Itachi stared at the letter that had just arrived, surprised at first the Orochimaru knew about the letter between himself and Miyako. But his surprise quickly vanished as he read the letter and learn that Miyako was missing. Possibly – most likely – kidnapped.
Hoshigaki Kisame – who sat not even five metres away – watched as his partner in crime's (quite literally) face turned into a mixture of anger and fear. He watched as Itachi stood up, making him wonder what was written in that letter that had his teammate so worked up.
"Itachi?" Kisame questioned as Itachi started to pack up his belongings without even a glance at his teammate. Kisame's beady black eyes shot to the edge of the clearing as he sensed someone chakra. He watched as the wolf-masked Ookami appeared, frowning at the appearance of – what he was sure was – a teenager. "What are you doing here, Ookami?"
Itachi's gaze flittered straight to the masked teen. Unlike Kisame, Itachi knew who lay behind the wolf-mask and something in his gut told him that Ookami was the reason for Miyako's disappearance.
"I take it you are aware of Miyako-chan going missing, Itachi," Ookami stated and Itachi stiffened.
"If you have anything to do with it..." Itachi warned and Ookami chuckled.
"So what if I did? What are you doing to do about it?" Ookami questioned and threw a scroll at Itachi, who caught and read over the scroll and its contents in a matter of seconds. His eyes widened at what was written. The orders that were written. "You have one week to complete this task. If you don't... well, you know what Tobi and I have planned for Miyako." Ookami then vanished from view, making Itachi clench the scroll in his pale hands. For the first time since the coup d'état and the massacre he felt helpless.
"Itachi, what's going on?" Kisame questioned, finally standing up from his position on the ground, worry hidden deep in his eyes.
"Head back to the nearest base. I'm going to finish this... mission," he spat the word out, "as quickly as possible." Itachi ordered Kisame before disappearing from the clearing, leaving a confused Kisame behind who decided to respect itachi's orders and started heading to the nearest base.
...
Miyako was confused and depressed to say the least. The boy she had loved, her best friend, the one she thought dead was not dead. He had survived the massacre and was working with a madman who wanted to control the entire ninja world. But what was worse was what they were going to make Itachi do. Something so horrible she couldn't help but fill sick to her stomach. And they were using her too, just to get him to cooperate.
It had been a little over an hour since Hisoka had told hear the plan and left he in her thoughts, when the door leading into the room opened and he entered. His wolf mask was hanging of his belt and he held tray on which sat some rice and curry and a glass of water. He knelt down and placed the tray on the floor before turning around and shutting the door, locking it as he went.
"I'm going to unlock the chains from you so you can eat, Mi-chan," Hisoka stated as he came near her.
He opened the chains and Miyako lowered her arms, rubbing her wrists to relieve the pressure that had built up over time. She glared at Hisoka as he moved backwards, giving the sixteen-year-old some room so she could eat. Watching her as she grabbed the tray of food and started eating, never taking her gaze of his as he leant against the door. He was prepared to defend himself if she made a move.
"If you keep glaring, your face will get stuck like that," Hisoka stated with a weary smile, trying to break the tension as Miyako's glare hardened, not appreciating the joke. "Your glare is almost better than a Uchiha's. Tell me, did Sasuke or Itachi teach you that?"
Once again, Miyako didn't reply as she finished her food. She took a few slow sips of her water, watching Hisoka. She was furious with what had happened. Being kidnapped and being used as a pawn in his and his teachers game. Though, and she had to admit this to herself, she was relieved he wasn't dead. She couldn't help but feel the happiness well up inside her chest at the thought that her best friend and old crush wasn't killed that horrid night.
"Aren't you going to say anything, Mi-chan? You haven't spoken since I revealed myself to you," Hisoka questioned, tilting his head to the side, his long, chest-length hair that was tied up in a low pony-tail – much like Itachi's – moving over his shoulder.
"What would you have me say?" Miyako questioned as she finished her water and picked up her porcelain chopsticks, spinning them around in her fingers. "'Hi-kun, I'm so glad you're not dead?'"
Hisoka let out a smile. "Yes, something along those lines should do."
Miyako scoffed and then charged at Hisoka, chopsticks raised and pointed right at his eyes. He easily dodged the attack and she spun around, moving to kick him in the gut. He caught her foot and flipped her over his should, making her land on the ratty mattress that was situated in the room.
"Honestly? I would've thought you'd do better than that," Hisoka stated with a sigh as he picked up the chopsticks that had fallen to the floor and shoved them in his pockets. "Though I must admit, a highly creative use for chopsticks. Only you would think to use them as a weapon."
Miyako huffed as she got off the worn mattress, once again glaring at the eighteen-year-old in front of her. She knew that she had blown her chance to overtake him and escape, but she also knew she'd try again later. When he least expects it. That's assuming, of course, that that time actually does arrive.
Hisoka frowned, almost looking hurt. "Come on, Mi-chan. Nothing has changed. It's still me."
"No. things have changed, Hisoka-san," Miyako stated, making Hisoka flinch at the use of the honorific that she hadn't used on him since they first met all those years ago. She was practically designating him as an acquaintance at best, a stranger at worse. "You died, Hisoka-san. Or at least, everyone thought you had died. Takeo, Gina, Tsuneo-sensei, and even Sasuke mourned your death. Yet, all this time you were here. With the enemy."
A sad look crossed Hisoka's face. "How are they anyway?"
Miyako's face went blank as she considered not telling him. But the look in his gaze made her crack. Just a little bit. "Takeo is a Jōnin who is very good at medical ninjutsu. Tsuneo-sensei is married to Adachi Aya. She was my other sensei if you remember. And Gina..." a sad look crossed her features as Miyako realised she hadn't had the proper time to mourn her first friends death. "She died in the attack by Otogakure and Sunagakure. So yeah, that happened." She glared at Hisoka, her anger and sorrow directed at him. "But you wouldn't know about that, would you? You know why? Because you weren't there! I missed you like hell, Hisoka-san! But now? Looking at you? I'm wishing you just stayed dead!" By the time she was finished she was yelling, tears streaming down her face in anger, sorrow, and frustration.
Hisoka froze at that final statement, meeting Miyako's gaze straight on. Reading her eyes for any sign of a lie. The he saw it. The truth. Right there in her gaze. What she said was the truth. At the moment, she honestly wished he were dead.
Anger started bubbling up in Hisoka. Anger at what he wasn't overly sure. Was he angry at Tobi for sparing his life and taking him under his wing? Was he angry at Itachi for not being the one to kill him that night? Or was he angry at Miyako for not accepting him after all these years.
Hisoka took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He bent down and grabbed the tray and cup. "Tobi said I can let you off the chains. Don't even try to escape. You have no idea where you are and we have people working for us." With that said, Hisoka left the room, locking the door behind him and leaving the angry and hurt Miyako behind.
...
Jiraiya – who was one of the three Sanin of Konohagakure and student of the Third Hokage, famous for teaching the Fourth Hokage – was used to meeting with Uchiha Itachi once every few months for a report on the criminal organisation known as the Akatsuki. This meeting, however, was different. Jiraiya knew it from the fact that they had met only two short weeks ago. So when Jiraiya got the message from Itachi's crow a day ago to meet at this location, at this time today, he knew something important must of happened.
Of course, this sudden change in course has led him to leaving Naruto alone in their hotel room three stores away. Naruto was never to become aware of these meetings. If he did, he'd want an explanation, and Jiraiya didn't want to open that can of worms in front of the soon to be fourteen-year-old genin.
"Jiraiya-san," Itachi stated as he sat across from Jiraiya. He wore a blank, grey cloak with his hood up so as to hide better amongst the crowd.
"Itachi-san. What brings us here?" Jiraiya questioned and Itachi handed him the scroll that had been given to him by Hisoka. Jiraiya frowned in confusion as he picked up the scroll and started reading through it, his eyes widening and face going pale as he read its content. He rolled up the scroll once he was done and met Itachi's gaze head on. "Who has her?"
"He calls himself Ookami. He works for a secret member of the Akatsuki known as Tobi, though the other members are unaware of that fact. I already have the required items to complete this 'mission'. All I need is it filled up with the required stuff from Sasuke, and his female teammate, Miyako's cousin, Sakura," Itachi explained and Jiraiya lips formed a straight line as he thought.
"Would you be able to go through with what they want of you and Miyako?" Jiraiya questioned.
Itachi sighed. "I'm not sure. But either way, they will get Miyako to do their bidding. I don't know what they're planning, exactly, but it can't be good."
"I will inform Tsunade of this immediately. Though I will have to inform her of the truth surrounding the massacre," Jiraiya stated and Itachi nodded in understanding and acceptance.
"Thank you, Jiraiya-san. I must be going. Orochimaru has gotten what I need from Sasuke and is sending one of his subordinates to drop it off for me. message me when you've got a response from Tsunade-sama," Itachi stated before getting up and leaving Jiraiya with one hell of a mess to clean up.
...
Tsunade was sick to her stomach, and not just because of what she learnt about the Uchiha Massacre. She already knew that the elders – especially Shimura Danzo – could be cruel, after all, she became well aware of the Shinjitsu Massacre when she became Hokage. No, she was sick to her stomach for what she was about to do to her young student.
True, she was doing it to save her students cousin, but the idea was still sickening. She was , admittedly, giving into terrorist threats. But did she have a choice? Miyako was valuable to the village. She gave regular update on Orochimaru and Sasuke, and she was the last of her clan.
Of course, Tsunade couldn't make this decision on her own... legally. She had to inform the elders. Of course, first she yelled at them for the whole Uchiha Massacre thing, but then got down to business about why she had called them. once they learnt about the danger Miyako was in, the danger the almost extinct clan was in, they ordered Tsunade to give into the demands. Who cares about a non-clan child getting violated in the process? She didn't need to know after all. There was no trauma for the pink haired girl until she finds out. Or if she finds out.
Of course, Tsunade knew that was a load of bull. She knew that one day she'll tell Sakura the truth about the so-called important surgery that she had to undergo. Perhaps when she was sixteen, maybe older. When that day comes, Sakura will probably brake and hate the Konohagakure elders, and possibly Tsunade and Miyako as well.
So, as Tsunade got ready for the operation – tears in her hazel-gold eyes – with a team of ANBU ranked medics, she prayed to the Gods that nothing overly horrible comes of this. But she knew, with the way things were going, the world was about to become an even colder place.