All standard disclaimers apply
Chapter 6
The Downfall of Uchihi Itachi
"Got any sixes?" Kankuro asked. Temari passed one of her cards.
"Threes?" Naruto asked. Gaara slid a card across the table. Naruto snatched it up, along with a salmon onigiri.
"Does anyone have any fives?" Kurama asked. Kankuro tossed her a card.
"Queens," said Hiei. Temari passed another card. Hiei smirked as he finished his hand and picked up three more cards from the stack in the center of the table. He set down another pair.
"Hiei, are you sure you're not using your jagan?" Kurama asked suspiciously. Hiei glared. "Alright then. Gaara, your turn,"
The redheaded Kazekage considered his cards with a frown. "Nines?" No response.
"Ah, Go Fish," Naruto sighed. Gaara was just having no luck in this game. He picked up a card. But still couldn't put anything down. Gaara was starting to look just a little frustrated.
"Anyone have any twos?" Temari asked, staring mournfully around the table.
"Go Fish,"
Ah, the sad tale of the woeful losers.
They had been playing the card game for hours now. It had started with just Kurama and Naruto who had to do something when their mutual sunburns refused to allow them to do anything more interesting, then Hiei and Kankuro joined in. Temari, when she had finally got the courage to check back in was surprised to find them sitting on the floor competing over nothing more than cards, so she joined. Gaara, who had gotten home earlier than he had expected, watched them play for a few rounds then sat himself down to play as well. Too bad he wasn't doing all that well.
That's right, both him and Temari just couldn't seem to be able to get a single pair down. It was almost pathetic but no one dared, or in the cases of Kurama and Hiei, bothered, to poke fun at them for it.
Something caught Kurama's attention. "What is that smell? Is something burning?"
"Crap!" Temari jumped up and ran to the kitchen. "It burned!" She wailed.
"Well, there goes dinner," Kankuro muttered.
"I'll go help her," Kurama sighed, getting to her feet and padding into the kitchen. After a brief argument Temari was pushed back into the living room by a spoon-wielding Kurama.
"So Kurama's taking over?" Hiei's eyebrow rose. "Doesn't surprise me,"
"So she cooks too?" Kankuro asked, grinning. Hiei suppressed a grin.
"Oh yes. She cooks,"
"She's pretty good, too," Naruto tossed in, grinning widely her fox-like grin, blue eyes dancing with mischief.
"Would make a good wife," Gaara murmured, also grinning a little.
Kankuro did so not understand why everyone around him was snickering.
"So what's in the box?"
"Haven't looked yet,"
"You're scared, aren't you?"
"No,"
"Are you sure?"
"A box does not scare me."
"I think you're scared,"
"I am not,"
"Sure you are. Otherwise you would have opened it by now,"
"Go to sleep Naruto,"
"When are you going to open the box?"
"In the morning,"
"You're just stalling,"
"No I'm not,"
"Then why don't you open it now?"
"Because I'm trying to go to sleep,"
"You might not be scared of the box,"
"Oh really?"
"No, you're scared of what's inside the box,"
"Oh, just go to sleep,"
"I mean, who knows what she could have packed,"
"Go to sleep,"
"I wonder if there's any ramen in it,"
"Doubtful,"
"Why not?"
"Why would Kagome pack me ramen?"
"She could have been thinking about me,"
"She doesn't even know you, much less your ramen addiction. Go to sleep,"
"Could you check?"
"In the morning,"
"Why wait that long?"
"Because I'm tired and our sunburns will heal faster if we're asleep,"
"Stalling,"
"Good night,"
"Please,"
"No."
"Please,"
"No,"
"Why not?"
"Because I don't want to deal with it today,"
"…Wimp,"
"Don't make me beat you into the ground next time I decide to train you, brat,"
"You're not much older than I am,"
"Is something the matter?"
Kurama and Naruto blinked as the light in their room was flicked on. Gaara stood, scowling darkly in the doorway.
"Gaara? What are you doing up?" Naruto asked, shielded her eyes from the sudden changing in lighting.
"I don't sleep. You know that."
"Why don't you sleep?" Kurama asked.
"Shukaku," was his short reply.
"Oh, right. Sorry, I forgot about him," Naruto laughed nervously, scratching the back of her head.
"What does Shukaku have to do with you not sleeping?" Kurama wondered. Gaara scowled.
"If I am not constantly on guard he tries to take over my mind. It is unpleasant therefore I do not sleep," he shrugged as if it did not bother him. Kurama frowned.
"That doesn't sound right. He shouldn't be able to access your mind that easily,"
Gaara said nothing, just stared at her impassively. Kurama coughed a little.
"I could see if there was anything I could do about it. Hiei is quite the accomplished psychic and if I asked nicely he might agree to do something,"
"Like what?" Naruto asked. Kurama shrugged.
"I don't know, erect some kind of barrier between their minds?"
"He can do that?"
"Well, yes. It only stands to reason that if he can tear down mental barriers then he can erect them," she paused, "the problem will be in convincing him to do it,"
"Yeah, he's so Sasuke-ish that I bet he'd rather cut his own arm off before he helped anyone," Naruto theorized.
"He's not that bad anymore. He's actually softened up quite a bit over the past couple of years," Kurama protested with a small smile.
"How'd you two meet anyways?"
"He tried to kill me," Kurama grinned, remembering. Naruto groaned and Gaara snorted, closing his eyes.
"Why am I not surprised?" Naruto asked.
"Well, he was looking for his sister and he thought that I was working for someone who could have eaten her. I think he was planning on torturing me for information then killing me, but he paused long enough to pass out when he found out I had no idea who this youkai he was talking about was," she explained, "So together we killed the youkai. Fortunately he hadn't been stupid enough to eat Yukina. She wasn't even there, in fact. So Hiei went on his way and I didn't see him again for another two years when he asked me if I'd like to…relieve the Reikai of some forbidden treasures,"
"And that's when you met Yuusuke, Kagome's cousin, right?"
"That's right," Kurama nodded, and explained some more for Gaara's sake, "Yuusuke had been assigned to capture Hiei, Goki and I and return the three treasures I had stolen. He managed to kill Goki and defeat Hiei but he allowed me to use the Mirror of Darkness to save my mother's life. After that, I came in peacefully. Hiei and I were then assigned to help Yuusuke and his friend Kuwabara out on their missions in lieu of jail time,"
"So you're on parole?" Gaara asked. Kurama shrugged.
"Technically I've worked off my debt, going through the Dark Tournament and all that, but I'm still working for Koenma as a Spirit Detective. Only now he pays," she smiled, "there aren't that many jobs where I come from that satisfy the fighting instinct I inherited from Yoko, so I decided to keep this one,"
"What about Hiei?" Naruto asked. Kurama smiled some more.
"Hiei might not look it but he enjoys being a Spirit Detective too. It gives him almost-free license to fight high-class youkai and vent on the lower-class,"
"Just youkai?"
"Well, killing humans would count against his record,"
"I see,"
Naruto's eye was caught by the mysterious box. "Kurama, can you open the box now?"
"No."
"Why not? You said you'd wait until morning. It's past midnight now,"
Kurama's eyes widened and she looked at the clock hanging on the wall. Sure enough the hands indicated it was past midnight.
She cursed fluidly. "Fine," Naruto handed her the box and Kurama cut the tape with an abnormally sharp fingernail. Slowly she pried it open. The colour drained from her face momentarily before returning in force.
"What is it?" Naruto asked. Gaara was also curious. What could make her blush so much?
"Remind me to write Kagome a letter," Kurama mumbled, almost to quite to hear, "I really should thank her. Now I won't have to do so much 'girly shopping,'"
"Eh?"
Kurama held up a package of pads as explanation. Naruto looked confused.
"What's that?"
"Something for girls,"
"What's it for?"
Kurama blushed and mumbled something undecipherable. Naruto shrugged, waiting expectantly for Kurama to pull out something more interesting form the box. The next surprise was a small box containing various make up supplies. Kurama set that aside silently. Out came a small bottle of pills. When Kurama read what they were for she blushed and set them beside the pads. Naruto, curious as usual, grabbed the bottle and read the label.
"For menstrual symptoms," she blushed and put it quickly down, coughing.
"Remind me to have a talk with Yoko. This was probably his idea,"
Next came a yukata with a feminine pattern and matching hair accessories. Kurama shrugged that off. There could be worse.
"Will that even close across that rack of yours?" Naruto asked, skeptical. Kurama glared a little.
"We'll find out later," she said. Gaara smirked. He had his money on the fact it would not. Not that he would say anything about it.
"Why not now?"
Kurama sighed. If she did not give in, Naruto would pester her all night. She cursed. Calmly she stood and glared at Naruto and Gaara until they took the hint and turned around. Quickly she shed her nightclothes and donned the traditional robe. Kurama smiled when she saw what else Kagome had packed with the yukata. Yep, this girl knew the tricks. She used a provided a half-pair of nylons as a securing belt before she started wrapping the obi. The fifteen-foot long, stiff sash wrapped itself around her waist several times before it she tied it into a butterfly bow. Kurama slipped in a wide strip of cardboard into the front of the obi to keep it from folding.
"Satisfied?" she asked, tugging the edges of the collar closer together. Sure enough, they did not close properly over her ample chest.
"Looks good on you," Naruto grinned. Gaara nodded his agreement.
"Too bad you're not really female. My brother will be quite disappointed when he finds out the truth,"
Kurama glared. "It would serve him right. Do you know how disconcerting it is to have a man hit on you?"
"I do," Naruto piped in, as cheerful as ever. Kurama stopped just short of glaring.
"You don't count,"
"Why not?"
"Because you developed this technique,"
"That's not fair,"
"That's life,"
"Meanie,"
"I should hope so,"
Kurama huffed and left the room, tossing over his shoulder, "Don't follow me Naruto. I need some time by myself. Gaara-sama, if you need me for anything I will be on the roof,"
Kurama brushed back some hair as it was blown into her face. She sat on the roof of the Kazekage's home, watching the foreign stars as they twinkled innocently in the clear night sky. She tugged the collar of the yukata again.
Bet neither Kagome nor Yoko thought that I would end up with such a large chest, she thought ruefully. And who would have thought that I make an even prettier girl than guy?
Life was not fair, she decided for the thousandth time. She had learned this technique as an escape, but now she feared that if she used it she would only get another fanclub.
"It's like Ranma," she realized, "Only just a little different. I don't have all those fiancés, just fanclubs galore,"
"Who's 'Ranma'?" Gaara asked. Kurama twisted around to look at the stoic Kazekage. She had hardly felt his approach.
"Ranma? He's a fictional character where I come from. He has a curse where when he is splashed with cold water he becomes a girl. It can only be reversed when he's splashed with hot water,"
Gaara nodded, turning to stare at the horizon. "Odd legend,"
"Not a legend," Kurama corrected, "it's a pretty recent story actually,"
"I see,"
They sat in silence. The stars slowly moved, the moon drifted on its path across the sky and all too soon, the sun began to stir. The sunrise wasn't spectacular. There were no clouds to catch the light, so the sun rose in an uninterrupted painted field of murky orange.
Kurama watched passively as people started moving about the streets, opening shops, going to work. Gaara left. He had to get to the office and take care of more paperwork. She did not envy him that. Kurama had no aspirations to be in a position of great power, like many youkai. Instead she was content to live comfortably as either a Spirit Detective or a thief. One or the other. Or both, if the fancy took her that way.
"Kurama?" It was Temari.
"Yes?"
Temari paused, looking Kurama over, "What are you wearing?" Kurama grinned, standing and dusting herself off.
"It's a yukata that I was just given. it's a little small, but both Gaara-sama, and Naruto requested that I try it on, so…" she shrugged.
"Oh, well, it looks very nice on you," Temari smiled, "And breakfast is ready if you want some,"
"I would, thank you,"
Kankuro had taken up residence at the kitchen table, slowly munching away at some kind of rice porridge as he read the paper. Temari filled a bowl for Kurama and set it across from Kankuro.
"Is Naruto up yet?" Kurama asked.
"Not yet,"
For a moment, Kurama contemplated waking her student with another plant, but decided against it. She had not given fair warning this morning after all.
"Five more minutes," she decided.
"You planning on getting Naruto up the same way you did yesterday?" Kankuro asked. Kurama grinned into her porridge.
"Only if she doesn't get up when I tell her to. I can't have anyone slacking off on my watch. If Naruto wants to train under me I'm planning on being as tough as Genkai and Yoko put together," she vowed with a wicked glint in her emerald eyes.
"Genkai?"
"A well know martial artist and spiritualist who a friend of mine is training under as her successor,"
Kankuro and Temari nodded, understanding. Kurama finished her breakfast and went to wake Naruto. She came downstairs again in a few minutes wondering aloud what it was with a comfortable bed that made Naruto refuse to wake up. Then, as if on cue, Naruto started screaming profanities.
"Kurama! Let me go you-" Kurama raised an eyebrow at the colourful, unprintable language used. She retraced her steps upstairs and surveyed how the blonde was wrapped to the nines in broad leaves rather than writhing vines.
"You know, if you got up when I ask you too I wouldn't have to do this," she sighed, recalling the plant. "Now come on, Temari-san has breakfast and after that we are doing more training. After I change out of this yukata,"
"Why? It looks good on you," Naruto grinned up at her.
"Have you ever tried to fight in a yukata?" Naruto paused, thinking.
"No," she admitted.
"That's why I'm changing,"
"Because I've never fought in a yukata?"
"Because fighting in a yukata is more difficult than you would think. The only thing holding this closed is a belt made from a pair of nylons and the obi,"
Naruto considered what Kurama had told her with a grimace. "Right. You change, I'll get breakfast,"
This time the two made sure that they had applied liberal amounts of sunblock before they left the house and stepped foot into the already hot morning sun. They found an abandoned training field and soon were in the middle of an intense training battle. Naruto pressed the attack, implementing both chakra and the basic youki attacks that Kurama had taught her.
By noon both teacher and student were ready to call for a break so they headed back into the village. Naruto had a blast perusing the stalls in the market. Kurama held back a little, scopeing out a bank they had passed, considering the possibilities. Maybe not here. Gaara had been too kind to them to repay him by robbing one of his banks.
"Kurama! Check this out!" Naruto waved her over. Kurama jogged a little to catch up. Naruto was holding a small statue of a multi-tailed kitsune up for her inspection. "Isn't it neat?"
"It's very well crafted," she nodded, taking it to examine it closely.
"You like kitsune, young ladies?" asked the proprietor of the stall. Naruto grinned impishly but Kurama answered.
"We appreciate them," she smiled winningly, "they have an honour code unlike any other,"
"Is that so? Strange to see some one from Konohagakure enamored with kitsune," she nodded to Naruto's hitaiate. Naruto laughed nervously.
"Well, I'm really from the wrong generation to hate kitsune. I may be an orphan but I don't know if it was Kyuubi who killed my parents," she admitted, "But they are so beautiful, how could anyone hate them when they are not vengeful? That's the only time kitsune attack,"
"Is that so?"
"Oh yes," Naruto nodded. Kurama watched the lady carefully. She did not like the glint in her eyes. Were they red, or was that just her imagination?
"What is your name, young lady?"
"Me?" Naruto pointed at herself, "I'm Naruto and this is Kurama,"
"Naruto, eh?"
Kurama tensed. Naruto slowed down as well, realizing that she had somehow made a mistake.
"We have to go. A training day is never over, you know," Naruto said quickly, putting the statue of the fox back down on the stall, grabbing Kurama's hand and dragging her quickly away.
Kurama, whose senses were on high paranoia alert, did not fail to notice that someone had begun to follow them. She led Naruto through the streets, back to the training ground. Anywhere away from civilians.
"I know that chakra," Naruto whispered, " I know that chakra and I know that I really don't like that chakra,"
"Wonderful,"
They both turned around, stopping dead to face off their stalker. The first thing they saw was a billowing black cloak with red clouds.
"Itachi,"
"I have been looking for you, Kyuubi brat," Itachi greeted. Naruto growled, tensing, ready to spring into action, "Strange to think you've turned female,"
"Yeah, well, I'm full of surprises. What do you want with me?"
"Naruto?" Kurama asked in quiet undertones.
"Sasuke's older brother." Naruto explained, "Killed their entire clan in one massacre. Whatever you do, don't look into his eyes or at his ring,"
"So he's a strong fighter, eh?"
"Very,"
"Sounds like fun," she said, much to the surprise of both Naruto and Itachi, "I've been waiting for a good workout,"
"You…you want to fight him?"
"Who are you?" Itachi demanded.
"My name is Kurama. I am a friend of Naruto's from out of the country," Kurama waved with mock cheerfulness.
"Kurama, do you really think you can fight him?" Naruto worried.
"He can't be any worse than Karasu, so I think I can handle him,"
"I tire of this," Itachi growled, "I shall have the brat today,"
"Not on my watch," Kurama snapped, eyes flashing gold.
"Just don't look in his eyes!"
"I don't need eyes to fight,"
Kurama sprang forward, her body fazing in and out of visibility. Itachi barely had time to bock the flurry of punches and kicks, even with the sharingan. Since Kurama was only using strictly taijutsu with no youki enhancements Itachi was able to follow his motions somewhat with his bloodlimit. Itachi countered with a barrage of shuriken. Kurama knocked them carelessly away with his rose whip and pressed the attack again.
Itachi was swiftly loosing ground against the busty redhead. Kurama had not even needed to tap into his youki reserves or draw anything other than his whip. Naruto was floored. Then again, so was Itachi.
"I thought you said he was strong, Naruto," Kurama complained, taunting her opponent.
"Impudent girl," Itachi pressed forward, forcing Kurama to defend.
"About time you try something," she snarled.
Another flurry of blows was exchanged and this time Kurama landed an open-palmed strike to Itachi's chest. Itachi flew back, skidding along the ground like a rank beginner.
The elder Uchiha brother hauled himself to his feet and glared. Kurama felt something press against her mental barriers when she inadvertently caught his gaze. She pressed a hand to her temples, willing the pressure back. Itachi smirked as Naruto cried out in surprise and fear. Kurama felt him redouble his efforts to gain entrance to her mind.
"That's it," she muttered, her patience wearing thin. She had been refraining from using youki up until now. But now she was fed up with his antics.
Her green eyes faded to a brilliant gold as she called upon Yoko's parting gift. Youki flared up in a glowing, hazy aura about her body. The pressure vanished and Itachi backpedaled.
"What are you? You are not a jinchuuriki,"
"Of course I'm not. But you had better stay still. I want some answers and I don't want the seed to spread to fast,"
Itachi glowered, "Seed? What are you babbling about, woman?"
"The seed I planted in your chest. Its roots are spreading through your body even as we speak. Soon it will rob you of any mobility and with a word from me it will kill you,"
"You think to intimidate me?"
Kurama grinned. With her youki heightened so were her senses. "I can smell your fear," she purred wickedly. Itachi glowered. "So, if you would be so kind. Naruto and I are looking for a man by the name of…what was his name again, Naruto?"
"Orochimaru," Naruto supplied.
"Right. Orochimaru. Have you heard of him?"
"Orochimaru? I haven't seen the likes of him for years,"
"So you knew him?"
"After a fashion,"
"Wonderful," Kurama's expression suddenly turned dark and she pumped more youki into her glowing aura, leaned forward and looked the Uchiha in the eye, "Now tell me everything you know,"
The interrogation of Uchiha Itachi was as pleasant for all parties as molar extraction but Kurama and Naruto walked away with more information than they had possessed at the beginning. Kurama had opted not to kill Itachi. Instead, she knocked him out and tied him up for a trip back to Konohagakure. Having a little extra bounty money would not hurt after all.
Naruto was hesitant about the plan. Kurama had to explain that the Sleeping Flower pollen she was using worked like nothing else when it came to keeping someone unconscious. They had to check in with Gaara and inform him of their departure before they left. For some reason the young Kazekage found it amusing that they were heading back just to peacefully turn in a S-class missing nin for a bounty.
Strange boy.
They bid the Village hidden in the Sand farewell with a promise to return shortly. Itachi was slung carelessly over Naruto's shoulder and Kurama carried both their bags, just to be fair. The journey back to Konohagakure took less time then they had planned and soon they were standing before the Hokage tower. People walking by shot the two women odd looks, probably because they were carrying an unconscious man in an Akatsuki cloak like he was nothing more than a sack of vegetables.
"Well? Shall we go talk to Hokage-sama?" Kurama asked. Naruto grinned.
"Do you think she'll recognize us?"
"Probably. Gaara-sama recognized you, after all. It stands to reason that Hokage-sama would be able to do the same,"
"Let's go find out!" Naruto bounded into the building and up the steps, ignoring the cries of protest from the guards and secretaries. Kurama, shaking her head, followed, careful not to let her student out of her sight.
Naruto deftly bypassed the ANBU guards standing outside the doors to Hokage's office. Kurama watched, amused as the blonde set down Itachi and snuck up on a napping Tsunade.
"WAKE UP BAA-CHAN!" she shouted in her ear. Tsunade jerked upright and slammed an annoyed fist into Naruto's gut.
"DON'T CALL ME BAA-CHAN, YOU BRAT!" She shouted back reflexively. Then she paused. "Naruto? What are you doing back?"
"Hokage-sama," Kurama stepped forwards. Tsunade had to do a double take. "Hokage-sama, we have returned to collect a bounty for a man by the name of Uchiha Itachi," she gestured to Itachi's prone body on the floor. Tsunade almost fell out of her chair in shock.
"How…what…how…?" she stammered.
"Well, he stalked, we fought, he lost," Kurama explained shortly, with a carefree smile. Tsunade blinked.
"And why are you two women now?"
Kurama blushed. "Naruto has been teaching me how the shinobi of this world mold ki. Now we are seeing who can last longer in this transformation," she explained. Tsunade blinked.
"A contest?" she asked. Naruto and Kurama nodded. "Who's winning?"
"Uh…" Naruto looked at Kurama and Kurama shrugged.
"We probably won't know until one of us is dangerously low on ki or chakra," she admitted.
"Oh," she shrugged it off and called in the ANBU outside the office. Both masked fighters seemed very surprised that someone, much less two, could slip past their guard.
"Hokage-sama," they said in unison.
"Take Uchiha Itachi to the highest security cell we have and have a Hyuuga seal his chakra tenketsu," she directed. They nodded and dragged Itachi out of the office.
"What's the bounty on his head, anyways?" Kurama asked, watching her prey be taken away.
"Several million," Tsunade admitted.
"Should we tell Sasuke that Itachi's here?" Naruto asked.
"No. If Sasuke knew he'd try to kill Itachi without license,"
"Understandable," Kurama said thoughtfully, "If Itachi really did kill his entire clan then it would well be in Sasuke's right to kill him for Blood Vengeance,"
"His right for your Blood Vengeance, maybe, but by our law he'd be out of bounds. It's one thing to hunt him down and kill him when he's loose but since Itachi has been peaceably returned to the custody of the Village then Sasuke has forfeited his rights to him,"
"You make him sound like a wild animal," Kurama muttered.
"Not too different," Tsunade said grimly, "He's a traitor to the village and dangerous as well: to be handled with care and killed as soon as you get a chance,"
"Not my problem," she backed down, "But from what I can tell, this Itachi guy probably had his reasons. He didn't strike me as the kind of guy to kill off his whole family on a whim, no matter what he might have said to the contrary,"
Tsunade said nothing for a while. Finally she broke the silence, "So, how's the training going?"
Naruto grinned madly, "It's so cool, Baa-chan! I can do these really neat fire jutsu without even needing handsigns!"
"Not jutsu, Naruto, techniques. That's why you don't need handsigns," Kurama corrected, "Hokaage-sama, Naruto is progressing quite nicely. I'm sure by the time we find Orochimaru he will be ready to rival you for the title of Hokage. But, I do not believe that he will have mastered everything I have to teach him by that time. We have been going over the basics of youki control but have not been able to touch anything mid-level as of yet,"
"Only because you won't show me anything," Naruto muttered darkly.
"Playing with fire is nothing to be taken lightly. Hiei almost killed himself capturing and taming the kokuryuuha," Kurama shot back, "And he's youkai with fire as his blood-specialty, not just a container with the learned fire pathways of a youkai in him," Naruto stepped back, shocked at the tone Kurama was taking with her. Kurama glared sternly at her rash student. "You have no idea what training with youki is like. You have barely passed the most basic of basics, Naruto and it only gets more deadly,"
:He's right, Kit: Chitose agreed. Naruto scowled, knowing better than to fight against either Chitose or Kurama since he would loose without trouble.
"Well," Tsunade interjected, "should we set you up an account at the bank or do you want the bounty in cash?"
"Since I don't trust your bank's security I would prefer cash, but I acknowledge that that would be pure foolishness so let me open an account,"
"Why don't you trust our security?"
"A Master Thief practically raised me. It's hard to ignore the holes in security when I've been trained to see them," she shrugged, "It's nothing against your security, trust me. For humans your security is almost top notch,"
"For humans?" Tsunade sighed, giving up, "I'll take that as a compliment,"
"It was meant as one," Kurama smiled.
"Well, Naruto I'm trusting you to help Kurama-san here to set up an account. And don't forget to use your female name while you're at it!"
Kurama was somewhat confused. "Female names?" she asked.
"Uh, yeah, see people here don't really like me. When I'm a girl I go by Sachiko. No one's figured it out yet and it makes things easier," Naruto smiled.
"Sachiko, eh? Will I need a new name?"
"Only if you want," Tsunade shrugged, "It's not like anyone in this Village knows anyone by the name Kurama, other than Team seven that is,"
"How about Koyoko," Chitose suggested, wresting control from Naruto for a second. Kurama blinked.
"Koyoko?" she asked, "Oddly enough it somehow fits…"
"I don't get it," Naruto scratched his head, puzzled.
"Koyoko: child of Yoko. While it's not true in the literal sense, he's the closest thing I've got to a father. Koyoko it is,"
"Well Sachiko-chan, take Koyoko-chan to the bank and get her an account set up," Tsunade directed. Naruto snapped a mock salute before she and Kurama beat a retreat out of the window.
Rumors flew about the village about two freelancing kunoichi that had just brought in an extreamly dangerous S-class missing nin with hardly a scratch on either of them, just for a bounty. Kurama, for the most part was willfully ignorant of what was being said about her behind her back. It was not that she did not hear, since that would be near impossible what with her youkai enhancements.
Naruto, on the other hand, was oblivious. She was not suspect in the least since Sachiko-chan was a familiar face around town. Their cover story, for the short time that they stayed in Konohagakure, was that Koyoko was a relative of Sachiko's that was staying for a few days before continuing on to Sunagakure. Mostly true.
Kurama busied herself by exploring the Leaf Village, casing out shops, banks, and anything else that looked vaguely rob-able. She was impressed by the way that the people of the Village had combined what back home was considered 'old ways' and the 'new ways' and although their security was almost laughable she had to admit that these Shinobi had managed some remarkable contraptions. Not that she paid any attention to them.
"Oi! Koyoko-chan!" Naruto called. Kurama waved from where she had comfortably been resting in the crook of an obliging tree's branches.
"What can I do for you?" she asked.
"Baa-chan transferred the money. We can go whenever you want,"
"Wonderful. Be prepared to leave in the morning,"
AN: Kankuro has no idea. I'm still tossing around the idea of ever letting him know. What do you guys think? Should he know that his perfect woman is a man? I think I should let him stew in the juices of abject rejection. Then again, I'm probably too lazy to bother. He will live in blissful ignorance to the fact that he is, in fact, lusting after a man.
And a note on the yukata. Forgive me, I just had to get Kurama into a feminine yukata somehow! So I gave him mine. The tricks for putting it on I learned from a Japanese lady that goes to the same church as me. She showed me how to use the nylons to hold it closed and how to tie the obi. And yes, obi are that long and longer. I think one of the ones I have is just more than twelve feet long and the other just about eight. If anyone wants instructions on how to wear yukata just e-mail me! Just don't ask me to tell you how to tie the obi. It's a pain explaining when you can see what the person's explaining, never mind over the internet!
And poor Itachi. Didn't think I'd make him that easy to catch. I am disappointed in my writing abilities. Goman nasai minna-san.