Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Twilight ❯ A New Ally ( Chapter 19 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Chapter 13: A New Ally
Hinata was in the kitchen, stirring up the soup she made for breakfast. She took a small sip and nodded. Then she sighed, closing the lid of the large container and collapsing into the chair.

Sakura came in and caught sight of the worried girl. She was worried herself, but there was no point in having to worry about something you cannot stop or control.

ÒHinata, theyÕll be back soon. They did say theyÕll be back before daybreak, right?Ó reassured Sakura. Hinata smiled at her.

ÒThe problem is, its already daybreak and theyÕre still not hereÉ thatÕs whatÕs making me worryÉÓ

ÒJust place your faith in them. TheyÕll be just fine.Ó

ÒWho will?Ó asked a deep voice behind them. Both of them whirled around in surprise, Sakura knocking the chair down.

Neji stood there resolutely, glaring daggers. ÒWhere did Sasuke and Naruto go?Ó

ÒNone of your business.Ó

ÒDammit, Haruno, this is my business!Ó snapped Neji. ÒThis is a war! One wrong move and its all over!Ó

ÒI know that. Hinata knows that. Sasuke and Naruto are sane enough to know that. They knew what they were doing when they left.Ó

ÒEven if they knew, they should have told us!Ó

ÒItÕs a personal matter, Neji-nii-sanÉ too personal to be spread around the group. Its between best friends and brothers only.Ó

ÒBest friends and brothers? You mean they went out to meet Uchiha Itachi!Ó

ÒHush!Ó Sakura snapped, covering NejiÕs mouth. ÒYou werenÕt informed because you didnÕt need to know. But if you do, then donÕt question us. Wait for them.Ó

Sakura retreated her hand and sighed. Neji just glared sharply at her. ÒYouÕre lucky theyÕre still asleep. If they find out the two leaders arenÕt here, theyÕll freak.Ó

ÒI know.Ó

OoOoOoOoO

Oto/Kage Base, Hoseki no TaniÉ (a/n: Hoseki no Tani means Jewel Valley.)

ÒWhere is that Uchiha?Ó barked Orochimaru, referring to Kisame.

ÒHe went into the forest, sir,Ó Kisame replied. ÒHe said he needed time alone and he needed time to think.Ó

ÒThinkÉ dammit,Ó muttered Orochimaru. ÒKabuto, status report.Ó

ÒEverything is turning back to normal even without the 9 leaders, sir,Ó Kabuto replied, adjusting his glasses. ÒThe other nins are calmed down already and all the units and departments are stabilized. The leadersÕ assistants took over their respective departments, but I took over the Medic Department since the assistant in that area was killed as well.Ó

ÒAny glitch in the plan?Ó

ÒNone, sir.Ó

ÒGood. Both of you make sure nothing goes wrong and that everythingÕs in order. Remind them: at 1800 we commence attack!Ó

ÒYes, sir,Ó said both Itachi and Kisame simultaneously. They both disappeared with a small pop and two puffs of smoke.

ÒThey will payÉÓ

OoOoOoOoO

Shimatani Mansion, Hoseki no MoriÉ (a/n: Jewel Forest.)

ÒWhat do you mean you have your own country?Ó

ÒYou mean you donÕt know?Ó Naruto asked in amazement.

ÒOf course he doesnÕt, you dork,Ó muttered Sasuke, bonking Naruto on top of his head. Then he turned to Itachi. ÒRemember when our parents made us learn runic? Well its like thisÉÓ

He started explaining rapidly about the scroll, the legend, the Four Founders and the hidden country in the barrier. Itachi listened raptly, apparently interested. When Sasuke finished, Naruto was already fidgeting, pointing to the lightening horizon.

ÒÉso even though Tsunade doesnÕt accept you, it doesnÕt matter because youÕre not really going up to them. YouÕre with me. Tasogare. Not Konoha. Besides, we could use another Uchiha in the mansion, the Head Elder in Tasogare doesnÕt like me that much as well.Ó

Itachi pondered for a moment.

ÒWell?Ó Naruto sighed. ÒAre you with us, or against us?Ó

Itachi remained silent for about five minutes as the sun continued to filter through the forest, banishing the darkness that enveloped the foliage only a few moments ago. It was a beautiful sight, but sadly enough, the beauty of nature remained unseen because of humanÕs ever-raging warfare.

ÒIÕm with you,Ó decided Itachi. Sasuke smiled.

ÒGreat!Ó Naruto cheered. ÒNow come on, theyÕll be worried! Coming?Ó

ÒNo,Ó Itachi smirked.

ÒWhat now?Ó sighed Sasuke, rubbing his forehead.

ÒIÕll act as your spy in the enemy. After all, I am a leader in thereÉÓ shrugged Itachi. ÒI cant just disappear like that. TheyÕll think you got me. And then youÕll be in deeper trouble than youÕre already in.Ó

ÒOh, come on, things cant get any worse!Ó Naruto whined.

ÒIf youÕre gonna be our spy, youÕve gotta be in constant contact and IÕll have to bind you to that,Ó Sasuke said, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

ÒAlright, go ahead, bind me.Ó

Sasuke performed several quick runic seals and then placed his palm on his brotherÕs chest. ÒYou will be a loyal spy, and you will not leak any info. Follow orders.Ó

Sasuke released the bind, and a chakra chain wound itself around ItachiÕs heart, poised to kill him if he disobeys.

ÒThatÕs all through, then,Ó said Sasuke. ÒGet going. I hear them already. Patrols of yours.Ó

Itachi nodded and ruffled his little brotherÕs hair before leaping off into the sunrise.

ÒCome on, Naruto.Ó

OoOoOoOoO
Konoha/Tasogare Base, Hoseki no YamaÉ

Ino entered the room, stretching and yawning, followed by Shikamaru. Chouji sluggishly pulled himself into the kitchen, followed by a drowsy Lee, a drooping Kiba, a chipper Akamaru and a serious Tenten. Then Shuta and Kogure meandered in, followed by Neji and Fukai, who were talking silently.

Everybody sat back down, waiting for the food to be served. For a couple of sleepy minutes, nobody noticed that someone was missing. That was until Ino finally snapped out of her post-dream drowsiness.

ÒHeyÉÓ she started, looking around. ÒWhere are Sasuke and Naruto?Ó she asked, looking at Sakura and Hinata.

Neji looked at them too and glared, along with Fukai. Sakura didnÕt answer, and Hinata remained silent.

ÒYeah, theyÕre missingÉÓ

ÒWeÕre right here, dorks, weÕre not missing,Ó yawned Naruto, walking into the room in clean clothes. Sakura and Hinata sighed silently in relief.

ÒWhere have you been?Ó Neji asked, his gaze piercing through the both of them. Sasuke glared right back.

ÒTraining, Hyuuga,Ó Sasuke glared. He understood what Neji meant, and he presumed that he knew about it. Probably he will bring up the subject later in private.

ÒExcuse me, excuse me,Ó Naruto said, as he started clawing his way to his seat. He sat down eagerly, childishly waiting for his food. ÒRAMEN!Ó

ÒDobe,Ó muttered Sasuke, sitting beside him. As he leaned down, the blue ikapasui swung out from under his shirt.

ÒWhatÕs that?Ó asked Ino.

ÒIts called ikapasui! ItÕs a lucky charmÉÓ grinned Naruto, pulling out his pendant. ÒCute, isnÕt it?Ó he said, looking at it fondly. Sasuke just smiled silently in comprehension. It was NarutoÕs elder brother who wore it beforeÉ it really was special to the boy.

ÒReally? Who gave it to you? Can I have it? Pleaaaase? Its so cute, onegai!Ó Ino started pleading. Tenten looked at it closely and began being fascinated, as well as Fukai. Apparently, it also attracts girls, apart from being a lucky charm.

NarutoÕs gaze suddenly turned steely. ÒNo.Ó

ÒNo?Ó

ÒNo. Its special. No.Ó

Ino suddenly became bewildered. Usually the cheery boy would give anything to a girl. It must really be special.

ÒSo its special, huh? Who gave it to you? To both of you?Ó

ÒSomeone special,Ó muttered the two of them.

ÒHuh?Ó

ÒThe soup is ready!Ó Hinata chimed happily, carrying the tray containing bowls of soup and one big ramen bowl. Naruto started drooling like Niagara Falls. Sasuke sweat dropped. Hinata gently placed the ramen in front of Naruto and kissed his cheek before moving on. Naruto immediately dove down into the ramen bowl, ravenously downing the ramen in a pace that can only be matched by none other than Chouji.

The rest of the breakfast was uneventful, but after that it wasnÕt to be like that. As Sasuke and Naruto exited the room after the other boys, Neji approached them.

ÒYouÕve got something to tell me, guys,Ó Neji muttered. Sasuke sighed and motioned for him to follow him to his room.

As they reached the room and Naruto locked the door securely, Sasuke sat down on the bed.

ÒWhy did you meet with Itachi without telling us?Ó asked Neji, glaring fiercely.

ÒBecause if I told you, you wouldnÕt let me. You would have the same reaction as Naruto did at first. And it was a personal family matter, not a war matter.Ó

ÒStill, it was a very dangerous move!Ó

ÒVery dangerous, yes, but it paid off, didnÕt it?Ó

ÒPaid off?Ó

ÒWe got a new ally,Ó said Naruto, picking out a candy from the container by the door and popping it into his mouth.

ÒUchiha Itachi, our ally? Are you kidding me?Ó Neji snorted.

ÒNo. I bound him to runic spell. He will die if he disobeys. Besides, we know of their plan, they know none of ours. ThatÕs to our advantage. You donÕt have to worry about anything, Neji. HeÕs under me, not Konoha. HeÕs under Tasogare. You wont hold responsibility. I know youÕre KonohaÕs representative, youÕre the top nin after all.Ó

ÒMake sure of that, Sasuke. We donÕt want any more trouble than what we already have.Ó

ÒHow many times do I have to say that things canÕt get any worse?Ó Naruto grumbled.

ÒOh, and yes, Neji, please gather all the nins in the common room. We will have a top priority meeting.Ó

ÒAlright,Ó Neji muttered, walking purposefully out of the room and leaving the two leaders in. Naruto kicked the door close.

ÒI cant believe Ino even wanted the pendant,Ó snorted Naruto, fingering the pendant. Then he pulled out the picture, staring at it intently. Sasuke flopped back down on the bed, his arms crossed under his head. Both were deep in thought.

OoOoOoOoO
Oto/Kage Base, Hoseki no TaniÉ

Itachi entered the base confidently, the lower nins bowing and paving a path for him in the middle of the crowd. He headed straight for the headquarters, entering the tent unceremoniously, his eyes turning dull. After all, he needed to pretend he knew nothing. Well, actually, he really knew nothing.

ÒItachi. Where have you been?Ó said a sleazy voice.

ÒWhy do you care? YouÕre not my babysitter or something,Ó snorted Itachi, sitting down on the soft cushion across Orochimaru. They glared at each other.

ÒYou should be here. You know weÕll move out by 1800.Ó

ÒYes, yes, of course, I didnÕt forget. DonÕt worry, your group wont be dysfunctional even if IÕm not around. You have good ninsÉÓ

ÒYesÉ good nins, alrightÉ good nins who let slip assassinsÉÓ

ÒOh, donÕt be too mad about thatÉ theyÕre just doing their jobÉÓ shrugged Itachi as-a-matter-of-factly.

Orochimaru just glared. ÒI wont be surprised if there is a traitor inside our baseÉÓ

Itachi nodded, playing along as if it was nothing. ÒNeither would I.Ó

OoOoOoOoO
Konoha/Tasogare Base, Hoseki no YamaÉ

The nins all gathered inside the common room, all taking their places in the small but cozy place. A few moments later, Sasuke and Naruto emerged from the living quarters.

ÒI have a top priority announcement to make,Ó Sasuke immediately started, assuming a stern and commanding face. All the nins reclined to silence. ÒWe have a new lead that the enemy will be commencing attack at 1800 today, taking the route towards the top of the mountain.Ó

This roused great murmuring from the crowd of specialized nins in front of him.

ÒBut sir, the TLD didnÕt get any information like that!Ó said one of the TLD nins.

ÒI know. The TLD isnÕt the only information source we have,Ó Sasuke said mysteriously. ÒWeÉ have recently established a new all-seeing spy in the enemyÕs base.Ó

This statement roused more murmurs in the crowd.

ÒWho is it, sir?Ó

Sasuke looked at Naruto. Naruto just shrugged. ÒMight as well tell them, we cant avoid the fact forever.Ó

Sasuke sighed. ÒFine. We, Naruto and I, have sealed an alliance with Uchiha Itachi. Now, I know youÕre shocked and unbelieving of him. Trust me, I know you have your reasons,Ó he added in an undertone, which roused several chuckled from the crowd. ÒBut see, IÉ bound him with a forbidden runic technique and made him swear that he will be loyal to us. If he even thinks about betraying us, heÉ willÉ die. He will die before he can even get a single word out of that mouth of his.Ó

ÒAnd may I tell you, that guy is really something,Ó Naruto grinned. ÒHeÕs nice when you get to know him.Ó

He felt Itachi glare from afar. Apparently he knew that they were talking about him. Naruto shivered visibly.

ÒWell, actually, heÕs worse when you get to know him, butÉÓ Naruto shivered, making the others laugh. ÒMan, has your brother got telepathy or something? He seems to be omniscient!Ó

ÒHe can feel your aura, idiot,Ó Sasuke sighed. ÒRemember youÕre the sameÉ?Ó

ÒOhÉÓ muttered Naruto, remembering that he had almost the same chakra patterns as his brother did, and that Itachi memorized that pattern. ÒÉyeah, thatÕs right.Ó

ÒSo you mean weÕre safe with Itachi?Ó voiced out Hinata. ÒI mean, hey, I thought you only went out last night to talk.Ó

ÒYes, but he means best,Ó muttered Naruto. ÒHeÕs a really sweet brother. Right, twerp?Ó grinned Naruto, ruffling SasukeÕs hair much like Itachi liked to do, then he poked his forehead.

ÒDonÕt imitate my brother, dobe,Ó grumbled Sasuke.

ÒHe called you twerp?Ó Sakura giggled. Sasuke just grumbled.

ÒHow cuuuuuute!Ó cooed Sakura, Hinata, Ino and Fukai.

ÒDonÕt fall in love with him,Ó snapped Sasuke, Naruto, Shikamaru and Neji sternly.

ÒJealous?Ó snickered Ino.

ÒHeÕs easy to fall in love with, you knowÉÓ muttered Sasuke. ÒI remember he had his own fan club as well.Ó

ÒReally? How come he never told us?Ó Naruto muttered.

ÒBecause he hated those girls. I hate them too, they once trampled on me in an attempt to get to Itachi,Ó Sasuke grumbled. ÒI can still feel the feet on my face.Ó

Naruto snickered loudly. ÒTell, tell.Ó

---Flashback---

ÒNii-chan, whatÕs that?Ó Sasuke asked, pointing to the huge carvings of the HokageÕs faces on the cliff face. His small hand held his brotherÕs big, calloused ones loosely. He was taking him on a tour around the village to know the sites. After all, he will be in the Ninja Academy in a few weeks.

ÒThat? ThatÕs the faces of the former Hokages, or the leader of Konoha. It goes from left to right,Ó Itachi said, explaining slowly for the little boy to comprehend. But since Sasuke was a natural-born genius, he grasped the entire meaning instantly.

ÒReally?Ó gasped the child, eyes widening in delight. ÒWhy do they carve them?Ó

ÒIts like a memorial,Ó Itachi smiled.

ÒWowÉÓ Sasuke gasped in amazement. ÒDoesnÕt that take long to carve, nii-chan?Ó

ÒIt doesÉ it takes about a year or soÉÓ

Sasuke suddenly ran forward, escaping his brotherÕs grip on his hand. He started to scamper closer to the monument to get a closer look. Itachi called to him to come back, but he didnÕt. He was too engrossed in the monument.

Then there was the feared shrieks.

ÒITACHI-KUUUUUUN!Ó

Itachi slapped his forehead, rubbing it roughly. He opened his eyes to find a horrifying view. The girls were going to trample on Sasuke!

He started running towards them, and the girls only shrieked in delight, apparently not seeing the little boy ahead of them. Itachi was too late. Sasuke disappeared under the trampling feet of the girls. His eyes widened in horror.

ÒOof!Ó Sasuke gasped, the air being knocked out of him as one of the girls kicked him in the side. Then the feet started descending on him. He lay flat on the ground, covering his face with his hands. The feet stomped on his stomach and his chest, knocking the air out of him completely. He cried out as a severe pain erupted in his chest and blood spurted out.

Outside the rumble, Itachi heard the cry from under the fast approaching feet. His eyes burned in anger and shifted color, his aura suddenly exploding all around him.

ÒWILL YOU ALL JUST SHUT UP AND STAY PUT!Ó he roared menacingly, making the girls stop in their tracks in fear. Even the nearby workers and the other vendors and people in the square stopped. It was rare to see the famous Itachi explode in anger. In fact, he never got angry about anything. He was too calm. They didnÕt know that girls made him mad.

Sasuke continued to whimper, finally catching the attention of the girls. They gasped. He was clutching his bleeding chest. ItachiÕs anger faded, replaced with worry. He immediately ran to Sasuke.

ÒAre you alright, otouto?Ó muttered Itachi.

ÒNii-chanÉÓ whimpered Sasuke. ÒH-hurtsÉÓ he whined, his face contorting in agony. But he didnÕt shed a single tear. The villagers were surprised to find out that the little brother was very important to Itachi, because he never really cared about anybody as great as that. They were more surprised as the boy just continued to roll around and whimper, not even crying.

ÒShhÉÓ Itachi hushed, performing several seals. ÒStay put, Sasuke.Ó

The little boy surprisingly obeyed immediately, not even voicing a single complaint. The healing technique repaired his broken rib and all his bruises, but the boy was still tired and bloody.

Itachi sighed in relief as Sasuke started to get up. ÒNe, nii-chan?Ó

ÒHmm?Ó

ÒYou gotta teach me that technique, alright?Ó grinned Sasuke tiredly.

ÒAlright, twerp,Ó sighed Itachi, shaking his head. He stood up. ÒCome on, stand up, letÕs go back home.Ó

Sasuke stood up and straightened himself, glaring at the girls around them. His eyes shifted to the Sharingan. ÒYou girls are older than me and you donÕt even know how to look in front of you while walking. Be ashamed of yourself,Ó snapped Sasuke sharply. ÒAnd stay away from my nii-chan. You donÕt deserve him.Ó

ÒWhy you little brat!Ó screeched one of the girls. ÒYou donÕt know who youÕre talking to! You donÕt even understand a thing!Ó

ÒYes, I do,Ó Sasuke snorted. ÒFor example, I can understand that youÕre a complete idiot because you just completely ruined your chance with my nii-chan because you yelled at my face.Ó

The villagers looked really impressed. Apparently the Uchiha clan has produced another prodigy.

ÒHeÕs a natural-born genius,Ó smirked Itachi. ÒHe even outdid my Sharingan usage record by two weeks, so donÕt even think about messing with the little kid.Ó

---End of Flashback---

ÒOoohh yeah. That proves that even then, you were a big, unmitigated, flaunting asshole,Ó Naruto snorted. Sasuke gaped.

ÒNaruto, since when did you learn those words?Ó

ÒUhÉ I ran across them in the book I accidentally read earlierÉ?Ó Naruto said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

Sasuke sweat dropped. Should have known.

ÒYou big idiot,Ó muttered Neji. ÒDo you even know what those words mean?Ó

ÒUhhÉ no?Ó

Sweat drop. Anime fall.

ÒThatÕs quite a coincidence then, isnÕt it?Ó muttered Hinata. ÒThose words matched.Ó

ÒYeahÉÓ Fukai muttered in response.

ÒWell at least I didnÕt get trampled on by rabid fangirls!Ó giggled Naruto girlishly.

ÒStop annoying me, Naruto, or else IÕll set the whole of the fanclub on you. RememberÉ I just tell them to trample on you and they will!Ó

Naruto slowly inched away from the smirking bastard. He whimpered. ÒUnfairÉÓ he pouted cutely, cuddling closer to Hinata, who just sat beside him. Hinata petted his head like she would do with a dog.

ÒDonÕt pet my head, IÕm not Kiba,Ó muttered Naruto silently. Kiba fumed.

ÒBut waitÉ memories aside,Ó started Shikamaru, suddenly remembering something. ÒAre you sure Orochimaru wont get suspicious, or they planned all this just to wheedle out info from you?Ó

Sasuke sighed. ÒMy brother, obvious as it is, is a very reclusive, stubborn and difficult person. He was never good at acting and pretending in front of me. I know those eyes. I know when he lies. And yes, Orochimaru might get suspicious, but heck, so what? Its all suspicions. We could feed wrong data to them. I mean, we have the upper hand here, why not use it? We can confirm his suspicions that there is a traitor amidst them, but its not Itachi. Its somebody else. Kabuto or Kisame, or some other high-ranking nins there. Easy as A-B-C. Look, Shikamaru, donÕt worry about Itachi too much. I told you, heÕs my responsibility. I can make up for his mistakes.Ó

OoOoOoOoO

Oto/Kage Base, Hoseki no TaniÉ

ÒThis is boring,Ó muttered Itachi, drumming his fingers nonchalantly on the wood, the monotone, repetitive noise ringing out clearly in the blank silence. The noise outside was completely blocked out by a special jutsu so the two leaders could concentrate well on planning and talking. His acting was flawless. He had no problems in lying to other people, but to his brother, he couldnÕt even mutter a single serious lie.

ÒWhy donÕt you try thinking of a course of action so you wont get bored?Ó snorted the snake sarcastically.

ÒBecause even if I think of a plan, its your plan that will be in action, so its useless. DuhÉÓ Itachi snapped back, rolling his eyes as if it was the most obvious thing in the whole wide world.

A few more minutes in excruciating silence and Itachi sighed. He couldnÕt stand the silence anymore. He stood up.

ÒWhere to?Ó Orochimaru hissed, turning his head slowly towards his ÔallyÕ.

ÒOutside. The forest holds more wonders than this excruciating room of yours. You should really wander out one time, there are lots of things youÕll find out about inside. For instance, do you know about the mystery of the Shimatani Clan? The missing family of Konoha?Ó smirked Itachi. After the statement he swept out of the tent, his long black coat billowing behind him.

OrochimaruÕs eyes narrowed. Shimatani Clan? What is he trying to tell meÉ?

Meanwhile, outside, Itachi walked straight towards the forest, the soft green glow comforting as he entered the foliage. This forest was really interesting. It was like the forest itself was alive. He could feel the power emanating from every stone, every tree, every flower. It was like the forest had its own chakra.

He walked and walked until he was safely tucked inside the forestÕs safety. He looked around, then performed several secret Uchiha seals. His bond with his brother glowed and he disappeared with a ÔpoofÕ.

OoOoOoOoO

ÒFine,Ó shrugged Shikamaru. ÒSo we get ready now?Ó

Before Sasuke could reply, there was a sinister ÔpoofÕ and a dark figure appeared in a corner. The figure looked around.

ÒHmmÉ nice place,Ó Itachi said, cocking his head curiously as he looked around.

Sasuke shook his head. ÒAnd exactly what are you doing here, nii-chan?Ó

ÒJust getting a break from the snake. HeÕs in such a bad temper, its excruciating,Ó groaned Itachi, walking over to his brother. The crowd automatically made way for him.

ÒCant blame him, we killed 9 of the officials, right?Ó Naruto snorted. ÒHeads up.Ó

Itachi caught the apple deftly, taking a bite. ÒThanks,Ó he nodded, sinking into the sofa beside his brother. Everybody was silent as they watched the proceedings. Not all of them was comfortable with the new ally, and it was perfectly clear why. They had a perfectly valid reason to be weary.

ÒSo youÕre Itachi?Ó Sakura said, raising a delicate brow. ItachiÕs gaze transferred to the pink-haired kunoichi.

ÒThatÕs what they call me,Ó shrugged Itachi. ÒAnd yeah, I want to congratulate you on a job well done in roping my brother.Ó

Sakura blushed 8 shades of red. She mumbled an incoherent reply.

ÒDonÕt flatter the girl, Itachi,Ó Sasuke growled.

ÒAww, little brother is jealous,Ó Itachi snickered.

ÒYou know I have a pretty damn well reason to be. And I am not a very amiable company when jealous, mind you,Ó warned Sasuke. ÒI will remind you time and time again that Sakura is OFF. LIMITS.Ó

ÒOverprotective muchÉ?Ó Itachi said, raising an eyebrow. ÒDonÕt worry, I wont steal your precious cherry blossom away.Ó

ÒYou had better not.Ó

ÒSpeaking of theseÉ assassinationsÉ I want to meet the assassins who killed the Death Couple.Ó

Naruto shrugged. ÒSure,Ó he replied. Then he looked over to the SSA nins. ÒYou heard him.Ó

Aira and Aikawa raised their hands. ÒGuilty as charged.Ó

ÒWellÉ you must be pretty goodÉÓ Itachi said, rounding them up. His eyes slowly shifted to the Mangekyou, as he inspected their chakra patterns. ÒOne from the Yuri clan and another from Taira clan. Mm-hmmÉ very goodÉÓ

ÒWont they be searching for you at the base?Ó asked Neji.

ÒAhÉ you must be Hyuuga Neji from the Hyuuga Branch. One of my brotherÕs archrivalsÉÓ Itachi nodded knowingly. Sasuke and Neji glared. There was still the tension after many years. ÒOrochimaru knows that I am in the forest. The others have no business in prying into my mattersÉ or else.Ó

ÒI seeÉ but Orochimaru is not that easy to deceive. HeÕs a smart enemy,Ó muttered Shikamaru. ÒEverybody knows that.Ó

ÒYes, of course, thanks for stating the obvious,Ó Itachi said sarcastically, taking another bite off the apple. ÒI really donÕt think that Orochimaru has time to worry about me right now, because heÕs too busy patching up plan B, which is attack immediately.Ó

ÒSo theyÕre really planning to attack?Ó muttered Hinata.

ÒMm-hmmÉ oh, donÕt worry, with your arsenal, you can defeat them as long as you have the proper preparations. Just beware of the high-rankingsÉ those others you didnÕt kill. Kabuto and Kisame included. Be careful of those two, they get suspicious easily and theyÕll do anything to find out about the things that are going on,Ó Itachi warned, nonchalantly tossing the remnants of the apple to the bin.

ÒYou should say that to yourself,Ó snorted Kiba, petting AkamaruÕs head. Akamaru yapped in agreement.

ÒI have nothing to be worried about. Kabuto and Kisame knows their limits with me. And if they try to pryÉ well, God knows what will happen to themÉÓ snorted Itachi.

ÒSee, I told you heÕs a difficult and stubborn person,Ó nodded Sasuke.

ÒDonÕt get yourself flattered, otouto, youÕre more obstinate than I am.Ó

ÒAm not. Who got slapped by a frying pan by mom because of his stubbornness?Ó Sasuke chortled at the memory. Itachi slightly turned pink. (a/n: cute! Toldja, major OOCness!)

ÒHey!Ó

ÒYou got slapped by a frying pan?Ó snickered Tenten. ÒUnbelievable!Ó

ÒWell, whoÕd want to clean the comfort room? I mean, Sasuke should have done that! HeÕs youngerÉÓ

ÒThatÕs the point! IÕm younger! I cant do the job properly, so entrust it with the elder brother!Ó laughed Sasuke.

Itachi just scowled, seeing his defeat in the subject. ÒWhatever. AnywaysÉ do you have any member by the name Amazaki?Ó

ÒThatÕs me. Why?Ó Amazaki Hayate asked attentively.

ÒI see. So youÕre ShiyaÕs brotherÉ mm-hmmÉ he did a quite good job with you, but not as good as I expected.Ó

ÒAnd what is that supposed to meanÉ?Ó growled Hayate.

Itachi just shrugged. ÒYour brother was talented, but he was too boastful for his own good. It led to his own demise. Its not really my fault if he was injured heavily during one mission we hadÉ he irked the enemy, the enemy bit on his bait and the rest is historyÉÓ

Hayate just lowered his head in shame. He admitted to himself long before that he disliked his brotherÕs overly boastful attitude, especially towards girls.

ÒAh, just make sure you donÕt become the same,Ó Naruto sighed. ÒIts as easy as that. Hey, Hinata-chan, can I have another caramel sundae please?Ó

Hinata smiled and nodded, standing up and walking towards the kitchen.

ÒBack to our subject earlier, Sasuke,Ó Neji started, still glaring fiercely at Itachi. ÒWhat are the preparations we should make?Ó

ÒOh, yeahÉÓ muttered Sasuke, snapping back. ÒRound up all the teams on patrols and give them some rest. Then, around 1700, assemble them and barrage them up at the mountaintop and other possible entrances. We will put a special runic jutsu to block the entrances just in case the first barrage breaks down, which is highly unlikely, I assure you. As to deal with their number, we should release the ledge at the mountaintop and create our own avalanche against them. DonÕt forget to hand out the latest gadgets and other developments to them. The remaining here will continue normal functions and research despite the squabble outside. DonÕt mind us, unless we call for you. Medics, get ready for large numbers of injuries. Send up medreps(medic representatives) to the battles so they can teleport the injured to the HQ. And the SSAÉ youÕll be our third barrage. Stay here in the common room and get ready face the high-ranks who will manage to push through the 2 barragesÉ if there are any.Ó

ÒSeems you have complete confidence,Ó Itachi said, tasting some of NarutoÕs special caramel sundae.

ÒWe have reason to be.Ó

ÒYou heard the man, get moving and get some rest for now! 1700, remember!Ó snapped Neji. The other nins started a loud chatter and headed off to their respective rooms.

ÒYou really have no plans in going back to Orochimaru, aniki?Ó asked Sasuke.

ÒIieÉ maybe later. HeÕs more often than not a pain in the ass to deal with nowadaysÉÓ Itachi scoffed, taking another spoonful of the sundae.

ÒHey, thatÕs mine!Ó

---------

ÒKabuto, call for Kazahana Kouji,Ó Orochimaru ordered silently. Kabuto nodded and disappeared with a poof. Moments later, a built frame entered the tent carefully, his face hid under the shadows, but evidently he was just a teenager.

ÒYou called?Ó

ÒHai. I have a certain job for you.Ó

ÒShoot.Ó

ÒI want you to spy on Itachi. I donÕt trust him. HeÕs up to no good, I can feel it.Ó

ÒYou mean heÕs up to something good, because what weÕre doing is no good,Ó Kouji intersected sarcastically.

Orochimaru glared sharply. ÒRemember you debt, Kouji-kun. Or elseÉ you know the consequences.Ó

ÒWhatÑever,Ó muttered Kouji, admitting defeat in the matter.

ÒAnyways, spy on Itachi and his actions. And no games here, please. I know youÕre still a teen with a childish spirit but let go of it nowÉ this is a war.Ó

ÒYeah, yeah, yeah, I knowÉÓ he said, rolling his eyes. He shifted his weight on one foot. ÒAnything else, master?Ó

ÒIie. Iku sa.Ó Orochimaru glared again at the lean boy before him.

---------

Kouji disappeared with a poof and some smoke, but not before lifting his head to the light and glaring back at Orochimaru with sharp and deep pale brown eyes that seem too old and knowledgeable for someone like him. His jet-black hair stuck up messily and his bangs hang unkempt over his eyes, giving him a mysterious appeal. His sharp face contours gave him additional points. He didnÕt seem the bearer of a childish spirit at all.

He appeared with a loud pop by a tree at the entrance of the forest. He pushed back his hair from the cool mountain breeze that blew down towards the valley. He sighed.

Is this even called a job? I hate spying. I donÕt do anything but watch what he does. I only like spying when the target is a girlÉ

He sighed, frustrated. He leapt into the forest, searching for his target.

Dang, he didnÕt even tell me where to find my target. At least a little bit more info would be helpfulÉ

Well, if you werenÕt too sarcastic back there, you wouldÕve gotten your extra infoÉ

And just who are you?

You!

No, not me, you!

I am YOU!

Oh. Like my conscience? Dang, I donÕt need you right now. In fact, I donÕt really need you, especially when in a missionÉ

YouÕre growing too confident of yourself.

I have reason to be.

OhÉ kids these daysÉ I wish we were back to the good old daysÉ when I used to be importantÉ

That cant be brought back. My old life is gone. My dull life in Ririgakure is gone. This is a new, exciting life. This is what I want.

Are you sure?

Yeah. When you were gone, I was happy.

You were not. You were not happy when I was gone.

Why were you gone in the first place!

Because I was no longer important. She was gone. She transferred to Konohagakure. You had no more pupose for me. So you disposed of me. But noÉ you werenÕt happy while I was goneÉ and neither were you when she was gone as wellÉ

Kouji frowned, stopping at a sitting position in a branch. Her again. Ever since they went here to Hoseki no Yama, he was always reminded of her. And strangely enough, the conscience he long since trashed came back with relish. He wondered why.

He knew there was only one reason, and that could be because sheÕs near. His subconscious can sense her. But that was impossible. He received no more news from her ever since she left to Konoha. She left him in Riri. He tried to stop her, but her parentsÉ

He sighed. ItÕs a long, long story I donÕt like to reminisce.

The past is the pastÉ I wont let it direct my futureÉ