Chapter Text
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Green eyes stared impassively upon the sprawling grounds down below the building. The kids below were so loud, even managing to irritate her - her, who was up five stories high. How was it possible for a bunch of teenagers to be more annoying than students who were yet to graduate the Academy?
'Is it because they're city kids?' she blew a stray strand of hair away from her face, observing the students in their blue tracksuits. 'Well, it's not my problem. If anything, it makes my heart lighter…' these kids were making it easier for villains to kill themselves, and if it were not for the blatant discrimination this place had for quirkless kids, she would have had found it in her conscience to feel pity.
It's not like she was powerless either, but the glaring reminder of her lack of something that somehow made them decide she was less of a person and more of an insect was infuriating.
Honestly, she'd have thought that since she'd escaped that wretched world, she didn't have to deal with that kind of shit anymore.
Apparently, she was dead wrong.
"See anything interesting?"
"These kids are so stupid I'm already counting down the days to their funeral," she drawled, never taking her eyes off of them.
They'd probably die in an instant. Scoffing, she tried to imagine their broken bodies. Too quick. Too easy. They don't look like the type to be able to endure torture.
The boy beside her sighed, tugging her collar and leading her to a walk in the crowded hallway.
"Come on, let's go have lunch."
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"Now that we've reached a resolution for the supply redistribution on the borders, let us move ahead to our next agenda: the Akatsuki."
"Are you seriously concerned that the Akatsuki has now ceased their efforts to obtain the tailed beasts?"
Minato was normally calm, but now, the image of him with his hands clasped in front of his face and looking oddly serious clearly sent the message that he was out of sorts. "That only means that their goals have shifted, but certainly not for the better. The only difference now is that we have no idea of it."
The periodic meeting of the department heads had already commenced. If the last time, they were imposing measures on how to better conceal their own jinchuuriki, now it seemed as though they have no need for it.
Three years ago, the Akatsuki rose to infamy after they garnered attention due to their member recruitments. Each of these members-the ancient fossilized bounty hunter Kakuzu, the immortal Hidan, Hundred Puppeteer Sasori of the Red Sand…-had strength that rivaled a Kage's. For what reason, they did not know yet, until two years ago, when they captured the jinchuuriki of the Ichibi no Shukaku.
The boy was already dead when they recovered, and would have continued being a corpse, had it not been for Lady Chiyo's timely sacrifice.
Since that incident, each village had strengthened their guards and protection around their jinchuuriki.
Now, apparently, they had no interest in the jinchuuriki-if it was permanent or temporary, they did not know, but they would really prefer if it was the former. The jinchuuriki of Niibi no Matatabi had managed an encounter with the recent Akatsuki addition, the c4 bomber of Iwa and the Akasuna Sasori, and imagine their surprise when the two passed by them as if they did not just capture and kill one of her fellow jinchuuriki for the thing inside their bellies.
Poor Gaara, honestly.
Imagine dying and then finding out you went through that painful extraction process for nothing.
"Protecting the jinchuurikis are still a must," Minato announced to the congregation. "However, due to the changes, it is imperative that we get new intel to decide our next course of action."
Morino Ibiki raised his hand, asking for permission to speak. Cocking his head at him, Minato made the gesture to affirm. "We cannot send anymore shinobis to their organization. It seems that they were quite thorough in their shakedown through their ranks. Perhaps Jiraiya-sama's toads, Hokage-sama?"
The blonde Yamanaka head was quick to voice his disapproval. "Amegakure is strongly affiliated with Akatsuki, and considering our situation with them, it's best that we avoid escalating tensions. Our relationship with them is neutral at best."
Urgh. Inoichi was right. Sending a spy was bad, but it would've been worse if it was Jiraiya, what with the whole former mentor thing he's got going on with Amegakure's leader. He still doesn't know the whole story-Jiraiya-sensei was too tight-lipped about that section in his life-and it's not like he could get an audience with Ame's ruler.
He had a feeling the man hated him.
Hatred's not a foreign feeling in shinobi business, but it was rare to get it personal. If he didn't know any better, Minato would've thought he killed his firstborn while drunk.
Then there was also the issue with Ame's guardian, the right-hand of their ruler… Minato was tempted to massage his pulsating head.
"The spies aren't the only option we have," points out Nara Shikaku-the light in their dark tunnel. "Although the Akatsuki does seem exclusive, we seem to forget that they have a handful of other shinobis under their belt that does their errands…" he trailed off.
"Capture one of those shinobis to either interrogate or impersonate," Lady Koharu surmised in her gravelly voice. "But this is a mission that is of utmost importance, and should not fail. Therefore, the selection of the shinobi to undertake this mission must be especially careful."
"That's a given," the blonde Hokage nodded. "Is everyone in agreement on this resolution? Raise hands for the vote."
Nine out of sixteen hands raised in favor of the good 'ol torture and interrogation and spycraft. The head of the medical division did not, likely already getting sick of the amount of bodies he'd have to carve since they started sending their own to Akatsuki. Well, he can't blame him.
Still, this was the decision of the majority.
Minato nodded. "Very well. This concludes the meeting."
He did not stay long enough to see all of them leave the room.
For now, there was an organization to infiltrate.
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