A/N: All of you who have been asking about the Sealed shinobi, such as Gai and Kurenai, rest assured: they're about to make their appearance. I've always planned on bringing them in, but there was no way to do so while Naruto and his team were still in Wave Country. I may not be able to devote time to every character, but there's a lot more of the story and if there are any requests for someone in particular, I can give them some screen time down the road.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, or any of the characters in this story. The idea for Takeshi's weapon I got from Wolverine, who belongs to Marvel Comics.

Chapter 14

The sun had long since disappeared behind the rolling dunes of the Suna desert, but sleep refused to come for Sarutobi Asuma. He stared at the stars while dark thoughts ran through his head. Part of him was worried about Jiraiya; the Toad Sage had been one step ahead of the Uchiha for as long as Asuma had been fighting with him, but one mistake would be all it took. If Madara decided to join the hunt, or if one of the Uchiha was more perceptive than usual, all of their plans would come crashing down.

But while Asuma spared a few whispered prayers for Jiraiya, most of his thoughts centered on his traveling companion. Kakashi lay in the bedroll next to Asuma's, and though he slept it was clear from his fitful muttering that his demons gripped him fast.

"No," the crippled jonin muttered, "not Obito! Na… Naruto, no, not him, I'm so sorry sensei… It's all my fault, all my fault…"

Asuma grimaced as he listened to Kakashi's tortured voice. It would be kinder to wake him, but Asuma needed to learn as much as he could about what was eating at Kakashi's soul. The other jonin was physically weak after years of torture, and mentally he was even worse. Kakashi's guilt ate at him constantly, and at night he was completely at the mercy of his demons.

Asuma had taken his time during the trip to Suna, trying to get Kakashi gradually used to freedom. There had been fits of crying at first, and bouts of hysteria. Asuma had seen similar behavior from prisoners after months with Ibiki and the Torture and Interrogation Squad. Kakashi would eventually recover, just like they had. At least, that's what Asuma hoped.

And on the surface, at least, Kakashi seemed to be getting better. They were only a day away from reaching the village, and it had been several days since his last breakdown. His nightmares were as bad as ever, but he was functional. Once Asuma got them safely into Sunagakure, Kakashi could begin to heal properly.

Of course, that wasn't going to be easy. Jiraiya had briefed Asuma about the Kazekage, and how difficult it often was to deal with him. Asuma would need all of his wits about him to get the Kazekage to give him what he wanted; namely, asylum and custody of the Konoha orphans.

Thinking about the Konoha children was the only thing that gave Asuma hope. They were waiting in Suna, and he would train them and fight alongside them. All of Asuma's old comrades were practically slaves of Madara, and all of his family was dead. But at least this small fraction of Konoha's youngest generation was alive, and unsealed. Hope was still there, and Asuma would do his best to fan the embers of that hope until it burned so brightly that Madara would be blinded.

Asuma eventually fell asleep, wondering what the children would be like, and what he would be able to teach them. In the bedroll beside him Kakashi continued to toss and turn, still trapped by his nightmares.

In the morning Asuma shook his companion awake, stifling a sympathetic wince at the sight of Kakashi's bloodshot eye.

"Let's go, my friend," Asuma urged. "Time to get the hell out of this desert. I don't know about you, but I've had it with ration bars and sand up my ass. I want some real food and a bed."

"I'm with you there," Kakashi agreed wearily.

Asuma packed up the camp while Kakashi hid the signs of their presence. Then they began the rest of the trip to Sunagakure's front gates. Kakashi made no effort to hide his injury, as it helped reinforce the cover identities that would get them to the Kazekage.

Asuma told the guards who hailed them that he was a shinobi hired to bring Kakashi to Suna. Kakashi kept his white hair covered, and played the part of an old cripple all too convincingly. Once inside the gates, a few words and a letter from Jiraiya convinced one of the guards to bring the two Konoha shinobi to the Kazekage.

An hour before noon Asuma found himself and Kakashi outside the Kazekage's office, waiting to be admitted. Two chunin wearing fierce expressions and Suna hitai-ite gestured them inside.

Asuma took the chance to size up the Kazekage, who did the same with the two of them. He could see the cruel lines around the Kazekage's mouth, and the harsh set of his jaw. This was not a man to trifle with.

The Kazekage's eyes narrowed as he looked at Kakashi. "A missing eye… hair conspicuously covered… you must be Hatake Kakashi, once Copy-nin of Konoha."

Kakashi bowed his head. "I have that honor."

The Kazekage gave a dry laugh, and looked wryly at Kakashi's walking stick. "Don't look too intimidating now, I have to say." Kakashi didn't answer, and the Kazekage turned his attention to Asuma.

"And who might you be?"

Asuma kept his voice low, mindful of the shinobi guarding the door.

"I am Sarutobi Asuma, only son and heir to the Third Hokage."

The Kazekage raised his eyebrows slightly, the only indication that he was at all surprised.

"Really? I was under the impression that the Uchiha exterminated the Sarutobi clan."

"They did their best." Asuma didn't try to keep the anger out of his tone. "But one survived, and you're looking at him. When Madara led the Uchiha against the Hokage, I was one of the Twelve Guardian shinobi. Thus I escaped death, unlike the rest of my family."

"Where have you been all these years?" the Kazekage asked in a pointed tone. "Hiding under a rock?"

Asuma kept his cool. This was going exactly as Jiraiya had warned him it would. The Kazekage was trying to make him flustered, so that he lost track of what he was after, and gave away more than he wanted to. It was an effective, though heavy-handed, method of conducting negotiations.

"I began looking for allies willing to help me liberate Konoha. I was lucky enough to find Jiraiya, and for the last four years we have been working together to destabilize Madara's reign."

That wasn't quite how it had happened. When Asuma had received word about Madara's coup d'état, he had been devastated. He'd realized that he would never be able to speak to his father again; never be able to beg his forgiveness for leaving Konoha all those years ago. In his rage and grief, Asuma had resolved to go back to Konoha and launch a suicidal attack on the Uchiha.

Luckily, before he had thrown away his life, Jiraiya had found him. It didn't take much convincing to get Asuma to throw in with the Toad Sage, and help him in his quest to liberate Konoha. They'd become a good team during their years together, but now the time was approaching when they would come out of the shadows.

The Kazekage snorted, as if to say that he didn't think Asuma and Jiraiya had been doing a very good job. "And why are you here now?"

Asuma bowed his head respectfully. "I am here to ask for two things. First, asylum for myself and my comrade Kakashi. Second, that you allow us to train the six shinobi who were once from Konoha. If you grant these two requests, we will swear loyalty to you and to Sunagakure until the day we die."

The Kazekage couldn't keep the light out of his eyes, and Asuma knew why. As the last remaining Sarutobi, he was perhaps the single most powerful symbol of the old regime in Konoha. Even though the title of Hokage did not pass from father to son, Asuma was the closest thing Konoha had to a missing heir. The villagers would accept him as Hokage, and the majority of the shinobi would as well, if Suna managed to defeat the Uchiha in battle. If that happened, the Kazekage would have a puppet Hokage, ultimately giving him control over two villages.

Asuma and Jiraiya had debated this point many times over the years. Would giving Konoha to Suna do anything more than trade one tyrant for another? But eventually they'd decided that the risk was worth it.

After all, the Kazekage's strongest motivation was upholding the glory of his village. If he controlled Konoha his desire to protect his people would extend to the people of Konoha. He wasn't a bad ruler, and while he wasn't exactly egalitarian he would never condone placing Seals on his shinobi. And even if he didn't necessarily value Konoha as much as Suna, he was a known quantity while Madara was an unknown. The threat posed by having the Kazekage in charge was much less than dealing with Madara, who had abilities that even Jiraiya couldn't match.

"Your first request is acceptable," the Kazekage began, a calculating glint in his eyes. "I will gladly accept you into the ranks of our shinobi, as long as you swear to fight only for Suna. As for your second request, I don't see why it would be a good idea to have you associate with the orphans. They already have a sensei, and having you around might lead them to forget what they owe to Suna. As for your companion, his injuries make me doubt that he would be of any use to the village at all."

Asuma set himself, resolved not to show any weakness before this man. "You don't get me without him," he declared firmly. "Kakashi may not be able to fight, but he knows more about Konoha's secrets than almost any shinobi alive. He was an ANBU captain, and held his own against four Uchiha jonin during the takeover. It took General Fugaku himself to bring him down. We would both be valuable assets to your village."

Asuma grinned at the Kazekage, though it was more like a challenge. "As for the kids, I won't teach them anything other than how to kill swiftly, silently, and whenever you say. I guarantee that you won't find anyone better than I am."

Tension hung heavy in the air, until the Kazekage returned Asuma's grin. "You boast well, but can you back it up? How about this: I'll give you the opportunity to show your skills, in single combat with the children's current sensei. If you win, you'll get the chance to work alongside him, and become a Captain of Sandstorm."

What is Sandstorm? Asuma thought distractedly. Do the genin teams in Suna have names or something?

All he said was, "So be it. When and where?"

The Kazekage offered his hand to Asuma, who shook it heartily, refusing to grimace at the Suna shinobi's strength.

"I won't have it said that there was any favoritism during this match," the Kazekage said genially. "You can rest for today, and tomorrow you'll meet Baki in the arena. You can both stay here tonight, in the room we reserve for visiting ambassadors. Tomorrow a chunin will direct you to the arena. It was a pleasure to meet you both, and I look forward to this demonstration of your skills."

When they were settled in the quarters that the Kazekage had offered them for the night, Kakashi turned to Asuma with some uneasiness. "Are you sure you'll be able to win? The elite shinobi of Sunagakure have always been strong."

Asuma lit a cigarette, puffing once and sighing with satisfaction. "I guess we'll just have to find out."

oOoOo

In the days before the attack of the Kyubi, one restaurant in Konohagakure enjoyed the great honor of being the favorite of the Fourth Hokage. Namikaze Minato loved Ichiraku Ramen so much that his friends and counselors often teased him, saying that he might as well live there. More often than not villagers walking down the street at midday would see his golden hair flashing in the sun, as he downed bowl after bowl of noodles.

The Fourth was so well loved that he would be swarmed by grateful villagers asking for his blessing or just trying to be close to him. He was embarrassed by the attention, and while he loved his people just as they loved him, he needed his privacy. But that was the problem: how could he enjoy his favorite food without falling prey to the adoration of his subjects?

The answer came to him one day, and immediately he hired a construction team to build a secret cellar underneath Ichiraku Ramen. Only the construction workers, Teuchi, and the few people Minato trusted with the secret ever knew of the cellar, so the Fourth Hokage was able to enjoy his ramen in peace.

When the Kyubi attacked Konoha, Ichiraku ramen shop was destroyed, but the underground cellar remained. With Minato's death, the only person still living who knew about the cellar was Teuchi, the owner of the ramen restaurant. For years the cellar had been boarded up and gathering dust. And as far as most of the world was concerned, it still was. But Ichiraku Teuchi knew differently. He polished bowls by candlelight, trying not to listen to the murmur of voices coming from underneath the floorboards, rising up from the secret ramen hideaway of the Fourth Hokage. At Teuchi's feet were three identical ninja hounds, all of which were ready to sound the alarm at the first whiff of trouble.

Underneath the loose floorboard, down the stairs, and through a rotting wooden door was the cellar itself. It wasn't much, just a few shelves lining rocky walls and a circular, wooden table in the middle of the room. Around the table sat five shinobi, two men and three women, all with the Caged Bird Seal prominent on their foreheads. It was their murmuring voices that reached Teuchi's ears.

The youngest of the conspirators, a dark-haired man with a scar running across his nose, shifted uneasily. "Are you sure we're secure here? If we're discovered, it'll be the end of everything."

One of the women, who sported the traditional tattoos of the Inuzuka clan and wore her hair in a ponytail with bangs framing her face, gave an impatient snort. "Grow a pair, Iruka. We're completely safe. The Haimaru triplets will smell anyone before they get close."

The shinobi at the head of the table, an old woman with a hood covering her face, spoke up before Iruka could reply. "What Inuzuka Hana says is true. And if that weren't enough, with my Byakugan I will know if any Uchiha comes within a kilometer of this place. Be at piece, Umino-san."

Iruka gave a seated half-bow to the old woman. "My apologies, Honored Elder. I did not mean to slight anyone's abilities. I'm just nervous, that's all. There's far more at stake here than just our lives."

The fourth conspirator nodded agreement. Her red eyes glowed even brighter than usual in the orange glow of the candlelight. "Well said, Iruka. It's not cowardice to be aware of everything that we're putting on the line. If either of us is discovered, the Academy is sure to suffer. The Uchiha will put someone in charge who is just a toady, and doesn't care about the children at all. And if Hana is discovered, her clan will surely pay a heavy price. Finding out that a clan head participated in acts of treason will bring the harshest of punishments down on the heads of your clansmen."

"Don't worry about us, Kurenai," Hana snarled. "The Pack understands. We're loyal to the Third, unlike some of the ass-kissing cowards who wear the Seal."

The final conspirator gave Hana a thumbs up, and somehow his smile sparkled even with just the meager illumination of the candle. "That's the spirit, Hana! The Fires of Youth burn brightly in the Inuzuka clan!"

Hana glared at the green-clad shinobi. "Don't start with me, Gai. If you mention Fires of Youth one more time I'll shave that bowl cut right off. Honored Elder," she began, turning to face the elderly Hyuga woman, "what news is there of the Resistance outside of Konoha?"

"Yes," Kurenai agreed, "let's get to the reason we gathered here in the first place."

The old woman pushed back her hood, and looked around the table at the four Konoha shinobi. Her white eyes seemed to stare into their very souls.

"I've heard from our informant that Jiraiya managed to free Kakashi. Asuma is bringing him to Suna, and events there proceed as planned. If the daimyo continues to favor Konoha, the Kazekage will want to strike first."

Iruka raised a questioning hand. "Wouldn't that be the worst possible thing that could happen? War with Suna wouldn't hurt the Uchiha as much as it would decimate the Sealed shinobi. Madara will use us as cannon fodder, and clean up what's left once we're dead. Even if Jiraiya manages to kill Madara by allying with Suna, a war will leave us too weak to defend ourselves. Iwa wouldn't just stand by, they'd take the opportunity to finish what they started in the Third Shinobi World War."

The Hyuga matriarch nodded. "You're right, Umino-san. As long as we bear these Seals, any attack on Konoha will result in the death of innocent shinobi. If we don't fight for the Uchiha, they will activate our Seals. And if we do fight, all of the casualties will be on our side. That is why an attack from the outside must happen at the same time as an attack from the inside."

Iruka and Hana both looked confused. "How would we do that? The moment we rise up against the Uchiha, they'll activate our Seals and slaughter us all."

"Precisely. Which is why, before any attack can occur, we must neutralize the Caged Bird Seal."

Kurenai and Gai obviously knew of this part of the plan, because they showed no sign of surprise. Iruka and Hana, on the other hand, were flabbergasted.

"But how…" Hana trailed off. "But the Seal is unbreakable!"

"Any Seal can be broken," the elder replied firmly. "The Toad Sage Jiraiya is one of the world's foremost experts on Seals. He is going to take someone bearing the Seal away from Konoha, and unravel the secret of the Seal. With that knowledge, we will coordinate a massive counter-strike against the Uchiha."

Kurenai spoke up, seeing that the younger shinobi were beginning to look a little too optimistic. "It won't be easy. We can't just send a shinobi with Jiraiya. Every one of the Sealed shinobi reports in at the end of the day. We're all accounted for, and it would be impossible to get someone with the Seal out of Konoha indefinitely."

Iruka thought he saw where this was going. "So we need someone who bears the Seal, but who doesn't carry out the day-to-day duties of a shinobi…"

"That's right," the Hyuga elder answered. "It must be one of the Hyuga main branch. We are, after all, merely servants of the Uchiha. And who checks to make sure that a Seal works properly on a servant? The Uchiha ignore us, as long as we do our work swiftly and silently."

"So Jiraiya will take one of the Hyuga servants…"

The old woman set her jaw. "Yes. In exactly one month, Jiraiya will return from Kumogakure. He will bring a member of the Fukumen clan, who are masters of disguise and infiltration. We will swap the Kumo shinobi with my granddaughter, Hyuga Hinata. Then Jiraiya will find out how to neutralize the Caged Bird Seal. If all goes well, the Uchiha clan will be caught between the forces of Suna and Konoha shinobi newly freed from bondage."

"The Fukumen clan?" Iruka sputtered. "They're supposed to be Kumo's best spies! How will Jiraiya get one of them to help?"

"He'll make them an offer they can't refuse." For a moment the old woman straightened, and a fierce, regal light shone from her eyes. "When Jiraiya succeeds in neutralizing the Seal, the spy from Kumo will return to her village. I will go with her, and offer the Raikage my eyes as payment."

Iruka's mouth fell open in shock. He would have shouted a protest, but Kurenai put a hand gently on his shoulder. "Peace, Iruka. This is her decision."

The Hyuga elder nodded firmly. "Protecting the secret of the Byakugan means nothing if we are still slaves of Madara. We need a skilled member of the Fukumen clan to impersonate Hinata until Jiraiya is finished, and this is the only way to accomplish that. I am a Hyuga of the Main Branch, and my duty is to Konohagakure. No matter what the Usurper does, these eyes will never stop serving the village."

Tears began to flow down Gai's face. "Oh, Most Youthful Elder! You are an example to us all! With shinobi such as you fanning the flames, the Will of Fire will never be extinguished!"

"So that's the plan," Hana commented, regarding the elder respectfully. "Provided that Jiraiya can crack the Seal, it just might work."

Kurenai shifted to address the younger kunoichi. "That's the real issue. We don't know exactly how long it will take Jiraiya. So we need to keep ourselves secret, but remain prepared to strike."

"The Inuzuka clan will be ready," Hana declared.

"Your Flames of Youth do you credit," Gai responded, "but you mustn't tell them yet."

Hana rounded on Gai, her eyes shooting fire. "What did I tell you about Flames of Youth?"

"Easy, Hana." Kurenai put out her hands placatingly. "Gai is right that you mustn't tell your clansmen. For now, Jiraiya's plan must be a secret known only to the five of us."

"Why?" Hana demanded.

"Because as much as we may now want to admit it, not all Sealed shinobi would keep this plan a secret. Some would betray us to Madara, in hopes that it would win them favor. Some would worry that such a plan would put everyone in danger. And some shinobi truly believe that a shinobi's only duty is to protect and serve the village, regardless of who is Hokage."

Gai nodded sagely. "Like Ibiki Morino, from the Torture and Interrogation Squad. He's one of Madara's most trusted servants, because all he cares about is gathering the best information and putting it at the disposal of whichever Hokage is in power. Shinobi like Ibiki view themselves as the only true servants of the village, unaffected by squabbles between shinobi factions. What they miss is that a true tyrant like Madara is the worst possible threat to the village, even if that threat takes years to make itself known."

Iruka whistled softly. "Wow, Gai… that was actually smart. And you didn't mention the Fires of Youth once!"

Gai gave Iruka a huge wink and a thumbs up.

"If that's all," Kurenai declared, "we should end this meeting here. We're all going to need to exercise the utmost caution in getting home undetected."

"Then it's settled," the Hyuga elder said. "In one month, my granddaughter will leave with Jiraiya. Until that time, we will not meet unless in an emergency, and we will tell no one, absolutely no one, about this plan. After the Kumo spy has successfully switched places with Hinata, we will meet again to lay our plans. Stay safe, everyone. The future of the village is in our hands."

The five conspirators left the table, exited through the rotting wooden door, and climbed the few stairs to the first floor of the restaurant. They ghosted past Old Man Teuchi, who didn't give them so much as a glance in passing. The Haimaru triplets took their places behind Hana, and the Sealed shinobi went off into the night.

Teuchi put the loose floorboards back in place over the secret staircase. Then he blew out his candle, and walked the familiar path to his room on the upper floor. He poked his head in Ayame's room, just to reassure himself that she was asleep. A few minutes later he was fast asleep in his own bed.

Konoha was still and silent once again.

oOoOo

Takeshi thought he'd died and gone to shinobi paradise. All around him, covering every inch of the wall and overflowing the tables, were weapons of every shape and description. There were hundreds of tantos and katanas, and windmill shuriken that unfolded from a single blade. There were spears and nunchaku, and even a few longbows like the kind that Hansuke-sensei had fought with. There were weapons that Takeshi didn't even know the name of, like the long club with spikes sticking out of it or the scythe with three long blades at the end.

"Pick a weapon that feels right. You might not notice it at first, but keep trying and you'll know what it should feel like eventually," Captain Tanaki said, his voice oozing condescension.

Takeshi had to stifle a laugh when he looked over at the shinobi who'd been assigned to guide them to the armory. Naruto had masqueraded as Captain Tanaki so many times that the pompous Captain had become a running joke with Squad 13.

"Yes sir, Captain Tanaki, sir!" Takeshi rapped out, laughing inside when he saw the Captain swell a little bit at being so respectfully addressed. Takeshi met Akemi's eyes and winked, causing the girl to hastily turn her snort into a cough.

Then Takeshi began to explore the treasures in the armory, completely forgetting about Tanaki in his haste to find the perfect weapon. He hefted a few katanas and even a zanbatou, but none of the swords felt particularly balanced in his hands. Hinamaru walked next to him, keeping up a running commentary on the choices.

Why limit yourself to only one fang? Though Takeshi could understand Hinamaru through their mental connection, the ninja hound had a little trouble understanding some aspects of human life.

Takeshi laughed. Swords are a little bit longer than fangs, so you don't need as many.

Hmph. Even mind-to-mind, Hinamaru's contempt for the swords was clear. All you need are your fangs and claws.

But I don't have fangs or claws!

Hinamaru gave an audible snort, and walked over to a shelf on the far side of the armory. Then get some!

The hound barked and jumped, pointing with his nose towards a weapon on the upper shelf. Takeshi walked over curiously.

Hinamaru was pointing to a pair of metal, fingerless gloves that covered the back of his hands up to his first knuckles. There were three slits on the back of each glove, and protruding from the slits were metal spikes almost a foot long.

Claws, huh? Takeshi slipped the gloves on, clenching his fists and then loosening them. The metal claws didn't restrict his movement at all. He tried a few experimental swipes, enjoying how the spikes felt like extensions of his hands. It felt much more natural than the swords had.

Captain Tanaki had followed him over, and looked over his shoulder at his choice of weapon. "Interesting choice," the Captain said. "These gauntlets were specially made by the puppeteer craftsmen of Suna many years ago. If you channel a little chakra into the gloves, you can control the length of the blades. It makes your attacks difficult to dodge, since the blades can extend at will. The same ability also allows you to completely retract the blades, so that they don't interfere with hand signs and you can wield a secondary weapon if you choose."

Takeshi tried it, channeling a small stream of chakra into the gloves. The blades elongated, becoming almost two feet before they stopped growing.

"That's their range," Tanaki commented. "Any more and the blades would be too weak, too easy to snap off."

Takeshi practiced retracting the blades, then sending them out again. He grinned at Hinamaru, who barked fiercely.

"I'll take 'em."

Captain Tanaki curled his lip a little. "I suppose they do seem… appropriate for you."

Takeshi would have snarled if Tanaki wasn't his superior officer. It seemed that just gaining his sharingan wouldn't be enough for him to gain acceptance from his relatives. They still saw him as more Inuzuka than Uchiha, marked as alien by the fang tattoos on his cheeks.

Screw him,Takeshi thought to Hinamaru. I don't need to prove anything.

He's a stupid human, Hinamaru agreed. Can I bite him?

Takeshi laughed out loud, making Tanaki look even more scornful.

Maybe some other time, Hinamaru. I bet he tastes horrible, anyway.

Captain Tanaki took a scroll down from the shelf, and gave it to Takeshi. "This scroll contains the information you'll need to start training with the claws. Normally someone who knew how to fight with them would teach you, but there hasn't been anyone who used this style in years."

"That's fine, I can figure it out," Takeshi answered. He was pretty confident he'd be able to; after all, it was just like fighting Inuzuka-style, when their nails became sharper and more claw-like. This weapon just took the Inuzuka taijutsu to its logical conclusion. And now Takeshi's claws would be able to stop a sword.

I hope I meet that Iwa jonin again, he thought viciously. Let's see if she can swing her sword with metal spikes through her chest.

Captain Tanaki left Takeshi and made his way over to Akemi. Takeshi turned, and his jaw dropped in amazement.

Akemi had picked a mid-sized katana from the wall, and was practicing basic forms. Her body moved with a liquid grace, and the sword traced patterns of light through the air.

Stop drooling, pup.

Takeshi snapped his mouth shut, and glared at his canine partner. A fierce blush spread across his cheeks. Watch it, dog! I'll carve you into little pieces.

Hinamaru growled. Bring it on, human! Your fancy fake claws don't scare me.

With difficulty, Takeshi ignored Hinamaru's insinuations and turned to Akemi.

"Is that what you're going to use?" he asked.

Akemi gave one last flourish, and slid the blade smoothly into the scabbard. "I think so. It feels… right, somehow."

Captain Tanaki nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly! This is the perfect weapon for an Uchiha. Our sharingan practically guarantees that we make excellent swordsmen. I use a katana myself, as it happens. I'd be happy to show you the ropes."

Akemi dismissed Tanaki's suggestion with a wave of her hand. "Thanks Captain, but I'm sure my father will suggest a jonin who can train me. You've been really helpful, but we have to go now."

Before the Captain could say anything, Akemi was out the door. Takeshi and Hinamaru followed, leaving Tanaki alone in the armory.

"We should spar a little," Akemi said. "We're not getting any new missions for a while, and we don't have to rejoin Cadet training for a week. This is the perfect opportunity to get used to our new weapons."

Takeshi ran alongside her, wondering at Akemi's unprecedented civility. It appeared that after everything they'd gone through together in Wave Country, Akemi acknowledged him as a worthy teammate. He would do his best not to disappoint her.

"Sounds good. I want to practice with these," he hefted his claws, "and fighting you will probably be a lot like fighting against that Iwa jonin who used a sword."

"After that, do you want to work on Change in Chakra Nature? I remember you were having a little trouble with it before we left. I could… I could give you some pointers, if you want."

The offer astounded him. Never before had Akemi offered to help him with anything. They had been friends, but Akemi had never missed an opportunity to point out how much better she was than him.

During the fight against the Iwa shinobi, both Akemi and Naruto had managed to use techniques relying on their own elemental affinities. It was part of what they'd been learning before the Wave mission. Takeshi had been so focused on trying to get his sharingan that he hadn't been able to work on his affinity very much.

"I'd love that, but can you really help? Your affinity is different from mine."

"Well, I'll do my best, even if it's just to encourage you. Don't worry, you'll crush that leaf before you know it!"

When Takeshi had learned that his affinity was with Earth, he'd been extremely disappointed. Most Uchiha had a Fire affinity, so his having Earth was just another indication that he was different from the rest of his relatives.

Now Takeshi couldn't wait to start developing Earth techniques. He had a sudden vision of himself riding a waterfall of rock, like the ones that the Iwa kunoichi had used, and burying his opponents under a wave of earth.

They reached the arena and began to warm up, running a few laps and stretching. Takeshi spared a moment to ask Akemi something that had been bothering him.

"How do you think Naruto is doing? He was supposed to start his special training today."

Akemi shot a worried glance in the direction of the Hokage Tower. "I don't know. The Kyubi is really dangerous. How can somebody as young as we are learn how to use its chakra? How is the Hokage going to make sure that the Kyubi doesn't break free?"

"I trust Naruto," Takeshi said firmly. "He'll do everything he can to get stronger."

"I trust him too. He got us back alive, didn't he? But if I know Naruto, he's just as angry about Itachi as I am."

Takeshi looked nervously at Akemi, unsure how to respond.

"Itachi tricked us, and tried to turn us against the Hokage," Akemi said, her tone remarkably even. "And the Hokage is Naruto's father, so Naruto has to be just as pissed as me. Which is pretty pissed."

She turned to Takeshi, her black eyes determined. "Don't worry, 'Keshi. I'm not about to go off the handle. I learned my lesson. Protecting the team is more important than avenging a ghost. But Itachi is coming for Konoha, and I'm going to be ready for him when he does. Knowing Naruto, he's thinking the same thing. That's why I'm worried for him. I don't trust him to know when to stop. He'll kill himself with training if he's not careful, no matter how much freakish stamina he has."

"We won't let that happen," Takeshi promised. "Naruto will be fine."

"I hope so. But still," Akemi sighed, "I have a bad feeling about this training of his."

oOoOo

Hinata crept through the woods as silently as she knew how. She turned her head slightly, scanning the area with her byakugan. Aside from the squirrels and a bird or two, she was the only creature around. That was good, because she needed privacy for what she was about to do.

The woods opened up into a small clearing, cut in two by a river that trickled by gently. Hinata found a spot close to the trees, which provided a quick escape route if she saw anyone coming. Then she began to move.

Hinata began the free-flowing forms that were the basis of the Jyuken style of taijutsu. Her arms traced delicate patterns through the air, and her feet didn't step so much as glide to each new position. She sent bursts of chakra through her open palms, visualizing an enemy shinobi in front of her.

While painstakingly practicing her forms, Hinata never forgot to keep scanning the area. It would be her death if she was caught practicing the taijutsu style that was her heritage. Her grandmother, the eldest living Hyuga of the Main Branch, had taught her the basics but refused to do anything more.

"For now, it is better to accept what we are. We are servants. That may change in time, but it does no good denying the truth."

Nevertheless, Hinata tried to practice the Gentle Fist style as often as she could. She was a Hyuga, and that meant something. She wasn't like her cousin Neji, who believed that everything was determined by fate. She believed everyone had a choice about how they lived. And Hinata chose to be a kunoichi. Even if she knew next to nothing, and was only able to practice during the few odd hours that she could get away from the Hokage's Tower.

My sneaking skills are definitely worthy of a shinobi, Hinata thought bitterly, and threw a punch with a little more force than usual. Because any time I want to go anywhere, I have to scurry in the shadows like a rat.

But Hinata believed that one day she would be free. That belief was what kept her going. She would make a life for herself and Hanabi that didn't involve scrubbing and sweeping all day. She would fight proudly alongside other shinobi from Konoha, their foreheads unmarked by anything other than a forehead protector. It was for that day that Hinata waited, and it was for that day that she trained.

As Hinata practiced, she became aware of a small lump near the edge of her field of vision. She had thought it was a mushroom, but realized that it was too yellow for that. Then, in an agonizing second, she realized what it actually was. It was a shock of blond hair, belonging to someone lying against a tree at the far end of the clearing.

Hinata raced for the safety of the trees, but the yellow hair remained where it was. A strange sound reached Hinata's ears, and it took her a second to identify it as snoring.

Wait… blond hair? Could it be…

Cursing herself for a fool, Hinata worked her way closer to the tree hiding the person's body from view. She dashed from tree to tree, until she came within a dozen feet of the sleeping form.

She held her breath as she got her first glimpse of who was sleeping there… just as she'd hoped, just as she'd feared, it was Naruto. The boy she'd loved from afar, and the shinobi she could only ever hate.

Hinata had heard the gossip from the other servants, about how the Hokage's son had returned from a mission without his sensei, the whole team having narrowly escaped death. Hinata wondered how he was holding up, after living through an experience like that.

With the enhanced vision of her byakugan, Hinata was able to see just how bad of shape Naruto was in. He had scratches all over his face and arms, and his face seemed unnaturally pale. Looking closer, she realized his chakra was almost completely depleted. Blue chakra sent out erratic sparks occasionally, but even they were weak. Was this all from his mission?

Hinata drew closer almost unconsciously. Thanks to her byakugan, she was able to dodge to the side in time to avoid the kunai thrown at her face.

Naruto, who had jumped up and thrown a kunai at the same time, looked horrified that he had almost hit her.

"I'm so sorry!" he said frantically, bowing like a maniac. "Force of habit, I didn't mean it."

Hinata was still shaking, staring at the kunai embedded in the tree behind her. "Ano… it was my fault, Uchiha-sama. Please forgive me."

She looked at her feet, mindful of her place as a servant.

"Oh, please don't do that," Naruto groaned. "I'm just Naruto. Look, I almost killed you by accident, the least I can do is let you call me by my name."

"Ano, thank you…Naruto."

Naruto sank back down against the tree, emitting a tired sigh. "Wow, that hurt. I don't think I've ever been this tired."

"You're… you're really hurt, aren't you?" Hinata blushed bright red at her forwardness in asking him straight out.

"I guess so," Naruto admitted, looking surprised. "I don't remember ever feeling like this before."

"Was it the mission you got back from?"

Naruto looked surprised, and perhaps a little defensive. "How'd you know about that? It's supposed to be a secret!"

Hinata squeaked. "I really don't know anything, I swear! It's just, the servants gossip, so I know you were on a mission… and that your sensei didn't come back."

"Oh." Naruto looked so sad at this reminder that Hinata could have kicked herself. She cast about for something, anything, that could distract him from his grief.

"You look like you're suffering from chakra exhaustion. Did that happen on the mission?"

"No," Naruto replied, grimacing slightly. "That was today. I was… training. I didn't know how hard it was gonna be."

"Why are you out here?" Hinata demanded. "You should be in a hospital!" Then she blushed again at being so forward with the son of the Hokage. She looked at the ground in shame.

"Oh, I heal really fast," Naruto reassured her. "I just… wanted some peace and quiet. I had a lot to think about. And then I guess I fell asleep."

He gave a sheepish grin, then fixed Hinata with a curious glance. "Why are you out here?"

"Ano, I… wanted to pick some berries for the chef. I should find them and get back."

Naruto's face fell. "Aw, that's too bad. I was really enjoying talking to you."

Hinata couldn't believe that he meant it, but his voice sounded absolutely sincere. She found she couldn't tear herself away, no matter how much her brain was yelling at her to get the hell out of there.

"I guess I could stay a little longer…"

The smile on Naruto's face when she said that was enough to make her wish she could stay there with him forever. She blushed so strongly that she felt sure she would faint.

"You're a funny girl, aren't you?" Naruto said, but he didn't wait for her answer. "Hey, I brought some food with me. Fugaku-sensei said I would need to recharge my energy, so I packed enough for two meals."

Naruto pointed to a picnic basket which Hinata had completely missed, so distracted she had been by Naruto. It was overflowing with what looked to Hinata like enough food for ten meals, not the two that Naruto had said. She looked at Naruto, who had a pleading expression on his face.

"Please? You'll get back with the berries in plenty of time, I'll help you look for them!"

The rational part of Hinata's mind screamed that this was a bad idea, that the only thing to do was to leave at once. But her body wouldn't obey, and she found herself sitting next to Naruto and spreading a napkin on her lap.

An observer would have been shocked to see the son of the Hokage and the enslaved heir of the Hyuga clan sitting together, peacefully sharing a meal in the woods by the bank of the Naka river. But to the two children, both lonely and forced to grow up long before their time, nothing could have been more natural.