Hunted or Busted: A Side Story

Dusted 40: The Forked Path: With A Knife In Hand

Hey everyone, I'm back! Gotta drop a few more of these chapters this month to start off clean in the new year!

((((((((Hunted))))))))

Hiruzen had to catch his breath as he felt like a knot had formed in his lungs while staring at the elderly man chained up in the bathroom. It almost felt like time stopped entirely while faced with the injured old man. That was until his one piercing red eye looked through his ragged white hair and into Hiruzen's eyes.

He snapped back almost on instinct, pulling his hands away and crawling out of the bathroom desperately. As he got out and Danzō closed the door, Hiruzen's suddenly felt the grip on his lungs disappear as he sucked in air. He looked up at his former partner in shock, "W-What is going on?"

"I told you; that's Madara Uchiha and we're going to kill him."

"H-How is that Madara Uchiha?! That can't be him!" Hiruzen's lungs refused to fill fully as he almost started hyperventilating, "H-He disappeared off the face of Remnant! He must have died years ago! T-This is-"

"Hiruzen," The simian Faunus was interrupted in his desperate rationalization as Danzō knelt by his side. His scar-faced former partner held his shoulder, "I promise you that I'm not lying and I'm not wrong. The man in there is Madara Uchiha. The genuine article. I know."

…

Hiruzen spared a look back towards the door where the infamous killer and war criminal was locked behind. He couldn't help but look between Danzō and the bathroom a few times before it all started to finally register in his mind. With a shuddering breath, he looked up at Danzō, "How? How do you know that's him?"

"Since we separated, I've had feelers out searching for any sign they could of Madara Uchiha. Just like you, most people believed he faded away into obscurity and died years ago. Maybe some Grimm got him or he succumbed to an illness and died in a gutter. All of that would have been perfect but I just knew this bastard wouldn't die so easily." Danzō stepped over to a table in the apartment and grabbed a folder. He held it out for Hiruzen to take, "So I started doing research."

Hiruzen opened the folder and saw the mess of leaflets, torn pages, and printed images gathered inside. Old documents with details of a young soldier drafted into Mistral's prime fighting force before the Great War started. And medical records as he grew older while in the service.

"I pored through endless accounts and books. Got first-hand retellings from old soldiers and civilians who met him." Danzō said, "His general build and body type. The eye he lost in service halfway through the war. I looked again and again for anything to help me find him. And then I discovered the clue." Danzō grabbed something off the table and tossed it to Hiruzen, "This."

"A flask?"

It was an old, weathered, beaten-up flask that fit in the palm of his hand. The metal was off-color and it had cuts and dents over its form. It looked like it could have easily been a hundred years old. And the most distinct feature of it was the roaring Ursa head model sitting on the top.

"There were reports of Madara having a flash like this during his service in the war. It isn't a regular brand of flask; specially made and designed decades ago. Once I found that, I could give better instructions for people to look out for when searching for him. And soon enough…we found him. I saw his eye turn red…and I knew it was him." Danzō seemed to be brimming with excitement, "The butcher of Faunus. The serial killer hunted people down to satiate his bloodlust after the war. The bastard that has a pile of bodies so high it crests mountains. I found him - me! I finally found him! And now…" They looked towards the bathroom, "I have him here."

It felt impossible to take a breath while knowing a notorious criminal from history was captured in the room next to them. Hiruzen gulped, "Danzō…what did you mean that we're going to kill him?"

"I mean exactly that." The weasel said resolutely, "We have him in our hands. The worst criminal in Remnant history. Hiruzen, do you understand how important this is? What does it mean for Faunus like us - men in our position - to end the life of Madara Uchiha?"

"Men in our position?" Hiruzen noticed his wording.

"You're the leader of the White Fang." Danzō touched his chest, "I've made connections with like-minded Faunus around the world. Hell, I've invited them here today. This is a chance for us all to be united and work together. Could you imagine what this world would be like if all the leaders and representatives of Faunus around Remnant could work together? What could be gained?" Danzō made his way to the table and grabbed a roll-up bag, "And it all starts…when we unite together and put an end to the greatest criminal to Faunus-kind everywhere."

Hiruzen paled as Danzō flicked his wrist and caused the bag to unfurl open to reveal an assortment of blades and tools. He looked at his old friend's back, "Danzō…what are those for?"

"It should be obvious." He said obstinately, "We're going to use them on him."

"B-But you said we'd kill him. Those aren't tools for killing. They're-"

"For pain. For suffering. For causing all the same misery he did on hundreds before us." Danzō said, "This is Madara Uchiha's last day and we're going to make sure it's torment for him."

"You can't be serious."

"I am."

Hirzuen grabbed Danzō's shoulder and yanked him back, "Danzō, you can't do this!"

"Why not? He doesn't deserve our sympathy."

"I know, but that doesn't mean we have to torture a man to death. I don't have the stomach for that kind of thing. And neither should you!"

Danzō yanked his shoulder out of Hiruzen's grasp, "Hiruzen, all the people coming here agree with us. They want to help the Faunus. They want a better future. And they want to erase our terrible pasts, and the people responsible for it. People like him." Before Hiruzen could retort, Danzō pressed his point, "We wanted to find him and make him pay when we were younger, remember? We promised ourselves we would do that for Faunus everywhere, right? This is it. This is that moment."

But…but when they talked about it when they were kids…was this what they had in mind? It was defeating him – not…not this.

A buzz from Danzō's pocket drew his attention. He looked down and quickly furled up his tools, "The others have arrived in the city. I'm going to go meet them. I'll be back soon." The scar-faced weasel looked at his old friend with a studious glare, "If you don't have the stomach for this then you can go. But if you stay, no matter what happens or what we do, I promise we'll be able to work together and build something out of this. Give it some thought."

Danzō walked out the door and Hiuzen was left to dwell on his thoughts.

((((((((Hunted))))))))

Hiruzen sat in silence and tried to consider what to do next. His brain struggled and was wracked with all the possible choices and consequences that could happen from staying here. His stomach twisted into knots and he felt sicker the longer he sat here waiting. Casting his gaze down at the flask, he knew he had to decide before Danzō arrived with the others.

This could all be a giant mistake. The man in the bathroom could have just been some poor elderly Danzō had mistaken for Madara Uchiha and abducted. The retribution and bloodshed he promised might have been prepared for a man who was innocent and unaffiliated with the strife of the Faunus.

That wasn't the truth though. Hiruzen knew he was just trying to convince himself. Danzō wasn't so sloppy that he'd mistake another man for Madara Uchiha. And the way that old man's red eyes peered at him…it was like their natural state was to strike through and intimidate the hearts of people who saw him.

This was all real and it was about to become the stuff of nightmares soon.

Hiruzen found himself walking towards the bathroom, stopping just outside the door as he hesitated to take the handle. Knowing that he didn't have time to waste like this, he firmly grasped it and turned it open before pushing in.

Again he found himself looking down at the bound old human missing a foot. And as he continued to stare at him he started to realize just how old and haggard he was. His clothes were shabby and stained, probably not just from being locked in this room. His arms looked like twigs from a mix of malnutrition and poor care. It honestly looked like he had been snatched up off the streets.

While Hiruzen thought these things, Madara lifted his head and looked his way. When Hiruzen flinched under his fierce gaze, Madara looked back down again unfocused, "Your friend left already? Going to get all his potential allies I assume?"

"Yes, he is."

"Well, it's about time. He's been bragging and talking it up for a while now." Madara said lazily, unconcerned that he was talking about his brutal death at the hands of several vigilante Faunus who wanted him dead. He stretched out his legs and looked down at the bloody stump one of them ended at, "I was sure he wasn't going to be able to stop himself and just keep me to himself."

"Danzō did that to you?"

"Yep. I woke up and it was gone." Madara said, "Apparently he didn't want me to try and escape." The old Uchiha sighed and then looked aside, his eye only widening when he noticed the flask in Hiruzen's hand, "Is that my flask? Mind handing it over?"

Hiruzen narrowed his eyes, "What are you planning?" The decrepit man raised a brow at his uncertainty, "You're far too calm for a man who lost a foot and is about to be killed. Is this some sort of strategy? Get captured and then attack when we're off guard? Do you have collaborators on standby to come help you or raid this place when we least expect it? If you think I'm going to help you escape-"

"If I wanted to escape," Madara reached up and squeezed on one of the chain links of his cuffs, breaking it apart as his chains separated and he was freed from the pipe, "I would have done it ages ago."

Hiruzen stepped back in shock as the old Uchiha lowered his arm and massaged his shoulder, "H-How? How did you do that?"

"Your friend did a lot of research, but it doesn't seem like he knows everything." Madara looked up at him with a single crimson eye, "Weakest Point. That's my Semblance. I can spot the chinks in armor and the weakest link in a chain. I see where the ground is most brittle and where weapons are easiest to break. I can even see that your left knee can't take as much weight as your right one." Hiruzen stepped back, "Like I said; I could leave whenever I want. Flask."

…

The Faunus scowled but tossed him the Ursa flask as he wished. As Madara caught it and took a grateful sip, Hiruzen couldn't help but feel even more uneasy and confused, "So if you could have left at any time, why are you still here? Are - do you want to die?"

Madara sighed with his sip and shrugged, "I've been waiting a long time for this, although I'd prefer it if it happened during battle. Might pick a fight with some of the guys your friend brings over but, well, this has been a long time coming."

This…this what not what he envisioned when he thought of Madara Uchiha. He expected a scornful, raging, vicious murderer that would go feral and bloodthirsty at the sight of Faunus. But instead, there was this listless, passionless, husk of a man that was planning to kill before he was murdered and talking about it like it was another pleasant evening.

It unsettled Hiruzen far more than if he had just been the monster he expected him to be.

"Are you Madara Uchiha?"

"I am."

"But you aren't like I expected you to be."

"What did you expect?"

'I don't know." Hiruzen said uncertainly, "The stories and reports about you recalled a vicious beast of a man. One who killed swaths of Faunus in his life, and hunted them after the war was over."

"Oh did they?" Madara didn't sound interested at all, "They're not wrong. I killed plenty of Faunus. And I killed just as many humans too. Though I doubt that made headlines and news like the rest."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that stories and reports about me started to circulate to stir up resentment against me and my clan. To try and paint us as the greatest monsters in the world. The kinds of people you and your friend go out of their way to hunt and kill." Madara swirled his flask around, "Considering I barely know how many Uchiha there are left in Remnant I guess they got what they wanted."

"Who are they?"

"The people trying to pull things together after the war. Take off all the heat from the ones in charge that dragged the Kingdoms into battle."

"So what? You're a patsy? You and your entire clan are innocent and free of guilt?" Hiruzen scornfully spat, "You didn't hunt and bar Faunus from entry into Kingdoms for years? You didn't kill them in raids? You didn't decimate an entire Faunus settlement during the war? Or try to keep the war going during its final day?" He gritted his teeth, "I heard a story from a casualty of the war that you and your men raided a house and shot an innocent man to death in his home in front of his wife and child. Are you going to tell me that was a fabrication too?"

Madara sat in silence, staring down at his drink before shaking his head, "No. That's all true. I guess I should have clarified. I don't mean the stories aren't real. What is fabricated was the reason for them." The old Uchiha stared through the wall and into the distance, "We followed the orders we were given…until they brought us to ruin. That's the truth. It's something you should be wary of as well with your friend."

Hiruzen frowned, "What does that mean?"

"The way your buddy talks and acts? I've seen it all before. Experienced it myself. Someone drawing people in and giving them exactly what they want until they're in the palm of his hand. Riling you up with the dogma you want to hear more than anything. You and the rest of his friends never stood a chance."

"Stop talking. You don't know Danzō and you don't know what you're talking about."

"No, but I know his type. He said you were all going to kill me together, right? Dirty business, but it'll undoubtedly bring you all together. Form a bond with each other. One where you can all work towards a goal united as one? Strong words. Good dream. Now tell me," Madara smiled coyly and looked up at Hiruzen, "That dream you'll all be united towards; do you think he's going to ask for your opinion or input? You think you'll be following your goal or the goal of the man who brought you together?" Madara grumbled, "One way or the other, you're all playing into his hand."

That - that was - Hiruzen couldn't accept that. He snarled and glared at the old man as his fists tightened at his side. Madara spared him a look as if to wonder if he was going to take a chance and attack before the Faunus turned and stormed out of the room.

It was just a manipulation. Just a twisted old man trying to get in his head. Trying to unsettle him and turn him against his friend. When Danzō got here-

…

His thoughts turned back to the last time he saw Danzō. The last night they shared as friends. When he killed a man right in front of him. He confessed to killing more in the past because he thought that was what they were aiming for. He admitted that the goal of the White Fang and equal living with humans, in general, was just a waste of time. When he came back to the base and convinced others to join him in leaving to do more active things. Things that appeared in headlines and articles for years to come.

Was that the Danzō that had invited him here tonight to kill a man and join forces? Was that all just another plan by him?

If he stayed and brutalized Madara with the others, they'd all be putty in Danzō's hands. But if he left, Madara might break out, kill a few of them, and die, and they'd still unite under Danzō.

One way or another this would work out in his favor. And when it did, things would only get worse for everyone.

Hiruzen's mind went blank as he unfurled the tool bag, grabbed a scalpel, and went back to the bathroom. As Madara was busy downing the last of his flask, Hiruzen swiftly acted. He dropped to a knee and stabbed the tip of the scalpel into his neck.

Madara's eye widened and he looked towards Hiruzen as blood started to seep out of the cut and drain over his collar. The Faunus and Uchiha stared at each other in total silence as blood continued to spill from the small but deep cut. The one-eyed elder showed a faint smile and hung his head, "So you're the warrior after all, huh?"

Nothing else was said. Hiruzen stayed silent as Madara's neck stopped bleeding and he went completely still. Even after he died, Hiruzen was frozen in place as he contemplated what he had just done. It wasn't until the door to the apartment opened behind him and he heard people approach that he started reacting again.

"Hiruzen? What are you doing in there?" Danzō came to the bathroom and his eye widened in shock when he saw the scene. He quickly pushed Hiruzen aside and checked Madara's body, "What?! T-This - what is this?! What did you do?! Did you kill him?!" Danzō grabbed Hiruzen's collar and tossed him out of the bathroom in anger, causing some of the people he had invited to step aside before they were caught up in it. The weasel Faunus seethed in rage as he pulled his former friend up to his feet, "What did you do?! This was a chance for all of us! A reward for all of us! And you took it for yourself?! How could-"

Hiruzen finally acted again when he knocked his hands off his collar and slammed his forehead into Danzō's nose. The one-eyed man stumbled back and held his face in pain before Hiruzen slammed him into the wall and choked him. Everyone went silent as Hiruzen panted and growled while Danzō struggled for breath.

"Never approach me again. Never contact me again. Never appear in front of me again." Hiruzen snapped while Danzō tried to break free, "If you do I'll ignore you. If you try to reach out to me I'll pretend you don't exist. And if you come near me or anyone I care about, I will make you pay. This is the last time, got it! Never again!" Hiruzen shook his head, "I am never hurting anyone ever again!"

He tossed Danzō aside and stomped away, the other Faunus stepping aside so they weren't in his path. Danzō gasped for breath and rubbed his throat as he spared a look towards the deceased Uchiha in his bathroom.

A wasted opportunity to make comrades…and a wasted chance to rebuild a friendship.

((((((((Hunted))))))))

Biwako had questions. Of course, she did when he came home in the middle of the night with blood on his sleeve and pants. But Hiruzen didn't answer her. Not yet.

Instead, he sat on the couch, panting for air and trembling. His wife quickly came to his side, gently holding him and trying to calm him down. He needed to tell her what happened tonight. Between him and Danzō and the legendary killer, Madara Uchiha.

Just…he couldn't right now.

((((((((Hunted))))))))

Danzō sat on the floor by the wall and stared into nothing. This night had been a total waste.

Madara died before they could get back. His plans to have all the influential Faunus work under him had fallen through. Not only had Hiruzen ruined it all, but he burned the remains of whatever bridge their friendship had when he stormed off and threatened him.

The other Faunus had made a deal with him; they got to take Madara's body and they would keep in touch even after this disastrous night. It was something, but hardly the unified force Danzō was hoping for under his hand.

All this effort…and nothing to show for it.

Some light footsteps from the side told him he wasn't alone. And as Danzō raised his head he saw a little emotionless red-haired girl staring at him with her coloring book in hand. She tilted her head at his downtrodden state as her tail hung limply behind her back.

Danzō took a deep breath and sighed, "Oh well…one plan to unite us down the drain. I guess I still have the backup."

((((((((Hunted))))))))

Done

Oh man, I'm excited for the next sub-story I'm preparing!

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