Interlude: Izumo
Izumo rather enjoyed gate duty. It was restful, fairly risk-free and the pay wasn't bad. Who cares that it's the chunnin eqivalent of D-ranks? Certainly not Kotetsu or I.
Of course, fairly risk-free is not entirely risk-free, the chunnin reflected nervously as he kept an eye on the very tall figure calmly making his way towards the western gate of Konohagakure at civilian walking speed. All Izumo could see from this distance was a shiny red conical hat and a loose brown cloak that hung to the man's knees -it had to be a man as no woman had shoulders like that- and red armour that matched the hat covering his shins and feet.
The man's chakra signature was huge, comparable to Uzumaki Naruto's, but not particularly hostile. Then again, when you have more chakra than two kages and are over seven feet tall you don't need to be hostile to be intimidating.
"Izumo? What are the odds that is one of Amemai-san's 'friends'?" Kotetsu asked his partner as the figure drew closer. Word that Hatake-san's fiancée was on friendly terms with every last S-class ninja in the elemental countries had been through the rumour mill several times in the past month. Having seen Zetsu, Izumo was not among the sceptics.
"No bet," the chunnin muttered, "and I think I know who he is. He's in the bingo book."
"Who?" Kotetsu asked curiously. Of the two, only Izumo found reading more of a pleasure than a chore.
"Iwa no Han, jinchuuriki of the Gobi no Irukaume; Akasenmou," Izumo said softly.
His spiky haired friend swallowed hard. "If it is the Red Madness, what happens to us if he doesn't have the right paperwork to enter the village?" 'Do not provoke crazy ninja with more chakra than you do' was pretty much a ninja rule, for all it wasn't an official one.
"He's just walking quietly, so whatever he's here for probably isn't urgent," Izumo tried to reassure himself and his colleague, "So he probably won't blast us for doing our jobs..." I hate dealing with insane ninja. There just isn't a right answer for any of them.
He huge shinobi walked closer. The only part of him not hidden by armour or clothing was a rectangular area around his eyes: the rest of his head was swathed in white wrappings and even his hands were armoured. Izumo wondered what on earth the Tsuchikage had been smoking when he gave the order to seal a bijuu in this particular individual, who was clearly dangerous without needing an additional demonic power boost.
"Ano, your papers? Please?" Kotetsu asked hopefully as the looming shinobi reached the gates. Izumo noticed that the armoured giant wasn't wearing a hitai-ite. Rumour had it that both of Iwa's jinchuuriki had left their native village after a disagreement with the Tsuchikage. It seemed that that particular rumour had been accurate.
The seven-foot shinobi silently proffered a wad of documents in a red-armoured fist as big as Izumo's head. Kotetsu accepted the paperwork and carefully sorted through them. "Shinobi licence," Kotetsu muttered, "Papers for release from the forces of Tsuchi no kuni signed by the daimyo, conditional on not joining another village's forces or revealing national secrets, Hi no kuni free travel pass-"
"What?" Izumo was shocked. How, where and why did he get one of those?
"It's genuine. Only about six weeks old, too," Kotetsu confirmed, clearly bemused. Izumo craned his neck to meet the red-armoured jinchuuriki's eyes.
"Well, your papers appear to be in order, Han-san. Might I ask what your business is in Konohagakure?"
Mismatched brown and green eyes focused on the chunnin. "I am visiting Yogensha-chan," the gigantic shinobi replied softly, his voice deep and carrying. "Her foster father requested that I mediate for him after his duties called him away from her. I also carry correspondence from other family members."
Izumo was torn. On the one hand Han had -according to his papers- ever legal right to enter the village unmolested. On the other, he was a highly recognisable shinobi and former enemy of Konoha, credited with the deaths of dozens of Leaf ninja during the third shinobi war. "Are you here to see Amemaihana-san, the lady with the starry eyes?"
"Yogensha-chan. Hai."
"Then I'll escort you to her home so you don't accidentally cause a riot," Izumo decided. "Kotetsu, would you send a message to the tower and get a temporary replacement down here?" Legally, the gates had to be manned by at least two chunnin at all times.
"Sure," Kotetsu shrugged, the bandage across his nose shifting.
"Good. This way, Han-san," Izumo said, leading the way towards the Hatake estate. All leaf ninja knew exactly where Hatake Kakashi lived; his fiancée's unorthodox experiments with sealing a little over a month earlier had been impossible to miss. The chunnin's neck prickled as the jinchuuriki fell in step behind his right shoulder, mismatched eyes taking in the sights.
No ninja still on active duty had actually faced the Akasenmou on the battlefield. The jinchuuriki's steam-based attacks had so injured the few who survived their encounter with him that they were forced to retire. Their less fortunate comrades had been boiled alive alongside those Rock-nins who had failed to escape the taget area in time. It was his indifference in dispatching both friend and foe -as well as his habit of talking out loud to his bijuu- that had earned him the nickname of Red Insanity.
Izumo suspected that the vicious indifference Han had showed his fellow Iwa ninja was prompted by the latter's treatment of the jinchuuriki. If that was indeed the case, the chunnin was profoundly grateful for Uzumaki Naruto's generous and forgiving nature. If Naruto ever became truly angry with the village -which honestly he would be justified in doing- Konohagakure would probably be wiped off the map in a matter of minutes. That a solid percentage of civilians -and the occasional ninja- still mistreated the blond boy made Izumo wish the Sandaime was not quite so protective of those in his care. A little private heart-to-heart for the ignorant with a few concerned ninja would be most beneficial to the boy's well-being. Maybe even with Ibiki-san.
"So, how did you meet Amemai-san?" Izumo asked, deciding that conversation would be the best way to distract himself from his companion's oppressive aura.
"It was during the third shinobi war. She was about five years old and living on the move with her caretaker within the boarders of Tsuchi no kuni," Han rumbled quietly. "I stumbled across her on my way back from a mission. She looked at me without a hint of fear and told me that putting the Gobi within me had damaged me, which I knew already. She then offered to heal the damage, which I laughed at. Five year-olds are not healers." He paused. "I was most surprised when her actions were successful. One does not expect a vagabond child to be more skilled in the healing arts than the Slug Princess."
"I'd heard she could heal but I didn't realise she was that good," Izumo admitted.
"She also had words with the Gobi, which has made life since less difficult," The jinchuuriki continued. "I owe her much. I sometimes wish her temper was less erratic and her humour more conventional, however."
"Erratic..?" Izumo probed delicately. He'd not even heard of Amamai-san getting even slightly flustered, let alone angry.
Han shrugged. "Sometimes she takes the most horrific calamities and stressful situations in her stride, other times she blasts those who offend her without hesitation. It is her sense of humour you really have to look out for though." He paused. "speaking of which, some fool appears to have set her off." He hurried past Izumo towards the gates of the Hatake estate. The chunnin ran after him, having also noticed the climbing chakra signature and oppressive KI radiating from the compound. Izumo pushed through the gates of the compound -ignoring the shivery feeling of passing through a seal perimeter- just in time to see Shimura Danzo, the one armed old war-hawk himself, be forcibly ejected from the front door of the new Hatake clan house.
"Would you like me to kill him for you, Yogensha-sama?" Han asked as the one eyed man rolled to a stop about six feet away from where the former Iwa-nin was standing.
"No thank-you, Han. If anyone is killing Danzo-san today It will me me," Amemai hissed furiously, icy pale blue chakra dancing over her hands as she advanced down the front steps of the house towards where the bandaged cripple was struggling to his feet. "How dare you slander me in my own home before my guests!"
The impressive curve of her belly and rather waddling gait did not make her rage any less terrifying to behold. Izumo wished Kakashi were here, or at least the young Uzumaki; those two she actually listened to. But as a ninja of Konohagakure I cannot simply stand by and watch a murder take place.
Where are the ANBU when you need them?
"Amemai-san," he began cautiously, "If you try to kill the honoured elder I will be forced to intervene."
"I can incapacitate you if prefer, Izumo-san," Amemai said dangerously, the stars in her eyes flashing erratically and blindingly bright. "I've only been here a month and a half and I've already had enough of the petty ambitions of a man past his prime who threatens the integrity of his own village with his treasured delusions." Her chakra levels were still climbing, Izumo noted miserably. She was well into elite journin territory now and showed no sign of tiring.
"Your ridiculous accus-" Danzo started, only to be interrupted by the very angry pregnant woman whose hair and clothing had started to sway in the newly created breeze.
"Silence, traitor! You bargain with madmen and nukenin! You colluded to ensure the downfall of the Uchiha clan and aided Orochimaru in his experiments to cement your own power base!" Amemai shouted, chakra skyrocketing as she trembled in absolute fury. "You communicate with him to this day! Your soul is black and your mind blind to anything save your own advancement! You disgust me!"
Izumo noted with relief that the shouting had finally attracted the attention of the ANBU assigned to keeping an eye on the village's newest and most enigmatic civilian. An ANBU in a lizard mask had shunshined off -presumably for reinforcements- as soon as Amemai's chakra had hit Kage level. The remaining two flickered down to ground level, both keeping a prudent distance away from the fuming female.
"Those are serious accusations, Amemai-san. Have you evidence or witnesses to substantiate your claims?" The one in the rat mask asked.
"Of course not. She is either delusional or slandering m- urk!" Danzo was cut of by Han casually chopping him across the throat.
"Let your betters speak, tree hugger."
Amemai snarled, eyes gleaming vindictively. "Of course I have proof. He's been sending brainwashed little soldiers after me for the past fortnight, all of them marked with illegal silencing seals. It is unfortunate for Danzo-san that the seals do not prevent them from using sign language or writing down what they know. I have discovered all manner of interesting things of late. Did you know that he has a stolen sharingan implanted in his covered eye-socket? Or that he has had his missing arm replaced by Orochimaru, who has implanted mokuton-bearing DNA into it? So many dirty secrets-"
Danzo chose this moment to launch an attack on his accuser. The sealless wind jutsu tore through the area where she was standing like a thousand whirling razorblades. Amemai's instantaneous appearance behind her opponent to lay a powerful blow to the back of his neck, however, swiftly dispelled any concern the bystanders may have had for her safety.
"Sharingan, fuuin," she intoned bitingly, the seals crawling not only over the bandages on the left side of his head but also the bindings around the left side of his body. Then she stepped back, taking several deep calming breaths, fists clenched.
"ANBU-san," She went on more evenly, "I place him in your care. I trust there will be a full investigations into his past actions and a just punishment meted out. If he escapes and comes after me again I will take matters into my own hands." She paused, breathing deeply. "And I would like 'attempted murder of a clan heir' to the charges. Had I been less alert the children I carry would have been killed in his attack."
The air around both ANBU became dark and oppressive, reminding Izumo rather forcibly of how highly regarded Hatake Kakashi was by the black ops division. Angry ANBU. I really wish I wasn't here.
"I will see to it personally, Amemai-san," Rat said coldly. "What of ROOT?"
"The Yuurei are dismantling it as we speak, which is probably what prompted Danzo-san to resort to this rather clumsy confrontation and assassination attempt," Amemai admitted. Izumo recognised that the conversation was entering confidential areas and did his best to blend into the background. That Han was also managing to avoid drawing attention to himself said a great deal about the other shinobi's skills.
"Yuurei?" the other ANBU inquired.
"Former ROOT ninja. Rehabilitating them completely will take time, but they will be able to serve Konoha and the hokage even in their current state. I doubt any one of them will ever be suited to public relations, however."
A new ANBU arrived and engaged in a very rapid whispered conversation with the two already present.
"The hokage has informed ANBU of your... project," the rat-masked ANBU said. "You have his permission to assume control of what is left of ROOT, provided all documentation and testimonies are handed over to ANBU for a full investigation. Funding will be provided so that your new dependants will be adequately provided for until capable to assume their duties once more."
The other two ANBU approached Danzo, who was beginning to stir. "Shmura Danzo, by order of the Sandaime hokage you are under arrest for misappropriation of village funds, attempted murder of clan heirs, associating with enemies of the state and high treason."
Izumo watched shakily as Danzo was restrained with chakra-suppressing cuffs and shunshined away. The bandaged old war-hawk had been a village fixture for decades; to discover that the man had quietly been committing treason al the while was a nasty shock.
Another shock came as three identical ninja in ANBU garb wearing tight-fitting hoods and smooth white masks painted with identical cheery smirks shunshined in.
"Root is secured," the one on the left said.
"All personnel are confined to quarters and restrained until a proper debriefing can be carried out," said the one on the right.
"Paperwork has been secured and sealed until the hokage selects a suitable party to catalogue it," the one in the middle finished.
Izumo blinked. They even sound the same. How is that possible? I can't even tell what gender they are.
These are Yuurei?" Rat asked, slight bemusement shading his voice.
"Hai!" the three chorused. Izumo found the row of identical foxy grins and smiley eyes painted on their masks profoundly disturbing. It reminded him of how Naruto looked right before he pranked you. Or worse, when he has already pranked you and you haven't noticed yet.
"Yogensha-sama, I had prayed your sense of humour was not contagious; sadly the kami appear to have denied my plea," Han commented dryly, drawing the attention of all present.
"Han? It is you! Gomen nasai for ignoring you up until this point; I have been a very poor host. I trust your journey here was uneventful?"
"Charmingly dull, Yogensha-sama. I am curious, however: you accused Danzo-san of slander; what did he say to cause you to erupt so spectacularly?"
"Kakashi didn't want me to be lonely while he was away and insisted I meet some of his fellow journin socially and get to know them better. I was having tea with Ibiki-san when Danzo-san barged in and accused me of all kinds of things. Among them being unfaithful to my fiancée."
Izuma gaped. "Amemai-san, are you suggesting that Danzo-san accused you of having an affair with the head of the T&I department?"
"I'm not sure which of us was more offended," Ibiki said, emerging from the shadow of the partially open front door. "I myself am rather looking forward to finding out exactly what the old war monger has been getting up to."
"I'm sorry for letting him ruin our tea, Ibiki-san," Amemai said contritely, sincerity written large on her still rather agitated features. "I know your work makes social opportunities rather few and far between."
The scarred journin chuckled. "I wouldn't have missed this for anything, Amemai-san. We can have tea another day, but seeing Danzo caught in a web of his own making was the show of a lifetime."
The pregnant woman blushed, embarrassed. "There is nothing admirable in losing one's temper, Ibiki-san. I fear my outburst has caused a terrible mess that will take both your department and the ANBU months to untangle."
Ibiki grinned. "It's been slow lately. Can I borrow your three ghosts for my investigation?"
Amema looked thoughtful. "You can have three, but I cannot guarantee it will be the same three each time. Yuurei have a collective identity while in uniform."
"What an interesting concept," Rat murmured.
"Quite," Ibiki agreed. "Any three is fine, Amemai-san, so long as they know who everyone is and where they all are. I or Anko will likely come round later and ask for interviews with the rest of your ghosts."
Amemai bowed shallowly. "I quite understand, Ibiki-san. Please give Anko-chan my regards."
"Sayonara, Amemai-san." Ibiki left, whistling. Izumo escaped in his wake and hurried back towards the west gate.
Kotetsu is never going to believe this!
A/N: The smily face on the yuurei masks looks exactly like Ichimaru Gin from bleach; not a comfortable smile to be confronted with. This whole chapter is an example of what happens when you let a character with pregnancy hormones become involved with the plot. Now I, in my capacity as author, will have to pick up the pieces. Bah.