Far From Home
Chapter Fifteen
"Oh Severus stop!" Hagrid complained.
Severus had called for an emergency meeting of the Order and it was being met with disgruntled sighs.
"Hagrid, it is time you learned the cold, hard facts about your little friends. In fact, I believe this is something you all need to hear. Especially you Dumbledore!" Severus said.
He flipped open the Bingo Book. "This organization is too dangerous to mess around with."
"Severus," Minerva began.
"Let him speak Minerva." Reprimanded Albus.
"Orochimaru from Konoha. Previous Affiliations, Akatsuki. He fled his home village after being caught experimenting on his own people, he is currently the leader and founder of Otogakure. He murdered the Fourth Kazekage and attempted to murder the Third Hokage. He can also manipulate bodies and their souls not only to recycle his own soul, in a morbid brand of immortality, but as powerful psychological weapons against his opponents. Kill on sight."
"Itachi Uchiha from Konoha. Affiliated with Akatsuki. He slaughtered his whole clan when he was just fourteen years old! Left one lone survivor, his younger brother. Deceased."
"He slaughtered his entire family at just thirteen?" Hestia whispered.
"Kisame Hoshigaki from Kirigakure, one of the Seven Swordsmen and one of the most powerful ninja from his village, fled after a failed coup d'état. Affiliated with Akatsuki. Kill on sight."
"Zetsu from Kusagakure. Abilities unknown, cannibalistic. Affiliated with Akatsuki. Kill on sight."
"Akasuna no Sasori from Sunagakure, caught using the forbidden arts of using human bodies to make battle puppets, murdered the Third Kazekage, the leader of Kaze no Kuni. Deceased."
"You mean that man we saw the other day?" Remus asked.
"The same." Severus said.
"Deidara from Iwagakure, terrorist bomber, destroyed half his village all in the name of his artwork. Deceased."
Minerva bit her lip as she recognized Konan's lover, the very same man who had destroyed Hogsmeade.
"Tobi, village unknown, abilities unknown, crimes unknown, affiliated with Akatsuki, status unknown, Kill on Sight."
"Hidan from Yuugakure, slaughtered most of the population of his village as a sacrifice to his God, affiliated with Akatsuki, imprisoned in Konoha, cannot be killed."
"Kakuzu from Takigakure, attempted to murder the First Hokage, was imprisoned then escaped, murdering the village leaders. Affiliated with Akatsuki, Deceased."
"Konan from Amegakure, successfully helped staged a coup d'état against the village leaders and took control of their home village, affiliated with Akatsuki, Kill on Sight."
"Pein, successfully staged a coup d'état against his village leaders, than he became the leader of Amegakure, affiliated with Akatsuki, Deceased."
"The Akatsuki's goal was to seal away the Nine Demons, most of which were imprisoned in various ninja, across the shinobi lands to be used as weapons. In doing so, they would have the ultimate weapon, which would allow them to force the rest of the Hidden Villages to swear fealty to them, in fear of having them unleashed. They failed to capture two demons and most members were killed in battle, while the remaining members are still being hunted down."
He walked around and let the Order absorb the information.
"We have three members of this organization working for us and two working against us. One of these members is listed as deceased." He held up the picture of Sasori.
"Another of these members is imprisoned." He showed them Hidan.
"In light of this recently disturbing information, who is to say that there aren't more of them out there? Who is to say that other "deceased" members are not in hiding? Who is to say, that the Akatsuki and Otogakure have not formed an alliance to expand their boundaries and conquer our world, since they could not conquer their own? Despite our spells and abilities to fight wars, they are superior in their battle magic and their martial arts. We provide a much easier world to target for these people."
Zetsu scowled as he listened, he seem to have had roughly half the organization convinced, the little ingrates! He thought angrily. It would serve them right to leave them to their fate.
Konan listened to his report with a meditative look on her face.
"So, should we leave those ungrateful wizards to their fate?" His Darker Half asked.
"Now wait, some of them defended us staunchly, and it is only natural that they are wary of us. After all we've hidden quite a bit from them." His Lighter Half pointed out.
"Screw that! Let the Sound kill them, let them beg for mercy! Their corpses will be just payment for a broken contract." His Darker Half scoffed, while licking his lips.
"Too many of these unfit wizards will make us fat. Besides if we left now, wouldn't we be the ones in violation of the contract?"
"That's true."
All the time while Zetsu argued, Konan sat and thought.
Kisame was watching as a small smile graced her lips.
"You got somethin in mind Blue?" He asked, stopping Zetsu's argument in its tracks.
"Yes. Let's take a page out of their book. Orochimaru is still too great a threat for my liking and I'd rather see him dead sooner than later."
"Alright, what do you suggest we do?" Zetsu asked.
"Divide and Conquer. All we need to do is convince these Death Eaters that Otogakure is plotting against them, insinuate that they may have formed a secret alliance with the last members of the Akatsuki and are planning to overthrow the Wizarding Government."
Two malicious grins mirrored her own.
For the next few weeks, Konan and Zetsu slipped away, disguised as various Death Eaters and Oto nin and began their rumor-mongering. Whispered conversations in darkened hallways broken off as soon as the other approaches, suspicious glances at one another, slipping hints and sowing feelings of hostility, fear and distrust.
Konan sat at the table with Albus, playing Wizard's Chess and making sure that Severus was in listening range.
"Oto has been quiet lately Konan." He stated simply, considering his next move.
"Mmm." She hummed in agreement. Her eyes studied the board, silently making notes of the most efficient way to wipe out his forces.
"Do you think they'll be withdrawing anytime soon?" He asked as he made his move.
She countered it swiftly. "Not until we neutralize the threat."
"I suspect you have another meaning behind that one my dear?"
Their eyes locked and Konan felt a twinge of something, foreign…yet familiar. It made her slightly edgy, but she maintained perfect composure as she discreetly looked away in a pretense of deciding her next move and slipped past his defenses.
"You are very perceptive, more perceptive than most people give you credit for Albus-san. But you are correct, we don't intend to simply neutralize the threat, we intend to annihilate it completely."
There was an air of malicious triumph about her.
Albus blinked in surprise when his last knight was captured.
"Everyone? Is that really necessary?"
"Of course. But it will take careful planning and when we are finished here, we will go back and strike the final blow to the village itself." She murmured, casually moving a knight to allow him to capture it.
He took the decoy.
"In fact," she went on, acting as though she were only barely paying attention to the game and allowing him to take a few more, "my spies have discovered loyal allies that will come to our aid. There was more to the Akatsuki than just the main core. It would have been suicide otherwise. I was taken by surprise by the numbers alone still left alive, they would be more than willing to aid you if they were allowed refuge here."
"Is that so?" Albus said. "And what prevents you from doing so right now? If I may be so bold as to ask?" He said in a conversational tone.
"One, we need to gather our forces. Moving that many shinobi into the country undetected by ninja and wizard alike is no easy task. Then we must position everything carefully, after that it is all a simple matter of waiting for the right time to strike." She smiled coyly.
"Check."
Albus smiled. A glint of knowing amusement in his eyes.
"Well played." He said graciously.
She tipped her head in acknowledgement.
After they left, Severus let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.
Konan's clone allowed herself a small smile, Phase One complete.
"Kabuto, what a pleasure to see you." The Sennin smiled, his tone was as sweet as honey and vaguely amused, though he could never quite disguise the mocking malice just beneath it.
"Orochimaru-sama, it appears we have a leak." Kabuto said.
Orochimaru scowled.
"Our leak is also adding in a few twists of their own in the rumor mill."
"What sort of rumors?" Orochimaru asked. There was no honey-sweet tone now, his voice was cold, angry. That tone could send a chill down even the most seasoned shinobi's spine.
"They say that the Akatsuki are alive and well and that we have allied with them to take over the Wizarding World. Our client is getting nervous."
"You suspect our little scorpion?" He asked.
"I suspect everyone."
"I want it taken care of quickly and quietly."
"Yes Orochimaru-sama."
Severus was frustrated. He had tried in vain to get Albus to listen to reason and now he stood before Lord Voldemort to attempt the same.
"I am well aware of the rumors Severus." Said Lord Voldemort, "and I am employing my own sources to discover how much of it is truth and how much is mere speculation. I suspect you have met with similar reluctance from Dumbledore in this matter?"
"Yes my Lord." Severus said, suppressing his frustration.
"You know at times I have my doubts about you. I sometimes wonder, just whose side you are truly on."
Severus looked into Voldemort's eyes. "If I may be so bold," he began,
"You may."
"I would much sooner postpone your victory, if it meant that those barbarians never got the chance to overthrow us and the Wizarding World for themselves."
Lord Voldemort studied him carefully. He would never allow anyone else to speak to him so, but Severus was the lone exception. The reason being, was that he had a level head on his shoulders and spoke of reason. He understood that there often times many complications that would force him to reconfigure his plans. Something must have disturbed him to protest so vehemently over their use of Shinobi.
"May I ask why you feel so opposed to them?"
"They are far more powerful than we are. Several of the people working for us have killed people far more powerful than the Order and all of us put together."
He handed Lord Voldemort the Bingo Book.
"Furthermore, they start training them as children. According to Dumbledore's kunoichi, if left untrained until puberty, their chakra coils will go to waste because they will be too small to accommodate the proper amounts of internal energy needed to form jutsu, and so that they may be physically fit and well disciplined enough to learn how to utilize it."
"Which may explain why we, their descendants are so stunted in comparison." Lord Voldemort murmured.
"I know you seldom trust anyone Severus, but for once I am going to ask you to trust me."
Severus did not need Occlumency to figure out what was going on in Lord Voldemort's head. Attempting to double-cross the double-crosser was an act of sheer lunacy, but once he had an idea in his head he would go after it.
Konan and Kisame was livid when they heard the news.
"That fool! He's destroyed everything!"
"Perhaps we can turn the situation around." Konan said, being under the rule of Madara had taught her a thing or two about how to twist situations to one's advantage.
"How?" Kisame wondered.
"Both Voldemort and Orochimaru are paranoid, cautious men and Zetsu can forge anything. If we get him to forge a note under Kabuto's hand and send it off to him immediately, Orochimaru will become suspicious of his motives, especially since by now he believes that he has a leak in his midst."
"That's crazy enough that it might work."
"Indeed." Said Zetu's Darker Half.
"If Madara had realized just how closely you studied him Konan-san, he might have begun to view you as a threat instead."
"Go Zetsu, we have a very limited window of time." Konan said.
"As you wish." His Lighter Half acknowledged.
Orochimaru read the note with suspicion. He was not sure if Wizards had spells to forge people's writing, but he wouldn't put it past some of them to learn.
"So this amateur is trying to double-cross me by buttering me up? Ah no matter. I'm always looking forward to a game of wits."
Orochimaru smiled, if he played his cards just right, he would crush both the Death Eaters and the Order of the Phoenix by the end of the year and start the process of taking over the Wizarding World, especially if there were more people like their newest little captive around. Who knew how many more clans could be revived by these ignorant wizards?
"You do realize that you are making it harder for me to catch both Orochimaru and Voldemort off guard don't you?"
Sasori asked acidly.
When Konan didn't reply Sasori spat out irritably.
"I see that overgrown weed of yours is still hanging around!"
Still she said nothing,
"We are all here for our gains, nothing has changed about that, despite the fact that we are no longer working under the name of a cohesive unit. You and Kisame are here because you want to wipe Oto off the face of the map, if the rumors I've heard are true and Zetsu is here because he follows you everywhere like a loyal mutt. I am here because I want Orochimaru and Voldemort as my new puppets at the very least."
He said, eying Kisame and Konan with a look that said he was figuring out how he should modify their bodies if he killed them.
"Give it up puppet freak!" Kisame snorted. "You can't take on both of us and hope to win."
"If it were someone like Pein, Kakuzu or Itachi saying that, than I'd believe it. You two on the other hand…"
"At least I can trust Zetsu." She interrupted out.
"What a strange thing to say about a cannibal." He mused.
"And you expect me to say the same about the lone reviver of the Human Puppet Technique?" She asked with a tinge of amusement.
"So, you've finally gained a sense of humor." Sasori grumbled.
"Be patient a little longer Sasori-san. We will have our chance."
"You know I hate waiting."
"Than perhaps it's high time you learned to tolerate it." Konan said in a condescending tone, as though scolding an impatient Genin.
Sasori bristled.
Moody shook his head, while he couldn't see what they were saying because the way they were positioned, it looked like Severus' suspicions were being confirmed if they were plottin with the enemy.
Suddenly a clone appeared, grabbed Sasori and held him fast while Kisame whipped out Samehada and held it near the Suna nin.
Konan slapped an explosive note on the heart container.
"You know there's more than one way to kill a ninja." Kisame said pleasantly, "Chakra depletion is a pretty sucky way to go." Watching with unconcealed glee as the Puppet Master went still as Samehada began to absorb his chakra.
"If you attempt to transfer your heart to another puppet, you're as good as dead anyways." Konan added.
She began forming signs, it was a combination of magic and chakra.
"And just what is it that you want from me?" Sasori asked.
"You will disengage from Orochimaru's services and conveniently disappear somewhere in Britain.".
"And just why would I do that?"
"Because we have information about Lord Voldemort that will make him one of your most unique puppets yet." Konan said.
"You see, not unlike the jinchuuriki we hunted, Lord Voldemort has sealed six parts of his soul into what wizards call Horcruxes, so that he may be revived anytime a part of his soul has been destroyed. It is unfortunately a crude, slow process and one has unfortunately already been destroyed but I am sure that combining Orochimaru with Lord Voldemort will speed up the process. I have two people who can help you find the remaining pieces before time is up."
Already Sasori's thoughts were whirling at the implications of having a combined puppet with an arsenal of such unusual techniques.
"You have yourself a deal Konan."
But before he could ask why he had been tied down a flash of magic and chakra coursed over them and entwined themselves around himself and Konan, part of it, he recognized as the type of chakra you would find in a tracking jutsu.
"Congratulations Sasori, you've just made a hybrid version of The Unbroken Vow, if you try to betray us you will die on the spot since it is tied to both body and spirit. The only way for you to rid yourself of this particular curse is to fulfill your promise."
"When I break free of this curse I will kill you." Sasori snarled.
"I'll be looking forward to that battle." She said.
"I'll be sure not to dissapoint you."