It took me some time, but here is the second chapter. Enjoy!
"Oi! Hiratori! Get your lazy butt over here and help me with these ropes! I won't do any more work for you!"
"Shut up already! You were the one that tied the wagons. It's not my fault you're so incompetent, Kiji!"
"Why you-!"
"Both of you be quiet already, and get to work! If I hear another argument or even a grumble, gods help me, I'll spank you both so hard that you can forget about sitting anywhere for a month!"
The two brothers immediately stopped their quarrel, because despite both of them being almost eighteen and having a knack for getting on each other's nerves, there was one thing that they never did, and that was getting on their mother's bad side. Because, as she told and demonstrated many times in the past, you are never too young or too old for a good spanking. Especially when your mother is the famous female merchant, Kamashita Kasumi.
Kasumi became a widow after her husband was killed in a bar fight a few months after their twin sons were born. Their marriage wasn't ideal, but she loved her drunkard of a husband, and his sudden demise shook her greatly. However, having two more mouths to feed, she couldn't dwell in the past. The duty of rising Hiratori and Kiji was hers now, and she was too stubborn to ask anyone for help.
Being the only daughter of a talented blacksmith, Kasumi had more than enough strength to work in a forge. She could shoe a horse with her eyes closed, make various tools and kitchenware, and even repair armor and remake broken weapons. Sometimes, if she got enough materials, Kasumi made a piece of jewelry. Nothing fancy enough for nobles tastes, mind you, but still a luxury that richer commoners could afford.
That was what their family business focused on. She would make various items, and her husband would take a wagon and travel through the land, trying to sell them. In the meantime, Kasumi took care of their house, and made a living out of repairing broken farming tools and sharpening knives for the local housewives.
Now that she was alone, Kasumi had to take over her husband's job. When the twins were younger, it was difficult with money sometimes, but still manageable, but as soon as they were ten, the young widow saw that with only her local job, it won't be enough to support herself and her kids. So, she spent a few months in the forge, making tools, knives, and even weapons, then took her sons, and together they left their home behind to sell their goods. While on the road, Kasumi was teaching her sons about life, and made them help her, so they all could survive. That's how the last several years passed for them – going from one place to another, living mostly on the road.
During that time, the lonely mother managed to teach both her boys a good piece of what she knew about both merchandising and blacksmithing, and everything they had to know about the world. They were ready to leave and start living on their own. And while the thought of letting her sons make their way out into the world on their own broke Kasumi's heart, she knew that it was inevitable. Thankfully, she was able to save up some good money for both of them to make the beginning of their adulthoods easier for them.
Living on the road wasn't easy most of the time, and sometimes it was downright dangerous, especially with the war going on. Luckily, nothing major happened to her family and their wagon, and after the unification of the Empire, they could travel even beyond the mountains! That created new opportunities for business.
That's where the three of them spent almost a year. Their tools and weapons sold well, especially when they hit a few of those ninja villages. In one of them, Kusa if she remembered correctly, Kasumi found some good ores and metals that could be used to improve her works, which she would be able to sell in the West. Kasumi wanted to make a few arrangements around her family home, and it didn't hurt to have a small fortune for when she won't be able to even lift the hammer because of old age.
"They are lively. They're most likely glad to be back home." A gentle voice distracted Kasumi from her thoughts. She turned and saw a dark-haired young woman walking out of one of the three wagons owned by the merchant family.
"Be as it may, their bickering gets on my nerves Hitomi-san. I just want to get home and relax after such long journey."
On the way back from the East, around one of the five strongholds build around the Peaks, Kasumi's family met this strange group of travelers. Eight people and the biggest dog she had ever seen. The canine was big enough that one of the men was riding it! He had unique triangular tattoos on both cheeks, short dark hair and this... wildness about himself, there was no other way to describe it. As far as clothes went, he wore a simple set of black pants, dark brown sleeveless-shirt and black sandals, similar to the ones many shinobi and civilians on the East wear. His name was Getsu, and the dog's name was Akamaru, though Kasumi didn't understand the reason behind it.
Oddly enough, there were four women in the group. The most outgoing was Saki, whose hair was pink like cherry blossoms. She wore a red and white travel dress. Yumi, another young female, seemed a little tomboyish to Kasumi, why, with the clearly male pants and shirt she wore, and having her hair up in a single bun. But Hitomi, now this girl the merchant wouldn't mind to have as a daughter or maybe even a daughter-in-law, though none of her sons seemed appropriate for the girl, and she already rejected their offers of dates; always polite, very good looking, and so lady-like that she could probably teach a few nobles a thing or two about manners and courtesy. It wasn't so hard to believe when you looked at ever elegant Makoto-san, the matron of the three younger females. She was a great beauty, with her curled black hair and crimson eyes which almost literally radiated with strength and determination. Even the simple black and red traveling dress couldn't hamper her beauty, and neither did Hitomi's white and purple outfit. It was like the two could wear rags, and they'd still outshine most classy women.
Next were the three other males, all older than the youngster with dog. The oldest was the man in a red haori over a something that Kasumi could take as a battle kimono. His footwear seemed a little odd, being a pair of old-fashioned wooden geta. The first thing that Kasumi took notice of, however, was the long and spiky white hair, being the longest she had ever seen on a man. He introduced himself as Jido, and admitted that he's a novelist who travels through the world to write about his experiences. When he heard about the West being stabilized politically, he couldn't help but take some of his friends with him on this one amazing journey. The weirdest thing about his clothing was that he always hid his left arm inside his kimono's sleeve, but Kasumi decided not to ask about this and instructed her sons to do the same. Sometimes people could be very unpleasant when having old scars and wounds pointed out to them.
Sakumo was another odd person. From his gravity-defying grey hair, though he didn't look older than his late twenties, to the mask and black headband that covered his face and left eye. There was nothing fancy about his outfit. It was just a dark bodysuit with a navy blue vest over it. His other companion, Yamato, had the same bodysuit, however his vest was forest green.
From meeting at the fortress and then traveling for about a week, Kasumi and her sons got to know the eight-person-one-dog group pretty well. She almost regretted when they arrived at the crossroads, because Jido-san mentioned on more than one occasion that he wanted to take his companions to the capital of the Empire, which was in the center of the nation, while the merchant family's home was in Gaiju, the main city to the South. However, this particular road had one attraction that caught the eastern foreigners' attention and helped to put aside the inevitable parting.
"Hey, what's that?" Getsu called out, pointing at the giant statue up ahead. It showed eight figures carved in stone, all looking high and mighty in their poses, radiating with power. Two figures in particular caught the easterners' attention...They both had spiky hair and whiskered cheeks.
"Those are the greatest heroes of the West," Kasumi said casually, while her sons rolled their eyes, because they knew she was going tell the same story that they had to listen to through half of their childhood. "Until four years ago, the whole continent on this side of the Five Peaks was in a never-ending war. Warlords and nobles bickered over lands, people, treasures and other stupid things. Demons and bandits roamed on the roads on a daily basis; they even destroyed some big cities. The only remotely safe place was Seiki on the far west, because So Kishou, the ruler of that place, was always just and kind to his subjects and any visitors. It's a great loss that he died from illness, but he was already very old at the time. Now his son Hakuyuko rules Seiki, following the same principles that his father did to honor him and make sure that his beliefs won't perish."
"He sounds like a marvelous man." Jido commented with a hint of admiration in his voice. "Bet his people loved him very much."
"Aye, that they did, and when he died, the whole region was mourning him for ten days. Now all citizens try to follow his example about being generous and kind to those that came to Seiki. Don't get me wrong, however, as much as lord Kishou-sama wanted his land to be peaceful, there were a few rotten apples that spoiled his dream. This one particular band called Kuroryu no Kiba, had caught Kishou's attention, their actions angering him beyond anything he'd felt before. Before he and his army arrived to the hideout of those scoundrels, however, a group of seven warriors had already taken care of them."
"Seven warriors? Are those the ones here beside lord Kishou?" Sakumo asked, intrigued by the story.
"That's right. Those on the left are Sun Wu Kong, the monkey king of the Northeast valleys, and his two friends, Suna-Hoshi (Sand Monk) and Buta (Wild Pig)." Kasumi pointed at the statues of mentioned heroes. It wasn't hard to guess who is who, because one wore monk's robes, and the others looked like half human half animal, though the monkey king also wore an armor that had rich inscriptions and details. "Those three fought demons left and right even before the Unification War. The pair on the left, the guy with the sword and a young woman beside him, those are Temu Kai and Ogawa Himiko respectfully. You won't find a swordsman alive that could ever defeat that guy, he's like the Ken no Kami (God of the Sword), while his lover is said to have mastered the mystical arts of demonic powers, along with the powers of the elements themselves. I still remember her old nickname..."
"What was that?" Yumi asked, wanting to know more about the powerful female, while envying her for the man at her side, or more accurately, his sword. If the sculpture of the weapon was anything to go by, then this was one fine blade if the young girl could say anything.
"Ogawa the Bandit Killer. She was famous, or rather infamous for some, for taking out some big shot bandits and robbing them of their already stolen goods. Then she would just spend it the way she wanted, mostly on good food and old manuscripts." Everyone almost fell over after hearing a description like that.
"What about the last pair?" Yamato suddenly asked.
"Ah, those two... Not much is known about their names or where they came from. Some even say that they are from East, like you lot. How much truth there is to that theory, I don't know. But I heard that the two of them single-handedly destroyed several demonic strongholds during the war. The younger one also did something that all the people of the West didn't think was possible; he killed the great Maryuu-ou Ogata (Demon Dragon King Ogata), making us free from its reign of chaos."
"Can you tell us their names?" Jido was interested in this particular pair, as were the rest of his group, but some for different reasons than the others.
"Their names?" Kasumi thought a little, feeling a little dizzy all of sudden before shaking her head. "Nah, can't remember them. The two were more known by their nicknames though; bandits always shook in their boots when they knew he was near."
"What could be so scary?" Getsu asked.
"You tell me." A playful smirk appeared on the woman's face, making the younger man a little nervous. "I, for one, wouldn't want someone who's called Enpatsu Shakugan no Uchite (Flame-Hair Blaze-Eyed Hunter) after me, or get on the bad side of Konjiki no Senchishu (Golden Master of the Thousand Spirits)."
Everyone gawked at Kasumi's statement. Those titles were known of even in the Elemental Nations. The first one never failed to track down his desired target, and often left the area in flames when he was finished with his job, and his partner could take down any kind of fortress without siege weapons or an army, and rumors said he had nature itself on his side. Most, of course wrote these tales off as mere rumors or ridiculous stories, however here they had living proof that at least half of what was heard about them wasn't a complete fairytale.
Neither to say, the Empire of the West had more to offer than the party from the East could've anticipated.
"Was it really necessary to manipulate the memories of that woman, Shingoku-sama? That seems like quite an overreaction." The giant cat chided his master, as they continued to observe the group. The pair was hovering high in the air, with the priest sitting on the back of his friend, while a vision of the easterners was displayed before them in an object that resembled a giant eye.
"Maa, maa, don't be such a spoilsport, Tenko. I'm just making this a little more interesting." Shingoku replied as he ate from a bag of popcorn.
"How is it going to be more interesting? They know that Naruto-sama is here."
"But they're not aware of his position as the Emperor. None of those shinobi suspect that when they see their old friend again, it'll be nothing like they anticipated." He took another handful of his snack and smiled. "That is the amusement I just can't waste. Besides, our dear heroes also will be surprised when I drop them this little thing." Shingoku patted a small leather bag that was beside him.
"Kurama-sama would have your head if he knew what you did." Tenko shook his head at the behavior of his friend. Manipulating the mind of a woman to later shock the outsiders was one thing, but interfering with the reports of the spies sent to the East?
"What that old fox doesn't know can't be blamed on me. Besides, he's just so much more fun when something gets on his nerves." The priest said in his amusement.
"When are you going to drop off those reports? And what do they say?" the giant cat asked while ignoring the childish behavior of his master. He was curious about what was really going on the East.
"Don't worry. In a little while, they'll be in the right hands. As for their contents..." Shigoku only smiled cheekily. "Sore wa himitsu desu (That is a secret)."
In the middle of the night, eight people and one giant dog were sitting around a single fire, their makeshift camp not far from a small stream on a small clearing surrounded by a few trees. They were tired and hungry, but something else didn't let their minds rest. Every member of the group was very deep in their own thoughts, trying to understand all the information and rumors they heard of during the trip.
However, they had a very important mission to complete, and there was no place for any doubts.
"Tomorrow around noon, we should arrive in Juryotei, the capital of the Empire. From there we'll try to gain an audience with the Emperor." Jiraiya explained to the shinobi that came with him. Kiba was lying against Akamaru, Kakashi had his infamous orange book out, and Yamato just calmly listened to the Gama Sennin's plan. The only reason he didn't build a house with his Mokuton (Wood Element) for the group to spend the night was because of the risk of using such a technique where the enemy could potentially sense it.
Sakura, Kurenai, and Tenten were sitting quite close to each other for no real reason. However, Jiraiya worried about Hinata, who had decided to stay further away from the group. The old shinobi saw this behavior from the very beginning of the mission. Still, the cold attitude of the Hyuuga didn't stop her sensei and fellow kunoichi from trying to convince Hinata to not cut them off.
"Hinata, come closer to the fire. It's freezing." Kurenai requested of her student gently, receiving only a silent stare from the pair of pearly eyes. The jonin sighed dejectedly at this. Ever since the banishment of Naruto, Hinata had changed, and not for better. She became distant because in her mind, only she truly supported the blond, while everyone else turned their backs on him. It was a betrayal that the gentle girl never expected from her closest friends. And the sudden death of her father, along with a drastic change in the leadership of the Hyuuga clan, only worsened everything.
"Come on Hinata! Don't be so glum. If you're cold then come here and lie beside me!" Kiba suddenly suggested in a little too friendly of a manner. Everyone around could see how the Inuzuka eyed his teammate's body. Ever since they were fifteen, he'd been trying to get a date, along with something more, from the quiet heiress. "Akamaru's fur is very warm, and he won't mind you, right boy?" The only answer he got from the huge dog was a slight huff and a tired yawn.
Hinata didn't say anything for a while. It wasn't like there was anything to say in this situation. She had ignored Kiba's advances for years now, and truthfully, she was getting tired of him trying to get into her pants, which was obviously his goal ever since they were fifteen. It wasn't that hard to figure out. The Hyuuga tried to ignore the talking, only paying attention when something mission-related was discussed, but other than that, she blocked everything else out. That is, until Sakura made an unfortunate comment.
"I still can't believe that Naruto is here somewhere in the Empire. To think that he managed to survive this long. I mean his skills were always la-"
"Don't you dare..." Hinata's ever so gentle voice sounded like the hiss of an angry animal. Until now, Hinata had never gotten in a confrontation with someone that disliked the boy of her dreams, but something just snapped inside her right then and there. "Don't you dare to say anything else about Naruto-kun, Haruno-san! You are hardly knowledgeable enough to describe whatever skills he had or how strong he was!" The venom dripping from Hinata's words stunned the pink-haired medic, as well as other Konoha shinobi.
"Hinata-san, that was uncalled for-" Kakashi tried to say but was cut off by the still infuriated Hyuuga.
"Shut up, Hatake-san. You're no different. Or did you forget all those times Naruto-kun tried to get training tips from you, only to be brushed off?" While normally, Hinata wouldn't say anything like that to a superior, there was no one stopping her now. She had bottled her feelings up for too long, and she needed to release at least some of them.
"What is going on with you, Hinata?" Kurenai asked, stupefied by the shy girl's behavior. "I know that the recent death of your father is hurting you but that isn't a reason to-"
"Are you deaf, Kurenai-sensei?" The blunette cut off her teacher's sentence, tired of hearing lectures. Despite seeing the woman as a mother or older sister figure, there was only so much she could take from her. "I never once mentioned anything about my father. I just find it insulting that incompetent and biased people are trying judge someone's abilities, while not truly knowing the person!"
"What the hell, Hinata?!" Kiba suddenly snapped. "Don't tell me you're still pining for that monster! He's either dead or fucking some bitch, or maybe even plotting revenge on Konoha!"
"And he would have every right to seek justice done to that ungrateful village!" Hinata's statement shocked the people around her.
"Hyuuga-san, you are treading a very dangerous path. Such a claim could be easily seen as a treason." Yamato said in a dead serious tone, however the heated glare of angry Byakugan eyes made even him reconsider his next actions.
"Sasuke certainly got away with treason well enough. If you ask me, the Leaf betrayed itself when it betrayed one of its most loyal shinobi. If by some kind of twist of fate, Naruto-kun and I met again and he wanted me to join him, I'd gladly leave Konoha and start my life anew by his side." Hinata sighed heavily. 'However, this isn't possible. Not anymore.' She thought to herself.
"But you have friends and family in Konoha! You are a damn good kunoichi and a chuunin, with skills of a jonin!" Tenten tried to reason with her friend. "And Naruto is the jinchuuriki of Kyuubi! The most powerful bijuu! He's like an ignited exploding tag, ready to destroy everything around him at any moment! Remember what state he brought his teammate back in?! Would you really risk everything and even betray your home for someone like that?"
"In a heartbeat." Hinata answered calmly now, with all the seriousness she could muster. Without elaborating any further, the young chuunin just turned her back to the group, not wanting to put up with them for any longer.
Jiraiya felt his old heart ache. He didn't have to join the conversation, the topic was too painful for him, too fresh in his mind, despite the long seven years since he last saw his godson. Neither of the loyal Sannin wanted Naruto to leave, however Tsunade could do nothing against a direct order from the Daimyo, who supported the motion of the Konoha Council. Jiraiya, on the other hand, had been away from the village at the time, checking one of his contacts concerning the Akatsuki. He'd only just returned to the village a week after the deed had been done.
Never was the old shinobi as ashamed of himself as he was the night when he heard Naruto had been banished. He felt like when Minato and Kushina died, all over again. The only hope that kept him going was that maybe, like Hinata put it, by some twist of fate, he'll meet Naruto again and then try to explain everything to him. The Gama-sennin didn't count on being forgiven, but he hoped to at least let Naruto know that there were always people who cared about him.
'Some much more than anyone else in this crazy world.' Jiraiya thought to himself while looking at the form of the sleeping Hyuuga girl.
"Thus this conclude my report to today's meeting. We should rejoice that the final repairs in the southern and northern regions, which suffered the most during the war, have finally been completed."
Naruto listened to the minister with a pleased expression. Both regions were very important to his kingdom, as the South's soil was so rich in nutrients, that when combined with the warm climate, the harvest was always very generous, and could stock some of the regions that are less proficient in food production, like the North. Alas, the cold rocks and icy lands had their own treasures. Rare metals and salt mines were more common in those parts, along with some beautiful jewels that sometimes appeared to miners who exploited new veins in the mines. It was good to hear that the people of those two lands could finally catch a breath after those long repairs,
"How is the production of the new airships going?" Kurama asked one of the advisors, a skinny man in formal blue robes with a very calculating look.
"The latest reports say that by the end of the month, they'll have finished ten new vessels. With those, the Emperor will have a hundred airships under His command." The man stated, at which the demon lord nodded approvingly.
"Faster than I expected." Naruto commented. He then felt someone's presence just outside of the palace, in the back garden. The blond instantly knew who it was. "Gentlemen, I think we can wrap things up here for today. I have another appointment, a rather sudden one." The young ruler glanced over at his former prisoner and wasn't surprised to see a deeps scowl on his face.
No one questioned their Emperor, as every member of the council took their leave, while Naruto, with Kurama at his side, walked towards the nearest entrance to the palace's back gardens, which were a sight to see. A large area of greenery that was like a sanctuary for all who wanted an escape from the stress of everyday life. Once the paved alleys ended, one could step into paths going through seas of bright green grass, accompanied by well-tended and groomed trees. The paths curved and twisted, taking their guests to several locations in the garden, all worth seeing. A koi pond of great size, almost a lake in reality, was a home for several colorful fish, which could be looked upon through the crystal-clear water. Not so far from it was a magnificent zen garden, which could calm troubled minds and force you to reflect on any problems at hand, before inspiring you to finding a solution for them. Lastly, there was a small temple on an island in the middle of the pond, a true sanctuary and a place where one could meditate to their heart's content without being disturbed.
On the shore of the pond, both the young ruler and his advisor saw a man wearing shinto priest's robes, who was lying and relaxing under a peach tree, all the while eating a single fruit from it. There was also no way to not see the enormous cat that tried to catch a fish from the pond, but so far was without luck. Naruto and Kurama came closer to their 'guests', the old fox visibly seething at the mere sight of the man.
"Shinkoku!" Kurama was glaring intensively, like he wanted to burn a hole through the priest's head. "How dare you to just come here uninvited?! And to have the nerve of eating fruit from the palace's gardens! I should have you executed-!"
"Ah, Kurama-san, you're still as pleasant to converse with as always." Shinkoku smiled widely, a gesture he knew would aggravate the demon fox. "So, how is it going in your Empire, Naruto-dono?"
"Quite good, but I'm sure you already know that." Naruto answered calmly, still having his guard up. Thanks to his past experiences with the mysterious priest, the blond couldn't afford any mistakes. "Though I'm not so angry about it, I too wonder why you're here, Shinkoku. You never come to make a social visit, and always leave before anyone can even ask a single question, however I hope you can answer this one: why are you here?"
"Looks like you know me all too well, Naruto-dono!" Shinkoku exclaimed happily. He took out a few folders from the bag that laid beside him, and handed them to the blond man. "You should read these. There are a few entries that you'll find... interesting, to say the least."
Not seeing anything suspicious in his guest's behavior, Naruto opened the first folder. After reading the first few paragraphs, the temperature around him started to drop rapidly, and a huge amount of killing intent spiked from him, shocking everyone that was nearby, besides the priest, who still had a small smirk on his lips. Even the Kyuubi was surprised at his former warden's reaction. Whatever those documents read of, it was nothing good.
"How did you...?"
"Let's just say that Kurama's spies in the Elemental Countries are only the second best in the world." Seeing an accusing stare from his cat companion, Shinkoku coughed into his hand. "And I may have taken a look at some of those papers while my companion here distracted their previous owners...and 'borrowed' a few of them." The implication didn't take too long to elicit a reaction, judging from the shocked and mad face of the red headed demon. "I'll leave you now. There must be many things you want to do, and I have places to be. Bye bye!" The priest and his companion disappeared from sight, like they were never there in the first place, leaving a very angry fox demon behind.
"YOU BASTARD! WHEN I SEE YOU AGAIN, I'LL RIP YOUR LIVER OUT, CHOP IT UP, THEN FRY IT IN OIL AND EAT IT WITH GREEN ONIONS! " Kurama practically exploded. In his red eyes, one could see the desire to murder the insolent priest in the most painful and gruesome manner the humanized Bijuu could think off. No one messed with fox's contacts or spy reports and got away with it without facing the consequences. However, the way Naruto was reacting to whatever was written on those scrolls halted any rash actions the red head would otherwise take in such a situation. Uncertain, Kurama looked at his former warden, trying to figure out the blond man's current thoughts. "Kit?"
Naruto calmly closed the scrolls he was reading. While still in a foul mood, the young emperor didn't want to scare more of his staff with his killing intent, but that didn't mean his anger died. No, if anything, the burning rage was now a cold and calculating flame, calm like the sky just before a violent storm hits the unsuspecting land below it.
"Kurama, when those Konoha ninja step inside the capital's walls, I want them taken into custody and brought before me. I leave the means of capture to your choosing, but they are to be unharmed, unless you need to...persuade them to cooperate. The Shiroma agents can help you with this task, as can the royal guards. No deaths are allowed." Naruto said with a regal tone in his voice, one that he used only when he needed the full attention of the court in very important cases. This must be one of them.
"As you command, Your Majesty." Kurama bowed before his superior. No mockery was in the demon lord's tone, just professionalism and deep respect. However, one thing didn't leave his mind and occupied his current thoughts...
What could be written in that report?
The group of Konoha ninja, still in their disguises as tourists, reached the great gate of Juryotei, the capital of the Empire. None of them could hide their awe at the sight of the biggest city in the West. The walls themselves were more than impressive; humongous blocks of jade-green stone were put together to reach the height of a hundred feet, maybe more, while the watchtowers stood twenty feet above the rest. The outer side of the wall was ground to make it difficult for any hostile troops to climb them, while the soldiers on the walls and from the line of windows right below them would stop the enemy. The wall itself was more than forty feet thick, and the gates to the city were reinforced with steel and hard wood. All the while soldiers were stationed at vital points, to make sure everything was in order.
After getting permission to enter from the local guards, the next surprise for the group was the city itself, as it was clearly several times bigger than Konoha. There were stores with food of various kinds, clothes made from unknown materials, and other goods sold in the nearby stores. Rickshaws and carriages sped through the paved roads, people walking on the sidewalks in order to get their daily needs and duties done. In the distance one could spot clouds of smoke, marking where the industrial area of the capital was placed, and in the opposite direction was a large park where families spent their time together, surrounded by beautiful green scenery.
As the shinobi from the East walked along the main street, they saw how happy all the citizens were. Even when they crossed through the slums, divisions of soldiers could be seen being busy in distributing bread and bowls of warm soup for the poorest members of society, while children also got fresh fruits added to their meals. Another group of soldiers was overseeing the building of what seemed to be a new shelter for those who didn't have a home, and on the other side a large white tent was put up, where medics from the Royal Medical Corp were checking up every person who was sent to them.
What didn't escape the ninjas' attention were the soldiers, patrolling the city in groups ranging from five to ten units. They didn't look like the samurai that some could see in Daimyos' courts; their armor looked different in design. Their helmets, for one, didn't have any kind of mask that a samurai would wear, some had red capes with a black phoenix crest on their shoulders, probably to distinguish the rank among themselves, and their swords weren't like the standard katanas used on East, but more like sabers used by some tribes in the Wind Country.
Jiraiya and other jonin of their company also caught very slight movements in the shadows of alleys and other places around them. This kind of thing could mean only one thing: they were observed, and while it was thought that there were no ninja clans in the west, there was no proof that such was fact. Knowledge is the greatest tool a ninja could use, and in this place, they had very little.
"Akamaru's not good in big cities. All these crowds and smells are making him nervous...And me too..." Kiba commented, all the while rubbing his partner behind his big ears. It did help some, but the nin-ken (ninja dog) still whined from time to time.
"Just keep a watch on him, and be careful." Kurenai instructed her former student. "We don't want to bring the wrong kind of attention on ourselves."
"Yeah, I know-" All of a sudden, Kiba was on edge, and Akamaru growled threateningly. Before anyone could say something, Inuzuka and his dog shot forward, and the rest of the disguised ninja had no other choice, but to follow. They found the two feral Inuzuka members cornering someone...or something?
"Khati'u tara! Malak'ga so!" The person, or rather the creature that Kiba and his dog pinned to the wall, spoke in the unknown language, but that wasn't what caught the attention of Jiraiya and his group. What caught their attention was the being's appearance; from the sound of their voice, it was a male, he was quite tall, around five feet, wearing regal blue robes, like a monk or a priest, with a silver moon crest on their back. However, what truly shocked the eastern shinobi was the face that looked like a cat's muzzle, with grey and black fur and two pointed ears on top of his head.
"Kiba! Stop this!" Kakashi screamed at the younger man, but to no avail. It looked like whatever common sense was in Kiba's head was buried beneath the primal instinct of a dog seeing a cat.
"Hali'ta! Hali'ta!" The cat-man screamed as Akamaru and Kiba were being dragged by their teammates. He was clearly distraught, his fur was visibly standing and every few moments he was hissing at his two assailants.
When Kurenai finally had enough of this circus, she cast a simple genjutsu on the boy and his dog to calm the both of them down, at least long enough until they got them away from this strange person. However, her hopes for a peaceful and quiet escape were short lived.
"Hold it right there!" A soldier shouted, judging from the cape on his shoulders, an officer, who brought at least a dozen guards, their weapons drawn, who quickly surrounded the group, cutting all possibilities of escape. "You're all under arrest!"
"On what charges?!" Tenten shouted.
"Assault of the ambassador of Khaji'Ma, espionage, and use of a genjutsu in a populated area. Our sentinels sensed chakra coming from you, which leaves no doubt that you are shinobi from the East!" The officer declared, stupefying the group. How did they know that? "There is a law prohibiting the use of any non-civilian skills, chakra included, that only excludes the Royal Task Force and members of the Shiroma order! Seeing as you have no insignia of either, this leaves no doubt in my mind that you aren't them." He then turned to his subordinates. "Seize them and check if they have any weapons! We'll take them to the garrison for questioning. Contact the palace about the intruders-"
"There is no need for all that procedure, officer." A voice called out before a single figure came out of one of the alleys, a tall man with blood-red hair and three marks on both cheeks, wearing a red haori and hakama pants. He was flanked by two Shiroma ninja, both wearing their signature white armors. "His Imperial Majesty is aware of this intrusion and wants to personally question their reasons for sneaking into his kingdom."
"Kyuubi-sama, are you sure this is wise?" The soldier didn't pay attention to the reactions of his captives at the name he just said. "They may be assassins sent to kill the emperor!"
"We're no assassins-" Jiraiya tried to assure, but all he got was a blade of a saber at his throat.
"In your place I would stay silent, old man, or you might get hurt." Kurama warned the Toad Sage coldly. "That goes for all of you as well. Keep silent, and maybe you'll live to see tomorrow morning." Again he turned to the officer. "As for you, we aren't here to question the will of our emperor, but to do his will. Now go back to your unit. I'll take those prisoners to the palace myself."
"As you command, Prime Minister." All soldiers bowed their heads in a sign of respect towards their superior, before turning around and leaving him with the Konoha ninjas. After a few quick words in his strange language, the identified ambassador just glared at the young man and his dog. Finally, he said something nasty in their direction, judging from the expression on his face, and strolled away.
"Now, you will all come with me to the palace. And before you try anything stupid, these guys are more than a match for any of you." Kurama pointed at the two white clad ninja beside him. Kiba only scoffed, finally shaking off the genjutsu.
"These guys don't look like much Kyuubi, or should I say Naruto! There are just two of them and nine of us! Besides they're probably as pathetic as you always were!" Not a second after those words left his mouth, Kiba found himself being thrown down to the ground and pinned by someone. The person was kneeling on his back, twisting his arm backwards, and pulling his hair, so the Inuzuka could look up at the person he was insulting just now.
"Listen here, mutt." Kyuubi seethed at the boy. "There is a major difference between a prisoner and the warden. I'm not going to bother with details, but know this – Naruto bested you at the Chuunin Exams by farting in your face and then beating you up with his clones." He leaned close enough to Kiba's ear, so that the next part of the message would be known only to the feral youngster. "I would have just gutted you like a fish before the first minute was up."
To add seriousness to his words, Kurama started to emit a little of his killing intent. Thankfully, he could control the radius of it, so none of the civilians around them would suffer from it, but judging from the sudden smell of great fear coming from all Konoha ninja, they finally understood just who they were dealing with.
"Also, who said that these two were the only ones around here?" The fox demon snapped his fingers and around twenty people appeared out of nowhere, all wearing the same white uniforms and carved masks to hide their faces. "Now, if you finally stopped being such a pain in the ass, get moving. His Majesty is waiting."
Thankfully for the Konoha group, Kyuubi was guiding them across the less populated areas, as to spare the majority of capital's residents the sight of the caught ninja. The last thing the emperor needed was a panicked crowd at his palace gates. For their credit, the shinobi didn't try anything to either escape or resist, either because they knew it was pointless, or for some other reason. Kurama didn't really care, as long as his job was less annoying. The squadron of Shiroma agents were all around them, just keeping to themselves and watching from the shadows. They were more subtle than a whole regiment of the city guards.
Kurama was a little surprised when Hinata approached him to break the first ice.
"Ano, Kyuubi-sama?" She started hesitantly. "M-May I talk with you?"
"Be quick, Hyuuga-san. We're almost at the palace." The demon fox replied in a gruff tone. "And call me by my name, it's Kurama."
"Yes, of course Kurama-sama." Hinata quickly said. "Please, could you tell me, is Naruto-kun all right? Is he safe?"
"You mean, after I got out?" Kurama didn't miss the hidden message in the young woman's question. "Since you seem to be genuine in your worry, I'll answer your question, Hinata-san. The seal was broken by an outside force, shortly after Naruto got past the Five Peaks, the mountains that separate the continent. I won't go into details because to this day, I still don't fully understand the mechanics behind this, but what I can tell for certain is the sensation; I was trapped inside the seal when all of a sudden, I felt like I was being ripped from my prison. My body got smaller and changed into what you see now." Seeing the curious gazes of all the older ninja, he chuckled darkly. "I can still change into my previous form, and I have all my chakra, while Naruto became so much more powerful without me." His gaze then fell on other Konoha ninja, who were listening to this conversation. "I'm not going to tell you how strong he's now. Let me just say this. Konoha threw out one of their greatest potential Hokages since Hashirama's reign. Because of that, I doubt he'll be very eager to see any of you."
At those last harsh words, Hinata felt like crying, and Kurama knew that it wasn't fair to put her with the ungrateful village, but he felt that it was necessary for the girl to hear them now, as it'll save her from getting any hopes up, only to have them crushed. As the group crossed the courtyard, they had a full view of the palace. It was a castle several stories height, separated by segments, surrounded by five smaller, but still impressive towers, that created a pentagon diagram around the main building. This was a symbol of this land, a monument of the power held by the Emperor of the United Empire of the West.
Before entering, a team of servants came to them and tried to take Akamaru on a leash, which the giant dog didn't like in the slightest, growling and barking at them.
"What are you doing?! Leave him alone!" Kiba protested and went to punch the nearest servant, but he went docile when three kunai landed just an inch from cutting his toes off. Looking in the direction the knives came from, the feral ninja spotted one of the white-wearing western shinobi, who stepped into the shadows just a moment later.
Despite the commotion, one of the servants looked at the Inuzuka with a professionalism in his eyes. "We're just doing our orders to not let this dog into the palace. It's to be put in the kennels with His Highness' dogs, where it'll be washed, fed, and taken care of. We can't have animals of unknown origin running freely around His Majesty's home."
'Good thinking.' Kurama applauded in his mind. 'This brat without his dog will not be even half as strong as they are together.' Turning to Kiba, he leveled the human with ice-cold eyes and steel in his voice. "You better tell your companion to calm itself or I'll put him down permanently, right here and right now. Your choice, Inuzuka."
Growling out in frustration Kiba just walked over to his oldest friend. When he finished talking, Akamaru let himself be dragged away, knowing that they had no choice in the first place, considering Kyuubi's second option.
The inside was also very impressive. There were many spacious halls and rose-red columns decorated with golden dragons that seemed to observe the easterners with their unmoving eyes. Floors were paved with high class marble, and polished to the point that you could clearly see your reflection. The group was passed by the palace's guards several times, all looking at them suspiciously, never taking their hands from their weapons, always ready to stop any threat to their ruler. Their armors were a little different than city guards', lighter and not restraining soldier's movements much. As for weapons, they all had long jiang swords strapped to their sides, as well as small daggers at their belts.
At last they reached the doors to the throne chamber. Kyuubi turned to the ninja he was supervising.
"When you go there, don't say anything unless spoken to directly, and if so, don't you even dare to try any smart talk with the emperor. That could give you one way ticket to the gallows." Hearing some people loudly swallowing after hearing his advice, made the fox lord smile wildly. "Pray that His Majesty is in a good mood, otherwise...Well, you know what could happen."
When the gates opened, once again the Konoha shinobi were amazed at what they were seeing. The throne chamber was in all cases magnificent, it could've easily had a small house put inside, and there would still be room to move around. Like the rest of the palace, the floor was made of polished marble, but here there were very expensive carpets laid down. More columns, eight on each side of the chamber, stood firmly and proud, encrusted with gold and silver designs of various mythological animals and flora. And then there was the throne itself.
A beautifully crafted chair was put on a cathedral, so that the emperor was always looking down on those who came to him. On each side of it there was a large bowl-like torch, which burned with brilliant gold and crimson flames, so bright that it was almost unnatural. Over the throne was a large banner with a black Phoenix on a red background, surrounded by golden flames.
The Emperor himself was sitting calmly in his throne, his posture regal and noble. Just one glance at this person told Jiraiya that their next step will probably decide the success of the whole mission. Yes, there was much at stake, and he had to play a game that was always very unforgivable towards inexperienced players.
"I have only one question for you, Konoha." The cold tone of the young ruler's voice sent chills down everyone's spine. Jiraiya already knew that his game just picked up on difficulty. "What are you doing in my country?"
The game known as...politics.
AN: Whew! That took me a while. And we've got more insight about Shingoku, so please, if anyone thinks that they have guessed at least one of the anime characters I based this guy on, say so in your reviews.
Please forgive me if my descriptions of the surroundings, buildings, or chambers aren't too detailed, but my first language is not English, and while my vocabulary is decent, there may be some barriers that I may not be able to overcome, and descriptions are among them. If this helps, just think of the Imperial Palace as the one Shen from "Kung Fu Panda 2" lived in, or the Emperor Chouka's home from anime/manga "Soul Hunter"... Or any other Japanese or Chinese ancient buildings that look like tall towers/castles.
Jiang swords are otherwise known as Tai-Chi swords.
I'm sure that most of you, my dear readers, are wondering: Why hasn't anyone of Konoha recognized Naruto as the emperor? To quote one of my favorite anime heroes/villains – Sore wa himitsu desu...for now, at least!
Please leave constructive reviews, because nothing works better on the quality of the story than non-hateful critique, pointing out both good and bad things. It makes easier for the author to focus on the good, while trying to overcome the bad.