No I don't own Naruto. Besides, I'm more of a cat person anyways.
Chapter Thirty Two: Idle Youth
Walking down the street, Sakura found herself surprisingly bored. After a few initial hiccups, the young Kunoichi had gotten used to her hectic schedule of training and missions around the village. Lately, she was lucky to meet with Ino for lunch or catch a sale on the weekends. Now, most of her days were filled with Kiba, Shino, Yakumo, and Kurenai-sensei, and the young Kunoichi would not have it any other way. While she sometimes missed the chance to relax, no one could argue with the results. For the first time since the Chunin Exam, Sakura actually felt worthy of her current rank and standing. So when she found herself suddenly alone for the day, the pink haired girl had no idea what to do.
During their team meeting that morning, Kurenai-sensei had informed her students that there was a lack of appropriately ranked missions available. Coupled with the heavy work schedule they had been using recently and the Jonin had decided that they needed the day off. Sakura had asked Yakumo if she wanted to spend some time together, but the young heiress had to beg off. Now that she was on the mend, the Head of the Kurama clan was expected to review several documents concerning the inner workings of the clan and its current alliances within Konoha. In addition, she had to make sure that her uncle had not done anything wrong while acting as regent. Kurenai-sensei, acting as Yakumo's de facto guardian, was allowed to help, but anyone else would have been deemed as inappropriate. Thinking about some of the clan practices and politics she had seen since becoming a Genin, Sakura accepted her apology and wished the girl good luck. From what she had seen, the young clan head was going to need it.
Kiba had invited her and Shino over to his place to hang out, but Sakura had turned him down. While her two teammates had grown closer over the last few months, Sakura still felt oddly tense around them at times. Besides, there was no way she wanted to see Kiba's mother anytime soon. While the young Inuzuka had said things were more stable with his sister out of the village, Sakura's last direct confrontation with the matriarch had brought up too many bad memories. Although Sakura was sure she could deal with Tsume if need be, the young Kunoichi did not see the point. Besides, every time they had gone over to the Inuzuka compound the clan dogs tended to mob her. It was fun once and a while, but she was not in the mood today.
In all honesty, Sakura just wanted to hang out and feel like a kid again. All the extra work she had been putting into her training and around the village was stressful, and as much as she hated to admit it she was getting a little burned out. While Kiba had his moments, without Naruto around to lighten the mood, things seemed to keep overloading her lately. However, with most of her civilian friends out of touch because of schedule conflicts and her Kunoichi friends busy with missions, training or paperwork, the young girl found herself out of options. Heck, she would have loved to gossip with Ino for a few hours, but the blonde was having some special training with Anko-sensei today. Realizing just how small her social network had become, Sakura felt a little cold.
Thinking about her options, Tsunade-sama's offer came back to mind. There was no doubt in her mind that Naruto would return. After all, he would ever give up on his dream. So when the Hokage returned, she would have the option to become a medic under one of her apprentices. While Kurenai-sensei's lessons on Genjutsu were a lot of fun, the idea of somehow matching up to one of the Sannin someday was rather exciting. After all, with her relatively low chakra levels, this was a path that would properly allow her to shine. Besides, with Yakumo around, she would have to find a new niche to demonstrate her own personal growth. Shaking off her funk, Sakura decided to hit the Library. A little preparation in the basics would make things go much smoother when the time came.
Smiling now at the new challenge ahead of her, Sakura started moving with purpose only to stop at a familiar greeting. Turning, she saw Rock Lee in his standard jumpsuit running from the main gate. Returning his smile with her own and a wave, Sakura felt herself relax. While they had both become very busy with the rebuilding of Konoha, she and Lee had managed to meet a few times to chat about their respective training and his rehabilitation. Remembering his heroism in the Forest of Death, the Kunoichi always did her best to be nice to the energetic Genin. The fact that he reminded her of Naruto's energy was a nice bonus on some of her harder days. "Lee-kun! I haven't seen you in weeks! Did you just get back from a mission?"
Much to her surprise, the mention of a mission made the Taijutsu specialist's smile dim significantly. Slowing down to a walk, Lee answered in a normal tone of voice, meaning he was practically whispering. "Yes Sakura-chan, my team has just finished with a most difficult mission outside the village. It was just rather complicated." Seeing his smile, Sakura was reminded of Naruto on an off day. Biting her lip, she suddenly felt bad for no reason she could understand. All the Kunoichi knew was that she needed to cheer him up a bit.
Gathering her composure, the pink haired girl said the first thing that came to mind. "Say Lee-kun, why don't you go get cleaned up and meet me at Ichiraku's in about an hour? We can grab a late lunch and you can tell me all about your mission, ok?" Seeing his eyes light up, Sakura almost winced at the expression. Naruto had made the same face every time he had thought she was asking for a date. But something deep within her refused to dissuade the boy about his assumptions.
Flashing a much brighter smile, Lee made his infamous nice-guy pose. "Yosh, Sakura-chan! If I am not ready to meet you within the hour, I will climb the Hokage Mountain with three times my normal weights while jumping rope! That is a promise!" Before she could calm him down, the boy had run off, only a dust cloud in his wake.
Shaking her head in amusement, Sakura decided to run home herself to freshen up a bit. Lee was a good guy, and a lot of fun in small doses. Spending the day with him could be just the thing she needed to get out of her funk. After all, Naruto had done the same thing more often than she cared to admit. Smiling ruefully at the additional reminder of her ex-teammate, Sakura decided to dress up a little. It was not like this was a date or anything, but Lee deserved a little cheering up after all he had done for her, did he not? Besides, had she not been mentally complaining how she never got to be a normal girl anymore? What better chance than just hanging out with a normal guy friend and talking. Smiling, she chuckled, wondering if Hinata had managed to confess her crush to Naruto yet. She was probably still fainting whenever the blonde smiled at her.
Sneezing, Naruto dodged quickly to avoid detection from the lapse in control. He had managed to master the Infinite Darkness Technique to the point of dodging six strikes the previous day. For three days of training, he thought it was rather impressive, and could almost feel his head swell with pride at the accomplishment. Of course, that was when Baa-chan had decided to bring him back to earth. Stating that, since he seemed to be able to dodge at the Chunin level she had been using, it was time to increase the difficulty of the training. So now he and nine other Shadow Clones had to dodge simultaneously while attempting to tag the Sannin. Predictably, so far it was not going so well.
The new training required him to meet three separate goals. Firstly, he had to track Tsunade without the use of his eyes, relying on his developing chakra sensing abilities. Next, he had to ensure that he concentrated only on her chakra, and avoided nailing one of his own clones. Finally, he had to coordinate his movements using his relative position along with his clones while maintaining the technique. Although the multitasking was getting easier with practice, Tsunade's raw experience meant that he was losing at least one clone every five minutes. Despite his superior stamina and work ethic, the raw difference in their abilities was slowly being nailed into his skull. But no matter how seriously he took the exercise, his fellow blonde always seemed to be one step ahead of him.
What made the entire situation seem even more drawn out was the Sannin insisting that he disperse every clone and initiate his attack from the beginning each time one clone was lost or the technique faltered. The strain of so many repeated dispersals in such close proximity made it seem like he had been attacking for nearly a day as opposed to a couple of hours. He had to admit that each attempt was better than the last one, but he was getting tired of the constant defeat. Taking a short breath after yet another clone was lost, Naruto began using his head. He needed an edge, but only one trick came to mind.
Over the last couple of days, Hana had been drilling tracking and general Hunter Ninja techniques into his skull. Although his clone had yet to kill anything on their foraging trips yet, Naruto had begun to properly apply the sensory enhancements to locate prey. While he had to assume that Tsunade probably already knew them or equivalents from medical training, in the end there were ten of him to one of her. While he had not been told using the tracking techniques were allowed, he had not been told they were forbidden either. Seeing her impatient look, the Chunin decided to attempt his new idea. Forming another nine clones, he launched the jutsu once again. Now was it was time to see if his new strategy was enough to score a hit.
Opening his chakra senses, Naruto also sent chakra to his nose and ears to increase their effectiveness. While the jutsu faltered for a second with his split attention, it only took a moment to stabilize the effect. Concentrating on Tsunade, the blonde was shocked by how easy it was to locate her now. Before, the blonde Hokage had only flared her chakra occasionally to simulate a jutsu or flare common with less skilled ninja. Now, with both his chakra and physical senses concentrated on her movements, it was almost like the Infinite Darkness Jutsu was not active at all. Allowing himself a unseen smirk, the prankster decided that now was the perfect time to show Baa-chan just how far he had come!
Grabbing one of his few remaining kunai, he launched an attack on the Kunoichi while allowing his chakra to flare. As expected, Tsunade suppressed her chakra while jumping into the air to dodge the strike. However, now that both he and his clones could track the Sannin by scent, cloned weapons were already in the air for a follow-up attack. While he sensed the change in position, nothing could halt the sound of loudly tearing cloth. Dropping the Infinite Darkness, Naruto allowed himself a satisfied smirk. It looked like the Number One unpredictable Ninja had struck again!
Tsunade was standing in the center of the clearing, an eyebrow twitching. The reason for her ire was plain to see, as the famous green jacket that marked the blonde as the Legendary Sucker had a long gash across its back. While not a solid hit, both knew that it counted as far as the exercise was concerned. The Chunin fought to hide his smile, knowing it would only lead to pain, but he really could not help it. Once again, he had been underestimated, and once again he had come out as victorious. At this rate, he would finally move on to learn another Jutsu and become even more awesome!
Of course, given that his Sensei was Tsunade of the Sannin, there was no way it could be that easy. Giving him a tight grin, the blonde cracked her knuckles. "That was very impressive, Naruto. It appears that you are ready for the next step." Throwing off the ruined coat, the older ninja began to crack her joints. "Since you can now hit a moving target, let's see how long you can last against someone fighting back with their full abilities?" Seeing the fire ignite in her eyes, the Naruto swallowed reflexively. Somehow, he just knew that this was going to hurt like hell. Seeing her hands begin to glow, the Chunin began to wonder if he should have written up a will or something. Then, there was only running, jutsu and pain.
Kiba smirked at his teammate as they started walking out of the Inuzuka Compound. Akamaru had enjoyed running with the other clan dogs, but both Kiba and Shino decided that it might be a good idea to relocate. With Hana away on some secret mission and his mother preoccupied with running the clan and taking on some extra missions of her own, the Compound had been rather lonely, only containing a couple of cousins that Kiba did not get along with. Plus, while both boys were rather decent at tracking and hunting in the wild neither were much of a cook. Kurenai-sensei, Hinata and later Yakumo had insisted taking on the responsibility after allowing them to prepare rations a couple of times. The Inuzuka tended to set meat on fire and Shino simply mashed most things into a paste for his insects. In fact, the only acknowledged cook worse than the two male team members was Sakura, and that was not a memory either wanted to relive at the moment.
Still, the dog ninja was still mentally laughing at his teammate as they started down the street. "I cannot believe that you think that we should stick to these lower level missions. I mean, now that she's been trained properly, Sakura can launch a tree nearly twenty meters when pissed. Not to mention that Yakumo has that nasty trick of making enemies feel like they're on fire. Sure, we might have to take a few extra breaks, but neither of them are really weak anymore. Of course, I dare you to tell them that to their faces." Sure he still missed Hinata, but Kiba was willing to admit that the new members of Team Eight were worth their weight. He had worked hard enough to help them get there after all.
Pushing his sunglasses up, Shino replied in his normal monotone, the one that Kiba knew he did just to be annoying. "While I agree both Yakumo and Sakura had come a long way, Kurenai-sensei is also correct in being cautious. Yakumo spent nearly two years with minimal conditioning while Sakura's stamina was still somewhat below average. Besides, you know Sakura's extreme physical abilities still rely upon some overly emotional response. Spending weeks on a border patrol is still probably more than either of the two can handle. Personally, I think we would be better off taking an escort mission or two. We would be able to take a civilian pace while ensuring the clients safety."
Snorting, Kiba growled from the back of his throat. "Aw, but I hate those missions. They're always so boring, and nothing ever happens. Remember the three we did before the Chunin Exam? We just walked next to a merchant or two while scanning the forest for enemies that never showed up! Hell none of the clients were even stupid enough to hit on Sensei! After spending months just hanging around the village, I'm dying for some real action." After all, that sinking feeling that he had been falling behind his comrades training refused to leave him alone. A couple of good scraps and he would finally get back to his normal confident self!
Shaking his head, Shino pinned him with a look. "Kiba, you are very lucky that Sensei is nowhere near here. If she thought that you wanted to have a perverted client just to watch her beat him up, she would have you blind fight an angry Sakura. Besides, don't assume there would be no problems this time. Hinata was very shy, but now we have two attractive and comparatively outgoing Kunoichi on the team. It would not surprise me if the next time we left the village the client will make a pass he really shouldn't."
Thinking about it, Kiba realized that his friend did have a point. Hinata was cute, but so introverted there was no way that she would ever get noticed by anyone except the worst sort of pervert. Yakumo and Sakura, on the other hand, were both fairly well developed and not particularly shy about their looks after training for so long. Each was toning into something rather impressive, and it would not be odd if they started getting noticed once they left the village. Although Sakura still had quite a ways to go before her charms appealed to most guys.
But before he could vocalize these thoughts, a familiar scent attracted his attention. Looking up, Kiba was shocked to see Sakura herself down the street, heading towards the Ichiraku Ramen Stand. He was about to call out when her appearance caught his attention. Instead of her normal ninja gear, the girl was wearing a rather nice green sundress that matched her eyes. Sniffing a little deeper, the Inuzuka realized that, instead of her normal shampoo and personal scent, Sakura had put on some sort of body wash that was actually quite nice. The only familiar thing was her headband, which was in its normal place on top of her head. Looking over his teammate with new eyes, Kiba realized that she cleaned up rather well.
Shaking his head to clear out the odd line of thought, Kiba was about to run and join her when he heard a familiar voice call out the Kunoichi's name. Seeing Rock Lee run up and greet his teammate, the Inuzuka felt an odd cramp in the pit of his stomach. Before he could realize what he was doing, the Genin had grabbed Shino and jumped towards the roof of a nearby store. Something told him that there was no way he wanted to miss a minute of this! Channeling chakra to his ears, Kiba settled in to watch his two comrades enter the stand with a laser focus that would have shocked most of the remaining Konoha Twelve. Familiar with his quirks, Shino settled down and sent his own allies to observe as well.
Accepting a steaming bowl of ramen, Sakura smiled before digging in. Ichiraku's had begun to feature a special Diet Ramen a couple of weeks back, but she found that with her increased metabolism they were not filling enough to meet the energy needs for Team Eight's physical training. Now, she simply ate a bowl of the healthier noodle soup to whet her appetite before digging into a couple of large bowls. There were days she thought they would have to roll her out of the stand, but then she would remember a certain blonde and feel a bit surer of her eating habits. Still, knowing how energetic Lee could get, she would probably be there for a while, so starting off light would only make the experience easier.
Looking down for a second, a part of the Kunoichi that sounded whinier than she would like to admit, questioned the change of clothes. After all, this was Rock Lee, the zany Genin who made crazy challenges while utilizing horrible fashion sense. The part of Sakura's mind that had grown from her newfound determination and effort to be a better person told that annoying screech to take a hike. For too long, others had tried to support her dreams and desires no matter how mean she tended to be. Lee had nearly been killed protecting her, after a single meeting and declaration of love she had snubbed. It was because of friends and comrades like him that she had come so far as a ninja. If dressing up a little cheered him back to his normal exuberance, than who was she to deny such help? Besides, she never got to wear her dresses anymore.
Wincing, she then remembered that most of the unused clothing had been earmarked for time with Sasuke. Back then, she would have killed anyone else who even dared to approach her for the honor of a date. In fact, looking back on it, she really hoped that Tsunade-sama had not needed to heal up brain damage from her efforts to reject Naruto throughout most of the Academy. Of course, by keeping away people like Naruto to remain popular, in the end she was left alone and miserable. So why not use the dress on a nice guy that would do his best to make her happy? Besides, once you got past the color scheme, Lee's jump suit really did not leave a lot to the imagination.
Blushing, Sakura tried to shake off the odd train of thought while taking a bite of her ramen. Suddenly the silence caused by both teenagers placing their orders seemed rather uncomfortable. Desperate for a topic, Sakura grasped the first idea that came to mind. "Lee-kun, didn't you say you would tell me what was bothering you? What happened on the mission that went so badly?" Hiding a wince with another bite of ramen, the pink haired girl could not believe her bluntness. She really should have been more considerate of the poor boys feelings.
Surprisingly enough, the question itself did not seem to bother her comrade much. "Forgive me, Sakura-chan. I did not mean to forget, but I was distracted by the wondrous meal put before us." Taking his own bite, Sakura was surprised by the impressive manners the boy was showing. Ramen was not the neatest of meals, yet Lee seemed to have no problem enjoying every bite while avoiding any spilled broth. After so many meals with Naruto and Kiba, it was a nice change of pace. "While our last mission was a success, I don't believe it went very well. It felt most un-youthful."
Clearing his throat with a delicate sip of broth, Lee frowned. "A few days ago, several miners came to the village desperate for help. They worked at the Katabami Gold Mine, and had recently been overrun by a group of mercenaries called the Kurosuki family. This group had brutally taken over the administration of the mine, and had been working the villagers to death using fear, intimidation and brute force. Their leader favored a particularly un-youthful method of making examples by burying people alive in a mockery of a funeral." Shivering, the Genin's eyes went distant for a moment. "It was very unpleasant Sakura-chan, and I am glad you did not see what they did there."
Feeling cold, the Kunoichi grabbed her bowl or ramen like a life preserver. She had seen some horrible things as a ninja, but the concept of burying someone underground and just leaving them there to die sounded particularly horrific. This was a moment she cursed her Genjutsu training. Kurenai-sensei had sharpened her imagination into a tool to use against her enemies, but at times it was a double edged sword. Even now she could almost taste the earth infused air and rotting wood, as desperation beat in her chest. Gulping, she absently took one of his hands to show her support. Seeing the answering smile, the young Kunoichi felt some of her imagined fears begin to fade.
Taking a deep breath, Lee continued. "While horrible, the Kurosuki family did not sound like anything more than a particularly vile group of mercenaries or gangsters. Thus the mission was given a C-ranking and Shikamaru was put in control of Team Gai for the duration. Although he lacks a frightful amount of youthful energy, I have to admit that Shikamaru made an excellent squad leader. If it was not for his skill and leadership ability, I have no doubt that we would have probably died." Eyes widening, Sakura looked at the older boy in alarm. For Lee to admit that death had been that close, things must have turned ugly. After all, it was not like Konoha had a perfect record for correctly ranking missions.
Beginning to pick up steam, the Taijutsu specialist began to relate the story with ever increasing vigor. "It all began when we made contact with a friend of mine in the area. Sanshou-baasan runs the Curry of Life Shop, an establishment that has been a favorite of mine ever since I discovered its existence while training. Since the shop was only about a mile from the Mine, I suggested that we stop in to gather some intelligence." Smiling as Lee became more animated as the tale continued, Sakura absently signaled for another bowl. Between the comforting atmosphere of Ichiraku's and Lee's infectious enthusiasm, the girl was almost shocked to find herself relaxing more than she had in months. It was almost like old times with Team Seven, except there was no one calling her useless under their breath. Yet, somehow, Sakura felt that she could live with that.
Hiding behind the edge of the shop opposite the Ramen Stand, Kiba concentrated chakra in his ears with barely a thought. Hearing Lee and Sakura talking so easily, left him feeling rather hollow for some reason. Ignoring the specific content of the conversation, the young Inuzuka instead listen to the inflections and tones of both comrades. While he was no expert, only a complete novice would miss the meaning of that sort of vocal pattern. As far as he could tell, Sakura and Lee trusted one another quite a bit more than two near strangers should be able to. So that meant that this was not the first time they had met in such a fashion, without his knowledge. For some reason, that made him want to punch the smiling eye brow freak into next week.
Kiba did not know why he felt like this. Sure, Sakura was his teammate now, but he had no right to tell her how to live or who to talk with. She was her own person, and if there was one thing that his mother, sister and Kurenai-sensei had beaten into his skull, it was the rights of a woman to choose her associates and actions. So there was no real reason to be effected at all by this little date. Yet, no matter how many times he told himself such things the young boy could not stop an impending sense of violence from gurgling.
"Kiba, why are we watching Sakura eating dinner with Rock Lee? If you wanted ramen, then wouldn't it be more effective to simply buy some instead of watching others eat?" Starting, Kiba turned to his friend, having forgottenthe Aburame's presence in his focus on the happy couple. Seeing the slight eye brow twitch Shino was now sporting, the Genin fought the urge to back up a step. For a normally stoic guy like Shino to show that much emotion, he must really be getting pissed. If he did not do something quick, he would have to look out for ticks on Akamaru for a month again!
Clearing his throat, the young Inuzuka tried to come up with a logical reason for his actions. Of course, the fact that his actions were not really justifiable in the first place did not help matters. Still, as his mother sometimes said, it was better to make a bunch of stupid decisions quickly than to make no decision and get nowhere. "Now Shino, buddy, I'm just trying to look out for Sakura's welfare. I mean, she's our teammate now and we have a responsibility to ensure her safety. After all, Lee's a pretty tough guy, so what could she do if he tried to act out or something?" Actually, come to think of it, that was not a bad bit of reasoning. Lee was older and stronger than their entire class, so a little caution was only good sense!
Unfortunately, Shino appeared to disagree. Pushing his sunglasses firmly back, the Aburame shot him one of those looks that said he was being an idiot without saying a thing. "This is the same Sakura who, when angered by perceptions of perversion, would knock her teammate around the village like a soccer ball? Or, when you teased Yakumo for too long during practice last week, shattered a boulder to encourage you to stop? Or how about that Rock Lee is, from every instance of interaction we have shared and piece of information we have gathered, would never put any comrade at risk. I would think that his admiration for Sakura would only add to such trends when they are together, not detract from them." By the end, the young Aburame had begun to buzz, a major sign of irritation.
Growling, Kiba grabbed his jacket in an effort to stay in control. While he admitted that Shino was smarter than him, his instincts were screaming for him to establish himself as Alpha after such a direct confrontation. "Look, no matter how good a guy Lee seems to be, Sakura is still our teammate. As her teammates, it is our duty to try to protect her, even if it's from her own choices at times." Huffing, he unleashed one of his own glares right back at his friend. "Besides, are you telling me that if Naruto had gotten a clue and started taking Hinata out, we wouldn't do the exact same thing?" Of course, that would mostly be to make sure the idiot did not make the shy Kunoichi cry or something. But in the end the same principle applied.
Fixing him with a look, Shino slowly nodded. "As illogical as it sounds, I can see some minor basis for your argument. Nevertheless, it would probably be a good idea to return your attention to the two below. It appears that things are getting more serious." Blinking, Kiba cursed as he saw Sakura leaning towards Lee, distance and the curtain of Ichiraku's hiding her expression. Reengaging the technique, the Inuzuka smirked as a couple of more bugs headed towards the couple. Logic or no, it seemed Shino had become curious in his own right. Standing still, Kiba became completely absorbed in the conversation below.
Enjoying a cool glass of water, Rock Lee found himself surprisingly content. Although the events of his recent mission still weighed down upon his shoulders, the budding Taijutsu specialist found his unusual feelings of depression countered by the joy of spending time with the beautiful Sakura-chan. While her fiery nature normally attracted him like a moth, the gentler side she had demonstrated today was like a soothing balm upon his mind. He knew Naruto, as mistreated as he had been, had a surprisingly deep soul. Only someone who could truly see the depths of a person's nature could properly appreciate the wonder of Haruno Sakura. As the shallow or perverse could attest, the pink haired girl could be difficult to bond with. That made the end rewards all the more worth it.
Still, despite his enjoyment of Sakura-chan's company, Lee's tale was coming to the distasteful conclusion. "After a wondrous and difficult battle, all but the leader of the Kurosuki family had been defeated. Unfortunately, the leader of the group was in fact an A-rank missing ninja named Kurosuki Raiga, a former member of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist." Seeing Sakura shiver at the description, the hard working Genin was quick to reassure her. "Do not fret, Sakura-chan. While his presence was unexpected, between my team and Shikamaru's excellent strategy, we were able to lead the enemy into a trap. That was when we made a rather shocking discovery."
Eyes dimming in memory of those tense moments of confrontation, Lee dropped to a near whisper."Raiga appeared to have miraculous abilities, using his weapons to release massive lightening attacks and casting Genjutsu that fooled even Neji's Byakugan. If Shikamaru had not been able to read the pattern of the attacks, we probably would have been done in. However, after checking over the body, we discovered that Raiga had been carrying a small, badly weakened child!" In all frankness, he could still hear the boy's tears falling over the corpse of the defeated Raiga.
"It was difficult, but from what we could find out, Ranmaru was a survivor of Kiri's Bloodline Massacres. He possessed a weak constitution, but his ability to influence and understand the chakra of others is so incredible that he could cast Genjutsu that could fool Neji and read my attacks like a Sharingan. Raiga apparently rescued him from a purge in his home town, and they had been together ever since. His presence, along with his powerful hook swords allowed the man to rise to prominence as one of the Seven Swordsmen in the first place. Yet, we were forced to kill the man right in front of his valued companion." Seeing the young Kunoichi tearing up, Lee reached for one of his many handkerchiefs. You never could know when the power of youth would move you to tears after all.
Frowning, the boy looked down into his glass. "Regrettably, Neji insisted that we retrieve and seal the body to claim Raiga's bounty. Tenten almost appeared ready to object, before he handed her Raiga's twin swords. Yet neither of them seemed to care about poor Ranmaru's feelings. I tried to protest, but Shikamaru stated that it was well within the guidelines concerning missing ninja, and that his hands were tied. Luckily, I was able to convince Ranmaru to stay with Sanshou-baasan for a while, and her Curry of Life was able to restore his vitality. If all goes well, he might end up cooking his own Curry at that shop someday." Moving to take another sip, Lee gave up and simply replaced his glass on the counter. "Yet now I have one fourth the bounty on Raiga in my pocket, and I don't know what to do with it. He was scum, but he was also all that Ranmaru had, and now I help take away his precious person to be bartered like a dead cow."
The constant struggle had been wearing on his soul ever since they had left the Hunter Ninja department. On one hand, Raiga had been a dangerous missing ninja who had tortured and subjugated an entire village in horribly brutal ways. Yet the man had also cared for an innocent boy who was simply a victim of circumstance. The honorable part of Rock Lee that drove him to find greater heights as a splendid ninja thought they should have simply given the man a proper funeral to honor his abilities if nothing else. Yet the practical side formed from his constant efforts to improve as a ninja told him that Neji and Tenten were not wrong. He just could not find a way to satisfy his morals and his teachings at the same time.
Hearing Sakura-chan's own cup come down, Lee turned to look into her green eyes. For just a second, he was shocked by how close she seemed. "Lee, we're ninja and sometimes killing is part of the job. When I first left the Academy, I didn't know what I was getting myself into and it's only through the efforts of people like Naruto and Kurenai-sensei that I lasted as long as I did." Frowning, she then bit her lip. "But that part about claiming the bounty does sound kind of strange for Neji. Did he say anything about why he needed it so bad?"
Returning her frown with one of his own, Lee sighed. "When I pressed him about it, Neji admitted to having money trouble. Ever since the Fifth Hokage left Konoha, my team has been pulling mostly minor missions around the village. While easy to complete, they don't pay very well. In fact, Neji practically begged Jiraiya-sama for a higher level mission, and he would only provide one if Gai-sensei was freed up for other responsibilities. Still, it did make a difference." In all frankness, he was uncomfortable talking about this. As an orphan himself, Lee was not that well off either, and it was only through splitting his expenses with Gai-sensei that he had managed as well as he had. For a couple of teenagers limited to what they earned as ninja, both Neji and Tenten had to be troubled even more than him. Besides, the last thing he wanted to do was remind Sakura-chan of Naruto-kun's exodus with the honored Hokage.
However, other than a brief flash of pain in her expression, Sakura did not seem to react to his comment. Instead, she put a hand on his arm, causing his heartbeat to rise at an alarming rate. "Lee-kun, while it's noble to do your best to protect the village and precious people, being worried about money is not unreasonable. I've seen more and more career Genin getting desperate while trying to take assignments outside their ability to handle. With the ban on A and S rank missions, available positions are drying up fast."
Removing her hand, the young Kunoichi gave him a sad smile. Yet all he could feel was the traces of heat from her previous touch. "Now Neji is newly orphaned being cut off from the Hyuga Clan. For the first time in his life he has to worry about feeding himself and keeping a roof over his head. Living with Tenten probably helped, but now he is indebted to someone without anyway of using his abilities, name or position to fix things. In all honesty, he's probably overcompensating to pay Tenten back. Believe me, no one wants to be a burden."
Listening to her explanation, Lee felt a familiar smile begin to grow. While he did not believe that his teammates were romantically involved, it would just be like Neji to do something like this to help establish his independence. Taking Raiga's hook swords was probably his idea of a bonus for the weapons obsessed girl. "Thank you Sakura-chan, I had not thought of it in such terms. I cannot thank you enough for helping me work through this. You are a truly gifted listener." Blinking, the boy looked at his companion's face more closely. Was Sakura-chan actually blushing?
Shaking her head, the young cherry blossom reached for her purse, a sigh on her lips. "Lee-kun, please don't worry. No matter how difficult things are now, I know they'll get better. Our village and friends are simply too strong to go down that easily." Paying for her meal, Sakura once again met his gaze, a soft smile on her lips. "After all, if there is one things that I have learned as a ninja, its that we can only do our best. So hang in there, for me at least?"
Seeing the beautiful Sakura-chan before him, smiling so kindly, caused Lee to lose control. Before he knew what he was doing, the Taijutsu specialist had grabbed the girl, giving her a peck on the forehead. "Yosh! Never fear, Sakura-chan! I swear that I will regain my drive before pushing to even greater heights! Let us both show the world what we can do with the true power of youth!"
Flashing the prone girl a nice guy pose before throwing down his own payment for the meal, Lee ran full tilt towards the edge of the village. He had wasted too much time today worrying about nothing. He would now do his best to support Neji and Tenten in their struggling springtime of youth. If he could not manage that, he would run around the village twenty times with twice his normal weights! Of course, caught up in the fervor of training and youthful poses, Lee would forget all about the minor kiss until just before going to bed. The resulting blush almost put his Sunset Genjutsu to shame.
Feeling his allies slowly becoming more and more agitated, Shino did his best to remain calm. The facade of stoicism that he presented to the world was mostly designed to allow him to preserve his control in stressful situations. The history of his clan was rife with stories those who lost themselves to raw emotion, only to be consumed by the insects that inhabited their bodies. Only through careful management of his chakra could he prevent such an accident, so the young Aburame had a lot of practice with this particular exercise. In fact, even among his clansmen, he was considered something of a prodigy with this particular ability.
That did not mean that Kiba had not tested his limits before, as demonstrated by his current train of thought. Actually, and avalanche of aggression would probably be more accurate. "I cannot believe that scumbag! One minute, she just gives him a little smile, and the next has that eyebrow freak grabbing her before fleeing the scene of the crime! I should go track that bastard down, unleash Akamaru on his ass and bury him six feet under! Who does that jackass think he is?" Feeling a headache coming on, Shino allowed himself to glare behind his sun glasses. Kiba had been reiterating this argument and variations of it for the last fifteen minutes, ever since they had left the roof after their surveillance. While he was a little annoyed with the older Genin himself, Shino was not about to allow his emotions to overcome his logic. Kiba, as always, did not seem to share his restraint.
Finally frustrated with the circular logic of his comrade, Shino decided that enough was enough. "Kiba, Sakura knows where Lee is and has more than enough feminine fury to kill him herself if she so desires. Honestly, despite her track record in that area, I don't believe that she will do so. All we observed, and my allies confirmed, was that Lee gave her a hug and a one point three second peck on the forehead. That is a far cry from molesting her on the street. You anger is misdirected and illogical, so please restrain yourself. All this shouting is beginning to give me a headache." Deciding to make a point, the Aburame relaxed his control over his hive for a second. The resulting buzz was almost enough to shatter the windows around them.
Lowering his voice slightly, Kiba turned to face him, still red with anger. "Shino, I cannot believe you! We both know that Lee is stronger and faster that Sakura! If he truly wanted to use her like that, what could she really do to protect herself? It's our duty to protect our teammate from anyone who would threaten her, so there's no way we can let that jerk get away with this!" Pausing, Shino raised an eyebrow in confusion before shaking his head. There was only one way that Kiba would equate such a simple gesture with physical assault. If not for his friends increasing lack of logic and aggressive behavior, he would almost be amused by this new conclusion.
Grabbing the Inuzuka's arm, Shino refused to move until they were face to face. "Kiba, this behavior is most unbecoming. Your level of rage over something so minor in the grand scheme of things concerns me. If I did not know better, I would almost think that you were jealous." Feeling the light muscle tension underneath the coat in his grasp, the young Genin almost smiled. "Well, I suppose such a development is to be expected. Despite some odd personality quirks, she is a relatively attractive female around our age. Hinata spent enough time to adopt the designation of sister, but Sakura has no such title. When you examine all the hard facts, your growing emotions concerning our female teammate is to be expected."
Growling, Kiba shook off his grip. "Yeah right, Shino that's just crazy. You think I'm jealous of that bastard Lee? I'm just trying to look out for a teammate and a pretty decent friend. There is nothing romantic between me and Sakura." Giving off a forced laugh, his friend turned away. "Besides, after seeing what Naruto went through, why would I try to date Sakura? How's that for logic?" Beginning to mumble, Shino had to strain hear his next words. "Although she has gotten pretty cute and strong, hasn t she?"
Patting Kiba on the back, Shino shook his head. "While I admit that her behavior towards Naruto was troubling at times, remember that he never seemed to give up on her. While he lacked any sort of logic or pattern to his methods, Naruto did have an odd ability to notice what others missed. Therefore, I have to assume that he noticed the potential that Sakura had even then. He just lacked the necessary skills to recognize Sakura's signals and deal with them accordingly. I believe that we can both agree that he is much better at working by the seat of his pants." After all, those tactics landed him in the Chunin Exam Finals while Kiba was sent to the infirmary.
Apparently the argument was enough to calm the Inuzuka down. The righteous anger had left his face, and now his friend simply looked a bit lost. Shino knew that Kiba would have to work these emotions out on his own, but that did not mean he could not distract him for the moment. "Besides, given the attitudes of both your mother and sister, I would have thought that an attraction to strong women was unavoidable." Shino only had a moment to replace himself with a bug clone before Kiba pounced, once again in a state of righteous fury. Pushing his glasses up in satisfaction, the young Aburame led the dog and his master towards their regular training ground. If Kiba needed to blow off some steam, it was only logical to make effective use of that pent up energy by fighting one another into a bloody pulp. It did seem to be the most effective form in male bonding available in the village after all.
Allowing her feet to move without direction, Sakura felt herself falling into a daze. Luckily, even Lee at his worst would not steal her first kiss, but the sudden contact had shocked her to the core. For just a moment, she had been totally at the older Genin's mercy, helpless to move or shout in his strong arms. Yet instead of feeling threatened, the young girl had been wrapped in a cocoon of peace and safety. Somehow, she knew that while in Lee's arms, nothing would ever hurt her. The kiss to the forehead, minor as it was, had only enhanced the sensation. While the entire encounter had taken seconds, Sakura was left feeling oddly breathless. No matter how much she mentally shouted that it was just Lee, she still could not relax her thundering heart.
Conflicted by her churning emotions, the pink haired girl finally forced herself towards the central park. Taking a seat, the young Kunoichi attempted to understand why the contact had affected her so badly. It was just a simple hug and a light contact peck on the forehead. Really, something that minor should be no big deal! Yet, as she sat there reflecting on her feelings, Sakura came to a shocking conclusion. The only other one to ever express interest in her like that was Naruto! For the first time, she had been held by someone who cared for her, and had no problem telling her she was beautiful. The idea that someone actually wanted her in such a fashion left her feeling desirable in a way she had never experienced before. Yet she could not deny that the sensation was a pleasant one.
Luckily, before she could become completely bogged down by her own confusion, a familiar voice broke through the evening. "Hey Sakura! What the heck are you doing all the way out here?" Looking up, Sakura smiled at the sight before her. Ino and Anko-sensei were heading up the path, covered in blood and dirt. It was a testament to the blonde's growth as a Kunoichi that she did not seem to care about her appearance in the presence of her long time rival. The pink haired Kunoichi thought it was a sign of her own growth that she did not care too much in the first place. Of course, the happy feelings of friendship that Ino inspired these days went out the window with the sudden sharpness of her look. Biting her lip, Sakura realized that she had forgotten one key fact, and there was no way that her friend would miss it.
Giving her a slow and deliberate once-over, Ino smirked. "So Sakura, what's with the outfit? While I admit that it works nicely with your eyes, it's awfully fancy to use in training. So either you new ninja path requires some time in the Red Light District, or you're trying to catch a guy!" Despite her best efforts, the mention of a guy brought Lee's smiling face to mind, causing the young girl to let out a slight shiver. Pouncing on her weakness, Ino went in for the kill. "So it's true! Come one, who's the lucky guy? You can tell me I swear!" Seeing the hungry look in the blonde's eyes, Sakura felt like a fish in front of a hungry shark.
"It wasn't like that Ino. I just offered to treat Lee-kun to ramen after a difficult mission. He looked really down, and I thought he could use some cheering up." Seeing the blonde's grin going wider, Sakura turned crimson. "Not like that you pervert! I just ate with him and listened to his story, as a friend!" Somehow, after seeing that demented grin still in place, the pink haired girl just knew that she was not off the hook just yet.
Hearing a snort, Sakura's heart sank as Anko-sensei decided to get into the mix. From what she knew of the woman from her own experiences and Kurenai-sensei's stories, this was not going to be pleasant. "So Gai's little clone is Lee-KUN, is he?" Bristling, the pink haired girl let out a unconscious growl, only for the Snake Jonin to chuckle. "No reason to get so pissed, brat. I was just wondering how close the two of you really are? I mean, what did he do that would put you, a Konoha Kunoichi in such a state." Looking down, Sakura attempted to mumble out the answer, only to once again find her body betraying her. Anko's mocking tone did not help. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't hear you and neither could Ino-chan. Could you repeat that please?"
Frustrated, the young Kunoichi pinned her tormentors with a glare. "I said that Lee-kun hugged me, pecked me on the head and I liked it ok? I liked it a lot!" Huffing, she tried to ignore the squeals from Ino or the older Kunoichi's laughing. So she could admit attraction to someone other than Sasuke in public. It was not that big of a deal! Of course, having Ino tackle her in a hug left her feeling a bit better. While the dirt would be a pain to get out, at least the blonde was happy for her instead of trying to taunt her feelings.
No, that was left for the more experienced Anko-sensei. "Man, you kids are such virgins. Why the hell are you reacting so strongly to a freaking hug?" Blushing, Sakura could only hope that her face was not as red as Ino's. The idea of doing something like that was just plain overwhelming! Rolling her eyes, the Snake Jonin snorted. "Oh grow up. When you earned that headband, you became adults in every way that matters within Konoha. Sure, we don't recommend such activities for your age group because of potential complications that the young and stupid tend to find themselves in, but it's still perfectly legal." Feeling the heat permeate her skin, Sakura knew she must look a fright now. Still, that did not keep some small part of her mind from reviewing the results of such actions and giggling like a pervert. Seeing her friend daintily wipe away her nose, the cherry blossom knew that she was not the only one.
Shaking her head, Anko smirked. "Ok, I think you two need to calm down. Just relax pinky because I don't think you have anything to worry about. Gai might be a little weird, but he's a good guy and teacher. If Lee pays attention to even half of what that man tells him about the fairer sex, then you will be a very happy woman." Seeing an odd gleam enter the older woman's eyes, Sakura felt a chill run down her spine. While the news was welcome, there were some things that impressionable minds just did not need to know!
Dusting herself off, Ino mirrored her Sensei with a evil smirk. "No, what I think you need to do is blow off some steam, Sakura before you explode. Why don't you come over and help me with whatever idiots attempted to trash Naruto's place this time? You would be shocked with how relaxing it is to beat the tar out of a bunch of perverted idiots." Narrowing her eyes, the pink haired Kunoichi cracked her knuckles while joining in with the grins. While she might not know what would happen with Lee-kun in the future, there was something that she was always willing to admit. Nothing relaxed her like showing some moron why they should not piss her off! Besides, after thinking about Naruto so much tonight, taking down a few perverted jerks would be almost nostalgic.
Looking over the numerous colored stalls, Tsunade sighed in relief. Despite the front she put up for the others, the trip from Sea Country had been nerve-wracking. While she knew that they needed to train both Naruto and Hinata up as quickly as possible, every flare of chakra had brought visions of Hunter Ninja from other countries or worse, Konoha itself. While she was fairly confident that, here in the more familiar forests of the Land of Fire, her team would have no problems defending themselves, their civilian guest was not so secure. Still, by forcing them to work on a smaller scale than before, she was fairly sure they had gone undetected. Not allowing Naruto to leave packs of clones this time had also probably done a lot to cover their trail. Now that they had arrived, she would finally get a chance to look over the spoils from Sea Country and try to heal poor Isaribi-chan.
Now that they had reached their destination, though, the blonde Kunoichi knew that they had some breathing room. The only ones who would dare mess around this deeply behind the Land of Fire's borders would be allied nations and Konoha itself. No one else would send in the forces required to launch an attack upon a legendary Sannin, let alone her apprentices. Even without knowing the specifics of their training, few nations would be stupid to send in forces less than Kiri had attempted. So that just left disgruntled Konoha ninja, a couple of minor villages, and the Akatsuki. Honestly it was much better than dealing with Iwa, Kumo and Suna on top of that. Knowing Orochimaru as she did, Oto would probably pull back and evaluate any loses from the Sea Country base before launching another attack. He was slippery like that.
Still, as she observed her companions from the corner of her eye, Tsunade was impressed with what they had accomplished on the road. Despite her confident claims, the Hokage had been surprised when Hinata had managed three stable clones by the second day of training. It left her drained, and none of the clones could put up much of a fight, but it did allow her to work extensively on academic knowledge and control. Naruto was making quick progress with the Infinite Darkness technique, and with a few more days of work, he might actually master it completely. While the overall difference the Shadow Clones made on paper was not that impressive, in practice she was quite pleased with the results. Now they just had to find time to add ninja style battle strategy before the next confrontation and they would all be that much safer.
Turning to face the others, Tsunade began to deliver her instructions. "We will be here for about a week in order to look over Isaribi-chan." Seeing the girl blush the blonde let out a little smile. Whenever they were not training, both Naruto and Hinata had made a point of talking with the poor child. Over time, the three had become close, and it did the Sannin proud to see them making more friends. None of them had anywhere enough support as far as she was concerned. Besides, it did wonders to bring the civilian out of her shell.
"While the examinations and analysis are important, we will also be using this as an opportunity to restock and rest. While I hope that we can keep any more confrontations to a minimum, I'm not stupid enough to think that will actually happen. Crater City has a fairly decent underground market, so with a little haggling we should be able to restock weapons, rations, medicines and other necessary training supplies. Don't worry about space or financing. This is a situation where having too much is better than having too little." Seeing Hinata, Shizune and Hana light up at the idea of some shopping, the blonde smirked. While she knew that everyone here, besides Isaribi-chan, was a serious ninja and thus used to living off the land, that did not mean that they enjoyed it twenty-four-seven. This was just the sort of thing everyone needed to unwind after so many stressful battles. Poor Naruto had no idea what was about to hit him.
Speaking of the brat, she was surprised to see him light up at the prospect of being there as well. Honestly, the Sannin thought he would complain about the lack of training time all things considered. Her questions were answered once he turned towards Hinata. "Hey Hinata-chan, since we're going to be here for a bit anyways, would you like to go out with me? The old pervert took me here once, and they usually have an awesome festival going on. What do you say?" While his enthusiasm was no less than normal, Tsunade could not help but smirk at the little quiver in his tone. Apparently the great Uzumaki Naruto was actually nervous for once.
Luckily for her sense of drama, and Naruto's self confidence, the answer was never in doubt. While she was no longer fainting from causal conversation, Hinata's face lit up like a bonfire at the request. Nevertheless, her voice was rock steady with its reply. "I would be honored to go to the festival with you Naruto-kun. Let's plan on the next available day after we restock our supplies, ok?" Tsunade was also proud to note the younger Kunoichi had not even twitched to press her fingers together. Hinata really had come a long way.
Deciding that they had chatted long enough Tsunade-turned to Shizune and Hana. "Ok, you know the drill, Shizune. Leave Tonton and take Hana with you to make the arrangements. After all, the sooner we prepare for Isaribi-chan's examination, the sooner these two can go on their date." Seeing the two teens blush furiously, it was the Hokage could do to hold back a laugh. Really, those two were just too cute sometimes! Seeing two people who cared so much about one another honestly made her feel twenty years younger!
Fighting back a grimace, Jiraiya faced his two, newest subordinates. While he had hoped to keep them busy for a while yet, it appeared that he could no longer stretch this out. While he had been able to track any number of civilian and ninja collaborators after analyzing their movements, the Toad Sage had hoped that Tsunade could deal with them directly before things got to this point. Nevertheless, that did not mean that he was unprepared for the possibility. "Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, it is my honor to inform you that, after rigorous effort, you each have passed you recertification requirements. As such, you are both able to reacquire you former ranks as Jonin's of each of you believe that you are capable of following the directives and upholding the strains of the position? If there is any doubt in either of your minds, speak now or forever hold you peace."
Much to his chagrin, neither Elder so much as hesitated. In a movement as smooth as silk, each bowed and offered their ritualistic acceptance of their ranks. While both Homura and Koharu appeared to be picture perfect examples of loyal ninja, Jiraiya just knew that they had to be laughing behind their wrinkles. He was honestly tempted to simply fail them back to Genin right then and there but held his hand. If he was not careful, the public outcry of any further perceived mistreatment of the two honorable councilors could touch off a riot. While he was sure that the elders would be a problem in the future, Jiraiya had to uphold his word. Besides, he did have something to keep both out of his hair for quite some time.
Returning their headbands, Jiraiya stood to signal the guards. Suddenly the three ninja were surrounded by ANBU. Noticing that the little show had been unable to spark the slightest reaction, the Toad Sage felt like pouting. Making one of the old farts have a heart attack would have been so worth it. "Since you have both regained your positions, I feel that it is time to put you to work. Come with me for your first mission." Nodding to the guards, he waited as two opened the door before leading the two elders into the main body of the tower.
While the Hokage Tower appeared to be almost pathetically open, any ninja would tell you that hiding in plain sight was more effective than all the camouflage Genjutsus on the planet. Although quite a bit of public business went on there, such as assigning missions and meeting with clients, there were whole levels of the tower that only the most trusted ninja would know about. Seeing as the entire party had substantial security clearance, none were shocked by the lead ANBU activating a sealing array on the third floor, exposing a hidden path. Biting his thumb, Jiraiya deactivated the security seals before allowing the group to continue. There were some tricks down there that would make even him nervous.
They walked downward for nearly ten minutes before coming across a solid steal door, inscribed with various seals. This time, it was the two lead ANBU who stepped forward, nicking their thumbs with practiced ease. Moving in perfect harmony, both guards swiped their bloody appendages across two seals on either side of the tower, causing the doors to crack. If either had been a second faster or slower than their fellows, the entire frame would have gone off like an explosive tag. Luckily for everyone involved, their timing was as perfect as humanly possible.
Opening the door, it appeared to be a simple safe room. While not overly large, the area was surprisingly comfortable. There were numerous electrical lights positioned around the circumference of the area, chasing away any shadows. Two doors positioned directly in front of the main entrance appeared sturdy, while there was no sign of rot or insects. The center of the chamber though drew everyone s attention. Two desks covered with yellowing papers took up nearly thirty percent of the space. If not for the lack of windows, the room could have been mistaken as an office from any of the capitols business companies.
Turning to the elders, Jiraiya fought to remain calm. Both Homura and Koharu looked like they had bitten a lemon. Since they had been around since before this tower had even been built, he was fairly sure they knew what was coming. "As you know, this safe room is only to be utilized when examining documentation that could be vital for the protection of the village. This is every scrap of paperwork that we were able to retrieve from the illegal operation ROOT and its leader Danzou. I want both of you working here night and day until each and every piece of paper has been sorted out."
Pointing to the two doors, Jiraiya was only able to maintain his expression from sheer willpower. "I believe that you know about the facilities and attached quarters. Of course, given the sensitive nature of this material, I will leave two ANBU here to guard over your efforts for the duration. In the meantime, I leave this operation in your capable hands." Signaling the rest of the guards, Jiraiya left without giving either elder a moment to complain. Turning, he watched both elders head towards the desks in resignation as the doors slowly closed.
Safe in the knowledge that the elders were once again contained, Jiraiya headed back to the surface, whistling a little tune. Returning to the office, he dismissed the ANBU, only to be surprised by the inactions of one of his closest subordinates. Curious, the Sannin raised an eyebrow. "Is there something that I can do for you, Tenzou?" Taking that as a signal, the ANBU elite lifted his mask, worry clear in his eyes.
"I apologize for my impertinence, Jiraiya-sama, but was that completely wise? We are fairly certain that there is documented proof tying both Elders to Danzou's operation. Even two ANBU observers might not be enough to prevent the destruction of that evidence, given who we are dealing with." While Tenzou was good enough to hide most of his emotions, without the mask he was mostly an open book to the Sannin. Smirking, Jiraiya wondered if this is what Naruto felt like after a particularly effective prank.
"Tenzou, I needed to give both of them a task that could only be handled by a Jonin. It had to be something that they were uniquely suited for, while keeping them out of circulation. Although it would be easier to simply throw them into jail for suspected treason, I don't want to try it without some serious political support or concrete evidence. With the Daimyo still trying to support the old two farts, even a written confession would probably not be enough. This way they will hopefully be pushing paper until Tsunade comes back, and without constant attention, all the grassroots campaigns they have been developing within the civilian population will begin to lose momentum."
Seeing his ANBU captain begin to calm down, Jiraiya's smirk turned downright vicious. "Oh, and if there is evidence down there they don't want me to know, both will be the first to inform me of that fact no matter how troublesome it is." Seeing Tenzou appeared confused by his statement, the Toad Sannin waved it off. "Sorry, just a little personal joke. Now why don't you go finish off your shift and take a day off? I think you could use it." Returning his mask to position, Tenzou saluted before disappearing in a cloud of leaves. Leaning back, the Sage cracked his neck. Hopefully, round two would be a proper victory, complete with sake and cute girls to serve it. Giggling, Jiraiya reached for a notebook to record the mental scene.
Authors Notes
Ok, who didn't see that one coming?
Thanks to everyone for their reviews for the last chapter. Between the excellent response and a sudden burst of creativity, I managed to get this one out faster than anticipated. I hope that everyone enjoys my foray into WAFF, because it's still not my happy place. Nevertheless, after several talks with my allies in the fanfiction community, I hope I was able to produce something somewhat enjoyable. After all, the nice guy should get the girl every now and then, ne?
Now, while I have your attention, I thought I would cover a few points that reviewers seem to be curious about.
First of all, no, I have no current plans to make this a Bleach Crossover. So no super powered soul sword.
Secondly, yes we will have Naruto go ape shit in the future. However, my goal is to demonstrate his power in spite of the Kyuubi, not because of it. So prepare for the red chakra to only show up under the direst of circumstances (hint hint)
Thirdly, yes the Kumo ninja will come into play, but not for a while. Ironically, they have a line cutting in front of them.
Fourthly, Tsunade derived her talk to the apprentices from information gathered from their perspective and the secondary observations of a traumatized civilian. Of course the information is a little biased, but she really had no other method of evaluating the situation. Anyways the end result of the confrontation is enough for me. I just needed a vehicle to start their training again, and a little confusion over the details won t get in my way.
Fifthly, yes the Hyuga situation sucks, but the method I have in mind for dealing with it is going to take more time. After all, there are still several challenge requirements left before the dramatic conclusion.
Sixthly, for all issues in terms of the pairings, I refer you to my profile page. This was not an intentional snub or a pathetic lie. I have done my best to meet your needs as readers in good faith, so please stop calling me names for my efforts.
Seventh, yes there is a reason that Hinata was able to pull off the Shadow Clone Jutsu, and no I m not sharing until later *evil grin*
Other than that, I again thank everybody for their input and humbly beg for more to fuel my creative drive. *puppy dog eyes*
Now for the next chapter, our heroes must deal with one of the most soul sucking and draining experiences available within the realms of sentient beings. Of course, I am talking about shopping. Stay tuned!