Kisame looked over at his partner, as they walked silently together through the eastern woods in the Land of Fire and narrowed his eyes. The day was peaceful. A bright blue sky... with small puffs of cumulus clouds. Not too hot and not too cold. The humidity was a bit much for the normal man, but for Kisame, who loved a nice damp day, it was just perfect. Still... there was something off and the shark man did not like the noticeable undercurrent of tension that he sensed. Itachi had been hatching something big ever since that large explosion appeared west of their position.
So far the ugly black crow who sometimes sat on Itachi's shoulder had flown off and returned twice. Kisame watched closely as Itachi interacted with the thing. There was nothing unusual about this since Itachi had used the bird to spy for years. Yet it didn't seem quite right either. And it was the most activity that Kisame had seen from the man in months. Something was a foot.
"Now you know I usually mind my own business, but you appear uncharacteristically affected today, Itachi. Would you like to fill me in?" Kisame asked switching his large shark skin sword from one shoulder to the other.
"I'm searching for my brother." Itachi replied.
"Are you sure he didn't die in that explosion with Tobi and Deidara?" Kisame asked skeptically.
"He's alive." Itachi replied in his same unaffected voice. "My crow has caught sight of the leaf ninja team tracking his scent from the explosion site. He must have used Orochimaru's summoning snake to escape the blast."
"Well... that's something." Kisame sighed. "What do you plan to do about it then? He has to be looking for you too... after all."
"I've already set things in motion." Itachi sent the crow flying again. "I will meet Sasuke at the old Uchiha hide out. I just need you to make sure those ninja, he is traveling with, do not interfere."
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Three Narutos converged on a clearing, frowning at each other in frustration. "Nothing but dead ends!"
Two of them held onto a large black crow. It took two clones just to keep hold of the bird as it struggled in their hands, flapping its wings and squawking loudly. Nasty ornery creature. He removed the cloth from the bird's leg and then set it free. The bird squawked a loud and angry retort before flying up above him and landing in the tree branches.
"They've been one step ahead of us this entire time." One of the clones growled. "That sensory ninja with Sasuke is nothing but a pain in the butt!"
"Agreed." The other two Narutos nodded at each other.
"I can tell you where to find him." A voice drifted down from the tree branches.
In response, all three Narutos turned, kunais sliding into hands, ready to strike at any attackers.
"Who are you?!" The clones demanded in unison, looking up at a woman with long blond hair worn in ringlets contained in a side ponytail and bright violet eyes suddenly standing above them in the tree. She had on a ninja headband with a leaf forehead protector and a jonin's flak jacket but he had never seen her face before.
The woman dropped agily to the ground. Naruto was not sure how she got so close without him noticing. "I'm a friend, Naruto. Your girlfriend and your teammate like to call me, sensei."
The Naruto clones put down their kunais and rubbed the backs of their heads. "Masuku sensei? Is that you? What are you doing out here?"
Masuku ignored Naruto's question and stated again. "I can tell you where to find Sasuke."
"Ok?" Naruto prompted.
"He just left the Akatsuki's hideout. It lies east of here. He is headed towards the old Uchiha hideout. Kakashi will know how to get there."
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Taming Your Demon (Sealing Series Part I)
FanfictionTakes place at the beginning of Naruto Shippuden, right after Naruto returns from his training with Jiraiya. Naruto & Hinata managed to form a close friendship prior to Naruto's absence. Now that he's returned, there is more than one reason to take...
