Demons Of Konoha
Chapter One
Origin
His routine had barely changed. He still awoke at the same hour. He was out on a wooden bridge on time. Awaited his sensei's arrival then trained. The routine continued throughout the day. After the sun went down the training would end. From there he ate at the local Ramen Bar then headed back to his apartment. The routine was always the same.
The locations had changed though...
He wasn't returning home from the Ichiraku Ramen Bar. The streets he was walking on weren't in Konohagakure. They were the streets of a village, miles from his hometown.
He had changed…
Uzumaki Naruto sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets. He hadn't wanted to think of Konoha. Too many painful memories were still there. He stopped as he crossed the bridge he was at every morning. After a small hesitation he walked to the side and stared into the water. His reflection stared back at him.
He had dull aquamarine eyes, unruly blonde hair, tanned skin, and whisker-like face markings. Little had changed in his appearance since back then. The glow in his eyes had faded long ago. When the closest person in his life abandoned him. He was taller now, having hit his growth spurt sometime after leaving Konoha. It was too bad there was no one around to compare to that mattered. Baby fat was now lean muscle, clearly defined on his body. Naruto looked very different. No longer twelve.
With a growl Naruto slammed his fists on the bridge railing and stormed off. Every time he saw his reflection his blood boiled. Those who mattered to him the most weren't around to comment. To compliment on how well he looked or matured. Not even to tease him and make him feel worthless. He missed their presence everyday.
He didn't want to leave Konoha.
He didn't get a choice though.
He left to train for three years, which turned into six years. At age eighteen he had still been out training. Akatsuki had attacked Konoha and destroyed it. Jiraiya assured him that his friends were still around. Only Konoha had to be rebuilt.
Naruto stopped and stared up at the sky. This week had been nearly uneventful, unless you counted his weird nightmares. One's he woke up from screaming, the sound of a chilling laughter echoing.
The laughter was so familiar.
Naruto leaped from the streets up to a balcony, the balcony entrance to his apartment. He blinked seeing glowing yellow eyes trained on him. Naruto had to correct himself. It was the balcony to the apartment he shared. "Aurie?"
Hecate Auriah stared at Naruto blankly before shaking her head, her black streaked blue hair swaying in the night's slight breeze. She was older than the blonde by a year only and shorter than him in height. Naruto nicknamed her Aurie for fun.
"Why aren't you inside?" Naruto asked out of curiosity.
"I was waiting for you to get back…"
Naruto frowned. His friend's voice was low and laced with concern. The blonde muttered a curse and entered the apartment. She entered slowly and dropped into the nearby black couch. Naruto shut the balcony's glass door and turned to Aurie. "What's wrong? Something happen in the village?"
"No…"
Naruto sat in front of Aurie. She didn't appear to be hurt. "Um… How was the village today?"
Yellow eyes remained focused on aquamarine orbs.
Naruto scowled and got back up. Walking up to the glass door out. His friend seemed concerned for some reason. What could it be?
Origin village was a peaceful village. Located high in the mountains of Fire Country. It had once been the site of a bloody war between humans and demons. At some point during the war no one had been able to distinguish the demons from the humans. The war stopped and the village was built. It was a home for all kinds of creatures really. Naruto found acceptance from all the creatures there. The fox demon inside him didn't make him a monster anymore. Aurie had found acceptance there as well.
Although Naruto didn't understand why she wasn't accepted before.
It wasn't like she was a demon or anything… Only human…
"It was alright…" Aurie muttered. Eyes still watching Naruto carefully. "I was searching for any info on that target of mine…"
Naruto frowned. "That slaughtering shinobi…"
"Yeah… That one…"
Aurie had arrived in Origin village a year after Naruto and Jiraiya. She was of an advanced bloodline of some sort. All Naruto knew mostly was that she held control over the shadows. She reminded him of the lazy ass Shikamaru. Yet Aurie wasn't lazy and on more than one occasion warned Naruto of the shadows. Said demons laid in them waiting to strike. Something was wrong with her bloodline and it had to do with those demons. Aurie had been out searching for something. Which ended up becoming a search for someone. Naruto had yet to learn the real reason behind the search. Had yet to learn if this someone had done something to Aurie or to her family.
Aurie was horribly secretive about the matter.
"Any leads?"
"Not about my interest…" Aurie's eyes narrowed. "About one of yours… I managed to overhear some members of the Akumu Syndicate speaking about Akatsuki…"
Naruto's attention completely focused on Aurie. "What did Akatsuki do now?"
"Hoshigaki Kisame is dead…"
"And why is that important?" Naruto rolled his eyes and threw his arms up in the air. "Like I cared about his existence."
"Uchiha Itachi has been reported missing by Akatsuki…" Aurie chuckled. "They are frantic to find him…"
Naruto scowled immediately. "I couldn't care if his body was found raped and murdered at the bottom of some ravine… That fucking bastard deserves the worst after all he's done…"
"Really?" Aurie had a grim expression on her face now. "The Syndicate has declared him dead… You must be overjoyed…"
"I still don't see where I'd care!" Naruto growled. The name had pricked his senses uneasily. Even the dormant Kyuubi had stirred uneasily at the name Uchiha Itachi. "So he's dead… Too bad… I was hoping I'd get the chance to kill the fucking bastard myself…"
"According to the Syndicate he lost in a fair battle… I couldn't get the exact details of his death… But the body was burned so the Sharigan secret was kept… And lost to the world…"
"Must've been one tough shinobi… Hope I meet him one day so I can congratulate him on ridding the world of such an inconsiderate bastard…"
Aurie glared at Naruto and got up. "How can you not care!"
Naruto blinked in surprise. Not having expected the outburst at his attitude towards Itachi's death. Aurie may have been moody but still. He narrowed his eyes. "Why should I fucking care?" His fists clenched at the thought of even caring for Itachi. Not after all that he had taken from the blonde. He could careless about the Uchiha.
"Why shouldn't you care?" Aurie whispered. She had calmed down. Once more searching in Naruto's eyes for something. "He's been killed Naruto…"
Through clenched teeth Naruto growled. "I. Do. Not. Care… That bastard caused the closest person in my life to betray me… And try to kill me…"
"And instead killed Itachi…"
Naruto's body froze in shock. Meeting Aurie's steady gaze uneasily.
"Yes Naruto… Uchiha Sasuke killed his own blood… His own brother…"
It suddenly explained everything. She had been trying to get him to figure it out. To ask who had done the deed, instead he had rejoiced in the loss. She had wanted him to ask if it was…
Him…
The other Uchiha…
"Naruto?"
"Sasuke…"
Aurie watched as Naruto backed into the glass separating him from the balcony. The one he had the sudden urge to jump from. His back slid down as his knees gave way. Eyes wide in disbelief, signs of an old Naruto clearly visible. "Naruto?"
" I can't believe it… The bastard actually did it… I thought he was dead…" Naruto laughed darkly. "Fuck… That asshole… He actually did it… He avenged his clan… And he's still alive… Out there somewhere…"
"Naruto?" Aurie was shaking his shoulders now. Panic flashing across her face. "Naruto!"
"Fuck him… Made me think he was gone… Asshole…" Naruto continued laughing. Yet tears fell from his eyes. The fox stirred within him. Awakening to Naruto's reactions. Asking quietly what was going on. Naruto didn't reply to either Aurie or the Kyuubi. "Made me miss him… Stupid arrogant prick… I thought he was dead…"
Aurie went completely quiet. The Kyuubi followed suit.
The dream made sense suddenly. The voice had indeed been very familiar. So very longed for. The chilling laughter had been familiar…
Arrogant…
"Sasuke…"
It had been his…
Haruno Sakura used to be constantly in need of defending. She always needed a teammate to come to her rescue. Till all of her teammates abandoned her in some manner…
Uchiha Sasuke betrayed Konoha for power. The raven-haired love of her life had left her all alone. Had betrayed the entire village for a goal that she could never justify. She had declared love to him. Had basically offered her entire life to him. Just to make him happy and keep him there. Keep him close by. He rejected it all. Sakura looked back now and felt heartbroken at those times. A guy had ruined a once wonderful friendship. A guy had practically dictated her path to being a shinobi. A guy who had her heart and hadn't cared. Had never really cared. He shattered her heart more times than any other being in her life. She didn't care for him like she had back then. He had destroyed that love. She did worry however. She worried about him for every second since he left. She was afraid she'd never stop worrying. Till she maybe saw his body in usage by the greatest abomination ever to come out of Konoha and realized he was truly gone from her life.
Uzumaki Naruto disappeared to train and never returned. He had promised to return to her. To return after three years so they could go and save Sasuke. Save their friend from loosing his body. Yet things got really ugly then. Wartime erupted and passage back was difficult. Akatsuki was determined to capture Naruto to get to the kyuubi. Other criminal organizations had their own agendas. Time had passed and they had lost all contact. Sakura never realized how much she'd miss the sunshine Naruto brought to their lives.
Hatake Kakashi was still around, but she hardly saw him anymore. His nose was still in those perverse novels written by Naruto's sensei. He was overworked though. Returning from one mission to be sent on another. When they saw each other now they briefly spoke. Then it was good-bye again.
She missed the good old days. She missed waiting for hours on a rickety bridge. Spending the hours staring at her crush, who ignored her completely. While she ignored the boy everyone in the village treated horribly. Then their sensei would arrive hours later than he said he would. She and her troublemaking teammate would yell after hearing some lame excuse and the day started. Those days were sorely missed.
Now Sakura was practically alone. Training under the watchful gaze of the village's current Hokage, Tsunade. Seeing her former sensei at times when he came in to report or appeared in the hospital injured. She hadn't seen either of her former companions of team seven for six years.
Sakura focused her gaze on her mentor. The two were currently working on sorting the latest assignments and the newest ones. Tsunade still looked like a picture of beauty. Yet beneath the endowed exterior the sennin was dying. There was no way to tell how much longer she had since she refused to show any signs of weakness. She was still a strong independent woman. She was also still a compulsive gambler than nearly always lost…
"Tsunade?" Sakura frowned. Catching the sennin's facial expression as one of discontent. "What's wrong?"
Tsunade frowned. "Letter from Shikamaru… I won the bet on who'd win between Kakashi and Gai this time…"
"You won?" Sakura whispered in disbelief. She had been wagering bets against Tsunade since her training had begun. To date Tsunade had yet to win a large wager. Although Sakura was in no way concerned over the large amount of money. There was a deeper meaning to Tsunade winning a bet. After all Tsunade hardly ever won.
And those rare moments where Tsunade won were still always dangerous…
Anytime Tsunade won a bet bad news was always bound to follow…
Sakura sighed as everything went silent. The sounds of the two shifting through paperwork filled the room again, the two focusing on completing the task before them. Not a word more was uttered for some time. Sakura deliberating the possible bad events that were to occur and hoping it wasn't ill news. The last thing their village needed was more bad news.
Tsunade had been watching Sakura carefully as she shifted through the paperwork and rolled up the scrolls of assignments. She hated this part of her job. It was tedious and boring. The main reason Sakura was needed to assist her. If she got really bored all hell would let loose. She'd burn every tree in the vicinity to be rid of the evil paperwork. Let Jiraiya call her the fire princess after that!
Finally she ended the silence and spoke up. The papers stopped moving as Sakura gave her all the attention.
"The Akumu Syndicate and Akatsuki are at ends with one another again…" She commented lazily. "The Syndicate invaded Akatsuki territory here in Fire Country and killed Akatsuki benefactors…" She was looking at the open report scroll before her. It had been long and practically chock full of useless information. Just more evil paperwork to ruin her day mostly…
Sakura looked up. Only mildly surprised by the contents of the scrolls. The Syndicate had taken the forefront in the stand against Akatsuki. News of the sort was sent daily. After all, the village needed to be prepared for anything.
"Guess they have a new leader already…" Sakura muttered. "I thought when Akatsuki announced the death of the Syndicate's leader this would end… Guess the new leader wants to challenge Akatsuki…"
"Konoha might be in danger again…"
Sakura lowered her gaze. Konoha had been through a lot of grief. Akatsuki attacked constantly and lives were lost. Once the village had been destroyed completely. It had to be rebuilt once more. Thankfully the Hokage monument was still intact.
Tsunade seemed lost in thought once more. "Something's off…" Tsunade's brown eyes scanned through useless information quickly, searching for the one thing that had caught her eye in the report. "This autopsy report… Looks too familiar…"
"Hm?"
"I think we should tread cautiously around the Syndicate… I've seen this murder pattern somewhere before in the S-Class Criminal files… I just can't quite place it yet…" Tsunade sighed. "Someone real dangerous has made an appearance…"
"I'm not scared…" Sakura huffed. "As long as it isn't Orochimaru…"
Tsunade smiled. "You shouldn't be… I did train you…" She gazed at the young woman before her approvingly. In the eight years since she had started training the young girl she had watched her grow. Grow into a beautiful young woman and a brilliant shinobi.
Sakura's pink hair was long once more. Her green eyes still burned with some amount of hope. They burned in the determination to do well. She wasn't very tall, although she had grown a little. She had filled out nicely proportionally. No longer self-conscience about the forehead that had filled her childhood with tears. She still wasn't very strong but brilliant enough to defeat those who could overpower her. She was an excellent shinobi.
"But nonetheless… I want you to be extra cautious…" Tsunade's tone left no room for argument, unless Sakura wanted to end up halfway across the continent that was.
"Right." Sakura sighed. "I will…"
Tsunade chuckled. "You're done for the day…"
Sakura nodded and got up slowly. She walked out silently and closed her eyes. She would see her again tomorrow and the day after that too. She had to be around to help the woman. She didn't need to help her physically. But mentally that was another matter.
Tsunade was one of the three legendary Sennin. She had once been teammates with the perverted toad hermit Jiraiya and the evil Orochimaru. Sakura could only barely understand the pain Tsunade suffered through everyday since she had lost her brother, her boyfriend, and Orochimaru.
It was similar to the pain she had felt when she had lost Sasuke.
"Sakura!"
"Ino?" Sakura blinked. Seeing the female shinobi she had grown up competing with dropping down in front of her. She took in the always-growing long blonde hair. The attire that was always up to date with the latest trends, the forehead protector around her forehead. Just like Sakura's was now as well. On their foreheads marking their equality, their rivalry, their friendship, and loyalty to their village.
"Kakashi's back!" Ino exclaimed. The maturity had actually come to Ino at some point in time. She wasn't faking to be wise and older. She was wise. She was older. She was Sakura's closest friend. The one she had run to when she had been abandoned so suddenly. Ino's friendship meant everything to her now.
Sakura couldn't help but be puzzled. Ino was screeching about Kakashi's return. Kakashi always returned. Ino knew this fact well. After all hadn't she been the one to listen to Sakura complain daily about the overworked jounin that had practically been a father to team seven? "He always comes back Ino… Why is today any different?" Her voice betrayed her. Cracking in worry.
"I overheard him speaking to Iruka-sensei! He has urgent news about Sasuke!" Ino's eyes were wide. Bright blue orbs that reminded her too much of an old friend. The shattering in her heart went unnoticed since Ino couldn't see that face.
Sakura's heart stopped beating. She had just registered Ino's words.
"Sakura?" Ino looked concerned. Concerned blue eyes struck at her harder. She kept visualizing that face. Why now? Why did she see him in Ino now?
"Ino… Are you sure?" Sakura was dazed. She closed her eyes and hugged herself. "Are you sure you heard correctly?"
"Yes!" Ino hissed. Now annoyed at Sakura's changing demeanor.
With that Sakura took off in a run. Running up the stairs quickly, blood pounding furiously as her heartbeat quickened with each step.
She didn't want to feel like Tsunade. She didn't want to deal with the loss of her teammate to evil. She refused to accept Sasuke was her enemy. She just couldn't. She had to know.
Was he dead?
If not where was he?
She just had to know…
Sakura paused to catch her breath outside the door to the Hokage's office. At first she could hear nothing except her own heartbeat and breathing. Then she could make out Kakashi's voice.
"It's probably true…"
"I can't believe he actually went that far… To Akatsuki's best…" Tsunade responded to the solemn tone. Her voice was low. Slightly muffled. Sakura visualized her sitting with her chin resting on entwined hands.
Sakura paled. "No…" She moaned softly. It couldn't be what she thought. Sasuke would never be Akatsuki's best. He would've never even neared the organization.
"Gone…"
Sakura froze.
"Hoshigaki Kisame is gone as well…" Tsunade whispered. "Sasuke did it… He avenged the Uchiha Clan…"
"Yes…" Kakashi's voice was sorrowful. "But that's not what has me concerned…" Sakura figured Kakashi was probably near the window. Possibly leaning on the wall. Eyes closed. That mask still hiding his face. Sakura had yet to date to see the face behind the mask.
Sakura moved as close as she could to the door. Listening as silently as she could. Controlling her chakra flow precisely, so as not to be noticed by her two teachers.
"What else did you find out Kakashi?"
"The Akumu Syndicate… I overheard them…" The sound of a window opening signaled that Kakashi was leaving Tsunade's office. Sakura was right about his location though. "The leader of the Syndicate is indeed gone… A new has been instated…"
"Did you hear who?" Tsunade had stood up. The sound of a chair falling back in the rush rang out.
"Rumor is… Our very own runaway… Sasuke…" Sakura nearly hadn't heard his voice. But when she did she suddenly wished she hadn't.
Sakura screeched. She had heard enough.
"Sakura?" The window slammed shut.
"Sakura!" Tsunade's door swung open. The Godaime looked very surprised to see her.
Kakashi watched them out of the corner of his eye. He looked just as concerned as Tsunade did. He hadn't seen his former student in days. She looked fine compared to him. Yet the unmistakable expression on her face told him otherwise.
Sakura couldn't believe it. She wouldn't believe it. She wouldn't be able to. She couldn't bring herself to. "It's not true!" She cried out. "It can't be true!"
Her world had just been torn apart again. She had firmly believed that Sasuke wasn't like Orochimaru. That he wouldn't betray them like the snake had. Why were their paths so similar to their teachers?
Why couldn't they avoid them?
Tsunade watched as Sakura continued to cry out sobbing, and then turned to Kakashi, her expression firm. "Get Nara Shikamaru and tell him to pull together a team… To bring Uchiha Sasuke here, dead or alive…"
Sakura cried out again.
Kakashi nodded before leaving through the window swiftly.
Tsunade remained observing. Silently knowing the pain and aware that she could do nothing to ease it. She still struggled with the pain of her loss...
Uchiha Sasuke had always been grown up. He hadn't been like his two teammates at all. One who never really knew the love of a real family and the other one whom didn't truly understand the pain of loosing such family. He may have been like his teacher, having known the joy and then loosing it in some twist of fate. He was certain he didn't grow up like him however.
He had grown up on a darker path, seeking out to do the most frowned upon act in any village. He had searched out power and struck down those who stood in his way. Backstabbed his only real friend and nearly killed him. He had lost his damn mind at time. Went to the main enemy of Konoha for a power so dark he needed to kill to get it. Then he used this power to kill his own blood.
To kill his own brother…
Sasuke closed his eyes, blocking out the unwanted images of his brother's corpse. He leaned back in his chair. In a room with very little lighting from small candles the once proud Uchiha seemed very scared.
Pale skin contrasted with raven hair that hung down. No longer bothering to spike it up since his forehead was bare. The forehead protector that had marked him long ago as a shinobi from Konoha was gone. It wasn't his home anymore and never would be again. Blood red Sharigans shone dully in his eyes, which had become colder than before. There had been no one around to brighten his day. Everything had been cold and dark. The slim frame moved slightly as he shifted in place. Strong legs pushed at the desk in front of him. He didn't really look all that powerful, muscles were faintly visible beneath the ivory skin. Skin that stayed like the moon no matter how much sun he took in.
He was still dangerous. By his own birthright he was dangerous. By his training he had become dangerous. He was still very fast, running on legs that could kick any opponents jaw out through the back of their head. He was also lately a danger to himself.
Sasuke didn't see the kunai balancing on the desk till it fell. His legs moved swiftly out of danger as it plunged into the matted floor. He stared at the blade quietly before reaching down and pulling it free. He stared at the blade quietly, then shuddered and flung it back on the desk.
He could see blood on it even though it had been cleaned so many times.
Sasuke closed his eyes at the unwanted images flashing through his head. He silently cried out and tried to gain a semblance of control over his thoughts.
"Are you alright?"
The kunai flew across the room.
"Hey!"
Sasuke glared at the intended target of the kunai, a girl no older than him that glared at him vehemently. "You don't just walk in Tsuki. You knock."
Tsuki Shinae growled and yanked the kunai from its place in the wall. Her violet eyes flashing as she stormed closer and stabbed the blade into the desk. Long dark red hair fell over her shoulder as she leaned in close enough to whisper. "Sorry to have walked in on another one of your day-time nightmares…"
Sasuke's Sharigans spun dangerously and she backed away. He frowned when she plopped onto the desk and stared at the ceiling. "Have anything important to tell me?"
Tsuki chuckled. Eyes on the kunai impaled in the desk. "Not much… Just checking to be sure you haven't lost your damn mind yet…"
Sasuke followed her gaze to the Kunai, remaining silent as he allowed her to speak.
"And from what I can tell I was just in time yet again…" She whispered shifting her gaze to him now. She smiled slightly. "Our enemies need not know that the Syndicate's leader is going insane… Over the death of his sibling…"
"I told you to stop talking about that…" Sasuke hissed. He glared at her once more, clenching his fists as he continued scolding her. "And I don't need you keeping an eye on me!"
Tsuki frowned. "If I hadn't interrupted your thoughts can you guarantee that you wouldn't have taken that kunai to your own throat?"
Sasuke closed his eyes and leaned back into the chair. "If you have nothing important to say then go off and kill some poor creature."
"Some poor creature?"
Sasuke nodded. "Exactly…" He kicked the chair back and stood up. Moving away from the desk and to the door.
"Like you?"
Sasuke turned and glared again.
"Poor Uchiha Sasuke… Battled his brother and won… Killed him by pure error…" Her voice was sarcastic now. Meaning to get under the pale skin and do some damage. "Can't seem to rid himself of the kunai he did it with… Instead he keeps it always nearby so he torments himself with it…"
"Tsu…"
"Why are you here, Uchiha?"
Sasuke flinched. He was used to hearing this question daily. Although normally the girl said it when she was walking out already. She never usually stuck around for a response. He had plenty of opportunities to ponder a response. It was obvious that she wanted one now.
"Well?"
"Why wouldn't I?" Sasuke whispered. "I can't be anywhere else… I'd be hunted for the Sharigan… Where do you suggest I should be?"
Tsuki closed her eyes, fingertips running over the head of the Kunai. "Go back Uchiha… You still have the chance to go back…"
"To Konoha?" Sasuke scoffed. "I could never go back there…" He closed his eyes at the memories. "I could never just go back…"
Tsuki shook her head. "You could always go back…" She got up and laughed softly. "You can always go back to Konoha and accept your punishment."
"I've already received my punishment…" Sasuke whispered. He could still remember everything about life in Konoha. His happiest memories weren't even with his family anymore. They were from his time on team seven.
He still remembered Kakashi. He had warned him not to kill his own sibling. He told him of the pain he'd experience if he did. Sasuke didn't realize how right Kakashi would be. He missed his teacher. Orochimaru couldn't compare to Kakashi. Orochimaru could never take Kakashi's place. Kakashi was his real teacher. He was like the father Sasuke never had the chance to really have. The chidori was his most heavily used technique now. He could use it at least six times now. Wouldn't his sensei have been proud? If it hadn't been used so wrongly.
He could still vaguely see Sakura. Remember the many times she had wrapped her arms around him and kept him grounded. Had saved him from the cursed seal engulfing his entire body. Once had dedicated her entire life to him, to making him happy. He couldn't stay with her though. His heart wasn't as dedicated to her as hers was.
He had been the sunshine in his life. The only person who knew nothing of his past and constantly tried to make him smile. He had warmed the hollow shell Sasuke had become after all the losses he had gone through. Sasuke's heart had accepted it long before Sasuke's mind had. Sasuke cared for Naruto so much that it had hurt him to have to leave, to have to hurt his friend and nearly kill him.
That image had always haunted him. The image of his friend beaten and bloodied after their fight stayed with him. During the day the images had always haunted him. At night he dreamed of the blonde.
Naruto.
At least that's what he was wishing he had continued to think of. Now all he saw was…
Itachi…
"Uchiha?"
Sasuke opened his eyes catching Tsuki's concerned gaze. He cleared his throat and straightened up. "I can't hurt them anymore…"
"You're hurting them by leading this group against their country." Tsuki scowled. She sighed and got up. "I still don't understand why you joined Akumu."
"What's the latest news on Orochimaru?"
Tsuki frowned. Sasuke had decided to change the topics quickly. "Yes… He's back in the fire country… Within about a few weeks we'll have his exact location… And he should lead us straight to Akatsuki's headquarters…"
Sasuke shook his head and made his way back to the chair, sitting down and staring at the ceiling. "It's the third year… He'll be needing a new body soon…"
"Yes he will… He'll try for yours once more… Itachi's not even an option now… Only you are…" Tsuki sighed as she opened the door to leave. "And we'll end his life for good when he does…"
"And… The location of the other people…"
Tsuki sent him a sidelong glance before looking away and closing her eyes. "From the latest reports… Your teacher should have returned to Konoha by now… Delivered the news fed to him about you to the Hokage… You should be expecting the company of your female former teammate sometime soon…"
"And… Naruto?" Sasuke asked almost hesitantly.
"No news yet sorry!"
Sasuke sat up as the door shut close. Staring blankly at the doorway he absorbed what just happened. Tsuki had sounded suddenly cheerful. In the time he had known her she was never cheerful, unless she was off killing.
Sasuke's eyes fell on the kunai. Which was now impaling a file. He yanked the blade off and held it in his hand loosely. He opened the file slowly. Surprised immediately at its contents.
Pictures, of Kakashi, Sakura, and Naruto, lots of them.
Sasuke glared at the doorway now. The kunai struck the door seconds later. He slammed the file shut and narrowed his eyes.
"You aren't just a mass murdering demon are you Tsuki?"
Sasuke got up and crossed the room again. Yanking the kunai free before throwing the door open. If memory served right there was a room full of files on criminals. Tsuki was Akumu's highest ranked criminal, next to him at least.
Upon reaching the room he set to work on locating the file. If he wanted Tsuki to do exactly what he wanted...
"Here it is…"
He'd have to keep her tied down to the Syndicate and his every order, even if it meant digging up some information on her to use as leverage. Sasuke's eyes halted at a section labeled by a strange symbol. He looked through it carefully and frowned. "The Island of the Shadow Dragon... This looks useful..."
Sasuke had just stumbled onto Tsuki's most guarded secret. Now all he needed to do was exploit it.
((A/N: OKAY! I KNOW I should be working on Ghosts Of Anbu. I kinda just lost the notebook I had it written in AND I have to change a lot. So chances are I'll have to start rewriting that. Fans of that story PLEASE wait a little longer and I probably will have another chapter up by the end of the month. In the meantime here's a new story. I hope everyone liked it. This one I can guarantee the second AND third chapters to come up since they're already typed up. So RR and I'll update this one soon along with my other story eventually! ))