Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and its characters or characters from other anime.
Stunts
Wave
The land of Waves, a small island close to the ruins of The Former Land of Eddy that was once a great nation of ninjas but now it's lost in history books due to past wars.
The towns of Waves were bustling in prosperity unaware of the foreigners among them. These foreigners were the ninjas of the Leaf. They had just arrived here after the meeting with the Raikage and they were going to be here for a while.
Hiruzen over watched from the top of a high cylinder with an Anbu with Cheetah mask right beside him.
"Sir! It's been three days since we left Kumo , you should head back."
"Thanks for your concern Anbu, but it's not every time a kage gets to move out of his village, besides I would like to see the fruit of the troubles we went through to retrieve Hinata-chan." Hiruzen replied, then chuckles to himself,' the young Raikage's face was worth watching when the Daimyo of Lightning forced to allow us to search the village. That bull burned his own table. I am sure I'll get to see that face again, when the horse learns everything came out of his mouth.'
Flashback
Raikage Tower's Rooftop Kumo
The Raikage, a herculean man with dark skin, small moustache, beard, and pale blond hair pulled back, fumed in anger and humiliation grabbing the railings too hard for their well being. The Hokage stood stoic behind him both seemingly supervising the trackers who had spread throughout Kumo.
"It's a good view, reminds me of Konoha when I look from my rooftop." Hiruzen tries at a conversation with A.
"Old man I know we are the only ones here but that does not mean I'm in a mood for socialization." A glares right into the aged man's eyes trying not to thunder but is met with a smirk, and then his eyes bleed red with black four pointed shurikens. Suddenly all the storm leaves the Raikage's face replaced with unusually calm sea.
"I know Raikage-sama so let us talk of something else, like where exactly is the Hyuuga Heiress?"
"She is with the delegation in Wave. They'll stay there till I send them the word for return."
"Who are in this 'delegation'?"
"Roar, Yo, Kai, Len and Daisuke."
"Did you have any document or file regarding this mission? If so where is it?"
"In my office under the right drawer I have a copy of mission scrolls."
"Thank you, now return to what you were doing and forget this conversation ever happened."
The Raikage nod his head and as soon as he turns around the 'Hokage' disappears and reappears. He turns to the door to rooftop from which red eyes peek from it. Hiruzen nods and the eyes vanish. He turns back to the Raikage.
'Good job Shisui Uchiha.'
"It's a good view, reminds me of Konoha when I look from my rooftop." Hiruzen tries at a conversation with A.
A glares right into the aged man's eyes trying not to thunder, "Old man I know we are the only ones here but that does not mean I'm in a mood for socialization," he cusses something under breath, then turns back to viewing the village.
End of flashback
After that Shisui got to work and retrieved the proof. The trackers were called back. Just as A was reprimanding the Hokage and the Daimyo about disrespect to Kumo and that Kumo would never fall so low as to kidnap little girl Shisui came with the proof. A called it conspiracy but when threatened with war A confessed. Lightning's Daimyo apologized on behalf of his country and besides vowing to suspend missions for Kumo and curfew so that the ninjas of Leaf could retrieve Hyuuga Hinata, he offered monetary recompense of 40 million Ryo and a ninja from Kumo. After all Daimyos unlike the Kages were of Samurai decent and upheld honor and justice to their hearts. The leaders of Fire accepted this except for a ninja of Kumo and requested for ninja techniques instead to which A had to agree to. Needless to say the alliance was out of question.
"By the way Shisui-kun, good job." The Hokage compliments pleasantly.
"Thanks Hokage-sama, that truly means a lot," Shisui replies with courtesy, though on the inside, 'Thanks? THANKS?! THAT'S ALL? AFTER THREE DAYS! WHAT THE FUCK OLD MAN! I WAS PLAYING WITH MR. KING KONG. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED! I DESERVE A HOLIDAY OR A BONUS.'
"Once we return to Konoha you'll receive a bonus and a week off," suddenly the pleasant aura turns cold, "that is unless you were cursing me in your mind."
"Of course not sir" Shisui spoke without fear, though on the inside he was shivering with fear hoping the Hokage would turn his eyes away from him.
Lucky for Shisui a messenger hawk distracts the Hokage as he unties the letter from the hawk's leg. The air turns dead serious as the Hokage rushes through the contents. He burns the letter after reading.
"Shisui! Call back the Anbu teams! " He turns towards the dock, "We're going home."
Meanwhile- Konoha
The town was bustling in prosperity. People were roaming about minding their business merrily while businesses prospered in this merry environment. No one would believe that this village was a survivor of the wrath of the mightiest demon but seven years had been enough for people to recover physically and mentally. While people haven't forgotten the incident both the civilians and ninjas have moved forward choosing to live in the present rather than in the past however this wasn't same for all. As parents send their children off to play a shadow of the past watches what could have been her present from the balcony of her room.
Kushina, currently dressed in her ANBU attire bar the mask, watched the scene with a soft smile from the balcony of her rented apartment. Oh how she envied them wishing she were one of the parents and Naruto one of the children but everything was lost, she frowns, no everything was snatched away from her and she'd crush the snake and the dead man for this if it were the last thing she did.
"That's nice of you to wait for me at balcony." A voice she'd recognize anywhere poke from behind.
"It's not like you to use the door Jiraiya-san, might as well wait from the entrance you prefer." Jiraya frowned at the lack of warmth in her greeting but there was nothing he could do about it. Ever since that day, Kushina's only purpose in life was revenge on Orochimaru and 'Madara'. After all if it weren't for these two she'd still have her family.
"I hope you didn't come here to stand idle," Kushina breaks Jiraiya from his thoughts.
"Of course not," Jiraya leans back on the railing of the balcony, "I came here to sit inside and then tell you what I found out from my informant."
Kushina rolls her eyes but invites him in. Jiraiya takes a seat in the dining hall of the one bedroom apartment. Kushina closes the windows and curtains them then puts up privacy seals to prevent eavesdropping. She takes her seat motioning for Jiraya to start talking.
"My informant happens to have 'special abilities' which is why he was able to spy on the Akatsuki who came at the bounty station in The Land of Rivers. They were none other than Hidan and Kakuzu who came searching for Sasori. Sasori happened to enter just few minutes after they took their seats at the canteen to claim his bounty. As soon as Sasori claimed his bounty the two Akatsuki members confronted him assuring him that this was not a fight. The three took their seats and started talking about the offer. Kakuzu explained that they were from Akatsuki, a group of S-rank ninjas which had big plans for the world but were currently financing with help of S-rank missions. When asked who the leader was Hidan said they were lead by a powerful leader unknown to the world and he could meet him upon accepting their invitation. Sasori asked what's in it for him Kakuzu replied that they were aware of Sasori's wish for immortality and they had Orochmaru who has same dream and they were themselves somewhat immortal so they could help him and that having a group of S-rankers around while doing missions will discourage people from hunting him. Sasori accepted the offer the three moved out while my informant followed cloaking his existence. You remember that time when you first saw the two and how they just 'vanished'?"
Kushina nodded.
"Well, as they reached an isolated area, my informant saw Hidan's ring glowing and out of nowhere a port hole appeared. The trio went in and disappeared."
"A port hole?" shock evident in Kushina's voice.
"Yes, a port hole. I don't know whether that guy on the night was Madara or not but running a gang of S-rankers with 'big plans for the world' and that port hole point towards someone very powerful… like Madara. He was famous for a lot of stuff and space time techniques are one of them."
Kushina sat grim on the outside but was furious on the inside as evident from her shaky tone in her enquiry, "so Orochimaru and Madara are most probably working together. Moreover if we catch Akatsuki we catch them both. So why haven't we?"
"Those guys use portals for travelling. Tracking them will be very hard," seeing Kushina frown he tries to console her," don't worry Tomato head, if they have plans for the world we'll surely meet them. If they have Sasori that means they'll try spying on The Hidden villages so we can be cautious about rats in the house with his special memory seal."
Kushina gets up from her chair and moves to the door. Jiraiya didn't ask where she was going because he knew that nowadays she trains when upset which was very often due to years of no leads on the two vigilantes. Jiraiya himself wanted a piece of those two for destroying his foster family and leaving his daughter a miserable mess, 'she didn't even react when I called her Tomato head.'
He himself leaves her apartment watching Kushina lock the door before making her way.
'Oh well I better tell the old man about this when he comes.'
Three Days Later- Hokage Tower
The building stood modestly amongst the buildings of the village close to the cliff on which the faces of the four Hokages, three in the past and one in present.
Inside the building Danzo paced through the corridors without a second glance at the passerby pondering over why did Hiruzen call him.
As he reaches the office he meets the assistant who tells him that the Hokage is waiting inside. Danzo nods and moves in greeted by a blank glare from the Hokage sitting on his chair with interlaced fingers. Danzo takes his seat without greeting meeting his rival with the same glare. The Hokage was used to these antic from his childhood rival so does not reprimand him.
"Do you know why we're here?"
"That's exactly what I want to know Hiruzen."
"You do know about the kidnapping of Hyuuga Hinata, right?
"Yesssss."
"What you may not know is that we were able to prove Kumo's hand and will receive 40 million Ryo and 10 A-ranked Jutsus indigenous to Cloud as recompense."
Danzo is shocked but smirks a little "for the first time Hiruzen you proved you're not going senile," but frowns at an alternative "but couldn't you ask for something else like one of their Bijuu."
Hiruzen is annoyed, "THAT's out of question the Daimyos won't stand for it," he prevents Danzo from cutting in, "BUT we're not here about that. We're here because we couldn't find Hinata in Kumo or Wave, but we found her kidnappers' dead bodies in middle of the forest between Port city and Leaf and interestingly we have evidence of some ninja techniques indigenous to Leaf."
"Let me get this straight, you suspect me?" taking Hiruzen's silence as an affirmative looks slightly exasperated, "You have no proof against me nor do you have proof that Root is still running so you might want to excuse me-" suddenly the temperature drops down but Danzo meets Hiruzen's eyes with the same cold.
"Shimura Danzo… don't forget I'm the Hokage not you, what I say goes."
"You're already under unwanted spotlight Hiruzen, people of Konoha aren't happy, the Uchihas are agitated as of late, the last Uzumaki could care less about you and if you think the small victory over will do anything to calm the situation you're very much wrong. Face it Hiruzen, as you're running out of allies I'm gainig more. It won't take much to bring you down."
"So you're saying, you'd be willing to cause a rebellion against me?" Hiruzen smirks; Danzo widens his working eye realizing his mistake and tries to rectify it but Hiruzen denies him excuses, "You'll be sent to interrogation under Yamanaka Inoichi and Morino Ibiki on grounds of suspicion for scheming against the state. "
Before Danzo could do anything Anbu agents hail him away to interrogation room. Hiruzen sighs. He always wanted to place Danzo under one of those mind walking techniques, but under the law without proof or at least strong grounds of suspicion that wasn't possible. He started having his doubts when non-Konoha ninjas started disappearing ending in Konoha's favor. It grew over the years as but he didn't have enough proof and his suspicions were not based on strong grounds but now he'd know for sure if Root existed.
ANBU- Interrogation Cell- 3 hours later
Inoichi was deeply concentrating probing far deep into Danzo's mind under watch of Ibiki and Hiruzen . Inoichi stops then faces the Hokage.
"Nothing sir! I've probed to the deepest possible regions but there's no Root or thoughts of a rebellion. He made that statement due to his anger at what he saw as your incompetence and personal frustration," Inoichi stated.
"Very well, wake him up and tell him we have a ninja council meeting at 5 pm," Hiruzen orders and leaves. Inoichi follows through the order. Danzo wakes up cursing Hiruzen under breath covers his bandaged stump under his black cloak and takes leave. As Danzo is walking through corridors he feels a slight headache then suddenly it disappears. He paces out of the ANBU vicinity, peaking his senses he makes his way through village population to a rundown butcher shop. He is ignored as he walks by the butchers to a door. It is pitch black but he can feel the stairs. He climbs down till he reaches the end of stairs when lights are turned on to show Masaru to Danzo.
"Mission accomplished, we drew attention from us Masaru." Masaru sighs with relief, he respected Danzo just like any Root but this was a crazy stunt. Before the mission he tried to persuade Danzo to target another Hyuuga but Danzo was insistent on having the heiress stating she had potential to surpass any Hyuuga in Konoha of past and present but was being wasted by the orthodox clan.
"I must compliment your memory seal. It is almost a copy of Sasori's seal but better with the 'timer' and 'camouflage'. I think it can help with Root's spy network be just as good as Sasori's."
"Thank for your compliment Danzo-sama. But I honestly feel you had better control over yourself without my seal," Masaru replied.
"Hn... need I remind you that I was meant to be arrested to test your seal. Granted it happened faster than expected, but this is the first time this seal was ever used. Masaru, I appreciate perfectionism but not to the extent that you become pessimist and dismiss resources as wasteful due to a few defects. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir!"
"And what of Tsubasa?"
"He's trying out 'tricks' he learnt from the Kumo ninjas, would you like to see?"
Danzo nods. Masaru leads him to a training hall. There he sees Naruto training with his clones. Twenty clones rush in at two. One uses Great Fireball Technique while the other releases a spark into the ball from behind. The results are instant; the fire ball turns bright white and grows humungous in size then an explosion take place covering everything with light. As the light dims, it reveals two clone unharmed one side while everything from six meters ahead of him to twelve meter ahead of that point destroyed.
Danzo is impressed, ' Konoha's weapon is becoming lethal as days pass by.'
"Danzo-sama, I was wondering if I could train him in using special Uzumaki techniques."
"You stole the words from my mouth, however, no sealing techniques," Masaru tries to protest but is stopped, "Are you growing concern for your brethren?"
"For Tsubasa Danzo-sama, he could face seal masters who know how to seal bijuu, etc. Plus he has grown up in a manner that does not allow sympathy and already has impressive control over the beast."
"What I meant was not yet sealing is after all a long art. You can start when I tell you to. "
At this Masaru nods. They resume watching Konoha's weapon play with fireworks.