Broken
"Senju Ai is now the head of her clan. As such, a certain level of decorum must be maintained - even as she learns to rain death on Konoha's enemies. The Elemental Nations will remember the Senju clan was feared with good reason." Continuation of: Cosmic Comedy. WARNINGS: Strong OC, OC-centric, Dark, Gore. Rated M for: Adult situations (limes), language and shinobi business.
Secondary warning: Homosexual, bisexual, heterosexual, asexual and transgender characters will be getting significant screen time. If that isn't your cup of tea, please don't read ^_^
Arc 1 – Sky comes falling down – Chapter 10 – Ready or not, here Ai come!
8-8
~Monday 4:00 PM, with original~
Another interesting day. I'd spent the day training with my team – Team Ai, as they're now calling us. 'They' of course being the Anbu that have been 'secretly' watching us train for the last two weeks. People irk me sometimes. Sometimes more than others, and right now I'm thoroughly irked. Our team trainings have gone from eight to eleven AM... to today's current record: eight AM to three PM. In two weeks time, mind you.
Yup, but that's not what irks me. No, what irks me is that now I have a fucking meeting with Kakashi when all I want is for Jei to scratch the itch he started. Yes, it's entirely his fault. I was just fine with learning the jutsu from the Senju archives, in the privacy of a forbidden and sealed room where no one could find me if I needed to rub one out. But no... he started training me and Inejiro in Lightning-release, drawing me into the open, teaching me new and exciting things... displaying his raw power in a way that requires I watch his every Kami-damned move.
And after watching him sweat and bleed all fucking morning –AND most of the afternoon– I had just enough time to patch him, Kono and Matte up before Turtle announced I am expected in the Hokage's office.
I swear, if one of my clones disperses right now, I'm going to hunt Jei down and rape him! Well, technically not true. You can't rape the willing.
"You rang?" I drone the second I close the door behind me. I notice my left upper eyelid just barely not twitching with every heartbeat, so I really just need to hurry this along if I can.
"..." Kakashi takes one look at me, before shaking his head and sighing about something. Knowing him, his sense of smell is telling him far more than he wants to know. "I just got a report from multiple Anbu agents. They seem to think you're either channelling Guy's work ethic or a fake sent here to kill us all." I can't tell if he's serious or not, but I just really don't fucking care.
"According to the report, you've been going all out every third day for two weeks. Each member of your team has been improving so drastically that people are wondering what you're feeding them. And you disappear for at least an hour after each such training session..." I hear the unasked question, but I promptly ignore it.
My left eye does twitch this time. "And I'm being so closely watched, because...?" I don't bother to hide my irritation, but I am tempted to just tell Kakashi to get to the point already.
"Because they consider your team to be potential candidates." He answers. Well his tone seems quite serious and he isn't the type to make jokes about things like this. Still.
"I refuse. For myself and in the name of Jei, Matte and Kono. We are not joining Anbu. Anything else?"
"Now, Ai, you sh-"
"Anything. Else?" I grind his nose in the fact that I'm not budging on this matter.
"Yes." He sighs, hoping to at least have me consider the option. "You're to report here tomorrow at nine AM. The mission briefing will begin with only team captains. You are to then discuss the details with your team and be prepared to leave by noon."
I nod to show I understand. "Dismissed." I turn to leave. Unfortunately, I can't Body Flicker here; there's no way out without hitting into something. "And, Ai?" I turn to him, wondering why he would dismiss me while he still has more to say.
"Nn?"
"Is there something you want to tell me?" His eye flicks south briefly, but I know what he's referring to.
"Yes, Jei enjoys teasing me far too much." I intone.
"Oh? Are you sure you aren't becoming a bit... aroused by power?"
"My, my, my, aren't we getting personal?" I cock an eyebrow at his question. "No. Jei just figured out my trigger and he seems to take a sick and twisted pleasure from toying with it during training. He knows to behave while on missions, and I'm learning to cope with it regardless."
"I see. So when are you two finally going to get married? It's not as if anything is stopping you." This again? I sigh.
"So that's why you always dismiss me then ask me a question. It's to show that you wish to talk to me as 'Kakashi', instead of 'Hokage-sama'. Am I right?"
"There's that, I suppose." He answers vaguely. He knows I changed the subject for a reason, so he won't pry just yet. But he's curious. I know he's curious. Even without sensing his mood, I know he's curious.
"..." I'd hoped to have Ka-san present at my wedding. That's not going to happen, so putting it into words isn't exactly going to help, is it. "I'm guessing you've been asking Ibiki to keep a subtle eye on me ever since that night two weeks ago? Well, in addition to Sakura, Shizune and Jei that is, but that isn't exactly news."
"Now, now, Ai. That would be invasion of privacy. Would I do something like that?" He plays all hurt innocence.
"In a heartbeat. Why do you ask?" I counter.
He sighs. "Ai, what happened to the days when I could read you? Understanding how to help you was so much easier then."
"..." I sigh as well. Yeah, I miss those days too. "Life happened, Kakashi. You coming to dinner tonight? It's going to be our last night in Konoha for a while, after all."
"I'd love to. But frankly I'm dealing with something tonight." My eyes narrow at how harsh he says that. Ah, a meeting with Danzo. Ka-san used to hate those too.
"Come after. We'll keep a plate warm for you. And bring your team along. You know I hate it when you make them wait outside like they're working or something!" I wave casually, seeing myself out. Just in time too, his next meeting is already knocking. Hmm, some green-haired kunoichi with orange irises from Waterfall. Interesting, but none of my business.
"Ai, if you could hold on a second?" Kakashi calls me back, again. Walking back into his office, and biting back another sigh, I ask what he wants – as professionally as I can given a foreign Kunoichi is present. "This is Fuu, she's from Waterfall. Would you mind showing her around Konoha?" My left eye twitches again.
"Slave driver. Come on, Fuu. I need get myself cleaned up though."
8-8
~Monday 5:30 PM, with original and Fuu of Waterfall~
"Itatakimasu!" We all chorus, digging in like there's no tomorrow. It's once again a populated table filled with every dish Inaho and Kohada can think of. Jei and his family are here, I'd convinced uncle Hiashi and Neji to join us, the Uzumaki are here, and even the Uchiha are here! That this Fuu person is here too, meh. Kakashi seems to think she isn't a threat, so I'm good.
She seems quite uncertain of herself, probably not used to crowds like I am – especially with Uzumakis being part of that crowd. "Tami, try chewing your food before you swallow." I remind her. She probably spent the day training with Naruto again... poor thing.
"Hey, you try training with Naruto-nii! He's cruel!"
"For your information, I did spend the day training with him. In fact, I'm sure half the people in this room could say the same thing. No excuse not to chew."
"Half!? So you are the devil!? I've got witnesses now!" Tami probably isn't very impressed with whatever training he put her through. I don't blame her, mind you, but still she's being a bit... vocal about it.
"Tami! Pipe down and complain after you eat!" Karin sounds like she's ready to blow a fuse. Hmm, she wasn't training with Naruto... she was training with Shizune in the hospital today. Not a whole lot better, and there's the ever present risk that someone could die if you screw up. Not fun.
Poor Tami meeps out an apology and settles down. It takes an Uzumaki to deal with an Uzumaki. Typical. "You guys do know we have a guest here right? Try not to scare her, will you!" Naruto-nii complains. Or is he chastising them? No clue, don't care. He says it and they suddenly notice someone new is even here.
"Her name's Fuu, she's from Waterfall. Kakashi asked me to show her around, but frankly I'm not missing a meal because Kakashi can't let me enjoy a night off!" I complain. I know I'm complaining. I don't care. I'm hungry. I take a few larger pieces of eggplant, tofu and what looks like rice after it's been drowned in a curry sauce and shove them all in my mouth at once. Not lady-like, but I do chew! A few mouthfuls like that, and I feel the growling in my stomach ease enough for me to be somewhat more civil.
"I'd heard about your trainings of late, Ai. Are you sure you aren't just trying to kill Naruto?" Neji? Speaking during a meal? Preposterous! Oh, he's already finished eating. I guess going for thirds makes it hard to keep track of who's still eating.
"For the stunts he's pulled? He'd deserve it." I stick my tongue out at Naruto-nii childishly. I was just really not in a mood for 'guests' tonight, so why did Kakashi stick me with one?
"Now, now. For the head of the Senju clan, you sure seem to forget your manners easily." Naruto chides, as if he's any better than me.
"Say that after you get that rice out of your hair." I drone, offering him a dry look. His hand whips to his hair, trying to find what I'm talking about. Right on time to hit Tami's chopsticks, which were carefully planting said rice in his hair to begin with. She's a sneaky one if he didn't feel that.
"Rice, Tami. Really? You know I'm coming back eventually and that I'm not going to forget you wasting food. Right?" The colour drains from her face. Obviously she hadn't thought of that last part.
"Well, Tami. Since you're already in trouble, I say go for broke." I wink at her, but that only makes her stare at me in utter disbelief. The look she has really just screams: are you trying to get me killed!? "What I'm trying to say, Tami-chan... Is that it's technically my food you're wasting. So I could demand that I get at least a week of training you to ensure you never forget what Nii-san is telling you."
She picks the rice out of his hair and eats it without complaint. She then acts likes it all never happened, whistling and all. "You know, Tami. Whistling inside is bad luck." Rika points out, bringing tears to Tami's eyes. Everyone gets a good laugh out of that.
"Now, now, stop picking on Tami!" Hinata-nee demands. "Shou, shouldn't you be the one to keep your daughters in line?"
Shou just turns to Fuu, tears in his eyes. "You see what I get for marrying an Uzumaki? Don't ever marry an Uzumaki."
"Hinata-nee doesn't seem to mind." Rika points out.
"Yes, because she married Naruto." He points out sagely; then his voice drops to a stage whisper, "It's the Uzumaki women you need to worry about. They're nuts!" He suffers the slap to the back of his head in silence. What'd he expect? He has two daughters! Yup, you either love them or hate them. I happen to love them.
"You guys do know that Mikoto's not supposed to pick up any of that, right?" Sasuke drones, noticing how Mikoto is slapping his chest happily. He really shouldn't let her hang around this crowd then. Oops, too late. And besides, Michiko, Sango and Kimiko know better than to behave that way! That's three cases disproving your baseless worries.
"And I really think poor Fuu is getting a very poor impression of you this way." Sakura agrees with her husband, I think. I'm just curious why Sasuke expects any different from his daughter, when her mother has the same temperament as any Uzumaki I've ever met...
"Whazzat shupposhed to meang?!" Rika asks, trying to speak properly while Shou and Tami and deforming her face with their pinches. After poking both her sister and her father, Rika rubs her cheeks and shakes off their last 'attack'. "We're Uzumaki! We're made this way!" She proclaims proudly. Hinata and the Hyuuga are mostly just amused, the others are flat out laughing. Even Fuu.
"You're an Amatsu." Sakura counters.
"Semantics." Rika waves it off. That gets me curious – that's a page taken straight from Raiko's book.
"Someone's been spending a lot of time with Rai-kun, haven't they?" I ask with a smirk, my eyebrow raised just enough to show I'm curious how those two are getting along. She starts blushing immediately.
"I don't know what you're talking about." She claims, but when I bite my lip to mask an even broader smile, she only blushes deeper. She knows I'm not buying it.
"I dunno, Raiko. Are you going to just let her talk like that?" I can't help it. It'll be three months before I can tease them like this again!
"Hey, I know what we have. You guys are the ones guessing. She'll tell you when she's ready." Oh-ho! That does sound promising. Still, she has a point. Rika and I share a look – she's soooooo getting bugged about this later for details!
"So, anyway, Fuu-san. Sorry about my family. They can be a bit rowdy at times, but they grow on you." I offer a lopsided grin, hoping she can sort of understand.
"No, no worries at all. I've enjoyed myself. And the food was excellent!" Fuu seems so far outside her comfort zone, I wonder what her home life is like. "Besides, it's nice to see what it's like. A clan having dinner together."
"Actually, it's a little more complex with us. Sorry, introductions. Hyuuga clan head Hiashi and his nephew Neji. Uncle Hiashi's daughter, Hinata, married Uzumaki Naruto, who's the Uzumaki clan head. His clansmen here are Uzumakis Karin and Fuki, and Amatsu Shou and his two daughters Rika and Tami. Naruto-nii is kind of a big brother to me. His teammates are Uchiha Sasuke and Sakura –the patriarch and matriarch of the Uchiha clan– and that's their daughter Mikoto. Everyone else here is of the Senju clan. We're somewhat more reserved than the Uzumaki, but we're too used to them to be bothered by their antics."
"Everyone else?" Fuu asks in shock. Judging by how she's eyeing Jei and his family's darker complexion and Tou-san's Cloud headband... well, she's just really curious how that happened, I guess.
"Well, yeah. Sort of anyway. Jei here's my fiancé, so he was adopted into our clan along with Raiko and Pou, who are his... well, his elite guard I guess you could say. His mom, aunty Itsuko, his father Bii, and their two daughters Michiko and Sango are from Cloud. She came here with the family to be Cloud's ambassador to Konoha. That's how Jei and I met. So, technically they aren't Senjus, but they're family nonetheless. The others are Kouji, Daichi, Choco, Hibari, Inaho, Kimiko, Ikue, Hayama-sensei, Ayame-nee, Kohada, Natori, aunty Masa, uncle Manabu, Tenzo, Hayate and Yuugao. Shizune-nee is probably running late at the hospital again, so expect her to barge in at any time. And the Usagi are our noble guards." I point them out as I go. She won't be able to remember all the names, not easily anyway, but still... it's polite.
"Awww, Ai-chan considers us part of the Senju clan! Yuu-chan, did you hear that?" Hayate just had to go there. I swear, ever since Shizune and I started stalking him to deal with his eternal flu... cold... cough thingy, anyway, ever since then, he's been insufferable.
"Officially Tenzo, Hayate and Yuugao are retainers – they work for us. But frankly if you bleed with us, you're family. It's just how we operate." I clarify, smiling at the three of them. That Tenzo happens to want to marry Inaho doesn't hurt either, but I'm not revealing that. Well, or who Mikoto's godparents are. Some connections are best kept hidden.
"I see." She must feel a little lost with so much information coming at her at once. "If you don't mind me asking... why are you even telling me this? I mean, I may be from an allied village, but I am still a foreign ninja." Hmm, she's... used to people distrusting her. Only, not for the reason she's giving.
"Well, what harm can it do? I mean, everything I've told you is public knowledge. Anyone could either ask around to find out as much, or they could just request the public records from the Hokage Tower. So really, I'm just saving you the time." I wink to show I'm teasing her a bit. "But anyway, as much fun as this is, I still need to show you around. Can't have you getting lost while you're here, now can we? Kouji, Daichi?" Both boys nod to me.
"Can we come too?" Choco asks, meaning Hibari wants to come to as well. I shrug, seeing no reason why they can't.
"I'll see everyone later. And girls, don't make it too late, okay?" I kiss Michiko, Sango and Kimiko in turn, telling them to be good. I also can't forget to kiss my goddaughter! No, no, no, Miko-chan needs to know she's loved!
Michiko seems to have something more to say before she lets me go. "Ai-chan, since I've been practising so hard, do you think you can show me something cool? I mean, you show Kimi-chan stuff all the time and I don't think it's fair!"
"Alright, I'll show you something tomorrow before I leave okay? Bright and early!"
"Really!?" It seems she didn't think I would have agreed so easily, but she's excited nonetheless.
"Of course! The only reason I show Kimiko-chan so much cool stuff is because she asks me. You've never asked me before, have you?" Michiko looks a little down about that, she probably never thought about it before.
"So when you get back, you'll show me cool moves too!?"
"Why wait till I get back?" I ask her, a thoughtful look on my face. "I mean, you can always ask anyone to show you, can't you?"
"Like who? Ka-chan's always so busy these days!"
"Well, like Pou or Raiko? Or if they're busy, you can ask the Uzumakis? Or pretty much any Senju around? Even the Usagi wouldn't mind showing you a thing or two if you ask politely." I notice that her eyes grow just a little brighter every time I mention someone else that could help her train. "Come on, Chico-chan, we're all family here. I don't think that anyone would mind teaching you if you're diligent." I muss her hair a little, telling her to be here by seven tomorrow – no excuses.
"Oh, and before I forget, Ayame-nee, you will be joining the guys for tonight's lesson, won't you?" Yeah, it took Hayama-sensei long enough to get his ass in gear and marry the girl! I mean, shit, the agreement was a week tops, and I end up having to stall Teuchi for almost another three!? Still, Inaho and Kohada pretty much took Ayame under their wing from the second she entered our front door... and Sensei has been doing a lot better since she arrived too. Water under the bridge. "Come on guys, we've got a guest to brag about our village to!"
8-8
~Tuesday 9:00 AM~
Okay, this is weird. I only did my morning training with my teams, I showed Kimiko and Michiko a 'super cool trick' they can do with a kunai –I just let them throw live ones, but they couldn't have been happier– and now I'm in Kakashi's office for the mission briefing. No clones gorging on the knowledge in my clan's archives. No hidden agenda for the day. This is fucking off!
And what's worse, I'm fully decked out in my mission gear. Tenshi strapped for a left-handed draw, my flak jacket, gloves, and an all black, armoured outfit with full length formfitting pants and sleeveless shirt. My mesh armour is plainly visible down to my elbow, where my gloves begin. And too boot, I'm wearing my forehead protector! I never wear that!
"Captains, thank you all for being on time." Kakashi really shouldn't be the one saying shit like that. Did he forget his track record? "I would like to do an official role call to ensure that only those I expect will be on this mission."
"From Sand, Captain Temari and her subordinates Kankurou, Gaara of the Ichibi and Matsuri. Is that correct?" Temari assures him that it is.
"From Mist, Captain Momochi Zabuza and his subordinates Utakata of the Rokubi, Yuki Haku and Nene of the Sanbi. Is that correct?" Zabuza confirms. Fucking hell! They sent a team like that? Nice! And I get to see how Nene's doing after our match too!
"From Konoha, Captain Uchiha Sasuke and his subordinates Uchiha Sakura, Uzumaki Naruto of the Kyuubi and Nara Shikamaru. Is that correct?" Sasuke just noises his affirmation. Typical, but effective.
"From Konoha, Captain Senju Ai and her subordinates Senju Jei, Sarutobi Konohamaru and Nara Matsuri. Is that correct?" I confirm.
"From Waterfall, Fuu of the Nanabi. You are here alone. Is that correct?" She confirms. Okay... another Jinchuuriki? Weird that she'd come alone though.
"From Cloud, Kaminari Bii of the Hachibi and his subordinates Samui, Omoi and Karui. Is that correct?"
"No, it isn't. I've also convinced my brother to let me take my other student along. Nii Yugito of the Nibi." Tou-san announces. What the fuck!? That makes seven jinchuuriki!? We have seven Tailed Beasts on our side? Or... at least seven people with a Tailed Beast sealed within them! This might not take three months after all. "That isn't a problem, is it?"
"Does anyone participating in this mission have a problem?" Kakashi asks neutrally. No one seems to. "Good. Then we will continue onto mission hierarchy and mission outlines. As you are aware, Jiraiya of the Sannin is in charge of this mission. He will have tactical command at all times, and he will be the one issuing orders. Under his direct command are the six team captains. Your team hierarchy however is none of my concern, as long as the mission is done efficiently. For mission details, I pass the floor to Jiraiya."
"Thank you, Hokage-sama." Jiraiya is actually starting this briefing seriously? I'll have to remember that. "All mission objectives have been stipulated in the scrolls each of you has received, so I will not waste precious time repeating them. The important thing to discuss right now is what team has what role. We have four cities that each need to be taken out on the same day. As such each city must be properly scouted, all targets identified, their routines studied, and ultimately captured. No building may remain standing when we are done. No one with chakra levels above Genin may survive. No exceptions." Shit, it's a fucking slaughter.
"Sasuke, your team will come with me to Target Alpha." Sasuke's tossed a scroll, probably containing more details.
"Bii, your team will take out Target Tango." Another scroll gets tossed.
"Temari, you will take Fuu with you and take out Target Zulu." Yet another scroll. That means we're with Zabuza.
"Zabuza, you will take Ai with you and take out Target Uniform." Zabuza gets our scroll.
"This is initially an infiltration mission. We need to know where to strike, how hard it needs to be struck, and what the best means would be to ensure the people are broken. They must not gather their wits to strike us a third time. So if that means wiping out every last one of them, so be it. Each team captain will be sending me a weekly update. We will have another meeting once all information has been acquired. Questions?"
"Why do the cities need to come down on the same day?" I ask, narrowing my eyes. There's a deeper reason than simple coincidence.
"To ensure that there are no mishaps. We know that the capital city houses their 'ultimate weapon', we don't know if they are keeping spares. This way we won't care if we never find out." I already know that we're meant to capture all targets stipulated in the scroll Zabuza has, so asking that is pointless. Hmm, what else strikes me as something I need to know?
"Are we allowed to smuggle out the targets before the city crumbles?" I continue. I like knowing all the details, thank you.
"Only the night before. Before that and they'll get replaced. Any information we get out of them could be compromised. However, any tech, schematics or blueprints you find before that is fair game. Just make sure to cover your tracks. We can't have them getting suspicious."
"What about discouraging traders from outside city limits from coming in? So long as we keep it subtle, it should put pressure on the higher ups to find replacements and allow us easier movement?"
"Don't act until I have the details. Whether that is rerouting goods, or sabotaging trade deals, I need to know first to make sure it doesn't become too obvious what is going on. But if you feel it can create enough of a problem for the city then let me know in your report." Alright, I'm good. Once we collect more information, I'm sure Matte-chan and I can come up with some yummy ideas.
"..." Am I the only one that has questions? Really? Real professional.
"No further questions?" No one does. Wow. I feel like I'm the only one here thinking ahead! "Meet at South Gate at noon."
"...!" We're all leaving at the same time!? That's a horrible idea! Still, not my call to make.
"Dismissed!"
Once outside of Kakashi's office, I ask Zabuza to bring him team to meet mine at the Senju Disctrict. He seems peeved that he needs to come to me, but I tell him flatly that my location offers more privacy. With nothing better to respond with, he scoffs and heads off. He doesn't even ask for directions, so he'd better know where the hell he's going!
8-8
~Tuesday 9:30 AM~
I already had the team waiting at my house when I left for the briefing, so gathering the team is much simpler for me. "How'd it go? Matte asks.
"As well as can be expected. We're teaming up with Momochi Zabuza and his team. You guys all know what a jinchuuriki is, right?" I ask, knowing how troublesome it'd be to explain after they arrive.
"Like Jei's dad you mean?" Matte asks. Yup, she figured it out already. Jei and I nod, but Konohamaru is still stumped.
"You've heard of the nine Tailed Beasts right? Like the Kyuubi?" I ask. He nods, becoming quite nervous where this is going. "Well, all nine of them are sealed into people – jinchuuriki they're called. Their team has the containers for the three and the six tails."
"Wait, Nene's coming? Didn't you beat the snot out of her in Cloud?" Matte asks. I agree that Nene's coming, but don't comment on the rest of it.
Without being asked, I give them a rundown of what little I know of their members and a thorough update on mission parameters. "So once we scout the place out, we'll be coming up with a plan and run it by Saint Horny?" Matte asks. I snort, her calling Jiraiya that still amuses me.
"Basically. I figure with the information you and Jei can collect, we should be able to get this done." Ooh, so they've finally arrived. I deactivate the privacy seals just as my clone shows our four guests in.
"Team, meet Mist's finests. Zabuza, these are Jei, Matte and Kono. Have a seat and we'll get started." I reactivate the seals the second the door slides shut.
They sit down, some more crassly than others (Zabuza for example), but I choose not to comment. I recognize Nene and her sensei Haku from Cloud. So the tall brunet must be Utakata. They are all in mission gear, and are clearly ready to go to war. We'll try to avoid that being needed, but you just never know with these kinds of missions.
"The mission scroll, if you would." Zabuza's here to set up a pecking order, not discuss details. That much is obvious. Now how can I handle that without having to clash swords with him? I'm tossed a scroll. It looks identical to the one he received, but this one's fake. "The real mission scroll this time."
"I assure you Senju-sama, it is an exact replica. I made it myself." Haku tries.
"That's nice. A polite shinobi from Mist assures me this is a perfect copy of a scroll I've never read. Well, I guess we can all become buddies now." I drawl sarcastically, showing just how much I trust that and how annoyed I am to be treated like a runt. "We can have a pissing competition some other time, Zaza-chan. For now, let's do this by the book."
"For a little girl, you've got some balls." He sounds like he's smirking.
"I keep them on my chest, so you never have to wonder. The scroll." He snorts, but tosses me the original one this time – I can sense Kakashi's chakra infused in it. Instead of catching it, I decide to show off a little – mostly just to mess with Zaza-chan's head. I grab the flap of the scroll and let it unroll and land on the table in one go. It's upside-down for me, but Matte and Jei can read it just fine from where they're sitting.
"We've only got three targets in our city. Population just under thirty-thousand. Known military information and presence is a sketchy guess at best, so the initial scouting wasn't very thorough. Hmm, roughly the same size as Konoha, so scouting should be easy. No underground facilities we're aware of, we might want to double check. No other interesting information." Matte sums it up for me.
"Estimated travel time?" I turn to Jei, he's better with that stuff.
"Three days if we move quickly." He replies.
"Known entrances and exits?" Kono is better with that sort of thing, he can analyse maps better than anyone.
"Officially just the one. So they'll have a secret entrance, likely to the west since it has more cover." Comes the analysis.
"Rough estimate of the resistance we can expect?" That one's for Jei and Matte, they have the keener mind for this.
"For a town this size, and the estimated populous... as many as a few thousand boots on the ground. We'd need to scout them for more information than that. Anything else is pure guess work." Jei answers. Well, Cloud is far more militarized that Konoha, so he isn't out of his league here.
"Anything to add, Zaza-chan?" I pass the ball, still not even looking towards the scroll. I trust my people.
"Yeah. I might not have to babysit you after all. Haku, break it down for the whelps." He isn't exactly impressed, but he's not as disappointed as he might have been.
"Actually, Zabuza-sama, they've come up with more or less the same analysis as I. Anything I could add is conjecture."
"Now, now Haku. You mean you missed the best place of getting in?"
"Pointless. That's conjecture until we're there to see for certain." I cut in, knowing he's just doing this to make us look inept – even if that means taking his own people down with us. "And furthermore, it depends on our objective once inside how we can best do that. I mean, if we want the best view, we could simple present as merchants, or stow away in an already known group of merchants. But that depends on the situation when we get there. We could just as easily choose to scout from the exterior only, depending on what defences they have." Zaza-chan narrows his eyes on me. He knows I'm right, but he doesn't want to admit that.
"What about simply scaling the wall? Don't they teach you that here?" He still just isn't giving up.
"Sure they do. In the class 'how best to commit suicide'." Matte counters. "What if they have security cameras? What if they'd developed tech to track us without us knowing? These are things to consider before jumping head first into the unknown."
"I see. And how do you plan on checking that?" He's running out of 'bright' ideas, so now he's just giving us the rope he thinks we need to hang ourselves with. Amateur.
"Dozens of ways to check, we'll know which one is most efficient once we're there." Jei opines. I love my team. Although Kono staying silent is starting to worry me – that usually means he's itching to say something rash.
"Are you done mouthing off? We still have important things to handle." Yup, there's Kono-chan. Still, he's being professional and vaguely respectful, considering who he's talking to.
Zaza's irked. He can't seem to get one up on us, and his own second in command seems vaguely impressed with us. So instead, he'll just be a dick and act like we're the ones making this worse. "Yeah, we're done. South Gate, noon."
"Oh! Before I forget. I need my team to identify you four before we head out." Zabuza narrows his eyes at me, trying to puzzle that out. Do I have to spell that out too? Fine! "To prevent them from attacking you if they're summoned in dire circumstances." Without another word, I go through the motions and summon my Usagi teams.
I wait for the smoke to die down... and for Zabuza to release his oversized sword's grip. "Usagi, these are the four we'll be performing this mission with. Please familiarize yourselves with them." All sixteen Usagi leer at them. I hear clicking going back and forth, but nothing I can understand is being communicated.
"Ai-sama, we've memorized them." Inejiro is the one to speak.
"Good. Thank you, I will call on you again soon. Please be ready when I do." They salute, but no one makes a single sound. They're learning. After that, they're gone again.
I roll up the scroll and toss the 'copy' to Zabuza, then I deactivate the seals to allow them to leave. "It was nice seeing you again Haku, Nene. Utakata-san, I'm sorry we couldn't meet under better circumstances." The door slides open and Kosuke-san walks in.
"If you gentlemen, and lady, would follow me?" I love Kosuke so much right now. I can't help but notice that Nene seems more than a little curious about me now. And Haku is at worst neutral. I'll figure the other two out when we have more time for it.
I can't help but hear that Nene asks why they are going with the copy while we keep the original. Zabuza orders her to 'shut it'. My team does get their kicks out of it though.
"That was fun." Kono drones. Can't argue there.
"We've got two hours before we're supposed to rendezvous. I suggest we eat a heavy meal now and hang around here so we're good to go when it's time. Sound good?"
"Actually, Ai. I was hoping to talk to you about something?" Kono begins, nervously.
"The plan with Moegi and Udon?" I ask. He nods sullenly.
"Uncle Asuma shot it down without even thinking about it. And Boss's been too busy to get him alone. I'd really prefer to get it arranged before we leave?" I snort. I was his last resort? That almost hurts.
"Ina-cha~aaan! Can you bring me that paperwork from my office please!? It's on my desk!" I've been prepared and waiting for him. All I need to do is sign and get those two ready to move in. In less than a minute, Inaho, Kouji, Daichi, Choco and Hibari enter the visitor's sitting room. I love them soo much!
"Thank you, Ina." I smile broadly. I set the papers down, go over them one last time, and sign. I hand them to Daichi. "Those need to go to Hokage Tower administration. They'll give you a stub, keep that stub and put it in my desk, top drawer, left-hand side, in the manilla folder you'll find there. Once that is done you'll need to collect Udon and Moegi. Inform uncle Manabu and aunt Masa that it's happening today while you're at it. After that, it's Choco and Hibari's job to suit them up and properly outfit them; aunt Masa will help them get settled in. Do not forget to have them registered at our security desk as residents. And please introduce them properly to the clan, including the Usagi, the Uzumakis, and the Kaminaris. Kosuke will have a training schedule prepared, and I trust Inaho will arrange the trainers they'll require and assign them duties as needed." Nothing but nods in return, and all five leave without a word.
Jei and Matte just smile, knowing me well enough to have seen this coming a mile away. "..." Kono's the one that's in shock. That was fun. Now to finish with a flourish "Please don't tell me you had that weighing on your mind during the meeting?" The embarrassment I'm sensing says more than the subtle nod he thinks the others won't notice.
I shake my head. "Come on, I want a good meal before we're stuck with nothing but fashion stars." They all get a laugh out of that – I'd warned them about some of my more... unique pet peeves about and during missions.
8-8
~Tuesday 11:30 AM~
Having nothing else left to do, we decide to start making our way to South Gate. At the security checkpoint marking the edge of the Senju District we happen into the crew and Udon and Moegi. They're getting registered by none other than Nara Mitsugi. Interesting. I thought he would have asked for the day off to see Matte off.
"Good morning, Ai-sama." Mitsugi begins, as warm as ever. I notice his eyes linger on Matte, but he doesn't say anything to her just yet. Moegi and Udon finish filling in whatever paperwork whoever had come up with, and Mitsugi hands it to Yamanaka Iematsu, who double checks everything and files it away.
"Ai-chan, would you mind if we come with you to South Gate? We'd like to see you off properly." Choco asks, pleading with her eyes. I shrug, seeing nothing wrong with that.
"Alright. But Mitsugi's coming too. Matte deserves as much." I meet his questioning gaze, daring him to deny that. He nods, a small smile making its way onto his features. "I'll leave a clone here so that your duties will not be compromised. That way you can guiltlessly take your time."
Making a shadow clone, I simply start walking; forcing everyone to hurry up to keep up. I'm not in a rush in any way, I just don't see a reason to dawdle. I can't help but notice that Jei is keeping especially close to me, almost to the point of showing possessiveness. He doesn't overtly display affection, but I can feel him even without scanning. It's oddly comforting, though I'd probably lash out if anyone else dared to try it.
As we arrive at South Gate, I can already sense Zaza-chan. His team is here as well, but blending in. It's Zaza that openly (subtly) stalks us, trying to get a better handle on our personalities. I don't react, nor does Matte – though I wonder if she can sense him. Tou-san is here as well with his team. I groan, that means Karui is here and she's already watching us intently. She hasn't dared to say so much as a word to me since she arrived in Konoha – not even to offer her condolences. I quite enjoyed not having to deal with her. Gaara-nii and team are here as well. Hmm, everyone seems to want to be here early. Well, other than Naruto-nii and team. They're still missing. So is Jiraiya, but whatever. He's always on time, if only just.
Oh, right! Sakura and Sasuke are probably trying to enjoy Mikoto a little before they have to leave. And they didn't even show up by my house before we left, so they'll probably just barely be on time. I know Yuugao and Hayate will protect her with their lives, so I'm not worried. Still, as a mother, Sakura will likely take her time to VERY CAREFULLY explain her baby's EXACT desires and habits – completely negating the fact that Inaho regularly babysits her. It's a mommy thing.
Oh? What have we here? Karui's walking up to us, bold as daybreak. She has something in her right hand – and she's right-handed. This won't end well, not with the overprotective people around me.
As expected, the second Karui motions to give me something, everyone pounces. I grab her hand, Jei grabs her forearm. Kono grabs her by her neck from behind. Matte has a kunai positioned over her liver. Choco and Hibari each have a kunai positioned to slice open both femoral arteries. Kouji and Daichi have a kunai positioned for both axillary arteries. Even Mitsugi is getting in on the action, using his clan's Shadow Binding jutsu to keep her from acting a fool.
"It's alright, guys. I've got her." Mitsugi tries to defuse the situation before blood gets spilled. "Really. She can't move." No one backs off.
"Stand down." I order, my voice sharp. All weapons get stowed, everyone backs up a step of two... ONLY a step or two to keep close enough... just in case. You never know, she could breathe on me..."Karui. Explain."
"A peace offering." Her eyes flick to her still extended right hand. "And to offer my belated condolences. I didn't feel right speaking to you while you were..." She trails off, preferring not to put that into words.
Mitsugi slowly has her open her right palm, revealing a dandelion. Mitsugi isn't moving, only Karui is. Hmm, I didn't know that was possible – I though their 'victim' would mirror their moves exactly? Whatever. "It's a thing she does." Jei explains. "She hates saying sorry, so she offers a dandelion for you to 'blow the past away'."
My eyes meet Karui's for the first time since we met. I can sense her self-loathing, probably beating herself up over something. Whatever. Too troublesome to hold a grudge. "It's alright, Mitsugi."
Karui's muscles suddenly become less stiff, but her palm remains where it is. I lean in, blowing on the seeds and scattering them into the winds. "Learn from the past. Do not dwell on it." I whisper, watching the seeds float off into an uncertain future. Tobirama's advice usually makes too much sense.
"I'm... I'm sorry." Karui manages. From Jei's shock, I can tell this is most definitely not the norm for her. "I of all people should know the damage words can inflict... I'm just... too used to it, I guess." I hate it when people babble, trying to say what they simply cannot pin down in words.
"Karui. It's fine." I wave it off.
"Otouto, take care of her." Karui just called Jei her little brother? "I don't think anyone will be as protective of your heart as she has been."
Jei snorts. "Tell me something I don't know."
Karui isn't done. "I mean it! Not all of us are lucky enough to find someone that sees us as we are... and still loves us." Her eyes are sharp, but there's something tender about how she speaks. She pats Jei on his shoulder – she's saying this as an equal, not as... whatever she sees herself as in his life. "Honour that. Please."
"Alright already, enough mush." I try to play it off as if this is getting on my nerves. I look away, trying to not see the tenderness suddenly in Karui's eyes. I still feel her though, which isn't helping much. Jei's hand ghosts over my lower back to show his support.
"Thank you, Ai." Karui bows to me. "And please take care of the dweeb for me. I know I don't act like it, but what little family I have left... well they mean the world to me." Damn it! Do you know how hard it is to act like a cold-hearted bitch to someone who's being so sincere?
"We will." I assure her, motioning to not just my team, but to all my people here. "We take care of our own. No matter what."
Karui puts up her right fist, not hiding her gratitude in her eyes, facial expression, chakra or posture. "Thank you. Really." We bump fists. She then nods and turns to go back to her team, her heart feeling much lighter.
"Hey Karui." I call to her. She turns, wordless asking me what's up. "When we get back, you and your team should join us for dinner or something. After all, it won't do not getting to know Tou-san's team."
I try to ignore how her spirits soar at hearing that. Mostly because I'm trying to be professional here, but also because I'm not really ready to forgive her just yet – I'm only doing this because I know it'll mean a lot to Jei. Tou-san nods approvingly when our eyes happen to meet. He must have been following the whole exchange.
Whatever, let's just get this show on the road already!
8-8
~Tuesday 12:00 PM~
Everyone's gathered. Jiraiya shows up too. Sakura is a bit withdrawn, but that's to be expected. Naruto-nii and Sasuke will keep an eye on her. Whatever. We're all here.
Jiraiya motions for everyone to 'gather round'. "Alright. We travel together. I set the pace. Move out." I can deal with that.
We go through customs. The foreign shinobi show their papers, we Konoha shinobi just show our faces. Once everyone is through, we really head out. The set pace is gruelling, but not any worse than I'm already used to. Once we hit the tree-line, we get off the ground and take to the trees. It isn't until just before sunset that we take a break.
"We're not making camp. We sleep in the trees. No fire." Jiraiya seems to have his personality locked in 'Sannin mode', because he hasn't done anything out of place since we left Konoha.
"Matte, Sakura, coming?" I walk off, not waiting for them to confirm. They know I'm referring to a pee-break, but everyone should know me well enough to know I'm not saying that in front of a bunch of guys! Mission or no, some things are just taboo. We walk off into the distance, making sure to be aware of our surroundings. We're still in the Land of Fire, so this isn't exactly unknown territory, but still.
"How are you holding up, Saku-nee?" I ask after relieving myself. I unseal a bottle of water to rehydrate and offer Matte a go.
"Well, better than I expected. But not as good as I'd hoped." She answers honestly. I can imagine. Leaving your soon to be seven month old daughter behind for three months? Sure, she won't miss Mikoto's birthday, but... still.
I sense someone coming our way. "It's Temari and Matsuri." I give Sakura and Matte the heads up, just barely before I can hear the Sand kunoichis' footsteps approaching. They enter the little glade we're in, nod to us and gets down to business without a word. It's not like either of them has something we've never seen after all.
"Hey, Saku-nee, how are we going to be training Matsuri while she's...?" I trail off, not quite wanting to put it into words.
"Already thought of that. She has scrolls with the theory she needs to study and instructions which exercises she needs to master before we meet up again." Comes the expected answer. Still, she seems pleased to have something to occupy her mind. She always takes it hard to let someone babysit, so this must be murder on her nerves.
Another someone is coming our way. Two someones. Fuu and Nene. Crap, Karui and Samui are right behind them. What is this, the girls' pee spot? Whatever. If kunoichi can't stick together, who can?
I give the others a heads up as to who's coming. No one seems surprised or worried. I make sure to keep the conversation light, to help Saku-nee cope a little better and to ensure everyone feels as comfortable as the situation allows.
Once everyone has seen to their needs, we start heading back. I notice a few of the guys wandered off, including Jei and Kono. It's still weird to me that none of the guys go to the same spot to pee, or whatever. Is there some guy secret that prevents them? Some code? Whatever.
Once the guys get back, I offer them my bottle of water and I hand out dinner. We eat quietly and I turn to Jiraiya. "Rotation for watch?" I ask.
"Hmm..." He thinks about that for a second. "It's twelve hours till daybreak. Ai your team has the first three hour shift. Then Temari's, Sasuke's, and Zabuza's as last."
"So I guess we're only getting six hours of sleep." Zabuza complains. Okay, first of all six hours during a mission is damn good. Second of all, my team is as capable of standing watch as anyone else here. Are you trying to piss me off?
"I could put you in a coma. I'm sure Sakura could rouse you from it when it's your watch." I offer 'helpfully'. I'd rather not speak so much, but sometimes you just need to not tolerate the bullshit.
"Ai. Stand down. Zabuza, how much you sleep is your business. I trust her enough to get some shut eye." Jiraiya offers. Like that would stop me? 'Stand down'? I snort. I've disobeyed more important orders from higher ranked people.
"Ai, just let it go." Naruto eyes me. I sigh. I hate how well he knows me sometimes.
"Whatever. Get some rest." I wave it off, but I still offer Zabuza a wilting glare. I hate people like him. And what's worse, now I have nothing to do for three hours. The light is quickly fading, so it'll be bad for reading. I can't summon the Usagi to continue their training, because we're supposed to be stealthy and training here would leave too many tracks. Fuck it. Suck it up, Ai.
I motion for the guys to huddle up. "I'm going meditate to help monitor our surroundings. Jei, you're my first line of defence. Matte, Kono, stick to the shadows and keep me in your line of sight. You'll know when I sense something."
Jei sits down leaning against the trunk of a tree. I cuddle up to him, laying my head against his chest. I notice that he's wielding his Yuubou – the twin tanbo I got him during my first mission outside of Konoha. I also have Tenshi gripped in my right hand, still sheathed. After a few deep breaths, I ease myself into a meditative state. The first thing I do is check Sakura. Really check her. She's still having a lot of trouble accepting that she isn't tucking Mikoto in right now... she's not likely to get too much sleep tonight.
After that, I expand my range to about a kilometre. It's not so far as to strain me, but it's a comfortable enough distance to make sure I can give the guys a heads up if something goes down. I feel Jei's hands, tanbo and all, resting on my thighs. Somehow that comforts me more than anything.
Using standard Konoha battle signs, I give whoever's watching a heads up that I'm both awake and aware of their curiosity. Sasuke's amusement registers quickly, but no one else reacts. This just isn't meant to be an interesting night.
8-8
~Wednesday 5:00 AM~
Waking up in Jei's arms isn't such a bad thing. But waking up with him in mine is just divine. We'd found a sturdy enough branch a ways up last night. He suggested I lean against the trunk and he lay against me as a layer of insulation. Naturally, that means I wrapped my arms and legs around him, to 'keep them from dangling'. I like having him along. Casting my senses around me, I notice Matte a branch higher than us and Kono a few branches lower. The only ones awake are the team on the ground and Jiraiya, who's still acting like he's asleep. I knock against the tree, sending the signal that it's time to get up.
We ease down to the forest floor, me already handing out breakfast. Zabuza and company are on watch, but none of them seem too bothered that we're up and about. Kono makes a noise. Not even turning to see what he wants, I unseal a water bottle and offer it to him. He takes it and doesn't make any more commotion, so that's what he meant. Getting back the bottle from him, I take a gulp myself and hand it to Jei.
To make sure we are all limber for travelling today, I make sure we all do our stretches properly. No one complains, and no words are exchanged the entire time. As rough as yesterday was, it's actually been lighter than my usual days in Konoha. Once everyone is limber, in my opinion not theirs, I motion for Matte and I to go for a bathroom break. We're back in less than ten minutes, to find Kono and Jei returning the same time.
"You've still got an hour, you know." Haku says softly.
"We're awake, so it makes no difference now." I offer.
"Zabuza-sama is a harsh man, but he means well." I don't bother trying to understand why this is even being brought up.
"..." Instead of even figuring it out, I just turn to my team. "Jei, how long before we're likely to separate from the main group?"
"At this pace? A day, thirty-six hours at the most. But Jiraiya might have something planned, so don't go making plans just yet." I nod, leaving it at that.
"Plans?" Haku asks. Aren't we supposed to be... I dunno, stealthy?
"I like knowing what we're doing. And since Jiraiya's not dishing out any information, I'm gathering the best guesses and going with that." I inform him. I guess Haku's trying to guide our inter-team interactions into a healthier place before Zabuza opens his mouth again.
"You do realise that we're going to Sky? That's more than a week away." Zabuza just opened his mouth, and nothing but bullshit comes out. Doesn't he know what the best course of is?
"Yes... and what better way to sneak into a country than with a small battalion of shinobi." I glare at him. I mean, really? I'm amazed we came this far together! "Zaza-chan. I don't know what you usually do on missions, and frankly I'm not interested in finding out. But we have this weird tendency to not make our movements easily noticeable and even harder to guess should you manage."
He's glaring at me. Obviously grumpy he's not getting the one-up he was hoping for, "What I am trying to say is that it's easier for a small team to move unnoticed. This isn't something you wouldn't know."
I feel his anger flare up, but he swallows it down. He doesn't like me talking down to him, but seems to think he can talk down to me? Good luck with that.
"Now, if you don't mind. We are making too much noise. Unless it's vital to our safety, keep it to yourself."
"There isn't anyone around for kilometres in every direction." He raises an eyebrow at me, trying to understand what I'm getting at.
Instead of answering him, I point at Gaara – who doesn't sleep, but has his eyes closed anyway. I then point to Fuu. Then to Sasuke and Sakura. I point to Shikamaru. I point to Matsuri. Then I glare at Zaza-chan and raise an eyebrow at him. Message: they're sleeping and they can hear you just fine, dumbass! He grumbles, but doesn't disagree with me.
8-8
~Wednesday 5:45 AM~
Everyone's awake now, they've had breakfast and they've seen to their needs. The sky is starting to brighten in the East, so the sun should start rising any minute now. Before anything else happens though, I notice that Jiraiya has something to say. He motions for Zabuza and me to follow him.
It takes about a minute for us to get far enough away that Jiraiya is comfortable with. "Momochi, I don't know what your problem is and I don't care. Hokage-sama picked Ai because he finds her capable. Is there something you have to say about this?"
"What makes you think I have a problem?" He's really going there? Seriously!
"How about you're trying to take me down a peg at every presented opportunity? Or maybe it's going against sound advice simply because I say it? Or... it could be because you not only do not hide it well, but your own people are starting to get antsy because of it. Gee, what could it ever be?" I toss out there. He'll deny it, and I don't care. It's true.
"I'm going to give you two five minutes to talk this out in private. If it comes to blows, I'll make sure you're both demoted, at best." Jiraiya walks away. Or pretends to. He likes to tell himself that I can't track him well enough – he's just behind a tree twenty metres further up.
"Zabuza, I don't care if you like me. But you will stop belittling me." I begin.
"Do you know what my issue is?" He asks. Why are we still talking about this? You know my demands, and I don't care what yours are. Case closed.
"That I'm thirteen, a girl, and leading a bunch of rookies?"
"No. It's that I don't understand you." Congratulations. Now that we have that out of the way...
"You're being a petulant, whiny brat because you don't understand me?" Fuck! My insatiable need to understand interpersonal relationships bites me in the ass. Why do I care?
"I read your file." Great, another one that thinks my file says jack shit about me. "I wasn't impressed... then I met you. You show leadership with your team, honour with your clan. You care about those around you. You have an almost fanatic following of capable shinobi. Yet your file shows a spoiled brat that got promoted because of her heritage. I don't understand you."
"Zabuza. I don't care. I'm not here to impress you, nor is my team. We're here for a mission. Focus on that and you can waste the rest of your life studying me. Can you handle that?"
He doesn't answer, but frankly this is more than he needs to know. He's being unprofessional, and he knows it. So I start walking back to the others. "I need a favour. Haku'll be pissed if I got you alone and didn't at least bring it up." I stop walking, but don't show I'm listening. "Nene needs a kunoichi she can look up to. She's shunned in Mist. And no one on my team is exactly equipped to talk to her about... certain things."
"..." Still not answering him. I just continue walking, waving at Jiraiya as I pass his location.
8-8
End Chapter 10
8-8
A/N: Updated October 12th, 2015.
