Me: Well hers a short filling chapter, but please still enjoy it!
Chapter: 12 Rise of their immortal leader
"Why must you bother me! You beat me, are you not happy with that?"
"There is no need to kill you." Pein said coolly, standing indifferent to his surroundings. "In fact I want you alive."
"Its so nice to know that I'm wanted." The speaker scoffed.
"You're glad to still be alive, aren't you? What about your apprentice?"
"What about her?" snapped the other voice, the air tensing. "She doesn't matter to me."
"I think she dose... Valencia."
Valencia, sitting upon the lid of her underground tomb frowned. She was much older now, but she still held the air of royalty. This is the air of someone who founded one of the greatest ninja villages in the world. The air of someone who created the art of medical jutsu. A woman who has been praised for her skills and abilities from the beginning of ninja history and into future generations.
"Tsunade.... was my one and only apprentice..." She trailed off, "I never wanted her to repeat my mistakes, I... I wanted her to be someone greater than I was."
"And she is. She is the holder of the title "Legendary Sannin" that is a great accomplishment."
"She is such a strong woman, stronger than I ever was...." Valencia laughed lightly, a slight smile in her face. She pushed back her hair and faced Pein. "She will be... no... she is a greater ninja than I am."
"You used up all your collected chakra on that clone."
"Yes, to gather chakra and compress it in one location. Something that I had continued doing for hundreds of years. Doing that I was able to create an ultimate, immortal clone. But you Pein, you saw through my clone and attacked the head."
"We are equally matched now, but I'm not here to fight."
"Oh? Then why are you here? To rub in your victory? If so then don't count on leaving here with all your body parts..."
"No, I'm here to give you a second chance with your student."
"I would like that...."
Takumi sat still in her white patient room. The Hokage was coming to visit her, so she had to be looking her best. The whole morning was spent by the the nurses swooning over her, helping her shower, brush her hair and wear more appropriate hospital clothes. So ended up wearing someones old pale pink scrubs.
She didn't care though, they didn't matter. What mattered was her men, the countless people put under her command during the Ame raid. Now, all those men were dead, and she was the only surviver. Konoha promised her protection but either way they were going to ask her question after about the army and Ame. Of course she wont tell them anything, that is , wont tell them anything but about their precious Tsunade.
Tsunade, that name was poison to her. A taboo word, Tsunade brought about the end of her glorious leader.
There was a quick knock on her door and two ANBU came in and stood on either side of the doorway. Takumi sat up straight. A old man with long white hair and warts on his face walked in. He was wearing the official Hokage robes but he kept twisting the fabric, scratching where the cloth was tight.
"Man this thing is a pain." He whined, letting out a huge yawn. Takumi was stunned at this old mans behavior. He turned and noticed Takumi in her bed. "So your the one?" He asked
Takumi nodded firmly, wondering how such a fool could become Hokage.
The man grinned wildly and smacked his hands together. Takumi jumped in her bed and stared.
At the top of his lungs he shouted, dancing a strange dance. HE stood on one foot, the other out in the air and he hopped three jumps to the left. "Introducing....! The great!" Three hops to the right. "Legendary sannin...! Jiraiya!!"
The air blew and there was a strong silence as Takumi was spirited away to a world of unbelief. "Wha.... what the hell!!" She screamed, throwing her pillow at Jiraiya's face. "Are you a Hokage or the clown!!"
"What!??! Jiraiya was taken back. "You do not understand my greatness? I am the great toad sage Jiraiya! One of the three sannin!"
"I don't care of your the daimo of the freaking world! No sane person would do that freakish dance!"
"Freakish dance! I worked hard night and day working on that dance!"
"You'd be better off running your village! You're a shame to all those under you!"
"Oh? And I suppose you know how to lead an entire village?"
"I've lead men into battle." Takumi growled. Jiraiya cut the conversation there, there was something in her eyes that he didn't dare challenge. He was wise to a woman's anger.
"I've been told you know about Tsunade..."
Takumi was still, her dark glare turned stone hard. She licked her dry lips and spoke. "Yes... I do."
"What do you know then." Jiraiya said seriously, no joking tone in his voice.
"Did you know her?" Takumi asked after long thought.
Jiraiya only hesitated for a second. "She was my teammate and good friend."
"Then you don't want to hear this." Takumi chuckled darkly to herself, she couldn't have imagined this situation any better.
"I'll hear it eventually." Jiraiya didn't like the girls sudden shift in attitude. She has told him nothing yet, only asking more questions.
"Very well then..." She smiled, drawing her words out. "Tsunade.... is the newest member of Akatsuki." She paused, watching Jiraiya's face for his shock or surprise. When no such thing happened her face darkened. "She has killed many men, including my glorious leader."
"Who was your leader." Jiraiya demanded. Takumi's eyes glared at him sharply.
"Valencia Verdandi."
"Go on about Tsunade."
Takumi said nothing. The truth was she had nothing more to tell, all she knew was that Tsunade was in Akatsuki. The part about her killing so many people was a lie, forged in hopes of getting a rise out of the fool Hokage.
"Speak woman." Jiraiya ordered.
"I tell no more."
"Either you have nothing more to share or you are a great fool. Konoha will get the information out of you, and trust me what I say I'm nicer than our criminal interrogator."
"I don't know anymore, okay!" Takumi took a sudden interest in her curtains. Jiraiya said nothing and walked out of the room. His guards following close behind.
Takumi was alone in her room again. "Our glorious leader will rise from the ashes of defeat, and she will rain her heavenly judgment upon the wicked souls of all those who stand in our
Valencia Verdandi walked out in to the bright sunlight. Her pale, death like skin cringing against the light. How long has it been since she felt the sun on her face? Or the feel of the wind playing with her hair. She smiled and stepped out onto the warm grass.
"Come." Pein motioned her t oa path through the woods. Valencia nodded and followed him silently.
Feeling a pain in her heart she sang. "Upon golden wings, shimmering like the sun. Fly enlightened one, to the sun and back. And when you are old with age and bend your head, burst into flames and from your ashes you rise again. Death and rebirth. Amegakure will rise again."
"That song..." Pein turned to her.
"Long ago when I was still leader of Ame... the village emblem was a phoenix rising from the ashes. Our village represented death and rebirth. Countless times it was burned to the ground, and each time it rose up stronger than before."
"I never knew..." Pein admitted, wondering how such an important part of Ame's history could have been lost.
"Many don't" Valencia sighed. "The old ones have failed to pass it on and in their old age forgot their inspiring history."
"When I am god of this world..." Pein said slowly. "I will bring it back, reborn from Amegakures burn ashes."
Valencia smiled to herself. She would like that very much.
Me: Yosh! Another chapter done. Well I have good news and bad news. The good news I have plans for a lot more chapters!!! The bad news, I have no idea what. This story was written well before I started writing out the plots for all my stories and I cant remember what I had envisioned before. Well I'm sure I'll come up with a good idea eventually.
In the meanwhile... please review! Its your reviews that keep me going.