The Last Namikaze

Chapter 34) Sasuke's Arrival

Jiraiya died first, as Akari had known he would. Well, I tried to warn him. His fault he didn't listen. Returning it was to find Konan balled up and crying in her room. Akari sat next to her, pulled her into her arms, and allowed her friend to cry herself to sleep. Akari stayed with her the remainder of the night and the next few days while Konan mourned. The crying ceased when Pain came into the room bringing news of Itachi's death at the hands of Sasuke. Kisame hadn't been involved in the fight and was still fine. Me, Konan, Pain(Nagato), Kisame, Zetsu, and Obito. How the fuck did we get here? The others know him as Madara in secret, well except perhaps Kisame. Hmm, and they think they know who Tobi is. It's no secret to those of us still alive that he's the one calling the shots...well, except for Kisame.

"Tobi and Zetsu have taken Sasuke to the Graveyard. His comrades should be arriving there shortly as well." The hideout where the gedo statue is normally found.

"Enough of this Nagato." Akari sighed as he stiffened. "What? There's no one here now to keep the secret from. Also, I should tell you that I'm well aware of Tobi's true identity." Akari couldn't help but inwardly smirk at this.

"You know that he's-?"

"Madara." She answered Konan's unfinished thought. "Madara Uchiha. Yes. I've known since before joining the Akatsuki." Konan was staring and Pain looked annoyed. "I'd just like to be straightforward about things now." Both Konan and Pain nodded. "So, what's next?"

"You should go to see Madara to find that answer, though I suspect we'll need to acquire first the eight tails and then the nine." It was Akari's turn to nod and she left right away.

Obito had previously insisted that she not mark the area near the statue so Akari made her way by foot. It wasn't a particularly long trip to make if one cut through the Land of Fire and so that's what she did. Making her way she felt a twitch and immediately shrouded her chakra and hid herself off the path behind a rather large tree trunk where the branches were thick. Not thirty seconds later a group of Shinobi arrived on the forest floor, walking as if dejected. In the lead was the white hair that she'd seen more recently than she was comfortable with. With him were others - the blonde hair of her brother and the spiked ponytail of Shikamaru. There were others too but she didn't recognize any of them by name. A brunette man was walking next to Kakashi and although he didn't notice anything, Kakashi paused and looked around. Akari tried to breathe quieter as she saw Kakashi begin sniffing the air.

"Kakashi?"

"Someone's here." Kakashi raised his headband to reveal his sharingan and Akari tried harder to hide her chakra.

Why can't I be that good at sensory?

"Who is it Sensei?"

"I'm not sure. Everyone, stay on your guard." They began walking away and Akari nearly let out a loud sigh but caught herself. Kakashi is more careful than this...no way this is it.  No way he didn't notice me.  She waited another ten minutes before moving again, still keeping her chakra hidden. Instead of going towards the Graveyard in the Land of Needles she headed East towards the land of Water. The snap of a twig and Akari turned quickly, anticipating Kakashi but instead meeting the brunette and many wood branches that were trying to encase her. Dodging, Akari used her phoenix flower jutsu to burn the wood. The man was facing her but she felt no twitching.

"You're a clone. Wood style? Very unique."

"And you're an Akatsuki." Akari smirked.

"Awwee, you figure that out all on your own? She teased. "Not exactly a hard deduction based on my cloak." The newcomer scowled and Akari shook her head. "I don't have time for you." Using both fire and lightning release she easily defeated the clone and then made clones of her own; shadow clones infused with chakra, each sent in different directions. Overkill, but it was fun.  She shrugged to herself.  Akari herself went Northwest, towards Obito.