone! You have to stop her!"
"But...she's..." Ryuu failed to speak then received a gash across his stomach.
He fell to the ground, both knives landing beyond his reach, and Fu leapt at him. He closed his eyes and reacted as he should have a while ago.
"Fire style, Dragon Flame Bomb!" Ryuu said, firing the stream of flames into the air over him, wincing as he heard Fu scream.
He opened his eyes and saw her lower body lying a short distance away but just as he stood, her body began to regenerate. Ryuu retrieved her knives as she stood and Yugao landed beside him, a gash on her shoulder proving her own reluctance to fight Hayate.
"I'm going to kill Kabuto for this," Ryuu stated. "That bastard is going to regret using them against us."
Yugao nodded and looked to Ryuu.
"I know," Ryuu nodded. "I'll handle it."
He formed several hand seals and took a shaky breath.
"Fire Style, Searing Migraine!" Ryuu shouted before exhaling a massive wall of flames that all but leveled the graveyard and raised the temperature to somewhere around eighty degrees.
After a moment, both Hayate and Fu regenerated. Before they could attack, however, Fu's irises turned back to their normal color and she gave Ryuu an apologetic look before throwing her kunai into the ound at his feet, then, she spun, tackling Hayate.
"Fu?" Ryuu asked, unsure.
Before anyone could react, two coffins rose out of the ground, falling open and the undead shinobi were pulled into it as iff by invisible chains before the coffins closed and sank into the ground.
"She...she took control," Ryuu breathed.
"Yes, she did," Yugao nodded. "Come on, we need to get back to the Hidden Leaf."