It took them longer to get to Kohona than anticipated, mostly because they kept getting attacked. The trip had been grueling for Botan, who hadn't been on any sort of mission since she'd becomea Medicnin at the hospital. Kurama himself was thriving in the environment, but the others wanted the trip over.

"Oi, Grandma, why do we keep getting attacked?"

"A lot of people obviously don't want this treaty signed; it would increase Kohona's power significantly. That doesn't bode well for those allied with the Sound." Koenma explained.

"I don't get the terms of this treaty, why do they want seven random Shinobi to come? That doesn't make sense, if they want more power they should have just asked for Jounin." Yuusuke continued, ducking to avoid a low branch.

"But they have to keep appearances as well, Yuusuke. They don't want it to look like they're using us." Keiko spoke up.

"But they're in the middle of a war!"

"Careful, Yuusuke. That could be 'we' very soon." Koenma warned.

"Oi, fox, what are you looking at?" Kurama pulled away from listening in on the conversation behind him. He turned to look at Hiei.

"Don't you see it?" Kurama teased him. "The village is right in front of us." Hiei frowned, blinked, and then black eyes shifted color and use. Hiei snorted and then blinked again, dispelling his Jagan.

"I see it. Genjutsu."

"We're here!" Kurama called back when he was sure Genkai wasn't going to say anything. Botan looked ahead, confused.

"Um, there are just more tree's, Kurama." Keiko sighed.

"Botan, we come from the Hidden Village of the Spirit, right?"

"Right."

"How do we hide our village?"

"Genjutsu."

"This is the Hidden Village of the Leaf, right?"

"Right."

"So how do you think they hide their village?"

"Genjutsu." There was a pause, Keiko waiting for Botan to get it. "Oh!"

"I swear, sometimes that blue hair fries your brain."

"So, are we gonna get picked up or what? It would be rude to just dispel their Jutsu." Yuusuke asked, scratching his head. A figure appeared at that.

"Come with me."

The tour had mostly gone on without a hitch, all the townspeople were friendly and kids walked up and asked if he was a girl or boy. Yuusuke had laughed uncontrollably at that, and Hiei had scattered the kids with a scowl and a glare. Master Genkai, as well as Koenma and Shizeru, was up in the tower and speaking over the treaty with the Hokage. That left the other five to get the grand tour of everything. The grand tour was, of course, interrupted half way through by shrieking.

Women shrieking.

The bath house down the road was suddenly in a clamor, woman yelling and shoving someone else out. The person turned out to be a blonde woman in an orange jumpsuit with a sour look on her face. Then that form melted away, revealing a young blonde boy, about Yuusuke's age, complaining really loudly at the doors to the bathhouse. Kurama smiled as he watched Keiko storm up to the blonde and hit him.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"For being a pervert! How dare you look in on those young women bathing, it's supposed to be a safe and relaxing time!" The boy rubbed the back of his head in a sheepish motion, smile still on his face.

"Hey, sorry." He said, not sounding sorry at all.

"Naruto! Apologize to those women this instant!" Another young girl, maybe a year or two older that Keiko, stalked up to the blond boy.

"Aww! Sakura-chan!" He whined. Sakura reached over and grabbed Naruto's ear, pulling him along.

"Come on Naruto." She yanked him away from the group. Frowning Kurama watched them go. He'd gotten a whiff of the boy's scent. It seemed familiar somehow.

Kurama followed Shizeru to the tower that had the Hokage's office in it. He didn't know why he was being specially introduced, but he went along with it. Shizeru stopped outside the doors to the office and smiled at him.

"Good luck, kid." Kurama didn't even bristle. He was used to being called kid by now. Entering he found Master Genkai, Koenma, and a woman behind a desk who must have been the Hokage. Kurama bowed before walking forward.

"You wanted to see me, Hokage?" She looked mildly surprised at his politeness.

"How many people know what you are?" She asked him. Kurama was caught off guard by the question, eyes flicking to Genkai in surprise.

"We weren't going to keep something like that from an ally as powerful as the Leaf, Kurama. Especially after what happened to them sixteen years ago." Koenma answered. Kurama looked back to the Hokage.

"Six, I believe."

"Could you list them please?" Kurama frowned.

"I don't wish for them to get into trouble."

"This doesn't leave the room."

"Master Genkai, Koenma, my brother Shuiichi, Hiei, Yukina, and Touya know what I am, in varying degrees. Those are the ones I'm sure of. I think Yuusuke at least suspects something, and if Touya has told Jin neither has given an indication." Kurama reported dutifully. Again the Hokage looked surprised.

"I must say I honestly didn't expect you to be so cooperative."

"That's not an unusual occurrence." She smiled slightly at that, glancing at the clock briefly before turning back to him.

"I must thank the Spirit for their honesty in this matter." The Hokage said formally to the Master. "In return the Leaf will be equally honest." She folded her hands in front of her gravely.

"Kohona also has a fox demon in it's mists."

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TS