Chapter 8: We Push Aside

"He fell silent. For several moments they all did, and the quiet had the feel of a deliberate thing. Then Eddie said, 'All right, we're back together again. What the hell do we do next?'"

-Stephen King, The Dark Tower


One of the hardest moments of Kurotsuchi's life was to tell two parents she could not save their daughter. Her return had been sluggish because with every step, she knew her regret was corroding the tender flesh of her heart. She had finally returned to the ruined home when the sun had passed most of its course in the cloudy sky, hoping to find the parents there. Unfortunately, her assumption was right. She had not been looking forward to dealing with their predictable reactions.

When Kurotsuchi saw the woman's husband, her first thought was that he had the same eyes that Junko did. That thought felt like a drop of water in her stomach which, surprisingly, increased the sense of emptiness in it. Junko's father had wept with his wife when they saw their daughter's corpse. Kurotsuchi lied to them, saying she had been too late to rescue her and the men had killed her before she had found them. She felt the truth was just too pernicious. She told them all of the men were eliminated and they would no longer pose a threat.

The couple tried to compensate Kurotsuchi with money for her trouble, but she respectfully refused. In her mind, she did nothing to deserve it.

When Junko's mother had wailed her sorrows into the heated afternoon, Kurotsuchi felt a dark chill creep through her blood. The chill was a thought that clipped the feathers of hope and made a woman question why the world was the way it was. No matter what she or any shinobi did, there would always be evil intent in human hearts and it felt like they built their castles in the sand. It was pointless, everything Kurotsuchi did was pointless. She could not save this woman's daughter, so the world and Kurotsuchi's heart were made colder for it.

Kurotsuchi had fought strong enemies, witnessed the betrayal of close friends, and endured the greatest war the world had ever seen, but somehow this girl's death wrecked her. It tore into the spirit and pulled her down to a miserable level of icy convictions. She had failed and there was nothing she could do to change it. Despite her suffering, she knew it was nothing compared to the parents bawling in front of her. Her own tears did not come. She helped them with the burial process by forming a hole in the ground and staying for a small ceremony that took the remainder of the day. After that, Kurotsuchi shared her condolences and best wishes, then left them with silent footsteps.

That night, the stars and moon illuminated the earth and its inky essence. The leaves of the trees reflected the silvery glow, letting the forest drink the ghostly light. Kurotsuchi trekked along the path in an abstracted state of mind. She was a disciplined shinobi of Iwa but the sense of helplessness was clutching her spirit like cold fingers. She knew she was headed in the direction of Kusa but she almost did not care. If everything was pointless, then why did going to Kusa and seeing Naruto matter? What did feelings of love and affection have to do with a world filled with evil? Kurotsuchi did not have an answer.

When Kurotsuchi really thought about it, she realized that what was really bothering her was the fact she could have done something. She could have prevented all of it from happening. Kurotsuchi could have stopped the kunai from reaching Junko's throat, but she had hesitated. She could have moved, but she stopped herself. Her thinking had prevented her from moving. Why? She kept playing the horrific scene through her head over and over again, but she was so unsure about what she was thinking about in that cloudy second. Why did she do that? She did not know what had happened and in the depths of her heart she did not want to. Because if she knew why she had done it, then she would be admitting to the reality of her mistake.

She wanted to forget reality, if only for a little while.

After the moon had moved a significant distance, Kurotsuchi became too weary to continue. It was not a physical weariness but a mental one. She was drained. She stopped in place and for the first time that night, she took note of her surroundings. She heard the sound of water trickling close by and left the path to investigate. Several meters away from the path, hidden amid the brush, she found a quaint pool that rippled from a steady flow of water above it. The small waterfall was rather soft in its noise making and generated a peaceful atmosphere around the pool.

The pool resembled silver because of the moon's glow and Kurotsuchi stepped near it to peer into its watery body. She saw her reflection there. Her pink eyes mingled with the silvery light, forming an amalgamated painting of faded colors. She examined her features and questioned her existence for a soft moment. It was then that the tears came like a wave. The salty drops rippled in the pool and muddled her appearance. Kurotsuchi had failed and there was nothing she could do to change it. She wanted to find release and weeping was not fitting her needs.

After a considerable amount of time passed filled with teardrops, Kurotsuchi knelt in a gentle patch of grass near the pool to rest her enervated body. She fell asleep to the tender sound of the waterfall and the creamy glow of the moon.

Perhaps, her dreams would not be as pointless as her reality.


Naruto's sun-kissed hair swayed with the gentle breeze as the morning light shone down on him through the leaves. He always loved the way the light hit the trees, producing a bright, emerald canopy above him that spoke of majesty. He appreciated the way nature would bless the world with its beautiful simplicity.

Naruto had been traveling for a protracted amount of time. For some reason that he did not quite comprehend, his feet were moving quicker than he had been initially commanding them to. Earlier, he had stopped a traveling merchant on the side of the road to inquire if Kusa was close by. The merchant had said he was only about an hour away, that had happened thirty minutes ago. Naruto was perplexed by his speed but did not dwell on it for longer than he needed to.

As Naruto traveled down the wooded path, he patted the scroll in his cloak and smiled from the lovely words that were concealed within it. Kakashi had finally replied the night before and Naruto was still lingering on the helpful and kind advice the Hokage had written. He had only read it twice but the words were etched into his memory, hopefully for good.

Dear Naruto,

Thank you for the report. I hope the endeavor involving the rogues bodes well for you. As for your honest request about Kurotsuchi, I am quite flattered that you would trust me with that information. I understand that you're uncertain about your feelings concerning the opposite sex and that's perfectly normal. You're being very mature by requesting advice and I'm so proud of you, Naruto. It takes a strong man to ask for help. Your parents would be proud too.

Regarding Kurotsuchi, I suggest that you learn more about her. Find out as much as you can and then once you obtain enough information on who she is, you can then consider if you want to take the next step in the relationship. The important thing is to communicate. Let her know how you feel when you feel it is necessary. She deserves to know just as much as you should know her feelings (whether romantic or otherwise) about you. Trust your intuition, Naruto. It has helped you out in the past, after all. I look forward to your next report. Good luck, Naruto.

Sincerely,

Kakashi Hatake

Rokudaime Hokage

After reading it, Naruto had missed his old teacher more than ever. He knew that every word on the scroll was as sincere as the man who had written it. He wanted to see Kakashi and all of his friends in Konoha, but he was not ready. He would see them again, he told himself, it would just take some more time.

With every step that Naruto took, his excitement grew. He was going to see Kurotsuchi again; the woman that had been plaguing his thoughts for over a week now. Kakashi's words seemed to be ringing in the stillness of his mind: 'Let her know how you feel…' He wished it was that simple. When he read that portion of the letter, his stomach seemed to drop at the very thought of telling her how he felt. How could he do that when he did not even know what they were? There was no way he could simply describe his feelings in detail.

However, knowing Kakashi believed in him seemed to boost his confidence. Perhaps, he did not need to describe them but say them. She would understand, he thought. She would probably appreciate his honesty and his courage strengthened at the prospect. So it was decided; he would tell Kurotsuchi his feelings for her.

Naruto's grin was wide and his spirits were high as the sunny forest seemed to reflect his mood. He was so cheerful he almost did not notice the subtle movement of grass in the distance. Luckily, Naruto's instincts were disciplined enough for his ears to hear the unnatural noise of the grass being shifted. He stopped suddenly and his eyes steeled over in preparation. He swiftly moved through the dense foliage off the side of the path without making an audible sound of any kind.

Naruto almost broke his cover when he saw what was on the other side of the brush. The woman of his recent dreams was sleeping next to a clear spring and he froze in place when he realized it was Kurotsuchi. He was only a few meters from her resting form and Naruto could not help but stare at how beautiful she appeared. Her breathing was rhythmic and heavy, indicating that she was in a deep sleep. Naruto took those still moments to examine her.

Her lips were peachy and full with a hint of cherry color to them. Her cheekbones were elevated to an attractive degree, but not too high to where they were prim. She had a sharp nose that bared some contrast with the warm arc of the bone structure it ended in. The curves of her body were like hills and valleys of endless blandishment. He did not really get to appreciate the fullness of her hips the last time they had seen each other. They were exquisitely wider than they were during the war. She was wrapped in her travel cloak, so he was disappointed to not see any of her exposed skin. He kicked himself mentally at that thought. She was a human being, not an object.

Naruto then realized he would be in some serious danger if she awoke to find him staring at her while she was asleep. If she was anything like Sakura, and he was fairly certain she was, then he would be counting on a giant lump on his head if she awoke. So, Naruto took the safe approach.

"Kurotsuchi?" His voice was not too loud nor too soft; the perfect volume to awake a sleeping woman.

When Kurotsuchi opened her eyelids and her flushed eyes were revealed to the morning light, Naruto froze once again. Despite his adroit perception skills, Naruto was having trouble trying to discern the emotions and thoughts in Kurotsuchi's eyes. The stoic, salmon-colored orbs confessed almost nothing to his deduction skills. There was only one mental state that was so prevalent in her soul, yet it was only for a careful second he was able to decipher what it was: pain.

Her finely-trimmed eyebrows furrowed slightly at Naruto's presence, though not out of anger but confusion. "Naruto?" The eyebrows widened. "Naruto! What- I…" She paused for a moment then looked at her surroundings and her current position. Kurotsuchi's face was the same shade as her eyes when she quickly stood up. She did not like being caught off-guard. Her uncharacteristic stuttering was a testament to that. "H-how long have you been standing there?"

It was Naruto's turn to blush. "I-uh, just got here actually," he lied.

In her frantic state, Kurotsuchi seemed to buy it. "Oh, well. Fantastic." She took another pause to collect her thoughts. When she had opened her eyes, she thought she had still been dreaming. Her dreams had been filled with the same hues of yellow and blue that were currently in front of her and it had embarrassed her to realize it.

Finally, she seemed to be in control of herself and made a sharp intake of sweet air into her lungs. "Did you need something?" Her question bounced around the watery glade, the sound of the small waterfall mingling with the innocent words.

Naruto was taken aback by the question. Suddenly, all of his confidence seemed to fall down his throat and into the pit of his stomach. He could not tell her, after all. "Well, we agreed to meet up again, right? In Kusa?"

Kurotsuchi's eyes reflected some well-concealed surprise at the revelation. Given yesterday's circumstances, she had forgotten about the hopeful reunion or, at least, misplaced the joy of the rapprochement. "Yes, of course." She recovered well enough to where it seemed natural, even to Naruto. She surveyed the clearing they were in. "Although, I do believe this is not Kusa."

The gentle smirk Kurotsuchi gave Naruto made his blood pulse far quicker than normal. He could not help but participate in the playful banter he had missed so much. "You have a good eye." He mirrored her smirk which increased the curvature of her lips. "However, we're not far from the outskirts."

She tilted her head which caused her ebony, shoulder-length locks to careen to the side of her face. "Is that so?" There was a quick moment of silence as she aligned her thoughts. "Then would you care to accompany me on the way there, hero? I have some business there that I must attend to."

Naruto felt his veins surge at the suggestion. She had a funny way of getting what she wanted without making it seem like she was too eager. Naruto was not too keen on this fact yet, however. He nodded. "Sure, I'd be happy to." Kurotsuchi turned her body towards the direction of the path but stopped dead in her tracks when Naruto asked an abrupt question. "Why were you out here, anyways? Couldn't you have slept in town?"

Naruto's inquiry reverberated in the confines of her mind, paralyzing her. The events of the night before gripped her soul. In her shock, it had all slipped her mind. There was some relief in knowing the blond man had been able to make her forget about it, if only for a little while. Nevertheless, her fear and regret flooded her senses. Everything was pointless, she reminded herself. She shook her head, trying to shake away the terrible thoughts that invaded her duty and character. She could not let it control her. She could not let it take away her joy. Somehow, it was not too difficult to push it all aside, although she was uncertain for how long that would last.

She realized she had been staying in place for too long due to the fact that Naruto was raising an eyebrow at her in mild curiosity, waiting for her answer. She thought he looked cute in that moment. She shook that thought away too. "Let's go," she announced as she pushed through the fresh vegetation on the way to the path, leaving Naruto's question unanswered. He did not press the issue further.

Naruto followed after her without investigating her odd behavior. Naruto scrunched his face in speculation as he tried to discern what that look meant earlier as he followed behind her. For one split moment, Naruto had seen the pain in her eyes again. This time, however, it was much more concentrated. It had been similar to the center of a whirlpool, a swirl of agonizing water that struck the cold ocean of distress. When she had looked back at him, he had tried to seem as disinterested as possible about the matter but he could not completely mask his concern.

Naruto wanted to think longer on the subject but his thoughts were cut short when Kurotsuchi spoke to him from up front. "Aren't you going to ask what my business is in Kusa?" A playful glint was in her eyes, just like it had been in Ame. Naruto had forgotten how much he had missed that glint.

He shrugged. "I figured that you would tell me eventually." His smirk was wide enough to show teeth. 'Or I would have figured it out myself."

Kurotsuchi narrowed her eyes at him, trying to detect whether that was a jab or a subtle inclination to their relationship. She decided it was probably neither. "I'm going to formally invite Kusagakure to the Shinobi Union. Now that Ame has joined, the Union is trying to recruit every village we can get. Because of you, Naruto, it's made things a lot easier." Kurotsuchi had expected the blond hero to swell with pride at that announcement, but she had been pleasantly surprised. Instead, Naruto quickened his pace to reach her.

They were now walking side-by-side along the path with Naruto on Kurotsuchi's right. He grinned brightly at her and she could feel blood rush to the tip of her nose. How could he make her do that? She barely knew the guy, yet no man had ever made her feel this way. As if he was reading her thoughts, Naruto said: "What's your favorite season?"

She appeared to be perturbed by his questioning. Her innate reaction was to be flustered and begin her stuttering again, but she pushed that down with sheer will. "What? Where did that come from?"

Naruto's smile softened slightly but kept its brilliance. He had wanted to ask a much deeper question; one pertaining to why she was in so much pain. Of course, he knew he would not have gotten an answer, so he decided on trying to get to know her better. Kakashi's advice was his best bet, after all. "I don't know," he replied as a chuckle escaped his lips. "Is there something wrong with wanting to know your favorite season?"

"Don't answer my question with another question."

"It's still an answer though."

She was about to retort but the logic behind his absurd reasoning gave her pause. After a few breathy seconds of ruminating, she gave in. "Autumn." She glanced at him. "Autumn is my favorite season."

Naruto did not take long to respond. "Why?"

She looked forward and stared up at the olive-colored canopy above them. "There's a lot of reasons. The changing colors for one thing. It's kind of like spring but the opposite. The world adjusts itself for a time of rest in autumn. A time where things get colder but only so they can get warm again." But that was her old philosophy though, was it not? After Junko's death, everything in her worldview had changed. She had realized the whole world was always cold and was always filled with evil. Warmth and goodness were just an illusion. Why could she not say that, though? Around Naruto, she could barely even think about all of that. How was he able to do that? Did she actually believe what she had said? She did not feel like she was lying. For some reason, Kurotsuchi had trouble feeling depressed around the effervescent man.

Naruto's grin made Kurotsuchi think the sun's rays had broken through the trees. She looked up to check; it had not. "Couldn't say it better myself. That's why it's my favorite too."

Kurotsuchi could tell he was being sincere and smirked at him. For a couple minutes, neither of them said anything else until Kurotsuchi broke the silence. "What's your favorite vegetable?"


Kusagakure was a small, but thriving village. Because of its invasion during the Third Shinobi World War, the village and the surrounding nation had suffered many casualties and had its infrastructure in ruin. After the war, the village had bounced back and became a successful shinobi village due to the shrewdness of its diplomatic leaders. Like many of the smaller shinobi villages, Kusagakure was not led by a Kage but by a small council of leaders. The leaders were highly skilled in diplomacy and were all highly intelligent. They were known to be peaceful and honest men that had sided with Konoha with the utmost respect towards the great village. When the Fourth Shinobi World War ended, they had shared the same excitement and relief that the rest of the world had experienced.

Kusa was shaped like a square with a grid-like structure of streets and alleys comprising its layout. The village was divided into four units of the square almost symmetrically. From the perspective of the cardinal directions, the square was shaped as a diamond with the point of the top quadrant facing the north. Because of this layout, the quadrants were logically called the North, South, East, and West Quadrants. The main headquarters of the village was located at the southernmost point of the North Quadrant, near the exact center of the village. That center was where the four quadrants intersected and formed another open square, earning it the name Center Square; another testament to the logical attitudes of the village's residents and founders.

When Naruto and Kurotsuchi entered Center Square and the war hero was still not surrounded by fanatics or admirers, he visibly groaned his disappointment. He had learned the art of humility in recent years, but it was still a relatively new concept to him that he did not follow religiously. He was starting to like being recognized and admired by strangers wherever he went. Unfortunately for Naruto, the residents of Kusa were well-known for being stoic and unenthusiastic unless they needed to be. He had received some waves and glances from the villagers but it was nothing compared to what he was used to.

Naruto was kind of hoping to see Kurotsuchi's reaction to him being the center of attention in a village they were not really associated with. At this point, he was grateful to get any reaction out of the pink-eyed kunoichi. Every time the woman laughed, smiled, frowned, or depicted any form of emotion; Naruto felt like he understood the world a little better. If pushed for clarification on the matter, Naruto would say it actually made him want to understand the world better because then he would probably be able to explain why he liked her reactions so much. He hoped so, anyways.

Kurotsuchi rolled her eyes at Naruto's visible dismay, her grief temporarily forgotten once again. "Honestly, you're a real puzzle, hero. One minute you act all mature and intelligent and the next you're practically a child."

Naruto's mood drastically changed at her astute observation. His grin showed as much white as the puffy clouds in the sky. He was enjoying the fact that she was analyzing him. "That's just what makes Naruto Uzumaki the complex individual that everyone loves!"

Kurotsuchi audibly sighed at his antics. Although, the subtle amusement she conveyed did not go by unnoticed. Truth be told, Naruto rarely acted like his old self these days except around those he was especially close to. He had wanted to not act this way around Kurotsuchi but when he realized her reactions were rather positive, he could not help himself. It was basically impulsive and he liked it that way.

"The headquarters is right there," Kurotsuchi said as she stepped towards the large building that was the hub of the village. "Come on, hero." Naruto followed along as he marveled at the simplicity of the important building.

It was a two-story building with a single tower jutting up in the center of the block-like structure. The tower rose up for an additional three stories and emblazoned upon the front wall of the tower was the kanji for grass. The building was surrounded by a concrete wall and had two Kusa-nin standing guard in front of it. When they saw the two strangers approach them, they became rigid and tense. Naruto threw them his most disarming smile from a distance and one of them quickly recognized him.

"That's Naruto Uzumaki," the shinobi guard told his comrade standing next to him.

The other guard narrowed his eyes in disbelief at the man in question. "The famous war hero?"

"Yes, and it looks like he is heading this way."

"Should we stop him?"

The first guard was bewildered by such an audacious statement. "How do you stop one of the strongest men to ever live?"

"I don't know, but it's our job to question anyone who wishes to see the council."

The first guard gave a nervous chuckle. "I don't think you understand. If that man wants to see the council, he will see the council."

The second guard was about to say more when the blond man that had been the focus of their discussion stood in between the two guards. Naruto grinned happily at them. "Hello, my friends! Would you mind letting me and my companion here into the building? We have come on diplomatic means and we would like to-"

"Yes! Of course! Go right ahead!" the two guards exclaimed in unison. Naruto gave them both a quizzical expression but wisely decided not to press the issue any further because of Kurotsuchi pushing him forward from behind. She called out a sing-song 'thank you' to the two guards and the duo entered the Kusa headquarters.

A young receptionist was sitting at a desk with a stack of papers placed next to her. She was scribbling something when the two shinobi walked in. She peered up at them with disinterest at first glance but when she saw Naruto, her face became flushed. She was immediately intimidated by the handsome blond but she tried to maintain a professional demeanor as best she could. "Hello. What may I do for you?" She was only addressing Naruto, seeming to ignore Kurotsuchi altogether, much to the kunoichi's chagrin.

Naruto did not seem to notice or care about the woman's batting eyelashes, but Kurotsuchi sure did. She could feel her patience thinning and her annoyance increasing at the way the young woman lusted at Naruto. Before the jinchūriki could say anything else, the kunoichi spoke for him. "We are here to see the council, if you do not mind." Her tone was razor-sharp and the receptionist flinched a little as if needles were piercing her.

Naruto rubbed the nape of his neck and shot the receptionist an innocent smile that made the young woman's leg muscles loosen subconsciously. She immediately forgot about the needles then. "We only need to see them for a few minutes. I would be extremely grateful if you would let us see them. I assure you it's of the utmost importance."

The woman frowned in some form of reluctant regret and merely glanced at Kurotsuchi from the corner of her eye. "I'm afraid you need to have scheduled an appointment and the council is not seeing anyone today. They are in an important meeting, you see."

Subconsciously, Naruto expressed his disappointment by creasing his eyes slightly. The almost defeated look made the woman's heart melt into a puddle. It made even Kurotsuchi have a moment of pause.

The woman's pitch was far higher than earlier. "Well...if it really is important. I guess you can go in. It's up the stairs and down the hall." The receptionist gave Naruto a sultry smile. "However, you can only go if you come see me again on your way out."

"That shouldn't be a prob-" Naruto's words were cut off by Kurotsuchi pulling him by the ear. The fuming kunoichi dragged the war hero away from the desk without a word. Naruto pulled away from her strong grip when they reached the top of the stairs leading to the council room. "What the hell was that for?"

Kurotsuchi looked unamused. "For playing into that skank's hands. You should know better, hero."

Naruto chuckled in a sheepish fashion and found himself unable to look at her in the eye. "I was just being friendly."

Kurotsuchi rolled her eyes once again and headed towards the council room without giving him anymore attention on the matter. They stepped into a long hall and made their way to the end of it. At the end of the hall were two brightly-painted, ornate doors that appeared to have costed more than was probably necessary. Kurotsuchi wasted no time by knocking heavily on the double doors. Naruto was honestly intrigued by her lack of tact. After a few moments of silence, the doors were opened from the inside and a small, robed man stood in front of them. His robes were similar to the ceremonial robes worn by the Kage but without any form of headwear.

The small man immediately recognized Naruto and was alarmed by the abrupt visit. "Oh my! Uh-how may I help you?"

Naruto waved and smiled kindly to the short man. Kurotsuchi stepped forward and answered the man's question. The man seemed to just notice her presence which increased the kunoichi's irritation. "We're here on diplomatic circumstances from the Shinobi Union."

The man's eyebrows were heightened by her announcement. "'Diplomatic' you say?" A gleeful smile formed around the man's lips and he centered it at Naruto's presence with the addition of a nod to him. "Why yes! This is perfect! Please, come in." The man opened the doors completely and allowed the two shinobi to enter the large room.

The council room was circular in shape with a large, wooden table placed in the center. The table was circular as well with five chairs stationed around it. When the duo walked in, four out of the five chairs were occupied by men all wearing robes that were similar to the ones their greeter was wearing. All of the men were of considerable age with one of them being elderly. The five councilors were startled at seeing the unwelcomed guests entering their meeting room. They all stood up almost at the same time and had similar expressions of surprise on their brows.

The elder was the first to speak. "Wha-What is the meaning of this? We are in an important meaning! Goro, why did you let these two in?"

"Apologies, Elder-san," said the councilor that had greeted the two shinobi. "But these two are from the Shinobi Union and wish to speak to us about our discussion. They may be able to help us with our predicament." The councilor, Goro, lowered his voice slightly. "Plus, this is Naruto Uzumaki, Elder-san. A man worthy of respect."

The elder seemed to pick up on his co-worker's hint and widened his eyes at the sudden revelation. He quickly corrected himself. "Ah, yes! Uzumaki-san! We are very grateful to be meeting with you!" He turned to his fellow councilor. "Goro, would you get some chairs for our guests?"

Goro promptly retrieved two chairs from a supply closet and put them next to himself at the round table. When Naruto and Kurotsuchi were made comfortable in their seats, the elder cleared his throat. "Now then, Uzumaki-san. What business does the Shinobi Union have with Kusagakure?"

Naruto raised his eyebrows in mild surprise. "Oh, um, I believe you should ask my friend here." He gestured to Kurotsuchi who appeared to be extremely perturbed. "She's the representative for Iwa in the Union. I'm merely an escort of sorts."

Kurotsuchi swallowed her pride and frustration at the apparent disrespect to handle the task at hand. "We've come to invite you to the Shinobi Union."

The elder smiled at that declaration. "Fantastic! Well, gentlemen there is our solution."

Kurotsuchi was rather baffled by the man's reaction. "What are you talking about?"

"Allow me to explain," the elder chimed with earnest. "Kusa's economy has been dwindling of late. Because of this peaceful era we are in, we have had a major decrease in missions. Fewer people are hiring shinobi in this region and we desperately need to change that. Joining the Union would settle that as we know that you offer missions from all over the world to whomever wants them. This would greatly aid us in our endeavor to save our village's economy." The elder looked at the other councilors seated around the table. "I believe that our vote on the matter is all unanimous, correct?"

"I'm afraid not, Elder-san."

The elder narrowed his eyes at the source of the voice, his white beard shaking in slight distress. "Kaneki, why would you say such a thing!?"

The councilor that had spoken up, Kaneki, had grey-steel eyes that seemed to be as stubborn as the metal they resembled. Naruto did not like them one bit, they reminded him of a bandaged councilor that had given much grief to him and his friends before the war. Kaneki was unyielding. "I do not think Kusa should be under control by any other nations."

Kurotsuchi retorted to the man's ignorant statement. "I'm afraid that you don't understand. No nation is above any other in the Union. Everyone is equal and has a voice in our organization. We believe that your nation will be a valuable asset to the Union. Your resources and diplomacy will be very helpful."

Kaneki was unfazed by Kurotsuchi's logic. Naruto knew that he would be. Men like that rarely gave into reason, they would rather deny or neglect it because they had created their own reasoning long ago. The problem was their logic was usually deemed as self-referentially absurd.

Of course, they typically denied that fact too.

"Maybe for a time. But your greater nations will stand over us and put control on our little country in no time. We've only ever been your battleground or market for resources. You've never shown any interest in our ideals in the past, so why would you now?" Kaneki was reminding Naruto more and more of the former leader of ROOT, back when it existed and it was starting to get on his nerves. Despite this, Naruto kept his mouth shut.

The elder took back control. "Kaneki, you're being ludicrous. Things are different now. None of the Great Nations have any cause to do what you're stating."

Kaneki was like a piece of wood that had fallen in the muddy waters and refused to budge. "Perhaps, now. But what about later when things are different again? They would have no problem taking us over and controlling our government."

The elder was starting to get heated. "They could do that now if they wanted to! They could force us to join but they are giving us a choice. Doesn't that constitute for something?"

Kaneki's eyes were set and determined. "No." The statement was simple but strong enough to make the elder lean back in his chair.

"Well, it doesn't matter." The elder addressed the entire council. "We will have a majority vote." The animosity in Kaneki's eyes was substantial. "All those in favor of joining the Shinobi Union say 'aye'!"

Four out of the five councilors shouted out a residing 'aye' and Kaneki's anger was left to brew in his steely eyes. Kaneki stood up from his chair. "Elder-san." His tone was venomous. "According to our laws, a majority vote can only be held after a formal discussion on the matter has been observed."

"We've discussed the matter quite enough." The elder could be just as stubborn and Kaneki knew it.

"But it has not been formal. If I am to dissuade the councilors here on your foolish proposal, it must be done in a fair and just discussion. We merely had a spat, not a discussion." The elder matched Kaneki's eyes.

For what seemed like an eternity, the two men glared daggers at each other. They tried to see who would succumb to the other's will first. "Very well," the elder finally said. "We will adjourn this meeting for now. We will start the formal discussion first thing in the morning." The elder glanced at the two guests who were staring at Kaneki with calculating eyes. "And they will join us as well. They have a voice here too."

Kaneki decided to humor him. "As you wish, Elder-san. I will see you all in the morning." With that, Kaneki shuffled out of the room without another word.

After Kaneki had left in such an abrupt fashion, the elder appealed to the two shinobi across from him. "I'm sorry about that. Don't worry, we will have this ordeal settled by tomorrow. In the meantime, we will make arrangements to have you both stay in a local inn."

Naruto and Kurotsuchi welcomed the prospect of sleeping in comfy beds again. They thanked the councilors and exited out the ornate doors and down the hall. When they reached the bottom of the stairs and the receptionist had beckoned Naruto over, Kurotsuchi gave him a glare that somehow made the jinchūriki think twice about seeing his admirer. The receptionist pouted when Naruto waved good-bye to her and the duo left the main building.

As the midday sun shone down on the two shinobi, Naruto gave Kurotsuchi a serious expression. "I didn't like the resolve in that Kaneki's eyes."

Kurotsuchi nodded in agreement and reflected on what she felt about the somber look Naruto was showing. "Yes, but I don't think he'll pose much of a problem. It's a 4 to 1 vote right now."

Naruto shook his head. "That's not the point. I know that look, Kurotsuchi." Naruto's eyes were still, like a pool formed from an underground spring that had traveled far to reach its destination. "That man will do anything to get his way." As Kurotsuchi contemplated the implications of Naruto's observation, she realized that she was not that different.


I know you guys have been waiting for the fateful reunion and I'm glad to present it to you. I love the fact that this story is turning out to be more than I ever thought it could be. For the first time ever, this story reached over 1k views in one day. I know to many writers that this isn't much, but it's my own personal milestone and I couldn't feel greater about it. I've loved all the helpful critiques and encouraging statements from you guys. I know the story's tone can shift pretty quickly but that's my aim, so expect it to be happening a lot in future chapters. I'll see you guys in the next update. Stay positive!

-CM