Team Disaster: Origins Of Infamy
Summary: From the day they met to the day they made history, snippets in the lives of Konoha's infamous Team Disaster, their nearest and dearest and the devastation and chaos they cause.
Fire, Water, Wind
Part 1
" ... You're kidding me, right?" Madara couldn't help but ask, staring down at the 'disguise' they were being given for their newest mission. Bone-white, painted masks, flexible protective gray vests, all black clothing, no hitai-ate, a katana for them each. The standard ANBU equipment pretty much since Konoha's foundation. Or, well, since the Nidaime's foundation of the organization, really.
"The Fire Daimyo asked for an ANBU squad to accompany him to a meeting with the other Daimyo," Tsunade-sama said as she steeled her fingers under her chin, leaning on her desk. Her eyes were sharp, a sight much less usual with Team Disaster in her office than anyone else, given she's always complaining about them. "He asked for the best we have. Excuse me if I don't reveal that the best we have comes in the form of three genin teenagers I'm not allowed to let entire the Chuunin Exams and their jonin sensei."
"You're not telling us something," Tobirama states, not asks, and Madara glares at the blonde for daring to think she can hide something from them.
"I just didn't get to it yet, brat," she waves them off and Madara can actually feel his hair bristle in indignation. His and Tsunade-sama's relationship had been a weird one since day one. Most people actually wondered if they should flee when they get annoyed at each other. Most people tended to put at least several reinforced concrete walls or floors between them and the Hokage's office when Team Disaster is in there. "The reason why I am sending you is because the Fire Daimyo has reason to believe there might be an assassination attempt. He doesn't know whom to suspect, or who the assassin might be, but his spies tell him the other Daimyo are definitely taking some serious protection with them. Lightning's Daimyo, for instance, will be having Kinkaku and Ginkaku for protection-"
"Just great," muttered Tobirama under is breath with a pout he will no doubt deny later and Mito pulled a very unladylike expression at those news.
"And rumor has it Water's Daimyo hired the Swordsmen of the Mist. Don't know how many or if it's true. The Daimyo doesn't want to risk it, as you can imagine, to be the only one inadequately defended. Our ANBU are unmatched in the shinobi world, so he ordered a squad to accompany him to the meeting and back as his bodyguards. In full uniform."
"As a show of power and wealth, no doubt," Mito, who was raised in what may as well be a court in Uzushio, ventures a guess and Tsunade-sama shrugs.
"Beats me. All I care about is that this mission is fulfilled successfully while not endangering any of my shinobi. As sensors and some seriously overpowered brats, I believe you to be the best equipped for this task. Will you accept?"
Minato-sensei looked at them, as though he didn't already know the answer. At the confirming nods he got from his team, the blond man nodded and accepted the mission scroll from the Hoakge with a shallow bow. "We will do our best, Hokage-sama. Should we be on the lookout of anything in particular."
The busty Senju woman snorts, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms. "Of course you'd ask." Meaning Of course you'd assume Akatsuki if I am sending you. "Word is Akatsuki might be planning something in the area. We have no confirmation but the meeting place is too close to our borders for my liking to send Jiraiya out to investigate. You're currently one of the few teams sent out on missions. I'm mostly drawing our ninja back into the fold in case things don't go too well."
-Planning for an invasion?- Madara sends in pulses of his chakra to his teammates, doing his best not to frown to give away his thoughts to the adults who had no doubt felt the pulses but had no idea what they meant. Well, beyond that Team Disaster was essentially whispering to each other in secret communication.
-Seems like it.- Mito was the first to send back. -We'll need to stay alert.-
-Usual schedule in monitoring Konoha?- Tobirama suggested and Madara and Mito sent their confirmations immediately. They'd started always monitoring Konoha with their senses ever since That Day so they'd make sure it never happened again. Minato-sensei and Tsunade-sama knew they did this and let them do it since they were the ones most likely to notice if things are going to shit and alert everyone before it's too late to do something about it. No one wanted a repeat of That Day, after all.
"When do we leave?" Madara asked with a put upon sigh as he picked up his designated disuse uniform. He wasn't sure if he was exactly comfortable with being ANBU, even if it was just pretend. ANBU were famous for being elite shinobi not only for their skill, but for their stoicism during missions. No Uchiha should ever become ANBU for the sheer fact that no Uchiha had an off switch for their emotions. No Uchiha would put a mission over the well-being of a comrade. The fact that he was expected to act as though he were an emotionless weapon for the Hokage to point, even if he knew Tsunade would never abuse her power and authority like that, made him feel like less than human.
Why would anyone want to join this organization again? He's just glad not even Tobirama would like to be a part of it, since the work hours would interfere too much into his research. Small mercies that he didn't have to worry about his dear ones joining.
"You are to meet the Daimyo and his companions on this journey tomorrow morning at ten o'clock at his residency. From there on, you will follow the route that has been agreed on for safety purposes. Once you reach the meeting place, you are to stay hidden save Minato, who will openly tail him into the meetings as his bodyguard. The three of you are to keep a weather eye on everyone else and keep the convoy you will escort safe at all times. The meetings will supposedly last a week, the journey to the meeting point is three days at civilian speed. Expect to be accompanied by at least two dozen samurai, five servants, the Daimyo's personal servant, his daughter and her handmaids and the Daimyo's personal adviser. The Daimyo's heir will be guarded in Fire's capitol by another group of our ninja."
"Why aren't the Twelve Guardian Ninja on the case, though?" Mito asked what Madara considered to be the most logical question save one very important fact that most people not native to Hi no Kuni didn't realize.
"They've been disbanded around the time Asuma left and retired from active duty," Lady Tsunade said, crossing her arms over her chest with a frown. "There were some political reasons behind it all but the whole thing was a mess altogether and I'm not sure even Kurenai could tell you how or why that unit is no longer in the business. Asuma dealt with whatever the mess was so no one could complain, not when even the Daimyo himself thought it to be for the best. It still leaves him vulnerable in situations like this, though, which is why he relies on us these days to provide him with the necessary protection. I trust you will take care of that splendidly."
"Hai, Hokage-sama."
00000
Mito was frowning down at her katana, weighing it like she wasn't used to such a weapon. Given she most often used seals as actual weapons, Madara wasn't surprised. "I hate this katana. I much prefer my tessen. Must I stick to such standardized weaponry when I could simply use my own? I'd even take my own katana instead of my tessen."
"ANBU have a singular weapon-smith, Mito-chan," Minato-sensei explained as he put on his owl-like dark mask, one usually reserved for covert missions of the most skilled ANBU captains. Given his reputation, skill and power, it made sense that he would get that mask, since they were also attempting to intimidate any would-be attackers into not going through with any assassination plot. Though simply having the Yellow Flash in all of his blond, blue-eyed glory might have been more effective to that end but Madara guessed the element of surprise could be just as appreciated. "If you were to have any sword but an ANBU one, skilled eyes would recognize it and see through our disguise."
"I'm with Mito on this, even if I don't really mind the katana." He'd prefer his gunbai over anything but the weapon was far too recognizable and people would instantly know it was him. Not that Team Disaster was exactly good for these sort of covert missions to begind with. They had quite a few distinguishable characteristics that would allow an even half blind man to recognize them. Red, white and blond hair wasn't exactly all that common and almost no one had the same hair volume, length and style as Madara did. The masks felt almost like an insult, really, a joke. "Uchiha blacksmiths are some of the best and my kayana is definitely better made than this cheap, standardized, commercialized thing."
It was, of course, an exemplary piece of work, for anyone else who didn't have eyes that could practically see on an almost molecular level when completely focused and who wasn't raised by a clan who specialized in kenjutsu, shurikenjutsu and about any other weapon style there is. This katana was made to fit someone roughly his height and weight group, but it wasn't made for him and it showed in how he had to readjust his grip to fit the handle instead of the handle being made to fit his grip, how the balance was half an inch more forwards than he was used to, how the blade was sharpened at a different angle, the difference in the width of the sword altogether. Yes, Madara will be able to fight and kill with this weapon, but it was not meant for him, will probably be given to someone else when he returns it and Uchiha just don't do that. If they're not at war, it's seen as an insult.
Not even sons get their father's swords. Instead, a retired or fallen Uchiha's sword is either hung in his family's house or in the front room of the Naka Shrine.
All the more reason the Uchiha don't like ANBU.
"I don't mind that much, even if Raijin no Ken is better." Mito and Madara both rolled their eyes at their younger teammate.
"Of course you don't mind, snowflake-"
"Don't call me that."
"You use a katana most of the time," Madara huffed, ignoring Tobirama's protest to the nickname as easily as he did every other time. "You're used to it. Mito and I only occasionally use or train with swords, as we prefer war fans, which are more typical to people with any semblance of a wind affinity, and since Mito's a futon user naturally and my secondary affinity is also wind, we have little use for blades bigger than a kunai when we can just channel chakra into them to make them longer and invisible in their added length. Katana, on the other hand, are always better weapons for those with a lightning affinity and even suiton, as the Swordsman of the Mist occasionally show off."
"We didn't ask for the entire theory behind weapons making and chakra affinity per weapon, Madara," the redhead of their group said teasingly but also out of self preservation. There was an interested glint in Tobirama's eyes and that never bode well, for anyone. This was, of course, not a subject he heard much about since he didn't usually hang around blacksmiths to hear them talk about how chakra affinity affected weapons preferences, though Madara briefly wondered how many ordinary blacksmiths outside of the Uchiha Clan even knew about it. It was such a normal thing to him but evidently, this was something new for his companions to hear judging by how neither Minato-sensei nor Mito interjected with any data of their own. "We have to head out now if we want to appear as though we've been running from Konoha to the mansion to keep our cover from being blown this early." Hiraishin, after all, was only used by four people in all of the Five Elemental Nations.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. You guys can talk about seals for hours and no one is allowed to interrupt-" Which was, partially, true, as they always enjoyed Madara or their families joining them even if none of them had anything to contribute to their more complicated conversations. "But the second I try to talk about something only I know about, no one wants to listen. I'll remember that. Mark my words." Then he put on his red hawk mask and Hiraishined to the spot they had agreed upon from where they will finish their journey to the Daimyo's place on foot.
He delighted in Tobirama's curses, Mito's put upon sigh and Minato-sensei's laughter.
That was a good way to start a mission.
00000
With Tobirama hidden behind a blue tiger mask on his right and Mito behind a green fox mask on his left and Minato-sensei standing in front of them, between them and the Daimyo, Madara had the perfect opportunity to study the group they had been put in charge of protecting for the next two or so weeks as Minato-sensei spoke with the Daimyo about the last minute changes in the formation the samurai should take and how the attendants should gather around the traditional peace/alliance gifts to discourage bandit attacks and the such.
The little convoy they were escorting had agreed to mask themselves as moving poor villagers going from one village to the other in search of a better home and better work. The Daimyo will, of course, leave his residency with all the flourish his position and power deserved and will arrive in just as much style to their destination, but on the road, he will be walking just like everyone else to blend in and lessen the opportunity or cause for an assassination attempt. Some protested at the mere idea of him degrading himself as such but the old man had nothing against it. Said it would be good for him to stretch his legs a little and there was a wagon pulled by a horse for him to rest upon should he get tired. All of the gifts and the glamorous attires and other such things had been stored away in scrolls by Mito that were distributed among the shinobi so even if one of them were to be taken down (Pity the world if that were to ever happen.) not everything would be lost.
The Daimyo might have been willing to walk for his own safety, though his daughter was a very different story. Madara had nearly been tempted to knock her out with the Sharingan and just put her in a sack of potatoes on the wagon, but it was still the Daimyo's daughter, no matter how annoying. Also he didn't want to waste chakra on such a stupid endeavor.
"Sometimes I wonder how Ryu-chan managed to put up with her at all," Madara didn't turn to acknowledge the old adviser when he came to stand next to him as Tobirama and Mito were called away by sensei to receive their orders where they will be standing in the convoy, the older man's dark eyes distant as if lost in memory if not for the sharpness of them he could see even from the corner of his eye. "It is no wonder she no longer visits us at all. Kyoko-hime takes too much after her mother, I fear, and Ryu-chan has little patience for such women. Takes too much after her father's side in that, just like you do on your mother's, Mada-kun."
"I am on a mission, uncle, and would prefer to keep my identity secret," the Uchiha replied as stoically as he knew how. Akatane Setsuna, the Daimyo's personal and most trusted, most treasured adviser, a man he considered as his own brother, hummed.
"No one is looking in our direction. Surely you can spare your uncle a short exchange of information, a little gossip. Tell me, how fares my niece? My other grandnephew?"
Many years ago, Uchiha Seiji fell in love with a pretty noble girl he had not realized came directly from the Daimyo's court, that she was one of his trusted advisers' only daughter, that she had been already married to another. The girl had had some loose morals and even looser ideas about matrimony. Her husband could not please her, as he loved another but their marriage had been arranged since she was born and he was but a babe in his mother's lap, so she sought out pleasure where she could find it. Which in the capitol where everyone could recognize her at first glance, meant an outsider. Uchiha Seiji had been on a mission when they met, briefly courted and fell in bed together. The story is unclear if the girl ever promised herself to Seiji in marriage or if they had made an arrangement of sorts, but when Seiji asked her to return to Konoha with him, he nearly lost his head as the girl told her father. Young Seiji fled the capitol with a broken heart and orders never to set foot there again, only for, a year later, to be brought before the then Daimyo himself by his very guards, have a three months old babe thrust into his arms and be declared the child's father.
Seiji, of course, fell in love with his little daughter at first sight and was utterly heartbroken to hear that the woman he had loved had died in childbirth. Her husband had not even bothered to mourn the proper length of time before marrying the woman he truly loved, which left the babe in her uncle's hands and he had no means to raise her. Not with his duties and a recently passed wife.
So the child went to her father, as was actually Uchiha tradition to keep the Sharingan in their Clan, with the promise that the child will be raised by not only Uchiha standards, but also Akatane, as they were a part of the Daimyo's very court and the babe will probably be the only heir to the name one day. As such, Uchiha Ryukyu was raised never knowing a mother figure beyond her grandmother, her aunts and older cousins, a kunoichi first and foremost, but a lady as well. A lady of the Daimyo's court. Up to her tenth birthday, she would spend her summers with her uncle and be taught about court life, while the rest of her year she could do as she please.
As such, the fierce Uchiha Dragoness was born.
As such, Uchiha Madara, her eldest son, was introduced to the Daimyo's court as the now Daimyo's personal adviser's first grandnephew.
And so, the Uchiha had a rather interesting and strong position in the Daimyo's good graces, which always helped Konoha.
"That's what you think," Madara replied, keeping his stance casual and alert, as though he were merely scanning the surroundings for any possible threats. "Kaa-chan is fine, Izuna is fine. They're doing good, all things considered. Kaa-chan can't visit because she's now Clan Head regent of sorts until I come of age to take my position. How did you know it was me, anyway?"
"You're not exactly subtle, Mada-kun," Setsuna-jiisan said with an imperceptible snort. "Your hair, your posture, your bearings, they give you away. Honestly, you walk like royalty, nephew mine. And I know you and my niece well enough to recognize you even if you were to shave your hed, gauge out your pretty eyes and get facial tattoos."
"Don't tempt me to test you," he grumbled and Setsuna-jiisan laughed as he walked away, leaving Madara to be stared at by his teammates and sensei. He could clearly feel Mito's and Tobirama's questions in their secret shared code but he didn't answer.
This was going to get more complicated than he'd thought.