(Runs in crying) WAHHHHHHH! I HAVN'T GOTTEN ANY NEW REVIEWS FOR ANY OF MY 13 STORIES! I'M SO SAAAAAAD! (cries a sea of tears) (sniff) Well here's the next chappie. I hope it makes you feel happy cuz I sure as heck ain't. AND I GOT A COLD ON TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE! (Sneezes) I actually sneezed as I wrote this.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did own Naruto the nI would be very rich... or at least richer.

Warning: There is character death in this chapter... or is there? Please no flames. Complaints are fine but no flames.

Chapter 9

A fair trade.

Valencia emerged from her tent. It was the start of a new day. She called a meeting of her subordinates. Today she was going to launch an attack on Amegakure.

"It's now or never." She told them. "The enemy's leader and personal force are immobile. Rain is at its very weakest. We will divide the forces into three groups. The first group with attack the main gate while the other attacks from the east. The third group will be the smallest but will be lead by me. I am going after the tallest tower where "god" is said to set up his home base. Are we in understanding of the plan?" Her subordinates nodded their heads, eagerly waiting for orders.

"Takumi!" She called.

"Here!" Replied a girl with short brown hair and hazel eyes. She was dressed in robes, much like the one Valencia wore.

"You are the leader of the first group. Pick out a hundred some soldiers to accompany you."

"Yes Valencia-sama!" Valencia nodded her head approvingly at the girl's eagerness. Takumi was her most devoted follower. She would not let her down.

"Makio"

"Your orders Valencia-sama?" Said a tall man with a big build, tan skin and wavy blonde hair.

"You are leading the second group. Also pick a hundred to go with you."

"Of course." He bowed.

"I want squad thirteen to be the third group. Prepare quickly! We leave in two hours."

"Hai Valencia-sama!" They shouted. Valencia sighed and watched her subordinates scurry away. She almost couldn't contain her own excitement. She knew that "he" was going to be there. She just knew it. Finally she can get her revenge. After all this time, she will make him pay.

Pein was sitting up in his bed. He and Konan, after many days of pleading, had convinced Tsunade to remove his binds. Pein was not alone however. He was meeting a spy that had contacted him earlier that day.

"You said that you know that woman's identity?" He asked curious. The spy nodded. He was covered head to toe in black standard ninja attire.

"Yes Pein-dono. After hearing about the woman and her skills and looks something seemed off in my head." The spy paused. Pein nodded his head for him to continue.

"I went to the central archive and it was there that I found my answer."

"What is it then?" Pein was getting tired of his spy's beating around the bush.

"Are you familiar with the stories of the founder of Amegakure?"

"Yes." Pein growled. "Now tell me who that woman is!"

"I mean no disrespect Pein-dono but this is very vital."

"And if I am familiar with these stories?"

"An old text written by a personal friend of the founder wrote a detailed description of her."

"You're not implying that-" Pein gasped. The spy looked grim.

"The book said that she was a woman around 29 years old with bright green eyes, long brown hair that reached to her knees and wore green robes all the time." Pein shook his head.

"It could be a coincidence."

"But there's more!" the spy exclaimed. "Upon further research. The founder was also famous for creating medical jutsu and the study of plants and turning them into poisons. It was said that she could re-create body parts! It has to be her Pein-dono."

"Give me the name." Pein demanded. The spy hesitated before slowly whispering the name. Pein had to strain his ears to hear the dreaded words.

"Valencia Verdandi."

Tsunade just left Deidara's room. All of the Akatsuki were recovering brilliantly. But she didn't want to take any risks. She made sure to make it clear that they were not to leave bed. They grumbled about it-especially Hidan and Kisame-but complied none the less.

"Kakuzu-san I'm coming in" Tsunade opened the masked nins room. He was sitting at his desk. A vein throbbed on Tsunade's forehead.

"You better have a good reason why you're out of bed or I'll make sure that you will never be able to get out."

"Stress can lead to extended restoration time correct?' He said as he flipped through a bundle of papers.

"Well… yeah"

"This helps me relax and if I'm relaxed I can heal faster." Tsunade wanted to point out all of the things wrong with his logic but couldn't. She wished she could but he had a point. She slowly calmed herself down and sighed.

"Fine, do what you want but if you do anything more then-" Kakuzu waved her off.

"Tsunade-san please tell me." She looked at him curiously.

"What?"

"What will you do if we have to fight that woman, your master, again?" Tsunade's mouth opened then closed, opened again and closed again.

"Wha- that's so out of the blue!" He turned to face her now.

"That woman is the enemy of Akatsuki. And since you are a part of Akatsuki she is your enemy as well. Tsunade didn't know what to say. Never in her life would she even imagine going against her master.

"I don't know." She scowled slightly. "I just don't know. I can't fight master. She's done too much for me. She saved my life more times than I can count." Tsunade bit her lip. "But if she is the enemy of Akatsuki then I must go against her. In all reality I am the only one that could go face her. I know her style, her skills."

"Are you sure?" He asked. His eyes probing into her own. "Are you sure you can fight her?" Tsunade nodded grimly.

"I may not like it but I will fight her."

"I see…" Kakuzu turned back to his papers, scribbling little notes here or there.

"Do you mind if I use your bed?" Tsunade asked him. "Seeming how I don't have my own room yet." Kakuzu didn't turn to face her.

"If you must…" Tsunade yawned wearily and plopped herself down onto the soft bed. She was savoring the soft, fluffy feel of the mattress and was so close to sleep when Kakuzu pulled her away from it all.

"Why are you here Tsunade? You could have been Hokage, but you choose to become a criminal instead?" Tsunade growled faintly before giving her reply.

"Because what I am searching for can be obtained through the Akatsuki." Kakuzu nodded his head. He knew what Tsunade wanted. She wanted immortality.

"What if you find what ever you're looking for soon? Will you remain in the Akatsuki? Or will you leave and return to your village?" Tsunade studied him.

"Why do you care?' She asked after giving his question thought. "Why do you care whether I am in the Akatsuki or not? Whether I find what I'm searching for or not. Why are you in the Akatsuki?" Another pencil bites the dust as Kakuzu snaps it in half.

"I do not have to answer you." He growled. She smiled back.

"Then I do not have to answer you." Her eyes traced the stitches on his body. She wasn't scared or grossed out, she was… fascinated. 'How did he receive them? From a battle? An accident? Maybe they were self inflicted.' He seemed to feel her eyes on his stitches. He huffed as he turned away from her.

"I'll tell you what." He said, breaking the silence between them. "If I tell you why I am in the Akatsuki then you tell me what you will do when you obtain what you are searching for. A fair trade, a personal question for a personal question." Tsunade was stunned. Was he really that desperate to know?

"I-I…" She stumbled not knowing how to reply. 'No Dangit! I am Tsunade! I don't stumble. I take risks! Yeah, I must treat this like any other gamble.' A confident smile perched on her lips as she smoothly replied. "I agree."

"Very well then." He started. "I am I the Akatsuki do to an injustice done onto me. As you may have guessed I was once a jounin for Hidden Waterfall village. I was sent on a mission to kill the first Hoka-" A strange strangling sound erupted from Tsunade's throat.

"You were the one that attacked my grandfather?!"

"Your what?' Kakuzu asked surprised.

"The first Hokage was my grandfather." She grimly explained.

"Interesting…" He trailed off.

"Please go on with your story." She almost blurted out but managed control her voice at the last second. Kakuzu acted like he never heard her out burst and continued.

"I was sent on a mission to kill the first Hokage but when I failed to do so I was expelled from my village. Eventually I was found by Zetsu who got me into the Akatsuki. Your turn." Tsunade gulped. She really wished that she had not taken this gamble now. Her throat felt dry. Why was this Akatsuki, this man, causing her to act and feel so different?

"If I do find what I am looking for…" She started slowly. She never thought about what she would do when she became immortal. Like always she was so focused on what was in front of her that she failed to plan or even look ahead.

'What will I do?' She asked herself mentally. 'Is there anything else the Akatsuki could give me?' She secretly glanced at Kakuzu who was watching her. She forced down a blush. 'Why am I acting this way? There's no way I could like this man. He attacked my grandfather! But then again he was ordered to… am I really that attracted to him… wait didn't the fortune teller say something else?... Gah!! I can't remember a thing. All I heard was immortality and red dawn. I didn't care about the rest!'

"Are you going to answer today?" Kakuzu irritably asked.

"Give me a moment to think will you?" She snapped back. 'Dangit, why'd he have to go and disturb my thoughts? Patience is a virtue ya know buddy.' She sighed inwardly. 'Maybe there is something in the Akatsuki that's worth while. But what? I don't care much for material things, besides money. But that's only to gamble. Maybe someone in the Akatsuki?' An image of Kakuzu instantly popped up into her mind. Black hair jutting out at odd angles. Each stitch clearly defined.

"I'm going to stay with the Akatsuki. I believe that there is more than what I am looking for here." 'That's good. Vague but not too vague.' Kakuzu glared at her.

"It took you five minuets to come up with that?"

"What are your reasons for staying with the Akatsuki then?"

"It will cost you another question."

"Bring it on." He sighed.

"I am in the Akatsuki to kill my partner."

"That whinny guy?"

"The one and only." He stared at her directly in the eye.

"What else do you see in the Akatsuki besides what you are searching for. I am... quite curious."

'Dang him. I just HAD to take THE risk. Oh well time to pay up.' "There may be someone who I could get close to." She said matter-of-factly. "What?" She didn't like the look he was giving her. It was something between What-the-fudge muffin and Are-you-serious. It was almost humorous.

"I-I see…" for the third time he turned back to his long forgotten papers. After a few minuets he turned around again. "Do you-" he stopped. Tsunade was lying on the side of his bed fast asleep. He decided not to bother her. She was taking care of everyone, including himself. She deserved a rest and also because if he angered her she could beat him to a pulp.

Pein intertwined his fingers as he thought. There was without a shadow of a doubt that that woman is Valencia Verdandi, the founder of Amekagure.

"How do we fight her?" He demanded more than asked. The spy hung his head.

"There is no way to fight her. Any attack on her will be pointless. We'd be better off not even facing her." Pein's eyes widened.

'That's it. It's just the same as-' "Quick! There's no time to waste" the spy shrank back at his sudden outburst. Pein ignored him. "Zetsu!"

"Yes? What do you want?" The green plant man came out from the floor next to leader's bed. It took him no time at all to answer leader's call.

"Go to the grave of Amekagure's founder. But not until I tell you to."

"I understand. Whatever."

"If I'm right then we may win this battle yet." Pein smirked.

Valencia smiled as squad 13 followed her silently through the streets of Amekagure. They passed by unnoticed. Everyone else was focused on the attacks from the south and east. They were almost to the tower of "god". She cracked her neck a few times.

"Let's go boys. We have a "god" to kill." Squad 13 nodded then speed way past. She also put on a burst of speed and built up chakra in her fists. They were rapidly approaching the tower. Her eyes never leaving the towers spire. It was the tallest tower in Amegakure you could be outside the city and still see it. She almost laughed when she saw who was waiting for her at the towers base.

"I didn't expect you to strike so soon." The orange haired man said. She gestured for her squad to stop. She stepped lightly to the head of the procession. Not a worry on her.

"Of course I would strike soon. You and your "personal team" are way too weak to fight. It was the perfect time to strike." Her sweet smile a stark contrast from Pein's harsh glare.

"Then it is also the perfect time for me to strike as well. Zetsu you may go ahead now." Valencia suddenly tensed. She didn't sense anyone else besides Pein and her squad near by. There was no way someone or something could hide from her.

"What are you playing at!?" She snarled, crouching into a defensive position. She squeezed her fists, ready to unleash the devastating power held inside. Rage flamed up inside her as Pein chuckled lightly.

"You're down fall." He laughed. Her squad recklessly attacked him. He dogged everything with ease. "You're going to have to do better than that to hit me." His kekkei genkai fully activated.

"Don't attack you-! Noooooooooo!" She fell to her knees, her head held between her knees. "HOW DID YOU KNOW!?" She wailed. "NOOOOOOO!" And then she was no more. Her body suddenly erupted as a huge chakra cloud exploded from her, blowing everyone present violently into the air. A few of her squad was thrown into the sides of buildings. Instantly knocked out. Pein grabbed onto the building behind him, holding on for dear life.

"It seems that I was right." He huffed. The chakra cloud had dispersed into the air. The squad members that were still breathing retreated. He nimbly jumped down from the building. He hissed as he clutched his heart. "I-It s-s-seems th-that I can n-no lon-ger act as leader. F-forg-ive m-me… Madara. I only w-wish th-at I c-could h-have seen Hidd-en Rain free from civil war…" his voice trailed off as he breathed his last breath. His heart failing him as he painfully suffocated.

What will happen next? Was Valencia really killed? Will Madara finally enter the story? What will happen next between Tsunade and Kakuzu? What happens when a certain white hair man decides to interfere?

Well review and I'll post the next chapter!

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