Chapter Text
Sakura headed to the Hokage’s building. As she opened the front door, she noticed Naruto, Shikamaru, and his father, Shikaku, standing with Shizune, all on edge.
“It’s crazy that Konan is coming here as a guest,” Naruto whispered to her, as though he wasn’t allowed to speak freely.
“Yes,” Shikamaru said simply, “since she is an enemy of the Five Great Nations.”
“Hush, you two. If anyone has a say on that matter, it is her Lady herself,” Shizune hissed. The two boys grew somber from the reminder. Sakura chewed on her lower lip, imagining how awful it must be to be forced to get along with your loved one’s murderer.
‘Even though she didn’t do it herself, it would be impossible for me,’ she thought. She looked over at Naruto. If someone killed him… if that person was someone he trusted and cared for… she would never be able to move past that.
The more she thought about it, the more outlandish this meeting seemed. At least Gaara was there as padding to help keep things professional.
“Why am I here again?” Shikamaru complained.
“To learn,” his father answered.
“This is above my pay grade,” his son replied with a scratch on his head.
“You were the one who gave me the green to put in my recommendation for Sasori of the Red Sand’s release. Part of why this is happening is because of your good instincts,” Shikaku said encouragingly. It was obvious he was proud of his son for reading Sasori accurately that day.
“… So now I have to be in the room with two Akatsuki? What a drag.”
“Everything will work out, Shikamaru, I promise,” Sakura told him. “Sasori is the only person I know who can keep up with your brain, and I trust his judgment.”
Shikamaru smirked with a dry chuckle.
“Yeah. He’s insanely sharp, I’ll give him that. Ruthless too.”
Shizune looked at the time.
“Ok, we should be good to head there now. Remember, we are here only at the request of our Hokage, and we will remain silent unless spoken to. Understood, Naruto?”
Everyone stared at him harshly.
“What-why are you looking at me like that?” Naruto squinted, cowering from the weight of Shizune’s glare.
“You know why,” Sakura sighed. They all left and headed to the bottom floor, where the council room was located. When they entered the room, everyone already present was seated, and Sakura quickly located her master, along with the row of the Sand ninja, including Sasori. And on the other side of the Hokage…
There Konan was, as expected, along with Deidara. They were both calmly seated as though they were there to report- as though they belonged there, Akatsuki cloaks and all.
“Naruto Uzumaki,” Konan said with a slight nod. Naruto grinned at her, but was quickly distracted by the sight of the blond.
“Right, it’s you,” Naruto cursed. He looked around for confirmation that this person was allowed there, still in disbelief this was happening.
“Oh, yeah- You,” Deidara said with a taunting smirk. “I do recognize you from back then, hm.”
Deidara’s posture was relaxed, his chin resting on his knuckles. Sakura got a flashback to his disrespectful displays in the past, and she instantly felt provoked by his tone. She wasn’t expecting to feel similarly to Naruto- her job was to keep him off of their guest, after all.
Sasori watched Naruto’s eyes widen and he prepared himself.
“You’re letting him talk that way…?” Naruto started lowly.
Sakura forced herself to remain above her matching sentiments. She also noted Temari and Kankurō’s looks of unbridled disdain for Deidara. Expectedly, they had not magically warmed up to him in the last half hour.
“Naruto… Stay calm,” Kakashi said, who was sitting beside the troublemaker.
Deidara noted Naruto’s change in attitude after Kakashi’s order and smirked more.
“Heh. This is just like last time, hm. If you’re looking for a fight, that’s fine by me,” Deidara said with a playful grin. “Though it may get you in hot water, hm.”
Naruto almost exploded, and Sakura held him back physically.
“Deidara,” Konan said curtly. The blond backed off, closing his exposed eye.
“I know,” he sighed, as if only mildly disappointed. He then looked over at Sasori, seemingly more interested in him. Sakura watched waves of memories cross his face as his expression changed yet again into something more amicable.
“They have agreed to an alliance, as you promised, Sasori,” Tsunade said from her chair, fingers wound together with her elbows resting on the head of the table. “I must admit I am surprised, but here we are. Let us proceed.”
With that, Shikaku introduced himself, and everyone else followed his lead. Sakura made the move to sit down, automatically choosing to sit bedside Sasori. Naruto sat on her other side and Shikamaru placed himself by Kakashi, despite his uneasiness with being so close to these unpredictable ‘guests’, and his father joined him. Shizune took her reserved spot on the other side of the Hokage.
Konan repositioned herself with the intention to start. Her presence demanded respect, and she seemed like a person who chose her words carefully. Deidara had the utmost respect for her, which Sakura picked up from his demeanor. Even Kakashi was poised as though he were in the presence of someone above his status.
“The enemy will have no mercy on the people of Amegakure, like any other village,” Konan said coolly. “We know him well, as well as his plans.“
Her voice was like melted butter, and Sakura was once again blown away by her beauty and poise.
“Things have escalated more than I ever thought possible,” she admitted. “Days before arriving here, Madara attacked Amekagure.”
Everyone gasped and began to whisper at that.
“I must do whatever it takes to stop him, and I can’t do it alone.”
Tsunade seemed to understand Konan deeply, nodding her head.
“I see why you wished to come here,” Gaara said.
“And you, Deidara of Iwagakure?” Tsunade said, addressing the young punk. “What is your motive?”
“…”
Unexpectedly, it took Deidara a moment to answer. Sakura noticed he was unmotivated to act formally in front of this audience, like he fancied himself an equal to Lady Hokage herself. He was much like Sasori in that way. Sakura felt a bit bad for bringing in so many petulant and arrogant teenage boys to her, though she knew her master was capable of forcing their respect.
“If anything, I have a score to settle with that guy,” Deidara grumbled, visibly irate with the image of his ex partner, ‘Tobi’. He then bared his teeth, almost ready to spit on the ground from the thought of him.
“Why would you care? You don’t care about anything,” Naruto exclaimed with a toss of his arm. “You tried to kill Sasuke too. What’s in it for you?”
Deidara glared at him. Temari nodded in solidarity with Naruto with a huff. Sakura should have assumed it was pointless to tell Naruto to behave earlier.
“Naruto…” she smiled nervously. “Let’s not provoke our new friends.”
She gripped Naruto’s shoulder harder, pulling him back into his seat. He looked over at her in frustration.
“This guy killed Gaara! How can he just act like nothing happened?”
“Even if we don’t like him, we don’t know everything,” Sakura assured him, hoping it was true. She felt the same way towards the arsonist. Unlike Konan, he did not appear to care about any group of people. He did what he wanted.
“He doesn’t deserve to be pardoned,” Naruto growled, ignoring her. “I know that!”
“Why you-!” Deidara yelled, standing up straight with a closed fist, his other hand tucked into a waist bag.
“I’ll punch that smug face of yours in again!” Naruto yelled, mirroring him.
He bared his teeth, signs of the Nine Tailed Fox etched into his features. His claws threatened to dig into the table, preparing to pounce. Sakura did not expect Naruto to take it this far. She aggressively stood and slammed her palm into his chest, forcing him backwards several feet. At the same moment, Kakashi held an arm out in front of Deidara. Kankurō had also stood, prepared to join the fight. Sasori and Konan remained seated with blank expressions.
“Everyone!” Tsunade boomed, slamming her desk so hard it shook. “You will get along, or be thrown out!”
Deidara and Naruto backed down somewhat, but continued to glower at each other. Kakashi and Shikaku sighed.
“You will respect the efforts of the parties present,” Tsunade continued, still yelling. She turned her attention to Naruto. “Do not make me regret allowing you in here!”
Naruto’s whiskers thinned, his fangs retreating. He forced himself to calm, still standing far behind the table.
“Naruto…” Gaara started, “I am grateful for your concern. But there is no need. I have already spoken with him.”
Naruto looked over at the Kazekage with frustration, then back at Deidara in disbelief. Even Kankurō was staring at him with a collected expression. It would seem it was true- Gaara had come to some personal understanding with Deidara.
“You may be able to, but you didn’t see everything,” Naruto finally said with struggle. “What he did to you. I don’t want it to be forgotten before we pardon him.”
Sakura was shocked to see a slight apprehension in Deidara’s body language just then. Was that… guilt?
‘Gaara already spoke to him? He must have gotten through to him too, if he’s not defending himself…’ she thought.
“It won’t be,” Temari said sternly. “Not while I’m alive.”
Deidara had a strange look on his face. Sasori recognized it was a series of emotions being tried on like various shirts, as though none of them quite fit. He was struggling to place how he was feeling, and frustrated by it. After a moment, his face fell into a contemplative, tired expression. It was apparent that it had been a long time since he allowed himself to feel bad for the things that were asked of him. It was fascinating how quickly a touch of one’s vulnerability could bring out another’s.
Gaara had already done more with Deidara in a single conversation than Sakura did with him in months. Then again, Deidara wasn’t as hard as he was- he practiced the duality of ruthlessness and humanity in a way Sasori was incapable of. Sasori was cold on the inside; Sakura had to warm him up first. Deidara’s insides were like a fire threatening to overtake everything around him.
‘He looks for someone to stop him…’ Sasori thought, remembering how Deidara provoked his other self, seeking alternatives to his personal truth. Maybe Gaara gave him that. He was surprised Naruto Uzumaki did not see it.
“I understand your concern, Naruto,” Konan decided to say, earning everyone’s attention. Naruto’s anger dispersed as his attention turned towards the blue haired woman. “Please, sit down. Both of you.”
The two blond firecrackers postured and huffed as they slowly took their seats once more, still eyeing each other with distrust. Sakura was exhausted already. Sasori looked bored, and Tsunade impatiently waited for everyone to get over their squabbles.
“Deidara saved my life,” Konan stated calmly. Sakura noted Deidara’s shift in posture from her statement, appearing almost bashful. Flattery seemed to be the key to dealing with him.
“What?” Sakura mumbled. Everyone paused. Even Sasori perked up. This was new information.
“Really?” Naruto muttered, squinting his eyes at the young Akatsuki member. Deidara crossed his arms in irritation.
“Yeah, really, hm! Get off my ass!”
‘They are both so childish…,’ Sakura decided.
Konan ignored them, continuing.
“When Madara attacked me, he got the upper hand. If Deidara had not been there for back up, I would be dead. Though he still… got what he wanted.”
Konan was downtrodden from the recollection.
“What was that?” Shikaku asked curiously.
“The Rinnegan.”
Everyone was silent. That wasn’t good.
“That’s my fault,” Deidara admitted, scratching his cheek. “I left my post, hm.”
“You made a call, and I am grateful for it,” Konan replied with ease, giving the teenager a reserved smile. He blushed.
“I’m surprised she convinced you to let her handle your old partner,” Sasori said, entering the conversation. Deidara seemed excited that he had spoken to him.
“Yeah… Even I will admit her preparation was better than mine, hm.”
“Preparation?” Sakura asked.
“One billion paper bombs,” Deidara said excitedly, throwing his hands up with stars in his eyes. “She turned the ocean into bombs! It was heaven displayed on earth! Unmatched Art!”
“One- one billion?!” Sakura managed to get out, her eyes bulging out of her skull. She could not conceive of such a thing. Konan made that many?
It was insane to think about. Kankurō and Temari whispered something to each other with mild surprise as Shikamaru raised his brows. Even Tsunade seemed caught off guard by the image, though equally pleased. Sakura thought her position must be odd… to be proud that Jiraiya’s student became powerful enough to handle the likes of Madara, and yet…
“It was not enough,” Konan said lowly. “I did not anticipate the extent of the Mangekyo Sharingan’s abilities.”
Sakura’s jaw dropped. One billion paper bombs was tantamount to the power Pain displayed when destroying the Hidden Leaf. How could anyone escape from that?
‘We were right to be cautious back then with Sasuke…’ she thought with dismay. ‘If Madara is that powerful…’
“If only Nagato were alive… We were foolish to trust such a man,” Konan said solemnly. “Because of it all, I could not protect what was ours.”
Everyone was silent for a moment. Madara had taken from all of them, one way or another.
“Amegakure would have suffered greatly from your demise. Your escape alone was a great benefit to your country,” Kakashi said knowingly. Konan closed her eyes with a hint of a smile. Sakura blinked, taking the rare sight in. She was like an immovable marble statue- elegant and unapproachable- but somehow even more dazzling like this.
“Thank you. He was more powerful than I had imagined.”
“Tch. He’s a coward,” Deidara grumbled, arms crossed. “He ran away like a roach, hm. He’s beneath my art.”
“You fought him off?” Sakura asked eagerly. Deidara looked at her, surprised at her shift in her attitude towards him.
“Konan did most of the work, hm,” he said with a threatening smile. “I would have finished the job if he stuck around.”
Sakura gulped, looking at the two of them again. They were both so incomprehensible in terms of strength to someone like her.
“We both know his abilities, though by now, Deidara has probably fought at his side more,” Konan said. “We will provide you all with the details.”
Tsunade was very pleased by this fact.
“Good. We need everything we have to take him down,” she said.
Deidara rolled his eyes, still annoyed that his ex partner was held in such high esteem.
“Uchiha f***” he muttered under his breath.
“What now?” Kankurō asked. “We just… get along from now on?”
“That is the goal,” Shikaku said. “We will pardon them of their past crimes against our nations for their continued assistance in the war and promise to abide by the laws of involved nations.”
“And you’re certain this little event here is enough to get away with such a thing?” Temari asked. “There are many other nations that have no knowledge of this meeting, let alone agree to this.”
“The Mizukage will be interested in their part,” Tsunade said, thinking. “Lord A will be displeased at first, but will come around if it helps us protect the Eight Tails.”
“And the council?” Shikamaru asked.
“They already know. As the Land of Rain’s representative, Lady Konan will meet with them tomorrow afternoon to further discuss details.”
Shikamaru still felt nervous about the whole thing. Surely it wasn’t this easy… right?
“And what about the Sand’s council? There’s no way they’re open to this so soon after learning about Sasori. The two Akatsuki who attacked their village are right under their noses and they just let them go? I struggle to believe that,” Shikamaru then said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Deidara and Sasori exchanged a silent glance. They were both in the hands of these military villages now.
“It was decided before we departed on our journey here,” Gaara said slowly. “I will admit I left them without delving into a full explanation. They will accept what I decide.”
Shikamaru looked at Temari for confirmation. She sighed.
“Unlike you Leaf ninja, our council listens to us,” she said. “Do not doubt the promises Gaara makes.”
Shikamaru seemed to enjoy her haughtiness. Sakura could have sworn she caught a slight smile shared between them.
“Hm,” Shikamaru grumbled, unable to think of more complaints.
“So that’s it then? We’re allowing him to walk around as he pleases?” Naruto complained bitterly, eying Deidara. This time, Deidara only rolled his eyes, apparently done matching Naruto’s energy.
“Yes,” Tsunade said calmly. “If he is our ally, he is our guest.”
“That’s what pardoning means,” Sakura whispered to him, trying not to lose her temper. It wasn’t his fault he was slow…
“And he can just… walk all over the Land of Fire?” Naruto continued.
“And the Land of Wind,” Gaara chimed in. Naruto grumbled, arms crossed as he slouched in his seat.
“As long as he breaks no laws,” Tsunade said lowly, her eyes boring into Deidara’s skull. “It is a clean slate, not permission to continue as he was.”
Deidara thought the room was getting hotter. He slightly squirmed under the weight of the petite Hokage’s gaze.
“Deidara is one of our elite. We chose him for a reason,” Konan said in his defense. “Out of all the Akatsuki, he is the most likely to turn to your cause.”
“What about Sasori? He seems pretty eager compared to Deidara,” Shikamaru said to her. She looked over at him.
“The Sasori I know would never ally with you. Given the opportunity, he would kill all of you and take pleasure in it- he hated the Great Nations.”
Everyone looked at Sasori for confirmation. He disliked the sudden spotlight.
“A scorpion will sting its only means of survival, because it cannot help itself,” Sasori decided to say.
“Like in that parable?” Sakura asked.
“Huh?” Naruto said. Sakura sighed.
“The story about the scorpion who needed a ride across the lake,” she started. “He asks a turtle, who is worried he will sting him. The scorpion replies that doing so will drown them both. So the turtle takes him, and he stings him. The turtle asks him why he would do such a thing, and the scorpion says ‘because I am a scorpion.’ And that explained everything.”
“Huh? What does that mean?” Naruto asked. Deidara resisted a snort.
“It means he’s willing to destroy himself to destroy others,” Shikamaru explained to him. Naruto squinted, absorbing this.
“How can you compare yourself to something like that?” Naruto then asked Sasori, offended on his behalf. “You’re not like that at all!”
Sasori could not believe this idiot was allowed to speak in this meeting.
“I was,” Sasori said. “As Konan was pointing out.”
Naruto disliked the concept. Sakura knew it went against his very core, to be able to imagine a person so blinded by hate and loneliness, he would drown himself to spite others.
“Many of the Akatsuki were like this,” Konan added. “They were seasoned ninja who lacked a care for others. Deidara is the one who is here with me for a reason.”
“But he’s like that too!” Naruto complained.
“You don’t know me!” Deidara suddenly blurted. He held back another sentence and lowered his brows.
“No one is questioning you, hm,” he then complained to Konan in a hushed tone. “Why am I always the one?”
“Because you don’t know when to stay quiet,” Sasori sighed in annoyance. Everyone seemed to resonate with Sasori’s comment, Kankurō nodding. Sakura made out the hint of a smile on Konan’s face. Deidara pouted and said nothing else.
“Then it is settled. We shall put aside our differences for the benefit of our people,” Gaara announced.
“Is this acceptable to you, Naruto?” Tsunade asked, testing him. Fortunately, Naruto seemed to be done causing a scene. He begrudgingly nodded.
“Yeah. They are helping us, after all.”
With that, Shizune stood and placed a large piece of paper in front of her master. From the looks of it, its contents were long. Tsunade immediately scribbled her name on the bottom, and passed it to Gaara, who did the same. When Konan received it, she carefully read every word, her expression never changing. As expected, nothing in the treaty was designed to secretly entrap them- Sakura knew Lady Tsunade was as plain in writing as she was in speech.
“Just give me the piece of paper so I can sign my life away, hm,” Deidara complained, unhappy with the formality of this situation. He squirmed like a cornered animal.
“So, you’re… really going to help us?” Sakura asked, leaning forward. “You’re fighting in the front lines?”
“Yeah,” Deidara said, showing off his eyeliner as he closed his eye in disdain, his scope reflecting off the fluorescent lights. “The old man will have to deal with it.”
“Who do you mean…?”
Deidara only sighed, arms still crossed as Konan signed and passed the treaty to him.
“Lord Ōnoki, his old master,” Shikaku explained to her. “The Tsuchikage.”
Sakura’s jaw dropped. Kage’s students had a knack for turning out badly, it seemed… She was lucky her master was a good one.
“The Tsuchikage will likely follow suit,” Sasori said, finally speaking up once more. “After all, they still want you to return.”
Deidara was visibly pleased with Sasori’s attention to the topic. He smiled at him widely, and Sakura saw a different side of him in that moment.
‘He… does look up to Sasori.’
“Tch. You are mixing up the old man and his granddaughter, hm.”
“Even so, she will be useful in furthering our alliance,” Tsunade said in her brusk tone.
Deidara visibly fumed, apparently vexed by the memory of this granddaughter. Sakura picked up on the tension. So people still wanted him to come home, even after everything he had done?
She looked down. Maybe she did give up on Sasuke too soon.
“So, what’s the plan?” Kankurō asked, determined.
“Deidara will remain here until the war begins,” Konan said, her golden eyes focused on him. Those unearthly eyes flicked over to Sasori. “And assist you with battle tactics. I will assist you until I must return to my city.”
“You mean you’re just going to… stay here?” Naruto exclaimed. “In the cloaks and everything?”
Deidara chucked.
“These cloaks represent the Akatsuki that sought freedom from men like Madara,” Konan said. “It is he who doesn’t deserve to wear the cloak.”
Naruto nodded.
“That’s right. I forgot,” he said, sitting at attention. He smiled at her, and Sakura resisted a giggle, noticing his slight nervousness around Konan. Even Sakura was awestruck by her, and it seemed Deidara and Naruto were also desperate for her affirmation.
“Still, the cloak’s association is undesirable,” Tsunade said. “Wear something else for the time being.”
Konan nodded.
The group then spent the next several hours discussing the specifics of Madara’s plans and abilities. It took quite a bit of time for Konan to accurately explain the concept of Zetsu’s clone army, and the more they heard about, the more alarmed they became. Konan also described how she had lost contact with Kisame after Madara attacked the Five Kage Summit. Konan's information alone had turned the tables for them- this treaty had already paid off on their end.
Around the time Deidara was finished detailing his old partner’s abilities, a ninja from the Cypher Division knocked and entered in a rush. He hurried to Tsunade and whispered something in her ear while handing her a small piece of paper Sakura recognized as a message from a deployed squad. Tsunade immediately stood with wide eyes. She made eye contact with Konan and Gaara, and finally found her words.
“It would seem Kabuto and Madara have joined forces.”
“WHAT?” Naruto and Sakura exclaimed, leaning forward. None of the foreigners knew who this Kabuto guy was, or why he mattered.
“Yes. We just received confirmation from our team that was tracking him. We must be even more cautious from now on.”
“Who?” Deidara asked with a squint.
“Orochimaru’s right hand man. Kabuto Yakushi injected himself with Orochimaru’s DNA after his death, and it is slowly taking over his body and mind,” Shikaku explained.
Sasori couldn’t believe this guy was coming up again. He was desperate for him to be of no consequence with such a ridiculous name.
“Orochimaru, huh? He never seems to go away, hm…” Deidara whined.
“Yes. He is the type to persist through his student. As I recall, Sasori, Kabuto was one of your spies,” Konan said to the redhead.
Sasori knew nothing firsthand, of course, but had read whatever wasn’t redacted on Team 7’s mission to find Sasuke. He knew one of his jobs in the Akatsuki was to watch Orochimaru, and his freely given information to Sakura was what allowed the Leaf to find Kabuto. He was confident his other self had successfully cast a genjutsu on him at some point, but Kabuto was too close to Orochimaru for his surgical implant to remain undetected. The fact that Kabuto mourned his master enough to implant his cells into his body said a lot. How much of him was left?
“The one who escaped my genjutsu and attempted to use our next meeting as a trap,” Sasori told her. “In the end, I had perished before the meeting took place, and the Leaf masqueraded as me to get a lead on one of their rogues, Sasuke Uchiha. Orochimaru appeared with Kabuto to take me out, but had to retreat after facing the Nine Tails.”
Sasori gestured to Naruto, who nodded proudly.
“Hm. You would have won that,” Konan said with confidence. Sasori raised a brow, thinking it could have gone either way.
“Orochimaru is a survivalist. Once you proved to be too much work, he would retreat, like the other times,” she said. “No one but Deidara, Nagato and I knew the details of your body, which would have given him trouble. He was too cocky.”
There were other times?
“Speaking of being a survivalist, you just said Orochimaru’s cells are taking over Kabuto’s body?” Kankurō asked in horror. Tsunade nodded.
“Yes. It could explain this sudden alliance. Orochimaru seeks power wherever he can,” she said.
“I wonder what he’s hoping to gain…” Kakashi said.
Shikamaru groaned. They already had too much paperwork.
Since the ex Akatsuki duo had offered all of their information, the Leaf did the same. Shizune was sent to retrieve the file on Kabuto Yakushi. Upon her return, the file was given to Konan.
By the time the meeting was over, the sun was setting, and Naruto was yawning.
“We shall reconvene tomorrow afternoon,” Tsunade said. Sakura stretched out her stiff back in relief.
“Thank you for this,” Kakashi decided to say, giving the two a small bow as everyone stood. “You took a risk coming here.”
“As I said, Madara plans to end the world as we know it. I have no choice. Though I am grateful we are able to leave our hatred in the past.”
Naruto suddenly giggled childishly, giddy about something.
“This is awesome.”
Sakura couldn’t help but chuckle. The tension in the air had broken from his honesty. Kakashi and Tsunade held back smiles as well, while Sasori remained unimpressed. Things were going well, other than a few interpersonal hiccups. And all of it was thanks to Sasori.