I'm just going to start by saying I like the first two scenes of this chapter more than I have any other parts of the story. Hopefully, the rest of you will agree.
Next, I'd like to apologize to Mikaeru346 for not responding to their reviews. Once again the site is being uncooperative when it comes to reading and responding to reviews but once it's done throwing its little tantrum I'll have responses for you.
That said, we may have a repeat of last week in which I wasn't able to respond to all those who reviewed over the weekend. Just as last week I'll be taking care of those as soon as the site is cooperative.
Thanks, as always, goes to ncpfan for all his help.
Let's enjoy the show, shall we?
The black dress hugged closely every delightful curve of her body, showing almost as much of the woman as one might see should she not be wearing it at all.
Naruto could hardly tear his eyes away.
And she knew that.
She smirked at him in amusement and licked her lips as she gave him a flirtatious wink. He needed to stay focused on the mission- they both did- but that didn't seem to bother the older woman. If anything, knowing that distracting him made this more difficult- even if only the slightest bit- would only serve as further incentive for her to continue.
The short, tight black dress had been chosen to distract those around them and to make it easier for him to be unnoticed amongst the crowds. He had not expected it to work against him, too.
But he was willing to bet that she had.
"This is not helping." He hissed in a whisper as she passed by him closely, taking extra care to rub herself against his side as she glided confidently across the carpeted floors of the establishment. She only gave a fleeting giggle in response.
And then she was gone.
But it made it no less difficult for him to keep his eyes off her.
Shaking his head, he managed to direct his gaze to the masses of people enjoying their evening, trying his damnedest not to search the crowd for her distinctive purple hair and find himself entrapped by her stunning looks once more.
Not that one could blame him, anyone in Konoha could tell you that Mitarashi Anko was attractive.
He doubted, however, that any of them had seen her in that dress. Or any dress, for that matter.
He would not be forgetting that image anytime soon.
As he snatched a glass from a passing server he had to marvel at the fact that she had actually managed to obtain this mission. Not only was it rare that Konoha would accept such a mission as open in objective as this one but it paid unbelievably well for its meager B-rank. Of course, it wasn't even B-rank, either. The client had asked for it to be listed as C-rank both to attract more attention to the offer of temporary employment but also because a relatively fresh squad of Genin could accomplish it with moderate ease.
She had offered so much money for the job, however, that the Shinobi administration office in Konoha had to up the rank. As it was the mission paid almost double that of the standard A-rank and had the potential to net those who took it a hell of a lot more if they played their cards right.
He still wasn't completely sure if they were going to be doing that, though. It'd be harder, sure, but the payout was certainly worth a bit of extra effort. The problem was that they only had one chance at this and screwing it up could lead to problems not just for the mission but for Konoha as well.
That rather open nature was probably another reason the ranking had gone up, the last thing Konoha needed was a group of Genin getting cocky and showing that not all of their village's work was as heroic as they wanted the world to believe.
Not that anyone higher than Genin actually believed that about Konoha in the other villages, but public appearance was important, especially when doing work in one's own country. Knowledge that there were two Konoha Shinobi currently looking to shut down an up and coming casino owned by a respected citizen of Hi no Kuni at the behest of another citizen was bound to make things between Konoha and the rest of the land of fire uneasy.
That's not to say things like this didn't happen frequently enough, especially with foreign Shinobi, but villages tended to do their best to keep their own involvement from reaching the notice of the public.
And for that reason he'd have to be careful to keep Konoha's hand in this hidden, especially if the two of them were to attempt to give themselves a nice little bonus courtesy of the casino owner.
Walking to a corner he slipped an explosive note onto the wall behind a chair. That would be the last one, now it was a matter of Anko deciding whether or not they'd attempt to go for the safe. They could always go along with the basic mission and hope to snatch their prize from the safe in the aftermath but it wasn't guaranteed to survive and would be far harder with everyone in a panic. Well, not harder to do, but harder to avoid being seen and eventually identified as Konoha Shinobi.
Headbands had been left in Konoha and Shinobi identification was hidden back at the hostel but that didn't mean it wouldn't eventually be traced back to their village and Naruto had no intention of allowing that- mainly because it lessened the chances of promotion and would make other teams more hesitant to take him on.
Anko probably couldn't care less so long as she could get away with the contents of the safe.
He didn't know what the woman was planning on doing with the money- besides the rather obvious Dango binge she would go on- but his Wolves could use an official uniform instead of the assortment of dark clothing they wore now. Sure, it all looked vaguely similar and gave each Wolf a bit more personality but if they were going to be taken seriously they needed to take this seriously.
Appearance was important no matter what it was you were doing and this was no different. He could always wait until wave was his, of course, and use whatever fortunes they could manage to get their greedy paws on to finalize the foundations of their group, but it was also a slight matter of pride.
A loose collection of people taking over a country and becoming an organization was one thing, a shadowy organization stepping out of the shadows to claim a country as their own was quite another.
Both would send a message to the rest of the world, he just needed to ensure it was the message he wanted the world to receive.
Taking a sip form the drink he had liberated from the server his amethyst eyes peered intently at the crowd. None of them, not a dammed one, would suspect anything. They were civilians, rich civilians, people who would never suspect anything of this nature might occur at all. The notion that they might actually be part of it was incomprehensible.
It was actually kind of sad how helpless these people really were. Even as they chatted and drank, played and flirted, lost everything they had ever had and gained the fortunes they could have previously only dreamed of they knew nothing of the Shinobi in their midst.
Just one person trained in the ways of chakra could ruin your life irrevocably with incredible ease. He could use Genjutsu to enslave the lot of them, selling them to the highest bidder. He could sniff out the flame of life that burned in their deceptively frail bodies as easily as a thunderous storm might put out a single candle.
The building around them could be made to collapse on them with a single handsign and a pulse of his chakra, allowing fate and luck to bicker over who escaped and who was lost on this night. It would be only marginally more difficult for his chains to pierce through them all and either end lives or permanently cripple.
But a civilian would never think of such things just as few Shinobi would consider using their power in this manner.
Civilians were beneath them, many believed, and to use Shinobi abilities on them was to treat them as they would other Shinobi. It was inconceivable to them.
Both groups were foolish and those like himself could see it. It's what separated true Shinobi from the chakra-wielding mercenaries of these days. Anyone could be a threat, everyone was fair game, all that mattered was accomplishing what you set out to do.
That was not to say, however, that he would be killing all the people in this building. No, the fewer that were injured the better. The suspicious destruction of the casino would start rumors but there would be no real investigation. Should sufficient people die in such a freak accident though there was no doubt people would search for answers. Those answers led back to Konoha and that couldn't be allowed to happen.
Purple hair caught his attention across the room as he located his partner. He walked with leisurely strides in that general direction, careful not to walk straight to her. He paused a few times at various tables to watch or participate in games as he slowly made his way to the other side of the large room.
Another win gave him a tidy sum to slip into the inner pocket of his suit jacket and a reason to excuse himself from the table. A few at the table ribbed him good-naturedly at his departure, claiming him a coward for running before his luck turned and- most importantly- they had a chance to regain their money. He waved them off with a friendly grin – one Anko had insisted he practice in the hostel room before they had left- and continued on his way.
Not a single person he had met tonight had questioned his age- openly, at least. A few curious gazes was the closest he had received and even those faded away as soon as they learned he had money. Their client had given them a small starting bonus to allow them to blend in. he personally found it odd how much money they were willing to spend on a team of Shinobi for the mission when they had started but after witnessing the massive amount of notes and coins that switched hands in this establishment for himself he could understand fully why they would be fine spending the relatively low amount to ensure that money went to their own business.
Of course, that had not been the only type of gaze he had received and he had been very careful to avoid those who looked at him hungrily. Whether they were attracted to him because of his young age or the money in his possession he did not know but he wasn't here to acquaint himself with women of either nature.
Though even he had to admit he wouldn't mind spending time in the company of some of those women.
He did, however, have a job to do.
A half-filled glass was placed on a server's tray as nimble fingers relieved him of two full ones. Carrying on without pause he moved right up to Anko's side and handed her one of the drinks, ignoring completely the several people around her with whom she'd been conversing before his arrival.
"Ah, there you are, Naruto-Kun." She smiled, knowing full well that he was aware she had been tracking his progress to her. It was the only real explanation for her to have put in the effort to continue conversation with the same group for so long. "And you brought me a drink, too. You always know just what I need."
"Of course I do, Anko-Nee." The tone of his words implied he was affronted and the two of them were quite pleased that their little audience was eating it up.
"So this is your brother then?" Questioned one of the men she had been around.
"Yep, isn't he just adorable?" A woman in the group giggled slightly until Naruto's arm snaked it's way around his "Sister's" waist, pulling her close.
"Adorable?" He scoffed. "We both know you don't see me like that." The hand that had been resting on her waist dipped lower, gently stroking her upper thigh. A tint of red dusted her cheeks at thaa as those watching seemed scandalized.
"I thought you said he was your brother!"
"He- he is."
"Step-brother." Naruto further clarified to the group. "Dear old dad was tired of trying to keep up with the energy and expenses of his young wives and decided to find someone closer to his own age. Anko-Nee here was just a very pleasant bonus; I like to think of her as my consolation prize. I did lose a mother- or five- in order for dad to bring her into our family, after all. I think I deserve it." He sent a positively feral grin at the shocked group before him. "Don't you?"
"Yes, yes, of course." The civilians all nodded in agreement but only one had managed to say anything. A few of them looked a bit green, though there was a woman in the back who seemed rather intrigued. When she licked her lips Naruto made sure to keep his eyes from drifting in her direction again.
The world was full of all sorts of people and who was he to judge? He had just made up a pretty immoral backstory for his partner and himself, had he not?
Of course, Anko chose that moment to confirm his story and remind him that two could play that game. Practically melting into his side she leaned down and breathed hotly into his ear before trailing light kisses down his jaw, ending with a deeper kiss on his neck and a lusty lick back up to his ear.
If the civilians hadn't been uncomfortable before they most certainly were now.
"Can't you wait a bit more, Anko-Nee? I was looking to get a few more games in; I've nearly tripled the money father gave us for the night."
Anko pouted in response. "Aw, but I wanted to have a bit of fun back at the hostel before we return to the manner Na-ru-to-Sa-ma." Her lusty whisper was just loud enough for the others to overhear and they quickly left begging all manner of poor excuses.
The two Shinobi shared a victorious grin as Anko pulled him away into the back of the establishment and shoved him into a utility closet. Closing the door behind her she just about purred her next words.
"Oh, well done, Naruto-Kun, well done." The grin probably wasn't going to be leaving her face anytime soon. "I don't think it would be possible for me to have come up with a better backstory than that. Not only is it believable but there aren't many who are comfortable digging for more information after hearing it."
"I made it up on the spot, to be honest, and it was more to mess with you than it was to give us a history to use. I considered it a success just driving them away so we could talk."
"Maybe, but it also provided an explanation for why I've dragged you off to a closet."
"And what explanation would that be?" There was no confusion on his face but a single brow rose challengingly.
"Why, to have my wicked way with you of course." She pressed him against the wall then, her breasts pushing against his chest as she leaned down.
"Considering you called me 'Naruto-Sama', I'm more inclined to believe you brought me here so I could have my wicked way with you."
"So?" She gave a shrug. "I'd enjoy it either way."
He just shook his head. "Maybe some other time, Nee-chan, we have a mission to finish. Are we going for the vault?"
"No, but I am." She grinned at him. "I found a guard who's shift is over soon and I'm going to let him take me to the back. Security's been getting pretty lax over the last week or so because no one has tried anything yet and most of the guards are inexperienced. I'll knock him out and just seal the vault so we can get out of here."
"And you're sure they won't get suspicious with a missing vault? I only used low-grade notes to minimize damage inflicted upon nearby buildings, that shouldn't be nearly enough to completely destroy any half-decent vault."
"I suppose no one would ask questions if the owner tragically perished tonight. Well, that or if we killed him later before heading to our employer." Mused the snake summoner.
"I'll pay him a visit and make sure he isn't found. With a bit of luck they'll assume he was trying for the insurance money." He didn't know who would insure a casino in a world of Shinobi but just the idea of a civilian casino even existing where Shinobi could take advantage of it was far harder for him to wrap his head around. At least someone had found their on way to profit off such an ill-advised business decision.
Or, they were taking advantage of it so long as they could dismiss the claims after the inevitable thefts. Naruto supposed that whoever it was that insured this particular casino would be rather grateful that the owner was about to mysteriously disappear during the upcoming catastrophe.
And to think there were people who didn't believe Shinobi were good people.
They were plenty good- so long as they were on your side.
"Heh, sounds like a plan." Her hands traveled up and down his torso until his clothing was in a ruffled disarray and she pulled loose random strands of his hair from the ponytail it was currently in. Lastly she reapplied her lipstick and laid a generous amount of kisses over his neck and around his mouth. Satisfied, she stepped back and grinned at his new look. "Now people have no reason to be suspicious. I'll meet you back at the hostel in an hour or so and then we can activate the tags."
Before she could leave he snatched her hand and pulled her back. His lips found her neck and he made sure to leave a noticeable hickey before releasing her from his grasp and messing up her own hair.
"You know I'm meeting someone who is thinking I'm going to sleep with them, right?"
"I know you, Anko. The simple fact that you have him waiting until after his shift tells me you claimed to have someone waiting for you and would sneak back to him later. It's just like you to add a little something extra to spice things up."
She pouted.
"Aw, you caught me. At least this makes it believable."
"Whatever you say, Anko, I'll see you at the hotel. Try not to bring unnecessary attention to you, gods know you draw enough without torturing someone or creating explosions."
"I'm not that bad."
"Yugao-Sempai says differently."
She growled something that sounded suspiciously like 'traitor' before shaking her head and putting on a smile.
"Whatever, let's get to work. We can talk about pussies later." With that said she slipped out of the closet and by the time Naruto emerged she had managed to vanish.
A pity, too. He was really hoping to be able to watch her walk away.
Having just finished his shower, Naruto was lounging on the couch clad only in a pair of black pants when his partner returned from the casino with a victorious grin that could only mean success.
That was good, it meant the poor bastard who had run the place didn't die for nothing. It was rather fortunate that there was a river so close to Tanzaku-gai. Tying a mutilated corpse to a log and letting it float away should prove more than sufficient for buying the time they needed to finish the mission and get out.
"Got the goods?" As soon as he had said that her grin widened and her hands moved up to her breasts. He didn't even try to suppress the sigh that made its way from between his lips. He should have expected something like that.
"The money, Anko." He amended. "Did you get the money?"
"Of course I did." Her hands returned to her breasts but instead of cupping them as she had previously she reached into her dress and pulled out a small scroll. There was nothing he could do to stop the blush that had no doubt spread across his face.
Her victorious smirk became positively wicked.
Coughing nervously, Naruto got up and beckoned her to follow him from the siting area of the rented room and through the small kitchen area until they reached a small balcony. They had chosen this location for a very good reason.
Making a seal for focus, he directed his chakra out towards the building he had so recently been in. The second his invisible tendrils of chakra made contact he could feel the rest of the tags he had left connect to each other and strengthen the bond he had with the first.
With a single pulse they activated and ten seconds later the first explosion flashed a brief orange in the night. Even from here he could hear the screaming and he let his hand drop to his side. The first note was placed on a wall that did little to support the building and that would be far enough away to avoid injuring anyone who was still in the building.
The notes that would go off thirty seconds later, however, would bring the building crashing down. If the occupants weren't bright enough to get the fuck out after the first explosion he had no pity for those who lost their lives to the second set.
Thirty seconds passed quickly and Anko gave a sequel of delight as the sky once more filled with reds and oranges. He did not hesitate to wrap his arm around her as she pressed herself to his side grinning madly.
"We need to do this more often." She declared. Naruto most certainly did not disagree with the excited woman and gave a slight nod. It took a supreme amount of effort and self-restraint to watch the small fire in the distance instead of turning to look at the breasts that were just about level with his eyes.
"If you come across another mission like this feel free to invite me along."
"Will do. You think we can blow up anything else before we get to Konoha?" Naruto rubbed his chin in mock thought.
"There's plenty to blow up," He commented. "But I don't think there's anything worth blowing up."
This only earned him a rather childish pout and he couldn't help but grin at the woman.
"So, now what?" She eventually asked. "I suppose we could turn this in right now and start heading back."
Naruto shook his head.
"We've already paid for the room, we might as well use it. Besides, if we leave now people might get suspicious." Her disappointed look despite the fact that 'using the room' should have had her making some sort of joke told him what he needed to know immediately.
"You were hoping for a chase, weren't you?"
"N-no!" Declared the woman. She did her best to look upset that he would even suggest something. His questioning brow and knowing smirk had her continuing moments later. "But I may have been hoping for a fight."
"That's my Anko, always up for explosions and bloodshed."
"Your Anko, huh? In that case there's another thing I'm always up for." Her grin was predatory. "Na-ru-to-Sa-ma."
The redhead groaned.
"You're never going to stop bringing up tonight, are you?"
"I could bring Naruto Jr up instead." She suggested with a wink.
"You realize I'm twelve, right? Every time you end up talking like this I can never be sure you remember or if you're just playing around." She actually looked displeased by that comment.
"I'm playing around, but only until you take me up on one of the offers." Said Anko. "Twelve or not you freed me from Orochimaru and that's worth more than you could ever know."
Oh, had that seal been placed by Orochimaru? He had known she had a seal she wanted removed but no more than that. It would certainly complicate things should she learn the man she hated so was his godfather, one whom Naruto had nothing against.
"You're probably right, but that doesn't mean I'm going to ask you to sleep with me." Thoughts of Tatsuki immediately popped up and he quickly pushed them away. No, he wasn't quite ready for that, not yet. Perhaps he should pay a visit to her grave soon; it had been a while since he last visited.
"Maybe not now." Countered the woman. "But I'm yours whenever you want me for whatever you might want me for. When I carried that mark I felt owned by him and I hated it. Now I'm free and I choose to be yours. Besides," she shot him a cheeky grin. "I'll wear you down eventually."
"I'm sure you will, but for now let's just get some sleep."
"You know there's only one bed, right?"
"Of course I do, Anko, I'm the one who booked the room, remember?"
She raised an inquisitive brow and he shrugged.
"Perhaps you've worn me down more than I'd care to admit.
The brilliant smile she gave him would be worth the teasing he would no doubt receive the entire way back.
Passersby made sure to keep their heads down as they quickly scurried past, doing their best to avoid being dragged into the problems of an unfortunate fellow villager. Their turn would come, they knew, and their own neighbors would do everything in their power to not get involved., but that was simply the way it was here in Nami.
It was a fool who dealt with Gato or his army of thugs more than absolutely necessary.
As one of such thugs raised his voice to a point where it could be considered shouting the few occupants of the small town's road quickly dispersed.
Dealing with the thugs normally was one thing but even being around them when they were angry was quite another.
"The money, where is it?!" A rather large man hefted up a much older, much more worn looking man by his shoulders and pinned him to the closed door of his home. It was quite rare for a home here to have a door at all, let alone one that was still sturdy enough to allow something like that.
"I don't know what you're talking about; I gave Gato the last of it two days ago!"
The thug scowled and slammed the man against his home.
"Don't you shit with me, fucker, I know you and your girls have been making some money on the side with those clothes of yours. You might fool the others who assume you only repair our boats down at the docks but I'm no idiot."
"Please, I have no idea what you're talking about, I swear!"
One of the thugs companions snickered in the background, having heard it more times than they cared to count while yet another, the final of the rather bandit-looking group scoffed and muttered about things taking too long.
Of course, the group of Gato's hired muscle wasn't alone today.
Any who dared peer out their window or attempt walking down the street would be met with the snarling visage of three wolves who circled the group and faced away from the house as if guarding them.
All three of them wore similar black clothing and a myriad of grey backs over their personages but the one in the middle stood out with his grey hood and the mantle of pure white fur that covered his shoulders. If one would get close enough to look they would also note the line of crimson paint that went from their forehead and down the bridge of their nose, breaking at the snarling maw, to end at the bottom of the porcelain. That mark alone showed him to be of higher ranks of the others but only one of those mask-wearing mercenaries wore that unique hood.
The hood was precious to him, as it would be all wolves, not because of the status it signified, but because it had been commissioned by their lord himself and paid for out of his own pocket. Currently it was the only one in existence and it was with great pride he wore it.
It was also that very hood that identified him as the High-Captain who on this day had ventured forth from Gato's complex to join what many of Nami's inhabitants had begun calling 'The Hunts'. The Hunts were weekly and tended to be the largest group of thugs you'd see away from bars, makeshift brothels, or Gato's own complex.
Tasked with collecting Gato's 'tax' they couldn't operate with members numbering less than five just in case some desperate villager might try to attack and run off with the money that 'rightfully' belonged to the shipping tycoon.
The fact that the leader of these new forces, these 'Wolves', was involved seemed a bad omen indeed to the populace of this dying town.
And then there were the rumors of the High-Captain being below several others in the hierarchy of these Wolves. Each Wolf seemed as valuable as many a dozen of Gato's original thugs and there were enough now in Wave to make it's inhabitants more than uncomfortable. Just the idea that this might only be the small portion led by this particular High-Captain was beyond terrifying.
They prayed that his superiors never stopped in for a visit.
Turning his attention from the street High-Captain Keigo took a moment to watch as the thug- probably the most competent one he had met working for Gato, honestly- continued to threaten the older man to no avail.
It was time to show more of the Wolves, both to Gato's forces and the people of Nami no Kuni.
He abandoned his position and moved inwards towards the house, his fellow Wolves falling into step behind him. His gloved hand was placed on the lead thug's forearm and the older man was dropped.
Keigo didn't wait to be questioned nor did he speak a word. Instead he grabbed the fallen man's shirt and opened the door, dragging his captive into the home. The other two wolves went in after him, closing and locking the door behind them.
Questioningly, the lead thug turned to the others, wondering if perhaps they had any idea what the Wolves were doing. He was answered with two confused shrugs. Having no reason not to let the Wolves do their thing he gave a small shrug of his own and leaned against the wall of the house near the door, prepared to wait. He was completely ignorant of the way Keigo tossed the homeowner onto the floor before removing two small pouches of coins.
He wouldn't see as one of them was tossed to the daughters and wife that had immediately rushed over to fuss over the man of the house. He could hear, however, the thumps of flesh on flesh as Keigo punched one of his Wolves reputedly and the surprised shrieks it elected from the house's occupants.
He would hear, and perhaps even smell, as one of the Wolves unsealed a small animal and let its blood run over the old wooden floors of the building in great splatters before the cut was stopped and the animal sealed once more.
As the High-Captain brought a finger to his snarling face in a sign of secrecy to which the occupants nodded in rapid acceptance the man would remain unaware, just as Gato was, of what was really going on behind the walls of the people of Nami no Kuni.
He would be greeted to the sight of a door opened by a slightly blood-splattered High-Captain and a wolf gently tossing a bag of coins in his hands. The two would exit and the thug would be able to see the older homeowner surrounded by the blood he had been dragged atop of, his family fretting about him until the third Wolf blocked his vision as they dragged out a loom.
He would turn away from the civilians of Wave as the Wolf threw the loom into the middle of the street and set it alight with a few hand movements and a great breath of flame. The bag of coins tossed to him he would catch only half aware before he came to a conclusion as to what had happened and a grin split his face.
"Well, I'll be damned. You Wolves certainly don't fuck around, do you?"
"Go for the throat." It was the only thing the High-Captain had spoken that day but it fit oh so well with his actions and the mentality of his group as a whole. They truly came of as a rather vicious bunch who would go for the soft flesh of their opponents throats and tear them open before a fight could begin.
He liked that.
"Well said," He laughed. "Very well said. I'm starting to like you lot. Maybe when I'm done working for Gato I can join your group."
Keigo tilted his head.
"There are far worse goals for a man to have, but you will not find entry to be so easy."
"Yeah, I bet you beasts have to go through a fuck-ton to become what you are, but you never know. At the very least, maybe I'll find myself working alongside another company of Wolves. I'm sure I'd get along well enough with any of you."
The High-Captain thought for a moment before speaking.
"I'll keep that in mind. Perhaps one day we will have use of you. Already you stand far above your fellows, it is not unlikely you will hear from us should our lord have need."
"Heh, probably the best I'm going to get. Let's finish up here and head back to base, first round's on me!"
Three thugs continued down the streets of Wave that day.
Their shadows were of Wolves.
There was an understandable nervous tension throughout the air of the room in which they had all gathered. Rather than the usual kitchen table the head family of the Yamanaka usually ate at or the dining room used when they had guests everyone was instead in a warm room and sat around a small table on an assortment of pillows and cushions.
And while the lighting and decoration of the room was warm, the atmosphere was anything but.
That was to be expected when Naruto, formerly Uzumaki, the hidden leader of the Wolves sat across from his mother in the home of a clan he had declared his enemy.
To Naruto's right sat Ino, who fidgeted nervously in the best clothing she had. It was supposed to only be taken out in case they needed to deal with the imperial fire court but her father had instructed her to don it this evening for a dinner between the Yamanaka, the woman who had taken control of their clan, and the young man that had brought them to their knees.
Across from Ino sat her mother who barely managed to hide her discomfort with the situation. To her left was Inoichi who managed to keep a stony face despite the uneasy feeling that filled him and the way his instincts screamed that this arrangement was balancing on a razor-fine line and even the slightest shift could send them all tumbling into a deadly situation.
To his left and directly across the table from Naruto was his mother, Uzumaki Kushina.
The two eldest Yamanaka both wore their finest clothing in the traditional dark purple of their clan while Kushina had donned a fine kimono of bright orange that might hurt one's eyes had her hair not fallen down it to break the outrageous color with the much more pleasant red of her hair.
Naruto, on the other hand, had wrapped himself in a raiment of light grey pelts that wrapped around his torso loosely and left his arms free. Simple black pants covered his lower body and were wrapped tightly at his ankles with the same bandages that kept his seal hidden from view.
Despite the clothing that Ino would have been tempted to describe as barbaric, Naruto seemed just as lordly to her as he ever had after she made the mistake of drawing his ire. In fact, he looked far more intimidating as he was now than she had ever seen him. Though at the same time she couldn't help but think the entire royal look of his would be ruined had he not tied his crimson hair back into a loose pony tail with a black cloth. Should it have been absent she was sure he'd come across as quite feral.
Of all present, he seemed the most relaxed, almost lounging in his own cushions while the Yamanaka watched on with trepidation and the Uzumaki stared in a combination of hope and nervousness.
Unfortunately, one person does not a conversation make and so a tense silence filled the air. The Yamanaka were too wary of being the ones to break it in fear of angering one of the two people who had held their fates within their hands and Kushina was struggling to think of something to say.
Things relaxed slightly when various members of the Yamanaka clan entered the room with large trays of food and gently placed them atop the table. With quick bows they fled to the sanctuary that was anywhere but that room and the occupants began to slowly consume the meal before them.
And still no one spoke, until at long last a soft yet commanding tone broke the silence.
"Ino, pass that, would you?" With his right hand he lazily gestured to a dish near her and she hurried to move it closer to him.
"O-of course, Naruto." As soon as the dish was in his hands he gave her a small smile.
"Thank you Ino. I must say, you look splendid tonight. I don't think I've seen you in that dress before."
Conversation had started.
And yet speech would do nothing to alleviate the feel of the room, as things seemed to grow even more tense with every word that left the young man's lips.
"It's reserved for special occasions." She explained simply. He raised a brow.
"Oh? I do hope you hadn't gone through the trouble of wearing it for my sake, then. This was supposed to be a friendly meal, was it not? I'm just another guest of the Yamanaka tonight; no one special."
Before Ino would have a chance to argue that Kushina's voice interjected.
"Nonsense." She spoke with absolute conviction despite the almost giddy nervousness she felt. "You are my son and the blood of the Uzumaki runs through your veins. Amongst the Yamanaka, who are sworn to us, you are a lord of the highest standing."
"They are sworn to you, Clanhead Kushina." He denied. "I bear such name no longer."
"And that is because of the Yamanaka with us now, is it not? There is no further need for your self-exile, return to us as the lord you are."
"I have no doubt I would have left the clan regardless. Our name is great and our ancestors greater, but I have no desire to forever be overshadowed by the blood that runs in my veins." He paused to think for a moment. "If anything, I should perhaps be grateful to the Yamanaka, for they had given me a reason to leave the clan that might further honor the legacy of those who came before me. To surrender ones clan to protect it, that is something worthy of an Uzumaki. I like to think, despite falling to my own pride that day, that so too did I bring pride to my ancestors."
"But they stood against you, are they not your enemy?"
"And what, pray tell, is a man without his enemies? My conflict with the Yamanaka may have been misfortunate for them but I have benefited greatly. I have no problems acknowledging that my recent success would not have been possible if not for them. Give the devil his due, some have said."
"I see." Kushina frowned deeply. She had been hoping that his sole reason for leaving would have been the Yamanaka and the control over them held by the Uzumaki might be enough to bring him back. That wasn't, however, all she was counting on. They were still his enemies and, more importantly, she was still his mother.
"I suppose there is wisdom in your words. But while you may not be an Uzumaki any longer, you are still my son. Will you not return home to me?"
He shook his head.
"My mother left four years ago, that was the last I saw of her."
Kushina did her best to keep from breaking into sobs but a single tear escaped her eye and trailed down her cheek.
"Please, we are your family. I know things went wrong, but we still love you and want to make things right."
"I have a family of my own these days." The Yamanaka immediately knew he was speaking of the Wolves. "My previous family- my mother and my sister- forsook me. I have met not my father, but would assume he too has left me."
Inoichi's eyes widened slightly. Of course there had to be a father, but he had really never given it any thought. Kushina had children but was not married as far as he was aware. It hadn't been his- or anybody's- business, so he never pried or gave it much consideration. But now, the thought brought to the forefront of his mind, he had to wonder who might have sired such a dangerous child.
He took a hard look at the face of the Yamanaka's guest and thought about any man he had seen Kushina around. The first to pop into his mind was the Yondaime himself, as the two were nearly inseparable, and at once he could see the resemblance in the son.
He nearly choked on the air at the realization.
It hadn't just been the son of Uzumaki Kushina he was up against, but the son of Namikaze Minato. There was no wonder as to why his clan had been so easily crushed by the boy. While Kushina had a streak of unmatched fury that awoke to bring destruction to those who wronged her, the Yondaime had a vicious streak that his son emulated so well it was scary.
Even more terrifying was the fact that it seemed his son was almost the opposite of the father, possessing a vicious mindset and a streak of calm wisdom.
He had to wonder how many others had made the connection. It would certainly explain why the ANBU seemed so fond of him and it could very well have been one of the reasons the Sandaime had left the boy to make his own choices.
As the state of the Yamanaka could attest, those choices had brought the young man an impressive amount of power.
He was broken from those thoughts by Kushina's choked voice.
"Your Father died on the same night you were born." She had always avoided the subject of their father. She didn't want them to think they were the product of some one night stand but she also didn't want them to try to learn his identity by looking into the casualties of that night.
Their father's identity had to be kept secret lest those with grudge against him try to sate their hate with the blood of his children.
"Then I'll go ahead and assume he was a Shinobi as most of the civilians were successfully evacuated. Regardless, he's gone and the rest left me. I'm confident that my new family will not."
"The Yamanaka are ours, they can be yours, too. You can do whatever you want to them so long as you're of our clan once more. Don't you want that?"
"They were already mine." He declared. "You simply stole them from me."
Just the idea had Kushina's heart trembling. Had he really been in control of those he called his enemy? She knew they had fallen, but that was simply because he didn't have the ability to completely eradicate them for daring to go against him, right?
But the possibility that he may have had them exactly where he wanted them- Her heart sunk. Here she was, offering them on a silver platter, only to learn that what she was offering had been taken from his own possessions.
Everything was falling apart.
"I don't understand." They were enemies, everyone knew it, so how was it he had them under his control well enough to displeased by her offering of complete, legitimate control?
"Do you really think I would come here to sit and sup with those who I considered foe? You insult me. Inoichi and I made a deal regarding the fate of his clan near the beginning and I currently have no issues with his daughter. I was going to help build them back up, you know, but then you had to step in and stop that, didn't you?" He shook his head in disappointment. "You should have looked into things more, but I digress. I had plans for the clan, but none so important that they cannot be changed. The Yamanaka have served their purpose to me well enough and if it is to be you who brings them back up to the standing they once had so be it."
"I see." She tried to wrap her head around it. Every time she looked at him all she saw was her smiling baby boy, but that's not what sat across from her, was it? No, he had grown into a fine young man, one she could proudly call her son. But she was not his mother, not to him. He had been shaped and molded by the world in her absence and she had hardly a claim to him anymore.
But she still wanted to call him hers, still wanted to wrap him up in her arms and tell him how much she loved him.
She doubted he would appreciate it, though. He claimed to have plans in motions, schemes she knew nothing about, and now she had interfered with them. He said it didn't matter, but did he still begrudge her for it anyway?
Whether or not he did, however, there was one other part that seemed to strike her. If he really had nothing against the girl and had been honest with his compliment earlier-
But could she really do that?
She crushed her hesitance.
Yes, she could. This was for her son, after all. If it made him happy and helped her get close to him once more what should she care even if half the world was to suffer for eternity because of her actions?
"I can't help but notice you seem to be on pretty good terms with Ino here," As soon as the words left her lips all the Yamanaka present froze in dread. "Perhaps something might come of that? Marriage, maybe?"
The idea of it was horrifying to Ino even though she knew he had nothing against her and her mother fared no better. It was only Inoichi's firm hand on her thigh that kept the older Yamanaka woman from doing anything that might draw the ire of the other two in the room.
Inoichi knew his daughter was still scared of the boy and the power he wielded and he also knew that the thought of being forced into marriage was something she had loathed ever since she was little. He had, or course, promised to never give her away like that, but the power was no longer in his hands and he could do nothing should Kushina decide to go through with it.
And that's why he found himself looking pleadingly towards the young man who lounged at the table of the Yamanaka.
"I have no desire for marriage anywhere in the near future." Spoke Naruto. "And I'd be surprised if I ever did. My priorities lie elsewhere."
The Yamanaka dared breath a collective sigh of relief.
"Even if she's not your wife, there are other ways you could have her." Stated Kushina. "A mistress, perhaps. Maybe a concubine or a servant. I could gift her to you as a slave, if you'd like. Even if you don't want to come back to the clan and be allowed to do as you please with the members of the Yamanaka I can still give them to you for you to enjoy."
Terror had struck itself into the hearts of the Mindwalkers. The elder two hid it well enough but their daughter trembled visibly. Seeing this, Naruto pulled her atop his lap and wrapped his arms around her. She trembled even more but made no move to resist.
"While your offer is a…gracious…one, Clanhead Kushina, had I wanted Ino here for myself she'd have already been mine. I get what you want, you see. Of course, one might also argue that she already was mine. Offering her to me doesn't absolve you of the theft itself. But seeing as you are so quick to offer the daughters of those your clan protects, where, might I ask, is your own? Perhaps in taking her I might believe us settled."
Those words shocked her far more than she'd like to admit. What shocked her more, however, was the fact that she was considering it. Naruko might be slightly upset about it, but if she was close to her brother she'd quickly get over it. Naruto could be upset with her daughter, though, but even then, would he hurt her? She couldn't see it.
And then there was the matter of keeping the family together. Naruko was still a Uzumaki, so she'd be connected to her mother still, and by being given to Naruto that connection would exist. Could that really be a possible solution to bring them all together? It wasn't what she had envisioned, but it could work.
It was after several moments of thought that she realized everybody was watching her. Naruto had raised an inquisitive brow while the elder Yamanaka looked disgusted that she was considering it and Ino seemed just a bit relieved that the attention had been shifted elsewhere.
Clearing her throat in embarrassment, Kushina responded.
"About a week ago her team set out for their first C-rank, she should be back in another week or so."
"Oh? How interesting. Where did they go?"
Everyone felt more comfortable- save Naruto who hadn't been bothered at all- by what could be considered a complete change of topic. Ino, however, was still a bit uneasy with her current seating arrangement.
"Nami no Kuni, Naruko mentioned aiding a bridge builder." All present could have sworn Naruto's eyes lit up considerably at that.
"Nami no Kuni's getting a bridge, then? That would certainly make it easier for Konoha to trade with the rest of the world. Your daughter's doing some good work."
Inoichi got a feeling that he was calling her work good because it somehow benefited the young man. He was not about to question it, however. It was obvious Naruto's plans were larger than anyone present could have realized.
"In fact," Naruto continued. "I'd like to see the bridge she helps to bring about, perhaps a vacation is in order."
"Vacation?" It was Ino who spoke up this time, craning her head back to look at him. At his small smirk she quickly turned away from him, acutely aware of how close they currently were.
"Of course, you don't think I just lounge about all day, do you?"
"But you don't have a team." She mumbled away from him, just loud enough for the others to hear. "You'd just be training then, wouldn't you?"
"My dear little Ino, just because I don't have a team of my own doesn't mean I can't go on missions. Just last week I accompanied the lovely Tokubetsu Jounin Mitarashi Anko on a very well paying B-rank. I had a lot of fun with that one, actually. I'll have to see if she'd like to do it again soon."
Unlike the women in the room, Inoichi was more scared than surprised by the news. He and Anko had worked together for some time. Not as long as she had worked with Ibiki, mind you, but certainly long enough to know better than to get on her bad side.
Her being friendly with Naruto was not a pleasant thought, especially when despite the truce-like situation that had finally come about they had been dragged onto his bad side yet again. If Anko was one of those supporting him it would certainly explain why he could be so vicious.
"You went on a B-rank?" Asked Ino. Her team had done nothing but D-ranks so far.
"I did." He nodded. "It probably should have been a C-rank but the client was simply offering too much money."
"Lucky." Pouted the girl.
"You'll get a chance, Ino. Before you know it you'll be getting promotions and going on whatever missions strike your fancy."
She gave a snort. "Doubt it, Shikamaru's too damn lazy for us to ever take on better missions and I'm pretty sure enemies could bribe Chouji with food."
"Then you've got your work cut out for you. You'll need to help your Sensei turn them into proper Shinobi."
"I suppose."
Naruto grinned.
"Good girl." He ran his fingers through her hair as if she were a pet, much to her own embarrassment.
A cough from Inoichi brought attention to him.
"I do hope Anko didn't cause too much trouble during the mission. She's not known to have much self-control."
"Don't worry about it, I've spent enough time with her to know how she is. Besides, the chance to share a bed with her our hotel provided was worth any trouble she may have caused me."
Ino and her mother blushed deeply while Inoichi looked to be on the verge of a heart attack. Kushina, on the other hand, had retreated completely into her mind, struggling to come to terms with what she had just heard her son say.
They would stay in similar states until dinner ended and they parted ways.
Inoichi and his wife would quickly recover in the refuge of their guest home, Kushina would still be thinking about it when she returned to her empty compound, and Ino, who knew Anko from her fathers work, would continue to blush until late the next morning.
Naruto, however, would completely forget he had even mentioned it as he made his way to the Den to inform Sai that an opportunity to conquer wave had already shown itself.
He had more important things on his mind than dinner conversations, after all.
He'd said it before and he'd say it again; he was too damn old for this shit!
It seemed that everything was spinning wildly out of control these days and every time a situation settled it was hit by something new that started it all over again. No, that wasn't quite right, because it was the world around Naruto that was spinning out of control.
Even when they boy wasn't directly involved most of his troubles led back to him in some way.
That's not to say he was blaming the boy, oh, no. Naruto had done quite well over the years and while the Sandaime had made mistakes of his own when it came to him he was, in the end, pretty satisfied with the way things turned out.
Was the massacre a complete mess? Yes.
Had interrogating Naruto been a bad idea? Most definitely, but things worked out well enough afterwards despite the regret he still felt.
Was the situation with the Yamanaka unfortunate? Yes, things had been quite bad, but the clan head had accepted it and so it was out of Hiruzen's hands.
Nearly every issue had, in some way, turned out alright. Not in a preferable manner, but one that he could accept.
And now Kushina looked to be on the verge of undoing most of it.
Though few knew it, the takeover of the Yamanaka had made the other clans rather uneasy. If Kushina continued to push he wouldn't be surprised to see the other clans band together against her. Luckily, she had at least some reason to go after the Yamanaka and he didn't know of any other clan that may have angered her.
Actually, he did, but the Senju was made up of one member and she could take care of herself. Well, no, she couldn't, she had to rely on that poor apprentice of hers –Kato Shizune- to take care of her. The clans still respected the Senju name, but most of them had lost respect for Tsunade. So long as Kushina targeted only Tsunade and left the clan out of things then the other clans would have no reason to make any sort of move against her.
He could only hope, then, that Kushina didn't do something rash. Or, rather, didn't do yet another thing rashly. It would seem in her hurry to do things she had only created more problems for herself, problems that spawned more problems as she tried to rush through those too.
It was just a vicious circle.
And he really wanted no part in it.
Maybe he could find himself a successor sometime soon. It was only briefly that he felt guilty at the thought of leaving this mess to some other unfortunate soul but in the end he was certain a fresh perspective could do a lot of good for the problem.
At least, that's what he'd use if the council asked him about current affairs.
Of course, there was still the issue of the replacement itself. Unfortunately, the list of possible candidates was rather small.
Tsunade had the strength and probably knew how to do the job, but she really didn't have the drive or the reliability that would be necessary. Also, with the clans not holding much respect for her it would be difficult or her to properly lead Konoha.
Jiraiya, Konoha's spymaster, was a pretty good choice. He could be serious when he needed to be and had contacts all throughout the elemental nations. Unfortunately Kunoichi didn't much care for him and it was necessary for him to travel often in order to maintain his spy network. The fact that his student had once held the position and his old teammate had coveted it would probably keep him from accepting.
Kakashi was almost strong enough but didn't quite have the necessary mentality for running the village. He could manage, of that he was sure, but probably not well. And that was the best case scenario.
Other than that there was…
Well, no one really.
Danzou was too old for the position and a little too keen on war for Hiruzen's liking but other than him there wasn't anyone who could take up the position of Hokage.
Hell, at this point he might be better of making Orochimaru the Hokage. Jiraiya mentioned that his old student had created his own hidden village and while details were scarce it showed that he was better suited than anyone currently in Konoha.
That was quite troubling, actually.
It looked like he'd be here for quite a bit longer if that was the case. But, if he was stuck here, maybe he could start training someone else for the position. Just because no one currently fit the criteria didn't mean he couldn't change that with his own two hands.
Hmm, maybe his son would be well suited for the position. He had been one of the twelve ninja guardians, after all, and had connections to the imperial fire court. With a starting like that he'd just need to get a bit stronger and learn more about politics.
Perhaps if he could convince him that Konoha politics was like Shogi his son would be willing to learn.
Naruto completely ruined that like an invisible third player with no knowledge of the rules but his son didn't need to know that just yet.
Yes, things were looking up.
Hiruzen couldn't wait to retire again.
Originally I had planned far more scenes for this chapter but those I did manage to write ended up much, much larger than I had been expecting. I am, however, quite pleased with the result. I'll just have to show you all the other scenes next week in act XXVI.