Sorry, for the incredibly long wait, but I kinda found a new hobby and didn't get the time to write. There will be a lot of timeline inconsitencies for these and the next chapter/s. It's because of the timeline in the manga (I don't watch the anime) has changed the plot so much and I really, really want to incorporate it into the story.
Chapter 6: Baptism
"Where are they?" one of the Demon country's guards kept asking. "it's already 10 o'clock and they're still not here! Damn those Konoha ninjas. Do they expect us to fetch them from their quarters and…."
"I'm sorry for being late." A white haired Konoha jounin asked as politely as he can, the other Konoha ninja were behind him. "It was quite hard trying to find a good suit that'd fit Chouji here." He said, pointing to a stout 15 year old ninja that seemed to be suffering from a mild strangulation. "I mean, we didn't know that there were ceremonies like these, we didn't have them in Konoha, you know."
The guard smirked, "Follow me." He led them into the rear yard of the castle, the waterfall where Neji had saved Shion previously.
"Why lead us here?" Lee, who had known about the secret entrance once before, asked. "this only leads to the throne room, right?"
"The waterfall entrance, yes. But you can access another place through here." A second white haired jounin replied, a Cliff jounin.
"Good morning, Kinji-kun, Kira, Inoue-hime, Misao-chan." Kakashi greeted.
"Am I correct, Asamiya-san?" Kinji asked the guard.
"Yes, you are. But I do not think well of someone who barges into someone else's memories without hesitation."
Kinji raised up his arm to block Kira's path from the guard. "I apologize for my rudeness. Do you need any help in activating the pathway?" He said quite jokingly.
"I can manage on my own." The guard was clearly annoyed.
The guard went through a series of unusual hand signs and placed his hand on the wall, left of the waterfall, "Heaven Stairwell!"
A block of white granite appeared on the foot of the mountain wall. Another block appeared, higher and to the left, and then another, and another, they kept going higher and to the left.
"Come." The guard said. He stepped onto the first block and then the next. The Konoha and Gake shinobi followed him silently.
They followed him in a straight line climbing steadily higher and to the left. After about 17 steps the guard stopped and pressed his palm into the side of the rock face, a small stone bulged out. He twisted it about 45 degrees to the left, then 90 to the right, to the right again to the left…
After about half a minute of twisting and turning the stone, the rock face opened up revealing a small dark tunnel. It was lit by silver torches on both sides about 6 feet from each other. The guard walked in and motioned for the ninjas to follow.
After about a minute of walking through the dark tunnel, they reached a large gate. It was enormous, yet magnificent. A large doorway made of silver engraved with gold and ruby. There were three guards on both sides of the gate.
"You are to enter on your own." The guard said and the six guards of the doorway helped him open the giant gates. Light shone brightly from the other side of the door. "Welcome, To the Demon Country's Silver Bell: The greatest of all event halls in the continent."
And he wasn't exaggerating; the hall was anything but simple. It was vast; it had tables ready for about 300 guests. The walls were white inlaid with golden design and other metals. There was a platform on the other side with an arch made of olive wood and many flowers, behind it was a surely smaller, yet as elegant, gate. The roof was enchanted with genjutsu to show the weather above the mountain without letting any of the foliage, rain, animals, etc. inside.
The hall was almost full when they had come. It seemed that mostly everyone in the village was there, from the fish vendors in the market to the rich men of the village. They had 6 tables reserved for them each seating 4 people. They sat according to their teams: Kakashi and Sakura, Gai and Lee and Neji and Tenten, Asuma and Shikamaru and Chouji and Ino, Kurenai and Kiba and Hinata and Shino, Gaara and Temari, Kinji and Kira and Inue and Misao. They were the nearest to the platform.
The gate behind the platform opened and a young woman about 15 years of age stepped out, dressed in a pale green gown that suited her blonde hair. In her arms she carried a small bundle, a newly born infant, after them followed a man not any older than her, with radiant blonde hair dressed in a suit, similar to that of the fourth Hokage. Finally a much older man dressed in pure white came out. The woman went up on the left side of the platform, the young man opposite of her and the older man in the middle facing the wide audience in the hall.
"My dear friends, we are gathered here today to welcome to our midst this young infant, the first daughter and heir of our priestess, Shion, and this young ninja of Konoha whom without him, we will not be here today. By this rite of acceptance we shall welcome the young priestess…" he paused.
Shion and Naruto smiled and looked at each other for a second; they turned to the man and chorused, "Renji."
He lowered his hands into a silver basin filled with ceremonial oil covered with lavender and rose petals. He poured it over the child's head, and, holding the child's forehead, he exclaimed, "The young priestess of the Demon Country, Renji!"
The audience stood in applause all of them overcome with joy. The Demon villagers, for they had a new priestess and the Konoha and Gake ninja for their young friends.
A loud chuckling and clapping sound calmed the audience of the event. "Bravo, bravo." Said the man clapping. "I came here looking to finish a debt with the priestess, and yet I find you here too, Kinji."