Year 0AK November

In the nowhere land between Kumo and Konoha lies a tableaux of battle lost. This will be the final trigger of the Three Year War. Bodies mutilated beyond recognition lie amid the rubble left by jutsu in a mud made of equal parts clay, blood, and the juices of putrefaction. A murder of crows sits above them watching and waiting as two of their number travel to Kumo and Konoha's Anbu agencies to inform them of the deaths. Neither side will be able to explain, neither side will wait to listen - in two weeks fighting will break out, fighting Konoha has been spoiling for since the first Cloud nin's body was found in Fire country after Kyuubi's emergence. Though Jiraiya plays a complicated game, he couldn't care less right now about what's happening.

Indeed as the gears of war turn ever faster in the eastern countries Jiraiya, sans his hedge, stares down a force he should by all rights stand no chance against. He has "wandered" into the greatest, and in his timeline, the last clash of Mist's civil war. Whoever wins here, wins the ruler ship of Mist. Having plans for Mist, and not a lot of time, he plans to crush these fools before him. "Oi brat! What do you want?" The silvery-haired youth smirks as one slender eyebrow rises high not knowing just how much he resembles his Inuzuka kin right now. 'Hn, hook-line-and-sinker.'

"I forget people are so quick to judge when I don't wear my mask. How about I put it back on?" Closing his eyes, he can feel his hedge click back into place. Now he towers above half the forces here; his long, unruly hair cascading down his back, facial tattoos prominent on a face somewhere in its mid-thirties, early-forties a face he never seemed to grow out of in his old timeline. Opening his eyes he takes in the gobsmacked expressions before him - apparently his fame proceeds him. "Hey, is a stupid hedge suppose to scare us?!" Or not.

Seconds later the loud mouth is dead and whispers debate whether or not he really is Konoha's Poltergeist. He almost pouts missing his old titles of sannin, Toad sennin, Icha Icha's writer or heck even 'that old weird guy'. Oh, well. The whispers stops as a taller man steps out of the amassed shinobi the number two embossed on his armor the only indication of his status. The Niidaime is a tough, ornery-looking bastard only a little younger perhaps then Sarutobi. "Alright, look here brat", he says totally missing Jiraiya's blank face and twitchy brow. "I'll give you to the count of ten to run after that I'll put you down like the gaki you are, got that?" The senile old biddy actually begins to count as the crowd around them begins to snicker and then laugh.

The laughter stops abruptly as the Mizukage finds himself struggling to keep Jiraiya's hand from crushing his throat. "Why'd you stop counting little man? Is this 'brat' too much for you?" With a burst of chakra-enhanced strength, the old man pushes Jiraiya off him. Glaring at each other, they vanish from general sight. Explosions and flashes occur in rapid, random fashion as the gazes of those present dart about seeking them. The Niidaime's voice is heard to call out "Water Release: Gates to the Maelström!" The air and earth become suna dry as violent chakra-infused streams rip through the area snatching up the unaware and slow from both sides as they attempt to catch the interloper. "Summoning: Supremacies Awakening!" The water stops and begins to spin it's self into a rude construct of a dog. The scarecrowish thing begins attacking the men at its feet resubmerging the field into the chaos it was before Jiraiya interfered.

Within the confines of his superior speed Jiraiya gives only passing notice to the men dying - it is only when the fog begins to roll in that he worries. With visibility almost nonexistent, he slows down to a more human speed before coming to a stop. 'I should have known they'd pull something like this. That's why I didn't sense them before.' The Mizukage stands back to back with him his approach almost unnoticed. "Well whelp, now the mangy dogs come in after their misguided men have been slaughtered by you and I." The Swordsmen of Mist - fewer now since Zabuza is long gone and Kisame has found better prospects. Only four but at least one is at Kage strength and all are near sannin strength with their swords unlocked. Even worse, they have the silent style on their side. 'Shit.' The mist is thickening even as the sky overhead darkens. Men begin to scream as unseen blades cut them down. The ground swells with blood.

"Old man I leave you to deal with this as you will, however understand if you survive this I will kill you." The leather-skinned man's laughter rings out like a struck bronze gong his eyes a gleam with bloodlust. "Aye, and if I die by your hand I pledge my badge and my men to you the Sandaime of Mist. That is oath by blood." Simultaneously they vanish - the one into the mist, the other deep underground protected by his Doton supremacy. Stretching his Suiton supremacy, he attaches himself to the fog and quietly alters it so that soon men are all, but dropping like flies from chakra exhaustion - including the creators of the fog. Immediately the jutsu is canceled or at least an attempt is made to cancel it, but Jiraiya controls it now. Concentrating he condenses it into roving bands he targets at the swordsmen knowing the jutsu is fragile and will not hold them. It will however corral them long enough for him to finish his next jutsu. 'Seeking Retribution: Corpse Puppet Technique.'

Totiro dispatches another one watching in disgust as the severed torso lifts it's self on its hands and tries again. A severed hand leaps at his face forcing him to slide back into a waiting pit. Quickly he replaces himself with a log only to wonder what the hell is going on. No one has this kind of control - no one. "Living World: Devour!" Despite himself, Totiro feels himself falling asleep. The darkening sky is suddenly replaced by darkness. Beyond the field figures in red and black watch unseen or noticed as the giant face that devoured the armies flattens back into a 2-d picture and then vanishes. Upon the newly cleared ground Jiraiya appears. Once again his hedge has fallen. 'Shit, why do I even wear this thing?' "You - you monster!"

Not bothering to turn around the time-traveler speaks, "Shut up. Don't speak of things you don't understand. They aren't dead yet." The suppressed energy signatures on the hill beyond them picks at his nerves. The oddness there has to be Sasori's signature and the fluctuating flicker he recognizes as Kisame. Kisame can't have been with them long, so there has to be another member around here somewhere. 'Shadow Clone Jutsu.' A lesser clone forms underground and begins to search. "Enough. Release our comrades and we will let you leave." A big man, broad of shoulder with bright orange eyes. 'Kakraku clan.' Behind him, his teammates roll their eyes. 'Gee, he's popular.' "I thought all bloodlines were put to death or exiled Mizukage. How then did this one make it into the Swordsmen?" The old man drops his illusion as three hands tighten sporadically upon their swords. "How could I kill my own son?"

The Kakraku man bows his head rust-colored hair covering his embittered face. "You aren't my father old fool; you're just a stupid old relic soon to suffer and die." Drawing his blue-tinged blade he chants - "screech Kori-hime, devour all infidels." The bluish-black blade shatters into two-inch shards with a sound like singing they begin to spin dizzily. 'It's a laser.' Watching the shards gather energy and speed Jiraiya suddenly 'knows' what a laser is and just as suddenly he knows thing are about to get messy. Calling on his speed, he avoids the flash that would have decapitated him. A foot-thick rock serves to take the next hit. Meanwhile the Mizukage shows a measure of agility that would make Enma envious.

'Time for an old one.' Not needing the seals with the supremacies open, Jiraiya stomps his foot turning the ground to swamp - acidic swamp. Someone calls out a ground-raising jutsu only to fail. The others, Mizukage included, try to stand atop it discovering (much to their displeasure) that the swamp also drains chakra. Now they are left cursing and hopping about like toads in a skillet. 'Thanks for this one Naruto!' "Shadow Clone: Jumping Sniper Technique." Twelve dozen, low-yield shadow clones cover the area all smirking superiorly. Abruptly they blur away as one of the other swordsmen releases his sword at them - "banish their arrogance Niwahaame!" A sudden rain of knives showers the area. Where ever and whatever the knives strike an eruption of stone occurs. Soon the four Mist natives play a deadly game of tag upon them.

Jiraiya switches with another clone getting close enough to draw fire from the brown-haired Nin with Niwahaame. Trading with a distant clone, Jiraiya fires off youkai-laced hair needles at the female near him. She counters with her short swords. "You'll have to do better then that!" The former pervert smirks as suddenly her swords shatter like cold, brittle glass leaving her nigh defenseless. Clapping his hands he thinks, 'Water Release: Shark Missiles.' If nothing else that will keep her busy while he goes after laser-boy. "Stand still and die old man!" Missing a few hairs Jiraiya shakes his head, 'kids these days so impatient and rude.' Again, he sends energy-tinged hair needles toward the target watching them deflected with ease. Before the arrogant swordsmen can speak, he is screaming as the energy matrix created by his sword fragments distorts around him.

'A miniature black hole? You aren't nearly as stupid as I thought.' Grimacing at the damn thing's backhanded compliment Jiraiya watches the Mizukage's bastard inverted as the matrix implodes. He'll never get that scream out of his head. Oh, well. 'That's two with one of the four dead underground already.' Three really as the desperate kid with Niwahaame draws on energy he doesn't have and falls face-first from chakra depletion into the acidic swamp. Thankfully, he sinks fast taking the sound and smell of his dissolution with him. Now only he, the Mizukage, and the woman who should become the Sandaime of Mist remain. She seems to have recovered as she holds a new, longer sword before her and shouts - "stand that our enemies might fall: awaken Suijo!" The damn thing becomes a bloody huge serpent - 'leviathan'. Sadly, he had hoped not to have to resort to this - "Echo's origin: Summoning Kikuningyo."

Now a man a little shorter though far more slender then he stands beside him. Barely glancing at his summoner the 'man' loses his substance as a shape begins to take form behind them. Quickly Jiraiya dismisses the now useless swamp. Now there stands behind him a great white fox complete with five full tails and two ghostly ones. Pushing chakra into his legs Jiraiya jumps to land on his summon's head. He nearly apologizes for dirtying its fur, nearly until he remembers it's partly this thing's fault he's suffered so much. A single mammoth copper eye rolls up to glare at him. "What now Inumaru? A leviathan, even one so small as this, is dangerous."

Fighting back a yawn and a curse Jiraiya settles cross-legged on the warm, furry head. "Hmm, I don't know… Think Manda wants to get in on this?" The bone-jarring growl he receives belatedly reminds him that snakes and foxes don't really get along. Hmm… Gamabunta is out of the question seeing as Jiraiya only wants rumors not hard evidence of his actions today. "Oh." Briefly connecting to his mount's mind, he describes his strategy. As he is about to implement it the Niidaime's summon appears. It's a crab - an ungodly huge crab. It clicks its claws at them.

If Jiraiya's first summon weren't a toad he'd have been on the ground laughing with Suijo's handler as it is he sweat drops with Kikuningyo and Suijo. 'A crab… a freakin' crab… Oh well, better then seagulls…' "It has armor at least." And big meaty claws. The damn thing blows bubbles as the Niidaime yells at the still laughing swordswoman below. The fox and the leviathan share a look before they attack the crab. In doing so, so recklessly they make a slight miscalculation - the damn thing is fast, especially with its claws - one comes just short of snipping off Kikuningyo's adorable little head.

"Geez, I didn't know crabs could move like that!" The fox sweat drops, sometimes the similarities between this idiot and the younger moron are staggering or really depressing… whatever. "Shut up and make some oil so the worm and I can cook this thing!" Pouting the hundred and forty-one year old baby complains, "Geez you're rude foxy, couldn't you have at least said please?"

Watching the sannin and summon attack together Kisame all but salivates. This man and/or creature has decimated three swordsman as well as two armies and now he is standing up against both a kage and one of kage-level along with their summons. "I wanna fight him. Please can I, can I please?!" A large shark-like man hopping about like a child while trying to effect puppy-dog eyes is an odd sight indeed. However, Sasori a puppet-man of infinite patience has long held a deep, abiding relationship with strangeness.

"No Kisame, we are here to observe and perhaps extend an invitation into our association. However, if you behave I may allow you a skirmish or two on the way back to base." A large, shark-like man jigging about like a one-legged lumberjack drunk-off his ass is… Well really, there are no words for it. Suddenly a great puff of smoke and a rumble that nearly throws Kisame off his two left feet signals the defeat of the crab summon. A tiny figure can be seen plummeting headfirst toward the ground.

The figure plunging rather recklessly toward the ground is of course a rather parboiled Mizukage. Having resigned himself to a sudden forceful re-introduction to the ground he is understandably surprised to feel himself held in a pair of slender arms. Opening them as best he can his eyes find themselves looking into the bulbous pair of a large toad, frog, thing. Even saved from a painful reunion with the earth he is obviously not long for this world as well as in a great deal of pain. "Look here frog-boy; get us up to your master, I have an oath to fulfill before I die." Not being any sort of genius, but understanding honor the aquamarine summon launches himself a top the fox's head. Jiraiya is trying to get at the rightful Sandaime and so is understandably kind of short with the poor beast. "What damnit?!" The Niidaime takes charge trying to frown, "I don't have time for your foolishness boy! Now kneel down!"

"Huh?" If it wouldn't have hurt so much the dying man might have snorted as he rolled his eyes. "Idiot, bend down so I can complete my oath and die." Shocked, but kneeling Jiraiya tries not to recoil or look away as a raw, skeletal claw traces a kanji upon his brow. Fingers pressed firmly to the center of the tracing the Niidaime chants an odd, rollicking stanza. There is a distant sensation of burning and then nothing as the quivering hand falls away. "Alright, now kill me you poor excuse for a shinobi! Honestly, what kind of fool bastard never finishes his kills?!" If it wouldn't have been so disrespectful he'd have frowned, instead the sannin's wistful smile is a perfect match to the bloodstained one the Niidaime wears. The ornate knife he holds quivers slightly in his suddenly numb hands. Blood is blood, yet somehow that's never comforting. "Sir?' the forgotten frog speaks, "There is a mark on your forehead." The old bastard kept his word; Jiraiya is the third.

"Interesting." Sasori ignores thoughts of home and betrayal. The smell of ozone in his nose and the taste of sand on his tongue. "What?" Kisame typically clueless beyond thoughts of random violence. "That man is your new Kage - aren't you proud?" Ignoring Kisame's squawking the suna puppeteer watches Jiraiya the new Mizukage complete another jutsu. 'This will pretty much tap me for a while.' "Measured Progression, I Reject." Everything within 50 kilometers stops. Moving fast Jiraiya is slicing the woman's throat. "Sorry." Quicker still, he has the ground give up the men he sequestered within it. With the speed, he has become famous for and the photographic memory forced upon him he flashes through the unconscious slitting the throats of the most ardent believers while sparing the middle-roaders and the war weary. These will be the basis of his mist natives' support.

With less then a minute to spare Jiraiya retakes his spot on Kikuningyo's head as the demon weaves a tight cloak of invisibility. The temporal jutsu collapses and immediately Sugoi deactivates and falls toward the ground as a 'normal' katana once more. The shinobi below awaken to devastation and confusion surrounded by their slain comrades. As they stare confused at their radically altered surroundings an outcry begins when the Mizukage and swordsmen are found slain or not at all. It is now Kikuningyo drops the cloak its oppressive force driving the assembled to their knees. Konoha's Poltergeist kneels upon the great beast's head the mark on his brow blazing. In a voice that brooks no contest he roars, "I am the Mizukage and I declare this civil war at an end!" Beyond the cheering crowd, the watchers vanish to report to their superiors. Further south a messenger hawk is released. Two minutes later, it is shot down.

Year 1 AK Hidden Mist Village

'Why did I ever wish to be Kage?' The paper work is obnoxious to say the least, the more so because of all this civil war business. He has established a council as well as a kind of 'vice-president', which takes some of the pressure off, but still. More over messengers continue to arrive from the various villages and capitals. Messengers who often left shaken and confused by their encounter with the "young" Mizukage. "Kabuto" smirks ruefully at how useful the long-dead infant has proven to be. His long, silver hair cascades over his face as he rests his palms against his temples. "Lala stop lurking in that corner and tell me what you want."

Lala all of fifteen and a better fighter then men twice her age, weight, and height steps into the light, her grey eyes gleeful. "Mizukage-sama, the delegation from Konoha is here." Of course, it's to be expected Kumo arrived just yesterday seeking a non-aggressive pact, so Konoha was bound to be behind them. As well as Arashi and Sakumo were doing in the guise of Windfall, Konoha's forces were still taking a beating. "Fine, get Tali and jiji-sama and meet me at the conference room." As she vanishes, he checks his hedge and suppression seals. No one outside of the council knows who truly runs things right now. All the outside world and most of Mist really know is that the Niidaime is dead, the swordsmen have been defeated, and the civil war is over. Everything else is a carefully constructed web of conflicting rumors. With rumors as they were it's no wonder Konoha and Kumo took so long to check-in neither side sure of Mist's present loyalties if Jiraiya is actually involved.

Affixing a dummy set of glasses to his face Kabuto heads towards the council room a pleasant smile upon his face. Jali his ever-present shadow almost quivers with tension. "Step carefully Jali, I don't need you fucking this up." The suppressed bloodlust all but vanishes in obedience. Smile a little broader, a little realer Jiraiya looks over the delegate auras he can feel. One is surely Kakashi's - bright blue with silver flecking, calm while still burning. Another is the smoldering grey of Asuma; that one bright and confident is probably Gai; those quiet ones would be Ibiki and Shibiki glowing motes of ash blue. There is one more very familiar - Hiashi a calm, constant pillar of questing light. Hiashi here means Hizashi is somewhere near.

"Where the hell is this guy?! How dare he keep us waiting?!" Anko has never been the best at simple surveillance. "We aren't being kept waiting, the official delegates are - now be quiet. If something goes down we need to be available, not fighting our own opponents." Hizashi is being calm, cool, calculated and inwardly panicky that Hiashi is in the middle of a death trap. On the other hand, Jiraiya could be here and rumor has it that he is the third Mizukage. Rumor also has it that he can summon more boss summons then Gamabunta. Either a great serpent-like thing or a multi-tailed fox. 'Jiraiya what have you become?' Beside him Anko scratches her head with a grimace on her face, "Wish I had some fuckin' dango."

'Must be serious, must not whip out Icha Icha Paradise.' Kakashi is slowly going into withdrawal, this is the newest and so far most explicit volume and he isn't reading it. 'Damn diplomacy.' Across the table from him, Hiashi is going into Ai Ai Alt. withdrawal - 'What could a phone possibly be used for in that situation? What?! I need to know!' Ibiki ignores them both concentrating on the presences he can sense watching them. 'There are four beneath the floor; two hidden in the ceiling and three more in the walls. That's nine high chunin to low jounin level signatures.' Leaning his chair back on one leg as Kakashi's hand begins to twitch the young man notices five more signatures approaching and one of these is at least sannin level even with tight repression of its chakra.

Ibiki opens his eyes as the door opens and the group enters. A girl - young fragile-looking and half-naked, sandy-hair with bright green eyes. Two guys one at least fifty, the other maybe mid-thirties both have black hair and eyes maybe related. The sannin-level man is a boy perhaps Kakashi's height with light metallic blue eyes, grey hair, and a huge pair of glasses. Somehow, he manages to retain an atmosphere of dignity despite the huge spectacles. The strange young man smiles pleasantly at the assembled. The two guards exit closing the doors behind them. "Good day gentlemen, my name is Kabuto Hiroshima. It is a pleasure to meet such illustrious men as yourself." He takes a seat at the table as do his associates.

Hiashi takes point being the most experienced in politics, while Ibiki taking second seat casually observes. "Mizukage-sama we have three points to present today. The first is that of a non-aggression pact with you. The second is of your intentions as Mizukage and perhaps the circumstances surrounding your ascension. The third is whatever information you may have concerning the missing-nin Jiraiya." Ibiki is amused to see Kabuto's smile still firmly in place. No strain distorts it, but his energy output has risen significantly. The girl on his left fingers her knife. The smile on her face is disconcerting; she looks crazier then Anko ever has. The glares from the dark-haired men could be an Uchiha's. "Hmm, okay - I have no information for you except of course that which everyone has. My intentions are my own, and yes - I agree to a non-aggression pact with you. However, the council as well as Tali here will have to go over any draft of such a thing."

The Kohona-nins are somewhat taken back - Hiashi actually blinks; Kabuto is rather direct. "Ah, but - Mizukage-sama you must understand that Jiraiya-senpai is immensely dangerous and as such needs to be captured sooner rather then later." Trust Gai to be nearly as blunt. Kakashi huffs as Asuma sucks his teeth. Kabuto's smile is almost fond, "Ah, but - Gai-kun if Jiraiya is so very dangerous then surely you would be killing him as oppose to capturing him?" The men in the walls shift as Hiashi's fingers flicker and Sharingan-Kakashi reaches for his forehead protector. "Kabuto-san where have you been hiding? So much power and still rising yet you aren't even in the bingo book." Eye fully revealed Kakashi sneers, "And that name, Hiroshima? I've never heard of such a clan." The round glasses reflect the light hiding the 'boy's' eyes and making his sadistic grin all the cooler, all the darker. "Funny, I've never heard of a Hatake with the Sharingan, so I guess we're even, huh little man?"

Ibiki is holding Kakashi's wrist; his grip is non-negotiable. "Mizukage-sama, I apologize for my comrade's behavior. If we could possibly be allowed to retire before we begin further negotiations that would be appreciated." With a tilt of the head Kabuto-sama is once again friendly, his eyes happy little crescents. "Of course, if you'll follow Tetsuo", a non-descript men emerges from the wall, "he'll lead you to your quarters. While you are here I advise you not to pick anymore fights; that means you Tori-chan." Before Kakashi has a chance to attack the grinning bastard is gone leaving nothing behind but his laughter.

Hizashi races across the strange mist-covered landscape ignoring the voice of reason that says chasing a possible SS-class criminal is insane. The little voice that says leaving his brother at the mercy of bloodthirsty Mist nin is a really stupid, totally dishonorable thing to do. A tiny voice pointing out that leaving Anko behind and alone in enemy territory is a disreputable act. However, his byakugan knows something is off with the kid. More importantly, Hiashi's link with him sent along a feeling of shock and distress he hasn't seen since Jiraiya-niisan left. Suddenly his feet hang unsupported in the air a large hand tight around his throat.

The voice behind him is an abomination- half ghost, half monster. "By all rights I ought to kill you, but… I've already hurt so many of my precious people." Hizashi is released only to be snatched in a firm hug from behind. "I've missed you. I've missed you both." Everything goes black. "Stupid idiot, rushing off and getting knocked out!" Anko? His head hurts too much to think and Anko is too concern with his head to be thorough in her pat down of him. As such, the letter in his pocket goes unnoticed for a while.

Meanwhile Jiraiya ditches his robes for non-descript jounin wear, his hair bound behind him. He wears no disguise aside from his own face and a very slight misdirecting genjustsu. He is already late from fooling around with Hizashi. He doesn't want to kill him; moreover, he is a part of a bigger plan to get a hold of the Cloud's two-tailed jinnchuriki. 'Will you then hide her in the Mist? Even with your seals, summons, and powerful pawns Mist will be weak for a long time.' 'I know this. Now shut up, I have to concentrate on dealing with these Akatsuki fools. This is one game of chess I can't afford to lose.' The Mist gives out onto a beachfront town, deserted save for the rowdy inn at its center.

"So when is this bastard getting here, yeah?" Breaking another drunken fool's wrist Deidera is quickly tiring of this boondock town. In Sasori's opinion, it's his own damn fault if he's hit on. Be a man if you want to be treated like one. "He will be here presently I can fell his presence in the net I wove earlier." It was this habit of his that earned him the title of Sypder amongst the others. Well that and his way of creating plans within plans. Sasori never stopped planning, never stopped thinking. He looks up slowly as a young man enters the smoky bar dodging a thrown bottle with ease. He briefly nods at them from across the room before sitting down besides Sasori. Deidera whistles appreciatively. "Shit you're fast; guess the stories are true on that score."

Still the brat who by all rights should be older then either of the men beside him doesn't look like much. "So, did ya? Kill them all, yeah? With a huge fox?" For a moment, the little bastard ignores him drawing occult symbols in the salt he has deliberately spilled across the scarred wood. When he's finished he opens glacial eyes and says: "You'd do well to think before you speak. Even here, shinobi observe. That man over there was listening in rather blatantly." 'That man' is slumped over the bar a very tiny spine in his nape. As they watch, it jerks once and then swiftly descends into the tender flesh. It's a foregone conclusion that he will not be waking up - ever. "Shit." Deidera eyes the 'kid' warily. Maybe the little pissant wasn't someone to fuck with after all.

By the time Jiraiya has drunken his ninth full bottle of saké Deidera has declared him his hero. "So you do not age because of an event that is quote: "none of our goddamn business" unquote? Interesting. Are there any other areas we should avoid trespassing in?" Jiraiya drains the latest bottle before throwing it at the idiot howling in the corner. A solid thud is heard - twice. "Trust me, you'll know if you've crossed a fucking line." A beat of awkward silence pasts. Standing the puppet-man slayer of Suna's Sandaime presents Jiraiya with a ring and a large package. "It is doubtful you will ever be paired as your strength alone could easily challenge any of our present pairs." Taking up his new vestments Jiraiya smiles - "Fine, I work best alone."

End Chapter Four

Confused? Post a review for a personal reply or see the forum.

For the record it's only going to get more complicated from here on.

Next time in Chapter Five:

Negotiations, A return to the village, and Kakashi's eye.