Gathering Shadows (Rewrite)

“What do you mean Itachi is dead?” the dark haired man ask the silver haired man before him. “Who killed him?” the now only surviving Uchiha asks the glasses wearing medical-nin.

“A Konoha shinobi named Raven,” Kabuto Yakushi answers easing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.

“Raven what?” Sasuke demands as his Sharingan eyes glare at the older man before him. “What is this Raven’s family name?”

“I’m afraid he has none,” Kabuto answers as he produces Raven’s info card for Orochimaru’s prized student. “It seems that while he was born into the Head Family of Konoha’s Hiroku clan he was cast out several months ago.”

“What other information does your card tell you about him?” A new male voice hisses from behind them. They turn to look into the serpentine eyes of their master as the Snake Sannin user enters the room.

“Raven-san,” Kabuto begins as he looks over the Ninja Info Card in his hand carefully, “Was promoted to the rank of Chunin over two years ago before advancing to the rank of Jounin only a month later,” he tells them sounding only mildly impressed. “Nine months after that he was given his own Genin squad to instruct and they all made Chunin only eight months after that. He possess above average Taijutsu and Genjutsu abilities with exceptional Ninjutsu skills and Chakra control.

“In the five years that he has been a shinobi he has completed over 250 D ranked missions 175 C ranked missions, 122 B ranked missions, 72 A ranked missions and 50 S ranked missions. He is also personally responsible for the deaths of 25 missin-nin including 5 A-ranked criminals and now 2 Akatsuki members.”

“Impressive,” the snake Sannin hisses. “Sounds like he’d make a worth ally,” he comments, “That is if our Sasuke-kun wasn’t going to kill him,” he laughs.

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Raven's coma lasted for only a week and while Sakura would have preferred to allow him more time to recover before moving him they were already long over due back at Konoha. "Siefer," she says to the Chunin carrying Raven on his back. "I want you to take Raven-kun straight home. I'll be by in the morning to begin his physical therapy."

"Hai," the young Hiroku replies before obeying the medical-nin's instructions and Shadow Walking his mentor to the older teen's apartment.

"Can we get going now?" Sapphire nearly whines, "I've got as date with Ino and she'll kill me if I'm late."

"We're ready to go when you are," Kakashi tells her. With a few quick seals she Shadow walks them straight to the Hokage's office before rushing off to her date.

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Three days after returning to Konoha Raven was cleared for active duty when he was ordered to report to the Council Chamber for an emergency meeting. Arriveing at the Council Chamber five minutes before the meeting is due to begin, he finds that most of those summoned have already arrived. The gathered Chunin, Jounin and ANBU are lined up against the back wall of the room as they silently watch the Heads of the Clans loudly discussing the possible reason for this emergency meeting.

As soon as Heero Hiroku spots his only living son his voice drowns out all others as he reveals his distain for the Jounin’s presence. “GET OUT,” he roars, “YOU ARE NOT WELCOMED HERE.”

“With all due respect Hiroku-sama,” Raven says stressing the honorific, “I am here on orders from the Hokage herself.”

“Let the boy stay,” Chouza Akimichi tells him leaning forward in his chair. “If the Hokage told him to attend then who are we to argue with her decision?”

“I agree,” Tsume Inuzuka growls, “Just look around and you can see that he’s not the only shinobi here. So what if you tossed him out of your clan? He’s still a Konoha Shinobi like the other so shut up and let’s get this meeting started already.”

“I’m glad to see that everyone was able to make it,” Tsunade announces as she takes her seat at the center of the council. “I called this emergency meeting to discuss the recent activates of Akatsuki.”

“What activities Hokage-sama?” Shibi Aburame, the Head of Konoha’s Intelligence Agency, asks. “I was unaware of any new activities following their attack on Suna's Kazekage.”

“That was not their first attempt at acquiring the Jinchuuriki and Bijuu Shibi-sama,” Raven answers stepping forward. “While I do not know the exact reason behind their mission,” he admits, “It would stand to reason that whatever they are planning will spell trouble not only for Fire Country but also for the every Shinobi nation if not the entire world.”

"Bullshit,” Heero Hiroku says glaring daggers at Raven. "There is no evidence to support your dim-witted idea. Now get out of here and stop wasting this council's time with such nonsense."

“Nonsense?” Raven asks. "Are you really so blind that you can't see what's right in front of you?"

“I've heard enough,” Heero tells his son, “Guards, remove this trouble maker at once.”

As the ANBU prepare to move Tsunade holds up her hand halting their advancement. “You're overstepping your authority, Hiroku-sama,” she tells him sternly. “Raven-san has done nothing to warrant being removed from these proceedings.”

“It's alright Hokage-sama,” Raven tells her calmly, “Hiroku-sama has never liked being reminded that he has no control over anything outside his Clan."

“You forget your place child,” Heero retorts, "I am still a member of this council and you will show me the proper respect or I will have your ass thrown in jail for insubordination." The others assembled in the room simply watch the two of them uncertain as to what if anything they should do about this situation.

Raven glares at the man as he fights to reign in his growing anger. “Your threats mean nothing to me any more,” he tells the man through clenched teeth. "I'm no longer a part of your clan so you can no longer hurt me."

"That is were you are wrong," the other man tells him. "You may no longer be a member of the clan but Fei, Jade, Sapphire and Siefer still are."

"You will leave them out of this," Raven says quickly understanding the threat. "They have nothing to do with this. This is between you and me."

"You're going too far Heero-sama," Haishi Hyuga says finally breaking his silence. "Whatever your personal issues with Raven-san maybe this is neither the time nor the place to address them."

"Haishi-sama's right," Inoichi Yamanaka says trying to help defuse the potentially volatile situation. "We're here to discuss what to do about Akatsuki, not to air your personal grievances."

"I think we all agree that we've gotten off track and should get back to the problem at hand," Tsunade says trying to regain control of the meeting. "You two will work out your differences at a later date but for now let us resume preparing a course of action to combat this latest threat.

Unfortunately for her things did not go as quickly as she would have liked. The council and the shinobi would spend the next three hours discussing all possible courses of action along with several conceivable strategies for retrieving the sole surviving Uchiha from Orochimaru’s grasp. In the end it was decided that twenty, four man platoons would scour the country side for any evidence of either the Snake Sannin’s or Akatsuki’s activities and report their findings back to the village.

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A/N: Sorry for the semi-short chapter but it was needed to set up events later in the story. Next one will be longer I promise.