Year 3AK November
Watching the sunlight dapple the ceiling Jiraiya hums as he counts days. Peace talks continue between Konoha and Kumo. As agreed Windfall shows neither hide nor hair. Kumo still demands his death as they will demand Hiashi's 'death' in a few short weeks. The kidnapping occurred the last week of December… December 27th if memory serves and amidst that misery, Konohamaru is born on the 30th just three short days later. Now then, he'll need to set up a stake out… Maybe kill a cloud nin and replace him - not like it'd be hard. Whatever, it's only November now summer just beginning to touch the earth, to quicken the blood. He'll need the time to find a quiet man to watch the flock while he goes first to work for Akatsuki and then to Konoha to change history again.
Stretching amid the enormous mess of sheets, quilts, and pillows on his low-slung bed he smiles. So far, no serious complications have arisen. The MOMO outbreak in the northern countries raged longer then it should have. His eyes close memory bringing back the stench of living, decaying flesh and smoke assailing his nose. Ten thousand souls lost when before it had only been four thousand and ten. A bronze clock rings somewhere in the house. Women's laughter drifts thorugh the window. The Grass village is on its last legs and trade is more strained then he remembers. There are Grass nin in this village because of that and Gotou find's it easier then before to infiltrate and conquer. 'Makes it harder for the kid, better look into that.' Still, it's nothing too serious. Nothing a little time and energy won't straighten up alright.
Pari's feet slap loudly in the hallway bringing his breakfast again. He always oversleeps these days. Something about Taziyan is almost unbelievably peaceful. Maybe it's building something clean with his own hands. Maybe it's seeing smiles on the faces of men and women who have had nothing to smile about for quite some time. Or seeing bloodline children who don't have to fear using their gifts around neighbors. Something perhaps about building a sanctuary within Mist for it's hated bloodline carriers. Not that it was hard. Requesting for the right was a small thing to ask of the Yondaime, a bloodline carrier himself. It was an even smaller thing to ask of the daimyo a fearful man in need of guidance… and certain kinds of opium. A drug-dealer as well as murderer, a liar, and a possible traitor… 'How nice!'
A last knock sounds before Kimimaro walks in with his breakfast tray. Pari's white head bows to him from outside the doorway. 'Tch, still too polite.' Her indigo eyes flash silver for a moment as she stands up and smiles at him. She will always be grateful to him, for with all her wrinkles and white hair he is the kindest man she has met in all her fourteen years. Kimimaro sets the tray on the bedside table with exaggerated care. His clan was the founding group of Taziyan. This child will grow with the village much as Sasuke Sarutobi did with Kohona. Yes, although Taziyan is a small village and will most probably remain so; it is strong and will only strengthen with time. Any who seek to harm it will serve only to advance its strength. 'Believe it.'
The child before him is studying him just as earnestly; it's understandable what with his pure white hair and mahogany-brown skin - all dyed of course. Good strong sewti dye guaranteed to stick even through the rain season. It is harder to detect then chakra maintained illusion especially as most would think to check for that now. He smiles, an interesting expression on his immature face - at least the villages are shoring up their defenses now. "Well good morning to you too Sunshine. Why are you bugging me now?" The little boy smiles at him looking as pretty as a picture. This child is nothing like the one Naruto, Lee and Gaara described. 'No wonder with his family still alive.' Idiot fox. That's the last thing he wants to think about with Itachi losing ground by the day.
"You are going on a trip. I have never been anywhere, but here. I want to go with you and you will take me because you believe I have talent and much potential!" Valiantly the white-haired sannin resists the urge to sigh and/or roll his eyes. 'Will I never escape these precocious children? Everywhere I turn there's another one yapping at me.' Reaching into the open drawer beside him, he grabs his cigarette pack in total disregard to his unsolicited tenet's squawking. With an uber casual shrug Jiraiya speaks, "Fine brat, but don't get mad if I don't wipe you're ass every time you take a shit. I'm not your mother." Pari flinches from the hall as Kimimaro giggles like the seven year old he is. Lighting up a cancer stick the Leaf renegade nods toward the door telling the kid to get. "Oh, one other thing. Be sure to be packed by tomorrow morning - we head out at 5 a.m. So don't sleep late."
It is November seventh and they are hiking through woodland, mostly spruce and pine. Its cooler then expected for a summer evening the sky hidden away entirely by the trees overhead. Sakumo steps carefully with the child on his back. The child that will soon be older then his own son was when he last saw him. The son he hasn't seen in seven years - almost a decade. The man is still as beautiful as always without his usually omnipresent mask. His expression is the one he wears before he asks a question. Perhaps like Kikuningyo he wants to know why they are bringing a child with them. Visions of smooth, pale skin and flower petals taunt him. 'Cut it out brainless fox!' A curl of heat traces its way to his crotch… 'Shit.' Maybe there's a stream around here.
"What would this child's life have been?" Nearly tripping, instead the ever-overdramatic toad sennin leaps into the trees over head. His brown face peers down from the branches like a curious wood sprite. It's not such a surprising question, but now isn't the time with work to be done and an observer too close for comfort. 'Damn Zetsu.' Ever since Sakumo was revived and told the entire situation he's been obsessed with cataloging the events as they came and were changed or left alone. Of course, he hasn't been told very much but he'd taken everything he could get with surprising poise. Most people didn't want or take well to being told they died a meaningless death. They reacted even worse to hearing their son died a violent, pointless death trying to save a village destroyed anyway. Of course, the still active Purpose seal helped, continues to help. 'Sakumo is gonna kill me when that thing is deactivated.'
Quietly he begins to move again. The air is cooling as the sun sets and insects begin to buzz. A town lies a mile or two ahead of them. The sooner he leaves these two there the sooner he can finish this job. "Well?" Still adjusting the pace and being mimicked perfectly by Sakumo he replies without pause, "Don't worry about it now, especially with the brat already half-awake." With these two secure in their room, the white-haired hundred and forty-four year old man tests his newest genjustsu on an unsuspecting worker in the hallway. She can't be more then fourteen, chest just beginning to form. He covers her mouth and turns her face toward the wall as he fingers her hurriedly. When it becomes apparent this won't work, he flips up her dress and begins fumbling with his pants. She squeaks and moans so that he's sure he could have got off on her sounds alone, 'So much for being reformed.' He leaves her mewling on the floor still ready for more action.
The container of the six-tailed beast is a hermit mystic. She could hit him hard without trying to if he relied on his normal tricks. Her monk based jutsus clashed horribly with his demon/summons based jutsu. Worse, they usually won. Worse still, she holds as much skill in seals as he does. Therefore, his new jutsus, his old jutsus, and his seals dominance are useless if not glaring liabilities. That left him with just one hope - his perverseness. She relied on sacred energy to offset her demon and those who would harm or use her. Sacred energy relies on abstinence from the three roots of sin - pride, lust, and greed. Tonight lust would be her downfall.
He makes excellent time soaring through the trees. Zetsu is a twinkling on the edge of his awareness. No matter how well they may hide, he and Zetsu's inner voices respond to each other's dichotomy giving away their positions. Still this is a kind of game they play knowing a time is coming when they will want to 'disappear'. Why dislodge the seeker you can see? Still it rankles that the Akatsuki' leader still has so little trust in him. Never mind that he plans to alter the Rokubi's seal and deliver her as a living bomb. Of course, that all has to wait until Zetsu leaves to feed his warring voices. Dawn isn't too far off; he needs to get the insomniac girl while she meditates to starve odd madness.
The woods thin becoming more ordered, more structured. Pine becomes Aspen, spruce dwindles to cedar. He stands shallowly breathing at the edge of a large clearing. A large, clear stone hums quietly in his hand. Touching it to his temple he mouths, 'Second Sight'. Throughout the clearing and the strange Indian-style temple uncountable runes blaze. 'Shit. Paranoia much?' Discontinuing the jutsu he begins to chant feeling the echo of youki within him curling into it's self. He feels heavy - shoved down by an immense pressure, but there isn't time to rest with five minutes as the limit on this technique.
With two minutes to spare, he pants on his knees by the entrance of the temple. Drawing a deep breath, he begins chanting the second stanza of this charm. Amid the now familiar pressure, he walks toward the secret steps he knows are there stepping around the glowing web work of runes and charms. Such a strange sensation walking between worlds. With less then a minute left he stands in the inner sanctum by the sinking stairs. Knowing this is the most dangerous part of his plan he summons Kikuningyo who appears as a small silver-blond boy with a gunmetal blue flute. Kikuningyo shall distract the awaiting and now wary Rokubi as Jiraiya descends chanting the last stanza. He will never remember the song Kikiuningyo played or when it changed into another. All he will know before the blood and lust is that he stood at the bottom in twilight swiftly forming seals: Break burst - Descent into Lust.
She fights; she is used to fighting for her mind. She doesn't look much older then his unhedged form although she is at least sixty. It seems to be a common thing among the higher-tailed containers. Already Naruto shows signs, never seeming to change, to grow. He doesn't know what she sees as she chants failing attacks and protections. He weaves more and more layers over the first drowning her strength and awareness beneath mindless lust. Her demon screams as it tries to take over, but Kikuningyo has turned this place - these words and bonds against it. Soon she gasps beneath him her eyes a solid liquid black. She is - was a virgin; he takes the inevitable blood and soaks four holy cloths. With them, he binds her hands, feet, mind and demon. It is too bad the seals and runes she has painstakingly carved throughout would warp any attempt he might make at altering her seal, especially as Zetsu (an impatient beacon on the horizon) cannot see down here. This place might yet come in handy for something. Carefully picking up his captive, he moves toward the stairs.
Tired he lets Kikuningyo chant as they run through the complex and across the clearing. The spirit remnant calls forth several lesser summonses. Zetsu's signature abruptly stops as Jiraiya and his bane pour on the speed pulling further and further ahead. Abruptly Kikuningyo winks out returning to the odd seal above Jiraiya's heart. The sky is a promise of blue by the time he nears the town and the hotel. Remembering an old favorite he and his captive breeze through the streets unseen. Sakumo waits by the window arms crossed and eyes dark. Jealous old bastard. It's still weird seeing him out in public without a mask. Still it's been years since the White Fang has worn a mask - he should be used to it by now.
Canceling the jutsu, he runs his hands through his hair. "Where's the brat? We need to be out of here by…mmm, now!" Sakumo points to the bathroom as Kimimaro and this was now as a fuckin' seven-year-old. What he'd be like as he got older didn't bare thinking. Setting his catch on the bed Jiraiya decides to take a nap. First however he creates three shadow clones. Three shadow clones with evil smiles. Sakumo recognizes that look and shivers because of it. Jiraiya's cackling doesn't help. It stops abruptly as a familiar blushing face appears in the doorway - the girl from last night… 'Shit!'
Zetsu is pissed. Deidera's snickering doesn't help anymore then Kisame fluttering about him with that damn camera. "Ah…so." Even the leader wishes to laugh - his black eyes twinkling brightly. "Jiraiya-sama completed the capture fairly quickly with no casualties or property destruction? Perhaps we should be giving Deidera's missions to him, eh?" That shuts the androgynous deconstructionist up. Sasori smiles at a neon-pink, be feathered, sparkle-drenched makeup wearing Zetsu making faces at Deidera. He also smiles at his assessment of Jiraiya being correct. Jiraiya has been a sound investment.
They are in the middle of nowhere grey-blue water stretching to the east, rock-like beachfront stretching to the west. The sky is the solid white-grey of a blind man's eyes. Down the beach Sakumo chases little Kimimaro tickling him mercilessly when he catches him. The child's shrieks of laughter ring down the beach rivaling the breakers for attention. The cold pebbles her butterscotch skin, hardens the nubs of her nipples. The ink must seem very cool to her. "Are you sure you want to do this? You'll lose your body in the process." She smiles placing her index finger directly over his heart. "I'll be here, right? I'll be here until you can find me another body and I'll have plenty of company, yes?"
"Yes." Plenty of company. This is a nowhere place, a place where the world is thin. No one will come here and so he is at ease to alter her seal into the gate of maw that will devour the men of Akatsuki. There are twenty-seven; the leader, the nine hunters, the twelve acolytes, and the five scions. Beyond them are many lesser agents mindless drones working diligently toward their own destruction. He sets the brush aside as a splash is heard; Sakumo has been rudely introduced to the salt-grey waves. "Aah! You little brat!" Her eyes are bright with some emotion he can't decipher. "This is going to hurt - a lot. Try not to scream." Standing over her, he claps his hands once and touches her.
He stands panting sick to his stomach. Memories he's never had keep materializing before his eyes. He's an atrocity - like Arashi's Shingami he's eaten them all to remain forever in pain within him. Those other two hunters, half the acolytes and all the scions. He's taken her in as well and that's all that's keeping him standing Kikuningyo too busy battling the former six-tails. Its December 12th he has a week to get his shit together. It's alright he's close to Kumo already. 'Kesatero? Where is the nearest friendly town?' A picture forms of a city on a hill clouds beneath it. 'Fumihiko.' Two days journey northeast through gentle-grade land with plenty of caves for shelter.
Three days finds him devouring a family's meal as the parents rut on the floor while the children sing to persons only they can see. Civilians are weak, but this display shows how his powers have increased drastically. Nearly nine tails within him plus the power of the souls he has swallowed. Downing the rest of the sake bottle he found in the cupboard he realizes he doesn't really know his own strength anymore. His ring has yet to buzz him maybe the leader is dead and the group destroyed? No, because then the ring would have cracked. 'Less.' What possible meaning could that have? The oldest son suddenly claims his right to mount sweat glistening on his chest. His father bucks moaning beneath him. 'I ought to stop this.' The mother's hand grips his pants leg. Her eyes are as banal as a Hyuuga. It's December 15th. He mutters a genjustsu that puts them to sleep. Slowly he moves to set things right.
A week later, he twirls a pencil between his fingers trying desperately not to scratch his face. It'll peel off like rubber if he does. 'Orochi was sick, but he was smart.' There is a murmur of discontent in his head, they do and do not agree. "When we have the child we will release Hiashi from the initial stage of the genjustsu. The second stage will overpower his restraint so that he will act before he thinks. In this way, we will gain the Byakugan. Konoha has no stomach for further war; they will give us what we desire especially if seen in the wrong." Along with a few others, Jiraiya remains silent during the cheers and laughter. Too bad he can't be sure these others aren't just in his head.
Lying in the bed of the man he murdered beside his young wife the time-traveler goes over his team's plan. They will travel to Konoha with the treaty. After receiving a hero's welcome, they will wait 'til evening to cast their genjustsu disabling all the sentries and limiting the variables. One of them will get the heir- Hinata and then another will release Hiashi into the second stage. Thus Hiashi will become a scapegoat to be sacrificed to them. Brilliant. They will draw lots to see who will tempt Hiashi's wrath once they're in Konoha. That will require some trickery on his part, but not enough to matter. Konoha is better then it was, but still too soft on some things. Arrogance leads to Complacency.
The next day the delegates leave to the cheers of their people. Jiraiya waves happily at his 'wife' not yet knowing his child grows in her womb. Not too surprising when he believes himself sterile. She will name it after her father - Kazuma. That's all in the future, right now Jiraiya jogs along side the man who drew poorly last time. The overbearing sod blathers on about sex and women in a way that raises Jiraiya's hackles. "Oh, but what do you care? What with that pretty little girl at home, you can barely see to walk straight." No wonder he lost the lotto last time, they probably rigged the game just for him. "What can I say? I'm a really lucky guy." Unlike you asshole.
Hinata bounces down the hallway sucking on her fingers. She's three and they're throwing her a really, really big party. Neji follows behind her studying another scroll on puppetry. The little girl rolls her eyes like the adults always do. "Neji stop! This is my birthday- let's have fun!" Her cousin really doesn't know how cute he looks when he frowns. Kind of like a constipated dolly. "Puppets are fun. You just don't understand the inta-inta-lec-u-al pleasure is all." She swats him on the head and kisses him on the cheek, "Stop using big words afour you choke on them." Laughing at his expression, she swats him on the arm. "Tag - you're it!" Still dumbfounded Neji watches her take off. Blinking he drops his scroll and chases after her. Hizashi picks up his son's scroll as Hizashi smiles for the first time today. "Hn, you'd think they were twins." Their laughter warms the compound.
Kakashi casually eyes the delegates from behind his porcelain mask. There are no genjustsu in effect right now. Just to be sure however Kurenai stands in as an Anbu over by the far corner. The Kumo nin are better behaved then he would have thought. Their leader seems to be a rather non-descript nin named Takakata Abe. His long white hair picks at a nerve its true. "Good morning, let us sign this treaty and finally, finally end this blasted war." The tension level drops as all present agree. As the monotonous political bullshit begins, Kakashi like most of the experienced Anbu relaxes into a state of semi-aware consciousness. In other words he stops listening and starts daydreaming.
Today is the most important day of his life…Tiptoeing quietly he sneaks up on the unsuspecting man. With the speed and accuracy of an arrow he shoots at him - only to be snatched out of midair. "Sorry brat better luck next time." Pouting the little boy crosses his arms and frowns. Jiraiya laughs 'til he cries. Kakashi feels his throat constrict even as he wills his traitorous eyes not to leak. Jiraiya was his uncle and godfather, both protector and playmate. Yet he left him behind retuning only to damn near destroy his mind - thus giving him this advanced eye. Itachi was a gennin now and a bloody automaton. Jiraiya was right when he said the boy was nearing a breaking point, but when?
Swapping bullshit greetings with Sarutobi and his gennin teammates, Jiraiya surreptitiously observes Kakashi. Its 'obvious' the boy is still brooding - no wonder he and the Uchiha brat got along so friggin' well. While appearing the perfect soldier his aura speaks of a searching, a probing like a tongue looking for a lost tooth. Oh, well if it distracts him from Obito then it's an improvement. Jali seems cagy, but quiets after a little prodding from his seal. The others do well acting natural inspite of the flesh masks they wear. The Hokage says something he laughs appreciatively at. Somewhere in the village, a group of his best men are setting up a tableau and a well-planned back-story. Two more are among the Hyuuga place while a third lures a young Sasuke away from the training fields. It's time for the first of many lessons.
She is still awake waiting for Uncle Jira to give her a present. Neji lies on the floor by the door listening for footsteps. This will be their secret since tonight has a strict curfew for some reason. "Neji?" She turns to her nii-san, "yes?" He frowns as he stares at the puppet-training manual. "Do you think I can be the best at puppeteer if I try? I mean I've been working on this for years and gotten nowhere. Maybe I just lack talent." "So you're calling me a liar?" They turned with cheers only to stand still in shock. "Uncle?" Of course, they're use to pale skin and silver hair - not white hair and dark skin.
Neji activated his doujutsu for a moment. "You are uncle… So, what happened?" Hinata pauses in her climbing into his lap to listen. Lifting the little girl into his lap and sighs. "I am a traitor, according to the greater part of the village. Moreover, I am wanted in connection to several ongoing investigations. In order to get anything dare I have to disguise myself, but the Sharingan and the Byakugan limit my efforts in such things - so…" Hinata traces his face her huge eyes filled with wonder. 'You are so cute!' "Anyway- who wants presents?!" Thank Kami-sama for silencing jutsu.
Leaving the tucker-out kids tucked with their new gear Jiraiya leaves through the door entering the hallway. Feet silent, he seems to vanish only to appear periodically. Pausing at a door that seems no more special then the others, he sets two scrolls before it. Vanishing he appears on the northeast wall. A low piercing whistle sounds. It stops and is followed by two yips. Going over the wall, he dashes away as the door is opened and the scrolls taken within the room. The door slides shut as silently as it opened. All is quiet.
The force of his fist nearly breaks the table. "This is an outrage!" The council hums with displeasure. "Tadichi, calm down." Koharu stares down the willful man before nodding at Hiashi. "Thank you, as I'm sure the Uchiha can verify from witness reports the deceased and currently incarcerated were arguing loudly about this plot. We have the details of this argument in this transcript. I'm sure we'll have far more details when Ibiki finishes with his ah… task." Tadaichi looks like he wants to shout again, this is when Hizashi speaks. "As we are all aware of my brother and others traveled to Mist some years ago to sign an agreement with them. Kumo did the same."
Tadaichi doesn't seem as eager to disagree now. His escorts seem just as nervous. "Part of the agreements all parties signed stated that none of the parties would harm or try to 'steal' any of the re-established Mist bloodlines. One of these lines is the Suiseimeibo." Now Tadaichi begins to tremble the sweat thick on his brow. Pity could almost be felt for him as the Mizukage's right hand man steps forward. Hiashi continues, pounding the final nail in the coffin - "The Hyuuga are confirmed descendents of the Suseimeibo clan, and thus are protected by the agreements. Because the Kumo nin are found to have had the intent to commit harm against Mist, they must now pay the consequences."
Now Tali Chikashi speaks looking like a close cousin to the Uchiha (AN: think Colonel Mustang FMA). "The hidden village of the Mist asserts that as the Hyuuga are of Kohona they shall choose the punishment best suited to Konoha's interests. Whatever course they choose Mist will stand behind them with full support of its allies including Taziyan." This is a bold move on Tali's part and one that could backfire spectacularly. Instead, Tadaichi pales completely, even as the council restrains it's self from uproar. Everyone present knows the founder of little Taziyan which possesses more bloodlines then the five Great villages combined. Little Taziyan that can never be found by those of ill-intent, that is never in the same spot twice, but thrives when other's starve or are stricken with illness. Blasted Taziyan tucked away safely in Mist and protected by its founder Jiraiya the Legendary.
"Ah, what then is your demand Hyuuga-sama?" The twins share a look between each other before turning to Tali who nods once his eyes well above their heads. "You would have snatched a child from us - our heir. So now, we demand a child - the jinnchuriki Asao Yasuaki, holder of the two-tails. We ask not for crops nor land nor money only this one child." Tadaishi falls on his chubby knees all but weeping. "I cannot, I cannot promise such a thing! Ask anything, but that!" The infamous Hyuuga stare slowly stills his tongue and lowers his head. "Two weeks Tadaichi of Kumo. Return to your masters and tell them this must be done in two weeks or so help you Windfall will be the least of your worries and theirs." Turning on his heel Hiashi walks out followed by his smirking brother and the silent boy they brought with them - Kimimaro Kayuga of Taziyan.
"And then what happened?" Sitting by the fire grate whittling a pipe Sakumo snorts, but Kimimaro beams as he continues his story. Jiraiya listens carefully despite having been there. Different perspectives are important. Pricking himself again, he stifles a curse while looking over the incomplete onesy. Sewing clothing is hard even if it's only a baby's onesy. Konohamaru is so small barely more then his hand and so fragile. "Then he just walked out and it was all quiet. The minute the doors closed behind us you could hear everyone gabbing!" Nodding he's glad he already gave Konohamaru his teddy bear. It's almost certain security was tighten after that. Sarutobi probably let the kid keep the damn toy anyway - softhearted old fool.
There are cave systems throughout Konoha leftovers from the near constant wars and skirmishes of times gone by. Tonight and tomorrow, they will camp here. So it will go until they reach Ieoya's Pass. That is where he and the others will ambush the caravan carrying the child and run off to the west and Taziyan. That was the plan the Raikage agreed to after all. "You don't need this child here undermining your authority and you don't need more negative publicity." The tall man growls, "Nor does Konoha need two jinnchuriki." He smiles brightly, "They'll never see hide nor hair of her. I'll snatch her before then." They share a long look. "I promise."
Yes, he'd steal the little girl at Ieoya's Pass leaving Konoha to bitch for a while. Kumo will counter with its losses versus Konoha. In the end, they'd haggle land rights and ransoms until Kumo get's its remaining delegates back and Konoha receives an ironclad contract witnessed and endorsed by the reigning daimyo of Fire and Lightening country prohibiting pirating of bloodlines between the two. A whole lot of noise about nothing while Jiraiya quietly acquires a jinnchuriki he has no intention of turning over to anyone… like say the heavily crippled Akatsuki. That brings a smile to his face - they wouldn't be able to move for years plenty of time to shore up himself, Taziyan, and Konoha. 'And Mist.' And Mist.
"Jiraiya? How come Konoha and Kumo don't like Taziyan? They got really upset when cousin Tali mentioned it." Sakumo stretches before snatching up the little boy and placing him in his lap. "Jiraiya founded Taziyan so that is one strike. Taziyan is bloodline rich so that is two strikes. Taziyan flourished during a time when famine and disease ravaged the countries especially Northern countries so that is three strikes. "The fire crackles as Sakumo formulates his next words, "Jiraiya is from Konoha. Kumo is toward the north. Both Konoha and Kumo are bloodline hungry." It is and it isn't as simple as that. Seeing the contemplative look on the kid's face Jiraiya grunts, "Go to sleep brat, you've got training tomorrow."
Kimimaro stands in the middle of the road under a remote-controlled hedge. Beneath the earth he has fed several bone shoots. At his signal things are going to happen very fast. Six men dressed like minions of Akatsuki crouch on either side of the road. The survivors must believe this a hostile attack courtesy of the unknown men. Jiraiya himself has hedged into his sexy-jutsu form (complete with clothes). "Sakumo when I come out knock out the child and bind her with there rice ropes as you chant the words I taught you." She/he hands the White Fang a white slip of paper. "Attach this to her forehead when you are done." Signatures flicker closer to their ambush the Amazonian woman smiles deviously as she tosses her hair over her shoulder. "Hm, this ought to be fun Mutt." She laughs at the sour expression she is given.
Asahiko walks briskly irritated at everything. What right had the leaf to command the Cloud? The idiot demon-gaki giggles as the nin that carries her on his back skips and bounces like a fool. This is a waste - he could be at home comforting Koji's pretty wife so newly found of child. 'Damn brat I hope the leaf kill it.' It is his last thought just before the ground explodes.
Panicking the chunin run headlong toward Kimimaro who waits patiently as a spider. "Growth!" Too late, they stop only to be skewered where they stand. Two escape it - one through kage bunshin though the effort clearly wipes him out. The other a female used kamikawi and stands eyeing the brown-haired girl warily. "Who are you little girl?" Kimimaro wrinkles his face up at being called a girl. Bad enough most people thought he was one already. Still he says his lines. "I am a servant of Akatsuki and the jinnchuriki of the Niiubi belongs to them. Hand her over and we will let you live." Now the hidden men step out of hiding and with them comes the previously hidden detail of Kumo jounin who followed the chunin with the child.
Stepping out of hiding as Kimimaro retreats Jiraiya pouts cutely. "My, my so many playmates so little time to play." A white flash snatches the still shell-shocked child before the jounin can react. Swiftly all persons not of Kumo disappear leaving the confused remaining to patch up the injured and bury the dead. A small white bird watches with mechanical eyes. As it pushes off to fly, it is shot down from the sky. Miles away brain matter sprays the technological display as gasoline is methodically, but liberally doused over everything. An arsonist's matchbox is left smoldering at the center of a steadily dwindling dry spot. Soon it is drenched in accelerant. The little cave goes boom.
End Chapter 6
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For the record it's only going to get more complicated from here on.
Next time in Chapter Seven:
Relatives, stalkers, and "new management".