Chapter 3
Near The Known Base Of The Rebel Army
Rice Country
Tsunade frowned before glancing at the person and questioning "I thought I told you to remain behind Naruko?"
"I know Mama, but you didn't feel what I felt. He would have carved you into two." the new comer now known as Naruko, Naruto's twin, replied back to Tsunade.
Naruko had long, dirty blonde hair that is tied up in pigtails flowing by her back. Her hair is just pass her back and down to her knees, with bronze coloured eyes. She is seen wearing her black and orange coat, that if unzipped shows her fish net tanktop, on her legs she wears orange shorts that are orange and black. She also wears knee high heeled black boots, that only show her toes that are painted black. On her hand she only has her fingernails painted a black color.
"And what is that, 'ruko?" Tsunade questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"I felt tailed beast chakra coming from him when he used the purple fire. Notice how he doesn't suppress his chakra when using the fire, but he does when using lightning." Naruko answered after pushing of off Naruto to create space from him and to stand next to Tsunade to relay her discovery "It might not be the exact same as tailed beast chakra, though it does have a very similar feel, almost like something is missing."
'She seems to be more battle intelligent than the reports let on.' "Sister, where is your Sharingan?"
"Wha-?" Tsunade questioned before being interrupted.
"I don't use evil tools to win battles." Naruko interjected before her mother could finish.
"I almost want to disown you as my blood, the irony!" Naruto growled back at Naruko.
"Your 'Sharingan is superior to all' mentality is my reason to have my opinion." Naruko calmly responded.
"And that 'Holier than thou' mentality is the reason why I should slaughter the lot of you." Naruto stated gripping his sword and falling into the Uchiha stance.
"I'd love to see you try and fail." Naruko responded with another kunai joining the one already out, but in the other hand. Though before they could clash, Tsunade intervened by purposely teleporting Naruko to a distant location unknown to Naruto.
"I'm sorry for cutting this reunion short my little Naru, but I must insist that you do some homework on your royal court. Not everyone has your best interest at heart." Tsunade stated after sending Naruko away, though Naruto never lost his tense stance.
"What is that supposed to mean, everybody is loyal to the Uchiha in the empire." Naruto retorted, only to catch a folder from Tsunade. And in the split second that he glanced at the folder, Tsunade used a shushin to disappear from the location.
While Naruto was pondering the file and interaction, another figure entered the clearing.
"Are you not going to chase them down?"
"You heard what she said. I want to be absolutely sure that she is wrong before I drive my sword through her chest for deceiving me." Naruto replied.
"What about the interim empress and Fugaku? They probably won't be happy about this." the figure replied.
"And that is why we have Shisui to weather the storm for us, eh Itachi?" Naruto stated cheekily while glancing over his shoulder.
"Us?" the now known as Itachi, questioned.
Itachi had a fair complexion, black eyes with pronounced tear-troughs and jet-black hair in a low ponytail with center-parted bangs. He wore black shirt and pants, grey vest, white bandages on lower legs, grey arm protectors, and a Tanto on his back with a face mask with cat ears, and black sandals.
"Well you're going to be my right hand man, head of state. And Shisui's ambition to be general falls in line with my plan for the Uchiha empire. Now, let us depart from this empty base." Naruto replied before turning to leave the clearing.
"Understood."
Near The Border Of Rice Country
True Base Of The Rebel Army
"You know she is royally pissed, right?" an unknown person stated, with Tsunade simply choosing to ignore the pun, stepping out of the shadows after seeing Tsunade strolling through the hidden path way towards the base.
The person revealed themselves to be a fair skinned woman of average height and slender build with onyx eyes and jet-black hair, her hair is straight and shoulder length with bangs that cover her ears and frame her face. She is seen in a long bluish black kimono with white trimmings, held closed by a white obi, and open-toed sandals with low heels.
"Oh, I'm pissed as well Shizune. Did I not specifically order, not kindly suggest, ORDER everyone to leave MY EMPEROR of a SON to me!" Tsunade answered in annoyance at her daughter's inability to follow orders.
"Well …" Shizune, who bowed to Tsunade respectfully, began only to be interrupted.
"He is also MY EMPEROR of a BROTHER, deeply twisted by that empire of his! He would…!" Naruko bellowed out her own feelings about the matter.
"He would have killed you right on the spot. Naruko, you don't understand why he would have and that is why you would have died. In fact…" Tsunade began trying to make Naruko understand why, before pausing and getting close to her daughter "… show it to me!"
"Wha-"
"Lady Tsunade!?"
"Your SHARINGAN! Show it to me!" Tsunade ordered harshly causing Naruko to flinch back a little. Not because of the tone Tsunade was using, as being the daughter of one of the commanders had its disadvantages, but what she had been ordered to do.
"But Mama, you know…" Naruko started, trying to dissuade her mother from basically forcing her to revisit a sore memory of her unlocking her sharingan.
"I said show me." Tsunade calmly interrupted, losing all emotion on her face.
"Fine!" Naruko growled and activated her sharingan, two tomoe flaring and violently spinning appeared from the eyes of the dirty blonde's bronze eyes turning them blood red in colour "The eyes of a killer, the eyes of a savage, the eyes…!"
"The eyes of a little girl unable to forgive herself for something beyond her control. And everyday it seems cowardice grows from the depths of your soul. How does a person fear themselves, huh. This world is unforgiving and its time is finite for everyone. Do you know you could have died with your worthless morals today. Limiting yourself against the Uchiha is what destroyed the Senju. There are only three left. You, your brother and myself is all we have left." Tsunade ranted before softening up at the end.
"There we go again, Senju this and Senju that. I don't…" Naruko began before Shizune stopped her.
"Naruko!"
"No, it's fine Shizune. I guess Naruko of the Rebellion Army sounds better to her." Tsunade stated turning away from her daughter to leave for her quarters.
"Indeed, it does Supreme Commander." Naruko replied not even bothering to walk away, just shushined away from the clearing.
"Lady Tsunade! You could have handled…" Shizune began trying to play peace maker only for Tsunade to silence her with a hand.
"Enough! Shizune, enough. I … I wo… I ca…" Tsunade began strongly only to choke up causing Shizune to just rush to her leaders side to comfort her.
"She doesn't understand. Maybe one day she will." Shizune reassured.
Royal Uchiha Hideout
Border Of Rice and Fire
The hideout was built into a terraced mountain with vast forestry growing on each level. Two towers were also built on either side of the mountain connecting directly to it. Inside, there was at least one vast meeting hall which had the symbol of the Uchiha framing the doorway on either side.
"What does the folder entail?" Itachi asked, entering the hideout after checking the perimeter and activating the seals for the hideout.
"Exactly what I thought it would contain, a lot of finger pointing and half truths." Naruto replied leaning back into his chair after tossing the folder to Itachi.
"Half truths or your lack of in depth knowledge? With how little of your duties you have performed, perhaps a further and thorough assessment of the matter is required?" Itachi fired back at Naruto without even looking at the folder.
"True. I do lack… knowledge on the case and its star witnesses, however, you are not a spy for Mikasa. Danzo does not have the capability or capacity for war against the Uchiha, even with that rat Kabuto and his master Orochimaru. It is true though, he betrayed the Rebels for a closer sit at his master's enemies' table to hopefully lure us into a false sense of trust and loyalty. However, the Uchiha would never jeopardise my grandfather's legacy by siding with our enemies. Lastly, say what you want about Mikasa, but I know for certain she would never poison my father. She loved him too much to do so. In fact, her recent schemes are all in the name of having a 'true' Uchiha take the throne." Naruto retorted with a little smirk gracing his lips, opposing most of the things that were written in the folder.
"I hear all of that, but Danzo is that dangerous. It is the same reason your father, the late emperor, decided to keep Danzo near. Isolation. But the rebel army might take the deal, desperation and the dwindling number of troops could cause them to take drastic measures just to win this century year old feud of us, the Uchiha, against the world. Some want to trade places with us, others just want liberation and 'peace', though I am not sure about the rebel leaders and their stake in this. Besides Senju Tsunade and her close allies, the rest are a mystery. Nagato, Hanzo, Onoki, Ay, Yagura and formally of the rebel army, Orochimaru, all seem to have their own fight separate from their Supreme Commander, Senju Tsunade." Itachi began, sharing his thoughts on the matter, before adding "And I do agree about Mikasa. I don't think she would ever think of doing that to the late emperor."
"I share your thoughts on the matter, however, we will have to rendezvous with Shisui to iron out the wrongs in our shared thoughts." Naruto concurred with Itachi before he stood up making his way to the door.
"Where to?" Itachi questioned falling behind Naruto, curious about the future emperor's sudden departure.
"I thought you would have caught on to what I did back at the rebel base." Naruto jokingly said not breaking a stride.
"Is it time to raid a rebel base?" Itachi asked straightening his posture as if he was in the presence of a general and not one of his best friends.
"So many questions. Probably should have brought Shisui." Naruto stated hiding his smirk from Itachi.
"He'd have ten times the amount I have asked today." Itachi replied with an assurance of his statement.
"Jokes, Itachi, jokes. Of course I am not going to bring Shisui to this type of mission. But I needed to lighten up, today was filled with reunions and more stuff that I needed to sort out, now it's potentially going to be a massacre soon." Naruto spoke with a dry voice, his smirk disappearing from his face "Rain country is our next search target to fish out more of the Akatsuki squadron of the rebel army."