Chapter 33
AN: I'm back! I've been over worked with school and updating From Academy to ANBU, so I figured I could give a quick chapter to y'all today.
ANBU HQ (Preview from last chapter, fyi):
The various Konoha ANBU squads were gathered in the commander's office, each giving off the calm vibe of the trained killers they were.
"I'm sure you are all aware why I've called you here" Dragon said in a grave voice. All the ANBU nodded. "Today is the day we split up into groups…"
"It's already time" Kakashi mused.
"Yes, it's time for the thirtieth annual 'ANBU shinobi tournament!" All the operatives buzzed in excitement. One particular extra so.
"OOH! Me, me! Which squad am I on!" Naruto shouted. That's when it hit the various elites.
Naruto was never in the tournament before as for the first couple of years he was too young and the last couple he was either sick or on a 'Iruka spying mission'.
Naruto was free this year.
But the teams were even.
"Er, you are the mascot, Kitsune, and you'll get to cheer. Just until you're older, why don't you take the day off." Dragon said placentally. The blonde pouted but nodded, and left to go bug Shin, who was strangely always sporting new bruises and muttering 'it was so worth it' lately since his cousin left. A tense silence fell on the group as the youngest disappeared. "Now that he's gone," Dragon said, and held up a money box, "who's going to fish out the most to have the mascot cheer for their team?"
"…" All of them sent hidden glares.
"US!" Each team screamed, fishing out all their money. Dragon sighed happily; his apprentice would make him rich.
With Naruto…
"Man, I just wanted to be in the tournament too. Why can't I join in?" Naruto crossed his arms while marching down the street. Civilians looked at him weird, as seeing ANBU out and about was rare, even if over the last couple of years strange sightings of tiny masked ninja doing insane things had circulated.
"Hey, kohai, what's got you down?" Naruto turned to see Shin sporting a new cat scratch and slight limp.
"Sempai!" The blonde greeted. "The other ANBU won't let me be in the annual 'ANBU shinobi tournament!' They said I'm just the mascot but I wanted to participate" he wailed.
"Oh, Root has those too. Our events are 'who can remain emotionless the longest' and the 'meditation dance party'. I never do well at those kinds of things…hm, how to get you into the ANBU event…" Shin put on his thinking pose an hummed.
"Aha! I've got an idea!" The grey haired boy proclaimed, causing the entire ANBU forces as well as the Kami and Yami of shinobi to shiver in fear. "Let's put together our own team of four and enter!"
"Yatta! Think we'll win?" Naruto asked. Shin gave a cocky smirk and laugh.
"Of course! Our team will kick so much ass and take so many names that they'll let us out Danzo-teme's camp in two weeks. Mwahaha, and then they'll all bow before the power of 'Shin and his Lackeys!" The insane duo struck a pose and ran off to collect their third team mate.
Sai carefully drew the outline for his newest creation. His boss summons preened while waiting for his summoner to finish.
"Almost there, Sora-sama." Sai promised, deep in conversation. The butterfly in front of him was poised just so. All that was left was one last brush stroke of the wings and then-
"LITTLE BROTHER!" Shin dropped from the sky and onto Sai. The butterfly bolted and Sai's perfect afternoon shattered quicker than the village's budget once Naruto discovered ramen.
"…Brother, Kitsune…what the hell?" Sai asked in a dangerous tone. The owl summons dispersed as its summoner looked ready to dispatch some violence.
"Ehehe, Sai, we were just wondering if you'd like to be on our team for the ANBU shinobi tournament?" Naruto somehow gave the pale boy the puppy dog eyes without removing his mask- Sai suspected genjutsu or secret technique- and whined. "Pleeaaaase?"
"Yes, little brother, pllleaaaase?" Shin joined Naruto, going so far as getting on his knees.
Sai tried to remember his emotional training; such poor attempts at begging shouldn't work on him, and after their blatant disregard for his art he should send a tsunami of super beast scrolls after them.
But those eyes…
"Very well then, but!" Sai held a hand up to halt the cheers. "It is known that the event requires four people to enter; who's our fourth member?" Here Naruto waved his hand absently.
"Psh, I have the eleven eared rabbit within me! I'm a two for one package."
Gaki, I've told you, I'M A NINE TAILED FOX! Kurama roared from the seal. Ever since the pair had met Kurama had been subjugated the humiliating title from his host.
Then why are there two rabbit ears on your head and nine really long ones coming out your back? Naruto mentally asked. It seemed obvious to him.
Grr, those are TAILS! Oh, kami, what did I do to deserve having such a stupid host? Was it those extra humans I ate all those years ago? Was it that time I threw Shukaku in the ocean?
Well I just see you as you really are- a rabbit! You're plenty scary without pretending to be a fox.
I-I'm not pretending to be a fox, I AM a fox! Kurama insisted. The blonde just shook his head and left. One day he'd get his furry friend to embrace the real him.
Back outside only a couple of seconds had passed and the Root brothers shared looks of confusion mixed with disbelief. Sai eventually worked up the courage to speak.
"Despite your tailed beast being…an eleven eared rabbit… the rules specifically state four PEOPLE, as in humans. So we need a fourth." Sai spoke, the voice of reason.
"What about Danzo-jiji?" Naruto tried, but the pair winced.
"Not wise"
"No chance in hell."
"Well then…ooh! I got it!" Naruto cackled and bolted towards his pick, Sai and Shin flapping in the wind behind him.
Meanwhile, back with the ANBU…
"So, it's come to this." Kakashi had his Sharingan active, glaring at the person threatening to take away his happiness.
"So it seems, sempai." Tenzo was standing amongst a small enclave of vines and roots, swaying dangerously. The pair were leading separate squads for the tournament, and they both bet the maximum their budgets allowed, ending in a dead tie. Around them the black ops held their breaths, wondering what would happen.
"I won't let you take Kitsune's luck for your side! Tenzooo" Kakashi let out a battle cry and charged with a kunai.
"KAKASHIII" Tenzo met his pace with his own kunai. The once friends and now enemies went for the kill…
Day of the opening event…
"I'm sorry, Kitsune, but you can't enter." Commander Dragon informed his bubbly apprentice who had walked in with his team.
"W-what! Why not? I have a team." The commander cursed his luck, but decided to come clean of sorts.
"Um, see…Oh! Well, your Kakashi-nii's squad is relying on your cheers to help them win. You wouldn't want to let him down, would you?" Dragon made sure to sound heartbroken that Naruto would abandon his duty to cheer. Tenzo could be heard muttering 'Technically he should be cheering for my team, as it was a tie and Kakashi cheated' but it was too soft to be heard by the commander.
"I might have a suggestion, hn." A quiet but authoritative voice interjected. "Why not let one of Kitsune's clones support the squad that won your betting pool?"
"That could work, Itachi. Hmm, new plan! Kitsune, make thirty two clones, one for each team! Everyone: any team that wants their own personal mascot clone cheering them on, prices start at fifteen thousand ryo!" Money started hitting the commander and clone after clone that Naruto made was carried off.
Ten minutes a much richer Dragon turned back towards Naruto.
"Yes, anyways, what's your team name?" He asked, holding the clipboard up. Shin smirked and pulled out matching t-shirts that the quartet pulled over their armor- borrowed in Itachi's case- before pointing to the label. Loudly Shin shouted.
"Listen here, losers! My name is Shin" Momentarily angry shouts of 'they let that bastard in' and 'we know our nemesis's name' covered the grey haired youth's dramatic speech. "Achem! Anyway, my squad will beat every one of you! Team 'Shin and his lackies: Will of Fire edition' is dominating this event! For we have with us, the high priest of the WILL OF FIRE!"
Meanwhile…
Up in the Hokage's tower, Sarutobi and Danzo face palmed.
"Just two more weeks, my friend" Sarutobi placated Danzo when the man twitched towards various weapons.
"…tell me, Hiruzen, how dangerous it is to let a trio of ten-twelve year olds live that can make Itachi do that." The darkness of shinobi pointed to the ball that showed Itachi wearing the 'team shirt' in pink, striking a matching pose with the three, victory signs in place. A banner proclaiming the team's slogan hung over them.
"…that is the most disturbing thing I've ever seen. However, you can have your fun in two weeks; they're insane, yes, but they're an effective team."
"Tell me one mission they haven't screwed up, Hiruzen." Danzo deadpanned.
"…be that as it may, we need them alive."
"Why must you be the voice of reason?"
"Just be happy Naruto is too occupied this week to gorge on ramen."
"Small mercies considering" Danzo replied dryly. Hiruzen sighed dramatically.
"In this world we'll take what we can get. Now, has your Root confirmed that Zabuza Momichi is leading the Kiri rebellion under Konoha's flag?"
End! Sooo, I hope y'all liked it. If you have any suggestions or preferences for events in the 'ANBU tournament" please let me know! I have a couple of ideas but h the more the merrier. Also, I wanted to make Naruto and Kurama's relationship humerous (and Kurama does resemble a rabbit in my humble opinion) so hence him being mistaken for an 'eleven eared rabbit' lol. Finally, go check out my other fic 'From Academy to ANBU' and 'Kakashi's Mini-me' to tide y'all over till the next installment. Have a super duper amazing week everyone.