Fourth of five Updates.
I may have taken on a slightly different style since starting University (though my grammar appears to have stayed the same), but I do hope that you are still enjoying this story. I am eager to hear what you think of it and ideas for what you think might be happening next.
Please enjoy it, lol.
Thank you to my Beta Spaded Ace18.
Thank you for the all the follow, favourites, alerts and reviews.
Naruto = flash back
'Naruto' is thoughts/thinking
"Naruto" signing/sign language
"Naruto" speaking.
"Naruto" Demon
"Naruto" is demon enhanced.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto just some DVDs and games.
Chapter 45 -
Naruto's head lifted from his paper work, turning and staring out the window towards the border of the village. Rabbit was back, and he had brought someone with a large amount of chakra with him.
Naruto stood on the roof of the stadium.
"Hello rabbit."
"Naruto, you certainly have grown." Itachi turned round looking down at Naruto.
"Rabbit, if people find you here, there will be trouble." Naruto worried his lip.
"Still struggle with Genjutsu I see. We are inside a Genjutsu; nobody but you knows I'm here, Orochimaru has manipulated the sand. Their Kage is dead. The Third will die Naruto, but you know that don't you? You always were more perceptive than you appear. I will return to issue the council with a warning." Itachi smirked. "The organization I work for will send us out soon, to identify the containers of the tailed beasts. It will be me that comes after you."
"I trust you." Naruto nodded.
"Play pretend for me, my accomplice may well pick up your true level and we can't have that known just yet. Remember I come for the warning but to everybody else I've come for you."
"Sasuke?"
"He must stay out of this."
"You did I right number on him you know, as soon as he gets wind of you, he'll be after you like a shot. Why couldn't you have said something to make him less bitter?" Naruto asked.
"It needed to be done Naruto you know that."
"Orochimaru wants him. He placed a curse mark on him." Naruto worried his lip again.
"Sasuke will not fall to Orochimaru. I am his biggest drive; nothing will stop him from getting to me."
"But what if he leaves?"
"You do care about him."
"Of course he was my team mate, but we clash so much I don't think I can take much more. I want friends not rivals."
"Perhaps being his rival is what he needs, what will tie him to the village?"
"It will start soon. Be careful little Cat." Itachi released the jutsu, a black bird was where he had been standing, and it flew off into the sky as Naruto turned throwing his broken staff at the barrier forming around the Hokage.
He hoped Itachi would say goodbye to the old man while he was here. And that Sasuke would not find out about his brother's visit.
(Line)
"Has Lord Jiraiya returned yet?" Naruto's clone asked looking up from the mountain of paperwork.
"I believe so. Perhaps it would be best if we broached the subject of his taking over as Hokage for you." Homura replied entering the room.
"I was hoping you would. You have better eloquence with words than I do. And you know him better than I do." Naruto smiled.
"You should not encourage him so; he is still a monster, and making little strides in the way of a militant leader. This charade you have going on with him must end. There are laws in place to restrict his movements, do not let the demon fool you." Homura snapped as they made their way up to the roof of the building.
"Perhaps I am seeing him for the child he is, and not the monster."
"Then why have you not told him about the laws?" He waited seeing his team mate hesitate. "You still do not trust him. He is a weapon first and foremost like all shinobi forces should be. The sooner a new Hokage is appointed the better." Homura stated as they entered out onto the roof.
Jiraiya was leaning against the railing staring up at the Hokage monument. The elders shared a look, their argument replaying in their minds.
"I admit I am surprised by how well the boy has taken to the role, but the boy agrees we need to find someone to take over from him." Koharu stated.
"We thought you might take on the position. The boy seems to think you will decline." Homura added.
"He's right you know, I'm not the sort for all that sort of thing. My spy network is rather important right now, there's something brewing in the air I can feel it." Jiraiya nodded.
"Who would you suggest other than yourself to take on the role?" Homura prompted.
"Of the three sannin there is only one left. Tsunade. Her medical expertise would be a vital asset right now."
"Agreed but no one knows her whereabouts. How do you propose to track her down?"
"ANBU would be best," Koharu stated.
"No. She run the first sign of them she sees. I'll do. I don't need babysitters, I'm not going to run. I do however what to take someone with me. Naruto. I want to see what it is that has everyone willing to follow him; I need to understand what it was that Sensei saw in him, the thing I missed. He's an intriguing individual and I am rather invested in his development." Jiraiya crossed his arms.
"As acting Hokage he cannot leave the village."
"Yet you couldn't find him for a week at the beginning of October."
"That is beside the point." Koharu bemoaned.
"You do realize he has at least two clones running around the village at any one time? And that group of ANBU aren't going to leave his side anytime soon, not after last time." Jiraiya smirked.
"Naruto cannot leave the village." Homura stated.
"I think it would be best if Naruto was out of the village for a while, we'll leave his clones here and I'll take the real one with me. I think something is coming and that it would be best that Naruto is out of the village for it. There is no leeway on this, I'm taking Naruto with me, whether you like it or not." Jiraiya crossed his arms.
"Fine we'll watch over the village and his clone while he is gone." Koharu nodded.
"I don't remember you all being this stubborn." Homura huffed.
"Learned from the best." Jiraiya smiled dropping off the building.
"I do not think Danzo will be pleased with these turn of events." Koharu sniffed.
(Line)
"This is your home village?" Itachi's partner laughed.
Itachi eyed the man he had been paired up with.
"It's been a long time since you were last here right? Why not stop off for something to eat? Before we begin our search."
"Yeah sounds good." Itachi replied.
Kakashi spied Asuma and Kurenai walking rather close together. He stopped and watched them as they slowly drew closer to one another before pulling away again. He wondered if Naruto knew about this interesting development, but he was busy with Hokage business, perhaps he could snoop around for a bit. He jumped down into an alley and settled against a sweet shop, he tilted his head sensing a familiar chakra. He turned as the two jounin came closer.
"Hey you look cosy together. Are you on a date?" he watched them shift further apart.
"Idiot Anko asked me to get her some sweets," Kurenai snapped.
"What are you doing here?" Asuma rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Picking up sweets too?"
"Thought I'd check out this place, maybe buy some things for my team." He eye smiled.
"You wouldn't know what to buy them." Kurenai huffed, eyes darting to inside the shop.
"Kakashi, what are you doing here?" Sasuke asked drawing near. "I was hoping to buy some sweets, but since you're here, let's go train."
"Sorry Sasuke something's come up." Kakashi replied as the familiar chakra receded, Asuma and Kurenai following its trail. Sasuke looked after the two confused.
(Line)
Jiraiya stood in the door way of the mission room, staring at Naruto trying to figure out if he was a clone or not. He sighed and stepped into the room.
"Lord Jiraiya, nice of you to return." Naruto spoke still writing.
"Are you the real one?" Jiraiya frowned.
Naruto stopped and looked up, he narrowed his eyes. "Is it really that hard to tell?" he asked. "Don't hit me to find out." He shrugged. "And yes I'm the real one." He sighed.
"Good, leave a clone I need to borrow you."
"I'm rather busy, can it not wait?" Naruto asked.
"Don't you want to get out of here for a while?" Jiraiya dangled a carton of ramen in front of the boy.
"That won't get you very far, you know." Naruto smiled standing up; he created a clone leaving that to do the paperwork as he followed Jiraiya to the ramen stand. "I haven't had ramen for ages." He smiled.
(Line)
A black crow sat looking at the third's gravestone, it turned its head as a blonde cat strolled up to it. A small red toad sat on the cat's back.
(Line)
Asuma and Kurenai dropped down in front of the two cloaked figures, the one with the familiar chakra stopped and looked up at them.
"Good morning, Asuma, Kurenai." He lifted his hat up, sharingan spinning.
"What did you come back here for?" Asuma practically snarled chakra blades glowing.
Kurenai stepped back hands ready in seals, as Itachi swept his hat off revealing himself.
"Hey they recognized you, well then it's my turn for introductions. Kisame Hoshigaki. Now we're all acquainted. It's not them right."
"Don't be too excessive," Itachi replied.
Kisame smirked, shooting forwards his bandaged sword making contact with Asuma's knives, he smiled and pushed down knocking Asuma down, the bandages unravelled from the sword and tore through Asuma's shoulder.
Kurenai disappeared using a Genjutsu, Itachi watched her disappear following her idly with his eyes, his attention flicked to the bushes he could have sworn there was a flick of a blonde tail. He waited as Kurenai appeared from a tree behind him. He turned her Genjutsu around, so that she was the one caught in the trap.
"Low level Genjutsu doesn't work against me." He whispered. "Have you not informed your girlfriend, who I am?" Itachi smirked.
"I'm not his girlfriend!" she broke free from the Genjutsu.
"She's not my girlfriend!" Asuma snapped.
Itachi caught her off guard, knocking her over the fence and into the water.
"Really should pay attention." Kisame smirked swinging his sword down towards Asuma; he ducked and pushed himself back slashing for Kisame.
Itachi stood on the water behind Kurenai. His head tilted as Kakashi appeared on the scene kunai pressed to Itachi and a clone matched Kisame for hand seals sending a replica jutsu back towards him.
"About time you got here," Asuma smirked.
"Let's put an end to this. "Kakashi nodded.
Kisame and Kakashi dispelled the water at the same time. Kisame appeared shocked staring at Kakashi. Itachi turned his sharingan eyes towards Kakashi, an annoyed glint in his eyes. Kakashi stood his ground, with only one sharingan eye he was at a disadvantage, but he was the only one best equipped to fight against him. Kisame smirked eager to fight such an opponent.
"That's the copycat ninja? A good enough reason to show off my jutsu."
"Not unless you want him to copy them. Do not underestimate him Kisame."
"I'll only slice him up a little." Kisame laughed.
"No." Itachi turned to look at his partner. "We have no time for foolishness, getting injured is not why we came here, fighting these shinobi's will take too long and more will come."
"Perhaps you could tell us what you're doing here?" Kakashi released the clone in front of Asuma.
"I thought you already knew that." Itachi smirked. "We are looking for something."
"Looking for what?" Kurenai asked.
"Shall we see if you can keep up?" Itachi tilted his head reminiscent of the way Naruto did.
Kakashi's eyes narrowed recognizing that gesture. Itachi moved through hand seals sending a water jutsu at Kakashi, sliding a shuriken into his hand. Kakashi was caught unaware as Itachi stood behind him, kunai easily going through his flak jacket. Kurenai turned in shock seeing Kakashi being overwhelmed. Kakashi turned into water, slipping below the surface, he shot out grabbing Kurenai as the original Itachi exploded.
"Kakashi! Kurenai!" Asuma jumped over the railings.
He found the two, standing on the water still Kakashi's jacket smoking from the impact.
"What am I missing here?" Kurenai asked.
"Itachi was an ANBU captain by the age of thirteen, and he hasn't unleashed full power yet. Keep your guard up." Kakashi coughed turning round.
"Even though you were never supposed to have that eye, you are doing well to keep. Now I'll show you the true power of the Sharingan." Itachi closed his eyes slowly opening them.
"Close your eyes now! Both of you!" Kakashi panicked. "No matter what happens do not open your eyes."
"Only another sharingan user could challenge me, but you do not have the same blood as me. Your resistance to Tsukiyomi won't last long." Itachi explained.
"Kakashi what happened? What's wrong?" Asuma called out as Kakashi collapsed to his knees.
"Heh, he's still standing. That's surprising. However you should be careful Itachi that eye of yours is dangerous to you too." Kisame smirked as he walked over.
"You're looking for Sasuke aren't you?" Kakashi coughed.
"No." Itachi's face turned to stone. "We are after the fourth's legacy."
"The fourth's legacy?" Kakashi coughed.
"I thought you already knew that Kakashi. After all it was Lord Jiraiya that told you."
(Line)
Kakashi walked out onto the balcony of the Jounin longue finding Jiraiya leaning against the railing staring out over the village.
"It's been a while since you were last in the village." Kakashi drew level with the older man.
"Kakashi." He greeted. "I'm going to be keeping Naruto with me for a while. It is a role of the third generation to watch over him."
"And yet you ran. It was a good idea the Hokage made you watch over him. But you ran."
"We both ran Kakashi," Jiraiya frowned.
"Yes and now we've both become involved in his life, but that doesn't mean he'll let us in."
"I wanted to tell you something, not be lectured, especially by you." Jiraiya huffed.
"What did you want to tell me?" Kakashi frowned leaning back against the railing.
"I left the village, to follow movements. Orochimaru's movements to be precise. I knew he would return to the village someday as evidenced by current events. It has since become clear that this is the beginning of something. Something more. At first it was just about Orochimaru, but now..."
"Now you think that something is coming. Naruto does too." Kakashi nodded.
"We need to prepare for this organization. That Orochimaru joined. "Jiraiya explained. "We don't know the full details of this organization yet, we do know that it's called Akatsuki. It is small with nine members, all shinobi. Until recently there has been little to no activity from them, little espionage was carried out. Most of these shinobi have appeared in the bingo book at any one time. One S rank criminal is hard enough but nine."
"Itachi is also with them?" Kakashi asked.
Jiraiya nodded. "The nine have gathered together, volunteers mostly. Akatsuki must be up to something. You'll probably find out soon." he paused. "Orochimaru was a member of this organization, but he escaped."
"Perhaps that is better in the long run." Kakashi thought aloud.
"The members move in teams of two at all times, assembling jutsus and what not along the way, but they appear to be looking for someone."
"You think they are looking for Naruto, as he is the container of the nine tails." Kakashi concluded.
"Yes I believe so. Its chakra is one of the strongest, being a demon after all. Naruto's destiny is to live always watching his back. It is the fate he was given."
"You don't know Naruto very well do you? He makes his own fate." Kakashi pushed off the railing.
"Naruto will be hunted because of the burden he carries."
"Then teach him to defend himself against this burden, not to run. No more running." Kakashi snapped.
"I plan to teach Naruto. You look out for Sasuke. It will be important that he learns how to utilize that sharingan of his. Seeing as Itachi is part of this organization."
"I can't ignore Naruto for Sasuke." Kakashi defended.
"That's what you were doing beforehand though wasn't it."
"Naruto is not mine to hand over. Have you spoken to Takeru yet, his team won't let Naruto go lightly. They fought for years to get him on their team." Kakashi snarled.
"Takeru has been made aware of the fact that I am taking Naruto to the shinobi training centre. Keep your eyes peeled Kakashi. Something is coming." Jiraiya moved away.
Kakashi turned staring out at the village. He didn't notice the cat sat on the roof that had watched their conversation.
(Line)
"Your target is the Kyuubi inside of Naruto isn't it? You have begun to move, your organization. Akatsuki."
"Time to make them disappear Kisame."
"What fun?" Kisame smirked flying towards the three.
Kisame was knocked past Itachi with a youthful shout as Might Guy appeared. Itachi sighed he had not expected this person to show up.
"Who the hell is that?"
"The leaf's prideful green beast, Might Guy." He introduced himself.
"Do not take him lightly." Itachi sighed.
Kakashi collapsed, sinking into the water. Gai turned picking him back out of the water.
"Don't look into Itachi's eye Gai."
"I know. Years of fighting with Kakashi I have my own way of combating his sharingan. Both of you open your eyes." He hauled Kakashi onto his shoulder. "Do not look directly at the eye, use the reflection, you must fight while focusing on your opponent's feet."
"That's very clever Gai" Kurenai praised.
"But there is only one person that can do that. You!" Asuma sounded impressed.
"There is a method to it, but we don't have time for that, try to get used to it now." he handed Kakashi over to Kurenai. "Take Kakashi to the hospital, Asuma will be my support. Reinforcements are on their way." He turned ready to fight.
Itachi cast his eyes to the shore; Nami was sat there watching them intently. Its tail swished as it let out a loud yowl.
"Kisame stop. It is time to go."
"This was a lot of trouble." Kisame snarled.
Itachi looked at Kisame, before turning back to the railing where Nami now stood, a small red toad sat on its head. Gai, Asuma and Kurenai all glanced over, spotting the blonde feline. When they returned their attention to the two ninja they had already departed. Asuma frowned as the cat yowled again, a raven flying off in the distance.
Thanks for reading. Third of five Updates.
Review if you like or don't like.