HIDDEN RAIN DISPUTE III
Hiru made a run for it toward the main tower that once 'Lady Angel' used as the spot for people to meet her at. He saw it fitting to begin using it for himself since he intends to take over the village. He saw for himself the Slime going berserk, which would only mean Numeri was taken out and Bairin has one of the scrolls. Can't let them have the other.
He makes his way to the lowest floor, where Konan's healing pod is.
The building rumbles. He hears the sounds of combat. Those guys don't let up, do they?
Gotta move the pod and get it to a better location. She can still be used as a bargaining chip. When he gets there, he sees from the corner of his eye, three kids behind the giant memorial flower bed.
"And who might you be?" He draws closer.
"S-stay back!" Yokumaru stands in front of the other two. His legs are shaking a bit. He's lived a rough life and had to deal with a lot of scum, but this guy's a ninja. This might be the first time his life's been in actual danger.
"We'll have a little chat, you and me."
"Ninja Art Feather Curtain"
Dozens of small sparrow feathers surround Hiru which he swats away but some of it still gets in his eyes and mouth, not expecting this kind of assault.
"Crystal Style: Crystal Wall"
As practiced before, a crystalline structure appears from under Hiru's feet. He's off balance for a split second, but they'd already ran the moment Yokumaru used his jutsu.
"You damn brats! You think you can make a mockery out of me?!"
"Lightning Style: Ball Lightning"
Several orbs of electricity appear around him, charging up in power. He sends up right for the kids.
"Ninja Art: Feather Kunai"
"Crystal Style: Crystal Wall"
Both of them try to deflect them before they can reach even the halfway point, but the Feathers are burnt to a crisp and the crystal walls are shattered into pieces. Before they can act again, the wall behind Hiru bursts open.
Hinata stands at an elevated position, both hands stretched upward, where a wall used to be just second ago. Two figures jump out, winds howling around them.
"Wind Style: Wind Blade" Bairin hands are surrounded by miniature whirling winds, sharp as a knife. He sends them flying at the lightning orbs.
"Wind Style: Twin Rasengan" Naruto sends his jutsu flying. Not as big or devastating as the Rasenshuriken, but they expand nonetheless and disperse the electricity.
What balls of lightning weren't dispersed, hit the walls instead, not being close enough to hurt anyone.
Hinata jumps down and lands next to them.
"You disgust me, Hiru. Attacking children?" Bairin picks himself up.
"I'm not the one who sent children to do his spywork. Are you that short on personnel?"
Unfortunately, Hiru is still between them and the kids. They can't get to safety until he's taken care of but a fight would put them in danger.
"Let the kids go!" Naruto makes his demand.
"Why would I?" An expected response. "When I could instead do this." He throws several shuriken at the three of them.
It's simple enough to dodge but there's no way that's all of it. And it isn't.
"Lightning Style: Lightning Net"
Lightning chakra emanates from the shuriken and connects each of them to the others, weaving a complex net.
All of them are mid jump or dodge, and with not enough time to weave chakra to push them away like the balls of lightning, but Naruto has something up his sleeve that doesn't require it. He reaches into his pouch and takes out shuriken of his own and imbues them with Wind chakra, just like Asuma-sensei showed him.
The Wind-shuriken strike the lightning ones and manage to weaken them enough to clatter to the ground and disperse the electricity.
Bairin brings his hands together.
"Wind Style: Breakthrough"
A large gust of wind rushes to Hiru but he manages to step out of the way.
"Gentle Step: Vacuum Palm"
Hinata sends wind pressure of her own towards him by standing just behind Naruto. The blonde catches a ride along, his speed boosted greatly by her jutsu. He gathers chakra in his palm.
"Rasengan!"
The increased speed also increases the strength as Naruto slams his signature jutsu in Hiru's chest and sends him flying into a wall. Naruto, not really having any solid footing, skids on the ground.
Hinata beckons the kids. "Hurry, come to us!" They all run.
"Damn… you…" Hiru's voice comes from the dust kicked up from his crash. "DAMN YOU!" Lightning cackles around him.
"Lightning Style: Thunderbolt"
Jolts are sent flying everywhere, destroying the walls, the pillars, the mural above the flower bed. Naruto, being the closest, immediately goes to protect the kids. Hinata rushes to them, as well.
One errant bolt goes flying upward, destroys the ceiling and then comes flying down towards Konan's pod. Naruto sees this and for a moment, his mind is split. Protect the kids, and protect Konan. He forms a Shadow Clone but someone already beat him to it.
Mutsu makes a run for the pod.
"No! Get back!" Bairin calls out. There's not enough time for a Wind Style jutsu to stop it.
Naruto's Shadow Clone goes after the young boy just as the bolt reaches.
A giant explosion follows, with even more dust being kicked up.
"MUTSU!" Bairin calls out again, praying for a response.
They wait with bated breath, but Naruto knows one thing for certain. His Clone hasn't disappeared.
When the dust clears, they see Naruto's Clone surrounded by papers. Multiple pure white sheets of paper surround him and the pod, forming a protective layer.
"That's… Konan's jutsu…"
"Lady Konan… has awoken?"
But when they look just behind Naruto, they see Mutsu sitting on the ground with his arms extended but… he has no hands. Instead, sheets of paper fly out of his sleeve, and part of his face looks like it's made of paper, too.
They all look shocked. All except Bairin, who just balls up his fists.
Naruto's Clone looks back with a surprised expression. "Mutsu? But how?"
"You… you have her jutsu?" Hiru brings himself up to his feet, leaning against the wall. "What the hell is this, Bairin!" Hiru turns to face his foe.
While everyone was busy being in shock, Bairin had sprung into action. In the moment of hesitation and confusion, he'd already closed the distance and is in front of Hiru, sickles of wind around his hand.
"It doesn't concern you. Wind Style: Wind Blade"
The sickles dig deep into Hiru, shredding his flak jacket, his shirt, and his skin. He's pressed against the wall and falls limp on the ground.
Bairin stands over him, breathing heavily.
Naruto approaches him. "Hey."
The temporary Rain leader doesn't look to him. "We can talk about it later. We have a victory to declare." He goes through Hiru's possessions to find the scroll for Konan's pod.
"Fine."
Bairin grabs the corpse and heads out. Proof of the leader being dead is the best way to lower morale and get forces to scatter.
Kotori and Yokumaru run to Mutsu's side.
Naruto squats down with them. "You guys did great."
"But you'll still have to explain why you were even here." Hinata joins them.
"Sorry, Mom." "Sorry, Sensei." The two lower their heads.
Things have calmed down in the Hidden Rain after the defeat of both Numeri and Hiru. Some abandoned ship and ran from the village while other surrendered and left themselves to their fates.
The main group had sat down in a room, ready to have a difficult conversation.
Bairin turns to Mutsu. "Mutsu, why don't you step outside for a bit."
Mutsu grasps onto the hem of his shirt. "I don't wanna. You said to hide my jutsu and not let anyone know. Is it 'cause of that woman? Is that why everyone was surprised?"
"Mr. Bairin, he has a right to know." Hinata can't help but sympathize with the boy.
Naruto is already putting some pieces together. "When we first got here, I sensed some chakra that felt familiar but wasn't coming from him. So does that mean…"
Bairin nods. "Yes. He is Lady Konan's child."
Fuyo and Suiren gasp in surprise. "Lady Angel's? But how could that be?"
He places a hand on the boy's head. "About 8 years ago, she approached me with a baby. Asked me to raise it as my own and not tell anyone that she left him in my care. I didn't know he was hers, but I had my suspicions, which were proven a few months ago when he started displaying the same abilities as her."
Mutsu looks down at his hand, causing papers to appear.
"So you told him to hide it so no one would find out."
"Yes. I told him the truth, or part of it. That his mother was someone important and so he should never tell anyone what he can do."
"And… you're not my dad?" Mutsu hasn't looked up.
Bairin goes quiet for a moment. "No, I'm sorry."
"Then who is?" Naruto asks, but going by the chakra he senses from the boy, he might already know the answer.
Bairin shakes his head. "I do not know. I never asked."
Hinata squats down to eye level with Mutsu. "It'll be fine, dear."
"My mom didn't want me."
"That's not true at all! Lady Konan feared what may happen if it was known you're her son. The danger you were in today? That would have happened to you almost every day." Bairin tries to reassure the young boy. "I'm sure she cares about you as any mother would."
Mutsu doesn't seem convinced.
Naruto stands to his feet and puts on his flak jacket he'd taken off. "No point in guessing, right? If you don't know what kind of person Konan is, let's just ask her."
"But… she's still in a coma and we still have no way of waking her up. We don't have the medical training."
"Don't worry about that, I know just the people to help." Naruto smiles knowingly.
"Of course, we can get her to Lady Tsunade just like we did Yokumaru's mom!" Hinata quickly catches on. She smiles and turns to Mutsu. "You can come with us if you want to."
Mutsu shrugs.
Naruto squats next to the boy, as well. "Look, I know you don't know me and you don't even know your mom. I know it's a lot to take in. But y'know, you saved my butt back there so I owe ya a lot and wanna help. I know it might be a lot to take but… come with us. If you ever want to come back, just say and I'll do it. I owe you, after all, and we gotta repay our debts. Man to man. Shinobi to shinobi." He grins and raises a fist.
Mutsu looks up lightly and bumps it after a moment of hesitation. "Promise?"
"Promise. And I never go back on my word, 'cause that's my Ninja Way."
"Then let's prepare to depart." Hinata stands up. "Mr. Bairin, do you require anything else of us?"
The man waves his hands in front of him. "Oh no, you've… you've done more than enough. We'll take things from here, and await Lady Konan's return. But are you certain the Fifth Hokage would help?"
"Oh, we're not actually going to Granny Tsunade. I think someone else might be able to help more."
Hinata looks confused. "More than Lady Fifth?"
Naruto grins to her. "You'll see."
Once they collect all their belongings, Naruto and Hinata, Kotori, Yokumaru, and Mutsu all gather in one place, surrounding Konan's pod.
"Soooo now what?" Yokumaru looks around confused.
"Hehe, just watch." The performs a Summoning, and a giant toad appears in front of them. Orange with blue flame-like markings covering his entire body.
"Wooooah" Mutsu looks impressed. Kotori and Yokumaru do, too, even though they've seen him summon toads before. It's still cool to see.
"Alright, Gama, can ya take us to Mount Myoboku?"
The toad nods.
"Mount Myoboku? Not the Hidden Leaf?"
"Yeah. I think it might be better." He scratches his chin. "The Head and Ma can probably explain it better. Anyway, let's go!"
The toad opens his maw comically wide and swallows them whole. This part is also weird even if you've experienced it. Gama looks at Bairin, Fuyo, and Suiren and ribbits before disappearing in a puff of smoke.
Darkness. And then light. Just as quick as they were swallowed, they find themselves out in the open again.
Everyone except Naruto, and Konan for obvious reasons, gasps in surprise. The surrounding area is right out of a fairy tail, with landscapes and plants all shades of greens and blues. The plants' wide leaves tower over them and some wood-like structure protrude from the ground. On closer inspection, some toads can be seen inside from the carved in squares; apparently these are their homes.
Naruto immediately gathers Natural Energy and enters Sage Mode. Both he and the toad lift Konan's pod like it weighs nothing.
"Let's check in with Ma. She'll be able to help."
"Okay." They're all still bewildered and looking around, at all the toads going about their day.
"Hey, Naruto!"
"Good to see ya again, kid!"
"Did ya get taller?"
They all greet Naruto as he passes through, and he returns all their greetings.
Mutsu feels and looks like he's about to faint. "The frogs can talk… There's talking frogs..."
"They're toads, actually."
They eventually reach one particular stalk-house-thing and Naruto knocks. A small toad opens the door- grey tuft of hair on his head, thick eyebrows, and a goatee.
Fukaraku raises a brow. "Naruto? What're you doin' here?"
"Hey, I was hoping you might be able to help with something. Do you… mind if we enter?"
The sage toad looks behind him at the group of people. Hinata bows as usual, while the kids give very confused waves.
"Well you sure brought in a crowd. I think this is the most visitors we've ever had." He laughs. "Come on in, kiddo."
They're taken inside and are greeted by a kind purple haired toad. They introduce themselves to the new folk as Fukasaku and Shima.
Naruto explains the situation.
"Hm." Shima has been listening while cooking. "You are right in that regard. The increased energies here in Mount Myoboku will definitely speed up the healing process immensely just like how they healed your fatigue during training."
"So then you CAN help?"
"I can." She nods. "But that's no guarantee that I'll succeed. It all depends on this girl."
"Speaking of." Fukasaku scratches his chin "Wasn't she there when Jiraiya-boy…" He trails off.
"She's changed!" Naruto interrupts. "She's… not like that anymore, she's a good person. You don't have to believe me-"
Fukasaku raises his hand. "It's fine, Naruto. I know you wouldn't bring just any random person here. If you trust and care for her, then so will I."
"So will we" Shima joins them at the table and places down bowls of food for everyone.
Naruto looks down and freezes in horror. The food. He forgot about the food!
The kids… don't look delighted. "That's gross."
Shima stares at them. "What was that about my cooking?" Somehow, despite being so small, she looks larger and more menacing than Hiru.
"I… said 'that's boss'. It's a thing we say in the capital when we like something." Nice save, Yokumaru.
"Well, then dig in! I made plenty."
Great.