Yuki, Kyuubi and Naruto sat on the same branch; their eyes unwavering from a single spot. Yuki stretched, letting loose a yawn.
"So…Why are we here?" she asked, her voice a mere whisper. She glanced to Naruto and Kyuubi who were staring at each other. She glanced to Anko who was flipping a senbon in her hand.
"I don't know, but whatever Tsunade-sama says goes," Anko replied.
Yuki nodded. The task they had been given was to wait here for a contact. They had been waiting for the past two hours with no signs of a single person. Yuki closed her eyes, when suddenly the wind became icy cold. She exhaled, watching as a cloud of air turned into a cloud of fog.
The informant is here.
Tenshi took another step, his Hidden Mist Jutsu, hiding him from view. He tipped the straw hat lower, reflecting over the past three years. Times had been difficult. In fact, the members of the Akatsuki had been antagonistic when he had arrived.
FLASHBACK
"Who have you brought amongst us?" a white eyed man spoke, his glare unwavering. The chamber
Tenshi had pushed Tenkei behind himself, and stepped forward, moving a single brown hair out of his vision. He returned the angry stare, with no fear.
"Tenshi Yudashi. He might be of use to us," Itachi Uchiha declared, standing behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Kill him and let's be done with it," a gravelly hunchbacked man stated, starting forward.
"We cannot use another member," another agreed.
Tenshi smirked, and flexed his claws.
"Come and try it," he stated venomously. He hunched over, and waited for the first person to attack.
"I will do it."
The feminine voice was soft, but cold hearted. He watched a blue haired woman emerge from the shadows.
"Konan. Make it quick."
Tenshi prepared himself for the unavoidable fight. He stood his ground, watching as she vanished. A single piece of paper floated towards him, its speed inhuman. He sidestepped it, and turned around to face the woman as she dashed forward, wielding a paper stake.
Left, right, up, thrust, stab!
He remained calm and parried the next blow, weaving in and out of the various attacks. He was well aware of the massive tomb of paper mâché that was awaiting him from behind.
"Fool."
He smiled as he was engulfed, and suffocated slowly, and painfully.
TENSHI! NO!
I'm fine. Let me handle this.
Ok.
Tenshi frowned in concentration, letting his heartbeats settle to nothing, fainting on purpose. He bit his lip deeply, letting a small amount of blood collect on the skin. The pressure vanished, and he hit the ground hard, wandering the realm between unconsciousness and life.
"Discard of the trash, and let's be done with this farce."
He watched as Konan turned her back on him, and stood up, releasing a spray of blood towards the woman. He watched her turn and raise a hand, laughing at what seemed to be a futile attempt.
"Is this a joke? Spitting blood at your enemy?" the woman stated reappearing a foot from him.
"I'd suggest you not underestimate him," Kisame spoke, his eyes wide with excitement.
Now!
He formed the seals quickly with little effort. His head was already woozy by how much blood he had expelled. But now he would end this fight in a single move.
Tiger, snake, ram, horse, hare, ram, horse, hare, tiger!
He opened his hands focusing. An explosion rocked the ground as Konan was engulfed in a sphere of blood.
"Chi: Keimusho no Jutsu (Blood Release: Prison Jutsu)!" he stated, focusing his chakra. He could feel inside the technique her attempts to leave his technique. Several pieces of paper escaped the orb, only to be captured in separate prisons of the same jutsu. He had only to reposition his hands to catch her body.
My body can handle this fight. Until then, I just have to hold out.
His eyes moved left and right as the girl tried to counter his technique, the stalemate lasting thirty minutes. He could see that the members of the Akatsuki were entranced by the deadly standoff, as both shinobi struggled, one to get free, while the other tried to maintain the upper hand.
After about an hour, the tides turned. He heard the woman's gasp inside the sphere, and released her, the entire floor becoming soaked in blood. He remained wary of Konan, and watched her waiting for her to attack. This fight was far from done. He had disrespected one of them which meant that there would be serious repercussions. He assessed himself. His chakra had given out at the exact moment her limit had been reached. To continue to act bold would be stupid. He was at his limit and couldn't continue fighting if he had to. He exhaled a couple times, and watched her stand up.
"Enough. Konan. Come," the orange haired man spoke, his voice unwavering. "You. Tenshi…you won due to her overconfidence. We've heard of what you've done. Unbelievable as it is, you've proven your talents. Welcome."
The rest of the members had grumbled but Itachi had been the first to speak.
"I'll teach you what you need to know. Stay out of our way, and we will do the same for you."
And it had been that way for the past three years. He'd learned a lot, and gained a lot of knowledge in the time. When the others had questioned his loyalty during a task, he'd been the one to murder. Pain trusted him, and Konan had given him numerous tasks, which he had completed successfully. When it had come to finding the Six Tails, Utakata, he had done it in a single night. And in that same night, Pain had captured the jinchuuriki. He was useful in withdrawing bijuu, due to his kekki genkai. It enabled him to disable the seals with little chakra.
RETURN TO PRESENT
He took another step, twigs snapping underfoot. His ears listened for something to attack. His eyes glanced right, to where Tenkei stood. He smiled at her, their minds linked deeper than they ever had been. The wolf he saw now, was henged to look like a human. Her sandy blonde hair came to her neck, and two strands hung in two braids. Her body suited their ages, and made few people question them. Tenshi pulled his coat a little tighter, returning his thoughts to the task at hand.
Be careful. I smell humans up ahead.
I'm well aware of that.
The first kunai missed his head by an inch, as he sidestepped it.
Don't interfere unless I tell you to.
He dispersed the technique, tipping his hat lower, to avoid revealing his true identity.
"Akatsuki? That's our contact?" Anko spoke her voice thick with hatred. Tenshi ignored the comment, continuing towards them.
"Stay where you are or I will kill you!" a girl he didn't recognize stated.
He ignored Naruto, and Anko, his eyes searching the trio. He'd only speak to one person. The only one person he had demanded be at the meeting. He recognized her, the instant he saw her, his heart skipping a beat.
"You, there. Come here," he said, pointing at Yuki.
"Over my dead body!" Akira growled, starting towards him.
"Akira!" Anko called, stopping the new girl in her tracks. He ignored her, his eyes unwavering from his old friend. She'd changed so much in the time they'd last spoken.
"How are we sure you won't murder her, the moment she's within your range," the Jounin asked.
"I give you my word; I will keep my body absolutely still. If I even move an inch, you have the right to murder me."
There was silence, before Yuki started towards him. He kept his hat tipped low, to avoid giving away his identity. He would do it at the right moment. But for now, he would only speak to her.
"You want to talk to me? Well, I'm here. Say what you have to, and then be gone. I was told that you had valuable information concerning the jinchuuriki and our village."
He waited the disgust very evident in her voice.
"It's been awhile, Yuki-chan," he started, watching her recoil, but in a less pleasant way than he anticipated.
"I'm not a friend of yours, and I don't know you, so shut-"
"I wouldn't expect you to remember me," he said, quietly.
"Is that so?" the girl demanded, stepping forward. He could tell that the mutual discussion was gaining in heat and would boil over if it continued.
"I cannot explain how I know you, and won't reveal who I am. What I came to discuss is short and the truth. One, is Madara Uchiha is alive. He is the mastermind behind the Akatsuki and the reason for its existence. Don't be fooled. He is not dead, and is currently in the development of a plan. I do not know exactly what it is, but from what I have discerned, it will affect the five Great Shinobi Nations. Two, the destruction of the Leaf, when the Nine tailed Fox attacked, was his doing. Three, he will be visiting the Five Kage meeting in several days. There is more, but that will be when I meet with the Hokage," he stated, starting to walk past Yuki.
He heard the sword unsheathing, and ducked in a swift movement, feeling the sharpness of the tool, as it shaved off a lock of his hair. He stood up, catching the wrist as the girl's attack went past him. He spun around sending her back towards her squad mates.
"I don't want trouble," Tenshi stated, his eyes wandering over the four shinobi whose positions turned aggressive.
"Too late for that," Akira yelled, suddenly in front of him.
So fast!
He blocked the first swipe at his head, spinning around it, leaning back as three shuriken flew towards where he had been a moment before. He flipped onto his hands, blocking more attacks with his feet, finishing the cartwheel, with a launch into midair.
"RASENGAN!"
Tenshi noticed the attack a second too late, his eyes widening in shock. The technique went right through his body, which shattered into a million pieces of glass. Naruto stood up shocked, noticing the real one, standing a mere three inches from his attack.
Tenshi whirled his coat upwards, slipping his arm over Naruto's hand and flipping over him, to kick an incoming Akira away. He rotated, throwing Naruto away, grabbing Yuki's wrist to avoid a Lightning Blade which had been aimed at his heart. He spun clockwise, and let her go flying into a nearby tree, his eyes searching for the next attacker.
A giant snake appeared out of the ground where he stood attempting to swallow him whole.
Tenkei!
I'm there!
He was shoved out of the way, the snake engulfing his friend in a single bite. He smiled, the snake's body exploding as the wolf cut through it from head to toe. Tenshi noticed the huge fireball aimed at him, only a moment later, dashing left. The explosion rocked the ground beneath his feet, and noticed the four clones which dashed towards him. He faced the closest one, and stopped the kick, flipping over it, forcing the clone to perform the splits. He landed on a single foot, as it dispersed kicking Akira into the nearest tree. He spun one more time, his skill proven at the scene before him. He had returned to the place he had originally been standing, and the other four were back to where they had been standing. Tenkei walked to his side, her eyes wide with excitement, and fear for his sake.
"WHO ARE YOU?" The demon fox growled her rage inconsolable.
He sighed, and finally reached up, yanking on the straw hat. As it fell, he noticed recognition in Yuki's eyes.
"My name…is Tenshi Yudashi."