Chapter 29: Infiltration Successful!
As soon as the sun set and night fell over Amegakure's capital city, the Sand Siblings, Daisuke the advisor, and Ryu the dragon made their way out of the abandoned warehouse they were staying in for the last few days and into the shadows of Amegakure's capital city.
As the group made their way to the dictator's tower, they stayed hidden in the shadows made by the tall buildings and avoided Seiriyu's ANBU at all costs.
"Here we are. The building appears to be busy tonight." said Daisuke as the group ran through the streets like the ninjas they were.
"I wonder why?" asked Ryu.
"Well, let's get a closer look then shall we?" asked Temari as she picked up the pace. The others followed suit.
They stopped and hid behind the nearest building to the Dictator's tower. Different horse drawn carriages were converging at the tower's entrance, dropping off official looking person after official looking person.
"Hey guys! Isn't that guy in the official looking hat with the rain kanji on the front the Rain Daimyo?" asked Kankuro as he pointed at the tall man exiting his golden carriage with two women in tow.
"You're right Kankuro." answered Temari. "It looks like they are all here for a party."
"A party that we're going to crash?" asked Kankuro as he looked at the others.
"Not until we find Izuka first." said Gaara as he scanned their surroundings. "My guess is that Seiriyu's going to make her come to the party as well."
"It's probably their celebration party for their invasion of Suna." suggested Daisuke as he looked at the building. "The question now is how are we going to get into the building without being detected by the guards."
"I have an idea." said Temari as she ran for the back of the building. The rest followed.
"What do you have in mind sis?" asked Kankuro as the group stopped at a corner of the building.
"Shh and look." said Temari as she pointed.
The group looked to see the back door of the tower being guarded by four menacing looking guards, each holding regular swords.
"Ryu, do you think you can distract those guards?" asked Temari as she turned to the dragon.
"I'll see what I can do." answered Ryu as she slithered over to the door.
Ryu made a guttural growl to get the guards' attention. One of the guards, who was bald, looked at her.
"Hey guys! Check this out! It's a dragon!" said the guard.
"That's something you don't see every day. What's it doing here?" asked a second guard, who was wearing a helmet.
"Who knows, but Dictator Seiriyu will probably like the little creature as a congratulatory gift." said a third guard with a beard.
"Yeah right!" yelled Ryu in agitation as she grew to her true size. She smacked two guards into the wall with her large paws while swatting the other two with her tail into the same wall. She quickly shrunk herself back into her smaller form, checked the guards' pulses, and signaled that the coast was clear.
"Nice job Ryu." said Kankuro.
"It's a gift." answered Ryu calmly as she observed Temari unlocking the door with one of the guards' keys.
"We're in." said Temari as she silently walked inside, followed by Gaara, Daisuke, Kankuro, and Ryu.
The group was now standing in an empty hallway that was dimly lit.
"What now?" asked Daisuke as he looked around.
"Gaara, use your telepathic link with Izuka to find her!" said Ryu in a slightly commanding tone.
"Your WHAT?!" asked Daisuke, Kankuro, and Temari in surprise as they looked at the redhead.
Gaara sighed before answering. "Izuka and I share a telepathic link with each other thanks to Shukaku ever since the last war ended."
"So, you guys have been like secret conversations with each other when you talk with other people?" asked Temari.
"Something like that." answered Gaara in a plain tone.
"How kinky of you two." commented Kankuro in a pervy tone.
"Shut it Kankuro! We're not in the mood for your nonsense and Ryu, how do you know about my telepathic link with Izuka?" asked Gaara as he turned to the dragon.
"Izuka never really told me about it. It kind of happened during one of those nights she was actually able to sleep. She ended up talking in her sleep once and I found out about it then." answered Ryu.
Gaara only nodded. Kankuro looked surprise.
"Izuka actually slept once? How is that possible? She has Shukaku sealed within her for Pete's sake!" cried Kankuro.
"Do you want the whole tower to hear you?" asked Temari as she slapped her hand over Kankuro's mouth.
Kankuro shook his head no.
"To answer your question Kankuro, let's just say that Ryuna does have her moments when it comed to Shukaku." said Ryu with a nod.
Daisuke turned to Gaara. "You better try that telepathic link. It's probably our best option in finding her."
Gaara nodded and closed his eyes to concentrate. "Izzy?" he thought.
No answer.
"Izzy, are you there?" thought Gaara.
Still no answer.
"Izuka please tell me your safe." thought Gaara with a hint of worry.
"I'm fine." answered Izuka.
Gaara let out a sigh of relief as he heard his girlfriend's telepathic voice.
"What took you so long to answer me?" asked Gaara with a little bit of annoyance.
"Seiriyu has been chatting up a storm right next to me." answered Izuka flatly. "Are you okay?"
"A few cuts and bruises and some broken ribs, but I'll be fine." answered Gaara. "Where are you?"
Izuka let out a sigh of relief. "I'm just leaving our old suite with Seiriyu. He's taking me to this banquet down in the tower's main hall as his date."
"Date?" Gaara asked in an incredulous tone.
"Yes." answered Izuka. "And if I don't comply with his demands, he's going to shock me with the same black lightning he shocked me with in the arena a few days ago. I only woke up from that today."
Gaara clearly remembered that scene. It always gave him a feeling of pain and guilt whenever he remembered Izuka in a weakened state.
"How is he doing that?" asked Gaara in a serious tone.
"He painted a kanji seal around both my wrists. He can easily shock me with a snap of his finger. I have no idea how to cancel it out" answered Izuka.
"Well he won't get away with it on my watch. Do you have the scroll with my second gourd with you?" asked Gaara curiously.
"No, they're both still within the suite in my room on the dresser. You're going to have to come to the suite to get it before going down to the main hall. Be careful though, Seiriyu put an electric seal on them and it will shock you if you touch it. That's why I didn't bring them with me." said Izuka in an apologetic tone.
"That's okay; we'll take care of that. Do you know where the main hall is?" asked Gaara.
"It's down on the second floor. You can't miss it It's practically the only room on the floor." answered Izuka.
"Thanks for the info Izuka. See you soon." said Gaara.
"See ya." said Izuka as she signed off.
Gaara opened his eyes to see everyone else looking at him expectantly.
"Well?" asked Kankuro.
"Izuka is being taken to the tower's main hall as Seiriyu's date for a banquet he's having. He placed seals around Izuka's wrists that we'll shock her if she doesn't comply with his demands." said Gaara in agitation.
"Is he using the same black lightning from before?" asked Temari.
"Yes; Izuka only woke up from the first time she was shocked by that black lightning today." answered Gaara.
"Wow! That lightning is definitely bad news if Izuka was out of it for the past few days." commented Ryu.
"Right now we can't go to the hall just yet. We have to get to our old suite to get my scroll and Izuka's chain whip. But they are both protected by an electric seal." said Gaara as he started to walk down the hall.
"Don't worry about that Gaara-san. I know a few seals that deal with the elements. I could probably break it." said Daisuke with a sheepish grin.
"That's good to know. C'mon let's find the stairs." said Temari as she started to run down the halls.
"Stairs? Sis, our suite is on the 20th floor of the whole building. Can't we use the elevator?" whined Kankuro as he ran.
"If we can find a second elevator, then we'll use it. But for now, let's just look for the stairs." said Temari as she turned a corner.
"I so hate tall buildings!" grumbled Kankuro as he followed the others.
With Izuka
"Lady Sage, you look absolutely beautiful in your kimono." gushed Seiriyu as the two walked out of the elevator on the second floor arm-in-arm.
"Thanks." said Izuka plainly as she looked straight ahead. "You don't look so bad yourself."
Izuka was wearing a dark red kimono with a gold bow and gold detailing at its edges. Her hair was up in a bun with a rose intricately woven into it with a few hair strands falling to the sides of her face. She was wearing gold hoop earrings and her amulet and rosary were in its usual place around her neck. A servant had painted Izuka's lips rose red and dabbed some blush on her cheeks.
"Why thank you, you're too kind." said Seiriyu as he looked down at his black men's kimono. "You know, I always wondered why you wear that amulet around your neck all the time. Don't you ever take it off?" asked Seiriyu as he started to reach for the necklace.
Izuka instantly snatched it away from his hand.
"Please don't touch it. I'm very critical when someone does that." said Izuka in a cold tone.
"Why of course. As you wish Lady Sage." answered Seiriyu with a smirk.
The two continued their small walk in silence until they reached the main hall. As the two passed the guards that were stationed at the entryway and walked into the large room, Izuka couldn't help but gawk at the room.
"Amazing isn't it?" asked Seiriyu. "It's the oldest room in the building, but it's also the fanciest."
The banquet hall's color scheme was red and gold. The ceiling looked to reach up into the fifth floor and there was a large intricate chandelier in the middle of it. Paintings of different landscapes adorned the walls. There were people dressed in intricate kimonos mulling around the hall's floor. There were round tables surrounding three sides of a rectangular dance floor while a long rectangular table was at the last side.
"I see you've outdone yourself." said Izuka critically.
"Why thank you." replied Seiriyu. "The planned invasion of an enemy village is worth celebrating if you ask me."
"You act like you've already won." said Izuka skeptically.
"Since I've already defeated Suna's Kazekage, I've indeed already won." said Seiriyu with a sadistic smirk, which made Izuka squirm on the inside.
"Dictator Kotowashi!" exclaimed a loud voice.
Izuka and Seiriyu both turned their heads to see the Rain Daimyo walking over to them, followed by two of his female advisors.
"Rain Daimyo-sama, you made it!" exclaimed Seiriyu happily as he shook the man's hand.
"Yes I did. After hearing that you defeated the great Gaara of the Desert, I just had to come." said the Daimyo.
The Rain Daimyo was a tall man that easily exceeded six feet. He had long dark gray hair, a short dark gray beard, and was wearing a dark blue men's kimono. His usual Daimyo crown was sitting on top of his hair. His two advisors were wearing matching dark pink kimonos.
The Rain Daimyo soon turned his attention to Izuka.
"Ah; it's an honor to meet you Lady Sage-san." said the Daimyo as he shook her hand in his.
"It's a pleasure to meet you too." said Izuka with a fake grin.
"I heard you actually traveled here with the Kazekage of Sunagakure. Are you actually alright with his defeat and the invasion of Suna?" asked the Daimyo with a cocky grin.
Thanks to that grin, Izuka so knew that the Daimyo really didn't care about her opinion on the matter.
"I'm fine." Izuka decided to say.
"Excellent, I hope you like your long stay here in Amegakure. You'll love it here." said the Daimyo before he moved on to talk with the other guests.
"Long stay?" asked Izuka a tad incredulously.
"Indeed. I took you from Gaara because he lost to me in the duel. You are mine now Izuka. Forever." said Seiriyu with his signature sadistic smile.
Izuka only thought one thing when he said that.
"Oh hell no!"
End of chapter 29
A/N: Please review!