A/N: Been a while since I updated. But real life gets in the way of fanfiction sometimes. Anyway, I'm here now with a new chapter. Enjoy.
The Follow-Up
The boy sat in the chamber assigned to him as he awaited his room was barely large enough for one person. The size of the room coupled with the whitewashed walls gave the room a very utilitarian look, almost resembling a prison.
They could have at least waited till the end of the hearing, he thought to himself wryly. Despite the precariousness of the situation he couldn't bring himself to care all that much about the fate that awaited him.
Whatever it was, that they had in mind for him couldn't possibly be worse than what he was going through. A part of him wished it would be though.
His family hadn't been allowed to see him. He felt grateful for that, even though doing him favours was probably not their intention. He would rather not face his loved ones at the time of the greatest shame of his life and save them the ordeal as well. He wanted to spare them the pain if he could. His old man would handle it. He would be worried of course. But he was equipped to handle it. He doubted his mother could though. She was a headstrong woman with big dreams for her son. Dreams that were fueled by his pride and joy she had felt in his achievements was palpable.
He feared she had flown too high and the fall couldn't have been pretty. Her son had failed in the worst way possible.
It was almost a relief being away from her at this time.
"They're ready for you Nara-san." He dragged himself away from his thoughts to look at the source of the voice to see a bespectacled girl, maybe a couple of years older than him, donned in a chunin vest not unlike his own.
Except he may not keep his for long.
He joined her without a word as she led him to his hearing.
He kept his eyes on the panel of judges, seated on an elevated platform a few feet higher than his own as he listened to the charges against him with morbid detachment.
The listing of his offences alone had been going on for the better part of ten minutes. Reckless endangerment of his subordinates and breaking of protocol were the least serious of them. These people sure loved their formalities. He turned to share his brief moment of amusement with his cheerful, potato-chips munching, rotund best friend only to realize... he wasn't there.
Not anymore.
The realization of the loss pierced his heart like a dull, rusted, slow-moving kunai, just like it had the first time... and every time his subconscious led him there.
"..ra-san."
Someone was being summoned. Was it him? Why couldn't they just leave him alone? Couldn't he get a goddamn minute?
"NARA-SAN!" the voice thundered breaking him out of his grief-induced trance. With a start he realized where he was. The lone woman on the panel, an aged veteran glaring at him like a predator surveying its prey, as if wondering how much he will struggle before she swallowed him whole.
He took another moment to collect himself even as he felt their patience running thin.
"Yes?" he said finally acknowledging her.
"I said," she said slowly and despite himself a part of him found himself admiring the amount of condescension she managed to put in those words, "do you understand the gravity of the charges leveled against you?"
"Yes," he said.
"Do you have anything to say in your defence?"
"No."
The entire panel shifted uncomfortably as if they hadn't expected this turn of events. He knew they expected a fight... a defence no matter how flimsy, from him, and it seemed he had denied them that.
"Did you understand my question?" she asked.
"Yes," he replied slowly and clearly meeting her eyes this time.
"We have read your mission report, is there anything else you would want to add to it?"
"No ma'am," he said.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure."
The woman turned to the man on her left and spoke to him in hushed tones. Shikamaru was surprised he failed to notice him. He wasn't the kind of man you could ignore even if you wanted to. He was old, wrinkled, lacked an arm and had his left eye bandaged along with most of his torso.
He looked utterly disinterested in the proceedings... or maybe he just had one hell of a poker face. After a short conference with the man she spoke again.
"Very well," she said, "in that case we will proceed with the testimony of the only other survivor of the mission designated B-108972," she turned to the chunin manning the doors to the room, "Summon genin Uzumaki Naruto."
XxX
"You're drooling on the books."
Shikamaru woke up with a start to find himself at the receiving end of a disapproving glare from a bespectacled chunin. It took him a couple of seconds to get his bearings straight as he realized he had indeed been drooling on the books.
"Yeah," he said, his voice thick with sleep as he tried to wipe of the saliva from the books and only managing to smear it, "sorry about that."
She merely pursed her lips at his actions even as he gathered the books.
"That book is outdated."
"What?"
"That book you were using as a pillow," she said, "is outdated."
"Yeah, well this was the only one I could find," Geopolitics in the Elemental Nations, read the cover of the book. He rubbed his eyes trying to alleviate the headache that was beginning to build up.
She stood around biting her lip and now Shikamaru was beginning to wonder what her deal was?
"I'd recommend 'Hidden Motives of Hidden Villages'," she said, "kinda pretentious title but its been rumored to have been written by a kage and
I've found that the guy actually knows what he's talking about."
"Oookay," Shikamaru got to his feet as he turned to return the books and the chunin followed him speaking rapidly and he tried to tune her out.
Was this what having a fangirl felt like? As a kid he and the rest of the guys used to make fun of the way half the female population at the Academy used to throw themselves at Sasuke. Now he found himself empathizing with the Uchiha. He supposed he could tell her to take a hike but he wasn't an asshole.
"... and then of course there's..."
Shikamaru was beginning to have a headache, so he did the one thing he could to shut her up.
"Thank you."
"... is good but I'm sure you aren't- say what?"
"I said... thank you..." he paused expectantly.
"Shiho," she said.
"Thank you, Shiho-san," he said tilting his head, "you've certainly given me a lot to think about."
"You're blowing me off aren't you?"
For the first time since she cornered him he took a moment to study her and she seemed vaguely familiar, but for the life of him he couldn't recall where he had seen her. To make matters worse he had a feeling that she definitely remembered him.
Fortunately he was spared the need to respond and make an awkward situation worse.
"Hokage-sama requests your presence Nara-san."
He had never thought he would have a reason to be grateful for summons issued by the Hokage, "Okay let's go then," it then occurred to him it would be bad manners to just leave like that.
"I'll see you around, I guess."
XxX
"Danzo-sama requests an audience Hokage-sama."
Shimura Danzo was the last person she wanted to see right. Her mood had been soured by the lack of news of Team-7. She hadn't heard from Kakashi since he left with the team and it had been days since she had any news whatsoever. The man was a competent shinobi but damn if he didn't get on her nerves.
She was fairly certain he did it on purpose too. But he was one of the few people she could trust, not to mention the importance of his role in her plans.
Him and the newly reinstated Team-7, which in his own words was about as functional as a 'defective exploding tag'. As dangerous to her goals as to her foes. Unfortunately it was a gamble she had to take. Konoha's future was at stake here. To make matters worse, she couldn't even keep track of the whereabouts of the one member who was still in the village.
Thinking about her wayward jounin and his team however wasn't helping her mood and facing Danzo with anything less than her best was... unwise. She was tempted to deny him, simply for the fact that he tried to meet her without making an appointment
On the other hand...
"Show him in."
The man bowed and a few seconds later she found herself at the receiving end of a baleful glare of the one-eyed cripple.
"Hokage-sama," he gave her a short courteous bow before pulling up a chair.
"Danzo," she said shortly, "what brings you here?"
"I just wanted to take this opportunity to see our legacy. You can understand the sentiment of course."
Tsunade suppressed the impulse to curse out loud. Now she knew why he was here.
Evidently Team 7 was back from their mission... or rather on their way back. Any relief she could have garnered from this news was surpassed by her annoyance at the fact that Danzo knew of their whereabouts better than she did.
Danzo's message was loud and clear.
You may wear the hat, but I am still in-charge.
Not if she had anything to say about it.
"Can't say I do," she said, "considering your opposition to it."
"You have to understand what Team-7 means to me to understand my opposition. But since you have chosen to undertake this endeavor anyway despite our objections... I look forward to seeing what they have to offer."
"I've known you to be many things Danzo," she said as she leaned back on her chair and folded her fingers, "but sentimental is definitely not one of them, so why don't you save both of us the time and cut the crap, I don't have the patience for it."
Tsunade allowed herself a small smile. She doubted Danzo had ever been confronted as openly ever before. Provoking him probably wasn't a good idea, but her actions were already taking her along the path which would eventually lead to a direct confrontation with the old war-hawk.
"Hokage-sama?"
"What?" she barked at the secretary who had interrupted them.
The chunin gulped nervously before speaking, "Hatake-san and Team-7 are back from their mission."
"Looks like you're gonna get your wish Danzo," she said before turning to the messenger, "show them in."
The chunin bowed hurriedly before retreating out of the room as the team marched in led by Kakashi. This was a big moment. She was seeing them altogether for the first time after all.
Her eyes first fell on the Uchiha. Cold, aloof, superior and dangerous. Just as expected.
The girl was intriguing to say the least. A lot of potential that was yet to be realized. She needed trials and dangers to mould her into what Tsunade needed her to be. She almost felt sorry for her for what she was about to put her through.
Then there was the genin in all his blonde and orange glory doing his best to keep that goofy smile off his face to respect the decorum of her office. She was tempted to give him the chunin vest if only to spare her eyes the grotesque vision that was his choice in clothes. Just looking at him for any stretch of time was enough to give her a headache.
He was also her secret weapon. Her ace-in-the-hole. The S-ranked jutsu in a kunai fight. The one they will never see coming.
Not until it was too late.
And then there was Kakashi. Cool, relaxed and languid, with his 'I couldn't give a fuck' demeanor.
"Team-7 reporting Hokage-sama," Kakashi stepped forward and bowed, the action was mimicked by his team.
At least he had the decency to keep his porn away.
Now if only...
"Chunin Nara Shikamaru reporting Hokage-sama," the final member of the team said as he entered her chambers, panting slightly
And now she had the complete set.
"At ease," she commanded and they straightened, "report."
"Mission designation B-19853 Finding and Retrieval of Mei Arisawa has been satisfactorily concluded, Hokage-sama."
He was following protocol. Kakashi never followed protocol. That was the first sign that he had something to say that couldn't be sai in present company.
"Any complications?"
"Nothing we weren't capable of handling, it was a simple case of a runaway. Not a kidnapping or a murder as was suspected."
At those words she saw the other three shoot Kakashi mutinous looks, which he either failed to notice or ignored completely. Knowing him it was probably the latter.
She would have preferred a more thorough briefing but it wasn't a good idea with Danzo still in the room.
"Locating missing civilian girls was hardly what we had in mind when you said you wanted to reform Team-7 Hokage-sama," Danzo remarked.
"Yes, well fortunately one of the few perks of being a Hokage are that I get to ignore what others have in mind when I make decisions, and now as much as I would like to entertain you further I'm afraid I'll have to cut this meeting short."
"As you wish," he said slowly getting to his feet, "Hokage-sama," he gave her a curt bow before shuffling out of the room. On his way he acknowledged the Jounin with a muttered 'Hatake-san', who returned the courtesy with a small bow and 'Danzo-sama'. At least Kakashi played the game well.
Tsunade wanted to believe that she got the better of him in that encounter but she doubted it.
But she had more pressing concerns at the moment.
"Hatake, Nara stay," she said, "the rest of you... dismissed."
"What did he want?" Kakashi asked once his team had left.
"Who knows," Tsunade sighed as she leaned back into her chair, "but I get the feeling he got it."
"I know him," the Nara blurted out.
"I'd be disappointed if you didn't," Tsunade retorted, "he presided over your court-martial after-all."
She saw his face blanch at her words. Well, too bad. She didn't have the time to spare his feelings.
"Anyway," she turned her attention back to the jounin, "how did they do?"
"They've proved they're capable of working together."
"...And?"
"Under the circumstances, that's the best news I can give you. Their competence was never in question. Their ability to function as a coherent team however...was."
"And those concerns have been laid to rest?"
"Not even close," the jounin chuckled, "if anything I think the situation has actually worsened," he must have picked on her rising killing intent because he hurriedly explained, "but then things have a habit of getting worse before they get better."
"And do you believe things will get better?"
"I really don't know Hokage-sama. This was always going to be a gamble," he said, "you knew this."
She had to admit he had a point. Just not one she particularly liked.
"I want the mission report first thing tomorrow morning," she said.
"I'll do my best."
Tsunade cursed inwardly. She probably won't be getting that report before mid-day. But it wasn't a battle worth fighting.
"Dismissed."
The jounin bowed to her before disappearing in a burst of leaves.
And then there was one.
"Permission to speak freely Hokage-sama?"
"Granted."
"Was I supposed to listen to all that?"
"What do you think?"
The chunin remained silent but she could see the gears turning behind his shrewd eyes. She knew he had his misgivings about his job and that's why he was special. Any idiot could swing a kunai. But few had the faculties to judge which way the kunai should be directed, who should be the target... whether there should even be a target.
Nara Shikamaru was one of the few who was gifted with the faculties to make that judgement.
"I think you're making a power-play," he said, "which is strange considering you hold the highest office in the village, and that means the post of a Hokage isn't as powerful as it used to be... if it ever was."
"Keep going."
"I did some research on Team-7, a team under the direct authority of the Hokage...namely yours, and it seems your play of power is highly dependent on their success."
"You would be right."
"I have one simple question Hokage-sama," he said, "who is Shimura Danzo?"
Tsunade felt a smile blooming on her face at that question. Nara Shikamaru was already proving himself to be a worth ally.
XxX
"Welcome to Budding Blossoms sir," the matron said in a pleasant if somewhat practised manner, "we cater to all needs and bring to life all your desires, would the young master like a look at our catalogue?"
"No need," Sasuke said, "I'll take room 6."
"The young master has good taste," she bowed, "please follow the guide."
The guide was a pretty girl of about eighteen, dressed in a purple kimono with pink flowered patterns. This establishment was known for its discretion. The privacy of the clients and the patrons was one of the better kept secrets in Konoha. Sasuke was lead along a series of locked rooms meant for but one sinful purpose.
His guide unlocked one of them and escorted him inside.
"Make yourself comfortable," she said, "your hostess will join you in a bit."
The room was dimly-lit with a queen -sized bed with its headboard attached to the wall. There was a sofa and a coffee table there as well. He decided to remain standing.
His guide returned with a tray laden with a glass filled with a blue liquid. Sasuke raised a quizzical eyebrow at his host.
"Compliments of the house young master," she said with a smile.
"I don't drink," Sasuke deadpanned.
"Its not alcohol."
"Then what is it?"
"Let's just say its something... to help you on your way."
In any other place Sasuke would have taken this as a cue to plunge his blade through her and walking away after burning it suppressed that impulse and instead just took the offered glass and knocked back the drink in a single gulp.
It definitely wasn't alcohol.
His vision blurred as he stumbled forward.
XxX
There was a single bulb hanging overhead, throwing just enough light to illuminate his position and the unoccupied chair separated from him by a table. He wasn't tied up, though he had been relieved off his weapons and he doubted if he could use his chakra in this place.
Not that he needed them. He was lethal enough without them. He doubted he would need his skills as an assassin though.
The considerably low threat of death and violence didn't make this meeting any less dangerous though. Sasuke had learned long ago that there were things worse than death and not all dangers threatened life and limb.
He picked up a faint tapping sound approaching closer and before long his host stood before him, escorted by a pair of masked ANBU.
"Uchiha," Danzo said grimly as he took the unoccupied chair, "you got my message."
"You weren't very subtle," Sasuke retorted, "you asked for me and I'm here, so what is it you want?"
"Mind your tone boy," he said, "Don't forget it was I who gave you the means to pursue your goals after you had been discarded by your master."
"And you extracted your price for that bit of favour if I recall," Sasuke said through gritted teeth, "we're even."
"Are we?"
"Yes."
The silence between them seem to stretch for an eternity before Danzo broke it again.
"A great number of disturbing rumours have been circulating regarding Otogakure's resurrection. So, are you sure you don't want to rephrase your answer? Because if Orochimaru.."
"Orochimaru's dead," he said flatly.
"He has fooled better shinobi than you boy."
"Better shinobi like yourself, perhaps?"
"Don't test me, because if he's alive I may have to rethink our arrangement."
"Is that why you brought me here Danzo?" Sasuke asked mockingly, "to threaten me?"
"No, I brought you here to make another deal."
"Can you get me reinstated back as a Hunter-nin?"
"No."
"Then you have nothing that I want."
Danzo impassively placed a file on the table, "this is a record of your brother's activities we have been able to keep a track of since he left Konoha... so tell me," he pushed the file towards him with his bandaged arm, "could I possibly have something you want?"
Almost involuntarily Sasuke's arm went towards the file. Danzo was right.
There was nothing he wanted more. But his fingers were just inches from the file when it burst into fire and was rendered as ashes.
Sasuke clenched his fist and scowled at the older man, but otherwise kept his temper in check.
"Unfortunately it isn't much use to you," Danzo said, "as long as you're a part of Team-7 that is."
"You can't pull me off?"
"I can't go against a direct order of the Hokage... not unless I have a reason to."
"Is that what you want?" Sasuke asked reading between the lines, "for me to undermine the Hokage?"
"What I want is none of your concern," Danzo said, "now...do we have a deal?"
Sasuke didn't trust Danzo. But he was offering everything he wanted.
Just like last time.
"We have a deal."
XxX
"Someone by the name of Kakashi is asking for you Sakura-san."
Sakura suppressed a smile at the ignorance of the nurse. She was not to be blamed though. How was she to know that the name she was taking so irreverantly was the most feared and respected man in Konoha bar none? Among the shinobi anyway. To most of them the Hokage was the face of the ninja population and that was where their familiarity ended.
Sakura sighed and then smiled apologetically at her patient before directing him to another resident. It had been three days since they had returned from their clusterfuck of a mission. She was certain that with the way things had gone her stint as a member of Team-7 had ended. After all no one had told them what would happen next. Even the Hokage seemed like she couldn't wait to get rid of them.
So, the next morning when she had gone to put her name in the mission roster again, she was denied. The chunin clerk had told her that her cell hadn't been disbanded yet. Kakashi probably hadn't gotten around to do it yet. It wasn't surprising considering the jounin's lax attitude towards most things.
She had returned again the following morning and was told the same thing. Feeling a little perplexed but realizing there wasn't much she could do about it she decided to pick up a few shifts at the hospital and wait for her summons.
She wouldn't have to wait long it seemed
The jounin was seated in the waiting area and was engrossed in one of the coffee table magazines.
"Did you know that the Majin bull-frog's singing can be used to predict the rainfall?" Kakashi said without removing his gaze from the magazine, "of course the frequency of their song increases during the rainy season which is typically a mating season for them so maybe they're just horny."
"Fascinating," Sakura deadpanned, "how long have you been here anyway?"
"A while," he said turning another page, "I was just sitting here,reading the magazine, when the good nurse asked me about my business, so I told her I came to see you."
"Guess I'll leave you to it then," Sakura said turning on her heels.
"Well since you're here anyway," Kakashi said hurriedly getting to his feet, "let's talk."
"You want to talk here?" Sakura said sceptically.
"I don't see why not."
Sakura considered him for a while, waiting to see if he was joking or not, eventually deciding she didn't care enough and seated herself facing him.
"You can ask your questions Sakura," he said, "I'll try to answer them to the best of my ability."
She had a lot of questions she wanted... no needed the answers to. But she wasn't sure where to begin.
"Why me?" she said evntually.
"I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific than that."
"I get why you chose Sasuke and Naruto," she said, "but why pick me?"
"I'll be honest with you Sakura," Kakashi sighed, "you weren't my first choice, when Hokage-sama approached me with the idea of leading Team-7."
"Then why?" she said trying to ignore the pang of disappointment in her chest.
"Because the Hokage insisted," Kakashi said, "she said you would provide the one thing this team needed that they would otherwise lack."
"And what is that?" Sakura demanded.
"Hell if I know," Kakashi said, "but I'm sure she has a legitimate reason other than meeting the quota for women representation in shinobi squads. Though you gotta admit, avoiding the perception that she has more confidence in her shinobi than the kunoichi is a fairly good reason all on its own. "
Sakura really wanted to punch him, but figured doing so will be frowned upon, especially with so many witnesses around. She could cite sexual harrassment and probably get away with it too.
"And what do you think?" she asked putting that plan on the backburner for now.
"Ask me again if you survive the next few months," he said replacing the magazine on the table and getting up, frowning and then snapped his fingers as if recalling something "oh I nearly forgot, be at the Hokage tower on Monday at 9 AM sharp, and tell the boys as well."
XxX
Shikamaru started the projector, and the first slide projected the image of a young man with curly brown hair dressed in a green gown meant for surgery.
"Shiba Murusame," he said, "five years ago he was one of the brightest civilian medics to have graduated from the Kaen Medical Academy in the Rice Country. He left his residency midway however and had been missing ever since."
"Why does he look familiar?" Naruto asked.
"That's because you ran into him during your last mission and probably know him by his moniker, 'The Doctor'." Shikamaru explained, "After Naruto showed me his appearance using the Transformation technique I did some research into missing prodigious medics. My work was made easier when I narrowed down my search to coincide with unexplained casualties in their workplaces."
"After our friend became a resident there was an uptick of 20% in the hospital fatalties during the next three months," he continued, "such a spike couldn't be explained away as simple margin of error and you can imagine what happened next."
"How did the hospital get away with this?" Sakura questioned.
"Obviously someone in power has a big stake in the hospital," Sasuke scoffed, "a scandal like that is enough to annihilate any reputation the hospital has."
"That's correct," Shikamaru said, "the hospital does indeed receive patronage from some very powerful people in the Rice Country's Daimyo's court, they probably just found it in their interests to make it all go away than allow an investigation."
"It'll be your job to investigate these deaths," Tsunade said taking over from him, "find out who else was involved and the connection to Oto."
"And why will the Rice Country allow foreign shinobi to investigate matters they didn't allow their own people to touch?" Sasuke retorted, before seemingly remembering he was directly contradicting his leader, "Hokage-sama?" he said more respectfully.
Tsunade smirked, "That's because you won't be carrying out this mission in official capacity."
"Are we going undercover?" Naruto's eyes shined brightly.
"Sakura is," Tsunade nodded, "the rest of you are to remain incognito and provide support. Naruto, visit some of the old contacts and see what you can dig up."
Naruto's face which had turned morose on finding out he wouldn't be the one going undercover brightened up when he heard of his role.
"Sakura," the Hokage said, "as the medic in the team you'll be running point on this one. You'll infiltrate the hospital as a civilian medic using the pretext of being a candidate for the medic exchange programme we have with the Rice Country, the rest of you will act as her shinobi escorts, though you won't be allowed inside the country," she turned her gaze on the genin, "Naruto?"
"I'll get us in," he said resolutely.
"I'll skewer you if you make me use a river kite again," Sasuke threatened.
"Just suck the joy out of everything, won't ya?" the Uchiha didn't relent on his glare however, "fine," Naruto conceded, "we won't use river kites this time... happy?"
"I'll find my own way inside if you don't mind," Kakashi said, his nose buried in another volume of Icha-Icha.
"Suit yourself," Naruto said nonchalantly, "you don't know what you're missing."
"I'll find a way to live without satisfying my burning curiosity."
"Can I come with you?" Sasuke asked the jounin, his voice barely betraying his hope and dread.
"Sorry Sasuke," the jounin said without looking up from his book, not sounding sorry in the least, "but you can't."
Sasuke shot a hateful glare at the jounin who disregarded it completely.
"Alright," the Hokage intervened, "that's enough. This mission won't be numbered or designated till its completion. In other words, its off the books and I hope I don't have to tell you what'll happen if you're caught. Good. You've got," she looked at her watch, "three hours to depart. Good luck and may the Will of Fire burn brightly in you."
So that's that. Initially I just wanted to make this a transitional chapter with a lot more character development but after three months people deserve better. They deserve more. So plot advancement it is. The chapter is a unedited so feel free to point out the mistakes. If you have any questions/queries regarding the story, leave me a PM or a review and I will get back to you. Don't forget to leave a review. They are a writer's nourishment. Food too. But we aren't doing this for food.
Until next time