I have no right to Naruto.
Enjoy.
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As the door closed and Ibiki was left alone in the dimly lit room, he gave a barking laugh and spat a mouthful of blood onto the floor.
First he shook his head at the state of the room. It was clichéd beyond belief, dirty, smelly and lit by one lone low watt bulb. Ridiculous. He kept the cell in ANBU spotless, the white on white walls and ceilings always giving the feeling of an asylum and making his guests nervous when roars of laughter and screams of terror intermingled. Ibiki enjoyed rolling in the trolley filled with everything imaginable, depending on the situation if he needed finesse or brute force he would get deep satisfaction from the terror in his guests eyes when he would sit and with a snap of surgical gloves roll out the scalpels, scissors, pointers, screws, even the DIY tools. Taking the time to clean each and every implement used he used the time to stoke the fires of nerves, of fear of desperation. His reputation was clear and all had an opinion on his techniques so he enjoyed changing them.
Finished comparing his own finesse with the clumsy attempts of Root Ibiki had to admit that it would probably have worked on those Chunnin level or below, maybe a few Jounin but he wasn't impressed. Rolling his neck he briefly entertained the thought that he was biased before dismissing it and started the task of cataloguing his injuries.
"I am loyal to the Hokage." Tsuande the Godamie, the rightful Hokage you idiots.
"I do not know who lead the rebels." Because we change the group's head every week to piss you off.
"I do not know of any rebel forces." How are we rebels when Danzou is the usurper.
"I don't know." Ask a different question for fucks sake, amateur.
"I haven't heard anything." It's all written, then destroyed you idiot.
Ibiki was of the opinion that ROOT was so used to using fear as a tactic that they were unable to ask the correct questions needed to find out the truth. His answers could have been twisted in so many ways or made to explain further.
Cracking his neck, he took care not to release the ropes too much as he thanked Kami for programmed emotionless idiots. Danzou had shot himself in the foot with them in some respects.
Rolling his tongue he found three loose teeth and spat another mouthful of blood out. His left eye was already swelling shut and with the pain across the bridge of his nose and cheek bone it was a likely assumption his nose was broken, again. He knew he had at least one cracked rib, he had heard the damn snap, and hoped it was only one. Only three fingernails were intact and the small, ring and middle finger on his right hand were broken, luckily he was left handed.
Bruises, cuts, scraps the usual arraignment littered his body. Several of hours of torture and another Shinobi had entered the room and called the torturers out. Ibiki had looked for peepholes, listening points and has found several, making his wonder if Danzou had been watching and listening and now wanted the torture stepped up, it would be what Ibiki himself would do. Or were they letting him sweat?
His answer came shortly when his lovely torturers returned, one swiftly releasing him as the other spoke.
"You are to go to the hospital immediately, the Suna delegation was attacked, Haruno was injured."
Ibiki snapped up forgetting all injuries and without a word left the room, barely hearing the ROOT Shinobi add. "The Hokage wants a full report and will join you after his meeting."
He stalked though the streets and into the hospital not even seeing how those passing gave him a wide berth or incredulous looks at his tortured state. He took the stairs two at a time and stopped outside the operating theatre where Sakura could be visibly seen, a flash of pink hair surrounded by medics working on her.
"By Kami man what happened to you?"
"A better question, what is happening in Konoha?" Gaara folded his arms and asked the battered and bloodied Shinobi before him.
Blinking he became aware of Baki standing next to him, the Kazekage and his brother only a step away, a ROOT member on watch also bearing the evidence of a fight. Ibiki turned and took in the trio's dishevelled appearance, though the Kazekage barely looked ruffled his eyes never strayed from Sakura's form through the glass.
Suza's brisk exit from the room had all turning to her, the no nonsense matron's face serious as she relayed the information.
"The kunai sliced into the womb, she lost a lot of blood and the foetus was injured, add in her malnourishment and stress of her body it's not good. They might have to decide which one to save."
"Danzou's standing orders are to save the child."
Silence fell, Suza, Baki, Kankura, Gaara and Ibiki turning to look at the masked ROOT. Ibiki began to nod his head asking.
"You were one of the escorts for her?"
"Yes."
"Have you reported to the Hokage yet?"
"No, the Shinobi on guard at the gates reported the attack to him."
"Good."
Morino-san what is going on? The Kazekage ordered.
Without blinking Ibki raised his hand lightning fast and caught the Shinobi's chin ruthlessly snapping his neck and letting the body fall to the ground.
"And how are you going to hide the body?" Suza snapped, ignoring Kankura's surprise at her logical question, the trio from Suna , sans Gaara gave Ibiki quizzical looks as they ensured no one was looking.
Sand began to creep over the body."I will have to apologise to the Hokage, I thought his Shinobi was alive when I grabbed him."
Gaara's voice was quiet but green eyes spoke volumes, sand starting to scratch skin to give evidence to his claim.
"Wait."
Ibiki knelt down and lifted the mask, cursing softly as he saw the ROOT's face. "She's going to kill me."
"That was one of them?" Suza gestured at the body with disdain as she gave a look into the surgery. "She'll understand."
"I hope so." Ibiki snorted, wincing as the movement made his face explode in pain. Standing up he watched as Gaara's sand lifted the body up and without care deposited it on a bed in the corridor, before turning to Suza, the matron gasping as she properly caught the state of his hands and spied the broken nose.
Regardless of the attention he was garning Ibiki faces Suza, his voice hard, half order, half plea. "You'll save Sakura."
"She's in good hands." Suza tried to reassure the worried ANBU Commander, scowling at the cursed Isshin that was hissed from his lips.
"It's Doctor Yuik, I sent that brown noser Isshin to the other side of the hospital the second I head Sakura was here, one of the Clan heads was injured in training."
"She'll – "
Suza smiled patting Ibiki on the arm and before returning to the surgery told him. "Yuki is the best civilian doctor here, better than Isshin with his Chakra. She worked closely with Shizune., she'll look after Sakura."
The relief at those words had Ibiki closing his eyes and breathing deeply. The Kazekage's voice tearing his thoughts from Sakura, with one last look at her he turned.
"Morino-san explain now"
They went to a private room, Gaara's sand creating an effective sound barrier and as he told them the truth of what had been happening in Konoha. Outrage and anger were the main responses, Kankuro immediately seeing the position Temari could have been in if she was in Konoha. He outlined ideas, plans and what his suspicions were.
Then Gaara asked the question.
"You know who is behind the attacks on the Kunoichi, on Sakura."
"Danzou." Ibiki's answer was biting, Baki nodding as he noted aloud his query that the ROOT Guard were the attackers.
They asked more questions, asked about Team 7, Naruto's possible reactions, the effect on the Shinobi, Konoha, the friends Gaara counted in Konoha, the effect on the Shinobi Countries and if Ibiki knew of any of Danzou's long term plans.
As Ibiki finished, silence reigned in the room. A smirk, despite the pain on his face coming to his lips as Gaara folded his arms and said.
"How can we help?"
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Dia Duit,
You will either love or hate the next few chapters. I am very excited about them . Hope you enjoyed.
Lots of Love,
The Rose and the Dagger.