"WHATTTT?" Everyone exclaimed together. Tsunade looked around the table and saw that except for Lady Chiyo, everyone else was shocked including Gaara and Temari. Gaara looked at the elder and asked "What are you saying Elder Chiyo? We never discussed something like this. What are you springing this all of a sudden?"
Lady Chiyo looked at Gaara and said "Huh? What's there to be so surprised about? Temari has reached a marriageable age and who better than the guy who saved our village?"
Everyone's eyes turned to Yami and they saw something they never expected to see. Yami had a shocked and bewildered expression on his face.
Tsunade laughed as she saw this and said "Haha...I must thank you Lady Chiyo. I never thought this arrogant brat would have this expression. I am sure he never imagined a scenario like this. I should thank you for it."
At that time Yami was cursing the old hag Chiyo in his mind 'Is this Old lady senile or something? How could she suggest something so absurd at such a serious time?'
Kakashi not wanting to let this chance slip by nudged Sasuke with his elbow and said "Sasuke as his elder brother the decision might come to you to accept the marriage proposal."
Sasuke as if awoken from his sleep first looked at Kakashi and then turned toward Yami and asked "Yami what do you say? Do you want to marry her?"
Yami frowned as he heard this brother say this and replied "What are you talking about Sasuke? Why would I even think about something like marriage at such a time?"
Yami then looked at Lady Chiyo and said "I am thankful for your proposal but I have no intentions of marrying this early."
The old woman waved her hand and said "I am not telling you to get married to her tomorrow. We can have the engagement this week and then you can marry her after a few years. I just don't want to pass up such a good groom."
Seeing that the old hag was not going to listen to his polite words, Yami looked at Tsunade with pleading eyes. Tsunade being Tsunade smirked as she saw this and decided to bail out the poor Uchiha from this predicament.
"This isn't the right time for a discussion like this especially when the threat of the Akatsuki looms over us." Tsunade said and then turned toward the elephant in the room.
She stood up from her seat and walked toward Konan who had an unchanged expression on her face this whole time.
"They say that you are an important member of the Akatsuki. What is your name?" Tsunade asked. She already knew that her name was Konan since Itachi had given her information on most of the Akatsuki members.
Konan decided to not say anything and just stared at Tsunade. Sasuke who was still sitting in his chair stood up and said "Lady Tsunade....the Akatsuki members called her Konan. Her powers are to split her own body into papers and control them. She can also use paper bombs in the same manner. We needed to put those seals on her so that she wouldn't escape. We do not know anything else about her now."
Tsunade looked back and nodded at Sasuke. She was impressed by how much the kids had grown up in the past few years. Kakashi also stood up and said "I think it would be best to hand her over to Ibiki from the intelligence and torture division. I am sure he along with the Yamanaka clan will be able to pry out more information about her and her organization."
"Hmm...you are right Kakashi...we can't afford to waste time. We should hand her over to Ibiki and Inoichi. Any information gained through her is valuable." Tsunade said with a determined voice. As Lee and Neji were about to take her outside to hand her over, Yami intervened.
"I don't think that would be necessary." Yami said with a smile. He had gained back the composure that he had lost because of the marriage fiasco.
Tsunade and the others looked at him with a confused face. Tsunade folded her hands and asked "Do you have a better way? Better than a clan that reads minds?"
Konan who had already surrendered her fate after being captured was also confused when she heard Yami talk. She knew that torture and mind reading will have dire consequences including permanent mental damage but she was ready to suffer all that for Nagato.
"I do have a better way. I say we hand her over to Mr Jiraya." Yami said. This was supposed to be the answer to everyone's question but this ended up putting them in more confusion except Konan whose expression had completely changed.
Naruto leaned toward Yami and asked "Why would we hand her over to Jiraya Sensei? Has he started practicing interrogation techniques?"
Yami gave the orange-haired idiot a side-eye and said "No you idiot...Mr Jiraya was her sensei as well. If she will talk to anyone then it's him."
"What? She is a student of Pervy Sage? He never told me about it." Naruto asked.
"Yami what are you saying? Is she really his student?" Tsunade asked as she turned back to look at Konan. Who now had a sad expression on her face and was facing the floor.
"Seeing her reaction it is evident that what Yami said is true." Lady Chiyo said. She had been traveling with Konan for the past 2 days and had never seen her like this. This meant that there was some truth to Yami's words.
Tsunade didn't say anything for a few seconds. She looked back and forth at Yami and Konan.
"Jiraya did tell me that he stayed with 3 orphans when we were in the Hidden Rain. I guess that you are one of them." Tsunade said. She didn't expect any response but to everyone's surprise, Konan nodded.
Seeing that Konan herself had given the confirmation, Tsunade looked at Lee and said "Tell Ibiki and Inoichi to hold off on her interrogation for now. Take her to the underground prison and keep her in a special cell." Tsunade then turned back and said "Naruto go and inform Jiraya about her. I want you to be there when Jiraya meets her in the prison."
Naruto nodded as he stood up and started walking toward the door. Lee and Neji were also taking Konan out of the office when Tsunade said "Neji...You don't have to go with them. Naruto and Lee handle a prisoner. I think you should go back to your clan. I am sure after the kidnapping of Hinata, the Hyuga Patriarch along with the entire clan must be worried."
Neji immediately gave Tsunade a small bow and said "Thank you Lady Tsunade. I will take your leave then." He again gave a small bow toward Gaara and Lady Chiyo before he left the office.
Tsunade didn't expect to get any new information from the meeting except from what she knew especially about the Akatsuki. The fact that an Akatsuki higher-up was a student of Jiraiya and Itachi was unaware of that, this came as a surprise to her.
Tsunade looked at Yami as she thought 'Just when I think that you can't surprise me more, you do or say something to prove me wrong Yami Uchiha. I feel there is something about you that is out of my grasp.'
Tsunade shook her head to get rid of all useless thoughts and said "Sakura make proper arrangements for Lord Kazekage and his people. Everyone except Yami, Kakashi, and Sasuke can leave the room."
Yami had an inkling as to why Tsunade was making him wait back so he didn't ask anything. Gaara along with the others said their piece and left the office.
Tsunade walked toward one of her cabinets and pulled out a bottle of Sake. She sat back in her chair and chugged a sip of Sake. She didn't have the patience to pour it into a cup and then drink it like civilized people.
"Sigh...I miss the days when I just gambled and drank day and night. Feels like becoming the Hokage was a mistake." Tsunade said with a tired expression.
"You are the best candidate for the Position Lady Tsunade." Kakashi said.
Tsunade gave Kakashi a grumpy expression and said "It is easy for you to say. Everyone saying that is just pushing this position onto me, you and Jiraya included."
Tsunade then turned toward Yami and said "I don't know how you found out about Jiraya and Konan and I am not even going to ask since you won't answer honestly. I haven't asked you to stay back for that. I have a mission for the three of you. Are you ready to leave for a mission tonight? I know I am asking a lot from you two when you two just came back from an S-ranked mission." Tsunade looked at Kakashi and Sasuke while saying the last part.
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