Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction, I own none of it.
Summary: A more rational Danzo takes on team 7. The world changes accordingly
Chapter 6 - The Plot Thickens
"You know, it's strange more people don't come up here." Sasuke pondered as he looked over the village from the head of the Fourth Hokage. "Though… From up here the Uchiha district looks even lonelier." His thoughts turned slightly sad. It really did though, looking down on a city bustling with activity. With the Chuunin exams about to be underway, civilians and shinobi alike were flocking to the hidden village. That was what brought them up here though, a good place for Naruto to meditate and process all the information his legion of clones were gathering in the village below.
In their usual formation, Sakura was in charge of watching over Naruto while Sasuke would act as rapid response to whatever info he gathered. Of course within the village, not during a mission or battle scenario, him and Sakura were only here as a formality. But his team was more than a team, and whenever possible they did everything together.
So they made a day of it. They brought everything they'd need to spend a peaceful day staking out the entire leaf village. Even though he was meditating, Naruto was being quizzed by Sakura on various topics, from history, to current intel on enemy Shinobi. Every so often he'd get more intel from one of his clones dispersing and he'd narrate the relevant bits, which Sakura would scribe into her coded notes. She made the encryption formula herself, only her, Danzo, and himself knew it. Naruto was getting there, but still couldn't read it smoothly without the key.
Suddenly though Naruto's eyes were shooting open, the popcorn Sakura had thrown at him bounced off his face rather than going in his mouth as planned.
"Sasuke! Jiji's Grandson is being attacked by suna nin! Two blocks east of Ichiraku's by a park fence!"
While that wasn't what he was expecting, Sasuke's shunshin was unbelievably fast. And going somewhere he was familiar? He was there almost the moment Naruto was done speaking.
Arriving at the scene he found a Naruto clone trying to talk down a man in… a puppeteer's costume with cat ears? Holding up the Hokage's grandson, and accompanied by a young woman with teal eyes and sandy blonde hair pulled back into four consecutive pigtails that was seemingly also trying to talk him down. Activating his Sharingan was enough of a chakra flex to alert the clone to his familiar presence (He was hiding in a tree), and also showed him another sand nin in a different tree. Not an ideal situation, but he'd only need to stall for a few seconds before his team arrived. Lucky for him intimidation is an Uchiha specialty.
He blitzed forward, using shunshin a way only someone with a Sharingan could to move at incredible speed even at close quarters. He couldn't leave afterimages of himself yet like Shisui could but this would do. Closing on the man holding Konohamaru before anyone can even see him, he plucks the kid out of his grasp and tosses him to Naruto's clone. In the moment he came into view he locked his Sharingan eyes onto the girl as he put a kunai to the man's neck.
"Tell your other teammate to reveal himself, and the three of you will stand down or you will be placed under arrest for attempting to harm a civilian of this village. Worse yet, Lord Hokage's only grandson."
For the first tenth of a second it looked as though the man he was holding at knife-point was going to try fighting back, even as the colour drained from the girls face. Just as Sasuke was about to move to incapacitate the young ninja, the third suna-nin revealed himself in a swirl of sand.
"Kankuro! Stand down, you're an embarrassment." The newly revealed redhead snapped out, causing the original two suna-nin to flinch back. The fearful behaviour is obvious to the Uchiha heirs' sharp eyes.
"Did he say Kankuro? Shit that makes them the Kazekage's kids doesn't it?" Danzo made sure they were thoroughly drilled in potential political entrants to the exam. Thank Kami it seemed like the youngest of the three didn't want a fight either 'cause he certainly felt thee most dangerous.
"Ga-Gaara the kid started it!"
"SHUT UP! Go back to the hotel, you're a disgrace."
Sasuke readjusted his stance, his kunai slipping back into a hidden holster. Himself and the now identified Gaara lock eyes for a moment before the redhead speaks.
"I apologize for my siblings actions. I'm afraid with the pressure of the exams he's become quite… Hot headed." He drawled out in a perfect monotone, the black circles under his eyes barely moving as he spoke.
"Hn. Keep your brother on a tighter leash, Sabaku-san. Aggression outside of the exams will not be tolerated, and I doubt you'd find the ANBU as tolerant as my team and I." At the mention of his team, the Naruto clone that was comforting Konohamaru and his friends popped into smoke, and the real Naruto and Sakura stepped out of the shadows, revealing Gaara was surrounded.
"Understood, Uchiha-san. It won't happen again."
Sasuke just nods and starts walking past Gaara to leave with his teammates. As he passes the young suna-nin he adds on.
"I'll be watching you in the exams as well Sabaku-san, don't think my team and I can't sense that foul killing intent of yours." It was a bit of a grandstand, in truth he might not have been anything more than unnerved if not for his Sharingan unraveling Naruto's body language and facial cues so well. Either way, the reveal that they'd be in the exams brought a sick grin to Gaara's face.
"I'll look forward to seeing you there, Uchiha-san. Mother will be thrilled to meet you."
Back on the Hokage Monument
It didn't take long for team 7 to return to their perch overlooking the village. Their recent encounter with the Sand trio was… unnerving to say the least. While Sasuke was mostly unphased by someone so young being so…. Dark. Naruto was shaken by the encounter.
"Guys…. I think we should stay away from that team if we can."
"WHAT! They're one of the strongest teams we've come across so far. We should take them out first." Sakura mimed boxing while she spoke, clearly eager for battle. Sasuke knew better though, he knew Naruto wouldn't avoid a fight for no reason.
"Hear him out, Sakura." His oddly serious tone stilled her boxing, drawing an exasperated sigh before she plopped onto the ground.
"Fine, what's got you so spooked Naru-chan? Little girl time with Ino and I made you soft or what?" She sticks her tongue out at him to punctuate her teasing tone.
"Oh ha-ha. I don't think you'll be laughing while you're being torn apart by a tailed beast."
Oh. Oh that's a bombshell. Fuck it makes everything Sasuke saw make sense.
"You're not serious Naruto? They wouldn't… He's not stable. They wouldn't send an unstable Jinchuuriki to a foreign exam would they? Suna are our allies!" The implications are piling up, but the picture's becoming more and more clear to Sasuke.
After all, like it or not. Jinchuuriki are weapons of war. Able to tie up whole battalions of Shinobi if they're trained properly, just look at how much havoc Naruto could cause with his clones and he's barely even started his training to tame his tailed beast. A young Jinchuuriki could be a ringer to send to a Chuunin exam, much like team 7 was. But an unstable one? A child? It seems too risky unless…. Unless.
"They would if they were planning to invade."
Silence. Broken when Sakura lets out a breath and the word they were all thinking.
"Shit."
In a dark room deep in the bowels of Konoha, a nameless root shinobi leads an unassuming messenger nin to his master.
"Sir! A messenger from Oto for you."
Seated behind his desk, the hidden leader of Konoha's darkside doesn't so much as look up from the scroll he's currently writing in.
"I see, leave us then."
With a quick bow, the loyal soldier departs, sealing the room closed behind him. When he's clear Danzo stands to address the messenger.
"Don't think I don't already know why your master sent you. It is already determined of course." The messenger picks up slightly, happy that his mission seems so simple. He gleefully extends his hand to shake on the deal when Danzo extends his arm.
"However, tell your Master the Uchiha is mine. Any interference with my team will end our… Arrangement."
Gathered in the Hokage's office stood the Jounin of Konoha, deep in conversation about their various students, and their prospects in the upcoming exams. Kurenia's laughing at some joke Asuma had told, Iruka and Lord Sarutobi discussing some administrative details. All of which came to an abrupt halt as the door opened to reveal Danzo in the entrance way, eyeing them all with distaste. Well, except Sarutobi who got more of a begrudging respect I suppose.
"Ah, Councilor Shimura, so good of you to join us."
"Apologies for the delay, Lord Hokage. There was a matter I needed to tend to."
"Of course, now that you're here we can begin." Sarutobi lets out a cough and gathers up his papers to give the assembled sensei time to come to attention. "As many of you likely know, the Chuunin Exams are about to be underway. Competitors from foreign villages have already begun to arrive. At this time I would like to ask you all for your recommendations for the exams." His gaze roved over the assembled Jounin. "I trust you will all treat this with the seriousness it deserves. I shouldn't need to remind you that the Chuunin Exams are a harrowing, and sometimes fatal ordeal."
The assembled Jounin began sounding off in order of how long they'd had their teams. Almost all of the older teams were entered on account of this year's exam being in Konoha. Team Gai seemed to be a room favourite for a ringer based on background murmurs. When it came to the rookie sensei some expected Danzo would enter his team, but the venerable shinobi would almost certainly speak last. Not that any of the other rookies would be entering anyways-
"I, Yuhi Kurenai, nominate team 8 for the Chuunin Selection Exam." The raven haired beauty proclaimed boldly, perhaps naively so to some of the more veteren shinobi. Many doubted this freshly minted Jounin could take a team like hers and have it be ready for the Chuunin exam in just half a year.
"I, Sarutobi Asuma, nominate team 10 for the Chuunin Selection Exam." More surprise, but this time comments like "Lord Hokage's Son", "Guardian Ninja", and "Ino/Shika/Cho" could be heard. Much to Kurenai's disdain.
No one is surprised now, as Danzo announces "I, Shimura Danzo, nominate team seven for the Chuunin selection." And even though no one was really surprised by this, the room broke out in uproarious chatter. Total disbelief at the idea of 3 rookie teams being in the exams this year. The worst was Iruka, who was supposed to be keeping minutes.
"Now listen here you three! Those nine Genin were my students not half a year ago and there's no way they're ready for this."
But the room was cut silent by the click of a cane against the floor, almost certainly augmented by a subtle application of wind chakra.
"I suppose then, Umino-san. That you claim to have better judgement than myself, a member of the village's elder council, a veteran of three wars, and one of the only two S-Rank shinobi currently residing within the walls of Konoha." A pregnant pause settles in the room before he finishes "I had no idea we had such talent amongst our Chuunin. Surely Sarutobi and myself can retire no?" The Shinobi no Yami stares directly into one of Iruka's eyes as the much younger shinobi begins to stammer.
"A-ah-O-of course not, Lord Danzo, I would never suggest-"
But Danzo cut him off "And yet you did. Consider your place the next time you speak. We will still after all expect all of this to be in the minutes, Umino-san."
Tense laughter filled the room, all but from Sarutobi, whose laughter seemed genuine.
"Ah, Councilor Shimura, if you're quite done embarrassing our Chuunin this meeting is dismissed." A beat red Iruka is the first to all but sprint for the door, followed shortly by the crowd of gossiping Jounin. In short order all that's left are our two S-Rank Shinobi, until a masked ANBU agent politely closes the door. A quick activation of a seal below Sarutobi's stack of papers allows them to speak freely.
"You're past mistakes are catching up with you Hiruzen. I will not have my efforts wasted by a snake in the grass."
"So he's making his move is he? I'm surprised Jiraiya didn't inform me of this."
Danzo's visible eye only narrows at the comment "All of your students have lost their way. Return your pieces to the board, unless you wish to find yourself in check." Leaving no room for discussion, Danzo turns to leave.
But for all his haste, Hiruzen manages one parting question.
"Are they ready?"
Danzo stops only for a moment.
"No child is ready for war. Nor, I doubt, the interest of your failure." And with that Danzo sees himself through the door, closed perhaps a touch firmly to a normal person. Coming from Danzo he might as well have shattered it.
"Dog."
"Hai, Lord Hokage."
"The Snake is poised to strike. Bring them back."
The white cloaked ANBU paused for only a moment. A credit to his composure, for his mission was easily S-Rank, and it's targets would almost certainly not come willingly, or by force.
"I have the full authority of the Leaf my Lord?"
"By any means necessary, do not let their legend cloud your vision. These months we've spent together, you are their equal on the field. Bring them back, Kakashi."
"Hai, Lord Hokage." And with the slightest rustling of Hiruzen's papers he was gone.
A Dog on the Hunt.
Author's Note: So sorry for the wait! Had a little mental health crisis being stuck in quarantine and couldn't get this going. I'll try and be better! Hope you enjoy, it was hard to write.