Chapter 55: Fire Shadow
Three days out of Tanzaku Samui started picking up the pace of their journey north and east towards the Land of Lightning. Karui and Omoi seemed to welcome the more robust pace, while Killer B kept his peace as he had since their journey began. Tenten didn't complain; she'd been mostly recovered from her taste of B's lightning after the first day, but she'd played up her aches and weariness afterward. The more time she bought for the rest of the Akatsuki to get in position, the better. She kept an eye and ear out constantly, trusting that she'd be given some kind of signal before the attack started.
Sometimes Tenten walked with Samui, and they talked about diverse topics; history – written and unwritten – small unit tactics, differences between the villages, thought puzzles and more. Tenten was impressed by the blonde's keen wit. She said 'cool' far too much, and had some odd notions about fate and destiny, but overall Tenten found that she had a lot in common with the Cloud jounin. Like her, Samui hadn't started off with a clan's backing, and she'd worked for everything she had; being Killer B's star pupil had brought Samui to the Raikage's attention and made her his favored 'problem solver' on a variety of issues despite her relative youth.
Other times Tenten walked with Karui, and those were quieter stretches. The feisty crimson-haired kunoichi was capable of being a loudmouth, especially around people she'd just met, but Tenten was surprised to discover that Karui was equally comfortable being quiet and fading into the background when surrounded by people she knew well and could relax around. It made Tenten a bit sad to realize Karui had put her in that category, because she didn't deserve it.
Tenten still spent her evenings with Omoi, and as she 'improved' they got to the point where she could utilize more of her actual skill and hold her own against him. Killer B joined in those lessons as well some nights, and Tenten looked forward to that, because on those nights she learned a lot. The jinchuuriki of the Hachibi was good. He didn't bother with his bijuu's tentacles or multiple blades, because he didn't need them. B was the most adept blade master Tenten had ever met. In terms of simple skill with the sword, Tenten concluded after a few lessons that he surpassed any of the Akatsuki. She wasn't sure if he was purely stronger on all fronts, but his blade work exceeded theirs.
B talked with her about other things sometimes, too, when they travelled. At first Tenten had worried that he'd ask about her past, and she'd have to find answers that wouldn't incriminate her or alert the Hachibi. But B seemed to have taken her at her word that her past was something she had left behind her. He didn't inquire further and always called her 'Naegi', even when they were alone. His trust made her feel a little worse about herself every time he displayed it. Even if she knew as a practical matter that much of his nonchalance was due to the fact that she wasn't a threat to him, it still made her feel guilty to know that whatever regard he had for her was unearned.
"You're a smart woman, Naegi. I'm sure you understand what my brother will want from you if he agrees to take you into Kumogakure. Samui's too tactful to be blunt, but A won't be."
Tenten nodded agreeably. "He'll expect not only my service but unquestioning obedience even when I wind up with the missions that seem irrelevant or that no one else wants, probably for years until I've established trust beyond a shadow of a doubt."
"Beyond that, there will be other requirements."
"Of course; I'll also be expected to marry – likely into a favored clan or to a promising shinobi of his choosing – and produce heirs to inherit my kekkei genkai," Tenten replied.
B glanced at her. "You say that so matter-of-factly. It doesn't bother you?"
"I'm not opposed to having a family, B-sama," Tenten told him truthfully. Kami, I miss the one I already have. "Being taken into a village offers many things to a homeless-nin. Allies, easier access to paying clients, the prospect of actually being able to retire someday without having to worry about being hunted…"
"Even knowing your children will walk the same path of violence and blood that you have?"
Tenten shrugged. "Kekkei genkai are almost always dominant traits. Regardless of what I do, any child of mine will inherit the Steel Release. They'll have to learn to use it or fall prey to those who would take advantage of them. If I join Kumogakure, my children will have access to skilled teachers, and hopefully a good jounin sensei to watch over them as they grow. It's more than I could offer them by myself, and they'd still live lives of danger." Tenten glanced at B. "That's something you should understand better than most, B-sama. After all, it's not as if a jinchuuriki can put away his weapons and just be a musician, either."
B didn't respond immediately, and for a moment, Tenten worried she'd made the point too fine. But B nodded at last. "You're right. Choice is often an illusion. Does accepting that bring you peace, Naegi?"
"Peace?" Tenten repeated reflectively. "I don't know if I'd call it that. But acceptance at least keeps the regrets manageable. There's joy to be found in every path of life, even a shinobi's. I've always tried to focus on that. If I dwelt on the pain I'd go mad, and be of no use to myself or anyone else."
B said something in response, but Tenten tuned it out, because the birdsong drifting out of the trees had changed, and her ears picked up a familiar pattern. It was an odd affectation of Tobi's, using bird calls as signals. He was good at it, and Tenten had learned to recognize the ones he'd taught her even if she couldn't replicate them. A quick glance around showed her that none of the others were particularly wary; they kept an eye out for threats as a matter of reflex, but none of them was expecting trouble.
Too bad; trouble is here. Tenten drifted back from B to walk near Samui, Karui and Omoi as she heard Tobi's 'ready' signal', and casually brought her hands together, letting her sleeves fall over them to disguise their movement as she formed signs. "Doton: Ishi no Keimusho [Stone Jail]," Tenten whispered. In a fifteen meter circle around her and the Cloud trio, the ground fell away and they fell.
Omoi and Karui were startled by the movement and focused on their landing, but Samui reacted faster, turning as she fell and extending a hand with two fingers. Tenten saw the blonde forming a lightning jutsu that would burn clean through her, but before it hit Tenten, they hit bottom. The three Cloud ninja landed hard on the stone floor of the pit, while Tenten plunged into it as cleanly as a diver into a pool, sinking into the cool, dark stone below, the lightning bolt passing harmlessly over her head. She could 'feel' the three of them rushing to climb the walls of the pit, but she closed the stone over their heads save for a number of finger-width tubes to the surface so the prison wasn't airtight. All three were lightning specialists; they'd be able to blast their way out but it would take time, and time was all Tobi had asked for.
Tenten rose to the surface slowly and when she emerged B was facing the tree line by the side of the road, where Tobi had emerged with the Six Paths of Pein at his back. The jinchuuriki had his swords out and his chakra swamped the area.
"Glad to see you didn't try to hurt them, Tenten," B murmured. "You don't seem like a bad sort for an Akatsuki; would have hated to kill you."
"You knew?" Tenten asked in surprise. One of the Paths tossed her a dark bundle. She slung her Akatsuki cloak around her shoulders before slipping on her white mask and 'gen' ring.
"I'm not quite that oblivious," B replied. "Besides, you've taken the first seven bijuu. My number was up. I'd have to be blind not to know this was coming."
"So you've accepted your fate, B of Kumogakure?" The Deva Path inquired. "It would make this simpler."
B snorted. "I don't believe in fate, zombie. I'm not interested in fighting you, Tenten or your one-eyed friend, but I'm not going to let you kill me; if you start something I'll finish it. This doesn't have to come down to killing, however. I'd be more interested in meeting the founder of the Akatsuki. There's something we need to discuss."
The Deva Path spread his hands calmly. "I am Pein. I founded the Akatsuki."
B laughed. "No you didn't," he said confidently. "I'm not interested in you, rinnegan wielder. You're every bit as much a puppet as those dead bodies you're piloting. I want to talk to the man who gave you those eyes."
Tenten expected a quick denial, but instead both Tobi and Pein went silent, and when she looked at them, they were startled. "What is he talking about?" Tenten asked suspiciously.
Pein didn't answer her, or even look her way. "Even if that were true, why would I bring you before such a person? There is no need. We know your power, Killer B, and it will not save you."
"Three reasons," B growled. "First, you'll take me to your master because he owes me some answers. More to the point, he owes Gyuki answers."
"Second?" Tobi voiced the query, his voice not playful or light at all.
"You may have beaten the others before me, but I can say without pride that I'm stronger than any of them. Maybe you can take me with those legendary eyes, but maybe you can't. Why take the risk?"
"Third?" The Deva Path inquired.
"You should have waited to attack until we were in the Land of Lightning. Here, we're not all that far from the Cave of the First Life. Even if you can take me down, I'll hit it with a bijuudama before you do," B threatened quietly. "That would set your cause back quite a bit, I think."
Tobi flickered. One instant he was beside Pein, the next he was behind B and thrusting his blade at the jinchuuriki's neck. One tentacle-gripped sword moved to block it. Tobi's blade passed through B's, but another tentacle thrust its sword through Tobi's chest. Prevented from solidifying, Tobi's sword passed through B's neck without cutting him, and the jinchuuriki spun away gracefully despite his size. "Back off; your tricks don't scare me."
"Tobi, enough," Pein commanded.
"No one makes that threat and lives," Tobi growled, angrier than Tenten had ever heard the cheerful man. "No one!"
"His threat was an idle one," Pein replied. "He knows he would die in the attempt."
"Do I?" B shot back.
"What is he talking about?" Tenten asked again. Why does it feel like B knows more about the Akatsuki than I do?
Pein studied the standoff between Tobi and B before glancing at Tenten. He sighed and shook his head. "Years ago Sasori explained to you what we intended to do with the bijuu once we had all nine."
"He did, but he didn't say anything about someone else above you calling the shots."
"That is because he does not know. In truth, the process he described to you has already begun."
"You're joking…" Tenten said faintly. She'd had enough trouble processing the Akatsuki's grand plan in the abstract. To hear that it was already in motion…
Pein shook his head. "It started as soon as we claimed the first bijuu. The Cave of the First Life is where they are being grown, and the… individual who resides there is key to their completion. I did not lie to you or the others; I lead the Akatsuki. He first envisioned our great work and entrusted it to me."
"So it's true…" those words came from B. "I didn't want to believe when Gyuki told me his theory, but it's all true."
"I do not know what the Hachibi did or did not tell you, Killer B, but I will agree to your request."
"Pein!" Tobi protested.
The Deva Path held up a hand. "Understand that if you attempt to harm my sensei, not only will you fail, but you will die in the attempt." Chakra pulsed from the Six Paths strongly enough to push back B's aura, their eyes glowing purple. Tenten found just breathing suddenly took effort, so potent was Pein's presence.
B sheathed his blades and crossed his arms. "Agreed."
"This is a mistake, Pein," Tobi growled.
"Possibly, but our master trusts me to make these decisions. Take us to him." Pein glanced at Tenten. "Tenten as well; perhaps more than any of the Akatsuki save Itachi, she will understand why this secret was kept even from our own once she stands in the Cave."
Before Tenten could answer, the world warped around her in response to Tobi's power. When the swirling vortex faded, the country road was empty save for the repeated 'thumps' of lightning striking rock below its surface.
In Hozuki-jo [The Blood Prison], time passed slowly. It was a prison for the most dangerous of shinobi criminals; individuals who would escape any other prison as easily as breathing; people whom their own villages didn't want to keep around.
Different prisoners passed the time in different ways. Yakushi Kabuto spent much of his time reading. The prison's library was well-stocked, and prisoners who didn't make trouble could request loans from the even larger library from the capital of the Land of Grass, half a day's journey away. Kabuto had that privilege and made use of it. He hadn't made waves and didn't harass the guards, so he was by most accounts a model prisoner. He'd only been in one fight since being sentenced to the prison, and that was when he put down his cell block's resident 'tough guy' a few days after arriving. He hadn't used any chakra to trigger the seal carved into his body by the warden Mui, hadn't even hurt the man in question very badly; he'd just done it to establish himself as someone better left alone.
Kabuto hadn't had any visitors since his arrival; Root had dragged everything they wanted out of him before he was sent away to Hozuki-jo. He suspected that the Hokage would have preferred to hang him, but after the debacle of Tenten's rescue from her execution someone on the Village Council had decided to just get rid of him. So when a guard came to his cell and informed him that he had an appointment with an interrogator, he marked his place in his book and followed the man without comment. Privately, he wondered. Who would come to see him here? Only someone with the approval of the Hokage's office would be able to request his presence, so it probably wasn't a friend.
Kabuto got his answer when he was ushered into the interrogation room. There were two men present, both a decade and a half his senior. The first was a tall, gaunt blond man with a deeply lined face. Kabuto noted that Yamanaka Inoichi seemed thinner and more worn than the last time he'd seen the clan patriarch. In fact, he looked to have aged years in the space of months. Kabuto was a keen observer of people, and looking at Inoichi he could tell that the older man was… somehow less than he had once been.
By contrast, Inoichi's companion looked the same as he usually did. Nara Shikaku was the same age as Inoichi, and more heavily scarred. But of the two, he now seemed by far the more vital. Shikaku's face never gave much away, but Kabuto could sense a slow, simmering anger that he'd never before felt in the presence of the Nara Clan's leader.
"I seem to be in august company," Kabuto murmured once he had been shackled to his chair and the guards had left. "To what do I owe the honor, revered clan leaders?"
Shikaku glanced at Inoichi. The blond man didn't speak, didn't even appear to be paying attention to the other two people in the room. The Nara sighed and shook his head. "We need to find Hyuuga Tenten," Shikaku said bluntly.
Ah. So that's it. "Last I'd heard she wasn't a Hyuuga anymore," Kabuto murmured. "Didn't the clan disown her?"
"Semantics," Shikaku said. "We still need to find her."
"I'm afraid I can't tell you anything I didn't tell Root," Kabuto replied, "and that's little enough. I was not so highly placed in Akatsuki as Tenten. Members contacted me, not the other way around." That was not entirely true; the seal hidden in his mind had connected him to Sasori, but his master had closed that connection from the other end when he was captured.
"I know what you told your interrogators," Shikaku said evenly. "But I also know that you're a smart man, Kabuto. If you wanted to get back in touch with the Akatsuki, you'd find a way."
"Perhaps I could, were I not serving a life sentence and were my chakra not sealed away." Kabuto acknowledged. "But this is mere speculation, since I have no reason to help you."
"So after everything that's happened to you, you're still loyal to Akatsuki?" Shikaku asked with some surprise.
"My experiences have only reinforced my belief in the necessity of the Akatsuki," Kabuto replied with a thin smile. "Spend some time in Root's tender care, Nara Shikaku, and you may find yourself harboring some 'terrorist sympathies' yourself." Those words, for a reason Kabuto couldn't fathom, finally got a reaction out of Inoichi. He flinched, and for a moment his eyes burned with rage. Then that intensity of emotion faded and he settled back into his fugue. Oddly, Shikaku had looked at his friend hopefully when he reacted to Kabuto's words, only to sigh sadly when the moment passed.
"So if that seal blocking your chakra was removed from you, Yakushi Kabuto, and you walked out of the gates of this prison a free man, you would return to the service of the Akatsuki?"
"I would like to," Kabuto said easily. "But even if the Hokage arranged for that to happen, I would not betray them by leading him to them."
At that, Shikaku offered a crooked smile. "What if it wasn't the Hokage arranging it?"
That was when Kabuto heard, faintly, shouts and the sound of steel striking steel. He listened, and the unmistakable sounds of battle drew closer. He looked back at the smug Nara, and felt true surprise. "Why?"
"Orochimaru's dogs crossed a line." That answer came from Inoichi, the words falling hollow from his lips.
Kabuto listened to the noises of fighting until they were right outside the interrogation room. The door burst inward, a heavy boot splintering the steel-bound oak slab as though it were dry kindling. A bulky man with a round face and a long shock of red hair stepped through its remains wearing heavy armor more suited to a samurai than a ninja and carrying a nasty-looking nagitana. "This shit hole is ours, for the moment," Akimichi Choza declared before glancing at Kabuto. "Is this shrimp the one we need?"
"I think he is," Shikaku replied laconically. "Are you the one we need, Kabuto?"
"Possibly," Kabuto admitted. "It would depend on what exactly you're up to."
Shikaku reached out with one hand and blades of animate shadow sprang forth, shredding the shackles Kabuto wore without even nicking his skin. "Walk with me." The Nara patriarch left the room, and Kabuto followed him. In the hallway, there was evidence of fighting, and every guard he could see was either unconscious or restrained and being guarded by a Nara, Yamanaka or Akimichi. He noted that none seemed to be dead; of course, the Nara and Yamanaka excelled at soft captures. Shikaku led Kabuto out into the main courtyard, where the rest of the guards and Mui himself knelt in surrender. Looking around, Kabuto was stunned to see that what appeared to be the entirety of all three clans was now occupying Hozuki-jo.
Shikaku walked over near the silver-haired warden Mui, who glared at a trio of young shinobi standing over him. Nara Shikamaru, Nara Shimi and Akimichi Choji were directing their clan mates, and they stood straight as Shikaku approached. Kabuto noted with interest that Yamanaka Ino was nowhere to be seen. Interesting…
"Are the prisoners contained?" Shikaku asked.
"They are," Shikamaru confirmed. "We've got them sealed in their cell blocks. The guards should have no trouble reestablishing control once we're gone."
"Have you lost your minds?" Mui demanded, glaring at the three clan heads. "This is a gross violation of the pact of the five villages! Hozuki-jo is a neutral facility!"
"We no longer represent Konohagakure," Shikaku replied bluntly. "Now remove this prisoner's seal, and we'll leave you in peace."
Mui glanced at Kabuto and then returned to glaring at Shikaku. "And if I refuse?"
Shikaku gestured, and every shadow around the warden grew spikes, a dozen of them sliding up to ring Mui's neck until he could shave himself with a sneeze. "The alternative is I kill you and break all of the seals in the prison. I'm reasonably certain neither of us wants that. It would be messy, and a lot of people would get hurt. This isn't a pissing contest or a territorial dispute, it's just something that's going to happen, and it's out of your control either way. Now, how eager are you to die today?"
"Very well," Mui spat. "Let me up." The shadows receded and Mui got to his feet. "Take your shirt off, prisoner." Kabuto slipped off his prison tunic, revealing the black brands crossing his chest from shoulder to him. Mui placed his hand over Kabuto's sternum; the tattoos burned slightly as they glowed orange before receding across his skin and disappearing under Mui's hand. When the warden drew back Kabuto flexed his chakra experimentally, sighing in relief when it answered his call without pain.
"That wasn't so hard, was it?" Shikaku murmured, before turning to the forces of the three clans. "Okay, we're leaving!" Just like that, the shinobi who had taken the most secure prison in the Elemental Nations turned and left. Shikaku gestured to Kabuto, who followed the clan patriarchs after putting his shirt back on.
"You'll pay for this," Mui called after them. "All of you! The Hokage will hear of this!"
It seemed to be the wrong thing to say. Shikaku winced as Inoichi turned around and advanced on Mui, grabbing the warden's collar and getting right in his face. "Please, go crying to Orochimaru," Inoichi grated. "When you talk to him, feel free to tell the old snake about this. It's a taste of what I'm going to do to him." Kabuto felt Inoichi's chakra spike. He released his hold on Mui's shirt, and the warden collapsed to his knees, eyes wide.
Before Inoichi had taken two steps, Mui started screaming. He clutched his head, drawing new breath only to cry out again. Kabuto watched the warden begin slamming his forehead violently into the flagstones of the courtyard, still screaming. Only after repeated impacts did he manage to knock himself out, slumping to the ground, silent at last. None of the guards moved or even breathed as the last of the Nara, Yamanaka and Akimichi slipped out of the prison.
"So, can you get us in touch with Tenten? I think she's going to want to hear what we have to say," Shikaku said to Kabuto once they'd left the prison behind.
"You're probably right," Kabuto admitted. "Unfortunately, I don't know where Tenten is. But I think I can find out. It may take a little while, however."
"What do you need to start?"
"Nothing more than what you've already done." Kabuto had been pouring his chakra through Sasori's seal in his mind since the prison seal had been removed.
Kabuto, the voice rang through his skull an hour later as the three clans were still heading away from Hozuki-jo. I didn't expect you to break after all this time. Sasori sounded disappointed.
I remain unbroken, master, Kabuto replied. I was just released from Hozuki-jo by the combined forces of the Nara, Akimichi and Yamanaka; all three clans are here in their entirety. Kabuto opened his eyes to his master so they could both see that the three clans had even brought their elderly and young with them. They told Mui that they were no longer affiliated with Konohagakure, and they seem to be interested in talking to Tenten. They told me that the Hokage 'crossed a line'.
There was only silence through the link in response, for long enough that Kabuto feared his master didn't believe him. Then he heard… laughter. So that's what happened. Suddenly the last report of your replacement in Konohagakure makes sense.Another man might have been hurt by the casual mention of being replaced, but Kabuto had always known the score. He'd known Sasori wouldn't rescue him from Root or Hozuki-jo; not because it wasn't possible but because it wasn't practical for the risk versus reward. He was simply happy to be of use to Akatsuki once more. I understand Kabuto, and good work. Here is what you will tell Nara Shikaku…
When the disorientation of Tobi's teleportation faded, Tenten first became aware of green illumination and a sense of vast space. Looking around, she found herself in a cavern so large she couldn't see the far end, standing on a wide rock ledge over the underground lake that filled the cave. She stared in awe at the tree roots as wide as boulevards that snaked down the walls and plunged into the water. She studied the crystals studding the roots and rock walls that bathed the chamber in viridian light.
When Tenten gazed down into the depths of the perfectly still lake, she could see countless Zetsu in its depths. Some were still pale as driftwood, but others were not. In one cluster each were tan with blue markings much like Gaara had worn in his transformed state. Another group had pale blue skin with purple tiger stripes covering their nude bodies. Still others were reddish and had hair not only on their heads but on their arms and legs, and down their backs. She could see seven varieties in the depths in addition to the pale ones.
Tenten looked up from the lake to discover B studying the depths as well. He turned away from it to give Pein a flat stare. "Is that what you want to do to Gyuki as well? Use him to make a bunch of octopus-flavored puppets?"
"You misunderstand what this place represents," Pein replied.
"Enlighten me," B said through gritted teeth.
"I would be happy to."
Pein, Tobi, B and Tenten all turned to the spot near the cave's entrance where the omnipresent roots had formed a wide throne. Shadows veiled its occupant, who moved in the darkness as he spoke.
"The children who slumber in the waters below are not what you fear, B of Kumogakure," the shrouded figure, the one that Pein called 'master', explained. Listening to his voice, Tenten was struck both by how old the speaker sounded, and how potent despite that age. His very words carried chakra that resonated with the living lattice of roots around them.
"Is that so?" B challenged the master of the Akatsuki. "Because it looks to me like you're putting the bijuu you've taken to the same use as the villages you claim to oppose. So tell me, when does your army of puppets march on the Elemental Nations to conquer them for you?"
"Never," was the amused reply. "I did not allow the creation of these dear children as weapons of war. They are peacekeepers, Killer B. We are growing an army, this is true, but there will be no conquest. We will not command them to make war over power, greed and hubris. They will bring an end to both war and tyranny."
B crossed his arms, clearly unimpressed. "Yeah, I've heard talk like that before from would-be saviors and conquerors both. You can't stop conflict with more weapons. Those… things down there may even be strong enough to do what you think they can; to take on all five villages at once. But no matter how good a strategist you are, you can't change people. Even if you take over, or make the kages back down, it won't change anything. The Yondaime Hokage said his solution would end the big wars too, and we all know how well that's turned out. Your plan won't end any differently. Eventually the power will go to your head, or that of your successor, and the fighting will start again."
"You surprise me, Killer B. I wouldn't have taken you for an idealist."
B snorted. "I'm not. My problem with this plan of yours is that you're treating the bijuu like tools, like kami-damned batteries; you're no better than the kages." Real anger creased B's face. "They're alive! Each bijuu has a mind and a soul. Just because they're chakra instead of flesh doesn't give you the right to treat them like objects!"
"On this, we are in full agreement, Killer B," the man on the throne said heavily. "The villages that were gifted with bijuu have not used them wisely or well. Even Konohagakure has come to see its jinchuuriki as nothing more than a weapon. It was to remove the bijuu from the hands of those who are misusing them that I set the Akatsuki in motion."
"That's exactly the mentality I'm talking about! You can't take them back like they're a handful of gemstones!"
"Perhaps; yet it was necessary to gather the bijuu once more, and I could hardly ask their permission beforehand. You met most of your jinchuuriki contemporaries; how many of them were reasonable, or even sane?"
"Doesn't make what you've done right," B insisted. "I can't let Gyuki fall into the hands of someone who wants to use him as the means to an end." B glanced back at Pein and Tobi. "So where are we going to hash this out?"
"That won't be necessary," the man on the throne said as Pein and Tobi tensed, preparing for a fight. "Would it set your mind at ease to talk to the other bijuu, Killer B? The seven we have gathered so far dwell within the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, and they are not unhappy; they are together for the first time in a century and the statue's interior is a whole world in itself, as Gyuki well knows."
B shook his head. "You won't trick me that easily, Uchiha Madara. You bent the Kyuubi to your will before; you could make the other bijuu say whatever you want."
Profound silence settled around the cave's occupants. B glanced at Tobi and Pein, shaking his head again when they stared at him in shock. "What, you thought no one would figure out who was pulling the strings?"
The man on the throne started laughing, and B's gaze whipped back to watch him. "They're speechless because they know the truth, B of Kumogakure. Oh Gyuki… did you really think that Madara was behind the Akatsuki? No wonder your partner is so suspicious!" The man in the shadows rose to his feet with some difficulty, picking up a cane formed from a gnarled taproot. With the twisted stick as an aid he stepped into the light. Though hunched over, he had once been a tall man. His hair, white as snow, fell halfway down his back. His olive skin was deeply wrinkled and spotted with age, but his face was still unmistakable. Tenten had seen his image too many times to forget.
"That's impossible," Tenten whispered. "You'd have to be a hundred and fifty years old by now. Even the strongest shinobi don't live that long."
"It's not polite to remind an old man exactly how old he is, young lady; believe me, I can feel every year." Senju Hashirama chuckled, obviously enjoying the expressions on Tenten and B's faces. "You two are going to catch flies if you don't close your mouths," he advised. "Itachi looked almost exactly the same when he found his way down here."
"You," B murmured, his anger replaced by disbelief. "You had all of the bijuu! You're the one who dispersed them to the villages! Why do this now?"
Hashirama nodded, looking weary. He waved a hand to illuminate some crystals around his throne before settling back down onto it. He sighed in relief as soon as he came in contact with the wood. "In the arrogance of my youth I believed that I could equal the wisdom of the Rikudou Sennin," he explained to B. "I thought dispersing the bijuu would create a balance, just as the legendary sage had done when he created them in the first place. For a little while, it even worked. But long after I'd faded from the public eye, along came a serpent who saw opportunity in the balance of power. It was the Yondaime Hokage who showed me just how great an error I'd made. The villages themselves were flawed – even mine – and unworthy of the power of the bijuu."
Hashirama settled back in his throne. "Understand, Killer B; I intend to place the power of the bijuu beyond human hands forever. With no offense intended to you, jinchuuriki have always been an imperfect solution to a difficult problem. Our world has become too densely populated for the bijuu to dwell unmolested in the wilds; even were shinobi content to leave them free, their power would inadvertently harm those near them."
"How is trapping them in that damned statue any better?" B demanded. "Besides, we both know what will happen if you put all nine in there. How do I know that's not your real goal? You're maybe the only person in the world who could attempt to command what that statue could become."
"You overestimate me, and underestimate the bijuu," Hashirama told him calmly. "Even if I wished to do that, they will not become one again, and not even Madara and I together could compel them to do so; they have grown beyond what they once were. The Demonic Statue of the Inner Path has served as a resting place for the bijuu while my Akatsuki did the work of gathering them, but it will not hold them for much longer."
"So what happens, then?" B demanded.
Hashirama passed a hand over his face, looking suddenly weary. "Go to the statue, B," he said gently. "Talk to them. They can tell you and Gyuki what is going to happen, and I suspect you will trust their word more easily than mine."
B was silent for a moment before nodding. "All right; I'll talk to them, but if I don't like what I hear we'll be having words again."
"As you wish," Hashirama murmured. Pein and Tobi escorted B out of the cave. Tenten looked after them and then back at Hashirama, whose eyes had closed. She was just about to leave when the Shodai Hokage spoke. "Will you stay, young Tenten? I so rarely have visitors these days."
"Of course," Tenten replied automatically, sitting down on the hard stone before the wooden throne.
"You have questions, I imagine," he said softly. "Itachi certainly did. Ask, and I will answer what I can before I return to slumber."
"Well… what happened to you?" Tenten had to ask. "The history books say that you and Madara fought in the Valley of the End, and both of you perished. They built a memorial there; statues carved from the cliffs above the crater your battle left."
Hashirama's eyes opened, old pain lurking in their depths. "I loved Uchiha Madara every bit as much as my own brother, but that wasn't enough for him. There was something in my old friend that refused to let him accept that he wasn't the best. For a time I thought he'd accepted that we could be equals without lessening each other, but I was fooling myself. In the Valley of the End he decided that only one of us could live, and I could not convince him otherwise. In the end, I killed him. That part of the histories is true. But I did not die. It was a near thing, but this Wood Release of mine is a remarkable thing. I heal very quickly, and even if my own chakra runs low, as long as there are plants nearby I can borrow their vitality as my own. That's also how I've lived so long, if you're wondering. As long as I am linked to the great tree above this cavern I can share its lifespan."
"Then… why didn't you return to Konohagakure?" Tenten inquired. "Losing the Hokage and the Uchiha clan's head at once was a heavy blow to the village."
"I couldn't," Hashirama told her quietly. "I'd failed Konohagakure already by killing Madara; if I'd gone back it would have split the village down the middle. Disappearing and letting Tobirama take up the mantle of leadership was better; it let everyone put what had happened in the past."
"Did Tobirama know that you survived?"
Hashirama nodded. "I visited my brother privately once I'd recovered from my wounds; he was already the acting Hokage. He agreed with my decision. My return would have sparked a civil war with the Uchiha, and Konohagakure needed them."
Tenten nodded slowly, digesting another revision to the history of her village she'd always 'known'. "B said that you gave Pein his eyes. What did he mean by that?"
Hashirama smiled faintly. "It's true. Nagato is an exemplary young shinobi, but he was not born with those rinnegan. In point of fact, he was born with no eyes at all, a rare birth defect that would have consigned him to a life of darkness."
"Then how…"
"When Madara was dead I could not bear to leave his body on the field for either the crows or his clan to pick over. You see, in that final battle, his sharingan evolved. He became the first descendant of the Rikudou Sennin to obtain the rinnegan. It's ironic that he surpassed me in a way during that battle, only to falter. I had the Wood Release to renew me while he was drained by his efforts to control the Kyuubi."
"So I hid Madara's remains. After the battle I travelled in disguise for years, and it was in the course of those travels that I met Nagato in the Land of Rain; just a little blind boy in an underfunded orphanage. In the time I spent visiting that place, I was struck by how much he reminded me of Madara before time and experience corrupted him. Since the rinnegan had not decayed like the rest of Madara's body I took it as a sign, and gave Nagato those marvelous eyes. It was not until years later that he sought me out as a young man. By then I had already obtained an apprentice by happenstance."
"Tobi?" Tenten guessed.
"Yes," Hashirama said with a smile. "He was the antithesis of Madara in every way but his will, which was as indomitable as my old friend's. I found Tobi buried in a cave-in, crippled and half-blind. I helped him, healed him, and when he was whole he asked to be my student. Nagato joined him in my tutelage later. When they were men, and it became clear to me that my successor as Hokage was poisoning our village and this world, I directed them to create the Akatsuki to gather the bijuu."
"Now, I have a question for you," Hashirama continued. "Tobi mentioned that you had run across my granddaughter Tsunade recently, but he didn't have details of what transpired. How is she?"
Tenten swallowed hard. "Tsunade-sama suffered a serious stroke five years ago. She's been well cared-for by her apprentice and a hospice in the Land of Rice, but… it's not the kind of thing that even a legendary healer recovers from. When I saw Tsunade, her mind was gone. I'm sorry."
"Ah," Hashirama said quietly, his expression pained. "I see."
The historian in Tenten had many more questions for the Shodai Hokage, and she asked a few, but soon she heard footsteps on the stairs. Pein, Tobi and B returned, and B's anger was gone. It struck Tenten that he seemed thoughtful now, and maybe a bit sad, but relieved too.
"I believe you, Senju Hashirama," B said directly. "Gyuki has agreed to participate in your plan when I'm dead, and that won't be too much longer. In the meantime, he and I have a joint request."
"What would you have?" Hashirama asked.
"I've met the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi before, and when I did Gyuki tried to reach out to his brother. The Kyuubi is lost in rage; he's gone through three generations of jinchuuriki who treated him like a monster, so that's what he's become. Gyuki's agreed to your plan, but while I've still got some life left in me, we're going to save the Kyuubi from that sack of shit he's chained to. We may be the only ones who can calm the old fox's fury."
Hashirama frowned. "My wife Mito never mistreated the Kyuubi, nor did young Uzumaki Kushina."
B crossed his arms. "Oh? How often did either of them talk to him?"
Hashirama sighed. "Never; Kyuubi did destroy their village, if you recall. I doubt the conversations would have been cordial. It was never an ideal arrangement, but the Uzumaki were the only containers capable of surviving his power. I often urged Mito to talk to the Kyuubi, but she was not a forgiving woman and I could hardly order my wife to make friends with an entity she hated."
"Well Uzumaki Naruto does talk to the Kyuubi, and I'm not sure which of them corrupted the other first, but they're both little more than animals now. It's past time he was put down, but I've got to be the one to do it. Gyuki may be able to calm the Kyuubi and get him on board. The way he is now, he'd wreck your plan."
"You're right, and that very problem has vexed me for some time," Hashirama agreed. "If you wish to face the Kyuubi's jinchuuriki I won't stop you. In fact, Akatsuki will help you. Pein already has plans in place to separate the young jinchuuriki from his minders. You'll also need a partner to watch your back and aid you in the battle."
Hashirama glanced at Tenten with a twinkle in his eye, and she inhaled sharply. "Oh, no," she breathed. "Nonono…" She saw Pein consider the idea and nod in approval, while Tobi's body language made his amusement evident. "Me?" Tenten squeaked. "Fight Naruto? You can't be serious."
"You've been getting to know B here for some time now," Hashirama pointed out reasonably. "You'll be able to work with him better than any of the other Akatsuki."
"Sure, right up until he tags me with a stray lightning bolt."
B chuckled. "I don't miss Tenten; or Naegi, or whatever you want me to call you." He glanced at Hashirama. "Fair enough; I'll take her."
"Hey," Tenten protested indignantly. "Don't I get a say in all of this?"
"Of course, Tenten," Pein assured her. "Who do you feel would be better suited to support B?"
"I…" Tenten trailed off when she actually thought about it. The others all had partners that they'd adapted their combat styles to. Kakuzu and Hidan banked on being invulnerable, Itachi and Kisame on being overpowering, Sasori and Deidara on indirect attacks, and so on. She and Zetsu were the odd Akatsuki out, and Zetsu wasn't a fighter. Thinking tactically, Tenten knew that B needed a support-type partner. Konan was actually worse-suited to face Naruto than she was, since his aura would burn her paper. That left… "Okay," she murmured, conceding defeat.
B laughed again and clapped her on the shoulder, the force of the blow almost buckling her knees. "It'll be fun. I promise."
"Great…" Tenten said dubiously. Then she gave B a suspicious look. "What did you mean earlier about being dead soon?"
B looked surprised at the question. "You don't know?" He glanced at Pein, who shrugged. "Jinchuuriki usually die in battle or when they lose control of their passenger, but even the ones who survive the fighting don't get the luxury of growing old. A human body was never meant to contain the power of a bijuu; if you seal it in while they're young the body adapts, but the mutability of a chakra network has limits. Also, the stronger the bijuu, the more wear on its wearer, so to speak. One of the Ichibi's early containers was a monk who actually did live long enough to grow gray hair, while the Kyuubi is so powerful that only an Uzumaki can hold him. I've already lived a decade longer than any of Gyuki's other jinchuuriki because he and I are naturally compatible, but his power's still killing me. I've got maybe a year or two left, and then I'll burn out."
"Oh," Tenten murmured, taken aback. "I'm sorry."
B waved a hand. "Don't be. I'm not. I've had a lot of fun, made a lot of friends, even done some good to balance the bad when I stand on kami's scales. My biggest worry for years has been what'll happen to Gyuki once I die, but the Akatsuki's plan fixes that; he won't have to be stuffed into that pot back in Kumogakure, or into another jinchuuriki. Now all I want to do is help him help the Kyuubi with the time I've got left."
"Okay. Well then that's what we'll do," Tenten said firmly. Naruto's strong, but he's not invincible, she reminded herself. I've gotten a lot stronger, and I won't be facing him alone. I can do this.
"We should head up into the base," Pein interjected. "We need to plan and apparently Sasori has some news that will affect our confrontation with the Kyuubi's jinchuuriki."
"I know I probably don't have to tell you this, but keep sensei's presence here to yourself," Tobi added. "Not because it's a shameful thing, but because we deliberately shaped the Akatsuki to be above village politics."
"…and finding out that the Shodai Hokage's been renting out the basement would hurt that image?" Tenten thought she heard someone snicker behind her, though Hashirama was straight-faced when she looked. "I get it."
"They'll find out soon, but now isn't the time," Pein clarified.
"Understood," Tenten murmured.
Author's Note: Woo! Big reveal! Plot advancement! Stuff happening! I actually tried to fit Amaya and Itachi into this chapter, but it got way too long (when I hit 15k words I realized I needed to go choppy-choppy), so that'll happen next chapter (which should be soon since it's mostly written). Let me know if this all made sense (or didn't).
