Disclaimer; Don't own Naruto
Chapter 21
Sleep Over
After several hours of debate they had all come to the same conclusion; although most of it coming from Shikaku and Kakashi. Clearly Seika was the parent village of Konoha and their ancestors had come here through that gate in the caves. They were concerned about Temari's remark on talking to Kyuubi, but left that subject alone since they had no more information to work on.
The mirror technique had been started at four in the morning, lasted until five, and their debate brought them to eight. Geki had informed them that they were permitted to have free reign of the hotel for two days, not including today as it was morning, and that Kurenai would be held responsible for their behaviour.
Katsu was going to be sleeping for quite some time and Alara had been ordered to supervise the transportation of goods between Konoha and Oto. Kurenai quickly filled everyone in on Katsu's strict order on what was and wasn't to be said to the kids and what they were and were not allowed to do.
Kurenai led them to the kitchen where she started to prepare breakfast for the kids and Kakashi cooked something for the adults. When Gai had set the last dish on the table, the sounds of rampaging feet and a barking inu could be heard from upstairs.
"They smelt breakfast." Kurenai commented.
Kento and Inuki were the first down the stairs, as usual, and were the first to slip and slid to a halt on the hardwood floor. The others followed suit, bumping into him. Shocked silence rained for several minutes.
"Oi, Kento-kun, what's the hold up?" Kiri complained as she pushed her way to the front.
There was a staring contest between the men and children. The children were still in their pyjamas and their hair was stuck out everywhere; other then Kiri who made sure she was presentable to the world thanks to her upbringing as a Hyuuga, thus explaining why she was always the last one down the stairs.
"Ohayo." Kurenai greeted them with a smile. "Yamanaka-san, Nara-san, Akimichi-san, Kakashi-sensei, Gai-sensei, Asuma-Sensei and I are going to spend the night for a few nights." She explained to the stunned kids.
For a few second there was stunned silence, then a boisterous 'yah' as the kids recovered from their shock and attacked the table with their mouths and the adults with their questions.
"Is it true you can make people act funny Nara-san?"
"Can you really eat a whole cow Akimichi-san?"
"Can you really switch bodies Yamanaka-san?"
"I heard you raise lots of deer. Is that true?"
"Is it true you can grow taller then a building?"
"Can you really read people's minds?"
And other such questions bombarded them between bites of food.
"Table manners." Kurenai chilled, coming to the stunned men's rescue. "Questions can be asked after you have eating, got dressed, cleaned yourselves up, and have cleaned your rooms to MY expectations. And I WILL be checking under beds and in closest." She threatened.
"Awww." Several complained.
They shovelled their food down faster, then bolted for the stairs.
"Ah, Kento-kun, Kiri-chan, you are on kitchen duty." Kurenai stopped them before they could escape.
"Why do you always pick on us?" Kento complained.
"I am not picking on you, your names are clearly posted on the fridge." Kurenai countered, pointing the list of the fridge that had every child's name next to a task set out for each day.
Both kids cleared the tables, filled the sinks with water, and started to clean the dishes with a will Kurenai had never seen in them before. The others could be heard cleaning their rooms.
"Gomen, I should have warned you they would act like that." Kurenai apologized once they were alone again.
"They sure seem spirited." Shikaku noted.
"Where did they get the idea I could read minds?" Inoshi asked.
"Most likely something Ino said or did as a joke one of them overheard." Kakashi answered.
"You mean like when on person guesses what the other is going to say and then claims to be psychic?" Akimichi asked.
"Hai." Kakashi answered.
"You should have heard the questions they asked us." Asuma grinned. "One of them wanted to know if Gai had allergies because he was always crying when Lee was around and another wanted to know if Kakashi had no mouth and that was why he always wore the mask."
"Ah the spirit and inquisition of youth." Gai proclaimed happily.
"Save it for later." Kurenai countered before he could get started. "Asuma, can you get the board games out of the closet? It won't work for long, but it will keep them distracted. But don't grab the dartboards."
"Why not?" Inoshi asked.
"Too easy to be used for training." Shikaku explained, understanding immediately.
"Katsu-sama still lets us use Frisbee's though. I'll take them outside later, after lunch." Kurenai said.
Kiri and Kento finished in the kitchen and bolted for the stairs. Above them they could hear the sound of bumping as they desperately tried to clean their rooms as fast as possible.
"They seem in high spirits for being imprisoned in this hotel." Inoshi stated.
"Hai." Kurenai agreed. "I hate to admit it, but Katsu-sama treats them well, almost to the point of spoiling them. He and his warriors bring them treats every once in a while and somehow he handles them well. I have yet to see him or his men lose their patience with them.
"That reminds me, I wouldn't speak ill of Katsu-sama or his men around them. Like any child, they fall in love with the ones that spoil them. Most of them have already figured out that Katsu-sama is protecting them from the 'bad men' on their own and respect him for it. They like Geki-san to." She warned.
"They also have more energy then Gai on caffeine." Asuma warned. "And I still say Kiri-chan cheats at go fish."
"Go fish?" Shikaku asked.
"One of their favourite games. Every once in a while Katsu-sama lets them come over to the house and we play card games. Can you guys finish setting up the board games? I need to go upstairs and make sure they are actually doing as told." Kurenai asked.
"Sure." Asuma answered for them with a smile of amusement.
"Arigato." She smiled back.
Kurenai started up the stairs, stopping one child who hadn't brushed her hair yet and sternly ordering everyone to wait in their rooms when they were done for inspection. It took two rounds before she cleared everyone and they stampeded back down the stairs.
She headed off any assault on Inoshi, Shikaku, and Akimichi by making a contest up. Whoever won the board game they had been assigned got to ask questions first. The kids dove into the game and most soon forgot that they even had questions to ask.
The seven adults divided up and participated. This way Inoshi, Shikaku and Akimichi only had to handle a few questions at a time. Some were curious, like one girl who asked Shikaku if it was true that deer had velvet on their antlers and if they could really walk right after birth. Other questions were just strange, such as one boy asking Akimichi if it was true that he could swallow a boar whole and then pull the bones back out in perfect shape.
Kurenai kept her eye on everything and quickly moved Shikaku over to card games when he kept winning every strategy-based game he played. Now she knew where Shikamaru had gotten his battle smarts from.
Geki and a few others of Katsu's men delivered lunch. The children relived the delivery boys and girls of the food, thanked them politely, and set the meal up. Kento handed out dished, Kiri chopsticks. The moved in a line and sprawled out all over the main room to continue playing card games.
The adults helped themselves and watched the children in silence. For once the room was relatively quiet.
"How do you do it Kurenai?" Asuma asked as they ate.
"Do what?" She asked.
"Handle them every day. I mean, not even Ino had this much energy."
"Compared to dealing with Kiba and Akamaru day in and day out without back up, this is almost easy. They are just overly excited since we are spending the night; that we are even here at all. Other than, Katsu-sama, Geki-san, myself and a few of Katsu's men, they don't see others very often." She answered.
The children finished eating and cleaned up. Kurenai took them all outside to work off their energy before returning them inside around four. The other adults had cleaned up the board games and took a well-deserved nap; they had been up since three in the morning after all.
A little upset that they got to sleep while she had to handle hyper kids, she made sure the men got a dose of those kids. She set the kids lose upon them armed with water balloons. They weren't kunai or shiruken, but the talent to hit ones target was still the same.
The kids were howling in laughter as the men retreated to find towels to dry up. Gai, of course, had instantly joined in such an amazing display of youth and spirit, so no few kids were soaked and also had to dry up and change.
To her surprise, Geki had returned and handed her a tape before leaving to return with spare clothes for the adults. She thanked him and turned her attention to the men to offer them something dry to change into.
Kakashi and Shikaku were setting up a TV and VCR to the encouragement of the kids. Kurenai glanced at the tape, noted it was about an hour long and seemed to be a documentary on whales.
"Interesting and educational. Good work Geki-san." She silently complimented.
Inoshi, Akimichi, Gai, and Asuma got changed while she set the children the task of getting the laundry ready to do later in an effort to save Kakashi and Shikaku from their 'worldly advise,' though she was amused to note that the kids seemed to be right more often then the adults.
Shikaku and Kakashi got changed as everyone gathered round and Kurenai started the movie. She went and got changed once the movie started.
"A kimono, why couldn't I wear something less restricting. Hmm forest green with white feathers. Better then the red with white dragons, or this one. What ever possessed me to buy white with pink flowers is beyond me. Anko and I must have been drunk that day." She grumbled to herself as she got changed before joining everyone back downstairs.
They watched the movie in silence. Somehow the adults ended up being used as pillows at some point, but they didn't complain. Kento, Kiri and Inuki, who stated that since she was their cousin's sensei, she was theirs, besieged Kurenai.
The children actually fell asleep near the end of the documentary and all seven adults found themselves pinned down by the kids.
"Do we dare move?" Kurenai asked.
"Do we want to stay on the floor or do we want to be besieged by hyper kids? I think I'd take the floor any day." Kakashi answered.
"Their youthful spirit and enthusiasm is amazing." Gai proclaimed.
"It's been ages since Ino last used me as a headrest." Inoshi stated, a hint of wistfulness in his voice.
"Children grow up." Kakashi stated.
"One day you are chasing them around the house to pick up after themselves, the next they are moving out to start lives of their own." Shikaku agreed.
"Like you ever chassed Shikamaru around the house." Akimichi chuckled.
"I did." He denied.
"Yeah, when you wife was in the process of chasing you at the same time." Inoshi added.
They shared a chuckle.
"At least you two didn't have to bolt the fridge door closed to make sure there was food come evening." Akimichi stated.
"My boy's too lazy to do something troublesome like get food."
"Ino was always too concerned about her figure to eat everything in sight."
Kurenai chuckled and listened to the three, childhood friends swap horror stories about their children, though she could hear the undertone of love in each of their voices. A part of her almost wished she had a child of her own, but her life was too hectic to settle down and raise a family. She did have a team to raise.
She blinked at that thought.
"I may not have any children of my own, but with Kiba-kun, Hinata-chan and Shino-kun as my charges, I don't need any."
"Hai." Kakashi agreed. "Try taking care of Naruto."
They divulged into talking about their teams and Asuma got to inform their fathers just what their children were like on the field and away from home. They shared more laughs before the children awoke all at once; every last eye opening and nose lifted to the air in eerie synchronization.
"Dinner's here." Kurenai announced just as the door opened.
The kids bolted up the stairs as Kurenai looked up to see Katsu looking at them with a raised eyebrow.
"Still got that internal clock and noses set to sense food a mile away I see." He commented as he stepped aside and his men entered, baring trays of food.
"Hai, Katsu-sama." She agreed.
Katsu still looked extremely exhausted and sat down at the table almost at once. Kurenai got off the floor and walked up to him before kneeling before him. The others watched in silence from their places on the floor, all of them deciding it was best if they remained as they were.
"Have they behaved today?" Katsu asked, running his fingers through her hair.
She hated when he did that. It felt like he was petting an obedient Inu and rewarding her for wagging her tail when he came home. Behind her she could feel the anger rolling off of some of the men behind her at the degrading display she was forced to put on.
"Hai, Katsu-sama. Better then expected when confronted with new targets." She answered, holding back her distaste.
Katsu chuckled, then looked up as the kids came back down the stairs, all cleaned up and ready for diner, and lined up before them, smiles wide.
"Kurenai-chan says you have been good today. Is this true?" He asked them.
"Hai, Katsu-sama." They chorused together.
"I see. Well then, I guess I have no choice but to reward you then. Bed time is extended and extra hour tonight and you can camp outside tomorrow night."
Silence. Then "Arigato, Katsu-sama." They shouted in glee.
"Alright than. Growing children need food. You better eat before I get hungry and take it all for myself." He threatened teasingly.
The kids laughed and bolted to the kitchen where the food had been laid out. They lined up youngest to oldest and served themselves. Kento brought Katsu a plate and Kiri brought her one before serving themselves.
Kurenai sat next to Katsu as she always did when they ate with the kids. The other adults served themselves last and ate standing up leaning against various walls.
"So tell me how your day was?" Katsu asked kindly.
The children divulged into a mass of voices, telling him everything they had done and what they had learned from their houseguest. Katsu smiled the entire time and listened patiently. When dinner was finished, the children quickly cleaned up and rushed up the stairs to get ready for bed.
"Sounds like they have had a fun day." Katsu commented once they were gone, the sound of many feet and running water coming from upstairs.
"Hai, Katsu-sama." She agreed.
"Here." He handed her another video, this one an actual movie. "That will keep them occupied until bed. I will have Geki drop some tents off tomorrow morning."
Katsu then turned his attention to his other three charges.
"You have my permission to join Kurenai-chan outside for this event. The guards will be informed. You will be on your best behaviour."
Gai looked excited at the prospect, but Asuma and Kakashi were better able to school their features. All three of them thanked him to keep things cool between them. Katsu then turned his attention to Alara's charged.
"Alara-san is not here, but she has giving me permission to give you orders. You may also join them on this expedition. No one is to leave the property. I will be holding you responsible, Kurenai-chan."
"Hai, Katsu-sama."
"Very good."
The children were coming back down stairs and lined up again as he stood up.
"Well, I am off to bed. You behave now."
"Hai, Katsu-sama." They chirped.
"I think I recall seeing Geki bringing in some ice cream, but I could be wrong. Ah well." Katsu stated off handily. "Goodnight kids, Good night Kurenai-chan."
"Goodnight, Katsu-sama." They chorused back.
Katsu left out the back door to return to the house. The moment the door was closed, the kids bolted for the freezer.
"Yeah, ice cream bars." Came Kento's shout.
Kurenai just smiled and the other six adults joined her at the table.
Kiri and Kento took the boxes out and started to hand one out to everyone, including the adults and Inuki.
"Alright everyone. Katsu-sama left us another movie." Kurenai stated once everyone had one.
The children finished eating their ice cream in record time, made sure the sticks made it to the garbage, than proceeded to confiscate the adults as pillows again, some ran up to their rooms to return with blankets and pillows until everyone was snuggled together. Kurenai started the movie and then snuggled under the blanket she was sharing with Kiri, Kento and Inuki.
Gai, being the closest to the TV and VCR, hit the power buttons as the movie ended, plunging the room into total darkness until their eyes adjusted to the light coming through the window. All of the kids were blissfully asleep.
"Well, now what?" Asuma asked quietly so as not to disturb them.
"The moment we move, we'll wake them up." Kurenai stated.
"And here I thought I would actually get to sleep in a bed for once." Kakashi sighed.
"You can try to go to bed if you want, but I won't be held responsible for the consequences." Kurenai stated.
"I hate to admit it, but Katsu-sama really does seem to care about the kids." Inoshi stated.
"Hai. I don't think it's an act to get their loyalty either. I've watched him with them for a month now, and everything about him seems genuine. Unlike with me, he doesn't play mind games with them."
"For a merc working for Akatsuki, he isn't that bad." Inoshi agreed.
"Katasu-sama is one of the bad men, isn't he?" Kiri asked.
Silence.
"You are awake Kiri-chan?" Kurenai asked; looking down to the shadow curled up on her right.
"Hai, Kurenai-sensei." Kiri admitted reluctantly.
Kurenai thought hard before answering. She had to be careful how she answered.
"Katsu-sama works for the bad men." She finally decided on.
"But he's shielding us from them to, right?" Kento added from her left. "If he works for them, why is he lying to them?" He asked confused.
"You're awake to Kento-kun?"
"Hai, Kurenai-sensei."
Kurenai thought hard again before answering.
"Katsu-sama has a contract with the bad men. Kind of like we, as shinobi, are hired by others to do tasks for our employer. Katsu-sama has a set of morals he won't break and you fall into it. As such, he has the power to protect you from the 'bad men' and he uses his power to do so."
"Kurenai-sensei, I'm really sorry I got you in trouble with the 'bad men.'" Kento apologized.
Kurenai smiled.
"That's okay, it wasn't something you did; it was something I had done earlier to upset Katsu-sama. I told you that already and to forget it." She admonished.
"But it got Katsu-sama in trouble to, didn't it?" Kento asked.
"Ile. Those two 'bad men' didn't care about the fact Katsu-sama is hiding you here. It's the other 'bad men' hired by Akatsuki that we need to worry about."
"Like the big guy with all the scars?" Kento asked in a shudder. "He scares me."
"You met Yashero-san." Kurenai demanded.
"Hai." There was no doubting the fear in both Kiri and Kento's voice.
"How? When?" She demanded.
"Inuzuka-san and Kuromaru-san fought him when we were trying to escape. Inuzuka-san ordered us to run when he showed up, so we did, but he came after us. She stopped him, but got hurt in the process." Kiri explained, voice trembling.
"I tried to help, but I couldn't do anything." Kento stated, his voice indicating he was on the verge of crying. "I wasn't strong enough."
"Kento-kun was knocked away and that man went after him, but Inuzuka-san interfered again with Kuromaru-san. She ordered us to run again, and we did, but the man chassed us into a corner again."
"That's when we first met Katsu-sama. The bad man who was going after us was stopped when he showed up and saved us." Kento finished.
"What of you aunt, Ibiki and Raidou?" Kakashi asked.
Kento was crying now, so Kiri answered.
"Ibiki-san and Raidou-san had already been beaten by the man and his friends. That bad man hurt Inuzuka-san really bad." Kiri sniffed.
"There was so much blood." Kento cried. "Katsu-sama tried to stop it, but there was just so much of it."
Kurenai quickly sat up and hugged both of them to her, letting them sob on her shoulder and muffling the noise so it wouldn't wake the others and she would have a group of hysterical children on her hands.
"Shh, it's alright. I know you tried, but Yashero-sama is very strong, even stronger then me. Everything will be all right. I won't let anything happen to you." She soothed, even though she knew everything was not going all right for Kiba's mother, but Kento didn't need to know just how bad the situation with his aunt was.
"Kurenai-sensei, when you asked me to put that necklace on in the school lunch room, you whispered something about our freedom." Kiri sniffed. "You made a deal with Katsu-sama and that is why we are here, isn't it?"
Kurenai was stunned Kiri had figured it out. It was too dark to tell, but she was sure the others were just as stunned as she was.
"Hai, but I think Katsu-sama would have protected you anyway." She admitted.
"Really?" Kento asked, also drying his tears.
"Hai. I won't lie to you two. I don't particularly care for Katsu-sama. He makes me do things I don't want to do."
"Like when you make us eat our vegetables or clean our rooms or do the dishes?" Kento interjected.
"Hai, something like that." She decided to go with that idea since it was something they could understand. "He makes me do these things since I agreed that I would do them in order to make sure you would stay safe from those looking to hurt you, like the bad man who hurt Inuzuka-san. You could say that I am paying Katsu-sama to protect you from them."
"Like when I clean my room to get ice cream?" Kiri asked in an attempt to understand something that way above her ability.
"Hai. Exactly like that. I do something I don't like as payment and you guys being safe is my reward." She agreed. "Only I have to clean the room every day and all the time."
"You did that for us?" Kento asked shocked.
She could just imagine what his room looked like. If he was anything like Kiba, you wouldn't be able to find the floor if you dug for three years.
"Hai." She answered.
"Why?" Kiri asked, clearly surprised.
"Because I don't want to see anything bad happen to you. I would sooner clean the room all the time then never get to eat ice cream again." She explained.
There was silence as they tried to digest her words into something they could understand. She was sure that they didn't fully grasp just what her payment was, and even if they did know she doubted they would understand why it was bad.
Kiba and Akamaru had always known when her cycles were coming and Kiba once, while on a spying mission, had admitted that he and Akamaru could tell when a couple had spent the night together, she recalled it was the first and only time she had ever seen him blush and seem flustered. She figured Kento and Inuki could also tell, but were too young to fully understand just what it was they were picking up.
"Kurenai-sensei, do you think Kiba-niisan is alright?" Kento asked, a hint of worry in his voice.
"Hai." She answered with a smile and without hesitation.
Kurenai was glad the subject had changed to something a little safer and easier to answer in a way they would understand. She was starting to run out of ways to explain to them just why she didn't like Katsu without letting them know the true reasons.
"Shouldn't they have made it to Suna by now?" Kiri asked.
"There are many obstacles in the way, and they are being hunted by skilled trackers." Kurenai pointed out to them, stroking their hair to help calm them down and hopefully put them to sleep.
"If anyone can lead them to safety, it's Shikamaru and Temari-san." Asuma grinned, being the first of the others to speak after finding out Kiri and Kento were still awake.
"About time one of those lazy bastards came to my rescue. Maybe we should have a kids/kunoishi verse's men water fight tomorrow. That will teach them for making me do that all alone." She vowed silently and wickedly.
"Really?" Kiri asked, looking over in Asuma's direction.
"Shikamaru may be lazy, but once he sets a goal in mind, he pursues it tirelessly and puts every ounce of effort into it." Asuma added.
"My son may be lazy, but when he does do something, he does it fully and to the best of his ability." Shikaku added.
"What about Neji-niisan, Hinata-sama and Hanabi-sama?" Kiri asked.
"I can't think of many that are stronger then Neji. Hanabi-chan is one of the top rookies and Hinata-chan is amazing with her herbs and ointment. Neji and Shikamaru have worked together with Kiba-kun, Naruto-kun, and Temari-san many times." Kurenai answered.
"And Genma-san and Iruka-sensei are with them. They have lots of experience." Inoshi added.
"Naruto doesn't know the meaning of the words 'give up.'" Kakashi added. "They will complete the mission if it takes them the rest of their lives to do so."
"I hope they come back soon." Kento sighed. "I mean, it was kind of fun and exciting once the scary stuff was over, not that I was scared or anything, but it's getting really boring. And Kiba-niisan promised to teach me and Inuki Gatsuuga."
"Did he now?" Kurenai asked surprised.
Kento was a little young to be learning that move. For the full, devastating effect that Kiba pulled off, it required a lot of chakra considering it was generally two techniques combined into one; a combination of Gijyuu Ninpou; Shikyaku no jutsu and tsuuga, or Gatsuuga when used with a partner like Akamaru.
"Yep." Kento grinned. "But I have to master the Shikyaku no jutsu first." Kento stated, as if he had no doubt it would be easy.
"I see. It is way past your bed time, so I suggest you get to sleep." Kurenai chilled.
"Alright, but we still get to use you as a pillow Kurenai-sensei." Kiri demanded.
"Yeah. It would be unfair if we were the only ones left out." Kento added in mater-of-fact tone.
"Arf." Inuki agreed, wagging her tail.
"Alright. But if you're not asleep in five minutes, you have to sleep in your beds." She threatened.
"Hai." Both kids agreed. Inuki barked in agreement.
Smiling, Kurenai laid down again and both kids and inu curled up against her, pulling the blankets snug. They were asleep in moments. She smiled sadly down at them. They understood so much and yet so little.
How could she tell them that it may take at least a year for Shikamaru to return? How could she get them to understand that their only hope was across the eastern ocean and talking to their distant cousins? That their security was compromised because the man they adored was watching everything they did through a mirror.
There was a chance that several shinobi who had been out of the village would return to find things taken over and head to Suna for help, but without Temari, Kankurou, Baki and, especially, the Kazekage, Suna would not move. No doubt many of those returning from missions were captured upon their return, most definitely not expecting trouble and often too tired or injured to notice little things.
"After one month, those who aren't on extended mission or highly classified ones would have returned. We still have had no word of Rin or Hiashi-sama. Maybe they made it to Suna or are still hiding." Kurenai silently hoped. "There is also a chance they have been able to round up others as the passed them or found them."
"You're really good with children." Kakashi stated after several minutes of silence. "I am surprised you don't have any of your own."
"If that's an offer I would take it back before I reintroduce your head to frying pan-san." Kurenai threatened.
"Frying pan-san?" Akimichi asked.
"Kurenai's hentai control device." Asuma answered. "I think Kakashi is going insane without his reading material." Asuma offered.
"And you've been on nicotine withdrawals since this whole affair started." Kakashi stated.
"Ah the burning fires of rivalry." Gai sighed.
"Oi, Akimichi-san?" Kurenai called.
"Hai?"
"Want to trade cells?" She asked.
"I don't think Katsu-sama would allow that." Shikaku pointed out.
"It was worth a try." She sighed.
She turned her attention back to Gai, Asuma, and Kakashi, who were still trying to score points against each other with Gai keeping score.
"Oi, if you don't pipe down and go to sleep, you won't be permitted to join us on the camping trip." She threatened.
Silence
"I think Kurenai just won." Inoshi chuckled.
"That had to be worth the most points." Shikaku agreed.
"Can we roast fish?" Akimichi asked.
"You won't be roasting anything of you don't go to sleep. I am tired. Unlike you bastards, I didn't get any sleep today." She growled.
As if to confirm her statement, a large yawn fought its way out of her. She shifted slightly to get more comfortable, then closed her eyes. She was asleep before she even knew it.
Awe, what a cute chapter. Quality time with the kids and Katsu not being too demanding.
Thank you everyone who reviewed. I am glad everyone seems to like the OC's. I personally don't mind OC's if they have their own personality.
Just one thing to mention. The Kage of Seika is the Seikage (I think that would translate to Sacred Shadow but I am no master at Japanese and Seikage sounds cool) and they long since gave up numbering them. Seika is the parent village of Konoha and was over one thousand years old before the split.
Next Chapter, Tying up loss ends with Meiyo and her group before I press forward again with the story.
Other Notes; this arc ends when they reach Sanctuary. I am almost done the little mini-arc that will take place over the winter, than I will time skip to spring when they head out of their mission back to Konoha.