Behind the Mask
Rated: T for language and violence
Disclaimer: Naruto characters (c) Masashi Kishimoto
Summary: We all wear masks. But that only makes it harder to tell the difference between truth and lies.

Note: Thanks to Tanuki-san-chan-kun-whatever, Joele and happy everyday life.

I hate to ask for reviews, but the more reviews I get, the more likely I'll be to post the next chapter. If I can break 30 reviews, that would be excellent. I might even give you guys a gift ;)

008: 主人
(host)

The sun was starting to rise in the early morning sky as the pink and orange hues shifted through the dull blue ones. The morning rays cast off the treetops and poured down the stone steps of a certain underground lair, illuminating the entrance. Orochimaru paid no mind to the single ray of light falling onto his chair through the dusty window. His forehead glistened with sweat and he was paler than usual.

"Kabuto." He rasped.

His white haired servant appeared almost instantly.

"Where the hell have you been all night?" Orochimaru rasped in a loud voice.

'Doing your dirty work.' Kabuto thought bitterly. Instead he replied "Doing my duties at the Feng household." Kabuto threw back his hood before moving towards a creaky wooden table, the only other piece of furniture in the dusty room.

Orochimaru's twitched at Kabuto's frankness while Kabuto rolled his eyes. Orochimaru had been irritable ever since the Tian Tang Jian slipped through his fingers again and Kabuto was getting tired of it.

"Isn't the girl getting married soon? Shouldn't you be making your move?" Asked Orochimaru, even more irritated.

"Puppetry is a delicate art." Said Kabuto, his tone a tad patronizing. "I thought you prided me on my ability to get the Feng's to trust me?"

Orochimaru was about to snap out a reply, but Kabuto continued, his voice too perky for Orochimaru's liking. "In any case, I'm sure I can persuade Governor Feng to let me stay on to guard one of his other sons. Preferably the youngest. Temari was only the first pawn anyway."

"I regret praising you when we met earlier." Muttered Orochimaru. "Seven years is more than adequate time to have moved on to the brother…Who is the girl marrying anyway?"

"She is getting married to Uchiha Sasuke-hou." Said Kabuto filling a syringe with a thick clear liquid.

"Uchiha?" Asked Orochimaru intrigued. "I remember that last name…oh yes." Orochimaru's mouth slid into a twisted grin. "A young boy I killed many years ago had the same last name. He shouted it at me before I slit his throat."

Orochimaru laughed a bit. "That useless twit thought he could save his teacher, that pitiful Namikaze boy."

"Hmm." Said Kabuto walking over to Orochimaru. "This boy is quite different. He's a genius. I hear he can control the Sharingan."

"Sharingan?" Murmured Orochimaru thoughtfully. His eyes took on a cunning gleam.

"Yes," Said Kabuto as he stabbed the syringe rather painfully into Orochimaru's neck. "I think the Copy Shinobi Wo Lang has one."

Orochimaru relaxed as the syringe was pulled from his neck and the liquid entered his blood stream. He guessed with the latest dosage, his body would be able to last another week before he needed another dosage. Orochimaru cursed his futile body. He would need a stronger and more permanent body soon. Ugh! How his soul longed to escape the confines of this retched body and into something new and fresh.

Orochimaru remembered the first time he had performed the Furou Fushi after years of research and experimentation. The way he had trapped his opponent like a cat catches a mouse and the way his soul had lifted out of his slowly dying body and into the world. It had been exhilarating – the brief moment without limits. Orochimaru almost had trouble harnessing himself in, but then it had been over and done with. He succeeded in infiltrating his host body and found with delight that this new body now moved of his will. Orochimaru found it hard not to succumb to his desire to do it again. He had waited until it was once again the appropriate time to move to a new body, although he had to wait a few years. But, the wait had been worth it.

Orochimaru quickly took inventory of all the available hosts ready for picking downstairs. He realized with dismay that none of them were suitable for anything other than temporary solutions. The Hyuuga, the one that had been his prized possession despite him being a branch member had somehow escaped and had gotten himself killed. It infuriated Orochimaru to think about how something so precious had slipped through his fingers…again. Especially to settle once again for a less than satisfactory body made Orochimaru sick. How he would relish a body that provided him with something useful; it had been too long since he had one of those.

If there was a boy in Peking with the use of a strong Kekkei Genkai like the Sharingan...

Orochimaru's face turned calculating. "This boy is young is he not? I would like to meet him. This boy and his Sharingan could prove most useful right now…"

Yes, if this boy's Sharingan was even half as trained as Kakashi's, then this boy would be an excellent choice. Orochimaru could just think of the possibilities he could accomplish if he had something like the Sharingan.

Orochimaru waved Kabuto off and stood up quickly. There were many things that needed to be done. He needed to find out exactly what the Sharingan was capable of. And then he needed to learn more about this Uchiha Sasuke. Orochimaru needed to know exactly how he could play on his weaknesses to lure him in...

As Orochimaru walked off, Kabuto thought of the risk of trying to capture one boy when there were so many available hosts just downstairs…

Glossary:
Hou - rank below lord

Naruto scratched his head, his hands running through his messy hair. He hadn't slept much the night before and Naruto knew it would probably be catching up with him soon. There was no exact reason why he couldn't sleep, but it was just this odd feeling that kept washing over him. Naruto pushed the thought to the back of his head and decided he would devote himself fully to catching the thief. So he took a large slurp of his kanji and thought mournfully about two things. One was the fact that Sakura had neglected to give him yuntun mian for breakfast and insisted on congee because it was healthier for him. The second more important idea was hat he still had no idea where the sword was.

Sakura sat down at the table already fully dressed in her tactical vest and shinobi outfit and took a bite of her fried dough before sipping her green tea. She watched Naruto's face wrinkle up.

"C'mon Naruto." Said Sakura rolling her eyes. "You can have wonton and noodles for lunch."

Naruto shook his head. "It's not that…I was just thinking about something…"

Sakura put her teacup down. "What is it?"

Naruto had just been thinking about the odd circumstances in which the sword was taken. No one had known of Kakashi's decision to bring the sword to Tsunade. When they arrived, only Tsunade and her assistant Shizune had known about the sword's presence in the study. Sakura had told them that she showed the sword to Feng Temari and Tsunade had said she showed the sword to Governor Feng that night. Tsunade was certain that Governor Feng had not stolen the sword and honestly, Naruto could think of no reason why either the Governor or his daughter would want it, let alone possess the skill to steal it.

Tsunade had her entire estate torn apart, yet the search had yielded no sword. Although Tsunade was willing to vouch for her own household, she couldn't do the same for Governor Feng's. And Tsunade knew there was no polite way to ask if they could interrogate his entire household without insulting the Governor. So it was at this point that Naruto was out of ideas as to how to find the sword.

"Maybe we should just test everyone's calligraphy." Naruto joked disparagingly.

"What?" Asked Sakura with a laugh.

Naruto shrugged. "You're always telling me that if I practiced my calligraphy more, I'd be better with a sword. And the thief must be good with one, otherwise why steal it?"

Sakura ate her congee in silence, absorbing Naruto's words. His comment triggered something from the depths of her memory. The way Temari's hand had looked when she wrote Sakura's name, the delicate, yet powerful flick of her wrist. The way her hand, wrist and arm had moved as one…

Sakura dropped her spoon and it splashed in her congee, creating a mess over the wooden table. Her mouth hung open and her green eyes were wide as she stood up so fast, her chair fell to the floor. She slammed her hands on the table. Naruto looked up confused at her sudden action.

"I need Tsunade to request a meeting with Governor Feng and his daughter for me!" Her green eyes rang with urgency.

Glossary:
yuntun mian – wonton noodle soup
congee – rice soup

"What the hell…?" Said Kabuto through gritted teeth as he collapsed on the wooden floor. He had swept through the entire bedroom, ransacking every inch of it, yet there wasn't a single piece of evidence that it was there. Kabuto grit his teeth for a moment before he hesitantly put his ear to the sliding door, listening for any signs of footsteps. There were none, luckily.

It was unmistakable who stole the sword last night. Kabuto was well acquainted enough with their chakra signature and there was no denying it.

So if they took the sword, where the bloody hell was it?

Eguchi Daichi rubbed a hand over his face as he leaned his head back against the chair. A gruesome scar, years old by the looks of it, passed under his left eye and curved down his cheek. Tipping his chair back precariously against the windowsill in his office, Daichi pushed the sleeves of his white robe up before putting his hands behind his head. The sun was just about to dip behind the the mountains that loomed in the far distance. No one was supposed to interrupt Daichi during this time, so he figured now was as good a time as any to squeeze a quick nap in…

"Sleeping on the job?"

Daichi bolted awake, his chair quickly snapping back to the floor. The young woman with black hair and amber eyes gazed back at him as she leaned against the windowsill, arms crossed over her chest. Despite the cold weather outside, her shirt was sleeveless underneath her tactical vest.

"Asuka!" Daichi said sharply. "What are you doing, sneaking into the Tsuchikage tower like this?" He glanced toward the door, where two ANBU guards were supposed to be stationed outside. Had she slipped past them too?

"I just wanted a friendly chat." Asuka replied, nonchalantly as she straighted her frame away from the windowsill. "I feel like I haven't had much time to talk with you." She shrugged. "Maybe it's because you've been having so many late night meetings."

Daichi narrowed his amber eyes. "So you know about the meetings." He stated.

Asuka shrugged again, pacing before him. She was tall for a woman, a fact that often gave her an edge against other kunoichi. She reminded Daichi of a woman he once knew, a long time ago. "Yes, I do. And I just thought it was a little strange that I wasn't invited. I've always been your trusted confidant before." She said.

"Yes…you have been." Replied Daichi, straightening into a posture that was better suited for his rank. "But am I required to tell my daughter everything?" He asked.

Asuka narrowed her eyes but her gaze remained smooth and cool. "No, but as your right hand general you are, so I'm just wondering why I've been left out."

Daichi sighed. Asuka had always been smart, ever since she was a little girl. Daichi had raised her on his own for most of her life and as a father, he couldn't be prouder. But sometimes he wondered if it was a mistake to have made his only daughter his right hand general. Often, he didn't know where to draw the line.

"I was only trying to protect you." Daichi explained with a shake of his head.

Asuka became uncertain at her father's words. "What is it?" She asked.

Daichi watched the sun dip below the mountains. "I'm planning an attack against Konoha." He said simply.

Asuka's amber eyes widened and her face betrayed both utter confusion and revulsion. "Attack Konoha?" She cried, "Under what cause? They have done nothing to us!"

"You are too young to have experienced the bitterness of war..." Explained Daichi darkly. He unconsciously rubbed a finger down the scar on his face.

"Father…" Said Asuka uncertainly as she shook her head. "This is…complete and utter madness! You cannot mean to disturb our time of peace!"

"Time of peace?" Daichi spat. "Peace is an illusion, Asuka! Do you not remember the Third Great Shinobi War? The years that it took us to rebuild?"

Asuka had only been a child during the Third Great Shinobi War, but she remembered the damage that had been done. She remembered how the Konoha infiltrators had come into Iwa, killing everyone in sight. Buildings had been set on fire, the Tsuchikage tower had been blown up. The infiltrators had all been killed, but they had left a permanent scar in Iwa that had only since faded.

Asuka shook her head. "But why now? If Konoha had wanted us dead, they would have destroyed us already. The war has long since been over; there is no need for us to retaliate now."

Daichi shook his head, as if disappointed. "You are thinking like a child Asuka! Konoha has been weak ever since the Kyuubi attack. The longer we wait, the longer they have to restore their strength. Now is the time to strike!"

Maybe she was thinking like a child, but this just didn't seem right to Asuka. Something wasn't adding up. "Will you defy me?" Daichi said with steel in his voice.

"As a general to her Tsuchikage, I cannot." Said Asuka sternly. "But as a citizen of Iwa, as your daughter, I…have more trouble digesting this."

"I will be counting you in." Said Daichi. "You are first and foremost my right hand general and one of the best archers in the army. I cannot lose you."

"I only hope you have thought this through." Said Asuka.

Glossary:
Tsuchikage- Kage of Iwagakure
Iwagakure – Hidden Village in the Rock

Itachi took a sip of tea, his face impassive as he sorted through the stacks of papers that were on the table before him. The quiet buzz of the café droned around him, but Itachi effectively tuned it out, remaining completely focused on the task on hand. His dark eyes roamed along the meticulously written reports – courtesy of Umino Iruka. The boy was steadily growing on Itachi and he found that he could more readily depend on him than even the most senior officers in the force

"Would you like some more tea sir?"

With loath, Itachi pulled his eyes away from the report and into the face of a young, fresh faced waitress who was beaming at him. She held a steaming teapot in her hands expectantly.

It was the second time she visited Itachi in the span of five minutes…and he had only just arrived. Itachi supposed he should have felt flattered at her attentiveness, at the fact that she was interested in him. He couldn't help but feel a pang of irritation and her behavior however. Normally, Itachi wouldn't have bothered to conduct office work in a public place, but he held a soft spot for cafés, especially when the tea was good.

Itachi traced his long finger along the rim of the tea cup and looked down. When he looked up, capturing her gaze again, it was smoldering. The girl took a tiny intake of breath, her face dazed. Itachi took no satisfaction in this. "Miss," He said, his voice soothing and calm, baring no traces of any of the irritation he felt, "I'm fine. I would appreciate it if you did not bother me until I call you over."

He raised an eyebrow and she mutely nodded her head before walking away. He let out a sigh and turned back to the reports. His hunch had been correct. The previous two victims found dead had also been reported missing by family members. Also, the autopsy report for the dead Hyuuga had concluded that the man had died of old age, although he was barely past his prime.

Something was definitely strange about the relationship between the kidnappings and the dead bodies. Although the bodies bore no trace of injury or anything that could suggest homicide, Itachi knew better than that. There were other ways to kill a person, sometimes without laying a finger on them. The question was, who would bother to kidnap someone if you were only going to kill them later?

Several thoughts sprang to Itachi's formulated mind and he frowned at the possibility. Quickly gathering his papers, he laid down a generous tip on the table – not because he wanted to encourage the waitress, but it was rather because he respected anyone in the restaurant business, and walked out of the café, not entirely missing the waitress's crestfallen face.

When a carrier pigeon landed on Umino Iruka's desk, he wouldn't call it odd, but just another part of his job description as a Lieutenant in the Peking Police Force. But the bird that landed on his desk this time wasn't the usual carrier pigeons that Iruka normally received. The officer that brought the pigeon to Iruka probably hadn't bothered to pay attention, but Iruka could tell at first glance that this bird wasn't a native to Peking, nor the Land of Fire. This bird was from the south, a fact that had Iruka quickly cajoling the bird onto his arm before he bolted from his desk and to a place where there wouldn't be as many prying eyes.

Iruka walked quickly to another room, grateful that none of the other officers noticed his strange behavior. He closed the door to the meeting room gently behind him before he set the pigeon on the table. A tiny scrolled message was attached to the bird's leg which Iruka quickly plucked off. The characters for his name were written on the front.

Sitting wearily in a seat, Iruka unscrolled the message with deft fingers. The message was simple and to the point – not much could fit on a piece of paper so small but Iruka found himself wishing there was more to the letter all the same. He subconsciously ran a finger across the bridge of his nose. A raised scar in his tan skin marked the place where his finger trailed along. He felt a terrible dread run up his spine and although not for the first time, Iruka found himself wishing that he could be as ignorant as the rest of the civilians in Peking, the ones who were content with believing that myth and lore was exactly that and not the reality that Iruka knew it to be.

Iruka got up from his seat, gathering the bird once again on his arm. The shrine in the Land of Lightning where the bird had come from was in no way close to Peking, so Iruka knew the bird deserved a good rest before making the journey back. Before he could move, however, he looked at the message one last time, just to ensure he didn't misread it the first time.

Has been confirmed. Ichibi and Sanbi are gone. Will remain on lookout for more news.
-C

He didn't.

Sakura clicked her gloved fingers against the wooden table when a servant walked in and bowed. "Feng-xiaojie and Feng-gong have arrived, Wu He-nushi."

Sakura stood up as Temari breezed in through the door and into the room. Sakura was waiting in one of the smaller visiting rooms that lead out to a beautiful outside terrace. The room was mostly open and the sunshine shone in.

Temari's eyes were guarded as she walked in and Sakura bowed to her. Temari took a seat at the small table. Gaara walked in after her, his dark blue robes sweeping behind him.

"Gaara-gong." Said Sakura bowing head. "My regards Governor Feng could not be here. I hope all is well." Said Sakura.

Gaara nodded, his dark eyes boring into her. "He is well. Thank you for your concern. He is just a bit busy today." Sakura awkwardly avoided his direct gaze.

"Lady Tsunade wanted me to give these to your family, as a wedding gift." Sakura explained instead, gesturing to two chests sitting on the table. "She regrets not being here as it appears she has come down with a slight cold."

Tsunade wasn't really sick, but when Sakura explained her situation, Tsunade explained she already was already arranged to meet with Governor Feng and Temari to give her the wedding gifts. She let Sakura go in her place.

"Lady Tsunade is much too considerate, to give us so many wedding gifts." Said Gaara, his fingers grazing over the two chests that Sakura brought with her. "I hope she feels better. Such a deep misfortune, that she should first loose such a prized possession and then to come down with illness? A shame."

Gaara turned at this moment to look at Temari seated at the table. Gaara led Sakura to the table and gestured to the seat next to Temari. Temari smiled at Sakura, but her eyes were still composed and guarded.

Sakura took her seat before speaking. "You are well informed Gaara-gong." Said Sakura finally. "But we know who the thief is." Sakura filled her voice with confidence.

"Really?" Gaara's voice now held some interest. "And what will Lady Tsunade do with this knowledge?"

Sakura saw Temari lean in a little. "Well, if the thief turns themselves in, she will pursue the matter no farther. She wants to keep it discreet." Said Sakura.

"Discreet? I was wondering why the police force wasn't called in immediately." Mused Gaara. He shook his head lightly. "She shouldn't be too lenient."

Temari pursued her lips. A maid walked in carrying a tray with a few tea cups and a teapot. She set it down on the table before bowing and walking out.

Gaara opened the teapot and added some of the tea ingredients that were presented in small dishes. "I hear some people have gone missing from Peking lately; do you think this kidnapper and the thief are one of the same, Wu He?" His eyes were trained on the tea and his voice nonchalant.

The shock and confusion was now clear on Temari's face as her mouth opened slightly and she glanced at Sakura.

"Kidnapping?" Sakura was also surprised.

Sakura thought back to the body that was discovered at Ten Ten's. Was Orochimaru kidnapping people to become his hosts? The thought seemed very likely and the thief of the Tian Tang Jian probably had nothing to do with it.

Sakura shook her head and kept her voice composed. "No, I think the thief is smarter than a mere kidnapper…"

Gaara didn't respond, but poured the tea into the cups and passed them to both Temari and Sakura. Sakura and Gaara both picked up their teacups.

"The thief is most unusual." Said Sakura. As Sakura pulled the teacup close to her, her right arm grazed across Temari's back. Sakura made sure that her fingers pressed into the area on Temari's back between her shoulder blades.

Sakura had hit the thief in the same exact location when they were fighting. Temari's back cringed and she bent over, quickly putting her teacup down. She put a hand to her mouth.

Sakura smiled under her mask. "Oh I'm sorry Temari-xiaojie, did I hit you?" She asked.

"Of course not, Wu He." She replied, her voice tight.

Glossary:
Xiaojie - Chinese honorific, equivalent of Miss
Gong - equivalent of Lord
Nushi - Chinese honorific, equivalent of Ms.