Konoha Children's Crusade Chapter 21 Part 3

*******

He sat there watching and licked his teeth. This was entirely too much. He had continued watching the target nominally, in theory to to gather intel, but really more for the sense of superiority it gave him over the weaklings in the ANBU corps here. It had been child's play to stay out of sight even though they were so obviously searching for him.

However, a few short moments ago, the main ANBU squad guarding the target had split in two. His eyes narrowed eagerly. Four on four. It would be close to an even fight. Well, even in numbers perhaps... as far as strength was concerned, it would be no contest.

He closed his eyes and let his mind drift. Of all the wondrous new abilities the Master had given to them, this long distance communication was the most annoying. It always interrupted you when you wanted peace and quiet. Ironically when you absolutely depending on it, it had a horrible habit of not working. Thankfully, he was getting a clear signal right now. He smiled as he found four of his fellow squad captains. "Hello my new friends," he cheerfully thought to each of them. He could feel them in his mind like a bright burning itch, just as they now felt him. He was a bit surprised to find them so very close by.

He opened his eyes and surveyed the plaza, a bit more carefully this time. "Well, well well," he muttered as he picked their assigned targets out of the crowd. "Here is where all the little boys and girls been hiding. There you all down there playing your little games and having your little dramas. And above you I sit... watching." A cold chuckle escaped his lips. "This must be the universes' way of telling me we need a change of plan."

He pulsed the signal in his mind to summon his co-captains again, more insistently this time and leaned back against a handy stone chimney to wait. One by one the team captains appeared. "Aku," one of them murmured with a high pitched giggle, "Why did you call me away from my mission?" His pale blue eyes darted this way and that, never staying still for long. He stepped towards the chimney, stuck out a stick thin arm, and casually tore a stone off the top. He ground it to powder in one hand. "Do you know how much I hate to be interrupted when I'm working?" He hissed his voice suddenly turning cold.

Aku snorted. "Of course I do Ao. I wouldn't have done so unless this might have been useful. I happened to notice that each of our respective targets happens to be milling about below... I suggest we pool our resources."

"I do not believe Shukun-sama would approve of this Aku," Shiro's musical voice rang clear over the rooftop. At the mention of the master, she delicately brushed the white hair back from her ears. "He specifically told us that we were to hold off on any action until the proper moment."

Aku scratched at his nose. "He also gave us free reign to take initiative if we saw an opportunity." He casually pointed to the plaza below. "Why look there!" he said sarcastically. "A majority of our targets in an open space with a minimal guard. I would call that an opportunity if I ever saw one."

"Except, that wasn't the job given to us Aku," snapped Ao. His fingers drummed  nervously against each other. "And I always finish the job I have..." his angry growl faded off into a high pitched titter. "Unless, of course the Master instructs me otherwise."

"I agree with Ao," Shiro chimed in. "This was not Shukun-sama's plan." She smiled haughtily at him. "Two of us disagree with you."

Aku sighed. "And now what? We're going to vote? Come now, haven't any of you any ambition at all?" He shook his head. "Where's the fun if everything goes according to plan?" He turned to the fourth team leader. "Murasaki, you've been strangely quiet this whole time. Where do you stand?"

Murasaki slowly lifted her head. Yellow eyes gleamed from a face lined with purple scales. "This mission has been dull," her raspy voice was thick with sibilants. "Some violence would be most welcome."

Shiro glared at her with distaste. "Bloodthirsty monster. You would put your own cravings ahead of Shukun-sama's commands?"

Murasaki hissed out a laugh. "You speak to me of cravings? I wonder why you insist on obeying those commands so loyally? Do you hope to earn a place warming the master's bed?"

Shiro blushed a delicate pink. "Hold your tounge!"

"Now now children," said Aku, standing up and brushing off his pants. "Let's not fight, we are supposed to be on the same team after all." He gave a casual glance to the surrounding shinobi. "Two votes yes, and two votes no." He tucked back the lock of red hair that was constantly falling out of his hood. "If we're going to get anything done, we will need a tiebreaker... Shiro, since you are so insistent on following the master's orders, will you contact him and ask for his esteemed opinion?"

The pale skinned woman scowled at him. "You presume to give me orders?"

Aku's lips twitched in a smile. "I merely suggest that you should be the one to communicate with the master, because your mental jutsu is superior in this group."

Shiro gave him a cold stare but nodded. As she entered the trance to communicate long distance, Ao sidled up next to him. "I haven't known you for very long, but part of me thinks I should kill you right now," he giggled, fingering a kunai, "It will save us a lot of trouble from you and your maverick ways." His voice dropped to a growl. "But another part of me wants to wait. It will be that much more satisfying to let your mistakes and insults build up. Then I can end them all in one glorious release," he sighed happily and gave Aku a hungry smile.

Aku stared into Ao's eyes. Ao giggled nervously and after a bit looked away. Aku slowly untied his shirt and swung it wide. Every inch of his compact, muscled frame was covered with seals and inscriptions. Some sat dark and oppressive, some radiated a cold power, still others twisted and gleamed oily on his skin as if they were alive. "You wish to plunge your knife in, my friend?" he asked in a cold voice. "Go ahead... strike... I swear to you I shall not move." Aku took a step closer and smiled confidently. "But make sure your first blow strikes true. I have a bad habit of thinking ill thoughts about people who've tried to kill me." He winked at Ao and whispered, "It's funny, but bad things usually happen to those very same people."

Ao eyed Aku. His hand clenched around the handle of the kunai and for a second Aku thought he would attack. "Well," Ao snickered, "I guess it will be later then." He tucked the knife away.

Aku started to fasten up his shirt. Murasaki reached out a purple tinged hand and ran her pointed nails down his chest. Her dark pupils bored into him. "Do you always undress when threatened with death?" Amusement tinged her voice.

"Now this... this...could be very interesting," thought Aku. He smiled at her. "Can you think of a better time?" Murasaki snickered and pulled away her hand.

He had just finished closing his shirt when Shiro sagged and came out of her trance. "I have spoken with Shukun-sama," she said in a dispassionate voice. "And while he does not want to deviate from the original plan, he agrees with Aku that this opportunity is too good to be wasted." She shot Aku a cold look. "If you agree to follow orders, he will allow you some free reign with the following changes he wishes to make."

Aku smiled triumphantly. Once again he brushed back that lock of red hair. "I bow to the wisdom of the master." He smirked at Shiro. "What is this new plan he wants us to undertake?"

*******



Karua took ten steps away from Ichisui, before she had to stop. She had to take three deep breaths and squeeze her nails into her palms for good measure, just to regain her focus.

"This is totally unlike me." She thought to herself. "I never take a ride on the emotional roller coaster." Three minutes ago, she had felt invincible. She was on top of the world, and everything she did was just magically clicking into place. Two minutes ago, she felt… well… kind of disappointed. If she were a 'typical girl' who had actually, you know, been interested in Ichisui, she probably would be devastated. She sighed. "I basically just saved his life, and the stupid jerk turns around and goes straight back to Hishyoni," she whispered to herself.

That was perfectly understandable of course. I mean, she and Ichisui agreed to do this whole pretend dating thing for the sole purpose of him getting closer to Hishyoni… But was it too much to ask for him to at least say thank you? That was an awfully big sword Hishyoni was waving around there at the end.

One minute ago, she turned from them, smiled bravely and started to walk away. She was trudging back to where Shikasu was waiting, idly replaying the recent events in her mind, when it hit her and she had to stop. "Oh my God," she whispered, a sinking pit opening up in her stomach. "I just kissed Ichisui Uchiha… in public… in front of everyone."

She pinched the bridge of her nose, hard. A juicy little rumor like this one would positively fly through Konoha in under half an hour. Friends would giggle, strangers would point. She really hoped that the rest of the Nara clan wouldn't broach the subject with her parents before she had a chance to. Her parents… "Oh God… Mother will definitely want to talk to me about this," she mumbled. She quickly turned with the intention of going back and saying something, anything to Ichisui.

Ichisui was surrounded by ANBU. It looked like they were giving him and Hishyoni a stern talking to. Of course, they were fighting in the plaza. What did she expect would happen? There was going to be no talking to him now.

She forced herself to start walking again. Shikasu was just stiffly standing there with a stupid grin on his face. She just knew he was going to open his big mouth with some smart-ass comment.

She jabbed a finger at him. "Don't say a single word… Okay?" she snapped. Shikasu closed his mouth and shrugged. "Good," said Karua turning away angrily. "I don't need to hear any comments right now." Thankfully he paid attention to her mood for once and slowly walked a few steps behind her in complete silence.

A strong down gust buffeted her. She glanced up to check the weather. "That's odd," she thought, "The wind seems to be coming from that kite." She glanced back down at Shikasu. "Can you walk a little faster?" she called out, annoyed at everything in the world right now, "I want to finish all this up."

She didn't see the two figures flash by overhead.

*******

Mako chewed his fingernails and listened nervously as one by one the wasps reported in. There were four shinobi (predators) dressed all in black following the decoy Shikasu. There was a team of four more watching the group of ANBU. There was a third group of black ninja's observing a group of girls who had just come out of the girls bathroom, and there was a fourth group that had split its attention between the group of girls and a group of boys flying the infamous wasp bothering kite.

This was definitely not good.

The wasps reported that a young girl had just approached the group of ANBU spoken to them and then half the squad had quickly run off to the roof full of kite flyers. One member from each group of black Ninja quickly gathered together for a short conversation, and then went back to their respective teams. The black ninja teams conferred, and then split so they made a wide semicircle. He didn't have to be an intelligence gathering genius to read that formation. Ambush.

This was really really not good.

Mako quickly started to call in his wasps. The last few reported that the black ninjas were beginning to ready weapons. He didn't even wait for them to get back in the nest, as the last one landed and gripped his hair, he started to run. Whatever was going to happen, he did not want to get caught in it.

*******

Karrin looked up from her books with a suspicious frown on her face. "Kiyo? Is that you?" she called waving a hand under her nose. She stood up from the main counter, away from the remnants of her lunch, and quickly peeked in the back room. Kiyo was sleeping silently again after her bottle, but that didn't mean she hadn't done anything else after her bottle either.

Karrin crept next to the crib as quietly as she could, leaned over and inhaled for a long time. She stood up puzzled. "No she's clean," she muttered. "Where is that coming from?" She went back to the front and took a quick stock of her lunch.

"No, that's clean too," She muttered picking up a piece of cold tempura and chewing on it thoughtfully. It wasn't a strong smell, but it was... bad. It was a mixture of all sorts of foul things: death, filth, burning, the sharp chemical tang of ozone, and spoiled meat. It hadn't been here a minute ago, so where could it possibly have come from?

Karrin closed her eyes to concentrate and inhaled slowly. There! It is was coming from three separate people about the emporium. It was their chakra she was smelling.

She shivered at the foul nature of it. "That is particularly nasty, I really hope they don't make a stop in here." She thought about calling the ANBU for a moment... after all, anyone whose chakra smelled like that couldn't be up to any good, but then she dismissed it. The smell wasn't too strong. She barely even noticed it with her nose. Whoever they were they wouldn't be much of a threat to...

Karrin gasped. She flailed for the set of kunai she kept hidden under the counter, knocking over her lunch in the process. She grabbed her weapons and sprinted to the back room, and locked herself in with Kiyo.

She pinched her nostrils to keep out the overpowering scent as the three mystery shinobi's chakra flared to combat strength. She didn't know how they masked it from her, and mostly she didn't care. All that mattered was surviving this upcoming attack.

*******

"No no no no no! You want the thing to go more to the left... More... more... stop there... I said there! You've got to pull it more to the right!" said Mibuki getting all flustered. "Now you're not far enough again! The very act of releasing a tag will cause the kite to change position. That's why you keep missing!"

"I think you just built a crappy kite." grumbled Jiraiya. "Seriously, this thing is all over the place."

"Do you want me to fly it?" asked Mibuki testily. "I don't see what's so hard about all this."

"I keep telling you, I don't need help!" snapped Jiraiya. "I've been the kite flying champion of Konoha for three years running now!"

"Only because you cheat," muttered Mibuki.

Before Jiraiya could reply, a voice from the group of boys with cheap telescopes pressed to their faces spoke up. "I'm still waiting for the most fantastic thing that I will ever see here guys," called out  Osamu in an amused voice. "So far all I've been looking at is a bunch of mist."

Jiraiya turned, grinning. "Don't you fret valued customer! Just wait a little bit longer, and all the forbidden delights will be yours."

"If I have to wait much longer, I'm going to want a refund," said Osamu casually.

Jiraiya sighed and handed the string over to Mibuki. "Fine... You win."

Mibuki held it lightly in two hands. He rolled his neck to loose it up and then sharply pulled on the string. The kite rolled through two loops before deftly parking itself above and slightly to the right of the onsen. He turned and smiled at Jiraiya. "And that... is how you fly a kite," he said proudly.

Jiraiya sniffed and turned up his nose. "You just got lucky," he sulked. He then spun on one foot and faced his crowd with open arms and a broad smile. "My dearest friends," he smarmed. "I hope that you are ready, because the greatest show in Konoha is about to begin!" he cried out with forced enthusiasm.

A hush fell over the tittering crowd of boys. The kite dipped low over the hot springs and let out a great hiss. Mibuki had released four of his air tags at once. The clouds of steam obscuring the onsen billowed upwards and outwards. They slowly faded away.

"And now, lets convince the lovely ladies to leave the water," said Jiraiya in a sleazy voice. "Mibuki, if you would be so kind?" There was a summoning explosion on the kite. A large-ish rat tumbled through the air and landed in the hot springs with a splash.

The group of boys leaned forward at the edge of the building with anticipation. There was a panicked cry from the hot springs below. They focused their telescopes and held their breath.

They let it out in a great chorus of disgusted noises. Several of them dropped their telescopes like they were red hot. "What the hell is this?" bellowed Osamu. There was an angry mutter from the group. "Is this another one of your retarded pranks?"

Jiraiya and Mibuki exchanged a confused glance. Jiraiya stepped forward holding his hands up placatingly. "Gentlemen, if someone would be so kind as to explain to me what the problem is, I will gladly..."

"Stop in the name of the law!" bellowed an overly enthusiastic voice. "Submit peacefully and the justice of the Leaf Village will be merciful!" Standing there was an ANBU wearing a bear mask, striking a very heroic pose. Slightly behind him were three very puzzled looking ANBU exchanging confused looks.

"Hey Kuma?" asked an ANBU wearing a cat mask. "I thought you said the roof was crawling with enemy shinobi."

Kuma looked down. "What do you mean? They're right over..." There was an embarrassed pause. He stared out at a bunch of preteen boys. The boys stared nervously back. The tableau of boys and ANBU remained very still for a heartbeat.

"It's the cops! Run for it!" screamed one of the taller boys holding a telescope. Children yelled and scattered every which way.

"Wait!" yelled Kuma, reaching out at one that streaked by. "Wait!" he yelled again. He was well aware that the three team mates behind him were starting to snicker. Well, for whatever reason the mystery shinobi might have disappeared, but he was not about to have gone through all this trouble without bringing someone down to the station. These boys were obviously up to some mischief, and so unfortunately, to save his pride, they were going to pay the price. They were just so darned fast! Kumo caught sight of two boys who weren't running. they were frantically trying to reel in a large homemade kite. He pointed at them. "You two! I order you to stop in the name of the..." he heard something whistling through the air.

He spun with his tanto sword out and blocked the attack just in time. The kunai rang against the steel and spun away, skittering across the rooftop.

He stared hard at the four shinobi facing him. They were masked and dressed in simple black clothes. They had no village insignia that he could tell. The other three ANBU with him shifted uncomfortably and fingered their weapons.

Kuma, smiled "See?" he said gleefully. "I told you I saw them! I told you Konoha was being invaded!" Grinning with pride, he pointed his tanto sword at the intruders.

"Stay where you are!" he called out in his boldest voice. "Submit peacefully and the justice of the Leaf village will..."

The largest of the black ninjas, a kunoichi with strange purple skin threw back her head and roared with laughter. "Are you for real?" she asked in an odd rasping voice.

Kuma cleared his throat nervously and started again. "I'll not repeat myself. Surrender peacefully and..."

"Oh, give it a rest Kuma," muttered the cat masked ANBU. He slid his blade from its sheath. "No one is ever going to listen to you if you keep spouting nonsense like that."

*******

"Hishyoni Hyuga," the wolf masked ANBU called out in a serious voice. "I need to talk to you... now."

Hishyoni flinched. "Is everything okay?" Ichisui asked her nervously. Hishyoni shot him a withering look and stiffly walked over to the ANBU. There was a team of eight of them spread out in a loose body guard pattern. Every one of them was in a constant state of checking the rooftops and the crowds. "You never see ANBU like this unless there is some imminent threat," thought Ichisui to himself. He grew worried enough that he found himself involuntarily checking his surroundings as well.

He walked after Hishyoni, half to ask the ANBU what was going on, and well... half because he still really wanted to hear what Hishyoni had been about to say.

Hishyoni stared as the wolf masked ANBU began to tell her a muted story. The ANBU pointed at two children behind her being guarded by a huge ANBU wearing a bull mask.

He recognized the Hokage's daughter. "Hello Kusumina-chan!" he called out. The Bull ANBU's head jerked around to face him, and glared. Ichisui raised his hands in a peaceful gesture and took another step forward. "How are you?"

Kusumina said something to the bull masked ANBU and he relaxed ever so slightly. He still kept watching Ichisui though. Kusumina waved him forward. "Ichisui-onisan," she said with a slight bow. "I am very glad that you are here. Someone has tried to attack my cousin Hizashi."

Ichisui looked at the boy she was indicating. He had heard of Hishyoni's younger brother, but never actually seen the boy. Not many people had. The Hyuga kept the boy out of the academy, preferring to train him themselves. "Hizashi!" Hishyoni called out in an annoyed voice. "Did you manage to get yourself hurt in all this?"

The boy quickly tucked his hands behind his back. "No Onee-san."

"Good," snapped Hishyoni. She went back into a quiet discussion with the ANBU.

Ichisui studied the boy. "Why didn't you tell her you hurt your hands?"

Hizashi pursed his lips. "I didn't want to make her worry. She gets... upset when she feels things are  outside of her control."

Ichisui glanced once at Hishyoni and then turned back to Hizashi. "She does get upset quite easily... doesn't she?"

"You know, Ichisui-onisan has been trained as a medical-nin," said Kusumina giving Hizashi a nudge.  "If you would like, I bet he could take a look at your hands and heal them up for you."

Hizashi's hands drifted out from behind his back. "Hishyoni's not watching is she?" he muttered.

"Don't worry," said Ichisui, moving to one side.  "I'll stand between you. She won't see a thing." Hizashi held out his hands. He winced as Ichisui began fixing them up. "So... You are Hishoyni-chan's little brother," he started politely to make some conversation. "It is nice to meet you. My name is Ichisui Uchiha."

Hizashi bowed. "It is an honor to meet you at last Uchiha-san."

Ichisui looked up. "You've heard of me?"

Hizashi nodded. "Oh yes... My parents sometimes speak of you." He paused delicately. "Personally, I thought your singing wasn't so much bad, as just... unique."



Hishyoni swore as Ookami step-by step went over the details of what had occurred at the Hyuga compound. She ground her teeth together and shot a glance at her younger brother, that worthless little... She sighed. No doubt, her mother and father were going to be upset. Someone had broken into the house, and rather than Hizashi getting any blame for being worthless, everyone was inevitably going to find some way to make this all her fault. Something about her not being there to protect him probably.

She turned back to Ookami. "So? I wasn't there. I spent the morning training. I have other things to do than sit around all day watching my baby brother," she grumbled and continued with sarcasm dripping from her voice. " I'm sorry... Is that what you wanted to hear?"

Ookami shook her head and sighed. "Hishyoni-chan, I really need you to drop the attitude right now and listen to me. No one is accusing you of anything."

"Yet," muttered Hishyoni. "Just wait till my parents get back."

"You are completely missing the point," said Ookami testily. She grabbed Hishyoni's arm and pulled her closer. "An unknown shinobi entered your family home and attacked your brother," she whispered. "We have reason to believe that he may be at jonin level or higher."

Hishyoni snorted. "He can't be much of a jonin if he couldn't take out a blind nine year old."

"That's one of the things that has us worried. He..." Ookami hesitated and stared over Hishyoni's shoulder. "What the hell is that moron doing now?" She grunted testily.

Hishyoni turned to see the ANBU wearing a bear mask shout something and charge off towards the roof of the building lining the plaza.  Half of the team guarding her brother looked back at Ookami and with a nod from her, chased after him. A young girl in pigtails watched them go and then skipped away merrily.

There was a dark blur and the girl was surrounded by shinobi wearing traditional black ninja gi, complete with hoods and masks. It was almost comical to see people wearing them in this day and age.

The clothing was so unexpected that Hishyoni hesitated. She watched as the little girl took half a step back. One of them reached forward with one hand and said something. The girl shook her head and made a reply that the black ninjas did not approve of.

The weapons they produced were not so comical.

As the little girl turned to run, Hishyoni reached for her scroll. One of the attackers seized the girl about the waist as Hishyoni pulled her weapons scroll out of its sheath. A second black ninja grabbed for the girl's arms as Hishyoni pulled her scroll open. The little girl screamed and kicked at her attackers just as Hishyoni summoned a pair of kusagari into her hands.

She was very glad she had her weapons right then, because  a second team of black ninja appeared right in front of her.