Near Konoha, Exact Location Undisclosed
Hidden deep in a forest there's a bunker that has lied empty for decades. Only a select few people know where it exactly is, even less have seen it in person. It's a dreary place, surrounded by thick foliage and various dangerous beasts. Inside the bunker is bland, there's little ambient light and zero comforts. It's little more than a large empty room.
But today it isn't empty, for the first time in years there's people there.
Only two humans are present, one is young and pale. He has a lifeless look about him, like all the joys and emotions have been violently suppressed. The other human present is a stark contrast to the first, he's old and feeble. He is covered in more bandages than seems healthy, yet he's standing before the young one with confidence that only a battle hardened leader can command.
"Agent code-name Sai." The feeble one breaks the silence. "How do the rivers run?"
"With the blood of Konoha's enemies." The kneeling youngster responds without raising his head from a respectful bow. "I am yours to command, Danzo-sama."
"You interacted with Alvarcus." The aged shinobi's words aren't a question, he knows that he's already correct. "Tell me everything you know about him."
"Alvarcus Mar, wielder of the Jiongu, Hearth Thief of-"
"I know all of that already!" The old man lets a hint of emotion display for only a moment before he calms himself back down. "Tell me who he is as a person. What are his habits? What are his mannerisms? What are his strengths? What are his weaknesses? Tell me everything you observed about him."
"Of course Danzo-sama."
...
The Day Before the Tournament
Sasuke, Tayuya, Orochimaru and I are all standing at the exit to the base. Sasuke and I are both back in our respective masks while Tayuya and Orochimaru are going over some last minute details about what is expected of us and her specifically as the jonin representative of Otogakure.
"Summoning Jutsu!" I smack my hand to the ground and a small plume of smoke appears.
"About bloody time!" Shirokumo screeches the moment he's here. "I told you we need to talk! That was weeks ago!"
"Oh." Crap, I totally forgot about that. "I'm sorry, but it's going to have to wait again."
"We need to have this conversation. Soon." He pins me with an eight eyed glare. "You can't put this off forever."
"I know and I won't. I summoned you to let you know to call me Green again, tell the other spiders will you? We're heading out for the Chunin Exams again." He's still mad. This must conversation must mean a lot to him. "Once I'm in Kusa I'll summon you and we can have a nice long chat, alright?"
"Fine. Hurry, this is important. The longer you wait to hear it, the bigger a problem it's going to be." Then he mutters something under his breath that sounds suspiciously like, "Especially since it's about her."
"Is that Mister Spider?" Tayuya calls from the exit of the base. "We need to talk business still."
All of his beady black eyes narrow. "Don't have the time."
POOF
"That's unusual." I comment to myself. "Never seen him like this before."
"Alvarcus, Sasuke." Orochimaru's voice pulls me out of my thoughts. "Remember, I expect a show. I want you to leave a lasting impression on the spectators, display the power of Sound."
"Yes, Orochimaru-sama." Sasuke and I chant in unison. We share a quick look between the two of us.
"All in favor of never speaking at the same time again?" I casually ask. "I."
"I." Sasuke responds. "That was just eerie."
"Glad we came to a consensus."
"Not to add any pressure to the two of you," Orochimaru cuts off the rest of our conversation, "but I might be in the crowd. After all, I do like seeing the fruits of my labor. Do not disappoint me."
Orochimaru might be there? No, I don't want that. I really don't want that. That would make things so much harder on me, I couldn't get away at all with any sort of communication with Konoha shinobi unless it is violent.
~Fret not Host, we've been around him so much that I'll be able to tell if he is present. His unique aura sings a whole different song than anyone else.~
Thank you Jiongu, always around to make my life easier. I don't know where I'd be without you.
~Probably dead in a ditch.~
I take it back, the Jiongu is an asshole.
"Can we leave now?" I whine. "This is going to suck. Tayuya, in her infinite wisdom, decided to wait until the day before the Tournament to leave. Now I have to carry her sorry ass or we won't make it in time!"
"Yes." Orochimaru generously allows. "I expect no distractions, focus on the task ahead."
The three of us walk outside into the blazing sun.
"Let's go." Tayuya orders as she jumps onto my back.
"Kami damn it." I mutter to myself. "Here we go again."
...
Four Hours Later, On the Road to Kusagakure
"Alvarcus we need to stop." Tayuya says from over my shoulder.
"We can stop when we're at Kusa." I quip back at her. "Besides, I think you like snuggling with me more than you let on."
"Clever boy." She sensuously whispers in my ear as he presses her... ahem... assets into my back. "Figured that out did you? But really we need to stop."
"Why?" I irritably say. "If you don't remember, we're on quite the time crunch."
"I... oom." She mumbles in embarrassment.
"Speak up, I can't hear you."
"I have to use the bathroom." She squeaks out.
"Oh you have got to be shitting me." I groan.
"No, I just have to tinkle." She answers a question I didn't ask. Kami why did she have to specify that?
"Sasuke we're stopping." I call out to him as we both skid to a stop.
"What's wrong? Did you sense another anomaly?" He's instantly on guard ready to go to battle at a moments notice.
"Nah, this one," I drop Tayuya down to the ground. Unfortunately she was ready and landed on her feet. Stupid shinobi training and ruining my fun. "has to go to the bathroom."
He stares at her in bewilderment. "Seriously? You couldn't go before we left?"
"Sorry if you didn't notice this but we've been running for four hours!" She shouts as she disappears behind a generously sized bush. "I have no idea how you two don't have to go."
"Well I'm a freak of nature, I can hold it as long as I have to." I blandly inform her.
"I'm disciplined." Is all Sasuke supplies.
I stare at my friend in disgust. "Dude that can't be healthy."
He offer up a shrug. "You get used to it."
"All done!" Tayuya merrily says as she walks back from the bush. "Let's get goin-"
Three things happen at once, all in the same instant.
First, I look down at my chest in disbelief. It's exactly as it should be, covered in bandages, then a dark green shirt and then my black coat. Except there's pain, I've only felt this unique kind of pain twice. Once was when Kisame stabbed me in the heart. The other was when Sasuke speared me with the Chidori.
Second, out of the corner of my eye I see a black blur and two glints of silver. Someone swung a blade at Sasuke's neck but my friend managed to block the assailant with his own sword. They trade a quick flurry of blows before separating, the black blur leaps away.
Third, I hear the sound of flesh being severed followed by a dull hollow thud from where Tayuya should be. I've heard this noise numerous times, it's the sound of someone's head rolling off their shoulders. Never thought Tayuya would go down the beheading route, she always seemed more into her genjutsu and summons.
Sudden unexpected force pushes from behind me and now I know where the pain is coming from. There's a sword sticking out of my chest, I've been stabbed in the back and the dead man just shoved the blade all the way through. Upon further examination I realize that it isn't a sword, but rather a tanto that's in my chest. A tipless tanto, the signature blade of Danzo's Root.
~WHO DARES TO HURT THE HOST!~
"Root." I hiss out.
A foot braces against my back as the wielder of the tanto pushes me off their blade. The moment the unforgiving steel is withdrawn I whirl around to face my attacker. They are decked out in generic shinobi garb that could come from any major village and most minor ones. But their weapons are what gives them away, they're all ANBU or Root issue.
With a wet splat my destroyed fire heart hits the ground.
"Sasuke! Tayuya! On me now!" I roar without taking my eyes off of my target.
Instantly Sasuke is at my back, he's watching mine and I'm doing the same for him. We're surrounded in moments by the assassins. "I count twelve. Are there any in the trees?"
"Jiongu?" I bark out.
~I can't tell. Host I can't tell! They don't have affinities or they are shielding them somehow!~
"Don't know. They're protected from my sensing capabilities." Fuck, of course Danzo would know how the Jiongu can sense people. Tsunade and I talked about it in her office. "Sasuke where's Tayuya?"
He stiffens minutely. "I was the only one who blocked their assassination attempt."
"So you're saying..." Don't be true. I don't want it to be true.
"She's dead. Off to your left." Sasuke grimly informs me.
I spare a quick glance. She's just steps away from the bush laying on the ground. In a pool of red. And her head is a meter away from her body. It was her head that I heard hit the ground.
She's dead because of me. I taunted Danzo, insulted him point blank to his face right when he displayed a very strong hand. I didn't think he'd be able to mobilize this quickly. I didn't know this would happen! It's all my fault and now she's dead!
~Host, we've been over this before. You were not the one who swung the blade, you were not the one to cleave her head from her shoulders. One of them did it. Her killer stands before you.~
"Which one did it?" I sound demonic, my voice takes on a gravely tone and the harshness of it surprises even me. "Which one?"
One of the Root shinobi flicks his tanto and a viscous red liquid splatters the ground.
~So you've identified the murderer. Now what will you do? Will you take your revenge or let him harm you further?~
He dies now. Bloodily. Messily. Painfully. And I'm going to rip anyone who gets in my way to shreds. Preferably literally, today no one walks away. Today I will live up to my title. Today they feel the wrath of the Heart Thief.
~Yes! Show me your resolve!~
...
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