Harbinger

by tigerowl

Naruto's friendship with his teammates Gaara and Haku is put to the test as they prepare to deal with the threat of the Akatsuki. The secrets Jiraiya has kept come to a head, and Naruto must shoulder the responsibility of protecting much more than the Leaf Village. Continuation of Forlorn. AU NaruHina, GaaSaku, NejiTen, ObiRin, OCs *Taoism, Self-Indulgent World Building, longfic

42. Blondie Sage

Note: Hi fam, say bye-bye to the Toad Valley. We are making moves. I figure if you enjoy the Naruto series, then you've probably listened to Akeboshi's music or, more specifically, his song Wind. Nerds. Enjoy the below track, special for you.

Chapter 42: Blondie Sage (A Nine-Tailed Fox Introduces Himself)

Chapter Soundtrack: "Kumori Yozora" by Akeboshi

While Lee compared one framed team photo from two years ago, and another framed team photo from last year, he held them up to Tenten.

"Neither of these are worth packing." Lee insisted to her, "Neji did not smile in either shot."

"Lee, I've learned to take what I can get." Tenten plucked last year's photo from his hand and placed it in a cardboard box, "He's nothing if not consistent."

"Yes, consistent. Maybe this year he can be persuaded?" Lee wondered and then turned around to ask Neji as he examined two boxes Tenten had so far packed, "Neji, you ought to experience a much greater margin of happiness now that Tenten is a member of your clan. Smile in this year's photo!"

Neji gave him a slanted, I-don't-think-so frown.

"Merely a suggestion." Lee reminded him.

Tenten stopped picking the sitting-room keepsakes in her flat that she would take with her, and rounded on Neji as he began extracting things from the boxes she had organized, "Wha—what are you doing-?"

"You don't need these. You'll have cushions, bedding, and storage at the estate—"

"I'm not leaving that, my mom made it for me." Tenten nudged Neji aside, retrieved the pillow, and returned it to the box, "You don't need to make hyper-logical judgements right now, Neji. If it's too much when I unpack at my new abode then I'll remove superfluous stuff. But I want to keep some things of my parents.' Alright?"

He relented and sealed the container, motioning for Lee to hand over the packing tape.

Lee handed it off and then tapped his chin, "Tenten, you have not yet told me how you came to possess adoptive parents."

"It's not— I…ugh." She sighed and cupped her forehead in her palm, "I don't possess them, Lee. It's more like teamwork. I co-conspired after they explained to me everything that Neji was going through. It's not as if we had plenty of time for heart-to-hearts and bonding."

"But surely they will grow to care for you!"

"Ah…yeah, I hope so…"

"How were you contacted?" Neji wondered, "I couldn't find you anywhere."

"Well…" Tenten took a moment to recall the odd meeting from a day and a half before.

---

Tenten was both surprised and economically motivated after spotting a gaggle of ninja lined up outside of the Pailü Weapon Shop. Had there not been an assemblage of potential customers, she would have stuck with her original plan to find Neji. He was absent from team training the day before— not that she found this unusual. She'd been rather occupied herself since business had ticked up after the conclusion of the Chunin Exam.

Tenten waved to the customers as she trotted up the sidewalk, and engaged in idle chit-chat as she unlocked, lit up the shop, and assisted them with shopping and questions. All had been served within 40 minutes, and after that the high of making sales and placing orders fizzled and took a nose dive.

She stomped around the place, updated a supply ordering journal, and then greeted a punctual delivery man at the rear of the building to sign for a shipment. Tenten and a Shadow Clone heaved the heavy box inside while the delivery man looked on worriedly. She shut the door on him before a polite 'have a nice day' could be said.

"Neji should've told me if he wasn't going to show up." She reasoned with her clone, "I mean, I know I've been busy too, but I went to that fancy dinner and impressed his family. I feel self-conscious when Neji doesn't come by to say 'everything's fine.' It makes it feel like everything is not fine, you know?"

"Of course I know." The clone agreed. It held the box steady as Tenten tore the wooden plank lid off with a crowbar. The yanking and beating of the box soothed her grumpy disposition.

"I feel awful today." Tenten noted.

The clone pointed her thumb over her shoulder to a wall calendar, and Tenten took a cursory glance at it.

"Oh. Plunging levels of optimism? Craving seaweed? Unusual irritability? Must be your period." Tenten told herself. She tossed the crowbar and it clanged in the periphery of shelving and tool drawers of the workspace. The Shadow Clone flinched.

Tenten picked at the synthetic packing materials of the box and then asked the clone, "Would you please unload these and make sure everything I ordered is accounted for?"

It had little other choice than to nod fearfully in agreement. While it unpacked the order, Tenten picked up a box of antique throwing darts in a "service required" queue, noting the attached message that the small blades were exclusively made for the Shimura clan, and more may be ordered at year's end if she was available to reproduce them.

At the front of the store, Tenten took a seat at the counter and began to polish the darts one by one back to a pristine shine. She had already sharpened them yesterday. She set another Shadow Clone to work sweeping and reorganizing storefront shelves. Tenten worked on a particularly stubborn scuff in the metal of a dart when the work room's clone showed up, reporting, "Look, there was a double-order and we weren't charged for it." It held up an extra package of leather and hilt-making materials.

"Wow, really? That's from the old man's shop in the Land of Rivers. I don't want to short him if he made a mistake." Tenten shooed the clone off, "Mark it down and we'll pay him for it."

The clone resumed work in the back room and the store's door chime sounded. Tenten turned to try to muster a pleasant greeting for the shoppers, even though she was a sore, temporary misanthrope. Except that she gave no greeting at all, because the two standing in the small showroom were not shoppers. Tenten blinked in bewilderment and stopped polishing darts with a fluffy cloth.

Hiashi had a grave look on his face as his eyes trolled back and forth over displays of merchandise. Hideyasu had taken a few steps past the Hyuga clan head to greet Tenten at the counter, "Good morning, Tenten. Ah, is that a Shadow Clone?" He gestured to the clone dusting signage at the edge of the room.

"Yeah, wuh— um, just trying to keep things orderly…without employees." Tenten curled her lips inward, highly embarrassed. The place was a bit messier than what she'd want to present to any Hyuga clan associates who were not Neji. Also, it was a small, humble store and she felt like Hiashi was inspecting it a little too hard.

Trying not to feel judged, Tenten set the darts down in the storage box, getting a grip on herself, "I apologize. I didn't know that my place of business would be considered—"

"No, no, it's nothing like that." Hideyasu assured her, "Hiashi-sama and I need to talk to you about something wholly unrelated to weapon sales…" He glanced around, "Although the variety in this shop is staggering!"

"Oh, well, this isn't the place to talk. You might start to smell of turpentine and grinding dust…" Scuttling to stand, Tenten motioned to the men, "Would it be alright if…we spoke at my home? It's up the street. I can make tea—"

"Thank you." Hiashi said, "Please forgive this abrupt visit, Tenten."

Tenten assured them it was quite alright, and left her clones behind to clean up. She locked the door behind them and led the way, stiff-backed and uncertain, to the apartment complex up the road, through the vestibule, stairs, and third floor, feeling ashamed as she arrived at the door of her lowly flat. It was pathetic compared the place the men behind her called home.

With little commentary, Hiashi and Hideyasu followed her inside and took seats at the low table she directed them to. Tenten was harebrained while considering how to entertain high-profile guests, and nearly ran around to boil water for tea, and find any loose leaves that were not of overpowering Han flavor; but she wisely set a Shadow Clone about those tasks so she could sit at the table to speak to her visitors.

"This is quite nice." Hideyasu said in reference to her home, with a distinct friendliness that sort of made her relax.

Hiashi was not observing their surroundings. He was looking at Tenten as if her head was about to explode off of her shoulders. By detecting that alarming facial expression, Tenten assumed that the visit presaged bad news.

"I'll have tea ready in a few minutes. Can I ask…? What went wrong?" She directed the question at Hiashi.

Hideyasu sighed heavily and seemed to mope in his seat. Hiashi gave her the update, "We are beholden to the guidance of our clan's elders…and our elders are directing Neji down a path that does not include you."

"Oh." Tenten could feel a wave of inflammation and cramping assail her body as the words were spoken. And she thought her period was the only bad aspect of this day.

"Hiashi, don't phrase it like that— our elders are shuffling all of us as they see fit." Hideyasu amended, "Quite frankly it's time we put our foot down. Feet down. Well, you understand what I mean."

"Uh." Said Tenten.

"We seek your help." Hiashi elaborated, "But what we would ask you to do is not a foolproof solution, and it will also demand much of your time and effort."

"To help Neji?"

"Yes," Hiashi went on, "Our grandfather, our Elder Haburo, has advised Neji to seek companionship only from eligible Main House members of our clan. That would mean either of my daughters."

"Or my sister." Hideyasu added.

Tenten laid her palms flat on her knees, seated cross-legged on a cushion, "Wow. Is this in response to my introduction?"

"Not exactly. Our grandfather enjoys making demands of us at every meeting we attend, and the subject of the day happened to be his great grandchildren." Hideyasu clarified, "We all have low rates of approval with him."

"I did not discuss Neji's interest in you at all." Hiashi told her, "Which could be to our advantage."

Tenten was listening astutely as her clone set cups and a pot of tea on the table. She poured for her guests as Hiashi went on, "Neji may choose from the Main Family or he may join the Branch Family if he seeks more freedom of choice. As it so happens, we are aware that he intends to join the Branch."

She set tea down in front of the men, "No wonder he didn't speak to me yesterday. I would staunchly disagree with the decision," Tenten raised her eyes to Hiashi, who seemed perturbed, so she went on, "And not because I would begrudge Neji his choices or happiness! His compassion for the Branch means he would have a good life among them, I know it. But I want him to…one day be someone future leaders of his clan look up to. Give guidance that won't hurt his clansmen, but raise them up. I don't want him to give up on that. Not for anything."

Hideyasu shut his eyes and tried to disguise his smile by sipping tea.

"If you feel that way, perhaps it is best you join our scheme." Hiashi took two consecutive gulps of tea, "A relatively harmless one."

"Soundly legal." Hideyasu echoed.

"Scheme is not a term that goes hand in hand with 'legal,' but I will certainly hear you out." She agreed.

"You told me you have been parentless for six years. I also understand that Kayato and Fujita are fond of you," Hiashi brought her up to speed, "To that end, Hideyasu suggested that he adopt you to give you legal status in the Main House, which would allow Neji to choose you under those circumstances."

"Of course we can't rush any arrangements between the two of you, or risk arousing the suspicion of our elders. You see, you would have to convincingly uphold traditions as our daughter. Beginning a courtship with Neji would have to wait a bit longer." Hideyasu talked with explanatory hand gestures, "Kayato thought it was a good idea. She already stopped by the law offices with me for paperwork." He tapped a manila folder on the table top for Tenten to see, "She was eager to sign these so I let her. Fujita is aware too, of course. There are no hard feelings if you're not up for it."

"I…I…" She slid her thumbs along the circumference of her tea cup, astonished.

"It would not guarantee anything." Hiashi warned her, "It would only make you eligible."

"Right."

"But also, consider that this wouldn't be a strict formality— not pure, paper contract stuff. My wife and I would teach you everything we know, if you'd like to learn." Hideyasu tried to soften the hard edges of the offer, "There are advantages to living with the Hyuga clan, no doubt about it! Though…you would also have to give certain things up. There are always trade-offs."

"And if our Elders are overly critical of this arrangement, which they may or may not be…we may all face retribution at a later time." Hiashi also tried to steer clear of the consequences, adding, "But it is legal and can certainly work as a deterrent. You have my word that you and your interests would be shielded to the extent of what law and my influence can allow."

Tenten nodded dizzily, "I understand."

"My, this tea is so unlike what I drink at home. It's different in a good way." Hideyasu noted out loud, "If you are in agreement, Tenten, please bring some of those tea leaves with you. I want Kayato to try this."

"Sure. Yes, I agree. It's called Biluochun." She was snapping out of her thoughts and into reality, "Do we…so what do we do now?"

"Paperwork, and acquiring the appropriate witness." Hiashi informed her.

"After tea we can get a notarization. Then Kayato will help us set up a few things…" Hideyasu checked with her again, "And are you sure about this, young lady? Your integration won't be easy. I can't promise that elders will be fair to you once you join our house."

"Aside from being able to give Neji a modicum of choice…" Tenten wore a far-off look, "It would be nice to have a family again…after being alone for so long."

Even Hiashi was visibly touched by the sentiment, and Hideyasu pursed his lips as he listened to the admission.

Before she could really make sense of the fact that this was happening, and that they had finished their tea and were crossing town as inconspicuously as possible…Tenten was blinking rapidly and taking noisy breaths through her nostrils when they arrived at the administrative building. So much for thinking it over. There was no time for careful consideration. No time to preserve her identity or privacy, or even check in with Neji to tell him to cool it and not make rash decisions. Because she was kind of making a rash decision herself. At least, Tenten thought, the consequences of her choice were not as severe as what Neji could potentially deal with.

At the Legal Bureau of the building, second floor, Hiashi sat down and scared the daylights out of the attorney at the desk who dared question why the Hyuga clan was adopting anyone. Hiashi's glare shut the thin, suited man up. Hideyasu was nicer. He explained that he had already begun preliminary paperwork, he adored kids, Tenten was an orphan, and that he and Tenten got along swimmingly.

"So here we are." Hideyasu concluded.

The attorney did not question it further, though he certainly wanted to. Hiashi's eyes were on him.

"Ah, look, the green 'sign here' stickers are yours, and the yellow stickers are mine." Hideyasu flipped pages, glancing over document sections he had already read, and adding his signature to empty lines.

Hiashi was telling the attorney about some additional agreements from the Hyuga clan that were added to the office's adoption forms. That paperwork would protect Tenten's assets, examine and secure her records, and provide the Hyuga's legal defense team to represent her and things of that nature. When the attorney said it would take his interns about a week to review and process those additional documents, Hiashi corrected him, "It will take them an hour."

"But sir, please try to understand we've been working on several cases—"

"I understand that your office's preoccupation with trivial lawsuits, drafts, and advising are not as urgent as this matter the Hyuga clan needs fulfilled." Hiashi spoke over him, ignoring Tenten's look of concern from her seat on Hideyasu's opposite side. "Unless you would like a representative of mine to go over it with you?" By representative he was indicating Hyuga Arisu, who was not a very friendly lawyer-nin and took on projects with Maito Ken from time to time. So this particular office was already well aware it did not want to tango with her unless absolutely necessary.

The man at the desk reached with a few fingers and pulled back the folder to examine the documents, "…an hour."

"Ah, there," Hideyasu traded his pen to Tenten, "Your turn, young lady."

"Um. Your clan has…a legal team?" She began to slowly add her given name to blank spaces.

"It has everything." Hideyasu informed her, "Our diversity of skills comes from making good matches and arrangements with other clans and interests. Our legal representatives are sagacious and among the best in the village."

"Though they are predisposed to have hawkish interpretations of Law." Hiashi added.

"Arisu charges quite a lot per hour, for those outside of the Hyuga." Hideyasu noted, unwrapping a hard candy from a bowl on the attorney's desk, "But clan members get a much better rate. Sometimes even her pro bono hours."

"Did she write any of the-?"

"Let's not implicate her in this." Hiashi recommended.

"Hm." Tenten continued signing, thinking it over, "Kayato has…a successful apparel business. And other members of the Hyuga clan…have trades and skills?"

"Yes, of course."

"Would my business…benefit from Hyuga contacts?" Tenten wondered.

"I had a few vendors in mind who would like to partner with you." Hideyasu assured her.

She smiled a little and started signing faster.

Hiashi advised, "Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. There are still obstacles we must be ready for."

When Tenten concluded signing, she turned to Hideyasu and accepted the candy he handed to her, "I feel like I should shake your hand, like this is some kind of deal."

"You can if you want to." Hideyasu told her.

When they tried to shake, Hiashi got annoyed and disrupted it, "Children and their parents do not shake like business partners."

"Hiashi, as you are not an immediate member of my family, don't claim to know about my family's handshakes. Fujita and I still have a secret shake from when he was young." Hideyasu chuckled playfully. Hiashi may have rolled his eyes, but he was turned away from Tenten so she couldn't see it.

When they rose and gathered paperwork that the coerced, suited attorney was not reviewing, Tenten followed the men to the third floor and realized, by the heavens, she and Hideyasu probably had the same sense of humor. She could not yet confirm it, but she suspected it. Time would tell.

She was somewhat surprised and also not surprised when they knocked on the door of the Hokage's office. A shout sounded, "Did I summon you for a briefing? If not, get lost."

Hideyasu exchanged frazzled looks with his companions and called back through the door, "My lady, it's a rather important—"

"Don't make me repeat myself. No frivolous requests. I'm having a bad morning. Come back tomorrow."

"Hyuga Hiashi wishes to speak with you." Hiashi said.

After a pause, "Fine."

Hideyasu led the group inside and they noticed the aftermath of what looked like a tall stack of correspondence had toppled off of the Hokage's desk. It was scattered all over the floor like a papery throw rug. The office window behind Tsunade and to the left was broken, as if a projectile had crashed through it. On the far side of the room, a softball sat guiltily in the corner. Tsunade had pressed a healing hand to the back of her head.

"Some sporting idiot made an inadvertent attempt on my life." She grumbled to them, "What's this about?"

Tsunade stopped and did a double-take at those assembled, repeating, "What is this about? Who died?"

"No one died, Hokage-sama." Tenten was half concerned, "Are you alright? Is Shizune-san—?"

"No, no, I sent her to apprehend the idiot with the bat outside." Recuperated, Tsunade laid her hands on her desk and laced them, "Naturally I have to ask what you are doing with the Head and Steward of the Hyuga clan, Tenten."

"Paperwork." She said truthfully.

"Huh." Tsunade pooched her lips and regarded them, pointing to the scattered correspondence, "Tenten, be a dear and pick all of that up for me, will you? Hiashi." Her tone grew sterner, "What sort of paperwork is she talking about?"

"I would like you to be a witness to Hideyasu's adoption of this young woman." Hiashi clarified it for her.

The Hokage leveled her gaze on Hideyasu, who was trying to crunch the last of his hard candy in his teeth. Eventually he stopped chewing since he'd been put on the spot, "It's true, my lady. Kayato and I agreed to adopt Tenten. Because the Hyuga clan will need a credible witness to approve of it, Hiashi and I felt that we would need the oversight of the most credible witness in Hidden Leaf."

"That's comical." Tsunade said dryly, "I'm seeing double right now and you want me to witness something such as this."

"Our elders don't need to know that you had a head injury at the time of this notarization." Hiashi assured her.

"I suppose they don't." She ushered them towards her desk, holding her hand out for the documents. Tenten watched from where she was crouched on the floor, scooping up leaflets and letters.

"I would like to point out the elephant in the room." Tsunade added drolly as she carefully flipped pages, "That Hyuga Neji is, to my knowledge, extremely attached to this young woman. You two are not unaware of this?" She asked Hiashi and Hideyasu.

"We are well aware."

"Why complicate the matter by bringing her into your clan?" The Hokage asked, her eyes pointed downward as she read.

"It will actually simplify the matter." Hiashi replied, "Neji has been subjected to a mandate that restricts him from looking outside of the Hyuga clan for a companion."

Tsunade froze, "Oh." The realization of what was going on became evident by her morphing facial expressions, "Oh, oh, oh…I see. So you two, of the Main House, are exercising what control you can to negate this circumstance. And Tenten, are you sound of mind in agreeing to this?" She asked the kunoichi who had stood and set papers on her desk, "You will be subject to their venom when you are legally bound to their clan. Elders never like to be made fools of."

"I know what I'm agreeing to." Tenten said, even though she really meant she understood about thirty percent of what she was agreeing to.

"This reeks of conspiracy." Tsunade turned to the last page of the packet and fished around her drawer for an official seal, "And I'm none too fond of putting my hand on the chopping block for signing anything that could cause your elders to call council…and take issue with this adoption or its motivations in a village forum." She gave a sharp look to Hiashi, "Yet you are confident enough to endorse this, Hiashi?"

"No harm will come to anyone here." He said with certainty, "Not so long as we can argue that this is in compliance with rules the Hyuga clan has set, and we abide by those rules."

"Then you had better be able to argue it." She warned, "Very well, I press this stamp and it's done. Then you navigate the legal minutiae and do it wisely. Though, if I'm going to take on a small degree of risk in doing this then I want some incentives."

Hideyasu plopped 15 Ryo on the Hokage's desk, "The bureau downstairs said that is the fee for the Hokage's notarization—"

Harried, Tsunade flicked the paper notes aside, "Don't listen to the bureau, the bureau makes up prices because it has to! I don't want you to buy me a soft drink with those notes, not for my troubles— you had better remember the Hyuga clan owes me a favor when I next call on them."

"We will remember." Hiashi gave the concession.

"Also, any parties like the one you hosted after the Tournament, I am always welcome to join."

"You were never unwelcome." Hideyasu pointed out.

"If that is so then kindly give me a head's up." Tsunade demanded.

Hideyasu felt that was fair.

"And if there is a wedding and it's a big elaborate affair I am also invited." Tsunade added, "Because I am setting this up I refuse to be excluded."

Tenten stood there feeling supremely awkward in response to how the Hokage was nosily investing herself in the possible outcomes. She had always admired and respected Tsunade, looking to her as an example of how to comport herself as a shinobi. When Tsunade looked at her she saw the means to live vicariously and decadently through Tenten's life and career. What an odd reciprocal.

The Hokage pressed her seal down on the page and dated it. With that done, she nonchalantly extended the papers to Hideyasu and he gratefully accepted them.

"If anyone ends up dead or calamity ensues because of this adoption and its ripple effects," Tsunade cautioned them, "I will be putting the three of you in jail first."

---

"And that," Tenten concluded for Lee, "Is how I got a new set of parents."

"A fascinating tale." Lee nodded.

Neji was digesting the retelling of Tenten's experience, opening a new cardboard box to be filled, "I still don't understand why none of my relatives told me they were planning this."

"Because we were concerned that you would think it was crazy and tell us not to." Tenten explained, "And if you were aware of it, it wouldn't look like a genuine, independent decision at the clan meeting, remember? Your expression that morning was—" Tenten imitated the look of surprise she had seen on Neji's face, "You obviously had nothing to do with it. That would clear you with the elders."

He conceded, "I suppose it would."

"Oh, Tenten, you said the Hokage had been hit in the head by a softball before she notarized the contract." Lee quoted part of her story, "Do you think she will remember what she agreed to, or is she still suffering from a head injury?"

"I certainly hope she remembers." She took the box Neji handed her, "Or our next mission assignment is going to look really weird when she sees my profile's updates…"

---

Tsunade had no such trouble with her memory or higher functions that day. She was an adept healer, after all. Her head was in perfect working order.

Maybe she should have questioned Tama's decision to keep her surgery election secret from everyone except her mother and sensei, but she went ahead and assigned Sato's team a mission anyway, sending him off without a word on the matter. Tsunade expected he would have said his farewells to Tama before the mission, and that contact would have sufficed for her.

It was a bit of an odd assignment though, sending Sato and Shino off with Sai as a substitute. Hinata had been tending to a clan obligation, and Tsunade figured that since the hiring client was investigating fraud at an art auction, maybe Sai would be a valuable addition? 'Or he'll be a social hindrance.' The Hokage admitted to herself. Sato and Shino would just have to deal with it. Sai was on temporary leave from ANBU to learn how to integrate more with 'the public' of the village. Tenzo had reported his need for improvement in this respect.

Later that morning, Tsunade steeled her nerves and joined a few experienced medic-nin in the OR to perform Tama's procedure. By early afternoon, surgery wrapped and Tsunade was rather pleased with herself that the kunoichi's extensive injury was, for the most part, reversed. She had not died on the table as Tsunade had imagined in an anxious daydream, perhaps because Tama and her ilk preferred dying on missions and not in hospitals.

At that point in the day, both Sakura and Hinata were available for post-op assistance, and Tsunade directed them about tasks and checks that would ensure Tama's safety during recovery. Sakura was concerned that Tama was taking quite a while to wake up from the fog of anesthesia, but Tsunade waved it off as her teammate was wheeled into the recovery room. "Be attentive, watch her vitals." The Hokage recommended, "And don't imagine things are going wrong when they aren't."

While Sakura took a few notes and glanced at the bedside monitor, Hinata stared out of the room's window while in thought. Tsunade watched the girl space out and cleared her throat, catching her attention.

"Hinata, you've been quite occupied with your clan lately. There's no need for you to oversee anything else." Tsunade recommended, "Go home. Relax for now. Your team should be back in two days, and Sakura can look after Tama."

"But Hokage-sama—"

"That's enough for today." The Hokage repeated, strolling out of the room. She had to inform Kakashi and Miako that Tama was doing well.

Sakura gave a shrewd look to her friend when they had some privacy, "Hinata…I've heard a rumor things got crazy in your clan?"

"Oh it's not a rumor, it's true." Hinata sighed and sat down on an upholstered bench, "Tenten-neesan was adopted by the steward of the Main House. Neji-niisan and I were shocked, but now I understand why it was arranged."

"That's just— that, how-?" Sakura flapped her arms at her sides, "You'd think something like that would be redundant when Neji can just, you know, get married to her? That's usually how it's done."

"It isn't that easy. Our great grandfather prohibited him from looking outside of our clan for a spouse." Hinata rested her chin on her hands, leaning on her knees in contemplation, "It made Onii-san so upset that he did not tell anyone about it."

Sakura shook her head, pulling an extra blanket over Tama, "Stone cold crazy. I don't know how I would have reacted to that either."

"Me neither," Hinata agreed, "Uncle Hideyasu is very kind and wanted to help, and Tenten agreed to do it. I think Neji-niisan may feel some relief knowing that there is still a way…"

"I doubt that'll be easy either, but it's pretty interesting." Sakura admitted, "I can't wait to talk to Tenten about it later and get details for Ino…"

Hinata was staring at the wall again.

"Hinata?"

She blinked and gave Sakura her attention.

"Is everything okay? You've been a little…out of it, lately." Sakura pointed out, crossing the room to stand near her friend, "How is Naruto?"

"I…" Her voice wobbled, "I don't know."

"You don't know? You talk to him all of the time." Sakura raised her brows.

Hinata released the dam of concern she had held in for a total of 60 hours since she had returned from her last mission, "I was on a mission two and a half days ago and then when we finished our work in the Tea Country and made camp a toad—"

"Slow down—" Sakura braced her friend's shoulders as Hinata continued without drawing a breath.

"Brought be a message from Gama-sennin, and he said that Naruto-kun turned into a statue while he was meditating and I was scared, so I contacted Gama-sennin with Samanvaya and he said that Naruto-kun was fine but I shouldn't distract him so—"

Sakura had pressed a finger to Hinata's lips, "Easy there. I got all of that. But try to breathe, okay?"

Hinata nodded and Sakura withdrew her hand, "Phew. I'm sorry Sakura-chan. I just can't believe it. I don't want to distract Naruto-kun and endanger him during Sage Training…but I want to know how he is doing."

"Well, I bet you can ask Gama-sennin with…uh…what's it called?"

"I spoke to Gama-sennin the other day, he said I could… He suggested we call my technique Samanvaya because I can synchronize to overlap body and mind." She tapped her fingers on her knees, "He said it's a concept from Sage teachings."

"Cool." Sakura rested her hands on her hips, "I'll remember that. Have you ever tried to use different jutsu with your Misago Byakugan?"

"I get nervous. I'm afraid of what might happen." Hinata wilted, "But maybe sometime I should try."

"Sometime, but not today." Sakura recommended, helping her friend to her feet, "Why don't you get some rest for now? I'm going to monitor Tama until Tsunade-sama assigns me something else."

"Alright…"

"If you're free in the morning we can meet up and do something! Before our mission assignments."

Hinata liked the sound of that. She left the hospital and returned home, feeling a bit glum that Neji and Hanabi were out for the day, for training and schooling, respectively. 'Neji-niisan said he was going to help Tenten start packing her belongings too…'Hinata recalled. She was not inclined to garden at home since the ground was still muddy and oversaturated from a recent thunderstorm.

At the Hyuga estate, she tried not to think about Naruto and kept herself heavily occupied. She slipped through Jyukken forms in the quiet pebble courtyard. Later, after socializing with a few Branch members, Fujita noticed her from a window and called her inside, "Oh, Hinata-sama, would you mind helping my mother and I with something?"

She followed him indoors, "You don't have a mission, Fujita?"

"Not today. Mom and I are trying to get things organized for Tenten." He restrained a childish smile, "There isn't any space for her on the second level of the house."

"No?" Hinata was curious about that. Most of the Main Family had their personal quarters upstairs, with the exception of a few Elders, Hiashi, and Neji on the first floor.

"Yeah, I mean, Mom and Dad didn't really think through where they were going to put a new kid. My big brother's room was left alone out of respect, plus we kind of use it like another kamidana." Fujita explained on the way down the first floor corridor, "So Mom is trying to fix another room that Elder Hichida said we could use."

They stopped at what was categorically a closet: 3.5 by 3.5 meters in dimension, windowless, and stuffed with filing cabinets and other office paraphernalia.

"Elder Hichida recommended this space?" Hinata murmured.

"Yeah. Mom moved most of the important paperwork and stuff to storage out back…but she wanted me to move the heavy cabinets." He turned to her with a sigh, "It won't be a very good room even when we empty it out."

"Onee-san won't mind it," Hinata supposed, "But I mind. This doesn't reflect the respect our elders should have for her. She is entitled to something comfortable."

"I know, and the tatami mats in here look like they were ruined a while ago…stains and breaks…"

Hinata huffed.

"We could…clear out Hikune-niisan's room. If Mom and Dad don't protest." Fujita suggested, "He would have totally be fine with it. He really liked Tenten-neesan."

Hinata made a point not to comment on the subject beyond recommending, "Let's not tamper with his room. I'll ask around."

So Fujita carefully moved what pieces he could into the hallway, and on the far side of the house Hinata politely asked elders Hayama and Hizen if there were any other spaces to accommodate their new addition.

The old men were somewhat apologetic, "Terribly sorry, dear. Hiashi-sama has more space than he really needs, he's said, and Hikune's room is unused, but we need to make do with what we have." Hizen added, "It'd be difficult to move everyone around. The corner room on the second floor would be an option if you and your sister shared a room, but I don't think that's wise." Hinata thanked them and took a look around anyway.

She returned to Fujita and determined that the closet was all there was. Fujita reminded her it was in fact a bedroom used by Elder Hagumi before she passed away. After her death it had been filled up with odds and ends. It took hours to move heavy objects and small pieces of furniture. Kayato returned to examine the tatami mats on the floor, frustrated with their terrible condition.

"Children, whenever there's an ink spill like this on your tatami mats, make sure you take the proper steps. Step one: lay down flour to absorb liquid, step two: vacuum," Kayato began pulling up the mat sections, "Step three: flip them over and see how the mats still look unsightly. Step four: give up. There's no salvaging anything this damaged."

"Mom, you might as well convert step four into step one." Fujita was amused.

"Might as well. Come here you two, help me throw these out."

Luckily the house was well updated, and the cedar wood floor beneath the mats was in acceptable condition. An area rug would do the trick for the interim, since, as Kayato voiced her opinion on it, "Tatami mats are my worst nightmare. I don't want to put any more in that room if we can avoid it." She wanted to clean up the space to pristine condition and let Tenten decide how to personalize it. It would not need paint or drastic repairs. Kayato was aware that Tenten was a relatively low-maintenance individual.

And they moved, cleaned, and rearranged things until the closet/bedroom was almost habitable. Kayato was still not completely satisfied with it, but shooed the children along to prepare for dinner. They would finish it another day.

When Hinata joined her father, sister, and Neji for an evening meal, she was mildly surprised that Tenten had joined her adoptive family on the other side of the house to eat. Neji indicated that he and Tenten made a point not to mingle while in the house. Until they had express permission to spend time together, even Hiashi agreed that they maintain some distance. After dinner, Tenten would likely return to her flat. It would be a few days until her space in the Main House was ready.

The notion stuck with her. All through dinner, cleaning up, and then doing needlework in her room as night fell; Hinata sat wearily and thought how distance from Naruto was a good thing. It was going to help him and prevent further accidents. She changed into her pajamas and tried not to sulk, 'I shouldn't bother Gama-sennin too much…and if I write a letter to Naruto, I don't want all of these feelings cluttering the page.' She flopped on her side on the bed, her knitting project dangling from her hand.

Something like this should be easy. It was straightforward and logical to not jeopardize the man she cared about, certainly not after he'd had a close call already. Missing him was not reason enough to reach out, no matter how intensely the tightness in her ribcage and throat felt. No matter how much she envied Neji being near his treasured one regularly, or when her kunoichi friends discussed dates and experiences so casually. She had waited for so long, and it felt unnatural to stay away from Naruto.

Hinata turned over and snapped her lamp off, morosely pulling her blanket over her head. 'I am. I'm so jealous of all of them. I almost don't care how hard Naruto is training, or what he needs to do. I just want him home.' She curled up in a ball, 'I've worked hard and I've been patient. Maybe I shouldn't feel so entitled, but I don't want to stay away.'

Well. Hinata considered another angle. Jiraiya had not wanted her to divert Naruto's attention away from his studies, but what if she didn't engage? What if she covertly stole the glimpse of Naruto she wanted? He could not come to harm if he wasn't aware she had dropped in.

Rational thought suffered a little as the clock ticked ever closer to midnight. Hinata laid awake with her eyes shut, debating with herself if there was an ethics breach in going against what Jiraiya had specifically asked her not to do…because she thought it was possible to circumvent risk. But she felt tired and impatient, so Hinata reached with her Kekkei Genkai and cautiously tapped into Naruto's mind in the Toad Valley.

As luck would have it, all was dark and still while he slept. Short of jarring him awake, Naruto would be none the wiser about her presence. 'There. I shouldn't be disappointed. He's safe and comfortable.'

By the feel of it, Naruto was spread-eagle on his futon and mashing a pillow to the side of his face while asleep. Hinata resisted the need to giggle.

Then, an unusual feeling made her less aware of Naruto's external senses, and she turned inward curiously. The lone plop of a droplet of water somewhere had caught her attention. Such was not a typical feature in a person's mind or body, Hinata wagered. In the dark of thought and internal sense, she wandered a little.

Away from physical sight and senses, it was bewildering to detect the mental terrain— a narrow corridor, so dim, and its floor flooded with a thin sheet of water. A path less traveled in the mind delivered her to the end of the narrow space, and it opened into a wide, yawning cavern, torches lit by human spirit, barely warding off the dark. When she stepped, ripples raced over the watery floor's surface.

'I'm still with Naruto, I think.' She wondered to herself, 'I don't know if this is a dream. Can I visit a dream?'

She surveyed the unusual surroundings and judged that it was some part of the unconscious mind. It was curiously well-defined and structured. Not like her colorful, surrealist dreams that siphoned abstracts from her imagination.

Hinata stood still and looked down at her feet, watching as a ripple of water rolled toward her. '…I didn't do that.' She looked ahead, squinting in the dimness, treading closer to the end of the atrium that arranged its features into the gigantic, towering bars of a cage. Within the prison it was dark and unknowable, but she peered interestedly at it anyway.

Then a sound came. A deep, reverberating voice.

Hmf. It said, Little snoop.

The words stopped her in her tracks. It was completely unlike Naruto's voice. Hinata was certain that by using the Misago Byakugan's Samanvaya she could not have mistaken her target, but intuition screamed at her, alarm bells blared that this consciousness speaking to her was not Naruto's. She glanced around, alone in the dim, watery space, and tried to work up the courage to move. A rush of fear rattled her. She was being watched.

Hinata spoke in a whisper, "Naruto…?"

Silence endured. Mustering the nerve, she proceeded toward the bars. As she drew closer, a presence within the dark of the prison became more noticeable. Though she couldn't see it, there was a volume that displaced everything around it. It exerted pressure on the environment. She could hear slow breaths being sucked past the teeth of what waited behind the bars.

"I am…looking for Naruto." She kept her distance and tried to steady her quaking knees.

There was no answer.

"I didn't make a mistake. I know I'm with him." Hinata clasped her hands, "Is this a place only my technique can find? Who is talking? Is-?"

Hush. The voice gruffed, You are not so unique. Others could find their way here if they have enough insight. This construct is only a seal. It isn't a physical place.

She was stunned and lost her voice. She was awake. It was real. Something was talking to her. Something self-aware and not a figment of her imagination could speak out from the dark.

Hinata heard a rumbling, throaty sound as the caged occupant took stock of her, Hmm.

She back-pedaled a few steps, considering it was best to make a hasty exit. The trouble with using jutsu through the Misago Byakugan, she had known for a while, was how little she understood of the boundaries she tested. It was always difficult to tell if she was in imminent peril or not. 'But then, if Naruto is here in a place like this…or if this is a seal…' She wondered to herself, 'Is he unsafe?' And that thought stopped her. She did not try to flee with a shriek, or scurry quietly back the way she came.

Daughter of the Hyuga. The voice recognized her, Don't you find this cozy?

"…w-where is this place?"

This is Naruto's subconscious.

Hinata muffled a small gasp. She had arrived as intended, even if this was not what she expected. She was calming down a little, edging closer to the bars and the massive presence.

"…I'm Hinata."

I know who you are.

"Because…Naruto knows who I am?"

Hmf. An annoyed grunt.

Within arm's reach of the bars, Hinata stopped and asked, "Who are you? Why are you with Naruto?"

The introduction sounded like a low roll of thunder, I am Kurama. I've always been with Naruto. And before that, Kushina. And before that, Mito…

She wasn't sure what to make of the statement.

You are meddling in things you don't understand. Kurama warned, shuffling around in his prison as if turning away from her, Now go.

"But I want to understand. I don't know what my jutsu can do yet, this hasn't happened before…"

In the dark, Kurama harrumphed.

"Are you a part of Naruto's imagination?"

Annoyed and distant, No.

"This seal looks like a prison."

He responded with a resigned growl of acknowledgment.

"Do you get lonely here?" Hinata asked.

After a beat of silence, Kurama muttered in the dark, Why should that matter? I get out sometimes.

"Have you ever spoken to—?"

Kurama interrupted to mock her, You, small daughter of the Hyuga, don't you have better things to do? I know your sort. You slap the Caged Bird Seal on the heads of toddlers and create strife on councils.

Astonished, she angrily rebuked the claim, "I don't! I would never do that!"

Then what do you do?

She had to navigate feelings of defensiveness and curiosity as the speaker, Kurama, could not make up his mind to send her away or provide an ice-breaker for conversation.

"I…um…well, I'm a shinobi."

You and everyone else around here. He sniffed, unimpressed.

"I was promoted recently, and my teammates are Chunin-level like me." She fiddled with her hair and added, "When we don't take missions together I like to garden or make salves. I've gotten good at knitting. I can cook too. I like to wear sweatshirts when it's cold out. I spend a lot of time with my family and friends…I don't ever try to hurt others or make life harder for them."

The growling presence had gone quiet, and Hinata took that to mean it was done with this exchange. When nearly a minute had gone by, she began to make her way back through the atrium towards the narrow path she had arrived on. She would go home and not think too much about the rude personality lurking in Naruto's subconscious.

The floor's water was jostled, and the heavy sound of the cage's occupant brushing the bars caught her attention, Stop.

Hinata looked over her shoulder, wary.

It does get lonely. He admitted in a small voice, I've gotten used to it.

She turned to face the prison and was moved by the truth in the specter's voice. Hinata trotted back, and then watched in mild alarm and fascination as what appeared to be a large claw reached through the space of the bars. It stopped harmlessly near her.

No one really cares that I exist, or that I too want fresh air and light.

"There, there…" Hinata patted the gargantuan claw, not sure of what it was attached to.

Why do I long for you so? Kurama wondered, You feel like Father did…vast but small. Like there is peace.

"Oh. Peace is a good thing." She kept patting, "One of my favorite things."

It is because you are like Moon Brother.

Hinata stopped for a moment and considered that maybe she understood more of this than she realized. If she took a wild guess— a shot in the dark— she might claim that her disjointed 'Reflection Buddy' could be this 'Moon Brother' that Kurama spoke of. Not that she could get absolute confirmation beyond the feeling in her gut.

"I think I know about that. My clan reveres the sun, but for some reason…I do look to the moon often."

Kurama asserted, That is only natural. Half of your ancestors went there, to watch things from their bridges and gardens on the moon. The others, the Hyuga, they stayed behind to defend the lands under the sun.

"Oh!" She was intrigued and smiling, "You know quite a lot of history!"

I'm old enough to know it. An amused chuckle.

"You are called Kurama."

Don't wear out the name. Or do. Hardly anyone uses it.

Hinata made a few observations, "You remember things from long ago, and you must be…quite big."

The word huge wouldn't offend me.

"Are you a Tailed-Beast?" Hinata asked astutely, "My friend once told me about—"

I don't want to discuss that. He drew back into the dark, Are you…? Maybe you are trying to trick me.

"I don't know anything about you. I don't know why you are a part of Naruto." She reasoned, "But I would never hurt or trick anyone."

Maybe. Kurama conceded, Maybe you can't harm me with those little hands. But you can leave us in the dark. Then I'd hate you. I'd find a way to hate you…

With a protesting shake of her head, Hinata stood by her assertion, "I wouldn't do something like that!"

I am always left behind. No one ever cared what I thought. And you're just here to look for Naruto… Kurama growled, Well? Naruto isn't here! How would it feel if he forgets about you? Or if he leaves you? The agitated voice threatened, What if I made him do it?

She slammed the heel of her hand against a prison bar, distraught, unwilling to stand by and take abuse aimed straight at her insecurities, "Stop saying cruel things when I've done nothing to warrant them!"

Then, a huge, red eye opened directly in front of her, attached to a vaguely furry, ginger face in the dimness. Kurama warned her, Don't hurt me. Don't make me upset. I can take everything away, just you wait and see.

"I don't know what it is that you want." Hinata squeaked in frustration, "Do you want me to return here? To talk about things? Or should I never come back?"

After a long pause, the prisoner cooled off again, You should return.

"If that's what you want, then mind what you say." Hinata scolded, "If you feel hurt, you don't need to make others feel just as bad."

If I don't do that, then you will come back. Kurama reasoned, I want to feel moonlight again.

"Then I will. I have a mission tomorrow that will take a few days." She reached into the dark and patted fur that may have lined the underside of an enormous animal chin, "I can visit when I finish my mission. I'm not supposed to bother Naruto…but I can drop by at night."

Doesn't it matter to you that I am not human? The large eye rolled down to look at her, Don't you see these bars imprisoning me? I could be very bad, you know.

"I don't think you are." She said with a degree of certainty, "But I've not yet gotten to know you. I will tell you what I think once I have learned enough."

There was a great rumbling sigh from the dark, and Hinata rather amicably retreated. She returned down the flooded corridor from whence she came, drifting back into the dark, hazy fabric of the mind; Naruto's mind and her own.

And when the Samanvaya link expired, Hinata found she was still safely curled up in bed. She pulled her blanket taught around her frame, considering how she had learned that her ancestors had, long ago, made a choice between serving under the sun or the moon. She had also had a conversation with a being in Naruto's subconscious, and that being's mood turned on a dime, particularly prone to being jilted or ignored.

Maybe it was another personality. Maybe it was a complex figment of her imagination. Maybe it was a great chakra beast that had been sealed inside of Naruto. Hinata pressed her hands to her forehead, thinking back to Sakura's discovery in the Star Village. Her friend's findings seemed increasingly relevant, though Hinata still doubted the credibility and reality of what she thought she saw. If she had not imagined or dreamt it, then perhaps she had come across something she was not supposed to know?

Hinata rolled over and tucked her hands under her chin. It took a long time for her to fall asleep.

---

In the morning, Naruto followed Shima around the yard and helped clip laundry to drying lines. He munched on a mango and conversed with her.

"Does being married for so long get annoying after a while?" He wondered.

"Well, we don't pay much mind to anniversary dates anymore." Shima conceded, "I'd say it's about as annoying as it was when I first met Pa, as a young toad. Our quirks didn't change much over time."

She handed Naruto a corner of a sheet to hang while she stood on a stool, "Naruto-boy, the truth is that years seem to slip by. We've been busy and we try to have fun. There's no need to count days or years, and no need to count mistakes or fights." Shima tittered, "I still like him! I really do."

"Phew." Naruto said half to himself. He'd been thinking about these sorts of things.

"Pa and I make a point not to get angry at each other these days." Shima explained, "We know we can't last much longer in this world at our ages. We don't want to have regrets about how we treated each other."

"That's really nice, Ma." Naruto said with a mouthful of fruit.

They finished laundry and then set out down the mossy path toward the Toad Oil Pool. It was Shima's turn to supervise his training. On the way, she talked about becoming a young mother to a small girl toad, Hazumu, and how she and Fukasaku had handled their daughter's Sage Training long ago.

"It was different from how we trained Kinji. We treated her so delicately…always worrying about her…it wasted a lot of time when we distracted Hazumu with our safeguards." Shima remembered, "She would have done fine without the coddling. She completed her training."

"Hey, how come I haven't met her?"

"She died, Naruto-boy." Shima told him, "Hazumu was summoned to war long ago, to fight for shinobi we were contracted with."

"Oh." Stiff-backed, Naruto set his mango down on the grass and stopped at the yard entrance, "…I'm sorry, Ma."

"Don't be. Hazumu always fought bravely." Shima was not ruffled by the memory, "Pa and I only wish she survived long enough to meet Kinji." She hopped up the steps of the pool, "Come now, Naruto, let's get you patted down with oil."

He removed his shirt and proceeded with the routine. Naruto twitched his nose and watched Shima from the corner of his eye, taken aback by a new emotion. It was one thing to lose friends or parents, but imagining the pain of burying a child had never occurred to him. He took a seat on the stone step as Shima scooped Toad Oil over his shoulders.

"Ma?"

"Yes, Naruto-boy?"

"Is that part of the reason…why you don't count fights or mistakes?" He wondered, "Not to…dwell on regrets?"

"My daughter is part of the reason." Shima sighed softly, "In life, it's so easy to complain and struggle…and move so quickly that we forget to treasure what is most important to us." She rubbed his arms thoroughly, "But Naruto, I swear…days like today were her favorite days. A good breeze…and the hibiscus that bloomed outside of the house this week, did you see them? She always planted those flowers to attract hummingbirds. I think of Hazumu on summer days and feel…a little bit better."

"Hm." He smiled a little.

"So if I tell you that it's a 'Hazumu day,' you will understand." Shima chuckled, "Pa will be surprised that you know what it means."

"It is a nice day…"

After that, Naruto set to work. Maybe he should have felt a shred of trepidation while resuming the collection of Natural Energy that had petrified him days ago, 'But today I think I know my limits better than ever!' He felt great. The valley was a blinking disco-ball of energy, movement, and creation. Chakra of creatures great and small, of all ages and dispositions…Naruto could feel them with a new sense that was far more acute than the feeling of touch his skin knew.

For most of the morning, he toured the valley with that sense, carefully extracting Natural Energy, letting it swirl with his own chakra reserves. 'I could do this anywhere now. Huh, I remember that guy I dreamed about. He was meditating in the stone field…I bet I could too. I wonder if Ma and Pa knew him?' Naruto noticed he had left his no-mind state and was actively thinking to himself. He was also feeling strangely peppy.

"Naruto-boy!" Shima shrieked, hopping up from her seat in the grass.

He opened his eyes and blinked at her, only just noticing a flock of sparrows that were gathered peacefully on his head and shoulders. Shima bounded up the steps toward him, laughing merrily. She clapped Naruto's arm, "You've done it! Look at you!"

"Look at what? Me-?" He was a bit confused. He wondered if there were streaks of bird crap all over him again.

"Child, you've achieved balance! I can see it from the marks on your face!" Shima crowed, bouncing, "You have mastered Senjutsu!"

Naruto held Shima's gaze for a long moment, digesting the announcement, and then his lips spread in a wide, foxy grin. He leaped to his feet with a small roar, "Yee-aaah! I'm in balance! I get Nature! I'm a Sage! I…!" He stopped cheering and swiped a hand across his lower back, "I've got shit on me." The sparrows had since scattered and flown away.

"That doesn't matter, Naruto-boy, quickly!" Shima took off in a hurry, "Come this way!"

He made haste after the female Toad Sage over the statues surrounding the Oil Pool yard, past a tangle of vegetation and mushrooms, over a grassy knoll and onto a plot of flattened dirt where stocks of enormous lumber were stacked high. Shima took a moment to gather Sage Chakra and then turned to Naruto.

"See if you can do this!" Shima encouraged, seizing the end of a timber beam fit to build Gamabunta's house with. The toad raised the tower of a log above her head, and with her Sage strength, flung the beam in what was the mightiest caber toss to ever fly over the valley's east end, spinning away in to the wild blue yonder.

Naruto was incredulous for all of a second before he spat on his hands and rubbed them together. He marched up to the next behemoth beam and got a hold of it, "You just want me to throw this, Ma?"

"You couldn't before with just your twiggy human arms! Now you can, Naruto-boy!"

With a small snarl, Naruto replicated Shima's throwing technique with a short running start, Sage Chakra curtailing his exertion as he lifted the giant beam, and Naruto heaved it up and away to goodness knew where. He shaded his eyes with a hand to watch it spin away. He was a little surprised.

"Here! Over here!" Shima led him along the knoll towards an older training area. Naruto kept up.

"Give Masaru-chan a gentle lift, we mustn't break him." Shima gestured towards a large toad statue ringed by flowers and toadstools, "Move him over there by that palm, Naruto-boy!"

As if he were a super-strengthened day laborer, Naruto handily complied and lifted the monstrously heavy statue, walking it over to replace it by Shima's specified tree. When he set it down she hooted in approval. Gleeful, Naruto rested his hands on his hips.

"Now, try to avoid me!" The old toad launched herself at him over the lawn, her furiously fast swipes aimed for his head and chest. She bounced and spun with Sage tenacity, and could level buildings with her fingers…but Shima was pleased that Naruto could duck and shimmy to evade her strikes, "Good, good!"

He dodged and weaved with a grin plastered to his face, "Ma! I can feel it coming— before you hit me! I know how to avoid you!"

"You should! A Sage can feel minute disturbances in chakra and air!" Shima kept attacking, "We can sense it!"

Their contactless scuffle lasted until Sage Mode wore off after a few minutes. Chuckling, the two sat on the incline of the grassy hill and caught their breath.

Shima patted Naruto's knee, "Well done, Naruto…phew! You are off to a perfect start."

"I'll say! I'm like a slippery otter when I feel hits coming! And where do you think that beam went?"

"It looks like you tossed it over the orchard. We'll have to go find it and bring it back." Shima advised, "Take a moment and then let's try again. See if you can enter Sage Mode safely. Then we can continue with lessons."

Naruto sat and relaxed. He was still dampened with oil from the pool, but he suspected that after sweating some of it off he could still successfully gather Natural Energy on his own. He had a very good feel for it. Within minutes, he had accumulated Sage Chakra again. Naruto turned to Shima beside him and then she accepted his high-five.

"I got it."

"I know." The toad chirped.

"I can totally do this. Anytime."

"I know you can, Naruto-boy!" Shima sprang to her feet, "I haven't been this proud in a long time."

"Me neither, actually." Naruto stood and stretched, "Now let's go clean up. I hope no one got hurt when we threw stuff…"

It took a while to find Naruto's timber beam, which had landed and flattened a diagonal segment of the citrus grove's rows. They returned that first to the storage yard before hiking deeper into the valley to find Shima's beam. It was stuck vertically into soft marsh soil, a straight and solitary turret against the backdrop of sky and mountains— artsy-looking. Shima and Naruto stared at it for a moment. Shima decided, "I think we should leave it like that."

"It looks pretty cool." Naruto agreed.

"Our builders won't notice one less plank…"

They ventured west again towards the valley's center, rinsed their muddied feet and hands at the lotus pond (Shima washed the bird poo off of Naruto's back), and then they accumulated more Natural Energy to show off. Shima felt it would be more entertaining to let Fukasaku and Jiraiya see the result of Naruto's training as opposed to merely hearing about it.

At the house, Jiraiya had opened a window to air out some smoke. Fukasaku had overcooked lunch. Some arguing was audible from the open window as the two bickered and tried to blame each other.

"Ero-sensei!" Naruto called for the man's attention outside, "Quit burning our food!"

Jiraiya glanced out of the window, scowling, "I didn't burn anything! Besides, I didn't ask to eat these bugs anyway…" His speech trailed off as he narrowed his eyes and observed Naruto. Shima was blithely standing beside him.

Jiraiya wondered in a shout, "Did you get a haircut?"

"My hair is, like, ridiculously long, Perv." He restrained a laugh, "Do I…look different?"

Jiraiya withdrew inside and Naruto overheard an alarmed 'holy fuck' spoken within the house. Fukasaku was wrangled to join Jiraiya when he rushed outside. Naruto and Shima rounded the corner to meet them at the porch, and then Jiraiya ambled forward to take Naruto's face in his hands. He was astounded. He gave Naruto a long, fierce look.

"Whoa, kid." Jiraiya said.

"I don't look all warty and toady, do I?" Naruto asked.

"…all you've got is a bit of Aposematism…red marks around the eyes." Jiraiya informed him, and then grew more excited, "Holy shit, kiddo!" He hugged Naruto's whole head. His student struggled uncomfortably in his arms. Shima and Fukasaku snickered in delight while standing on the porch.

Naruto wriggled out of the near-headlock and stood upright, his smile a bit more sedate, "You told me you wanted to be astonished."

"Yeah, well…that is the case. Color me astonished. You breaking my record time for achieving Sage Mode is freaking me out, Naruto." Jiraiya added, "In a good way."

"I worked my butt off…and almost became a statue." Naruto pointed out, "This wasn't easy."

"I told you it wouldn't be, didn't I?" The man chortled, ushering him back toward the house, "Is this your first successful attempt?"

"Third attempt."

"Damn." Jiraiya rubbed his chin, "You got the hang of it, alright. Before lunch time to boot…"

They sat down to eat soup and vegetables, since Fukasaku had accidentally overcooked the day's protein— grasshoppers. Naruto and Shima's Sage Chakra wore off before they tucked in to eat.

Over lunch, Naruto shared the experience with his elders and thanked Shima for keeping an eye on him. He also wondered about his vision of another student of Senjutsu.

"Yeah, he was in that stone-spike field in the valley. I saw him sitting on some slate and meditating there." Naruto recalled.

Fukasaku contemplated it, "Did you, Naruto-boy? Advanced students go there to train. What was this student's description? Ma and I ought to remember our share of disciples."

"He was a human and he had this sandy hair, and he was kind of pale…and…" Naruto frowned as he thought about it, "He had bumps on his head."

"You lost them at human." Jiraiya spoke sidelong to Naruto, "There have been very few human students in the Toad Valley before my time here."

"Well, only two human pupils that Pa and I personally knew during our lifetimes. And they passed away before we met Jiraiya-boy." Shima observed, "Are you sure of what you saw, Naruto?"

"Positive. He might've been a bit older than me, and I think he had, uh, horns." Naruto defended his statement, "But you have to know that at the time I had just finished marching with ants for forever. I don't know if I dreamed him up or if I met him."

"Met him?" Jiraiya picked out the word choice.

"Well, when I sneezed I think it startled him." Naruto recalled.

Fukasaku and Shima exchanged puzzled looks. They offered to fact check it with the Great Toad Elder and see if such a student existed in the past. Or if Naruto had been tripping major balls out in Nature and imagined the whole thing.

After lunch, Naruto and Jiraiya shot the shit for the rest of the day. He briefly had a contest of Taijutsu with Naruto while both in Sage Mode, and afterward Jiraiya took a breather on the green lawn. He complimented Naruto's reflexes, "Looks good, kid. We'll get you started on Frog Kumite soon. And some other nifty tricks…" He took a breath, "Just so you know…I don't plan on staying here much longer, now that you can use Sage Chakra."

"I was hopping you'd say that." Naruto sat cross-legged in the grass, "So…are we going home in a couple of days?"

"Oh hell no," Jiraiya shook his head, "We've got plenty more to do. I'm waiting on official correspondence from Gaara. He's putting together a small promotional Exam in Suna so you can make Chunin. What a friend! He told me that he'd send a confirmation of your registration to me."

"Gaara was already working on it?" Naruto was bewildered and also thankful.

"He was, although I don't have the full details on how complex it'll be. I'll send a message to Haku to encourage him to enter too…" Jiraiya sighed and leaned back, "But I get the feeling he may be in too deep where he is. I don't expect a nukenin to just let Haku go where he wants without a fuss these days. I've got to figure that pickle out before he ends up dead…"

Naruto presumed, "So we're going to Hidden Sand next?"

"We are. You and I will train and practice some concepts on the way. I'll give Obito the heads up about our travels so he can track the Akatsuki's movements relative to ours. Hopefully we'll be a bit early in Sand so we can catch up with Gaara." Jiraiya estimated, "We'll get moving in about a day or two."

That had him positively stoked. Naruto laid flat in the grass and grinned up at the sky.

"But after this nonsense, you know— your promotion and us annoying Gaara as much as possible…" Jiraiya went on, "I'm cutting the cord, kid. You're able to handle yourself now. I owe training time to Gaara and Haku, so naturally they are next on my list. Also, you've got a lot of people in Leaf who need you."

Naruto agreed that made sense, and after recuperating, the two continued testing the limits of their Sage Chakra and strength without using Ninjutsu. Well. They still tossed their respective Rasengans at each other to satisfy their curiosity, and were later chastised by Fukasaku for gouging holes in his pristine lawn. They were told to vacate to a non-residential area until it was dinner time. Naruto got the idea to show Jiraiya Shima's impromptu art installation in the mud of the eastern marsh.

Later, with their stomachs growling, they were back promptly at sunset. The evening meal was an open potluck of dishes with toads of all ages and sizes in attendance. Gamabunta, Gamaken, and toads of their prodigious stature stayed near the edge of the property as the dinner took on the spirit of a celebration in Naruto's honor. Word got around quickly that he was the valley's newest Sage.

Naruto tried to downplay the praise and congratulations, embarrassed that though he'd accomplished the feat, he also nearly lost his life days before. It seemed that not all toads were aware of that.

He ate too much stew. Full of food, Naruto lazed about as lanterns were lit, stars spilled across the dark canvas of night sky, and toads shifted conversation between him and Jiraiya. Kinji eventually found Naruto and set a large jug of sake between them.

Kinji proposed a toast to Naruto and his success, and every of-age guest happily drank in his honor. It was then that Naruto noticed an abundance of alcohol had proliferated around the potluck. He poked Kinji's stomach in annoyance, "Who brought all of the booze?"

"The Chief Toad is very generous when he wants to party. Check out Gamakichi down there…" Kinji pointed out Gamakichi, now grown considerably large, had rolled on top of some smaller toad guests and fallen asleep, "He overdid it. Amateur."

"Yeesh…"

"Here." Kinji held out a sake cup to Naruto, "Let's celebrate, Blondie."

"I don't—"

"You don't drink because you haven't yet." Kinji sniffed, "You've got a stomach full of food anyways. Take it slow and you'll get yourself a nice buzz. Go too fast and you'll puke up dinner. It's simple science."

Naruto sipped it, "This tastes like…a household cleaner."

"This is the good stuff. I only let my Ma and Pa try this wine out. You, my friend, can consider yourself privileged." Kinji wrapped an arm around Naruto as they sat and sipped, "Kanpai, you handsome dandelion!"

So Kinji educated him for the evening, beckoned over some toads of his size to teach Naruto drinking games and songs, and generally coached the young man not to rush the sake. By the time Kinji was blatantly ossified, Naruto was only mildly affected.

"Hey…I'm sorry I was such a stuck-up ass." Kinji hiccupped, "Mostly to my parents. I've been pretty nice to you by comparison." He was leaned against Naruto who was rosy-cheeked and swaying where he sat. He was still at a high-functioning conversational capacity.

"Just spend more time with them. They'll be cool about it." Naruto recommended. He was eating chips even though he could hardly fit any more food in his gut.

Kinji pulled his jacket over his head as if to hide, "How are they going to take me seriously…like this? If I say anything to them?"

"I don't think they care how drunk you are as long as you mean what you say." Naruto opined, steering Kinji by his shoulders, "Ma and Pa are over there! Go talk to them."

Kinji waddled away to go apologize to his parents near a small bonfire.

Naruto also stood, bidding his drinking companions adieu, and then made his way toward Jiraiya who was ostensibly hammered. The man was reclined in the grass.

"Ero-sensei." He said and then he collapsed beside Jiraiya.

"See what happens when you accomplish something, Naruto? It's always an excuse to party." Jiraiya spoke without opening his eyes, keeping his hands folded on his chest, "Imagine how nuts it'll be when you're sworn in as Hokage. I can just see the drunken anarchy in Konoha now…"

Naruto pointed out, "That doesn't sound safe."

"Nothing in my imagination is safe."

Naruto burped.

"Oooh, good one." Jiraiya complimented him.

"I wonder if Mom and Dad would have celebrated like this with us, or if they were too genteel to get messed up?" Naruto stretched out and wondered.

"Oh, they'd get messed up." Jiraiya assured him, "Especially if it was you who achieved something."

"Really?" Naruto raised his eyebrows.

"You never got to know them like I did, kid. Believe me…the two of them would be drunkenly crooning karaoke tunes as soon as Fukasaku got the bright idea to play music. That was like their bread and butter during their down-time." Jiraiya recalled, "Man, if you could've heard Minato's singing voice…huh. Maybe you've got a good set of pipes too?"

Amused, Naruto laughed at the notion and then asked after a pause, "Ero-sensei…did they have any relatives? Could I-? Am I overlooking extended family I might still have?"

"There's a thought." Jiraiya tried to sit up to sip sake, but dribbled it over his tunic, "I know that all of Kushina's family is long gone. Hm…but Minato's parents lasted longer. His dad died late in the war…and his mom died in a group home in the Tea Country about fifteen years ago."

Naruto sat up, alarmed, "Only fifteen years? I could've known her!"

"First of all," Jiraiya held up a finger, "That poor woman suffered greatly. She never would have known who you were. Minato took care of his mother for as long as he could, but she had dementia that hit her young and fast. She was combative and hostile, Naruto, and stress ate Minato alive when it got to be too much. She didn't know him as a teen. In her mind he was just a stranger. He hardly ever caught her on a lucid day." Jiraiya took another sip of wine, "Your dad's life wasn't easy. His little sister died when she was just a toddler. Minato had to rebuild his happiness when his family fell apart. Kushina helped with that."

Naruto was rightly shocked to hear that bit of history.

"Sorry, kid. That's not an easy subject to bring up." Jiraiya apologized.

"No, it's okay. It helps to know about it." He shook his head, "I'd never want to…lose my family. Not when I get to have one."

"Huh, this reminds me of a conversation I had recently…" Jiraiya yawned, "You don't ever truly lose someone, Naruto. You know that. You've seen life go on and on, you told me so."

"…I know." Naruto leaned back on his arms, "But I can't help but be selfish. I just want to keep them by my side for as long as I can…"

"With the way you are now…I bet you can do that." Jiraiya fell back with a puff to relax.

A moment later, Kinji toddled over and clambered dizzily into Naruto's lap, "Yo…my Ma and Pa are cool with me—! Blondie, they said I wasn't that much of an ass…"

"See?" Naruto patted Kinji's head.

"You're the best, man. Like Minato. He was a bro. Here!" Kinji raised his empty cup, "Fill me up! I want to toast to the Blondie Sage again."

---

The next afternoon, harsh summer sunlight beat down on Shincha's mountaintop in the Land of Stone. A small courier toad from Mount Myoboku passed along a scroll to Sesshu when they met in town, and then hopped off to find a cool place to rest. The golden dog carried the correspondence in his mouth while bounding up the forest trail to his home.

As Sesshu crested the steep, wooded slope at the far end of the front yard, he watched Rin and Yuma set out with totes, towels, and bathing suits on the far end of the property. His bark for their attention was muffled by his full mouth. Sesshu hurried over the lawn, up the porch steps, and then bumped his head against Obito's leg to get the man's attention. He was shutting the door when he glanced down at the dog, "Oh, hey boy! I thought you said you weren't going to come swimming with us at the pond."

Sesshu nudged the scroll into the man's hand and then spoke, "I'm not. I told you some friends and I like to lay in the shade beside the ice cream shop on hot days like this."

"Right…waiting for kids to drop their ice cream." Obito discerned.

"Their loss is my gain."

"Which friends?" The man wondered as he unwound the scroll.

"Two friendly cats." The dog reported.

"You don't say? I didn't take you for a cat sympathizer." Obito frowned as he began to read the message, "This is from Jiraiya-sama, right?"

"Yes, a toad brought it into town."

"It's been a while…" Obito sat down on a step and set his tote bag aside, "Go ahead to the ice cream shop, Sesshu. Don't make yourself sick on treats."

The dog enthusiastically tore away and down the hill again. Obito read the message:

Hello! Forgive me for not addressing you by name, correspondent, I just can't be too careful about where these messages go or who might intercept them.

This is an official warning. My charming, blonde pupil and I will be leaving The Valley soon. We're headed to a dry place. My pupil has completed core training in Senjutsu. Please be vigilant for any increased activity within the Akatsuki, and keep me informed. Also, I am not sure if you've heard this rumor yet or gleaned it from your dabbling with criminals…but I've heard it said that Hidden Mist may be an Akatsuki-controlled state. My hunch is that other villages may also be under this type of veiled influence, or to a lesser degree be infiltrated by Akatsuki's agents for info extraction.

In the near future, we should investigate these allegations. If it's true, we're going to have some extra work to do. May as well get these well-trained youngsters to pull some of the weight with us! Send a reply with little Izumaru, he's a yellow-and-green 'fella. I told him to stay in town.

Keep your eyes open. Take care.

A coffin-dodger

Obito carded his fingers over his head through recently shorn, summer-short hair. He exhaled and then smiled to himself, "Wow."

Minato's teenaged, hyperactive doppelgänger who had played with Yuma for a whole day in the Apple Village was now a Sage. Whenever life started to seem ordinary and predictable as he frittered time away, Obito had a shock of the unprecedented that opened his eyes again.

He tucked the scroll into his tote of snacks and towels, then pushed off of the porch. Obito chuckled quietly as he crossed the west side of the property to reach the wooded mountain trail, 'I am some slacker! I can copy jutsu and rely on stealth to get by, but I've never endeavored to train that hard…maybe at no point in my life. Senjutsu training is supposed to take years!' He hiked the bag's strap up on his shoulder, 'Minato-sensei, your child is really something else. Like mine will be too…'

Obito figured he could write an affirmative reply to Jiraiya after a swim in the chilled, stream-fed pond with his family. While he never delighted in keeping closer tabs on the Akatsuki, Obito had a feeling that Rin would agree with his motivations for increased surveillance. Moreover, Jiraiya's tips about the Akatsuki were distressing. He stepped carefully over forest debris to prevent pine twigs from catching in his sandals. Rin and Yuma had gotten far ahead, but he could hear their excited chattering echo from around the bend. He also heard a stray snap of a tree branch come from behind him.

On alert, Obito turned his face towards the sound. He immediately knew that it was no passing deer, traveler, or other such explanation.

It was the visitor. The same one from the stormy night that had kept watch and left footprints in the mud, scaring the daylights out of Obito. Though he could not catch a glimpse of the hidden observer, or a trace of suppressed chakra, Obito stood still and silent in order to acknowledge the contact. This was the fourth time the visitor had returned to the mountaintop, unseen.

'I'm pretty sure it's an adult man. Those tracks didn't come from a kunoichi or trainee. He's been gone for a few weeks…his surveys of Shincha are always spaced out. Like he's been busy elsewhere.' Obito rubbed his nose with his thumb, his eyes shifting from side to side, 'Yeah, it's been a while. Never does a damn thing except watch us…I can't figure it out. If we were being reported on, wouldn't we have experienced some kind of conflict by this point? What kind of scout watches a target and then doesn't act on what they see?'

He had a single holster of kunai clipped to his waistband— meager defense provisions, Obito noted. If today was the day a fight broke out, Obito imagined that he would make liberal use of his Sharingan in self-defense. A hand hovered over his kunai holster for a few seconds before he thought better of it. Obito sighed and straightened, trying to understand. He could feel a set of eyes watching him. He felt the lurker scanning his scarred face and features: his right-sided prosthetic limbs in plain view while he was dressed in a sleeveless top and swim trunks; spots of sunscreen on his skin that he hadn't rubbed in well enough.

'For a while I felt so sure that this could be an enemy keeping watch…' Obito thought to himself, slowly resuming his trek through the forest, 'But now I have no idea.' He kept his ears pricked for any suspicious sounds or activity behind him. 'I don't want him watching us while we go for a swim… I'll feel even more vulnerable. I don't want to freak Rin out either…'

Obito then realized that the visitor only seemed to show up when Sesshu was not around. The ninken would easily detect an outsider's scent. 'Huh. So he's being thoughtful about these visits. I wonder how he knows when Sesshu is distracted?' Obito gradually began to relax, taking two slow steps backward, 'So just who are you, mysterious visitor? Why don't you attack me? Why do you watch my family like some peeping lowlife? You've got to have a reason…'

He felt confident enough to turn his back to the property and continue down the forest trail. As Obito expected, no ambush or anything of the sort occurred. There was only the sound of trilling cicadas in the trees. Further down the path, Obito stopped with an idea. He riffled around his tote bag and drew out a boxed lunch. 'If you're a spy, you're a bad one. I've detected your presence plenty of times, and no one has come to my home yet to harm me or my family.' Obito thought, 'I should tell Jiraiya-sama about this weird scenario…and while I'm at it…maybe I'll treat you like a creeping stray cat.'

Obito raised the meal briefly above his head to make it visible, and then set it down on a tree stump. The action advertised: Whoever you are, eat this and don't cause trouble.

After that, Obito proceeded ahead to the pond. He and his family had an uproarious afternoon of swimming, games, and an attempt at teaching Yuma to walk on water with chakra control (which didn't work out this time). Then they napped and swam again, re-applying sunscreen after every dip. Yuma caught a wild turtle and presented it to his parents, asking if they could feed it their extra cucumbers.

Later, Rin walked hand-in-hand with her husband on the way home as they scaled the forest trail. He stopped for a moment to stare at a tree stump.

She peered at him over her sunglasses, "Is something the matter, Obito?"

"No, no…" With a reassuring smile, he tugged gently on her hand to keep moving. Yuma ran ahead of them with his beach towel tied around his shoulders, streaming behind him as if it were a cape.

The boxed meal on the stump was long gone.

---

The day that followed was sweltering. Summer heat drove citizens of the Leaf Village into air conditioned spaces, crammed into shady shelters, and sent them flocking to the nearest cool sources of water to dip in.

Lee was still comfortable enough to jog uptown in his Wushu attire.

His grandfather had wrapped up training early so he could relax indoors and chill his feet in a bucket of ice water. Before he sent his pupils away, Wong Leung asked Neji if he had made a decision between his two terrible options.

For a change, Neji tried replying in beginner Hanwen, No, I have not made a decision. With a bit of language coaching and help from Lee, he added, I did not realize my family was looking out for me. They helped me.

As family should. Wong Leung gruffed, smiling a little. The old man waved before strolling up the walkway to his house.

After that, Neji excused himself, "I was told to go to the Jounin Standby Station to retrieve something."

Lee tugged on the collar of his cheongsam top, uncomfortably sweaty, "Oh? But you will be joining Tenten and I—?"

"I won't be long. I'll meet you both at the shop."

And from there they split up: Neji to complete some odd task, and Lee trotted to the nearest convenience store to buy heaps of packaged ice treats and watermelon bars. He would have changed clothes at home, but his jumpsuit and Chunin vest would have been far less comfortable in the heat. With his bag of cold snacks in hand, he stuck to shaded alleys and streets on his way to the Pailü Weapon Shop.

Lee gave a soft Phew! of relief when he dashed into the store and shut the jingling door behind him. The air conditioning had been on for a long while, and Tenten had set up an oscillating fan to blow cool air into the back room. Lee found her there seated on a stool, leaned over the work table as she tapped an etching design into sword steel with a thin chisel. She glanced over her shoulder at him, half of her face shielded by protective goggles.

"Don't knock that acid over." She gestured to a container on the counter, "What'd you bring, Lee?"

She chirped happily when he handed her a melon bar. Tenten took a break from etching to enjoy the treat.

Between licks of an ice pop Lee explained, "Neji told me he would join us soon. He had to pick something up from the…Jounin Standby Station." Even as he said it, he was perplexed by the errand. They would be briefed for a mission within an hour, and so Lee was unsure what his friend needed to accomplish in so little time.

"Huh. It's not like Gai-sensei was asking for him?"

"If that were the case, I imagine that he would have mentioned it."

"You guys won't have time to clean up or change before we report to Hokage-sama." Tenten observed, "But maybe Hanfu is better. Shorter sleeves."

"Yes, that helped for yesterday's mission."

"Yeah, I thought yesterday was hot. Psh!"

"Tenten," Lee finished chewing a chunk of melon ice, "Have you settled in at the estate yet?"

"Not quite yet…" She admitted, "My room is pretty shabby and they're still trying to fix it. Kayato said it'll get pretty hot in there until summer is over…" Tenten sighed, "I am staying in my flat for now. I'm going to miss my place. Every time I stop at the Hyuga house I find a new way to make a fool of myself."

"Surely you do not." Lee disagreed. He was starting on a second ice pop.

"Yeah, I really do. Take this morning's visit, for example," Tenten recounted, "While you two were training with Grandpa, I brought a box of stuff over. Kayato was taking measurements for room shelving and then the…children," She elaborated, "From the Branch— pounced on me. They're inquisitive and they spot me as soon as I show up. They keep looking through my things and asking me questions."

"Adorable!"

"Persistent is more like it. And I have to be nice to kids that young, because I don't want to come off as a snob or unapproachable." She gestured with her melon bar, "You know? So I entertained them and their grubby little kid hands all over my possessions; then Kayato tells me that I should take measurements for my shop's signage and give it to Hideyasu." Tenten's face lit up, "He's going to update my shop's sign with the Hyuga sigil."

Lee was equally as enthused and wooping, "Is that good for business?"

"I'm pretty sure that is great for business. Respected names attract consumer confidence!"

"None of that is so bad." Lee pointed out.

"Hold on— so then, of course, I was excited. I took off down the hall and I guess I just forgot that you and Neji were training? It was kind of a brain fart. I thought I saw Neji on the porch and I wanted to talk about the signage and how I couldn't wait to update it—" Tenten hung her head in shame, "And I grabbed someone who was not Neji."

"Ah." There was a beat in which Tenten wallowed in her shame and Lee said what she was thinking, "…they do not all look the same."

"Lee! I know that." She reached into the bag for another watermelon bar, "But I swear, Tokuma is like a slightly older carbon-copy of Neji that chopped his hair off. I was mortified."

When Lee laughed she grew more frustrated.

"Laugh if you want, but it wasn't funny when I got stuck in a conversation with a surprisingly nice Branch Member. I tried faking that I actually meant to talk to him…but I think he knew it was a mix up." She waved her ice pop threateningly at Lee, "Not a word of this gets back to Neji, got it?"

"Not a word."

"I've got to pull myself together. Memorize everything. Differentiate people. Tolerate children." Tenten listed between licks.

Lee was nodding, "It will be challenging for you."

She gave him a flat look.

"Challenges are good things!" He insisted.

"Hmf. Guess I should've known what I was getting myself into." She chomped on the last of her watermelon bar, "Nothing outrageous has happened yet. My, uh, parents—" She continued when Lee understood who she was referring to, "And Neji said that clan elders might try to…mess with me."

"Just as they did to Neji." Lee grimaced.

"Right. We're still playing ball. We need to stay on our toes…" Tenten tossed snack refuse into a trash bin and pulled her eye visor down again, "I keep thinking if they do something, and I don't have the chance to ask anyone in the Main Family about how to respond…I…I just don't want to mess up."

Lee was nodding as he tossed his garbage away as well. She warned him again not to knock over the container of etching acid.

"Nah, I can do this. I can make the most of this." Tenten puffed her cheeks, "I mean, I never thought Neji would've given me the time of day a few years ago. I'd squared myself with that. Now here we are."

Lee took a seat on the stool on the opposite side of the work table and assured his friend, "Tenten…even then he would have. You have always been important to Neji."

Her tap, tap, tapping on steel slowed as Lee added in reassuring Hanwen, His worst days were the days without you. I learned a lot about Neji. And I also learned to be a better friend.

She grinned and kept etching the inscription, Lee, you're more than a friend. You're like family.

I think so too about you and Neji. Even Grandpa feels that way, I can tell.

While they pitched sentimental compliments at each other in their mother tongue, the shop's chime sounded. A moment later, Neji arrived in the work room and immediately fetched himself a watermelon bar from the bag Lee had brought. He didn't say anything while he cooled himself by the fan and unwrapped the treat.

Tenten eyed Neji's high ponytail, "Oof, it must be bad out there."

"Oppressive is the word for it." He grunted, nipping at the ice pop, "And I imagine the Hokage will assign us an outdoor mission."

Lee was keeping the faith, "Tsunade-sama wouldn't—"

"Her most senior ninja will get favorable, more comfortable missions in these temperatures." Neji presumed, "We must still earn our keep."

Tenten sighed in dismay as she leaned over and rotated her chisel carefully to create the decorative curve of a magatama on the blade. She spoke over her shoulder to her boyfriend, "What were you doing at the standby station, Neji?"

"Tenzo was there. He had something to give me." Neji explained, setting a scroll down on the counter. Tenten and Lee barked at him not to knock the acid over. He did not.

"What did he give you?" Lee wondered.

After a lick Neji elaborated, "A Jounin recommendation letter."

Tenten nearly tapped in error during her work but stopped herself. Lee balked from across the table. They snapped their heads around to look at Neji. Their Chunin promotions were still so fresh in their minds that it was difficult reconciling further advancement on Neji's part.

"That's a…bit sudden isn't it?" Tenten asked as she lifted her protective eyewear, "I mean, I know Tenzo has kept an eye on you for a while…"

Neji shrugged with one shoulder, "Not that sudden. Hideyasu-san and my uncle have also given me letters. A few weeks ago."

Lee's nasal, wooooooot shout of shock was his reply to the news and Tenten leapt off of her stool, ripping her visor off.

"Three?" She sniffed, "You were moping at home not two days ago, but you received three recommendations in the meantime?"

"I didn't ask for them." Neji reminded her, "When I submit them to the Hokage, it is at her discretion whether or not I may take an evaluation. They are administered by other Jounin. If no one is available to host a test, then I will be admitted to a waitlist with other potentials."

Lee wanted to know if Gai-sensei was aware.

Tenten wanted to know if Neji would leave the team if promoted.

"Gai is aware. No Jounin is required to dissociate from his or her team unless the Hokage mandates it." He tried calming their fussing, "Mission assignments are adjusted by aggregate team skill levels. And…" Neji smiled a little before finishing off his treat, "You have my word I would never leave our team willingly."

They exhaled and relaxed slightly.

"Huh. I bet Tsunade-sama would have a veteran Jounin evaluate you, to knock some sense into you." Tenten put away the near-finished sword steel and pulled her work gloves off, "You may not get promoted on your first try, Neji. Do they let you retake evaluations?"

"I imagine so, but I do not know how frequently."

"I have faith Neji would pass, no matter his evaluator!" Lee gave his vote of confidence.

After that they cleaned up the space, shut the fans and lights off, and set out for the Administrative Building for a mission briefing. Gai would be on another assignment and could not join them. There was one last ice pop in the bag, and so Lee gave it to a passing child on the street who thanked him merrily. On the way, Tenten tried to walk within the lanky shadows cast behind Neji and Lee, savoring any scrap of relief from the heatwave.

It was near the memorial fountain, where some villagers were assembled and dipping—prohibiting sign be damned, that a voice called out to the team and they stopped. Fujita tottered up to them and caught his breath, swiping his arm along his slick forehead.

"Neji-sama, Tenten-neesan, forgive me," He rested his hands on his hips and keened forward tiredly, "And Lee-kun, hello…"

"Good to see you, Fujita-kun!" Lee's greeting was sunny, but his teammates were a tad quailed by the visit.

"I came to tell you that our Great Elder has asked Tenten-neesan to come back to the estate immediately." Fujita reported, "He said that he sent an excused absence ahead for your mission to Tsunade-sama, and that I can act as a substitute for your team."

"No." Neji said rigidly, "That's completely unnecessary."

"Great Grandfather said there was an urgent matter Onee-san must attend to at the house." Fujita passed along the message contritely, "I am sorry, Neji-sama, he only just told me. He did not explain what official clan business it was."

The look on Tenten's face expressed that she was fortifying herself to get whatever the aggravation was over with and not screw up. She had been expecting a stunt like this, after all. Surely Hyuga clan elders had concocted some kind of response to Hideyasu and Kayato's adoption of her. Neji, on the other hand, bristled when he noticed the resigned air about Tenten. When she moved to leave, he snatched her wrist and insisted, "You do not have to agree to anything. Don't engage their schemes or paralogizing."

"I know, Neji, I know." She patted his arm, "Take it easy. I'm not going to let them intimidate me into anything."

Lee looked on worriedly as Fujita wrung his hands.

"Speak your mind without fear, Tenten." Neji gradually let go of her, his glower softening on her, "We'll finish this mission quickly. Don't—"

"I got it, whoa. Take a breath." Tenten smiled, "Neji…go ahead and I'll see you in a day or so. I can handle it."

Fujita gave her an apologetic squeeze of a hug, "I'm sorry, Onee-san…"

"Stop, Fujita. It's fine. Just keep up with these bellyachers." She reassured the boy, "I feel sorry for you three. Working in this heat…"

With a small wave, Tenten turned about to cross town back to the Hyuga compound. She could feel their worried stares at her back.

The most rational course of action, she figured, would be to locate her adoptive parents and ask for coaching before trying to humor a clan elder. 'What a day to pick, though…I'm soaked with perspiration and covered in steel shavings. That'll definitely impress…'

When she arrived at the compound, much damper than she would have liked, Tenten peeled off her sandals and trudged into the Main House. It was marginally cooler indoors. She hung a right down the corridor and nearly crashed into Natsu, Hanabi's once-upon-a-time babysitter, "Ah, Tenten. Kayato-sama was asking for you."

Tenten unstuck a sweaty strand of hair from her face, "Oh? Yes, I heard that…I was needed for something."

"Hmm." Natsu gave her the up-and-down, "Why don't you go to Kayato-sama's studio and I'll drop by with a cold cloth?"

"I'll owe you one, thanks!" She kept moving.

At the corridor's end, Tenten wrapped on the doorframe before poking her face into the room, "Kayato—?"

The woman pulled her into the room by her shirt and Tenten gave a small yelp. Kayato positioned her in front a fan blowing full-force, "Thank goodness you're a bit early, dear! I sent Fujita running to find you. I'll have some time to dry this sweat off of you…"

"Uh…" She craned her neck to watch her adoptive mother frantically collect things around the studio, "Am I in trouble or something-?"

"Oh, no! You're in demand. Not that being in demand is any easier, just ask Hinata-sama." Kayato gruffed, "Great Elder Haburo is entertaining Taketori guests today. He doesn't want to just talk about the newest member of the Hyuga clan. He wishes to introduce you to them."

Tenten unbuttoned her shirt and slid it from her shoulders, turning to catch the fan's breeze all over her skin. She nodded, "Right, the Taketori clan. Neji told me about them. They're important to the Hyuga clan."

"Very important."

"So I guess I'll have to look nice before I say hello?"

"You do, but I'll be damned before I put you in full kimono. You'll melt in front of them." Kayato drew out a cream and marigold yukata with bird designs on it, "Here, this is a very nice piece and you'll a bit more comfortable in it…"

Natsu stopped in with a bowl of cold water and a cloth, amused as Kayato moved to undress Tenten despite her mild protests. She asked if they needed any assistance.

"No, Natsu-chan, thank you." Kayato shooed her off and the door shut behind her.

Tenten patted her face and neck with a cold towel, "How much time before this introduction?"

"About fifteen minutes." Kayato took the capri pants Tenten kicked off and folded them.

They sighed in unison and then Kayato laughed to herself.

"Hm, hm! Someone knows how it feels now." The woman chuckled, "This is just the start of the train of inconveniences, Tenten."

"Oh, so it's a train? Does it ever pull into station?" She joked and set the cloth aside, pulling on the robe as Kayato held it out to her.

"Not that I know of, but at least we're all on it together." Kayato smiled at set to work, expertly tugging and adjusting, "That's what Hide-chan says."

"Speaking of—" Tenten referred to Hideyasu as well, "Is he here? Are you both introducing me?"

"I can't, dear. I have an appointment in about a half hour. Though I would be delighted to praise you in front of Taketori guests. You'll just have to rely on my husband." She added, "And he may not be quite so inclined to make lighthearted wisecracks with his grandfather in attendance. Great Elder Haburo could make this meeting…stressful."

"Well if all I have to do is make a good impression and not anger our Elder…" Tenten was optimistic, raising her sleeves up as Kayato fitted an obi around her, "No problem."

"That's the spirit. To tell the truth, Hide-chan told me earlier this meeting will help Haburo-sama get to know you better. He hardly knows a thing about you. Certainly he knows nothing about your team or your bond with Neji…" Kayato pulled the extra length of the obi 'round itself in a knot, "I hope he cares enough to learn more. You are one of us now."

Tenten's eyebrows scrunched, "I don't know if someone like him will ever believe I belong."

Kayato finished her work and patted her new daughter's cheek, "Then I pity his loss in these late years of his life, ignoring those who deserve to be treasured." The woman gave her a sniff, "Good, you can pass without a bath."

She exhaled in relief, peeking at herself in a mirror. Tenten estimated her appearance bordered on pretty; her face plain and braids minimally frizzy from the heat. Decent-looking enough to meet people and get a favorable reaction at the most superficial level.

"Let's have a quick primer on Taketori relations, with these few minutes we have left…" Kayato fished a spare pair of earrings from a jewelry box, "Hide-chan mentioned that Magan-sama, the leader of the Taketori clan, may be joining Great Elder for lunch today. Usually he brings his wife, sister, two retainers, and the occasional dignitary-in-training of his clan for sit-ins. They are all very nice. They maneuver conversations with poise considering how brash our Elders' comments can be."

"So…be respectful, be myself?" Tenten wagered as she hooked the earrings on.

"Oh yes. But because Great Elder Haburo will be there with you and Hideyasu…you may need to censor yourself a little. Not to speak out of turn, for example. Dignified ladies suit Great Elder's tastes…he's no fan of working women or outsiders to begin with." Kayato explained, "Some role-playing of the delicate lady may help you garner favor with Haburo-sama."

"Wow. That may actually be beyond my capabilities." Tenten admitted, aghast.

"I'd give it a whirl if I were you." Kayato laughed, "They've already sat down to eat, I expect. This will be a brief post-lunch meeting. You only need to keep it up for a short while."

"Alright." Tenten took a breath.

"I'll walk you to the tea room. Hide-chan should be there waiting for us." Kayato ushered her along and kept pace beside her, "You do look wonderful, dear. It's a shame Neji-sama can't be in attendance."

Tenten quirked her mouth in a half-smile as she imagined it, "It's for the best. He had a small fit before I came here. I don't know if he'd make it through an introduction without biting someone's head off." She sighed, "I'd prefer a mission even outside in the heat, honestly."

"I know you would."

Hideyasu met them near the tea room and pecked Kayato's mouth anxiously in greeting. He'd swapped his typical gi for a more formal tunic. He turned to Tenten with a lopsided smile, "There may be a slight problem."

Tenten and Kayato's faces dropped simultaneously.

He kept his voice low, "The good news is that Grandfather's guests will be ready to leave soon…but the bad news is that I don't think this is an introduction."

"Of course it is." Kayato hissed, "Tenten hasn't met any of our clan's allies yet."

"Well, you're right about that," Hideyasu huddled in like a sports coach, "But I took a peek in there and Magan-sama brought his son Kitano with him."

While Kayato frowned in understanding Tenten glanced between the two adults in confusion, "What's wrong with that?"

"I can't put my finger on the matter quite yet…but I suspect Grandfather may have asked Kitano to join us while he's still eligible." The man rubbed the edge of his nose as he thought.

"Eligible? That boy just had a meeting with Hinata-sama a few months ago!" Kayato whispered, "Haburo-sama can't just pawn a child of ours off when previous arrangements were made, right?"

Hideyasu gave Tenten a sidelong look and noted her mild but escalating distress, "I…think Grandfather may overwrite previous arrangements if he's determined to do so. Or he may send Tenten as a ward to the Taketori."

"He can't send her as a ward, she's an active Leaf ninja, and," Kayato snipped pointedly, "She just joined us. She won't leave us."

"I don't know what Grandfather will do, but unless we go in there and join him we won't find out." He patted his wife's arm and added to Tenten, "Young lady, don't worry about thing. Just be as polite and unmarriageable as possible. My Grandfather won't send my daughter away, I will see to that."

Slightly reassured, Kayato wished them luck and then departed for her studio as Hideyasu led the way to the tea room, sliding the door aside to let Tenten enter first. Her ears were ringing from her elevated blood pressure. Once the door was shut behind them, Elder Haburo announced them to Magan and Kitano, and Tenten took the cue to bow, 'I have no idea how to worm my way out of this one.'

Hideyasu thanked his grandfather and when he and Tenten joined the table, he added, "Magan-sama! It's been a while since I've seen you. I hope you and your family have been well."

"Exceptionally well. I see you are the proud father of a daughter now." Magan had a squared face and warm eyes, regarding Tenten curiously, "Your name is Tenten, Haburo-sama told us. I am Taketori Magan, and this is my son, Kitano."

"Yes, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Tenten bowed her head in what she imagined was a demure manner. She stole a glance of Haburo at the head of the table. The old man made no effort to greet her or Hideyasu. His stare was trained on Magan.

Kitano, who was polite in most other situations, had shifting facial expressions. It took him a moment before he acknowledged Tenten, "It is good to meet you too, my lady. It's a bit short notice to have this meeting just before our departure."

"I would gladly have stopped by sooner if—" Tenten trailed off when Hideyasu discreetly poked her arm, warding off the subject.

"Tell me, did you attain Chunin rank as well at the most recent Exam? I heard that Neji-sama and Hinata-sama were promoted." Magan made a bid for cordial topics.

Before Tenten parted her lips to recount her participation, Elder Haburo answered for her.

"She too was promoted, for her exemplary matches that were fought prior to her withdrawal from the Semi-Final match." Haburo explained, "Unlike Hinata-sama, who explicitly ignored her father's and my warning not to participate in the Final Round. It could have cost her life."

"But Hinata-sama prevailed, didn't she?" Kitano recalled.

"She disobeyed." The old man snipped.

"I heard that she was seen using—" Magan was watching Hideyasu's face as his eye twitched again in warning to not bring up any mention or elements of Hinata's success. It was not a favorite subject of Haburo's. Magan switched gears and told Tenten, "Well congratulations, my lady. Haburo-sama's praise speaks for your prowess."

"You both would have enjoyed watching Exam matches that day, had you not been away on business." Hideyasu assured them as he tested a tea pot and was disappointed to find it empty, "While we're on the subject, have there been any interesting developments?"

The arch of Haburo's eyebrow indicated that he wanted the scoop as well.

"We've increased security at the Moon Pool after we found a child from Tanzaku Quarter wandering there." Magan indulged them with news, "I still can't understand how a young boy wandered through our grounds and into the cove past the attention of our posted guard…however that watchman has been dismissed and reassigned elsewhere."

Haburo's tone was clipped, "Good."

Tenten canted her head curiously toward Hideyasu, "What's the Moon Pool?"

He smiled at her, "It is an ancient, sacred place to the Hyuga clan and we visit it from time to time. The Taketori, as our retainers, house that location on their property and guard it as part of an agreement between our clans."

Kitano spoke up on the subject, "Though it is not recommended anyone visit without supervision. It is used for certain rites…but the connecting tunnel can be dangerous."

The men at the table cleared their throats to discourage that subject and Tenten pursed her lips. She pointedly chose not to be irked by being denied certain information at this early stage. She supposed Neji could fill her in sometime on why this 'Moon Pool' or portal was important and/or dangerous.

"Magan," Haburo was on the prowl for other details, "It is my understanding, based on discussion a recent Village Council meeting, that you held an audience with representatives of the Aburame clan. The nature of such a meeting was not disclosed to me."

"It was an environmental conference last month, my lord. The Lady of the Aburame clan respectfully requested a survey of the south end of Taketori property. Some native insects that inhabit those grounds are of interest to them, and my elders and I agreed we would be willing to authorize them entry to preserve wildlife there." The Taketori clan head elaborated, "It was a small, inconsequential contract that does not affect our relations with the Hyuga clan. I did not think it was necessary to follow up with Hiashi."

Haburo was icy, "Did any transaction take place?"

"No, my lord. Signatures only, no collateral."

"How foolish."

"Great Elder…" Hideyasu gently reproved his grandfather's sour mood.

"Very well then. Throw in your lot with Shibi and his wife who can only see the forest for its many trees— that google-eyed woman." Haburo growled.

Tenten sat still and silent, wondering if a bit of Haburo's elderly discontent was excused by senility, or if he just didn't care about who he belittled. Also, she never imagined someone would speak so coarsely about Shino's parents.

"Great Elder…" Magan elected to be understanding, "We would never seek to trade our standing with the Hyuga clan for the favor of any other clan in Konohagakure. Surely you know that? Today we have discussed many things, such as the Taketori's outreach to the Tide Village's council and merchandising shipments to Hidden Sand. If we are only discussing such trivial matters as these, please tell me why Kitano was requested to attend this meeting instead of attending to previous engagements he had arranged?"

"Yes, I am curious as well." Hideyasu jumped at the chance, "Tenten was also called away from a mission this afternoon."

Kitano perked up again and blinked at the young woman sitting ramrod straight at the table, "Really? You had an assignment?"

"Yes my, uh, brother is filling in for me. Which is fine…but maybe there would have been a more convenient time to meet and be introduced?" Tenten said what they were all thinking at the time.

Haburo shushed the comment, aggravated.

Then, Tenten witnessed something remarkable. Magan gave a look to his son, as if it were some kind of unspoken signal between father and child. He wanted Kitano to speak on the matter. Intrigued, she watched the odd, bumbling scene come to a head as a sixteen-year-old boy shot Great Elder Haburo a plainly angry grimace.

Kitano peeled his eyes away from Haburo for a moment to shed the last vestiges of politeness he had on the appropriate person, "Hideyasu-sama, it is nice to see you again and please accept my congratulations on expanding your family." Kitano then leveled his yellow gaze on Tenten, "You are certainly an impressive addition to your clan, Tenten-sama."

His tone roughed as he added to Haburo, "If I can be candid, Great Elder…I don't understand what this meeting is about. They can leave now. To get to know each other better, I will invite Hideyasu's family to the Taketori castle in the Fall…"

"You should be honored to meet with an eligible lady of the Hyuga today." Haburo disagreed.

"I have no intentions beyond my agreement with Hinata-sama." Kitano countered, adding a nod to Tenten that she took for no offense, "Tenten-sama is the picture of skill and beauty your clan has long yearned to offer, and she seems very nice, but I have no interest in match-making anymore." Kitano clarified, "I was promised no further omiai introductions. I am focused on my shinobi career and fostering good relations at this time."

Magan happily sat back and said nothing. Hideyasu was outwardly impressed he let his child take the reins and snap back at an overbearing old tyrant.

"Kitano-sama, I suggest you rethink your choice of an agreement with Hinata, as she is self-serving and disrespectful." Haburo retorted, trying to balance negotiation and hostility.

Kitano was shrewd, "With all due respect, I am not sure what internal disagreements exist in the Hyuga clan at this moment in time, but I will not reconsider anything I have agreed to. My word is not a ribbon that bends in the wind."

Tenten exchanged soundless, amazed glances with Magan and Hideyasu. If only they had popcorn.

"Haburo-sama, I am deeply insulted that my time has been wasted here. As if a single business discussion were the time and place impose another potential suitor for my hand." Kitano was beautifully poised as the old man squared his jaw furiously at him, "I would not inconvenience my friends in the Hyuga clan this way."

"You." Haburo gruffed. He then looked to Magan as if the man was going to lean forward and apologize profusely at any moment, but Magan did no such thing.

Hideyasu somehow did not let out a squeak of astounded delight while he bit his cheek to keep quiet.

"The elders of the Taketori clan will not be pleased with this." Haburo insisted.

"Will they?" Kitano seemed older and surer when he spoke, "Allow me to extend you an invitation to visit in the Taketori Sun Garden next week, Haburo-sama. It's where my elders like to sit and have meaningful discussion. You are welcome to join them." He added for goading effect, "Just yesterday when I visited, my elders were praising Hinata-sama's performance at the Chunin Exam, her victory, and commended me for considering her as a spouse someday."

This was all news to Tenten, but she sat with her hands crammed in her lap and tried to stay a fly on the wall.

"If you wish to tell my elders that Hinata-sama is not what she seems," Kitano went on, "Please feel free to do so. I've no interest in Tenten-sama or Hideyasu-sama's family beyond wishing them well."

Magan nodded slightly at this, which Haburo certainly did not appreciate.

"Please do not frivolously ask me or my father to come visit in the future, as the Taketori clan strives to never waste the time of its friends." Kitano advised. Then he rose to stand from the table and Magan mirrored the gesture, "My lords and lady, take good care. I have charity work I will see to this afternoon. Pardon my haste."

"It's been a pleasure as always, Kitano-sama!' Hideyasu was the polar opposite of the fuming elder at the table, positively buoyant, "Magan-sama, do make time for us in the Fall. Tenten, Fujita, and Kayato would love to see your gardens and aviary."

"I will send for you then, friend." Magan smiled to himself and set out with his son, exiting the room and let their retainers seal the door behind them.

There was a tense silence at the table as Hideyasu and Tenten were left alone with Haburo. Until the elder dismissed them, they would be required to remain out of respect.

"The insolence." Haburo muttered, "It's as if he and my great granddaughter were made for each other. Never has a Taketori prince disrespected me so!"

"Such nerve." Hideyasu agreed softly. He was still trying to stay in his grandfather's graces.

Haburo sat there and stewed while more silence prevailed. Tenten had a moment to think at that time. Surely this incident presented an opportunity, what with Kitano villainizing himself in Haburo's eyes, much the same way the old man so vocally disdained Hinata. It was as if those pieces on the chess board had been eliminated. Tenten realized she ought to make a move here and now, 'But how do I go about it? How do I get a stubborn old man like this to look at me and try to position me favorably? Or I'll screw up and he'll hate me just as much as the rest…'

Tenten snuck a glance at Hideyasu, who also appeared deep in thought. Haburo's eyes had glazed over as he reviewed avenues of revenge to exact on Kitano in his imagination.

Then, the mood shattered when Tenten abruptly erupted in violent sobs.

Highly alarmed, Hideyasu turned to the girl and raised his hands comfortingly while Haburo looked on like a deer in the headlights— flabbergasted.

"Dear! Sweet girl, what's the matter?" Hideyasu yelped, "That wasn't so bad! They're still quite nice aren't they?" Right then, Hideyasu picked up on the cue. He knew Tenten well enough to know that she was not the crying type. But of course, Haburo didn't know that.

"He, he…" She sniveled theatrically, "The prince hates me!"

"No, Tenten, Kitano-sama doesn't hate you. He just felt compelled to reject you based on previous agreements." Hideyasu's reassurance was perfectly tone-deaf.

"It was humiliating!" Tenten harped on it, "How can I maintain good relations for my clan if I'm dismissed as quickly as that?" A convincing hiccup, "No one is going to want my company!"

"Don't get hysterical…" Hideyasu chided while his face encouraged, please, keep being hysterical.

Teary-eyed, Tenten turned to Haburo for validation, "Great Elder, do you think I'm repellent compared to Hinata? That young men will hate me?"

Flummoxed, Haburo replied uncertainly, "No, they…shouldn't necessarily think that."

When that comment deliberately did not make her feel better, Tenten faked more teary lamentation while Hideyasu patted her back and mimicked authentic concern.

"I'll never get offers from men my age! I should join the Black Ops and forget everything! That's what I planned to do…" She blathered.

Haburo didn't like that train of thought, "Young lady, calm yourself. You mustn't react in such a manner before giving your circumstance serious thought. I expect other young men will consider you."

Tenten disagreed, "No, Great Elder, the truth is…" A sniffle, "I am too tomboyish, rough, and unrefined. A woman who works with her hands isn't desirable! I fight better than most of my male peers. What kind of man wants that when they can have a cultured, gentle wife?" As if she had any remote desire to marry and settle down whatsoever, but her crocodile tears were working very well.

"The Aburame clan would accept someone of your disposition." Haburo imagined.

"But we just insulted the Aburame clan at this table!" Tenten reminded him dramatically, "Kitano-sama and his father will pass along those comments."

Right there, Haburo nearly went cross-eyed as he realized his contemptuous words had actually shot Tenten in the foot— at least for that option. But he didn't need the girl or Hideyasu to explain that Tenten was not classically feminine or mild, and that such a kunoichi may struggle in the match-making department.

Hideyasu further sold the sentiment when he turned to his grandfather frantically, "My daughter…she's worked for everything she has. We can't set her up for failure like this, Grandfather! So she's hardy, feisty, and has more moxie than what her peers prefer... I don't think all is lost. We just need to find someone who can overlook that roughness!"

"I am aware of the challenge, Hideyasu." Haburo snorted, "But what such man exists? If I can't arrange any takers while she is still young and eligible…perhaps I will have to allocate a larger dowry?"

Tenten was privately astounded that Haburo weighed her chances to be so low. The man was unaware that she often had no problem catching the eyes and interest of men. But whatever. It was pure pretense now.

"Perhaps we can find someone equally as difficult to like? That could be a sounder option for a match." Hideyasu suggested with as much laughter-free seriousness he could muster.

Haburo, for the first time, settled his gaze on Tenten as she gradually calmed and dabbed at her eyes with her sleeve. Though a clever man on most occasions, he had completely fallen for the pity party. Contrary to popular belief, he didn't want to destroy the futures of his great grandchildren, but aggressively sought to secure them. To think he had personally dismantled Tenten's opportunity that day struck a blow to his pride. He ought to repair the damage and consider his words more carefully next time.

For a few moments, Haburo held his chin sagely and thought on it. Then he said to Hideyasu, "I have someone suitable in mind…and hard to like. Let me speak to Hiashi to see if he will broker his nephew in an arrangement. I've asked that child to think of such things recently."

"You think that would work?" Hideyasu wondered impishly.

"Heaven knows. My great grandchildren are rapscallions, the lot of them. I will see to Hinata and Hanabi's affairs later, then. For now…" Haburo sighed, "I'll consider more practical arrangements."

Hideyasu motioned for Tenten to bow her head with him, "Thank you for your guidance, Grandfather."

"Enough out of you, you clown. You were oddly prim today, Hideyasu…I expected some jokes." Tiredly, Haburo pushed off of the table to rise on shaky legs, "I may drive a hard bargain, but I do not wish for your daughter to sustain any trauma because of strained negotiations with the Taketori."

A servant opened the tea room's door to allow Haburo to exit, with Hideyasu and Tenten following closely behind.

Before parting ways, Haburo added, "Hideyasu…"

"Yes, Grandfather?"

"Tenten is a strong kunoichi. I expect you to teach her to care less of how men will judge her. She is a sword in the hands of the Hyuga, not a flower." Haburo warned, "And I prefer that to irritant flowers. Teach her to value herself enough to not throw her life away in the Black Ops."

Hideyasu was nodding while marveling at such a rare accolade, "I will, Great Elder."

Haburo tottered off to go negotiate more deals and spin ideas in the heads of other elders. Hideyasu and Tenten then traveled eastbound down the corridor, still hesitant to crack their falsified exteriors.

Further down the hall, Tenten asked, "Do you think that worked?"

"That was quite a show. I'd say Grandfather is genuinely convinced." Hideyasu admitted, pleased, "Whenever he has time to prepare and think, he's an immovable wall. But when he's put on the spot…he is surprisingly pliant."

"I knew I had to put him on the spot." Tenten concurred, "I wasn't sure how. It was sort of instinct to be a sissy, self-conscious girl right then."

"That certainly was not the normal you." He yielded, "It startled me at first."

"I don't know how to cry. I bit my tongue to do it." She revealed a bit of blood in her mouth, "Can we stop so I can spit this out?"

Hideyasu brought her to a half-bath and let Tenten rinse her mouth at the sink. When they carried on to the studio, Kayato excused herself from her client briefly to speak with them out in the hall.

"Well?" She asked quietly.

"It was a disaster." Tenten reported. She and Hideyasu exchanged a low-five.

Kayato was frazzled by such a reaction, "A disaster? Since when do disasters make people look so happy?"

"To be clear, Grandfather actually botched an amicable introduction of Tenten to Kitano-sama. The prince had some choice words for Grandfather before leaving…and Tenten played up the dramatics a little." Hideyasu explained, "And now I suspect Grandfather is concerned that Tenten is not a catch, and that it will be tricky business matching her with a man who doesn't care that she walks around smelling like metal polish and furnace debris."

"Thanks." Tenten said flatly.

"Hmm." Kayato smiled.

"Well, I hope that display will move Great Elder away from vengeance and towards making more sensible arrangements. He does fear jeopardizing the Hyuga's influence with other clans. And crying girls, apparently." Hideyasu concluded, "So take heart, girls! I think we may be headed in the right direction."

"We may just be." Kayato agreed, "Tenten, since you have no mission to complete today, why don't you help me with my client? And you, Hide-chan— can you lend me an hour to help with some needlework?"

"I thought you said my embroidery can be shoddy." He sniffed as the entered the studio.

"Not all of it. Your hand stitching is great but takes too long. You need more practice on a machine." She chuckled, "Don't you think it would be meaningful if you worked on your own daughter's tomesode?"

"Oh!" The man changed his mind, "That would be nice."

"Uh." Tenten circled around a work bench, "What's a tomesode?"

"Something you won't need for a while…but you'll definitely need it." Hideyasu explained vaguely.

Kayato ushered Tenten along to meet the client to learn more about business deals.

---

Naruto lagged the next morning when it came time to pack his belongings. Shima had kindly gifted him a red sage cloak with black trim to commemorate his Senjutsu achievement. Because he and Jiraiya were preparing to traverse Toad Valley jungle in mid-summer, and then cross the desert to Sunagakure, Naruto had dressed down in lightweight, beige-toned clothing. With a sigh, he pulled on his cloak and travel bag before leaving the guest bedroom.

'I know that I wanted to finish my training and leave…but know it kind of feels hard to go.' Naruto noticed.

Outside on the property's sprawling lawn, Jiraiya was extinguishing his smoking pipe while conversing with Kinji. Fukasaku, Shima, Gamakichi, and Kosuke had also gathered to see them off.

When Naruto came to a stop beside them, Fukasaku explained, "Gamabunta and the Great Toad Elder will not be saying farewells today, but send you both off with fond wishes." He and Shima shared a disappointed look, "We are all surprised this day came so fast."

"Well the kid's training ain't over yet. I'm still gonna brush up on Frog Kumite with him on the fly." Jiraiya stuffed his pipe in his bag's side pocket, "And while I'm thinking about it, Ma and Pa…is there any reason the Great Toad Elder decided to not hold an audience with Naruto yet?"

"We did ask him that yesterday." Shima confirmed, "The Great Elder said…Naruto will have to learn about one more thing before he is summoned back to Mount Myoboku. Then the elder will share important things with him."

"Hm." Jiraiya rubbed his chin, "If that's so, I hope you won't mind reverse-summoning him back here?"

"Certainly not. We know your time is precious." Fukasaku turned to Naruto, "When the Great Elder asks for you, we will retrieve you."

"I hate to sound so uninformed, but how is the Great Elder gonna know when I know that one other thing?" Naruto asked quizzically.

"He will." Fukasaku assured him, "He will feel the change in you no matter how far away you are."

"Weird." Naruto accepted the answer.

Jiraiya agreed, "Isn't it? Cool stuff though. We've been very lucky to have these stand-up toads in our corner." He settled his gaze on those assembled, "Really. Thank you all. What you've done for us means the world. Don't forget you can depend on us too, alright?"

Kinji teared up a little, "Do you have to make this a sappy moment, Jiraiya?"

"Is it as sappy as your drunken apologies to Ma and Pa the other night?"

"Hey! Watch ya mouth!"

Meanwhile, Fukasaku and Shima huddled in to squeeze Naruto as he kneeled down, wrapping them in his arms.

"Thanks for everything, Ma and Pa. I'll see you soon." He tried to keep it together, "I'll…miss you guys…"

"Naruto-boy, whenever you need us please don't hesitate to summon us." Fukasaku reminded him, "You and Jiraiya-boy are dear to us, just as Kinji is."

His throat felt phlegmy. Naruto tried clearing it and managed to keep his eyes dry. He then accepted hugs from Kinji and Kosuke next.

"Like Pa said, anytime you need us." Kinji reinforced the promise, "I've got your back, Blondie."

"Thanks, Kinji."

"Boss, do you have something you want me to deliver to Hinata-sama?" Kosuke chirped.

"Yup." Naruto handed off a scroll to the vermillion toad, "Thank you for keeping in touch with her, little guy."

Kosuke saluted him.

Naruto got a friendly pat on the head from the enormous Gamakichi, who was grinning his toothless smile, "Take care, Naruto. We'll be together again soon."

With all farewells and safe travels said, they set out along the flower-trimmed path on a northerly route. Jiraiya heaved a long sigh as they ambled down verdant knolls cluttered with life.

After the toads watched their treasured human companions leave, Kinji followed Fukasaku and Shima back into the house. He was inquisitive about something.

"Hey Ma, Pa?"

"Yes, Kinji-boy?" His father was settling down at the table.

"About the Elder…he said Naruto needed to know one more thing before he could come back for an audience. About the prophecy, I'm guessing." Kinji had been filled in by Jiraiya, "What does he need to know about?"

His parents exchanged a hesitant look.

At length, Fukasaku shared the requirement, "He must know loss. Pain."

---

Later in the day, Naruto and Jiraiya had embarked on the wild, tangled nettle of the secret valley path that would eventually deposit them near the western border of the Fire Country. It was a long, thicketed road with dense canopy that blocked the sky and sunshine.

"Also, as a heads up, there's a lot of poisonous shit in here." Jiraiya informed his student, "So try not to touch vegetation and then rub your eyes. I've had my share of woes on this byway in the past…"

"Got it."

"Damn, too bad I forgot mosquito repellant. It's a different scenario when you're surrounded by toads all the time to eat them for you…"

"Well we could just summon Kinji or someone for that." Naruto suggested.

"You think it'd be polite to make them wait on us even as we're blowing this popsicle stand? They've done enough for us. For now, anyway. I'm not desperate enough to bother them yet." Jiraiya reasoned.

"So how long does it take to get to the end of this trail?"

"About two weeks if we stay on track and keep pace. It's handy because it'll dump us near the Wind Country border, relatively speaking." Jiraiya nearly tripped over a raised root and wiped out, but Naruto caught him by the back of his tunic, "Whew, thanks kid! It's a certified green inferno in here."

"Two weeks." Naruto mumbled and then asked, "After that, how long does it take to get to Hidden Sand?"

"Eh? Well, for that results vary. Maybe a couple of days. Maybe a week. The trouble is the elements and my age might slow things down. I was quicker when I was young." The man complained, "But we'll get there, make some stops in hotels on the way for a decent night's rest…oh…and here." Jiraiya handed him a correspondence scroll, "Gaara sent that to your attention, actually."

Naruto examined the official letter and the attached, laminated ID card.

"That's a temporary pass into Suna. You can take a photo and pick up the real one when we get to the Administrative Offices there." Jiraiya informed him.

Naruto was amused, "Did you get a pass too?"

"No, and kid, I don't need a pass. I'm a famous author!" Jiraiya hyped himself up again, "I might have to do impromptu book signings when I'm out there. I'll be waiting on my agent to let me know when that new manuscript will begin publishing. I could announce it to fans and stuff…"

"Yeesh." Naruto was almost sorry he asked. He continued to examine the scroll.

Accelerated Chunin Exam information, which was rather sparse, stated that the program was capped at 135 applicants, or 45 teams of 3. Many teams would be lacking a third team member, and single applicants would be assigned temporary teams with other participants.

"Hey did you see this? Gaara's willing to arrange perfect strangers on teams!" Naruto pointed out, "I guess the tasks he has set up don't necessarily require us to know our teammates well?"

"That seems to be the case." Jiraiya said before taking a swig from a canteen. The heat and humidity were stifling.

Naruto read other odds and ends, such as entry requirements, accommodations, liability limitations, date and time info…then he moved on to a section that Gaara had written to him personally. Naruto read it silently and reduced his trek to a complete stop as Jiraiya slowly pulled ahead.

Naruto,

Regarding the Accelerated Chunin Exam details attached, make note you will not need discounted hotel rates in Suna. You and Jiraiya-sensei will be staying in my home. This Exam will be rather simple and straightforward, but should challenge you enough to determine if you are worthy of promotion. I would be tremendously surprised if that were not the case.

It's been so long. I have to admit I am very much looking forward to seeing you. I am driven to distraction lately, expecting you and Jiraiya-sensei to arrive. We have much to discuss. I hope you would be willing to stay for an extended period of time after the Exam's conclusion. I want you to see what my life is like now.

Naruto swiped a tear rolling down his cheek, a bit overwhelmed. It was exhilarating to know he would see his dearest friend again. He jogged over toadstools and greenery to catch up to Jiraiya before pausing again to read.

As exciting as this time is, I must also express how frustrated I am with Haku. He does not anticipate being able to enter this Exam. While he danced around the subject, I gathered that the nukenin whose company he keeps is a deterrent and prevents him from returning to us. To that end, I expect you to keep what I will now tell you confidential. I do not want Haku to know about this:

I have assigned Temari to head a special task force to track and retrieve Haku. I have also given the order that, if necessary, her squadron may kill Momochi Zabuza if he is imperiling Haku or other bystanders. I imagine that is the reality of the situation. Temari will begin her assignment this evening. If she does gather definitive information on Haku's whereabouts, I see no reason not to share it with you and Jiraiya-sensei while you are staying with me. I do expect you not to act on any intel that Temari gathers. This mission is hers alone, until such time I feel we should personally escalate the matter. I hope you understand that, Naruto.

He felt uneasy. Perhaps in passing, Naruto had gathered that Haku was stuck or possibly in danger, wherever he was, but Gaara was no longer toying around with the possibility. He was taking initiative. With that in mind, Naruto rushed ahead to catch Jiraiya while accepting that, yes, he would respect Gaara's wish. He would not tip Haku off about what was to come. 'I'm in no place to meddle with official missions like that…' But still, the potential outcomes worried him.

Safe travels to you and to Jiraiya-sensei. I've set up more frequent patrols locally and at the Wind Country border to ensure that the Akatsuki is not lying in wait. Tsunade-sama has also increased patrols at the border, as she is aware that you are on your way to Suna. Prepare to learn while you are here. There are many in Konoha who are anxiously awaiting your return, and I want to send them the best version of you.

Gaara, Godaime Kazekage

Exhaling, Naruto rolled up the scroll and crammed it into the top flap of his travel bag. He caught up officially to Jiraiya and then pulled a few steps ahead of him.

"Read that letter?" Jiraiya asked.

"Yep."

"You okay with what could happen?" The man wondered.

"What's gonna happen?" Naruto scoffed, "Haku won't put up a fight. He'll go with that team so he can grovel and apologize to Gaara personally. And if his lowlife tutor-buddy crosses a Sand team and doesn't live to talk about it, that's his own damn fault. Isn't it?"

Jiraiya half shrugged, "I suppose it is."

"I dunno. It makes me nervous." Naruto admitted.

"Me too." Jiraiya echoed, "I understand why Gaara feels like he has to get it done…but if he gave me more time, I think I'd have better luck extricating Haku myself."

"You don't even know where he is right now."

"Yeah. But I could wait for that Sand team intel. Except, it'd mean I'd have to leave you flying solo for a while so I can look for my goody two-shoes pupil." Jiraiya mapped it out in his head, "Though I did plan to let you manage yourself for a while, Naruto."

"Well, you old fart; you're going to have to make up your mind if you want to track Haku down or not." Naruto informed him, "Gaara said I can't go out there looking for him. But he didn't say anything about what you could do."

"Ah, how astute of you. That's right."

"And once he's back, that'll clear up the whole lying-to-Baa-chan thing." Naruto recalled, "I don't think she knows, even after all this time."

"Let's see how long it stays this way, if Gaara can bust this wide open without Tsunade hearing about it." Jiraiya laughed to himself, "That'd be impressive."

Still slightly stressed, Naruto ventured, "Do you think…he'd come back to Konoha?"

"Kid, I honestly don't know. Haku will probably go where he thinks he's needed most." Jiraiya flapped his arms, smacking banana leaves on both sides of the pathway.

"Probably." Naruto agreed.

Jiraiya consoled him, "Look, Naruto, think of it this way. Even if Haku chooses to stay in Suna just like Gaara's been pretending he has, you think you wouldn't see him enough to get lectured by him? Let him annoy you about health, hygiene, and good housekeeping?"

Naruto laughed with a small snort.

"Exactly." Jiraiya made his point.

"You know, Gaara's gotten pretty good with keeping a home too. He talks about all kinds of stuff that I don't get." Naruto recalled.

"With any luck he'll educate you while we stay with him."

"…Haku will be fine." Naruto felt a bit more confident about Haku's retrieval, "I know he wants to come back to us."

"There you go. Yeah, I'm thinking Haku's had enough of the wild side of things." Jiraiya rubbed at a crick in his back, "Jeez, we're barely underway and I'm already sore. So. While we're out here, let's play a game I like to call Itchin' and Bitchin'."

Naruto hiked up his bag's strap on his shoulder, "Sounds fun?"

"The only fun you can have on this godforsaken trail. Anyway, we'll place our bets. Let's say 600 Ryo. Whoever gets a rash, bug bite, or otherwise itchy malady out here and complains about it first loses and pays up." The man raised a hand, thrilled, "I used to kick Minato's butt whenever we hiked this route."

"You're on. I bet you're prone to bites and stuff now." Naruto wagered, because he was a hardy individual and confident in his resistances, "Body chemistry changes as you get older, Perv."

"Heh, you would know about that, right kiddo?"

He gave Jiraiya's ankle a good kick and watched him topple.

---

Note: Readers! Thanks for your patience. I've been up to my eyeballs in accounting homework these past few weeks and I just. Wanted. To. Write. For. My. Nerds.

Here I will cite the paraphrased quote of Jun's regarding tatami mats from Rachel and Jun's YouTube video "Idiot's Guide to Japanese Apartments." I've loved those dweebs for years.

Comments, questions, concerns? Please submit in the box below. You have my most heartfelt gratitude.

Chapter 43: Budding Oats

Bonus Soundtrack: "Zephyr's Flutter" by NIKK BLVKK