Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto (either the story or the character) or any of its component parts or associated bits of intellectual property. I do think it's pretty cool, and enjoy examining it through the looking glass of "What If". The originator, Masashi Kishimoto, is a creative guy and deserves credit for his work.
Shizune came as soon as she was summoned despite the odd hour and found Tsunade and the Third sitting together in his room, each with a cup of tea. A third cup, still hot, and a third chair were waiting at the table. Tsunade gestured for her to sit, and she did, thanking them for the invitation.
"What is it?" she asked. It was obvious they wished to discuss something with her beyond the usual business of Hiruzen's health.
"I've decided to stay, Shizune," Tsunade said.
Her face lit up. "That's wonderful news! I'm glad to hear it."
The other two chuckled and exchanged a glance. "We both expected you to react that way, but I'm still glad," Tsunade said. "Before we move on, however, I just wanted to say thank you. I know wandering hasn't been easy."
"You know I was happy to accompany you," Shizune said earnestly.
"I know," Tsunade said. "But that doesn't mean you don't deserve some recognition and gratitude. I wanted to say it now because I imagine I'll forget in the future. I expect to be rather busy, and when my temper is short I'm not very gracious, as you may recall." She smiled apologetically.
"Busy with what, exactly?" Shizune asked. Her first thought was that Tsunade had agreed to run the hospital, medical training, and associated programs and facilities. Even as they wandered, she'd never lost her interest in medical techniques, and had continued to study as they travelled.
"I'm going to be busy because I'll be trying to fill the old man's shoes," Tsunade said.
Shizune was speechless for a moment, but promptly stood up and gave each of them a hug.
"You'll do a wonderful job," she said finally.
"You see? Everyone who knows you well thinks so," Hiruzen remarked.
Tsunade sighed. "Yes, all right, you win our little bet."
Shizune glared at her a bit. "What exactly did you bet I would say?"
"Ah, well," Tsunade coughed, "that's not important now. We have a great deal to do. You're the first person to hear the news, and one of the reasons is that I hope you'll be willing to continue assisting me. Things will be different from now on, but I need you by my side to do this job properly."
"Of course I'll assist you," Shizune said with a frown. "It's not as if you'll be able to keep up with the paperwork without me, and we all know it."
Tsunade blushed slightly, and Hiruzen laughed.
"As much as I'm tempted to dump all of that on your plate, I think there's something more pressing for you to do," Tsunade said. "We've got a war on our hands, Shizune. I want you to review the entire medical program, including the hospital, training, testing, field medics…everything. I would love to do it myself, but I won't have the time, and the truth is that you can do the job as well as I could." Tsunade ignored Shizune's pleased blush at the implied compliment. "Fortunately," she continued, "Sarutobi-sensei has agreed to advise me and help with some of the administrative tasks, at least temporarily. I think the prospect of retiring all at once sounded frighteningly boring to him, myself," Tsunade said.
Hiruzen chuckled. "I've been doing the job for so long I may find it hard to stop. We old men get set in our ways, you know." He looked at Tsunade. "I will advise you, as promised, but you will be the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade. I won't be making any decisions."
"That's quite all right, sensei," she replied. "Actually, I've already had a thought about what I'd like you to do. Even with your injuries, your mind is perfectly functional, so I thought it might be a good use of resources to have you spend some time teaching. In fact, I want you to see whether any of our retired personnel would be willing to take a job in the academy. We're probably going to be stretched thin, and I need every active-duty fighter I can beg, borrow or steal. If not there, there are other non-combat posts that need a ninja's eyes. I don't want fighters shuffling papers when I have people killing and dying at our borders."
Hiruzen nodded. "That might work. I imagine I can find a few bored old men and women who would be willing to come out of retirement, at least partially. Although some of them might be a bit strict with their grandchildren, I suppose," he said, lip quirking in amusement.
"A little strictness won't hurt them," Tsunade replied. "Not that I would know, since you both insist I was spoiled as a girl. Now, let's have someone fetch Jiraiya and then the Feudal Lord so that we can get to business. I'm not as well informed as I need to be, so I'll want you to bring me up to speed on everything, and then I'll want to hear what you think needs doing."
"It might be wise to call Homura and Koharu as well," Hiruzen prodded gently. "They both possess a wealth of knowledge and experience, especially in administrative and political matters."
Tsunade hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "Very well. I suppose I'll need to get used to working with them."
Shizune gave her a reproachful look. "Please try to be more diplomatic than that when they arrive, Tsunade-sama."
Tsunade looked back at her, frowning. "You're going to spend the rest of my life doing that now, aren't you?" she asked.
…
Ceremony was minimal, if only because pulling people from their duties was deemed unwise by Tsunade herself. The clan leaders, ANBU's command staff, Homura, Koharu, and a few other noteworthy individuals were present, including some representatives of the village's civilian inhabitants. Tsunade swore her loyalty to the feudal lord, promising to obey his lawful commands and enforce them as the Hokage was bound to do, and he vowed to support her and the hidden village she commanded.
"In war and peace," their vows stated; the last time such a change in leadership had occurred, it had been peacetime, with far more fanfare as the Fourth Hokage assumed his post. When Sarutobi Hiruzen resumed the office of Hokage, the ceremony had not been repeated, and there had been no feeling of moving forward into the future, no sense of growth or change. This day was different. Even with war looming, a great battle fought recently, and losses still making themselves felt, Tsunade's assumption of command signaled something new. The Leaf Village had a new Hokage, the fifth since it was founded, and the first woman to hold the position. At the same time, she was a descendant of the Senju clan and the First Hokage himself, and the student of the Third. Those who placed their faith in tradition and those who hoped the future would bring change for the better were united in celebration, an unusual turn of events. Despite the limited attendance, the event was spoken of for weeks afterward as those who had been present told and retold their version of events. There was an official announcement before the ceremony began, and taken together the impact had morale rising faster than anyone had expected, so soon after the battle. It didn't hurt that Tsunade had returned to heal the Third, reminding everyone of her legendary talents.
Among the clan representatives, there were a few who stood out. With Inuzuka Hitomi away on a mission, her duties and rights were temporarily being upheld by Inuzuka Tsume, Kiba's mother. After she congratulated Tsunade and swore her clan's loyalty, she took a second to lean close and mutter, "about time we had a woman Hokage. Don't forget to break their jaws if they talk back."
The only one who stood out more than she did in the group was Uchiha Sasuke. While not technically a sitting clan head due to his youth and the fact that he had never pushed for the rights associated with the position, his clan remained entitled and obligated to send a representative to see the ascension of a new Hokage, so the duty roster was quickly shuffled to free him up. He surprised most of those present by arriving in formal attire, looking more presentable than any adult had seen him throughout his entire life, and his typical stoicism served him well. Most of the adults present found themselves taking him more seriously than they might have expected; he didn't seem like a young man trying to fit in among his elders, but rather came across as a self-possessed and dutiful ninja. When he swore his clan's traditional oath to the Hokage and received hers in return, his voice was unwavering, and the words seemed to flow naturally from his lips. He'd gone last, as the youngest representative there, but if he felt the pressure no sign of it showed.
The first to swear the oath had been Sarutobi Hiruzen himself. He'd wanted to make it as clear as possible that Tsunade was his own choice, with his full support. When he approached her as a clan head, rather than her predecessor, the message was sent very clearly, indeed.
While not participating in the ceremony, a few others were present to observe. Some of the clan heirs were there, including Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji, and Sarutobi Asuma. Swapping Sasuke's guard shift with someone else's had the side effect of freeing up Uzumaki Naruto as well, and he found himself sitting with the clan heirs to watch the occasion. Shizune, of course, continued to serve as Tsunade's shadow and steady right hand, ensuring the ceremony proceeded smoothly from start to finish, prompting anyone who needed it.
Jiraiya was there, as well. Despite his lack of any official position or rank beyond jounin, there was no question that he had the right; even if he hadn't, he would have been accorded the privilege. Tenten somehow managed to be free at the time of the ceremony so that she could watch her idol be appointed to the position of Hokage. Ninjas who were off duty, villagers who could spare the time, and even a few visitors all flocked to the scene; Tsunade, who had expected a quieter affair, was surprised at the turnout, but gratified.
Everyone present wished they could have spent the whole day in celebration, but it simply wasn't possible under the circumstances. The ceremony ended as soon as possible, and the Leaf Village had a new Hokage.
…
Tsunade attacked her new job with an energy that Sarutobi Hiruzen, loved though he was, hadn't been able to muster for years. Ironically, he seemed to draw on her energy, looking livelier than he had since he first awoke in the hospital. Tsunade strode confidently through the Hokage's building and the village, and Shizune was much the same. There was a flurry of orders, with constant arrivals and departures taking place. The few personal possessions that Tsunade and Shizune had brought back with them remained in guest rooms reserved for important visitors for the time being, and Sarutobi Hiruzen's things remained in the Hokage's traditional chambers; all three people had more important things to see to than their living arrangements, and Tsunade and Shizune had lived as wanderers for so long that they considered their accommodations luxurious already. The three of them spent perhaps an hour behind closed doors with Jiraiya, Homura, Koharu, and the Feudal Lord and his wife, occasionally dispatching a messenger, then summoned Bear and Shikaku to brief Tsunade on the specifics of the military situation. The lord and lady took their leave for the time being to see to other matters.
"So we have scouts heading toward Orochimaru's territory and we're waiting for word from Sand," Tsunade said. "What about our other allies?"
"The Grass ninjas show every sign that they will withdraw from our alliance to avoid facing Orochimaru," Koharu said, "but that information is a bit old. They were still in the process of selecting a new leader, and the question of who comes out on top will likely determine their stance. Homura and I have spent some time examining our political intelligence closely, and we believe that of the two or three candidates who might succeed, one will favor the alliance and the other two will likely proceed along more isolationist lines. If there were some way for us to encourage the first candidate, I would propose it, but I think even subtle support would likely hurt more than help. The Grass ninjas are angry at their losses, and it's causing their old mistrust of us to flare up. We'll likely have to wait it out and rebuild our alliance afterward, unless their internal politics take an unexpected turn."
Tsunade looked at Homura.
"Koharu summarized our discussion ably," he said. "We also spent some time speaking of the River Country, though we disagree somewhat on that point," he said. "The man in charge there, Yamamoto Kiyoshi, is an opportunist at heart. He has ambition, but no stomach for danger. We agree on that much. I expect him to maintain our alliance, providing safe passage between the Wind and Fire Countries in exchange for our protection and making few or no contributions to our offensive capabilities. Koharu, I believe, expects his cowardice to result in neutrality, though he will likely grant us limited safe passage for a small fee."
He looked to Koharu and she nodded, indicating he had described her expectations accurately.
Tsunade frowned. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised they want to avoid the dying, but it's still disappointing to hear. What of Waterfall and Rain?"
"The Rain ninjas have grown more insular as time has passed," Jiraiya chimed in. "Getting any information out of that country is a challenge; they have some of the tightest security on the continent, and possibly the best secrecy. I don't think they'll choose to help us, though; you remember Hanzou. He saw our alliance as one of convenience, and he won't hold to it now that it threatens to inconvenience him."
Shikaku spoke next. "Waterfall is a bit harder to read. Their top man died not too long ago, and was replaced by someone fairly young for the position, even in a smaller village. He's seemed open and honest, and their commitment to the alliance was sound in recent years, but if all of the other small countries declare neutrality his advisors may pressure him to follow suit. We've tried to encourage them to side with us, but the distance is significant; almost as far as to the Sand Village, so it takes time to pass word. We haven't had a chance to institute new secure communications protocols yet, so messages can't be sent quickly."
Tsunade absorbed the information quietly for a moment. "So, you all expect this war to boil down to us and the Sand ninjas against Orochimaru, is that correct?" she asked skeptically.
"Essentially, yes," Shikaku said after a moment of silence.
"No," Jiraiya disagreed.
Everyone looked at him in surprise, and he grimaced. "Tsunade is right, though I'm ashamed to say I didn't see it until she said something. We're all working on surface impressions, vague information, and past history. Orochimaru doesn't think like that. He doesn't care about traditions, and as twisted as he is, he has a gift for surprise, for finding the unexpected angle of attack. No one has ever impersonated a kage before, as he did, and he managed it for a minimum of a week; it's so audacious it would be preposterous if we hadn't seen it happen for ourselves. Think about it; it's unheard of for a minor nation to attack one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages alone, but he essentially declared war on us and the Sand ninjas at the same time. Orochimaru may be an overconfident madman, but he's no fool. If he started this fight, he expected to achieve his goals by doing so. I can't guarantee that he wants a military victory, but we must assume that he believes he can win this war."
Everyone was silent as they tried to comprehend what Jiraiya was saying.
"I don't see how it could be possible," Homura said finally. "The numerical difference is just too great."
"Jiraiya is correct," Shikaku disagreed. "I too saw this conflict in conventional terms, but Orochimaru has staged this carefully. He orchestrated the attack during the chuunin exams for a reason, and he did it now for a reason; he could have proceeded with this plan during any other examination that was held here, and the Leaf has hosted more such tests than any other nation in our alliance. There were ample opportunities. He started this war now because he was ready for it now. And if that is the case, we must try to determine what he has learned or done that made this the right time."
Those assembled there were sobered, but Tsunade spoke soon enough, and they focused on her words, taking strength from her presence and certainty.
"Koharu, Homura," she said, "I know you've been thorough, but I want you to talk to ANBU and our civilian connections. Look for anything strange going on in other countries, whether they're our allies or not, with an emphasis on Sound connections. I think we can designate the Mist Village as the lowest priority of the major powers, and the Frost and Hot Springs villages should be last for the minor powers. They'll never move without the Cloud ninjas or the Land of Iron doing so first. I doubt even Orochimaru would provoke or ensnare the samurai."
She looked at Shikaku next. "Examine our emergency deployments, and see how standard they were; how well they fit into typical strategic thinking for our village. I want your analysis as soon as possible. I suspect Orochimaru predicted our reaction to his attack, and I want to change that reaction as soon as we can to avoid giving him any opportunities."
Bear straightened slightly as Tsunade looked at him. "I know ANBU has too much to do already, but I want you to go over the days leading up to the attack again. Examine what we know, factoring in any new information from Ibiki. Orochimaru knows how we operate, in a general sense, but I think he must have had specific information before he replaced the Kazekage to bring this operation off in the time he had. That suggests an inside agent of some sort, whether willing, coerced, or entirely unwitting. It wouldn't surprise me if we found someone in his pay who thought they were reporting to, say, the Raikage. Dig deep."
She looked at all of them next. "I have no idea what kind of war this is going to be. The Sound Village is smaller than ours, weaker than ours, and a normal analysis would suggest that Orochimaru's only hope of survival would be to surrender. I think we can safely say that if he ever does, we couldn't accept such a surrender and trust it. He's a venomous serpent, and I expect everyone in this room to treat him as such. We're going to prepare for full-scale war, assume that the enemy could come from anywhere, and act accordingly."
The meeting continued for a little longer, but Tsunade didn't allow it to devolve into idle chatter. She tore away the complacency and the comfortable thought patterns that had taken root, leaving ordered urgency in her wake. They'd walked in to brief a new leader who had been away for years; they walked out rushing to obey their Hokage.
As the others departed, she saw Jiraiya, Hiruzen, and Shizune smiling slightly at her.
"Don't say it," she warned them.
"Say what?" Jiraiya asked. "That you're the right person for the job, just like we all knew?"
"That you gave them a kick in the rear they all needed," Shizune suggested.
"Or perhaps that you wear authority well for someone who never imagined herself a Hokage," Hiruzen said mildly.
Tsunade rolled her eyes. "If one of you doesn't get me a drink before the next meeting, you'll see a Hokage in a bad mood," she threatened.
They laughed at her.
…
"You're talking about more comprehensive measures than I expected," the feudal lord said after Tsunade laid out her plans. "I know Orochimaru is dangerous, but he has only one minor village at his command; do you think the Sand will side with him after all, or one of the other major powers?"
"I'm not willing to rule it out," Tsunade answered. "I know a complete mobilization will be expensive, even if I can't guess at the figures as easily or accurately as you probably could, but I believe that anything less than a full war footing would be a grave mistake. We've already lost time treating this as if it were an isolated incident or a small-scale conflict. We can't afford to compound that mistake. We will take losses before this is over, and we will need to step up our preparedness."
Despite himself, the feudal lord glanced at Hiruzen, but the old man said nothing until Tsunade signaled for him to speak his mind.
"She and Jiraiya both agree," Hiruzen said, "and I trust them more than myself when it comes to predicting and understanding Orochimaru. If it helps, you should know that Shikaku was persuaded, as I was."
The lord nodded thoughtfully. "Very well," he said. "I'm certain there will be grumbling about the expense, especially if you're proven wrong, but we face far worse consequences if we don't prepare. I'll have to head back to the capital to make all of the arrangements, but now that we have a fifth Hokage there's no pressing need for me to stay here, I suppose." He thought for a moment. "We can leave tomorrow or the day after."
"A shame," Lady Shijimi commented. "I had hoped to be here a little longer, since our visits are rarer than I like. But I suppose it cannot be helped." She looked at Tsunade. "Tell me, have you given thought to appointing a new jounin commander yet? Although we touched on the topic before, I know you've been quite busy."
"I have considered your recommendation," Tsunade said, "and he's certainly qualified, but I wonder why you're so set on Hatake Kakashi. He's regarded as more of a tactician than a strategist, even if he has some experience leading larger operations as well."
"I remember what you said about the rule forbidding clan heads from holding the post," Shijimi said, "and I think I agree, to an extent. If you want to create a new council seat for the ninjas not represented by the major clans, you certainly have every right to do so. Regardless, there are only a few people suited to take the post of jounin commander. If you look at some of the village's best and most senior, we have Gai, Kurenai, Asuma, Shikaku, and Hayate, as examples. Hayate's illness is not desirable. Gai is even more of a small-unit specialist than Kakashi, and Kurenai is too young and inexperienced for so much responsibility. Asuma and Shikaku are capable, but they have responsibilities as clan heads, and one of the reasons for the tradition is that filling both posts is a strain on anyone. Even without that, however, they tend to be defensively-minded first. Asuma guarded us well, but the truth is that he and Shikaku are both reluctant to take risks and attack. As are you."
Tsunade raised her eyebrows at that, but didn't argue immediately.
"I'm not criticizing you, dear," Shijimi said, "but you've always been a healer, and healers see the price of battle more quickly than the opportunities, I think. Kakashi came up through ANBU; he's accustomed to acting quickly and decisively to eliminate threats. I believe he will provide a needed perspective."
Tsunade nodded slowly. "You have a point there," she admitted. "I have always thought the Nara were quick to defend…they work so much on reading opponents, and their main technique is best at close range; that tends to promote defensive thinking as well."
She considered for a few moments longer, then looked at the others. "I'll meet with him, talk to him, and then decide whether he gets the job."
…
Kurenai and her students had been on duty for a few hours when Hinata stopped them.
"Sensei, someone is approaching from the west," Hinata reported. "A lone male Sand ninja in a great hurry. He appears to be fleeing from something, though I can't be certain yet; I see no pursuit."
"Can you get us ahead of him?" Kurenai asked.
Hinata hesitated momentarily. "Yes, but we will have little time."
"Do it," Kurenai ordered. "Shino, pass word back to the field outpost that we have a single male contact wearing a Sand forehead protector and are moving to intercept."
A small swarm of Shino's bugs flew off to the northeast as the team – four humans and a single dog – began to move through the treetops, with Hinata leading the way. They moved almost directly north, cutting the angle to arrive ahead of the Sand ninja. When they arrived, Kurenai had them use the time they had – perhaps one minute – to set a few simple traps and conceal themselves.
"Sensei," Hinata whispered. "He is bleeding from a small wound, and will arrive soon. There are others at the edge of my range; they wear Sound forehead protectors." She paused for a moment. "Eight so far. They appear to be in a pursuit formation."
Kurenai looked at Shino, and he nodded, indicating he was already passing on the new information. With luck, they'd have reinforcements coming shortly, but Kurenai knew that the distance was large enough they'd probably have to deal with this themselves.
One man being pursued by a group just screamed "messenger" or "deception", but guessing wrong could be catastrophic in either case, especially with the numbers as they were.
"Shino, Kiba," she ordered. "Have Akamaru and the bugs hide and prepare to ambush the group of eight from behind when I give the signal. If we can capture their squad leader alive, I want him, but our priority is to capture the lone man without killing him. I will disable him myself, with Kiba as backup. Hinata, keep an eye on the eight and tell me if I start running out of time."
Her team rearranged itself silently, as ordered, Akamaru taking a small pill from Kiba's hand and disappearing into the thick forest, while Shino's bugs left his body and did the same. Hinata indicated the spot where the Sand ninja would likely come into view.
Perhaps a minute later, he did so. He was bleeding steadily from a small cut on his left arm, and wore standard armor and camouflage with sheaths for three short swords; one of them was empty. The others held a wicked-looking serrated blade and a hooked blade, respectively. The man's face was covered by a plain mask, also in camouflage colors, but the Leaf team could see that he was bald.
He moved steadily enough, but it was obvious he was fatigued. When he came into view he stopped suddenly, drawing himself up, then dodged abruptly to his left, evading some illusory attack. As he came to a stop and began to express chakra, apparently suspecting that he was under a genjutsu, Kurenai struck him across the skull, caught his limp body before it could hit the ground, and carried him out of sight. She reappeared moments later.
The eight pursuers arrived only seconds after she hid herself, stopping as they saw their quarry's trail end. They were largely indistinguishable, an all-male group clearly made up of two squads, with the more experienced one leading.
Kurenai signaled her team.
Akamaru, Kiba, Hinata, Shino, and Kurenai herself all leapt from concealment at once. At the very same second, the enemy who had been tracing the lone man's path found his way to the spot where Kurenai had knocked him out; she detonated the pair of explosive notes she'd placed there, and the tracker was knocked to the ground, immobile and bleeding from the ears.
The first squad reacted to the explosion in a trained fashion, looking in every direction. What they saw was Yuuhi Kurenai, Inuzuka Kiba, and Akamaru attacking them, the latter two in identical beast-human hybrid forms with claws for fingers. Kurenai's opponent threw shuriken at her fellow attackers and then charged, trying to close with her. Kurenai's hands flashed into a set of seals, and her opponent saw her breathing a gout of flame; he flinched, reflexively trying to dodge, only to notice at the last second that he couldn't feel any actual heat. He was opening his mouth to warn his comrades to look out for genjutsu when Kurenai replaced herself with a standing stone to his left and kicked his jaw. He saw her in time to move with the blow, preventing her from breaking the bone, but her follow-up kick knocked the wind out of him as his hands reached for a pair of kunai. He rolled backward and back to his feet, throwing the first knife, and Kurenai caught it by the handle. They slashed at each other, too busy evading to speak, until she lured him forward and kicked dirt into his face. The man couldn't stop himself from blinking, and she seized his arm as it faltered mid-slash, pulling him forward. When he caught her other wrist in turn, she twisted her body to bring one leg up, striking his elbow with her knee. His joint was destroyed and the knife dropped from his limp fingers, and she slashed his wrists as she pulled her other hand free. She made sure of him and turned back to see who needed help, sparing a thought to execute the downed tracker with a pair of kunai on the way.
Kiba and Akamaru turned into blurry gray spirals flying through the air at their targets. Both men had seen Kiba, so Akamaru was able to blindside his target, ripping through the man's hamstrings with his claws and then seizing him by the ankles to swing him at his partner. That man, sensing an attack but unclear on the details, stabbed his own comrade in the chest. Hinata had guessed that he was the detachment's leader, and he recovered from the shock quickly enough to spring back and hurl a pair of shuriken at Akamaru as he turned to face Kiba, his hands flashing through a few seals. When they finished, he opened his mouth and a gust of wind poured out, kicking up dust that blinded Kiba for a moment. Kiba dodged to one side, unable to see but trusting his sense of smell to keep him out of danger, and then tried to approach from another direction.
Akamaru was circling and growling at the man, evading thrown projectiles. Kiba quickly pulled a smoke bomb from his belt and hurled it at the enemy, who turned and slashed at it, assuming it was something harmful. When the colored smoke expanded out of the container, he immediately tried to escape the cloud, but Akamaru caught his sleeve and wrenched him back, nearly dislocating his arm, and then let go before he could counter. He was still trying to pinpoint Akamaru when Kiba struck, hitting him from behind with his clan's rapid movement. Kiba knocked the man to the earth for a moment, but was forced to let him up to evade a killing blow from a kunai. He and Akamaru kept circling and snarling at the man, but after a few seconds they lost their advantage when an expanding spiral of wind formed around him, blowing the smoke away and revealing their positions. The man attacked, catching Kiba by surprise, and cut through his leg armor, inflicting a small wound on his thigh. Kiba stumbled slightly as he landed, and was saved only by Akamaru's intervention; his faithful dog nearly snapped his mouth shut on the man's wrist, forcing him to back off.
The other squad, to the rear, was attacked by Hinata and Shino, and had been the target of an illusion crafted by Kurenai as well. As Hinata sprang forward, they saw four of her, each attacking one of them. When their shuriken struck the "attackers", all four seemed to turn to crumbling earth, as if they had been earth clones. Meanwhile, the real Hinata had come close enough to strike. Her open palm hit the first enemy in the back, and his eyes widened in shock as he fell. Blood spurted from his mouth as her chakra-infused strike shredded his lungs and the surrounding blood vessels.
She was so shocked she hesitated for an instant. The man's death was enough to reveal the genjutsu to the remaining three, and they quickly broke it; Kurenai was too busy with her own battle to maintain it while all three were resisting. Shino, in the middle of attacking his target, was revealed prematurely as the illusion unraveled. He aborted his attack, rolling under a slash aimed at his head and then springing forward to get clear of the three enemies. One of them grabbed at his ankle, gripping it tightly and yanking him back so he fell to the ground. Shino rolled with the grab to land on his back, facing up, and kicked at the enemy's knees, forcing the man to jump. Shino's original target returned, slashing down at him with his sword.
Seeing her teammate in danger snapped Hinata out of her hesitation, and she lunged forward to deflect the blade with a burst of chakra, following up with a strike at the man's torso. He reversed his grip on his sword to thrust it at her stomach, and she twisted around the strike, grabbing his wrist and striking his shoulder instead. The chakra didn't tear his muscles, but it did cause them to spasm, and her follow-up strike to his chin sent a spike of chakra straight up into his brain, killing him instantly.
Shino, in the meantime, had managed to recover his feet. He quickly formed a pair of clones, simple images without substance, and charged the two enemies alongside one of his false images, while the other ran. One enemy threw shuriken at the two charging images of Shino, while the other leapt up to cling to the nearest tree with her feet and completed some hands seals, jerking a hand upward at the end. In response to the gesture, a claw of wind rose from the ground, slicing through the fleeing clone. Shino knew it would have shredded him in an instant if his enemies had guessed correctly. Instead, he knocked away three shuriken with a kunai, then threw the weapon at his enemies. They spotted the flash bomb attached to it and quickly reunited, standing back-to-back. When the flash cleared, the woman was completing another technique; the same expanding spiral of wind her comrade had used earlier, granting her and her partner a brief shield from attacks as they blinked to recover their sight. Even with their eyes closed when it went off, it was proving difficult. Individuals and teams tended to make their own flash bombs – or buy them – with varying intensities, and designed to last for different lengths of time. Shino's had lasted longer than was usual.
Shino's glasses were designed to resist such sudden brightness, so he was unaffected; Hinata had blindfolded herself before the battle began to avoid such distractions, knowing that her Byakugan would allow her to see everything regardless, and Kurenai had been prepared for the move, though she was not wholly unaffected.
Kiba and Akamaru didn't need their eyes to attack, and they charged together as soon as the wind dissipated. The other enemy turned to face them and threw a box which suddenly shifted into a hollow, spiky ball, like a giant caltrop, with pointed stakes extending in every direction; the two were forced to detour around it, slowing their advance. Hinata, however, was unhindered as she attacked from the other side, Shino standing above and behind her as he created basic clones in her image.
The female enemy, who had displayed such skill in wind techniques, struck at the Hinata on her far left. She faced the image sideways, her right leg coming up to kick out with her heel, then followed up with a pair of punches. Her blows passed cleanly through the empty space, but she began screaming in pain as she felt counterstrikes that never happened; her hands clutched at her stomach, trying to keep her guts from sliding out of the wide gash that wasn't there, until Kurenai followed up on the illusory attack. The real thing felt like mercy to the woman; it ended her pain and fear quickly.
The other Sound ninja, confronted with the true Hinata and one clone and quickly realizing that his partner had fallen prey to an illusion, dropped an explosive note and fled, attempting to make certain that he was not under an illusion himself as he did so.
Running back the way he had come so short a time ago, he saw his team leader's unconscious form on the ground, covered with bugs. Kiba and Akamaru had kept the man too busy reacting to notice his chakra being drained until it was too late. Now, the pair caught up to their fleeing foe; they forced him to go further into Leaf territory or engage them, and quickly steered him into a direction of their choosing. He tripped over one of the traps the team had had a chance to set before the fight began, sharpened wires slicing through one of his ankles so that he fell onto a set of linked explosive notes; Kiba detonated them. What remained after the blast wasn't even a complete corpse.
Kurenai and her team set about verifying the enemy deaths' and soon were left with a host of minor injuries and a pair of unconscious captives to move; the Sound squad leader was certainly an enemy, but the Sand ninja – a messenger, Kurenai was willing to bet – was more of a mystery.
She was grateful when backup arrived; they might be too late to help in the fight, but at least they were in time to help carry the captives. Kurenai was surprised to find the regional commander, Gekko Hayate, had led the group himself.
"It seems you did not need our help after all, Kurenai-san," he observed, coughing, after she delivered her report. "Your team is unharmed?"
"Minor wounds only, it appears," she answered. "I request relief from duty so we can look them over and make certain, however."
"Granted," he said, surveying the prisoners. "Sound ninjas this far south," he muttered to himself, before looking back at Kurenai. "Take your team back to the outpost, and tell them I'm impressed. Get every relevant detail from your team, and I'll deal with reporting in and prisoner transport first thing tomorrow."
"Thank you," she said. "I will."
…
When they got back, Kurenai quickly had them all looked over for wounds beyond the obvious, but it appeared they had been truly fortunate, despite a few close shaves. Shino would have died if Hinata were a moment slower against the sword-wielder, and she seemed to blame herself despite her success, as far as Kurenai could tell; she was avoiding eye contact with Shino for some reason. Kiba had also been extremely lucky; the cut on his thigh could have struck an artery if he or Akamaru had been a hair slower, but they'd been good and lucky and it appeared her team would survive the day with only some new scars and bruises to mark the occasion. With the exception of the battle at home, this was their first true combat against other ninjas; she looked at them all carefully, trying to determine what they needed, if anything.
Shino, though hard to read, seemed a bit unhappy; absent most of the usual tells, she had learned to look more closely at the set of his shoulders and eyebrows, and the way he held his hands. As they sat in the medical room, letting ointment dry on their injuries and covering some with bandages – Hinata and Kurenai helping each other when necessary to reach, while Kiba and Shino paired up similarly – Kurenai wasn't surprised to find the silence lingering, but she decided to break it.
"So," she said, "we need to discuss our performance. Any of you prepared to volunteer?"
No one said anything for a moment, and it was perhaps a first when the laconic Shino broke the silence.
"I did not perform up to the level of my team," he said, his voice unusually emotional. By anyone else's standards, he would still sound stoic.
"What makes you say that?" Kurenai asked.
"While I directed my insects effectively in disabling the enemy leader, my other combat skills were not sufficient to contribute on the same level as my teammates," Shino answered.
"But Shino-kun, you had sent some of your insects to pass the word to this outpost," Hinata protested. "After that, you also concentrated them to an unusually high degree to make sure we captured the enemy leader alive. Those were both important tasks."
"Yeah," Kiba agreed as he rubbed Akamaru's belly. The dog lay at his feet, occasionally licking playfully at his hand. "Akamaru and I had our hands full keeping that guy from getting rid of your bugs; he was sharp. If you'd used fewer, or we hadn't spent so much effort keeping him busy, he might have gotten away. Besides, we were outnumbered two-to-one!" Akamaru barked, and Kiba rolled his eyes. "Okay, but we were still outnumbered. Even with surprise on our side, we did good," he finished, looking at Kurenai. "Right, sensei?"
She smiled. "You did do well, yes," she said, and Kiba grinned proudly. Akamaru gave a bark of agreement, and Hinata seemed to cheer slightly.
"I do not dispute that the team performed well," Shino said, "but I am uncertain whether our performance as a whole was to my credit on this occasion."
"Huh?" Kiba muttered.
"He thinks he wasn't pulling his weight," Hinata said quietly. "I do not agree, Shino-kun," she said a moment later. "We won today, but we might have lost. In that event, your insects' message to our comrades, informing them of the situation, might have enabled them to respond fast enough to fulfill our strategic objectives even if we lost the battle and our entire squad died. While I prefer to have all of your allies present in a fight, the fact that the tactical situation forced you to weaken your combat abilities – largely depriving yourself of the ability to use insect clones and other techniques – is not your fault. You fulfilled your role effectively, and your improvisation at the end of the fight worked well."
Kurenai was a bit surprised, but not shocked; Hinata always seemed to show more spine and speak her mind more easily on a teammate's behalf. It seemed to work, too; Shino sat a bit straighter as she spoke, clearly taking her words to heart.
"I suppose I was overly focused on the tactical situation," Shino said. "Perhaps you are correct. In the future, other assignments and situations are unlikely to impose the same requirements on me."
"Yeah," Kiba agreed. "Hinata's right. Today you had to let us take the lead, but next time we may end up supporting you."
"Any other thoughts about what happened?" Kurenai asked.
Hinata seemed on the verge of speaking, but stopped short again. Kurenai thought for a moment, and suspected that she knew what might be bothering the girl.
Kiba spoke up next. "I thought we coordinated the ambush pretty well. They didn't really recover from the initial surprise until near the end, and by that time we had numbers on our side. I'm not saying we were perfect," he continued hastily, looking at Kurenai, "but I think we did a good job playing to our strengths, keeping the fight on our terms so they couldn't get an edge. And Shino's the one who let us take their leader captive," he said pointedly.
Kurenai nodded. "All right. I'll be going through our mistakes later, and I want a detailed report from each of you for intelligence on enemy techniques, fighting style, teamwork, every detail you remember. Understand, all of you; you were good today, but you were also lucky. If we'd been up against more experienced enemies, this probably would have gone very differently, and I expect we'd have found ourselves running away until we could link up with the relief force Hayate brought. For now, get some rest. Shino, Kiba, I'm sure you want to give your animals another look."
The two young men rose, leaving the medical area of the outpost. Shino began to examine the health of his insects, and Kiba carried on a brief conversation with Akamaru as he examined the dog, making certain he was unharmed.
Kurenai stopped Hinata before she could leave.
"Is something wrong, Hinata?" she asked.
Hinata hesitated to speak, and she might as well have shouted "Yes!"
"I know it must not have been easy to take a life for the first time," Kurenai said gently. Although she had done well during the attack on the village, Hinata had fought to disable, then. It had been a habit from so much time spent training, instead of fighting for her life, and Kurenai had made a point of reminding her that such behavior could endanger her – or her teammates – in wartime. She'd been careful to avoid making it a criticism, but even so it had obviously been difficult for Hinata to hear.
"It's not that, sensei," she said in the tone of a confession. "I mean, that…I am worried about that, but there was something else."
Kurenai waited, letting the silence build until Hinata was ready to speak.
"I hesitated," she said in a horrified whisper, looking down as if not seeing Kurenai would somehow help. When Kurenai continued to wait, she felt the need to explain.
"One of them was attacking Shino-kun with a sword, and I had just killed the other one, and I was almost too slow," she said, the words pouring out in a quiet torrent as tears began to drip down her face. "I didn't mean to, but…I almost got him killed because I didn't want to kill."
Kurenai's compassion fought with her sternness and won, and she reached out, embracing the young woman and pulling her close. Hinata stiffened at first and then shook, arms blindly embracing Kurenai as if holding onto her last lifeline.
"Hinata," she said quietly, "there's no shame in hesitating before or after your first kill. It has an impact on everyone. After my first kill, I was a wreck for a week until I spoke to my sensei – he helped me move on. It happens. And when you saw that Shino was in danger, you acted; that is what matters."
Hinata's tears slowed, and she soon stopped shaking. Kurenai held her for a while, feeling a pang of unclear emotion when they finally let go of each other. She wiped the tear trails from her student's face with part of a bandage, then gripped her shoulders firmly.
"Hinata," she said, "you did well today. You killed two of the seven enemies we faced. You saved Shino from death, and provided vital intelligence to guide our team to the right spot in the first place and prepare us for the battle ahead. Without you there, I would probably not have been able to disable the lone Sand ninja so quickly, and we would have been forced to deal with the unknown and the confirmed enemy force at the same time. This was as much your victory as anyone's."
With that, she stood. "Don't forget to change your bandages later, and to write your report for Hayate."
Kurenai left the room, giving Hinata time to collect herself.
She sought out Shino first, estimating he'd be easier to talk to.
"So," she asked, "did your teammates adequately address your concerns?"
"They did," Shino said.
That was that, really. As far as Kurenai could tell, Shino wouldn't even shade the truth with his teammates, allies, and friends, unless there was some sort of security issue involved. As students went, it made him refreshingly straightforward to deal with, if not always easy.
"Did you lose many insects?" she asked.
"I did not," he answered. "While their leader's wind techniques killed or injured some as a side effect, none of the enemy targeted them deliberately. With the chakra my insects took from him, they should be able to replenish their numbers in approximately three days, if I have time to focus on their breeding and gestation. If not, I estimate one week until I am at full capability once again."
"Understood," she replied. "In that case, I will allow you to focus. Don't forget to rest yourself as well, and change your bandages when it's time. Hayate will want our reports before tomorrow morning."
The last one was the hardest, in a way.
"Kiba," she said as she approached and sat next to him. Her last student was sitting with his dog in a corner of the outpost. It was dim, a bit warm, and the ground was fairly soft.
"Sensei," he said politely. "Something going on?"
"In a sense," she said. "You've been a bit different since the attack on the village. I didn't want to say anything because you have a right to your privacy, but I'm a bit concerned after this engagement."
"Concerned about what?" he asked. His jaw tightened slightly, giving away that he suspected the answer.
"About your attitude," she said bluntly. "Specifically, the look on your face when you caught that last enemy in the trap and blew him up."
Kiba grimaced slightly. "He was an enemy. I killed him. What's the problem?"
Kurenai looked at him steadily. "What you did was fine. Appropriate, even. The tactics were sound. The problem is that you seemed to enjoy it a bit too much. That's not a habit you want to form, and it's not something I'll tolerate on my team. We're trained fighters, not bloodthirsty bandits out to satisfy a grudge – no matter who we're fighting or how much they deserve it."
Kiba ground his teeth together. "They attacked us," he grumbled sullenly. "Nobody made them do it."
"Inuzuka Kiba," she said sharply. "Look at me. Now."
He did, finally meeting her eyes. He looked a bit wild, as well as angry and bitter.
"I've lost people before," she said. "Most of us have. Most of us will again, whether in this war or on a contract or in some other fight. We don't kill for enjoyment. We kill to protect our homes, our country, ourselves, and each other. We kill because it's our job. I know your clan lost a number of good people – and dogs – when Orochimaru attacked. But you need to get over it. Be angry all you want, but if your emotions surface during combat, they'll start to affect how you fight. After that, they'll start to affect why you fight, and if you're lucky you'll be the only one who dies when you make a mistake because you were angry instead of thinking. If you're very unlucky, you'll survive that mistake and a teammate will die for you. Hinata, maybe. Or me. Or Akamaru." She paused. "Are we clear?"
"Yeah," he said. "Sorry. I just- I just want to get them back for it. And I don't think I'm ever going to be in Orochimaru's league."
"You probably won't," Kurenai said. "Most ninjas die – whether in battle or from old age – without reaching that level. But if you want to live long enough to have a chance, you need to deal with this."
Kiba closed his eyes and nodded. "I will."
"Good," Kurenai said. "Don't forget to change your bandages later and to write your report for Hayate."
Her work done for the moment, she walked away to steal a few minutes to herself, trying to think of anything she had missed. Her students weren't unusually fragile, but they were hers and they were at a tricky stage in their development, and she was determined to help them to the best of her ability.
There were still things to do; she needed to collect the reports of her students and write her own to be sent back home. She would need to follow up on the conversation with Hinata, to make certain the point had sunk in, and to watch the two boys for the same reason. But that could wait a little while, and she was exhausted.
For now, Kurenai found the women's area of the outpost, slumped against a wall, and let herself drop off to sleep, thanking fate that her students had survived the day. She couldn't imagine outliving any of them; even losing Akamaru would be a major blow. It was fortunate that Shino's bugs were numerous enough he didn't get attached to specific individuals, although she imagined he would be upset if he lost a colony.
But for now, they were all right. That made it a good day.
…
END CHAPTER
Leaf Village Intelligence Division Report on Waterfall Village: Current Summary
Although the Land of Meadows is not the largest of the minor countries, it has a fairly large population, much like the Land of Rice Fields. The country has prospered somewhat as a result of remaining independent and staying out of the worst fighting in past major wars. Among the continent's minor powers, the Hidden Waterfall Village is heavily militarized, which has allowed them to maintain that independence; they have consistently been strong enough that a major campaign would be necessary to crush them, and the costs have always been unacceptable for both us and the ninjas of Stone. Given the weakness of the Rain and especially Grass ninjas in the past, and the geography of the region, the Land of Twilight has always made for a more easily accessible invasion corridor, as has the Land of Rain on many occasions. The Waterfall ninjas have fought some conflicts with Grass ninjas to their south and the Tree ninjas who live east of them, as well as minor skirmishes with our forces and, more frequently, Stone ninja scouts, but the land has not suffered a full-scale war for many years.
This history of relative peace has helped to attract farmers and merchants fleeing from war-torn lands, some of whom have stayed. While the nation lacks major economic influence, unlike the Lands of Rice Fields and Iron, recent estimates suggest that the new leader, although young, has maintained military strength and readiness levels, firmly securing his village's place as the sixth strongest power on the continent.
Given the uncertainty surrounding Orochimaru and the extent of his military buildup and recruitment efforts, it is likely that the Sound Village has now surpassed Waterfall, but not by too great a margin, after the losses suffered in the surprise attack against us. Analysts agree that the Waterfall Village and the Land of Meadows, which have benefited so strongly from maintaining neutrality in the past, will likely continue to hold that position. Past dealings with the village have included mutually profitable exchanges of information for money, usually intelligence on the Stone Village; we suspect they have had similar dealings going in the other direction, but no vital intelligence has ever been sold, to our knowledge.