The Stone of Shadows Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - Planning

"Thank you Lord Kagekage" Oshime said, bowing.

"Yeah, er, same here" Tayuya stated, uncomfortable being formal. As Tayuya finished speaking, she felt Oshime pull her to the floor.

"You're supposed to bow!" Oshime whispered, glaring.

The Kagekage let out a booming laugh, and motioned for the two girls to sit up.

"Please, there's no need for such formality at this time" He stated, as the girls sat up.

"Ok, Lord Kagekage" Oshime replied.

"Now, then, shall we get down to business?" The elder asked.

"Yes, please" Oshime answered.

"Ok, then, first of all, what do two members of the esteemed Akatsuki need from our small, simple village?" The Kagekage asked politely.

"We only require lodging for a night or two, sir" Oshime responded.

"That's quite doable" The Kagekage replied, "Forgive me for being so questioning, but we do have our precious stone which must be protected at all costs."

"We know, sir" Oshime answered, "But if our organization was after the stone, we would first try to coerce you into giving it to us."

"And if that failed?" He asked, raising his eyebrow

"We would steal it by force, of course." Oshime said, smiling slightly.

"Well then, I guess it's a good thing that you aren't after the stone" The Kagekage stated, letting out a chuckle.

"Heh, it is indeed..." Tayuya replied, trying not to smirk.

"Lord Kagekage, there is information we need to discuss." A voice from behind the curtains said.

"Certainly, Mutsuki. I'll be there in just a minute" The Kagekage replied.

Tayuya couldn't help but notice an odd look on Oshime's face as the Kagekage said that. She pushed the thought to away, thinking that Oshime was just nervous about the execution of the plan.

"I'm sorry we could not speak longer" The Kagekage said, standing up.

"We understand, sir" Oshime replied, standing up also.

Tayuya did the same, and nodded her head in agreement with Oshime.

"Now, if you please follow the Jounin outside" The Kagekage said, pointing towards one of the two Jounin they had met at the entrance way, "He will bring you two to your lodgings for the night."

"Thank you, Lord Kagekage." Oshime stated, bowing.

"It is my pleasure, Ms. Shiruba, and Miss…I'm sorry, but I don't believe I caught your name." He replied, gesturing at Tayuya.

"Tayuya...sir" She answered, thinking something was wrong, but unable to put her finger on it.

"Ah, ok then, Ms. Tayuya" He stated, "I hope that you and Ms. Shiruba find your time in our village to be pleasant."

"Thank you, sir" They both said, turning towards the Jounin from before.

The two followed the shinobi down the streets for a few minutes, before stopping in front of a small house.

"This is where you will be staying" The Jounin said, "I hope you find it to your liking."

"It looks more than adequate" Oshime replied, sincerely impressed.

"Hmm, not bad for such a dumpy village...Oof!" Tayuya stated, getting an elbow in the gut from Oshime in response.

"Yes...well, I hope you find your lodgings pleasant…" The Jounin stated, walking back towards the Kagekage's manor, giving Tayuya a slight scowl.

"And you were doing so well, too..." Oshime said, glaring at Tayuya.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever..." Tayuya responded, "Let's just go inside. I need to take of something..."

"Aww, does wittle Tayuya need-" Oshime joked in a babyish voice, before being cut off.
"Finish that sentence, and you'll be swallowing that sword you love so much" Tayuya threatened, entering the house.

Oshime just laughed, and followed her inside, locking the door behind her.

~~~

The first thing Tayuya did when she had healed was to sneak into the Leaf village, and steal a flute from the music store. She had used a transformation jutsu to turn herself into a seven year old girl, in order to hide her identity, and make people think is was less likely that she would be a shoplifter. After she had returned to Oshime's shack, she released the jutsu, looking down at her usual body.

"Heh, nice one" Oshime said, standing in the doorway.

"Well, I had to do something to hide my identity" Tayuya replied.

"Oh? The Leaf village knows of you?" Oshime questioned.

"Well, somewhat" Tayuya replied, "It's better if I don't bring attention to myself."

"True enough" Oshime responded.

Tayuya spent the next few weeks learning the nuances of her new flute, learning how best to channel her chakra through it. Oshime, on the other hand, spent that time with a few medical books she had borrowed from the Konoha library, trying to learn about abdominal injuries. Nothing in those books gave her much hope that Tayuya would not be crinkling during their heists, but she kept at it anyway.

During the next few months, the two had committed a few small heists, giving them enough cash to sustain themselves, and refill the supplies for Tayuya. Tayuya had mastered her new flute by this time, and was now practicing her jutsu, and learning how to battle without help from her cursed seal. Oshime, Tayuya noticed, had been reading less and less, and had been practicing with a sword Tayuya had not known she possessed. Tayuya stared at the sword, which she had to admit was quite nice looking. The blade itself was thin and average length, with an etching of a dragon on it. The hilt of the blade was shaped like a dragon's head, with the blade protruding from its open mouth, as if the blade was its flame. The mouth was surrounded by small, sharp-looking, metal teeth, and a dragon fang/claw was attached to the bottom of the hilt. Tayuya overheard Oshime call the sword "Sui-Riu", and assumed that that was its name.

As the next two years passed, Tayuya and Oshime only grew stronger, performing heists that were more difficult, yet more rewarding. Tayuya was still incontinent, and had reluctantly come to terms with the fact that she would probably be incontinent for the rest of her life.  Tayuya noticed that Oshime never once cut her hair during this period. When she had first met her, her hair had reached her shoulders, but after these two years, her hair was approaching the top of her rear. Tayuya had let her hair get slightly longer, but not nearly that much. Tayuya also happily noted that her chest had developed a bit more, even if it was not quite as much as Oshime had. On one afternoon, after Tayuya had finished developing her newest jutsu, Oshime approached her, sporting a look that told Tayuya that they had a new heist.

"Ok, Tayuya, we got a big one coming up" Oshime stated, with ferocity in her eyes unlike Tayuya had seen from her before.

"Good, where is it?" Tayuya asked.

"In a small village, named Kagegakure" Oshime answered, with a strange look in her eyes.

~~~

"C'mon, you two, try to keep up!" Naruto yelled to his two teammates behind him.

"Shut up, Naruto!" Sakura yelled, tree-hopping towards him, "We can't just barge into the village at full speed!"

"Don't bother, Sakura" Shikamaru stated, shaking his head, "Naruto will never understand strategy, it's not his style."

Naruto glared at Shikamaru, but kept his silence as he continued through the forest.

"Shikamaru, what should we do first when we reach the village?" Sakura asked.

"Hmm, all I know of this village is that it is small, and without much of value" Shikamaru responded, "So I suppose the first thing we should do is speak with whatever leader the village has, since I'm sure it would be a big event in a small village for two members of the Akatsuki to enter."

"I suppose you're right" Sakura answered.

"Yeah, yeah, I say we just go search out those Akatsuki punks, so I can show them what Naruto Uzumaki is made of!" Naruto yelled, pumping his fist.

"Ugh, how troublesome..." Shikamaru mumbled, shaking his head.

~~~

Tayuya and Oshime sat around the table in the dining room on the house they were allowed to stay in, planning for the heist of the stone.

"So, why'd you add the possibility of an extra night's stay here?" Tayuya asked.

"Well, I thought that vagueness might make it seem less like we have a plan for being here" Oshime answered, "Plus, it gives us an extra day, just in case we can't do the heist tonight."

"Well, makes sense, I guess" Tayuya replied, leaning back in her chair.

"Ok, now, here's the plan." Oshime started, "at about two o'clock in the morning, we will leave this house, and make our way here." She pointed at a building on the map she had drawn. "There will probably be a couple of guards there, so we will take care of them discretely, and proceed inside. The building isn't too large, so I don't expect much in the way of security except for maybe more guards."

Tayuya listened, making mental notes of Oshime's instructions. After Oshime had finished, she picked the makeshift map up, and ripped it up.

"Ok, we should get some sleep now" Oshime stated, "We don't want to be dead tired for this heist."

"Right" Tayuya said, nodding.

Both girls ascended the stairs together, and turned in opposite directions, in order to enter their respective rooms. Oshime turned around to face Tayuya, noticing Tayuya was already facing her.

"Goodnight, then" Oshime stated, "See you in a few hours."

"Yeah, let's hope it goes well" Tayuya replied, "We'd better have that stone by tomorrow morning"

"Yeah, we'd better..." Oshime thought to herself, before entering her room.

Neither girl changed, knowing they would just have to change back in a few hours. As they turned off their lights, both thought of the challenge ahead, hoping they'd accomplish their goal.