SealKeeper: He Who Binds

Chapter 87 – Duty of the Eldest

High-Captain Keigo winced as his movements aggravated his broken ribs and tore open wounds that had almost managed to heal. He should just be lying there, like a burnt log, but this was a task that needed to be seen to immediately.

With all the gentleness he was capable of he lifted three white masks from his bag, slowly turning them over in his hands before placing them in a small box. Three snarling Wolves looked back up at him.

One had been caught near the eye, shattering the upper corner, and another had been splattered with blood as she managed to cut her opponent's throat just as his sword pierced her chest. Only one of them was still pristine but their former owner was not, having been cut cleanly through at the waist.

Whatever swordsmen the rebels had managed to recruit to their cause were not to be underestimated, though their style had been eerily familiar.

Having been trained by Shimura Danzō in his ROOT program all the Wolves had been taught Konoha Kenjutsu. What their opponents used was slightly different, but they were also more advanced techniques. He'd have to discuss it with Reiki later, she was the most Kenjutsu-focused Wolf he knew.

With the masks in their place, he carefully draped a red cloth over and between them to ensure they wouldn't become more damaged during the journey. Satisfied that he had done what he could for them, he turned to the more difficult part.

Telling Tsukuyomi.

It wouldn't be in person as Commander Sai had ordered his return to Nami no Kuni – some crap about healing or similar nonsense – but he had been in command when his siblings had been slain so it fell to him to inform their father.

The duty of the eldest siblings.

He reached into his bag and retrieved some of his good paper. Normally he might want to write up a draft or two before touching the good stuff but he had been going over this report in his head every waking moment since it had happened.

With slow, deliberate movements he prepared the ink and readied his brush. With a sigh filled with all the guilt and regret from his failure he began writing.

It would be seven pages long by the time he was done and when he sent it off with one of the other Wolves he would have no idea that his commander and Tsukuyomi's favored had been working hard to ensure their lord wouldn't be troubled by such news.

To be completely honest, he had kind of expected it to take longer to find Hayate's killer. He supposed having a good number of already interrogated Suna Shinobi in his possession was bound to expedite the process but this was a bit ridiculous.

Of course, he wasn't completely certain he had found the one who had ended one of Konoha's premier Kenjutsu users. As soon as the man realized where the line of questioning was going he had become uncooperative. Normally this might be considered an amateur move for a Shinobi to make, practically announcing that your interrogators are correct, but when compared to alternatives it was a much better move.

If your interrogators can somehow tell if you're lying, for example, you may give more information than you realize by trying to deceive them. In a village that had spawned Shinobi like Ibiki, truth-detecting Shinobi weren't too far fetched.

Even so, everything else seemed to point to him being the one, which was kind of a pity because of all his prisoners this one was probably the most valuable. How unfortunate.

Valuable or not, however, it was a small price to pay to give Yugao a more solid sense of closure and one he was happy to surrender.

Before that, he had to make sure he was right because it would be a terrible waste if he was wrong and it would be unbelievably cruel to subject an innocent – of this crime, at least – man to Yugao's wrath. More importantly, it would probably destroy the woman if she managed to avenge her lover only to learn that it was actually someone else years later.

Not only would that open up many old wounds that may have finally healed but then the possibility of loosing the opportunity could very well spell the end of the Kunoichi who had taken him under her wing.

He couldn't do that to her.

Which meant he needed to figure out if Baki really was the one to kill Hayate, and the best way to do that was with Konoha's own Yamanaka clan.

He really wasn't on their good side, but he did have some measure of pull on the clan.

Or at least with those who did, anyway.

Part of him had been sorely tempted to throw a sack over Baki's head and simply march him down to the compound to get some answers but his more cautious half had prevailed. Instead he now stood before the compound, flanked by two Wolves, wondering just how hard it might be to find someone suited to his needs.

"Naruto-san?"

Huh, not hard at all apparently.

Turning to his left he was greeted by the sight of Yamanaka Ino, heiress to the clan, who appeared to have just returned from her team training.

"Good afternoon, Ino-chan."

"Good afternoon." The Kunoichi returned with a suspicious squint. "What brings you here?" Around them other Yamanaka members were starting to take notice of their heiress and the very much unwelcome company she was speaking to.

His Wolves hovered over their blades, ready to draw them, but a single raised hand from their lord had them brought to heel.

"I found myself in need of services only a Yamanaka can provide," He admitted with a shrug before using both hands to vaguely gesture the entirety of the compound. "So I decided I would just come straight here."

"Like we'd ever help you!" One of the clanmembers cried, spitting on the ground. He was quickly cowed by a glare from the young heiress.

"None of that, you moron!" Ino's fists found themselves resting on her hips. "Get your ass home before I tell your wife you've been out causing trouble again!"

The man gave one last glare at Naruto and the Wolves before slinking off. It seemed to be a cue for the others to do the same as the gathering group slowly dispersed. None of them completely turned their attention from them, though. They'd be damned if they left their heiress alone with their enemy.

Naruto rose a brow at the interaction but otherwise didn't react. The Wolves, on the other hand, had crouched low to the ground and drawn their blades halfway, ready to burst into action at any moment.

"Sorry, some people just don't learn." The heiress apologized. "Would you like to come with me so we can discuss this in private?"

"Certainly." Naruto turned to look at his crouched Wolves. "I think it may be best if you head back to the den. I don't think we're very welcome here."

Ino would probably like to argue against them being unwelcome but the Wolves would argue against leaving him alone when surrounded by hostiles.

He cut that off quickly – for the Wolves, at least.

"You can stay across the street, if you like. I should only be a few minutes." The two of them shared a look before offering resigned nods. It was better than him actually ordering them to return to the den. At least this way they were still relatively close.

As his Wolves retreated from the compound Naruto turned back to Ino with a small smile and invited her to proceed with a wave of his hand.

"After you."

Her first thought was, naturally, how foolish it would be to show one's back to the Wolves. It wasn't like he even needed her to guide him, either. He had been here before both invited and otherwise. Nevertheless Ino turned and began guiding him back to the main house.

The trip was uneventful, with clanmembers greeting Ino respectfully before noticing who was following her and shooting scowls. Hmm, maybe he had been too lenient in his dealings with them.

Or maybe they had just forgotten.

He considered reminding them but suddenly had an idea that wouldn't require his Wolves to actually do anything.

"Say, Ino." He was purposefully both louder than strictly necessary and perhaps more familiar than proper. "You don't think I was too easy on all of you, do you?"

She froze at that, hesitating mid-step, and nearby Yamanaka members immediately turned their full attention to the duo.

"N-not at all, Naruto-san"

"Hmm, I don't know. A lot of your clanmembers don't seem to have learned their lesson very well. We may have to remind them." He was aware of those listening in bolting off to warn their clanmates, hopefully it would be enough of a deterrent.

"You, uh, you don't really think they need to be...retaught...do you?"

"Depends," Naruto shrugged. He hadn't paused and the three steps he was trailing behind quickly vanished. He looped her arm into his own without hesitation and continued towards the main house of the compound. "Maybe mentioning it will help their memory."

Ino took that to mean it had been a warning and she didn't think she had ever been more grateful to Naruto than right then.

You know, aside from the whole giving her father limbs back thing. He had been the one to take those in the firstplace, though, so she wasn't sure if it counted.

There were no more glares or scowls on their way, Ino noted, so maybe they were in the clear.

Naruto still had their arms entwined by the time they had reached the main house and didn't so much as pause before opening the door and guiding the two in as if he owned the place. She would not admit to being just the tiniest bit jealous of that kind of confidence.

For being fully laced boots he removed his footwear rather swiftly, setting them neatly to the side of the door almost before she realized he had stopped. He continued on as soon as he was done, a sense of purpose in every step, and Ino found herself tossing her shoes off haphazardly to make sure she wasn't dragged through the house in them.

As she suspected, she didn't need to tell him where to go as he navigated the hallways like he had grown up there. She wasn't quite sure what to make of that.

Either he had a really good memory from the few visits he made or the House of Wolves had access to more information than she'd like to believe. The Wolves being in possession of her compound's blueprints was not hard to imagine, it just wasn't a pleasant thought.

It was near the stairs that he finally paused, staring curiously as Inoichi spun his wife around an open room dancing and laughing. A small smile tugged at his lips for a moment but was carefully disciplined back into a resting position.

This is what he had taken away, this is the true damage he had done on that night.

Remedied or not, he had no right to find enjoyment in what he had nearly destroyed.

Sparing them a final glance he began his ascent to the second floor where he knew the clan head's office was located. A sitting room would have sufficed but he had no desire to ruin the couple's afternoon when they looked like they were having so much fun.

He could still remember clearly just how wonderful it had been to dance with Mito all those years ago.

Ino shot him an odd look when he stopped and frowned at the thoughts that flashed through his eyes. She may not have been able to read them but she could tell that something about watching her parents troubled him.

For the life of her she couldn't fathom what it could be.

The two Genin were soon after within the spacious head office, Naruto taking a relaxed seat on the desk itself. He blamed his three snakes for that- Orochimaru, Anko, and Tayuya were always sitting on his desk.

He didn't see the charm in it but having already seated himself didn't bother getting up. He'd be leaving soon enough anyway.

Ino was tempted for a moment to take her seat at the desk just to force him to turn back towards her but ultimately decided there was no real benefit to being so petty. That and she didn't' think she could manage to make it all the way around her desk while he stared at her without blushing. Those purple eyes were a dangerous weapon.

Resting most of her weight on one hip she crossed her arms over her chest and gave him an expectant look.

He just seemed amused.

As he leaned back slightly, resting arms on the desk behind him, he also seemed much more comfortable. Gods be damned, she should have gone for the seat.

"Well?" She asked with an arched brow. "Were you going to tell me what you needed a Yamanaka for or did you just want to stare at me?" Even as she said it she knew she had made a mistake.

"Hmmm," His hum was practically a purr and it may have exceeded his eyes in danger. She was well aware she hadn't actually interacted with him in some time but something about him had definitely changed. He was relaxed, comfortable, and possessing confidence without that pride that had made them butt heads years ago.

He had become more since she last knew him – for as much as that was and despite how impossible she would have found the idea back when they were enemies – but perhaps it was simply age and experience that had tempered the ravenous mongrel into the dangerous Wolf that lounged on her desk with no fear of danger.

It was the apex predator, after all.

Then again, maybe he was simply in a good mood today. Ino couldn't really say one way or the other.

"It's certainly a tempting offer, if I had more time I might take you up on it." He smiled at her and she admitted that she really had no idea what part of him was the most dangerous. Instead she simply settled for all of him. He was dangerous.

She was more than a little unsettled by how attractive she found that to be.

"Unfortunately I'm quite busy recently and won't be able to enjoy such an opportunity." Naruto drummed his fingers on her desk. "I suppose I'll get straight to the point, then. I need a Mindwalker to retrieve a very specific piece of information from an individual that may or may not be in my possession."

She gave him a flat look. "And what, exactly, might you be looking for?" This had better be good, because if he thought he could use her clan to further his agenda against some other group he was in for a rude awakening.

"I need to make sure they're the right person." That alone told her it was probably someone who had gone against him, but for him to check meant he wasn't quite sure. Coming to them to make sure he had the right person was a comforting thought, at least he wasn't just acting against people first and asking questions later.

That is, if she was anywhere close to what was really going on.

"And this right person," She asked. "Would be whom?"

"The Suna Shinobi who ended the life of Gekkō Hayate."

Ino blinked at that. Yes, it was someone suspected of doing something by Naruto, but as far as she was aware Naruto didn't have any connection to the man. Why would finding his killer be of any importance? Especially if he was as busy as he claimed to be.

"Gekkō-san?" She frowned. "Were the two of you close?"

"No." Naruto shook his head in the negative. "I've never really met him, to be honest, but I do know Uzuki Yugao. This is for her."

She would admit she was more than a little surprised to hear that. He was doing something for someone other than himself? And even someone who wasn't a wolf? Well, she didn't think the woman was a Wolf, anyway. You never could be completely certain though their...unique...behavior was a pretty good tell if you had any experience with them.

At the same time, she also didn't understand the connection.

"And this Uzuki-san was close with Gekko-san?" Ino asked for clarification. She assumed as much from his words but had learned better than to rely on assumptions.

One of Naruto's elegant brows rose smoothly. "Considering they were lovers, I'd say it might be difficult for them to have been any closer."

"Oh," Yeah, that would do it. "So your just doing it for her?" It still seemed strange to her.

His brow ascended further as a smirk spread slowly across his lips. "You're asking a lot of questions about this, you aren't feeling jealous are you?"

She knew her face had gone red but she liked to think it was more out of anger than anything else.

"No!" Her head shook in vehement denial, her hair whipping behind her like a tail. "I was just curious why you were helping someone else."

He frowned at that. Was that really how people saw him? That isn't what he had been aiming for at all. Naruto thought back to his most recent interaction with Yugao and came to the realization that he had perhaps been thinking far too highly of himself all this time.

People didn't think he was just some Genin connected to the Wolves which meant he probably didn't come across as some amicable lord when acting in his capacity of Tsukuyomi. He also wasn't nearly as close or important to those he had believed himself to be.

It was not a pleasant revelation but he set aside those thoughts for another time. It didn't clear his mouth of the bitter taste that had filled it, nor did it stop a slight ache from blooming in his chest. He had to wonder what other grievous errors he had made based on his belief on how others perceived him.

Maybe it was time to stop trying to fill some sort of role to outsiders and retreat his focus solely to his Wolves and projects already in the works.

"I see." His voice was no longer playful and relaxed, cooling down significantly and hiding away his emotions behind an impassive wall of iron. But she was a Yamanaka, his sudden withdrawal from improper familiarity to formal distance told her as much about his thoughts as his unguarded voice had just moments before.

Ino felt a sudden pang of regret stab at her heart as those sparkling purple eyes dimmed to settle into the weary eyes of a man who had just looked behind him to gaze at all his past mistakes. It didn't fit him at all, she decided, and she certainly didn't like it.

But it was her fault.

Somehow.

She'd need to figure that out first before she could try getting those beautiful eyes back.

Briefly she wondered why she would ever consider that to be an important goal but the thought quickly abandoned her. It was such a shame for those eyes not to be bright and playful.

"The strangeness of my actions aside, I am still in need of a capable Yamanaka to aid me." Naruto continued. "I was wondering if you knew one whom I could trust."

Her first thoughts was to answer 'Me!' but he quickly reigned that back in. She was decent with her clans techniques and she would consider herself trustworthy but there were better options for him both more skilled than she was and who didn't need to worry about knowing things they shouldn't. Running the clan as she was, plausible deniability could prove very useful should something go wrong.

Few who fit those criteria would be willing to aid the House of Wolves and even fewer would be honest with them. On the short list of those who would deal with them honestly there was one man who stood far above the others.

Yamanaka Inoichi – her father.

The man who lost his limbs to the Wolves for his actions against them and was gifted them back better than ever. He was a man who held the respect of one of their highest members- Naruto – even when most of his clan turned away from him in bitter resentment when he was proved to be right about the threat of the Wolves. They hadn't wanted to believe the young Naruto was dangerous but they had been wrong. Inoichi, the one who had tried to warn and protect them, shouldered the responsibility and stepped down to let his daughter take his place.

They had agreed with her more, but when all her advise came from her father she knew just how pointless the charade was. Despite that, his love for the clan had never wavered and he had put everything on the line trying to ensure they'd be safe.

If there was a man more trustworthy and dedicated than her father she didn't know them and Naruto had gifted him back everything he had taken when the Yamanaka were content to let him fade away into obscurity as a cripple in the main house.

Inoichi had never said it, but Ino had a feeling that he respected the young man quite a bit too.

Which, honestly, she thought was a bit strange.

Naruto had waged his own private war against the Yamanaka and brutally removed Inoichi's limbs and yet Ino had never heard her father say a single negative word about him. Well, after they had cleared up the misunderstanding about her aunt Tatsuki, at least.

She would never understand men.

"Yes, I believe I have just the person." She was sure he wouldn't have any problems doing this for Naruto, even if it was just as thanks for his new body. "I'll be sure to see if he's willing and send him to you."

Ino was aware that her father was currently below them, dancing with his wife of fifteen years, but she thought better of telling Naruto that she was going to go downstairs for a moment to ask her daddy. It most certainly didn't have the professional image she'd prefer to project and the thought of looking so childish before someone like Naruto brought with it shame and embarrassment she didn't think she'd ever be able to wipe away. A little voice in the back of her head tried to remind her that she had probably looked pretty childish in earlier interactions with him but she ignored it. She was sure he could see how much she had grown since taking on the responsibilities of clan head.

Gods above knew that she felt far more like an adult now- like an actual Kunoichi even if a lot of her time was spent seeing to the clan. Kushina taking over was actually somewhat advantageous actually, because it meant she could pass on a good chunk of it to the Uzumaki clan for her to deal with.

It was probably the only reason she was still an active Kunoichi unlike Hinata who had apparently removed herself from active duty in order to lead her own clan.

Then again, Hinata had just gained power through a coup – who knew the girl had in in her? Either Naruto was to blame for that or he had seen it in her back in the academy days – so perhaps things were a bit different for the Hyuuga.

Regardless, Ino was a Kunoichi now, not some little girl playing Ninja. Her trials had forced her to grow and for that she was grateful. She was not going back to being that little girl by embarrassing herself before the young man who had set in motions the events that had made her into the young woman she was today.

She also needed him to take her seriously in case the Yamanaka needed anything from him or the House of Wolves in the future.

Naruto gave her an understanding nod. "Very good, thank you for your time Yamanaka-san." He stood up to leave and Ino fought down a wince at the formality. It just didn't seem right coming from him, not after everything he and the Yamanaka had gone through. It was strange, too, because he was the kind of person who not only wielded formality like a weapon but could wear it like the most elegant kimono.

She could admit that it probably didn't suit him now because it had been aimed at her.

When she went to ask her father about helping out the Wolves maybe she could get some advise for fixing this, too.

"It's no trouble at all, Naruto-san." Her attempt to return the formality – which wasn't really formal, either. She was using nothing more than what would be expected for an everyday meeting. Naruto was not the kind of person you felt comfortable using formalities with. Perhaps because he was informal with those he favored and you didn't want to be standing against him – left a bitter taste in her mouth.

"I'm sure you're busy, I'll see myself out." With one last parting nod he strode past her through the door and down the stairs.

She watched him go, wondering if there was something she could say to make things right but she didn't even know what was bothering him. His mood seemed to have deteriorated first when he saw her parents dancing, so maybe he had simply thought of Tatsuki?

Her father hadn't managed to get the full story, but from what they understood the two of them had been close and her death had never been intended.

That made sense, she supposed.

She just didn't know how she could make that better for him.

It also didn't explain his reaction to her comment, but she could understand that it had perhaps been lacking in tact. Why it seemed to hit him so hard, however, she had no idea.

Shed' just have to ask her father for insight later.

They were still dancing when he descended back to the main floor, he noted, and he spent a moment just watching as they twirled across the stained wood. He had evidently spent too much time doing so when the two of them stopped in surprise not far from him.

Inoichi seemed more curious than anything but his wife was quick to hide behind the larger frame of her husband of fifteen years.

She had every right to be terrified of him, he thought wryly, but at least she gave him an honest idea about how he was seen by those outside his pack. He hadn't realized how much he'd appreciate such honesty until today- nor did he realize how much it would hurt.

He was a fool.

"Inoichi-san, Oku-sama." He gave the pair a respectful nod. "Please, don't mind me. I was just on my way out. My apologies for interrupting you."

"Ah, Na-" Before Inoichi could say anything Naruto's long strides had take him across the house where he stooped down to grab his shoes almost without breaking stride. He was out the door in seconds.

Inoichi frowned towards the door, wondering what could have earned such a response from the usually very polite young man. For him not to stop long enough for just basic pleasantries was strange. Behind him his wife gave a relieved sigh as soon as the former Uzumaki had left the house.

"I- I think I'm going to go work on the garden." She twisted around him to plant a quick kiss on his cheek- a reward, perhaps, for serving as her human shield – and scurried away. Naruto's presence had apparently taken her out of a dancing mood.

Inoichi gave a grunt in response, acknowledging what she said but remaining focused on his own thoughts. Even if neither he nor his clan were the source of whatever was troubling him, it still wasn't good for anyone when the Prince of Wolves was agitated.

He was joined moments later by his daughter who also shot a concerned look to the door. That told him both why he had been in the house and that he wasn't imagining it. Good, he was worried his skills might be a bit rusty.

"So, you know what has him like that?" He asked without looking to his daughter. From the corner of his eye he could see her shake her head, a frown on her face that he'd very much like to wipe away.

"No, I was going to ask you." She admitted.

Inoichi gave a grunt and shook his head.

"Well, come on then." He turned away from the door and started up the stairs. "Let's sit down and talk about it. Maybe we can figure out whats' going on so we can fix it."

Ino nodded at that- seemed like a sound idea to her- but as soon as she saw him climbing the stairs she rolled her eyes. "You know we don't have to go upstairs right? We have a sitting room down here that will work just fine."

Inoichi only hesitated slightly. "No, no. This is important so it should be discussed in your office."

She wasn't convinced. "You just want an excuse to climb the stairs now that you're out of that wheelchair."

Inoichi did the mature thing- he ignored her and bounded up the stairs taking two at a time.

She rolled her eyes again but they were filled with humor as a fond smile tugged at her lips. He could be such a kid sometimes, maybe that balance is why he got along so well with Naruto.

If you would like to see my responses to the feedback I received for the last chapter, Commentaries – Sealkeeper Chapter 86 is available at Eyazahrid-dot-net.

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Until I next have your attention,

– Eyazahrid