Daze
Chapter 33: The long breath
A/N: Hope you guys enjoy this week's chapter, I'll be on a mild hiatus after this to revise the earlier chapters for a few weeks, sorry for the wait.
X X
Naruto sighed as he sat on his bed.
He could barely remember the blur of events since arriving at the village, but he was glad to be done, the mission had drained him of all of his energy.
Tsunade had given all of them a few weeks leave from missions to recover after the back to back S Rank Missions.
Tayuya was headed to the music store near her apartment to buy a new flute with her mission pay as Naruto had destroyed hers while enthralled by Danzo.
He blushed apologetically but she told him not to sweat about it, she promised to meet him at his apartment for a stay-in date to recover after the hectic weeks.
It had been two months since Naruto had left the Akatsuki and he was settling back into his old slash new life as Konoha ninja.
He had to admit it felt nice to be home, but he could never fully feel free while in the back of his mind he knew Madara was planning something.
'By now, they likely have all the Bijuu, what comes next…'
As if on queue a messenger cat poofed into Naruto's living room.
"Naruto-sama, I have a message from Taiza-san."
The blonde adolescent accepted the scroll thanking the cat who poofed away.
Popping the seal with his chakra Naruto opened the letter.
'Naruto-kun, Kisame-san has continued to contact me per our new arrangement, he says he needs to meet you, it sounds urgent.'
Naruto formed a single hand-sign burning the scroll in his hand.
He sighed.
'It had to be today, sorry Tayuya, looks like a rain check is in order.'
Naruto pulled out a scroll leaving a short message along with his signature chibi avatar, now with loopy eyes.
'Sorry Tayuya, urgent meeting, be back soon. - All my love - Naruto'
The boy formed a single hand seal setting a fuinjutsu scroll down with a reverse summoning formula.
"Kuchiyose no jutsu!"
He was teleported away.
Landing with a slight stumble, he reappeared in a field somewhere in the land of grass.
Kisame sat on a rock drinking water through a straw.
"So you've finally arrived."
Naruto looked at the gilled man.
"I trust it's important for you to call me out like this."
Kisame nodded.
"You asked me to locate Deidara and Sasori, well, I've found them, they're travelling together as it happens."
Kisame stood up grabbing his Samehada and throwing it over his shoulder.
"Madara also sent me to find them, so I had an excuse to look."
Naruto looked up at the man.
"Well, where are they?"
The shark man chuckled.
"Let's go for a walk, they should be somewhere nearby."
"Lead on."
Two hours later…
Naruto and Kisame crossed the vast Grassy fields when finally they saw two men camped out in the open bantering amongst themselves.
Kisame approached them and Deidara sweatdropped.
"And here I thought we'd avoided any tails hn."
Sasori shook his head.
"I told you we should have just walked, your birds are way too obvious, fool."
The team seemed perfectly relaxed.
"What do you want Kisame, we're not coming back to the Akatsuki, we've done enough."
They noticed Naruto approaching and both recoiled.
"K-Karasu?"
Naruto shook his head.
"That's not right, is it?"
Sasori adjusted his expression regaining his composure.
"Ah right… It's Naruto now."
Naruto chuckled.
"I knew you were alive, I had suspicions Deidara was as well, I admit, I'm relieved to see you, even if it means we have to fight now."
Sasori shook his head.
"I'm done fighting Naruto, I realized something in my battle with Chiyo-Baa-chan, this… all of it… it's been pointless."
Deidara sighed.
"I'm not as depressed as he is, but puppet boy's right, our time in the Akatsuki was fun and all, but it did little to progress my art."
Naruto's eyebrow raised.
"Really, just like that, no big monologue about how I betrayed the organization and need to die, no flashy battle?"
Deidara chuckled.
"You and Kisame, versus us, that's hardly fair, especially now that you have the same eyes as Pain,"
Sasori silently agreed.
"- besides, even if Sasori is too much of a wuss to admit it, we were always fond of you."
Sasori scoffed looking away, if he still had a normal body he would have blushed.
Deidara absently fiddled with his clay, sitting down in the soft grass.
"You respected our arts, and that means more than any amount of money or threats Madara has to throw."
Naruto and Kisame both sat down.
Naruto brushed some of his hair away staring at the group.
"So where does that leave us?"
There was silence in the air for a moment.
Sasori chuckled.
"Doubtless I could return to Suna, but, I heard through the grapevine Chiyo-baa-chan gave her life to save you, that means you're worth something, so I'll stick by you for now."
Deidara shrugged.
"I'm just going where he goes, we've been partners for almost a decade, I don't care enough to change that, so I guess… I'm with you too."
Kisame nodded.
"You are Itachi's legacy, until you kick the bucket, you're stuck with me gaki."
Naruto stood up his purple eyes glinting with satisfaction.
"Very well then, if I have all of you at my disposal we just might be able to turn the tables on Madara, but first we need a name."
Naruto smirked, staring at the bright afternoon sun which reflected off his Rinnegan.
"How about, Shōgo?"
Sasori sweatdropped.
"Isn't that a little obvious, it's just riffing off of Akatsuki."
Naruto grinned, self satisfied.
"That's what makes it perfect."
Kisame and Deidara shrugged.
"No objections here." / "I couldn't care less gaki."
Naruto nodded.
"It's settled then, Sasori do you have any spies in the land of fire?"
The puppet man nodded.
"Only one that isn't known to the Akatsuki higher ups, why?"
The boy chuckled.
"It's time to set up Shōgo headquarters."
Naruto returned to his apartment having left a shadow clone behind to direct the preparations.
He sighed a breath of relief as he saw his apartment was empty.
'Oh good, she hasn't arrived yet.'
Before he could grab the note he was tackled suddenly from behind.
"Gotcha, looks like I win foxy-kun."
Naruto blushed as Tayuya held her new flute to his neck like a kunai.
"How'd you sneak up on me like that?"
She smirked.
"I can't give away all my secrets, at least… not for free."
Tayuya leaned forward gripping his collar and stealing a kiss from him.
He accepted with gusto opening his mouth and lacing tongues with her, both wrestled for superiority but broke apart with suddenty.
"Kami, I've missed your taste Tayuya-chan."
She blushed, still clutching his collar.
"Don't say shit like that, so suddenly, it's embarrassing."
Naruto chuckled.
"Forgive me Tayu-chan, it's just that effect you have on me which makes me say stupid things."
He brushed her hair gently, kissing her on the neck and earning a soft moan of appreciation.
"F-fine, you're good Naru-kun, let's take this date back to your bedroom."
Naruto smirked.
"I like where this is going."
Tayuya grabbed his arm pulling him roughly behind her.
"Enough talking, start walking."
Six Hours Later...
Naruto arrived in person to the place where Shōgo HQ was located, he had chosen the closest position to Konoha that wouldn't draw attention from the Akatsuki or Konoha ninja.
As he stepped inside he saw Deidara and Sasori had settled in and were making themselves at home;
Kisame had gone out earlier on the Shadow clones orders to find a former spy of Orochimaru's.
The blonde faced the former Akatsuki taking a seat on one of the many couches located in the center room of the lair.
Despite its location in a cave deep underground, it was decorated more like an office, or apartment.
His main goal was to make it a place where they could live longterm and also hold meetings.
For the more functional side of things it was equipped with a prison and an armory within the complex as well.
He had also made cloaks for them to wear on assignment, they were a neutral grey, with the inner sleeves, trims, and hoods being a sunburst orange.
Sasori thought they were garish but Deidara was all in on the design.
Kisame had no strong opinions and just took his wordlessly.
Naruto was proud of the design which symbolized the philosophy behind Shōgo's mission.
He set up a shogi board and surrounded the board with books Itachi had given him on shinobi tactics, as well as copies of intel files on the remaining Akatsuki, though they were sparse.
He clutched the red ring he'd inherited from Itachi in his hand.
'Time to plan our first move.'
Kisame returned later that day with the contact, a man named Shugori.
Naruto invited him into the base and offered him a seat at the meeting table.
"Shugori-san, pleased to make your acquaintance."
The man nodded, adjusting his glasses, and slicking his dark blue hair with his hand.
"You must be Uzumaki-san, Kabuto never shuts up about you."
Naruto chuckled.
"Is that so?"
Shugori adjusted the neck of his grey sweater vest looking the boy over analytically.
"Quite, frankly, I don't see it, you just look like a kid to me."
Naruto nodded.
"Appearances can be deceiving, I've been informed by various sources that you are the only man Kabuto continues to contact these days."
The broker shuffled restlessly not fond of the line of questioning.
"If you're expecting me to give up his location, you can forget it, he doesn't tell me, and even if he did, I'm no rat."
The boy raised his hands in a show of peace.
"No Shugori-san, Kabuto isn't on my radar currently, you're here for a different reason entirely."
The man looked at him half curious, half alert.
"Well, I'm here, so spill it."
Naruto picked up a shogi piece fidgeting with it in his offhand, his royal eyes fell upon the table.
"Orochimaru's bases, I've been told by my ears on the ground that when news of his death travelled, many of his servants and subjects escaped, I want to find a few."
Shugori adjusted his glasses looking at the boy.
"If that's all you need, then I can arrange it of course… for a fee."
Naruto chuckled.
"Name your price."
The man's eyes flickered testingly.
"150,000,000 Ryo."
The blonde boy nodded impassively, surprising the info broker.
"It's yours, but only if you bring them to me, I want to arrange a meeting."
Shugori licked his lips imagining the fat payday.
"Name the time, and the place, and I'll move heaven and earth to bring them there,"
He folded his hands down regaining his composure.
"But I want half upfront, it's the only way I operate."
Naruto gestured and Sasori brought over a suitcase filled with Ryo bills, Shugori checked them thoroughly for tampering or fakes.
"You have your money, don't make us track you down; I need you to find Jugo of the North, Suigetsu Hozuki, and Karin of the East, bring them here in one week."
Shugori stood up carrying the briefcase with him.
"I'll arrange the meeting, but I can't guarantee they'll be amicable to you, only that they arrive on the meeting date."
Naruto nodded satisfied.
"That will be enough, thank you Shugori-san."
The broker left with little ceremony and Naruto turned to the Shōgo members.
"Sasori-san, Deidara-san continue outfitting the armory, I'm recruiting our last two members."
Naruto left the cave, his black orange-flamed jacket flipping behind him.
Naruto returned to Konoha opening his jacket to let some air reach his core.
He still wore grey jonin pants, black ankle length sandals, a grey sleeveless shirt over a long sleeve chainmail shirt, and a black blazer with an orange zipper, and orange flames on the trim.
The blonde brushed his hand through his long blonde hair, his purple eyes pooling sunlight in his black pupil, and reflecting the light back out like a mirror.
"She should be somewhere nearby."
Naruto swiveled his head searching for a figure in the street corner he was at.
He caught a glimpse of bright white hair with streaks of lavender and smiled stepping into the tea shop.
"Tobiko-chan, good I was hoping to find you."
The girl turned to face him.
"Naruto-nii, it's nice to see you again, it feels like this week has been much longer than it actually was."
He nodded in agreement smiling down at the shorter girl.
"You look well, I'm glad to see you out and smiling."
She blushed smiling sheepishly.
"Well, I've been trying to let myself enjoy the small things, I'm still bad at being a normal girl, but Ino-chan and Sakura-chan have been giving me pointers."
Naruto paled.
"C-careful taking everything they say to heart, maybe ask Tenten or Hinata for some advice once in a while."
She giggled.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
His eye twitched and he averted his gaze.
'It means the last thing this village needs is another quick-tempered she-devil.'
Her amber eyes blinked curiously up at him.
"O-oh nothing, haha nevermind."
Naruto scratched his head sheepishly.
Tobiko looked confused but shrugged it off.
"Want some tea, Naruto-nii?"
He nodded appreciatively sitting across from her.
The girl poured some of the hot green tea into a cup for him.
He took a thankful sip savoring the sweet flavor.
"So… I heard about… you know, your brother."
She looked down nodding.
"He went to Tsunade directly and asked to be held in captivity, they're examining the Root seal on his tongue for possible insights to Danzo's methodology."
She folded her hands over her warm cup of tea.
"Sai-nii is the last Root member alive, so I think part of him is shouldering all the sins Danzo left behind."
Her hands shook slightly over her cup of tea.
"I heard Anko-san is overseeing his interrogation, he must be so alone."
Naruto placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"Anko's good at feeling people, if your brother is a good person, deep down, she'll sense it, and she'll be lenient."
Tobiko relaxed a little and was thankful for his words.
The two sat quietly drinking tea together.
When they finished Naruto bowed to her.
"It was nice seeing you again Tobiko-chan, enjoy your time off, Sai will be out before you know it."
The girl smiled softly.
"T-thank you Naruto-nii."
Excusing himself the blonde made his way for the Hokage estate where Tsunade called him for a meeting.
Arriving inside he was surprised to see Jiraiya there.
"Ero-sensei?"
The elder man smiled.
"Hey Naru-chan, good to see you again, Kami everytime I see you, you have new eyes."
Naruto chuckled.
"Sorry about that, it's been a long week."
Tsunade who leaned on her folded hands smiled at the boy.
"You did good Naruto, I don't think I thanked you for handling Danzo, so I wanted to entrust you with an important job for me."
Naruto nodded.
"Name it Baa-chan."
She looked down at some documents below her.
"I called for a Five kage summit shortly before the Danzo mission, though all the villages were in agreement, with the recent attack on the sand village we've agreed to reschedule,"
She flipped through the pages.
"The sand needs to rebuild, and the other villages are worried about their borders, so the new date is set for four months from today."
She pointed at the boy's chest.
"When the summit is convened, I want you as part of my personal guard, it's important you're in attendance as we suspect the meeting will draw out the Akatsuki leader."
Naruto nodded, grateful.
"I'll ensure nothing happens to you, Baa-chan you have my word."
Tsunade smiled confidently.
"I'm the Hokage Naruto, worry about keeping yourself safe, the village needs you, and after all the Akatsuki have been dealt with, there is another matter I wish to discuss with you."
Jiraiya and her shared a look that Naruto didn't miss.
"Well, that's everything Naruto, we'll be keeping you off any high ranked missions until then, but don't fall off on your training."
He nodded.
"I wouldn't dream to."
Jiraiya looked at the boy deadly seriously.
"There is one other matter Naruto, you need to come with me for a trip."
Naruto looked at him intrigued.
"A trip?"
The toad sage nodded.
"We have to head to Mount Myoboku, you have greatly offended the elder sages with your enslavement of Gamabunta,"
Jiraiya sighed.
"-I understand that you were under Danzo's control when it happened, but if you don't apologize to the Great toad elders they will remove your name from the hall of summoners."
Naruto paled, scratching his head sheepishly.
"Of course Jiraiya-sensei, I should apologize to Gamabunta-san personally as well."
Jiraiya summoned a small red frog placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder.
"Kuchiyose no jutsu!"
They were reverse-summoned away.
Naruto and Jiraiya arrived at a colorful land with waterfalls and frog statues visible in the distance.
"This is Mount Myoboku?"
Jiraiya nodded.
"Quite impressive eh."
Naruto smiled.
"It is."
The sanin led him to a small house in the distance knocking on the door.
"Jiraiya-shonen, is that you?"
The toad man nodded.
"Yes Fukasaku-sensei, I've brought Naruto-chan."
The door opened, and a bearded elderly frog stared up at them.
"O-oh my, you didn't mention he had the Rinnegan Jiraiya-shonen."
Jiriaya scratched his head laughingly.
"That was a surprise to me as well Fukasaku-sensei."
"Well what are you waiting for, come in, Ma's been cooking up a storm."
Jiraiya paled, and Naruto suddenly got a bad feeling.
'O-oh Kami, what do Frog sages eat?'
The door closed behind them sealing any chance of escape they had and Fukasaku smiled with a mischievous glint in his eye.
"Well, let's not dawdle."
That night...
Naruto wiped the sweat from his brow, the training dummy was scorched and had holes in various parts of its body.
"So… that's the Asura path."
Naruto's arm shifted unnaturally, metal holes and spikes retreating back into his flesh
He shook his head.
"Y-yeah, that's just too weird."
He heard the faintest sound of cloth in the wind and spun around to see his clones surrounding him in the air.
"Fire style: Flame jet!" / "Earth style: Mud wave!" / "Wind Style: Forward palm!"
Two other clones burst from the woods behind him and formed their own hand seals.
"Lightning Style: Arc light!" / "Water Style: Liquid serpent!"
His Rinnegan pulsed and he raised both his arms as every element surrounded him with a deadly blast.
"Deva path: Shinra Tensei!"
Gravity repelled from his hands and blasted back all of the jutsu, destroying the clones and pushing the smoke and shockwave into the surrounding trees.
Naruto smirked as he turned around an orange armored arm raising from his body grabbed the leaping clone in the chest and held it in the air.
"Susanoo."
The clone gritted his teeth.
"How did you know?"
Naruto shook his head disappointedly.
"I always hide one move for later, just in case, stands to figure, my clones would be the same."
The susanoo hand crushed the clone, dispelling it as Naruto soaked up the combat experience.
He heard a rumbling grow louder from the woods and chuckled.
"Well, well, it seems I surprise even myself."
Thousands of clones burst from the tree line all throwing kunai and shuriken.
Naruto slammed his hand into the ground.
"Animal path: Kuchiyose no jutsu!"
A massive two headed Rinnegan Cerberus appeared catching the weapons with its body as a result it was split into pieces.
Each individual piece formed into a single large summon dog which jumped at the clones destroying them with puffs of smoke.
Naruto stood below the storm of Dogs and clones but was surprised when the light of a large chakra orb turned his head.
"Fire style: Rasen-bomb hand!"
He saw a Massive fire style Rasengan grenade approaching him and lifted a single hand with fierceness.
The orb of crackling fire began to explode but the energy was swallowed as the chakra and oxygen was pulled from within.
"Preta path!"
The hand began to suck all the chakra into him and his complexion grew even healthier and brighter as the clone paled.
"Now it's my turn, Water Style: Uzumaki no Rasen!"
He formed a large Rasengan in his hand which began to bubble and spin into a miniature whirlpool shuriken.
Tossing it at the clone it expanded out into a typhoon which spun around the clone, crushing it in the strong torrent.
Naruto returned his attention to the air-borne clones, who were overcoming the summons with taijutsu; he formed an earth seal.
"Earth style: Rasen-shell!"
A large Rasengan hardened over with earth as a miniature sand storm swirled with energy inside.
He lugged it into the air like a ball, and it exploded out of the Rock shell surrounding it, the results were like a line of mortar grenades;
The sand storm spiralled out sharp rocks exploding into the bodies of the clones and popping them with each pierce.
Naruto's summons disappeared to avoid the attack.
Naruto breathed heavily, the thousands of clones, Rinnegan jutsu, and Elemental Rasengans fatiguing his immense-but finite chakra reserves.
"It seems, I'm the best me after all."
He grinned to himself leaving the training field to head back within the village perimeter.
At the end of the week Shugori returned with the three ex-Oto ninja tagging along.
"I brought them, give me my money and you can have your meeting."
Naruto handed the Info broker the suitcase which was filled with neatly stacked Ryo bills.
"You kept your word Shugori-san, perhaps we will see you again for further business."
The man nodded.
"If you're smart, you will."
He turned around leaving the cave and vanished.
Suigetsu was the first to speak, eyeing the boy over.
"I'm supposed to believe that you killed Orochimaru?"
Naruto nodded.
"Believe what you want, but it was me that killed him."
Karin, a bit skeptical, removed her glasses, closed her eyes and began to read his chakra in her sensory field.
Almost immediately she fell back, clutching her hand over her chest, biting the left temple tip of her glasses in pleasure, and tearing up happily.
"S-so good… mghm and warm… like the sun."
She blushed at Naruto, her red eyes glistening.
"O-okay, I'll do it, I'll work for you, Naruto-kun."
Suigetsu eyed her weirdly.
"What the hell is wrong with you Karin, he doesn't look all that special to me."
Jugo shook his head quietly.
"Uzumaki-san… the birds agree, his chakra it's special."
The large orange man sighed somberly.
"I'll follow you, maybe… you can be my new cage…"
Suigetsu scoffed.
"So he has special chakra, yippee, that changes nothing."
Suigetsu looked at the boy.
"What makes you think we would work for you, what's in it for me?"
Kisame walked out chuckling.
"Suigetsu-chan, you talk too much, how about this, let's fight for it,"
The shark man held Samehada over his shoulder noticing fully the longing gaze Suigetsu held for it.
"If I win you work with us, no questions asked, if you win, I'll give you Samehada."
Suigetsu grinned with his shark-teeth.
"You have yourself a deal."
Kisame turned to Naruto.
"Hold Samehada for me, I don't want to accidentally kill our new recruit."
Suigetsu's eye twitched.
"How weak do you think I am?!"
Kisame smirked.
"Let's go outside and find out."
The shark man turned to the other ninja.
"Stay here, we need to be able to go all out,this is a battle between Kiri swordsmen, honor is on the line."
Naruto nodded.
"Make sure you win, we need him."
Kisame grinned.
"Don't worry, this is already over."
The two mist ninja headed out to the forest surrounding the base, there was an intense clashing of steel, yelling, grunting, and the sounds of roaring waves for nearly an hour.
Kisame returned bruised and breathing heavily, with a deflated, liquid looking Suigetsu tossed over his shoulder.
"He put up more of a fight than I ever would've thought, but I was able to win."
He tossed the boy down who evaporated into a puddle, reforming into a heavy breathing cut up Suigetsu.
"N-next time… I'll definitely win… next time."
Naruto returned Samehada to the shark, who thanked him petting the purring blade.
"Fine… I'll join you, but it better not be boring, or I'll fight you next Blondie!"
Naruto smirked.
"Don't worry Suigetsu-san… you'll have all the fun you need."
A few days later…
Naruto and Tobiko stepped into the Konoha holding cells, a tired looking boy sat drawing something on the wall in chalk.
"They took all my calligraphy pens, they said they couldn't risk me using jutsu."
Tobiko smiled.
"Who gave you chalk?"
Sai turned to face them, finishing the landscape he was drawing;
He had drawn the outline of a window on his cell wall, and for the outside view he had drawn the hokage faces and the village with surprising detail.
Naruto was impressed.
'He must be a talented artist.'
The boy spoke his flat affect giving only the slightest hint of emotion.
"Anko-san, she said a good mistress provides aftercare, whatever that means."
Naruto blushed thinking of an excerpt from Icha Icha Violence, but Tobiko seemed unaware as well.
A clearing of a throat turned their heads and a man walked down the hall.
"Inoichi-san, is he scheduled for a session?"
The Yamanaka clan head shook his head.
"No, he's been pardoned, I was sent to inform his next of kin."
Tobiko smiled.
"You knew I'd be here."
Inoichi nodded.
"You're a kind girl, I gleaned that much from my time inside your mind."
Inoichi held a key ring and opened the cell door.
"You two come along so we can return his personal effects in the commissary."
Inoichi turned to Naruto.
"Naruto, you'll have to wait outside, sorry it's protocol."
The blonde boy bowed.
"I understand Inoichi-san, Tobiko-chan, Sai-san I'll be waiting just by the entrance."
The girl smiled softly.
"Thank you Naruto-nii."
Naruto waited by the entrance, reading a book on Shinobi tactics written by Itachi.
A few minutes later Sai now dressed in his personal clothes and effects. stepped out with Tobiko, both smiling.
"Sorry for the wait, Naruto-nii, we were just about to grab lunch, care to come?"
Naruto nodded.
"I'd love to."
The three had a simple lunch at an Onigiri shop, during which Naruto tried to let the two socialize without bothering too much.
Seeing Tobiko so happy made him feel light in the chest, the girl he saw today was a far cry from the reserved robotic one he'd met almost a month ago.
When they finished the meal Naruto looked to the two of them.
"So, will Sai be rejoining the regular Leaf forces now?"
Sai looked thoughtfully away.
"I was considering joining the ANBU Black Ops, but with my history I don't know if I'd fit in there."
Naruto looked at the boy.
"Tobiko, there's something I've been meaning to ask you, and with Sai free now is the perfect time, but this has to say between the three of us."
The white-haired girl and her adoptive brother looked at him with their interests peaked.
"What is it Naruto-nii?"
"I'm calling it… the Shōgo."
A few months passed with Naruto and the new Shōgo organization training, pooling resources from missions they did, and building up their clout in the shinobi underworld.
Naruto stepped into the underground network of tunnels which were fully decorated with comfort and function items, he stepped into the armory and saw the racks of weapons, cloaks, and gear.
He set his dusty cloak on the tailoring table, grabbing a replacement off the armor rack and tossed it on.
Looking over the inventory he noticed the sealed off chamber which contained explosive tags and puppet components had a new table which was covered in bundles of white clay thread.
He nodded with satisfaction stepping back into the main chamber and eyed his Shogi board.
"Here we go again."
A blonde man chewed white clay with his teeth braiding it into a silk like substance before slowly lowering it from his mouth.
"Like thif?"
"Don't talk with your mouth full dolt were you born yesterday."
Sasori turned to him, revolted.
"Fhu you Puffet Bo."
Deidara flipped a metaphorical clay bird at his partner from beneath the sleeve of his red hooded jacket.
Sasori groaned at his partner's immaturity.
"Just spin the thread and shut up."
The red-haired man turned to his side where the younger blonde boy was reading his blue book.
"Naruto-san are you sure this is necessary."
"Hai Sasori-san for my plan to succeed I'm gonna need some specialized explosives."
"You still haven't told us what your plan is, when we left the Akatsuki, and formed the Shōgo, it was in faith that you had a plan but all you've given us is vague half answers."
"You had enough faith to leave with me Sasori, have a little more you'll see soon enough."
The puppetmaster let out a sigh adjusting the collar of his green striped turtleneck sweater.
"Very well but this better be good."
Loud exaggerated footsteps and a dragging sound grew louder.
A sharp gravelly voice yelled from a distance and a moment later a blue gilled man in a sleeveless black shirt emerged.
He dragged a battered unconscious body by the leg.
"Hey gaki I caught that rat Shugori!"
"Well done Kisame-san, toss him in the hole, and I'll deal with him later."
Kisame obliged him, tossing the unconscious man roughly into a wide pit within a cell.
Naruto gazed at the shogi board before him, taking a second look at his book before making a tentative move.
'Consider all the pieces in play, Pain, Konan, Hidan, Madara, Sasuke, Jiraiya, Kakashi, hmm.'
Kisame let out a chuckle.
"What an expression gaki you must really be serious."
"Of course I'm serious Kisame-san, one wrong move and all of us could die, or worse."
Naruto hid his expression behind his book, light beads of sweat beneath his brow.
"Don't sweat it kid, Orochimaru's gone, Kakuzu's imprisoned, and Kabuto ran tail tucked between his legs, you've already shaken up the playing field."
"Yes but the pieces still in play are the ones that really worry me."
Naruto stared at the King, gold generals, and lance.
Pushing the red ring to his mouth he tugged at the inner collar of his grey cloak trying to channel some Itachi energy.
'Jiraiya could probably help but he's busy keeping an eye on Kabuto's whereabouts.'
'I don't want to put Sasuke or Tayuya anywhere near the line of fire, what's my move here.'
Naruto stood up suddenly tossing his book onto the couch where he had been sitting.
"I'm gonna go speak with the prisoner, Deidara keep up the good work."
"You godd it bothp"
Naruto left down the hallway every step ringing in the cave's stone recesses.
He arrived at a lower chamber where a man sat with his arms bound in wire behind him.
"Ah, Uzumaki, I should've expected it would be you."
Naruto nodded to him.
"Shugori, It displeases me to face you under such circumstances, but you've forced our hands, we can't handle information leaks at such a crucial stage."
The man chuckled darkly.
"Listen to you, a mere brat, speaking like some hotshot."
Naruto adjusted his grey cloak with burnt orange highlights.
"I might be young, but you should know in this world, there are people younger than me, but wiser than you."
The Info broker sighed.
"I suppose you'll kill me now?"
The Shōgo leader shook his head.
"I'm not fond of pointless killings, for now we'll keep you here under lock and key, until the Akatsuki have been dealt with."
Naruto turned his back to him.
"You chose this path Shugori, not me, think on that."
The boy walked away as the man stewed silently in his cage.
Naruto stepped out looking at the gilled man who leaned against a stone wall.
"Any word on the whereabouts of Zetsu, any new sightings?"
Kisame shook his head.
"Not any that have reached our spy network, I'll keep looking."
Naruto bowed to the man.
"Thank you Kisame-san, finding him is our top priority, if we can find him, he'll lead us to Madara, and we can begin the final phase of our plan."
Loud bickering could be heard at the entrance of the cave and multiple sets of footsteps entered.
"Just shut up you crimson bimbo."
"Eh- what'd you call me you stupid fish bastard!"
Tobiko and Sai followed behind them, Tobiko patting Jugo's shoulder soothingly as he began to twitch with annoyance.
Kisame raspily laughed.
"Looks like Suigetsu and Karin are at each other's throats again."
Naruto sighed.
"When are they not?"
Naruto stepped out dramatically flipping open his cloak and raising his hands in a time out gesture.
He spoke with his best leader's voice.
"Enough!"
The two froze stiffly.
"Are you going to squabble like children when we face the enemy?"
Sugetsu seemed almost offended, scoffing.
"I'm no fool, this hare-brained girl just bothers me is all."
Karin nodded aggressively, adjusting her glasses.
"Ditto for this smelly water mutt."
Naruto growled with annoyance something snapping in him from the months of planning and hard work.
"QUIET!"
The bickering Shōgo turned to him completely silent and everyone looked at him entranced as he began gesturing passionately with his hands.
"We're all trash, none of us are any better, or any worse than the best of us and the worst of us,"
He hopped on the table flipping over his books and shogi board and pointing at all the ninja in the room.
"There's no mercy for the things we have done, separately or collectively, all of us have done things, unforgivable things that will follow us to the grave,"
He looked up, his purple rinnegan shining with majestic light which pierced the hearts of everyone there.
"-but perhaps by doing all that we can, we can go to hell with our honor intact, and fools will lie and praise us as heroes, if that's a dream that you can stand behind then follow me!"
He sighed breathing heavily and brushing hair which had fallen in his face during the passionate speech.
"I'm tired of waiting, It's time we drag the lands, and rip Zetsu out like a weed."
Naruto grabbed his sword, tied it to his back and headed for the door.
As his foot left the doorway he turned back to face the still shaken Shōgo.
"Come with me or don't, but don't waste air on aimless fights."
Kisame smirked.
"There he is, the man Itachi saw all along; after a ballsy speech like that one, I'll follow you into hell gaki, lead on."
The shark-man pulled Samehada tossing on his grey mission cloak.
Tobiko and Sai nodded silently and followed as well.
Sasori and Deidara bundled the thread they were working on, dropping it off in the armory as they grabbed their own cloaks and followed.
Suigetsu, and Karin sighed.
"Fine, if it means we get to fight someone finally, then lead on, o' wise one."
Karin nodded silently in agreement.
Naruto stepped out into the midday light, his alliance of grey cloaked ninja stood behind him.
"Shōgo, let's move out."
X END X