Chapter 9
Blanket disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Ninja Gaiden or DOA
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
First and foremost, I'd like to thank HolyKnight5 for some of the evil ideas to put in Victor Donovan's wicked little head. I had ideas but they'll be even darker and more twisted now. The DOA Tournament is still a couple of years away but some of the groundwork will be laid down this chapter.
Also, as noted in my other story I'm working a lot of overtime so I'll probably be updating biweekly until we hire some new people. Here's chapter 9:
Last time:
"….Thank you for all your help Hinata-san. All four of you saved us from certain death and I will always be grateful especially to you Ayane." She turned to Ryu. "Ryu-sama, we are in your care."
"Let's head back to the village then." said Ryu with relief in his voice.
Naruto's clones started gently picking everyone up to carry them quickly over the Sea of Trees and back to the Hayabusa Village. Soon, the only sign there had even been a battle was the crater that cut into the very rock on the ground by the rasenshuriken.
Out of the trees a ninja descended down and examined the crater up close. Her auburn hair shined slightly in the moonlight as she ran her hand over the polished smooth surface of the crater. What she witnessed left her in awe of the mysterious blonde ninja called Uzumaki Naruto. 'It's a good thing that old hag Obaba said those fiends were completely expendable. He took that huge one out in one shot. I wonder if he likes redheads.' With that she vanished in a teleport to report back to her grandmother Obaba. If this didn't impress the old hag nothing would!
Near the Black Spider Clan Enclave
Aoi walked towards the enclave nonchalantly and waited for her stupid, rat-like companion to appear. He was a master of surveillance and should have caught the tremendous battle she witnessed between the fiends and ninjas on film. (On the other hand he was worthless at everything else). She felt the wind blow slightly and launched a shuriken into a nearby bush that caused a yelp and her 'friend' to come rolling out of the shrubbery in pain. It was obvious that the slimy man was filming her again. God only knew what he did in private with all of those films….
"Aoi-sama; why did you hurt me, your loyal retainer?" he asked dramatically as he stood up and began the brush himself off. "Actually, how did you sense me to begin with?"
Aoi smirked at the pervert. "In answer to your first question, I only grazed you with my shuriken. I doubt it even drew blood Nezumi-baka."
The now named Nezumi pouted. "Then how did you find me Aoi-sama? I am a master of concealing my presence."
She pointed at her nose. "I smelled you idiot! You know even a dog's nose is nothing compared to mine."
"Ah, of course Aoi-sama." he groveled. "It's only natural that Obaba-sama's descendants would have her superior blood and abilities." He yelped again when another shuriken grazed him and saw Aoi's normally beautiful face twisted up and scowling at him angrily.
Aoi growled, "I told you not to compare me with that decrepit old hag, Nezumi-baka!" Exhaling, she quickly composed herself. "More importantly Nezumi, did you get all that battle on film? That ninpo that Uzumaki Naruto-sama used was beyond anything I've ever even imagined. I wonder what the old hag will do when she sees it!" Aoi said with barely contained excitement.
Nezumi smiled slyly. "You seem awfully exited Aoi-sama."
"Why wouldn't I be? Uzumaki Naruto-sama is getting a harem. It would only make sense that I become his favorite. Of course being with a man that powerful excites me." she said with a mean smile at Nezumi's look of horror.
"But what would I do without you Aoi-sama?" he asked desperately as he shed anime style tears.
"Probably whither up and die." she answered conversationally as they entered the Enclave.
The Hayabusa Village
Ryu awoke and found he was resting in his own futon for the first time in what seemed like ages. He'd been exhausted last night and came home to sleep but Kureha had other ideas. While Hinata and the healers dealt with their 'guests' Kureha gave him a reward he never dreamed of for defeating the Vigoorian Empire. After he bathed, the night of passion they shared was like nothing he'd ever experienced or imagined and Hayabusa Ryu was awed at the magic they'd shared. She made love to him until his strength was completely gone and then cradled him protectively in her arms. It was as if all the horrors he'd seen during his battle with Vigoor were swept away and for the first time in his life Ryu saw Kureha not as his childhood friend but as a beautiful woman who loved him.
For the first time in a great while, he had no nightmares that night and only dreamed of Kureha and her touch. When he awoke he felt her warmth and the gentle weight of her head lying on his chest. Ryu felt completely at peace and wished it could last forever. Alas, it was time to get up and start the day. He heard the village children playing outside and judging by the angle of the sun shining in it was about 10AM in the morning. He looked down at her soft, sleeping face and gently ran his fingers over her cheek and brushed her bangs aside. She stirred slightly and opened her big dark eyes to meet his. "Good morning Ryu, did you sleep well?" Her smile was loving, kind and mischievous all at the same time.
She propped her head up where he had as very nice view of her breasts. "Do you remember when I told you I promised I would marry you on your fifth birthday?" she asked as she brought her face up to meet his. He nodded silently as he looked into her eyes. He could feel her hot breath against his skin. "I meant every word of it even then. I love you Hayabusa Ryu." He went to say something but his body reacted first and he instantly got an erection. She giggled. "Let me take care of you my love." It would be hours before Ryu would be crawling out of bed but not before saying, "I love you too Kureha; I always will."
While Ryu and Kureha were occupied, Hinata was asleep in her tent she shared with Naruto. She was tired from taking care of the injured last night and slept in with Naruto holding her. Most of the night was spent taking care of Kasumi, Shiro and Rokuro. Naruto had intervened before she ran herself out of chakra. After they each took a late bath she almost immediately fell asleep the second she snuggled up with Naruto….
Momiji got up early and took care of all the duties at the shrine because her sister said she had 'certain private rituals to take care of.' She was a bit irked because she was supposed to get together with Naruto this morning but between her duties as a shrine maiden and the fact that Naruto was probably worn out from the battle last night she decided to go and see him in the afternoon. She was eager to hear the details of the battle anyway. The looks of awe that everyone had on their faces (except Hinata) told her he must have done something amazing. Actually, the gob smacked look on Ryu-sama's face had been priceless given how serious he always was….
Kasumi was sitting bandaged in a cot. She'd been awake this time while Hinata healed her and the green healing chakra was amazing to her. She'd put a lot of strain on her body fighting a running battle and the Torn Sky Blast took a lot out of her as well. She had been sure it was all over and then Naruto and the others had saved her and her comrades. She'd been truly shocked that Ayane saved her life. She knew Ayane hated her and to some degree understood why but had always hoped to somehow have a better relationship with the violet haired kunoichi. They were sisters after all. She also knew Ayane had her mind set on Naruto as well.
Kasumi figured it was natural both of them were attracted to the same kind of man. She finally admitted to herself that she really did find Naruto attractive though she hated the fact it was a purely political marriage. She'd felt totally betrayed by her f-, Shiden-sama. On the other hand she honestly felt that she might have eventually fallen in love with Naruto on her own….speaking of Naruto, the sheer power he'd displayed battling that massive fiend both awed her, terrified her and thrilled her at the same time. The Torn Sky Blast –the most powerful and most prized ninpo of the Mugen Tenshin Clan –completely paled in comparison to the rasenshuriken.
She'd spoken a bit to Hinata about it while Hinata was patching her up but all Hinata revealed was that wasn't a full power rasenshuriken. While Hinata never came out and said it she hinted that a full powered one would have leveled the whole area and killed everyone in it save Naruto. It was truly mind-boggling to Kasumi. For one to have that kind of power and not have some sort of god-complex –Naruto was very special indeed….
Ayane had awakened fairly early and -even to her own surprise- checked on Kasumi's condition. The healers told her Kasumi was simply exhausted and would be sore and tired for a few days. Rokuro and Shiro were in similar conditions. After breakfast the young kunoichi went to meditate on her situation. On the one hand she had Kasumi, someone she was trying to let go of her anger towards. In her talk with Naruto she concluded that her hatred wasn't entirely justified. The jealousy and anger were there but Kasumi didn't have any animosity towards her and never treated Ayane badly personally. Hell, they were best friends before Ayane found out the truth about her parentage….
….And then there was Naruto. He was kind, forgiving and caring but the side of him she'd seen last night….It was just like when he protected her from the Tengu Brothers, albeit on a much more colossal scale. He'd faced down an enemy with no fear in those strange, toad like eyes and proceeded to totally destroy their enemies. After that massive ninpo, actually ninjutsu Ayane corrected herself plowed through the fiends it ground itself into solid rock and left a deep crater from what she could tell. She asked one of his clones that carried her back through the treetops on the way back what it was. He said it was called rasenshuriken and that was a low powered one. Ayane was shocked speechless….'Just how powerful are you Uzumaki Naruto?'
The Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya
Since the storage area where the Kusanagi was stored was broken into and four bodies were found (all having suffered grisly deaths) an investigation was underway. A box with a small statue was broken into and the statue was known to have been stolen but whether anything else was taken was still unclear. Now an odd old man that spoke in a very old Japanese dialect was 'communing with the spirits of those that died' in the Atsuta Shrine. No one knew who he was or exactly why the police let him in as the crime scene was blocked off from the public. The investigators thought he was some old mystic that lived in the hills or maybe just a cook. He first sat at the scene where the fight took place and accurately said. "This man was killed from behind. He knew there were attackers in the area but couldn't react until too late."
The investigators decided maybe this old mystic might actually be useful and let him wander until he found the place Saru died. "This one wasn't paying any attention. He was dead before he realized anyone was attacking. Like the first one he never saw who killed him. He was the first to die that night." Finally he wandered to the double doors where Hideki and Goro fell to Naruto's traps. He sat down a suddenly gasped. After regaining his composure he said "One died in an instant but one suffered terribly. His legs….he was staring at his legs though they weren't even attached. As he lay dying he saw a man and a woman but he was so far gone he couldn't make out the images of their faces….The woman finished him off with a sword. He was the last to die." The old man said with tears in his eyes. "I'm afraid these old eyes can see no more…."
The investigators thanked him for his efforts and asked his name for their reports. "It is Noh Akuto, my good sirs." With that the old man sadly left the Atsuta Shrine ashamed he was unable to help more….
….As the old man hobbled away from the shrine his mind was whirring with ideas. 'Four Black Spider ninjas and four fiends (of all things) were taken out by two unknown ninjas while they attempted to steal the Kusanagi for reasons not even known to them. One of those that killed them is the sage I'm searching for. I don't know anything about these Black Spider ninjas but the fiend's enemies have been those of the Dragon Lineage since ancient times. As I recall they keep themselves sequestered away in a hidden village near the base of Mount Fuji. It's been so long….I think it was called the Hayabusa Village a few hundred years ago although the gods only know what it's called now. Curse these humans and their wretchedly short life spans! Once I find this so called sage I'll put an end to him or if it's a her I'll use her for my pleasure and then kill her. The time for sages in this world is long over….'
The Black Spider Clan Enclave
Obaba sat impatiently as her granddaughter Aoi-chan made her wait around before showing the results of her and Nezumi's mission. Obaba had demanded a report when the two arrived but Aoi insisted she see the film first. Nezumi was going to buckle like the spineless coward he was but Aoi forced him to shut up and set up the film for Obaba to watch. Obaba knew Aoi-chan despised her but frankly the girl's mean streak reminded her of herself at that age. It was as wide as the Pacific Ocean! Aoi-chan didn't know it but of all Obaba's children and grandchildren Aoi was far and away her favorite….
Still, it was cruel to make an old woman wait….Then Nezumi finished setting up and started the film.
Obaba watched the film that fool Nezumi took of the battle. She was mildly impressed at Kasumi's Torn Sky Blast and how it staggered the massive fiend. To have mastery over such a ninpo at that young an age showed the girl would be a major threat in the future without the proper precautions. The old sorceress frowned as Hayabusa and his allies appeared and pulled their comrades out of the line of fire and the armored fiend actually quailed at the sight of something. Nezumi's camera quickly panned over to Naruto and Obaba looked wide-eyed at the rasenshuriken that he held above his head.
She hadn't seen or heard of anything like this ninpo ever! The screeching noise it made quickly allowed Obaba to deduce it was made up of wind although it didn't seem to have tornado like qualities. The boy seemed absolutely bathed in raw power. Even his eyes glowed with raw energy as he hurled the circular buzz saw of wind at the fiend. For a moment the ninpo slowed down as it hit the fiend's armor and she wondered if it was all for show. Then a second later it reduced the armored fiend and its two companions into nothing. She saw the showers of gore fly before the fiends exploded into mystic ash. This boy was an army destroyer!
The rest of the film slipped by and after she saw the boy make solid clones of himself (and didn't even look winded from the massive ninpo he unleashed!) and he and his companions departed. The film cut out and then came back on showing Aoi-chan examining the crater left by the ninpo before she left the scene as well. Obaba quietly pondered if her mistress the Greater Fiend Ishtaros could even survive such an overpowering ninpo….
Obaba turned to Aoi. "Now I see why you wanted to show the film first. I would not have believed it if I hadn't seen it." She motioned to Nezumi who just finished putting away his camera equipment. "You may go Nezumi, I will speak with my granddaughter alone." Nezumi quivered fearfully but then bowed before he quickly left.
"Did you find anything in that crater it left behind?" asked the old woman.
Aoi shook her head. "No. The rock it carved into was polished like a stone in a riverbed. It was three feet deep at the lowest point and about fifteen feet across. There were no signs of any debris. Anything that ninpo touched seemed to cease to exist."
"Hmmm…." pondered Obaba.
"So…?" asked Aoi.
Obaba got a twisted smile on her wrinkled face. "You have done well Aoi-chan, very well. Do you want him?" she asked with a gleam in her eye. "Remember, you will be one of many competing for him before you answer."
Aoi's eyes looked hungrily at the thought. "Yes; I will become his favorite and I will bring him back here willingly with me. I wonder though, how do you intend to set this up?"
Obaba chuckled evilly. "You leave that to Granny Obaba Aoi-chan. Now off you go. I have much to do and little time to do it in."
Aoi nodded and quickly departed. Obaba could already foresee Aoi-chan and Uzumaki's beautiful and incredibly powerful children leading the Black Spider Clan to greatness….and hurling those massive wind ninpo at anyone who dared to stand in their way!
The Hayabusa Village
Momiji went to find Naruto after lunch and literally found him all over the place. Dozens of his clones were working throughout the village again doing repair work under the supervision of people more experienced with such things. She finally flagged down a random clone and asked where the real Naruto was. "Boss should be over at Hikaru's Ramen Shack. They promised he would get the first bowl now that they've reopened starting at lunch." the clone said with stars in his eyes.
The shrine maiden sweat-dropped and hoped the 'blessings of the ramen gods' didn't get brought up again. She seriously wondered if Naruto really believed all that stuff or whether it was some silly prank of his. There was one thing she would not tolerate though. If he wanted some massive ornate shrine to the ramen gods instead the dragon gods in their home she would go medieval on his ass. She imagined a massive, golden ramen bowl with silver noodles to pour libations into and burn incense in and physically cringed at the idea of having to eat ramen for dinner every night. She would have to talk to Hinata about that and prevent ramen deities from invading their home. Momiji was a Dragon Shrine Maiden, after all!
Banishing the thoughts of dying from a ramen overdose she went over to Hikaru's and saw Naruto coming out of it with a smile of utter bliss pasted on his face. "Ah, life is good!" he said happily. "Momiji-chan! Just the girl I was looking for. Do you have time or are you busy? If you haven't eaten we could catch lunch at Hikaru's!"
Didn't you just come out of there Naruto-kun?" asked Momiji with a sweat-drop at his antics.
"I could always pack away a few more; are you hungry? It would be my treat!" he asked happily.
"No, it's okay Naruto-kun. I just finished eating so I'm really full. Did you want to go and talk now? We were both busy this morning."
Naruto nodded. "Sure, I planned to come find you at the shrine after lunch anyway. Hinata-chan finally woke up so I left a clone with her to keep her company while I went to work in the village."
Soon the pair arrived at the old dojo and Naruto set up the silencing seals like he had with Ayane. "There, now we can talk freely."
"Your fuinjutstu is amazing Naruto-kun!" Momiji said eagerly. "I wish there was some way I could learn it. I could set up seals and protect the Dragon Shrine."
"Maybe we can set something up once things are rebuilt." said Naruto. "It amazes me how attached I've become to the Hayabusa Village. I can't wait to see it thriving again. I'm finally seeing people's eyes alive and happy once more."
Momiji smiled warmly and said "You truly are a good man Naruto-kun. I guess that's why I fell for you…."
"….Fell for me?" he asked blushing.
"Yes." said Momiji. "I don't want to be your wife because of some stupid political arrangement. You make me feel warm and happy just being around you. When I found out you were with Hinata I was depressed but you are both my friends and I didn't want to interfere. But now I can be with you and it really makes me happy."
Naruto smiled bashfully and said, "I really like you too Momiji. I'm glad we're going to be together. I have a question. Since you're a dragon shrine maiden does that mean you and your children would be part of the Dragon Lineage?"
Momiji looked surprised that Naruto was already thinking about children. "Well, yes they would but unless Ryu-sama doesn't have an heir they probably wouldn't inherit the Dragon Sword."
"Oh, I wasn't worried about the Dragon Sword." explained Naruto. "I just wondered about it because of their training. Odds are they are going to be chakra users with huge reserves like mine so I don't know if they'll be able to use the ninpo of the Dragon Ninjas. They will probably use ninjutsu instead."
"Could they be trained in both?" asked Momiji.
Naruto shrugged. "I honestly have no idea. Ninpo requires pure spiritual energy and the body is trained in pure physical energy. Ninjutsu is an even mix of spiritual and physical energy. I guess if we started the children young enough they could be trained in both."
"Speaking of ninjutsu, I heard you took out a massive fiend in one shot!" she said with stars in her eyes. "Don't hold back the details. I want to hear all about it!"
"Well, it wasn't that big of a deal…." said Naruto sheepishly.
Momiji laughed. "The look of shock in Ryu-sama's eyes was hilarious! You must have pulled off something amazing. Don't be so modest Naruto-kun. Tell me all about it."
Giving up, Naruto figured he'd better indulge Momiji as various jutsu absolutely fascinated her. He began, "The jutsu I used is called rasenshuriken…."
They spent the afternoon talking and having fun together. It seemed to him the two of them clicked together really well….
DOATEC Tritower Headquarters
A broad shouldered, robust looking man sat at his desk. He was Fame Douglas, the Chairman of DOATEC and one of the most prominent weapons manufactures in the world. Across his desk sat his blonde haired head of the development department, Victor Donovan. "Mr. Chairman, your idea of this DOA Tournament in a couple of years truly intrigues me. We could learn a lot from it." said Donovan enthusiastically.
"I agree Victor." said Douglas. "By watching some of the best fighters in the world compete we could learn and hopefully incorporate some of their fighting styles and methods into our training programs for our own people. If they are willing some of these superior contestants might be willing to teach us some of their arts as well –for the right price of course. It's a golden opportunity."
"While I agree with that Mr. Chairman, couldn't we take it a step further? Think outside the box. The genetic experiments we've performed on various animals such as our special guard dogs have been a smashing success! Surely we could create better fighters the same way." exclaimed Donavon.
"Victor, we are a weapons manufacturer." said Douglas seriously. "I don't see myself as a high moralist by any means but what you are talking about is messing with the realm of god; not mortal men such as ourselves. Dogs and animals are one thing but human beings? I can't allow such a thing."
"Sir, we are talking about creating superior weapons of a biological nature. It's not that different. I think you are splitting hairs here." Donovan replied passionately.
Douglas shook his head. "No I'm not Victor. What if someone decided to perform human experiments on your boy Rig? What would it mean to him? To you? The stuff you are saying reminds me of that Nazi scientist in World War Two that experimented on human beings at Auschwitz. What was his name? Josef Mengele I believe. He played god with those people and was someone that I'm ashamed to even call the same species as myself. I won't let you do this Victor. If not for the company's sake then for your own sake I'm vetoing this idea right here and now."
Donovan was soon dismissed and his plans to create superhuman weapons were shot down by Douglas entirely. He raged to himself, 'I've laid the groundwork for the human weapon project for years and he compares me to that Nazi animal Mengele! That fool wasn't a scientist! He was a butcher that liked to torture people. He was like a child that pulled the wings off of insects for fun while pretending it was science! I on the other hand am in a position to advance the human race through super science! I just have to find the right test subjects. This fighting tournament will weed out the weak and show us the truly strong. If I could just get genetic samples I could begin cloning or gene splicing just like we did with the guard dogs. The Chairman considering himself morally responsible for my sake? Hah! Fame Douglas, you are a fool!'
Harboring these dark thoughts, Victor Donovan stalked back down to his laboratory where he had the plans for his first human weapon program; Project Alpha. There he planned to create warriors worthy of the Halls of Valhalla, Fame Douglas or otherwise. It was only a matter of choosing the best baseline human to start with….
The site of the battle by the Sea of Trees
Nyotengu stood looking at the perfectly circular, polished crater cut into solid rock. "So you were here, Sage of the Toads." she thought aloud. She'd been resting last night when she suddenly felt a massive spike of the sage's power. She'd sensed a tiny bit lingering before in the sacred wilderness but this burst of power nearly knocked her out of the tree she'd been sleeping in. She wondered if this was the true power of chakra. As it was dark and late she decided to investigate the next day and found where Naruto had been standing was saturated with his power.
There was a direct line from that point and it led straight to this crater. She was sure whatever Uzumaki Naruto had been fighting was completely and utterly destroyed. Given the rock that once filled the land where this crater now was left absolutely no signs behind –no gravel, no dust –she could only conclude the rock and his opponents were vaporized. Nyotengu had to admit she was very impressed and even a little bit frightened. The elder that gave her and the other two the mission to find the sage were warned that a sage could be as deadly as any experienced tengu warrior. After all, the tengu themselves were supposedly descended of one. Seeing evidence like this didn't make it seem so far-fetched in her opinion.
She chuckled about the other two tengu searching like she was. One was her egotistical Uncle Hokorashii. He was weaker than her by quite a bit but maintained he was stronger, wiser and older (she was a mere 1,014 years of age, he was 1,034). He had told her to stay home since she wasn't experienced enough. Frankly, she hoped the arrogant ass would try to take on the sage and get himself killed. The first few years of her long life she'd respected him but the last thousand? He could drop dead as far as she was concerned.
As for the other Tengu involved, he was an evil, treacherous bastard. He'd made more than one pass at her and she'd always threatened to castrate him if he tried anything. As far as tengus were concerned she had to admit he was very clever and quick-witted though. Akuto was also was attractive enough but was a womanizer who had broken the hearts of many females with his empty promises. If Nyotengu guessed right he would try to tempt Uzumaki with some kind of promise of power or perhaps threaten his friends or loved ones if he had any. Then he would do his best to kill the sage. Their job was to capture or ally themselves with Uzumaki, not kill him. At any rate, Nyotengu could only imagine how badly that would backfire and explode in Akuto's face. The power she saw evidence of here would make Uzumaki more than a match for Akuto, clever or otherwise. She truly hoped she could witness that from a safe distance….
That left her with the question, how would she befriend or gain the trust of Uzumaki Naruto? 'Oh, well. I'll have to find him first. Then I'll figure it out. In a worst case scenario I could always charm him.'
Seeing there were no other signs or trails to follow, Nyotengu pondered a few moments and remembered reading that some sages had the ability to turn their power 'on' or 'off' so they could blend in with normal humans. While she didn't fully understand why anyone wouldn't want to display their superiority she did have to admit it was an easy way to keep from being found. Sighing, Nyotengu decided to go back to what she was doing before; searching for clues. It seemed to her that the sage Uzamaki Naruto already left the area so she too departed.
The Black Spider Clan Enclave
Obaba had just finished her latest bit of brilliant political maneuvering and now her favorite Granddaughter Aoi-chan was throwing a hissy fit at the situation. Couldn't the brat show the slightest bit of gratitude? Obaba was practically giving her the man she wanted so badly on a silver platter! Oh, well. Once again Obaba was reminded of herself in her teen years….
"You want me to march up to the Hayabusa Village, our enemies in case you've forgotten in your old age, and say I've been sent by you with a message for Uzumaki Naruto-sama?!" Aoi screeched shrilly at her elder. "I'll be peppered with kunai, shuriken and arrows before I get within a hundred yards of the gate! I've seen suicide missions with better odds of survival! Do you want me to die there?!"
Obaba chuckled at her Granddaughter's sheer gall as the others in the room cringed in fear at the possibility of Obaba wrathfully smiting them all where they stood. "Aoi-chan, I'm sending a messenger bird ahead that you are coming under diplomatic truce to see Naruto-sama. If they were to attack you they would be breaking their own preposterous code of honor. They'd probably be forced to fall on their own swords by their precious Dragon Gods and would gladly do so. Once I get a confirmation back they will be expecting you and while you will be watched you will certainly not be harmed.
Aoi huffed. "All right, I feel a little better but how is this supposed to work? I can't just go there to seduce him and not have some sort of actual political reason to be there."
"It's simple Aoi-chan." Obaba said fondly as possible for an evil, ancient sorceress. "While Uzumaki is residing in the Hayabusa Village; he technically isn't one of them."
Here is the gist of it: "I, Obaba-sama, the matriarch of the Black Spider Clan am offering my prized Granddaughter Aoi-chan as a gift to be Naruto-sama's loyal concubine and in return I ask him to consider the Black Spider Clan neutral or friendly to the newly founded Uzumaki Clan. While I realize he is already allied with the Hayabusa and Mugen Tenshin Clans I hope he will at least consider the possibility. Even if he chooses to not enter a neutral or friendly relationship with the Black Spider Clan Aoi-chan is Naruto-sama's to keep as an act of respect and friendship and to convey the Black Spider Clan's best wishes for the future of the Uzumaki clan."
"…."
"…."
"….Okay, assuming he buys this line of total garbage what then?" asked Aoi in disbelief.
Obaba snickered. "A new clan like the Uzumakis is too small to protect themselves from the wrath of the Black Spider Clan. To refuse you would pretty much be a declaration of war. That is the real truth of the matter. Don't worry; trust in your Granny's wisdom. It will work."
"So I'd be living amongst my enemies." said Aoi concerned
"You worry too much child." chided Obaba. "You've been extensively trained in the arts of seduction. I have no doubt in my mind you'll have him wrapped around your little finger in no time. There are very few as attractive as you plus you are a kunoichi both of which will give you an edge over his other wives. Bend him to your will and bring him back as a member of our clan –and while you are there since you are his concubine you will be untouchable by the Dragon Ninjas."
"It sounds too simple." said Aoi skeptically.
"If there is anything I've learned in my past 100 years of life, it's that simple plans work best." said Obaba gravely. "You will go dressed as a pure and nubile young maiden and win him over without fail. This is my decree Granddaughter. No go and prepare yourself. You will be moving to a new home soon."
Aoi looked at Obaba for a long time but knew there would be severe consequences if she didn't obey. She simply wasn't strong enough to destroy the old hag….not yet, anyway. "Yes, Obaba-sama. I will do as you command." Aoi bowed deeply and made her way back to her room to make preparations to leave.
Everyone else present sighed. The tension between the seasoned campaigner Obaba and her upstart spitfire of a Granddaughter Aoi had finally abated.
Obaba spoke out with authority. "All of you leave me! I wish to contemplate alone." The rest of the room's occupants left as quickly as they could as they were not willing to face the old sorceress's wrath.
Once she was sure she was alone, Obaba let out a cackle. She had seen the look in her precious Aoi-chan's eyes. The girl wanted to depose her but realized she wasn't strong enough yet. Obaba smiled. 'Bless your wicked little heart. Someday you will rule when I pass away Aoi-chan but you are not ready yet. Until you are I will remain in control.' She thought about Uzumaki Naruto. 'Even Ishtaros-sama is concerned about his presence and with good reason. Perhaps someday the children of Naruto-sama and Aoi-chan will even bring even the fiends to heel.' Then she spoke aloud, "I'm placing a lot of faith in you Aoi-chan. I know you will succeed, most favored Grandaughter."
The Hayabusa Village
Ayane was sitting in her guest room. In her brief discussion with Kasumi, Rokuro and Shiro she found out that Genra and Ayame sent her things. Shiro apologized in advance in case anything was damaged during the battle they had with the fiends. Curious, Ayane took the slightly roughed up backpack to her room and opened it. Most of it was her clothing and some combat gear she neglected to bring. Along with it was a beautiful lavender kimono with a purple obi and butterflies on it. There was also a (slightly crunched) gift box. She also saw to letters addressed to her; one from her Father Genra and one from Ayame-sama.
She opened the letter from her Father first:
Ayane-chan:
I hope everything is going well and that you did not lose your temper with Uzumaki-san (Ayane cringed). As you took off with a minimum of gear I packed your spare weapons and clothes along with your unmentionables. (Ayane rolled her eyes at her Father's aversion to saying panties or bras). Anyway, know that you are in my thoughts and that I pray for your happiness. If Uzumaki hurts your feelings in any way you just call me and I'll come and kill him for you (She pondered whether it was just a Father thing or what. Seeing what Naruto did to that fiend last night Ayane had to wonder if Genra would stand a snowball's chance in hell in a straight-up fight with Naruto. She quickly wrote off the whole idea as a testosterone thing on her Father's part but felt warm and happy he wanted to protect her).
Know that I am proud of you daughter and that if you decide to pursue this relationship I will trust your judgment despite your young age. Remember though, no matter how strong your feelings are that you will have to share him and would have to somehow make peace with anyone else involved and particularly Kasumi-sama. If you two continue to fight it will have dire consequences for your relationship with Uzumaki. I know you don't want to hear this but I say it because I care. Be safe and know that if you ever need to talk about anything that I am here for you.
Love,
-Genra
Ayane smiled and went through her gear and checked its condition. Finding everything satisfactory she hung it up in the small guest closet and thought about Naruto for a few moments. She reluctantly turned back to the silk kimono and admired it for a few minutes. It was absolutely gorgeous and she knew it must have come from Ayame-sama. (Frankly, Genra didn't have that good of taste in clothing). She was about to try it on but saw the letter addressed to her from Ayame-sama and after a few nervous moments of pondering she decided to open it:
Ayane:
I understand from Genra and Hayate that you wish to pursue a relationship with Naruto-sama. I know that our relationship has been distant at best but know that you are my daughter and that I am proud of your accomplishments both as a kunoichi and as a young woman. It is difficult to put into words what I am feeling right now. I want you to be happy and I hope Naruto-sama can bring you the love that you deserve so much. I also worry because you are very young to be in such a relationship. I know that Naruto-sama is a kind soul and has earned your brother Hayate's approval which is very difficult to do.
I only ask one thing of you: Let go of that hatred you have for your sister Kasumi. You are both entering a relationship with the same man and will be considered equals in every way status wise. Believe it or not the two of you could be the strongest support for one another in the trials that will no doubt arise. You are sisters. It would bring me no greater joy than to see the two of you be friends again as you were as children. Know that regardless of what happens your brother Hayate and I will always love you.
The lavender kimono I sent was one I wore when I was your age and I've been meaning to give it to you for some time but I never could find the right moment. The box I've included was a memento of my Mother's, you Grandmother. Believe it or not she had similar tastes to your and I planned to give it to you for your wedding. I believe you will like it and I hope you wear it.
There is one last thing I wish to say; I am proud of you Ayane and whenever we see or write each other from now on please call me 'Mother' instead of 'My Lady.' You are my child and I want you to know you can come to me if you ever have problems or just want someone to talk to. I love you Ayane-chan.
Love,
-Ayame
Ayane sat a long time shedding silent tears. A small, rebellious part of her wanted to reject everything but seeing Ayame's words telling her she loved her and wanted to be addressed as her Mother was one of the most treasured things she'd ever felt. It took a while and several tissues before Ayane finally settled down. After feeling she was in control of herself again she looked at the small box that contained a gift passed down from her Grandmother. Ayane carefully opened it and found it was a jewelry box that was thankfully undamaged. Opening it she was amazed at a delicate gold and silver butterfly pendent.
Did her Grandmother love butterflies like she did? It was a bit of a revelation for the young kunoichi. She admired the pendant from every angle and saw it was perfect. She wondered what kind of a woman her Grandmother was as she cradled it close to her bosom. She thought about writing Ayame immediately and asking but then she realized there was a closer source; Kasumi. Ordinarily Ayane would have dismissed the idea but she had to know. Bearing that in mind she decided to visit her estranged sister and for the first time in many years actually talk with Kasumi….
Elsewhere….
Naruto was meditating and visiting with Kurama after he finished taking with with Momiji.
'So on paper you have Hinata, Kasumi, Momiji and Ayane. Kid, it amazes me that someone who couldn't even get a date in his entire life is now looking realistically at settling down with four hot, top-heavy vixens that are kunoichis to boot.' said Kurama.
Naruto nodded. 'Ayane will probably grow even more beautiful than she is now since she's still a little younger. She looks just like Ayame-sama. Actually all four of them will probably get even more gorgeous as hard as it is to believe.'
Kurama added in, 'Best of all, they are all strong and smart. Provided they don't turn on you, they could give you some very powerful offspring and your new clan will be truly fearsome.'
'Yeah, I- Wait a minute! What do you mean turn on me?' asked Naruto in a panic.
'You'll have to tread carefully Naruto. Having strong mates also means they can be a threat to you if you anger them enough. I just finished healing you testicles recently or have you forgotten already?' asked the fox.
Naruto shivered. 'I guess you're right. I'll have to treat them all equally and not play favorites, especially where Ayane and Kasumi are concerned.'
'….'
'….Women are scary Kurama.'
'….Yes, kid. Yes they are.'
POSTSCRIPT:
So we've introduced the beginnings of the DOA storyline and things are starting to settle down to a low roar with the harem situation (i.e., none of Naruto's blood was shed –at least this chapter). Obaba's also on a roll which can never be good so we'll see what that results in next chapter. Blue out. 9/27/14