AN:

Serenity Maxwell: Well he gathered Hebi initially just as a group of people to help him track and distract Akatsuki so he could get at Itachi, now that Akatsuki isn't his main obstacle to Itachi, they're even more useful for his purposes which now stretch to include Naruto as well as Itachi.

DarkRavie: Thanks for reading and taking at least a couple seconds to review ~glares at the 66 other some lurkers~

Now for myself- so sorry for not posting in forever and a day- life sucks like that sometimes- dunno when I'll have time to post regularly again, and even then I don't know where this fic will rank on the food chain of my priorities… but it is not abandoned…. Just… the middle child… (which is sort of an odd thing for an only child to say)

End AN

Pein's ideas had been unusual but not unexpected for Zorn. He had heard rumors for sometime of the organization Akatsuki. Mostly of the large sums of money which they were making… Hearing from Pein what he had planned, Zorn was intrigued… Global conquest had been a goal of his once in ages past, but never a serious concern, something he put aside on the back burners of his mind and left forgotten- Pein had awoken that desire again… So Pein fancied himself a god- maybe he was maybe he wasn't- didn't matter to Zorn, he'd seen a lot of things in the years he'd lived… The only unnerving thing was when Pein introduced him to Zetsu… Zorn was of the impression Pein hopped to partner him with the flesh eater, but Zorn didn't feel all that willing to work daily with someone who would just as soon try to eat him- it wasn't that he doubted Zetsu could control himself, but rather it just pushed all the wrong buttons- besides- Zorn was used to working alone- or at least in charge himself…

Pein was rather understanding it seemed at least- but he was wondering if sending him alone to track one of the demons was more a punishment that a trial by fire…

He wasn't expected to capture the demon yet- merely track it- and investigate what would be the best means of capture….

SAsaSAsaSA

Sasuke decided the most effective way to get Akatsuki's attention would be to not bother hiding, to not pretend to be anything other than two people clearly not local. Knowing well that all foreigners were mistrusted, they entered the main capital. As he expected it wasn't long before they were being watched- and not just by the loyal fools who believed in their leader's divinity…

In hushed tones Suigetsu asked Sasuke if he saw the girl with blue hair who was well hidden in the shadows- Sasuke smiled in response…

"A while ago, that's why we left the inn and are looking for a place to be confronted."

"Sasuke," A voice from behind them began… It was neither the girl who had followed them, nor apparently anyone from Akatsuki…

"Who are you?" Sasuke asked as he turned.

"An interested party- who can help you against Itachi."

Sasuke glared at the man hidden in cloak. "And what do you want in exchange?"

Sasuke could tell the man was smirking without seeing his face- but there was more than a little strange about him as he watched in silence…

"I'll tell you in time," he told him at last. "For now all you need to know is my assistant is already in Akatsuki, they'll reveal themselves to you when it's safe, through them I will teach things you never imagined you could do with the Sharingan, more powerful even than the Mangenkyu. He'll also tell you what I want from you." He chuckled, "You'll be contacted by Akatsuki momentarily as you planned…" With that he stepped back into the shadows and was gone.

Sasuke blinked and realized that had all been a Genjustsu- one strong enough to pierce his Sharingan. He realized that because as he blinked the world looked as though time had been paused and was now returning to normal.

The blue haired woman stepped into the alley. "You're Sasuke."

Sasuke nodded, "This is Suigetsu, I want to kill Itachi, I suspect one of your lesser goals include that."

"You want to join Akatsuki."

"I killed Oorachimaru, and I've got skills you already know are useful."

"Thankfully for you, Akatsuki is recruiting right now, in fact Pein has just finished with the last person bold enough to ask to join. He brought Oorachimaru's ring."

"I suppose I should have thought to take that myself, I was more interested at the time with consolidating his power before it collapsed- recruiting- but that was when I thought Akatsuki was an obstacle to my goal rather than a potential outlet."

ikIKikIKik

Ikana, now released from his icy prison had a lot to learn about how the world had changed. The last time he saw daylight was in a field of blood, mist clans warring on a daily basis. The blood limit imbued clans were taking more power every day, and the lesser clans were joining together.

Now, mist was scarce of blood limits, fire country was arguably the most powerful nation, allied with Sand, probably the next most powerful. And hidden beneath it all, rumors of a god with sights on the Biju and vast sums of money.

With that knowledge accumulated he made a straight path toward Rain Village. While most people tried to sneak past the borders he simply slew the guards in his way, blood still on his robes he stepped into the village to be confronted by a blond man with piercings in his face.

"You're the man they call god in this town?"

"I am, are you looking to challenge me?"

"I've been sealed in ice for more than a lifetime, I need time to understand the ways of the word as it is now, what better way to do that than to ask a god," he smirked and tilted his head in a manner to imply to Pein he was offering his services but not scraping and bowing before him.

"As a matter of coincidence I could use an extra tool, I've sent out most of my members only to discover that right now, here in Rain, there are four biju. Three of them are known Jinchuuriki. I would send Hidan alone, but he has a habit of being overzealous. I and my partner also have other matters that need attendance to."

"You expect me to beat four Biju," he puzzled aloud.

Pein laughed, "I wouldn't ask something that's impossible, I want you to keep the Biju busy so Hidan can slaughter the resistance force they are currently guarding, do that and you'll have my respect and possibly my trust."

"In that case I only ask for one show of trust up front, I need to know as much as you can tell me about these Jinchuuriki."

"Hidan will tell you what we know…"

itITitITit

Itachi turned away from the ritual, as he did he spotted Shirei and Naruto sporting the exact same glance. A look of recognition, remembrance, mixed with awe and shock, and a twinge of disgust. He looked down and away from them towards the confused and bewildered Gaara and Sakura. The ritual was almost over; the sacrifice was an elder of the order, willing to die to see a weapon that would fight Pein. She was giving her life to seal the three-tail biju into Lyle. In the process his body was reborn as an infant.

The leader of the underground came over to the altar as the ritual finished and picked up the now infant Lyle. She walked over to Itachi with a look that was halfway between a smirk and a pained glance of torment. "Now you may have the three tail, take good care of him, and train him to return to our people strong enough to defeat Pein."

There was a loud noise of metal tearing like paper as the underground base was exposed to daylight. Blurred by frost and cold sky Ikana was smirking as he looked down. "How touching," he said sarcastically. Hidan stepped onto the broken chunk of metal Ikana had frozen and torn free before smiling gleefully and lunging towards the leader first. The leader shoved Lyle into Itachi's arms, pushing Itachi away as she did- in no way stopping Hidan from impaling his scythe into her back, grazing both lungs and severing her spine, and out just beneath her right breast, puncturing her heart. Blood ran out of her mouth and down her cheeks as she mouthed words with no sound before her body lost its strength and collapsed.

A thick fog rolled in through the open sky, blotting it out once more and bringing vast quantities of moisture into the room. Naruto turned towards Shirei, "That isn't you- is it?"

Shirei silently shook her head, staring up at Ikana until the fog blurred him from her vision… "Grandpa…" she practically whispered under her breath.

AN: sorry- waiting all this time and it's a cliffie, but it just felt right to end it here… start the real battle in it's own chapter…