Title: Slow Burn
Chapter: 07 Misinformed
Author/Artist: Killaurey
Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me. It's Kishimoto's and I just play with it. AU immediately after the Sasuke Retrieval Arc. Part 7 of ? Unbeta'd. Sorry 'bout the delay, seriously, but RL was kicking me hard. Hopefully I'll get the next chapter up quicker. But no promises! That being said, thanks to all of you who read, review, and lurk!
Winter rain sheeted down, the sky so black that it was almost as if night had come early. It was a day for staying inside and keeping warm if you could. For all of that though the city remained bustling and she was glad that she'd left Ino-kun back at the manor while she went to report.
No doubt Ino-kun was already more than busy with keeping Hoshi-sama and her daughters occupied. Amaya, bundled up in a heavy-duty raincoat – and to the ordinary eyes just another poor soul that had to be outside today – had been sent out retrieve a delivery for Hoshi-sama. She'd get it on her way back. If she'd really been a servant then there was no way that she'd have made it to the shop in only a few minutes.
This gave her the chance to report.
One advantage to having a mission in the city was that the back-up got to stay in hotels. Darting down a narrow street, Amaya looked up and smiled faintly at the sight of a candle sitting lit in the window she'd been told to look for. A quick glance around proved that the street was empty for the moment, and she was up the wall in a flash to rap in a predetermined sequence on the window.
She finished, and waited. Hands on the inside moved the candle to the side, and the window opened with the snick of a lock that she could not hear but knew was there. Amaya was pleased with the way that Asuma was training his team. Patience was something that got neglected far too often in Genin training.
It was Asuma on the other side of the window, she could tell by his silhouette – there was no hiding that bulky frame of his when compared to his kids. A quick exchange of keywords and the window was opened only long enough for her to slip inside.
Blinking at the sudden warmth, she pushed her hood down as Asuma re-latched the window behind her. The Nara kid glanced at her from where he leaned against the wall, and around him shadows pooled too deeply to be just the room, then at the window.
"Junko didn't come?"
She shook her hair out, stripping off the gloves and outer cloak setting both near the fireplace to dry and letting Asuma answer. This? Was not her business.
"It wouldn't be prudent." Asuma said, shaking his head as he moved to take a seat on one of the beds, gesturing for her to take a chair. "She's much too visible."
Amaya had to crack a smile at that. Ino-kun certainly did have a knack for making friends quickly. They'd been on the job for ten days and Hoshi-sama's youngest daughter, Aiko, had taken to her so much that Hoshi had generously gifted Ino-kun to the young girl as her personal maidservant. It was luck. Yamanaka luck. She'd seen it happen with Ino-kun's father as well. So often it would happen, and they were always quick to take advantage of it. Good ninja.
It was a shame the clan was so small.
The Nara boy crossed his arms and said nothing. It didn't take skill though to read that from the line of his jaw and the set of his shoulders that he was unhappy about it. There was a soft pattern of knocks that came from the door and she tensed while both the others looked up.
After a moment, the pattern was repeated again, and the Nara boy moved for the door. There was a murmured conference, more keywords most likely, and then Asuma's third kid was in the room.
"It's clear, far as I can tell, Asuma-sensei." The Akimichi said, pulling off a soaked cloak much the same as hers, "I checked the perimeter twice over just to make sure."
"Good," he was told, "sit down and dry off. We'll be heading out in a few hours for patrol around the house."
"One of us should be there," the Nara said, "she's all by herself."
Amaya shook her hair out. "She'll be fine. There's no one there, even if they might target her, who'd go after her while she's attending the little lady." There were also several ANBU agents who were keeping a close eye on the situation. "It's only for an hour."
"Leave it, Shikamaru." Chouji said, when the other boy still looked about to speak. "It's all on orders."
That sounded like it had been said before, and often. She glanced at Asuma, eyebrows faintly raised and tilted her head at the boys. Asuma rolled his eyes at her and mouthed 'crush' before shaking his head.
She nodded, both amused and concerned. No wonder that they were having teamwork troubles then.
"That's enough of that, you two." Asuma said sharply, "Amaya-san's on limited time, stop wasting it."
She bit down a smile as both the boys straighten under the sternness lacing Asuma's voice. It wouldn't be appreciated, and she had no wish to draw this out longer than she had to. After all, for all her protestations that Ino-kun was perfectly safe things could turn upside down and deadly in a matter of seconds.
Especially if what she suspected about the guards was right. The ANBU watching over Ino-kun were a relief, but it was always better on the nerves to be present herself.
"So far," she began, "little as been uncovered as to the daimyo's true motives. It is difficult to say whether he is merely stupid - or far more dangerous than that, and a traitor to the country..."
Amaya continued on, detailing the ways that both she and Ino-kun had been working on integrating themselves into the daily bustle of life and gaining the trust of people.
When she was done, both boys were looking thoughtful and she signaled for Asuma to dismiss them. There were some things that she wasn't going to discuss with them - not when they didn't know the truth about the mission. Her suspicions were one of those things.
"Shikamaru, Chouji, go and scout the perimeter again." Asuma said abruptly, startling both boys into movement. "Be thorough."
Amaya waited five minutes after they'd gone before turning and looking at Asuma. "We've got a potential problem on our hands."
He was fingering an unlit cigarette. "I figured. You were too serious. What is it?"
"The shinobi he's got guarding him." Amaya shook her head, "Intelligence said no more than Chuunin." Her eyes narrowed. "They're more than that. Good actors," she admitted, "but too good. They're hitting every enemy Jounin alarm I've got. Experienced Jounin. I'd bank on them being Jounin for at least a few years."
Asuma swore, crumpling the cigarette. "And Ino?"
"She hasn't been noticed." Amaya said, "But Ino-kun has also been very wise and stayed as far from them as she can without arousing suspicions. I've encouraged this--" by acting as Junko-chan's big sister and warning her off the loose ways of shinobi "--and she's taken it to heart. Most of her time, besides, is spent with the children. If she falls under suspicion it won't be hard to defuse."
He was rubbing his forehead, "There's nothing we can do at the moment, is there?"
"No." She told him, "But I thought you should know. We're safe at the moment, but you and your boys will have to be extremely careful -- they'll be looking for outside sources of danger. Less so from the inside. Ino-kun's youth is proving valuable, they know that if this mission were taken what rank it would be. Children are not often sent out these days."
"They're lucky for that." Asuma said, "Even if they'd disagree. Anything else I need to know?"
She shook her head, pulling her damp cloak back on and checking the window. "That's all. Keep an eye out, and tell the boys whatever you see fit." That was a bit of an interesting dilemma for him, she knew. "Though it might be safer if they know less."
Less chance of them giving anything away under torture.
"I'll consider it." Asuma said, "You should go before you're missed."
"In this weather?" Amaya laughed softly, "They won't be expecting me for a while yet -- and when I get back I'll be praised for my fortitude."
"It's only rain."
"To you and I, perhaps." She laughed, and was out the window.
The wooden halls of the place were slowly coming to life as everyone went about their business of getting ready for the day ahead of them. Down one hall a brown haired girl, dressed neatly and with the bright-eyed look of someone who'd been up for a few hours already, walked quickly clearly heading towards the wing of the building that the daimyo and his family lived.
She was fussing with her hair, then, throwing up her hands in disgust Ino ducked into an alcove for a moment, hands reaching up impatiently to fix her hair. Again. Wisps of brown dyed hair kept escaping, no matter what she did, from her ponytail and it was driving her nuts.
Quickly redoing her hair as best she could, Ino slipped out of the alcove and headed down the hallway towards her destination. Knocking on the sliding screen to announce her presence, she slipped inside the room at the cheerful call for her to come in.
"Junko-san!" There was the patter of small feet and then Aiko, only eight and cute as a button, with big dark eyes and a grin that took up half her face, was there and flinging her arms around her.
"Aiko-sama," Ino said with a laugh, smoothing back the girl's soft black hair, "a good morning to you as well."
The girl grinned up at her then, stepping back, asked, "What are we doing today, Junko-san?"
Ino half-kneeled so she could match the younger girl's height, then said, "Today, we're going to be helping Hoshi-sama with the preparations for tonight's dinner. It'll be fun, don't you agree?" She'd already been give her orders for the day by Yoriko-san, who'd found her while she'd been eating breakfast in the servants hall.
Aiko nodded, "Okaa-sama said that Ritsuko-san is coming. I can't wait!"
"Well, we'll make the time go by fast by working hard," Ino said with a laugh, "come on, lets finish getting you dressed and we'll go see what Hoshi-sama has for us to do."
Getting the girl dressed neatly, and doing up Aiko's hair into twin braids that bounced on the little girl's shoulders as she walked, Ino lead Aiko out of the room. The little girl spent the time chattering brightly about nothing in particular with Ino grinning and answering back whenever it seemed like she was expected to answer. Which wasn't very often, really. Aiko was perfectly happy just to keep up a stream of one-sided conversation.
As they headed down the hallways and through the rooms of the house, heading towards the banquet hall, Ino walked three paces behind Aiko, as was proper, even though Aiko had a tendency to move around enough that it wasn't always easy to tell that she was being proper. Other servants and various guests of the daimyo bowed at Aiko's passing and the little girl grinned and greeted those she noticed with merry hellos.
They found the lady of the house standing imperiously in the banquet hall and directing scurrying servants to set things out the way she wanted them to be. Hoshi-sama was a tall, slim woman with blue eyes and the same black hair as her daughter.
"Okaa-sama!" Aiko called, darting with arms out-stretched towards her mother for a hug. Ino hung back, and bowed deeply to Hoshi-sama. "Junko-san said we're to help you today!"
"And so you will be, little lady." Hoshi said warmly, one arm slipping around Aiko's shoulders, "There is plenty to be done."
So there was. But the company was good and Ino chattered cheerfully with Mai and Sachiko as they worked to clean the room so that it would be sparkling and up to Hoshi-sama's high standards.
"I heard," Sachiko said dreamily as they worked at scrubbing the silver, "that there's going to be more ninja here tonight." Ino glanced up, curious.
"Oh, I hope they're as cute as the one's guarding Benjiro-sama," Mai giggled, "because they could guard my body anytime."
"Because being guarded is what you're interested in, of course." Ino added, with a grin and all three of them dissolved into giggles. Behind her laughter though, she was making note to tell Amaya-san the moment she saw her next.
Already she'd found out that Amaya-san had been sent down to the village. "Poor thing," Sachiko had sighed, "she'll get sick for sure. You'd better take good care of your sister, Junko-chan." Ino had bobbed her head and promised she would do her best.
After scrubbing the silver until it sparkled, while Hoshi-sama and Aiko, her small face very earnest, discussed the ways of laying out the tables so as not to be sitting enemies next to each other. Though, from what Ino understood, there were times when that was desirable. But never by mistake.
"Junko-chan," Yoriko-san, one of the older servants said shortly after that, "we've run out of linens to fold for the napkins. Can you go and fetch some more? There should be some in the dry room near the guest quarters."
"I'll go right away," Ino nodded, glancing up to make sure Aiko didn't mind. The little girl had hardly noticed and just grinned when Ino caught her eye. Taking that as permission, she stood, leaving her scrub brush in the bucket of soapy water and slipping out of the room.
The dry room, the dry room… she took a left as she exited the hall and headed toward the guest quarters. There were times when she wished the place wasn't so big, but it did, she had to admit, make for an interesting house to work in. Though Ino was glad she wouldn't be doing it forever. Menial work for a mission? No problem! For a living? Not a chance.
As she entered the guest wing, Ino spotted one of the Chuunin that the daimyo had hired to protect him. She bowed as he passed. A part of her thought that he was cute, with his dark green hair and matching eyes, but the fact that he wore an Iwa forehead protector was a very good deterrent. Ino knew her history; there was no way she'd ever get involved with an Iwa ninja unless it was demanded of her for a mission.
Turning down the hall he'd just come from, Ino eyed the closet she was supposed to be getting the requested linens from, then tilted her head to glance at the door to the suite of rooms that had been assigned the Iwa ninja for the duration of their stay. If she'd just passed one, and the other, she knew for sure, was guarding the daimyo as he worked, then that meant the room was empty…
Weighing the risks quickly, Ino checked the hall to make sure no one was there, and peeked around the corner for good measure to ascertain that no one was coming right away before casually, oh so casually, slipping across the hall and into the suite.
A quick glance around the first room showed that it hardly looked lived in. Not really a surprise Ino knew, shinobi didn't tend to unpack much while on a mission. Because what if they had to make a quick getaway? It was just easier not to bring much, and not to unpack what they did bring.
The second room showed more promise. A shirt was casually left on the bed, and a few scattered books were on the desk. A glance at them proved it wasn't anything more interesting than some rather… risqué… poetry. She blushed slightly, and continued her survey of the rooms.
Did she dare go through their things? Ino had to make up her mind quickly. There was no telling when one of them would return here and there was utterly no reason for her to be in these rooms. If she was caught, there wouldn't be a good enough excuse to keep them happy.
On the other hand… this was the first time they'd had a chance to get into these rooms. Amaya-san had mentioned it several times that there was always one of them, every time she checked, already in the room.
This was a chance then, that she had to take. Ino quickly located their bags, and started going through them with a careful eye for any traps or poisons meant to deter people from doing exactly what she was doing.
Exploding tags, bandages, soldier pills – a different colour than Konoha's and Ino wondered if they were as effective – extra scrolls…
In an inside pocket of one of the bags, Ino's fingers brushed a piece of cold metal. She paused then carefully inspected it with her fingertips. It felt like a forehead protector… Ino frowned.
Shinobi weren't issued more than one at a time, and for good reason – doing that ensured that there would be less chance of someone getting their hands on one – and it was only if you'd lost yours beyond recovery that they'd give you a new one. Hers was back in Konoha for exactly that reason. She didn't need it on this mission.
But both of the Iwa ninja had been wearing their protectors every time she'd seen them. Drawing it out, making sure to note the exact way it had been folded so she could replace it and they hopefully wouldn't notice, Ino turned it over in her hands.
The symbol for Otogakure stared back at her. She almost dropped it in her shock. Ino shook her head, just incase her mind was playing tricks on her, and checked again. No, it was still the same.
Hurriedly Ino put it back where it had been, then replaced everything else she'd removed from the bags, doing her absolute best to make everything look as if she'd never been there. Then she left the room, almost darting across the hall to the large walk-in closet that held the linens she was supposed to be getting.
Her hands shook as she gathered what she considered to be a reasonable armful of unfolded napkins for a civilian girl her age and size. Oto. Here. Ino bit her lip and tried to calm down. She wished now that Amaya-san wasn't in town. This was something that it was absolutely imperative that she tell her.
Ino was pretty sure that this hadn't been something that the mission had called for. A Sound presence in Fire Country… suddenly she didn't feel so confident about this mission. And with more ninja coming tonight…
What if someone recognized her? Her hands went to her hair, pulling a strand in front of her face and she soothed herself with the fact that between her brown hair and tanned skin she hardly looked the way she did usually. "Just be careful," she admonished herself, "just be careful."
Composing herself, Ino forced a smile on her face. She couldn't look like anything had upset her. That would set off alarms if anyone was watching her movements. Gathering up her pile of napkin linens, she headed back to the banquet hall.
Moving quicker than she normally dared while in the guise of Kawano Junko, but not nearly as fast as she could go – she had to make up the extra time she'd wasted – Ino tried to convince herself that this wasn't going to change the mission greatly. It didn't really work.
If things were bad between Iwa and Konoha well, there was no comparison to the animosity currently between Konoha and Oto. At least with Iwa there'd been almost twenty years for things to cool down. She shook her head, and entered the banquet hall, almost babbling apologies about taking so long, claiming she'd gotten turned around on her way back.
In a way, the work she was set to, of more scrubbing and folding cloth napkins was a relief. She used the time to organize her thoughts knowing that in her current state if any of the Chuunin entered the room her reaction would likely be off. Which was the absolute last thing she wanted to have happen right now.
She hoped Amaya-san came back soon.
Tsunade looked up from going over yet another bit of paperwork she needed to have finished if she wanted to go ahead with the Raikage's offer. Shizune was leaning against the door frame and frowning at her.
"Tsunade-sama," Shizune said, her respectful words at odds with the anger in the way she stood, "when sending Genin off on missions protocol states that all their teachers should be informed -- especially when the mission is technically outside of the team's parameters."
"You would've said no." Tsunade didn't see the point in beating around the bush. "I nearly said no. Sarutobi still isn't happy with it for all that he went out on the mission." Her lips quirked. "Excellent intelligence skills though – the only paperwork about the mission has it classed as a B rank, and despite your protests, Team 10 is qualified for such a mission."
"If so many are against it, then why send her out?" Shizune was still frowning, though Tsunade did note that her animosity had lessened on hearing that no one had really agreed about it. But who knew whether it was from the compliment to her skills, or the fact that it was true that Team 10 really was qualified, if only barely, for a mission of that rank.
"ANBU wanted it." She answered simply. "And they had a strong enough case to back up their reasoning."
"She's just a Genin!" Shizune protested, "An A rank is out of her league."
"I have it on good authority that Yamanaka-kun would be crushed to hear that one of her teachers thinks so little of her skills." Tsunade said, watching Shizune flush at the implied reprimand in her words. "You can be assured that ANBU is under extremely strict orders to keep her as safe as possible if anything goes wrong."
And that was all she could ask of them. Anything could happen and sometimes circumstances spiraled beyond the control, and preparation, of anyone. Even the best shinobi could be taken by surprise and only a fool thought that a mission plan would, for certain, hold up the way they had predicted after the first step.
"How long is the mission to last?" Shizune asked finally, and Tsunade had to stop herself from sighing in relief. It was clear, written all over Shizune's body language that the other woman wasn't happy with her decision.
But then, Tsunade never had been expecting that she'd be able to keep everyone happy. Nor would she really want to try. It'd be a poor leader that bent to every whim of their people. She would settle for being liked only some of the time – and even then, she'd rather that they trusted her judgment. No matter if they were happy about it or not.
"The mission? Could last indefinitely." Tsunade admitted, watching as Shizune's eyes narrowed, "But I've already informed the ANBU on duty that I want Team 10 back in time for the upcoming Chuunin Exams."
"They've only got two members," Shizune pointed out, then looked amused, "expecting that they'll agree to take Sakura-chan with them as their third?"
"I'll suggest it to her, if the idea occurs to neither of them." Tsunade admitted with a shrug, "But the rank would be good for Sakura, as proof of her improvements. And they are one of the more skilled teams – last time around, rookies and yet they still made it to the preliminaries. Holding them back wouldn't be any good. Konoha needs additional higher ranked shinobi after the invasion."
"And Ino-kun, for sure, would want to go. She is a competitive girl. Very proud." Shizune said, then shook her head, "The Exams are being held where this time around? Konoha did it last time, Grass is next, right?"
"Traditionally." Tsunade said, flipping through her paperwork, "But a while ago I received an interesting proposition that I decided to go ahead with." She offered a copy of the original proposal to Shizune.
Her student took the paper, eyes widening as she read. "Kumo. Tsunade-sama, we're only a few steps away from open war with them! Sending out Genin into their midst is –"
"A preemptive strike." Tsunade finished, raising her eyebrows. "It'd give a least a few of our younger shinobi a broader understanding of what they'd be up against if war happened, and we cannot afford to greatly anger Kumo at this time. Turning down their proposal could be the straw that breaks the flood gates."
After the failed peace treaty, and the attempted kidnapping of Hyuuga Hinata years ago, Kumo and Konoha had settled down into an uneasy truce mostly brought about by the fact that the two villages were quite distant from each other. She was well aware that Sarutobi-sensei had not been interested in attempting for another treaty, but Tsunade was also aware that she was much different, both in personal beliefs and the way she lead, than her old teacher.
"How many are you sending?" Shizune asked, going straight to the logistics of the issue at hand. "I'm assuming they've placed a limit on the number of teams they'd accept for placement."
"You're right, and the answer is 'not many'." Tsunade said dryly, "Four teams is all they'll permit inside the gates of their village. I would have Team 10, with Sakura as one of those teams."
"What others?" Shizune asked, "Have you decided yet which teams you'll bring the matter up with?" It was too early, after all, for any of this to be mentioned to the sensei of the Genin. Too soon and it would only affect the performance of the Genin as they alternately got nervous or cocky about being admitted to the exams.
Tsunade pursed her lips. "I would have liked to send Team 8, Yuuhi's team out but –"
"There is no way that Hyuuga Clan will allow his heir to be sent out to the village that has already once tried to kidnap her." Shizune said, with an understanding nod.
"I have a meeting scheduled with him, next week," she said as if Shizune hadn't interrupted her, "and while sending Team 8 is impossible I might be able to sway him to permit Team 3, Maito's team, to Kumo. Hyuuga Neji bears the cursed seal. Even if Kumo attempts anything, and succeeds, they'll not learn the secrets of the Byakugan."
"I would that he'd be more concerned for the health of his Clan members," Shizune began only for Tsunade to cut her off with an abrupt shake of her head.
It didn't matter, in this case, what their opinion was. Only a fool would try and mess with Hyuuga tradition over something as minor as a Chuunin Exam. "It doesn't matter," she said firmly, "what does matter is that it is possible that Hiashi might concede to allowing Hyuuga Neji to compete in Kumo. It is vitally important, more so than normal even, that Konoha presents a strong front in the competition."
"That's two teams," Shizune said, narrowing her eyes, "what about the other two?"
"I haven't yet decided," she said, pulling out several slim dossiers, "but there are more than enough teams to choose from. Konoha does have a great deal of young talent that we could use being promoted." Tsunade offered the dossiers to Shizune, "Those are a few of the more likely Teams I'd like to send, look through them and tell me what you think. I'll take your opinion into consideration."
"But not when it comes to Ino-kun's team." Shizune pointed out sharply.
Tsunade looked up and held eye contact with Shizune, "No." She said finally, "I don't need to. Yamanaka-kun's team is strong enough, and has proven it, that their inclusion so long as Sarutobi agrees is guaranteed. The same for Team 3. Team 8 would have garnered the same consideration had they not had a Main House Hyuuga on their team. They are skilled enough to make quite an impression."
She knew that Shizune wasn't pleased with her. They both knew that she was right however. It was rare for so many rookies to make it to the finals – and while some were saying that Team 10 had only made it because of the Nara kid, the ANBU doing the surveillance on Yamanaka-kun had quietly disagreed.
"Nara Shikamaru's skill at planning ahead was one of their advantages," one ANBU agent had said, "but both Yamanaka and Akimichi are capable of their own plans as well as working together seamlessly. There is no doubt that Nara 's direction helped, but for Genin the entire team is operating well above standards when it comes to planning." Her tone of voice had left no room for argument and from the way that Shizune's face tightened as Tsunade quoted that at her she knew that her student had gotten the same message loud and clear.
"I'll look over the files for you, Tsunade-sama," Shizune said, gathering them up and getting to her feet, "when would you like my report?"
Tsunade checked her calendar, a quick glance to the right and a moments pause to think. "Next Tuesday. I've got the morning free, but for paperwork." And there was always paperwork no matter how hard she tried to keep up with it. A meeting to discuss Genin teams wasn't going to put her much further behind.
Shizune bowed her head. "I'll have it done by then. Shall I send Sakura-san in when she shows up for her lesson?"
Tsunade looked out the window, taking in the cloudy weather and the stiff breeze. "Tell her to meet me down at the training field behind the hospital." She said, "There's a few things I need to show her if she wants to have a better than average chance at becoming a Chuunin. Her taijutsu is her weakest skill." And Sakura, however talented she was at medical ninjutsu wasn't near far enough along to have any offensive medical techniques. "I'm going to help offset that imbalance."
"As you wish, Tsunade-sama." Shizune bowed and headed for the door.
Tsunade sighed, "Shizune?" She called, "I'm sorry, but I won't be changing my mind either."
"You wouldn't be Tsunade-sama if you did," Shizune's quiet voice came back, "I'll get back to you about the reports."
Leaning back in her chair Tsunade spent few minutes just staring at nothing in particular before shaking her head and lifting another bit of paperwork out of her pile. There was no point in dwelling right now. There were people counting on her.
Shutting the door quietly behind them, Chouji started down the stairs with Shikamaru just in front of him on their way to begin the rounds Asuma-sensei had sent them on. "What did you think of that?" Chouji asked, "They've managed to pick up a bit of information this time, which is good. We've already been here a week and a bit."
Shikamaru shook his head. "They got rid of us awful quick."
That... wasn't what he had been talking about. Chouji frowned at the back of Shikamaru's head. "You can't expect them to tell us everything." His father had told him before about that. "They're doing it to keep us safe in case of being captured." The less information they had the better. It was dangerous for them to know too much.
"This whole mission is messed up." Shikamaru said flatly. "Apparently we're on it because of my rank and yet Ino's the one that'll be in hot water if something goes wrong. That's just..."
Chouji tugged his hood up, shaking his head, "That's the way the mission worked out." He didn't see the issue with it. "Ino's the one with the skills for working in the manor. You know she's good at acting. Besides, this way, if there's any trouble we're in place to get her out of there as quickly as possible. I'm glad I'm not the one in her place, lying constantly like that can't be easy."
"It's Ino," Shikamaru said pointedly, as they stepped out into the rain, "do you really think she's got a problem with lying?"
He didn't bother to justify that with an answer. Chouji was of the opinion that Ino didn't really enjoy it, but it wasn't as if they could just ask her and expect to get a straight answer. There was no way she'd answer that up front. What kind of kunoichi wasn't capable of lying? Not many.
"I think the problem with this whole mission is that it's just... boring." Chouji said after enough time had passed that he could justify changing the subject. "Nothing has happened - and I don't want anything to happen, but it does make the days drag. But everything about the mission seems perfectly legit to me."
"Except for the fact that Asuma-sensei is keeping mission information from us."
Chouji shrugged, sending water off his cloak without while he organized his thoughts, "It's not like we won't have to get used to that," he pointed out calmly, "It's standard procedure for higher ranked missions. Come to think of it, it's not really a surprise all things considered. This is a higher level mission than we're used to. I just can't get mad at Asuma-sensei for treating us like we're supposed to be treated on a mission of this rank."
The roads were slick under their feet, though they kept their balance well enough with little effort, and Chouji was feeling bit sorry for any civilian that had to be out in this weather. It wasn't very appealing at all. Rain was always better when you didn't have to go outside.
"In fact," Chouji continued on, knowing that Shikamaru was just going to get pissed off at him. "I think it's just that you miss having Ino around to complain at that has you so wound up."
"I'm not wound up." Shikamaru snapped, then shook his head, his hair sticking to his face from the rain. He'd forgotten to pull the hood up on his cloak. "I'm not. It's just, the dreams are worse again." That last was said reluctantly.
"I hate to say it," Chouji said sympathetically, glancing at him while keeping an eye on their surroundings, "but it sounds like you're going to have to just get used to those dreams. Ino will do what she wants to do."
"Nightmares aren't exactly something you can just get used to." Shikamaru said dryly. "And I've got it on good authority that they will only get worse."
"The fact remains though, that even if you want to stop dreaming about her in danger, Ino isn't going to just meekly stay out of it." The idea of Ino staying out of all danger? Made him want to laugh, because really - that wasn't Ino at all.
"I don't want to stop her." Shikamaru sounded irritated. "I just want her safe, and that's impossible to make certain."
Well. That much was true. He couldn't argue with that. No shinobi could be kept safe, the very idea was a ridiculous one.
Chouji shrugged, eyes scanning the area the way they were supposed to be doing. The rain made it harder, but he was careful to not miss any area. It didn't matter, to him, if Asuma-sensei had sent them out here just to keep them out of the way. It was still their job. This was still a mission and they'd been given their orders. Not to mention the fact that while this might feel pointless, there was always the chance of something happening. Being prepared, being over-prepared was better than not enough.
"We're supposed to be working as a team," Shikamaru said finally, "I'm not sure how you can say that we're working as a real team when two of us are out here and she's way across town."
That made him glance over at Shikamaru, "It's all part of the same mission, isn't it? I mean, if someone does hear Asuma-sensei and Amaya-san talking then... well, Ino could be in a lot of danger. So, if by doing these patrols, we can help prevent that I'd say we're working fine as a team."
Shikamaru sighed, "Yeah, whatever. I still think we'd be more effective if we weren't separated and Ino wasn't all having to make nice to Chuunin from other villages. Even if it's just for the mission. It's risky."
Chouji patted Shikamaru on the arm. "Ino can take care of herself. She'll be fine I bet."
"I hope so." His friend said, looking up at the sky and getting a face-full of rain. Shikamaru didn't seem to mind as he continued with, "I really do."
"And," Chouji had to say, because really, it needed to be said, "If Ino heard you talking like that about her mission you know that she'd hit you again. She'd hate to hear that from you. Try to have a little bit of faith in her, at least. Ino's trying hard. It's obvious how much she's been training lately." Even if she didn't share the details of what she was training on.
Shikamaru shook his head. "That's got nothing to do with what I don't like about this mission. None of this feels right."
"Well, " Chouji was just humoring him by now, "I'm sure you'll get used to it eventually. All missions are different after all."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever."
They walked in silence, eyes scanning the area - Chouji taking the left and Shikamaru the right - and searching in the rain for any sign of anything that looked out of place. An hour later and Chouji hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary. When he glanced at Shikamaru questioningly he got a shake of Shikamaru's head. Nothing had been seen on his end either.
Good. That was good.
He wasn't going to complain about an uneventful mission. Boredom he could live with, and Chouji knew from listening to his father that boring missions were rare. He had no problems with waiting for Ino to get whatever information she and Amaya-san could and then getting them out without a ripple if they could. Not an easy task, but not an impossible one either.
Boring missions were the kind that you came back alive from. After his first real brush with death Chouji wasn't so keen to go chasing after it again. Alive was good.
Slowly they completed their circuit, lashing of rain soaking their cloaks and making them shiver. Without talking he knew that Shikamaru was dreading the night shift tonight. They'd be outside in this for hours and hours. By the end of it Chouji thought that it would be a wonder if both of them managed to avoid getting colds.
As they slipped back inside the hotel, and Chouji immediately tugged his cloak off and wrung it out - there was no point in tracking water all the way up the stairs and throughout their rooms more than he could help it - and he nudged Shikamaru to do the same.
"Do you think Amaya-san is gone yet?" Shikamaru wondered as they slowly started up the stairs, "Or do you think we were quick enough that she's not yet finished with her real report?"
"If she's not gone," he said firmly, deciding to make his stance on this issue obvious, "then I'm not going to listen. I refuse to be put in the situation of being a potential information leak."
"It would be their fault." Shikamaru said, shaking his head, wet ponytail drooping lower than normal. "If they can't guard well enough against the two of us - what are they doing being Jounin?"
Chouji said nothing because, after all, that was true as far as it went. He still wasn't going to listen though. Luckily for him, though Shikamaru looked irritated, they were let into the room after tapping the correct sequence for identifications purposes, and found that Amaya-san had already headed back.
Setting his cloak by the fire to dry as well as it was able to before he had to use it again, and noticing that Shikamaru had disappeared into the other bedroom, Chouji settled down with a scroll to read. Just because he was on a mission didn't stop him from being able to go over what his Dad had promised to teach him when they got back.
It was going to be a long night.
Ibiki strode along the darkened halls of the ANBU headquarters with the confidence borne of long familiarity. He had, after all, been in ANBU for nearly seven years now – longer than most lasted – and there were few that would disagree with the fact that he knew the layout of the headquarters cleverly concealed in the mountain behind the Hokage Monument better than nearly anyone around. It wasn't just arrogance that made him sure that of the ANBU currently on active duty there were but a few who could match him in terms of knowledge.
Which was as it was supposed to be. He wouldn't have been named Head of Torture and Interrogation otherwise. His long stride ate up distance quickly and he hardly noticed – while at the same time noticing everything – as he headed up several flights of stairs, then turned down a hall that was indistinguishable from the rest of them. Except for the fact of who it was that lived on this floor.
Hyuuga Hiromasa had agreed to see him, sending back his messenger not fifteen minutes after Ibiki had dispatched him with the request. In his hands he held a report that one of his agents had brought to him earlier that morning.
It boded ill. Of course, Ibiki knew, most reports from ANBU boded ill for someone – they were the ones that did the dirty work of the Hokage after all and that meant dealing with issues that were harder, and darker.
This though, could cause problems. He paused outside the nondescript door, different only from the others by the two fully uniformed ANBU that guarded it.
"He's clean," one of them said in a low voice, after a few minutes of careful studying, "we can let him through."
Ibiki cracked a smile. Hyuuga Hiashi wondered where his disowned Clan kin wound up? Well, ANBU was the perfect place for them after a few months of hard reconditioning and retraining.
The room he was shown into was very sparse. The light hanging from the ceiling was harsh and unforgiving and the man seated in one of the chairs was equally so. Hiromasa glanced up, white eyes unamused and steady. "What is so important that you had to pass it on in such a rush? Your messenger was jittery."
Ibiki took a seat without asking and slid the report across the desk. "Yakushi Kabuto has been spotted in Aomori-shi."
"That's been confirmed?" Hiromasa asked, opening the report and glancing at it.
"Two of our agents spotted him." Ibiki said, "As per their standing orders they did not pursue him."
It was galling, that order, but at the same time it made sense. Yakushi was one of the few known agents of Orochimaru. If they could keep tabs on him it would be easier, far easier, to find out information on Orochimaru. And of the two of them it was no doubt who was considered more dangerous.
"Aomori-shi?" Hiromasa said slowly, eyebrows drawing together. "Where in Aomori-shi?"
"In the daimyo's house." He said, "Twice now, both times at night and both times to talk to the Chuunin who guard the daimyo." Ibiki trusted his agents. If they said it was true then he had no doubt that it was. And that was bad news.
Hiromasa reached up to rub the bridge of his nose, "Pull the Yamanaka chit out of there immediately. She's been there over a week and a half, Kotone should have enough information to start with as it is, and we don't dare leave her in position with Yakushi hanging around. Even with dyed hair the girl is recognizable."
Especially to one of Yakushi's caliber. Ibiki nodded his head, "A messenger will go out as soon as we're done. They should be in Aomori-shi by the end of tomorrow." And even then it would take a few days to pull the Yamanaka girl out of the daimyo's service without arousing suspicion. They'd have to stage an excuse good enough to have her be free to leave but not one so extraordinary as to rouse suspicions before that.
"And until then the ANBU will have to do." Hiromasa said firmly, "But I want that team brought back as quickly as possible. You know as well as I do that Hokage-sama has plans for them."
That got a smile from Ibiki. "She has not tried to hide it from us though most shinobi have no idea what is coming."
"Chuunin Exams in Kumo." Hiromasa shook his head, eyes skimming over the report as he spoke, "It hasn't happened in nearly thirty years. Not since the wars broke out and then the animosity between the Raikage and Hokage-sama. I am interested in seeing how it turns out. It's entirely possible that it's a trap."
"If it is, it is at the same time not one that we can afford to ignore." Ibiki said, "If she had asked our advice then we would have counseled her to accept the offer."
"Konoha cannot afford to be seen as weak." Came the almost absent response. "Hokage-sama didn't need our opinions to know that. There are already plans in place to keep an eye on the proceedings." He hadn't ever doubted that for a minute.
Setting aside the report, and Ibiki knew it would be read over again the moment he left the room, Hiromasa leaned back in his chair, his black uniform almost seeming to absorb the light.
"What purpose is there for Yakushi to be seen there?" He asked almost rhetorically.
"Iwa is no more likely to aid Orochimaru than us." Ibiki said slowly, "They will remember him and his experiments on their shinobi from the war." You could say many unflattering things about Iwa shinobi – Ibiki certainly did – but the fact remained that they did have long memories and were unlikely to change their policies. "And there are daimyo that would have more information than the one he is consorting with. What knowledge that is being passed there, it's likely he already knows a great deal of it."
And ANBU had been furious on the whole to realize that Yakushi had so skillfully deceived them. When they did catch up with him, as would happen eventually, there would no remorse in killing what had once been one of their own.
"Exactly," Hiromasa said slowly, "we're missing something. When you send the messenger out add orders that our men are to find out as much as they can about what Yakushi is planning. We need that information if we're to have a hope of countering it." It was a clear dismissal.
Ibiki stood, bowed, and went to let himself out of the room when Hiromasa's voice stopped him. "And inform Hokage-sama of the latest development."
And hope she didn't shoot the messenger, Ibiki thought wryly, as he shut the door behind him. Well, in Hokage-sama's case it was more likely that he'd be punched, but the idea remained the same.
Things were going wrong, and they needed to move quickly.