The truth behind it all(Itachi x Naruto)18+

Chapter 7: Deidara, the terrorist bomber.

“Talk”
`Thoughts`
¤ Kyuubi talking ¤

“Our spy told us that our target is staying near his hometown Iwa-gakure and works there as a terrorist bomber for hire.” Kisame explained to his new partner as they were getting closer to the border to the country of the rock.

“Pein has already sent other Akatsuki members to woo Deidara to join us… but he has always refused. Last time we tried… he just kicked our asses and said that if our newest member could beat him in a fight…”

“Then he would join Akatsuki?” Itachi stated. This was old news to him.

“Yeah. He´s perfect for our little group… well it’s more like Pein thinks so anyway.” The blue-skinned man said with a grin.

“And why is that?” Itachi asked with his usual coldness. He wanted to gain as much information about the Akatsuki, their goals and targets before he had to report back to the Hokage; who would surely want some answers and reasons for what had happened back in Konoha, along with some useful information. Konoha… he was looking forward to go back… not because of loyalty or because of his brother; but because of a certain blonde angel.

Itachi found that he missed the cheerful boy… it felt like he was missing a part of himself and he worried for the boys safety as well as his future. He knew he shouldn’t feel that way because of the dormant powers that existed inside his little angel. Naruto was strong, and could handle himself as things were in Konoha now.

The villagers would hopefully leave Naruto alone because they were probably too busy to gossip about the cold blooded murder of his clan… and his so called betrayal.

His secret was well guarded with the Hokage… the only thing he regretted was that he couldn´t tell Kakashi-sensei the truth back then.

“Deidara is an s-class missing-nin, and like all of us he has some very special skills that we could use to our advantage, Itachi-san.” Kisame explained. “He has a mouth in each palm which he uses to create exploding clay called Kibaku Nendo! He considers himself as a great artist and therefore prefers to form different kinds of beings from the clay; birds, spiders and stuff. He can make these creations move, fly and explode on command; and cause some serious damage. He can make all kinds of shapes and sizes, so be careful.”

“… An artist? He is proud of his creations then?”

“He sure is… he especially seems to enjoy it when his little creations blows up… he called it perfection as he succeeded in blowing Hidan up with an ugly huge bird!” Kisame grinned.

“He blew someone up?” Itachi raised a brow at the blue-skinned man´s cheerful reply.` Brilliant, but too noisy for my taste. `

“Yup, but Hidan is immortal… so he didn´t do any real damage heh... heh… he managed to escape again though.”

“…”

“Well, we are getting pretty close. Do you want to rest up a bit or are you ready to hunt down that slippery smartass of an artist?” Kisame flashed a toothy smile. ´He has a dark sense of humor, I really like that.` Itachi thought with a smirk.

“I´m ready, let’s go!” Itachi increased his speed. He activated his sharingan and scanned the area for any strong chakra signatures and soon found what he was looking for.

~ # ~

“Why do you want me to watch over both of them?…Besides that, they are still too young to pass the academy test for at least a few years. They will be fine in Iruka´s capable hands.” Kakashi leaned against the wall and stared lazily at the aging Hokage.

“Yes they are… and I don´t expect you to train them as in a team just yet. Iruka-sensei will still be in charge of them. Sasuke-kun has a lot of potential, the same has young Naruto… They will eventually need someone strong to guide them in the right direction, and you are the best man for that job, Kakashi.” Sarutobi said as he lit his pipe.

“Thanks for the praise… but what are you hiding from me, old man?” The silver-haired nin asked. He knew Sarutobi-sama´s habits too well and something about the way he acted was a bit fishy.

“Observant and smart as always, my friend. Sasuke is Itachi´s younger brother as you very well know and…” Sarutobi wasn´t too happy to share Itachi´s secret mission with the copy-nin, but he needed someone whom Itachi trusted and who the Hokage knew he could trust to keep this confidential.

“Itachi has been looking after Naruto-kun for the past six month before the massacre. You know Itachi better than most of us as his former sensei and partner in the ANBU… Well I need you to stay close to the two boys… in case he comes back… Itachi is working undercover on a highly classified mission to retrieve information, and he is to report directly to me. I have my reasons to believe that Itachi will try to contact Naruto… once he comes back to file his report!”

“You want me to spy on them? But I am an ANBU captain… I have missions to attend to and what about the massacre? Do you expect me to let Itachi run freely around in the street of Konoha once he returns? I like Itachi and consider him a friend… but he murdered his family and clan.” Kakashi said with slight anger.

“I don´t accept his actions… but he had a good reason. The Uchiha clan was plotting to take over the city… with help of the nine-tailed fox that is sealed inside Naruto-kun. He did what he did, to save the rest of the leaf from getting destroyed and to save Naruto-kun, who would have been killed for sure.”

“… My… God... But why didn´t he come to me? Or you before he want that far?” The shocked nin asked.

“I will ask him that once he reports in. So will you take Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun under your wings, Kakashi? I will make it your mission from now on if you accept. You will be able to go on missions as long as we are certain that both boys are safe… I only need you to keep an eye on them once they leave the city.” The Hokage asked.

“Of course, I will…”

~ # ~

“He is right in front of us… two-hundred feet, in that small glade. He is resting.” Itachi informed his partner as he slowed down.

“How do you want to proceed?” Kisame asked. He liked the Uchiha´s calmness and his self control. He didn´t rush into things and he seemed to accept Kisame as his equal… something his last partner lacked and had therefore lost his life at their last mission together.

“Stay out of range and don´t interfere; no matter what. Enjoy the show!” Itachi smirked at the blue-skinned man who stayed behind as Itachi walked into the glade to face his opponent.

~ # ~

“Damn, that was a hard test!” Naruto growled to himself as unlocked the door to his apartment.
Iruka had given his class a surprise test… again, but this time he had somehow known most of the answers.

He knew that someone had helped him out in the last few months… but he didn´t seem to remember the face or the name of that person anymore, and it made his heart ache. Naruto felt that he had lost someone very precious to him.

¤ You really don´t remember, do you, kit? ¤ A growling voice inside his head spat out.

“… No, I don´t. Why do you think that I am so frustrated?” The blonde sighed as he spoke the words out loud; he was alone in his apartment anyway. Yes, he knew it was crazy to be talking to himself like that… but he had always had this… this voice or rather this presence inside of his head.

This voice had always been a part of him, looking out for him and helped him so he didn´t feel quite so alone. This presence had always managed to keep him going, motivating him to go on and believe that his dream could become reality if he was willing to work hard enough.

¤ He will show up again, and then I´m sure that you´ll get your memory back along with the warmth you are missing. ¤ The presence said with a soothing tone.

“You really think so? I feel alone… why can´t I recognize his face? All memories of that person are a blur.”

¤ I know, kit, and I’m sure everything will work out in the end so why don´t you fix us something to eat and then get on with the training… you did promise him that you’d become stronger and smarter, ya know.¤

“Yes, I will become stronger and I will do my very best to make that person proud of me; no matter who he is. If he´s my friend… I don´t want to let him down.” The blonde said as he prepared something to eat.

¤ Kit? ¤

“Yeah?”

¤ You know that I´m here for you always… no matter what. And please call my Kyuu. ¤

“I know that you are Kyuu-sensei, and I am very grateful for that. Do you think that we should ask Iruka-sensei to help us out with the homework?” The blonde asked who was happy to finally get a name for his invisible friend.

¤ If that´s what you want? But I think we could do better on our own. Oh and kit?”

“Oh, ok.” The blonde mumbled. He liked to spend time with Iruka-sensei, he was one of the few that actually seemed to give a damn, about what went on in his life. “ What do you need, Kyuu-san?”

¤Let us keep these little talks for ourselves as well as your memory of your lost friend, yes? I don´t think that the grown-ups would understand. ¤

“… Like a secret?” Naruto asked as he dug the chopsticks into the hot noodle soup.

¤Yes, exactly like a secret, and in return for you keeping our little secret I´ll help you to become stronger. ¤
~ # ~

“So the Akatsuki haven´t given up yet,” Deidara grinned as he saw the two men who about to enter the glade, where he was resting. He raised a brow as the blue-skinned man stayed near the edge of the forest, and only the young man who was merely a teenage, continued forward on his own.

“Who have they sent this time?” He called out to the raven-haired teen with the ponytail.

“My name is Uchiha Itachi!” Itachi answered coldly as he walked closer to the blonde man. He used his sharingan to learn everything that was worth of learning from the blonde. ´If I can turn his pride against him… then I won´t even need to use the Mangekyo Sharingan. I´m not here to reveal my secrets but theirs after all.`

“Well, Uchiha Itachi. My name is Deidara and my art will blow you away.” The blonde grinned at his own little joke, but soon frowned as he didn´t receive any kind of emotion from the younger man who stopped a few feet away from him and just kept on looking at him with those red eyes of his.

“So what makes you think that a kid like you can defeat me…? I´m a terrorist for hire, you know!” The blonde buried his hands in his pouch and fed the mouths in his palms with clay to mold it with his chakra to form it into small explosive spiders. He looked into the Uchiha´s cold red eyes and smirked to himself. ´This is going to be so easy.` He thought as he visualized his moves in his mind.

“Easy?” The Uchiha smirked. “You judge me on my appearance and that was your first and last mistake in this battle!” Itachi smirked. ´He was right, this is going to be easy, but not for him! He didn´t even bother to wonder what my specialty is before visualizing his entire plan in his head… so perfectly displayed to my sharingan… ´

“Yeah? I don´t lose to children, so cut the crap and fight me or scram!” Deidara leaped backwards to gain more distance between himself and the younger man, who didn´t even move a single muscle as Deidara made his move. He mentally ordered the clay spiders to fly on the wind and blow up their target.

“Katon: Gokakyu no jutsu!” Itachi formed the seals and burned up around two thirds of the clay spiders that exploded on impact.

Kisame stood on the sideline; his eyes wide at the sight in front of him. What the hell were they doing… and why…?

“Good move, kid,” Deidara cheered as he was already preparing three flying bombs which looked a lot like birds. “Destroy my little toys, fulfill their purpose and make them turn into a perfect piece of art!”

“Perfect art? Those lousy weak little things?” Itachi stated without emotion. ´Become angry… lose your temper and lose control.`

“… How dare you! You… you brat!” The blonde fumed angrily. This wasn´t going as easily as he had thought, and that dull look that teen had in his eyes… was the Uchiha brat stupid? His creations were beautiful, they were perfect… they… they were art.

“Hnnn… are you angry with me?” The Uchiha smirked, knowing that this would only fuel the blonde´s anger more. This was too easy… this Deidara guy was acting just as Itachi had predicted it… it would all be over real soon, and then he would finally be able to deliver his first report to the Hokage and see Naruto.

“Arrrgh! I´ll make you regret that you were born!” Deidara sent a wave of clay birds’ right at the raven-haired youth.

“Enough!” Itachi smirked. “Let’s end this. I have better things to do, than to play with weaklings like you.”

Red eyes opened wide as the young Uchiha initialized the final stage of his plan.

´What the hell were they doing… and why weren’t they…moving… at all?` Kisame watched in wonder as he heard the blonde scream in anger, though neither he nor Itachi had moved an inch since Itachi had walked into the glade. Itachi suddenly began to walk towards Deidara while smirking with satisfaction.

“Katsu! Blow him to a bloody pulp, my beautiful creations.” Deidara cried out as the chakra filled clay birds attacked Itachi.

“… What?! Why didn´t they explode?” The blonde stared in disbelief as his birds softly landed onto Itachi´s shoulder without blowing up. Instead they just stared back at their master as if he was below dirt.

“Attack!” The blonde cried with desperation at his creations, which ignored him.

“It seems like your precious art likes me more than you.” The raven smirked. He turned his attention to the traitorous clay birds and asked them to attack their former master.

“What are you doing? No… Noooo! Arrghhh!” The blonde terrorist bomber screamed in agony as he watched his beloved creatures fly directly at him to crush themselves at him and blow him up.

“Guess I won then!” Itachi freed Deidara from the genjutsu. The blonde stared up at the young man who was towering above his trembling body, in confusion. “You lost to me and therefore you have to join the Akatsuki… or would you prefer to fight me for real? Not that the outcome would change.” Itachi´s voice was cold and didn´t show any kind of emotion.

“… I… I… you win, I will join your midst.” The bomber nin dropped his gaze in defeat. He had been defeated by a teenager who had trapped him in a genjutsu… The Uchiha had only played with his mind… Deidara was scared of that young man, and could only wonder what the outcome would have been if they had fought for real.

“It was an illusion?” Kisame asked as he entered the glade and walked to stand next to his younger partner.

“Yes, a genjutsu created with my bloodline ability. I read his mind and used his visions and plans against him… too easy.” Itachi stated. He wouldn´t reveal anything else about his special abilities… He had to find out if he could really rely enough on Kisame to tell him more; only time would tell if he could befriend the blue-skinned man or not.

“Cool” Kisame nodded in respect. “ Come, we better get going. Pein will be pleased to hear that you succeeded so easily.” Kisame said with a satisfied grin as he dragged the still quivering Deidara to his feet.

“What do you need me for anyway?” Deidara asked as he slowly regained he strength.

“We need your help with the capture of the nine jinchuuriki.” Kisame answered without hesitation.

“Jinchuuriki?” The blonde asked. Itachi thought the exact same thing, and decided to listen carefully to this conversation.

“Yes, a jinchuuriki is one of nine keepers of the bijuu or demons that our leader Pein wants us to collect.” The blue-skinned man stated.

´Jinchuuriki? Bijuu?… Nine demons? Naruto must be a jinchuuriki then and Kyuubi is his bijuu! Pein wants to capture… Naruto? What will he do to Naruto once he gets his hands on him? And what will he do with the Kyuubi? Is Pein planning to use the demons to gain more power and cause destruction… just as my clan wanted to?` Itachi felt a sudden urge to kill someone, but knew that he had to restrain himself if he wanted to know the whole truth about this.

“What does this Pein want with this Jinchuuriki and bijuu?” The blonde terrorist asked.

“Beats me… if you want to know, you should ask him.” Was Kisame´s answer.

´ That means I have to stay in the Akatsuki to be able to protect my angel! I have to find a way to get a message through to the Hokage and make sure that Naruto is safe… damn, I will do anything to make sure that they won´t get their hands on the only thing that really matters in my life… anything.` Itachi growled inwardly as they made their way to the secret base of the Akatsuki in the Iwa-gakure region. He was going to ask Pein about this matter and that pierced idiot had better come up with some good answers.

They entered the secret hideout and were met by Pein, Konan and some unusual pale man with snake-like eyes and an emotionless redhead.

“Ah you have returned and brought me a little something… very good, Itachi. I am happy to welcome you and Deidara in our midst.” Pein smirked as he handed Deidara his new ring. “This is Orochimaru from Konoha-gakure and the redhead is Sasori from Suna. He will be your new partner, Deidara.”

“What will be my first real mission?” Itachi asked Pein. He didn´t want to reveal his interest in the Jinchuuriki or the bijuu just yet.

“I have a few assassinations for you two or did you want another challenge, Itachi?” The pieced leader asked with interest.

“Another challenge? Was I given one in the first place?” The raven-haired Uchiha activated his Sharingan to collect more information on the leader his little girlfriend and the two he didn´t know anything about other than their names.

´Orochimaru?! The traitor who tortured and killed a lot of Konoha nins to steal their secrets. Another man who wants to use others to gain more power; I think I should be careful around that guy… just in case!`

“Well, then I have the perfect job for you and your partner, Itachi. I need you to go to Konoha and fetch me a little fox!” Said the orange-haired leader.

´A little fox?... Naruto. He wants me to… fine… No, it´s perfect, I will make sure that this is the only mission I will always fail to accomplish!`

TBC