No I don't own Naruto. Do you know what his fan-girls would do to me if I did?
Back in Konoha!
Chapter Twenty Three Part One: A Portrait of Madness
Breathing steadily, Sakura ran through the forest early in the morning. The sky was clear, the air was fresh, and for once the exercise was energizing rather than exhausting. For the first time in a while, the young Genin was content. Ever since joining Team Eight, Sakura was pushed past her physical limits more than at any other time in her life. To help her conditioning, Kurenai sensei had encouraged her to begin an independent calisthenics program. Between special stretches and taijutsu kata, the young Kunoichi found herself enjoying an occasional early morning run. It got her blood pumping, and allowed her to practice her observational tracking while moving at high speeds. All in all, it was an excellent way to get stronger.
The practice had even started to include chances for team bonding. While Shino was not overly interested in such exercise, Kiba had been joining her more and more lately. Not only was it a good chance for him to work on his combo moves with Akamaru, the morning runs gave him a chance to avoid his household for the moment. While he was somewhat slow in opening up, Sakura had gathered that the tension between his mom and sister was only getting worse. Rumors around the village had spoken of public fights, cumulating with a near-brawl in the market district last week. However, with Hana's current mission keeping her away, Kiba was notably absent this morning. Perhaps Tsume-san was getting lonely with all the issues lately. It was too bad though. When he was not trying to be a jerk, the Inuzuka was actually a lot of fun to hang out with.
Trying to enjoy the solitude while she could, Sakura noticed someone unusual. Sitting in front of a canvas, was a young girl. Although somewhat pale, her silky brown hair swayed elegantly in the breeze. With a little work, Sakura thought the odd teen would look quite lovely. Slowing down, she approached the figure, honestly a little curious. Between her time in the Academy and Civilian schools, the Kunoichi thought she was familiar with most of the younger members of the village. Yet this girl was completely unknown to her. So, in the matter of teenage girls, she decided to see if this was a potential friend or foe.
Clearing her throat, Sakura gave her brightest smile. "Hello, I'm sorry to bother you. But I saw you painting and thought I would take a look. My name is Haruno Sakura, what's yours?" However, despite her best Naruto impression, the girl remained focused upon her art work. Sweat dropping, Sakura wondered if it was just a blonde thing. Naruto and Ino seemed capable of striking conversations up with anyone at the drop of a hat using some simple kindness. Yet her attempt had fallen flatter than a pancake. Sometimes life was just not fair.
A bit on the irritated side, the young Kunoichi was about to try again before noticing something odd. Looking closely at the painting, Sakura turned to the unknown girl. "What the heck? Why do you have the Hokage Tower on fire?" Not to say that it was poorly done or anything. In fact, the detail was so good it was almost like she could reach out and touch it. Where had such a talented artist been hiding all this time? Of course, the pink haired girls thoughts where interrupted by a sudden rumbling. Looking around, Sakura was shocked by the sight of a bolt of lightning striking the tower, making a fire that matched the painting.
Looking on in shock, Sakura turned towards the girl only to be shoved out of the way. Getting up, she was treated to the sight of two odd medical ninja subduing the girl quickly and efficiently. Worried about a possible assault, she reached for a kunai only to be stopped by the appearance of an ANBU. "Stand down Genin. This is a matter of village security. You will leave here and forget what you have seen." Gulping, Sakura was forced to watch helplessly as the unknown girl was dragged away without so much as an introduction. Just what was going on here?
Shaking her head, Sakura realized that she had to hurry to make practice on time. Picking up speed, she thought about the girl again. Someone who warranted their own ANBU guard and medic team had to be important. But if the person was really dangerous, they would have been kept in the prison. That meant that the girl had some sort of political position, so she probably belonged to one of the clans. Maybe Shino or Kiba had heard of her? If so, she had better get there to ask! Goal firmed, Sakura moved as quickly as she dared. This was going to bother her until she got to the bottom of it!
-----
Kurenai always thought of herself as a serous Kunoichi. It was a dangerous and dark profession, forcing them to do anything from assassinations to seductions. Luckily, due to the fact that she was so skilled in genjutsu, the Jonin had never had to take one of the latter missions to its full conclusion. That did not mean that she lacked a sense of humor though, and the sight of a singed and grumpy Jiraiya, greatest pervert of Konoha would normally force her to crack a smile. Tragically, the subject of the conversation was serious enough to keep any expression off of her face. Her first failure as a teacher was always going to be a sore point for the Jonin.
Sitting at the Hokage's desk, the Toad Sage was fuming. "Kurenai, I know that I sometimes come off as an idiot when it comes to women, but what the hell where you thinking?" Slamming his hand next to an open scroll, he glared at her as if she had set one of his books on fire. "The Yakumo situation was extremely delicate, and while I don't always agree with the views of the old man, this time he was right on the money! The Kurama abilities in genjutsu are amazing, but to have one of their greatest prodigies unable to control such power would have been a nightmare! Sealing her skills was the only option available and I for one am thankful that it was authorized."
Pointing to the scroll once again, Jiraiya practically growled. "However, I am not known for a mastery of seals for nothing! As her sensei, it was your responsibility to insure that Yakumo never became a threat to herself or others. Yet, instead of properly sealing off her chakra to insure the end of it, you instead decided to use a secondary bonding seal which only prevented her from molding chakra! That power was still there, straining against the bonds and strengthening over time, only to come out full blast today! If it has grown powerful enough, your seal will be rendered useless and Yakumo will be that much more dangerous than before!"
This was the fear that had haunted Kurenai since taking on Team Eight full time. The idea of teaching was one that the Genjutsu mistress valued beyond all others. Watching her Genin grow and develop under her teachings brought a smile to her face and a light to her soul. It did not matter how many people she had killed or ruined as a ninja when she could feel that moment of enlightenment from a pupil. It was that love of teaching that had led her to Yakumo, a girl that reminded her of her own skill at that age, in the first place. But it was those feelings for that student that had led to her insufficient bonding of Yakumo's powers. She could simply not bring herself to extinguish such a lovely light, and had allowed her emotions to rule her decisions. Such sentimentality had now led to the situation and a rapidly shrinking set of options.
Straightening out her back, the Genjutsu mistress faced the dressing down without complaint. Honestly, she deserved it to some degree and would allow the leader to vent. That did not mean she was willing to sacrifice her career at the moment. "I was simply ordered to remove her abilities in Genjutsu. The mechanism I chose at the time seemed sufficient. I am unsure through what means Yakumo has continued to develop her Genjutsu abilities to the point of breaking the seal, but I admit I did not anticipate them. For that oversight, I honestly apologize."
Sighing, Jiraiya rubbed his eyes in irritation. "That's not good enough Kurenai. I might be a little peeved at the village populace right now, but that doesn't mean I want a teenager with a grudge summoning lightning bolts to wreck the place! I've seen the results of this sort of formula before. Effectively, all you did was prevent her conscious mind from molding jutsu. That did nothing for her unconscious mind that, if the reports are accurate, was not the most stable thing around. If her subconscious hatred and fears overwhelms her mind, Yakumo will be designated a threat to Konoha and eliminated stop any further destruction. What do you have to say to that, Jonin?"
Sighing, Kurenai knew that Jiraiya was right. In a way, she was responsible for the current crisis, and it was not something that could simply be overlooked. That left her with one option. "I humbly ask to go to Yakumo's current residence and attempt a proper sealing once again. Yakumo was my student and I am the best one to deal with the situation. However, I must ask that, in order to prevent a repeat of this situation, I be removed as sensei from Team Eight. It would be unfair to their development if I was to also fail them in such a manner." Plus, after losing Yakumo again, she would be in no shape to deal with teaching for a while, if ever again.
-----
Petting Akamaru, Sakura felt much calmer. Like Kiba, the little puppy was shameless around girls and sought out comfort any chance he got. Unlike Kiba, Akamaru was cute and fun to pamper. "So when I came up to her, I noticed that the painting was wrong. It had angry clouds in the sky with lightening everywhere, while it's perfectly nice out today. But when I went to correct her, the weather changed to match the portrait. Next thing I know, the Hokage's Tower is on fire and two medical ninja where subduing her. Then an ANBU came out of nowhere and told me to forget about it. I don't know anyone besides a clan member who would warrant that much attention. Do either of you have an idea who she might be?"
Frowning, Kiba leaned back against a tree. "Sorry Sakura, but Hana was the one who paid attention to all that crap. I know the basics of who belongs to what family, but a random girl painting in the middle of nowhere doesn't ring any bells. Unless the family is in hiding or something I can't think of any particular group that it might be. What about you Shino? You know of any girls from the clans around our age with decent artistic skills?"
Pushing his glasses up, the bug ninja shook his head. "I am also at a loss. The facts that you have presented us do suggest someone with clan standing. Yet no one that I am familiar with matches such a description. Perhaps Sensei will have an idea when she gets here. Jonin are usually tasked to be familiar with all the clan heirs in case of emergency or possible kidnapping threats." Sighing, Sakura had to agree. If anyone would know someone like that it would be a Jonin. Hopefully, Kurenai-sensei would be in the mood to talk before practice.
Lying down, Sakura felt Akamaru settle down in a ball on her stomach. Giggling, she started to stare at the clouds to relax. But no matter how hard she tried, the young Kunoichi could not get the image of the odd girl out of her mind. How could someone cause something like lightening so easily? It really had been amazing. Giving up trying to distract herself as a bad job, she wondered out loud. "I wonder if the painting was the center of a ninjutsu ritual or something. That would be kind of incredible, wouldn't it?"
"While the timing is suspect, there are a few problems with that theory. The amount of chakra required to pull off such a destructive technique would be quite notable, and any patrol team of ANBU would have noticed long before she managed to execute the jutsu. In addition, you were right there and she did not attempt to stop your interference. If an enemy Kunoichi, she would have acted against any threat before attempting to destroy the Hokage's Tower. Finally, you could not have been more than ten feet from her from the start of the incident. How could she release such an effect without you noticing the use of Chakra?" Listening to Shino's argument, Sakura couldn't help but frown. Those were actually some very good points. How would something like that be possible?
Before the discussion could get any more heated, Kurenai appeared only slight late. Getting to her feet, Sakura was about to ask the Jonin questions before looking at her face. Something was bothering the woman, and for her to actually show so much expression meant it had to be huge. "I apologize for being late, but Jiraiya-sama had an important assignment for me. It will occupy an undetermined amount of time, so I will not be available to help with your training for the immediate future. I have just come from talking with Asuma, and he has agreed to run a series of joint exercises for the next few days. If this takes longer than Team Ten is available, I have requested that he help arrange alternate training. In worse case, please request additional training from your respective clans."
Shocked by the abrupt dismissal, Sakura shivered. Over the last few months of work, she had begun to really look up to her new sensei. Kurenai was a tough but fair instructor, and made a point of trying to teach the younger Kunoichi to the best of her considerable ability. Never before had she felt such a sense of pride in her accomplishments, and to have it stop so abruptly was difficult to contemplate. Sakura knew that, as a Jonin, Kurenai might be assigned missions that where more than the team could handle, but having it shoved in her face left her feeling cold. Forcing herself to calm down, Sakura tried to stay positive. "Sensei, do you have any suggestions about my Genjutsu training? If you're going to be gone, I probably should get some additional practice in while the others are working with their clans."
Stiffening, Kurenai turned to face her newest student. Sakura could not quite place the look in her eye, but it left her feeling unsettled. "For the moment I would suggest suspending your genjutsu training while I am unavailable to supervise. I am, after all, the most qualified to deal with it. Now I think that Team Ten is waiting in training ground seven, so you had better move out." Not waiting for a response the Kunoichi leapt away. Turning to Shino, Sakura saw signs of her own confusion at Sensei's behavior. Why the hell did she sound so bitter about the being the best to handle genjutsu training?
-----
Launching herself from branch to branch, Kurenai allowed her thoughts to wander. Here, alone in the trees of Konoha, she was safe enough to contemplate her own thoughts without being reviewed. As proud as she was of her team, their ability to read emotions was sometimes irritating. Shino had clearly realized something was wrong, and Sakura of all people was not far behind him. As annoyed as she had been with the girl initially, Kurenai had to admit she had grown. In fact, training the younger Kunoichi in genjutsu was actually quite satisfying. That did not mean that she wanted to discuss her past with Kurama Yakumo. While close to her team, there had to be some boundaries. Of course, that old pervert had to insist that they remain her team, misgivings or no.
Looking at her, Jiraiya shook his head. "I know that I said that I come off as something an idiot at times Kurenai, but I would never do something so foolish. I've seen you with those kids, and they practically worship the ground you walk on! Do you have any idea what sorts of damage it could do to them to have the one person they admire beyond all others turn their back on them? It's just not worth the risk."
Standing the Toad Sage sighed. "That doesn't even take into account just how good you are as their Sensei. Each is showing a level of growth that I would be surprised to see with another year of training under their belt. Their coordination, offensive and defensive abilities are just too effective to be ignored. Even with the inclusion of Haruno, Team Eight is still one of the best Genin squads in the field. Besides, it's not like we have that many available Jonin right now, and no one else I would trust to train a veteran Genin team. Most would have to start from the ground up when molding them. These kids would just compare any other sensei to you and that would ruin their leader's ability to control them. I'm sorry Kurenai but I have no plans to allow you to abandon this team."
Biting her lip, Kurenai tried to make him see reason. As much as she loved teaching, she would not be able to focus on the problem if she had to worry about Team Eight at the same time. "Please, Jiraiya-sama I beg of you. As the Yakumo issue shows, I have major issues being a Sensei. Team Eight might follow me today, but what would happen if something I showed them or did not show them caused another situation like this? Until I can fix my mistake, I do not believe I can be trusted with the welfare of students." It hurt to admit that, but the Regent left her with no choice. It really was for the best that things be ended before they went wrong again.
Turning to face her, Jiraiya fixed the Jonin with a glare. "If I was to remove you from your post there would be a couple of conditions. First, you would have to bring your Genin team here right now. Then, we would go over the details of the Kurama Incident in detail. You would be required to give them the unedited truth concerning every aspect of the situation including Yakumo's loss of control with her parents. Then, you would have to see if they would be willing to allow you to be released from your duties as their Sensei after understanding the entire situation. Are you willing to do that?"
Few things could shock Kurenai, but what the Sannin described left her gaping. The entire list of demands was outrageous! "You know I cannot do that! Not only would it reveal several high security facts to people without proper clearance, it would violate a direct order from the Sandaime! No matter what my personal or professional feelings on the subject, I would never do something like that! You should know better than to ask!"
Slamming his hand against the wall, Jiraiya smirked at her. "Just as I should know better than to violate a direct order from the Sandaime, you should know better than to make me violate a directive from the Godaime! You were instructed to focus on training your team and bringing Haruno Sakura up to speed. This wasn't just to help develop your Genin, but protect you as well! You are one of the few who are aware of what exactly Tsunade is hiding, and as painful as it might be, you are worth more alive training a Genin team than out in the field acting as a full Jonin! That is your mission and you shall not fail it!" Shocked, Kurenai felt herself sit down. She had not thought of it in quite a light before.
Sighing, the Toad Sage retook his seat. "Do not presume to believe that you are the first ninja to feel like a failure. There are so many things in my life that I have regretted it's not even funny. In all honestly, I don't think that this situation is completely your fault. The Sandaime should have mandated a stronger seal, or in the worst case scenario contacted me to do the sealing personally. You both underestimated the girl, and now we're left with this mess." Leaning back, the Sannin gave a tired chuckle. "That being said, it would be kind of hypocritical for me not to allow you a chance to fix your mistakes. So let's see what we can do."
In the end, she had been allowed a short sabbatical to try to evaluate Yakumo and determine how damaged her seal had become. Then, she would be responsible for repairing the seal or calling Jiraiya-sama to fix it himself. However, upon the completion of her mission, she would return to teaching Team Eight. They simply needed her too much to be abandoned like that. Despite her misgivings, Kurenai found herself smiling at the thought. It was nice to be wanted every now and then.
Her moment of introspection was cut short by an instinctive warning. Jonin instincts earned from years of hard work had the Genjutsu mistress halting at once. Although nothing seemed out of place, and they were still deep in Konoha territory, Kurenai was still on alert. This time of day there should be more noise from the local wild life. So, either she had startled them, unlikely at the speeds she had been traveling, or something was seriously wrong. Grabbing a kunai, she decided the second option. This was proven correct by the barrage of weaponry coming right at her.
-----
After hearing from Asuma-sensei that she and Shikamaru would be working with Team Eight today while he helped out Chouji with his special moves, the young Yamanaka had been thrilled. She and Sakura had not had a chance to properly spar in weeks and she was looking forward to the challenge. However, upon looking her friend over, Ino knew something was wrong. The other girl was clearly distracted, and it reflected in their training. While it was a lot harder to catch Sakura off guard, Ino could tell she was holding back for some reason. So she waited until everyone was taking a break before finding out what was happening. Maybe in her exhausted state, Sakura would be more willing to open up?
Sitting down, Ino unleashed her best smile. It tended to make boys walk into walls, but most of her friends just got relaxed. She only used it when she was being honest and no one she was close with had anything to fear from that. "So what's bothering you Sakura? You should have put up more of a fight than that! I know you can do better than this!" Of course, her tact could sometimes go out the window, but such is life.
Sighing, Sakura looked up at the clouds with a forlorn expression on her face. "I'm just worried about Kurenai-sensei. It was so weird to have her leave like that, and her expression really concerned me. It was like she was trying to hide something, and didn't really want to. It could not have meant anything good." Seeing her depression growing, Ino patted her on the back. She had done the same thing when trying to figure out if a boy liked her or not.
"I think you're just over thinking this a bit. I mean, Kurenai-sensei is a Jonin and it is expected for her to get different missions every now and then. We don't exactly have a lot of Jonin lying around at the moment to take care of things. She was probably just worried about whatever she would have to do." Of course, it would have to go without saying that if Sakura was good enough to read the emotions of a Jonin that she would eat her new cloak.
Clearing his throat, Shino decided to intercede. "As unlikely as it might be, I agree with Sakura on this. I have worked closely with Kurenai-sensei for many months now, and the signs of distress where fairly obvious. As a Jonin she is very strong, but she does tend to drop her barriers around those she cares for. Coupled with the odd events from this morning, and it looks very suspicious." Blinking, Ino turned towards Sakura for more information. There had been something odd going on that she had missed? That just could not stand!
Pinching her nose, Sakura looked at her in resignation. "The short version is that I met someone during my morning run. It was some strange pale girl painting, and I noticed that the picture didn't match what she was looking at. It was supposed to be the Hokage Tower, but there where all these storm clouds and stuff. But when I tried to point that out, this storm came out of nowhere and lightning struck the tower. Before I could do anything else, two medic ninja came and subdued her while an ANBU told me to get lost. That kind of treatment sounded like someone in the clans, but Shino and Kiba had no idea who she was and Kurenai-sensei left before I could ask." Frowning, Ino saw what they were talking about. Predicting an attack like that did sound kind of suspicious.
Wait a second, did she hear that right? "Did you say it was a pale girl who was painting?" Seeing the other nod, Ino frowned. That sounded so damn familiar, it was on the tip of her tongue. "Was she was around our age, with long brown hair and an absurdly clear complexion?" Seeing Sakura's eyes go wide, Ino knew that she had hit pay dirt. But what was going on here? "Why the hell would the heir of the Kurama clan do something like that?" Noticing the intense attention of everyone else in the field, Ino sighed. This was going to be a headache.
-----
Dodging, Kurenai mentally cursed as another barrage of weapons nearly pierced her side. Something about this clearing was horribly suspect, but with all the attacks aimed at her blind spots, she lacked the time needed to figure out what. With that unwelcome distraction affecting her balance, the Genjutsu mistress was a sitting duck. Feeling the sting of a near miss, she finally substituted herself behind a tree. Unless something changed quickly, she was going to be in real trouble!
Taking a moment to collect her thoughts, Kurenai examined the field once again. She knew that there was not much time available before the assailants renewed their assault, so she had to work quickly. Taking into account everything her senses where telling her, the experienced Kunoichi realized just what the problem was. The plant life was not moving in synch to the flow of the air. That meant a very advanced Genjutsu beyond what most were capable of! Flaring her chakra, the Genjutsu Mistress dispersed the illusion, revealing her enemy.
Two unfamiliar Chunin where waiting in the middle of the clearing. Their skin tone was somewhat sallow, and muscle development indicated a non-confrontational specialty. Other than that, nothing about the enemy's physical characteristics stood out. No, the shocking thing was that each wore the mark of Leaf ninja! Besides her, there was only one party of Leaf ninja capable of such high level Genjutsu. The Kurama clan had apparently decided to take matters into their own hands.
Unfortunately for them, Kurenai was considered the strongest non-clan prodigy in the field of Genjutsu currently available. That meant that she knew all their possible tricks, and had a few of her own to boot. Forming hand seals, Kurenai leapt at the two ninja, apparently attempting a suicidal charge. Sighing, the taller Kurama threw a kunai, causing the attacking Kunoichi to disperse into sakura petals. "Give us some credit, Kurenai. You are very skilled, but only an idiot would fall for a technique that simple."
"Lucky for me then that both of you are worse than idiots." Before they could comprehend her odd comment the scattered petals transformed into clinging vines. Shouting in shock, the two Kurama ninja began to slash at the rapid plant growth, only to be restrained by the much stronger, layered illusion. Smirking a bit in victory, Kurenai began to move as quickly as she could towards the safe house. As good as she was that technique could not restrain a Kurama for very long.
Wincing, the Jonin realized that the exchange had not been totally in her favor. One of their final barrage of kunai had sliced deeply into her side, drawing blood. As a ninja, she was trained to fight through pain, but this injury could become dangerous if left untreated for too long. However none of that mattered right now. If the Kurama felt strong enough to kill someone under the Hokage's personal protection, then she had no time to waste. For all she knew, a dozen other ninja could already be attacking her old student. Kurenai might have let Yakumo down once before, but she would be damned if that happened again! Hearing the newly freed Kurama ninja swearing, she began to push herself even faster.
-----
Standing before her peers, Ino began to feel like an Academy Sensei. Everyone was curious about who the heck was so important, and eagerly awaited her information. Biting back a giggle, the Kunoichi suddenly felt nostalgic. This was the first time since moving out of the clan properties that she had shared juicy gossip with her fellow Genin. It was just as much fun as she remembered. Although the fact that Shikamaru did not know this was a little odd. Why did the Nara never talk with one another? It could not all be troublesome.
"Alright, the Kurama Clan has been around for awhile. In terms of status, they're right around the Yamanaka, Nara and Akimichi clans. But instead of specializing in a specific set of techniques, they had a powerful kekkei genkai. Where our clans have unique skills developed over time, the Kurama were just prodigies at Genjutsu. Their natural talent was so incredible, that some enemies could be convinced to kill themselves from the intensity. From what I hear, besides certain ANBU, Kurenai is the only one to have talent in Genjutsu to that degree." Watching everyone pay attention, Ino preened a bit. This was so much fun!
Taking a new lecturing pose, the blonde sighed. "Unfortunately, the Kurama have been in decline over the last few generations. Some masters died on missions without passing on their knowledge. Other members had unusually low birth rates, weakening them further. If things continue to progress like this, the Kurama clan will be lost within another couple of generations." Noting Sakura's shocked expression, Ino shrugged. "It happens every now and then. Between war and bad luck, the strongest of clans can fall. Anyways, the girl you described sounds like Kurama Yakumo the current clan heir. Apparently, she's the strongest prodigy the clan has produced in years."
Frowning, Kiba scratched his nose. "I don't get it. If this clan used to be such a big deal, why haven't Shino and I ever heard of it? At the same time, why do you know so much about them? If they've grown so weak, shouldn't they be trying to make alliances with the other clans or something? At the very least, I would have thought the clan elders would have arranged a marriage for the girl already. That sort of thing always makes the rounds of the village social network."
Smirking, Ino winked. "That's where it get's interesting! Yakumo is reported to be a genius level Genjutsu user, but very physically weak. She probably would have faded into obscurity because of this if a certain incident didn't happen." Seeing that she had everyone's attention, the Yamanaka went for the kill. "You see, not long after her parents pulled her from the program, someone killed them with a power fire technique. The whole Yamanaka clan went nuts trying to find who might have done something like that. I don't know if they ever found the person who did it, but not long after that, Yakumo was isolated from the village. Some think that it's a power ploy by her uncle or something, but the whole thing stunk when I first heard it. Officially, she's undergoing medical treatments in the mountains. Unofficially, she's in exile for something no one is willing to talk about! Weird, isn't it?"
Sighing, Shikamaru shook his head. "How are you able to make something like this seem so troublesome, Ino? There has to be more to it than that, or the ANBU wouldn't be involved. Clan affairs are handled by the clan after all. So something about that girl must be an official threat to the village." Gaping, the blonde had no idea how the genius managed to ruin the dramatic moment, but she would make him pay later!
Frowning, Sakura stood up abruptly. "Wait, so a genjutsu genius shows up and the Tower is attacked. Then, Kurenai-sensei gets called away for a special mission that could take some time. Is it just me, or does this look just a little too neat to be real? I have a very bad feeling about this." Wincing, Ino realized that she might have made things just a little more complicated than what was properly healthy.
-----
Glaring at the operative in front of his desk, Jiraiya whitened in rage. "Let me see if I understand you correctly. Members of the Kurama clan are attacking Yakumo right now and no one is available to stop them? Do I have to remind you that Yakumo is currently under the protection of the Hokage's office and should not have any unauthorized visitors? That includes the clan that washed their hands of her for years. So why was this allowed?" Despite his light tone, he felt like biting rocks and spiting sand. This situation had gone completely out of control!
Bowing low, the ANBU operative emotional state was a blank slate. However, despite his best efforts, the Toad Sage could read the uneasiness of posture. "Forgive me, Jiraiya-sama but our options are somewhat limited. All available ANBU are required to maintain the security of the Tower after the recent attack. Most of the Jonin and Chunin are out of the village preforming multiple B and C-ranked missions to try to compensate for the lack of more lucrative contracts. Besides, with two personal medical ninja and a permanent ANBU liaison, the Yakumo protection detail is already pushing the limits of acceptable personnel distribution. Coupled with the Kurama clan's skills and we just don't have the available manpower to deal with them." Cursing, the Toad Sage felt like tearing his hair out at the roots.
The whole situation was a massive disaster in the making. If one of the clans got away with snubbing the orders of the Hokage's office, despite his regency, it would ruin all of Tsunade's plans. This sort of disrespect could only be dealt with using overwhelming force, and now he finds out they are stretched too thin to deliver. The second he looked like a paper tiger was the second that he lost all the initiative he had been working on for months! Besides, despite what he might worry about, it was just not fair to punish Yakumo for something that she could not fully control. At the very least the Kurama clan should have waited for Kurenai's evaluation of the seal before performing such a course of action. Going over his head with undue haste was just insulting!
Unfortunately, the ANBU had brought up a very good point. Genjutsu specialists where in short supply lately. Besides, the Kurama clan traditionally provided the strongest masters of the art. Taijutsu and Ninjutsu were much more popular within the Jonin community, and many would find themselves ill suited to deal with such dangerous opponents. Then again, if the seal was damaged, any support might also have to compete with the strongest Genjutsu prodigy Konoha had ever produced. Kurenai was currently the only Jonin he could trust something like this to, and she was already in the field, probably under attack. Even then, the cold hard truth was that she would not be enough.
What he needed was a team that could provide proper support, was familiar enough with the mechanics of Genjutsu to recognize the techniques either side could use, and had a proper backing in dispersing them. In addition, against such an organized enemy, they would have to possess intimate knowledge of Kurenai's skills and be willing to listen to her orders. But given the state of Konoha's forces, he only had one option. Turning to the ANBU, he barked out his orders. "I want you to instruct Team Eight and anyone dependable they can scrounge up to provide support to Kurenai. Of the available candidates, they are best suited to deal with the situation. Go brief them on the particulars at once!" Watching the ANBU leave, Jiraiya sighed. Now he knew how Tsunade felt during the Uchiha retrieval mission.
-----
Bursting into the safe house, Kurenai scanned the area with kunai in hand. The silence that greeted her was not comforting. Yakumo had been deemed enough of a security risk that at least one ANBU was on hand at all times. For her entrance to garner no response either meant that the operative was incapacitated or dead. Given her injured state, neither was very reassuring to the young Jonin.
Keeping her movements as quiet as possible, the Kunoichi rushed up the stars looking for signs of life. She passed the second hallway before encountering the medical ninja team. Each had been caught in a powerful genjutsu, and would not be moving any time soon. She briefly considered releasing them to gain additional aid, but decided against it. The illusions of the Kurama clan where very stong, and she would need all the chakra and focus she could manage to defend herself. While down neither was currently in any danger and were probably safer out of the way. Her first priority was securing the safety of Yakumo and with victims this far into the safe house, it was vital that she go forward with all possible speed.
Moving towards the master bedroom, Kurenai firmed her resolve. This would be the first time she would see Yakumo for nearly two years. After the sealing of her abilities had been finished, the Kurama heir had retreated into her own mind. Attempts at communication where ignored, and while she did not remain catatonic, the girl would also refuse all attempts at forming bonds. In fact, they had only seen each other once since that event. While Yakumo had not said anything, it was clear from her gaze that she did not forgive her Sensei. Kurenai had kept her distance out of an odd combination of respect for the girl's wishes and shame of her own actions. However, it seemed that fate had decided that they were not done with one another. Once again she would meet with Yakumo, and once again she would try to destroy her potential. Trully the life of a ninja was thankless at times.
Entering, the Jonin winced at the darkened decor. The windows where covered acting in concert with the blackish walls to give the impression of walking into a shadow. The room s only signs of life and color where the numerous paintings in its center. Glancing over the content, Kurenai had to admit that Yakumo had improved her artistic technique over the years. Nevertheless, there were no notable signs of habitation. Feeling her wound flare up again, the Kunoichi knew that she had no choice. "Yakumo, Yakumo are you there? We need to get out of here!" Hearing a shuffle, Kurenai turned with her weapon drawn.
Luckily, she had nothing to worry about. Kurama Yakumo was hiding behind the door, shifting from foot to foot. The years had been kind to the girl, and she was clearly developing into a lovely young woman. However, none of that mattered as much as her crying exclamation. "Kurenai-sensei! You're here to save me!" Drawing the weeping child into a hug, the Genjutsu mistress allowed herself a brief moment of satisfaction. Hearing such words from one of her precious students was a balm on her soul. Of course, if the child's evil smile had been visible, she might not have been so relaxed in the embrace.
-----
Rushing through the forest with her team, Shikamaru and Ino, Sakura went over the particulars of the mission again. When the ANBU had approached the group to relay Jiraiya's orders, Shikamaru had offered to take command to insure their success. Apparently mindful of the amount of time left to send aid versus finding another higher ranked ninja to lead, the ANBU had agreed and explained the details. Kurenai-sensei was in major trouble and needed as help as soon as possible. Nothing could have motivated the Genin to move faster.
Apparently it had been Yakumo that attacked the Hokage's tower that morning. Due to her family's abilities, the Genjutsu was strong enough to affect the physical plane. Mindful of the threat, Kurenai had been dispatched to try to deal with the girl, having the highest level of Genjutsu mastery in the village. Unfortunately, the Kurama clan had decided such actions were not enough. Against Jiraiya's orders, several clan members had been dispatched to kill their heiress. That meant that Kurenai and any other ninja in place where in great danger. Therefore, the only available team familiar enough with Kurenai's techniques to be of assistance was to be dispatched to provide support. Hence, Team Eight was summoned to deal with it.
However, the potential danger was significant. Even with Ino and Shikamaru helping their enemies were Konoha ninja familar with similar battle techniques and strategies. In addition, based upon what the ANBU revealed, each member was at least a Chunin level Genjutsu specialist. Despite the skills of the group, that still meant that each had significantly more training and experience. The only good point was that based upon their age, it would be likely that the enemy would seek to immobilize rather than kill. After all, their objective could be covered up by citing clan law, but killing heirs or prominent members of other clans could start a civil war. Not to mention how pissed Jiraiya was about the whole thing.
The other problem was the unknown element in the form of Yakumo. While the true extent of her powers and circumstances where classified, Kurenai's overall mission appeared to be limited to preventing the prodigy from causing more damage to herself or others. While it was all well and good that the Hokage regent did not want to kill a child, they had no idea whether or not Kurenai had managed to complete the mission yet. Going in, they could find anything from the Jonin fighting against the Kurama to Yakumo lashing out at anything that moved. Either situation made Sakura sick with worry.
The young Kunoichi knew that she had not been the most effective member of Team Eight since her reassignment, but that did not mean she had not been working hard. A day had not gone by where she had not worked on making herself a stronger and more confident person, largely thanks to the help that Kurenai had given her. While the members of Team Seven would always have a special place within her heart, despite whatever actions taken by its members, her new team gave her tools that made her stronger. There was no way that she could sit by the sidelines when someone from her new family was in danger! The time to show how much she had grown was here, and she would meet the challenge! Focusing her chakra, Sakura forced herself to move just a little faster. She would not be too late to save a comrade again!
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Evil cliffhanger jutsu of DOOM!!!
Author's Notes
This might be a little evil, but I just couldn't help myself! The next chapter is one of the longest I have ever produced, I swear!
Well, as always I was most thankful for the numerous reviews that graced my in-box. Your support and positive commentary are just the sorts of things that I need to complete my work and I can never properly express my gratitude. I'm sorry that this took so long to produce (and I still feel that it s a bit rough) but I just had to get it out there. After all the action and drama in the last chapter, I thought we could use some more!
I tried to respond to as many reviews as I could, but honestly the volume left me slightly overwhelmed. If I failed to respond to one of your questions, I apologize, but hope that the upcoming releases will help answer them. In the mean time, I ll try to cover some of my favorite.
For those of you asking about elemental manipulation, I plan on starting that about two arcs from now. There is going to be a key addition to the team first, and I assure you this person could use the same help. So let's put it off until we get there, alright?
The return to Konoha is a ways off. I am currently debating the exact vehicle of their return, and have a few ideas. However, I've had to adjust due to recent revelations in the Manga. It may or may not happen, but we've still got a ways to go.
Yes the contract thing is part of the challenge. There will be at least one more contract, but you'll have to wait and see what that is and who it goes to.
Tsunade bopping him on the head is just their way of playing with one another. Neither is very comfortable with a clinging, hugging relationship, and both cover that up with nicknames and subtle gestures. I hope to go a little deeper into this relationship by the next arc. But first the super painter of doom!
No, there is no Clan Restoration Act in my story. As far as I know, that is simply a fan based creation that lets various characters get away with using harems. The situation with the Uchiha is limited and unique, and I have no plans at this time to use it for Naruto. Honestly, Sasuke kind of forced them to take these steps, but no one besides some opportunistic civilians and lesser ninja families really like them.
Akatsuki is WAAAAYYYYYY down the line -_-;;;
Now I know that this is kind of long for one of my notes, but there is just one more thing I wish to say. Over the last few months as you, my loyal readers, have reviewed and consumed my work, I have enjoyed each and every comment. I know that I am far from perfect, and I try to take every suggestion as another way to get better. The fact that so many people have enjoyed the ride as much as I have makes me happier than anything I can ever express in words.
That being said, a recent, unnamed reviewer decided to completely tear down the last chapter. It was done in a disjointed way involving a lot of swears, and I had trouble even getting through it. Many of my other reviewers made a point to contact me to counteract the main points of the review and offer moral support. For this I thank you. But honestly? If a reviewer does not enjoy my story and gives me a reason, I try to see their point of view and grow. But, if a critic just spouts off hatred for the whole review, then I sigh and go on.
Too many wonderful readers have expressed their enjoyment to ever allow something like that to stop me from writing. If you wish to read simply to express how much you hate my style and subject matter, then go right ahead. It s your time, and I will read your responses just like anyone else s. However, if you want a response, you ll just have to log in like anyone else. That is all I will bore you with on the subject.
Now for the next chapter, let s see what the home team can do once they cut loose!
PS - Oh, and for those of you who might be interested, I have published another story! It started as a one shot, but if this sort of response keeps up I might just have to expand it into a multipart piece! :)