ACADEMY DAYS V - SHINOBI UNION I
Uzumaki household
Konohamaru jumps in one place as a warm-up, loosening up his arms as he does. "Alright, big day's near! You're gonna cheer me on, right, Bro?"
Naruto laughs from his spot on the sofa. "Of course I will. I know you're gonna knock 'em dead."
"Are you nervous?" Kotori asks.
"Hah! Me, nervous?" He puffs out his chest. "Of course not! I got nothing to fear. I'm the heir to the Sarutobi clan, one of the founding clans of the Leaf! Ain't no one can match me."
Kotori lightly pouts. "Is it really that impressive to be heir? Everyone talks about it- you, Kashiwama… Does that make you stronger?"
"Well, I mean, not really, but we have to keep up our image, you know? We're not just fighting for ourselves but the whole clan, our family. And now that includes you, too!" Konohamaru grins.
Kotori tilts her head. "It does?"
"Yeah! You're bro's family and bro's my bro so you're… my… sis?"
Hinata walks up to the table, placing down a mug in front of Konohamaru. "I think 'niece' is the proper term, although that's not entirely correct in this scenario, either." She then sits down with Naruto and Kotori on the sofa.
Naruto scratches his head. "Yeah, it's not exactly a normal thing we have going here."
"Either way, you're family now. So watch me real close at the exams, okay? I'm gonna show you how you become Chunin! Take notes when you take the Exams."
Kotori eagerly nods. "We'll cheer you on!"
"I know you will." He then squints at Hinata. "But someone here has... conflicting allegiances."
"Pardon?" Hinata cocks her head in confusion, silky hair sliding down her shoulder. "Oh, you mean Hanabi?"
"Yeah, I mean… her." He doesn't even want to say her name. "If we end up fighting at the Exams, who're you gonna root for?"
Hinata gives a warm smile. "You've both grown to be such strong and capable shinobi. I want both of you to succeed and keep growing."
Konohamaru throws his arms up. "See, that's what I mean! You're too nice, you know."
"Lay off it, Konohamaru." Naruto laughs. "She's awesome, is what she is."
"... You've changed." Konohamaru judges.
A knock on the door interrupts their moment.
"I'll get it!" Kotori hops off and opens the door to be met by Karin.
"Hey, kid. Your... dad here?" Karin still has trouble referring to these two as father and daughter, given their difference is only 10 years. Hardly enough for a parental connection but, hey, they seem to be making it work.
"Yeah." She turns back to the room to call out, "It's Karin!" She opens the door wider to allow Karin to enter if she wants to. She doesn't seem to.
Naruto stands up from his spot and goes to see why his cousin's come. "Hey, Karin. What's up?"
"The other villages should be arriving any time now. If you want to meet them, you should get going."
"Thanks, Karin!"
Hearing the news, Hinata also stands up. "We should go meet them now. The other Union representatives should be there already."
"Yeah." Naruto nods and quickly goes back to don his orange cloak before he and Hinata make their way outside.
Konohamaru and Kotori follow suite.
"Do you think Mutsu is gonna come?" Kotori asks.
"Dunno." Naruto shrugs. "Maybe?"
Hinata brushes Kotori's hair into a less messy state. "I'm sure Mutsu insisted on coming with the Hidden Rain."
"Why're going to meet them, anyway?" Konohamaru asks with a dark hint to his voice. "That woman… she atta-"
"I know, Konohamaru." Naruto cuts him off. "But it's all different now. For all of us, not just the Hidden Rain. That's the whole point the Union's a thing."
"Yeah, but still…" Konohamaru hangs his head.
Hinata pats the younger boy on the back. "I can promise you things have changed for the better. All nations have bad history with each other, but we're moving past it. It's still taking time to get used to it all."
"I'll try not to think about it."
"Alright, let's go." Naruto Flickers ahead, followed by Hinata and Kotori, and Karin going with in case her skills are needed.
Konohamaru Flickers into a different direction, leaving them to do their own thing.
Hidden Leaf main gates
'Crowd' wouldn't really be the correct term but there definitely is a very large gathering at the gates. It's only natural the village would want to give the best greeting possible, given that some of the most powerful and most influential people in the shinobi world are set to all arrive today.
The Five Kage, plus members of a multitude of smaller villages which will potentially double the size of the Shinobi Union. A momentous occasion, indeed.
Naturally, the representatives of the Union are there, ready to meet their fellow villagers after spending some time away. Everyone who's anyone in the Leaf has gathered with them, be it for professional or personal reasons.
Two figures in particular stand atop one of the taller roofs that overlook the main gates. Sasuke is sitting down on the tiles, observing, while Sakua stands next to him.
"I didn't think you'd be interested in this." Sakura notes.
"I'm not." Sasuke corrects her. "I just want to see how this'll all go down."
"I think that could be defined as being interested, but sure."
"Maybe. I don't know, I just… wanted to watch. Why are you up here, anyway?" He looks up at her. "Shouldn't you be down there, as a head of the Medical unit?"
"Temporary head, until Shizune comes back from maternity leave." This time she corrects him. "I'll go down when I have to. It's not like we all have to hound at the gates in anticipation."
"Speaking of hounding…" Sasuke looks around. "I would've thought he'd be here by now."
"Who?" Sakura cocks her head.
"Hey, you two!" An orange blur materializes next to them on the roof, followed by a lavender one.
"Sasuke, Sakura." Hinata gives them a courteous head bow.
"Yeah, there he is." Sasuke sighs.
"Aw, you missed me?" Naruto teases.
Sasuke shakes his head. "Grow up." His light chuckles betrays his admonishing words.
"I'm going to join the representatives in waiting." Hinata moves to the edge of the roof.
Sakura steps towards her. "I'll join you. It can get overwhelming down there." She shudders.
Sasuke raises a brow. "So that's why you were up here…"
Sakura only grumbles in response.
The two young women both Flicker down to join the welcoming party. They're soon joined by another Naruto, Karin, and Kotori. Sasuke watches as the Naruto below poofs out of existence, leaving the girls alone. Karin is very clearly and deliberately keeping her back to the rooftop the boys are on.
Sasuke keeps watching them as he talks to Naruto. "Is Karin still…"
"Yeah." Naruto doesn't really need to hear the end of the question. "It's… a lot to go through. She needs more time."
"At least she has you. A new family. Same with Jugo. It's a lot more than I tried to give them." He sounds somber.
"What, are you contemplating your life?"
"I suppose. Had to do a lot of thinking because of a certain someone." Sasuke looks at him from the corner of his eye. "I have to make up for so many things. Have a lot of people to do right by." He focuses his gaze on Sakura.
"You'll get there. People been accepting of Guren and the rest, they'll be accepting of you, too."
"Except that my crimes are a bit too close to home. People like Guren and Jugo are only known by reputation, but the people of the village know me personally. It's different."
"Guess we'll see." Naruto pats him on the back. "But for now… looks like our guests are arriving."
The first indication would be the increased commotion, with everyone shifting around into their proper positions to welcome the delegations. For this group, the clear indicator as to their identity are the grains of sand that float through the air.
Hidden Sand envoy
Gaara enters the Leaf fist with his brother and chief advisor, Kankuro, right behind him. They're followed by a decently sized group of shinobi, with some very visibly being Genin, lacking the typical uniform.
Tsunade steps forward, extending a hand. "Lord Kazekage. It's a pleasure to welcome you."
"The pleasure is ours, Lady Hokage." Gaara accepts the handshake.
Kankuro looks around at the mass of people. "The Leaf sure goes all out on its welcoming party, huh?"
"Only the best for our honoured guests." Tsunade laughs.
Temari walks to them with a bit of a rush in her step although she tries to play it cool; Shikamaru walks at a much slower place behind her.
"Gaara, Kankuro." She calls out to them.
Kankuro walks up to his sister and embraces her. "Hey, so you haven't actually forgotten us."
"What a dumb thing to think; it hasn't been that long." She laughs. "You sure you're fit to be an advisor?"
Kankuro steps back from the hug and playfully fits her shoulder. "More than, don't you worry about that."
Gaara steps towards her, as well, keeping it less personal as he tends to do. "Temari." He gives a court nod. "It's good to see you again."
"You, too." She smiles back to him.
Kankuro peers over Temari's shoulder to look at Shikamaru. "You been treating her good, yeah? Not done anything weird to her?" He smirks.
Shikamaru becomes flustered and looks away. "Of course not!"
"You dolt." Temari smacks him over the head, herself even more flustered than Shikamaru. First Yoshino and now Kankuro… These people…
Gaara, not picking up what Kankuro is throwing, simply nods. "Shikamaru is a respected ally. I trust him wholeheartedly to treat our sister well."
"Uhh, sure, Gaara." Kankuro rubs the back of his head where Temari smacked him.
Temari sighs. "Come on, I'll show you where you guys'll be staying."
"Want to come with?" Shikamaru offers.
"No, I got this." She reassures him. "Besides you have official duties, Chief Advisor."
With that, she motions for the Sand delegation to follow her.
When Kankuro passes Shikamaru, he leans close and whispers, "Don't worry, you can spend time with her after we're gone."
"Wha- No, that's not-" Shikamaru's cheeks turn even redder.
Kankuro laughs as he continues walking.
Shikamaru rubs his face in exasperation. "This is gonna be a drag."
-x-
A bit behind them, Maki takes the giant scroll off her back, stretching her muscles as she does. "Ahh, finally." She looks around the foreign village, appreciating the surroundings. "So this is the Hidden Leaf, huh?"
"It's different from before." Sen walks up to her, tucking away her tessen fans. "Guess it's to be expected, with everything that happened."
"That's right, you've been here before, huh?" Maki turns to the younger kunoichi.
Sen nods. "Yeah, for the Chunin Exams a few years back. Feels like a lifetime ago now…"
"It does." Another voice joins in their conversation. Ameno walks up to them, with her teammates Shishio and Koji not far behind, themselves absorbed in taking in the scenery. "I'm curious to see just how much has changed."
"Oh? Got any plans?" Sen asks.
"I do, indeed. I plan to learn everything I possibly can from the Medical Unit. I want to see how the Leaf's grown in that department and how much I can take back to the Sand."
"Well, just be sure to stay on your best behavior." Maki warns. "That goes double for you, Koji!" She calls back to the younger man.
"What?" Koji turns to her. "I haven't even done anything!"
Sen chuckles. "Not yet, you haven't."
Ameno nods. "I presume you're already thinking of something silly."
Shishio pats Koji on the back. "Even I have to agree."
"You, too, man?" Koji slumps his shoulders in defeat.
"Come on, looks like we're moving." Maki rounds up some stragglers as Temari begins leading their group further into the village.
Walking along, Ameno does see Sakura a bit further back in the crowd. The two share a nod, and a silent promise to meet each other again when things calm down in the village.
-x-
Naruto hops down from the roof, onto the side of the street, just as the Hidden Sand delegation passes.
Seeing this, Gaara breaks off from his group to walk over to him. "Naruto." He extends a hand.
Naruto grins and returns the handshake. "It's good to see ya again."
"It has been a while since we last met. I've received some updates from Temari and Kyodo Uzumaki. It sounds like you've been doing well."
"Kind of." Naruto rubs the back of his head. "It's… way different from how I thought my life would be."
Gaara lightly chuckles. "Now you know how I felt after meeting you." He notices the delegation waiting for him ahead on the road and decides to cut the meeting short. "We'll speak again later. I have to attend to my responsibilities."
"Sure thing! We'll grab a bowl of ramen, it'll knock your gourd off."
"I look forward to it." Gaara nods and begins walking to his group. After a few steps, he looks up to the man sitting on the rooftop, quietly observing. The two stare at each other for a moment before Gaara speaks. "It's good to see the light has reached your eyes, Sasuke Uchiha."
"Hmpf. Maybe you were onto something after all, Gaara of the Sand."
Gaara goes on to rejoin his group and continue walking to their accommodations.
Hidden Cloud envoys
The second group to make their way are the loud and boisterous Hidden Cloud shinobi. Even from a fair distance, one voice resonates and booms loud enough to be heard at the gate.
"Know the name, know the face,
Don't be lame or a disgrace,
The Killer Bee flyin' through,
Charging right at you, make enough noise for two.
YEAH!
The number's eight, learn to count,
Or I'll beat ya to the ground til roots sprout.
'Cause I'm both a bull and GOAT, I'm that ace,
So know the name and know the face."
By the end, the Cloud delegation has reached the front gates where Izumo and Kotetsu are standing to welcome them into the village proper. Instead, they both stare in disbelief at the rapping Killer Bee, who'd been leading the group, although it probably was his own choice to do so.
Bee takes a look at both before delivering his final piece.
"Ya fools, ya tools."
"Don't mind him." Ay shakes his head. "Get inside, you fool."
"Must you treat me so harsh, brotha?" Bee protests. "As family, we should support one another!"
Stepping inside, Ay is also met by Tsunade as the two shake hands. "Raikage, glad you could make it."
Darui and Cee remain by his side at all times, with Bee being a bit more hectic with his positioning.
"Of course. I wouldn't miss something this important to our alliance."
Bee's eyes focus on one particular spot in front of him- Tsunade's cleavage. "Definitely wouldn't miss this."
Ay knocks him hard over the head. "I told you to show the Hokage proper respect, you dolt!"
Bee yelps in pain. "Brotha…"
"Lord Raikage, Lord Bee!" Karui steps toward them. "It's good to see you."
"You, too, Karui." Ay nods to her.
"Yo! There's my little student, how've you been?" Bee walks up, offering her a fistbump. "Showin' these fools how we do it Cloud-style?"
"We've been showing each other a lot. Come on, I'll show you where you guys'll be staying."
From a distant rooftop, Naruto shouts at the top of his lungs. "Yo, Octopops! Let's go train somewhere later!"
"You got it, Narubro!" Bee shouts back and raises a fist. "YEAH!"
Tsunade shares a look with Ay. "You keep your brother in check, I'll keep Naruto."
Ay nods. "Yeah."
During this, Omoi walks up to Karui. "Hey, Karui, you remember us, right?"
Samui shakes her head in the back. "I told you…"
Sticking very close behind Samui is a group of three young kunoichi, visibly still Genin, who move wherever she moves.
Karui just stares for a moment. He's probably going to go on another tangent. "Yeah, why?"
"Oh, good." Omoi breathes a sigh of relief. "I was worried you'd spent so much time here, you'd forgotten you're from the Cloud. Maybe life here was so good, you started thinking you always lived here and forgot everything we-" Karui turns around without a word, leading the Cloud shinobi into the village. "Hey, wait up!"
"I both missed you and didn't miss you." Karui sighs. "Samui, could you give me a normal update."
Samui chuckles. "We'll catch up, don't worry."
The three young kunoichi look around the village streets, taking in what they're seeing.
"Samui-sensei, this village doesn't look impressive." One of them states, with the other two nodding in agreement.
"She's right, this doesn't look like a place that can raise strong shinobi." One of the others adds.
"Our village conditions the mind and body, but this…" The third one also comments.
"Don't be quick to judge, girls." Samui warns them. "Remember, underestimating your opponent is one of the biggest mistakes you can make as shinobi. That's not something you can afford to do as Chunin."
"Yes, sensei." They say in unison.
Hidden Water and Hidden Stone envoys
Arriving at the same time, the Water and Stone villages walk through the gates, led by Mei Terumi and Onoki.
"Mizukage, Tsuchikage, welcome."
"It's been a while, Hokage." Mei shakes her hand.
Onoki floats up to do the same. "You appear to be well, Slug Princess."
"Better than you, I imagine." She smirks in response. "Don't you think it's about time to retire?"
Onoki chortles. "I'll outlast all of you, just watch."
"I suppose we shall." Mei chuckles. "Has anyone else arrived yet?"
"The Kazekage and Raikage are already here. No one else, though." Tsunade answers.
"So we're still waiting on the small villages." Onoki rubs his chin.
"Tsuchikage, it might do us well to not refer to them as "small" if we're to be allies." Mei warns.
"Pah." He waves her off. "It's what they are, no point in pretending. Besides, I still think it's far too early for any of this. We've only just began building a foundation and we're already looking to double the members of the Shinobi Union."
"Yes, so you've said." Tsunade sighs. "But we reached a compromise, didn't we?"
"Under protest! Because you stubborn kids wouldn't stop yapping about it." Onoki crosses his arms.
"You're one to talk about stubborn…" Tsunade mutters under her breath.
"What was that?" Onoki flies closer, squinting his eyes.
"Oh, nothing of importance, dear Tsuchikage." Tsunade puts on a big smile for him. "Why don't you rest up from your long journey, I'm sure you need it."
Onoki hums and flies towards Ittan who's been waiting in the back. "Come on, boy, you can catch me up on everything on our way."
Akatsuchi and Kurotsuchi gather the rest of their party and walk with him.
As they pass, Kurotsuchi gives an empathic smile. "I apologize for all of that."
"It's quite alright, Kurotsuchi." Mei smiles. "I've grown accustomed to stubborn men," She then turns to Tsunade, "and we'll have to put up with many more in the coming weeks."
"That we will but I have faith."
"Either way, it's good to know it won't be just us two in all of this. The Rain and Grass have some womanly power, as well, don't they?"
"They do." Tsunade nods. "I'm just still not sure about either of them."
"The Leaf has a complicated history with the Rain, huh?"
"You could say that."
"Still, I hope it won't come to clashing heads." Mei motions for her group to prepare and begins walking towards Kiri. "We'll just have to wait."
As more and more people enter the village, Karin seems to somehow get more anxious. She breaks away from Hinata and Sakura, who do end up following her to make sure she's okay, to talk to one of the Leaf shinobi stationed by the gate.
"Hey, 'scuse me." Karin beckons one of them.
"Yeah?"
She fidgets for a second, trying to build up to the question on her mind. "Do you… have any information on the Hidden Grass? Did they arrive already, or?"
"Far as we know, they're on their way. We don't know when they'll arrive, though."
"Right. Right." She nods and takes a step back. "Thanks."
"Is… everything alright, Karin?" Sakura places a hand on her shoulder.
"Yeah, all good. Just wanted to check something." She gives a very light and very fake smile.
"Are you waiting on the Hidden Grass in particular?" Hinata asks.
"No, it's just- I'm- Look, I just wanted to check. That's all." She moves past them to get toward the back of the crowd. "I'm not a prisoner anymore, I don't need an interrogation."
"I'm sorry, that's not-" Sakura begins to offer an apology but is cut off by Hinata.
"Sakura. I think it best to leave her to it. She's not one who responds well to pushing."
"Yeah…"
Hidden Waterfall envoy
The relatively small group from the Waterfall are given a warm greeting. The two villages have worked together before, although relationships were always strained and not entirely out of camaraderie.
As with the others, Tsunade greets the leader of the village.
"Shibuki of the Hidden Waterfall. Welcome to the Hidden Leaf." She extends a hand.
Shibuki, a young man in his late twenties with black hair past his shoulders, accepts with a smile. "A pleasure to be here. Your village, it blends wonderfully with its surroundings, as ours does. It feels… right."
Tsunade smiles and bows her head. "Thank you. I've heard of the Hidden Waterfall's beauty. Maybe one day we'll have the chance to admire it, as well."
Shibuki laughs abashedly. "I'm afraid we're not in much of a position to host such a large gathering."
"Either way, that's for the future to decide." She turns to the Leaf shinobi lined up nearby her. "Aoba, show them where they'll be staying."
"Yes, ma'am." Aoba adjusts his sunglasses and steps forward. "Please follow me."
As Shibuki follows, he looks around the village trying to not look like a child in a toy store and keep some of his dignity as village leader. Still, it's a definite upgrade from their small village. His eyes wander up to one of the nearby roofs where he sees a familiar bed of blond hair.
Naruto waves enthusiastically; Shibuki waves back less enthusiastically. Dignity, after all.
"Well, time really has flown, huh?" Shibuki mutters to himself.
Naruto was a young Genin when his team aided the Waterfall in their time of need. Now that loudmouth brat has grown into a respectable young man.
Hidden Frost envoy
The smallest group so far, the Frost shinobi are dressed in white to grey clothes and a brown flak jacket. Their clothes appear somewhat thicker than most others', which makes sense given how cold their Land can get.
Some roll up their sleeves or unzip their flak jacket. A change in wardrobe is definitely in order once they settle in.
One man, his main distinguishing feature being his headband worn as a bandana, steps forward to meet the Hokage, taking the offered handshake.
"Arare Kanno of the Hidden Frost. Welcome to the Hidden Leaf."
He bows his head. "We are honoured to be present for this momentous event."
"Genma here will show you to your designated accommodations." She motions to the Jounin standing at attention nearby. "We'll send word when everyone is present and has had to set up."
Genma nods and steps forward to lead them into the village and show them the way.
Hidden Rain envoy
While Naruto wanted to be present for the whole thing to witness everyone entering the village, there was really one delegation in particular that he wanted to be there to meet. The Hidden Rain in particular is still an uncertain entity in the shinobi world.
Even though former enemies banded together during the Fourth Great War and they learned the value of cooperation, there's still some uncertainty towards the only remaining member of the Akatsuki. Specifically the Hidden Leaf feels uneasy, as Pain's attack is still a sore memory for many despite the zero losses suffered, besides the materialistic ones.
Naruto just wanted to be here to make sure Konan receives a proper welcome.
He doesn't have to wait overly long, as the Rain shinobi appear on the horizon. Naruto doesn't move yet, not wanting to intrude on the Hokage greeting them, but there already seems to be some tension in the air. Hopefully this won't actually go too bad.
Konan, leading Mutsu by the hand, leads her people into the village, slowing down to take in the atmosphere and look around. Stern eyes meet her eyes but she doesn't let it bother her. She can't. She does understand why and is ready to accept whatever judgement they give her. That's a big reason why she agreed to come in the first place. Face her terrible past mistakes.
As she steps past the gates, she releases her son's hand and motions him to step back and stick with Bairin. Fuyo and Suiren aren't far behind, the two young kunoichi having proven their loyalty and ability enough to become some of the more trusted shinobi in the new Hidden Rain.
Kotori watches on from a heightened place and eagerly points to the group. "There he is!"
"See?" Hinata smiles. "You'll catch up soon enough."
"Someone you know?" Karin asks.
"Yeah!" Kotori hops off, "We met when we went to the Rain." and runs off into the crowd, pushing past them.
"Wait, Kotori?" Hinata goes after her but the girl's already slipped through.
Konan steps forward, breaking away from the group. Her attire has changed slightly from before. For starters, her headband doesn't have the village's symbol slashed. She still wears a cloak but without the red clouds, being more reminiscent to the original Akatsuki that she founded together with Nagato and Yahiko, and over the cloak she dons the Rain's flak jacket.
She stops close to the Hokage, the two women locking eyes. This encounter is difficult for both them, each for their own reason.
"Konan of the Hidden Rain." Tsunade acknowledges her arrival as politely as she can right now.
"Lady Hokage." Konan lightly bows her head.
"You've grown since we last met." Tsunade recalls the young, helpless children that Jiraiya took under his wing. "Not just in size, but in influence and skill, as well."
Konan gives a solemn smile. "I had an excellent teacher."
Tsunade's smile drops. "He was."
From the crowd, a small form bursts out from behind the adults. Kotori heads directly to Mutsu, a wide grin on her face.
"Mutsu! You're here" She calls loudly and runs right into him, enthusiastically grabbing his hands.
"Kotori?" Mutsu yelps in surprise. "Hi, um, it's good to see you again."
His purple hair is cut a bit shorter now, not hiding his eyes entirely. Still he lowers his head in slight embarrassment to try and hide his eyes and light smile. This probably is attracting some attention, and he was warned beforehand that his mom and the Leaf have a complicated history. Sticking out might not be overly helpful.
"I can show you around the village, take you around, and we can train together! It'll be great."
Yokumaru and Shoto make their way out of the crowd, as well, but have the sense to keep their distance and not interrupt the arrival of a foreign village.
Yokumaru and Mutsu give a distant hello.
Somehow, seeing this girl excited to see another kid from the Rain eases the mood around. Seeing the future generation this happy to be together makes them remember the entire reason they're here. The lesson they learned during the Fourth War.
Tsunade sighs and extends a hand. "Welcome to the Hidden Leaf. Officially." The kids also reminded her of what's most important right now.
"Thank you for having us." Konan accepts her hand. "Officially."
It's a bit of an awkward handshake but tensions have eased up. This might not be a total disaster, after all.
This is the moment Naruto chooses to Flicker right next to Tsunade, a grin on his face. "Hey."
"Naruto." Konan's smile brightens. "How are you?"
"Ah, well, that's a big question." He laughs and steps towards her to give her a hug, a hug which she openly accepts. "We'll have to go over that over a few drinks."
"That'd be nice."
He turns to Tsunade. "Granny, you mind if I show her where they're staying?"
Tsunade sighs and rubs the back of her head. "No, I suppose not. Not going to stick around for the others?"
Naruto smirks, "You forget who you're talking to." and crosses his fingers in his signature hand sign.
[Shadow Clone]
A second Naruto pops into existence as the original begins Konan into the village. "Come on, it's this way."
The Leaf shinobi gathered around make enough of a path for Naruto to pass through. If seeing the kids interacting eased the tension, then seeing their biggest hero hug the leader definitely nearly got rid of it. After all, Naruto is the one who defeated Pain and saved the village. If the person who fought for them is willing to welcome the Rain with open arms, then they can't exactly go against him. He's the whole reason many of them are even alive.
"Thank you." Konan says quietly as they walk through the streets.
"Of course." Naruto smiles. "Let's get ya settled, yeah? Then we can catch up."
Naruto sees Hinata nearer the front of the crowd, who motions toward Kotori who kind of just invited herself onto the scene. Naruto silently reassures her that he'll keep an eye on her.
-x-
Kotori and Mutsu run up to the front with their parents.
Seeing the opportunity, Yokumaru and Shoto walk over with them.
"Hey, Mutsu." Yokumaru gives a proper greeting this time.
"Hi." Mutsu smiles. "And, um…" He looks at the boy he doesn't recognize.
"Shoto Teshin." He gives his traditional bow.
"Shoto's dad's student, too!" Kotori clarifies. We met him after we left the Rain.
"I see." Mutsu nods but something jolts him. He looks around nervously, like he's searching for something.
"What's wrong?" Kotori asks, concerned.
Mutsu furrows his brow. "I dunno, I just feel… uneasy."
A fair distance away, Kashiwama stares daggers into Mutsu's back. "Competition." He hisses.
Genzai facepalms. "Seriously, man…"
-x-
Tsunade crosses her arms and smiles. "Well played."
Naruto's clone smirks. "I don't know what you mean."
"Uh huh." She shakes her head in response and lightly bumps his shoulder. "Want to stay with me to meet the rest?"
"Sure."
Hidden Star envoy
The smallest group so far, the Hidden Star Village was never a large village to begin with. They were always more reclusive and kept to themselves and kept out of outside conflicts as much as possible. Their being surrounded by a valley of poisonous gas definitely aided them in their isolation.
To see this village openly mingle with others is definitely not something that anyone expected to happen but here they are.
The few shinobi look around in awe, admiring the much larger village. The Star is probably as big as a single district in the Leaf.
Only one looks unimpressed. Or tries to, at least. Sumaru stays focused on the path ahead where a very familiar face awaits. An older and more defined, but definitely familiar.
A man steps forward to greet the Hokage and Naruto, with Sumaru walking just behind him.
"Nakago of the Hidden Star. Welcome to the Hidden Leaf." As always she extends a hand.
Nakago shakes her hand. "Thank you for having us."
"Of course. We opened the doors to anyone who would want to join, we're pleased to see the Hidden Star taking an interest."
"Times have changed. The Third Hoshikage wished for us to be more accepting and I plan on continuing his legacy as the Fifth."
On hearing the title 'Hoshikage', Tsunade's expression shifts. She tries to hide it but poker face has never been her strong point. Nakago notices her change.
"Is... something the matter?" He asks.
"That's... to be discussed later. For now, Raido will show you where you'll be staying. We'll have plenty of opportunity to talk during the meeting."
Raido steps forward and motions them to follow. Nakago gathers all his shinobi, little as they are, while Sumaru steps toward Naruto.
"Look at that, you actually look like a shinobi now." He teases.
Naruto smirks. "Could say the same for you. You actually managed to learn anything these years?"
"Just watch. I'm next in line to become Hoshikage while you're lazing around in your comfy village. I'll outrank you in no time."
"I'll be sure to remind you how wrong you were when I become Hokage first."
The two step only inches away from each other. It's not a hostile atmosphere but the two are definitely getting heated.
"Sumaru, let's go!" Nakago calls out.
"Lucky he bailed you out." Sumaru pats Naruto on the shoulder.
"Yeah, you better run!" Naruto calls out as Sumaru walks away; stepping back to be by Tsunade's side.
Sumaru joins two other shinobi around his age, a young man and a young woman who wave to Naruto. It takes a moment but he recognizes Hokuto and Mizura, all grown from when they last met.
Mizura's condition has definitely improved to where he doesn't need a cane anymore to walk. Hokuto seems as energetic as she always was.
"Sorry about him, Naruto, you know how he is." Hokuto calls out before the three rejoin their group."
Tsunade chuckles. "Such confidence in your future status."
"Well, I mean… just for reference, I'm next in line for Hokage, right?" Naruto asks as he leans to the side, trying to make it look like he's still paying attention to the gates in front of him.
"Eh, I dunno. I'll have to think about it."
"Think about what? Who else is there?" Naruto whips around to look at her.
"Well, Kakashi's a solid pick. Good leadership skills. Shikamaru's intelligence is what the village needs. Or Kiba's ferocity."
"Oh come on!" He flails his arms. "Now you're just messing with me."
Tsunade laughs and shoulder-bumps him. "Come on, kid, let's just do our jobs."
Konan opens the window to her room and leans over it, looking down to the streets of the Leaf.
"You've rebuilt well. I'm glad you're doing well."
"It took a while." Naruto leans on the wall next to her. "It wouldn't have been possible if Nagato didn't bring everyone back, but we got back to our feet"
"Maybe, but rebuilding wouldn't have been needed if we hadn't attacked in the first place. I fully understand why people are apprehensive." She closes her eyes in contemplation. "I have a lot of work to do if I'm to do right by everyone."
"You're already on the way, don't worry. We've come a long way 'cause of the Fourth War. The Five villages learned to get over their fights and work together; I'm sure they'll come to understand you like they understood each other."
"I hope you're right." Konan straightens herself to look at Naruto. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you."
"You're here now." He reassures her. "That's enough. And we might need you for everything to come."
"The Great Beasts? I heard about this new threat. The Hidden Rain will be your ally no matter what, of that I can assure you."
"Thanks." He smiles. "Is everything good in the village?"
"For the most part we've chased away the few remaining Hanzo loyalists. We're tracking them down but we have to focus on rebuilding and restructuring, but we'll get there."
"Good, goood." He nods.
"You know, you don't have to stick around with me. I'll be fine. You can go back to your Hokage; we can always meet up later."
"You sure?" He asks.
"Yeah." She nods. "Don't worry about me. Thanks for being concerned." She steps away from the window and comes closer to Naruto, reaching over to his headband. The two small little horns he had custom added to his headband. "It suits you. I'm sure he'd be proud of who you'd become."
"I hope so." Naruto smiles. "I try to honour him but I dunno if I'm doing a good job."
"Trust me, you are." She ruffles his hair. "Come on, get out of here. Be with your people."
Naruto nods and heads out the room. "I'll show ya around later. Kids!" He calls down the corridor. "Wanna head back?"
"Can't we stay here?" Kotori whines.
Naruto rubs the back of his neck and looks to Konan for permission.
She chuckles in response. "Go, I'll keep an eye on them."
"Alright." Naruto Flickers away to return to the front gates.
-x-
Naruto's clone disappears in a puff of smoke, only for the real Naruto to hop in his place.
He stays quiet for a moment before turning to Tsunade. "But, like, I'm next in line, right?"
"Oh, don't you start, too!" She reprimands him.
Naruto chuckles. "So, who do we have left again?"
"Hidden Mountain and Hidden Grass."
"Mountain… You think they really might be the ones behind it all?" Naruto turns more serious.
"I don't know. On one hand, the glove seems to fit with what Sasuke and Awaji pieced together, but then why would that Kappa beast attack them if they control them? Keep your eyes open, Naruto. For now, we'll just be cautious around them."
"Right." He gives a firm nod.
Hidden Mountain envoy
The Hidden Mountain shinobi enter the Leaf with a medium sized group- definitely bigger than the other smaller villages but still nowhere near what the Five Great Villages had in numbers. Either they really want to show off their strength or this is a small group for them.
Then again, in just a year, the Land of Woods and its Hidden Mountain Village have taken in what was once the Land of Rice Paddies along with its remaining shinobi and have practically full control over the Land of Hot Waters and the Hidden Hot Waters Village. They're definitely at their strongest, although whether they could rival the Five Nations is yet to be seen.
If anyone was to try to disrupt the status quo, they're a good candidate.
The Mountain is a village that hasn't been the most open to others and has been adamant about not wanting to be a playground for the big nations' wars. Not much is known about them beyond the bare basics.
Kaidomaru Sakata, as he's known to the general public, walks in with confidence, striding up to the Hokage.
"Kaidomaru Sakata of the Hidden Mountain. Welcome to the Hidden Leaf." She's almost getting tired of saying the same thing to everyone.
"Lady Hokage." He bows his head. "Thank you for extending an invitation. I hope there's no bad blood after our previous meeting."
"Of course not. Those politics were more for the Daimyos than us, after all. We can't let that get in-beween our own relations."
"I'm pleased to hear that." Kaidomaru smiles. "Naruto Uzumaki, it's a pleasure to see you again. I'm afraid we didn't have the chance to speak back at the capital. I hope to change that now." He offers Naruto a handshake.
"Yeah." Naruto accepts it, slightly apprehensively. "If you want to, then who am I to refuse, yeah?"
"Excellent. I'm sure we'll get along swimmingly." Kaidomaru gives an eerie smirk.
"Tonbo here will show you where you'll be staying."
A Leaf shinobi, the entire top part of his head wrapped in bandages including his eyes, steps forward. "This way, please."
"I look forward to a continued partnership." He bows his head before parting ways. "Lady Hokage. Naruto."
His four most trusted follow right behind him- Mizushi Osui, Kuga Tsumetogi, Takeshi Tokage, and Kikyo Chinoike. For the purposes of this visit, she is a Chinoike, since Sasuke Uchiha knows about her Ketsuryugan. She has the perfect cover as to who she is.
As Kuga passes with her faithful feline companion, Noraneko, the puma hisses at some nearby canines of the Inuzuka clan.
Kuga pats her on the head to calm her down. "It's alright, dear. You'll get your chance."
Sasame Fuma hops in place to get Naruto's attention. "Hey! Hey, Naruto!"
"Sasame?" He waves back. "You're here, too?"
She walks over to him seemingly in a hurry, not wanting the others to leave her behind. "Yeah! If everything goes well, they picked me to be the Hidden Mountain's representative! Isn't that great? Guess I'll get to work with the Hidden Leaf, afterall." She grins.
"Yeah, that's awesome!" He then crosses his arms, trying to appear serious. "Be careful, though, this is hard work with a lot at stake."
"Like you're one to give that kind of talk…" Tsunade shakes her head.
"Oh, don't worry. I know exactly what I'm doing. You're not the only one who's changed after all these years." She quickly looks back to see the tail end of her village's group. "Oh, shoot, I gotta go, we'll catch up later!" She runs to catch up with them.
Tsunade chuckles. "Well, aren't you the popular one."
"Looks like it. Really puts everything in perspective, huh? Everything we've done to get to this point." Naruto smiles.
Tsunade raises a brow. "I expected you'd give some kind of cocky remark."
"Nah, I'm just happy how everything's worked out so far." He turns his head to her and grins.
"Alright then. We might make a Kage out of you yet." From the corner of her eye, she looks down the path the Hidden Mountain took. 'Still, for them to pick a kunoichi who hasn't been part of their village for long… If they really were planning something, you'd think they'd send someone they know they can trust…"
Hidden Grass Village
With all but one village remaining to arrive, Karin becomes a nervous mess. She tries to keep a calm exterior but Sakura and Hinata aren't fooled for a second.
Sakura sits next to her. "Karin, are-"
"Yes." Karin cuts her off. "Just… don't, okay? Don't."
It doesn't take too long for the last village's envoy to enter the village, receiving the same warm welcome all the previous ones have. Maybe it's the sight of them, or maybe it's how well received they are, or maybe it's both, but the moment Karin sees the headbands and the woman leading them inside, she hops off the elevated place she was at to observe.
"I gotta go." She tries to turn her back to Sakura and Hinata right away and not let them see her expression. "And before you even start, don't." She warns them, knowing they'd just ask even more questions.
Sakura was beginning to stand up when Karin told them not to bother and stays like that for a moment, unsure and concerned as to what's going on.
"She's never mentioned anything until now…" Hinata watches the road Karin took to leave. "I could keep an eye on her to make sure she's okay..."
Sakura sighs and sits back down. "No, that's a whole privacy issue we better not get into. You're right, let's just let her open up on her own."
Hinata turns her attention back to the Hidden Grass envoy. "Something happened with the Grass, that much is certain."
"This might be a lot to ask but do keep an eye on her, okay? You live closer to her." Sakura requests.
"I will." Hinata nods.
-x-
"Taiga Hazama of the Hidden Grass. Welcome to the Hidden Leaf." The last time she has to say that, thankfully.
A tall short-haired woman walks up and rather roughly grabs Tsunade's hand, tightly squeezing it as they shake. Tsunade, however, isn't one to be overpowered and jostled around.
"Hokage. Ain't this one neat village ya got."
"We try." Tsunade releases the other woman's hand, both of them having an red imprint of the other's. "I hope you travelled well."
Taiga looks around the crowd, not really hiding that her attention isn't fully focused on Tsunade. "Well as can be. You know how it is."
"Enjoying the view?" Tsunade asks.
"Huh? Oh, yeah." Taiga focuses back on the conversation. "View's great. Like I said, neat village."
"Iwashi here will show you where you'll be staying." She motions to a shinobi to the side. "Enjoy your stay."
"Reckon I will." She smirks.
-x-
Karin makes her way back to the Uzumaki compound, almost walking on autopilot. It's not the first time she's done this. Not the first time she saw someone from her past that woke up far too many bad memories, and all of them happened while in here.
Maybe this whole clan thing was a bad idea. Should've just stayed in prison.
Inadvertently, she finds herself in the exact same place she did last time and meets the exact same person she did last time.
"Jugo?" She asks, herself almost half-uncertain as her tearing up eyes betray her vision.
"Did something happen?" Jugo relaxes his meditative pose. "You look troubled."
Karin can't help but laugh. "'Troubled'. Yeah, I guess that's a word for it." She dries her eyes off and walks over to him, head lowered. "Do you mind if I… stay with you? Again."
"Of course not."
Right in front of Jugo, Karin falls down to her knees and rests her head on his shoulder.
"Um… Karin?" He asks, surprised by her actions.
"She's here." Karin whimpers. "I don't… I don't think I can take it. I thought I could, but I can't."
Jugo pats her on the back, not knowing what he can do for her right now. "Who's here? What can't you handle?"
"Taiga. The Hidden Grass. I can't. After everything they did to my mother, after everything they put me through…" She begins openly crying.
Jugo hugs her. "It's okay. It'll be okay. You're safe here, Naruto will make sure of that."
The following day
Shinobi Union meeting
The five Kage of the Five Great Villages. The founders and currently only leaders of the Shinobi Union member are sat at a straight table:
Fifth Hokage, Tsunade,
Fourth Raikage, Ay,
Fifth Kazekage, Gaara,
Fifth Mizukage, Mei Terumi,
Third Tsuchikage, Onoki.
Behind them are sat five shinobi from each village. The people picked to represent their own village in the borders of the allies. These, of course, include the representatives stationed in the Hidden Leaf: Hinata Hyuga, Karui, Temari, Kiri, and Ittan.
On a semi-circular table facing the five Kage are the leaders who'd arrived just the day prior:
Konan of the Hidden Rain is leaning forward with her hands on the table.
Shibuki of the Hidden Waterfall is trying his best to sit still in this slightly overwhelming atmosphere.
Kaidomaru Sakata of the Hidden Mountain is sitting in a more relaxed position, slouched down in his chair.
Nakago of the Hidden Star, and self proclaimed Fifth Hoshikage, is fiddling with the folder on tne table in front of him.
Arare Kanno of the Hidden Frost is sitting very formally and very still.
Taiga Hazama of the Hidden Grass has her feet up on the table.
Behind them, similarly to the Kage, are a select few of their more trusted shinobi, be they ones who will be selected as representatives or not. Some, like the Hidden Mountain, apparently already have an idea as to who will be sent where and Sasame Fuma is present in the room to take in any details that might pertain to her future job.
Taiga looks around the room. "Sure looks like an audition, way we're all set up."
"I'd say that's precisely what it is." Konan states.
"Well, I don't much care what you say, Akatsuki." Taiga gales in response.
Kaidomaru chuckles. "Already picking a fight you can't win, huh, Taiga?"
"Eat me."
Tsunade stands up from her chair after very deliberately slamming her hands onto the table. Not loud enough to cause much of a disturbance but loud enough to make it clear this line of thought is to stop.
Nakago breathes a sigh of relief. These villages definitely have disagreement spanning decades that they haven't been a part of, so this is really out of his territory.
"Let's not forget what we're here for." Tsunade takes the lead by addressing the hopeful members of the Union. "We're here to bring about change to the shinobi world and we do that by working together."
Arare speaks up in his rather monotone voice. "As crude as Taiga is, I'm inclined to share her concerns. The Akatsuki were a force to be reckoned with, bringing about great turmoil throughout all our Lands and yet we're to trust one of its members?"
"Great turmoil, you say?" Gaara says in an even tone that matches Arare. Hleans on the table, intertwining his fingers. "Our history is nothing but turmoil, Lord Arare. We have all wronged each other in many ways, be it openly or covertly. We have been at war and we have stabbed each other in the back."
Arare nods. "And all of that served a purpose."
"The Akatsuki had their purpose, as well. It simply wasn't one we agreed with." Kaidomaru interjects. "When the Five 'Great' Villages fought their wars, it was in our territories. How many of you saw purpose in foreign armies leveling your land for their own gain? You've willing to overlook each other's mistreatment for this Union but not the Hidden Rain's?" He raises a brow. "Very picky, aren't you?"
"Thank you, Lord Kaidomaru, but it's alright." Konan bows to him. "I don't plan on making excuses for myself. When the Akatsuki was originally formed, we sought to bring unity to the Hidden Rain and had goals not too dissimilar to this Shinobi Union. However, being exposed to the cruelty of the world made our vision clouded. I aim to fix that and am prepared to do anything deemed necessary to do that."
"For what it's worth, I think moving past old grievances will prove the best course of action for all of us." Nakago nervously looks around the room.
"Easy for you to say." Shibuki glares at Konan. "Some of us have lost dear people. That's not something you just forgive."
"No one expects that of anyone, young Shibuki." Onoki sighs. "However, we are all equal in this. We've all lost people and we all want to move on."
"Well wouldya look at that." Taiga mocks. "Even the Fencesitter done and went soft."
"I've merely come to realize the errors of my past judgement, Taiga Hazama. I hope you all will do the same."
Konan taps on the folder in front of her. "We reviewed the condition and agree with them. Opening borders and sharing information, that goes without saying. There's some opposition within the Rain but we're also to share our technological advances, as well. It's thanks to them that I was able to survive and with Lady Hokage's medical knowledge, I believe it can be strengthened to save many lives."
Tsunade nods. "We're going to spend a lot of time together. If there's still any disagreements, I hope we can come to settle them in time. Before we continue with any further discussions, I do believe there's other matters of importance we must address." She turns to the leader of the Hidden Mountain Village. "Lord Kaidomaru, I ask that you return the Sharingan that you confiscated."
The Kage don't react to this revelation, having already been informed of what Sasuke reported a month ago. The smaller village leader, however, react in shock and surprise of varying degrees. Arare of the Frost keeps his cool, Taiga is as animated as ever, Shibuki and Nakago less so. Konan only narrows her eyes.
"So you heard." Kaidomaru laughs before turning his jovial demeanor around. "And why must I do such a thing, Lady Hokage?"
"I'd think that's obvious. Those Sharingan belong to the Hidden Leaf's Uchiha clan. They belong with us, they belong with the last surviving Uchiha."
"I don't quite see it like that." Kaidomaru straightens his posture. "Those eyes were in MY land. Obito Uchiha made a mockery of us by making his base of operations in the Land of Woods, which if I may add, is the fault of the Hidden Leaf for allowing any of that to happen. Consider this payment for everything that was handled poorly by the so-called Great Villages. Those Sharingan were in my land therefore they belong to me." With each passing sentence, Kaidomaru was slowly raising to his feet, leaning on the table in front of him, trying to assert some sort of dominance.
Ay growls. "I'd advise you to sit down."
Kaidomaru plops himself back onto his chair as if nothing happened. "Well, I say that but those eyes are already proving more trouble than they're worth."
"Meaning?" Tsunade raises a brow.
"No doubt you've heard that Hakone Town was attacked by one of those… Great Beasts, I think you've been calling them? We believe whoever was controlling it was after the Sharingan we'd placed there. We managed to chase away a group of masked shinobi, but not before losing some of the eyes. As far as I'm concerned, you can have the rest. I've no intention of putting my people in any more danger."
Mei furrows her brow. "Then what was that speech meant to accomplish."
Kaidomaru shrugs. "I spent a lot of time coming up with what to say concerning the Sharingan. I wanted to get it out of my system, at least. Had a lot more I'd planned to say but that attack changed things. The Hidden Mountain will return what Sharingan have survived."
Arare sighs. "You are an unpredictable man, Kaidomaru Sakara."
Taiga looks disappointed. "And here I was hoping for a rumble."
Konan turns to the Hokage with a concerned look. "If these Sharingan are a target, will the Hidden Leaf not be in danger itself?"
"We have the means and strength to defend ourselves. There are multiple security measures we can take not at the disposal of other villagers."
"How mysterious." Kaidomaru chuckles and motions to his entourage behind him, signaling one of them to come to him.
Mizushi walks forward with a large scroll in his hands, stopping right besides Kaidomaru and handing it to him.
"Thank you, Mizushi." He takes the scroll and places it on the table. "This storage scroll contains all the Sharingan left. The last remnants of one of the greatest clans in history."
"And you're willing to part with them so easily?" Gaara questions with suspicion.
"I can assure you it was not easy, Lord Kazekage. We've had time to consider our options and came to the conclusion this is the best course of action, given everything that happened." He eyes the scroll for a moment while continuing to address the Union. "Used to be a time, we'd all go to war to get our hands on these."
"Looks like we're making progress already." Shibuki leans back in his seat.
"Thank you, Lord Kaidomaru." Tsunade makes a motion with her wrist and an ANBU appears in front of them to take the scroll and disappear as quickly as he arrived. "This act will not be forgotten."
"All for the Union, yes?" Kaidomaru gives a smile that appears somewhere between genuine and mocking, making his colleagues unsure what his true feelings on the subject are.
Mei, looking at her fellow Kage to ensure this matter is dealt with for now, turns to address Nakago. "With that matter resolved, there's the issue of the Hidden Star."
"Issue?" Nakago furrows his brow. "What issue could there be with our village?"
"The title of Hoshikage that you've taken to yourselves. I'm afraid we have to ask that the leaders of the Hidden Star cease to refer to themselves as Kage."
"That's… we've carried this title for as long as it's existed! We've every right to call ourselves as we wish." Nakago protests.
"The title of Kage," Onoki speaks, "is not something that was created lightly. It was the Five Great Nations, who in their wisdom in allowing the shinobi villages to exist, that granted those titles to their villages. Kage refers not just to a village leader, but one who belongs to a Land that has great resources, trade, and influence. Characters that your Land of Bears does not possess, I'm afraid."
Mei nods. "This is an issue brought up mainly by the Daimyo. If our Shinobi Union is to continue its existence by bridging the peace between our villages and our nations, they've made it clear that the Land of Bears' Hidden Star Village drop the title of Kage."
Nakago curls his fists in frustration. "You realize what you ask. To admit that we are unworthy, that we are lesser; to strip us of such a thing…"
Shibuki closes his eyes in contemplation. "I would have to agree with the Kage. None of us have ever considered calling ourselves Kage, exactly for the reasons Lord Tsuchikage stated. It's not a matter of how we feel, but how much influence our Lands have."
"I fear the Hidden Star Village has spent far too much time in isolation and has become detached to matters concerning the wider shinobi world." Arare tucks his hands in his sleeves in a pseudo meditative pose.
"This is something for you to discuss with your people, Nakago." Tsunade tries to reassure him in a calm voice. "However, I'm afraid this demand in particular is out of our hands. You have time to decide what you and your village want. We'll continue to discuss it, as well, to aid in your decision."
Nakago nods silently.
Tsunade returns the nod and looks to the other leaders. "This is only the first meeting and we don't want to push too far with terms and conditions. We wanted this meeting mainly as a means to introduce ourselves and set up the foundation for what the Union is to hold. Unless there's anything-"
"I got something." Taiga interrupts. "Since we're out here making demands and whatnot."
"What is it you wish to demand, Lady Taiga?" Gaara prods.
"Karin Uzumaki." Taiga looks at them with a focused gaze. "We want her returned to us."
In the back of the room, Hinata's eyes widen. 'Is this why Karin was…'
Temari and Karui look to Hinata with concern, trying not to make it too obvious. She only shakes her head in response, indicating she's not entirely sure herself what the full situation is.
Tsunade glares. "Pardon?"
"Ya heard me. I know you got her in here. We just want what belongs to us, is all." She motions to Kaidomaru. "Since we're in the mood for givin' back what ain't ours."
"Karin Uzumaki is not an item to be traded. She's a member of the Hidden Leaf Village." Tsunade glares, her anger rising that such a demand would even be made.
"And before that, she was a member of the Hidden Grass, before bein' so rudely kidnapped. Ya had no right to make her one of your own, Hokage. We took her in, we raised her, we made her who she is." Taiga growls. "We ain't too keen on havin' our possessions taken from us, y'see."
"She's a person." Tsunade corrects her.
"She's a shinobi." Taiga corrects her. "Can preach all ya want, but this is our demand. She's a missing-nin belongin' to the Hidden Grass and we'll have her back."
Tsunade slams the table and stands up. "Consider your demand denied. She's a member of the Uzumaki clan and that's the only palace she belongs to. The Uzumaki take care of our own, so you'll find no support here."
Kairomadu narrows his eyes at those words.
"Easy there, Hokage. This ain't no way for a respected leader to act." Taiga continues to bait.
"The meeting is over." Tsunade turns to leave. "And if you know what's good for you, so are your 'demands'."
Ay sighs and walks out with the Hokage.
Mei bows her head to the village leaders. "Thank you for your time. Regardless of how it ended, I do believe progress has been made, and hope to see it continue that way. For now, I'd suggest reconvening with your allies to discuss."
With that, the first meeting of extended Shinobi Union comes to a close
-x-
Ay catches up to Tsunade. "Hokage!" He bellows.
"What?!" She whips around.
"Was that really necessary?" He motions to the meeting room they just left. "Losing your temper like that."
Tsunade crosses her arms. "You're the lieral last person to talk to me about losing temper."
He scratches his head. "Hrm, I know that. But we need to keep our cool and not make a mess of things. Even I can do that."
"And what if someone told you to hand over your brother?" She asks.
She shakes his head. "That's not the same."
"Sure it is." She turns around to continue walking.
Ay follows after her. "Why were you so defensive about this girl, anyway. You know what she's done, who she is."
"That's exactly why. I know she was dealt bad cards in life and now she has the chance to fix it. And besides, she's family. I'm not giving away family, Raikage, and that's that."
"You stubborn ox…"
-x-
Kaidomaru walks down the corridor followed only by his four most trusted; the other Mountain shinobi having left on their own. He looks annoyed.
Takeshi comments from behind his oni ANBU mask, his voice slightly muffled. "You look annoyed."
"Nothing of the sort." Kaidomaru says in a very annoyed voice.
"Still, that went as well as expected." Mizushi sighs in relief. "You played the part well. Think they suspect anything?"
"Maybe. Too early to tell." He keeps his answers short.
Mizushi, Takeshi, and Kuga have known him long enough to know to not poke him when he gets like that. Kikyo, despite not knowing him long, can still sense this isn't a good time to poke him.
'Uzumaki take care of their own? What a joke. You didn't take care of anything when we were being taken and treated like disposable tools.' Kaidomaru slams the wall next to him. 'And that Taiga... She's one of the people who did that to us. Her and people like her.' He grits his teeth and growls.
"Come on!" Kaidomaru shouts an order. "We're not letting anything distract us."
Name meanings
Arare Kanno (かんの アラレ, Kanno Arare) = arare - 'hail' ; kanno - 'of emotion'. His full name means 'hail of emotion'.
Nakago (ナカゴ, Nakago) = Scorpio constellation
Taiga Hazama (はざま タイガ, Hazama Taiga) = taiga - 'large river' ; hazama - 'ravine' or 'ravenous desire'
Trivia
Shibuki appeared in the "Mission: Protect the Waterfall Village!" novel and OVA.
The Hidden Star Village appeared in "Star Guard Mission" arc (Naruto episodes 178 - 183)