Teams Making Plans.
Early morning at the Intelligence Division in Konoha the research team had just finished presenting their findings to Shikamaru. From the start Shikamaru treated the toy mentioned in the investigations on the attack on Ino as a weapon. With that logic he called in their weapons expert and a few others in the intelligence field to assist him with today's meeting.
TenTen looked over the design of the weapons on the scrolls. The way they looked compared to the design of the toy presented to the research team gave little doubt that they were manufactured by the same creator. There were little details that a weapons expert like TenTen got used to seeing over the years.
"So what do you think," Shikamaru asked the brunette weapons expert.
"Handmade, expertly crafted and no two will be alike…Shikamaru if they are somehow channeling their jutsu why haven't the other girls shown up with similar toys," TenTen asked.
"We just don't know yet what purpose the toy serves if any at all," Shikamaru said. It puzzled him when he heard all the commotion over a toy but he wouldn't rule anything out. The enemy needed something to plant their jutsu on or in. So far this was their greatest lead and they were running with it.
"Well the design of the weapons from those scrolls are similar. I'd say that Naruto and the others are on the right path," Ten Ten said. Two other examiners took turns pointing out where TenTen highlighted and were busy making notes while the others silently listened on.
Shiho was silently listening to the conversation between TenTen and Shikamaru before speaking up, "I think if I may interrupt. I think that we may be able to counter the jutsu with a similar weapon. If we could somehow interrupt the frequency of the jutsu…If we could somehow use a weapon to jam the signal so to speak we can interrupt the nightmares the women are having. I know that is assuming way too much."
"No Shiho. I think that if we could somehow find this frequency or whatever it may be possible to counteract the jutsu," Shikamaru said.
"Just like with Pein. I think it acts just like Pein's bodies and the real one is somewhere out there transmitting to the rest of them," Shiho said.
"I understand what you mean," Shikamaru said. Thinking back to the chaos of the Invasion of Pein he knew how quickly everyone jumped to conclusions in a panic. That wasn't his style. He had to carefully examine each possibility to see the bigger picture.
"I do too. But no one has any evidence of how the jutsu works," TenTen said.
"If we did we will have TenTen and the Yamanaka clan working together on this weapon. I think that is our best shot," Shikamaru said. He hated to think it but if the enemy responsible could somehow transfer this jutsu to objects like toys and weapons it could be used to target anyone.
"Agreed," Shiho said.
"I teach a class at the academy in a half an hour so I better get going," TenTen said.
"Yes, I am grateful that you could help out thanks," Shikamaru said.
"Tell Temari that I said hello," TenTen said.
"She will be back soon you can tell her yourself," Shikamaru said.
TenTen nodded and rolled up her scrolls as she headed out of the Konoha Intelligence Division on her way to the Academy. The weather was brisk outside so she would likely have a grumbling audience of kids who didn't want to throw weapons in the cold then again the ones who truly loved it wouldn't complain at all.
000
Kakashi had a moment of déjà vu when he and Yamato came upon Naruto and their younger peers. It made him think of their mission to seal the Sanbi.
"We figured you guys would catch up sooner or later," Kiba said not even bothering to turn around. No doubt his sense of smell caught them. They all had such talent for their gifts now.
"Let's make this quick so I'll be back in the village in no time at all," Kakashi said.
"Who's watching over the village," Kiba asked.
"Tsunade is there-
"Don't worry Kiba I have a clone in the village as well. It is important that the enemy think the Hokage is away from the village," Naruto explained.
Everyone slowed down to a stop. The tall grass whipped and swayed in the breeze around them. It was late afternoon and the sun beat down making the conditions quiet summer like.
"Well I guess we could stop and eat," Naruto said to his traveling comrades.
"Now that Rokudaime and Yamato Taichou are here our plans can come together," Sai said unrolling one of his scrolls he painted some mice and sent them out to gather intelligence.
"There are only two of you," Sasuke asked.
"Three," Yamato said, "there wasn't enough time to put together a team."
"Perhaps if we were included in the planning we could have done better than that," Kakashi said. He had to wonder since when did Sasuke become such a team player.
"Three," Sasuke asked.
"Genma is somewhere back there," Yamato indicated the general direction.
"What's up," Genma said suddenly appearing.
"Eating," Naruto said slurping down ramen.
"We haven't been able to find anything yet," Sai said reporting, "There is a village ahead, and we're gathering intelligence about the layout and people there."
"Sai's jutsu," Naruto added.
"Well let's take a break then," Kakashi told the others.
Everyone settled in talking about how hot it was lately despite it being winter. Kakashi took Sasuke aside. He wanted to discuss the theory about the possible pregnancy connection. Somehow he had to find out if Sasuke knew if Karin were pregnant without stepping over her feet to do so.
"We have a theory about why certain women of Konoha are being targeted," Kakashi said.
"So why pull me aside," Sasuke said.
"I have a theory of my own to prove," Kakashi said.
"Do you have a theory about whom," Sasuke asked.
"No not yet but there is the why that we have been considering," Kakashi said.
"So why," Sasuke said.
"We've been looking into activities by survivors of Orochimaru's experiments," Kakashi said.
"So you think this has something to do with Orochimaru," Sasuke said pausing for a second then added, "he wouldn't need to go after anyone his goal has always been the Sharingan. There is no reason to target anyone else if anything he would go after my Sharingan again."
"Perhaps you're right," Kakashi said. He figured Sasuke didn't know yet. Now how to proceed with this, he thought.
"We need to think of the connection between them thought," Sasuke started to walk back towards the group. A smirk lit up his features. Kakashi was taking too much of an interest in his apprentices.
Kakashi was stumped he didn't want to be the one to tell Sasuke. That job had to be Karin's. His incomplete theory only revolved around two of the women. For now he would drop the issue and think of another connection.
Ino was at the head of a major clan in Konoha perhaps she was being targeted for that reason. Sai went through most of his Shinobi life as invisible so there were few enemies that he had that would know to retaliate against him. Temari was the former Kazekage's daughter and now the current's sister not to mention she is married to Shikamaru. The Nara clan is also a major clan they are bound to have enemies between them. Sasuke paused thinking that the thread still seemed to be clan related up until Naruto and Sakura. If they were to consider Naruto's heritage he might be on to something.