Underverse
Solet Anu
"Why are we sneaking in again?" Nami asked.
"Because the furball pissed off the Empress and now she's looking for him." Naruto said and winced.
"Master, move with Naruto." Mica said seeing the light shimmer of blue move out of Naruto a bit.
"We're nearly to the portal to Lowtown." Naruto said. Keep quiet furrball. There are guards all over the place.
"I would kit, but something don't feel right." Kyu hissed in a low voice. He was currently using Naruto as a host by holding his form in him.
"Quiet, both of you." Nami said as they moved down the streets.
"Those aren't the empresses guards. I don't know that symbol." Kyu hissed.
"Shut up." Mica said as they passed several vendors.
"Wait." Kyu hissed. "Sell off everything and buy supplies. We won't be back for some time, so spend what you can and we'll hide the rest with Shippo."
Mica nodded. "Nami and I will take care of it. You and Naruto get to the Den."
The blond nodded. His tails were under the cloak and he was feeling cramped.
Nami and Mica watched the two enter a portal and then he looked at his lavender haired companion.
"We'll sell off the hides and the furs." He said. "We'll buy potions and get you a couple of daggers."
Nami followed, her bow in her hands. Both her and Mica had no hoods and they slipped deeper into the crowds.
"What do you think happened?" Nami asked from next to him, her voice low and pitched so that only he could hear it.
"Not sure. But we can't get involved in anything political now. Konoha needs Naruto, and he needs to return there."
"You speak of Naruto, but what about you?" Nami asked as they looked for a proper vendor.
"I go where my brother goes. I left him once, I regret that every moment. I won't abandon him again."
Mica paused and looked around. "Where the hell is Old Dahn?"
"Dahn you say?" a vendor asked.
"Yeah." Mica said approaching.
"You must have been out doing a hunt." The vendor said and Mica just nodded. "Not much luck on the Tundra, but then again it is a desolate place." Mica said. "You said something about Dahn?"
"Oh, right." The vendor said as Nami bought a couple pieces of fruit. "Dahn and a lot of the vendors were rounded up a couple of days ago by those new guards. Don't know what the fist symbol means, but…"
"It's rei, means zero." Mica said. something was tickling in the back of his mind, but he couldn't figure out what.
"Right. Well anyway, those new guards came in and rounded up people who were complaining, or speaking out against only Hume's being allowed in the upper city."
Mica and Nami exchanged a look.
"What of the other races?" Mica asked.
"Well either they left, or went to Lowtown. The denizens of the Lake killed numerous guards on their exodus, and six battalions of troops are guarding the beach now."
Mica didn't know what to say. We have to get out of here. Things are spiraling and if we remain we'll be drawn into it.
"You need to sell something?" the vendor asked.
"Some furs, and hides…teeth and bones." Mica said.
"Let me see." The vendor said.
Mica pulled the bag out and looked at the vendor. "You're a fruit seller."
"I'm also a merchant and I own three more stalls here."
Mica showed the items and the vendor whistled. "Now that must have been some beast to give teeth this size."
"It was." Nami and Mica said at the same time.
"Hm, and the hide…thick…I'll give you ten for the hide and another two for the teeth."
"Twenty-five for the hide and four for the teeth." Mica said. "You'll be able to make several pieces of light armor tops, boots and the like."
"Twelve for the hide and three for the teeth." The vendor countered. Nami watched as haggled.
"Twenty for the hide and four for the teeth, and not a silver lower."
"Deal." The vendor said and went to get the money from his safe. Mica looked at Nami who looked upset.
"Twenty pieces of silver? You could have gotten a hundred times that." She said.
Mica laughed. "Twenty thousand for the hide and four thousand for the teeth." Mica said.
"Oh…that's better." The lavender haired girl said.
"Master had Shippo show me how to haggle with the vendors my first few weeks here."
The Vendor came up with a bag and Mica peered inside to double check. "Nice."
"The holding bags are nice for money, not as large as that one you have, but big enough to put money in. I'm throwing that in for extra." The vendor said.
Mica took the money and after thanking the merchant went to another area and bought several herbs and potions that he knew wouldn't be available back in their own realm.
He lead Nami to another portal room and froze. There were numerous guards. The pair backed out without being noticed.
"What the hell?" Mica hissed as Nami pulled him into an alley. "How are we supposed to get to the Den if there are guards?"
Nami was going to say something but saw a poster with his image and Naruto's on it along with a description of Kyuubi's. she saw guards coming and did the only thing she could, she grabbed him and pulled him into a deep searing kiss.
Otogakure
"Lord Orochimaru." A masked Oto nin entered and went to a knee before the throne.
"Rise." The snake sannin said, his serpentine eyes studying the man.
"Word from Hojo. Sasuke has finished the preparations."
"Has he activated the Mangekyo Sharingan?" the sannin asked.
"No milord." The nin reported.
"Hm. It seems the rumors are true then. A sacrifice of a best friend or loved one is needed." Orochimaru pondered and shook his head.
"How goes Haruno's research project?" he asked.
"She has managed to master several jutsu off the scrolls that she retrieved from Suna." Orochimaru nodded. "Excellent. When the time of the invasion comes, keep her close to Sasuke-kun. Her rapid devotion might be just what we need."
"Yes Lord Orochimaru."
"Tell me Wakka, has our spies learned anything new?"
The nin identified as Wakka paused. "Suna looks to be fortifying, but our spies can't get closer to check as the desert has become one big sand trap. They advise we avoid…"
"NO! Suna failed us the last time we tried to take Konoha, and now have allied with them. I won't leave them at my back again. That sand brat is too unstable to leave with a free shot like that. We'll use Kumo and Iwa to wear them down."
Wakka paused. "Sasuke has removed the kage of Kumo. He's ruling there right now Lord Orochimaru."
"And that matters how? Send one of the Jounin and have them send Sasuke back to me. Its time I have a hand in his final stages of training."
Wakka shuddered. Both Orochimaru and Sasuke were like dangerous spoiled children that would kill if they didn't get their way.
"Have you found the remains I asked you to retrieve?" Orochimaru asked.
"Yes Lord Orochimaru, but…the head was missing." Wakka said.
"No matter. Have them taken to lab nine and send for Doctor Lamb. I want him to work his trade…and then send for the Necromancer. Tell him he has another job."
Wakka nodded. The two men he was to find scared him as much as the man on the throne. The only thing keeping them loyal was the money they got and all the fresh bodies they could use for their experiments.
Wakka hurried down the hall never noticing the black form slipping off the wall and then heading in the other direction.
Konoha
"I'm sorry Hinata, but I need to send you and Kakashi to help protect the Kazekage. Their nearly done with their preparations and once the trap is sprung, I need you to make sure that Gaara is evacuated when the time comes." Tsunade said.
Hinata stood before the Hokage's desk. "So, I am to take Kakashi and Team 9 back to Suna…without Gai-sensei?" she asked.
"Yes. You'll be working with Itachi…"
"I don't mind that. But Shouldn't Team 9 have a chance to recuperate? Gai is still on the injured list." Hinata asked.
"I would, but with the invasion time looming closer, I need my best on the front. If things hold till schedule, then Gai should be up in time for when Orochimaru and Danzo launch their attack on Konoha." Tsunade said.
Hinata looked at the Hokage. "Lady Tsunade…I…I had a…a dream." She said. she then told the Hokage of what had happened while she slept.
Tsunade couldn't help but smile. "So, you kissed him?"
Hinata blushed.
Tsunade chuckled. "And Jahk'Ayhln assured you it was real?" the blond hokage asked for confirmation.
"Yes." Hinata said, and she was starting to wonder if it was a mistake to share this with the Hokage.
She looks way too pleased with this news.
"And he gave you that nice sized hickey?"
Hinata blushed and fought the urge to pull up her shirt to hide her neck and cursed herself for no longer wearing the bulky jacket she used to wear. Stupid Vengeance spirit giving me confidence and damn nosey hokage's who like to see if I can still blush.
Tsunade chuckled. "Don't worry Hinata. I won't scare him off. I might in fact handcuff him to you once he returns."
Hinata didn't need the mental image, as her mind supplied what she could do while handcuffed to the blond fox lord. Imagination is going to drive me crazy and I'm going to wear my fingers out. She thought and wiped the slight trickle of blood from her nose hoping the Hokage hadn't noticed it.
I've been around TenTen way too much, and my self imposed chastity isn't helping. Hinata thought of all the times TenTen talked to her and gave in Hinata's opinion way too much information on what happened between Team 9 in their apartment.
Like I need that kind of information about my cousin.
"Hinata."
"Sorry." Hinata said focusing back on the Hokage.
Tsunade smirked. "Do we need to have…The TALK?"
Hinata swore in her mind and wondered if she would see Naruto again in the dreamscape, or would he be back soon.
Underverse
Solet Anu
Lowtown
Naruto sliding along the walls sneezed and looked around praying that the guards hadn't noticed. He'd used the Harem Jutsu to slip past the guards at the Portal and Kyu had asked him after they were in Lowtown about Mica and Nami.
"Bless you."
"Thanks. Someone's talking about me." Naruto said as he looked around and saw the street clear of troops.
"Worry about it later kit. We're nearly to the den. We use the sub-basement and perform the ritual to return to the mortal realm." Kyu said softly.
"You sure Shippo got it ready?"
"If that lazy sonova-inu didn't I'll gut him with a spoon."
"Why a spoon?" Naruto paused and asked.
"Because it's dull, it'll hurt more."
"You and Mica really need to get a hobby other than coming up with weird crap." Naruto muttered and slipped from an alley to the fence around the bar. With a simple chakra leap he was over and crouched, his senses and vunla senses stretching out for danger.
"Use the hidden door. We don't know who all is inside." Kyu advised.
"Mad now that you have the coral in the walls to block scans?"
"Stow it kit. It was a good idea at the time…there, move that brick and…"
"Open sesame." Naruto finished slipping into the hidden door and a space in the bar."
"Looks clear."
Naruto pushed the fake wall open and stepped out.
"Welcome back Lord Kyuubi."
The shade leapt out of Naruto and the blond nine tailed teen looked at his former prisoner turned ally.
"Er, hello Your majesty." Kyu said, his shade seeming to pale.
AN: Uh-oh. A glitch has just hit. Ain't I a stinka?