Again thank you guys for the support and for reading at least this far! I also edited this chapter but just like before I wont be hurt if you don't read the edited version. But I did add some stuff to it, not much though. Just some stuff to add to Yajuu's character.
The group of 6 stepped out of Konaha at a casual pace. Naruto was whooping in joy. Sasuke had an annoyed look on his face as well as Sakura. Tazuna was drunk off his butt, Kakashi wasn't paying any attention to anyone, and Yajuu was watching the team interact with a smile, even though no one could see it behind her mask.
"Alright!" Naruto yelled and turned towards the team with his fists raised up happily.
Sakura crossed her arms and coolly asked, "What are you so excited about?"
Naruto was looking around his person quickly, taking in the sites of the world outside of Konaha. "Well, you see, I've never actually left the village before!" He exclaimed.
"Am I really going to be safe stuck with this squirt?" Tazuna teased once again, but Naruto again took serious offense to it.
Kakashi just coyly laughed explaining, "I'm a Jounin and will be keeping a close eye on him. So don't you worry." And smiled behind his mask. Naruto mentally growled. He wished that he could just punch this old man in the face. And what was with Kakashi-sensei taking the drunk's side? Tazuna had to be the worst client in the world, and Naruto thought he'd have to tell him a thing or two.
"Hey old man! Don't be mocking Shinobi so much!" He yelled pointing at the old man. "I'm awesome! Just you wait and see, dattebayo!" Yajuu watched Naruto with curiosity. How could he not see that this man wasn't mocking Shinobi, he was mocking Naruto himself. "I'm a super elite shinobi who will one day be Hokage! My name is Naruto Uzumaki! So remember it!"
Tazuna just took another swig of his sake before responding. "The Hokage is the super top dog in the Village right? You sure as heck don't seem like you could become Hokage."
"Shut up! I'll do whatever it takes to become Hokage! You'll have to acknowledge me then!." Naruto yelled in his defense. Man this old man was pushing every last button, making him even angrier than when being so coolly shown up by Sasuke. Yajuu smiled when Naruto's anger flooded into her mind.
"Even if you become Hokage, I'll never acknowledge you." Tazuna smirked, gaining a threat of his life from Naruto and Kakashi holding the blonde back by his collar.
Yajuu watched the scene play out then looked to Sasuke and Sakura. "Is this always how he acts?" She asked. Sakura nodded with an annoyed look on her face.
"Naruto-kun is so stupid." Sakura said with a tone that told her level of patience with the blonde was thin. "He just spouts out nonsense and expects everyone to care. What a baka." Sasuke didn't say a word, but Yajuu didn't need him to know that she knew he thought the blonde was useless. Yajuu glared at the scowling teen and continued to walk behind Tazuna.
-X—
"Ne, Tazuna-san." Sakura started. "Your country is The Land of the Waves right?"
Tazuna was pouting, probably because Naruto wasn't talking to him anymore, which gave him no chance to jump on him and tease the boy more. "What of it?"
"Kakashi-sensei are there ninja in that land too?" She asked. Yajuu looked at Sakura. Of course there were shinobi in the other lands! Maybe not in the Land of the Waves, but in the hidden villages in the country. She should've learned that in the academy shouldn't she have? Yajuu, herself, was from a hidden village that was made solely to protect the hidden kingdom in her home land.
"Not in the Land of Waves, no. But with different cultures and countries there are hidden villages around and those have shinobi." Kakashi said, starting his explanation. "To the many nations on the continent the existence of Shinobi Villages are a measure of the nation's military power. In other words, that is how these nations maintain their relationships with the neighboring nations. Even so, these villages are not under the control of the nations. They are equal in rank. On a small Island like the Lave of Waves where it is difficult to be influenced by other nations, there is no need for a Shinboi Village." He explained. Sakura still wasn't getting it, and now Naruto was on the wagon of confusion. "The five nations of 'Fire,' 'Water,' 'Lightning,' 'Wind,' and 'Earth,' due to their large territory and immeasurable power, are called the five great nations. The Village Hidden in the Leaves of the Land of Fire. The Village Hidden in the Mist of the Land of Water. The Village Hidden in the Clouds of the Land of Lightning. The Village Hidden in the Sand of the Land of Wind. And, the Village Hidden in the Rocks of the Land of Earth. Only the Leaders of these Villages are allowed to have the name of Kage, the shadow, that reign over the tens of thousands of Ninjas."
Kakashi was correct in that sense, but there were still other smaller nations with Shinobi, like the Land of the Flower has the Village Hidden in the Petals. But these smaller countries were not considered one of the 5 great nations. Tazuna's home land, The Land of Waves, could have shinobi if they so wished, but they would be used as protection for the Village/Land more than a Military force. The Kingdom of Flowers used the Village Hidden in the Petals for that specific reason. Nothing more than just stupid bodyguards for their stupid nobles and stupid royalty.
Sakura happily squeal, "Lord Hokage is that incredible!" Inside Sakura was really questioning whether or not the old Kage really was that special. Naruto was thinking the same thing in a sense.
"OI!" the two froze. "You just doubted Lord Hokage just now, didn't you?" Kakashi asked. Naruto and Sakura quickly shook their heads back and forth. Yajuu laughed loudly at her own thoughts of the old man, gaining a strange glance from the others. "What's so funny?" Kakashi asked her.
Yajuu continued to giggle. "Nothing Kaka-sensei." She said and started walking faster. She was trying to get away from the awkward thoughts in her head. Konahamaru had caught her attention on her way to see the Hokage and told her about the incident between his grandfather and Naruto. She couldn't stop giggling about it either. Kakashi's eyebrow ticked inwards.
"Kaka-sensei?" He asked her calmly. Yajuu calmly ignored the man as she walked next to Naruto.
Naruto looked at Yajuu with a smile. "What was so funny?" He asked curiously. Yajuu told him and he laughed along with her. "That's what I was thinking too!" He shouted and looked at the masked girl. "Ne! Ne, are you really an Anbu?" he asked the brunette.
Yajuu nodded and said, "Yep! I earned it in my home village." She said. Naruto nodded as if he were thinking hard about it, but he didn't fool the Anbu.
"Yajuu! Where are you from?" Naruto asked as they walked.
Sasuke had been curious about that as well, but he doubted the girl would tell any of them. She could be on a top secret mission and telling them could jeopardize it. Come on, what Anbu comes to Konaha just because they wanted to move nations?
"I'm from the Village hidden in the Petals" Yajuu exclaimed. Sasuke mentally slammed his head against a tree and focused on listening. Sakura ran up to the two and looked at Yajuu. Kakashi silently listened, curious about this unknown girl. The Hokage hadn't filled him in on anything whatsoever.
"Yajuu-sempai, where is that?" Sakura asked. Yajuu mentally smiled at the added sempai. Naruto nodded in agreement. "Cause, I mean I've never heard of a Hidden Village like that before."
Yajuu touched the mask where her nose was and thought. "Well. It's a village that is currently used for protection of a kingdom. It's on a small island off the coast of the Lighting Nation. But we are just the kingdom and the village on the island so we don't have a whole lot of problems with others or needing a Kage." She nodded. "In fact the reason is because the king's son is in charge of the military operations. So he's kinda like our Kage. We recently underwent some serious changes I guess. I don't remember them though. The shinobi of our land are new. We've only had shinobi for 13 years now so we are still building up our ranks and power." She smiled.
Sasuke looked at Yajuu puzzled. "You have only had shinobi for 13 years now? So when did you start training?" Yajuu looked back at Sasuke, no emotion being shown since her face was hidden by a mask.
"Why do you ask Tori-tori." She called him. Sasuke glared back and turned his head to the side, nose up. Sakura mentally wished she could tackle Yajuu for teasing Sasuke So she quickly switched sides and grabbed Sasuke's arm.
"Don't worry Sasuke-kun. She's just being ridiculous." Sakura tried to comfort him.
Yajuu glared at the girl. "I started training when I was 5. I graduated when I was 8, and became an Anbu, completely skipping the ranks of Chuunin. So I've been a shinobi for… 4 years now if you only consider being a shinobi after you leave the academy." She didn't mention anything of why she moved through the ranks so quickly. That wasn't for any of these folks to know about. Yajuu half expected Naruto to be in awe along with Sakura with some jealous on the side. But, Sasuke was different. He was angry, and mind full of hatred. Yajuu wondered if it was because now the Uchiha hated her, or if it was because she remind him of someone.
Kakashi stepped in and placed his hand on Yajuu's head. "Well there's no need to brag. Your skills as a kunoichi won't really be needed anyway since there are no shinobi battles in Rank C missions." He explained. Yajuu grumbled from embarrassment.
Sakura smiled and started kissing up to the silver haired man. "Good! Then there's no worry of getting into a fight with foreign shinobi."
"Of course not!" Kakashi laughed. Yajuu looked at Tazuna, who had a look of horror on his face. Or more of self loathing. Sasuke looked calm, but Naruto looked like he was constipated…. Or upset. Yajuu couldn't really tell.
-X—
Yajuu was walking with Naruto, the two discussing favorite foods and flavors while the rest of the group silently walked behind them.
"Miso flavor is my favorite because it's kind of sweet while having that sour taste from the seaweed." She explained to Naruto. "But flower topped hamburger is still my absolute favorite." She exclaimed.
"Explain to me again what that is?" Naruto asked for the 4th time. Yajuu didn't mind though because she loved the delicious meal. Everyone else was pretty tired of listening to them talk.
Yajuu looked at a small water puddle that passed by them while Naruto was asking for another explaination. Curious. What was a random puddle of water doing here? "Well its hamburger cooked to the person desired rareness. Then you take an egg and you crack it slowly into a flower. It's a difficult thing to learn. I'm still practicing my flower making. You could the egg till the yolk is still soft and gooey, but the white stuff is nice and cooked. Then you put the egg on top of the hamburger and eat!" She smiled happily.
As soon as she was finished explaining the whole group looked back at Kakashi who was wrapped tightly in a spiked chain. Yajuu quickly pulled out a kuni and ran for the shinobi cowering behind their sensei.
Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Yajuu stood frozen as Kakashi was pulled into pieces by the chain tightening around his body. Sakura covered her eyes, fear filling her veins. "Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto yelled for his fallen leader. Yajuu ran for the two shinobi before looking back at Naruto. He looked at her confused. "What!" He yelled for her and then froze as a soft yet violent voice whispered in his ear. "Now for the second one."
Yajuu looked at the closer comrade, Sasuke and nodded. The raven haired male grabbed a star and Kuni knife and threw the star quickly. The chains that were flying towards Naruto were pushed backwards into a tree, held in place by the following kuni. One of the shinobi looked back at the chain and growled, "It won't come off!" Naruto looked at the two shinobi standing next to him in fear, body trembling.
Sakura quickly moved to defend Tazuna from any other hidden Ninja. Sasuke appeared behind Naruto, standing on the two Shinobi's metal plated arms while quickly grabbing a hold of them tightly. Yajuu grabbed Naruto and pulled him away from the three shinobi behind him, defending the blonde from any other hidden shinobi. Sasuke smirked and quickly shoved his feet into the stunned Shinobi's faces, forcing their bodies to fall away, breaking the chains.
The two quickly recovered and one ran for Tazuna when the other ran for Yajuu and Naruto. Sakura was fighting herself inside, trying to convince herself to kill the ninja running for her. "Get back!" She yelled at Tazuna, kuni up for defense. Sasuke quickly jumped in front of Sakura and Tazuna , his arms out to take the blow he'd have to face.
Yajuu pushed Naruto to the ground and jumped into the air, summer salting, and then landing a kicked onto the back of the Shinobi's head, forcing his face onto the ground.
The shinobi going for Sasuke was quickly yanked back by his throat, forcing the rest of his body to keep moving limply forward, choking him. Kakashi held him in a head lock and coolly looked at Naruto and Yajuu. "Yo!"
Sakura smiled, happy Kakashi was alive. Sasuke was complaining the man was a show off, pissed that he wasn't able the chance to take the shinobi out himself. Naruto looked at Kakashi confused and then realized it. He looked back at the pile that was supposed to be Kakashi's chopped up remains and saw a pile of small logs. Yajuu frowned. She was just getting excited to fight too.
"Naruto, sorry I wasn't able to help you sooner. But, it looks like Yajuu was able to help you out for me." Kakashi smiled. Yajuu scowled. "I got you hurt. But, I didn't think you'd freeze up like that." Yajuu glared even more harshly at Kakashi. That wasn't fair to Naruto! She looked at the blonde though, confused as to how the boy got hurt. She didn't see him get hurt. Kakashi stepped up to Sasuke and Sakura. "De, good job Sasuke. You too Sakura." He smiled and looked at Tazuna. Naruto had a look of shock on his face. Yajuu knew why too. Kakashi just pushed Naruto aside and went off to compliment his rival and crush. Nobody wants to hear that.
Yajuu knew that Naruto hadn't really helped all that much, but he wasn't useless. He was there to distract the Shinobi to allow Sakura to protect Tazuna! And, what about her for that matter, why didn't Kaka-sensei compliment her. She protected Naruto! She looked at the blonde and could sense the boy doubting himself, convincing himself he was useless. Yajuu hadn't expected anyone to really be able to fight those Shinobi. This was their first real battle is what she noticed. But, Sasuke. He acted like this wasn't the first time he was put in the position to defend for his life. He was scared and didn't get dirty at all.
Sasuke turned to face Naruto and smiled. "Yo!" Yajuu looked at the Uchiha and waited to hear what he had to say. Hopefully not something stupid to push her mood into an even more frustrated zone."Are you hurt...scaredy cat." Naruto growled and was about to run for Sasuke when Kakashi called for him.
"These guys had poison on their claws. You might not want to move around that much and take that poison out quickly." Naruto looked at his cut hand and bit his tongue. "You have to open the wound and drain the poison quickly. Oh and Tazuna-san. We need to talk."
Yajuu calmly placed her hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Don't worry Naru-kun. I'll take care of him. You get rid of the poison." She whispered and looked straight at the Uchiha. She smirked as he looked back at her figure only to find she had disappeared. Yajuu slammed her elbow onto the raven haired teen's shoulder, pushing on the nerves under his skin. He knelt down quickly latching onto his shoulder and looked back at her only to be kicked in the face, and his head pushed into the ground. He groaned in pained and Kakashi yelled at Yajuu to knock it off., She backed away from Sasuke a step and smirked. "Talk like that to Naru again, and see what happens." She snapped, defending her friend. Though they'd only been with each other a few days, Yajuu had a friendship with Naruto. Which was something she never got in her homeland.
Sakura quickly moved to Sasuke's aid while she threatened Yajuu. "Don't push Sasuke-kun around like that you big jerk! He was just teasing Naruto for his carelessness!" Yajuu ignored the pink haired girl and walked back over to Naruto. He was looked at Yajuu was a big smile.
"Holy crap! You took him down like it was nothing!" He cheered, though he really wanted to do it himself.
