Naruto awoke in a bed. This was unusual for him these days. He stood and began wandering to find his teammates. He surveyed the room and the hall outside of it, and determined he was in a hotel. He followed the sound of talking down to the first floor. He was thrilled to find all of his companions clean bandaged and eating.
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata was the first to notice his entrance.
"Naruto-kun, you slept for a whole day. I'm glad you're alright." Tsunade stood and embraced the boy.
No sooner had Tsunade released him than Jiraya wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "Great job boy. We have never seen anything like that before. You are going to be the greatest for sure." He declared with the pride of a grandfather.
Naruto sat at the table and helped himself to copious amounts of food. The group discussed their successes and trials. Anko and Shizune had taken on fifty chunin and four jounin. Ino and Shino had eliminated the threat of the Kamizuru clan and helped stem the tide coming from the tunnel. Tsunade was disappointed in herself. She left to handle the ship, but was caught by their greater numbers. Meanwhile Katsuyu had found the tunnel on the other side and secured it. Jiraya had ensured that civilian casualties were limited to broken bones and minor burns. The village was so grateful that they offered a boat to help the group get to Arashi.
The party stitched together their stories to recount to Naruto the extent of his triumph. The ship held fifty jounin. He had not only kept them from landing, but eliminated half, forced another dozen to retreat and the last few to surrender. The bounty for these captured ninja would go to rebuild the village and aid in its future defense. The final total of enemies had numbered almost three hundred.
...
Once Naruto's appetite was satiated and the group had gathered their belongings they headed for the dock. A kindly man led them to their small craft and once they were in helped them untie and shove off. Jiraya paddled the craft out onto the huge lake. In the center of the body of water a great storm raged endlessly. The adventurers drew closer wondering how they would bypass the choppy waters. Naruto was the only one that did not notice Hinata had not let go of his hand since leaving the hotel.
The lake seemed to have two faces. One was the picture of calm, the other was dark clouded, rough, and impassable with the storm. The group drew to the edge of the storm and stopped. The tiny craft would not last in the storm.
"I would bet a Hokage hat that it's sealed to the blood of Arashi." Tsunade declared. She was met with nods all around.
Without warning Anko smashed a fist into Naruto's nose. The boy grabbed his face, moving Hinata's hand for the first time since leaving the hotel. "Owwww. What was that for?" The boy demanded.
"I like your thinking." Jiraya added. "Though I would have done it like this." The legendary pervert produced a magazine from his vest and opened a page a few inches from the boys face. Naruto flinched at first, but then just rolled his eyes.
"What are you crazy people doing? I don't get what you want. Just tell me and I'll give it to you, but right now you are weirding me out." The confused Naruto questioned.
"You have the right idea." Ino interjected, nodding to her spy teacher. "I think you have the wrong skin though." With that Ino grabbed Hinata from behind and proceeded to unzip Naruto's jacket, which the girl had not taken off except to bathe since she first put it on. Ino slid the zipper down slowly and leaned the girl in front of her toward the blond boy. Naruto turned a shade of red that Hinata herself had displayed many times. Hinata blushed a brand new shade of crimson and fainted in her friend's arms.
"Oh for the love of... Naruto, cut your finger." A fed up Tsunade handed the boy a kunai.
Naruto nicked his finger and on his grandmother's order held the bloodied digit out to the storm. The fury abated and an avenue became clear. The storm continued to swirl on either side of the small craft, but the rivulet of calm allowed easy passage. They paddled for a few minutes until through a break in the rain and mist their goal revealed itself.
The Village Hidden in the Storm was built in a pattern that imitated the arms of a hurricane. Two long arms wrapped around a circular center mass. Each arm contained low buildings and a dock. The arms grew from a narrow point at the ends out to wider swaths closer to the center of the village. The buildings changed from storage facilities and basic production grounds to shops, inns, and businesses. Further in estates and other private housing swirled ever closer to the eye of the city. In the very center a round building drew all eyes its direction. It's stood above the water on for mighty quarter-circle supports. It was seven or eight stories tall with sky-blue walls reaching up to its pure white cap. The top of the building was a sphere of glass. There were no girders or reinforcements, only a perfect ball looking in every direction.
The group made their way to this central edifice. As the only residents of Arashi they would take if finest accommodations. The blonds stormed the building in excitement. Anko and Shizune calmly took to the surrounding roofs and double checked for danger. Jiraya walked behind the trio of blonds and took note of the layout of the building. Shino followed his teacher's example and inspected his surroundings with his usual reserve. Hinata was dragged behind Naruto as he ran from room to room and up stairs. She had no time for her nervousness to kick in, as she was as the whim of Akashi's last son.
"Ok have you all found a room?" Tsunade asked once the party had reassembled after their explorations.
"Yeah! A cool one. It's got a kitchen in it. I can see the lake form the windows and there was a training dummy in there already." Naruto enthused.
"Great." Tsunade motioned the boy toward a chair. "Now we need to figure out how we will get missions, and we should make contact with Konoha to let your parents know you are safe."
"And I found this room that's like a giant glass ball! You can see everything. It's like you are the center of the storm." Naruto continued in his excited rant.
"That's great Naruto." Tsunade eased the boy back to his chair.
"I bet my dad is worried." Ino was suddenly thoughtful.
"I'll start putting word through my contacts that we are open for business." Jiraya added.
"I found one room that was like a library. Its was huge! I think they were all jutsu. I can't wait to go learn some new powerful jutsu." Naruto's happiness continued to bubble.
"Fantastic Naruto." Tsunade rolled her eyes as she pushed the boy back to a sitting position.
"We still have a couple of missions we liberated from the Konoha files." Shizune pointed out.
"I say we just go around and collect treasure and jutsu. Get strong keep our expenses to a minimum and say to hell with missions." Anko proposed.
"I found treasure here! There are old books on jutsu, and weapons, and cool stuff that looks like..." Naruto stood again and let his rant roll.
Tsunade lifted the boy off his feet and tossed him back into his chair. She made a hand sign and Naruto went limp. "OK now that he's out we can take a vote."
...
Over the next few days the Konoha exiles cleaned and cleared the building. They found the library and Shizune delighted in exploring and cataloging it. There was a training area occupying an entire floor of the great building. This room was in constant rotation. The group had built a dedication to their training that would do Gai proud. Tsunade found a basic medical wing, which she promptly revived and readied for use. Ino dragged her partner to her new quarters and busied herself decorating it to her taste. Hinata kept her room simple, instead dedicating her time to her lessons.
The routines established in their underground headquarters translated well to the new village. The jounin taught the chunin. The kages taught the jounin. The kages taught the chunin. The chunin taught each other. The clones did the chores. The teams trained day and night, and the pig ran around doing piggy things. The resurrected Village Hidden in the Storm was a happy place to live.
...
The Village Hidden in the Leaves was not a happy place to live. There was a lightness that was missing. The streets were quiet, and tense. The academy was turned into a pressure cooker. The students were rushed to learn everything they could. Even though none would graduate early, they were pushed to the highest levels imaginable so that when they did graduate they could run chunin and jounin level missions. The great clans of Konoha were suffering from a bevy of troubles. The entire village was worse for lack of a pair of unpredictable blonds.
Haruno Sakura was not unaffected by the troubles of the village. She fell into the category that could leave the village, so was sent on every available mission. On her off time she did everything she could to help the last Uchiha train and fulfill his duties to the village. She did not have an easy time either in her missions or in her interactions in village security. She still didn't have the ability to speak.
After Hinata's strike Sakura was told she would recover in a few days. When she still could not utter a sound at the end of a week she consulted Hyuuga Neji. Through his annoyance at having to be in her presence Neji informed the pink-haired kunoichi that Hinata was better at the jyuken than she let on. The strike pulsed so hard that it ruptured the chakra node under Sakura's tongue. The damage to the girl's vocal chords was irreparable, unless a Hyuuga decided to become a medic on par with Tsunade. Sakura was devastated at first. She would never again tell Sasuke what she felt for him. She recovered from her disappointment to a degree when she realized Sasuke spent much more time with her now that she was quiet.
The now silent kunoichi took a new tack in her training. Sasuke trained with her daily. He never bothered to actually help her with anything, but he would spar with her, and gave her free reign of his family library of jutsu. In the impressive collection was a treatise dating to the founding of the village. This particular book detailed the Hyuuga style and gave exacting instructions on how to defeat it. The entire volume has made to not only beat, but kill Hyuuga. Sakura could live with her condition, but the voice that screamed in her head needed vengeance, and this book would be the key.
Sasuke was similarly minded in his quest for vengeance. He demanded that Kakashi teach him everything. The broody gennin formed a plot to first defeat Naruto, then take on his own teacher, and finally go after his brother. In the time after he left the hospital Sasuke had made great strides in his skills. His taijutsu was excellent, his repertoire of ninjutsu was growing at rates that were nearly unheard of, and his conditioning and chakra control had improved as well. His only hindrance was an occasional lack of focus. His shoulder would burn and his mind would jet to the curse mark and how he got it. He felt its power, but knew he was missing some vital piece of information needed to properly use it.
Kakashi feared the curse mark as well. He continued to help Sasuke train, continued to read dirty books in public, continued to hide his face at all times, and continued to be late to everything. Kakashi routinely arrived several hours after business had begun in the Hokage tower. Paperwork went unread, and unapproved. Missions were backed up, and expenses were getting out of hand. Outwardly the copy-nin was his usual too-cool-for-school self. Internally Hatake Kakashi was miserable. He had forsaken the wishes of his teacher, and in all respects that mattered abandoned a fellow ninja. During the day he tore himself apart for his sins. At night he took to the roofs, plotting a great service to the village he loved.
Kakashi was late as usual as he entered the Hokage office. He perused the room. Same paperwork, same annoyed assistant, same day as yesterday as far as he could see. He plopped himself on the chair behind the desk and scanned the top layer of reports. Among them one caught his eye. A mission request from Yamanaka Inoichi cosigned by Aburame Shibi. This was highly unusual. The two high ranking and highly respected jounin requested a proof of life mission for their children. Kakashi mulled the idea over for a few minutes and then chose his agent. He would also enact on of the laws of his predecessor and allay all the fears of his valuable jounin.
...
"There is a boat approaching the storm." A Naruto informed Tsunade.
"OK does it pose a threat?" The leader of the village asked.
"No. And we think we should let it through." The clone nodded emphatically.
"Your call. If they are friendly make them welcome. If not I want you and Hinata to practice the tactics we were learning on Thursday." The elder blond issued the order.
"Got it!" The clone popped, delivering the message to the original.
The small craft moored and five people disembarked. The loose group wandered toward the center of the village. They found no people of activity as they grew ever closer to the great tower in the distance. As they finally stood in front or the building they were met by Ino. The girl rushed to embrace the boy at the front of the group. She released him and nearly jumped with the elation of the reunion.
"Choji! What are you doing here? I'm so glad to see you!" The blond nearly screeched.
"Wow. That's not like you. Are you feeling alright?" The portly gennin probed.
"I'm just excited to see someone from home. And you can give me all the dirt that I missed. And you being here means my dad will know I'm OK." Ino bounced with her explanation.
The other four members of the group had very different reactions to their first meeting in Arashi. The two ANBU showed nothing. Their masks and cloaks hid any emotion. The young woman smiled at the cuteness of reunited teammates. Teuchi looked around as if expecting someone. He didn't have to wait long. In a blur he was approached by an orange blur. He blinked and the world changed. He was suddenly standing behind a counter with cooking supplies all around him. On the other side of the counter, sitting on a high stool, was his best customer.
"OK I'll have the usual. I think nine bowls to start will be fine." The fox-faced boy grinned.
Teuchi did not question his surroundings or their sudden shift. He accepted the gift and began cooking. A few moments and an orange flash later Ayame was beside him, and business was back to normal.
...
"I can't believe it's been a week. I'm gonna miss you Choji." Ino hugged her long time companion.
"Yeah it was fun. I think I really like the new Ino." Choji smiled his genuine smile.
"I'll take that as a compliment. Tell that lazy-ass good for nothing cloud watching slacker to come visit next time." Ino demanded.
"OK." Choji reconsidered his new Ino theory. "Can I ask you a question before I go?"
"Sure Choji. You can ask me anything." The girl smiled.
"What's with you and Shino?" The curious boy asked.
"Mind your business." Ino screamed. "Now get your ass back to Konoha and tell my dad I'm ok. Make sure he's not drowning my orchids and you better be polite when you do it!"
"OK." Choji hurried to the boat, his new Ino theory completely destroyed.
...
Ino wound through the halls of the great building the team had dubbed the "eye of the storm". She came to the room she had claimed. It had a great vanity and a closet that would have been the envy of all those Konoha girls she had left behind. It was a room fit for a princess, but the real selling point as far as Ino was concerned was the adjoining room. It was originally intended for a bodyguard. These two rooms were the space reserved for visiting foreign dignitaries. Now they housed Ino and Shino.
Shino wound through the halls to his room. It was perfect for him. It was spacious enough to train in, but not so grand that he felt spoiled. He was very happy with its proximity to Ino's room also. He opened his door and arranged hi9s weapons in their proper places as he was always taught to do. He took a step to the desk. He wheeled to leave the room again. He finally decided that fortune favors the bold, and took determined strides toward Ino's door.
Aburame Shino removed his glasses and placed them in the pocket of his heavy coat. He undid his headband and folded it into another pocket. He took the heavy coat from his shoulders and smoothed it onto a hook. He unsnapped buttons and unbuckled buckles until he was unarmed. He loosened his chunin vest and ran his fingers through his hair. The whole process took but a few moments and then he was standing in front of the door again. He turned the knob and pushed to door open.
"Hey Shino-kun." Ino said without turning around to face him. "You should have heard nosy Choji before he left."
"Oh?" Shino kept the conversation going as he approached the girl. She was sitting at the vanity with her back to him. She was searching through the drawers for something.
"Yeah he was poking around about us." Ino sat up from her searching to catch a glimpse of Shino in the mirror. She was caught off guard by his state of relative undress. She stood to face him. Shino closed the distance until they were less than an arms length away.
"What did he want to know about us?" Shino asked. There was something in the way Shino said us that shot a tingle up the girl's spine.
"If there was an us type us." She couldn't break her stare into his eyes. "Is there an us type us, Shino?"
"My whole life I have been a shinobi. I have kept secrets and stood guard. I fought life and death battles, but I never really had anything to fight for until you." Shino looked deep into Ino's eyes. He was more serious than he had ever been, but to Ino it was anything but his usual tone. "You were in trouble and I felt like my world would end. So yes, I want there to be an us. I want to come to these two rooms and let down my hood. Just for me and you, Ino-chan."
"Then this will be our place. This will be our secret. No more shutting out everything from everyone. We will have each other." She reached up and wrapped arms around his neck. They kissed. A long kiss that was in truth the first for each of them. Through the years they would share countless more kisses like this one, but this was the first and one that would bring a flush to Shino's face for the rest of his life.
...
It was late at night as Jiraya rounded a corner into the expansive kitchen of "the eye". He was in the mood for a late night drink. He found his intended stool occupied. The blond sannin had made herself comfortable at the island and was filling cup after cup of sake.
"Can I join you?" Jiraya dropped the playful attitude and the perverse front.
"Sure." Tsunade was feeling a little more open to patience this evening.
"To the boy." Jiraya raised a glass.
Tsunade snorted a laugh. "Yeah, to the boy." She mirrored his gesture.
"What was that?" Jiraya questioned of the short laugh.
"You are sitting alone in the dark with a woman and you toast the boy. Legendary pervert my ass." She leveled a look at him.
"I'm trying to be civil Tsunade. I can't stand you!" Something snapped. "I have done everything in the world for years to make sure our son, and his legacy is safe. I ran around for years after he died gathering information on potential enemies, and paying off gambling debts by the way! Why can't we just be civil without you talking down to me?"
"You did everything to protect him! He is dead! My baby boy is dead, and long before that you just forgot about me!" Tsunade's patience had run out. "His legacy was left to be raised by ANBU. I was falling apart and you were throwing money at debts. You have always missed the target Jiraya! You work your little projects and forget about the people!"
"I never forgot about you!" Jiraya shouted. "You are all I thought about through everything. You were with Dan when I finally got everything together to give you the life you deserved. Then the war and then Minato needed me. I could never forget about you." His voice softened with each sentence.
"So why all the girls? All the antics in every country I can think of? You perved your way across the continent." Tsunade softened to a serious tone as well. "Why?"
"Because I couldn't have you." Jiraya smiled a small but genuine smile at the woman.
Tsunade stood from her stool and walked around the island to embrace Jiraya. "They were all place holders?" She asked getting a nod in return. "And you will never forget me?" Another nod. "And we can forget the hurts and work it out?" A smile and a nod met her question. "Jiraya I just wanted you to give me the effort you put into other things. You were always my first choice, and it seems I was yours." Another nod. "One more time?"
"Believe it." Jiraya whispered into her ear.
...
A group of concerned chunin gathered outside of their leader's room. They knocked for the fourth time.
"I hope she's ok." Hinata mused quietly.
"It sounds like an earthquake in there." Naruto added.
The door swung open. Jiraya was standing with tattered sheets wrapped around his waist. "This better be good." No hint of joking in his voice.
"Obaa-chan is late for our lessons." Naruto explained a look of confusion on his face.
Tsunade appeared at the door in a bathrobe. She pushed Jiraya back into the room.
"Listen carefully. Unless the building is on fire do not knock on this door. Do not come in. Do not disturb us. Got it?" Tsunade ordered in a harsh tone.
Her students nodded and hurried down the hall.
"What was that about?" Naruto whined. He still didn't like being dismissed.
"I think they might have been..." Hinata started but turned quite red and let her sentence fall off.
"They might have been what?" Naruto played the encounter back in his head. "Wait! You mean Obaa-chan, and Ojii-san were...you mean I just interrupted my grandparents..."
Hinata nodded a little. Naruto began shivering and then burst into a running jumping fit. He brushed at his eyes as if spiders were crawling out of them. Finally he grabbed Hinata and used the Hiraishin to get them as far from that room as he could think of.
...
I'm reposting this with corrections and apologize for the poor condition of the first draft. This fic is not abandoned and i hope to have new chapters up soon. I'm also considering taking this story line and branching other stories off of it, an InoShino fic, an Ankocentric fic...please let me know if anyone would be interested. thanks for the patience and thanks for reading.