Naruto Fateless (Naruto/Blood Omen crossover)
- Thread starter Fosfor
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Naruto will have Samehada. He is a perfect wielder for the blade and is propably the only person who can force Samehada into obedience by the sheer force of will, not that he needs to.
If Samehada could speak, the moment Naruto touched its hilt it would proably squeal like a fangirl and start purring like a herd of kittens given tuna.
Samehada will be broken and reforged (though in case of a living sword it can't be really called reforging) and some of its chakra absorbtion abilities will weakne, while some strengthen, adapting to Naruto's unique nature.
Remember - 400 years ex-vampire spirit, even if in human body (mostly, anyway). Samehada is, in some sense, a vampiric weapon. A perfect wielder for the weapon and perfect weapon for the wielder.
If Samehada could speak, the moment Naruto touched its hilt it would proably squeal like a fangirl and start purring like a herd of kittens given tuna.
Samehada will be broken and reforged (though in case of a living sword it can't be really called reforging) and some of its chakra absorbtion abilities will weakne, while some strengthen, adapting to Naruto's unique nature.
Remember - 400 years ex-vampire spirit, even if in human body (mostly, anyway). Samehada is, in some sense, a vampiric weapon. A perfect wielder for the weapon and perfect weapon for the wielder.
What part of "the moment he touched it's hilt it would squeal like a fangirl" is unclear to you?
Second, Samehadea doesn't advertise it's sentience, although Naruto could likely sense it.
Plus Naruto wouldn't allow it to blast him with spikes. Even if it tried, Naruto would force it not to using his overwhelming willpower.
Second, Samehadea doesn't advertise it's sentience, although Naruto could likely sense it.
Plus Naruto wouldn't allow it to blast him with spikes. Even if it tried, Naruto would force it not to using his overwhelming willpower.
Lanceavalon said:
In other words why a brain eater should make sure the person who's brain they just ate did not get a D in english.
immolo said:
Lanceavalon said:
In other words why a brain eater should make sure the person who's brain they just ate did not get a D in english.
Lanceavalon said:
immolo said:
Lanceavalon said:
In other words why a brain eater should make sure the person who's brain they just ate did not get a D in english.
immolo said:
Lanceavalon said:
immolo said:
Lanceavalon said:
In other words why a brain eater should make sure the person who's brain they just ate did not get a D in english.
Now.
The Fateless lives. As I repeatedly mentioned, I work on all my stories.
Enjoy.
*
"Dinner with the Kazekage."
*
"Temari."
The Kazekage's words were calm, if far from smooth. It was the tone belonging to a man who didn't just expect to be obeyed but one who actually couldn't imagine it being otherwise.
"As you know, we will have... guests." The tall, redheaded man looked out on the genkan of his traditional home. It was a luxury, given the sheer amout of resources needed for the upkeep of the garden alone, but he didn't see it as extravagant or opulent.
Rather it was one of the means to an end, harshly reminding visiting dignitatries and citizens alike who held enough power and influence to afford such whim and make it reality. It always put things into perspective for them, just the way he liked it.
Temari just nodded without a word. She wasn't blind or deaf - the rumors among the house staff alone would have been sufficient. Considering the... theatrics of the past two days. It was hard not to notice.
"Contrary to what you might think, those are rather prestigious guests, people of status." The Kazekage smiled thinly under his veil as he notcied the flash of surprise liting Temari's eyes briefly.
'What, you thought I was inviting them for that matter with Gaara alone? Fool girl, you still miss the whole picture. I guess the youth is a bit of an obstacle, hmm?' The man thought with a bit of regret.
Temari was splendid in many ways - brighter and more inteligent than both of her brothers, but far too straightforward. He sometimes wished she showed at least a bit of Kankuro's guile and talent for deceit. It would certianly make things easier in the long run.
'Though I guess her nature might prove a boon.' He pondered. 'Sometimes the best way to hide things is in the plain sight, as Sarutobi had shown. Yes. This might be a good thing.'
"They are people of interest, those guest of ours." The Kazekage said thoughtfully. "A very surprising group, for traveling companions or... otherwise. The Snake's apprentice, the Inuzuka Clan heiress... and the boy." He said pointedly. "Interesting, not even taking Gaara's little setback into account."
It took all of Temari's willpower not to flinch at that. Her father saw Gaara as an extension of Suna's - therfore his own - power, and he never suffered challenges to such power lightly. And yet he was almost... pleased. She had no idea why and it unsettled her. Because when her father made moves no one was expecting, it never ended well for anyone but him. Given how much of his personal attention he was giving the whole thing...
"That yukata in forest green... it really suits you." The older man said suddenly, and Temari blinked. "Yet I have never seen you in it. It would be a good occasion, given the weather, hmm?"
The blonde froze, her eyes widening a fraction.
'...what?'
She felt her hands, clenched in the 'relaxed' looking pose she trained for last few years to perfection to hide her nervousness, going numb. War kunoichi she might have been, but she wasn't stupid - she witnessed enough of politics to last a lifetime as her father's daughter.
"Yes. That forest green really does suit you." The Kazekage decided thoughtfully. "Pity you do not have more of those." He sighed. "But I guess it is my fault. I never paid as much attention as I should, never noticed how quickly you have been growing, not just as a shinobi but as a woman."
"I have never paid much... attention to those matters, father." The blonde said carefuly. "There is not much use for those here."
"Nonsense!" The man waved her weak protests away. "One does not live by strength of arms alone." He said calmly. "After all, shinobi are still people, aren't we?"
"Ah." Temari nodded.
After all, what could she say to that?
"Temari..." The older man looked at her thoughtfully and the blonde cocked her head waiting for her father's words, but the redheaded shinobi simply trailed off, not finishing the sentence for a long moment, as if pondering something.
"The boy... pay attention to him." He siad finally. "But not just to him. This house... I am leaving it in your hands. Hazuki-san will help you with whatever you might need."
The kunoichi simply sat there, eyes wide. This wasn't what she expected. While her father never shunned her she was always little more than an observer, even if not the most passive one. In fact it suited her - politics, while she understood them, were not something she wanted in her life anymore than they laready were.
She had enough of it living in her house as it was. But to do something like this... she would have to play the role of a host, something she had completely no experience with.
"...father?" she said with confusion. "But-"
The Kazekage raised an eyebrow.
"Is there some kind of problem, daughter?" He asked calmly.
"...I..." Temari swallowed. "No. No problem, father."
"That's good." The man said, before turning away to look at his garden agian. "Then I am sure you have much to do."
Temari looked at her father's back, face expresionless, before walking out without a word.
The Kazekage smiled under his veil.
*
The windows were open, the drinks made and the clothes went again back where they belonged, to Naruto's gratitude. While Hana opted for a shirt and shorts, Anko fished for a suitably slinky yukata, though one in burned oranges and blacks. And, Naruto suspected, nothing more besides given the amount of leg and cleavage she displayed, and the... outline of her silhoutte under it. Theough the most unusual part of her new look was the subtle make up, the first time Naruto had ever seen her use any.
Her face, contrary to Hana's, wasnt' exactly... softened by it. It wasn't aggressive, but the color of the lipstick and the shade she used for her eyes made for a striking touch while remaining elegant. It was, in fact, a style he was very familair with after last few years. Though where Kurenai made it look smooth and elegant, on Anko it was subtly changed and looked more... something. It was that something that left him trying to grasp it, but failing each time.
"This is a kunoichi skill as well, boyo." Anko said with amusement, taping his head with a fan.
"Battle make-up?" He quirked an eyebrow sardonically.
"Partially." Anko agreed with a grin. "Remember, kunoichi get the missions when you have to run like a goddamn cheetah though the roofs and then be back in a blink of na eye, looking fresh, lazy and like a proper giggling little piece of ass just itching to be picked up by the rich fucks on the party."
"Cute." Hana rolled her eyes. "But could you please be a bit less crude, Anko?"
"Crude?" The jounin quirked an eyebrow. "Girl, that's our daily bread, like it or not. Sex is as much of a weapon as any and you'd be surprised how many times it is used."
"Not really." Hana shrugged. "It is a basic tactic, after all, and you need a sutable specialist for that anyway, like with everything. Not just anyone would do."
"And where do you think Konoha _gets_ those specialists? There are only so many kunoichi, kiddo."
The younger kunoichi blinked in confusion, and Anko gave her a half amused, half pitying look.
"You really _are_ green, ain't 'cha? One of those days you should have a good, long sit-down with Kurenai." The jounin drawled. "Ask her why did her joinin promotion hit... snags. Or better yet - ask Yukino why did she resign her comission."
Hana frowned, but nodded.
"All right, let's talk shop." The purple haired jounin said decissively, waving her fan back and fro lazily. The weather in Suna was hellish, as far as Naruto was concerned. It, paradoxically, wasn't as bad outside, but with the air standing still in the hotel as it was he would have far preferred outdoors with its breeze even if he had to risk sunrays hitting like a hammer of god. The little trick he picked from Kurenai could only go so far, after all, and it wasn't exactly suited for such weather.
The Inuzuka heiress raised an eyebrow.
"How many security seals _are_ there in this room?" She asked curiously.
"Security? One." The jounin tapped her fan on the table, pointing at the large seal covering a sheet of paper.
"Diffusion? Twenty three." Naruto took a sip of tea clamly.
"Diffusion?" Hana blinked.
"Remember that little swirly thing you got to add at the end of every storage seal? It is a diffusion array. When you seal the stuff in, you use chakra - when you get it out, you use chakra too, but there are precious few people capable of matching _exact_ amount of chakra given in and later out." Explained Anko. "That's... well, that's _high_ class stuff, and you need chakra control that puts most jounin to shame. Not to mention downright freaky memory. The diffusion siphons off the fringe chakra, one either going 'in' or 'out'."
The younger kunoichi looked at the jounin oddly.
"See, when you set up overpowered diffusion seals, they sort of 'blanket' the area in a fog of released chakra. Now, an individual might do the same, BUT!" Anko smirked. "The diffusion seals are chaotic, irregular and change patterns - if you might call it that - cosntantly. Any listening, scrying, or otherwise spying seal? Goes on a fritz, immideatly."
Hana said nothing, simply staring at Anko.
"What? That not simple enough for you?" The dango addict frowned.
"I guess you could write a diagram or something. One picture being worth a thousand words and all that." Naruto added thoughtfully.
"Hey, that's not such a bad idea!" Anko snapped her fingers, before grabbing a sheet of paper and a pencil they used to create the seal with Naruto, and scribblig something furiously on it. "See, it is like that - when the chakra goes into the seal, it isn't static-
"Are you kidding me?" Hana said incredously.
"Huh?" Anko looked up form her paper.
"Girl, are you fucking _kidding_ me?!" The Inuzuka heiress repeated. "Did someone forget to pay the reality bill this month or something?!"
Naruto and Anko blinked, looking at each other with confusion.
"I get that Naruto is a bookworm - he has no life and either goes on missions or closes himself off in that library of his for weeks. I get that. But since when were _you_ the library girl?" The brunette said incredously.
Anko looked at her blankly for a long moment.
"You _do_ remember who I was apprenticed to, right?" she asked dryly, and Hana's eyes widened as the understanding dawned.
"...oh." The dog master said weakly.
"Yeah, oh, my perfect ass." The purple haired jounin sighed. "Also, for your information, dog girl - I graduated at ten, setting one of the highest records for overall grade until that freak of nature Itachi came along - that's for theoretical AND practical. What, you though that snake bastard took me on because I kicked our instructor's ass in combat exercises?" She snarked.
"She also wrote a standard security manual for counter-genjutsu/seal diffusion teams when she was seventeen." Naruto added helpfully, causing Anko to freeze.
"How the HELL do _you_ know about that?" She asked incredously.
"One, I work closely with one of the premier genjutsu masters - who is your best friend - of her generation as her apprentice. Two, it relates to genjutsu which is my primary field of expertise. And, last but not least, it is a _book_." Naruto deadpanned. "Did you expect me _not_ to get it?"
"You _do_ know it is classified for anyone without lower B-class security ranking, right?" The pruple haired jounin said suspiciously. "How the hell did you manage to get your grubby hands on it?"
"Oh that's easy." Naruto smirked. "I am the _only_ genin with genjutsu as speicalisation. Coincidentally, the only other genjutsu specialists are at least chuunin level for trainees, and tokubetsu jounin for full-on experts. It just so happens that my acess file has 'genjutsu specialist' on it, and somehow no one took my actual rank into account, oddly enough."
The two kunoichi's eyes widened in unison.
"...are you telling me that you have acess to the classified information I need an official permission to even _see_... because of a... a _technicality_?" Hana muttered with disbelief.
"More or less." Naruto said glibly, taking a sip of tea with relish. "Well, that and the fact I have A-class, special restricted personal security rating. So that might throw them off a little, I guess. Assumptions and all that... what can I say?" He shrugged philosophically.
Anko blinked.
"...you what?" She said incredously. "But.. but... that's for tokubetsu jounin-level operatives and upwards! That's MY security clearance, you little bastard!" She pointed at him accusingly. "How the HELL does a _genin_ rate one?!"
"Genin? Not really." Naruto's smirk widened. "But, see... there is a cute little fox in my stomach and most files are marked with that in mind. After all, they can't exactly execute _me_ for unlawful knowledge about myself, now can they? It isn't _my_ fault the bureaucracy is as blind as it is stupid."
Anko and Hana simply stared blankly at the blond.
"A genin... with A-class rating." Hana siad woodenly, before blinking. 'Scratch that - _Naruto_ with an A-class restricted security clearance.'
"A-class restricted rating..." Anko said slowly. "On a bureaucratic technicality." Her lips twitched despite her best wishes. "Bureaucratic. Technicality."
'...did she say team manuals? But only specialist chuunin teams are-' Hana's eyes widened enough to pass off as saucers in a pinch as she stared at the angelic smile on Naruto's face. Only angels shouldn't look so damn smug, or show so many teeth when smiling. Suddenly, the fact that Naruto spent most of his free time reading stopped being so amusnigly adorable. Given Naruto's innate chakra levels and access to high-end genjutsu instruction from Kurenai _and_ high-level manuals most genin didn't even know about...
"Bureaucratic. Fucking. Technicality." Anko chocked out with a mad giggle escaping, before giving up and erupting into mad laughter.
"It isn't _that_ funny." Hana grumbled.
"Hell yeah it is!" The jounin continued to laugh on, gabbing Naruto by the neck. "Kid, I am fucking amazed you didn't raid the archives for all that wasn't nailed down, and then went for crowbar to pry the nails, considerining how you eat books."
"Didn't have the time, to tell the truth." The blond sighed forlornly. "...all those pretty scrolls... besides, even desk morons would get suspicious if I checked out my own weight in books. Haste makes waste, as Kurenai says. Little paitence..."
"Goes a long way." Anko's grin widened. "That's my girl!" She laughed.
Han blinked owlishly.
"Wait a minunte..." she muttered. "Kurenai... knows?"
"Who do you think helps me search through that garbage to find something useful?" Naruto looked at her oddly.
"Well, I guess that would make sense." The jounin said thoughtdully. "Her clearance is a level lower, after all. That way she can get her hands on the tricks and nicnaks without all that stupid red tape."
"But... but...!" The Inuzuka woman struggled in reconciling the image of calm, refiend and elegant kunoichi with what she was hearing. Yuuhi Kurenai was supposed to be a lady and a smooth proffesional - not someone who resolved to her trumped-up security clearance to all but _steal_ data from Konoha's vaults under the cover of some borderline legal loophole. "But... that's _Kurenai_!" She protested weakly.
"Exactly." Anko smirked. "Girl, one of these days we'll grab Kurenai-chan for a night out and I'll show you Little Miss Perfect walking on the wild side. Amusing and hot as hell."
"You're kidding me." Hana said scepitcally.
"'Fraid not." The jounin shrugged. "Hell, you should see what motivated Suzu-chin can do when she feels like it."
"Suzu-chin...?" The younger kunoich frowned.
"Suzume. Man, now _that_ one's got fire."
"...Suzume?" Hana said slowly. "As in... Namida Suzume?"
"No other." Anko grinned. "Trust me, it is an experience that has to be lived through."
"Huh." The Inuzuka heiress frowned. "Man... that's something I just have to see it with my own eyes."
"Sure, after we get Kurneai and all." Anko shrugged.
"Yes, would someone please remember _why_ we are here in the first place?" Naruto snapped.
"Sit, boy." Hana said absently, earning herself a strange cross between a drawn-put growl and a hiss that made her hair stand in a worst, most primal way. It took all her self control not to leap on her feet and growl back, or smash something.
She still bared her teeth, hackles rising as her body tensed visibly, canines and claws bared and ready. Naruto just stared back, looking more animal than man even more so than Hana did, which was odd since he lacked Inuzuka's animalistic traits.
There was just something... sharp about him, something predatory that made Anko's own instincts stand at attention and ready for battle.
The tense silence reigned for a moment, before the two younger shinobi chose to lean back slowly without a word, never losing a sight of each other.
Anko blinked, looking between the duo. "Hey, somethin' wrong?" She asked, straining to keep her voice cheerful and light.
"Nothing." Hana said, her voice tense, hands forcibly relaxed, palms pointing straight down.
"Nothing at all." Naruto echoed, his own hands relaxed, bur fingers curling slightly. In some odd way, the younger blond looked more like a wolf than the young kunoichi did.
The two looked at each other, eyes half-lidded and teeth bared slightly.The staredown continued until Hana gave Naruto a slightest of nods, and the blond, ever so slowly, nodded back. As if on command, their shulders and arms relaxed, the odd feeling of not quite hositlity vanishing as if it was never there.
"Okay." Anko's eyes narrowed. "Can someobody tell me what what the hell was that? And the first one to say nothing will get their ass kicked, just so you know." She said darkly.
"To be honest... I am not quite sure." Hana said, looking at Naruto speculatively.
"Like hell!!" The jounin snarled. "You two looked to be fucking _inches_ from tearing each others' throats! With your fucking TEETH! What the HELL?!"
"My fault. I think." Naruto said reluctantly. "I didn't know it'd be like... that, though."
"That's primal stuff. Closer to the surface, for me." Hana shrugged. "Didn't know he was so... in tune, though."
"I'd _say_." Anko threw him a dirty look. "Since when do you go howling at the moon, brat?"
"Always, to tell the truth." The jinchuuriki shrugged.
"The fox?" The jounin asked, a specialative gleam in her eyes.
"Possibly." Naruto nodded noncomittially.
The jounin looked at her friend for a long moment, before sighing.
"Whatever." she said finally. "Okay. now to more important matters."
"The Kazekage." Naruto nodded, eager to change topics.
"Precisely."
"I call bullshit." Hana said bluntly. "This whole thing is out of whack, no matter how you look at it. He wants something."
"The political pressure on the Hokage?" Naruto speculated.
Anko rolled her eyes.
"With the kid's rep? Possible but... you don't rate the attention, and they lose either way if they do that given how things are. Besides, the way the whole town is afraid of him? No." She frowned, fanning herself lazily. "There is something about it... it stinks of power-play. But what kind?"
"Well, I am a host..." the young ninja speculated out lud.
"A non-issue." Anko shook her head. "Too high-profile either for elimination _or_ for recruitment. He'd have tried it before, and there are a hundred and one factors that make it implausible. So... what's left?"
"A bargaining chip of some kind?" Suggested the blond.
"Possible but unlikely." The jounin murmured. "But... you might be on to something here."
"You know... we might be looking at it the wrong way." Hana siad thoughtfully. "We are looking for some kind of detrimental angle - but what if it is the other way around?"
Anko and Naruto blinked.
"What do you mean?" The older kunoichi asked.
"Well, we are an odd group." Hana pointed out. "Mismatched, for one, our genin pulls a smackdown on a jinchuuriki in public, we are here for no defined reason... he might not seek some angle - he might think _we_ have an angle."
"Hey, that's... actually good thinking." Anko murmured. "Yeah. If he thinks we have something going on... which we _do_, just not in the way he thinks... yeah I can see that."
"Which doesn't mean he won't want to use us anyway." Naruto pointed out.
"Exactly." Hana nodded, before grimacing. "...god, I hate politics."
"Hey, be gald it is the ninja version." Ankoo smirked. "When all fails, you can simply slit their throats."
"I'd rather not." The Inuzuka woman said dryly. "Since the other sie has that option too - and we are in the middle of their village."
"Which make us official and removing us a non-issue." Naruto pointed out.
"Oh, I don't know. Stranger things had happened." Anko said lightly. "But overall, he has little to gain by pissing us off - especialy after we let slip we are on a rescue mission of sorts."
"Don't." Hana said immideatly. "That will imply we are holding him responsible for keeping us here and obstructing our mission."
"Oh. That would be... bad." Naruto winced.
"Yeah, like 'Kage' bad." The older kunoichi said darkly. "We _do_ need to tell them _something_, though - and I guarantee talking about dragging Tsuande-hime back to Konoha won't go down easily."
"Why? She's a medic, we have a need for one." Naruto shrugged. "Case closed."
"No, Anko is right dammit." Hana grimaced, combing her dark hair through with her hand. "This just might be very shaky ground if we mention that."
"Nowadays, Tsunade is remembered for her medical skill, but it wasn't always that way." Anko explained, seeing Naruto's questioning look. "When I was still a kid she was an active shinobi, and the hospital shifts... well, that was secondary." The woman sighed, leaning back. "You are both too young to have met her, but I was a Sannin's apprentice, I saw her in battle. You have no idea what she was capable of. I mean, all of them were scary fucks, yeah. But Tsunade... if there ever was a woman fit to be called the queen of kunoichi, she was it."
"I heard stories from mom." Hana said with a wistful smile. "They always seemed like some... well, you know, fantastic tales - like 'one man facing a thousand' larger than life, like those heroes of old and stuff."
"Girl, you have _no_ idea." Anko said softly. "There was this conflict, don't really remember the reasons. Two local daimyo just decided to kill each other dead. Rich guys, real rich. At first it didn't seem like our business - I mean, let thme kill each other - unless it spilled over to our borders, who cares? In that time, shadow war was basically all out and minor conflicts were daily occurences."
She shrugged
"Then the zone became a hotspot, most of our troops were busy with different stuff and that war needed to end _fast_. Problem was, the guys hired a lot of nueknin, and even some legit shinobi from smaller villages and they had money to burn to fortify themselves. Also, instead of sending out the armies to kill ecah other like the proper noble fucks should, they went for raids. Sorta 'you hit me - I'll hit you twice and burn your farm' shit and so on. Worst of all, the honchos were guarded _well_, so simple assassination was out. The situation was getting more messed up by a minute."
"So what happened?" Hana asked curiously.
"Well, instead of sending an ANBU team, or a contingent, Sarutobi sent one nin. Tsunade." Anko chuckled. "Thing is, Tsunade was pissed, didn't much like to be called away and shit. So... she decided to wrap the matters fast. Real fast."
Anko smirked.
"Next thing we know, the small army of cutthorats was meekly forced into reconstructing shit lost in the war - sans castles - and Tsunade was having a grand time drinking the best sake money could by, waited on by two daimyo who would probably have a heart attack if she frowned at them. As for the castles... well, there were two new lakes in the vicinity that weren't there before."
"Holy shit.." Naruto blinked. "What did she do? Stuffed the castles to the roof with explosive notes or something?"
"She stomped." Anko deadpanned. "Real hard."
*
There was something about the night air that made him feel more aware. Not more alive, but there was that tiny splinter in his awarness, widening with each moment as the sun set and the shade fell, before being replaced by the night's cloak. It felt... good. Familiar, which was rather strange.
True, he spent the most time in the vampire shell over the years but shades, not the night, were his true home - neither light nor dark, feeding off either. Sort of in-between of everything, which suited him fine. Only fools dealt in absolutes, after all. Still, the night did feel good, and there were torches to cast plenty of shadows around, just an arm's length away. Suna's architecture was good like that, though not as good as the hodgepodge that was Konoha.
Take a step to the balcony, let the moon wash over you and then take a step to the left - the shadows beckoned like old friends, inciting in their soft way. Like an old, comfortable cloak you couldn't bear to part with, one that was warmer than any fancy new jackets you might have bought. Well worn in to his silhoutte - so much that every fold seamlessly settled on the skin.
The blond smiled lazily, sinking into the shadow deeper, letting the immaterial shade play between his fingers, half imagined, half substance.
Even in this body his 'gift' was beckoning and shadows were still old friends eager to meet him, despite anything else.
The blond's palm tightened around the ephemeral cord of shade, but like aquicksilver it was gone with but a teasing kiss on the tips of his fingers, flickering away and out of his grasp as if it was never there.
'I guess... this is only to be expected, huh?' He thought, letting his arm fall, before he slammed it into the wall angrily. "...dammit. Not much is left, is there? Pale fucking shadow indeed. What a joke..."
"Naruto...?"
The blond looked up form his corner of the balcony, notcing Hana standing in the moonlight, looking around cautiously.
"Here."
"...shit!" The chuuin whirled, zeroing on his voice. "don't do that to me!"
"Aren't you a shinobi?" The jinchuriki said dryly. "Night should be your element."
"Not like yours." The Inuzuka grumbled, her eyes slowly piercing the darkness. "God, you'r elike some jack-in-the-box or something... how do you do that?"
"Practice." He smirked. "A lot of practice."
"Yeah, I just bet." Hana looked at him for a long moment, her face unreadable and her emotions a bundle of confusion even she couldn't make heads and tails of. "Come on, its time to get ready."
*
"Hmm." Hana frowned, tugging at the collar of the dark red gi tighter, taking astep back to inspect the effect critically "Hmm.... hm? Mmmm?" She nodded with satisfaction grabbing a voluminous (for Naruto's current frame, at elast) haori. It was burgundy, trimmed with grey so dark it was almost black. Given ash-grey hakama, it made for a surprisngly decent combinatin with Naruto's sun-kissed hair. "A-ha!"
"You are enjoying this far too much." The blond said sourly
"Ah, give it a rest!" Hana pouted. "Let the girl have her fun, would you? It was just... what, an hour or two?"
"'Just'?" The blond protested. "You have been using me as your personal mannequin for hours!"
"We need to be presentable." she reminded him.
"Presenable is one thing - making me try on _all_ out of the - needlesly large, let me add - pile clothes you have bought is completely another."
"It isn't _my_ fault you can't dress worth a damn." Hana rolled her eyes. "And we need to see which one looks best on you."
"I still don't know what's the fuss about it all." The blond grumbled, itching to pull the collar, before hacing his hand slapped away by Hana. "As long as it looks official enough it is good, right?"
Hana quirked an eyebrow, giving Naruto a look.
"You never had a girlfriend, had you?" she said with amsuement.
"What has that got to do with anything?" Naruto blinked in confusion.
"One day, some poor idiot girl with more heart than brain will take pity on you, and then I'll remind you of that." Hana said with a smirk. "And laugh like crazy."
The blond just shrugged.
"You'll see." The older girl chuckled.
"Oh stop trying to play 'old wise woman' with me, Inuzuka." Naruto rolled his eyes. "What are you, fifteen?"
"Still older than you, shrimp." She pointed out.
"Now _that_ is something I'll delight in pointing out later on." Naruto said smugly. He might have not known much about women (aside form Ino and Sakura, but those two hardly counted in his mind) but he had yet to meet a woman that wasn't sensitive about her age, one way or another. Well, save Anko at times - but she was Anko, so that should explain all.
"How the hell did you manage to get such a mouth under Kurenai-san I have no idea." Hana sighed. "How could such a nice woman get such a rude, antoscial ball of acid as a student I'll never know."
"Be happy you don't." Naruto said, his eyes losing their focus for a moment.
Hana paused in her dress-up minsitrations, looking at her blond freind odddly. His face was strangely pensive and for some reason looked... it looked the same way Hokage-sama did during the Kyuubi Defeat festival. Old, but not in any way regarding age. More like feeling each day he lived with perfect clarity. While it wasn't out of place on the face of an old man - especially if he was the Hoakge - seeing it on Naruto's youthful one was just surreal and rather unsettling.
Then it covered by the cocksure, bold face she was used to seeing, so rapidly that she was wodnering if she didn't imagine it all.
'...goddamn illusionists.'
"The one who should be happy is Kurenai, don't you think?" The duo blinked, turning to the door, freezing in wide-eyed stare. "After all we do it all for her. Or Naruto is, rather."
While Naruto couldn't exactly understand the fuss over the clothes, he had to admit that Hana looked... nice in that dark red yukata she managed to find. the color was a few shades darker than the Clan marks she displayed on her face proudly, and bore a delicate white outline of wolves. A little ostentatious but very fitting given her slightly wild aura, even one softened by make-up. Anko, however...
If one was expecting something extravagant or outrageously skimpy, one would be in for a great surprise. The yukata was completely classical, even little longer than hana's, with wider sleeves. It was purple but so dark it seemed black at a first glance, which only served to bring out subtle, a tone lighter pattern of concentric rings that seemed to ripple through the garment with each move like water after a pebble was thrown into it.
While it made quite an impression in daylight, Naruto had to admit stunning when it was dark, especially given the serpentine grace the older kunoichi moved with.
Unlike Hana, who had a very nice pair of silver hairpins, Anko chose to wear no jewlery but instead picked up - gods knew how and when - a bamboo umbrella in shades of dark purple that completed the attire.
"So?" She asked, opening her umbrella in a fluid move and letting it rest on her shoulder in a manner not unlike an expensive geisha might.
"This... this is..." Hana said, triyng to reconcile the image of the brash, crass and devil-may-care Mitarashi Anko she knew with the yukata-clad graceful beauty in front of her. She expected Anko either to either wear something simple or outrageously flashy - not something like... this. In fact, right now she regretted picking that more subdued yukata rather than that burgundy, more elaborate one she had in mind. "...all right, I admit, this isn't what I expected. At all." She conceded finally.
Naruto just nodded dumbly, not saying a word.
"Geez... you actually make that weird yukata look... good." The Inuzuka woman said with amazed shake of her head. "And here I bought it just because it was on a bargain sale... well, live and learn, eh Naruto?" Hana blinked, turning to look at her frined, before sighing at his vacant stare. "Naruto? Hey, Naruto!"
"...huh?" He turned to her dazedly.
"Yay!" Anko made a V sign with a grin. "Flawless victory!"
Hana just sighed.
*
It was an odd prcession that arrived at the doors of the Kazekage's home. Led by a smooth-faced, elegant maid who called herself Hazuki, the trio left the VIP hotel. The maid herself didn't hurry as she walked, lantern in hand, through the Sunagakure. What bothered Naruto a little was the fact that she didn't seem to avoid any of the main streets, as he would have expected her to.
Suna, as a desert village, was even more active during the evening when the buring sun finally set, than it was in the middle of the day, thus citizens and shinoi alike still crowded the streets. He would bet his sword on the fact that some of the faces out there saw the Kazekage's son rather ignoble defeat - a suspicion that turned into certanity when he caught some hushed murmurs as he passed one of the main avenues of the village.
And yet, the Kazekage's head maid didn't hurry. If anything she seemed to take a scenic route, almost making certain the citizens had seen them.
He threw a questioning lok at Anko, who only nodded slowly, while Hana's face had an unreadable look she settled on even before they left the hotel.
'Anko was right. It stinks to high heaven and has the grubby palms of politics all over it.' He thought with distaste. 'Taking a blow to his power like that? No one is that even tempered, not unless he wants something. Politics, dammit. Seems like it doesn't go away no matter who or where you are.'
He was a loner, but he was also a general and part of Kain's court for decades, before things started to go so very wrong for them all. Besides, escaping a hundred and one plots that could kill him honed that fine tuned survival instinct to a razor's edge. The rust that gathered over it was just the patine of less than half a decade compared ot the centires of survival.
But the first and last rule was always 'don't underestimate your enemy'. Just next to 'know your enemy', and the Kazekage he knew very little about.
'About most of the leaders, actually. Or their villages, aside from the military prefference.' He realized suddenly. '...fool, fool, FOOL!' Naruto berated himself. 'You naive brat! Thinking yourself imperivious to machinations, now that you're just a face in the crowd? You deserve everything you get you arrogant child!'
It took all of his self-control not to growl, or otherwise show his anger in any visible manner. He became too complacent, too used to the ease of life and forgot that no matter who you were, how much power you got and how strong you believed yourself to be there was always someone better out there, and it took one slip up for his precious little world to come apart at the seams.
'As if!' He growled inwardly. 'You want to take what is mine form me? Come and try! I will guarantee the price will be steep.'
A warm hand grasped his arm almost painfully, nails digging deep. The blond blinked, to see Hana's impassive face next to him, her hand holding his, covered as they were by the folds of thier clothes.
He forced himself to relax, notcing the maid throwing a quick look behind, her eyes skimming over them.
Was it his imagination, or did she seem to slow there for a minute.
'...dammit.'
"Are you trying to make us look bad, kids?" Anko murmured form behind her violet fan, her voice almost inaudible for normal ears, but clear enough for their ehcanced senses. "Get a grip. Or rather lose one and fast."
Hana stepped away withotua word, Naruto falling in step next to her.
'Idiots.' Anko mouthed, her fan angling just enough for Naruto and Hana to see it.
The Inuzuka woman stared stubbornly ahead, absently smoothing out the folds of her Yukata, while Naruto just forced himself to relax even more. It was so much _harder_ to keep the emotins reigned in like that. Felsh did have its donwsides, after all, and at times he had been just... buzzing with emotions.
Not that he was the most controlled individual out there, but the hormones were a nightmare to deal with at times. He sometimes had an urge to slam his head against the enarest wall after the emotions ran calmer and he wasn't in the thick of it.
'Here is to hoping I don't lose it in front of the Kazekage.' The blond thought sourly. 'Yeah. This just keeps on looking better and better. somehow, I have no doubt that Kain is out there somewhere and he is laughing at me right now.'
"Honored guests, we have arrived." The maid stopped as they reached a large, elegant house standing in some distance from the center of the village. Close enough to be still a part of Suna proper, but far enoguh to to be bothered by noise and daily grind of huimanity passing the streets. Naruto had seen the setting many a time - after all, it was identical to the location of the castles of various nobles he met in Nosgoth over the centuries.
'Some things don't change at all.' He thought, somewhat regaining his equilibruim thanks to that. 'Thank the gods for small favours.'
"Good evening, honored guests." The blonde standing in tidy garden greeted them smoothly, bowing slightly. Not much, but just enough to be courteous and proper without seeming submissive.
Her yukata, unlike Hazuki's blue, was forest green with a tree pattern on it and of fine make.
'Very fine.' Naruto thought privately. He was all for utilitarian clothes, but he spent a lot of time around Kurenai and the woman loved thefiner things in life that were on the more elegant side. Not to mention the recent shopping trip with Hana helped to enlighten him to the prices some of those slips of fabric could cost.
The yukata Hana bought wasn't cheap by any means, but what the girl wore easily outsripped it several times. In fact Naruto didn't rememebr seeing anything quite of that quality on sale when they were shopping. Which was odd, given that the elegant, fine-boned Hazuki, as pretty a woman as any he had seen, seemed ot fit it more.
The blonde, while very attractive, didn't seem to... fit the fabric she wore. He didnt' know why that was - she was graceful, carried her head high and had a regal air around her, if a very stark one. Though she held herself somewhat stiffly, there was no denying she was very attractive, if different from a delicate maid. Her body under the yukata was more voluptous, even if she didn't look to be older than Hana, and there was the elusive grace only kunoichi posessed.
The girl was trained, and judging by her coordination and frame, trained well. She was an odd dichotomy of fine silk and strength, a whiff of perfume but no jewlery, not even a pendant or an earring.
'A warrior.' He thought, noticing as her eyes took them in even as she bowed. 'Strange. Why is she-'
"I am Temari and on the behest of my father, the Kazekage of Sunagakure, I welcome you to his home."
'Oh.' Naruto blinked.
*
Temari was tense, she would even admit that if someoen asked her. In fact Hazuki did, but that was neither here or now. Contarary to what one might think, it wasn't the technical aspects of the 'party' - Hazuki was an extremely capable host and her help would mean everything would go smoothly on that front.
The former chuunin was a an uninspiring kunoichi but an unparraled organizer and much happier with her current duties than with the frontline assignments, of that Temari had no doubt.
No, the reason for her apprehension laid within the guests.
Honestly, she didn't know what to expect when she heard of hGaara's defeat. The jinchuuriki - for she wouldn't call that maniac her brother the way things were - was unstable, but also strong. Anyone who defeated him would have to be just as strong, and as she knew well. But there was strength and there was strength.
The amount of power needed to put Gaara down was enormous - she wouldn't be able to do it evne if the redhead somehow got rid of that invincible defense of his, and she was far from week. Gaara was simply beyond her and she knew that.
For someone to manage it while surprised, and do it with an apparent Suiton technique in the middle of Suna? That was almost so ridiculous she'd have dissmissed it if she didn't visit the scene herself and didn't hear people talking. But that was nothing comparing to the fact that Gaara's 'prey' turned out to be a boy around the jinchuuriki's age. She didn't want to believe it - it was just absurd.
She trained diligently since she was six, honing her abilities thanks to the best teachers and jutsu she was privy to as the Kazekage's daughter, and Gaara was so far beyond her abilities it wasn't even funny. And there comes a Konoha brat, waltzing into their village and pulls it off after an order of... of ramen? It wasn't even absurd - it was just plain freaky.
And then Hazuki, calmly as you please, with that smile of hers she use dot onstruct Temari when she messed up in one ofthe softer and more feminine arts, there she goes and calls the brat a _genin_?
She didn't know if to feel amazed at the audacity, or insulted. After all, what kidn of genin could fight a jinchuuriki?
Then she saw the boy in question, and her confusion reached its zenith.
He was short, though not puny considering his strong, if youtful frame. At a frist glance he looked to be in his early teens, most certainly younger than her. Then she noticed the bright cerulean eyes and her whole perspective just felt.... off. Eyes like that should be bright and cheerful, open and honest in their vibrancy - coupled with that sunk-kissed hair of a deeper shade of gold than her own faded straw one, they almost begged to be. Instead they looked... odd.
Not cold, like her father's calculating gaze she was used to, or angry. Just unsexpectedly... old. And like steel, unbending and somewhat chilly in that arrogance she had only seen in accomplished shinobi, which was both right and so wrong coupled iwth that whiskered face that seemed more fit for a rougish smile or a carefree grin.
It was such a disturbing dichotomy she couldn't stop but stare for a moment. She epxected some answers, but instead meeting Uzumaki Naruto just raised more questions and confusion.
The two women, though soemwhat easier to read, didn't help the matters any, though they did add their two ryo to the pile of oddities.
Inuzuka Hana, for one, looked surprisingly elegant for a heiress of the clan famed for their fierce, beast-like battle prowess, manging to make this red yukata she wore look undeniably good, even if it wasn't exactly tailored for her.
Temari expected a fierce woman, claws and utilitarian clothes that would be easier to move in. Instead she got a rather attractive young woman with only hints of the more bestial traits swimming under the surface. The calm hazel eyes and the fang-like clan makrs on her cheeks, accompanied by the elegant yukata were a mite confusing. The large dog walking beside its mistress, the rich ash-grey fur obviously well groomed and taken care of, just deepened it.
As for Mitarashi Anko, she didn't know much of her, but she knew more than enough of Orochimaru to see that the jounin didn't seem at all like her former teacher. That is until she started moving.
The ripple-like pattern of her yukata coupled with serpentine, almost arrogant grace of the older woman made for a disturbingly atractive and dangerous combination when one remembered why she was so much like a serpent. Indeed, at some point, Temari expected one of the snakes the sannin was infamous for slink out of the wide sleeves of her yukata. Instead, the only thing that hid int he jounin's sleeve was a nice if common fan she had to have bought in Suna judging by the style.
In fact, the fan had to be bought in the very same store she often frequented herself for minor fixes and upkeep of her own dai-tessen collection. While the woman was a weapon-smith specialising in fans, her husband was a craftsman making a range of fans and accesories and that looked to be one of his works, if she wasn't mistaken. Which meant Mitarashi didn't usually hold a fan... though the easy grace she held and moved it with would deny that.
Not to mention, from what Hazuki told her, Mitarashi Anko was a loud and brash battle kunoichi. A war nin contrary to her more insidious teacher, always happy to be in the thick of it rather than stab at the back. She certianly didn't mention a woman capable of wearing the yikata as fracefully as Hazuki herself could, and Temari could see from the slight, troubled galnces at the jounin, the head maid was a mite uneasy about it.
Somehow, some way, she couldn't help but think that whatever her father was planning wasnt going to unfold like he had planned neither fast, nor easily.
'No.' She thought, biding the guests to follow her to the dining hall. 'Not easily at all.'
*
No one could in their right mind call the Kazekage charming - even when he was in his teens, the redheaded man was a very focused individual. However he wsa a politician and over the years he had found that while using the stick was something he was really good at, sometimes the carrot was even better.
It was a harsh lesson, one that cost him some ninja and one somewhat wasted jinchuuriki, but then he was a very capable shinobi and only those didn't make mistakes who dind't try. Contrary to others, he always learned from his, and tended not to repeat the failed moves twice.
As such, when the small banquet -for it was most certianly no party - started, the Kazekage turned out to be an amiable and cultured host. He didn't joke with the guests, but he wasn't cold either, instead letting Temari shoulder the more overt responsibility for the supper, while he let the relaxed bits and pieces of his usual acidic humor seep through. Nothing overy, just enoguh to let the sting out of the barbs and draw the responses from the guests.
Considering the etiquette did demand one to talk to their host, the momentary awkwardness was quickly smoothed into a free-flowing, if cautious, chat over the excellent meal, thanks to Hazuki's gentle guidance and Temari's somewhat stiff attempts at imitating their father, though in a far more neutral way.
'Pay attention.' her father had said, and so she did. To be honest she'd have done that regardless. As any good nin, Temari hated mysteries unless they were her own - especially ones laid on her doorstep so to speak, and the trio of Konoha nins was choke full of those. It... irked her. It unnerved her. It made her curious. In short, it pushed all the right buttons.
The Kazekage said nothing, his dry smile widening slightly for a briefest of moments. Contrary to what one might think, he did know his children pretty well and understood them better than most parents would. Seeing Temari's mind working to catch the bait he had thrown her was an entertainment by itself.
Not as much as watching the guests, to be sure, but quite interesting as well. The two kunoichi and the young 'genin' though... well, he had to admit hrere was something to be said for social niceties.
If anything, the boy and his companions were... entertaining, even if that was a marginal case. Above all, they were interesting. And 'they' was quitre appropriate in this case - at first he thought he'd have to tediously deal iwth two older shinobi, steering them away slightly until he had a chance to talk to the young ninja properly, but to his surprise the women seemed to back off.
'Though 'back off' might be a wrong way of putting it.' He admitted. 'More like... let him?'
In essence, that might have been it, though he wasn't quite sure. The blond on his own was a mite confusing, but throw in the two women and that confusion only deepened. His ANBU's report wasn't a mistake - while the kunoichi were both older and outstripping him in rank, he was the one calling the shots, albait if it was official or not, he could only guess.
His money was on 'not' but you never knew. It was still a shock that someone like that was a genin - he had reasons for keeping Gaara where he was, but Konoha loved their geniuses far too much to allow a prodiguy remain of low rank for long. why wasn't the boy promoted, then?
Disliked or not, he was obviously an asset - powerful as his fight had shown, and smart to know how and when to sue that power from what he could judge by his behaviour. There was of course that arrogant streak, like in every young, up and coming shinobi he had met, but thne the strong were entitled to it. It was, however, curiously... muted. Or should it rather be 'tempered'? By what he had no idea, but he would have to look up the boy's teacher.
Yuuhi Kurenai wasn't someone he knew anything about since she didn't seem of much consequence, but if she was Naruto's teacher it might explain some curious oddities he had noticed during the youth's time in Suna so far. After all, if he became her apprentice at mere age of ten, the influence that woman held over his development would have been considerable. Every child needed a mother - or a mother figure. And however friendly the Mitarashi woman seemed to have been with the jinchuuriki, she was certainly no mother material.
The mere thought of the Sannin's former apprentice almost caused him to smile. Anko's presence, whiche h at first reagarded as a curious obstacle at best, turned out to be a boon. Considering the obvious bond of camraderie the two shared, others might think her a hindrance, but he knew better.
After all, the woman was an excellent example of what he wanted the boy to see - like most prodigues, Naruto craved power, wished to see his limits and realize his potential. No matter his strength, the way things were Konoha would never let him do that, of which Mitarashi was a proof. Even when eh was a Konoha nin, orochiamru was too much of a threat - like every Sannin - not to keep tabs on, even if discreetly and it was obvious Mitarashi Anko, Orochimaru's personal apprentice, would come under the scrutiny as well, especially given the girl's potential displayed as a genin.
However, the moment the snake sannin defected, the mere fact of her long association with Orochimaru and that inane cursed seal business ruinwd her career completely, which was laughable given she was the one who had chosen to stay loyal as far as he could read the events. Instead of keeping tabs on her, Konoha seemed to decide to all but throw her and the promise of her future strength altogether, keeping her from more sensitive missions and causing the girl to hit the glass ceeling when it came to the jounin promotion.
He simply couldn't understand why did Sarutobi allow such a potential to degrade like that. Given some attention and access to high-level data, Mitarashi Anko coudl have been one of the sharpest swords in Konoha's aresnal, one fo the gems of the jounin ranks on par with Hatake Kakashi or Sarutobi Asuma.
Instead she ws a mere tokubetsu jounin with no particular assignemnt, her only reason for the rank being the fact she simply did more high level assassination missions than an ANBU assassination team. It was just plain ridiculous as far he was concerned, but he wasn't going to complain. After all, she was a living proof of the blond genin's future fate in Konoha. The boy just needed some nudges to see it - and how better than by letting him see what Suna had to offer?
'How better indeed.' He smiled fianlty, sipping some sake as the cahtter around him flowed, assisted by Hazuki's skilled nudges. The woman was a marvel and completely wasted in chuunin posiiton as far as eh was concerned. Pretty, smart and useful, his only regret was not pulling her from her duties previous earlier - she did a splendid job raising Temari, and the girl would leanr so much more if she met Hazuki earlier. Strength alone wasn't going to win all battles and sometimes softer touch was all the better, something Temari missed most of the time.
Though, truth to be told, it was something only his mistake with Gaara taught him, so he supposed he wans't blameless in that respect.
'No matter. She will do as she is.' He decided, eying the blond jinchuuriki and his companions speculatively.
If the boy's choice in companions indicated anything, then Temari was more than sufficient. He was yet young, but te line between the man and the boy was a very thin thing in the end, at least as far as his needs were concerned.
"I must say, it is unusual to have Konoha nin taking Windscar pass." He said quirking an eyebrow. 'it is a treacherous palce, even at this time fo the eyar. Indeed, most of Wind citizens avoid undless they need to. Your need must be grave."
"Grave is a good way to desribe it, Kazekage-dono." Naruto said calmly, not notcing or caring for Anko's moentary tensing grip on her fan. "My mentor requires some assistance."
"Ah." The Kazekage's brow furred slightly. "An accident during the mission, if I remember correctly?"
"An accident... maybe." Naruto looked at the older shinobi.
"Life of shinobi is full of shadows, Naruto-kun." The man smiled knowingly. "Be careful, sometimes man can mistake the refelction on the water for the moon."
"Relection or not... anything can die." The blond nsaid flatly and the older man qurked an eyebrow at the tone of unwavering confidence in the genin's voice.
"Your devotion does you credit." He said seriously. "That mentor of yours must be a facinating woman to inspire such."
"She is indeed." Naruto nodded in thanks for the compliment. "Thank you for your kind words."
"As Konoha's ally I would like to offer any asistance Suna might give you in your endavour." The Kazekage took a sip of sake, looking at the blond. "Had I known that your need is so urgent I wouldn't have kept you. However... I tihnk that in light of our little.. mshap, I can offer you substantial aid." The redhead put down his saucer, Hazuki refilling it almost at once. "We have a contract with Eagle tribe, I imagine that would hasten your journey considerably."
"The kazekage is most gracious." Anko said, qurking an eyebrow. "But can one nin summon something sufficeint to our needs? We do need to leave the country in a hurry."
While she had no doubt that the offer was geniune - especially given how Naruto seemed hellbent on mentioning the whole thig to the Kazekage regardless of their previous warnings - Suna's meddling was the last thing they needed considerig the borerline illegal actions they were about to take, and flat out illegal assassination from the Syndicate that awaited them.
Though how was she going to explain to Hana that they needed to off some civilain witnessess she had no idea - she just hoped Naruto's resolve was as strong as it was at the beginning, or it would all go to hell very quickly. Kurenai was her best frined and she'd sooner start a war with her own hands than see her dead, regardless of the cost involved.
"I assure you that I can summon more than enough number of my feathery friends to hasten your journey my dear Mitarashi-san." The kage said with amusement, and Anko had to stop herself from biting her lip.
She didn't expect that. But it confirmed her suspicions - the man did want somerthing, though for the life of her she couldnt' figure it out. he jumped all over, mostly enjoying the chatter and asking about mundane things, like a proper host would. There was no rhyme or reason to him, and that worried her. Because a Kage always had an angle, any Kage. They couldn't afford not to.
"If you can assist us, I would be grateful, Kazekage-sama." Naruto cut and Anko had to forcibly restrain herself from standing up and throttling the blond brat but good. What the holy fuck was he thinking?!
"It is the least I can do for you, considering you won't accept my offer to enjoy Suna's hospitality for a while." He waved the young man's word away lazily. "Had I known earlier I would have assisted you outright, rather than merely holding you in suspense. However..." he shrugged.
"Leader's work is fraught with peril and never really ends." The blond nodded with understading, smiling a little, which made the Kazekage pause. Temari picked that moment to single out the green tea that the young shinobi had shown preference to, and nodding at hazuki to refill it. The blond nodded in thanks to the kunoichi, which only made the Kazakage smile inwardly.
"Indeed, it never ends." he noted with amusement. "Not for a moment."
"Neither does shinobi's one." anko said smoothly.
"Yet if it is our vocation, or simply fate?" The older man shrugged.
"I prefer to make my own choices." Naruto said stiffly.
"Then it is as it should be." The Kazekage could barely restrain a smile. he couldnt' have even given better cards if he had dealt them himself. "One should always reach for his own futre."
"I choose my path and make my own way." Naruto said, his eyes darkening, ignoring Anko's sharp look. "I have seen too much 'fate' to bow to it."
"While I am far from blindly believing in fate, there are som things that are unavoidable which one might think as such." The redheaded man pointed out. "Sometimes the mountain is too difficult to climb it any other way than that one path after all."
"Well, you can always blow it up then." Naruto said serenly, taking a is of tea. "No mountain, no problem."
The kazekage blinked, his iron self-control slipping for a moment, while Anko alternated between glaring and resisting a smirk. Hana simply opted to close her eyes and pretend she most certainly wasn't there, didn't hear anything and didn't see Naruto break one rule of etiquette of dealing with Very Powerful People after another, thank you very much.
The Kazekage kept on staring at the blond, before smirking
"I guess that in the end, there is always that option to fall back on, isn't it?" he chuckled. "Isn't it nice that shinobi arsenal is so varied?"
*
TBC...
*
Enjoy.
*
"Dinner with the Kazekage."
*
"Temari."
The Kazekage's words were calm, if far from smooth. It was the tone belonging to a man who didn't just expect to be obeyed but one who actually couldn't imagine it being otherwise.
"As you know, we will have... guests." The tall, redheaded man looked out on the genkan of his traditional home. It was a luxury, given the sheer amout of resources needed for the upkeep of the garden alone, but he didn't see it as extravagant or opulent.
Rather it was one of the means to an end, harshly reminding visiting dignitatries and citizens alike who held enough power and influence to afford such whim and make it reality. It always put things into perspective for them, just the way he liked it.
Temari just nodded without a word. She wasn't blind or deaf - the rumors among the house staff alone would have been sufficient. Considering the... theatrics of the past two days. It was hard not to notice.
"Contrary to what you might think, those are rather prestigious guests, people of status." The Kazekage smiled thinly under his veil as he notcied the flash of surprise liting Temari's eyes briefly.
'What, you thought I was inviting them for that matter with Gaara alone? Fool girl, you still miss the whole picture. I guess the youth is a bit of an obstacle, hmm?' The man thought with a bit of regret.
Temari was splendid in many ways - brighter and more inteligent than both of her brothers, but far too straightforward. He sometimes wished she showed at least a bit of Kankuro's guile and talent for deceit. It would certianly make things easier in the long run.
'Though I guess her nature might prove a boon.' He pondered. 'Sometimes the best way to hide things is in the plain sight, as Sarutobi had shown. Yes. This might be a good thing.'
"They are people of interest, those guest of ours." The Kazekage said thoughtfully. "A very surprising group, for traveling companions or... otherwise. The Snake's apprentice, the Inuzuka Clan heiress... and the boy." He said pointedly. "Interesting, not even taking Gaara's little setback into account."
It took all of Temari's willpower not to flinch at that. Her father saw Gaara as an extension of Suna's - therfore his own - power, and he never suffered challenges to such power lightly. And yet he was almost... pleased. She had no idea why and it unsettled her. Because when her father made moves no one was expecting, it never ended well for anyone but him. Given how much of his personal attention he was giving the whole thing...
"That yukata in forest green... it really suits you." The older man said suddenly, and Temari blinked. "Yet I have never seen you in it. It would be a good occasion, given the weather, hmm?"
The blonde froze, her eyes widening a fraction.
'...what?'
She felt her hands, clenched in the 'relaxed' looking pose she trained for last few years to perfection to hide her nervousness, going numb. War kunoichi she might have been, but she wasn't stupid - she witnessed enough of politics to last a lifetime as her father's daughter.
"Yes. That forest green really does suit you." The Kazekage decided thoughtfully. "Pity you do not have more of those." He sighed. "But I guess it is my fault. I never paid as much attention as I should, never noticed how quickly you have been growing, not just as a shinobi but as a woman."
"I have never paid much... attention to those matters, father." The blonde said carefuly. "There is not much use for those here."
"Nonsense!" The man waved her weak protests away. "One does not live by strength of arms alone." He said calmly. "After all, shinobi are still people, aren't we?"
"Ah." Temari nodded.
After all, what could she say to that?
"Temari..." The older man looked at her thoughtfully and the blonde cocked her head waiting for her father's words, but the redheaded shinobi simply trailed off, not finishing the sentence for a long moment, as if pondering something.
"The boy... pay attention to him." He siad finally. "But not just to him. This house... I am leaving it in your hands. Hazuki-san will help you with whatever you might need."
The kunoichi simply sat there, eyes wide. This wasn't what she expected. While her father never shunned her she was always little more than an observer, even if not the most passive one. In fact it suited her - politics, while she understood them, were not something she wanted in her life anymore than they laready were.
She had enough of it living in her house as it was. But to do something like this... she would have to play the role of a host, something she had completely no experience with.
"...father?" she said with confusion. "But-"
The Kazekage raised an eyebrow.
"Is there some kind of problem, daughter?" He asked calmly.
"...I..." Temari swallowed. "No. No problem, father."
"That's good." The man said, before turning away to look at his garden agian. "Then I am sure you have much to do."
Temari looked at her father's back, face expresionless, before walking out without a word.
The Kazekage smiled under his veil.
*
The windows were open, the drinks made and the clothes went again back where they belonged, to Naruto's gratitude. While Hana opted for a shirt and shorts, Anko fished for a suitably slinky yukata, though one in burned oranges and blacks. And, Naruto suspected, nothing more besides given the amount of leg and cleavage she displayed, and the... outline of her silhoutte under it. Theough the most unusual part of her new look was the subtle make up, the first time Naruto had ever seen her use any.
Her face, contrary to Hana's, wasnt' exactly... softened by it. It wasn't aggressive, but the color of the lipstick and the shade she used for her eyes made for a striking touch while remaining elegant. It was, in fact, a style he was very familair with after last few years. Though where Kurenai made it look smooth and elegant, on Anko it was subtly changed and looked more... something. It was that something that left him trying to grasp it, but failing each time.
"This is a kunoichi skill as well, boyo." Anko said with amusement, taping his head with a fan.
"Battle make-up?" He quirked an eyebrow sardonically.
"Partially." Anko agreed with a grin. "Remember, kunoichi get the missions when you have to run like a goddamn cheetah though the roofs and then be back in a blink of na eye, looking fresh, lazy and like a proper giggling little piece of ass just itching to be picked up by the rich fucks on the party."
"Cute." Hana rolled her eyes. "But could you please be a bit less crude, Anko?"
"Crude?" The jounin quirked an eyebrow. "Girl, that's our daily bread, like it or not. Sex is as much of a weapon as any and you'd be surprised how many times it is used."
"Not really." Hana shrugged. "It is a basic tactic, after all, and you need a sutable specialist for that anyway, like with everything. Not just anyone would do."
"And where do you think Konoha _gets_ those specialists? There are only so many kunoichi, kiddo."
The younger kunoichi blinked in confusion, and Anko gave her a half amused, half pitying look.
"You really _are_ green, ain't 'cha? One of those days you should have a good, long sit-down with Kurenai." The jounin drawled. "Ask her why did her joinin promotion hit... snags. Or better yet - ask Yukino why did she resign her comission."
Hana frowned, but nodded.
"All right, let's talk shop." The purple haired jounin said decissively, waving her fan back and fro lazily. The weather in Suna was hellish, as far as Naruto was concerned. It, paradoxically, wasn't as bad outside, but with the air standing still in the hotel as it was he would have far preferred outdoors with its breeze even if he had to risk sunrays hitting like a hammer of god. The little trick he picked from Kurenai could only go so far, after all, and it wasn't exactly suited for such weather.
The Inuzuka heiress raised an eyebrow.
"How many security seals _are_ there in this room?" She asked curiously.
"Security? One." The jounin tapped her fan on the table, pointing at the large seal covering a sheet of paper.
"Diffusion? Twenty three." Naruto took a sip of tea clamly.
"Diffusion?" Hana blinked.
"Remember that little swirly thing you got to add at the end of every storage seal? It is a diffusion array. When you seal the stuff in, you use chakra - when you get it out, you use chakra too, but there are precious few people capable of matching _exact_ amount of chakra given in and later out." Explained Anko. "That's... well, that's _high_ class stuff, and you need chakra control that puts most jounin to shame. Not to mention downright freaky memory. The diffusion siphons off the fringe chakra, one either going 'in' or 'out'."
The younger kunoichi looked at the jounin oddly.
"See, when you set up overpowered diffusion seals, they sort of 'blanket' the area in a fog of released chakra. Now, an individual might do the same, BUT!" Anko smirked. "The diffusion seals are chaotic, irregular and change patterns - if you might call it that - cosntantly. Any listening, scrying, or otherwise spying seal? Goes on a fritz, immideatly."
Hana said nothing, simply staring at Anko.
"What? That not simple enough for you?" The dango addict frowned.
"I guess you could write a diagram or something. One picture being worth a thousand words and all that." Naruto added thoughtfully.
"Hey, that's not such a bad idea!" Anko snapped her fingers, before grabbing a sheet of paper and a pencil they used to create the seal with Naruto, and scribblig something furiously on it. "See, it is like that - when the chakra goes into the seal, it isn't static-
"Are you kidding me?" Hana said incredously.
"Huh?" Anko looked up form her paper.
"Girl, are you fucking _kidding_ me?!" The Inuzuka heiress repeated. "Did someone forget to pay the reality bill this month or something?!"
Naruto and Anko blinked, looking at each other with confusion.
"I get that Naruto is a bookworm - he has no life and either goes on missions or closes himself off in that library of his for weeks. I get that. But since when were _you_ the library girl?" The brunette said incredously.
Anko looked at her blankly for a long moment.
"You _do_ remember who I was apprenticed to, right?" she asked dryly, and Hana's eyes widened as the understanding dawned.
"...oh." The dog master said weakly.
"Yeah, oh, my perfect ass." The purple haired jounin sighed. "Also, for your information, dog girl - I graduated at ten, setting one of the highest records for overall grade until that freak of nature Itachi came along - that's for theoretical AND practical. What, you though that snake bastard took me on because I kicked our instructor's ass in combat exercises?" She snarked.
"She also wrote a standard security manual for counter-genjutsu/seal diffusion teams when she was seventeen." Naruto added helpfully, causing Anko to freeze.
"How the HELL do _you_ know about that?" She asked incredously.
"One, I work closely with one of the premier genjutsu masters - who is your best friend - of her generation as her apprentice. Two, it relates to genjutsu which is my primary field of expertise. And, last but not least, it is a _book_." Naruto deadpanned. "Did you expect me _not_ to get it?"
"You _do_ know it is classified for anyone without lower B-class security ranking, right?" The pruple haired jounin said suspiciously. "How the hell did you manage to get your grubby hands on it?"
"Oh that's easy." Naruto smirked. "I am the _only_ genin with genjutsu as speicalisation. Coincidentally, the only other genjutsu specialists are at least chuunin level for trainees, and tokubetsu jounin for full-on experts. It just so happens that my acess file has 'genjutsu specialist' on it, and somehow no one took my actual rank into account, oddly enough."
The two kunoichi's eyes widened in unison.
"...are you telling me that you have acess to the classified information I need an official permission to even _see_... because of a... a _technicality_?" Hana muttered with disbelief.
"More or less." Naruto said glibly, taking a sip of tea with relish. "Well, that and the fact I have A-class, special restricted personal security rating. So that might throw them off a little, I guess. Assumptions and all that... what can I say?" He shrugged philosophically.
Anko blinked.
"...you what?" She said incredously. "But.. but... that's for tokubetsu jounin-level operatives and upwards! That's MY security clearance, you little bastard!" She pointed at him accusingly. "How the HELL does a _genin_ rate one?!"
"Genin? Not really." Naruto's smirk widened. "But, see... there is a cute little fox in my stomach and most files are marked with that in mind. After all, they can't exactly execute _me_ for unlawful knowledge about myself, now can they? It isn't _my_ fault the bureaucracy is as blind as it is stupid."
Anko and Hana simply stared blankly at the blond.
"A genin... with A-class rating." Hana siad woodenly, before blinking. 'Scratch that - _Naruto_ with an A-class restricted security clearance.'
"A-class restricted rating..." Anko said slowly. "On a bureaucratic technicality." Her lips twitched despite her best wishes. "Bureaucratic. Technicality."
'...did she say team manuals? But only specialist chuunin teams are-' Hana's eyes widened enough to pass off as saucers in a pinch as she stared at the angelic smile on Naruto's face. Only angels shouldn't look so damn smug, or show so many teeth when smiling. Suddenly, the fact that Naruto spent most of his free time reading stopped being so amusnigly adorable. Given Naruto's innate chakra levels and access to high-end genjutsu instruction from Kurenai _and_ high-level manuals most genin didn't even know about...
"Bureaucratic. Fucking. Technicality." Anko chocked out with a mad giggle escaping, before giving up and erupting into mad laughter.
"It isn't _that_ funny." Hana grumbled.
"Hell yeah it is!" The jounin continued to laugh on, gabbing Naruto by the neck. "Kid, I am fucking amazed you didn't raid the archives for all that wasn't nailed down, and then went for crowbar to pry the nails, considerining how you eat books."
"Didn't have the time, to tell the truth." The blond sighed forlornly. "...all those pretty scrolls... besides, even desk morons would get suspicious if I checked out my own weight in books. Haste makes waste, as Kurenai says. Little paitence..."
"Goes a long way." Anko's grin widened. "That's my girl!" She laughed.
Han blinked owlishly.
"Wait a minunte..." she muttered. "Kurenai... knows?"
"Who do you think helps me search through that garbage to find something useful?" Naruto looked at her oddly.
"Well, I guess that would make sense." The jounin said thoughtdully. "Her clearance is a level lower, after all. That way she can get her hands on the tricks and nicnaks without all that stupid red tape."
"But... but...!" The Inuzuka woman struggled in reconciling the image of calm, refiend and elegant kunoichi with what she was hearing. Yuuhi Kurenai was supposed to be a lady and a smooth proffesional - not someone who resolved to her trumped-up security clearance to all but _steal_ data from Konoha's vaults under the cover of some borderline legal loophole. "But... that's _Kurenai_!" She protested weakly.
"Exactly." Anko smirked. "Girl, one of these days we'll grab Kurenai-chan for a night out and I'll show you Little Miss Perfect walking on the wild side. Amusing and hot as hell."
"You're kidding me." Hana said scepitcally.
"'Fraid not." The jounin shrugged. "Hell, you should see what motivated Suzu-chin can do when she feels like it."
"Suzu-chin...?" The younger kunoich frowned.
"Suzume. Man, now _that_ one's got fire."
"...Suzume?" Hana said slowly. "As in... Namida Suzume?"
"No other." Anko grinned. "Trust me, it is an experience that has to be lived through."
"Huh." The Inuzuka heiress frowned. "Man... that's something I just have to see it with my own eyes."
"Sure, after we get Kurneai and all." Anko shrugged.
"Yes, would someone please remember _why_ we are here in the first place?" Naruto snapped.
"Sit, boy." Hana said absently, earning herself a strange cross between a drawn-put growl and a hiss that made her hair stand in a worst, most primal way. It took all her self control not to leap on her feet and growl back, or smash something.
She still bared her teeth, hackles rising as her body tensed visibly, canines and claws bared and ready. Naruto just stared back, looking more animal than man even more so than Hana did, which was odd since he lacked Inuzuka's animalistic traits.
There was just something... sharp about him, something predatory that made Anko's own instincts stand at attention and ready for battle.
The tense silence reigned for a moment, before the two younger shinobi chose to lean back slowly without a word, never losing a sight of each other.
Anko blinked, looking between the duo. "Hey, somethin' wrong?" She asked, straining to keep her voice cheerful and light.
"Nothing." Hana said, her voice tense, hands forcibly relaxed, palms pointing straight down.
"Nothing at all." Naruto echoed, his own hands relaxed, bur fingers curling slightly. In some odd way, the younger blond looked more like a wolf than the young kunoichi did.
The two looked at each other, eyes half-lidded and teeth bared slightly.The staredown continued until Hana gave Naruto a slightest of nods, and the blond, ever so slowly, nodded back. As if on command, their shulders and arms relaxed, the odd feeling of not quite hositlity vanishing as if it was never there.
"Okay." Anko's eyes narrowed. "Can someobody tell me what what the hell was that? And the first one to say nothing will get their ass kicked, just so you know." She said darkly.
"To be honest... I am not quite sure." Hana said, looking at Naruto speculatively.
"Like hell!!" The jounin snarled. "You two looked to be fucking _inches_ from tearing each others' throats! With your fucking TEETH! What the HELL?!"
"My fault. I think." Naruto said reluctantly. "I didn't know it'd be like... that, though."
"That's primal stuff. Closer to the surface, for me." Hana shrugged. "Didn't know he was so... in tune, though."
"I'd _say_." Anko threw him a dirty look. "Since when do you go howling at the moon, brat?"
"Always, to tell the truth." The jinchuuriki shrugged.
"The fox?" The jounin asked, a specialative gleam in her eyes.
"Possibly." Naruto nodded noncomittially.
The jounin looked at her friend for a long moment, before sighing.
"Whatever." she said finally. "Okay. now to more important matters."
"The Kazekage." Naruto nodded, eager to change topics.
"Precisely."
"I call bullshit." Hana said bluntly. "This whole thing is out of whack, no matter how you look at it. He wants something."
"The political pressure on the Hokage?" Naruto speculated.
Anko rolled her eyes.
"With the kid's rep? Possible but... you don't rate the attention, and they lose either way if they do that given how things are. Besides, the way the whole town is afraid of him? No." She frowned, fanning herself lazily. "There is something about it... it stinks of power-play. But what kind?"
"Well, I am a host..." the young ninja speculated out lud.
"A non-issue." Anko shook her head. "Too high-profile either for elimination _or_ for recruitment. He'd have tried it before, and there are a hundred and one factors that make it implausible. So... what's left?"
"A bargaining chip of some kind?" Suggested the blond.
"Possible but unlikely." The jounin murmured. "But... you might be on to something here."
"You know... we might be looking at it the wrong way." Hana siad thoughtfully. "We are looking for some kind of detrimental angle - but what if it is the other way around?"
Anko and Naruto blinked.
"What do you mean?" The older kunoichi asked.
"Well, we are an odd group." Hana pointed out. "Mismatched, for one, our genin pulls a smackdown on a jinchuuriki in public, we are here for no defined reason... he might not seek some angle - he might think _we_ have an angle."
"Hey, that's... actually good thinking." Anko murmured. "Yeah. If he thinks we have something going on... which we _do_, just not in the way he thinks... yeah I can see that."
"Which doesn't mean he won't want to use us anyway." Naruto pointed out.
"Exactly." Hana nodded, before grimacing. "...god, I hate politics."
"Hey, be gald it is the ninja version." Ankoo smirked. "When all fails, you can simply slit their throats."
"I'd rather not." The Inuzuka woman said dryly. "Since the other sie has that option too - and we are in the middle of their village."
"Which make us official and removing us a non-issue." Naruto pointed out.
"Oh, I don't know. Stranger things had happened." Anko said lightly. "But overall, he has little to gain by pissing us off - especialy after we let slip we are on a rescue mission of sorts."
"Don't." Hana said immideatly. "That will imply we are holding him responsible for keeping us here and obstructing our mission."
"Oh. That would be... bad." Naruto winced.
"Yeah, like 'Kage' bad." The older kunoichi said darkly. "We _do_ need to tell them _something_, though - and I guarantee talking about dragging Tsuande-hime back to Konoha won't go down easily."
"Why? She's a medic, we have a need for one." Naruto shrugged. "Case closed."
"No, Anko is right dammit." Hana grimaced, combing her dark hair through with her hand. "This just might be very shaky ground if we mention that."
"Nowadays, Tsunade is remembered for her medical skill, but it wasn't always that way." Anko explained, seeing Naruto's questioning look. "When I was still a kid she was an active shinobi, and the hospital shifts... well, that was secondary." The woman sighed, leaning back. "You are both too young to have met her, but I was a Sannin's apprentice, I saw her in battle. You have no idea what she was capable of. I mean, all of them were scary fucks, yeah. But Tsunade... if there ever was a woman fit to be called the queen of kunoichi, she was it."
"I heard stories from mom." Hana said with a wistful smile. "They always seemed like some... well, you know, fantastic tales - like 'one man facing a thousand' larger than life, like those heroes of old and stuff."
"Girl, you have _no_ idea." Anko said softly. "There was this conflict, don't really remember the reasons. Two local daimyo just decided to kill each other dead. Rich guys, real rich. At first it didn't seem like our business - I mean, let thme kill each other - unless it spilled over to our borders, who cares? In that time, shadow war was basically all out and minor conflicts were daily occurences."
She shrugged
"Then the zone became a hotspot, most of our troops were busy with different stuff and that war needed to end _fast_. Problem was, the guys hired a lot of nueknin, and even some legit shinobi from smaller villages and they had money to burn to fortify themselves. Also, instead of sending out the armies to kill ecah other like the proper noble fucks should, they went for raids. Sorta 'you hit me - I'll hit you twice and burn your farm' shit and so on. Worst of all, the honchos were guarded _well_, so simple assassination was out. The situation was getting more messed up by a minute."
"So what happened?" Hana asked curiously.
"Well, instead of sending an ANBU team, or a contingent, Sarutobi sent one nin. Tsunade." Anko chuckled. "Thing is, Tsunade was pissed, didn't much like to be called away and shit. So... she decided to wrap the matters fast. Real fast."
Anko smirked.
"Next thing we know, the small army of cutthorats was meekly forced into reconstructing shit lost in the war - sans castles - and Tsunade was having a grand time drinking the best sake money could by, waited on by two daimyo who would probably have a heart attack if she frowned at them. As for the castles... well, there were two new lakes in the vicinity that weren't there before."
"Holy shit.." Naruto blinked. "What did she do? Stuffed the castles to the roof with explosive notes or something?"
"She stomped." Anko deadpanned. "Real hard."
*
There was something about the night air that made him feel more aware. Not more alive, but there was that tiny splinter in his awarness, widening with each moment as the sun set and the shade fell, before being replaced by the night's cloak. It felt... good. Familiar, which was rather strange.
True, he spent the most time in the vampire shell over the years but shades, not the night, were his true home - neither light nor dark, feeding off either. Sort of in-between of everything, which suited him fine. Only fools dealt in absolutes, after all. Still, the night did feel good, and there were torches to cast plenty of shadows around, just an arm's length away. Suna's architecture was good like that, though not as good as the hodgepodge that was Konoha.
Take a step to the balcony, let the moon wash over you and then take a step to the left - the shadows beckoned like old friends, inciting in their soft way. Like an old, comfortable cloak you couldn't bear to part with, one that was warmer than any fancy new jackets you might have bought. Well worn in to his silhoutte - so much that every fold seamlessly settled on the skin.
The blond smiled lazily, sinking into the shadow deeper, letting the immaterial shade play between his fingers, half imagined, half substance.
Even in this body his 'gift' was beckoning and shadows were still old friends eager to meet him, despite anything else.
The blond's palm tightened around the ephemeral cord of shade, but like aquicksilver it was gone with but a teasing kiss on the tips of his fingers, flickering away and out of his grasp as if it was never there.
'I guess... this is only to be expected, huh?' He thought, letting his arm fall, before he slammed it into the wall angrily. "...dammit. Not much is left, is there? Pale fucking shadow indeed. What a joke..."
"Naruto...?"
The blond looked up form his corner of the balcony, notcing Hana standing in the moonlight, looking around cautiously.
"Here."
"...shit!" The chuuin whirled, zeroing on his voice. "don't do that to me!"
"Aren't you a shinobi?" The jinchuriki said dryly. "Night should be your element."
"Not like yours." The Inuzuka grumbled, her eyes slowly piercing the darkness. "God, you'r elike some jack-in-the-box or something... how do you do that?"
"Practice." He smirked. "A lot of practice."
"Yeah, I just bet." Hana looked at him for a long moment, her face unreadable and her emotions a bundle of confusion even she couldn't make heads and tails of. "Come on, its time to get ready."
*
"Hmm." Hana frowned, tugging at the collar of the dark red gi tighter, taking astep back to inspect the effect critically "Hmm.... hm? Mmmm?" She nodded with satisfaction grabbing a voluminous (for Naruto's current frame, at elast) haori. It was burgundy, trimmed with grey so dark it was almost black. Given ash-grey hakama, it made for a surprisngly decent combinatin with Naruto's sun-kissed hair. "A-ha!"
"You are enjoying this far too much." The blond said sourly
"Ah, give it a rest!" Hana pouted. "Let the girl have her fun, would you? It was just... what, an hour or two?"
"'Just'?" The blond protested. "You have been using me as your personal mannequin for hours!"
"We need to be presentable." she reminded him.
"Presenable is one thing - making me try on _all_ out of the - needlesly large, let me add - pile clothes you have bought is completely another."
"It isn't _my_ fault you can't dress worth a damn." Hana rolled her eyes. "And we need to see which one looks best on you."
"I still don't know what's the fuss about it all." The blond grumbled, itching to pull the collar, before hacing his hand slapped away by Hana. "As long as it looks official enough it is good, right?"
Hana quirked an eyebrow, giving Naruto a look.
"You never had a girlfriend, had you?" she said with amsuement.
"What has that got to do with anything?" Naruto blinked in confusion.
"One day, some poor idiot girl with more heart than brain will take pity on you, and then I'll remind you of that." Hana said with a smirk. "And laugh like crazy."
The blond just shrugged.
"You'll see." The older girl chuckled.
"Oh stop trying to play 'old wise woman' with me, Inuzuka." Naruto rolled his eyes. "What are you, fifteen?"
"Still older than you, shrimp." She pointed out.
"Now _that_ is something I'll delight in pointing out later on." Naruto said smugly. He might have not known much about women (aside form Ino and Sakura, but those two hardly counted in his mind) but he had yet to meet a woman that wasn't sensitive about her age, one way or another. Well, save Anko at times - but she was Anko, so that should explain all.
"How the hell did you manage to get such a mouth under Kurenai-san I have no idea." Hana sighed. "How could such a nice woman get such a rude, antoscial ball of acid as a student I'll never know."
"Be happy you don't." Naruto said, his eyes losing their focus for a moment.
Hana paused in her dress-up minsitrations, looking at her blond freind odddly. His face was strangely pensive and for some reason looked... it looked the same way Hokage-sama did during the Kyuubi Defeat festival. Old, but not in any way regarding age. More like feeling each day he lived with perfect clarity. While it wasn't out of place on the face of an old man - especially if he was the Hoakge - seeing it on Naruto's youthful one was just surreal and rather unsettling.
Then it covered by the cocksure, bold face she was used to seeing, so rapidly that she was wodnering if she didn't imagine it all.
'...goddamn illusionists.'
"The one who should be happy is Kurenai, don't you think?" The duo blinked, turning to the door, freezing in wide-eyed stare. "After all we do it all for her. Or Naruto is, rather."
While Naruto couldn't exactly understand the fuss over the clothes, he had to admit that Hana looked... nice in that dark red yukata she managed to find. the color was a few shades darker than the Clan marks she displayed on her face proudly, and bore a delicate white outline of wolves. A little ostentatious but very fitting given her slightly wild aura, even one softened by make-up. Anko, however...
If one was expecting something extravagant or outrageously skimpy, one would be in for a great surprise. The yukata was completely classical, even little longer than hana's, with wider sleeves. It was purple but so dark it seemed black at a first glance, which only served to bring out subtle, a tone lighter pattern of concentric rings that seemed to ripple through the garment with each move like water after a pebble was thrown into it.
While it made quite an impression in daylight, Naruto had to admit stunning when it was dark, especially given the serpentine grace the older kunoichi moved with.
Unlike Hana, who had a very nice pair of silver hairpins, Anko chose to wear no jewlery but instead picked up - gods knew how and when - a bamboo umbrella in shades of dark purple that completed the attire.
"So?" She asked, opening her umbrella in a fluid move and letting it rest on her shoulder in a manner not unlike an expensive geisha might.
"This... this is..." Hana said, triyng to reconcile the image of the brash, crass and devil-may-care Mitarashi Anko she knew with the yukata-clad graceful beauty in front of her. She expected Anko either to either wear something simple or outrageously flashy - not something like... this. In fact, right now she regretted picking that more subdued yukata rather than that burgundy, more elaborate one she had in mind. "...all right, I admit, this isn't what I expected. At all." She conceded finally.
Naruto just nodded dumbly, not saying a word.
"Geez... you actually make that weird yukata look... good." The Inuzuka woman said with amazed shake of her head. "And here I bought it just because it was on a bargain sale... well, live and learn, eh Naruto?" Hana blinked, turning to look at her frined, before sighing at his vacant stare. "Naruto? Hey, Naruto!"
"...huh?" He turned to her dazedly.
"Yay!" Anko made a V sign with a grin. "Flawless victory!"
Hana just sighed.
*
It was an odd prcession that arrived at the doors of the Kazekage's home. Led by a smooth-faced, elegant maid who called herself Hazuki, the trio left the VIP hotel. The maid herself didn't hurry as she walked, lantern in hand, through the Sunagakure. What bothered Naruto a little was the fact that she didn't seem to avoid any of the main streets, as he would have expected her to.
Suna, as a desert village, was even more active during the evening when the buring sun finally set, than it was in the middle of the day, thus citizens and shinoi alike still crowded the streets. He would bet his sword on the fact that some of the faces out there saw the Kazekage's son rather ignoble defeat - a suspicion that turned into certanity when he caught some hushed murmurs as he passed one of the main avenues of the village.
And yet, the Kazekage's head maid didn't hurry. If anything she seemed to take a scenic route, almost making certain the citizens had seen them.
He threw a questioning lok at Anko, who only nodded slowly, while Hana's face had an unreadable look she settled on even before they left the hotel.
'Anko was right. It stinks to high heaven and has the grubby palms of politics all over it.' He thought with distaste. 'Taking a blow to his power like that? No one is that even tempered, not unless he wants something. Politics, dammit. Seems like it doesn't go away no matter who or where you are.'
He was a loner, but he was also a general and part of Kain's court for decades, before things started to go so very wrong for them all. Besides, escaping a hundred and one plots that could kill him honed that fine tuned survival instinct to a razor's edge. The rust that gathered over it was just the patine of less than half a decade compared ot the centires of survival.
But the first and last rule was always 'don't underestimate your enemy'. Just next to 'know your enemy', and the Kazekage he knew very little about.
'About most of the leaders, actually. Or their villages, aside from the military prefference.' He realized suddenly. '...fool, fool, FOOL!' Naruto berated himself. 'You naive brat! Thinking yourself imperivious to machinations, now that you're just a face in the crowd? You deserve everything you get you arrogant child!'
It took all of his self-control not to growl, or otherwise show his anger in any visible manner. He became too complacent, too used to the ease of life and forgot that no matter who you were, how much power you got and how strong you believed yourself to be there was always someone better out there, and it took one slip up for his precious little world to come apart at the seams.
'As if!' He growled inwardly. 'You want to take what is mine form me? Come and try! I will guarantee the price will be steep.'
A warm hand grasped his arm almost painfully, nails digging deep. The blond blinked, to see Hana's impassive face next to him, her hand holding his, covered as they were by the folds of thier clothes.
He forced himself to relax, notcing the maid throwing a quick look behind, her eyes skimming over them.
Was it his imagination, or did she seem to slow there for a minute.
'...dammit.'
"Are you trying to make us look bad, kids?" Anko murmured form behind her violet fan, her voice almost inaudible for normal ears, but clear enough for their ehcanced senses. "Get a grip. Or rather lose one and fast."
Hana stepped away withotua word, Naruto falling in step next to her.
'Idiots.' Anko mouthed, her fan angling just enough for Naruto and Hana to see it.
The Inuzuka woman stared stubbornly ahead, absently smoothing out the folds of her Yukata, while Naruto just forced himself to relax even more. It was so much _harder_ to keep the emotins reigned in like that. Felsh did have its donwsides, after all, and at times he had been just... buzzing with emotions.
Not that he was the most controlled individual out there, but the hormones were a nightmare to deal with at times. He sometimes had an urge to slam his head against the enarest wall after the emotions ran calmer and he wasn't in the thick of it.
'Here is to hoping I don't lose it in front of the Kazekage.' The blond thought sourly. 'Yeah. This just keeps on looking better and better. somehow, I have no doubt that Kain is out there somewhere and he is laughing at me right now.'
"Honored guests, we have arrived." The maid stopped as they reached a large, elegant house standing in some distance from the center of the village. Close enough to be still a part of Suna proper, but far enoguh to to be bothered by noise and daily grind of huimanity passing the streets. Naruto had seen the setting many a time - after all, it was identical to the location of the castles of various nobles he met in Nosgoth over the centuries.
'Some things don't change at all.' He thought, somewhat regaining his equilibruim thanks to that. 'Thank the gods for small favours.'
"Good evening, honored guests." The blonde standing in tidy garden greeted them smoothly, bowing slightly. Not much, but just enough to be courteous and proper without seeming submissive.
Her yukata, unlike Hazuki's blue, was forest green with a tree pattern on it and of fine make.
'Very fine.' Naruto thought privately. He was all for utilitarian clothes, but he spent a lot of time around Kurenai and the woman loved thefiner things in life that were on the more elegant side. Not to mention the recent shopping trip with Hana helped to enlighten him to the prices some of those slips of fabric could cost.
The yukata Hana bought wasn't cheap by any means, but what the girl wore easily outsripped it several times. In fact Naruto didn't rememebr seeing anything quite of that quality on sale when they were shopping. Which was odd, given that the elegant, fine-boned Hazuki, as pretty a woman as any he had seen, seemed ot fit it more.
The blonde, while very attractive, didn't seem to... fit the fabric she wore. He didnt' know why that was - she was graceful, carried her head high and had a regal air around her, if a very stark one. Though she held herself somewhat stiffly, there was no denying she was very attractive, if different from a delicate maid. Her body under the yukata was more voluptous, even if she didn't look to be older than Hana, and there was the elusive grace only kunoichi posessed.
The girl was trained, and judging by her coordination and frame, trained well. She was an odd dichotomy of fine silk and strength, a whiff of perfume but no jewlery, not even a pendant or an earring.
'A warrior.' He thought, noticing as her eyes took them in even as she bowed. 'Strange. Why is she-'
"I am Temari and on the behest of my father, the Kazekage of Sunagakure, I welcome you to his home."
'Oh.' Naruto blinked.
*
Temari was tense, she would even admit that if someoen asked her. In fact Hazuki did, but that was neither here or now. Contarary to what one might think, it wasn't the technical aspects of the 'party' - Hazuki was an extremely capable host and her help would mean everything would go smoothly on that front.
The former chuunin was a an uninspiring kunoichi but an unparraled organizer and much happier with her current duties than with the frontline assignments, of that Temari had no doubt.
No, the reason for her apprehension laid within the guests.
Honestly, she didn't know what to expect when she heard of hGaara's defeat. The jinchuuriki - for she wouldn't call that maniac her brother the way things were - was unstable, but also strong. Anyone who defeated him would have to be just as strong, and as she knew well. But there was strength and there was strength.
The amount of power needed to put Gaara down was enormous - she wouldn't be able to do it evne if the redhead somehow got rid of that invincible defense of his, and she was far from week. Gaara was simply beyond her and she knew that.
For someone to manage it while surprised, and do it with an apparent Suiton technique in the middle of Suna? That was almost so ridiculous she'd have dissmissed it if she didn't visit the scene herself and didn't hear people talking. But that was nothing comparing to the fact that Gaara's 'prey' turned out to be a boy around the jinchuuriki's age. She didn't want to believe it - it was just absurd.
She trained diligently since she was six, honing her abilities thanks to the best teachers and jutsu she was privy to as the Kazekage's daughter, and Gaara was so far beyond her abilities it wasn't even funny. And there comes a Konoha brat, waltzing into their village and pulls it off after an order of... of ramen? It wasn't even absurd - it was just plain freaky.
And then Hazuki, calmly as you please, with that smile of hers she use dot onstruct Temari when she messed up in one ofthe softer and more feminine arts, there she goes and calls the brat a _genin_?
She didn't know if to feel amazed at the audacity, or insulted. After all, what kidn of genin could fight a jinchuuriki?
Then she saw the boy in question, and her confusion reached its zenith.
He was short, though not puny considering his strong, if youtful frame. At a frist glance he looked to be in his early teens, most certainly younger than her. Then she noticed the bright cerulean eyes and her whole perspective just felt.... off. Eyes like that should be bright and cheerful, open and honest in their vibrancy - coupled with that sunk-kissed hair of a deeper shade of gold than her own faded straw one, they almost begged to be. Instead they looked... odd.
Not cold, like her father's calculating gaze she was used to, or angry. Just unsexpectedly... old. And like steel, unbending and somewhat chilly in that arrogance she had only seen in accomplished shinobi, which was both right and so wrong coupled iwth that whiskered face that seemed more fit for a rougish smile or a carefree grin.
It was such a disturbing dichotomy she couldn't stop but stare for a moment. She epxected some answers, but instead meeting Uzumaki Naruto just raised more questions and confusion.
The two women, though soemwhat easier to read, didn't help the matters any, though they did add their two ryo to the pile of oddities.
Inuzuka Hana, for one, looked surprisingly elegant for a heiress of the clan famed for their fierce, beast-like battle prowess, manging to make this red yukata she wore look undeniably good, even if it wasn't exactly tailored for her.
Temari expected a fierce woman, claws and utilitarian clothes that would be easier to move in. Instead she got a rather attractive young woman with only hints of the more bestial traits swimming under the surface. The calm hazel eyes and the fang-like clan makrs on her cheeks, accompanied by the elegant yukata were a mite confusing. The large dog walking beside its mistress, the rich ash-grey fur obviously well groomed and taken care of, just deepened it.
As for Mitarashi Anko, she didn't know much of her, but she knew more than enough of Orochimaru to see that the jounin didn't seem at all like her former teacher. That is until she started moving.
The ripple-like pattern of her yukata coupled with serpentine, almost arrogant grace of the older woman made for a disturbingly atractive and dangerous combination when one remembered why she was so much like a serpent. Indeed, at some point, Temari expected one of the snakes the sannin was infamous for slink out of the wide sleeves of her yukata. Instead, the only thing that hid int he jounin's sleeve was a nice if common fan she had to have bought in Suna judging by the style.
In fact, the fan had to be bought in the very same store she often frequented herself for minor fixes and upkeep of her own dai-tessen collection. While the woman was a weapon-smith specialising in fans, her husband was a craftsman making a range of fans and accesories and that looked to be one of his works, if she wasn't mistaken. Which meant Mitarashi didn't usually hold a fan... though the easy grace she held and moved it with would deny that.
Not to mention, from what Hazuki told her, Mitarashi Anko was a loud and brash battle kunoichi. A war nin contrary to her more insidious teacher, always happy to be in the thick of it rather than stab at the back. She certianly didn't mention a woman capable of wearing the yikata as fracefully as Hazuki herself could, and Temari could see from the slight, troubled galnces at the jounin, the head maid was a mite uneasy about it.
Somehow, some way, she couldn't help but think that whatever her father was planning wasnt going to unfold like he had planned neither fast, nor easily.
'No.' She thought, biding the guests to follow her to the dining hall. 'Not easily at all.'
*
No one could in their right mind call the Kazekage charming - even when he was in his teens, the redheaded man was a very focused individual. However he wsa a politician and over the years he had found that while using the stick was something he was really good at, sometimes the carrot was even better.
It was a harsh lesson, one that cost him some ninja and one somewhat wasted jinchuuriki, but then he was a very capable shinobi and only those didn't make mistakes who dind't try. Contrary to others, he always learned from his, and tended not to repeat the failed moves twice.
As such, when the small banquet -for it was most certianly no party - started, the Kazekage turned out to be an amiable and cultured host. He didn't joke with the guests, but he wasn't cold either, instead letting Temari shoulder the more overt responsibility for the supper, while he let the relaxed bits and pieces of his usual acidic humor seep through. Nothing overy, just enoguh to let the sting out of the barbs and draw the responses from the guests.
Considering the etiquette did demand one to talk to their host, the momentary awkwardness was quickly smoothed into a free-flowing, if cautious, chat over the excellent meal, thanks to Hazuki's gentle guidance and Temari's somewhat stiff attempts at imitating their father, though in a far more neutral way.
'Pay attention.' her father had said, and so she did. To be honest she'd have done that regardless. As any good nin, Temari hated mysteries unless they were her own - especially ones laid on her doorstep so to speak, and the trio of Konoha nins was choke full of those. It... irked her. It unnerved her. It made her curious. In short, it pushed all the right buttons.
The Kazekage said nothing, his dry smile widening slightly for a briefest of moments. Contrary to what one might think, he did know his children pretty well and understood them better than most parents would. Seeing Temari's mind working to catch the bait he had thrown her was an entertainment by itself.
Not as much as watching the guests, to be sure, but quite interesting as well. The two kunoichi and the young 'genin' though... well, he had to admit hrere was something to be said for social niceties.
If anything, the boy and his companions were... entertaining, even if that was a marginal case. Above all, they were interesting. And 'they' was quitre appropriate in this case - at first he thought he'd have to tediously deal iwth two older shinobi, steering them away slightly until he had a chance to talk to the young ninja properly, but to his surprise the women seemed to back off.
'Though 'back off' might be a wrong way of putting it.' He admitted. 'More like... let him?'
In essence, that might have been it, though he wasn't quite sure. The blond on his own was a mite confusing, but throw in the two women and that confusion only deepened. His ANBU's report wasn't a mistake - while the kunoichi were both older and outstripping him in rank, he was the one calling the shots, albait if it was official or not, he could only guess.
His money was on 'not' but you never knew. It was still a shock that someone like that was a genin - he had reasons for keeping Gaara where he was, but Konoha loved their geniuses far too much to allow a prodiguy remain of low rank for long. why wasn't the boy promoted, then?
Disliked or not, he was obviously an asset - powerful as his fight had shown, and smart to know how and when to sue that power from what he could judge by his behaviour. There was of course that arrogant streak, like in every young, up and coming shinobi he had met, but thne the strong were entitled to it. It was, however, curiously... muted. Or should it rather be 'tempered'? By what he had no idea, but he would have to look up the boy's teacher.
Yuuhi Kurenai wasn't someone he knew anything about since she didn't seem of much consequence, but if she was Naruto's teacher it might explain some curious oddities he had noticed during the youth's time in Suna so far. After all, if he became her apprentice at mere age of ten, the influence that woman held over his development would have been considerable. Every child needed a mother - or a mother figure. And however friendly the Mitarashi woman seemed to have been with the jinchuuriki, she was certainly no mother material.
The mere thought of the Sannin's former apprentice almost caused him to smile. Anko's presence, whiche h at first reagarded as a curious obstacle at best, turned out to be a boon. Considering the obvious bond of camraderie the two shared, others might think her a hindrance, but he knew better.
After all, the woman was an excellent example of what he wanted the boy to see - like most prodigues, Naruto craved power, wished to see his limits and realize his potential. No matter his strength, the way things were Konoha would never let him do that, of which Mitarashi was a proof. Even when eh was a Konoha nin, orochiamru was too much of a threat - like every Sannin - not to keep tabs on, even if discreetly and it was obvious Mitarashi Anko, Orochimaru's personal apprentice, would come under the scrutiny as well, especially given the girl's potential displayed as a genin.
However, the moment the snake sannin defected, the mere fact of her long association with Orochimaru and that inane cursed seal business ruinwd her career completely, which was laughable given she was the one who had chosen to stay loyal as far as he could read the events. Instead of keeping tabs on her, Konoha seemed to decide to all but throw her and the promise of her future strength altogether, keeping her from more sensitive missions and causing the girl to hit the glass ceeling when it came to the jounin promotion.
He simply couldn't understand why did Sarutobi allow such a potential to degrade like that. Given some attention and access to high-level data, Mitarashi Anko coudl have been one of the sharpest swords in Konoha's aresnal, one fo the gems of the jounin ranks on par with Hatake Kakashi or Sarutobi Asuma.
Instead she ws a mere tokubetsu jounin with no particular assignemnt, her only reason for the rank being the fact she simply did more high level assassination missions than an ANBU assassination team. It was just plain ridiculous as far he was concerned, but he wasn't going to complain. After all, she was a living proof of the blond genin's future fate in Konoha. The boy just needed some nudges to see it - and how better than by letting him see what Suna had to offer?
'How better indeed.' He smiled fianlty, sipping some sake as the cahtter around him flowed, assisted by Hazuki's skilled nudges. The woman was a marvel and completely wasted in chuunin posiiton as far as eh was concerned. Pretty, smart and useful, his only regret was not pulling her from her duties previous earlier - she did a splendid job raising Temari, and the girl would leanr so much more if she met Hazuki earlier. Strength alone wasn't going to win all battles and sometimes softer touch was all the better, something Temari missed most of the time.
Though, truth to be told, it was something only his mistake with Gaara taught him, so he supposed he wans't blameless in that respect.
'No matter. She will do as she is.' He decided, eying the blond jinchuuriki and his companions speculatively.
If the boy's choice in companions indicated anything, then Temari was more than sufficient. He was yet young, but te line between the man and the boy was a very thin thing in the end, at least as far as his needs were concerned.
"I must say, it is unusual to have Konoha nin taking Windscar pass." He said quirking an eyebrow. 'it is a treacherous palce, even at this time fo the eyar. Indeed, most of Wind citizens avoid undless they need to. Your need must be grave."
"Grave is a good way to desribe it, Kazekage-dono." Naruto said calmly, not notcing or caring for Anko's moentary tensing grip on her fan. "My mentor requires some assistance."
"Ah." The Kazekage's brow furred slightly. "An accident during the mission, if I remember correctly?"
"An accident... maybe." Naruto looked at the older shinobi.
"Life of shinobi is full of shadows, Naruto-kun." The man smiled knowingly. "Be careful, sometimes man can mistake the refelction on the water for the moon."
"Relection or not... anything can die." The blond nsaid flatly and the older man qurked an eyebrow at the tone of unwavering confidence in the genin's voice.
"Your devotion does you credit." He said seriously. "That mentor of yours must be a facinating woman to inspire such."
"She is indeed." Naruto nodded in thanks for the compliment. "Thank you for your kind words."
"As Konoha's ally I would like to offer any asistance Suna might give you in your endavour." The Kazekage took a sip of sake, looking at the blond. "Had I known that your need is so urgent I wouldn't have kept you. However... I tihnk that in light of our little.. mshap, I can offer you substantial aid." The redhead put down his saucer, Hazuki refilling it almost at once. "We have a contract with Eagle tribe, I imagine that would hasten your journey considerably."
"The kazekage is most gracious." Anko said, qurking an eyebrow. "But can one nin summon something sufficeint to our needs? We do need to leave the country in a hurry."
While she had no doubt that the offer was geniune - especially given how Naruto seemed hellbent on mentioning the whole thig to the Kazekage regardless of their previous warnings - Suna's meddling was the last thing they needed considerig the borerline illegal actions they were about to take, and flat out illegal assassination from the Syndicate that awaited them.
Though how was she going to explain to Hana that they needed to off some civilain witnessess she had no idea - she just hoped Naruto's resolve was as strong as it was at the beginning, or it would all go to hell very quickly. Kurenai was her best frined and she'd sooner start a war with her own hands than see her dead, regardless of the cost involved.
"I assure you that I can summon more than enough number of my feathery friends to hasten your journey my dear Mitarashi-san." The kage said with amusement, and Anko had to stop herself from biting her lip.
She didn't expect that. But it confirmed her suspicions - the man did want somerthing, though for the life of her she couldnt' figure it out. he jumped all over, mostly enjoying the chatter and asking about mundane things, like a proper host would. There was no rhyme or reason to him, and that worried her. Because a Kage always had an angle, any Kage. They couldn't afford not to.
"If you can assist us, I would be grateful, Kazekage-sama." Naruto cut and Anko had to forcibly restrain herself from standing up and throttling the blond brat but good. What the holy fuck was he thinking?!
"It is the least I can do for you, considering you won't accept my offer to enjoy Suna's hospitality for a while." He waved the young man's word away lazily. "Had I known earlier I would have assisted you outright, rather than merely holding you in suspense. However..." he shrugged.
"Leader's work is fraught with peril and never really ends." The blond nodded with understading, smiling a little, which made the Kazekage pause. Temari picked that moment to single out the green tea that the young shinobi had shown preference to, and nodding at hazuki to refill it. The blond nodded in thanks to the kunoichi, which only made the Kazakage smile inwardly.
"Indeed, it never ends." he noted with amusement. "Not for a moment."
"Neither does shinobi's one." anko said smoothly.
"Yet if it is our vocation, or simply fate?" The older man shrugged.
"I prefer to make my own choices." Naruto said stiffly.
"Then it is as it should be." The Kazekage could barely restrain a smile. he couldnt' have even given better cards if he had dealt them himself. "One should always reach for his own futre."
"I choose my path and make my own way." Naruto said, his eyes darkening, ignoring Anko's sharp look. "I have seen too much 'fate' to bow to it."
"While I am far from blindly believing in fate, there are som things that are unavoidable which one might think as such." The redheaded man pointed out. "Sometimes the mountain is too difficult to climb it any other way than that one path after all."
"Well, you can always blow it up then." Naruto said serenly, taking a is of tea. "No mountain, no problem."
The kazekage blinked, his iron self-control slipping for a moment, while Anko alternated between glaring and resisting a smirk. Hana simply opted to close her eyes and pretend she most certainly wasn't there, didn't hear anything and didn't see Naruto break one rule of etiquette of dealing with Very Powerful People after another, thank you very much.
The Kazekage kept on staring at the blond, before smirking
"I guess that in the end, there is always that option to fall back on, isn't it?" he chuckled. "Isn't it nice that shinobi arsenal is so varied?"
*
TBC...
*
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Good to see an update for this.
I like how your portrayed the Kazekage so far, similar to how you did in Templar: a manipulative, and rather intelligent, leader. I approve.
Overall, I enjoyed this chapter. The interaction between Anko, Hana, and Naruto was well done, and the parts with Temari as well. I also like the little story about Tsunade.
Since I read your other works ,I know what the Kazekage is possibly planning, (I won't say anything more for those who don't know), and I think you are setting it up pretty well. I look foreword to seeing how his plan goes.
Well, now I'm off to re-read the previous chapters, as I can't remember alot of it.
Edit:
I didn't notice the first time reading through, but after I read this part again, I noticed a larger amount of spelling errors (examples: Ankoo, ecah, ebfore, wodnering, etc.... lost count at 60 something spelling errors), a few repeated words (example: to to, what what, etc), and a number of combined words (example: thefiner, ofhte, etc) as well as combinations of the above.(example: "with that smile of hers she use dot onstruct Temari when she messed up")
If its not to much trouble, I would suggest running this through a spell check or something. Do you type in notepad or something, that you don't have spell check or little red lines under everything? Or do you just ignore them? I've noticed this in a lot of your works, and am curious.
While your writing and story are excellent, the spelling and grammar (which I did not mention) mistakes takes alot away from it.
I like how your portrayed the Kazekage so far, similar to how you did in Templar: a manipulative, and rather intelligent, leader. I approve.
Overall, I enjoyed this chapter. The interaction between Anko, Hana, and Naruto was well done, and the parts with Temari as well. I also like the little story about Tsunade.
Since I read your other works ,I know what the Kazekage is possibly planning, (I won't say anything more for those who don't know), and I think you are setting it up pretty well. I look foreword to seeing how his plan goes.
Well, now I'm off to re-read the previous chapters, as I can't remember alot of it.
Edit:
I didn't notice the first time reading through, but after I read this part again, I noticed a larger amount of spelling errors (examples: Ankoo, ecah, ebfore, wodnering, etc.... lost count at 60 something spelling errors), a few repeated words (example: to to, what what, etc), and a number of combined words (example: thefiner, ofhte, etc) as well as combinations of the above.(example: "with that smile of hers she use dot onstruct Temari when she messed up")
If its not to much trouble, I would suggest running this through a spell check or something. Do you type in notepad or something, that you don't have spell check or little red lines under everything? Or do you just ignore them? I've noticed this in a lot of your works, and am curious.
While your writing and story are excellent, the spelling and grammar (which I did not mention) mistakes takes alot away from it.
cyrusII said:
Well, your five days early but none the less thanks for the birthday present. 
Good little snippet but Naruto's lack of Tsunade's combat abilities seems a little out of place. Being a book worm you think he would at some point read about her monstrous strength.
Good little snippet but Naruto's lack of Tsunade's combat abilities seems a little out of place. Being a book worm you think he would at some point read about her monstrous strength.
Hmm....sooner or later......the Kazekage may finally see the similarity between Naruto and certain blonde of a Yondaime.....then....he will indeed shit bricks.
He's likely to believe, that Yondaime saw that act, as a golden chance, to create the ultimate leader and beat the Kyuubi on one shot, and got Sarutobi to follow the plan....a child from a Hokage, schooled from young.....not only a powerful and skilled Shinobi, but a leader, a diplomat, a master politician.....a Hokage....bred and taught....capable of lead troops, and with the ultimate power to back his leadership.....better than any mere weapon. Then, he's going to curse himself deep and long, for his short-sightedness with Gaara, again.....
He's likely to believe, that Yondaime saw that act, as a golden chance, to create the ultimate leader and beat the Kyuubi on one shot, and got Sarutobi to follow the plan....a child from a Hokage, schooled from young.....not only a powerful and skilled Shinobi, but a leader, a diplomat, a master politician.....a Hokage....bred and taught....capable of lead troops, and with the ultimate power to back his leadership.....better than any mere weapon. Then, he's going to curse himself deep and long, for his short-sightedness with Gaara, again.....