Chapter 84 The Performance

Deidara looked as the female mermaid he saw earlier was grabbing gold from the capsized ship. The life boats of the ship were missing, attempting to get as far away from the ship as possible. Deidra's dragon swooped down. When the mermaid saw him she dove under.

Deidara dropped several clay fish into the water, but wherever the mermaid went, she was hiding rather well.

"Come out mermaid, I only want to talk", said Deidara.

Nothing. Deidara sat on his dragon. He was not going to jump in the water. He sent his clay fish out but saw nothing. Suddenly a massive tendril of water headed toward Deidara. His Dragon spit clay spheres at it and they exploded. Deidara turned to see Amachi standing on top of the sentient water.

"I am going to kill you", said Amachi.

Deidara smirked. He commanded his dragon to fly circles around the beast as flying clay insects flew toward Amachi. They were intercepted by tentacles of water, not that it mattered as the explosion would destroy each tentacle with relative ease, and there was a delay until another could be reformed. Deidara took this information in as he sent clay hawks at each tentacle. The resulting explosion left none.

With the slight delay before another tentacle is created Deidara swooped in. The clay dragon captured Amachi in it's mouth. Amachi sunk into the clay like quicksand. Moments later He emerged from the back of the dragon up to his shoulders. He took in a deep breath. After catching his breath from being in the clay he looked up to see Deidara staring down at him.

"Bastard", said Amachi.

"No, I'm just a traveling artist with a lot of passion in his art. Art that you insulted. What should we do about that", said Deidara.

A clay insect came from his palm through the hatch. It crawled off Deidara's arm, down his leg before it crawled over to Amachi. It crawled up his chest to his head where it stopped. Deidara went down and forced Amachi's mouth open. The insect crawled in, showing itself down his throat. Deidara let go.

"Well, looks like you are coming with me. Or I can blow up that little bug in your stomach. Your choice", said Deidara.

Amachi took in shallow breaths before nodding. The sentient water fell.

"Now, about that other mermaid, un", said Deidara.

Amachi sighed.

"Neither of us are Mermaids", said Amachi as he glared at Deidara.

"Could have fooled me, now call her mermaid", said Deidara mockingly.

Amachi nodded reluctantly. Moments later Umibozu reformed. It went off to fetch Isaribi.

The wagon came to an abrupt halt. Everyone got out to see a large cave. In the distance of the cave, was a steel door. Zabuza led them through the cave. He knocked on the door. A small window opened for only a moment. It closed and the door was opened.

"Welcome back Zabuza, I suppose this is our supplier", asked the man looking at Naruto. Zabuza said the eyes would help them tell who Naruto was. He didn't disappoint.

Zabuza pointed to Naruto.

"Thats the kid, he brought an army with him. And a whole lot of new toys, get the guys to start bringing it in", said Zabuza. The man nodded.

Zabuza walked in as several clones began leading the horse summons to another part of the cave. Naruto examined the area with interest. The cave was damp, and smelled of salt and spring water. Zabuza lead them past several dozen of militia and ninja to another door. He opened it.

"Mei, I brought the kid", said Zabuza.

A woman sitting in the distance smirked at them as they walked in. Her eyes fell on Naruto.

"So, you are the kid Zabu-kun told us about. Younger than I thought, but who am I to complain", said Mei.

Her eyes trailed to Sasori who was surrounded by his Kazekage body and Hiruko body. She winked at his original body. Sasori made no motion, simply looking on with a stoic expression.

"Oh, no blush. I'm losing my touch", said Mei with feigned disappointment.

Naruto walked to her and outreach his hand.

"Naruto Uzumaki, creator and leader of the CDA. I have brought my best equipment and some exceptional ninja with me. This is Sakura, Sasuke, and Herbert. The man you winked at is Sasori, you may have heard of him", said Naruto.

Mei seemed to take on a slightly surprized look before smirking.

"Sasori, not bad. Though Zabu-Kun did not tell me you were an Uzumaki", said Mei as her eyes turned to Zabuza.

Zabuza sighed.

"I told you to stop calling me that", said Zabuza.

Mei chuckled before turning back to Naruto.

"You have cased quite a stir, when Zabu-kun came back looking like he walked from a grave, and poor Haku looked like he came out of a snow storm, rumors spread. When he explained what really happened even I was surprized", said Mei.

Naruto shrugged.

"I can imagine, so you know of the Uzumaki clan", asked Naruto.

Mei nodded.

"Very much, there is not a person in the Land of Water who does not know of the Uzumaki clan, their final days are legend", said mei.

Naruto nodded.

"Good to know we are not forgotten, but enough pleasantries. I have a few terms I wish to discuss with you", said Naruto.

Mei smiled while lacing her fingers under her chin. She leaned forward to listen intently.

"Seeing as your current Kage is a Jinchuriki, I wish to take him live with me", said Naruto.

"Oh, and why is that", asked Mei.

"I am one as well, I hold the nine tailed fox", said Naruto.

Mei nodded.

"Well, it's irregular. My original idea was to simply kill him and wait for the beast to revive, then seal the beast away. But considering how much you are helping us, I will allow it", said Mei.

Naruto nodded. He sat down with arms crossed.

"I suppose Zabuza has told you my other terms", asked Naruto.

Mei Nodded.

"Ally with the leaf, and keep your secret", said Mei.

Naruto nodded.

"I have one more, you see I have taken over the ruins of the Hidden Whirlpool Village. The village has been rebuilt into a massive think tank. All I ask is any doctors, scientists, and researchers come to help with development of my technology. Kiri has always had very interesting tech, in return you gain some of our discoveries. Medicine defiantly, weapons possibly", said Naruto.

"Allow my ninja to keep a base in the village, and keep me up to date on any of your major breakthroughs, and you have a deal", said Mei.

"A base, you want spy on me", said Naruto accusingly.

"Of course, we are ninja, it is what we do", said Mei.

Naruto cupped his chin with his hand before nodding.

"Fine, but some files are dangerous knowledge that has adverse effects on human sanity, you get your base, but outside of the village and I will keep you updated, but nothing with these harmful mental effects, it would be counter productive", said Naruto.

Mei shook his hand.

"We'll have a contract written up once we take the Hidden Mist, you can go look around the base if you like. Leave puppet boy", said Mei with a lustful smirk as she turned to Sasori.

"I think I shall leave as well", said Sasori with no emotion, simply walking out the room calmly.

Mei pouted in jest. Herbert then raised his hand and took off his mask attempting to get Mei's attention.

"Can I stay", he asked with a grin.

Mei raised an eyebrow at him. Looking at his face.

"Are you green", asked Mei.

"What, green is sexy", said Herbert.

Mei shook her head. Herbert deflated and walked out of the room.

Wilbur sniffed the air. It was a familiar scent, the scent of the boy with the eyes, and more importantly the Necronomicon. He went to follow the scent. Hiruko looked at him with confusion.

"Where are you going", asked Hiruko.

"I smell someone who has something I need, I shall return", said Wilbur.

Hiruko shrugged before turning back to spy on the three tails Jinchuriki. The last thing he heard was the sound of pages in the wind.

Sasori walked out of the cave to examine the lands before him. He began thinking over everything he remembered reading from the Uchiha scrolls for when he would use Madara. He was excited to use it. His Hiruko and Kazekage bodies followed him, keeping watch of the land around him, when he saw a black cloaked figure in the eyes of Hiruko. He ran over to the area. Sasori looked at the land with mild interest. A black blur to his side and he turned. Suddenly there were blank pages in the wind that busted into flames.

"You smell of the boy", said A voice behind him. Sasori turned to see a cloaked figure standing in the field.

"And who might you be", asked Sasori.

"Wilbur Whateley", said Wilbur with a bow.

"I see", said Sasori as his hands trailed to his scroll.

"With my introduction out of the way, who may I ask are you", asked Wilbur.

"Sasori of the Red Sand. Master of the art of puppetry", said Sasori.

"A pleasure, now tell me. Where is the boy", asked Wilbur.

"I am afraid I cannot allow you to see him", said Sasori.

Wilbur chuckled.

"Is that so, shall we battle, you ninja seem so keen of battle", said Wilbur.

Sasori removed his robe revealing his puppet body.

"You shall lose", said Sasori.

Wilbur laughed as four more Whateleys stepped from the shadows.

Sasori looked at his opponent. Wilbur Whateley. Naruto warned him greatly of this man, he knew better than to take him lightly as an opponent. Sasori's three bodies stood side by side. Scorpion in the middle, Kazekage to the left, and Hiruko to the right. Sasori looked at the five misshapen things before him before looking at the battle field. A large forest, damp with rains from the days before. It was a good area to test his newest puppet.

"The stage is set", said Sasori lightly as he unsealed the puppet of Madara Uchiha.

"The performers in place", said Sasori slightly louder as he attached chakra stings to his Madara.

He flexed his fingers bringing the creaking body of Madar to life.

"And the show had begun", exclaimed Sasori as he began to move is fingers.

Madara opened his eyes revealing the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. Wilbur spoke in the tongue of the outer gods. Summoning fourth tentacles from the earth. In response Sasori commanded Madara to create wooden tentacles of his own tp combat the threat. The tentacles lashed out. Destroying each other in a shower of green blood and splinters. Sasori moved Madara to the side, and with a twitch of his thumb black flames shot from Madara's eyes destroying the remaining tentacles.

Wilbur lifted his Necronomicon to his chest, his hand high in the air as he called on the Eldritch forces to summon a portal through the veil to reach out with his power to pull on an ally to aid him. From the portal a hoved beast emerged with branch like tentacles from it's top and covered in foul green moss. The beast was horrible, resembling a monstrous tree with the legs of some terrible ram. It was one of Shub-Nigguraths thousand young. The beast galloped as fast as it could go but was intercepted by spears of iron metal particles from the Kazekage. The beast leapt over the metal spears in a way that seemed impossible for it's size and continued toward the third Kazekage. Folds with seals etched on their surface appeared to fold from the Kazekage's arm opening allowing many arms to snake their way out in an attempt to grab each tentacle and rip them off, only for them to regrow before the detached tentacles even had a chance to hit the ground.

The Kazekage puppet leapt back as it was intercepted by one of Wilbur's copies. Wilbur's tail spat the hallucinogenic fluid at the puppet but it had no effect on the human puppet. Instead the Kazekage puppet grabbed the copy with many arms and snapped it's neck like a twig. Though the body simply disintegrated and was replaced by another who stepped forth from the shadows.

The Hiruko puppet fought three of the Whateley copies using it's metal scorpion tail to keep them at bay. At random intervals it would launch senbon from it's mouth at Wilbur, but they were all quite immune to human poison. And even those that fell were simple replaced from the shadows.

Madara continued to burn the other bodies with Amateratsu flames. When Sasori moved his index finger on his left hand, and ring finger on his right. A strange haze appeared around Madara before it condensed into a ribcage of sorts. then replaced by an etherial body.

"Let us see how you do against the Susanoo", said Sasori.

A swing of Susanoo's blade bisected Wilbur only for another replacement to show. But that was not the point. Sasori watched with interest. Following Wilburs movements. He began thinking to himself.

Not much of a fighter, deformed body lends itself to more esoteric forms of battle. Uses tricks and summons to fight. Weak himself. Normal forms of attack useless against puppets, focusing on summons. War of attrition via infinite summons. No chakra usage. Chances of victory slim, weak but immortal. in a way. Problem must be rectified. Organic body, showing minimal signs of exhaustion. Not a ninja, but a threat.

Sasori recalled Madara, and went to his back. He pulled out several scrolls. Many chakra strings emerged from his chest. several attached to Madara. The next thing anyone saw was more than a hundred Crimson puppets flying around Sasori. They rattled as they moved in a subtle form of psychological warfare to unsettle the enemy, invented by masters of the art of puppetry.

"Red Secret Move:Preformance of a Hundred puppets", said Sasori as Hiriko and the Third Kazekage lept to his side. Wilbur looked at the sight before him with wide eyes. Sasori smiled.

"Time to show you my true art", said Sasori.

Wilbur, his copies and the Spawn of Shub-Niggurath stood side by side looking at the hundred puppets. looking for any holes in their formation.

"Call an army is you must, but you cannot defeat me", said Wilbur.

Sasori unleashed his puppets not giving Wilbur any time to prepare. Crimson Puppets met Ebon Horrors. He watched the fight carefully taking everything in to make plans while fighting. Sasori watched the scene before him and treated it as if it were some masterful puppet show.

'Probability of success, good. Exhaustion set to come to Whateley soon. Objective tire him out. Let the Show begin.

Act 1 Scene 1. Iron particles to surround them undetected, success. Ten puppets to surround tentacled beast, success. The beast slows down, now focusing on puppets. Amateratsu flames to the center of the five Whateleys, success. Whateleys have separated while iron particles cut into flesh, success. Focus on sending more puppets at each. End Scene 1.

Act 1 Scene 2. Five Whateleys, twenty puppets each. Hiruko and Kazekage to switch with puppets fighting tentacles beast, Success. Susanoo to distract and attack should any Whateleys get to close. Success. Two Whateleys down, replaced from the shadows as expected, signs of still being somewhat tired. End Scene 2

Act 1 Scene 3. Reach for stomach pull cord and throw. Impaled one Whateley through the heart. Counter attack from new Whateleys, problem solved by senbon from Hiruko. Whateley replaced instantly. Turn Hiruko back to Beast. Kazekage holds tentacles with many arms. Swipe with blades on other arm, fail, Tentacles hold bladed arm. The performance will not suffer. Rectifying the failure, Hiruko launches senbon toward hooves. success, beast trips. Turn Madara to face the downed creature. Sharingan spins, Amateratusu. Beast flails and dies. End Act 1'.

Sasori was finding seeing through three sets of eyes made the battle much simpler at making plans. The performance was going as expected, and Wilbur was getting tired. Sasori continued to gauge his chances as Wilbur got more and more tired. He took everything in. The more he knew the better the performance went. And this was looking to be one of his finest.

"Onto Act 2", said Sasori.

Wilbur reached for his book turning the pages to say the words again. A portal appeared above him as a torrent of locusts emerged to attack. Sasori watched as the strangehuman faced insects attacked his clones. They began to attack his puppets. Sasori narrowed his eyes.

'Act 2 Scene 1. Kazekage uses iron dust to shred Locusts to pieces, minor Success. Remaining puppets to take care of Locusts, failure. Targets to small, The performance will not suffer. Recall puppets. Act quickly. Lift arms, use flamethrowers. Success, Locusts Down. Some remain. Focus puppets on keeping Whateleys Busy, Success. End Scene 1

Act 2 Scene 2. Release Madara from Susanoo, Finish off Locusts with Madara. success, burned with great Fireball. Focus attention back on Whateleys. Died minimum of ten times each, continues to come back. Focus of boxing them in. Success. Have Kazekage hold each in an arm, Fail. Two dodge quickly, cannot be held. The Preformance must go on. End Scene 2

Act 2 Scene 3. Hold three Whatleys down, Fail. Reduced to dust willingly, reform elsewhere. Continue with the preformance. Attack again. Focus Hiruko's tail on Whateley reading from Nocronomicon, Success. Book stuck on Hiruko's tail. Unexpected, turns to dust willingly. Book on Hiruko's tail as well. Whateley gets close to main body, Spin bladed wings. Success, Reduced to dust. Showing clear signs of fatigue. End Act 2'.

Sasori found that while Whateley was dangerous, he like so many others, could tire out. He would push his advantage. His many bodies and puppets leapt around the battle field, keeping the demigod at bay. Sasori smiled. He wasn't S-rank for nothing.

"And the finale, Act 3", said Sasori.

Sasori was nothing if not a master of the performance, and he could tell that Whateley only had so long until he tired out completely. Wilbur on the other hand was growing impatient, his only advantage was complete immunity to Sasori's poisons, but he was losing this battle. He however felt no shame. To lose to a man who was clearly not human was much better than the alternative. He would test the Puppet master one last time before he departed. He had waited this long to get the Necronomicon, he could wait longer.

'Act 3 Scene 1. Push forward with puppets, success. Whatleys move back. Get Madara behind them, failure. Madara is discovered. The performance would not suffer. Use Mokuton as a distraction, Success. Trees grow to separate the Whateleys. Hiruko to launch senbon at exposed Whateleys side. Success, reduced to dust. Reappears from the shadows as expected. Unknown to him Kazekage is behind him. Send a spear of metal through chest. Failure, hit kidney, the performance will not suffer. Kneels down, taken out with twenty puppets from above and Kazekage's bladed arm. Success. End scene 1

Act 3 Scene 2. Use Madara to create ring of fire around the stage, Success. Whateleys are confused. Burning mokuton tree falls on two, vanish into dust. Fire makes no shadows to pop from. Turn attention to three remaining Whateleys. Send thirty puppets at each, keep the rest around main body incase more Whateleys show up, Success. Puppets in place. Hiruko moves underground, move below remaining Whatelys. Success, One stabed through chest. No shadows to emerge from.

Act 3 Scene 3. Hiruko emerges from the ground, detach arm. Launch successful. Neddles shoot from arm. Move puppets so as not to be damaged by senbon. Senbon attacks two remaining, Failure. No vital organs hit. The performance will never suffer. Replace Hiruko with Madara. Whateleys freezes in fear, Success. Great Fire Ball to face. One down. Final Whateley leaps high. Signaling retreat. performance has ended, the performers bow, the curtain drops, the audience applauds. End Act 3. Fin'

Sasori watches as Whateley runs off in the distance. Sasori seals away his many puppets, leaving only his three bodies and Madara. Hiruko body retrieves his arm and reattached it. Sasori smiles.

"Another fantastic performance", said Sasori with the barest hint of happiness in his voice.