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Manga: Danzou is getting scarier and scarier. But also more interesting. xD
Disclaimer: Kishimoto owns Naruto.
Chapter 50 – That Meeting in the Snow
Snow continued to swirl outside the small farmhouse driven by a chaotic wind that screamed through the cracks in the siding and windows with such intensity that it seemed as though the entire structure would either collapse or disintegrate and take all those who had sought shelter inside with it. The impenetrable darkness made it worse. No moon could break through the thick clouds and swirling snow, and there was no electricity, flashlight, or fire that could break through the void.
Inside the house it was less than cozy. Firewood was stuffed into the fireplace but the wind kept blowing the smoke back into the living room, forcing Deidara out into the storm to use a stone jutsu to build a protective dome over the chimney. It worked, for the most part, but it wasn't perfect.
The house itself was suspiciously clean for an abandoned structure, leading the small group to speculate that the owner had died recently and relatives were taking care of the residence until someone moved in. Of course, there was no food, but soldier pills and field rations filled the void and melted snow was heated to make hot tea.
"It's unlikely that the storm will be over any time soon." Itachi stated plainly as he looked carefully at Naruto who was shivering by the fireplace as he gulped his third cup of tea. "It would be unwise to leave before then."
"B…but we have to find Sasuke." Naruto's demand was half-hearted and came out as more of whine than an order.
Jiraiya, who had ducked into a hallway closet a short while ago came back into the living room with an armful of blankets. As he draped one around his godson he smiled, "Freezing to death won't save anyone. Even the most skilled of ninjas can die if he makes a stupid mistake. And wandering around in a blizzard is stupid."
"This blanket smells funny." Naruto pulled it closer over his head and tucked the ends under his legs.
"Mothballs. Mikoto probably uses them as well in her storage, but she probably washes her blankets before she puts them on the beds." Jiraiya deposited the rest of the blankets in the middle of the floor, then watched as Deidara dropped another pile of blankets next to it. "Get used to it."
"Oh, I'm not complaining." Naruto explained, "Just didn't know what that smell was, is all. Mikoto makes Sheeta do a lot of the laundry. But she calls it 'training' instead of 'housework'."
"Training?" That caught Jiraiya's attention and he snuck a glance at Itachi who was snickering.
Naruto laughed, "To take her place when Itachi takes Fugaku's place."
That was too much and Kisame broke out laughing, "Wonder if I could get a cute girl to do my housework if I called it 'training' as well."
"Yeah, I have some 'training' that needs to get done as well, un." Deidara joined the laughter.
Kisame found that amusing, "You don't have a house."
"I'll buy one!" The blond teenager declared cheerfully, flashing everyone a big smile, "And she should wear one of those black and white maid outfits while she 'trains'."
"Sheeta doesn't dress like that." Naruto grinned at Itachi.
"I dare you to get her wear one." Itachi had to admit it would look very appealing, but valued his own life too much to ask her do it.
"Are you trying to get my godson killed?" Jiraiya winked at the teen.
"I'll do it!" Naruto declared, "And if I do you have give me a thousand ryuu."
Itachi shook his head, "Naruto, she will kill you if you ask."
"Done! Bet's sealed!" Naruto smiled. "She'll do it, you'll see."
Considering how good Sheeta was at turning situations around he wondered if she could somehow manage to wear a maid outfit without looking sexy, thus allowing Naruto to win the bet by default but making herself unappealing to Itachi. It would be interesting to find out.
"Ahchoo!"
"Sheeta, are you okay?" Mikoto inquired softly as she adjusted the kerosene heater in the kitchen.
"Oh, yeah. I have no idea why I sneezed." She lifted her hands out of the sink and rubbed her itchy nose on her arm. "Maybe it's the dish soap or something."
"Or maybe," Mikoto draped an arm around the younger and bent down close to her ear, "Itachi is telling stories about you to his friends."
She blushed instantly, "I have no idea what you mean. But if he is, I'll kill him."
The older woman laughed, "It's probably the soap then. Or the heater."
Fugaku opened the door and stepped inside, a towel draped around his shoulders to catch the melting snow as it dripped from his shoulder-length hair. He had removed the tie from his ponytail, allowing his hair to fall forward and Mikoto noticed the streaks of gray that had been rare a year ago were now much more plentiful.
"Why did you walk home instead of using a transportation jutsu?" She scooped some miso soup out of a simmering pot and placed it in front of him.
"I already ate." Fugaku muttered as he picked the bowl up and drank the whole thing in one gulp.
"I figured as much. That's why all that's left on the stove is some miso."
"Hmm. It really hits the spot though, though. Well, I was tired of being cooped up all day and wanted to get out. I have to say, I much preferred being a police chief. Not as confining. If only things hadn't gotten so out of hand back then."
Sheeta finished the few dishes left and dried her hands. It had been strange the last few days. Without the boys, she was alone with Fugaku and Mikoto and it felt strange. Even though she had been helping Mikoto for years and was over nearly every day, living there without Itachi, Sasuke or Naruto around felt different.
"Any word from Itachi or Jiraiya yet?" The teen asked cautiously. She had been asking every day since they had left and she wondered if Fugaku, who had a temper, would eventually get tired of the question.
Instead, he smiled at her, "Not yet. With two of our most powerful Shinobi out wandering the countryside it should only be a matter of time before they find Sasuke."
"It's so snowy out you can't see anything." Naruto exclaimed impatiently. It was mid-morning and after helping Deidara bring more wood into the house he was kneeling in front of the fire trying to warm himself up again. The young Akatsuki, however, was sitting on the floor and leaning up against a couch near Kisame, who was laying down and reading a book he had found in a bookcase in one of the bedrooms. "How can you stand it?"
"I'm from Stone. I grew up with this kind of weather. It could get worse though. We're pretty close to the mountains and if it's this bad down here in Fire country, imagine what it'll be when we cross the border. The next country is pretty high up and it snows a lot, then we get into Lightening country, which has a mountain range running right down the middle. And according to that map of Itachi's, Orochimaru is hiding out in those mountains."
"And so are Cloud ninja." Sasori spoke for the first time in hours. In fact, he had been so silent that everyone pretty much forgot he was there. He had remained in his red-headed puppet form and then parked himself in a corner, pulled out a scroll and spent the next few hours reading.
"Not a problem." Deidara replied.
"For you." The older man muttered as he glanced over at Itachi, who was sitting in an upholstered chair near the fireplace, also reading. He was still dressed in his Akatsuki cloak, but at the moment it was more for warmth than any desire to hide his allegiance to Konoha.
Itachi registered the turn in the conversation but made no indication he had been listening. He was also worried about being discovered by Cloud. He and Jiraiya had been the ones to set up an alliance with them and both of their faces were well known via bingo books in most of the Shinobi countries. If they were seen in the company of Akatsuki it would be disastrous.
Jiraiya seemed to be thinking the same thing. The white-haired man shifted his body in the chair opposite Itachi's and sighed quietly. He also ignored the conversation. Itachi wondered why Sasori would even bring it up. There was no way the man, who was responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of people and had overthrown entire countries with his puppets could feel anything akin to concern for a treaty between Konoha and Cloud.
A moment later Sasori answered Itachi's unspoken question, "I have no desire to pull out my puppets and show my secrets to Jiraiya. Therefore, you and Itachi will keep a low profile and avoid trouble. I will not guarantee that if I have to summon them, that Cloud will be the ones I attack."
"Of course." Jiraiya mumbled. Itachi nodded slightly to acknowledge the other man's statement. It made sense. He was protecting himself after all. But he had to admit, a fight between Jiraiya and Sasori would definitely be worth watching.
A few days later found the unlikely group of travelers walking warily up a winding snow-covered road in Lightening country. They were very close to Orochimaru's lair and had already skirted several Cloud patrols. The group of S-class Shinobi (and one Genin) easily avoided the Chuunin and Jounin who were guarding their home so carefully. Blue skies had followed them up the mountain, although the sun remained cold and distant.
Itachi had been on edge all day, expecting the worst. His heightened senses continuously scanned the countryside and as he gazed up at the sharp peaks he knew there were several people in the area. Way too many to be considered normal.
"Something is up." The teen finally said.
"Obviously they suspect Orochimaru is around and are trying to flush him out." Kisame added.
"That would be the logical assumption. Which is going to make things much more difficult for us. Orochimaru always builds underground. I had hoped to draw him out into the open, but with all these people about we'll have to go underground instead."
Jiraiya spoke up, "That gives him the advantage."
"I realize that." He stated plainly, "You should probably take Naruto and hide somewhere until I come out with Sasuke."
"No way!" Naruto exclaimed, "I'm going with you! I can help…"
Jiraiya put his foot down, "You can stay out of the way. You saw what Orochimaru was capable of when we went to get Tsunade. Remember, you almost died."
That had the desired result and Naruto backed off, "Can we still go if I stay out of the way?"
"We are going, yes. I know Itachi thinks he can handle this on his own, but just in case I want to be there too. I seriously doubt these guys," Jiraiya waved his arm to indicate the other Akatsuki "could last very long against him."
"Hmm, speak for yourself, un." Deidara muttered angrily. "I can take him out any time." The older man gave him a dirty look, but he ignored it and kept trudging forward through the snow.
Itachi clenched his fists tightly, fighting hard to resist the urge to punch the sannin. He knew he was sick, that he had an incurable illness, but to be treated as if he was a weak Genin who needed a babysitter in case he got tired and needed a nap was more than he could stand. His nerves were already on edge and he could feel his anger rising as well. However, he quickly realized that he was no longer scanning the area and pushed his feelings back down. Perhaps when all this was over he would punch him as a matter of course.
Before long they came across a set of prints exiting the woods and joining the road. Meaning there were people somewhere ahead of them. The group stopped and Deidara reached into his clay pouch with the intention of creating a small bird to fly ahead and check things out. However, just as he started chewing a strong, masculine voice called out behind them.
"Look who we have here!"
Itachi felt as if the world was moving in slow-motion as he carefully turned around and faced the one person he had hoped he wouldn't see. The Raikage. Dressed completely in white camouflage he glared at the teen who had, only a few years earlier had graced his mansion with a peace treaty. And now…
"How the strong have fallen, Lord Itachi Uchiha. You are the last person I would have expected to see traipsing around the countryside in one of those cloaks. And in the company of Lord Jiraiya, no less. So is Konoha in league with Akatsuki now?"
The teen was quiet for a moment. Anything he said would reflect on his home and Akatsuki. "I have been a member of Akatsuki for years."
"A spy? And wasn't it Jiraiya who sent out that information a few months ago warning us about Akatsuki? And now here you are. No cloak, but does that mean anything? And who's the blond kid?"
Naruto stepped forward to say something but Jiraiya pulled him back as he answered the Raikage's query, "I am searching for a wayward ninja and we happened to be going the same direction. Research for my next book, you know?"
"Sasuke Uchiha?"
Itachi's blood turned to ice when the Cloud Kage spoke his brother's name. There was no way he should have known about him. Unless Orochimaru had been careless.
"Ah. So it is him." The Raikage crossed his arms over his chest, "We're after him too, and we're going to capture him. I have some question to ask the boy and if he's still around afterward, maybe we'll send him back. In pieces, that is."
Naruto yelled, "How dare you? That's my brother you're threatening!"
"You don't look like an Uchiha." The man goaded.
"Why are you after Sasuke?" Itachi ignored the outburst.
"About forty of my Shinobi were attacked and brought down by a boy wielding a Sharingan and a Chidori."
"I find that very hard to believe. Sasuke's a Genin." Itachi argued.
"A Genin who ran away from Konoha, took refuge with Orochimaru and attacked a contingent of Shinobi because he was bored." The Raikage grunted, "You know very well that rogue ninja are considered free hunting by the ninja villages. I am completely within my rights to kill him."
Naruto cried out again, "I won't let you do it!"
"You don't have a choice!" The big man yelled back. "They were just Genin and Chuunin, but after a few months, it could be Jounin he's after! How can Konoha let such a menace wander the world? Especially since he's the Hokage's son! A man who can't take care of his own household has no right governing a village!"
Itachi stepped forward, "Naruto, if you speak up one more time I will bind your tongue." He turned and glared at the Raikage, "I am here to kill Orochimaru and return Sasuke to Konoha. I would recommend you stay out of the way. Since our last… sparring session… I have become infinitely more powerful." He removed his glasses and let his Sharingan bleed into its Mangekyou form. A menacing chakra radiated off of him, forcing his companions to take a few steps back in case a fight broke out.
"You think so, huh? So after you get Orochimaru, if you can get him that is, then what? You come to Cloud to grab our Jinchuuriki? No, Itachi. You aren't going anywhere. We are capable of handling this ourselves. I take it Lord Fugaku is unaware of his son's extracurricular activities, but it is just as easy to assume that he knows full well what you are up to and is directing your actions. Perhaps he is even your leader. The Uchiha have the most powerful Kekkei Genkai and Konoha does have the nine-tailed beast."
"I assure you, Lord Fugaku would be quite insulted to hear of your accusations. I am acting independently of him. There is no reason to explain myself any further." His calm voice was obviously annoying the Raikage and Itachi had a sudden bout of conscious. "We are not here to cause you any trouble, but instead remove trouble. Orochimaru has been operating a base nearby, and may even be listening in on our conversation as we speak. Let us pass and we will kill him and leave."
The big man walked over to a tree and leaned against it, deep in thought. Once again his eyes rested on Naruto. "You bear a striking resemblance to Minato. A great ninja, he was. I faced off against him when I was a Jounin. Lost of course, but he refused to kill me. By all rights he should have."
Naruto glanced up at Itachi, but remained silent. The teen's dark chakra had scared him, making him more than willing to follow his order to keep quiet.
Jiraiya spoke instead, "Needless killing is pointless. It serves no purpose and expends chakra."
"Hey brother! Look what I found! I…"
"Where the hell have you been? I told you to stay next to me!" The Raikage turned on the man who had just walked out of the forest from the other side of the road. Obviously brothers, they looked a lot alike. "You are not supposed to be wandering around on your own!"
"Why? It's not like Akatsuki is around…or… something…" He turned and looked directly into the eyes of five black and red cloaked figures. "Oh." He suddenly laughed, a big hearty sound that echoed through the forest, "What are the odds of this happening, huh?"
Itachi wondered why they would be so concerned about Akatsuki seeing the Raikage's brother. Unless… A cold chill ran up and down his spine as he put two and two together. He had to get the others away quickly, and he cursed Bee for his loose tongue. The Jinchuuriki were kept in closest of confidences by their villages and it was notoriously difficult to find out who they were. Having one practically come out and admit it was beyond stupid. It was bad enough they knew about Naruto, and of course Gaara had revealed himself during the Chuunin exams.
"Shit." The Raikage voiced Itachi's unspoken curse. "Bee, the next time you disobey orders, I'm locking you away. Understood?"
"But look what I found!" The man, who appeared to be around twenty, ran one hand through his short white hair. An area on his cheek was slightly darker than the rest of his skin, indicating a bruise was forming and there was a cut on his hand. Over his shoulder was slung a ninja, which he dropped irreverently onto the ground.
Itachi stepped forward for a closer look, as did the Raikage. Jiraiya followed a moment later. The unconscious man was wearing a Sound village forehead protector.
Bee continued to talk, "He was bragging about Orochimaru having a base nearby and how we were too stupid to guess."
"We knew." Raikage replied quietly, "We knew for a long time, but couldn't find it. As one of the Sannin he is very skilled. We've been sending out patrols for the last six months and this is the first clue we've had. Pathetic." The man berated himself, then looked at Itachi, "You know where he is?"
"Yes."
He glanced back at the three Cloud ninja who had been standing back, keeping silent. "Bring me his head when this is over to prove your intent and you may pass unmolested. Any further action by anyone in your group will be seen as an act of war, and Konoha will pay. Also…" the Raikage paused and leaned forward so that only Itachi could hear, "Anything, anything at all happens to Bee and I will destroy Konoha down to the last man, woman and child. Understood?"
That was chilling, and Itachi resisted the urge to gulp. He had no way of guaranteeing the safety of Cloud's Jinchuuriki. Madara was more than capable of acting on his own. However, he also realized what the current situation looked like to the man and sympathized with him. Instead of acknowledging the comment he turned around and motioned for Jiraiya to follow him. The older man clenched his teeth angrily and glared at the Raikage once before following the teen. A moment later they were gone.
"Are you sure it was wise to let them go?" Bee asked.
"I have no idea what's going on, but if Itachi is hanging around with those guys… there is no way in hell Fugaku doesn't know about it. I have no choice but to assume the Uchiha are involved with Akatsuki somehow. And it must have something to do with the Nine-tails."
"So what are you going to do?"
The Raikage pulled out a katana and brought it down mercilessly, piercing the captured ninja's heart and killing him instantly. "Our treaty with Konoha was eagerly accepted by them. Was it ruse to put us off guard?" He was quiet for a couple minutes, "I'm going to have to think about this some more. Until then, I want you and Yugito confined to the village. Let's head back. The search is called off for today."
The snow storm that had stretched itself across the continent had also found its way to Mist, dropping several inches on the ground and freezing the residents, who fought back with thick coats and coal.
The garden was very beautiful with its white coat of sparkling snow and Aya had requested a kotetsu be set up in the room next to it so she could sit with the door open and enjoy the view, while keeping warm. She was trying to keep her mind off of Madara, who had left suddenly a couple days earlier after Sasuke's cat had suddenly appeared in the middle of the table during dinner.
"What the…" Madara eyes opened wide and he watched as the ginger cat walked over to a dish of chicken and helped himself to a chunk, eating it ravenously as if he was starving.
"Isn't that Tama? Sasuke's cat?" Aya exclaimed as one of the servants removed the dish from table, earning her a dirty look from the small animal. "Has something happened to Sasuke? Is he alright?" She could feel panic gripping her heart. Despite Madara's insistence that Orochimaru would never hurt the boy, she still wasn't completely convinced.
The older Uchiha frowned, "Speak up, Tama. Why have you left Sasuke's side? Your orders were to stay with him."
"Smart one, aren't you?" Tama smirked, "And he rewarded me for my companionship by giving me a stupid name."
"It suits you. Now why are you here?"
Aya blinked once in surprise. The cat was under orders to stay with Sasuke? Does that mean he was spying on the boy?
"Sasuke does not wish to return to Konoha and requests your intervention to make that wish a reality." The cat looked up at the dish the servant was still holding and his tongue shot out, licking his muzzle and nose as if remembering the delectable taste of the breaded dish. The woman glanced at Madara, who motioned for her to place the dish back on the table. After all, it wasn't unusual for ninja summons to eat with their masters. And he'd already taken several bites out of it already.
Madara leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling, then started laughing. "Finally, Sasuke is mine. Everything is progressing smoothly. Aya, I will be gone for a few days. Have a room made up for my son. He will be joining us."
Aya imagined it wouldn't be as simple as that. Itachi would never let his brother go that easily and she had no desire to see a rift form between herself and Sheeta. Time was passing way too slowly as she waiting for him to return and she realized she wasn't watching the garden the all. The tea she had been sipping had grown cold and evening was falling.
One more day had ended. She stood up and shut the doors of the room and poked at the coal in the fireplace to expose the hot rocks and get them burning again. Kneeling down in front of the small fire she wondered if Fugaku would go so far as to attack Mist to get Sasuke back. It would be disastrous. Uchiha fighting Uchiha.
One thing was certain, however, whatever happened next, it wasn't going to be pleasant.
Next week, Orochimaru finds a surprise on his doorstep.
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