Summary: Eyes glistened with a golden hinge, blood dripping out of her nose. She would save them, even if it killed her. Slight SI. Third War Era. OC
….
Chapter 5: Madman
"It was at this point that Bilbo stopped. Going on from there was the bravest thing he ever did. The tremendous things that happened afterward were as nothing compared to it. He fought the real battle in the tunnel alone, before he ever saw the vast danger that lay in wait." ~J.R.R. Tolkein, 'The Hobbit'
….
Mitsuko trained with the Ame orphans for a whole month learning everything she could from them and about the tale they had told. Jiriaya came back with her to the village they traveled slowly, gathering all sorts of intel as they went. The Blonde was an anbu captain that specialized in infiltration and information gathering. She hadn't started as that but it was what she became over time. No one ever expected an innocent little girl. So she loved running recon with Jiraiya, his methods amused her.
Minato raised his brow at the two of them once they entered his office. "Welcome home Jiraiya-sensei, Mitsuko-chan." Neither bowed at him like most shinobi who returned from longer mission. He let a sigh escaped his lips, he hadn't expected them too.
"Glad to be back Nii-san." Mitsuko was smiling at him, it was a smile he hadn't seen from her in such a long time. And he was about to ruin it.
"You say that now. I was told you have several files waiting for you." Mitsuko cursed under her breath bowed her in acknowledgment and then shunshined out of his office.
Jiraiya handed over the scroll of everything they'd learned while in Ame. "I'd burn it after reading it Minato." He told his former student. Minato nodded his head and placed a privacy seal down on his desk.
"Is it that bad?" Jiraiya placed a hand under his chin thinking. It wasn't bed per say it just wasn't great.
"Read it and you'll understand." Minato accepted that explanation before looking towards the spot his sister had briefly occupied.
"Is she okay?" Jiraiya chuckled in response before answering the question. Slowly he nodded his head.
"She will be, a new fire of determination has seemed to have lit itself under her feet." The Hokage didn't know what to think of that. He decided to ask her later about it.
"Thank you Jiraiya-sensei." The older man smiled at his student. He's learn eventually.
….
Mouse was aggravated. The four agents standing in her office could feel it too. She pinned each of them with a nasty look before speaking. "So nothing got done while I was gone?" Her tone was dangerous, she couldn't believe this.
"No tachio we got tasked with other work." Raccoon told her in a flat tone. Mouse huffed and threw her hands up.
"Fine, you each get a stack 'cause this is not going to finish itself." She then proceeded to hand stacks to each of them. Sparrow and Raccoon who were used to this took there's and started the go about their work silently. The two new members of the squad who had been brought in just before she left to help with this mess looked between each other before following there senior members actions.
Mouse sat down at her desk and started on a file. This one pertained to the traitor Oorochimaru, his experiments and Danzo's involvement. They really needed to do something about the sannin. He was bad news. Unfortunately it was difficult to track someone who did not wish to be found. Oh look more about Tenzo. Wait that wasn't about the boy.
"Holy shit." Mouse gasped out loud. Sparrow and Raccon each gave her an alarmed feeling.
"Tachio?" Raccoon asked, Mouse silently handed it over to her medic. She read over it quickly.
"Holy shit is right." Sparrow commented over Raccoon's shoulder. Mouse turned her masked face towards the agent in the Fox mask briefly wondered how she got stuck with that then gave the agent an order.
"Go fetch captain Lizard and Dog. They're going to want to see this." Lizard out of respect to the older agent and Dog because this pertained to his genin teammate. He deserved to know.
"Hai tachio." She watched the Fox mask figure disappear. Mouse turned to look at the other operative, she needed to think and she couldn't with agents in her office she didn't yet fully trust. Unfortunately for Fox and Panda they were among those she didn't yet trust.
Before she could say anything to the quiet agent, Fox reappeared with Lizard who was giving her an annoyed vibe and Dog. Mouse didn't say anything to her fellow captains she motioned for Raccoon to give the file to Lizard who was kind enough to allow Dog to read over his shoulder. Lizard threw the damned thing across the room as if it had assaulted him. "What the hell Mouse!" He demanded, she shrugged her shoulders.
"I thought you should know. This will have to be brought before the Hokage and Bear-sama." Lizard scratched the back of his head sighing loudly.
"Damnit Mouse." She nodded her head, spared one look to her new squad members made the appropriate hand signs to dismiss them. The rest of this could only be heard by the five of them. Mouse lifted her mask another reason for dismissing Fox and Panda. They didn't know who she was under it.
Lizard pulled his mask off and rubbed his face. This was not what he wanted to do today. "It makes sense, Oorochimaru was obsessed with the sharringan. Or so that's what Jiraiya-sama has said." Mitsuko told them quietly, she placed a privacy seal down the moment she sent Fox to get Lizard and Dog.
"But Uchiha Madara? He would have to be nearing his eighties by now Mitsuko." Raccoon spoke quietly from her spot. She merely nodded her head.
"It seems impossible, but those white creatures from the tenth said his name the first time we encountered it. So there has to be some possibility." She told them firmly. Dog was unusually quiet.
"Just damn Mouse, damn." Lizard muttered, he couldn't believe this. Slowly he slipped his mask back on.
"I'll go get Bear-sama, Dog go get the Hokage actually get both of them. Sarutobi-sama going to want to hear this as well." Mouse agreed with him, he gave her a look.
"This is all your fault." He told her seriously, Mitsuko snorted at him and slipped her mask back on. No point arguing Lizard was probably right. It took two minutes to gather the three afore mentioned men.
Minato gave the masked captain Mouse a look. She's literally only been back for twenty minutes when Dog came to get him. Any remark he was going to make was silenced when she handed him the file, the on that seemed to have every anbu in the room rattled. He shook his head as he closed it and then handed it to his predecessor. "This is absurd." The former Hokage commented.
"Danzo had been communicating with Oorochimaru for a long time it seems. This is the most disturbing correspondence." Mouse spoke lightly, because she felt for the old man really she did. But they had bigger fish to fry at the moment.
"Mouse-san how would this even be possible?" The Yondaime questioned, he of course could figure it out but he wanted to hear what the anbu captain thought.
She bit her lip, she couldn't explain this without being Mitsuko. Because Mitsuko had personal experience with it. Mouse removed her mask, it didn't matter any way everyone here knew who she was without it. Mitsuko tugged at her braid trying to find the words now.
"Only Madara would know how to release the Kyuubi. Sure maybe Fugaku-sama could have it but he'd never use that knowledge against a fellow leaf shinobi. Only Madara has to be on up there in years so he'd need a proxy someone who could claim being him as a fear factor. It's why he originally wanted Obito. They're related, although distantly." Mitsuko paused so that could sink in, and to take a breath.
Then she told them everything she had come up with so far, how Madara could have survived, and anything else on the subject she could remember from her findings. "Shimaru wanted your hat, Madara promised he'd have it. He just didn't anticipate that we were on to Shimaru for his crimes. Had we not caught him this would have never been brought to light." Mouse finished and the sat back on her desk, she was having phantom pains from injuries long healed.
"Thank you Mouse, Lizard and Dog for bringing this to our attention we will get this straightened out." Minato's tone promised bad things. She'd hate to piss him off. Mouse decided then that she needed a drink. They were going to need time to mull this all over.
Mitsuko laid her mask on her desk, everyone save Sparrow had left her small office. She rubbed her hands over her face tiredly. Hopefully now they'd be able to nip this problem in the butt. Mouse had given them all the information she had and the tools to possibly defeat Madara if old age didn't do him in first.
"Mitsuko?" Sparrow used her name. His mask was discarded sitting on top of several of the mounds of paperwork. She looked up at him, her eyes tired. He pulled up a chair and took a seat.
"Did you decide on a name?" She wondered meeting his glaze.
"I did, Isamu." Mitsuko smiled at the man, she approved. His name meant courage, the courage he needed to move forward with life. She place a comforting hand on his exposed forearm.
"Perfect. Well Isamu are you ready for a long night dealing with this crap." She motioned towards the stack waiting to be tackled. The man gave a soft chuckle.
"Of course tachio." They set to work. Raccoon rejoined them eventually with dinner and she too started on a stack.
…..
It took a whole lot of will to roll out of bed that morning. Mitsuko was exhausted, three days of all-nighters and they had finally gone through every single ROOT file. Now if only she could get up. She laid there looking up at the star covered ceiling. Nice to know her squad still had a sense of humor.
The weight shifted on her bed and suddenly she found herself being cuddled by her female squad mate. "Morning Kaoru." Mitsuko grumbled, the dark hair woman snickered at her.
"Morning Mitsuko, Isamu is making breakfast so you should probably get up." Her teammates stayed over last night after finally finishing their task. Mitsuko rolled away from Kaoru's chipper expression.
"Don't want to." She whined, Kaoru was surly smirking at her but she didn't care. They both had been able to catch a few hours of sleep here and there. Any and all sleep she tried to get was riddle with nightmares and hadn't been at all restful.
"To bad." Kaoru stated before pushing the girl onto the floor. It luckily was that far to fall. Mitsuko groaned in annoyance and sat up.
"I hate you." Onyx eyes sparkled with mischief, as the medic practically leaped over the infiltrators head.
"No you don't" She sing songed while exiting the room. Mitsuko sighed before standing up and stretching her sore muscles.
After changing into something less anbuesque and more Leaf jonin. Which basically consisted of tight black leggings, a blue tunic dress that ended right at her knee with splits running up both sides stopping middle of her rib cage. She wondered down the small hallway and into her kitchen to find that yes Isamu was indeed making breakfast. "You are god." Her tone serious, Sparrow chuckled. Mitsuko glared at Raccoon who was eating what appeared to be an apple.
"You are the devil." The blonde hissed, Sparrow snorted at the two as he made the last side item.
"Dog's Uchiha teammate stopped by this morning." Mouse raised her brow at that. What could Obito possibly want? She made a gesture at Sparrow to finish his train of thought. The sole remaining male of Hawk's squad gave her a blank look and a stare that said use words. Mitsuko huffed at him.
"What did he want?" Her tone irritated, Sparrow smirked at her as he joined the woman at the table.
"He didn't say, just that he wished to talk to you." She gave him a deadly look. He didn't even flinch.
"Well what did you tell him?" Kaoru was snickering at them under her breath. Mouse was easily irritated in the morning.
"We'd let you know but that you were currently asleep. So after breakfast you should probably seek him out." Mitsuko's darted around to stare at Kaoru, she pinned her with a terrible glare.
"Not what I wanted to do on my day off Kaoru." The dark hair woman shrugged her shoulders at her. As if what the captain wanted actually mattered to her. That's right, it didn't.
"Your problem Mitsuko." Mitsuko banged her head down on the table. This wouldn't be fun. Because if Kakashi spilled the beans she's have to look I him in the eyes and lie. The woman wanted nothing more than to tell him the truth but she knew deep down it wouldn't do him any good.
….
Mitsuko found her brother's Uchiha student later that morning taking what appeared to be pint up aggression on a training dummy. "That won't make you feel any better." She called from her spot in the branch above his head, Obito's eye's snapped up to where the voice had come from but found the spot empty.
With his head turned Mitsuko appeared behind him and with a swift swipe with her leg the boy lost balance. Or would have if she hadn't helped train him to counter surprise attacks, something the Minato often overlooked for the sheer fact that he was a literal walking natural disaster. Her brother tended to forget that mere mortals like herself and the Uchiha actually had to prepare for those kind of measures. Obito maintained his balance by pivoting around. Their eyes met. "That wasn't nice." He told her, she was smirking at him. He didn't even blink at her presence.
"Neither is beating the defenseless to a pulp." She made motioned to the practice dummy. Obito drew a blank look before snorting.
"Sure, sure. Shame on me." Mitsuko nodded her head, something was bothering the Uchiha.
"What's going on Obito-kun?" He looked down. Ashamed almost. Mitsuko had an idea at that moment. She threw a punch at him, he blocked it with his forearm. An irate expression overcame his face.
"What was that for!?" He shouted at her as he adjusted his footing. This time prepared for her next attack.
"You need to work on your situational awareness." She lunged aiming for his ribs. Obito pivoted around her before disappearing completely and reappearing behind the Anbu captain. Mitsuko barely dodged his foot, she was too surprised with what just happened. When had Obito activated that level of sharringan?
Obito was shaking, his breath uneven. Even using the special ability he had trouble landing any hits on Mitsuko because man she was fast and why were he eyes glowing like that. His thoughts were cut however short by the sensation of someone grabbling his ankle and pulling him down. Mitsuko crouched in from of him. She looked like the child who had successful stolen the whole cookie jar. "Nicely done Obito-kun. But even with that little trick I'm still faster." Her eyes had a kind of bloodshot look to them, but the glowing seemed to have vanished.
Mitsuko helped him out of the hole, they sat under one of the various trees on the training field. Obito was eying her warily. "Aren't you going to ask?" She shook her head. He gave her a confused look, her eyes softened regarding the boy.
"I already know Obito-kun, I don't need to ask." She patted his knee. His confusion deepened how could she know? He hadn't even told Minato-sensei or Rin about it yet, only Kakashi knew.
"But how?" Mitsuko wondered if Raccoon would mind her telling the Uchiha. She shook her head that was Kaoru's business.
"I can't tell you how, just know I do." Mitsuko looked up into the cloudy sky to avoid looking at the boy.
Obito watched her carefully, Mitsuko always looked so sad. He wondered how she managed to do it. Kakashi once told him that she didn't have any ties save for her brother and Kushina-san. Of course he would have believed Kakashi except he had met her current teammates. They seemed to cherish her, but yes she still seemed so isolated from the world around them. How did she live such a lonely life?
"What happened to them?" 'Them' seemed to be a reference to whoever made her this way. Mitsuko turned a sharp eye on the Uchiha. It couldn't hurt to tell him. Besides it was only fair, she knew his secret perhaps he could know some of hers.
"They died." And it destroyed her. More than she's care to admit.
"Is that why you joined Anbu." He wasn't oblivious like they thought, he had seen the tattoo that day. Mitsuko shook her head a sad sort of smile on her face.
"It was a factor. But I mostly blame sensei. He was going back to it, said I had the skill for it. Because kami knew I was smart enough." And emotionally stupid enough too. Obito looked passed her now, he could see the stone through the tree line. Huh he hadn't realized they were so close to it.
"Is that why you were so desperate to save me? You didn't won't them to hurt like you?" Mitsuko followed his glaze before casting away.
"Yes. But also because you deserve a chance to live you best life." Screw you Madara. She thought almost bitterly. Because that old coot was becoming a huge thorn in her side. Obito blinked at her, slightly confused. Didn't she realize how little that made sense?
"Mitsuko-san?" Mitsuko shook her head at the question.
"Sorry Obito-kun, I'm a little out of it. Today was actually my first day off since getting back from Ame. Kaoru said you needed something." Because Kaoru being in her apartment was easier to explain than Sparrow.
"Sorry. Do you know what has Kakashi so wired? Every time we see each other he makes the oddest excuses to leave." Mitsuko hummed. She wondered if it be okay to inform the Uchiha. Probably not.
"Yeah I do, but I can't tell you. All I can say is were working on it. Hatake-kun also has a lot on his plate right now." Because she was kind hearted and had tasked him with their tree problem. She thought to herself abet sarcastically. Kakashi was also one of the few people she trusted to handle the situation correctly.
"Oh. But he's okay right, I didn't do anything?" She raised a brow at him, when did he care what Kakashi thought. What had she missed? Mitsuko needed to have a serious sit down with team seven's medic, Rin would be able to tell her what was going on with the boys.
"Nope, not anything you've done. It will blow over soon. If it helps I'll talk to him about it." She suggested and Obito had a sort of horrified look to his face. Mitsuko almost snorted at him
"That's not really necessary Mitsuko-san." She did laugh at his expression after that statement, a smirk plastered across her face.
"Whatever you say Obito-kun. Now if you don't mind I'd like to resume my day of nothing." She stood after the boy nodded his head gave him one last glance before using the shunshine to leave.
….
"He's gotten so big!" Mitsuko scooped her nephew off the ground, he was big for baby who was a little over a month old. She could feel her sister smirking at her. The blonde kissed the baby's cheek.
"You're the cutest ever Naru-chan." She rocked him close to her chest as she wondered into the kitchen to see what her brother was doing. Surprised that he was home for once, for lunch at least or at least cleaning up lunch.
"Nii-san what are you doing?" Mitsuko question looking over her brother's shoulder while keeping the baby from grabbing at his father. Ninja children sure as hell progressed faster than civilian babies. Minato shot her a look, she snickered. She knew good and well what he was doing.
"The dishes if you must know imouto. Even though I'm sure it was your turn." Kushina cooked for them, and they took turns doing the dishes. It had always been like that or for as long as Kushina had lived with the siblings and probably before when she realized they were both horrible cooks that shouldn't be left unattended in the kitchen. Brilliant shinobi, but idiots when it came to cooking anything.
"No I'm pretty sure it's your turn. I washed them last time." Even though last time had been longer than a month ago. Kushina was laughing at them both from her spot in the living room. She had been watching Naruto play on his blanket until Mitsuko came by and scooped him up. Now she amused herself by listening to the siblings bicker and watched with major amusement as Naruto gummed Mitsuko loose hair.
"So not that I'm complaining or anything but what are you doing here imouto. I figured you'd be in bed all day." Minato asked once he finished drying the plates. He watched with amusement as Mitsuko skillfully untangled her hair from Naruto grasp. His sister made a teasing appalled look at him.
"Are you saying you don't enjoy seeing your sweet little sister?" Mitsuko gasped at him, she managed a hurt look. Kushina snorted, she had missed this. Because if the siblings were in the mood for it they could be super entertaining to watch.
"I mean, you were literally home for twenty minutes before you started causing problems." His brow was raised, she covered Naruto's ears. Appalled he's suggest that the Madara thing was her fault. Although it probably was, and she only half cared.
"How dare you suggest I'd do such things in front of him? I'll have you know that I am a saint." Minato ruffled the top off her hair before taking his son from her arms, he kissed his cheek before pulling him close. The little boy giggled.
"Naru-chan Aunt Mitsuko is silly isn't she?" Minato cooed at his son, fully comfortable around his sister and wife. Mitsuko was smiling, she leaned forward to brush her nose against Naruto's little forehead. Kushina at that moment wished she had her camera. Because that was a cute picture.
"Don't listen to him Naru-chan, Aunt Mitsuko isn't silly. Your daddy is the silly one." The baby made grasped for her hair but she pulled away faster that he could grab.
"You're both silly, now come in here and take a break." Kushina was still laughing so it didn't sound as commanding as she probably intended.
"You hear that Naru-chan, mommy has spoken. And mommy's word is law." Mitsuko was smirking at Kushina while she spoke to the baby. This felt good, it felt right. The red head grinned at her snickering under her breath at the same time.
"Oh shut up, and come sit down." Minato laughed them, he had missed them all being together. Never one to disappoint he made his way towards the living room.
Silently laughing as Mitsuko basically flounced over to the seating area and then plopping down on the floor by Naruto's blanket. He set his son down on the blanket certain the boy would be fine under Mitsuko's watchful eyes. Minato walked over to Kushina and kissed her forehead, he had to get back. The red head frowned slightly, disappointed that he had to leave already but reminded him to have a good day and to be safe.
…
Mouse was staring at her two new agents trying to decide what to do with them. She needed to be able to trust them. But she didn't know how. On the bright side Raccoon didn't really trust them either. Perhaps Lizard would take one of them, she only wanted them to help with paper work while she was gone anyway. "Panda go offer your help to Lizard Tachio's squad he's still down a member." The Panda masked agent nodded his head before leaving. Maybe she was being too harsh.
Then again Mouse didn't trust easy. It took her a long time to trust Raccoon, Sparrow, and Stag as much as she did. It was that moment Mouse wished she'd kept Stag. It was short lived because she knew he was where he should be. "Alright Fox, since we're going to be stuck with each other for the unforeseeable future I want you to go as Sparrow to spar with you." She needed to be sure she could trust Fox to watch their backs.
After Fox left to hunt down Sparrow, Mouse sank into her chair. There was paperwork waiting for her but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Mouse wanted to go home and crawl into her bed but that wasn't likely to happen. They had so much to do with the potential threat of Madara. A knock on the open door brought her back to reality, the stood quickly to show respect to the Anbu commander.
"Bear-sama." Mouse bowed her head lightly. The old man waved her off walking into the office fully and closing the door behind him. He approached her desk slowly.
"Take a seat Mouse." She nodded her head, his tone seemed tired. Bear stood looking down at her.
"How long have you suspected him?" She can tell the question has been on his mind. Mouse thought of her options.
"Since Hawk brought Raccoon on." The truth was always the way to go. And the truth was she started suspecting that the Uchiha was alive after meeting Raccoon. Bear seemed almost surprised by her answer.
"Isn't she a bastard of the Uchiha clan?" Bear of course knew the answer, but every now and again he liked to hear it. Mouse was apparently not in a talkative mood nodded her head in response. The Anbu Commander considered the girl captain.
Hawk hadn't been very upfront with why he wanted the girl other the fact she was an iryou-nin. Bear had always let Hawk get away with things other captains normally wouldn't. Like bringing in the former ROOT operative. But it seemed like Mouse was following her former sensei and captain's footsteps. "I know we aren't supposed to keep information from our squads profile, it's just what Raccoon lost and how we first learned of Madara isn't pretty. Let me talk to her, because Hawk-tachio promised that information would never see the light of day." Bear nodded his head, that would do for now but Hawk should have told him whatever it was. Now his student was covering for a dead man.
Mouse let out a deep breath she didn't realize she had been holding. She would need to talk to Raccoon immediately. Bear-sama had the right to know since apparently he didn't already. Hawk should have told the Anubu commander why he didn't was beyond her. Her late captain really didn't like playing by the rules and she was facing the consequences of it. "I probably deserved it." Because this had to be some bizarre punishment from the dead man.
Mouse banged her head against the desk. She did not look forward to that conversation with Raccoon. But it had to be done, regardless of the fact she'll hate the anbu captain for it. Because Hawk had promised, Raccoon trusted Hawk, and she was going to have to ruin that trust break that promise. Just so they could get the bad guy.
Mitsuko hadn't wanted her team to be involved like this, but they were now and she'd have to deal with the consequences. They all would.
XOXOX
Finally! This chapter was super hard to put to words, but it's finally come together. Woot! We will be getting the full story on Raccoon/Kaoru soon I promise. SO please let me know what you think!
Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and followed this story. I promise to try and update again this week but my work schedule is going to be crazy over the next few days so bear with me.
Again than you for taking your time to read my story : )
Sincerely, La'Rae
Music inspiration
Into the Fire(acoustic) –Thirteen Senses
Silhouette- Aquilo
Like a Funeral- Erik Jonasson