Elusive {Book 2}

Hot Spring Hunt

"Where are we going?" Sasuke asked as he trudged behind Tobi.  Tobi glanced back at the younger Uchiha before looking forward again, leading the way through the forest.

"A hot spring." Tobi replied.  Sasuke blanched.  

"A hot spring?  Why a hot spring?" 

"Myself, along with a few others, own the hot spring location.  It's a simple way to make money."  Tobi explained.

"But you're obiviously a ninja," Sasuke stated.  "Why would you work at a hot spring?"  Tobi shrugged.

"When you don't live in a shinobi village it's hard to get money without having missions.  So a few other absent ninja and I decided that we could co-manage a hot spring.  That way we all get revenue from the hot spring, and we all have our own time to do simple bounty missions." 

"Who are the others?  Are you all rouge?" Tobi chuckled.

"You ask a lot of questions for an Uchiha.  I haven't met an Uchiha besides myself who speak more that five word sentences." Tobi looked back to see how Sasuke reacted only to recieve a pointed look telling him to answer the question.  "Alright, alright," Tobi put his hands up in defense.  "Just don't go all emo on me like every other Uchiha."  Sasuke couldn't help but snort at that.  "Anyways, there aren't that many others.  There's me, Kisame, Deidara, Zabuza,  and Hidan.  You better watch out for Hidan though, he's got a temper.  Though I think you'll get along well with the others Sasuke." Tobi shrugged.  Sasuke stopped walking and he narrowed his eyes.

"You know who I am." Sasuke stated and Tobi froze.

"Damn it." Tobi groaned before he turned around and rubbed the back of his neck.  "Do you know how hard it is to keep a secret identity when you slip up nearly every time you're around someone you knew before your identity became a secret." Tobi put his hands to his face in exasparation and groaned again, reminding Sasuke of Naruto.  "At this rate I might as well go back to Konoha and tell them I'm alive!" Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"So you're supposed to be dead." Tobi shrieked and collapsed onto his knees, still holding his head in his hands.  Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows.  "But I don't remember anyone I know dying.  I'd think I'd remember an outgoing Uchiha like you." Sasuke remarked.  Tobi jumped up from the ground and wrapped his arm around Sasuke's shoulder.

"Well then, let's just forget about this and continue walking eh?  Besides we have some tomatos at the hot springs, so you could have some of those." Tobi suggested while Sasuke raised an eyebrow.  

"I am convinced that you stalk me." Sasuke said blandly and Tobi sulked.  

"Let's just keep walking." 

"You never answered my question," Sasuke stated as the two resumed walking.  "Are all of you rouge nin?  Well you wouldn't be if Konoha thinks your dead, but what about the others?  Are they rouge?"

"No.  Or at least, I don't think so.  All of our villages think we're dead you see.  Kisame and Zabuza were both a part of the Seven Swordsman of the Mist, but there was a mission that went wrong and now their village thinks their dead.  Deidara was kidnapped on a mission and his village made no effort to get him back, and they declared him KIA.  I think Hidan was a rouge at one point, but for whatever reason his village thinks he died.  I still don't know all the details." 

"And you?  What brought you away from Konoha?" Sasuke asked, watching as Tobi sighed and looked longingly in the direction of the Leaf Village.  

"I was on a mission with my teammates.  One of ours got kidnapped and I went to go and save her while my other teammate thought the mission was more important so he went to finish the mission." Tobi shrugged.  "I got there and unlocked my sharingan when I was trying to fight the enemy.  My teammate ended up deciding to help me save our other teammate.  One of the enemies ended up collasping the cave we were in.  I was half crushed under a large boulder," Tobi gestured towards the rippled side of his face.  "My teammates didn't have enough time to get me out before the cave collasped, and I was left inside, presumed dead."  Tobi sighed.  

Sasuke narrowed his eyes with scrutiny at the very familiar story.  "What happened to your eye?" Sasuke asked, trying to fit together the puzzle pieces.  Subconciously, Tobi put his hand up and he lightly traced his eye patch.  

"That's a story for another day." Sasuke scowled.

"Then, why didn't you return to Konoha?  You obviously got out from under the boulder.  You're alive.  Wouldn't your teammates want you to be alive?" Tobi shook his head.  

"It's too late for me to go back.  I 'died' years ago.  My friends have moved on.  They've become better people now.  I've been keeping an eye on them.  They're fine living without me." 

Both Uchiha's decided to remain silent for the remainder of the journey, which wasn't too long. The two entered a very small town, which Sasuke made sure to take note of before they reached their destination, which was conincedintalley next to a ramen stand, reminding Sasuke more of his best friend.  Sasuke and Tobi approached a large building, with steam coming from the back, and what looked like a few civillians, leaving.  

"Like it?" Tobi asked putting his hands on his hips as he admired the place he called home for the past seventeen years.  Tobi walked inside, with Sasuke following, and he led his younger clan member upstairs in the living area.  "You see, downstairs is all the business stuff, but then we have a second floor that's giant.  It's pretty great!  We have a kitchen, a living room, although we only have three bedrooms, so some of us have to share." Tobi explained as they walked into the living room.

There were three people in the living room.  Two of them were standing behind the couch, while one was sleeping on the couch.  One of the men standing behind the couch had slicked back grey hair and magenta eyes, he wore no shirt, but had on a pair of black sweat pants.  The guy beside him had brown spikey hair and bandages loosely around his mouth.  He wore a brownish shirt with cow-skin arm warmers.  The guy/shark on the couch was blue from head to toe, with gills, and he was so tall he didn't even fit the length of the couch he was sleeping on.

"HEY LOOK!  Patchy brought back another one of those red-eyed freaks!" The silver-haired guy shouted, giving Sasuke a glowering look.  The guy with the cow-skin arm warmers elbowed the loud guy in the stomach.

"Shut up asshole." He muttered in a gruff voice.  The silver-haired guy scowled and turned to glare at the other guy.  

"This is Sasuke." Tobi interrupted, gesturing towards the younger Uchiha, changing the subject.  "Sasuke, this is Hidan, Zabuza, the guy sleeping on the couch is Kisame, and Deidara is out right now, but he's got blond hair that he wears in a ponytail so he's not hard to miss."

"Sasuke?" Zabuza asked with a smirk.  "You're that pink-haired chick's teammate aren't you?"

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I don't know about you guys, but I think Tobi is gonna get busted soon.  I think I'm going to start putting less attention on Sasuke after the next chapter.  I really think we should find out what 's happening with Sakura, and Naruto.  

Did any of you guys notice the character I brought back last chapter?  What did you think about Furai's comeback?  He seems pretty useless to me.

Any questions, comments, or concerns?   

See you guys next chapter!