Chapter 88.- In motion
Something was changing.
There was a sandstorm preparing to swallow them all.
Clear blue eyes narrowed at the latest report from his intelligence teams; everything was exactly what Gaara had expected to find, but it didn't make it any less frustrating to have his suspicions confirmed. At a glance, the Elemental Nations remained at peace, a charming mirage hiding deadly risks underneath. Nothing pointed towards potential turmoil. Civilian nations appeared content with the current balance of power, and despite the number of spies he'd deployed to foreign territories, no Hidden Village had been caught making any unusual moves. Naturally, the Kazekage wasn't naive enough to believe such a thing. Silence was often more worrying than the loud barking of dissatisfied nobles or the bluffing of arrogant shinobis. And as if to confirm his suspicions, Higurashi Kagome was moving again.
Usually, the actions of such a small group of rogue nins wouldn't have carried much weight in international politics, but things were never that simple when that girl was involved.
It was disturbingly easy to underestimate her. Her appearance was far from physically intimidating, and she was extraordinarily good at hiding her bloodlust. With Uchiha Sasuke by her side, no one would consider her the real threat. If not for Shuukaku's response towards her power, he might've disregarded her as well. Once he started paying attention to her, however, it was impossible not to notice that the peaceful Higurashi heiress liked to approach the powerful pieces in the board, and she was just as full of hatred as her partner. Fond of complicated games as she was, Gaara didn't believe for a second that she hadn't planned every single move her group took when they decided to take the bait. After all, it got Uchiha Itachi to walk straight to them.
Up to that point, her actions made sense…
He might've thought the first batch of rumors true and chalked the unfavorable outcome as the product of overconfidence combined with an extremely talented opponent…had it not been for the second batch of rumors. Oh, they certainly painted the image she'd wanted; they were exactly what one would expect for a Higurashi, and they certainly did a wonderful job being vague about which of the Uchiha siblings was following her around. And he didn't buy the idea that this was evidence of her merciful nature despite being in a possible hostage situation. If she was manipulating the narrative, then she'd gotten what she wanted from that little show and was now trying to gain something else. Something that would undoubtedly go far deeper than it appeared. What exactly was the goal she was trying to achieve, Gaara didn't know, but whatever it was, he'd rather be prepared for the shockwaves her actions would create.
As if in response to his wandering thoughts, he felt it, the echo of power that had driven Shuukaku into a frenzy in the form of a bright blue butterfly fluttering outside his window.
This was...definitely not the action of someone under duress.
Boldly and arrogantly demanding the presence of a Kage was certainly something the person who'd taken control of the Taisho team would do. If he wanted to get an idea of what was going on under the illusion of peace, there was no better way than to meet with the one likely to be found entangled in the next storm.
Grateful for his habit of taking silent walks, Gaara placed down the papers and moved to follow. Throwing away caution by using a messenger that could so easily caught his people's eyes meant she thought the risk of having someone else notice this was worth it. Judging by the longer, meandering path the small faux insect was leading him through and the emptiness of the streets he passed, there were probably more odd puppets scattered in his village. An intelligence threat if there ever was one, since chakra sensors didn't seem to pick them up. Still, she was too fond of Naruto to harm Suna, to prioritize figuring a wat to block her when even he was struggling to notice that identifying sensation now that he'd lost Shuukaku would likely create too much uncertainty between his people for the threat she actually was. Other nations who didn't count with the Konoha jinchuuriki's favor wouldn't have the luxury of not worrying about it, of course…once they found out what the Higurashi girl was capable of.
From anyone else, this would be an insult.
Humming outside the entrance of what had to be an underground structure was a barrier made from the Higurashi's bloodline's unique energy. Calmly stepping inside left an odd feeling on his skin, his eyes adjusting to the change of lighting to reveal another narrow passage. Going by the location of this place, it couldn't go on for much longer. It didn't make much of a difference regarding the sort of dangers that could be waiting for him or the actions he'd take. Temari would have his head if she were to find out what he was doing. Regardless of the tentatively friendly relationship they had with the Higurashi's group, he still died at the Akatsuki's hands not too long ago. A Kage had to worry about more than just their own survival, and that's also precisely why he was doing this.
Light poured in from a couple of improvised torches, revealing a rather small rock chamber, and his steps almost faltered.
"You're alone."
"Well, I figured after asking you to come all the way here, it was only fair," Kagome said, not moving from the boulder she'd been sitting on. "Of course, if I ask for help, I will get it."
"Of course," the redhead nodded.
"Well, I don't believe either of us has any reason to need reinforcements anyway." As always, there was a seemingly soft smile on her lips. "I have to say…you don't seem surprised to see me."
"The person who got the Taisho team to go along with a lie and forced her own compatriot to let me and my siblings go after we attacked Konoha would be able to speak her way out of a kidnapping." If that's what it was in the first place.
"Now, that's just flattering, but I appreciate the vote of confidence." A kind laugh followed her words. "I have to wonder how many people share your opinion."
"Far from enough for you to worry, although Kankuro wasn't too happy to learn about your dolls."
"If it's any consolation, trying to keep conscious control of too many shikigamis at once threatens to fry my brain." She was unbothered as she spoke. "That's why Sasuke never left my side when I was looking for you."
A peace offering in the form of a potential limitation and possible weak point.
Nodding his approval, Gaara allowed silence to stretch for a moment. He remembered how easily she could use words to gain an advantage, and she was clearly still fond of that sort of tactic. As a shinobi and as Kazekage, the redhead had to be talented in as many areas as he could, but thanks to his unique childhood, things like political machinations and psychological manipulations were never skills he'd excelled at. Letting her play her games wasn't something he was about to do, tentative friendships or not.
"Pleasant conversation isn't what you came here for," he said, blunt and straight to the point.
"Right, I don't imagine you have a lot of free time." With a flourish of her hand, she took something out of her sleeves and offered it to him. "I fear I have to ask for yet another personal favor."
Dark purple liquid sloshed around the glass contained. There were about half a dozen poisons with a similar color and consistency that came to his mind, and his brother could probably name half a dozen more, but someone like her wouldn't have come to him for any of those.
"If processed correctly, it can also be turned into a gas, though I can't say I know how to go about it. I don't have much of an untainted sample," she said, frowning slightly. "It takes a few minutes to cause multiple organ failure. Flesh is already necrotic by that point. The physical aspects are certainly severe, but there are faster-acting toxins out there." She let him take the vial from her hand. "What bothers me, however, is the poison's true target…this thing... it destroys a person's chakra network as it eats through their body."
"Then…" Gaara prompted.
"Even if you somehow manage to save someone, they might be unable to use chakra afterward." The girl huffed, undermining the worrying implications. "Odds are, this is actually a type of kekkei genkai. Some time ago, we came upon an injured ninja; less than ten minutes had passed after he got poisoned. Even with my reiki, I barely managed to salvage his chakra network."
"You didn't get this sample during that encounter." It wasn't a question.
"No, the Shichinintai were carrying it." Well, that'd explain it. "I'm keeping some of it to analyze myself, but I don't exactly have the means to conduct the tests I'd need to fully study it, and Suna is renowned for their expertise in poison."
"Can an antidote be created without your reiki if this is a bloodline limit?" Neither a refusal nor an agreement.
His answer was a sly smile as the girl made a slow, deliberate motion, her right hand going into her wide sleeves as she knelt down. Gaara watched her place a storage scroll on the ground, giving him enough chance to stop her, cautiously biting her thumb. What he found after the smoke faded were a series of vials full of crimson liquid, all tagged with different percentages, and a trio of syringes filled with something else he didn't recognize next to a thin notebook.
"This is the best counter I've managed to make." Slender fingers pointed to the syringes. "All it can do is slow down the poison." Next, she gestured towards the line of vials. "Each of these has been injected with a different concentration of reiki. The tags explain themselves." Finally, the girl grabbed the notebook and lifted it towards him. "And this is a copy of all my notes."
"And a copy of our findings is all you ask in return?" It was quite a low price for what he got in return.
"Shinobis are tools for both civilian nations and hidden villages to use, so their treatment depends on their leaders." The girl offered him another smile as she looked up at him. "I don't think you'd stab us in the back without proper justification…you care too much for your people."
"I'll check our records to look for any similar symptoms."
"Thank you." The words sounded genuine. "It's probably safer if you stop looking into our watcher."
Giving her blood to him and his people carried a risk greater than what the Uchiha would be happy with; it just went to show how dangerous she thought it was. Not to mention, she was also giving up on the information he could get her. Whoever the person obsessed with hunting her was, he wasn't someone they could take lightly. Stopping this pseudo alliance with her group would probably be enough to ensure Suna wouldn't become collateral damage, but playing around on the edges of his treaty with Konoha wasn't enough to cover the debt he owed. Plus, Naruto wouldn't just let her or the Uchiha fight for themselves, and the blond was another person the Gaara had to repay. Nothing with these three ever seemed to be simple.
"I'll keep you informed on any developments," the redhead hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Did you get what you needed from Uchiha Itachi?"
"Hmm…it's a…work in progress. Patience is a valuable skill, and certain truths have a way of coming out." Her expression turned from gentle appreciation to amusement.
"Patience…" the Kage repeated the word, playing around with its different meanings before shaking his head. "Is there something else I should consider while waiting?"
"Medics are always in such short supply, aren't they?" With a fluid motion, the girl stood up and walked around the still-open storage scroll, calmly making her way out of the passageway. "There are never enough when the numbers start going out of control. All Kages should start paying more attention, don't you think?"
Ominous parting words were oddly appropriate considering the other gifts she left behind.
He could feel the barrier around the crevice fade away as he lowered to gather the offered materials, his thoughts spiraling around her last warning. Medics in short supply, all Kages…she was expecting an international conflict; one that couldn't be avoided. Was it related to the Akatsuki? Their intent to hunt jinchuurikis was certainly something to be wary of. Even though he'd managed to come back to life, there was no telling what they'd do with Shuukaku. Up until now, no Hidden Village had been interested (or had the freedom) in hunting the nuke-nin group. Aside from their fixation with the Tailed Beasts, the Akatsuki mostly lurked in the background; the price of going against them outweighed the potential benefits. Things would be different if they were to start using whatever they gained from their hunts…of course, there was another way to interpret her parting words…she could be the one to start the fire that'd swallow the Elemental Nations. Preparations would need to be made so they could weather the incoming sand waves.
First, he had to figure out how to explain to his siblings why he'd chosen to stay quiet about his constant contact with someone who was technically a rogue kunoichi.
Waiting was always a difficult skill for a shinobi to perfect. There were exceptions, and it was far from impossible, but for the most part, people who spent their most of their lives learning the importance of striking first and dealing a decisive blow didn't have the easiest time being patient. The best ninjas should end a battle before it began. Kakashi prided himself in knowing how to control his impulses; he could make accurate judgments and act only when the time was right. And yet, this waiting was driving him insane.
By now, the letter Tsunade-Shama wrote had to have reached the Taishos, so the only thing Copy Ninja Kakashi could do was wait.
It'd work.
The Chuunin Exams from three and a half years ago had proven just how much interest the nomadic clan had in the Higurashi survivor. There's no way they'd waste the chance to act as mediators between her group and the village. Not when they'd also be able to obtain first-hand information on some of Konoha's inner workings. As for his problematic students, they'd show up. Had Sasuke been on his own, this plan would've been laughable, but the final say would likely fall on the Higurashi's hands. Kagome was a cautious girl, but she was more than willing to take risks. She wouldn't pass up the chance to establish contact, if only to get an accurate assessment of the Godaime's intentions. He'd get the opportunity to try and reach an agreement, find some way to get them back.
Exactly how he was supposed to do that was a question he didn't have an answer for.
Thanks to the Shichinintai, they didn't have any more time to gauge what information those two had or what their goal was, so they'd gone ahead and sent that letter. It was better than doing nothing, but the truth was that Godaime-sama had yet to figure out a deal Kagome and Sasuke would accept that wouldn't significantly damage Konoha's stability. Honestly, he wasn't sure there was a deal that could achieve such a thing.
Absentmindedly flipping a page of a book he wasn't really reading, Kakashi scoffed to himself. Sure, Tsunade-sama may be stuck, but Kakashi was in the exact same position. Not helped by the fact that his brain seemed intent on obsessing over something that wouldn't get him anywhere. Ever since he found out those two had to have been planning on leaving since the exams, or maybe even before that, a question had been sneaking into the back of his mind every time he tried to sleep.
'What would I have done had they asked me for help?'
Kakashi knew they came upon whatever files had been hidden in the Uchiha archives the one day they almost missed training. Neither of them had trusted him enough to tell him the truth, but his mind liked to come up with impossible scenarios. It wasn't hard to imagine them coming to him, sharing the secrets they found, and he wasn't sure he could've made a difference at all. Sure, the jounin would've tried to dig deeper, loyal as he was to the village, he would've never told his team to blindly ignore their own unease after realizing the truth behind the Uchiha massacre. But bringing his own concerns to Sandaime-sama wouldn't have helped; after all, the Third Hokage was the one who approved the radical action of annihilating an entire clan. Regardless of the much respect Kakashi had for the old man, denying that the Council had been steadily stealing power and influence from the Hokage ever since the Yondaime's death was folly.
Minato-sama's unforeseen passing had given the old bastards the perfect opportunity to make a grab for it. With no time to prepare for a smooth transition, Sandaime-sama had been forced to rely on Danzo and the Council to maintain the balance between the clans. There was nothing else anyone could've done; Sarutobi-sama just wasn't in the right position to do antagonize them. No matter what the once-lauded Professor thought about the clan heirs finding out the truth, had Kakashi gone to the old man, he would've surely received instructions to lie to his own students and direct their attention elsewhere…and he didn't know what his reaction to that order would've been.
Trying to lie to them would only lead to this exact same result. They would've seen through him and left, perhaps grown even more resentful than they were now. Ignoring the order was another choice he could make, but then…what?
Sasuke would never give up on revenge, and even if Kagome had the potential to talk him down, the Copy Ninja wasn't sure she'd have the right motivation to oppose the Uchiha. And then Kakashi would be left with … what, again? Those responsible for that tragedy held too much power; going after them could destabilize the village, hell thoughts like that alone bordered on treasonous. There was no easy way to deal with the Council, or Tsunade-sama would've kicked them out already. Within the restrictions and limitations of a Hidden Village, the brats wouldn't achieve the retribution they craved. One way or another, they would've left the village. And the former ANBU would've found himself stuck here once again, hiding from his last student, trying to keep him at the bay for his own sake because Naruto would make too much noise and Tsunade-sama could only do so much to protect the blond from the Council if they deemed him enough of a threat.
'The only thing I get the longer I live is regrets.'
"You gonna run away again?" The boy's exasperated voice appeared on the branch right next to his.
"Maah~" Keeping his tone light was always a bit of a struggle lately. "Now, why would I do that?"
"Dunno, some reason you're nowhere to be found all of a sudden," Naruto said with a shrug.
"Well, you know me…" Kakashi bit back the urge to groan; the blond wasn't about to let this go. "Always getting lost on the path of life."
"Yeah, sure."
His grin felt forced as he continued to pretend he had no clue what was going on. He should've asked Tsunade-sama to clear him for active duty already. His body had fully healed up since a few days ago, but the woman had delayed the process so he could wait for Yamato's team to come back and get an in-person debrief. Of course, thanks to how disastrous the mission went, Kakashi was given an even longer medical leave so he could help Shikamaru come up with a functional deal to offer those two. The problem with that was the absolute lack of logical reasoning he could use to justify the light interrogation on the blond the Nara had asked him for; things still looked odd. It only took a day after joining Naruto for lunch that his student began to conveniently show up in places the jounin liked to hang around.
Naruto really seemed to have the most uncanny talent to catch on to the most inconvenient facts with the worst timing humanly possible.
To be fair, asking detailed questions about the relationship between his childhood friends and Uchiha Itachi wasn't an easy thing to pass off as a natural topic to hyper-fixate on. Especially considering the only thing Kakashi was meant to know was that Kagome had been taken by the so-called insane Uchiha prodigy. According to the official story, Konoha was supposed to be working with, there was no need to do any digging into the relationship between those three, the Uchiha prodigy felt nothing but absolute dismissal towards his younger brother and a depraved interest in the Higurashi's powerful bloodline. That version of Uchiha Itachi wasn't hard to figure out. And if that were to be the reality they lived in, Kakashi's team (its current iteration) would've already been deployed. Instead, Godaime-sama had offered a silence that betrayed the possibility of something being hidden underneath. Doubtlessly, Naruto had already attempted to knock her door down, but Tsunade-sama had all but locked herself up together with her student after assigning him and Shikamaru that simple task. Apparently, the poison Kagome gave Haruno was as vicious as the girl had warned, and as impossible to create an antidote for as she'd said. So, dealing with a suspicious Naruto fell on him.
"Hey, sensei," Naruto started once again. "Where did Sai come from?"
"Sorry, what?" That came out of nowhere.
"I was just thinking…" Humming, the boy crossed his arms. "He's my age, right? But I don't remember him from the Academy, and he wasn't in the classes ahead or below us, I asked around."
"That's…attending the Academy isn't mandatory." However, their new teammate likely had a very specific reason for not joining the school.
"Sure, I guess." The blond didn't look convinced. "But he doesn't wear any clan emblem."
"Have you tried asking him, let him know you're interested and all." Kakashi grinned under his mask, his eye closing as he tried another likely pointless attempt at misdirection.
"That's not what I'm talking about, and you know it!" Well…it worked halfway. Good to know his student hadn't matured that much yet."What the hell is going on, Kakashi-sensei?"
And there it was, another question he couldn't answer.
The brat had been so easy to fool when the team was first formed, but he didn't think a half-hearted lie would work now, and a complicated narrative that'd be proven to be false sooner or later when those two showed up again could easily backfire. Strict orders wouldn't work either. Naruto was impulsive enough to try and conduct his own investigation…perhaps leave the village as well…so he only had one option left.
"Look…Tsunade-sama is working on getting them back." It was as close to the truth as he could get. "I know it's difficult, but just be patient.
"…do you know why Sasuke and Kagome left?" One more question he couldn't answer…though the blond may already know what he'd say.
"Unconfirmed theories are just guesses." Kakashi tried shrugging without standing up. "They're the only ones who truly know."
"Then what are your guesses?"
"It's…complicated." And that was an understatement. "Tsunade-sama is not giving up on them."
"You don't think Itachi will kill either of them, do you?" This time, it wasn't really a question.
"…they're not stupid," the jounin sighed. "You know them, they never lack for contingencies plans."
"Right…so that's how it's gonna be."
With a huff, the blond jumped off, and Kakashi could only let out a heavy sigh.
Yamato should be getting back from delivering Tsunade-sama's letter to the Taishos. There was no time frame for when a response would be sent back, but he'd likely be sent out to investigate the rumors about the miracle healer soon. Honestly, Jiraiya-sama was likely already on it, but Naruto wouldn't take well to being tied down for too long. Besides, Kakashi needed to get a grasp on the new team dynamics and Danzo's pawn. He'd have to talk to Shikamaru again before leaving. There had to be something they could use as leverage for negotiation. He couldn't stand aside and let two-thirds of his team sign their own death warrants.
"You're late."
"Got myself a tail on the way back." Suigetsu scoffed, of course, Sasuke would be on his ass the moment he stepped through the door. "'Sides it's still tonight."
Rolling his eyes, the former Kiri-nin sidestepped the pissed-off Uchiha to enter the common area of the inn's last floor.
It was a big space, probably one of the best the place had to offer, and the owner would rather slit her own throat than take a single yen from the Higurashi girl. The exceptional treatment was naturally implemented after the young innkeeper's abusive husband vanished into the nearby forest, overcome by some madness after indulging in his bad habit of taking unregulated substances. A tragic tale that meant Kagome had free access to any whisper passing by. Well, regardless of how impure the girl's intentions were, Suigetsu wasn't about to complain about free room and food.
With a huff, the lavender-haired nin sank into one of the empty sofas, doing his best to pretend not to notice Uchiha Itachi was leisurely sitting on the longest couch with a scroll in his hands. How the hell Juugo didn't seem to mind what was sure to be their new addition, he didn't know. Then again, the guy had never truly been in his right mind. He'd known the plan had worked, but seeing one of the most recognizable members of Akatsuki calmly reading another one of the girl's texts was still fucking weird.
"If you brought someone here, Suigetsu…" Sasuke trailed off, not needing to finish the threat.
"Come on, I dealt with them." The question was borderline offensive. "Handled the body disposal too."
"We better not hear our name anywhere near Ame."
"Pretty sure you took care of that." Even as uninterested in rumors as he was, Suigetsu had heard of their little charity cases. "I have a good sense of self-preservation, thank you."
Killing off bounty hunters wasn't really a big deal. Nobody gave a shit if a nobody's corpse was found in the middle of a road somewhere. As long as there was nothing linking the bodies left behind to the saintly Higurashi and the group she was associated with, even Kagome didn't care too much for clean-ups. For the most part, Suigetsu was free to do as he liked with the pursuers Sasuke didn't care enough to kill himself. Shinobis that belonged to legitimate Hidden Villages, however, were an entirely different story. Somehow, despite spending years under Orochimaru and not returning after killing the mad Sannin, Konoha had yet to add their name to the list of nuke nins to be killed on sight. Attacking a shinobi in active duty would more than likely push the Hokage to finally put an official bounty on their heads. Not to mention, being known for indiscriminately killing off people would certainly destroy the squeaky clean image the girl apparently needed to play her games. She would not be happy if her plans got derailed because Suigetsu was too lazy to do some proper cleaning.
He already felt on thin ice; he wasn't about to test her patience.
"Those idiots never confirmed who I was before they died," Suigetsu added.
"Ame was never going to be an easy place to get into." Kagome's voice was light and unconcerned as she walked out of one of the rooms connected to the living area. "What matters is that you made it back in time."
Purple eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at what the girl was holding. It had to be one of her paper dolls, but it was bigger than the animals she usually chose. He couldn't see anything tied to it, but that meant nothing when those things were involved. The girl caressed the large bird's head once before leaning out the window, gently letting it out before sitting down on the largest couch, her arm intertwining with that of the infamous Uchiha prodigy, not caring that she was forcing the guy to move to make her more comfortable, and Suigetsu had to bite his tongue as he glanced back at Sasuke.
Higurashi Kagome was a poisonous flower in human form. Considering the older Uchiha had apparently always had some affection for her and his younger brother, it would've been more surprising if the man had somehow managed to resist her manipulation, but this was…well different. Suigetsu was far from an expert on how healthy relationships worked, but even he could tell that's not what was going on between his leaders. It didn't take long after he started traveling with them to notice how damn careful the girl was to even brush her hand against others in passing. Aside from very few select exceptions like Juugo or the women who formed her information network, Kagome only ever touched other people for the sake of medical treatment. And it was all because Sasuke was a jealous bastard. Without the girl's precaution, the younger Uchiha would've probably left a trail of blood in every town they passed through, but here Kagome was, all but hugging the infamous rogue ninja, and Sasuke was doing…nothing.
He just sat down on the girl's other side, letting the girl shift a little so she could swing her legs over his lap.
"Anyway, Ame's a mess. Not sure anyone can get in unnoticed." It was a shitty report, but he was late and wanted to get straight to the point.
"I suppose it was more of an ambitious location than I had realized." Her tone was as calm as her expression as she turned towards Itachi. "Would they have noticed him?"
"Entering Ame without being noticed is impossible, but if his identity wasn't confirmed they shouldn't have raised any alarms." The scroll the now former Akatsuki had been reading seemed forgotten as soon as the girl spoke.
"We'll count on that, then." She rested her head on the older Uchiha's arm, and Suigetsu really felt like he shouldn't be in the room. "What was needed for our setup was the information on Kumogakure anyway."
"I'm glad I could help." As always, Juugo didn't seem to see anything weird with this.
"Set up…" Suigetsu trailed off. "That's what that was?"
There was some sort of connection between the Konoha runaways and the Kazekage; that much was evident now, so he could understand why the kunoichi felt bold enough to involve Suna. But he was sure she couldn't just happen to know yet another Kage in a personal setting. And yet, she was about to bring another nation into her machinations like it was the easiest thing in the world. Hell, even Orochimaru hadn't been this ambitious this fast.
"Curious?" Kagome's voice snapped him back to reality.
"What you say goes, princess." Not that there were any choices. "I'm not suicidal."
"Watch it."
"It's okay Sasuke, we made a deal, and we've yet to hold up our part." A slender hand reached to her side, calming the boy down before continuing. "Right now, Akatsuki's priority is us. If we mess up, they'll come at us from every possible angle, and the situation has changed. We'll need more pieces than I anticipated, and so we'll be using Konoha to lure them into a more advantageous position."
"Woah, woah, hold on, didn't you want to destroy Konoha? Also, why wouldn't they just come for our heads after that shit show." Crap, he spoke without thinking.
"Because they can't afford to." The girl didn't even think twice. "Tell me, Suigetsu, what do you think is the most dangerous thing in this world?"
The smile on her lips was innocent, and for the life of him, Suigetsu couldn't feel any of the bloodlust he knew was hidden under the surface. Idly, the older teen cursed under his breath. The more he knew about how the girl's preferred strategies worked, the more of a liability he became in Sasuke's eyes. The chains around him were already tight enough as they were. Even if Kagome was far more permissive a master, she still wouldn't think twice about killing him. Still, he'd already dug his own grave, and the only way to keep himself off that fucking hole was to prove his usefulness. It was a precarious deal, but considering he now had access to Kisame's former partner, it was still worth it. As long as he had the right skills to offer up in exchange, he could use their power for himself too. And right now, the best way to keep the girl happy was to answer her riddles.
"A…good strategy?" Suigetsu tried; that was one of the things she harped upon.
"Well, that's part of it, of course. But you see, the most lethal thing anyone can get a hold of…is information." For once, she dropped a bit of her mask as she played with a stand of straight black hair. "With the right kind of information, even a civilian child could assassinate a Kage.
"Now, what do you think clans as proud and vain as the Hyuuga will think were they to learn that the Uchiha massacre was, in fact, a mission approved and ordered by the Sandaime Hokage?" The girl smiled once more. "Imagine what they'll think once they learn that the Council actively targeted the Uchiha clan for decades before they snapped. To learn that this village callously destroyed one of their founder clans. Not to mention how the Higurashi clan's demise happened because their location was either purposefully revealed to their enemies or carelessly leaked. Two great clans reduced to nothing but embers.
"And now that I think about it…isn't it interesting that the Senju clan has all but vanished too?" Dramatically gasping, the girl let out a soft laugh. "You can count every single living member of all those three grand families on one hand and have a finger to spare."
If Konoha had killed off its own founder clans and clearly had no issues exterminating entire families regardless of any potential justification, anyone could become the next target.
That…would make Konoha crumble.
Orochimaru had attempted to crush the Lead via force, leading an invasion and strong-arming Suna to betray them. It was a fairly blunt and effective strategy. What the girl wanted wasn't something as simple as attacking from within. She was poisoning the roots of the village itself. The whole thing was far more insidious compared to what the snake Sannin had done; it may be slower, but it was also far more likely to succeed.
"All the more reason they'll just go for your neck. Besides, would people even trust your information?"
"The Council may want to go for the kill, but Tsunade-sama wouldn't dare. Kakashi-sensei knows me well enough to warn her about the possibility of a dead man's switch," Kagome said, waving one of her hands in the air. "As for the information, they'll be skeptical, but that's the thing…not a single word I said was a lie. If I ask Tsunade-hime for a meeting, she has no choice but to show up."
"So we're reaching out to Konoha?" It still sounded like an insane plan to him.
"We're going back to the Taishos first, but yes, eventually." With a probably fake yawn, the girl nodded to herself. "It'll take some time to get to the location, so make sure you two rest up."
"Right…"
With a huff and a nod, Suigetsu followed Juugo out of the shared living area, purple eyes glancing back once more. He could see the girl leaning even closer to the not-insane Uchiha prodigy, she was saying something the former Kimi inn couldn't quite hear, but whatever the man's response was got the girl to laugh and turn towards Sasuke, who rolled his eyes and nodded. He didn't know what the hell was going on between those three, but it looked like whatever it was, it was working out, at least for the time being. Insane or not, her plans had worked so far, and as cold as the girl was, she was far from the worst master he'd been under.
A/N: Feels like forever since I wrote anything for this and I am so glad I can finally get back to writing. Hopefully there shouldn't be any more long unexpected hiatus….
As always thank you guys so much for reading and any and all reviews/comments/criticism is greatly appreciated.