A/N: Hey there! Thanks for coming back to Rising Star! I had major writer's block for a while, and still have it. Been working on this chapter for a good bit, and just haven't been able to make any headway lately. I decided the chapter was long enough, and just cut out the last thousand words or so to have it end gracefully. I'm gonna make this quick, I gots things to do, and ya'll want to read on a bit.
Time to respond to reviews! Good and juicy reviews!
Dragon Man 180: One of my most loyal readers :-) Yeah, I'm thinking of going toward an "Orochimaru is good" fic too. Would open up a lot of ideas. I mean, most of the early story is centered around him, right? Should keep things interesting. That's gonna be my next project, probably. Keep your fingers crossed!
narutos vixen: There will most likely be a time skip, but some of the events the students go through will be shown. I'll probably dedicate a chapter to each of the Sanseirei, glossing over their training from their own perspective.
ueenboogie 16: I'm so glad you enjoy my story! I was thinking about the time travel fic myself, but it turns out there are already a few of those, most of which are quite good. I don't want my stories to be measured up against other's stories, especially when their writing style is so much better than mine. And for the record, at this point in the fic, each of the Sanseirei are 13 years old.
animekingmike: You got it! Congrats on being the first to spot that! I'll admit, when I have trouble thinking of names for OCs, I go back to my favorite anime and manga. BTW, does anyone read "Soul Eater"? I'll give you a hint... The samurai in this fic? Think of really nasty, vile swords... and you might just get it right what his special abilities are.
Anthurak the Chaos Lord: Sorry for the long wait, man. Really. I've been busy. Not a good excuse, but still. I liked it too.
Silver Warrior: Another of my loyal followers. Yamamoto should worry you. Really, really worry you.
djz3r0310: I worked exceedingly hard to make the fights simple. Thanks. Haven't read your story yet, but I'll try to get to it soon, ok?
Nexus the 13th: I feel ya, man. Juts give it a chance. Guns? I just needed a plausible thing to blow his hand off :-)
Ren Mizuki: Again, glad you like it! Here's more juicy goodness!
Read on, warriors!
Naruto was having the most wonderful dream he'd ever had. In it, he was the happiest he'd ever been; he was holding the most wonderfully bright star in the universe tightly in his arms and couldn't, wouldn't let go. The star was a center of security for his soul and his heart. With it, he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he would be safe from any harm that could ever come to him.
There was a voice in the distance, somewhere beyond the vastness of space, calling him. The voice was new, and young, and sweet. It was a nice voice, but not the voice.
Wake up, please, the voice said, once, then again. Please wake up!
Why wake up? Naruto thought. What's the point?
He felt all of a sudden a rush, a falling sensation. His heart lurched out of his chest as he woke up with a start. Hinata was in his arms, and the mid-afternoon sun was poking through the window to land on his side and back. Hinata was snuggled deeply in his arms, her back to his chest and folded completely against his whole body.
He looked up through weary eyes; the person who had woken him up was standing, smiling, behind him on the side of the bed opposite the door.
She was a pretty girl; young, about fourteen, maybe. Her bright pink long-sleeved kimono was a stark contrast to the demur surroundings. She had hair so black it appeared to have a blue under-glow. Green eyes poked out from under her short bangs, and the rest of her shoulder-length hair was pinned to the right side of her head with a pair of clips that looked like flowers. A small nose complemented her pale face, and naturally-red lips finished her image. "Are you awake?" she asked with a light voice. "Um, daddy's back, and he'd like to see you, please!"
Naruto moved, shifting Hinata from her place against him. "Ugh," he said as he rubbed his eyes. "Yeah, I'm… yawn… awake," he said. She laughed with her hand in front of her mouth. "Heh, maybe not," he said with a smile of his own.
"Maybe not," she parroted. "It's ok, take a minute. I'm always groggy after I wake up from an afternoon nap, too."
"Yeah…What time is it?" Naruto asked.
"Oh, just about half past three," the girl said. "My father got home about ten minutes ago, and he told me to find out where you guys were."
"Thanks," Naruto said gratefully. "It's been a… hard day. We needed the rest."
The girl laughed. "You sounded like it, for sure," she said. "Your snoring was audible from down the hall!"
Naruto blushed. "It's always with the snoring," he muttered to himself. Hinata began squirming awake by his side. "And I bet she was silent as the grave, right?"
"Yep!" she said.
Naruto rolled his eyes as Hinata sat up and rubbed her own eyes awake. She yawned loudly and deeply. "You up yet?" he asked her as he rubbed her back soothingly.
"Yeah, yeah," she mumbled. "Just… five more minutes, ok?" She started laying back down, but Naruto put his fingers to her side and tickled her upright. With a yelp, she swung an arm good-naturedly at his head. He ducked backwards, and the strike sailed right over him. She overbalanced, and somehow fell back, over, and off the bed. Naruto laughed, but he was quickly mollified when Hinata slowly rose to her feet.
"Seijuro," she said slowly, enunciating the syllables of his alias.
Naruto jumped off the bed and backed away as quickly as possible. "Uh… Heh… Um, please don't—hurt me?"
Hinata calmly walked around the bed and grabbed her pack and sword. She pulled it free from its scabbard, slowly, and inspected the blade. It retained blood along its polished surface, which she slowly fingered. "Come on," she said as she slammed the sword back into its sheath. "Her father is waiting for us. Oh! I didn't get your name," she exclaimed. She strapped her sword to her back, and held out a hand to the other girl.
"I'm Kaoru," she said with a bright smile. "Nagasaki Kaoru, daughter of the lord of this province. It's a pleasure to meet you!"
Hinata smiled—though Naruto noticed that it was somewhat strained. He could understand why; they had been sent here to kill her father, after all. "The pleasure is mine," she said. "I am Shinomori Misao, of Rice country." She glanced over toward Naruto. "This is my idiot… boyfriend, Tsukioka Seijuro. You've already met our friend, Nagano Yahiko?"
Kaoru nodded. "Yes, just a few minutes ago. He was with his father—He is his father, right? They look so much alike!"
Naruto nodded as he laughed. "Yeah, they're family," he said. "Father and son. Yahiko's been training since he was a child to be a samurai. Misao and I have only been with them for the past couple years or so."
"Hmm, ok," Kaoru said. "That makes sense. Tell me all about it later, but right now Father's waiting and he's not really known for being patient!"
Hinata laughed. She was beginning to warm up to the girl. "I understand," she said. "Yahiko-sensei is the same way, usually. Which is weird, seeing as he's usually the late one."
Kaoru smirked. "That's Father, too," she said. "No sense of timing--except for meals, anyway."
Hinata chuckled as she slipped her shoes on. "Seijuro here's the one who can't keep his stomache in line for our little group."
The girls made small talk as Naruto gathered his few belongings. It wasn't difficult; they amounted to his own shoes, his pack, and his sword. "Ready to go?" he asked Hinata as he tied his blade over his shoulder.
Hinata nodded. "Yes," she said. To Kaoru she said, "Lead the way, please. We don't want to be late, right? You're the boss!"
With a smile, Kaoru nodded and left the room with Hinata and Naruto closely in tow. She lead them out of the clinic, out into the bright sunshine. In the light, the manor appeared different than what it had earlier, although that could be a false perception due to Naruto's panic over Hinata's condition. As Naruto finally took a really good look around, he took in all that he had to see from his vantage point.
In the back of his mind, he'd noted that the place was beautiful, but he hadn't stopped to pay attention. Now that he had a few minutes to stop and smell the roses, so to speak, he could appreciate it.
Based on the position of the sun and time of day, Naruto guessed that they were on the eastern side of the manor. He looked to the south, and saw a thick grove of trees some two hundred yards behind the home. A path lead to the copse and through the middle of it. "What's over there?" Naruto asked Kaoru, nodding his head that way.
The girl smiled. "There's a natural hot spring back there," she said. "It's steaming year-round, and only house staff or my family can get to it. Oh, we're not being greedy! They're all over the place around here, we've just privatized this one."
They walked north, toward the front doors and away from the woods. A few moments passed in calm silence as the trio finally reached the official threshold of the single-level home. Kaoru walked up the short flight of steps to the double doors and opened the right one. "Father's through here, in the informal dining room," she said as she lead them inside. "The informal dining room, or 'The Nook' as we call it, is where we take our normal meals. When Father holds parties for special occasions, we dine in the formal dining area-- 'The Cave', just don't tell anyone we call it that, please!"
The two undercover shinobi laughed along with their host. "Why call it 'The Cave'?" Hinata asked Kaoru.
"Well..." Kaoru stopped at a large door to their right as they walked down a hall. "See for yourself." She opened the door--
And one of the largest rooms Naruto had ever seen in his life opened up to him. A fifteen-foot staircase dropped down, and a glamorous room about a hundred and twenty feet long by eighty wide. Naruto had to kneel down slightly to see the end of the room--a large portion of it was underground, which was why it wasn't visable from the outside. Thinking back on it, there was a conspicuous lack of construction at the rear end of the home.
Lamps lined the walls, and chandeleers strewn with crystal shards hung from the ceiling. Several dozen tables were pushed up against the walls on each side, most long and narrow, but there were a few wide circular ones here and there. The floor was made of white marble that seemed to help resonate any sound that might be made there.
"Wow," said Naruto, dumbfounded. "Yeah, I cansee why you call it 'The Cave'..."
Kaoru smiled as she closed the door and lead them on through the hall. "We only use the room two or three times a year," she said. "It's just so much easier to eat in a smaller room, right?"
Hinata nodded at Kaoru. "Good point. Wouldn't want to have to clean that place up every day."
The girls chatted aimlessly for the next couple minutes, while Naruto's mind focused on the task at hand. For the moment, Hinata seemed to have forgotten that their job was to assassinate Kaoru's father, but that fact was never far from the center of his mind. Every one of his thoughts swirled around that central concept: She was supposed to kill someone, and the only thing Naruto could to about it was help set it up.
A flash of anger flitted from him. It felt... Oh, gods, it felt like the anger he sometimes had when the Kyuubi was there with him. How could that be? Sarutobi had placed an additional seal set over his original one, blocking Kyuubi's access to the outside world. Maybe... Maybe the seal was breaking? Naruto shuddered at the thought. If the fox were to escape here-- "Disaster" couldn't even begin to describe what could happen.
Hinata seemed to pick up on Naruto's feelings, and sobered up somewhat, although Kaoru was oblivious. Hinata let the conversation peter out as they walked through the beige hallway. Kaoru seemed to take the silence well enough; she walked slightly ahead of Hinata, and Naruto sidled up next to his love. They exchanged glances--Hinata seemed to have as much apprehension as Naruto, but she was doing a much better job at hiding her fears.
Naruto set his jaw. He had to strengthen his resolve, for her sake, as well as his.
Kaoru stopped at a door on the right. "This is the Nook," she said. "My father, your master, and the other samurai are back here. Shall we?" She opened the door and lead them inside.
The room was lit with oil lamps along the walls, and a half-dozen candles lined a twelve-foot long table. At its head sat Nagasaki, with a space to his right. Left of him, going down the table, sat Yamamoto and the rest of his samurai. To his right, opposite the guard unit, was Kakashi and Sasuke. In front of each person was a small empth sakazuki, or saucer-shaped dish. Two sakazuki sat in places obviously meant for Hinata and Naruto in the empty spots next to Sasuke. A small flask was near Nagasaki, and the symbol for "sake" was painted on it.
"Sorry for keeping you, Father," Kaoru said as she made her way toward Nagasaki and took her place next to him. She sat next to him, but not as close as she could have. Naruto noticed that her speech had seamlessly flown into a more formal tone. With Hinata and himself, she seemed more carefree and vibrant. In her father's presence, though...
Naruto again caught Hinata's eye. She nodded ever so slightly. So, she had caught on, too.
Naruto didn't know why he hadn't put two and two together. Their secondary pretense for Nagasaki's assassination, and possibly their method of murder, was his theoretical pedophilia. Any admiration Naruto might have had, any thanks, instantly went out the window. In less time than it took to sit down, Naruto had already calculated the probability of his being able to leap at the man and decapitate him without being killed in the process. He wasn't excellent at that kind of mental math, but even he could tell that his chances were zero.
He knelt at the low table next to Sasuke, in an effort to keep Hinata as far as humanly possible from Nagasaki. It was an miniscule gesture, though Hinata seemed to appreciate it.
"You are just in time," Nagasaki said. "I understand that your young charge has gone through a lot today," he directed at Kakashi, "so of course she would take a little bit of time to come to terms with it."
Kakashi nodded at the lord. "Thank you for your understanding, and your hospitality," he said. "This has been an unusual day for us all. You didn't have to let us have access to your personal physician, and for that I--and Misao, I'm sure--am eternally grateful."
Naruto felt Hinata tense next to him. Calm down, calm down! he mentally projected to her. It seemed to work; she relaxed, if slightly.
Nagasaki waved his hand in the air dismissively. "Think nothing of it," he said. "After the way I behaved when we met, I think we can call it even between our two parties."
Kakashi nodded his agreement. "As you wish. Last night was the only time in three weeks or so that we'd been able to sleep on a bed, and even a short reprieve such as a recovery ward in your clinic is welcome." He looked at Sasuke with an apologetic smile. "Sorry," he said with a laugh.
Sasuke shrugged. "Whatever," he said. "No big deal."
"...In any case," Kakashi continued, "there are a few questions that I'd like to ask you about what had transpired earlier, if you don't mind."
Nagasaki focused his attention on the masked shinobi. "I understand," he said slowly. "I have a few questions of my own, as well." He poured a draw from the sake bottle into his saucer. "First, would you like some sake? I don't mean to go off topic, but I find it helps meetings such as these go a bit more smoothly."
Kakashi cocked an eyebrow. "Sake during a meeting?" He smiled as he accepted the proffered bottle from Nagasaki. "I like your style." He poured a splash into his saucer, downed it, then poured another. "This is good stuff. Ricchi sake?"
Nagasaki nodded, obviously pleased. "You know your sake," he said with a smile. "Yes, Ricchi sake, from Rice country."
"Good stuff," Kakashi said again as he slowly drained his second serving of sake. With a deft flick of his wrist, he tossed the open bottle to Yamamoto, who caught it easily. He smirked, and from chest height upended the bottle to splash his own sakazuki. Miraculously, not a single drop fell outside of the dish.
"Showoff," muttered Ishin, the bodyguard in a suit, with a wry smile as he more stoically poured his own drink and passed the bottle down to the other two samurai. As one, the guard and their lord downed their beverages and set down the shallow cups.
Sasuke looked at Kakashi, but before he could say anything, Kakashi shook his head. "Don't even think about it," he said.
"But--"
"No."
"Ple--"
"No."
Naruto chuckled as Sasuke crossed his arms and-- Oh, gods, he couldn't help but grin-- Sasuke pouted. "Whatever," he mumbled.
"You don't let your children imbibe, Yahiko-san?"
Kakashi chuckled as he set his dish down on the low table. "Sake should only be drunk by people who are like sake--properly aged."
"Well said," Nagasaki said. "Well said indeed. I, too, usually don't allow my daughter to drink, although sometimes I let it get by."
"In that case," Kakashi asked, "why does she have a sake dish in front of her?"
The girl smiled. "It's house tradition," she said. "It's supposed to symbolize a welcome place for anybody who comes into our home."
Kakashi hummed. "If you say so..." His voice trailed off, and he set the sake cup on the table. "Enough with the pleasantries: to business."
Nagasaki nodded. "To business," he echoed. "Let's keep this simple, and take turns asking and answering each other?"
Kakashi nodded in affirmation. "Good idea. I'll go first. First of all, why were you and your guard all that way from home today?"
The noble smiled. "We were going to the town of Kusagai for the festival," he said. "I try to make it there every year; I was a little late in getting there this year, but better late than never."
"The festival there started yesterday!" Hinata said.
Nagasaki smiled somewhat condescendingly at the young woman. "It is a seven-day festival; this is the first time in nine years that I haven't personally witnessed the initial fireworks display. I have a penthouse suite reserved for my guards and myself. I had already sent some personal belongings there a few days ago..." He trailed off with a sigh. "Looks like I'm going to have to skip it this year."
Kakashi's body language relaxed somewhat. "I am truly sorry for that," he said. "There was no way for me to have known this would happen... Any of it."
The lord's lips thinned. "Which leads me to my own first question," he said. "Those bandits attacked you and yours, but not my own party. Why do you think that is?"
Kakashi sighed. "Probably because you're more well known around here, or perhaps your men have reputations. I don't know, really. Maybe they thought that attacking four grown, and obviously experienced, swordsmen guarding one man would be a mistake. I got a pretty good judge of their skill level during the fight-- They were ok, but even samurai who don't utilize chakra could mop the floor with them. Why'd they attack us? I really don't know... It's possible that they thought we were an easier target than them. It's a mystery to me."
"There is truth in his words," Ishin, the suited-samurai spoke out. "I know that I would under-estimate a child, for no other reason than I was older and more experienced. It's a flaw all warriors have at one point or another."
"I agree," said Nagasaki. "I'm just glad your children, and you, were skilled enough to handle them by yourselves. As soon as we arrived, I had a messenger sent to the mortician to have a crew sent to retrieve the bodies of those bandits. They may have been thieves, but they deserve a decent funeral."
"Kind of you," said Kakashi. "My turn. Will you permit my children and I to pass through your land? I understand the sword ban, but this really is the fastest way through your country to our destination."
Nagasaki and Yamamoto exchanged a glance. "Actually... We'd like to ask you to do something else," Nagasaki said. "If you don't mind..."
Kakashi slammed a closed fist on the table, rattling the earthenware sake bottle enough to tip it over. "I know what you're going to say," Kakashi said with a growl. "The answer is no. Not a chance. I'm not going to work for you, Nagasaki-san. I appreciate your help with my pupil, but I can't stay here with three children for more than a day. I already have a job lined up, and honestly I like my prospects there better than here." He snorted. "You probably couldn't even afford me, anyway."
Dead silence reigned in the air. Kaoru had a look of pure shock on her face as she gaped, open-mouthed, at her father, then Kakashi.
What is he thinking?! Naruto thought to himself as he struggled to maintain a straight face. Is he insane?!
Not insane, Sando said to Naruto, speaking for the first time that day. He's making the gamble of his life. Watch how it pans out. You might learn something.
Yamamoto casually picked up the sake bottle off of the table and peered inside. With a shrug, he put it to his lips and drained the last little bit. "Maybe," he said slowly, wiping his lips, "if we hear your story in full detail, we might be able to negotiate a little bit without some of the yelling. It's not every day he sees someone he likes. And don't worry: whatever your rates, he can definitely afford you."
Kakashi kept his silence for a moment. He peered into the eyes of everyone else at the table he hadn't come with. Slowly, the pulled his sword, still in its scabbard, from his waist and set it on the table before him. He grasped the hilt and the middle of the sheath and drew the blade in painstakingly-slow movement.
For the first time, Naruto had a good look at the sword Kakashi carried. The grip was longer than an average sword's by about two inches. The hilt guard was in a tear-drop shape, and the blade itself...
There was something... uncertain... about the blade. Whatever it was, Naruto couldn't focus his eyes on the edge for more than a split second without sliding one way or another. It, too, was somewhat elongated, longer than an average katana, but only by three or four inches. Not a scratch or nick marred the sword; it was perfect in every way.
"This is my sword, Supakamaru. It is the inheritance blade of my school of kendo, the Denkou Tosshin no Kami. This katana is unique in the world, as far as I know, in that it resonates with the body and somehow knows it's wielder's intention. It is extremely sharp, and has never had need to be honed by stone or steel. I do not consciously draw in battle; when I have need, the blade itself directs my body. If I want to cut, the sword cuts. If I want to protect, the sword protects. If I want to destroy... You get the idea.
"My school promotes self-defense and life above all else. There are dozens of defensive techniques, but only a few offensive. I learned my art form from my master, a former samurai from Iron. He opened a school, and for a time there was peace in our land.
"The land of Rice has always been peaceful. As its name suggests, the land is uniquely suited for high-quality rice, among other crops. Food is a major export, and we supplied almost every country in the world. The military we had was hardly a token force. Swordsmen and wandering shinobi were enough to guard caravans coming in and going out of our country."
"This is common knowledge," Nagasaki said, his eyes transfixed on the blade.
"Yes..." Kakashi replied, "but that's only the beginning of the story. Three years ago, the Daimyou of rice suddenly decided that we needed a force of shinobi. Most of the various ninja clans in Rice, small though they were, agreed to join what is now Sound Village. Those individuals with above-average skills in combat, whether they were ninja or not, were invited as well.
"Some, however, resisted the move. When high-level warriors were found, they were drafted into service. Penalties for refusal were stiff. Some had to be... Encouraged." Kakashi paused, as if reliving old, hard memories. "My master was against the action from the start, even when his students joined in droves. Most of them could use chakra, to some level, so they made promising shinobi.
"I was the only one with him, the last of his students when... someone decided to make an example of him."
Nagasaki held up his hand. "That's enough. I get the point. I understand."
Kakashi clenched his fist. "No, you don't understand. You've never had the walls torn down around you while dozens of shinobi stormed the only place you've called home for the better half of your life. You've never fought side-by-side with someone, killing anyone who came at you. You've never seen... Never seen the man you loved most give all he had, only to fall under the numbers.
"The Sound killed my master. Before he died, he left me the title of the master of our style, and he gave me the Supakamaru. I quickly realized the power behind it." Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "The only desire in my heart was 'vengence'... So..." He slumped. "I blacked out. I honestly think the sword took over my body for a few moments. When I came to, I was the only one left alive. Limbs, hands, severed heads littered the ground around me." Kakashi looked hard into Nagasaki's eyes. "That's why my blade is defensive. It is meant for peace. I cannot afford to be in a position of 'kill or be killed.' That is why I cannot work for you."
Nagasaki pressed his lips together into a thin white line. "You have my condolences," he said evenly. "I sympathize with what you have gone through. I cannot imagine what it would be like to have your life ripped from you like that. But I wouldn't be asking you to consider working for me if I didn't think it would benefit the both of us."
Kakashi slowly sheathed his sword. "What do you mean by that?" he asked. "You already seem to have a competent staff of guards; what more could you want?"
Nagasaki cast an eye at Yamamoto and Ishin, the two samurai who seemed to be in charge of his security. "These two," he said, "have worked for me for a few years now. They are both master-class swordsmen, top level. Besides them, I have Narusaki Umo and Kensei Kenichi, who are nearly as good. They've been a part of my household for about eight years each, and have served me and mine loyally in that time.
"My house has another half-dozen swordsmen who rotate shifts, two at a time. They come and go occasionally, but nobody here's actually tied to the house. These are good men, and they earn a good living making sure we all stay safe."
"...Ok," Kakashi said slowly. "So you've got a lot of security. Either you're paranoid, or someone wants to kill you, and you know it. Which is it?"
Ishin, the suited samurai, chuckled. "Oh, he's paranoid, all right," he said, "but there really are some folks out there who want him dead, and he needs all the help he can get."
Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "I don't get it, though," he said. "You already have these guys; what do you need me for?"
Nagasaki sighed. "The problem, honestly?" He jerked a thumb at his samurai captains. "The problem is these two over here."
"Say what?" blurted Naruto.
Yamamoto laughed and slapped his knee. "He's telling the truth," he said. "We really are his biggest pains in the ass."
Nagasaki sighed, closed his eyes, and rubbed his right temple. "The problem is," he said, "is their personalities. Yamamoto tells me he wouldn't get involved in a fight unless he was the only guard I had left, and Ishin is, in his own words, a 'one trick pony.'"
"One... trick pony?" Hinata asked.
Yamamoto grinned as he twirled the empty sake bottle in his fingers. "Oh, you're gonna love this," he said with a twisted grin.
"Yama..." Ishin said. "You know I don't like showing off like this."
"Oh, come on!" Yamamoto said. "It'll be fun!"
Ishin groaned. "Do I have to?" he asked, but a small smirk belied his irritation.
"Yep!" Yamamoto said. With a flick of his fingers he tossed the sake bottle into the air just in front of Yamamoto-- And it fell to the table with a clank.
"What just happened?" Sasuke asked. "Am I supposed to be impressed?"
Yamamoto smiled. "Pick up the bottle," he said. "Go ahead."
Sasuke hesitated, then did as he was asked. He grasped the lip of the bottle and picked up-- the top half.
"What the hell?!" he exclaimed. He examined the cut: the bottle was perfectly bisected at the middle with the cleanest cut he had ever seen. "He didn't draw his sword, how did he do that?"
Nagasaki smiled. "Tell him, Ishin," he said.
The samurai sighed again. "About ten years ago," he said, "my muscles in my right shoulder got smashed when a bookshelf fell on me. When they healed, they knit together distortedly to the point where I can pretty much twitch my shoulder blade and my arm flexes back over my shoulder. A swordsman saw this one day, and started teaching me some of the basics of kendo. Eventually, he taught me battōjutsu from over my shoulder, and over the next half-dozen years I pretty much just trained that one skill to the point where I can move faster than the naked eye. I haven't yet lost a duel in... Nine years? That's about right."
"So... You drew your sword, cut the bottle, and then sheathed your blade without us even seeing or hearing anything?" Naruto asked. "Wow."
"What did you do before you became a swordsman?" Kakashi asked.
Ishin laughed. "I was an accountant," he said with a smile. "I do the taxes for everyone who works and lives here, and some of the villagers nearby on the side."
"An accountant," muttered Kakashi. "An accountant. Just great." He looked at one of the other samurai-- Kenichi. "Let me guess, you're a master cook as well, right?"
Kenichi lauged good-naturedly. "No, no," he said. "I'm just a samurai, same as Umo-san here. But we're not on the same level of these freaks over here. No offense. You could've killed me after you broke my sword earlier. I know I'm not the best samurai in the world, but I do my best. My job is to keep these two alive, but if I can't do it, I want to make damn sure we have who it takes to do so."
"I'm sorry about the sword, really," Kakashi said, "but I still don't know why you need someone else on staff."
"Safety in numbers," Yamamoto said. "Lately, there have been attempts on lord Nagasaki-sama's life, each one more close to success than the last. We... A friend of ours died three months ago by a surprise attack when we went to town. Someone threw a sword. It was a lucky throw, and it got him in the back."
Kenichi's body posture tensed. "We grew up together," he said. "He was my friend, ever since we were kids. But don't worry; I got his killer's head in payment."
A chill went up Naruto's spine. This man was dangerous. "My condolences. You've lost a friend protecting this man. Why do people want him dead, though?"
"We don't know," Yamamoto said, perhaps a bit too quickly. "This started about a year ago, and it hasn't let up since. For the life of me, I can't figure out who wants him dead, or why. He's fair with his people here, good to the villagers around here, and keeps taxes fairly low. He doesn't abuse his position, or give special favors to anyone. It's beyond me."
He's lying, Naruto thought. He's lying very well, but I can tell. I don't know what he's lying about, but it's in there somewhere.
"Strength in numbers," Kakashi murmured. "I don't believe this." He looked directly at Nagasaki. "Let's say I entertain for a moment working for you," he said. "What kind of pay are we talking about? What are the terms of service?"
Nagasaki smiled slightly. "Three thousand ryo a day," he said, "plus room and board. Your children will be permitted to stay here as well, free of charge. A small allowance could be made to them-- How does a thousand ryo a week sound to you?"
Kakashi cocked an eye. "That sounds... fair," he said. "What about hazard pay, or compensation?"
"If you get injured in the line of duty, your medical expenses will be paid for. In the event of your death, your children will have the option of staying here if they wish, at the expense of my household. If they wish, they can work for me when they are ready, but they will not be forced."
Kakashi did some quick mental math. "What is the length of the contract?" he asked.
"I ask for a five-year contract," Nagasaki said. "I offer the best conditions, and I expect the best service in return."
Kakashi glanced sideways at his students. "Well... I don't know," he said. "Can I take some time to talk to my kids about it? I don't make any decision without throwing it their way."
Yamamoto nodded. "Of course," he said. "I'll expect your final decision tomorrow morning. Until then, let me offer you and your children rooms in my home, as guests of my house." He looked to his side, to his daughter. "Kaoru," he said, "will you please escort these people to the guest quarters?"
"Yes, father," she said evenly. She rose, as did everyone else in the room. "Collect your belongings, please, and follow me." She exited the room, and Kakashi and the Sanseirei fell in close behind her. Nagasaki and the samurai stayed in the informal dining room, however, and as soon as the door shut behind them Naruto could hear them beginning to converse. What they were saying, however, he couldn't discern, as they quickly moved out of ear-shot; to remain behind to spy would have been impossibly risky.
Kaoru lead them down a hall and to the left, down the south branch of the west wing. "Down here is the guest rooms," Kaoru said, he bright and bubbly personality coming back into the fray in the absense of her father and his guard. "There's six or seven rooms down here, sometimes for guests of my father, or when family comes to town. Sarutobi, the Hokage of Konoha, stayed here once a while back, actually."
"Really?" asked Naruto, trying to keep his voice casual. "How long ago was that?"
"Oh... about a year ago, give or take a month," Kaoru said. "Why?"
Naruto shrugged as his host stopped at a door. "Eh, just seems like a big deal."
"Not really," Kaoru said. "He smoked something weird, made the room smell pretty weird."
Hinata giggled. "Really? Wow."
Kaoru smiled. "Yeah. Dunno what it was. Anyway... Here's your room, Misao-chan." The girls walked in, with Naruto and Sasuke just behind them. Kakashi stayed in the hall.
The room was spacious and comforting. Light blue was painted on the walls, and ornamental portraits dotted them here and there. The setting sun shined into the air, giving the place a peaceful feeling that Naruto could appreciate. A few flowers pressed in glass sat on a darkly-lacquered desk by the window. "W-wow," Hinata stammared as she looked closely at her surroundings. "This... this is for me?"
Kaoru smiled sweetly. "Yep!" she said as she swept into the room and opened the closet. "All for you, friend!"
Hinata looked awestruck as she slowly walked into the room. "I... I don't knfow what to say," she said. "This..." Tears began forming in the corner of her eyes. "I've never..."
Naruto embraced her as she burst into quiet tears. "I--I'm sorry!" Kaoru said hastily. "Did I do something wrong?"
"No, no," Naruto said as she pressed her face into his chest. "You're fine. It's just... Well, we've never stayed in a place like this, and her life back home--Let's just say that her father wasn't the nicest man inf the world. For the past three years, we've stayed in shabby hotels and camped outside, mostly." He smiled sadly as he stroked her hair and hugged her tightly against himself. "Kindness from total strangers is still pretty new to each other. 'Culture shock' is kind of an understatement."
"Oh!" she said. She reddened in embarassment. "I didn't-- Misao, I'm so sorry!"
Hinata sniffed as she gently pulled away from Naruto and wiped he nose with the back of her hand. "I-it's ok," she said with a small smile. "You didn't mean anything by it." She hung her head. "It's a very n-nice room," she said, and bowed to the other girl. "Thank you, very much."
Kaoru politely bowed back. "You are welcome," she said. They both straighten up, and Kaoru turned to Naruto. "Seijuro-kun," she said, "Misao-chan said earlier that you are her boyfriend. Is this true?"
"Er-- Well... Yeah, it's true," he said. "Lately, we're inseparable, really."
Kaoru nodded. "Good," she said. "Would you like to stay here with her? It seems like she needs you, and I don't want to split you apart. Will that be fine with you?"
Naruto looked to Hinata, and saw her grateful smile. "Yes, I would," he said. "Thank you, Kaoru-san," he said to his benefactor. "But will this be ok with your father?"
Kaoru's smile stiffened. "What father doesn't know won't hurt him," she said. "Or me, as a matter of fact."
A forboding chill crept down Naruto's spine at her last words. Hurt her? He didn't like the sound of that. They hadn't been there even one day, and already Naruto felt like he could justify murdering the girl's father.
"We'll try to keep it quiet," Hinata said.
"Thank you," said Koaru. "Now, Yahiko?" She turned her attention to Sasuke, who had stayed out of the picture by leaning against the door's framing. "I'll show you your room, ok?"
Sasuke shrugged as he hefted his pack. "Sure," he said as he exited after the girl. "It's your party."
They left the room, and Hinata closed the door behind them. Silence filled the room as they stood breathless, staring at each other. They strained their ears for a couple moments, listening to Kaoru guide Sasuke and Kakashi to their own rooms. They heard her walk past their room... Pause for a second... But she walked on without intruding on them.
Hinata flew to Naruto and leapt into his arms with a smile and a quiet laugh. "How was that?" she asked with a grin as she put her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. He locked his hands together under her thighs to support he weight, and threw his own grin back at her.
"You," he said, punctuating each word with a short kiss on her own lips, "were magnificent!" He laughed and spun around in place, making Hinata squeal aloud sharply, quickly followed by bubbly laughter. Naruto fell backwards onto the bed with Hinata on top of him, her hair falling loosely onto his face. "You had me fooled for a moment there," he said as he looked into her eyes. "I really thought you were crying for a minute there!"
Hinata smirked. "Of course I did," she said. "If I couldn't fool you, how could I get anyone else?" Hinata's ploy had been simple: falsify being overwhelmed by the room and their kindness, and have Kaoru sympathize with her emotionally. True, she hadn't expected her to be the one to suggest them staying together... But she would take what she could get.
Next, she had hidden her eyes from Kaoru's view and quickly activated her Byakugan to scan the room for anything that might be a surveylance device. A split second was all that she needed to verify that there was nothing there, or even in any one of the rooms near them. Even through the mask that she wore, the Byakugan would shine on through with the light that seemed to now be a part of her eyes. It was critical that it be done as soon as possible; in case something really had been there, doing something like hiding her face could be suspicious.
Naruto smiled up at her. "You are so evil," he laughed.
Hinata flattened herself against him and kissed him fully. "Mmm...hmmm," she moaned. Their lips parted with a slight smack. "Oh, yeah," she said with a wicked grin. "I'm so evil."
"...Yeah," Naruto said after a moment of just looking at her face. "But you know what?" He lightly bopped his forhead against hers and held it there. "I love you, no matter how good or bad you are."
Hinata laughed and fell off of Naruto to the side. She rested her head against the crook of his shoulder and lay against him, basking in his body warmth. "I feel bad, though," she said after a while of just laying there together. "We had to lie to Kaoru-chan... And I actually kind of like her."
Naruto sighed as he nuzzled his hair. "So do I," he said softly. "Did you pick up the tension at the meeting?"
Hinata hummed the afirmative. "There's... something going on in here," she said. "I don't know what, though. Our mission is to find evidence against Nagasaki, right?"
Naruto nodded. "That's right," he said.
"But if we can't, we're supposed to kill him? Well... I'm supposed to kill him, anyway, right?"
Naruto hugged her tighter against him. "I--guess so."
"But what kind of evidence are we looking for?" she asked. "Documentation? Hidden money? A slip of the tongue?"
Naruto huffed. "Maybe... I don't know. I just don't know. I've been dreading this almost as much as you, you know."
She looked up toward his eyes, and he back down at her. "I know," she said softly. "I can't even believe I'm actually saying this, but... Can't I just kill him when I have a chance? This is, technically, an assassination. Can we just get it over with?"
Her scent was almost intoxicating, but he managed to keep a clear head. "I wish it was that simple," he said. "But how would it look if he died tonight? Or tomorrow night, just after we got here? No, we need to hold on a while. Stay here, learn what we can. Three, maybe four weeks. If we find something before then, fine. But barring that..." He kissed the top of her head. "We'll just have to do what we can to pass the time."
Hinata laughed and looked up at Naruto. "Hold on, boy," she cooed. "We'll pass the time, all right... But there isn't going to be anything you might be thinking of going on in here."
Naruto pouted comically. "Man," he grumbled. "Why not?"
Hinata again nuzzled against him. The sudden contact made Naruto stiffen, then relax against her. Their bodies fit together perfectly. "Because..." she said softly, "I don't want anyone to disturb us, or get too into our business. Sasuke and Kakashi are right over there, do you want them walking in on us?"
"I guess not," Naruto sighed. Hinata reached up with her free hand and held onto Naruto's. "But I can't be here, holding you every night, with you so close to me without..." He blushed as he let the sentence trail off.
Hinata smiled at his modesty. For all that he was capable of, it was just so cute how red he got when he was embarassed. "Can I tell you a secret?" she asked her lover.
He chuckled. "Anything, of course."
"My Byakugan," she said, "has gotten much more powerful since we became the Sanseirei. With that little glance I took a bit ago, I saw everything within about a mile of here, and... Well... Let's just say, the hot springs in the back part of the property looks very... Inviting."
Naruto's arousal hit a peak; he never could keep his body under control when Hinata began talking even a little bit lewdly. His idea of the potential for a midnight rendezvous was obvious as his pants strained to keep his dick contained. "That... sounds nice," he said, knowing what an understatement it was.
Hinata buried her nose in his chest and hummed. "It does, doesn't it?" she said faintly. "We'll... see about it later, though, maybe," she yawned. "I'm really... tired... again..."
Naruto moved to make Hinata more comfortable on the bed. He shifted her so that she was laying length-wise, head to foot, instead of just letting her legs dangle off the side. "It's ok," he said softly into her ear as her eyes fluttered close. "Sleep, beautiful, for as long as you want. I'll be right here when you wake up."
She fell asleep, her head turned just to the side on the soft blue pillow. Innocence radiated from her in all directions. She was beautiful, not matter what face she wore... But, still, she was always beautiful when she slept. He could watch her sleep for hours.
Ambient light shone into the moodily-lit room as the first heralds of sunrise streaked across the sky. Light reflected off of the trees across the courtyard, and the seemingly-perpetually leaved trees that made Fire nation famous basked in their glorious hues.
Naruto's eye lids felt heavy with leftover sleep as they fluttered open. He felt... rested. Yes, rested, truely restored. He glanced across the short space between himself and Hinata. Her eyes were still closed, and her lips were pursed in a little pout. I wonder what she's dreaming about, he thought with a smile. I'd love to get into her head.
Naruto studied her altered face. It was a nice face, to be sure. It was one that he'd gotten used to seeing over the past few weeks, and still enjoyed seeing. He'd gotten used to kissing those lips, brushing that cheek with the back of his hand. He knew, though, that the face was just a face... just a mask, just like his own was. What was important was the person underneath, and the gentle soul inside of her.
After all of this time... He was still finding things, almost daily, to love about her. Every time he thought he'd run out, she surprised him again.
He shifted onto his side and propped his head in a hand. Yes, he liked this face. But he loved the other one, and the girl it belonged to.
Hinata stirred when he changed position. She lay on her back, but her head was tilted to the right, facing toward him. Her lips were parted a bit, and the gentle rise and fall of her chest let him know that her sleep was sound and uninterrupted. His thoughts wandered around lazily as he watched her sleep. God, she looked so innocent when she was asleep.
So beautiful.
For ten minutes or so, he just lay there on his side, looking at her. Memorizing her, everything he could.
After a while, she showed the first few signs of awareness. She moaned in her sleep, and began moving her arms and legs around a few inches at a time. She opened her eyes slowly, gently greeting the morning. "Hey," Naruto said to her softly as she met his gaze.
"H...Hey," she yawned, her mouth opening wide. She stretched her arms up into the air, and extended her legs as far as possible to pointed toes. "Morning," she said as she relaxed. "What time is it?"
Naruto glanced at the wall, but found no clock there, or even on the desk near their bed. "Hmm..." he said. "The sun just rose a little bit ago... o maybe seven or so?"
Hinata groaned. "Oh, man... You mean, we've been asleep for... What? Sixteen hours now?"
Naruto laughed. "Yeah, that sounds about right, give or take," he said.
She sighed, and slumped deep into her pillow. "That's too long," she mumbled. "We should've been up before then."
Naruto smiled at her. "It's ok," he said. "We've had a rough time of it in the past few weeks. We deserve some extra sleep, right?"
Hinata sighed, but turned her head towards him. She smiled, a little bit sadly. "I... suppose so," she said. "But I'm worred, Naruto."
Naruto cringed; he really didn't feel like talking about their purpose at this house this early in the morning. "I know, I know," he said. "I'm worried too. But we can do this, I know we can!"
Hinata grabbed his hand into hers. "I know," she said. "That's not what I'm worried about, though." She rolled onto her side and draped her left arm across his chest. "I'm just... Worried. Anxious. I'm so afraid that this won't go well... That we'll fail. And it'll be because of me." She rested her cheek on his chest. "Tell me I'm just worrying too much and need to relax... Please?"
Naruto laughed softly and nuzzled her hair with his nose. "You're worrying too much and need to relax," he said. "There, you happy?"
"Mmm... Getting there," she said. She rubbed a hand on his stomach in slow circles. "Being with you, Naruto... That's all the happy I really need."
He laughed softly. "You're so corny sometimes, you know?"
They shared a good laugh; god, it felt so good to actually laugh without inhibition. The bed rocked with their convulsive mirth; Hinata actually wrapped her arm around Naruto's torso to keep from falling off of the bed.
Suddenly, a knock at the door brought them to their senses. "Hello?" a voice from the hall called in. "Are you two awake?"
Hinata looked at Naruto, the laughter dying down between them. "It's Kaoru," she said softly.
Naruto nodded. He swung his legs off of the bed, and Hinata followed suit. "Come on in," Hinata said.
The door opened, and Kaoru swept into the room with a tray of tea in one hand. Today's kimono was a subtle blue with floral patterns sewn in. "Good morning!" she said brightly. "I thought you might be awake-- I brought you some morning tea to help you get started on your day!"
Hinata smiled, stood up and gently took the tray from their host. "Thank you," she said. "It is very much appreciated, but you didn't have to do this on our account."
Kaoru smiled, then bowed. "It's not a problem," she said. "I really don't mind doing these kinds of things. It keeps me busy, anyway."
"Thanks, then," said Naruto. "Misao and I just woke up. Tea in the morning is very welcome."
Hinata poured a cup for all three of them. "This is really good, Kaoru!" Hinata said after a couple sips of the brew.
Kaoru smiled, and blushed slightly. "It's nothing,f really," she said modestly. "My mother taught me her technique... before she died."
Hinata set her cup down on the bedside table and took one of Kaoru's hands into hers. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "My mother... She died when I was very young. I don't remember ever knowing her... But I'm sure she was a good person, just like your mother surely was."
"I-- Thank you, Misao," Kaoru said with a blush. "It's not easy talking about my family, really. It's complicated. But thank you for your kind words."
"Any time," said Hinata. "Have you woken Tanaka-kun up yet?"
Kaoru shook her head. "Tanaka and his father and my father and his whole guard left for Kusagai for what's left of the festival over an hour ago."
Hinata glanced at Naruto. "It seems like we slept a bit too long," she said.
"Yahiko-san didn't want to bother you," Kaoru said. "He discussed it with Tanaka-san, and between them decided to stay, at least for a while. They went with my father to become better-acquainted with each other. So, for the next week or so, they'll all be gone."
"Hmm..." Naruto looked toward Hinata. "So basically, we have a week to relax, sleep all day, not walk twenty miles a day, eat good food, and enjoy your company?"
Kaoru chuckled at his list. "That sounds pretty much right!" she said.
"The catch would be?" Hinata asked.
"Well..." Kaoru poked her fore-fingers together. "If I go outside my home... Could you come with me? Be my bodyguards? I mean you're really strong and I'd feel safe with you two with me..."
Naruto smiled. "Don't worry!" he said. "With us, you'll never have anything to worry about! Right, Misao?"
"Right..." she said. "Seijuro's scary when he's mad... or hungry... so as long as you have him around you, everything should be all right..."
As if on cue, Naruto's stomach growled. "Uh... Yeah, about being hungry..." he said. "What's a guy gotta do to get some food around here?"
The older girl smiled. "Oh, don't worry about food," she said. "We have a full-time chef here working for us. He feeds everybody who works or stays here, and can make just about anything you want."
Naruto looked at Kaoru for a long moment with a blank expression. "...Anything?" he said after a pause.
"Um... Basically," she said. "Before he was here, he worked for another manor in Wind country, but used to be a ramen cook before that when he was younger..."
Fire lit in Naruto's eyes, and grasped Kaoru by the shoulders-- not violently, but firmly. "What's the fastest way to the kitchen?" he said intensely.
"Ga! Go down the hall and through the place we had the meeting yesterday, through the dining room! The door on the other side goes directly there!"
Naruto hugged her briefly. "Thank you!" he said giddily. "Appreciate it!" He slipped on his shoes and quickly kissed Hinata on the lips. "I'll see you later ok?" Before she could say something to stop him, he flew out of the door and disappeared down the hall.
Kaoru looked at Hinata in bewilderment. "What... What just happened?" she asked.
Hinata put her face in her hands and sighed. "Seijuro, you idiot," she mumbled. She looked to the other girl with a wry smile. "Let's just say that... He takes his ramen very seriously."
"Really?"
"Really."
Kaoru chuckled. "Well, we're in trouble, then," she said.
"Why?"
"Because... So does Gan-san."
"...We're in trouble."
The girls walked into one of the strangest scenes that they had ever seen: Naruto was running around the kitchen, grabbing supplies off of various shelves while a very tall and heavyset man shouted instructions at him. "Wheat flour! No, not that one, the other one! Five pounds of it should do!" He bellowed directions at Naruto with a deep baratone voice, with a light in his eyes that Naruto shared. "Salt! Get the sea salt, not the table. We want flavor, don't we?"
"Yes, Gan-sensei!" Naruto said with a laugh. "We do want flavor!"
"Seijuro!" Hinata said. "What the hell is going on?"
"Isn't it obvious?" he said as he walked to a preparation table that Gan, the chef, had set up. "We're making ramen! He's going to show me how to make it from scratch!"
Hinata moaned. "Oh, gods," she mumbled. "I can't believe this." She sighed and turned to Kaoru. "There really is no stopping them, is there?" she asked the girl.
"I... don't think so," Kaoru said. "Gan-san usually only gets this excited when we have a really big dinner to serve, and have to hire chefs to help with the cooking. But, like I said... He really likes his ramen."
"Kansui!" Gan said. "Where did I put the kansui? Boy, look over there," he said, vaguely waving his hands across the room.
"Ok!" he said with glee. After a moment of rummaging through some clay pots, he crowed in victory. "Got it!" he said, raising it over his head. Ink marked it with the character for "kansui".
"Good! Bring it!" he said, waving his arms energetically. "We mix now!"
"Um, Gan?" Kaoru said. "Gan-san?"
"Yes?" he said, half-listening. "What is it?"
"Do you already have today's breakfast done?" she asked. "Ramen for breakfast isn't what I'm in the mood for..."
"Yes, yes, of course I do!" he said. "You know I always get everything done before I have fun with my kitchen!"
Kaoru chuckled. "I know, Gan-san," she said. "You always are the best." She ran to him, jumped on his back, and gave him a kiss on his cheek.
"Aww... Go now!" he said, a blush beginning to creep onto his cheeks. "Food is in the warmer! Go! Shoo!"
Kaoru and Hinata giggled as they stepped toward the appliance that kept food warm. Kaoru opened it to reveal several identical trays, each one layed out with steamed rice, grilled fish, miso soup, and tamagoyaki. "It looks delicious!" Hinata said.
Kaoru smiled as she handed a tray to her new friend. "Just wait till you eat it," she said. "Gan-san really is good at what he does, and has been with us for almost ten years now."
"You really like him, don't you?" Hinata asked as she followed Kaoru into the dining room, hot tray balanced deftly in one hand. They set their loads down and sat across from each other.
"He's... almost like a father to me," Kaoru said after a short pause. "It's easier to talk to him than my own father." There was obvious sadness in her voice as she spoke. She smiled a little bit at Hinata-- no, not a smile, a pained smirk. "That's pretty pathetic, isn't it?"
"No!" Hinata said. "That's not pathetic at all!" She planted her palms on the table and leaned forward toward Kaoru, startling the poor girl. "Pathetic is fainting at the littlest thing! Pathetic is having to rely on other people to keep you going, never working on your own. You aren't pathetic! You're strong!"
Kaoru hung her head. "How... how do you... how can you say that with such conviction?" she said.
"Because I used to think so little of myself, too!" Hinata grasped Kaoru's hands inside her own. "For the longest time, I felt that I was worthless, that I was less than nothing. But Seijuro has turned my life around, since the moment we came together. Without him... I don't know where I'd be!"
"But he's your-- your boyfriend!" Kaoru said. "Gan-san isn't like that! I-- I mean..."
Hinata squeezed Kaoru's hands reassuringly. "He wasn't always my boyfriend," she said. "That didn't really happen until a few months ago. But for the past few years, he's always been the one to be there for me when I needed someone. Do you feel safe when you're with Gan-san?"
Kaoru blushed. "I-- Yeah, I do. I feel like nothing can go wrong when he's there with me. Does that make sense?"
"It does," Hinata said. "That's what I love about Seijuro; he makes everything perfect for me." She used her chopsticks to dip some rice into her miso soup and delicately ate it. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Wow! I can tell why you like Gan-san so much! This is delicious!"
"Hehe, I know!" Kaoru said. Her disposition had totally changed in the space of a few seconds. "He really is one of a kind. Eat! It'll get cold!"
Hinata grinned. "You don't have to tell me twice," she said. "And we eat like this every day?"
"Oh, no, of course not," Kaoru said. "This is just breakfast... Wait until tonight, then you'll see why Gan-san is known as the 'Sharpest Edge.'"
"I... I think my stomach just did a prayer of thanks to the gods," Hinata said. Without another word, she set to her meal, along with Kaoru, in companionable silence.
………………………
Hinata was lying on the bed in her room in fresh clothing when Naruto entered after eating his own breakfast. "Oh, man," he said gleefully. "I don't think I've ever had that much fun in my life before!"
Hinata cocked an eyebrow at her lover. "Never?" she asked as she put a hand on her hip. "I think I just might be offended."
Naruto smiled apolagetically. "Well... Almost never," he amended. "Seriously, though, I never knew cooking could be so much fun! When we get back home, I have got to put the kitchen at the ANBU place to work."
Hinata laughed lightly. "I'm glad you had fun, Naruto," she said. "But we're going into town soon, so hop into the shower. We leave in about twenty minutes, so hurry up, ok?"
Naruto sighed, but smiled. "Ok, ok," he said. "What're we going in for?"
"We're going shopping," Hinata said. "Kaoru and I got to talking, and we decided that we need some new clothes. We only have three sets apiece-- we need some more things to wear besides what we have."
"Hmm... Good point," Naruto said. "I have been getting tired of these rags. Please don't tell me we're just buying kimonos, though!"
"No, no," Hinata said with a laugh. "I don't think so, anyway. We'll get an advance on our allowance here, and see what we need. Now scoot! Shower! Now! Hurry!"
Naruto smiled. "If you say so," he said as he unbuckled his pants in front of her and dropped them to the floor.
"W-what are you doing?" Hinata said.
"I'm just getting undressed," Naruto said. "You don't expect me to take a shower with my clothes on, do you?"
Hinata sighed, and closed her eyes. "Naruto..." She looked up at him with a smile. "Brace yourself, my dear."
Surprise came to Naruto's eyes. "Wait! What--"
Hinata held a palm up at Naruto. A small and extremely focused shockwave of chakra hit him in the chest, sending him ass-over-end into the bathroom. The impact was minimal, barely enough to send him four or five feet, but it made him dazed enough to knock him loopy. "Take a shower, Naruto," she said. "Be at the front door in twenty minutes." She shut the door before Naruto could come to his senses.
Well done, child, Aoiryu said after a moment. It is important to control your mate occasionally, especially when they act like imbeciles.
He-- He's not my mate! Hinata said in protest.
Aoiryu chuckled. Oh, really? Tell me, young one... What did the two of you do the other night at the inn?
Hinata blushed as she gathered her supplies. We had...
You mated, Aoiryu said emphatically. It was not an act of pure physical pleasure for either of you. You each invested a great deal of emotional energy into each other in the act of love. You dedicated yourselves to each other. That, my dear, is mating.
But it's not like we're married or anything! Hinata said hastily.
Do you truely believe that the closest bonds can only be created at marriage? Aoiryu asked. I felt the love you have for your young man. That is so rare in this world, you would not believe me if I told you. Cherish him, to be sure. Support him. Hinata could feel Aoiryu grin. Just do not go too easy on him.
No, Hinata said with a small smile as she left her room. I don't think that I will.
…………………………
"Huff... Huff... Someone please... tell me... why am I carrying all of this?!" Naruto asked the girls as he trailed behind them on the road back to the manor.
Hinata looked over her shoulder with a smile. "It's because you're so big and strong, honey," she said. "How can you expect us delicate flowers to haul those back for us?"
Naruto stopped dead in his tracks as the girls kept moving, giggling to themselves. "Bull... Freakin... Shit," he mumbled to himself as he trudged along behind them. His load consisted of two or three bags in each hand, one on each shoulder, one in the crook of his elbows, and two around his neck. Each bag was stuffed to the brim with shirts, pants, dresses, skirts, shoes, kimonos, or other accessories. Two bags belonged to him. The rest were Hinata's.
How is this fair?! he shouted to himself. I'm a ninja, not a delivery boy!
Naruto heard Sando chuckle in his mind. That's what love is all about, the dog said. Grinning and bearing it.
Oh, shut up, Naruto mumbled internally.
Hey, I've been there before! Sando said. The things I did for my bitch, you wouldn't believe!
Naruto sighed and shook his head. I'll bet, he said, she had you whipped.
Heh… Only when things got really kinky, said the dog, making Naruto blush.
"Seijuro!" Hinata said over her shoulder. "Quit lagging behind! Hurry up, or we'll leave you behind!" She and Kaoru shared another laugh at his expense.
Naruto growled as he picked up the pace. Women, he thought. Can't live with them… but don't wanna live without them.
A/N: There it is! As always, read and review, good or bad! Everything helps! Later, peeps.