Dōkutsugakure no Sato
An: Sorry 'bout the wait. Work's been crazy. But on the plus side, I now have Saturdays off for a change (unless something changes again).
Disclaimer: DragonKingDragneel25 and Spirit Soldier do not own Naruto
Chapter 5-The granddaughter of the Tsuchikage
"I'm not at liberty to discuss Iwa business with Konoha scum like you," she said coolly. A few of the group took offense at her statement, but Aku held his hand up to silence them.
"Well, I can give you that, if it wasn't for the fact that you're so far into Hi no Kuni with no backup, and reports say that your grandfather isn't one to let you wonder so deep into Konoha territory without at least two Jonin escorting you. So tell me, what are you doing here? We're on a tight schedule and we can't afford to deal with you right now."
Aki saw the girl flinch slightly, but decided not to call her out on it yet. Not until she had more information.
The girl quickly recovered and narrowed her eyes at the group. "Well, how about how you're heading to Iwa's borders with such a large company of shinobi?" she shot back. "Iwa requires advanced notice if such a large group of shinobi is heading to our borders!"
"Then it's a good thing we're not headed to Iwa!" Naruto shouted at her. He looked to Shikamaru and asked, "We're not, right?"
Shikamaru shook his head. "No. We're heading this way as a diversion, then just before the border, we're following it northwest," he said strongly.
"A likely story," the Iwa kunoichi sneered. "What else would Konoha shinobi be doing this far out of their village if not for a miss-"
"There they are!" a voice shouted, interrupting the kunoichi. Suddenly, Konoha nin appeared behind Aku and the group. Anko cursed.
"Dammit! Battle stations people!" she announced before she herself was interrupted.
"I hear shouting! Over here!" a voice shouted. Aki, who had kept her eye on the Iwa kunoichi, was shocked to see the girl's eyes widen. Not in shock. But in terror. But before Aki could do anything, several Iwa shinobi and kunoichi appeared behind the girl.
"Kurotsuchi-sama!" one called out. "We found you!"
"And look at what else we found," another growled. "Konoha shinobi!"
"So you not only kidnapped the clan heirs, but are also consorting with Iwa, demon brat?!" a Konoha shinobi shouted.
"You Konoha mutts thought you'd kidnap the Tsuchikage's granddaughter? Utterly stupid on your parts!" they shouted. "Tsuchikage-sama will not be happy about your little stunt, Konoha!"
"As if we would fall for your lies, Iwa rats!" another Konoha shinobi sneered.
"So you deny kidnapping Kurotsuchi-sama?! Well, T&I will break you soon enough," another Iwa kunoichi snapped. Kurotsuchi's face, unnoticed by all except Aki, went pale as a sheet at the mention of the T&I department's name.
"Enough of this!" a Konoha shinobi shouted. "You Iwa rats are found aiding and abending a known criminal of Konohagakure no Sato, and you are now under arrest!"
"I think you're confused," an Iwa kunoichi hissed. "You Konoha dogs have kidnapped the granddaughter of our Tsuchikage-sama, and we're placing you under arrest!"
"Oh…" Seimei groaned.
"Crap!" Naruto finished.
"Company down!" Aku shouted. Everyone hit the ground as the shinobi of the warring villages began trading jutsus back and forth. The group quickly tried to get away from the kill zone, and Aki noticed Kurotsuchi race away from her fellow shinobi of Iwa. Frowning, she activated her Kekkei Genkai and chased after her.
"I won't!" Kurotsuchi cried out, shaking her head furiously as she fought back tears. "I won't go back to Iwa! Not after what I've learned! I won't let them take me back!"
"Kurotsuchi-sama! This way!" an Iwa shinobi behind her shouted, but she didn't stop. "Kurotsuchi-sama!" The shinobi chased after and almost grabbed her, but Aki appeared and slashed the man's throat. Kurotsuchi turned to try and stall him, but suddenly saw the shinobi's neck burst open with a spray of blood.
Before Kurotsuchi could process this, she was tackled to the ground. She tried to look up but only saw a blonde haired red eyed woman glaring at her. "You almost got my family killed," she hissed, making the Iwa kunoichi stiffen up. "Maybe not intentionally, but it's enough for me! Now, you're coming with us so I can get answers, and if you refuse, I'll throw you to those Iwa shinobi and let them leave with you! Got it?!"
Kurotsuchi paled and nodded quickly. Aki nodded and picked her up violently. "Now move!" she hissed. Kurotsuchi nodded quickly and raced for the tree line. Aki turned to the group and shouted, "Come on! This way!"
"You heard her!" Anko yelled. "Get the lead out!" The group had finally made it out of the trouble and raced for the tree line; Kiba was still disoriented from the drug, so he lagged behind until Shino and Naruto grabbed him by the shoulders and dragged him off.
"They're getting away!" a Konoha shinobi shouted, but before he could give chase, his throat was slit by an Iwa kunoichi.
In a thicket next to the battlefield, two ROOT shinobi surveyed the chaos.
"This is getting out of hand," one ROOT muttered. "Now not only do we have to keep our own allies off the group, but now we have to stall Iwa. This a war waiting to happen."
"Maybe not," the other murmured. He was currently scrawling something onto a scroll.
"What are your writing?" the first asked.
"You know how my clan has been developing a jutsu to read an enemy's surface thoughts?" the second asked.
"Yes. Danzō-sama asked you to keep him well informed of the jutsu's progress," the first replied.
"Well, I think I just got it to work," the second responded. "And it revealed some interesting things in the Tsuchikage's granddaughter's mind."
"What interesting things?"
The shinobi quickly finished writing and rolled up the scroll. "Perhaps a way to prevent a war," the second answered. "I must get this to Danzō-sama at once. Continue following the group as planned. I'll report to Danzō-sama and give him the assessment. This is of the upmost urgency."
"Yes."
The group had finally caught up to Aki, and were surprised at her tag along. "H-Hey!" Kiba shouted, still held between Shino and Naruto. "What's the Iwa bitch doing in front?!"
"She's coming with us so I can get answers as to why she almost got us killed!" Aki answered curtly.
"Isn't that a bit extreme, Aki?" Seimei asked.
"No it isn't!"
"If it's any consolation, mutt, I don't like the situation either!" Kurotsuchi snapped back.
"Why you-"
"Enough!" Aku shouted. "Now's not the time for this! We're already in hot water! She was seen with us! Not having her with us would be worse if Iwa found us again!"
"Aku is right!" Anko shouted back. "She's, for all intents and purposes, our hostage as far as Iwa's concerned! Best to have her near us, to try and get out of another mess with Iwa, than to not have her and be forced to fight them!"
"Yeah, well, bring 'em on!" Naruto shouted. "No one hurting my friends while I'm on duty!"
"You think you can take on Iwa's best, you blonde rat?" Kurotsuchi asked snidely. "You're obviously delusional! No one can take on Iwa's best!"
"Our Yondaime did! And if Iwa tries to hurt my friends, not even the Bijū would stop me from protecting them!" Naruto shouted back at her.
"So you're delusional and suicidal?! I knew Konoha was crazy, but this is absurd!"
"Look lady-!"
"Naruto, enough!" Aku barked. Naruto shut up instantly, though he looked rather put off about it. Aku turned to the Iwa kunoichi and said, "I'd recommend you try and be a little nicer. After all, you are in the presence of Iwa's enemies who also hold your life in their hands."
Kurotsuchi scowled, but didn't bother answering him. She just huffed and turned back to avoid looking at any of them. Naruto growled at her superior attitude, but Aku's voice broke through the group again.
"Everyone listen up! We've got no time now! We need to get out of Hi no Kuni pronto! After that, Konoha will be forced to stop chasing us and return to Konoha for further instruction or until Tsunade-sama bans us missing nin! So haul ass, and let's get the hell outta dodge!"
Konoha
"Danzō-sama!" the Root nin exclaimed as he breathlessly knelt before his boss. He had pushed himself to his absolute limit to make it back to Konoha as fast as he did.
Danzō had been merely rereading his letter to the Daimyo when the nin came in, and calmly raised his eyebrow. "Report."
"Sir, the group had made it to the half way point as scheduled, but ran into a very big snag," the shinobi responded.
Danzō stood straight. "'Very big snag?'" he quoted. He didn't like that.
"They came across the Tsuchikage's granddaughter at the halfway point, sir."
'Really don't like that.' Danzō narrowed his eyes at the shinobi. "Continue."
"Some words were exchanged, then Konoha nin arrived on the scene just as Iwa forces arrived as well, presumably to retrieve the Tsuchikage's granddaughter. However, she seemed spooked at their presence, and actively ran from them." Danzō was intrigued by this. "Aki Chōwashibō caught her and demanded answers from her, so she dragged her along with the group."
Danzō suppressed a groan. "Anything else?"
"I tested my clan's newest jutsu to read surface thoughts on the Tsuchikage's granddaughter, sir, and discovered this." He handed Danzō the scroll he wrote on. Curious, Danzō took the scroll and opened it. He read over the contents, and he felt his eye widen. He reread over the scroll multiple times before he began chuckling.
"Well, it appears Iwa isn't as spotless compared to us as they boast," he said, a dark smirk making its way across his scarred face.
"Is there any way you could use this to prevent war between us and Iwa, Danzō-sama?" the shinobi asked.
"Oh, I think I can work with this," the one eyed shinobi chuckled. "It would appear, however, that I am in need of Tsunade's assistance on the matter. Return to your post, and inform me when the group has left Hi no Kuni."
"What of the Tsuchikage's granddaughter, sir?"
"The group is much safer with her present than they are without her at the moment. She'll be counted amongst the group until something else comes up."
"Yes sir." The shinobi vanished, leaving Danzō to chuckle one more time before he left for Tsunade's office.
He had a war to prevent, after all.
An: Seriously? What are these two authors planning? Well, you'll have to wait for Spirit to complete the next chapter to find out won't you?