Chapter 25
Organization...
Something lurched inside of you as you quickly snapped your eyes open. You quickly sat up and looked around to see where your cloak and sword were. You didn't care how, where, or why you were feeling this way, you had to get out of here now. You finally saw them and then swiftly left the room.
You quickly found the exit without anybody noticing you, so, you felt a relief fall over you. When you reached the outside, you felt something hot rush through your body. The summer's night wasn't as cold as it was supposed to be. The humidity gave the air a sticky feeling like you could just grab it with your own fingers.
You knew that you were not asleep for that long then. The last thing you remember was fainting in Itachi's arms. You hoped that he didn't go through much trouble all for you. You slowly walked over to a boulder that was nearby. You jumped onto it and crossed your legs. Placing your elbows onto your knees. Your eyebrows furrowed in frustration.
'What's happening to me...?' You thought as you twiddled with your fingers and went through the possible answers in your head. But none of them seem logical.
You sighed in defeat of your own self. "What am I going to do...?" You whispered to yourself.
You didn't expect an answer, but only the wind was your comfort as it glided across your skin.
'More importantly...' You started to think. 'What about Itachi-kun?'
You felt your heart practically jump within your chest as you said his name. What was this feeling that you felt for him? Was it—no... It couldn't possibly be that... You couldn't do that. He's incapable of such a thing isn't he? What if he didn't feel that way about you? What if he didn't return the feeling? Who knows...?
You sighed again. Why were you even here? You were just a burden to everyone else in this organization. You didn't really do anything. The training might have helped over the year, but what was it for? Just for killing time or something?
You hopped of the boulder and clenched your fists.
'Leader-dono said something about Kyuubi...' You thought as you started to walk away.
"Then let's go find that Kyuubi..." You said quietly as you felt the wind pick up violently. You hair swayed violently in the wind. Your eyes felt like chakra was going to them. You didn't understand why, you didn't care why. You wanted to be useful, and, now was the time to do it...
As you finally saw the gates of Konoha, two guards were standing watch. You assumed that they were there in case any intruders came. The gates were closed, the only thing to do was go over right? Oh well, you didn't want to waste anything, so you just walked over to the guards. Your chakra kept building in your eyes. What was happening? You saw the people so clearly through the fog. And you felt some power rushing through you. Whatever it was... you loved it...
"Hey! Who are you and what is your purpose here?" One of the guards said.
Only two of them were in the way, you needed to erase the still kindness in your heart. Was this the only way...? You quietly walked passed them with your head bowed so that it would show your face. Your eyes now closed.
"Hey! I said—
But he trailed off as you looked at him. The color of his skin, his lips lost all of its blood, and his eyes were now practically pale. You watched the man fall down to the ground in utter death.
'Did... I do that?' You thought as the frown on your face remained. You slightly turned your head the other way to the other guard. You couldn't let anybody live if Leader said that Konoha trusted you. You grabbed your hat that was inside your cloak and put it on your head. It was time for the predator to hunt...
You looked around. Figures, no-one was out. But why would they be if it's at least 3 in the morning? You smirked to yourself and looked at a picture that Leader gave to you in previous meetings with the rest of the Akatsuki.
"This is the Kyuubi, the nine tails" Leader said as he handed out three pictures to Itachi, you and Kisame. The other Akatsuki members got other pictures of other tailed beast as well.
You looked at the picture with interest. But something in your head gave to a sever pain. You touched your head lightly. A little used to the pain in your head. You didn't want anybody to notice. You had some connection to this boy, you knew it.
"But... there is one problem..." Leader said, his voice serious. "Orochimaru has been targeting the nine tails for some unknown reason. Let's just assume right now that he wants him out of the equation for us. So we can't have the tailed beast's power.
"But, if we can all do this together, once Yuzuki-chan's strength has returned to her, then we shall invade the Sound country. This time... we'll all erase THEM from the equation..."
'That's why he wants me to train with Itachi-kun...' You thought as you slightly glanced at Itachi.
"Now, once we get to Orochimaru's hideout, there is one specific item we need back..." Leader started to say again. You listened with great intensity, like if you didn't hear this, then you'd die. "We need our ring back. There is too much of a risk that he could infiltrate our hideout with his shinobi. We will take out that chance of him coming; we don't need that pathetic creature slithering around our terrain...
"Now, the first thing we need to think of is a plan. I've already got one, but... Yuzuki-chan... What do you think...?" Leader said.
Your head slowly perked up. Your impassive eyes looked at him with such intensity that you felt as if he was uncomfortable. In your mind you thought of a quick plan, it might have been a little wordy, but, it was for the best.
You seemed to take longer than you thought, because a silver-blonde figure interrupted your thoughts.
"We need your plan today Yuzuki-chan..." Hidan said.
You glared at the man and he seemed to understand which made him shut up instantly.
"I suggest that we take this in steps. We can have how ever many we need, but, we do need to limit it so we can have what we want faster.
"I think that stage one of our plan should be money. When reach the proper amount, which can be decided later, we can go to stage two, a money capital—
Someone interrupted you with a huge burst of laughter. The laughter belonged to Kakuzu.
"How do you expect to make a money capital?!" Kakuzu said in between laughs.
"You don't get it do you?" You asked with an annoyed voice, your voice stern though which made his laughter cease.
"If we can make money AS a capital, then, we have the upper hand." You started out again as you folded your hands together and placed your elbows on the table so that you could rest your chin upon your head without leaning down.
"This is a smart choice, go on Yuzuki-chan. If you actually listen to what she is saying Kakuzu, then you will understand!" Leader said, his voice rising with every word that he said.
"Yes, but how is it any different?" Kakuzu asked. "If we have money, what's the difference between that and money as a capital?"
"It's called income Kakuzu. The 'five great countries' each have a feudal lord am I not correct? Well, they also serve as a huge piece of it. The shinobi of those countries are not there just for looks and don't show there strength until war. They do missions from ranking D to S. D and C being for academy students, such as picking potatoes or watching kids, or for C, escorting. C and B for Chunin, escorting or protecting someone fore either one. B and A for Jonin, doing special missions such as assassination or protecting a royal. And S for ANBU, the hardest missions, trying to stop us for example. You should know that out of all people." Your voice was stern as you spoke as you looked out into nothingness.
"But also," You continued. "The shinobi there just don't do it for free. They get paid by the person or persons who asked them to do it. And, it also depends who the person is. Why the person is doing it. Where the person is asking it to be done. What is it that they will be doing. That is going to depend on the income of the shinobi who are going to do the mission. The money ranging from 3,000 ryo to 1,000,000,000 ryo. The people who request these missions can come from one of the alliance countries, rarely opposing ones.
"Now, what do you think happens when two countries decree a treaty of peace and desire to join forces?" You asked.
"They help each other with the economy, un." Deidara said.
"Exactly. But, there will be conflicts, such as with the trading and or money. Sooner or later they will come to an agreement, so, the outcome will be decided how internal or external it is. External meaning that there will be small battles here and there throughout the countries, such as Chunin, maybe Jonin. If it is internal, then most likely it has a higher chance of fighting. That's why there is such a thing as war."
"So, what is your main plan Yuzuki-san?" Kisame asked as he touched his Samehada, reassuring himself that he could cut anybody here to ribbons with a mere wave of his sword.
"What I'm trying to get at, is that if you can control the economy, then you control the village. And, I'm sure..." You said as you looked at Leader. "That what Leader wants is for us to rule all of the villages, am I not correct?"
You figured that Leader smirked by his remark. "Such a smart girl for her age. No wonder you graduated to ANBU at the age of 7.
"You all know that shinobi exits for battle. The piece of they're 'reward', as Yuzuki-san explained earlier, is that they get paid for putting there lives on the line to protect and carry out the mission. The 'five great countries' still try and get along, besides Sound. They still aren't that bad. All of the countries are large, and, Fire being the largest has the most trust in them. The people from the surrounding countries still try and make a peace treaty with them. Sometimes working out, sometimes not. Fire is in alliance with Rice, Tea, Water, and Sand. Two of these major countries such as Sand. All of the villages are large and they have trust in every one of them. The contracts fly between the countries like birds. They want to make sure that they will uphold their village at whatever it takes. But, unlike the larger countries, such as Rice, Tea, and Water, that can't be just. Keeping peace takes a large amount of organization and money. Especially in the times for war, but, depending on how desperate they are from the war, they either lower or raise the taxes. But, if they don't have any money, how can they uphold their economy?" Leader started to say. Everyone knew the answer, but did not dare to interrupt. "Putting it short, sweet, and to the point, not trying to mince words, they can't."
"And that's where the Akatsuki comes in..." Sasori said quietly, his impassive voice in monotone.
"Exactly..." Leader said.
"When we have no allegiance to any country, and, considering how powerful we are, not only in strength, but also the mind, we can defeat all in out way..." Kisame said.
"But... that's not our objective at the moment..." Leader said.
"Our real motive is to get clients to come to us, and we shall provide them with what they want and when the need it." Hidan said.
"Accruing the amount of power we can create an emaciated organization that the bellicose need that the small countries need." You said. "The more countries we 'fraternity' with, the more that will likely to call us in a situation. Furthermore, taking advantage over that, we can control the market of war, even if we don't have to fight, taking on all wars with trifling amounts of money at a time.
"Also, when we control the tailed beasts, we will be able to cause more conflict, making the countries come to for help even more. We will be irresistible to the villages council, we will control the politics of war as well as the skirmishing, by then, when will have established a monopoly.
"These are only two stages, they might be long. But I would rather them be long and tedious than running up and ruining things. I'm sure I know what Leader-dono wants for the third stage..."
"Once we have completed stage two of your plan, then the shinobi council, the system, and economy will collapse. All countries will have to rely on us. And... What's sweeter than world domination...?" Leader said slyly.
'Of course... figures...' You thought as you leaned back in your chair.
"I must say Yuzuki-chan... I didn't know that you were THAT smart. I knew you were smart, but, this is just pure brilliance, how did you come up with this, mine is much similar..." Leader said as he looked at you, his fiery, red eyes staring straight at you.
You smirked from behind your cloak collar. "Like you said... 'What's sweeter than world domination'...? So... is that why you had Itachi-kun train me through the year?"
"Hai, you might have gotten a little rusty over the year you were asleep. That's why we had to brush up on that. When we also raid Orochimarus place you'll need your strength there."
"I see...sound's promising...what about the Kyuubi though?" You asked.
"It is still our top mission, but, getting back that ring, and erasing some of the Otonin from the scene will help immensely. We would like to get the Kyuubi though, as well as the rest of the tailed beast. Sasori and Deidara will be going after the one-tailed beasts. We have to go in the order, as Kisame described. If we don't, then the statue that we put the demon power in will explode." Leader explained.
"Souko..." You said silently. "Sumimasan..."
You quietly stood up and then walked out of the room. You knew what to do. But, first, before anything else, you needed to back there. You needed to get 'him'. And, see if 'he' was still there... Hopefully, while you had been asleep, and trained with Itachi, that nothing too bad would have happened. You wondered, you being 18, Kakashi would now be 26, Naruto would be 15, as well as Sakura and Sasuke. How was Sasuke? You hoped that he was alright and didn't do anything too bad while you were gone. But, you needed to find out soon. So, you set off to Konohagakure...
What was it that made you dislike what you were going to find out? You didn't know. You closed your eyes, hoping that sleep would overtake you, but it didn't. You wondered why. But, sooner than you expected, the sun came over the horizon. You looked down, you knew the one place that Kakashi would be. But, what would he think of you? You couldn't wear your Akatsuki cloak; that would give away your cover, so, you decided that you would take it off. You left the cloak and hat on the branch that you were trying to sleep on.
You jumped off to the K.I.A stone. The one place, you knew where he would be...