Disclaimer: I own nothing, seriously, is this up for debate? GW owns their things, Kishi owns his things. This is for fun.

AN: Alrighty, this one is a long time coming, and I'll tell you now, originally, this was a massive chapter, almost 20k words. At the suggestions of LoPe and Graven I'm chopping it up into at least two, probably three, chapters. Hope you all like it ^_^


To Live Forever

Chapter 2: Those who Serve


So it is said of Phe'tep,
First among the High Priests of the Deshret,
Last among the priesthood,
He and his disciples ensured the survival of the eight thousand,
That he gave his life to ensure the future,
May he continue to protect the people in the next life.

-Translated from the hieroglyphics at the Pillar of Remembrance.


The Dark Beauty.

The Seductress.

The Blood Red Rose.

The Ice Queen.

The Red Sunset.

She had as many names as she did faces.

It was a simple fact that all who dealt with women would learn, in time. Women had many faces.

Joy.

Anger.

Sorrow.

These were only three, yet in the world of ninja there were none that knew all the faces a kunoichi would possess.

That reason was a simple one.

Should they see them all, then they were destined to die. It was an immutable fact of the ninja world.

She was called an uncommon beauty, and while she didn't ignore her looks she also didn't try and flaunt them. If she had to judge herself she would say she was a little too short in her mind, her hips a bit too wide, an unruly head of hair that refused to be tamed and bizarre eyes that, in the right lighting, would scare even herself.

There were few that would agree.

Kurenai Yuuhi was her name, and for once, she was having a good day.

Very few men had approached her, many of the civilian girls in the village were being a bit nicer for some unknown reason, she just got her first genin team, and there hadn't been a single sign of Asuma all day. Even Anko, her best friend, had been in an uncommonly good mood, something about having a new 'toy' to play with.

That always made her shudder. Ever since her problems with her former sensei she was a bit too quick to cut, but at her core was still the same, fun loving girl she had always been. It was just a pity that so few others could see it. Most seemed to think that she was a promiscuous woman due to her style of dress and panache for flirtatious behavior. Ludicrous. With that look she ensured that only a certain kind of man would approach her.

A kind that she could easily turn away, or if they persisted, she wouldn't feel bad about hurting.

As much as the fun loving girl still lived within her, she knew that her pain ran deeper than most could understand. The only one, she imagined, that may be able to understand her was oddly enough her new student.

One Naruto Uzumaki.

One more reason she was glad that she had gotten him on her team, with the joint training she had in mind for her little minions she was hoping that they, or at least he, may forge a bond not unlike what she held with the woman.

Anything to get her to take someone else to that blasted dango stand…

Anyone that really knew her knew that she preferred fish, spicy fish at that, so why would the woman always take her to get those blasted little dumplings?

Shaking herself from her mild rant she pressed on, while she knew she would be on time for the meeting a part of her always preferred to be a little early, a tick picked up from her own jonin sensei long ago. Sparing a nod to the two ANBU at the gate she made her way up the spiraling tower and to the Hokage's office, pausing at the door for a moment as her nose wrinkled.

Asuma.

Making a quick hand sign she shunted chakra to anywhere but her nose, briefly feeling lightheaded as her ears started picking up the mumbling through the door, her eyes stinging slightly and fighting the urge to re-adjust her clothing, the slight pinch of her bra standing out all the more with that extra bit of energy running through her.

Knocking twice she waited a moment before hearing the rather comforting voice of her Hokage before entering and giving the older of the Sarutobi's a smile. She didn't hate Asuma by any means, but the man needed to learn how to take a hint, if he was smoking, she wasn't going to give him the time of day. It wasn't like his father's tobacco, that she could honestly say she rather liked. The sweet, often cherry flavored, off-blue smoke was something that was almost pleasant for her. However Asuma tended to prefer the raw tobacco from Ame, the rather industrial village had those pollutants seep into their leaf and it was something you could smell and taste in the air.

Something he would never take into account, she had done everything short of yanking the pack out of his vest and incinerating it to get the man to take the hint.

Men.

"Kurneai-san, punctual as always, I hope the day finds you well."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

Smirking slightly the elderly leader waved her off somewhat, "Now, Now, the meeting hasn't started yet, no need to be overly formal right now. You could take a lesson from your friend, I am a grandfather, and hope to get back to doing that properly here in a few years."

That made a small smile form across perfectly painted lips. "As you wish. If I may, why were we all called here today?"

He absently pulled his pipe from his desk, beginning to fill it as he considered his answer, "Officially, I'm just handing out the files on your genin for tomorrow's selection. Unofficially I need to speak to you, Anko-chan, Ibiki-kun and Iruka-kun about what happened three nights ago."

She gave a silent nod as she watched Asuma with her peripheral, refusing to let the man think she was eyeing him. "Sooo….Kurenai-san…"

'Oh please no…not in front of the Hokage…'

"What do you think of your team?"

She had to bite her tongue to keep from sighing in relief. "I believe they possess remarkable potential. What about yours?"

Idly he pulled a cigarette from his vest, the pronounced 'ting' of his lighter echoing through the office before flicking the striker a few times as he considered his response. "I'm currently going to be heading up the next generation of one of our more famous ninja trios, honestly, I can't complain. Though I'm going to have to rely on their clans quite a bit…But you, you've got a weapon freak, a Hyuuga, and the outcast. All three I think should have been last picks, but you, you had the first choice, why pick them? Why not the Uchiha, the Haruno or the Yamanaka?"

She ground her teeth slightly as she moved closer to the Hokage, the smoke already grating on her, though the apparent lack of faith from her fellow jonin may have played a bigger part in that, "My team, Asuma, is of little concern to you, though I suppose I'll humor you. I chose the two most promising kunoichi in the class, something I know you understand, as well as a boy that I believe was overlooked in the school due to a situation beyond his control, you saw what I did, making twenty-three clones like that is almost unheard of for a genin, if I can hone that skill into wide range genjutsu then he will be a force to be reckoned with. Hinata has perfect control, can be an expert tracker, and is already showing a skill for medicine. Tenten looks up to one of the sanin and is stopping at nothing to get to her level, trust me; my team is going to be a powerhouse when I'm finished with them."

Both Sarutobi were doing their best not to shrink away from brunette, they didn't realize how fiery she could be when pressed.

"Come now Kurenai-san, I'm sure my son wasn't trying to be insulting, I happen to agree that these three have great potential. Young Anko will be assisting in your training, yes?"

She nodded, "She's still officially not allowed to take a team, yet still desires to teach, so I offered a hand, and with the limited number of nuke-nin coming in I thought it better to keep her busy. A bored Anko is an…interesting Anko."

"Ooohhhh….Kurenai-chan…talking about me behind my back again…."

She froze at the purring voice, two hands snaking around her midsection to lightly rub her belly as hot breath washed over her ear.

Her yelp was not terribly dignified.

Though the laughter from the two men didn't help.

With a rough clearing of her throat she pinched one of Anko's hands hard, causing the woman to squeak and pull away, "Anko, behave!"

She grumbled a bit before dancing out of reach of her friend and, pausing only long enough to get the ever so slight nod from the Hokage, snatched the three files from the desk that bore the snapshots of her team. "So these are the little monsters we get to play with, eh Nai-chan?" She got a nod before she started to leaf through them, her whole being seeming to shift and take on a more professional feel. Gone was the somewhat teasing cock to her hip, no more were her eyes sparking with mirth, her jaw set and her lips thin as she slipped into 'mission mode', her odd pale brown eyes dancing over the papers as she seemed to go back to other files time and again. "Wow…at first glance these seem terrible Red…but you know I see a lot of potential here…"

Kurenai couldn't hide her smirk anymore than the Hokage while Asuma was starting to wonder if he had missed something. "So what are your thoughts?"

She gnawed on her lip for a time before smirking, "It's almost a perfect balance, not overspecialized, and not weak in any one area. The blond will be the heavy hitter from the looks of it, the Hyuuga has almost perfect chakra control and decent reserves thanks to her fighting style and can be a melee beast if we break her out of that shell, and Buns here, with a little…coaching, could get as good as me at extracting information. I'd say a perfect deep recon, capture/retrieval or assassination team." Kurenai gave a curt nod, oh yes; she had hit the nail on the head. "Although…it says here you're wanting to turn the blond into a genjutsu user? Why?"

"Primarily due to the fact that he has such remarkable control, despite having such massive reserves. With that kind of power he may even be able to develop a genjutsu that could fool the sharingan!"

Anko let out a low whistle, the look in her eyes showing just how quick her mind was working, "I'll be damned…assuming he could increase the power and maintain control…and that's a big 'if', he could convince the body that the injuries or the setting was real…he could actually manage to kill if he does this right."

"My thoughts exactly."

"You're not planning on trying to get him to use…it…are you?"

Anko looked to the Hokage like he was covered in something foul. "You, of all people, ask me that!" The elderly leader flinched at the pain in her voice; the very idea of using power from another was sickening to her, he knew as much, but really, who wouldn't feel that way if they had been through what she had.

"Forgive me Anko-chan; there are times that even a professor can be absentminded…" A soft knock echoed through the room before he called for the person to enter. Quickly two men entered the room, one a towering man seemingly made of a scowl, the head of the interrogation unit, behind him, wheeling himself into the room, was Iruka, the man moving more than a little gingerly thanks to the apparent wrappings on his chest.

"Lord Hokage."

"Hokage-sama."

"Ah, now that the main players are here, we can begin. Iruka-kun, first I would like to say I'm sorry to call you here from your rest, you must in a great deal of pain."

He gave a weak smile, looking far to pale for a man of his age, "N-Nonsense, Hokage-sama, I live to serve."

He gave him a small smile, "Very well. Now then, the main reason I've called you all here to discuss the events that had transpired that night. As some in this room are aware, Naruto has become aware of his burden."

That caused a few eyes to widen.

"M-My Lord, what will become of him, what was his reaction?"

"Will we still be allowed to train him?"

"Did he flee the village?"

The elderly leader once more raised his hands, attempting to calm his son, and the boy's sensei-to-be. "Easy. Apparently after the revelation something had happened, you all felt the chakra spike from the forest I presume?" They nodded, "Good. It would seem that when Naruto found out he, through rather…selective means from Mizuki, was in severe emotional distress. After a last reassurance from Iruka before he succumbs to his injuries Naruto apparently was able to subdue Mizuki with, thus far, unknown means. Ibiki-san?" The scared special-jonin drew up to his full height before nodding.

"Yes, Lord Hokage. Naruto, upon delivering Iruka to the hospital for damage to his ribs that had resulted in a punctured lung, came before the Hokage and reported that he had engaged Mizuki with the help of the aforementioned chunin and, upon seeing Iruka seemingly 'die', in the boy's words, coupled with the revelation of the fox, had 'snapped' and beat Mizuki into submission with a found branch. However, the evidence does not support this statement."

"Explain."

Nodding once more to his leader he produced a few files and began to pass it around the group, the Hokage having a personal copy, "As it can be seen from his injuries, he has indeed been bludgeoned, however, you can see from the bruising that it seems to have been an object with clearly defined edges."

Riffling through a few pictures Anko had to fight back her grin, someone had seriously worked the man over, and it was clear that something a lot heavier than a branch had done this, "What did Mizuki say?"

Her boss just shook his head, "That's the problem, from what we can tell he's gone completely insane, he insists that Naruto somehow had summoned the dead to fight for him, before they beat him into submission. Even said the kid had a crown."

That caused a few to chuckle, "It's possible he found an iron rod, or a dull sword out there, and in his anger just doesn't remember."

Again he shook his head, "No, we have scoured that area; take a note of the scene photos. Whatever happened there, it was big. Even if the kid had somehow tapped into his power, it would have been different. The fox's chakra, naturally, is destructive, but it doesn't cut, it rends. No, whatever happened there, it was done with an edged weapon or weapons. I have requested some of the local swordsmen and blacksmiths investigate the area and report back the nature of the weapon. I will say this, I've never seen a cut that clean before on a tree, and if it was a weapon, why not just kill Mizuki?"

The Hokage just sat there for a time, his eyes closed, before letting out a sigh, "It's clear that there is something new in the village, be it an unknown ninja, a new technique, or a weapon that has yet to be revealed. There is also a matter of some of the civilian and retired ninja in the village disappearing since that night. Thus far we have lost four such people. Now normally, with the graduation having just occurred, this would not be too much of a problem, as many that did not pass would be relocating to one of the surrounding civilian villages. However, it's the condition they were found in that's alarming. Ibiki."

"Yes. It seems that those that were found dead had every scrap of chakra drained from their system. There is one such ninja in the village that could accomplish such a deed, a genin named Akadoo Yoroi; however, his location is accounted for at the apparent time of the deaths. Either training with his teammates at the time or at his part time job at aquifers."

Kurenai arched an eyebrow at that; such a technique would be powerful indeed for anyone, but a genin able to do such a thing? "This boy and his teammates, I don't recall them graduating…who's their sensei?"

"The group's sensei, one Aoi Rokushoo, became a missing nin after the theft of the Raijin no Ken six years ago. Since then they have been passed to what jonin have been available. The team's leader, Kabuto Yakushi, is the adoptive son of the head of the hospital and is an accomplished medic in his own right, helping to train many of our up and coming nurses."

"They've been genin for six years, yet have such accomplished skills…and their sensei is a missing nin? And the council calls me a security risk!"

While most just ignored the violet haired woman's rant, Hiruzen's mind was busy working, Anko had a point, with a gesture unseen by the gathered ninja he made a sign to the room's hidden black ops. and sent a few ninja to keep an eye on the group, "Regardless. As Ibiki-san has said, he has an alibi, therefore, in addition to the Mizuki incident we must keep watch for those that may be new in town or possess exotic items. Kurenai, your team possesses a young woman that is known to have great interest in weapons, try and ask her, as subtly as you can, about what could do such a thing."

"My Lord, if I may make a suggestion. Of this generation of genin only Naruto has knowledge of what happened that night, and more specifically, where. I suggest that perhaps we set up this new…clearing, as a training ground. My team can meet there and as an impromptu quiz I can ask Tenten what weapon could make such a mark."

After a long moment he gave a slow nod, "Agreed, however, make sure that when you do Naruto is not nearby, if he does know something he may try and influence her answer."

"My Lord?"

He paused to start refilling his pipe, "As much as I want to trust Naruto in this, all my attempts over the last few years to get close to him have come up short. I fear that his loyalty to the village may be…lax."

That caused several wide eyes, Iruka the only one that dared break the silence, "L-Lord Hokage, surely you're not suggesting that Naruto, the one who's dream it is to be Hokage, could be a traitor!"

His features hardened, sharply reminding them all exactly who he was, not the kindly grandfather, but The Fire Shadow, and God of Shinobi, "Iruka-san, as much as I want to believe in Naruto, my first priority is to the village, and if he has become a threat to the people I am obligated to find out just how great it may become. You know as well as I do that he does not view me, or even you, in the same light that he once did, becoming increasingly distant to us a-"

Anko's scowl seemed a sharp counterpoint in the room, cooling where the Hokage's had been heating, "He's a teenager for Kami's sake! We all pull away from our parents growing up, I mean come on! You really think that that little ball of fuzz that used to spy on Nai-chan and I on the way to the academy is plotting all our deaths!"

Before her tirade could grow any further there was a massive spike in chakra in the room, silencing all involved as they were crushed by the weight of the anger it held, "ENOUGH! Mitarashi-san, I know that you see this boy as a parallel to yourself in some ways, but the fact of the matter is that even using the crystal ball I cannot track him at all times. Either he, or some outside source is blocking our scrying attempts, add to that that he keeps loosing the tails that we put on him and yes, I have to ask myself that!"

"So…you were having him followed, for how long? You at least had the courtesy of telling me. For a little kid like him I'd bet that he just got paranoid as all hell and just started running and hiding as a reflex. You know what this place is like. At the best they ignore him!"

"Mitarashi your dismissed!"

"Bu-"

"DISMISSED!"

She snapped a hasty salute before turning on her heel and leaving a group of stunned watchers. Some couldn't believe how she had reacted, but for two, they were shocked that the Hokage had thought so little of the boy, them wondering what his father may say if he was still there.

Unknown to them all, one old man was wondering just how true her words had been.


The last three days had been unique for Naruto.

Why, you may ask, was it just these three days that would stand out? That was simple; he himself hadn't so much as seen the sun once in all that time, something of a rarity of the blond.

For you see, when Naruto had finally chanced looking up from his rage fueled moment he had been shocked to see he was surrounded by withered husks of what looked to be the very people who had once lived in his people's past, those that looked to have stepped out of the walls themselves, though they had aged horribly.

His gaze had drifted to each face in turn, the cracked features, the crumbling bandages, all surrounded by the faded splendor of what they once were. Each were knelt around the vacant throne seeming to wait for him to finally acknowledge them.

With a hollow voice, one that seemed almost as old as they were he spoke, "You…who are you…"

The first, this one seemingly once dressed more magnificently, a tarnished, yet still quite impressive headdress of turquoise and gold, his robes tattered and falling from his body even as he tried to maintain his regal form. A rasping hiss, a small cone of dust married with flakes falling from lips long devoid of warmth, "My Liege…"

"W-what?"

"Sire…what is your will?"

"My…Will?"

"We have awoken by your will. What are your orders?"

Naruto stared at the withered man for a long moment, after a time the figure shifting slightly; even now Naruto could feel the faint weight of his crown, tendrils of knowledge snaking their way into his mind. "Are you and the guards the extent of what lies here?"

Naruto now learned that the dead could indeed laugh. "My Liege, if we may, we can show you."

For the next three days, though he was ignorant of the passage of that time, he was lead ever deeper into the twisting tomb, rooms long sealed or hidden now open. The massive figures in the hall that he had once thought were mere depictions of gods were now alive, each saluting him as they passed, massive blades and stone arms making a dull crash as they slammed into their chests in a great 'X'. The training halls that he had sweated in so much were now filled with rank upon rank of warriors. Each were not as well equipped as the guards that had come to his aid, some part of him knowing that these had served as his true soldiers, those that made the backbone of his armies.

That gave him pause, when had he ever had an army?

Such thoughts were banished as he watched them pick up the aged weapons and armors, and almost lovingly they began to polish, sharpen and mend all they put their stripped hands on. Deeper still they moved, passing massive doors that, when asked, he was told contained the charnel pits where his legions had been buried, others were the royal treasure rooms, still more were the armories meant for the Kings, Queens, and of course, the priests.

One of these treasuries had been something Naruto couldn't help but stop at, something telling him, demanding him, to enter. Despite the protests of those around him he cast the doors wide and strode in, his posture befitting a King.

There, on an alter before him, was a great golden staff.

The thing was thick, looking almost like a quarterstaff in some ways, thought at the head of the staff was a massive carrion bird, it's wings held aloft and showing that the feathers tips were brought to a razor edge, the birds eyes made of rubies, his beak forged of tapering crimson gold, giving the appearance of it having recently fed. The length of the shaft textured with feather upon feather.

"Priest…what is your name?"

"Phe'tep, my Liege, the forty-eighth high priest of the Deshret, and the teacher of High Priestess Zandri."

Naruto paled, "Z-Zandri! Where is she? Is she here?"

"No Sire. Her place is elsewhere."

He deflated a bit, "I-I see…what of this staff then, I feel…drawn to it…"

"That, my King, is the staff of the Sky Lord, Alkhazzar the First; he was the first to begin to revere the great carrion of the eastern oasis of Ah'nai. Since then we have made it a point to entomb several with each King, Queen and priest. These birds are holy, as they would cleanse the battlefields of the dead, preventing sickness and the fouling of the water."

"I've been meaning to ask you…you don't seem alarmed that you are…well…alive again…"

Again, the priests gave dark chorus chuckles, causing another blast of dust and dried flesh, "You would naturally be curious my young King, but it has long been known to the people that when we were needed once more that a King would call on our aid. Though we all prayed for such things to be unnecessary, we knew the day might come that we would be called away from paradise. Our allegiance is timeless, and we know that when the need passes that we will return to our sleep."

Naruto's head bowed low as he gave small acknowledgements to each priest in turn, he was a bit comical to see a dead man surprised, "For my part in this I am sorry to have brought you back, to be honest, it was unintentional, I was just so mad…I guess I lashed out without realizing, please, understand, though I may be King in your mind, in mine, I am lower than you…I raised myself according to the reliefs, nothing more than a common soldier…now I-"

"Sire, please, whether it be by prophesy, choice or victory, you are our King, and we will serve loyally. You bear the crown, you would be unable to if you were anything but our Lord." Without missing a beat the gathered priests, thirteen in all, dropped smoothly to a knee, something that didn't seem possible with their aged bodies, before crossing their arms before their chests, a sign of bondage and servitude to the King, "What is your command?"

Giving a small smile Naruto nodded and made a small gesture for them to stand, "Tell me more of this staff."

"Sire, this staff is a symbol of leadership of Alkhazzar but also served as a powerful weapon. Its blade was said to be able to cleave a sea of sand in but a single sweep, and the gaze of the great carrion would smite his foes with the raw, untamed heat of the desert. It is a formidable weapon."

"I see…most impressive, and what of the drawbacks?"

"As you can see my Lord, it is quite large, and shines brightly in the sun, a fine thing for troops to rally behind, but for a single warrior, without shield, chariot or steed, it can be a glaring beacon to draw foes to you. Alkhazzar's son used such a thing to lure his enemies into traps, though that lead to his demise."

Naruto gave a small smile as his eyes danced over the simple, yet elegant weapon, his hand already moving to grasp it, when suddenly, gnarled, dried fingers locked around his wrist, "My Liege, forgive me for overstepping my bounds and daring to lay a hand on you, but this staff is one that you must not treat lightly, it has killed any outside of Alkhazzar's line that has dared to touch it."

Naruto gave the priest a reassuring smile, "Then I shall be the first, as I said Phe'tep, I was drawn here, I do not think the staff will harm me."

"Bu-"

"I appreciate your concern for me, but this is something I will need to find Megami-chan's destroyer, and be an effective ruler to you all. Please, trust me. If I am to be a good leader, a good servant to you all, I need to be as strong as I possibly can."

Another first, a dead man looked scandalized!

"SIRE! You are our Lord! We are your servants, soldiers, slaves! You canno-"

"Phe'tep…this crown has shown me many things, it showed me the rich history of our people, our culture, our faith and traditions, and yes, while I may lead, should you not follow, not pledge to listen, to serve, then all this crown is, is a fancy hat. Nothing more. No, a King is nothing without his people. While you all may only be here for a time, you are all infinitely more experienced in the powers that return life to this place, and by your suggestions then I will be more effective in battle, commerce, building and diplomacy. Without you all, I just have mindless soldiers. But if you're with me, and I listen, then we will have a force that will make the very Gods envious of our splendor!"

While the sight was lost on him, several of those surrounding him seemed to stand a little straighter, their features losing some of their cracked age as his power pulsed and flowed through the temple.

The eyes of the staff flashed.

"My Lord…If-If you feel this way, why don't you listen to my warning? The staff-"

"As I said, it called, what kind of leader would I be if I didn't listen?" With that his hand extended.

The tomb shook.


For Anko her day had been, largely, one of utter and complete shit.

First she gets into a fight with her surrogate grandfather over a boy she only ever saw in passing, then the dango stand on the way to her home was closed, the little paper sign just stating 'cold', then she had run across one of the little annoyances from the bar that never seemed to be able to take a hint.

Really, she had decided to be nice once and buy a guy a drink after his sob story over losing a girl, now he wouldn't leave her alone!

Thanking the fact that they didn't teach the Body Flicker technique until you made special jonin she was able to beat a hasty retreat. Though it was one of the last places that she normally wanted to end up at.

A cemetery.

Though it wasn't so much the plot of land, what it meant or what it contained, it was the fact that her intended perch had suddenly shaken violently, that coupled with the seal on her neck attempting to flare with the use of her chakra and the general chaos of trying to reorient yourself when you are coming back from such a jutsu and the results were less than pleasant.

A widening of eyes, a sudden sense of vertigo.

A sudden pain in her forehead, and the humiliation of being face down, ass up, for all to see.

One more good thing about cemeteries, there were never very many people in them, unless there was a funeral that day, and a funeral is something this place hadn't seen in a hundred years. She quickly rolled over and sprang to her feet before looking about. The place was just as desolate as when she had first come here, years ago, when she had gotten curious and followed the little blond boy she had seen running through a back alley, and the way he had changed as the years passed.

She was no fool, she knew exactly why Kurenai had requested her help on the team, she knew how the boy had been ignored over the years, always just a hair's breadth from the violence that the populace could exact on him, so much like her, in a way, that it was scary.

Still, to choose to live in a tomb rather than an apartment, even if you knew that place had been watched, was a bit extreme. Still, she couldn't deny that it had been, apparently, a good change for him, if his looks and skills were anything to go by.

While she had been curious, ungodly so, as to what was inside she hesitated, she had seen the traps he had put at the entrance, and if her time in T&I had taught her anything is that the simple traps were the ones you spotted, it was the ones deep inside that only trackers and field engineers could spot that would end you, so using a blind Shunshin inside the structure was a no-no.

The strangest thing about the whole situation however, hadn't been the fact that she would watch the boy like this, it was the fact that after her…event…with her sensei, that these odd little excursions, the memories of this place, was all that she could hold onto.

If it had to deal with the blond then she could remember it, almost with perfect clarity. She didn't have her mother's face, but she could remember him covered in dust leaving the tomb, then releasing the chakra and letting it fall to the ground. She couldn't remember childhood friends unless she had spotted him when they were out an about, it's one reason that she insisted on being so close to Kurenai instead of Yugao, despite her insistence that they had been closer than she and Kurenai had ever been.

The boy that caught rabbits, the one that would drag a bolt of cloth into those shadowed depths, make tools of stone.

Train until he bled.

And more than anything, suffered in silence.

The death of the matron of the little orphanage that he and Tenten had once stayed in had happened the same year that Orochimaru had betrayed the village, the same year that she had been branded.

The same year that they both had changed.

The blond ball of joy and sunshine had become quiet and serious, and her, she had turned inward and tuned out all who she couldn't remember, save the Hokage.

She began to walk alone, just like Naruto.

So of course Kurenai had made a big stink about her helping in the training, and she, in turn, saw it as an opportunity to force Kurenai into buying her all the dango she wanted.

Win win.

Still, in all the years that she had been in the village she had never felt a quake like that, in all the time she had spent following the little boy, watching how he grew, she had never felt that kind of power come from him, or this place.

Now she was intrigued, and an Anko who was in such a state could be a dangerous thing indeed.