"Okay okay, let's just triple check you have everything, ya know! Brushes, inkpots, a nice lunch, some nice light snacks to keep you focused during the day, kunai, some wire, some other tools just in case, my super secret emergency beacon..."
Kin and Tayuya watched the lady of the house bustle furiously, Karin stuck at the centre of the mothering tornado that whipped furiously around her. The elder redhead looked more than nervous enough for the both of them, though the younger was also plenty nervous even if most of it was caused by the elder. It was the minimum expected fuss for Karin's first day at the academy.
The two servants had gotten fairly used to the way of Kushina after living in the Uzumaki household for a few months. She was caring. Perhaps too caring. But more than that, she was afraid. Never more so than when someone she cared about was away. And the longer they were away, the worse it got.
Naruto had been gone for two days. With him gone, that fretful energy moved on to the next available target.
"Bet you mopping duty she cries," Tayuya whispered.
"You're on," Kin answered with a smirk. Not just for the fun of the bet, but knowing she couldn't lose. She fondly rubbed her swollen belly. Kushina wasn't the only one who had turned fretful and overly smothering. Ever since the pregnant girl had started to show, Tayuya had been putty in her hands, willing to take over any chore for her with just a little prodding. One might think it was Tayuya's baby she was carrying for how cautious she was when it came to Kin exerting herself.
Before long, the bustling Uzumaki was all out of terrifying scenarios to dream up, like if Karin were to suddenly find herself in need of a fourth ink brush. All that was left was to face the moment of another little bird leaving the nest, even if Karin were an adopted bird only in that nest for a handful of months. "Well," she choked with a weak smile, "I guess you're all ready to go, huh?"
"I'll be fine," Karin tried to reassure her. "I'll be careful, I promise."
"I know," Kushina nodded, appearing close to her breaking point, "And... The ANBU will still be watching you. They'll keep you safe, but make sure not to get into any trouble, okay?" The woman couldn't help herself. She pulled the girl into a hug, wrapped her tightly in her arms, then kissed her on the forehead. "Just... Be safe, ya know?"
It was a little overwhelming for Karin to be so smothered by affection. It was something she had to get used to, just how overbearing Kushina could be sometimes. For a girl who had lost her mother years ago and had been treated with at best barely concealed scorn since, it was a difficult adjustment. But... Not an unpleasant one. To know someone cared about her so completely, it was... Nice. No. It was more than nice. It was a reminder of happier times even if they had been tinged with grief and suffering. It was the experience of having family again. Even if this new experience of family wasn't perfect, and even if it got emotionally confusing at times... She was glad to have it. "I'll be safe, I promise... Auntie." She gave the elder Uzumaki her own uncertain smile.
"Awwww!" Kin and Tayuya chorused.
"CRAM IT YOU TWO!" Karin yelled at the other girls, "Ah," only to be startled by another fiercer hug, "Ah!" She couldn't see around the mane of red hair that had swallowed her and all she could hear was some light sniffling, Kushina weeping into her shoulder. "Auntie Kushina?" she asked.
"Sorry, I just..." the woman sniffed, pulling away to reveal her wet smile, "Hearing you call me that made me really happy, ya know?" She fully let go, leaving the two women to smile, enjoying the touching family moment.
Until a fist drilled into the top of Karin's head. "OW! What the hell?!"
"Don't call me that! It makes me feel old!" Kushina complained, tears still running down her cheeks making a mess of her irritated expression.
"What?!" Karin demanded, shock and betrayal written on her face. Then stubbornness. "Well if that's how you're gonna be I'm not calling you anything else!"
"You better not–!"
"Auntie! Auntie! Auntie!" Karin crowed over and over again.
"Grr, you're gonna have so many chores when you get home, young lady!" Kushina promised maliciously, only for the threat to fade, timid warmth and concern coming back to the fore. "Have fun at school."
Rubbing the welt on her head, the bespectacled redhead smiled, nodded. "I will." With that, she took her leave out the door.
Kushina followed her out onto the porch, watched her go with a fond yet uncertain smile.
Inside the house, Tayuya poked Kin's baby bump, grinning at her friend in teasing malevolence. "You're gonna have one of those. It's gonna be just like them."
"No way!" Kin protested. "My baby is gonna be kind and gentle and not have any crazy mood swings!"
"Hm, you're right," Tayuya agreed with a smirk. "It might be worse. It might take after Daddy. Be a loud, obnoxious little shit. Screaming for Mama's attention at all hours."
"I'm... I'm pretty sure that's not how Naruto and Lady Kushina are," Kin said quietly with a slight blush. "It's more like the opposite. I'd rather it didn't take after him in that way."
"Yeah, well, welcome to ninja clans. They're fuckin' weird. But hey, if I swung that way and my mom looked like that, I'd–"
"You'd what?"
The not quite menacing but certainly unnerving presence behind the abrasive girl was more than enough to silence her. To push her to change tack. "Uh, I, would, go make her some tea," Tayuya answered, circling around the intimidating woman on her way to the kitchen so as to not have to look at her.
"Herbal," Kushina called after her in a sweet voice, "And remember for Kin it has to be–"
"I got it!"
"Ah, that girl," Kushina sighed with some level of fondness. "Once my boy makes his move on her she's going to be in for such a spanking. Anyway!" The Uzumaki matron spun back around to face Kin with a beaming smile on her face, the tear tracks running down her face either forgotten or entirely ignored.
It was at this moment that Kin realised a problem. Naruto was gone. Now Karin was gone too. And that meant the next available target for Kushina's mama bear urges would be–
Kushina had been standing. Kin was sure of it, and yet somehow within a time shorter than an eye blink the redhead was down next to the pregnant girl, a hand gently caressing her belly. "Oh, they're going to grow up so big and strong, ya know! I'm so happy you officially joined the family! Feel free to call me mama, ya know?"
Kin swallowed. "I... I don't know if that's–"
"Have you thought about names yet?"
"Uh, well, not r–"
"It's something to keep in mind, boy's and girl's. Maybe even keep multiple of each in mind. Who knows, it could be twins, ya know?" the woman suggested with oppressive eagerness. "Now, there are some traditional Uzumaki names that could be worth thinking about. It's your choice in the end, yours and Naruto's, but heritage is important, ya know?"
The pregnant girl nodded with a halfway forced smile. Listened to what could in a sense be called her mother in law babble on about baby names. All the while she prayed for Karin or Naruto or ideally both to get home as soon as possible.
-(-)-
Karin tried to not look as nervous as she felt. The instructor greeted her outside of the academy, there to guide her to the classroom and introduce her to her peers. Not that they were actually her peers by age. She was variably a couple of years older than the students she would share a class with but with her ninja education being spotty at best, it was deemed appropriate she enter a class that would graduate in the following year. Her elective course, which was apparently something the Leaf academy did, had been chosen as seals. Something she was desperate to learn and something she could have private tuition from Kushina on to help her catch up.
For all that so much of her path seemed to be chosen for her, in the grand scheme it was a path she had chosen herself. No one pushed her to become a ninja but it was a heritage that had been mostly denied to her. Her chakra only developed enough to let her 'share it' with the ninja of Grass. They had seen her as no more than healing chakra livestock. She wouldn't stay weak like that. She would become strong enough no one could ever do that to her again.
The instructor seemed nice enough. Though his cheerful disposition struck her wrongly. It was either genuine or he was very good at faking it for the sake of working with children. Either way it didn't make a good first impression on Karin. He came off as the kind of person who had an easy time of life.
She followed him to the classroom, followed him inside, heard the hush fall on a classful of students. Felt the curious eyes track her movements as she stood next to the instructor at the front of the class. It was a struggle to not fidget under so many stares, to not try to smooth down the more unruly side of her hair.
"Class, we have a new student joining us today so I hope you'll do your best to make her feel welcome." The instructor turned, gave her that same cheery smile in an attempt to be encouraging. "Why don't you introduce yourself?"
"Sure," she answered, facing the class but not quite knowing where to look. "I'm Karin Uzumaki. Nice to meet you I guess." She didn't know what else to say, nor did she have much else she wanted to say. She looked to the instructor to move things along but it seemed he had another concern that was giving him pause.
He looked almost resigned as he said, "Okay, You can take the empty seat over there." In other words, the only empty seat. Next to another girl with glasses. Life was just filled with meaningless coincidences.
She walked over and took her seat, though strangely, the other girl next to her flinched away, both physically and to avert her eyes. Rude! She almost made to say something, tell her off. But she was new and she didn't want to make everyone think she was angry and unpleasant. No matter how true it could be sometimes.
"Alright class, since we've got a new student joining us, we're going to switch up the lesson plan for today a little bit. We're going to do revision, going through everything you've been learning this year. Starting with a written test." As could be expected, a chorus of groans answered his announcement. "Alright, settle down. There's no pressure, it doesn't count for anything. It'll just give us an idea of if there's anything we need to go over before moving on to new material. I hope you had a filling breakfast because we're putting all of your ninja skills to the test afterward one by one." Suddenly most of the students he had lost with the news of a written test were won back by the prospect of showing off to each other.
Karin just hoped she wouldn't embarrass herself too badly. The others were younger than her but they hadn't been hampered by purposefully subpar training. She retrieved her inkpot and one of her brushes while the other students grabbed pencils. Kushina had made it clear that part of her training in seals was picture perfect calligraphy. A skill she was still learning, but was expected to use at every opportunity so she would improve.
The other girl looked curiously at the tools, but shrank away again when she realised she had been caught.
And so it was for the entire morning. From the written test to taijutsu (something Kin had helped her sharpen during their time on the road together) to the basic jutsu of the academy. The girl had stolen looks at Karin, but seemed to fear them being noticed. It wasn't particularly hard to guess why once a particular bit of information came to light. The girl's name was called out for her taijutsu spar.
Miku Uchiha.
For her part, Karin had no idea what to feel about the girl. Both in context of her being an Uchiha and as just another person. What she thought of the Uchiha was not a concern for her until she finally met one. And on doing so... She found she didn't especially care. It seemed callous to think that. The Uchiha had left a vicious scar on her cousin and aunt. All of the family they lost. They were Karin's family too but she had never met a single one of them, so she couldn't pretend they were a great loss to her. She could understand their pain, their ill feelings for the Leaf's founding clan. Her feelings toward Grass almost certainly ran the same way. But toward the Uchiha, she didn't share those feelings. She couldn't hate them and it felt dishonest to try.
The lessons, or rather the tests, went on. Karin managed to not entirely embarrass herself, though expectedly she was towards the rear of the pack in terms of performance. Finally the lunch break came around, allowing her to do something she had wanted to since first taking her seat in the classroom.
"Why are you afraid of me?" she asked. Well, as much asked as demanded.
The Uchiha girl flinched. She didn't look up. Stayed in her seat and let the redhead loom over her. "I'm not afraid of you." Her actions betrayed the lie.
"You are," the Uzumaki insisted, "You're not looking at me when I talk to you. Not because you aren't interested. You think I'll take it as an insult if you do." It was a learned behaviour. One Karin was intimately familiar with.
"Please just leave me alone." A strange intonation accompanied the response. Well, strange to most who would hear it. Phrased as a plea, but there was no strength to it, no insistence. But Karin recognised it. The flat delivery, it was resignation. A vain hope that she would comply, but knowing from the harsh experience of reality that she wouldn't.
Which made it a lucky twist of fate for the Uchiha when another student accosted the one bothering her. "Hey, Karin, right?" the third girl asked. Her skin a faint tan, hair a cinnamon brown with a certain slight unruliness to it. She wore an inviting if slightly insincere smile. "You want to eat lunch with us?"
Karin looked at the girl, a Sarutobi if she remembered right, then at the Uchiha stubbornly maintaining her disinterest. "Sure. Thanks." It would be rude to decline for the sake of bothering someone who didn't want her company anyway.
The redhead followed the brunette to a table where another girl sat already eating. Not difficult to guess she was an Akimichi from the amount of food she was shovelling, or that she hadn't bothered to wait for her friend to come back to start eating. Introductions were made. Small talk was made. It was... Pleasant. Well, pleasant enough. Karin got the same impression from them as she did from the instructor. Those who more or less lived carefree lives.
"So why were you trying to talk to the Uchiha, anyway?" the Akimichi girl asked, speaking awkwardly to not spray her tablemates with food.
"You should stay away from her," the Sarutobi added. The disdain she tried to mask with the false smile before now leaking through.
"Why?" Karin asked.
"What do you mean 'why'?" the brunette asked, irritated. "The other Uzumaki did tell you, right? All the Uchiha bring is trouble, ever since the village was founded. Two of the five Hokage died to them. It could've been three. Only the Second and the Fifth understood the kind of threat they pose to the rest of the village. They shouldn't exist anymore."
Karin blinked at the strong opinion, looked to the third at their table. The Akimichi appeared wary of the brunette's mood, though in a way that suggested she'd seen it all before. "Okay but... It's not like she's old enough to have been part of any of that."
Strangely enough, the brunette laughed. "No," she agreed. "She wasn't. See, she's supposed to be the 'future' of the Uchiha. First Uchiha born after they all turned traitor. That's why her name's Miku. Isn't that hilarious?" she laughed again. "An Uchiha with messed up eyes and that's what they call their future! At least that means the rest of us are better off."
"OI!" Karin barked, rising from her seat with her hands on the table. "You got a problem with people who need glasses?!"
"Ah, well, no," the Sarutobi girl stammered in response to the sudden aggression. "But... I mean it's an Uchiha with bad eyesight! That's funny, isn't it? A clan so proud of their eyes and then she's supposed to be the future of the clan. It's like the gods are punishing them," she explained, finishing with a muttered, "As they should."
The day went on, testing went on. And at the end of the day, Karin watched Miku go home on her own with a frown.
The following day was a better indicator of what her experience with proper ninja education would be like. Classwork, various training exercises in different disciplines. Other students continued making overtures toward her as she took them with polite receptiveness. All the while the Uchiha would sit alone, not bothering anyone, keeping her head down, and still the target of scorn regardless.
"Hey Karin!" The Sarutobi girl from the previous day called out to her at the end of the day. "We're going to a dessert shop nearby! You wanna come?"
The redhead looked over, saw the small group of girls smiling invitingly. And then further behind them, Miku Uchiha leaving on her own again.
"I... Maybe some other time," she answered, running past them. "Bye!"
Her sandals slapped against the dirt as she rushed to catch up with the dour girl, loud enough that said girl heard her coming. And so as Karin rounded a corner she was confronted by a girl with dark hair and plain black eyes. "You again."
"Yep. We're walking home together," Karin announced. Not asked. Announced.
"No we're not."
"I think you're gonna find out we are."
"The Uzumaki district is that way," the increasingly irritated Uchiha pointed through a wall, "The Uchiha is this way," her finger moved in the direction she had been going.
"Then I get a better lay of the land while I walk you home!" Karin pushed her unassailable logic. "I'm new to the village after all!" Seeing how impossible it was to counter such a perfect argument, Miku scowled and turned to walk away, Karin following by her side with a victorious smile. A smile that faded as the awkward tension overwhelmed her enthusiasm. "So... What do you do for fun?" Stony silence. "Any restaurants you like?" Nothing. "Do you like–"
"Just get it over with."
"Huh?"
Miku stopped, turned to glare at her undesired tagalong. "Whatever you're going to do to mess with me, just get it over with so I can go home in peace."
"I'm not here to mess with you, I'm trying to be friendly!"
"Well you're bad at it!"
"Well excuse me for not getting a lot of chances to practice, growing up!"
"Just–!" The Uchiha threw her hands in the air, stomped her foot. "What is it with you?! What do you want from me?! Do you want me to apologise for what my ancestors did too?! Well fine! I'm sorry! Now leave me alone!"
Karin grabbed her by the arm, forcibly turning her back around before she could storm off. "I don't give a damn about that! Maybe I saw someone who got treated like crap enough she flinches away from a look and felt like I could relate!"
"What do you know about–?!"
"I know plenty!"
The two girls breathed heavily, glaring at one another. As tempers began to cool, Miku turned and walked away again. And once again, Karin stubbornly followed her. She was content to do so in silence. She said enough with her actions that she wouldn't be giving up despite the other girl's best efforts and mistrust.
Before too long they arrived at the entrance to the Uchiha district. Small for the number of members the clan had claimed in the past, meaning it must have been reduced more recently. But more importantly, waiting at the entrance was a man with Sharingan eyes spinning, watching the two girls approach. Suddenly the bad blood between the Uchiha and Uzumaki became far more of a concern for Karin.
"I'm home," Miku said quietly to him, visibly uncomfortable with the situation.
"Welcome home, Miku," the man said softly, his stern demeanour cracked. "Why don't you go inside."
"Okay, Dad." She didn't look back as she fled toward one of the clan buildings. Presumably the one that served as her home.
Which left Karin alone with the man. For as much as he tried to look intimidating, it was only his Sharingan that helped sell the image. His face had a kindness to it that wasn't undermined at all by his frown. "You'd be Karin, then."
"Yeah?!" Karin answered, though in a tone demanding to know what he wanted to do about it. One leg slipped behind the other just in case he were to try something.
"No need for that," he told her with a shake of his head, glancing above and behind her, not quite to the rooftops. "There are four ANBU watching this conversation. I wouldn't do anything to you even if I wanted to, and I don't." His eyes returned to her. "I'm Shisui Uchiha, Miku's father. I just want to know what you're trying to do here. Call it parental paranoia."
Karin winced. Miku was an example and here was another. As much as people feared and hated the Uchiha, those feelings were returned. Fearing the day the village would lose patience with the troubled clan and finish what was started. But even still, none of that mattered to Karin. She stood straight, face set. "She's like me, alright? She's... Isolated. I know how much that sucks and I don't want to leave someone to that if I can help it!" Once again her body shifted at an angle, a ready position. "You got a problem with that?!"
The father chuckled, shaking his head. "The ANBU are still following you. Probation, right?" he asked. It was rhetorical. He knew full well her situation. "Well, getting my little girl a couple of bodyguards for another few months wouldn't be the worst thing. Even if they'd protect you first." His eyes that had been lazily spinning suddenly returned to normal with a blink. "She might come around, but I'll warn you. We Uchiha can be pretty stubborn."
"Yeah, well so can Uzumaki!"
He smiled, then nodded in the direction of the Uzumaki compound. "You should head on home," was all he said in response before leaving her behind at the gate.
The next day at the academy, Karin sat at her desk, glanced at Miku who still seemed intent on ignoring her. But Karin had meant what she said to Shisui. Uzumaki could be stubborn. She'd keep trying until–
"Reading."
"What?"
The dark haired girl looked at her out of the corner of her eye. "You... Wanted to know what I do for fun. I like to read. Mostly about history, but I also like mystery novels."
"Oh. I... Don't know much about either of those things. But I'd like to know more?"
It was small. So small she might have imagined it. So small she wasn't sure if it was at the eyes or the lips. But Karin chose to believe that she had seen Miku smile just the slightest bit.
-(-)-
The Village Hidden in the Grass. A minor ninja village from a minor nation among the Elemental Nations. Unlike the major villages that forged identities for themselves outside of their host nation, the minor villages were so directly tied to their lords that they couldn't choose their own names. Grass, Waterfall, Hot Water. Names for nation and village both. The greater dominion over the ninja of these lands was likely a result of the nations' status on the continent. Buffer states. Nations that existed almost entirely for the purpose of preventing the larger powers from going at each other. Countries that existed as inconveniences. And so, in preparation for the next conflict, these larger powers would curry favour with the smaller. An attempt to keep them happy in hopes of avoiding them as an obstacle in the next war.
Such was the case with Grass. On paper, allied with the Land of Fire and the Hidden Leaf village who had proven the undisputed victors of the Third Great Ninja War. But doubt had been cast on that alliance. Karin Uzumaki and her mother had been taken in by Hidden Grass as refugees. The mother unwilling to take her daughter to the Leaf, her reasoning likely lost to time. More importantly, after the massacre of the Uzumaki, Hidden Grass had decided it was better to hide the truth of survivors. Instead, pushing the narrative that the two were likely the last free Uzumaki alive. And that if they wanted to stay that way, they had better follow the orders of the Grass ninja.
Morally it was disgusting. Tactically it was reasonable. Minor villages were punching bags as often as not. Finding an advantage and using it was a sound decision, but overusing it, perhaps by trying to breed more Uzumaki, would more than likely draw attention before anything could come of it. A short term gain for Grass was better than handing a long term gain to an enemy.
But the act of doing it at all, it suggested good will from the Leaf was worth far, far less than that short term advantage. The question became, the question the team of seven Leaf ninja were there to answer, was exactly how ready were Grass to throw away their alliance?
"Okay. Everyone knows why we're here," Anko stated, looking at the assembled Genin one by one, not needing to look at Kurenai, her second in command. "One week. Get as much information on their activities as we can. So," she looked to the Nara in the group, "Wonder-Brain. What do you think?"
He looked at her with a dull expression, then sighed.
Soon after, Neji Hyuga was posted nearer to the village under cover of camouflage. Put in place to watch the goings on of that side of the village. It was information gathering, but it was brute force. Not for the purpose of completing their mission, but facilitating a method of completing the mission. Neji sat there for a day and night, watching the comings and goings of the people who inhabited the ninja village. Grass, unlike the major villages, was not just a Hidden Village but a hidden village. There were no regular comings and goings of civilians in and out of their walls. It happened from time to time but not in any way as consistently. That meant with every new person in the village, their security were able to much more comprehensively check their story. Going in through the gates would have been viable if they had more time to set up, to fool their security, but they didn't.
So... A more complex infiltration scheme was prepared.
"How are we looking, Neji?" Anko asked the following day.
"Hmph." The young Hyuga rolled his stiff neck, exhausted from the long watch and overuse of his Byakugan. "We have a viable target. And it appears there's a large enough gap between the range of their sensors you could get in and out."
"Minor villages, they work with the resources they have," the Jonin nodded.
Hours later, the entire squad was gathered. "Alright. Here's what's gonna happen. I'm gonna go in, bag our target and bring him back."
"Him?!" Ino asked with a sour look.
"We do what we've got to do, Flower Girl. I bring him back, Flower Girl does her mind switch thing, then I take her as him back under the wall. Buggy and Woof-Woof cover our tracks after I come back. Buggy, you and Eagle Eyes will switch off overwatch duty to make sure she's okay in there."
"Understood," Shino Aburame acknowledged, not batting an eye at the ridiculous nickname. At the same time, Neji nodded tiredly.
"You ready for this, Flower Girl?" Anko asked her own student.
Ino sighed. "As I'll ever be."
"Alright. Neji?"
"He's alone."
"Back in a minute!" Anko promised, diving under the earth. Moments later she returned with a sallow-faced man looking about himself frantically as he was pulled out of the dirt. Anko covered his mouth to stop him from screaming. "Any time now, Flower Girl."
"Sorry about this," Ino said with a wince, knowing where this would end for the poor guy. They needed there to be no trace behind after all. "Ninja Art: Mind Transfer Jutsu!"
In an instant, Ino dropped like a stone, caught by Shikamaru to be lowered more gently. The stranger's eyes widened, the only reaction he was allowed before his mind was temporarily overwritten by another.
"Ino?" Anko asked. The man nodded.
"Ugh, I stink," Ino groaned as her Anko's hand moved away from her mouth.
"Well that's civilian life in a minor ninja village. Not exactly a glamorous life of luxuries like regular bathing. Neji?"
"His home is three buildings further away from the outer wall from where Mitarashi will leave you. His occupation is the custodian of a bar down the street from his home. He does his job and keeps to himself. Ideal for your purposes."
Her teacher grabbed her by the shoulder, her other hand sliding into her or rather currently his clothing to leave a radio behind. "You know the drill. Four days. Watch and listen. Here we go. Deep breath."
The blonde sucked in a breath and suddenly she couldn't see. Only feel herself being dragged along through soft earth at high speed.
And then, she was in. Anko's head below her barely popping out of the earth. "Good luck," the head said, and then her teacher was gone.
She was alone. She could make or break the mission. The pressure made her anxious but she had trained for this and she couldn't have asked for an easier role to play. Neji had done her right by giving her a loner who worked in a bar. No one would pay him much attention while she could listen in on a hundred conversations.
She got her bearings and got to work, knowing Neji and Shino would be watching over her. Anko-sensei and Kurenai ready to swoop in if something went wrong.
With time to adjust and the benefit of relative anonymity, it was easy enough for Ino to get in the right headspace for her role. Get into character, as it were. The worst part was the unpleasant task of going to the bathroom but she had the chance during training with this technique to get used to such disquieting experiences. The Yamanaka were well aware how their technique might be used in the field and prepared for such eventualities, awkward as it might have been.
So, she watched. She listened. She kept her head down. And in doing so she played the role of her current body, whose name was apparently Ojiro, to perfection. The talk in the bar was unfortunately not so useful. Beyond telling her there was something people were intent to not talk about. Guests in the village. Whenever they were brought up the one who did so would be shushed. Whoever they were, they were apparently a reason to be afraid.
And so, Ino took it upon herself to have a more thorough wander through the village. Wander, but also look like she knew exactly where she was going. In the morning, then in the evening. It was on the evening stroll that she saw one of them and suddenly realised why the concern.
He wore a Sand headband. White cloth covering his head and half his face. The half she could see was marked by pointed tattoos. He was older. Sharp-eyed. And... Not any of her fucking business she decided as his eyes strayed her way. She left as quickly as she could, looking appropriately terrified.
Sand. There was no reason for a Sand ninja to be here. There was an entirely different country between Sand and Grass and no one wanted to cross Rain if they could help it. If the Hokage was looking for reasons to be suspicious that was a big red flag. But her mission wasn't finished. She still had another day of observation before Anko and Kurenai would come finish up. And so she kept at it. Went back to her job, went home, got some sleep, went on a wander again. She couldn't let herself be seen by that Sand ninja again or he would grow suspicious. But, it was 'guests', not 'guest'. That meant there were more.
And then she was met with another surprise as her wandering took her nearer the village entrance. Another guest. A woman wearing a Rock headband. Dark hair, pink eyes, wearing a furious scowl.
A scowl that was suddenly directed Ino's way. "You."
Had she been caught that easily?! "Me?"
"What are you looking at?"
"I'm-I'm-I'm sorry?!" Ino plead, playing the role of terrified civilian with a ninja mad at them. She backed away as the woman advanced, stumbling and falling backward.
The woman kept advancing. Reared a leg back–
Suddenly, it felt like the entirety of Ojiro's insides were trying to escape from his throat as the Rock ninja's sandaled foot swung between his legs. Eyes crossed, he rolled over clutching his crotch and leaning on his shoulders, letting out harsh, wheezing breaths into the dirt.
"You know we're trying to make friends here, right?" Ino heard another voice. A different woman's voice. "You shouldn't be so harsh with the locals."
"You think anyone cares about him?"
"Fair point. So how did your mission go?"
"You think I'd tell you that? That's between me and the Lord Tsuchikage."
"Don't you mean 'honoured grandfather'?" the other woman mocked in a simpering voice.
"Screw off, Sand bitch. Where's your boss?"
"Meeting with the village leader. Are you going to–"
It was time for Ino to leave. Sticking around was asking for trouble. She had more information than she ever expected to get. Sand and Rock were working together. Grass were directly involved. That was more than proof enough that Grass had switched sides. Something that would only stay secret so long. Something big was happening and Ino wasn't going to find out by eavesdropping in public. It was time for the Jonin to move in.
She crawled away until she could get her feet under her, staggering back to Ojiro's home before picking up the radio. "Extraction," she breathed the one word before making her way to the extraction point at the wall. She barely had time to notice Anko's hand before she was dragged underground.
She coughed, taking gasping breaths when she was finally allowed to re-emerge from the earth.
"Ino, are you okay?" Shikamaru asked, sounding more confused than worried.
"I'm never kicking anyone in the balls. That's not okay. I get that now," she groaned. "Let me just..." she said, releasing her technique to allow her mind to return to her comatose body.
"Oh, shit!" she squealed, grabbing her own crotch, "Forgot about that part! Oh, that's bad in a whole different way!"
"Oh, right," the tactician groaned, "The damage transfers to her real body. Anyone know some medical jutsu?"
Anko sighed. "Come here, Flower Girl," getting to work with what very little medical ninjutsu she knew. At the very least she could ease the pain and swelling. "So what happened? You get a little fresh with a local?"
The blonde shook her head. "Ran across a Rock ninja who didn't like people looking at her. Rock, Sand and Grass are planning something big. One of the Sand ninjas is in there meeting with the Grass village leader right now."
"Sounds like you and I are up, huh Nai?" Anko asked her partner.
"Have fun," Ino groaned, rolling onto her side. "I'll be here, regretting my life choices."
