Team Iruka, Pantsu, Burifu and Arashi separate themselves from the Order of Jashin, who are content to sit on the grass and celebrate the fact they now have a leader. Once they are out of earshot of the Order, Arashi asks, "So how are we gonna get into the Temple? I have research to do."
"That's easily done," says Iruka. "The Temple of Jashin's seal has a safety feature to allow non-clan members in."
"Why's it a safety feature?" asks Naruto, picking his nose.
"Don't pick your nose," says Arashi reflexively, handing Naruto a tissue.
"It's a safety feature because the Temple of Jashin used to be a fortress," explains Iruka. "Back in the warring clans era, when no one in particular owned the Land of Fire, the Uzumaki Clan built the Temple of Jashin as a place to retreat when faced with opponents they could not beat. Those opponents were the Umino clan."
Arashi whips out his notebook and starts scribbling down what Iruka is saying.
"The Uzumaki clan built the temple and put the seal around it to keep out the Umino clan," continues Iruka. "But they had to use blood to set the seal to keep out the Umino Clan. At that stage of history, the Uzumaki clan wasn't as good at fuuinjutsu, so they could only key the barrier to one bloodline: the Uzumaki bloodline. Adopted clan members and outsiders who married in had to be allowed in too, so they made a safety feature to allow them in. Unfortunately, that failsafe was the very weakness my clan used to key our own blood to the barrier, allowing us in too. The Uzumaki Queen of the day was so impressed she demanded the Umino Clan head marry her right then and there. He was infatuated with her hair and agreed. And that is how our clans became allies."
Arashi is writing very fast to keep up. Luckily, Iruka is used to people taking notes when he talks, so he pauses to allow Arashi to catch up.
"It was a while before we made the training deal with the shinigami," Iruka continues once Arashi is all caught up with his notes. "That happened after some inter-clan training yielded four shinigami who then took the soul of the woman who summoned them. The woman's husband went on a quest to become strong enough to fight the shinigami. At the end of that journey, which takes a different length of time depending on who you ask, the man reverse summoned himself to the realm of the shinigami and brought back his wife. They lived happily ever after, and he was named the Grand Master of Fuuinjutsu. The two clans created the Fuuinjutsu tests in honour of his journey. The Umino Clan are usually the ones doing the teaching because we are more level headed. Occasionally an Uzumaki will teach in the Grand Tradition, but not often."
"Do you think I could teach one day, 'tebayo?" Naruto asks enthusiastically.
"Yes I do," says Iruka. "Now that's enough lecturing for one day. Let's get into the Temple."
Sasuke is bored, uncomfortable and tired. Naruto is out having adventures and here she is, stuck in hospital with itchy casts and bandages all over her body. She still isn't allowed to sit up in case she breaks something that Tsunade and Okami fixed. Sasuke has stared at the lava lamp, listened to all the music and audio books Madoka brought her, watched the birds out of the window and now there is nothing left for her to do.
Bored.
Sasuke would even be happy if Might Guy walked in, that is how bored she is. Might Guy is...disturbing.
"Hello, Sasuke," says a voice as the door to her ward slides open.
Sasuke turns from the window to see Shino standing in the doorway looking shy. Sasuke grins, happy to see her friend. "Hey Shino, come in!"
Shino walks up to Sasuke's bed and stands awkwardly beside it. "How do you feel?" he asks.
"Bored and sore," replies Sasuke, going back to her usual scowl. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you in ages."
"I have been out on a patrol mission with my Dad,"says Shino. "I just got back this morning. Did I miss anything?"
"Naruto and Neji have gone off on a mission with Iruka sensei and Shisui," Sasuke tells Shino. "I wish I could have gone. They are visiting the ruins of the Hidden Whirlpool."
"That does sound like fun," agrees Shino, staring at Sasuke as if he is afraid she is going to disappear. And to be fair to Shino, Sasuke probably would disappear from the hospital if she could move.
Sasuke, however, is scared Shino will leave quickly, like everyone else who has come to visit her so far. How to keep him longer? "What was your mission like?" she asks quickly.
"Oh, it was dull," says Shino. "That is because nothing much happened."
Genuinely surprised, Sasuke tries to sit sit up and immediately regrets it. "Ow," she whimpers, and sinks back onto the bed. Pouting, she demands, "How was you mission boring? Is that even possible?"
"Of course," says Shino smoothly. "You do not know what a boring mission is like. Why? Because you are on a team with Naruto."
"Tell me what a boring mission is like," orders Sasuke, pouting expectantly at Shino.
Shino continues to stand beside Sasuke's bed awkwardly and stare at her.
"Sit," orders Sasuke, pointing at the visitor's chair beside her bed. Shino sits. "Now tell me all about your blessedly boring mission."
"Yes Sasuke," says Shino, gravely.
He's so cute, thinks Sasuke, staring at Shino. Surprised at herself, Sasuke wonders where that thought came from. Shino is just Shino.
Team Iruka, complete with Arashi, Pantsu and Burifu, head into the Temple of Jashin. Iruka looks around with interest, noting the raised dais in the centre of the room, the shelves filled with scrolls and the display tables on which lies strange recording devices. There are seals on the devices, seals that Iruka does not recognize.
Like a Naruto in a Ramen Shop, Arashi makes a beeline for the strange devices. Arashi stares at one of the devices, his face so close it is almost touching the device. Then Arashi accidently breathes on the device.
A huge dust cloud poofs up, enveloping all nearby.
Arashi starts coughing and sneezing and backs away from the device. The others, who are not nearly as close to the device, start sneezing. They all back away from the dust cloud, trying to wave the dust away.
"How long was it since this place was dusted?" sneezes Shisui.
"The Order of Steve keeps the Temple in order," says Pantsu. "And considering how no one in the Order of Jashin can get in the Temple, it's a likely thing the temple ain't been dusted since the old leader got too old to clean it, eh."
"Are we going to have to clean the entire temple before I can do my research?" whines Arashi, looking quite upset that his research is delayed.
"Yes," nods Iruka, crossing his arms and thinking about the best way to go about cleaning the Temple. Cleaning up things is somewhat of a skill Iruka has developed over the course of living with Naruto.
"I know that look!" says Naruto, pointing at Iruka and grinning. "That's your 'let's get this mess cleaned up ASAP' look." Naruto screws up his face in thought. "But it will take us aaaaaaaages to clean the temple by ourselves. We need an army of janitors."
"And where do you propose we get one of those, eh?" asks Pantsu, pulling Burifu away from one of the displays to stop her from disturbing another dust cloud.
"Outside, sitting on the grass, 'dattebayo!" says Naruto grinning. He runs out of the temple, and Iruka follows to see what is bound to be some popcorn-worthy fun. Naruto skids to a stop at the top of the steps, and Iruka stands behind him to get the best view.
"Leader!" the Order choruses, leaping to their collective feet and grinning.
"Guys, I have a job for you, 'tebayo," says Naruto importantly.
The various members of the Order of Jashin pull out their weapons, grinning in anticipation. "Do you want us to murder a village?" asks one.
"No," says Naruto. "I want you to be janitors and clean Jashin's temple."
The Order's faces melt from excited glee to disappointment and dismay.
"Naruto, they can't go in the temple," points out Iruka.
"I'll let them past the seal if they agree to help clean the Temple," says Naruto. "Temple maintenance is an honour in the Order of Steve. It should be an honour in the Order of Jashin too."
Iruka wonders if the 33 people standing at the foot of the stairs are going to stop staring at Naruto in absolute horror any time soon. It is funny, but it is also kinda sad. The Order of Jashin, a cult of mass murderers, looks like a litter of kicked puppies.
"Come on," says Naruto. "Don't you wanna see the inside of Jashin's temple, 'tebayo? All you have to do is help us clean it and I'll teach you how to get past the barrier."
The Order starts lower their weapons, adopting expressions of curiosity, surprise and wonder.
"We can go past the barrier?" asks one lady. "But we aren't the leader."
"Well, I'm the leader, and I say that the high ranking members of the order should get a special seal that allows them to pass the barrier whenever they want," says Naruto self-importantly. "And that the lower ranked members should have to use the temporary way of getting in and out like Neji, Grandpa and Shisui are using, 'tebayo."
"The barrier is keyed to two bloodlines," says Iruka, seeing that the Order needs more explanation. "Mine and Naruto's. My mother's cousin's grandfather's brother was you founder, and old leader. He had odd ideas, and did not want just anyone taking over after him, so he made the rule that the next person to go past the barrier unharmed must be the next leader. Naruto filled that requirement for you, and now that he is leader, I think you may find he will change a few things about your Order."
"Yeah, like you all gotta clean up the Temple, because it's a disgrace to Jashin the way it is now, dattebayo," says Naruto.
Various members of the Order smile winningly, making Iruka think of happy puppies. "We would be honoured to serve Lord Jashin by cleaning his Temple!"