The Akatsuki

Earth Land, Ishgar, Kingdom of Fiore, Shirotsume.

August 14, x788.

"That was Sasuke's brother, wasn't it?" Naruto asked after he had some time to calm down after the episode with Itachi and Kisame. "But why was he and that guy who looked like a fish after me?"

"Why do bad guys do anything?" Elicia asked with a shrug. "Probably for something like world domination. I mean, you do have a pretty powerful Etherious inside of you."

"Hmm... Is it that simple?" Naruto asked.

"Who knows?" Elicia replied with another shrug.

*Knock!* *Knock!* *Knock!*

"Hey, Naruto, are you inside?" Jiraiya, the one who just knocked on the door, asked from outside the hotel room.

"It's the Pervy Sage." Naruto said in a relieved tone.

After speaking, Naruto stood up to answer the door without hesitation.

"Hold on, Naruto." Elicia said as she stopped him by wrapping threads around Naruto's arm.

"Huh?" Naruto intoned in confusion as he was forced to stop.

"Don't just rush to open the door." Elicia said sternly. "What if they're using a [Transformation], or something?"

At Elicia's reminder, Naruto appeared to stop and think about what she said. In reality, he stopped to ask Kurama about the person outside the door. And when Kurama said that he could not sense any negative emotions, Naruto nodded at Elicia.

"You're right." Naruto replied. "But I know that's the real Jiraiya." Naruto said in a serious tone with an equally serious expression on his face. Then, he pointed at the seal on his stomach as he continued. "I can feel it."

Nodding in response, Elicia released her threads from around Naruto's arm.

'Fonzie said that Naruto and Kurama were getting along.' Elicia murmured to herself. 'But I didn't think it would be so good that he could ask him for help like that.'

["Do you think the fox told Naruto his name yet?"] Scylla asked.

'No idea.' Elicia replied. 'But since he wasn't using Kurama's magic power when we got here, I doubt it.'

In actuality, Naruto and Kurama had exchanged names a while ago. And if Elicia had looked through her memories, she would have realized that he used it in the fight against Neji during the Chunin Exams a few months ago. But her mind was too preoccupied with tonight's attack to think that carefully.

'More importantly, why is Akatsuki still after the Tailed Beasts in this world.' Elicia muttered internally. 'I mean, there hasn't been any real war between nations in a while, right?'

["I mean, there was that rebellion in Rubengard."] Scylla replied. ["Though, that wasn't really much of a civil war because that general, San Jiao Shin, was kidnapped and put under [Human Subordination Magic] by that one guy... what was his name again?"]

'Oh, you're talking about Lucy's mom's disciple, right?' Elicia asked. 'Yeah, now that you mention it... I don't remember his name either. Still, that wasn't between nations.'

If the man in question's, Zoldeo's, soul had not dissipated after he was separated from Capricorn, he would probably be rolling in his grave because of how insignificant he seemed to be.

["That's true."] Scylla replied. ["Well, it was probably something from before you were born. I mean, I don't even know what country equates to the land of Rain. So, it's hard to investigate what happened during the Second Great Ninja War. But it probably still happened here."]

"*Sigh* And that leads to a whole bunch of other questions.' Elicia continued while shaking her head. 'I mean, the Tailed Beasts are Zeref's creations in this world. So, there shouldn't be a Ten Tails, right?'

["Who knows?"] Scylla replied while shrugging her shoulders. ["Anime logic is fucked. And even though we're aware this is a real world, it still runs on anime logic. So, anything could happen... And probably will."]

"I'm glad you're safe, Naruto." Jiraiya said after Naruto opened the door.

Jiraiya's voice pulled Elicia's attention away from her conversation with Scylla, causing her to look towards the door that Naruto had just opened. When she did, she saw Jiraiya ruffling Naruto's hair affectionately. Meanwhile, Naruto was trying, and failing, to swat Jiraiya's hand away.

"I wouldn't be if Big Sis Lici wasn't here." Naruto said in an irritated tone.

Hearing that, Jiraiya looked away from Naruto and focused his gaze on Elicia, who was just watching the two from Naruto's bed. He then put on an uncharacteristically serious expression and bowed his head in gratitude.

"He's right." Jiraiya said with his head bowed. "Thank you for helping Naruto. I don't know why you were here, but I'm glad that you were. I wasn't able to save Minato, and I don't know what I would have done if I lost Naruto, as well."

"Don't worry about it." Elicia said, waving dismissively in a very similar fashion to the way Alfonzo does it. "Naruto calls me Big Sis. So, what kind of Big Sis would I be if I didn't look out for him, right? As for why I'm in Shirotsume Town, I was just stopping here for the night while on my way back from completing a quest."

"Then... We were lucky." Jiraiya replied.

"Maybe next time, you'll think before you start chasing women." Naruto muttered with his head down.

A few seconds passed after Naruto made his statement. He knew he was loud enough for Jiraiya to hear him. So, he was expecting to hear a response. Yet, there was nothing.

When Naruto turned his head to look at Jiraiya, he was shocked, but not surprised, to see Jiraiya looking away.

"*Sigh* I guess that's just wishful thinking." Naruto muttered once again while shaking his head. "A leopard can't change its spots, after all."

"Hey! That's not it!" Jiraiya, affected by the disappointment in Naruto's tone, shouted in protest. "I don't do this because I want to! I do it because it's necessary. For my research! It's necessary for my research!"

Despite Jiraiya's protest, Naruto did not say a word, only shaking his head and looking more disappointed.

"UM... Anyway, do you guys want to ride back to Magnolia with me when I leave later in the morning?" Elicia asked, interrupting a conversation that she could see happening many more times over the coming years.

"That would be great!" Jiraiya exclaimed, glad to have the topic changed. "That way, we'll be able to get a good rest before the Harvest Festival!"

Once again, Naruto looked at Jiraiya with disappointment. However, he knew nothing would change if he continued. Kurama said as much from his mindscape. So, he looked away from Jiraiya, turning his gaze onto Elicia, and nodded his head in agreement with her suggestion.

With that, Elicia stood up with a smile. Then, she moved towards the hotel room's door, patting Naruto on the head along the way.

"Alright, I'll see you guys at 10:30." Elicia said in a cheerful tone. "Good night."

With that said, Elicia left the room, leaving Naruto and Jiraiya to look at each other awkwardly for a while before heading to bed themselves.

Earth Land, Ishgar, Kingdom of Fiore, Undisclosed Location.

A few hours later, Itachi and Kisame, who had been moving swiftly ever since they escaped from the [Toad Mouth Bind], arrived at a cave that had been dug out of the face of a cliff. Entering quickly, Itachi and Kisame sat down on makeshift beds that were carved out of the walls of the cave.

This cave, one of the many Akatsuki hideouts scattered over the continent of Ishgar, was the closest rest place to Shirotsume town. Although there were no resources stored in the cave, that was not its purpose, as it was only meant as a place where the members of Akatsuki could stop and rest long enough to communicate with the other members of the organization.

"It's been a long time since we failed a mission, hasn't it?" Kisame asked, sounding rather nonchalant about the whole situation. "If Jiraiya hadn't shown up, we would have been able to bring the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki in, though."

"Don't underestimate the Magic Seamstress." Itachi replied. "Although neither of us went all out, that was the same for her. On top of that, neither of us were even able to hit her. Don't forget that."

That last sentence was enough to give Kisame pause. During the encounter with Elicia, he did not realize it. But neither he nor Itachi, with his Sharingan, were able to land an attack on Elicia. Yet, she had managed to sneak up on them. She had even managed to send Kisame flying with a sneak attack.

"You're right." Kisame replied after thinking for a few minutes. "I guess she's an S-Class wizard for a reason."

"That's right." Itachi replied. "And now we need to let the rest of the organization know.' Itachi said as he started circulating his magic power into a ring he was wearing.

Kisame also started circulating his magic power into a similar ring. Then, both men closed their eyes and let their consciousnesses sink into the rings.

In the next moment, Itachi and Kisame found themselves, or rather their projections, standing atop the fingers of a large statue located in an even larger cave. This statue, known as the Gedo Mazo, was a gigantic, humanoid statue of a seemingly mummified creature with closed eyes. However, instead of having only two eyes, it had nine.

Like Itachi and Kisame, projections of eight other rogue shinobi stood on the other eight fingers of the statue. Unfortunately, other than their hair colors and eyes, nothing else could be made out from the other eight.

"Well, well, well, look who it is." A blond man with bangs covering his right eyes said in a mocking tone. "If it isn't Itachi and Kisame. But wait... I don't see the Jinchuriki. Could that mean... Heavens forbid... you failed your mission?"

The unconcealed mockery in the blond man's tone made Kisame's eyes twitch fiercely. However, as he and Itachi had indeed failed their mission, he did not have a retort. Though, he did mark the blond man for quite the beating the next time he saw him in person.

"Indeed." Itachi replied without a change in his expression. "There was an unexpected circumstance that we had no way of accounting for."

"That sounds like an excuse if I ever heard one." The blond man said, the mockery in his tone even more exaggerated this time.

"Enough." A man with orange hair and purple eyes with concentric circles in his irises said calmly. Though the pressure in his tone silenced the blond man immediately. "What was the unexpected circumstance you speak of?"

"Fairy Tail's Magic Seamstress, Elicia Taylor, was in the town." Itachi replied, his emotions unchanged thanks to the blond man's mockery. "She showed up just in time to get in the way at the end."

Itachi then went on to explain every detail of his and Kisame's encounter with Elicia, Naruto and Jiraiya. And despite their rowdy and arrogant demeanors, none of the other members of Akatsuki interrupted.

"Hmph!" A silver-haired man snorted disdainfully. "How dare she interrupt our plans. I'll sacrifice her to Lord Jashin for her impudence."

"For once I agree with this idiot." A man with green irises, no pupils, and red sclerae wearing a hood that hid his hair color, said a moment later. "The Magic Seamstress has quite the bounty on her head."

"What did you call me?" the silver-haired man asked angrily. "Do you want to be the next one I sacrifice to Lord Jashin?"

"This is a waste of time.' A monstrous, hunched over figure said. "And I hate having my time wasted. Still, I believe that woman would go well with the rest of my collection. She would be a fine piece of art."

"Oh, come on my man." The blond man said with a chuckle. "How many times do we have to have this conversation. There's no point in art that lasts. Art is an explosion."

Ignoring the conversations and arguments going on around him, Itachi looked directly into the purple eyes of the man who led the Akatsuki.

"So, what do you want us to do now?" Itachi asked. "The Magic Seamstress mentioned that the Nine Tails Jinchuriki would be joining Fairy Tail. And I do not believe that waging war with a guild like them would be wise."

"The Uchiha brat is right." the man with green and red eyes added in a grim tone. "Although I wasn't around when that group of ruffians was formed, I grew up in the same era as their Third Master, Makarov Dreyar. And unless we can keep it secret that we were the ones who did it, I would never kill a member of that guild. They're all insane."

"Didn't you just say you wanted to collect that Magic Seamstress' bounty?" the blond-haired man asked, a grin evident in his tone. "What happened to all that."

"If I could catch her alone without giving her the chance to identify me, I would do exactly that." The red and green-eyed man replied. "But if there was any chance it could get back to her guild mates, I would abandon the job without a second thought. I have no desire to be hunted down by a bunch of overpowered wizards who care little for collateral damage."

"You're going soft in your old age." The blond man said while shaking his head. "What could that group of fools and idiots do to us?"

"There's a reason I've lived as long as I have." the red and green-eyed man said. "But since you have a death wish, you should just let me kill you. At least the bounty on you won't go to waste."

"That's enough." the purple-eyed man said once again. He then addressed Itachi and Kisame before switching his attention to a man with yellow eyes and short green hair. "Stand by for now, we need more information. Zetsu, I'll leave that to you."

"Understood." the yellow-eyed man, Zetsu, replied. "Then, I'll get going right away."

With that, Zetsu's projection vanished from atop the finger it was standing on.

"I guess that means this meeting is over then, right?" The blond man asked. "Then, I'll be going, too."

"Indeed." The purple-eyed man replied. "Dismissed. We'll gather again to discuss our plans once Zetsu returns. Then, we will make our plans to let this world know pain."

With that, the purple-eyed man's projection vanished, shortly followed by the other eight, plunging the cavern into silence.