Scarlet Justice - ep. 145
"Situation Room"
[Ritual, Part 3]

"I see. So there are many more complexities now than before..."

Today features breakfast at home with Erika. She has been resting properly, in accordance with our wishes. I wanted her to be privy to the new developments, and to ask questions if needed. Fio is asleep in bed, already filled in days prior – she's currently adjusting to some new medication that Tsunade gave her.

"It seems so," I say as I pour Erika a cup of tea. She nods her thanks before I sit down and start on my food.

"Though the personal circumstances have changed...materially, we are in the same position as before, with regard to outside relations. Obito Uchiha is still someone of the Hidden Leaf, like Madara is...even if they both were said to have died long ago. The burden falls on our shoulders, and nations will be suspicious. Thus, it is imperative that we keep such information close to our chests."

"Kakashi knows my intent already."

"Still...to have that sort of thing occur. And if my hypothesis holds any weight, his indoctrination must have taken place over many years. All while in a state of despair because of what he witnessed. Lili...would it be too insensitive to put a theory forward?"

"Not at all, my love. What did you have in mind?"

"It's regarding Rin Nohara, and the manner in which she died. Kakashi must blame himself, even if it was her choice to die that way. All of that said...Rin was a medical kunoichi. Her knowledge of the body would be on an elite level, as a chuunin in her field."

I sip at my tea and think. "You believe that it doesn't add up...that it would make no sense for her to beg Kakashi to kill her, in any circumstance aside from one."

"Yes. Destroying herself, perhaps destroying her body, or making it unable to be found...she would not want to scar someone she loved so much with the memory of taking her life, unless she was out of options. There was a curse on her that day...one that prevented her from doing anything to endanger herself. That is why she waited until Kakashi could not change his mode of attack. Do you know of any such arts?" she asks.

"No. It could be a Sharingan technique, though..."

"There are far too many possibilities to sort out. It might even be harmful to chase after them," Erika says. "But I can confidently say that Rin was being manipulated, in some fashion that even Kakashi couldn't detect with his Sharingan."

"You don't believe any of this was a coincidence."

"No. But...as noted before, I can only speculate on the events of that day."

"It should be enough for now." I put a piece of steak in my mouth and chew. "Have we received any information pertaining to Akatsuki from the other villages?"

"Most of it is of low quality, and the rest contains details that we already know. There is a reluctance to share valuable data for reasons that are already understood, meaning we will need to rely on our own sources."

"We can't lean on Itachi too much...I imagine that he is taking extensive measures to avoid tracking by Akatsuki as it is. I would like some more detailed information on their surveillance, but I'm also not interested in getting greedy as far as that is concerned. What we can get now is a blessing."

"Yes, agreed."

"I'm actually getting restless," I say, winding a lock of hair around my finger. "We need to have a meeting, and break down everything that is currently happening. Between this, the incidents with Sasuke, and other things...I want us all to be on the same page. Some of it could be a matter of life and death."

"Understood. Who should be there?" she asks.

"Imari, Tamaki, and the old man go without saying. You and I will be present...Fio, Tsunade, and Ino. I think those three should round us out. Information relevant to other parties can be filtered down accordingly."

"I will arrange the meeting, then."

"Thank you kindly. Now, let's put those worries out of our minds for now and enjoy breakfast, before it gets too cold."

And so the week goes, with little of note aside from the usual background noise and our daily routine. Kakashi was being tapped for a few missions, so I volunteered to take his place and prevent any extra disruptions for Shikaku. Being an elite, his missions usually end up in the B and A-Rank ranges...at this point, they're relatively straightforward thanks to our similar skill sets.

"Ane-ue is making trade arrangements at current. Sending her a message would help you with what you needed, and I suspect she would suggest a few luxury goods to boot," I say to Pakkun. We've met a few times before – cute and reliable, he's the leader of Kakashi's band of shinobi hounds. He's currently lying comfortably on my head as we return from a mission.

"IDs on you?" one of the young men at the main gate asks. "Just make sure you have it so we can run some accurate scans as you come in."

"Oh, have we gotten that far already? I suspect the chakra signature registration will start soon."

"Yes, ma'am," he replies, impressed. "Should be a year out at this rate, maybe faster. Lady Tsunade has been helping out...pardon me for saying it, but she's unexpectedly good at keeping up with the times."

"That much is nothing. Medical shinobi are always in the classroom, in some form. It becomes necessary to adapt and keep up in order for one to do their job. Field work is a bit easier in that regard, which of course means less prestige. Mostly."

"Ah. Thank you, ma'am."

"Not a problem. Stay the course, and be well," I say with a smile.

"Ma'am." He smiles back and salutes as we pass through.

"Heh, Kakashi didn't really capture how interesting you were...but I doubt he could if he tried, kid."

"An arduous task for any mortal," I say confidently. "Such is my brilliance."

"A real character, too. Well, I'm gonna split and see how he's doing again. His lady friend, Ruki...she's been doing a real good job looking after him."

"And you, of course."

"Nothing like a good belly rub, honestly. Her hands are like magic...anyways. I'll see you around, Princess. Thanks for your help, it means a lot."

"Anything for dear friends of mine. Take care, Pakkun."

I head home and start to shed my clothing. Nothing like a warm bath to relax after a mission.

"I'm home! Lili, where are you?"

"In here. I'm getting ready to take a bath," I say from my room.

"Oh, oh! Wait for me, then!"

"Yes, love. I'll get things ready for both of us."

I make sure the water is a little warmer than usual, since that's what Fio likes. Some salt mixed in for extra relaxation, and we should be set. We wash each others' backs before getting into the tub together, sighing in unison as soon as we settle in.

"That feels awesome..."

"An understatement," I mumble. "The bath at our new place should be much bigger..."

"Means we can move around and stuff, huh. Think we can get one of those...things with the spouts in them, I think?"

"You mean a heated tub, yes? Way ahead of you."

"Cool." Fio sighs. "So. Everything okay lately? Aside from the whole thing with the masked guy, I guess."

"Things are going smoothly, considering the potential for chaos. Kakashi is recovering, and Ruki is with him. I have little to worry about on that end. We're having a meeting soon to discuss that, and other matters. Tamaki will give us a call in time...things will be arranged so that we have the time off."

"Alright. I'll just follow your lead, then."

"Whatever insight you have will be valuable. I mean that, Fio. It's a challenge at first to keep up, but I know that you'll get a handle on everything in time. As long as you remain confident."

"Right. I'll remember that."

"Good."

"Sai hasn't been hanging around as much lately. Imari said that we might be able to get rid of him altogether, because of the stuff that's been happening..."

"That would be a great boon. If only because it would allow me to delete him at my leisure."

"Oof." She makes a face. "That bad, huh."

"If he had delivered Sasuke into the hands of the enemy, he would have died on the spot."

"Lucky him, then."

"Indeed."

"Things are swell otherwise. Met up with Naruto's team the other day. Pretty interesting bunch, especially together. They've got a sense of teamwork, just that it's not too polished yet. Nothing like your team, Lili. Hina and Shino and Kurenai are so cool. And it goes without saying that you're the coolest, hehe."

"Flattery is always appreciated."

She giggles. "Right? But yeah, everything's been alright over here. Depending on how things go, I might have my whole weight problem licked in a year or two. New pills feel weird, but not awful. Oh, right right right! We gotta talk properly about training soon. You're gonna be out of the village with Midori-nee, right?"

"That's the plan. Though it can easily change at any time...you could come along if you wanted, you know."

"That sounds super nice. But...I gotta think about it. There's stuff I wanna tweak and check on here, physically and equipment wise. Also, I think that you'll have a way different schedule than I will, and I don't want to get in your way. I know you'll say that I won't-"

"You won't, Fio."

"See? But there's advanced stuff that I know you want to pick up. It'll be just for a little while, and you can call or write whenever you want. And I guess there are a bunch of things that I'm excited to try on my own while you're gone, not having to worry about me so much. I want to stick by the village, or at least in a decent range, so that Auntie Tsuna and I can check on my progress."

"You've put some thought into this," I say with a smile.

"Yeah, but I can still come up with better stuff. I know that I'll miss you, and times like this when we're together. Eating delicious breakfasts, having a warm girlfriend to fall asleep with, hugs and kisses when I get home each day. So many beautiful things."

"But you're also excited."

"Yeah! For the future, and everything in it. Lots of stuff I want to do, and places I want to explore. Things to discover. When we get back together again, it'll be the best surprise, I know that for sure. And I think Hina would say the same thing...that you have lots to do beyond the understanding of plain old folks like us. You should do all of that to the fullest, so that when you get back to the Leaf, we'll all be ready to throw down and change the world."

"That does sound wonderful."

"Doesn't it? I can't wait."

"Thank you, Fio. I promise to come back as the best version of myself...someone that will be able to fulfill her destiny, and make you the happiest woman in the world."

"Really? I wonder about that last part."

"Oh?"

She grins. "I'm already as happy as can be, you know?"

"Hmph. You would underestimate me, at this point in time? Surely you know better...the limits of reality are nothing to this child of the stars."

"Ooh. Looking forward to having my mind blown, then."

"As you should," I say with a haughty smile.

My eyes open and I look towards the phone nearby.

Right on cue, it starts to ring.

"Good night, Lili Kobayashi speaking."

"Good night, sweetheart. Sorry for calling so late. Or early, depending on your point of view."

"Ah. Well, that's alright. I was expecting this call...hopefully everything is okay, Tamaki."

It's eleven at night currently. Fio has her arms around me while we're in bed, snuggling into my chest. She can have a few more minutes of sleep while we talk. As promised, Erika has arranged our meeting, and we've finally managed to grab a time where everyone can come together without fuss.

"Everything's fine. I just woke Imari up and she made some coffee. Lady Tsunade...well, you know how she is. She took a power nap and should be up. Erika is on her way, she's just stopped to get Ino. "

"So we're finally free to have our meeting..."

"Yes. It's been more than a little bothersome lately. You'll be happy to know that Sasuke has been quiet and behaved."

"Good. I do hope you're well...I'm going to bring you something nice as soon as we're ready. Hopefully you're not watching your figure too closely."

"I can't worry about that. After all, you're the type to watch it for me."

"Hmhm...you know me well."

"I appreciate your generosity, Lili. Imari decided to order in from one of those all-night places. Nothing like some warm and hearty food to keep us going through the night."

"That sounds nice. So, protocol is the same as always?" I ask.

"Yes. Anyone out of the loop will get a limited amount of information, based on the position they find themselves in. From what we can tell, Danzo hasn't been moving around much, and doesn't have any info on our recent actions. Lady Tsunade and Shizune were pretty careful, which is why the test results took a bit longer than normal to come back."

"A hospital would be a good place to plant spies."

"Right. Thankfully, we have a pretty good handle on our local intelligence networks...the usual foreign infiltrators are known, and so we have the usual cat and mouse games with them. Those fellows in Danzo's group, though...well, they don't like to play as nice."

"A shame. That's no trouble on your end, I assume."

"One of the best perks of this job is being able to cut down whoever I need to. Too bad I didn't have anything like that in my past life." She sighs. "Ah, well. Everything for a reason. So, we'll be seeing you soon. Dress comfy, okay?"

"I will, Tamaki. Thank you so much, for everything you've done. You really are an angel, as I've said so many times before."

"You're welcome, sweetie. Thank you for giving me this second chance."

She hangs up and I do the same.

"Leaving soon..."

"Yes," I say while stroking Fio's head. "No rush, my love. We'll be up late."

"Mm..."

After a few minutes, we eventually do get up together. I gulp down a glass of milk while waiting for Fio to get changed, and she emerges wearing a red shirt that seems to engulf her, along with those fuzzy pink pyjama pants that I bought her a few months ago.

"Should be it..." She yawns and rubs at her head. "I'm ready."

"Excellent." Today's outfit for me isn't too involved – a long blue sweater that goes down past my thighs, and black high socks to cover the rest. Fio and I step into our slippers at the front door and lock up before leaving. I have my bag of cookies as a treat for Tamaki and Imari.

"I don't get too many chances to come out at night," she says as we start walking. "The village is pretty nice right now."

"You can see the stars well, too."

"Yeah. Nice and clear."

"I was fortunate enough to live out in the countryside most of my life...when Momma took me into the city, we usually couldn't see this sort of thing at nights."

"How come? Smoke?"

I shake my head. "Light."

"Light? I don't quite get it."

"It's called light pollution. Big cities have lights going on all day and all night, and they're often very bright. They rise up from a lot of places...and with all of the light in the night sky, it basically ends up blocking the view of the sky, and the stars within them. Stars aren't very bright points in the sky as it is, so..."

"Ah, I get it now. So all the shining lights make it hard to see up there. That's pretty crazy...though I gotta wonder if that's inevitable. Human progress and all of that."

"I don't think it is," I say. "I know that if we make the right choices, we can have civilization and enjoy the splendour of nature. We are meant to be the Earth's stewards, after all. There's no reason that we have to make mindless sacrifices. Humans...need guidance and correction. So that eventually, they can make better and better choices with time."

"You've been thinking about this a lot, eh?"

"Yes. I think about a lot of things...but these ones most of all."

"You know, there's probably some kind of metaphor or story you could take out of that...about the street lights and the night sky and the stars and all that." Fio puts her hands behind her head. "I don't think I'm crafty enough to make one up. All I can think of is just turning down the damn lights."

I giggle. "The Founder would say something like that, you know."

"Yeah?"

"Mm-hm. Sometimes, the simplest solutions are the best ones. When we try to be too clever, we end up getting tangled in all kinds of strings later on."

"Hm...I see."

"Fio, don't worry about trying to keep up with me in that way. I'm one of a kind, and so are you."

"I'll try to remember that, Lili. I like how you can handle everything most days, and I want that for myself too. So, I'll try not to work my brain too hard on the little things."

"Good." I lean over to kiss her on the cheek. "But there is an interesting moral to the story, if you think about it a little."

"What is it?" she asks.

"Light pollution comes from bad lighting, and inefficient methods. The light from those lamps usually bleeds into the sky and trespasses everywhere. We can have everything we want, without making unnecessary sacrifices. Guidance and correction, remember? You add light filters to the street lamps, so as to correct their inefficiency. Then you focus the light to the areas that need them, as a form of guidance. Thus, the night sky is undisturbed for the most part, and paths are still safe to walk in the darkness. A little bit of ingenuity and care goes a very long way."

She blinks a few times in awe before smiling at me. "Sheesh. You're gonna be one awesome Hokage, you know that?"

"I'm counting on it," I reply confidently.

We reach the office in short order and greet our favourite ladies with hugs. Tamaki is quite happy with the cookies I baked for her earlier in the day. There's a round table set up in the Hokage's room, with paper boxes scattered around its surface and soft-looking chairs all around.

"Ah, you've arrived. Welcome, my children."

Hiruzen appears and we make sure to hug him as well. He's wearing a casual set of robes tonight, much as they could be for the village leader. Imari sets down a tray on the table and moves snacks and drinks from it while Tamaki pours out cups of tea.

"Night, all."

Tsunade arrives in a fluffy pink robe, and carries a travel bag with what else but alcohol in it. She shows a stout glass bottle to the old man, and he nods with an impressed look on his face.

"Very nice."

"Real smooth. We won't be drinking too much of it yet since we still need to use our brains a little," she says.

"Noted. I haven't had any of this in a long while...was it a recent purchase?"

"Nah. Had it sitting around from a few years back. Felt like the right time to crack it open, you know? Hey, you girls wanna try some?" she says to Imari and Tamaki.

"Ooh, that looks fancy. I'll get the glasses," Tamaki says. "Imari, want to try?"

"I'll have some with you, senpai."

"Okay. Be right back."

Tamaki disappears and we start to settle in around the table. The chairs really are nice and soft.

"Night, y'all."

"Good night, everyone."

Last but not least, Ino and Erika arrive. We exchange hugs and kisses as always. Erika has taken a simple approach, with a light jacket and jogging pants. Ino is her flashy self, wearing a purple nightgown with a lighter coloured cloak over top of it.

"We should be good to go. Imari, mind taking care of the door?" Tamaki says as she returns.

"Not a problem. Starting routines now."

Imari closes and locks the entrance, then presses her hand against the doors to create a sturdy seal. As usual, it prevents anyone from looking in or spying at any distance, and it lasts several hours normally. Today she puts a bit more chakra into the formula so that we'll be protected all night. Tamaki takes care of the liquor delicately, and the rest of us start to sip on our tea as we wait.

"Delicious," I say.

"Senpai has always been great at making tea," Imari says.

"I'd hope so. Spent way too much time making it for that motherfucker of an old boss."

"So these are the usual meetings you guys have?" Ino asks.

"Not always, but we try to be relaxed while we're in sensei's quarters. You know how he is," Tsunade says.

"Totally. I love the vibes we have going on."

"Vibes?"

"Positive energy," I explain. "Young people talk."

"Oh, that. I get it, we just call it other things...like feng shui or whatever the hell geezers go on about. Vibes, huh." She chuckles. "Yeah. Guess this group has good vibes, putting it like that."

"We do have as long as we please to speak on various matters," Hiruzen says. "But I feel that it would be good to start the ball rolling now, so to speak."

"I agree," I say. "Well, there is a lot to sift through...more questions than we'll ever be able to properly answer at this point in time. Let's start from a good place, then. Connections...mm. There is that man who I once bore relation to, named Leonidas Rothschild. Most of you are already aware, but we should go over it again for the sake of clarity...he was providing funding to Orochimaru in the Hidden Sound, and helped to manipulate the political order. Part of it was ideological, of course. The other was economic in nature."

"Economic, eh. How's that?" Ino asks.

"If you recall, my family is the core of the Kobayashi Rice empire. I do not know if my maternal grandparents had any knowledge or involvement in his scheming, but I do know that Rothschild's ambitions led to an alliance with Orochimaru. Solidifying that power base meant helping out with various operations. Such as..."

"The crushing of the Leaf," Hiruzen finishes. "I see. And financial incentive definitely played a part in the Hidden Sand going along with the plan. Enhanced access to food stores, important for a nation surrounded constantly by desert."

"Correct. But it goes even further than that."

"Them as well...Akatsuki," Erika says.

"Yes. There must have been some level of collaboration with the masked man, who calls himself Madara Uchiha. The general public, and indeed the shinobi world at large, has no idea of this knowledge. We still have space to operate in that regard. Akatsuki did work together with Rothschild directly, as his generosity was well known among those in the organization. I found this out first hand in a certain encounter."

"That was all kept pretty quiet, so I don't know exactly what happened other than your old man dying," Tsunade says.

"Ah, right. I can answer that, then. I ended up encountering two Akatsuki members. One was called Hidan, a supposed immortal that survived fatal wounds and loss of his limbs. The other was Kakuzu, a man who possessed five functioning hearts and multiple chakra natures as a result."

"Fucking hell."

"Those sentiments are shared, yes. Their mission was to destroy my old home, and assassinate both my mother Emi and my sister Luna. Rothschild hired them for that purpose. Luna fought bravely to protect everyone she could, and Ane-ue arrived to dispatch that Hidan fellow while he tried to preserve a troublesome barrier. I took on Kakuzu on my own. Ane-ue has possession of their bodies at this moment in time. As well as Rothschild's...because I took his life."

"Lili...you had to..."

"Yes. He chose not to surrender, and instead moved to attack Luna-nee. And so, I was left with no other option." I sigh. "What's done is done at this point. The experience was indeed traumatic, but I've healed splendidly from it, thanks to all of you."

"Good. I couldn't imagine having to do something like that, so I'm glad you're better."

"Thank you, Tsunade."

"Speaking of him, I wouldn't be shocked if he was kicking funds over to Danzo, too. Maybe through some shell company, or whatever rich people do to cheat the system these days."

"Rothschild did operate a number of shell companies in order to fund the Hidden Sound and Akatsuki," Erika says while poking at a box of noodles. "He was far from the only one doing so, but I can only assume that after his death, most evidence relating to said companies was destroyed by trusted associates."

"Haha-ue really had to fight in order to preserve key information," I reply.

"The shinobi world goes into some real dark places," Ino says. "You just don't realize some things until you start digging like this..."

"Yes. You're still so young, so...I want to say something other than this. But you're also a shinobi, and so what needs to be done is that you endure everything. I think it's the only way to survive this world of ours, long enough to make a difference one day," Tamaki says.

"You're really brave, Tamaki."

"Hehe. Well, as much as I don't like admitting it, I'm actually pretty reckless. A long time ago, I had already resolved to sacrifice myself for the sake of others. When Lili found me, and offered me another chance at life...I knew what was expected of me. It was really scary at first! At times, it still is. But I want to protect those that I've come to love so deeply. Ah, right. On our end...Imari and I have been working on keeping things calm diplomatically. The Cloud is starting to settle down a bit..."

"Yes," Imari says. "Please leave the lifting on that end to us. It's what we're here for, after all."

"Far as regional affairs have gone, Itachi has done extremely well by us." I chew on my fried noodles a bit.

Ino lets out a breath. "Itachi...sheesh. That blew my mind the first time. Sasuke's big brother."

"Yes. The man that Sasuke has sworn to kill. He made an appearance to keep Danzo at bay, and has provided priceless information regarding Akatsuki. For example, we know now that Akatsuki still needs significant funding and resources at this point, and it wouldn't do to expose themselves as a chaotic terrorist organization at this stage. They still have cards on hand that need to be played...so we won't be seeing or hearing from them in earnest until the promised time."

"Hmm...you think that masked guy might want to knock off Sasuke, or something similar? Akatsuki's pretty much about the money, right?"

"You might be closer to the mark than you think," Tsunade says.

"Ominous. Did we find out who he was?"

"We did," I say. "Kakashi and Ruki know as well now. When I encountered the masked man, I managed to get a few strands of his hair, more than enough for Tsunade to test in secret. The results came back as a match to someone in this village. Or...someone who was of this village, once before. Obito Uchiha."

"Eh? Wait, wait...I've heard that name before, somewhere."

"Kakashi's former teammate, who died during the Third Great War."

"His name's on that memorial stone...I remember now," Ino says. "But...is he a zombie or something? How'd he survive?"

"His ability allows him to remove parts of himself from the physical plane, so that objects and attacks pass through him," Erika says. "He can also travel by means of space-time migration. There may be other related techniques. We hypothesize that his Mangekyo Sharingan ability unconsciously activated on the day of his supposed death, and allowed him to slip through the earth to another location."

Ino shudders. "Spooky."

"Based on the preponderance of evidence, we truly believe that it is Obito," Hiruzen says while puffing on his pipe. "We are also of the strong belief that he is being manipulated by Madara Uchiha."

Ino chokes a bit on her tea before recovering. "By who?"

"That's exactly what I said, choking and all." Tsunade sips on her liquor calmly.

"Obito has been using Madara's identity to build alliances and control various people, such as Itachi Uchiha and the leader of Akatsuki, who is called Pain. In fact, he was the one who helped Itachi carry out the massacre of the Uchiha Clan. He has a massive grudge on the clan, this village, and indeed the entire world. Obito, who was so far removed from him in terms of timeline and ideology, must have been brainwashed by Madara in order to get to this point," I explain.

"So you're saying that this guy who should be, like, ultra dead is using another guy who should be, like, super dead to carry out a master plan of taking over the world by...stealing giant chakra monsters in order to do a thing?" She shakes her head. "Okay, I can accept that much as it is. But there's something more important. Is Kakashi-sensei okay?"

"He took the news hard, but Ruki is looking after him. And he was showing off some good resolve at the end of the meeting," Tamaki says. "He's taking a long break, but I know he'll be okay. And we'll keep looking after him from here."

"Good...I'm gonna send him some flowers and a card. Least I could do, I think. So...Sasuke and Itachi know?"

"Neither do yet. I'm planning on telling the latter the next time we can see each other," I say. "Sasuke doesn't need to know anything, outside of specific scenarios."

"Makes sense. Man, there's just so much going on...but I really appreciate being part of the loop like this."

"You are one of our sharpest allies, and quite insightful," Erika says to her. "If there is anyone who can be trusted with such sensitive information, it is you, Ino."

"Erika...thanks," she replies with a small blush.

"Of course. I am also indebted to all of you, for the trust you place in me as a member of this village. I hope that I can continue to do well by you all, now and into the future."

"Nothing to worry about on that end, Miss Chrome Panther," I say with a smile. She nods and smiles back.

"If there are any major issues, Itachi will take countermeasures immediately. He is an exceptional talent among shinobi. If things had gone better, I dare say he would be Hokage right now, while I would be long retired," Hiruzen says. "Of course, I don't mind working a little longer while the next generation prepares."

"Still...you gotta be just a bit special to throw your entire life away for just one person," Ino says. "I mean, not to be too rude about it. I know I'd take it really hard if my mom and dad died, even though I know that shinobi put themselves in harm's way every day. But it's something I don't really understand...more than throwing your life away, distorting it forever. So much sacrifice, for family...for country, too."

"That's what our world is like sometimes," Tsunade says. "You want to hope that it will all change. Maybe it will, one day soon. But for now...it's like Tamaki said. We just have to endure."

"Yeah..."

"Let's continue along that track with the Uchiha," Imari says. She passes a take out box to Tamaki, who digs in. "Sasuke went out on a reckless mission the other day, and while he has calmed down, I have to wonder if he's truly learned his lesson. His strength is growing, and while it would solve a lot of problems to keep him in the village indefinitely...legally, we don't have that right forever, if he has his way. And it might lead to some terrible situations if he feels his hand is forced."

"The scope of Sasuke's training will be increased, in addition to a more predictable schedule, modified missions, and increased security. This will make it easier to keep track of him at all times," Hiruzen says. "We will wait for Itachi to make further contact as Lili has mentioned, so that we can adjust parameters accordingly."

"It's good that you started talking about the kid. I've got some juicy info due to my research, sensei." Tsunade licks some barbecue sauce from her fingers. "Finally got started on our old pal Orochimaru. As expected, a poison-laced mess on all fronts. But I got some material harvested from his body. His real body, I mean."

"Real body?" I ask, intrigued.

"Mm...Orochimaru was said to have done many experiments, including on himself," Hiruzen explains. "It was curious how his appearance didn't change much since the last time that I saw him...and of course, the other things he did with his body that were completely inhuman."

"A giant white snake, made up of other, smaller snakes. Yeah, it's as nasty as it sounds. I won't harp on it too much while we're eating."

"'Preciate that," Fio mumbles with her mouth full.

Tsunade gives her a thumbs up. "Snakes, poison. Blood, poison. Evaporated in the air, paralyzing properties. Figure he uses that form to take over people's bodies and shit. Fucking creepy. Must have had a time limit of some sort so he couldn't hop too often, and he still has a human form and a heart, so...the Kusanagi dipped in some pretty nasty poison? Oh yeah, that'll put you to sleep forever. Giant snake or otherwise. Not a great surprise to uncork, I'll tell you that. Anyways, I'm rambling. Uchiha kid. Seal on his neck. I grabbed Anko for a few individual tests, because...duh. Terrible flirt. Even worse eating habits."

"Really?" Ino asks. "She's super fit, though."

"'Cause she runs around all day, yeah. But she's gonna get older, and her metabolism ain't gonna work so good anymore. Eventually the pounds will pile on without her noticing until it's too late. Boom. Land whale."

"Tsunade..."

"What. You're thinking it too, Gramps. Force feed the girl some veggies or she'll be a blimp in ten years, I mean it."

Hiruzen sighs and shakes his head.

"I'll talk to her about slowing down some," I say.

"Good. Now, where were we...yeah, curse seal tests and junk. Took data from Anko and Sasuke, a few good samples each time. And, uh...interesting results." She holds up a finger while finishing her liqour. "Ah. Lili, remember when you beat the kid's ass at the valley?"

"Something I can't forget easily."

"Well, what you fought back there was...I guess you could say a prototype version of Sage Mode."

I blink a few times. "That does sound outrageous."

"Yep. But as you said one time, it'd be a pretty tasteless prank on my end. As you might have guessed, the curse seals contain Orochimaru's chakra. According to what I gathered from Anko, the survival rate of those implanted with the seals was about ten percent. She was one of the few to survive...her seal didn't bother her as much because she refused to use it, unlike our friend Sasuke."

"I see."

"The way the seal works though is an exchange. It takes the user's existing chakra and transforms it into sage chakra. Their bodies are then modified thanks to a special enzyme, giving them all sorts of enhanced abilities. I imagine a body that could survive that sort of treatment is also one that he would desperately want for himself. Sasuke having the Sharingan and being compatible with the cursed seal would make him the perfect candidate."

"You say that it transforms regular chakra into sage chakra?" Hiruzen asks.

"Yeah. Causes a lot of pain and drawing on it ends up being a subconscious thing most of the time. But it's a big chakra boost, makes your jutsu stronger as well. However, unlike Sage Mode, it's pretty limited and temporary in a lot of ways. It's way more of a desperation move, far as I'm concerned. There are two states that I know of based on your reports and my own research, Lili. The first one shows up on the body like a tattoo, spreading over the skin as more power is accessed. The second stage is trickier, and involves drugs that advance the state of the curse mark by inducing temporary death and allowing the body to properly acclimate to it. Otherwise, the person would really and truly die."

"So the second stage...is that something permanent, then? Or at least is supposed to be?" Ino asks.

"It's a transformation that takes advantage of another state, called Sage Transformation. That and Sage Mode are different things."

"Ah. Midoriko used her version of sage arts during our battle with Orochimaru," Hiruzen says. "There were mild physical changes, but nothing that truly altered her form."

"Yep. That's Sage Mode for you. Sage Transformation is, well, a physical transformation due to sage chakra. The second stage of the curse mark replicates that, and gives them even more power. Their physical attributes change, like when Sasuke was able to fly..."

I nod. "A grotesque pair of wings, though they looked more like hands."

"Yeesh! Who would do that?" Ino says, horrified.

"Here's the kicker. Unlike Sage Mode, the power of the seal eats away at the user's mind. In other words, it becomes easier to use, but more and more dangerous the longer you keep using it. Eventually, you'll go crazy and think about little else aside from killing. Kakashi and Erika had to deal with that during the Sound invasion, I heard."

"Yes. The cursed seal users were psychotic in nature," Erika says. "Though we took measures to try and stop them without lethal force, it was not always successful."

"Sasuke was slipping into that state as well," I add. "If I hadn't stopped him then, it's possible that he might have been too lost to save."

"That means we'll have to watch him even closer when it comes to chakra usage. The Evil Sealing Method depends on his will power, as I learned from Kakashi," Imari says. "Is it possible to drain that sage chakra away entirely, to prevent any adverse effects permanently?"

"No idea right now. I think one of those other kids from the Sound might be able to help...I haven't gotten too much time with them, but there's the one kid with a transformation that's just about the same as the cursed seal. Name's Jugo."

"Jugo," I mumble.

"Oh, hey! That's the guy Suigetsu and Karin don't like talking about," Fio says. "What's up with him?"

"He keeps to himself a lot, but that's for a reason...he's prone to randomly flipping out and raging at anyone in sight, trying to take their heads off. The moment he calms down, he's a total wreck and asks to be put into a hole he can't escape from. Poor guy. You can tell he's trying his best, and he's a big softie whenever he's not having his episodes. I dunno if I can fix him, but I'll look into trying. There just might be something related to the curse marks, since I assume Orochimaru was experimenting on him, same as everyone else."

"I see...I want to help too, if I can. I know it's not my job to fix everyone that came out of that place, but I feel really sorry for him..."

"If there's anything you can do, I'll let you know, kiddo."

"Awesome. Thanks, Auntie Tsuna!"

"And...just one more thing to mention. Don't freak out too bad."

"It's not gross, is it?" Tamaki says, looking up from her chicken.

"Not gross gross, but...creepy, more like. So I ran some more tests and figured out something worse than normal. Turns out that it's not just chakra...Orochimaru himself is lurking in those cursed seals."

"I do beg your pardon," I say with shock.

"That sounds..." Hiruzen isn't quite sure how to take it.

"That's one hell of a bomb to drop, Princess," Ino says. "You're saying that this guy is alive too? Oi. What the hell is it with weird evil guys and not staying dead after they're killed? Madara, Obito, now this fruitcake! Okay, how's he still kicking around?"

"Well, it's more like...he exists, rather than being alive, per se..."

"For the cheap seats in the back, Alky."

Tsunade glares at Tamaki while pouring another glass of liquor.

"How to put this...his consciousness, or rather some fragment of it, resides within those seals. Now, as for how he could get out? I think that if we reverse the method used to contain curses like that, and direct it towards releasing them...along with providing a medium for him to use as a shell, he could come back to life on the spot. How I tested it was to break down some of the material in the cursed seal, and then place it into a controlled environment with pieces of Orochimaru's flesh. There was a reaction, every time. I mean...I know it's not conclusive evidence at this point, but-"

"No."

"Eh? Lili?"

"No...you're correct," I say. It's been a while by now, but...those words are coming back, clear and true. "I fought a certain someone. Kimimaro Kaguya, a rare individual whose clan has been completely wiped out with his death. He had a terminal illness...constantly spouting things about his master's will, and how he was going to carry it on by bringing Sasuke to the Hidden Sound. That method of unsealing mentioned earlier...perhaps it could have been used to bring Orochimaru back, at the cost of a few lives. His unhinged ranting seems to make a lot more sense in hindsight. The snake man continuing to live inside of him...I suppose it was the truth, even if he couldn't understand what it was he truly felt."

"Incredibly creepy," Tamaki and Imari say in unison.

"So we've got ourselves a new wrinkle, sort of. I guess?" Ino asks.

"Kabuto might have known about this method, yes?" Hiruzen asks.

"Definitely not," I counter. "He was convinced Orochimaru was dead...no way would he have spilled his guts the way he did if there was even a chance he was living on somewhere else. Kabuto had no idea...if this is something that really exists, Orochimaru was the only one who knew."

"So we do not wish to release the seal because of various adverse effects, such as reviving Orochimaru," Erika says. She always did have a dry sense of humour. "There must be a method to remove it from Sasuke."

"Itachi has been mum on that end," I say to her. "Naturally, I didn't try to pry. He's quite interested in seeing his plan through."

"The boy reminds me too much of his father," Hiruzen says, sighing. He reloads his pipe.

"Our major issue is his quest," Erika continues. "If he is not strong enough to face Itachi Uchiha on his own, it is guaranteed that he will make use of the cursed seal extensively. That is not something we desire...as such, I have worries about his current progress. But we will work with diligence as always."

"Yes. Princess Tsunade, remember that you have allies from afar," I say.

"Afar? Allies?"

"Ane-ue rules her kingdom with flourish and grace. The secrets of the serpent world are within her grasp, not to mention those of the sage arts. I do not expect Sasuke to make any major movements in the next few years, what with his restrictions, and of course he will be in competition with his closest friend, Naruto. During that time, I believe you should consult with Sana and Sanae Jakari, along with our Empress, to see what could possibly be done in your field of research."

"Ooh, that's good. What about Kabuto, think he can help? I know he has the inside track on all of this."

"He should be accessible, since he's been behaving. If there is anyone who can make sense of all this nonsense, it must be him. Forward your information to JPC when you deem it suitable to, and no earlier. Though..." I cough into my hand. "Kabuto may be...ah, preoccupied soon, if I remember correctly."

"Hm. Okay. I'll keep working and then share the findings I have. Thanks a bunch, Lili."

"Of course. Anything for my loved ones, hmhm."

"So Sasuke is being handled, then. Good...I really don't want to worry about that stupid brat more than I have to," Tamaki says. She grumbles and knocks back her drink in one go. "Now I get why Lili calls him trash..."

"Senpai, easy."

"Bah. He knows how I feel about him now. Speaking of human garbage...Shimura is another order of business, right?"

Fio sets down one of her boxes and swallows. "You guys can't just arrest him and be done with it, huh. If I'm following right, I guess he has a lot of pols on his side. So he's kind of like Gramps here, just evil. And not nearly as handsome."

"Danzo has been stripped of much of his power in official capacity," Erika says. "The organization called the Foundation, known also as ROOT, was officially disbanded following the Uchiha Massacre. He was removed from the Leaf Council, one of the most powerful bodies in the village, and his power base was ultimately scattered. But the fact of the matter is that ROOT simply went underground, fitting their namesake. We do not currently know their numbers, or key members of their leadership aside from Danzo. They report to him, but will also take orders from Lord Hokage when authorized. There are strange seals on the backs of their tongues, and I have collected data on that end."

"Do tell," I say.

"The seals relate directly to Danzo. They prevent anyone with them from speaking about Danzo...certainly not his name, nor anything relating to the organization. A paralyzing and ultimately incapacitating seal. Thus, with his death, the seals will disappear from all involved parties permanently."

"That seems to follow..."

"Yes. He scoops up talent from special clans, and regularly makes secretive trips to the orphanage to scout for less talented, but loyal foot soldiers. Fodder, to put it simply. Members of ROOT have their emotions suppressed or deleted, through some unknown mechanism. My only guess is some sort of brutal training that strips them of their humanity completely, and makes them into tools. And their function...to them, the mission is always more important than anything else, even one's life."

"That gives us ten billion fucking reasons to shove the old bastard down a pit," Ino interjects fiercely. "So what the hell's the hold up-"

"Politics," I say in time with Hiruzen.

She pauses before slowly deflating. "Wait. It can't be that bad...right? Seriously?"

"Ino, it might be something hard to grasp, but...would you accept my observations on this matter?" Imari asks politely.

"Oh, sure! I mean, how could I not? You're part of one of the Leaf's biggest clans and all, so...go ahead. I wanna know what I'm missing."

"Thank you. Simply put...operations of Danzo's scope simply cannot happen without high level support. Once before, Danzo had the resources of the Leaf directly at his call. When that disappeared, he decided to make appeals to others in his circles. Do you recall the people who attended the Magnolia House announcement? Some of them are confirmed to be staunch hardliners, close with the Fire Country's political elite, and most importantly, very invested in national security. Danzo Shimura, as a fellow war hawk, provides them with a comfort that Lord Hokage does not...even if they refuse to say it out loud."

"I do hear rumblings of that, yeah. About how Lord Hokage is too soft at times, or that he doesn't go far enough with policies. I guess enough people with money and influence feel the same way, so they're helping to prop up stuff like ROOT. At the same time, ROOT guys are working for the village, and then with all the recruiting and propaganda, there's gotta be blackmail in there, too."

"Yes. To my shame, there are even members of Hyuuga who support extremist viewpoints and dislike the recent peaceful state of the Hidden Leaf. They have become more forceful in their ideology after the Leaf Crushing incident, and the jockeying with Hidden Cloud recently has brought up memories of tragedy from long ago. The event that had Lord Hizashi of the Branch House sacrifice himself to save his beloved twin brother from the Main House, Lord Hiashi. This came about because of Lady Hinata's kidnapping at three years of age, and the righteous elimination of the Hidden Cloud spy who carried out that terrible act." Imari places a hand over her heart. "Many things are happening in the current era. Akatsuki is spreading rapidly, influencing nations large and small. People are fearful of the future, and that fear can quickly turn to anger. Danzo has many, many supporters in the shadows. Yes, we could try to arrest him for various crimes, but we wouldn't get far at all. Worse, the price of it would be too high...Lord Hokage could possibly be forced out if public confidence is eroded enough, and all of the work that we've done, protecting Sasuke, keeping the Leaf safe, trying to make a difference...all of that would be lost in a moment. Sasuke would fall into the darkness for good. The Leaf would become hostile and aggressive. And then...then we might be staring at yet another war."

"I...see. I didn't...realize just how deep this all went. I'm still so far behind," Ino says, sadly. "It's not as easy as finding the bad guy and taking him out. Or...it never was that way, was it? And even justice can have such a long wait..."

"This world arcs towards justice, as it ever does. With the strength and affections of the divine, we will see things through. I believe it to be so. Ino, there is no need to fear. Have you forgotten our promise?" Erika says.

Ino shakes her head and slaps at her cheeks. "Right, sorry. I remember now..."

"It is nothing to be ashamed of. We move together so that each of us can help the other in times of despair. Remember your strength...if you focus on it, you can help change the future. We will slow the tide of sacrifices, day by day, step by step. Together."

"Right. Together."

"We will face the rising sun, and emerge victorious. And thus, a song of victory will echo through the mountains and over the lush plains. From sea to shining sea, the light of heaven's chosen shall heal our broken land."

"You've been hanging around the red-head too much," Tsunade jokes.

"Well, I think it's quite beautiful," I reply. "Carry on, Erika. Let your benediction signal the start of revolutionary thought, and the rise of a glorious new age," I say while raising my hands.

"Oi..."

"Alky there has a point," Tamaki says.

"Listen, I'm not a complete drunk. I'm behaving right now, see?"

"You sound way too much like that Koichi kid, Lili."

"Ah, the consumer of this world's baleful dark essence, you mean," I say with a smug smile.

"The chunni's one of the best parts about Lili!" Fio says.

"You have to admit, senpai...it's pretty fun."

Tamaki refills her glass and points at the old man. "Your kid. Your fault."

"Every child should be allowed to express themselves. The mark of a good mentor is focusing those talents and energies into the most productive skills. And as our imaginative ace has achieved a high rank and the trust of this village's elites...I would say my job has been done, and quite well, in fact." Hiruzen winks and raises his glass to Tamaki.

She gives him a glare. "You're dead the next time you even brush against my butt, old timer."

"U-um...our action plan for Danzo? I think we're in agreement?" Imari says quickly.

"Yes, we won't be doing anything at this moment," I say.

"Offing him is out of the question, since we'd have to justify that...and I doubt anyone would harbour a person or people who murdered someone so important," Tsunade says lazily.

"I would rather it not come to that..."

"I know, sensei. That would require us to actually kill the old windbag, and with all of the bullshit he supposedly has at his disposal, I have my doubts about it happening. Locking him up won't work. We'd be drowning in court papers for decades to start, and he would basically be free the whole time. So that's a wash. Can't really sabotage him, or spread any rumours. Nothing we can legally do." She snorts. "Legality for shinobi. Ha. Catching him in the act of some shady business...given how he moves? Not likely."

"Oh, oh! Have you tried-"

"You're gonna say call girls, and nope. Thought of that first, but he seems pretty immune. Doesn't like talking to women too much...and he keeps bothering me about my tits, anyways. Says my dress is unbecoming or some bullshit. He can go fuck himself, it's not like I'm flashing the goddamn village." She turns her head to me. "And you, you're probably thinking something stupid."

"..."

She points a finger towards me. "Whatever it is? Stop it."

I pout at her. "Hmph."

"We have to settle for keeping watch over his activities, whenever they're visible. I don't like it," Tamaki says. "But it's our only real option if we want to stay in the game, so to speak. I think we can all agree on that much."

"I suppose we've covered everything immediate and relevant?" I ask. Everyone thinks it over before nodding. "Good. Smaller details can be looked after later on, at our own paces."

"Pretty deep into night by now. Or morning," Ino says.

"Meeting's over, time for the good stuff," Tsunade announces. She pulls out another glass bottle from her travel bag.

"Gimme," Tamaki growls.

"Senpai..." Imari sighs and shakes her head. Hiruzen has already pulled out a familiar orange book to read, while Ino and Erika move their chairs closer to me and Fio.

"Imari! If you're not getting drunk, come sit with us!" Ino calls.

"Have my seat, Imari." Fio leaves her chair and plops into my lap.

"Thank you kindly. So, um...what were we going to do with the rest of our free time?"

"Since we're full, and business is done with...it's about time we got to the juicy stuff," Ino says, rubbing her hands together. "Gossip hour, my dearest Imari."

"Hm...I mean...I don't know if we should talk about people like that..."

"I did come upon a few things during my surveillance work, recently," Erika says. "I feel it would be of interest to members of our close-knit community..."

"So, who is it?" I ask eagerly.

"It involves Miss Terano, of the Intelligence Division."

"That stuck up bitch?" Imari asks. Seems her reservations are gone now, and she's one of us at last. "You better not leave out a single scrap of info, Rika."

"I do have a reputation to uphold. Fear not, Miss Hyuuga." There's an extremely smug look on her face, and I'm in love with it. "We begin a month or two prior, on the night of July 8. The first event took place at a tavern across from..."