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Naruto was looking out over the city. The past few days had been revealing. He had cousins, an aunt and uncle, and he found out more about his parents. Sasuke and Itachi were repairing the ties between them as they were building ones with him. Baa-chan was organizing the shinobis to be more productive. Kakashi, of course, was helping Team 7 train. Naruto was happy. But one question reigned in his mind. Why do I feel so different here? He thought.
"Naruto, wake up. Its time to go. We need to get our new headbands as well as get a crash course in fighting something like those liches." Sasuke said. He was happy now that he had family. Sakura waited just beyond Sasuke. Naruto grinned.
"Lets go show the world that Team 7 is awesome!!!!" Naruto said, grabbing his teammates in a hug. Sasuke hned and Sakura laughed. Quickly, they headed towards the large open area within the compound they had been given. Tsunade, with Jirayia and Shikaku on either side, stood behind a large table that held new hitates. Tsunade quickly called everyone to order. As soon as the chatter quieted down, she spoke.
"As most of you know, we have decided as one to live here as shinobis of Velos. As such, the Konoha hitates are no longer worthy of our will of fire. Today, we will give you new hitates. These will reflect how brightly our will of fire burns!" Tsunade said. Cheers went up for those words.
"Now I will give out your hitates. Jonin Ibiki Morino, step forward. Here is your new hitate." Tsunade said. Ibiki stepped forward to recieve his hitate. As he received it, he removed the leaf headband from his person. The new headband had a fire burning with a phoneix rising fron the ashes of the fire. Ibiki bowed.
"Thank you, Lady Tsunade." Ibiki said. Tsunade nodded.
"Anko Mitashi, your headband." Tsunade said. Anko walked forward and took her headband from Tsunade. Ibiki and Anko were curious as to why they went first. Kakashi was next. As Kakashi walked to Ibiki and Anko, a grey clad message and the Enforcer Trey entered the area.
"Lady Tsunade, forgive this interruption but I would like to gather three of your members for Lady Rania. Ibiki Morino, Anko Mitashi, and Kakashi Hatake. Please follow me." the greyclad man said. Trey walked along side the nins. Quickly they reached where Rania was standing. Rania smiled as they neared her.
"Thank You, Talas, Trey. I'll take it from here." Rania said. The two men left quickly. Ibiki looked at Rania like he was sizing her up. Anko was trying to figure out exactly what kind of fighter she was.
"You're Tsunade's best T and I team, correct?" Rania asked, undisturbed by the stares. Anko spoke.
"Yeah, you got a problem with that?" Anko snapped.
"No, just wanted to see if you wanted to help "question" some ROOT members who tried to kill you all and meet our T and I experts. You interested?" Rania asked. Anko got a sadistic grin and Ibiki cracked his knuckles. Rania smiled.
"Good, let's go to room 46." Rania said guiding the way. Kakashi cleared his throat.
"Ummm, why did you ask me to come? I'm no expert at information gathering." Kakashi asking Rania. Rania sighed.
"After we show them room 46, I'll take you to meet someone." Rania said. She led them though a series of buildings and alleys until they came to a large cinder block building. Rania then pricked her finger and swiped a bit of blood on the door. The door opened to reveal a gray hallway. Rania led the shinobi inside the door closing automatically. Rania then called out.
"Tristan, where is Evan and Goth? I have the shinobis with me." Rania called. A boy of 16 appeared.
"They await you in Room 46's other side. They are eager to meet the shinobi counterparts. Ahhh, I see one is a lady. Hehehe, Goth's gonna love that." Tristan said, melting into the shadows. Anko was growling at the fact that Tristan laughed. Rania snickered.
"That little maggot. Does he think a woman can't torture someone?" Anko hissed. Rania shook her head.
"Quite the opposite. Goth is a woman but gets disgusted when women try to use seduction only to lure information out of a target. She'll like you for sure. Here we are." Rania said opening a door. A man and woman were in there. The man was large and built with tanned skin and a scarred head and face. Light brown eyes that invited warmth yet held cold disdain was the first thing the shinobi noticed about him. He was as tall as Ibiki and just as big. He wore no shirt and showed the scars of many diifernt weapons, standing white against his tanned skin. The woman was slight of build, pale skinned with black hair and light green eyes. She wore a skin tight leather outfit with a studded collar and thigh high black boots. She was built in the areas that a woman needed to show off for seduction but gave off an aura that stopped any chance of that. Rania waited to see who would open the conversation.
"Damn, are those studs poisoned? How do you get that leather to do that? Every time I try, it pinches my ass." Anko asked Goth. Goth smiled.
"I'll introduce you to my tailor later. You must be Anko the Snake Mistress. I have heard of your work. Love the job you did the the snake teme's shinobi awhile back." Goth said. Anko took out a kunai smiling.
"What can I say, I love my job?" Anko replied. Goth smiled.
"Yes, you and I are going to work together just fine. Want to get a drink after work? I know a great little shop that serves drinks and dango of the best kind." Goth said. Anko's eyes shimmered.
"You bet. I love drinking and dango."
"Another common trait. Yes, we are going to work out just fine." Goth said. Evan watched Ibiki carefully.
"So, you are Konoha's torture chief. Hmmm, not at all what I expected." Evan spoke in a gravelly voice. Ibiki tensed up.
"Were you expecting some sniveling littke maggot? Or perhaps a snotbosed brat? I'm neither of those. I didn't get my job by playing nice. In fact, I love to see the looks on punks faces when I walk in the room. Pure nectar." Ibiki growled. Evan grinned.
"Nope, just wanted to see if I could push your buttons. Besides, your reputation precedes you. Ahem, would the two of you like to "question" our prisoners." Evan asked, a dark smile on his face. Rania, seeing the group would be busy, motioned to Kakashi and left. Though two more alleys and a left turn later, they came to a private area. Kakashi quirked his eyebrow at Rania.
"Ummmm, I think we are lost." Kakashi said. Rania shook her head as she approached the gate, Kakashi following. Rania led Kakashi down a path that led to a small table. Seated at the table was an older woman with long blonde hair, wearing a green uniform and glasses. Kakashi froze. It had been years since he'd seen or heard from her. He thought her dead or captured. Sir Intergra looked up as Kakashi could only say one word.
"Mom?!"
Fire Country-Port City
A fat merchant smiled as he counted out the money that he paid the farmer. I'll triple my profits easily!!! The merchant thought as the farmer left. Quickly, the merchant's caravan loaded the goods to go to the docks. Smiling the merchant arrived at his destination. He entered the trading house.
"Ahhh, Suiki, I have brought my goods. The price is 200,000 ryo no?" The merchant asked. Suiki shook his head.
"Higher?! Well, I have..."
"Merchant Dousa, You myst pay a tax for selling your goods and pay a tax for shipping your goods. Failure to do so will result in termination of your contract. Do you agree?" Suiki said.
"What?! Who ordered this?" Dousa boomed. Suiki sighed.
"The head of our trading house, Merchant Dousa. Pay or lose your contract." Suiki said. Dousa forked over the cash, not wanting to lose an outside source. I must tell Danzo of this. Dousa thought, leaving in a swirl of fabric. Suiki motioned to a shadow and the shadow followed him. Dousa allowed his men to enjoy themselves. Quickly, he summoned a ROOT nin.
" Give this to lord Danzo." The ROOT nin vanished. The shadow figure tracked the merchant to a spot outside the port. The merchant turned to the shadowy figure.
"Show yourself" The merchant said. A woman showed herself. Her clothing revealed more than it concealed. The merchant licked his chops.
"Well, well cutie. Need to make some money. I got plenty. How about a few hours of pleasure for some ryo notes, hmmm?" Dousa said. The woman walked toward him. Dousa smiled until she kneed him in the groin.
"You're scum. My master would love to teach you manners but we've another use for you." The woman said, holding Dousa's head up.
"Look into my eyes, Dousa, your fate is sealed. Carry this message to your leader for me." She said. Leaning close she whispered in his ear. Once finished she disappeared as easily as she had appeared. Dousa, on his knees, began to think about how he was missing the fun. Slowly, he got up to join the men in the bars, forgetting the encounter but not the message. The shadow smiled.
Konoha
Danzo was furious. The Merchants from the east had just severed ties with Konoha. Better rates elsewhere. Danzo needed the caravans for cash but he would simply hijack a few, makung the merchants hire Konoha nin to protect them. Orochimaru didn't care as long as he got his test subjects. Kumo was out of reach for the time being and Iwa had flat out killed the nins he sent. Suna was in rebellion and Mist was off limits due to the take over of a new damiyo who believed in bloodlines. Danzo's plans were sidetracked for now. Danzo looked up as a knock sounded on the door.
"Yes." Danzo said. A ROOT nin entered the room.
"Lord Danzo, a visitor has asked for an audience with you and the Hokage." The ROOT nin said. Danzo nodded as he stood up.
"Lets see this visitor. We need not concern the Hokage."
"Yes, Lord Danzo." The nin led Danzo to the visitor, a tall sinewy man in a hooded cloak. Danzo spoke.
"Remove your cloak and bow before the might of Konoha!" Danzo demanded. The man turned his eyes to Danzo, who shivered from the look.
"No." Was all he said. Anbu then jumped into the room, surrounding the man. The man laughed.
"Well, well, well, looks like I get a workout after all. Sindera, darling, sit this dance out." The man said. A woman that none had seen before smiled.
"Of course, dear." Sindera replied. Anbu then began attacking the man. The man threw off his cloak to reveal a muscluar body that seemed to move like a lion on the hunt. He easily blicked kunai and shuirken as though they were toothpicks. One Anbu decided to use justu.
"Doton: Head hunter justu." The Anbu cried out. The man laughed. The Anbu realized his mistake when the anbu nin not the man was caught underground. The man laughed. Dsnzo had retreated to his safe zone.
"Ahhhh, the idiots of Konoha are truly useless. They just jump into any fight. We were sent by the High Merchants Guild to inform your traders of new taxes. Konoha and Fire Country Merchants will pay 15% of their oversll earnings from any cargo shipped or sold by the Guild. The Guild has already arranged for transport of several nations caravans. Failure to pay will result in termination of tights and contracts as well as any monies earned in the said period. If net woth force, the. Guild will then shut its ports to the offender for no less than six months. These are the rules and terms of the Guild. Oh yes..."
"Earthen iron maiden: Spikes of doom." The man said. Danzo watched as the trapped Anbu died by stone spikes. Danzo looked at the man in fear. The man then winked and disappeared leaving an enraged Danzo and dead Anbu.
Lord Danzo, your orders?" A,ROOT nin asked. Danzo, composing himself, answered.
"We go to Iwa. Oonki has to go. That is one of their execution justus. We take out the Raikage of Kumo as well. Then we bide our time until peace has settled then we go to war. I will have Naruto Uzumaki as my weapon." Danzo said. The nin vanished quickly. Danzo was walking down the hall when a voice in his head spoke.
"Danzo, you fool! My power weakens every moment I am trapped here. Your puppet is beginning to fight me. If you don't hurry, all will be lost!" The voice said.
Danzo smirked.
"Master, the puppet is weak. Patience is a virtue. We must have the backing of the Elemental Damiyo's to destory our enemies. Besides, we have yet to unlock the code to bring you back. Madara is working in it as we speak." Danzo replied. The voice growled but accepted the answer. Danzo turned to go into ROOT headquarters, a smile on his lips.
In Velos, Ino Yamanaka woke screaming from her sleep. No, no, no. Ino thought as her eyes slid closed again. The door to her room, flew open and Inochi ran in. He had a kunai ready to kill who hurt his daughter. Tsunade, on his heels, checked Ino.
"Shizune! Get Trent and Rania here NOW!" Tsunafe barked. Shizune ran out of the room. Inochi spoke.
"Is Ino ok? Why did you send for them?" Inochi asked. Tsunade spoke.
"Inochi, Ino has suffered a mental strain. Somehow, I think she saw something out of the norm. Her body is in a trance-like state. In short, she is lost in her own mind. Trent can get her back and she may need to tell Rania what she seen." Tsunade said. Inochi paled. He knew getting list in one's mind was dangerous, his aunt had did such and died in a coma.
"Can he find her?" Inochi asked. A voice answered for Tsunade.
"Yes, but if she had the same link I did, we need to up the ante on our friends in Konoha." Trent said from the door way. Rania and Honey stood behind him.
"Please hurry." Kasu Yamanaka said. Trent spoke.
"I can get her out thats the easy part."
"And the hard part?" Inochi asked. Trent sighed.
"Finding her."