Okay all here's the next chapter of The Prince and The Slave. I hope you all like it. Not much action this chapter though I'm afraid. But it is slightly longer than the last chapter. LOL! Thanks to all those who read and reviewed and added me to their alerts and faves. I really appreciate it.
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The Prince and The Slave.
Chapter Twenty-Three.
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(Itachi's P.O.V.)
I watched my father fume as Kabuto reported the goings on at Orochimaru's home. He had been my father's best slave raider. The fact that Akatsuki had struck again was a deep thorn in my father's side. "It's never the same people who strike sire. We have no real descriptions to work with." One of my father's generals said sadly. I believe Dosu was his name. My father was fuming so much by the end of the meeting, that I almost smiled. Watching him squirm while his slave built empire crumbled around him was far more amusing then I gave the subject credit for. Once the meeting ended I left the hall. I was quite pleased Orochimaru was dead. Kabuto had apparently fled the riot before anyone could turn on him. However Kabuto was a worm I could crush all alone if I wanted to. I also knew that Kabuto was a tricky worm, when he wanted to be. So being careful is my only option for the moment.
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(Ten Ten's P.O.V.)
After a few days the dye had washed out of my hair and I felt more like myself again. It took ages for the sedative to wear off and in that time Guren hadn't left my side. She had started learning how to fight from Tsunade-San now. She was like us. A willing student. At least willing to learn how to defend herself. She seemed to make leaps and bounds. It was one day when she wasn't with me that Neji decided to come and visit me. He looked at me curiously. I couldn't help but wonder what he wanted from me. "Ten Ten are you really alright?" Neji asked me. He only ever used that tone of voice when talking to me.
"I'm fine Neji. Really." I replied. He gave me a smile. A very small smile, but none the less a smile.
"I'm glad that Guren was there." Neji said softly. I nodded.
"So am I. I dread to think what Orochimaru would have done to me, if she hadn't been there." I said. That was when Neji hugged me tightly.
"Next time you're going on a mission like that I'm going with you Ten Ten. I can't let an almost mistake like that happen to you again." Neji stated firmly. I didn't get a chance to answer before he left the room. Boys are so over protective of their friends.
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(Sakura's P.O.V.)
I walked past my brother's office when I heard him talking to Konan. I couldn't help but want to hear what they were saying. "Konan our next target is the slave market. We cut it off at the roots. I'm not sure how ready any of us are for that. We didn't find Orochimaru's lieutenant. He's probably already told the King, that it was Akatsuki who killed Orochimaru and freed his slaves. The security will be tight. Make sure Ibiki doesn't go to speak to Idate. It has to be someone else this time. We can't afford for Ibiki to be recognised at the moment. We need someone who hasn't been on a mission before and someone that Idate will recognise." My brother said. I couldn't help but walk into the office then.
"You could send Ino." I heard myself say. The two of them stared at me and then looked at each other.
"We could send her." Konan said.
"We'd need to send someone with her." Pein shot back.
"Why not send Shikamaru with her. Surely this Idate, has a password, so that those he doesn't recognise can speak to him. This can't be the first situation where someone new, has had to go and get the information from him before, right?" I asked.
"He does have a password. I gave it to him specifically before I left him the last time." I heard Ibiki say. He looked as though he'd been standing in the doorway a long time.
"Then it's settled. Ino and Shikamaru will go to the slave market. Sakura, go and find them and tell them I've got a mission for them." Pein stated. I nodded and left the room to look for both of them.
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(Ino's P.O.V.)
I couldn't believe it when Sakura came up to me and Shikamaru and told us that we had a mission. We both went to Pein's office and waited for him to speak to us. I wondered if Deidara knew that Pein was about to send me on a mission. "Ino, Sakura recommended you both for this mission. I know you get on and this is a simple task to start with." Pein told us.
"What task is it?" Shikamaru asked.
"You'll be going to the slave market and meeting up with a boy who's the same age as you two. His name's Idate and he is a spy for us in the slave market. Ibiki will tell you what he looks like and give you more information on how to contact him. The hard part will come when he gives you the information that we need. He will give you a pack to carry. That must be protected at all costs. Neither one of you can allow the information to fall into enemy hands. That is why neither of you will read what is written. You'll just be the messengers. If one of you is captured the other must go on." Pein told us. I couldn't imagine leaving Shikamaru behind at any point. However I knew that as my first mission this was a lot easier than the ones that Sakura and Ten Ten had received. How could I say no? At that moment, Deidara burst into the office.
"No way, are you sending my little sister on a mission un!" Deidara yelled. Typical of him to yell like that.
"Deidara she's not in even half as much danger as my own little sister was in, on her first mission. Ten Ten's mission was also dangerous. This is information that we need. Ino and Shikamaru won't be recognised. As long as they can ferry the information here in one piece there's no reason to think they'll be suspected." Pein said. Konan gestured at me and Shikamaru to leave the room and go and find Ibiki while Deidara was still busy yelling. So we both left the room.
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(Sasuke's P.O.V.)
I was sat with Neji after lunch. At least I assumed it was lunch. The girls were training. Apparently Ino and Shikamaru were going on a mission. I was just glad it wasn't Sakura being sent on a mission. "Hey Sasuke." I looked at Neji, wondering what would make him talk to me so suddenly. Usually he threw in his own comments in other conversations. I'd never really known Neji to start a conversation with me without there being some reason for it. "How do you tell someone that you love them?" Neji asked. At that moment I was glad it was just the two of us in that dining hall. Where everyone else was, was anybody's guess, I was just glad they weren't here.
"I don't really know Neji. Being straight forward is supposed to be the best option." I answered. Neji nodded looking into his plate of food, contemplating what I'd said. I hoped that it would help him. After all I didn't have any luck growing the nerve to talk to Sakura properly yet.
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Okay all, another short chappie. I'm sorry about that, but when I originally wrote it, I was doing a research project for University, so it was written in my spare time. LOL! I hope you all like it. Please R&R and tell me what you think.