Strategist from the heavens (Tales of a gutsy ninja 3)

Chapter 8 - The hand that holds...

Saaya P.O.V

"As expected of Itachi-kun, you found where Aira is?"

Without taking his eye off the document in his hand, he nodded quietly. Subconsciously, I placed a few more pieces of dango on his plate.

"I'll have the reward when Aira is back amongst us." Ignoring the extra dangos, Itachi-kun got up and began to prepare for the mission. 

I turned away, to cover my face which surely was taking on a more sakura-like hue. I definitely didn't miss him lick the sugar residue off his finger.

While I was happy that we could work towards getting Aira back, the reason I offered Itachi-kun the dango was because he...seemed more humane and cute when he was eating the spherical delights.

"Saaya, we are leaving."

"Okay! With you I'm willing to even travel to the ends of the Earth!"

Perhaps calling this organization Ryuugamine instead of Aira would have been a better choice. In the absence of Aira, the plan to hire new members had fallen through and apart from very careful conversations, Kuroko stayed hidden from the world. Out of Madara's radar.

But once Aira comes back...

Saaya knew that things would definitely change tremendously.

Itachi picked his tools and carefully packed them. His eyes had a cold glint that Saaya associated with determination. Itachi must have made up his mind. "Saaya, you said you were suddenly able to trace Isobu's chakra right? Take us there."

It had been a few days since she told him about it. Perhaps Gaara-sama's side and Itachi had completed the preparations.

"Aira-chan...not just Itachi-kun and Kazekage-sama... even I wish for you to come back. I can feel your presence. When we meet, be prepared for a beating. How cheeky of you to trouble your sister so much!"

If the place that itachi-kun had determined as Aira's location and the source of Isobu's chakra was the same then, the world had definitely begin to move again.

Back at the Akatsuki Hideout

Aira's current situation was as good as a house arrest. The only ones who visited her were Madara, Obito and Nagato. It was mostly Madara checking up on her status, sometimes it was Obito checking her skin for white zetsu's spots...very rarely it was Nagato and he would only stare at her.

After 28 hours, Madara had come to visit her and...Aira was in no mood to acknowledge his presence.

"Aira, shouldn't you show some reservation as a woman?"

Madara was back from a 'meeting' and an unexpected sight greeted him. She was lying upside down on the bed, her legs resting on the wall with a book covering her face.

"Ah, look who decided to give the grounded ex-strategist a visit."

Her dark circles had worsened - not due to lack of sleep but rather its excess. Despite how careless she seemed, she still took the effort to straighten up. Despite his ridiculous age, Madara was an outsider and not her mother. Closing the book, she ran her hand through her hair, trying to make it as presentable as she could.

"So, do I get to do something...or better yet, go anywhere?" The incredible puppy eyes was just pleading with an upward gaze in the Narutoverse. "Something along those lines."

In what felt like an eternity, Aira smiled.

Her initial opinion had been betrayed when Madara went through the trouble of telling her all that she had done in the past. He even turned a blind eye to her 'borrowing' Nagato to retrieve Isobu.

And though she was bored, she had to admit that beside Madara was an extremely safe zone where she could try and figure out what to do next. Not only did he not pressurize her to do anything, he didn't even extract Isobu from her!

"I cannot take you out anywhere, but the intelligence team tells me that the S rank scrolls on economy retrieved from Sunagakure were written by you. How about you elaborate on the same?"

Madara handed her the scroll and upon glancing through it, Aira noticed that she must have been super invested in developing Sunagakure...or she would never have gone through the trouble of writing down all that she had learnt in her Business Administration lectures - making it more attuned to running a village.

"Most of this is just 'what-ifs'...I must have had someone by my side who could tell me which of these could be applied and if so, how to apply it practically. But this wouldn't help you much. What you rule is not a populace. You rule over ones who are currently maintaining peace."''

'How did the past me have the courage to think of the great Uchiha Madara as a pawn?

She was counting on Madara to unify the world - and then hand it over to Gaara on a silver plate!'

"That is to say that you will translate these documents?"

The barren lands and fear-stricken faces of people crossed her mind.

Even if she could understand the rationale behind the her previous self's action and even figure out the expected course of action, she deeply lacked the kind of reckless courage that her former self had.

But she could sympathize with why past Aira always took such pains to try and find a solution with little to no damage to any side. If she could, she would do anything to save the people who lived in utter terror.

Not because she was some lady of salvation...just because she would be unable to sleep in peace without trying to do her best to help others. Just like - if you can't defeat a bully, at least inform the teacher instead of being a silent spectator.

"Madara, I...want to go beyond just learning what my previous self was like. These papers? They are just theories of an empty-minded scholar if the application is screwed. I want to find the real me. My real potential...and that means trying my hand. "

Madara's face was absolutely devoid of expression and Aira wondered if he was supremely unimpressed or plain disappointed. But then after quiet contemplation, he agreed.

"One more thing. Please get me a white wig and something to turn my eyes red. Isn't that the appearance of past Ryuugamine Aira that the people are aware of? My method might be slightly different from the past...but to truly understand her - me, I need others to behave with me how they would to my past self."

"Oh? Sure. But on one condition - you will be next to me at all times. No matter what."

Aira tilted her head to one side in confusion. "Why? Are you worried that I'll return to the other side?"

"No...because idiots like you disappear if one doesn't keep a careful eye." Madara said and left. 

Surely even Ryuugamine Aira wouldn't be able to understand his feelings right now. Not even the past her, let alone this currently lost her.