I do not own anything.


Fox Tails and Whirlpools

Chapter 12 - The Path Forward


At the very least the sun had come out, causing most of the water to begin drawing up. All along the path to school, Naruto spotted half of a dozen rainbows either in the sky or simply on the corner of the road. It made the journey quite enjoyable and did wonders in keeping his anxiety down. He liked to think the sunny weather after a day of rain was a good sign, especially since that day and even night of rain had been filled to the brim with tension and danger.

The entire village was still abuzz with the showdown at the hospital, the resulting chase through the forest, and of course the village's two newcomers. Despite living in the household that was at the epicenter of it, Naruto still knew very little. He knew that the mysterious samurai that had tried to cut down Sasuke's dad and insulted his mom was dangerous, but he'd been told no longer would he have to worry about him. Naruto had tried to take those words to heart and focus on the issue before him - getting through the school day.

Coming to a stop before the gates of the academy, the young jinchūriki sucked in a quick breath. You can do this! You can do this! One day, you're gonna be Hokage, so shape up! As he'd seen his adoptive mother do several times, Naruto spaced his feet apart and raised his head high to the morning sun. One foot was placed in front of the other, and before long the boy was strutting through the courtyard, his young face hardened by determination.

Barely a second after the former orphan's presence was known, chatter broke out amongst the academy students. Many pointed and whispered at the blond while several merely stared at him in stunned silence. As he'd learned, Naruto blocked them out, positive and negatives, they were all nothing but the rustling of the wind to him as he made his way to his destination.

"Naruto! Naruto!"

"Iruka-sensei!" His confident stride broke into a flat-out run that ended with him propelling himself into the arms of his favorite instructor. "Good morning!"

The scar-faced teacher had been expecting a physical display of affection from his secret favorite student. He was not disappointed nor did he reject the blonde's embrace. Most importantly, he was glad to see the previous day's events hadn't soured the boy's mood. Naruto's ability to bounce back from just about anything was without a doubt one of his most endearing qualities. "Morning to you too, Naruto. How are you feeling after today?"

"Great! Oh, before I forget, here! This is for wiping away that stuff carved into my desk." A number of eyes went to the boy as he sat his backpack down then reached into it. When his hands came out, they were holding a white bundle in them which he presented to the instructor. "I, uh, don't know if you've had breakfast, but just in case you didn't, here! A-And even if you had breakfast, I-I think it could still work for lunch!"

Iruka picked up the smell of cinnamon almost immediately, he felt his mouth water a little and his stomach growl. Unfolding the wrappings, he was taken back to find what seemed to be two slabs of lightly toasted bread topped with a powdery substance and almonds. Simply staring at the food gave Iruka the near burning desire to hightail it back to the teacher's lounge where he would be free to chow down on the pastry.

"N-Naruto-"

"M-My parents helped me make it. I think it's called Apple Bostock of something." Spoke the blond shyly.

Quickly wrapping the bread back up, Iruka couldn't help but smile at the boy. Every day since that time I took him out, it gets harder to see how people could think of this child as a demon. "Naruto, I don't know how to thank you for this."

"I'm the one who should be thanking you. You've always been a great teacher to me, and you're willing to put up with me through all my pranks and fooling around." Laughed back the child. "All I really did was make a mess around the kitchen, my mom and dad did most of the work. Heh, I still gotta a long way to go before I can become Hokage or cook a decent meal."

"At the very least you're eating something other than ramen, which puts me at ease." Laughed the older male. Looking at the front gate, he chuckled. "Hey, seems like your friend's arrived too."

Turning around, Naruto spotted the familiar mop of dark hair standing at the front of the courtyard. By Sasuke's side stood his brother. Upon laying eyes on the approaching Uzumaki, his face morphed into a soft smile. Leaning down, he whispered something to his brother before turning on his heel and leaving him to his school activities. The chatter filling the courtyard picked up once the Uchiha child and Uzumaki at least made contact. From a single glance, one could have been forgiven for believing the blond and dark-haired boy had been long-time friends. In the short number of days they'd interacted, Naruto and Sasuke seemed to simply click with one another; both students and teachers had attempted to wrap their minds around how that was. Iruka was not one of them.

"You know, sometimes when I see that kid, I feel like I woke up in a parallel world." Mutter Mizuki, his hands in his pockets. "I guess having a pair of parents in the house was finally enough to tame the kid."

"Maybe, but he's still the Naruto we all know. In a week or so, I'm expecting a prank." Iruka responded, watching the two boys interact.

After a short chuckle, Mizuki's eyes wondered to the white bundle held firmly in his fellow chunin's hands. "I…don't suppose you're willing to share one of those, are you?"

"How's half of one loaf sound?"

"Eh, close enough."

By the tree with the swing set sat the Uchiha and Uzumaki. Their respective schoolbags lay by the side in plain view. While open for potential thieves after the commotion of yesterday, it was extremely doubtful any would attempt to pull something against either of the boys. At least not in the open with countless witnesses.

"My dad came home overnight, but he said he's going to the hearing today. What about you? Did your parents tell you any more about that samurai guy?" Questioned the dark-haired youth.

"Nope, but I think they definitely know him." Answered Naruto with an uncharacteristic look of deep thought on his face. Though he was happy his parents were mad at him, he couldn't shake the events of the previous day, namely his mother's barely hidden aggression regarding the swordsman. It reminded him of the way the villagers looked at him-scratch that, the way they still looked at him when his adoptive parents weren't around. "My dad told me that Chandler guy, the one who stopped him, he's from a place called France and the language he was yelling in was French. Oh, and that Bostock I gave Iruka-sensei, it's a food from France too."

"Fran…ce?" Repeated Sasuke with a raised eyebrow. "Weird name. Where is it? I've never heard of a place called France or seen something like it on a map."

"It's a…country from…their world." It still felt a little strange saying it, another world. Naruto had his fantasies like every other kid, but knowing at least some of them might have been real was still breath-taking. And he was the one who'd found the Master-Servant pair after he'd watch them appear via a hole in the sky. That was something he knew he'd never forget as long as he lived.

Sasuke pulled his knees up to his face and averted his gaze. "Um, about those Bostock things…you…wouldn't happen to have any more, would you?"

Naruto's face screwed up as he looked to his friend. "Wasn't your mom back in time to cook breakfast for you?"

"W-Well, y-you see," He began, looking incredibly embarrassed. The youngest Uchiha glanced around the courtyard as if afraid he's seen some hidden figure watching him. "My dad's going to the hearing, my mom has a clan meeting so that left my big brother to look after me. Itachi's…" At his beckoning, the blonde leaned in close enough that Sasuke's whisper could be heard by none but him. "He's a horrible cook! Seriously, he burnt the bacon, eggs, and pancakes! All I had to eat was a bagel!"

Confusion was the first thing Naruto felt hearing Sasuke's confession. He may not have been in the loop but from what he knew, Itachi Uchiha was an all-around super-ninja. Learning that he apparently couldn't cook came off as…disconcerting. That said, the more he tried to picture the older Uchiha behind a kitchen counter, the harder it became. Coupled with the look in Sasuke's eyes and Naruto realized even the great Itachi Uchiha apparently had a blind spot.

Well, I can't cook much either so.

Sasuke wasted no time in chowing down on the loaf of bread Naruto handed him. Watching him, he thought back to the first time he'd sampled his Servant-mother's cooking. Her dishes had swayed the Third Hokage, over ninety-percent of the village, and of course him. Naruto was on the verge of beginning to believe his adoptive mother was secretly some sort of cooking goddess in disguise. If so, he certainly didn't have any complaints.

The dark-haired member of the pair was half-way through his loaf when Naruto felt a sudden tug in his gut. Feeling a phantasmal touch on his cheek, he stood up causing Sasuke to stop eating. He asked what was wrong but Naruto ignored him. His blue eyes set on the bushes before him, Naruto continued onward until he was close enough to reach out and touch them. A feminine "eep!" could be heard moments before his hands reached out and pushed aside the greenery.

"Oh, hey, morning, Hinata." Without a moment's hesitation, the jinchūriki reached out his hand to his downed classmate, who was looking like him as if he'd just sprouted wings from his back. Her pale white eyes examined his head before finding their way up to his face where she found an innocent smile waiting for her. Carefully with a blush coloring her cheeks, the blue-haired girl stretched out her hand where the blond took it and began using it to pull her back to the tree spot.

Sasuke's eyes widened slightly seeing the heiress to the Hyūga clan being pulled alongside his new friend into what he guessed was their inner circle. Truthfully, he had nothing against the Hyūga as some of his clanmates did, he was safely resolute in his belief that the Uchiha were stronger than the taijutsu-users. Not to mention as far as people with, while he did find Hinata Hyūga to be a tad weird, she was far from unlikable. Speaking of which, he smiled a little, realizing Naruto had finally taken notice of her after almost a year of her watching him. He'd inquire about that later.

"You're probably hungry too, so here you go." Without a moment's hesitation, Naruto handed another wrapped bundle to the clan heiress, causing her moon-like eyes widened in surprise.

Then her expression shifted from surprise to a look of worry and hesitation. "N-N-Naruto, I-I-I c-c-can't, w-what about-"

"It's no problem." The blond proclaimed, giving her that sunny smile. "My mom and dad made a bunch of them so I could share them with a few people. On top of that, they packed me a big lunch!"

"Seriously, you're lucky you've got a pair of world-class chefs for parents." Grumbled the black-haired boy with visible envy.

Hinata looked between the two boys before her attention settled on the blond. A soft smile slowly spread across her face as she unwrapped the napkins and took the first bite of the Apple Bostock. Her eyes instantly lit up as she began to enthusiastically bite into the pastry. Naruto watched with an ever-widening grin while Sasuke merely looked on in silent content before going back to his own meal.

Across the grassy field, the unlikely trio were watched by a female duo.

"I…can't believe it, but Naruto…I never knew he could be that nice." Stated the blonde of the pair with a soft smile on her face. "To be honest, I'm kind of glad he finally noticed Hinata."

"Took him a while though," Giggled Sakura. "Though, I think we should be happy Naruto's stopped coming to school with ramen for breakfast every day." The two girls shared a good laugh seconds before they heard the whistle, signaling the beginning of class. "Hey, Ino…are you…gonna try to go talk to Sasuke?"

Just like her blue-haired classmate, the female blonde's face went beet red. A mish-mash of words came out before Ino regained a measure of self-control. "M-Maybe, d-depends. L-Let's go before we're later." Quickly turning her head, the blue-eyed girl hurried toward the door where all the other children were heading.

Behind her, Sakura threw one last glance to the trio of Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata. Though their meal had been unexpectedly interrupted, two of the three were still eating. Naruto couldn't help but laugh at the crumbs that remained on the two dark-haired children's faces; Hinata predictably blushed while Sasuke hastily asked for some napkins. Smiling at the three, the ribbon-wearing girl began following after her friend.

For all intents and purposes, life at the Hidden Leaf's ninja academy had returned to normal. And for that, the village's adult population couldn't be happier.


"Are you ready?"

"Ready to muster up a defense in the name of a man who's tried to kill us around twelve times? Who attempted to slay a man who's shown us kindness while putting the life of our son in danger? Who made an already irritating day worse? Who will no doubt go on to cause us headaches to no end?" With every word, Tamamo's voice grew grouchier until her face was that of an old grump with her rigid posture clenching the deal. In spite of those things, her beloved Master merely smiled at her with his right hand outstretched. "Ready as I'll ever be, darling." The scowl melted away before their hands even made contact. Giving him a firm squeeze, Tamamo allowed Hakuno to lead the way into the meeting room. Almost a second before he pushed the crossed the threshold, she mentally readied herself. I had a feeling this day would come; this place is almost like my home time period. All that's left to see is if I've still got it.

Knowing this would be their first "official" introduction to the Leaf's higher-ups and such, Tamamo had spared no expanse in making sure she and Hakuno looked the part. For her, a traditional azure-colored kimono highlighted by yellow-orange stripes. If one looked close enough, they would notice there were nine of them, three on each sleeve and three running up the length of her body. Her Master-turned-husband's kimono she'd gone a…slightly different direction. Perhaps feeling a bit of pride in the power he'd been granted, she'd sewed a full moon surrounded by clouds onto the back of his kimono-like jacket. Upon seeing it, he'd expressed a glee that made Tamamo's heart flutter in joy. In spite of always thinking of himself as average or even below average, he truly was spectacular in not just her eyes, but the eyes of others. Even when he was putting his life on the line for what many would have called a foolish cause.

Nearly all eyes turned to them the second they entered the meeting room. Tamamo had deactivated the spell masking her fox ears and tail. Besides the Third Hokage and Fugaku, a few of the village's elders had caught wind of her animalistic features. She knew in the future it was entirely possible she'd be dealing with several of this people so there was no point in prolonging the inevitable. Besides their known "allies", she recognized a few other faces. Naturally, Shikaku Nara was there. He didn't look too upset to see them, a matter of fact, he looked no different than when they usually saw him. Sitting at his side were the leaders of the Yamanaka and Akimichi clans, Inoichi and Chōza. A few ways down from them sat Tsume Inuzuka. Upon catching sight of Tamamo's canine ears, her expression immediately perked up; Tamamo guessed that she'd had her skepticism regarding her and now seeing her in the flesh that skepticism had been put to rest. To her right sat Hisashi Hyūga, posed and dignified as they'd heard he always was.

Almost immediately, the pair felt a sharp set of eyes fall upon them, putting them on instant alert. They didn't have to look far to find the source. Sitting beside the Third Hokage were his chief advisers and old teammates, Koharu and Homura. Beside them later sat Danzō Shimura. Though seemingly docile, the two could feel the bandaged man sizing them up and running calculations in his head. In response, Tamamo summoned a portion of her power and directed it his way. The one-eyed man bristled a little in his seat under the invisible and near untraceable heat wave the Servant was hitting him with. Only by the grace of her husband did it end, and even then Hakuno followed it up by directing a sharp glare in the war hawk's direction. That matter settled for the moment, they continued looking around the room to get a feel of the mood.

Whatever injuries Fugaku possessed were covered by his clothing. For the most part, he looked none the worse for wear. He didn't smile when the Master-Servant's duo's eyes fell on him, but he did silently transmit the message that he was alright and willing to listen to what had to be said. A quick glance towards Shikaku and they found he felt the same.

It was then that the "stars" of the hearing entered the meeting chamber.

Chandler had been given what might as well have been prison clothes - gray pants and a gray over-shirt, a very small step-up from the hospital gown he'd been forced into the day before. Unlike Fugaku, some of his injuries were still visible. But from the way he walked, they caused the Frenchman little discomfort. Beside him strode in Okada. Unlike his Master, the swordsman showed visible discomfort, perhaps as a result of the sealing tags placed over his body, including around his waist. In plain view of the assembly, he struggled finding his body had been placed on complete lockdown. Once his eyes fell upon Tamamo, a scowl broke out along his face. The Caster returned it in spades.

Seeing that all attendees had been seated at the circle-shaped table, Hiruzen coughed signaling the meeting could truly begin. "State your names, backgrounds, and intentions."

Sitting upright, the Frenchman spoke first. "Chandler Ardoin, second lieutenant of the Harwey Special Pursuit Squadron. I hail from a land known as France in a continent called Europe, it lies far to the west of Hakuno, Tamamo, and my Servant's homeland."

Inhaling through his nose, Hakuno held out his hand. He'd been waiting for this moment and now it was showtime. A bit of the old schoolboy he might have been crept up as he prayed he didn't mess up and make the situation worse. From his hand came a silvery light that raced into the middle of the room for all to see. Not just the clan heads, but Okada gawked at what took place before them. Chandler wasn't quite as surprised since he'd seen a fraction of the teen's power when he rescued him.

Highlighted on the holographic globe of the Earth was the country of Chandler's birth. As it slowly rotated itself all those attended marveled at the display. Then their attention turned to Okada.

"Ah-hem, ah, yes. Well then, I am who is known as the loyal executioner of the Takechi Hanpeita. One of the most feared assassins of the Bakumatsu period, one of the deadliest swordsman to ever grace the land of Japan. A man who has-"

"His name is Okada Izou, one of the most infamous assassins of the late Edo Period." Chandler deadpanned.

"Master!" Snapped Okada.

"He is a man responsible for over a dozen political assassinations at the behest of his original leader, Takechi Hanpeita, leader of the Tosa Loyalist Party." Hakuno added with an equally deadpan face. "At the end of a short yet incredibly violent career, he was executed-"

"Via decapitation." Tamamo finished, rounding out the trio of deadpan expressions.

"Why you-"

"He is remembered into the modern day of our world as a talented yet over-zealous man whose ego got the better of him, leading to his inevitable and pitiful demise as a murder and extremist." Continued the fox Servant. "As a Heroic Spirit, his Servant class is Assassin."

"It's Manslayer!"

"Assassins, as you all can probably guess, are Heroic Spirits who specialize in stealth, espionage, and assassination. In spite of that, Okada here is such a proficient swordsman, he is able to stand toe-to-toe with Saber-Class Servants."

The manslayer looked to Hakuno with an air of respect for the first time. "It seems at least one of you-"

"That said, he is also a loudmouth with an over inflated ego whose swordsmanship, while admirable, does very little to stack up against more advanced and capable warriors." Cut in Tamamo. "Also, he is a chronic gambler."

"I'll kill you!"

"And a little bit of a whiner." Chandler cut in with a dry expression on his face.

Okada's face was steaming red as he looked between his Master and his former enemies. The constant murmur of those around him only further added to his mounting rage. "I'm sitting right here, dammit! I am one of the four-"

"Ah-hem!" Though it was a soft grunt, the implications it was carried were obvious. At Hiruzen's behest, everyone quieted down, even Okada who looked like he was about to pipe a blood vein. Just from what he'd heard confirmed this man was dangerous, perhaps a tad too dangerous to press in open public. The old Kage's eyes swerved to his partner. "Chandler, I would like to hear more of your story, if you don't mind. How exactly did you and your Servant come into conflict with Hakuno and Tamamo? And what led you to attack our village?"

Sighing in annoyance at his Servant's continued grumbling, Chandler bowed his head toward the senior ninja. "As I said, I was a member of what was known as the Harwey Special Pursuit Squadron, a unit dedicated to hunting down any and all threats to the Harwey Family's supremacy. Our original mission was to find and eliminate Hakuno Kishinami and Tamamo-no-Mae. Okada; I pursued them across the Moon Cell up to the Core Area where we were caught in the Second Magic Warp. Upon arrival in your world, we attempted to establish contact with any friendly parties."

"Based on the state you were found in, is it fair to assume you found none?" Inquired Inoichi, watching every move of the French national's body.

"Correct." He answered with a neutral frown. "All we found were dangers forcing us to go on the run from place to place. During that time, we'd gained a somewhat firm grasp of the rules and workings of this world such as shinobi, the Five Great Nations, and ninjutsu. Upon realizing we were completely cut off and on our own, I came to the decision to abandon my original mission."

"Just like that?" Inquired Homura with narrowed eyes. "You pursued them across an entire world and you then decided to drop your mission?"

For the first time, Chandler grew uncomfortable. Hakuno could understand why as he moved to speak, only to be silenced by a look from his former enemy.

"While on the run…other…issues came up and I had a number of revelations that forced me to reevaluate things. Namely, even if we killed Hakuno and Tamamo, who would we present their bodies to? Who would reward us? What would we do next?"

"In other words, you guys lucked out, again." Chided Okada.

A feral growl could be heard coming from Tamamo, causing all present to give the pink-haired woman a sideways glance.

"Okada and I decided to use our skills for practical purposes and took on the role of bounty hunters, as he is an assassin-"

"Manslayer."

"And I am a former tracker myself, we were able to get by." Chandler explained.

"But something went wrong." Though he wasn't quite angry, it was evident Fugaku was still rather put off by Okada's presence. The feeling was mutual as the samurai gave the police head a sharp glare complete with a murderous smile. Those present could see if one wrong move was made Fugaku was going to act, and when he did there would be bloodshed. "Izou Okada, you're a gambling addict."

The Assassin sucked in a breath to speak, only for his fellow Servant to beat him to the punch. "That's an understatement. While a semi-competent swordsman, this man is one of the worst gamblers you'll ever meet. Whatever money the two of them collected from their bounties, I imagine Okada likely blew through it, possibly as soon as they were paid. From what I can gather, you two ended up biting off more than you could chew. Your Master gave you a simple instruction to go out and find medicine, but instead of doing that, you decided to flirt with death again by challenging a man whose fighting ability was-"

"Nothing I couldn't handle!" Shouted the dark-haired Servant with an angry knot on his head. Fully ignoring the scowl that formed on the Sharingan-user's face. "I would have taken his head and been on my merry way without fuss if you hadn't butted in, fox!"

"Okada." Snarled Chandler.

Across from him, Tamamo's buttons had been pressed. "Oh yeah? Then tell us, oh-so-great Manslayer, what was your plan when the village came after you due to your murder of their chief of police!?"

"Kill them obviously!"

Chandler felt the desire to slam his head against the table. Baise-moi.

"An entire village's worth of Anbu? Including ninja capable of putting up as great a fight as this 'rag-doll' that nearly roasted you and your Master alive?" Tamamo fired back.

Annoyance shot through the swordsman as he bolted upward. "I would have cut that walking scarecrow apart if I had the chance! The same way I would have turned you into sliced fox cutlets back in Petrograd if that gun-toting gaijin hadn't gotten in my way!"

"Really? I seem to recall you turning tail and running the second Lü Bu showed up!"

"Tamamo." Hakuno warned.

"I was exhausted and needed to protect my Master, a tactical retreat! Unlike you, I've seen actual battle!"

"Actual battle? Don't make me laugh! If you want a battle, I fought a one-sided war against thousands! Not to mention I managed to keep my head when I died!" Tamamo shouted. "All you ever did was strike from the shadows like the overblown coward you've always been!"

"That's funny coming from you, fox!"

"Okada..."

"Tamamo..."

"At least I picked up a sword and fought for what I believed in during life instead of spending my whole life kissing someone's else's ass!"

"Oh no, you just needed yours kissed every twenty seconds!"

The eyes of both Masters were obscured by a dark shadow as each grabbed for their now standing Servants. In Chandler's case, Okada's sash, for Hakuno, he gripped Tamamo's tail. Their voices were quiet as whispers yet as cold as ice.

No allowance for a week.

No sex for a month.

"GAH!"

"KIYAH!"

Mortified, the Leaf ninja watched as the two superhuman spirits quietly backed down, figuratively and literally. Sitting back down in their seats, a curtain of silence fell over the pair as it seemed all their previous energy had literally been snuffed out. At their side, their respective Masters remained as poised and dignified as ever. A silent glance was exchanged between them, sympathy for the other swelled within their eyes.

"You gotta admit, this is turning out to be pretty fun. A lot more interesting than I was expecting." Whispered Tsume Inuzuka, jabbing Shibi Aburame in the side.

"Interesting…is a word for it." Spoke the insect user. Even he had to admit, this was not how he was expecting this meeting to go.

"Excuse me, but this is professional hearing!" Shouted Koharu, looking quite irked that things had degenerated. "Chandler Ardoin, please, continue your tale. How exactly did you find your way to the Nara Clan Forest? Who was this mysterious ninja who put you in a near death state?"

Rubbing his temples, the dark-haired man attempted to reorganize his thoughts. "How to describe it, he was dressed in rags, exactly what you'd expect of a traveling rogue or something of the like. We came into conflict with him over a bounty we were both pursuing. I ordered Okada to dispatch him so we could collect our bounty and be on our way."

"But things went wrong." Hisashi inferred.

Okada grunted in annoyance. "Using your world's version of magic, he was able to detach parts of his body and connect them via some kind of black thread. It was disgusting! Made cutting him down a pain in the ass, no matter how much slashing I did, there were a hundred more threads snapping at us, and then there were those weird monsters!"

"Masked beasts, that's the best description I can give you." Chandler continued, now with a grave look on his face. "Each mask seemed to hold some sort of elemental power, one held fire and another held wind. I tried to use my earth magecraft and all he did was blow away or burn everything I threw at him. Then he tried to fry us with lightning; we were outmatched so I ordered a retreat." Holding up his bandaged hand, he grimaced. "Just before we could, he called a jutsu, Searing In-"

"Searing Inferno." Fugaku piped up, now looking interested. "An A-rank Fire Style jutsu that releases a blast of super-heated flames hot enough to blow through a castle's gate. If you barely managed to avoid that move then it's no wonder you were in poor shape when Hakuno found you. It also speaks volumes about the foe you were facing."

"Hey, he was tough but if I had a better sword, I could have cut him down!" Spat Okada, giving his former target a condescending glare.

Rolling his eyes at his Servant's continued defiance, Chandler continued. "Luckily, we managed to escape. We continued to flee hoping to put as much distance between us and our enemy as possible. Choosing to rest for a moment, I told Okada to find some medical supplies so I could apply first aid to myself. Obviously, from there were things…went to the left." Turning to Shikaku, the green-eyed man bowed. "It wasn't my intention to trespass on your clan's domain. For that, I apologize. Not just to you, Shikaku-san, but to all of you of the Leaf Village. My Servant and I mean you all no harm and are willing to face whatever punishment you feel we deserve."

In a rather surprising show of humility and even loyalty, Okada followed his Master in bowing his head. The proud swordsman no longer looked as threatening and childish as he did when feuding with Tamamo and his Master.

Chattering immediately broke out amongst the assembled clan heads and elders. Amongst them, Hakuno and Tamamo remained silent. Looking around the table, they picked up bits and pieces of the conversations being held. So far, things were quite bad, but they weren't as good as they'd hoped. Then again, neither Hakuno and Tamamo had walked into this meeting with high expectations for how things would go. At the very least Fugaku and Shikaku, two of the people they'd been most worried about, didn't seem that angry regarding things. The latter of the two seemed to have accepted Chandler's apology and was now busy conversing with his fellow clan heads.

Tamamo looked to her husband. You're going to do it, aren't you?

He instinctively reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. You know me too well, Tamamo.

Of course I do, I'm your wife. Even if I REALLY don't like that idiot, I've got your back.

Reassured as he always was by his Servant, Hakuno stepped onto the stage. "Lord Hokage, everyone, if I may speak." Physically, he was the youngest person there. One look into his honey-colored eyes told the assembled shinobi that was by no means a disqualification. Hakuno may have been physically young, but his mind was far more advanced. "While I can't defend what Okada did, I believe he should be made to make up for it. Chandler, while he and I may have been enemies, I can say is a decent man who deserves a chance at starting over. For Okada, while he may have his faults, he's one of the most capable swordsmen I've ever met." His words caught the attention of his former pursuers, both of which looked to him with naked shock. Okada more so than his Master. "He can be an asset to this village."

"I agree with Hakuno Kishinami."

What soothing mood the teenager had created with his words dissolved as the one-eyed and one-armed member of the assembly spoke up. Hakuno's peaceful expression melted as he turned to Danzō Shimura, who remained as impassive as when he'd walked in.

Though he only had a few things to go on, he knew this man was trouble with a capital T.

"Your actions were dangerous and reckless, Izou Okada, but this village is willing to show mercy if you and your Master are willing to work for it."

Chandler and Okada exchanged a look. Both men seemingly knew this talk was coming and had prepared for it.

"That said, there is one thing that must be explained. Chandler Ardoin," The Frenchman shaped up, sensing something amiss with the war hawk. Sweat visibly began to collect on his brow. "According to your medical report, aside from your injuries sustained in battle…you appear to have some sort of…sickness, do you not? I would like to hear more."

Okada and Tamamo were the first ones to react, unlike before their anger was unison in how it was directed at the war hawk. Hakuno glanced to Chandler, who merely shook his head telling the teen not to speak. He moved to Okada, ordering his Servant to stand down. As Hakuno had done, he resolved himself before standing up and beginning remove his shirt.

Gasps fell from mouths and eyes went wide seeing the network of red growths that had spread along Chandler's upper body. To his credit, the green-eyed man remained passive as they talked and whispered about him. Starting from his left side, the growths reached upward coming to his neck and disappearing beneath his waistline. It looked like a spider's web, a grotesque network steadily working its way across the man's body.

Chandler took the chance to glance at his two former targets. As expected, Tamamo was looking away, shame painting her cheeks. Hakuno was downtrodden. Espèce d'idiot, always taking the hits for other people, even when you don't have to. Straightening himself up, he spoke. "In our world, one of Tamamo's Alter Egos, Tamamo Scorn, released something known as the AKG virus across the Moon Cell. It targeted Masters, corroding our digital avatars until eventually we were deleted. Once our digital avatars were deleted, our physical bodies on Earth would eventually follow. At a…certain point…I was infected with the virus."

New murmurs broke out with several casting sideways glances in Tamamo's direction. Hakuno gripped her hand a tad tighter, hoping to shield her from the attention. In return, she mentally told him while she appreciated his protection, it wasn't needed.

He'd showed his courage and heart worthy of a true hero. As an Anti-Hero, Tamamo was incapable of doing such a thing. But by her heavenly father, she was going to take a crack at it.

"What Chandler speaks is the truth, save for one thing, the virus is actually a curse." Silence fell over everyone as Tamamo took the floor. Her normally bubbly expression was replaced by a stone-cold frown that told everyone to wait until she was finished speaking. Once she was, it was anyone's guess what would happen next. "The curse my…other self used is actually called the Kissu no Higanbana."

"The Red Spider Lily." Mouthed Inoichi. "Kiss of the Red Spider Lily."

"Yes, Mr. Inoichi." Tamamo affirmed. "The name AKG was just a front, a stand-in for Akashigata, the place where Tamamo first released the virus." Feeling Hakuno's eyes on her, the fox bowed her head in sorrow. "Since the name had already stuck, I…felt no need to correct anyone. Moving on, you're all probably asking yourself if the virus is contagious, it isn't."

"And how exactly do you know that?" Danzo pressed.

"Because," Tamamo shot back with cold eyes. "While the name virus is sounds right, it's misleading. As I said, it's actually a curse. The Moon Cell was a virtual world in which my 'sister' took advantage of, corrupting the world's coding to speed up the spread of the curse. While it was extremely difficult, our allies managed to stop the spread of the corruption, but not all of it apparently. Chandler," It was the first time she'd directly addressed the Frenchman. "Let me guess, during the assault on Lunapolis, that's when you were infected, weren't you?"

He nodded. Beside him, Okada looked away, shame overtaking his face. "When she used her Sessho-seki to launch another aerial bombing, I…got hit in the side. It was only a week after we got here, I realized I was hit."

"How lethal is this curse? Can it be…lifted?" Questioned Hisashi. The urge to use his Byakugan was near overwhelming, but he wanted to respect the privacy of his village's unlikely "guests".

"One-hundred-percent lethal." Chandler spoke in a completely deadpan voice. "It may take a year or longer, but I am going to die from this."

Looking at the Third Hokage then to Hakuno, the head of the Hyūga Clan was granted the permission he was looking forward. Veins appeared along with his eyes as he used his clan's kekkei genkei to examine the pursuit operative. As he did, he grimaced, one of the rare expressions of the Hyūga member had made. For someone who was usually stoic, it's a bad sign to the elders of the village and his fellow clan leaders. "It's like…seems like…poison, even dare I say it, rust, spreading through your body."

"From a physical standpoint, the curse attacks one's magic circuits, our world's equivalent of chakra points and pathways, thus preventing them from casting any sort of magecraft or code casts. From there, it begins to spread to the rest of the organs, eventually causing organ failure…and then finally death." Hakuno explained with a hollow voice.

Visible worry laced Chōza's face as he looked to Tamamo. "If one of your…Alter Egos created this curse, is it within your power to lift it? Is it possible for the medicine of our world to break it?"

She'd known that question had been coming since Hakuno had told her Chandler had been cursed. The easy and most direct response would have been no, that was no way to break the curse short of her absorbing Scorn's power and lifting it. That option was far from plausible.

A wave of warmth rushed through her starting from her left hand then spreading through the rest of her body.

"I…honestly don't know, but I'm willing to try." Tamamo finally stated.

"We're willing to try." Corrected Hakuno. Eyes rose to see the resolute look in the teenager's eyes, the look of a man determined. "Lord Hokage, everyone, Tamamo and I are willing to take responsibility for them."

The two previously mentioned men went bug-eyed hearing the teen's declaration.

"Oh? Is that so?" Spoke Koharu, looking at the boy from the corner of her eye. "You're willing to take responsibility for these men who pursued you across your world, endangering your lives several times and recently putting your adoptive son's life at risk?"

Breathing in through her nose, Tamamo stood strong beside her lover. "Yes, yes we are. Annoying as they may be, we're willing to give them a chance. Should something happen, my husband and I will take full responsibility for them."

The strange couple became the focus of every man and woman in the room.

"I'm willing to support their decision." Several eyes turned to Fugaku, who stood as regal and imposing as he always did. "While I am still rather peeved that an evening with my family was ruined, I'm willing to let that slide. Besides, if these Servants are as powerful as I've been led to believe then I believe it's in the village's best interest to allow these two the chance to take up residence, better here than wandering in the outside world."

"I agree with Fugaku." Sounded Shikaku. "Aside from taking some of my free time, no lasting damage was done to the Nara Clan Forest. For that, I'm willing to be lenient."

Following a look between his round-bodied friend and teammate, Inoichi added his piece. "The Akimichi Clan and Yamanaka Clan are in agreement as well."

"Add the Aburame Clan in as well."

"The samurai's attitude could use some adjustment." Grunted Tsume. "But otherwise, I give my vote to letting the Kishinamis watch over them."

"As do the Hyūga." Spoke Hisashi, his Byakugan now deactivated.

Another chorus of approvals sounded until it was left to Hiruzen and his old teammates. Homura and Koharu shot each other a look across the table before glancing toward Danzō. Hiruzen followed their lead in waiting for his old rival's next move.

"If called upon, can you two be expected to perform as required of every citizen of the Leaf, including you, Chandler Ardoin?"

"With all due respect, I may be dying, but I've still got some life left in me. If possible, I'd rather go down swinging." Answered the Frenchman.

"Heh, you all should count yourselves lucky a swordsman such as myself is willing to lend you-" His Master stomped on his foot "-Ow! Urgh, yes." Finally spoke the dark-haired Servant. "My blade is at the usage of the Hidden Leaf Village."

"It is decided then," Boomed Hiruzen, removing his pipe. "From this point onward, Chandler Ardoin, Izou Okada, you two will serve out your prohibition under the watch of Hakuno and Tamamo Kishinami. Housing will be arranged for you two and additional information regarding the subject will be matted out at a later date. Any questions?"

Rather than looking at him, the pair were looking at another - the boy who'd more than likely just saved their lives. His Servant-wife looked away, clearly not quite ready to accept them in contrast to her husband. Hakuno smiled at them, it was an apologetic smile that the brown-haired teenager had become somewhat infamous for. For once, it didn't look so bad on him. Chandler and Okada smiled back, not in big ways that would have been noticeable, but in little ways that showed they appreciated him.


He waited until they were alone before speaking. "You know, you could learn a thing or two from them."

Danzō looked at his old rival and friend with a sharp glare. Hiruzen was one of the few who would not back down when put under his glare. For that, he couldn't help but respect him. A square-shaped table composed of dark marble separated the two men. "And what lesson should I take away, Hiruzen?"

"The ability to forgive and move on." Clarified the hat-holder, sitting upright. "Not forgetting, but being willing to bury the hatchet and move on together rather than spending time squabbling over old and obscene issues."

"What happened this morning was sheer luck, nothing more." Calmly retorted the dark-garbed man. "You saw the temperament of the samurai, were it not for those seals, he would have gone on a slashing spree and not stopped until he was restrained or put down."

"But it did not come to that, did it? And now, the village possesses another ally instead of an enemy." Hiruzen said.

"…That it does, I suppose…you…may have a point."

Smiling at having gone one over his old teammate, Hiruzen began for the door. "I'll contact the housing department, later on, to set up arrangements for Okada and Chandler."

"I will handle it, you have far more pressing matters to tend to."

Stopping dead in his tracks, the Professor of Shinobi turned back to face Danzō. A battle of wills ensued as the men exchanging glares. Standing firm, Hiruzen said, "No, I will handle the matter myself. As per usual, Anbu will be stationed around their home for a week, after which should I deem it so, they will pull back. You have matters of your own to attend to so focus on those."

Silently, the bandage-wrapped man nodded his head in seeming acceptance of his leader's decision. Believing the matter settled, he turned the knob on the door leaving Danzō alone in the meeting room for his private advisers.

Except he wasn't alone.

One appeared in a whirlwind of leaves, the other in a flurry of snow particles. Both Anbu were female, no older than perhaps fifteen at best. The blonde's body was what one could call…developing. Her breasts were a tad larger than what one would have expected from a girl her age, eye-catching as some men would have said. A bear-themed mask with red markings obscured her face while her blonde hair had been done up in a tight knot. Beside her, the other was dark-haired. What could be seen of her skin was smooth and peach-like. Her mask was also that of a mammal, a dog in her case with azure-colored markings.

The blonde was the first one to speak. "That was a waste of time."

"Chizuki!" Snapped the black-haired operative.

"What? Seriously, everyone knew the old man was going to pardon them! Like everyone really needed to waste their time with a hearing! All he did was it as an excuse to escape that damn paperwork!"

She may just have a point. Thought the war veteran before turning his mind to more serious topics. "Has the information regarding yesterday's battle been documented?"

"Yes sir," Responded the dark-haired one. "Including the information regarding Fugaku Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan. Lord Danzō, do you want us to procure them for you?"

"No, there has been enough excitement for one week, not to mention the Uchiha must know one of their trump cards has now been exposed. Not to mention there's a new player on the board. While I doubt this will sway them from their plans, it will force them to back to the drawing board."

"Or they could, you know, just drop the whole rebellion idea altogether." Muttered the blonde, causing her partner and master to glare at her. "Hey, I'm just saying! It could happen."

"Not in this world, Chizuki." Moaned the dog-masked one with a shake of her head. "We will increase surveillance on the Uchiha District."

"Good. Hiyu, you will take a squadron to survey the situation in the Hidden Stone. As it stands, they have two Servants as do we, not exactly a favorable position, but not the worst one." Spying his blonde subordinate about to speak, Danzo swiftly cut her off. "As for you, Chizuki, you will remain behind and continue to perfect your pollination jutsu. Should the Uchiha attempt something, I want you at the ready."

Beneath her mask, the teenager snorted. "Sure, why not? It's not like I haven't been sent out into the field in a while."

"I'd rather you trained and prepared than sent out unprepared and come back to me a corpse, or not come back to me at all." Responded the one-eyed man.

"You've sent me out on missions before! The only reason you're-"

"Chizuki!" Snapped the one known as Hiyu. Beneath her mask, the blonde scowled then looked away. "What about those two? Will they be trouble?"

"I can handle them." Spoke the war hawk. "Chandler is dying, and when he does, from what I understand Okada will be forced to find himself a new Master least he fades away. He is arrogant and simple-minded as Hakuno and the others so dutifully explained at the hearing. He will be easy to sway, but he will not be enough. Hiyu, while on your mission, report any Master-Servant-related news back to me, is that understood?"

"Yes, sir." There was a nervous pause before the blue-masked woman spoke again. "Should the…chance arise to capture another Master-Servant team, what do I do?"

Ears perked up and eyes wide behind her mask, Chizuki turned to her partner. "W-W-Wow, i-if you're talking about search and capture then I could-"

"These are powerful spirits, ghosts really." Cut off the older man. "Unlike you, Hiyu has a firm handling of her kekkei genkei, not to mention it's more suited to subduing and capturing targets then yours."

"And if one of these 'visitors' happen to be able to breathe fire?" For an answer, Chizuki got another double glare. Rolling her eyes behind her mask, she bowed her head fully submitting herself once again.

"If capture is not an option, then merely observe and report back to me. You two are dismissed until further notice." Satisfied, the two girls disappeared in the blink of an eye. Following a quick glance around the room, Danzō headed for the door then began walking the halls until he found himself standing outside. It was warmer and brighter than expected. Many had been rather jubilant at the good weather after such a tension-filled day. Danzō was not one of them for he knew better. The brighter the light, the deeper the shadow.

Hiruzen, you talk of burying grudges and moving onward, but hatred isn't so easily forgotten, especially when it is the fuel that keeps one going. Rather it's on this world or another, change does not come without sacrifice, and pain.


As I'm sure you all can guess, the 'rag-doll' Chandler and Okada ran into was Kakazu. Originally, I planned on including a flashback fight showing how badly the battle went for them, but I just couldn't find a way to work it in.

"Kissu no Higanbana" literally means "Kiss of the Red Spider Lily". The Red Spider Lily as a flower possesses extremely negative connotations in Japanese flower language. It's the flower of death, poisonous to rodents and small animals, it was planted around graves to keep animals from devouring the corpses of the deceased. It's said to bloom along the paths of departed lovers, people fated to never see each other again. Oh, and Tamamo's Land of Eternal Bane attack is centered around this flower thus explaining the harsh conditions of its usage and effect.

The curse is going to be something of a game-changer for Master-Servants. As stated, it only effects Masters, and in time it will eventually kill them leaving Servants in a sticky situation. Can the curse be broken or cured? Well, that's something that Hakuno and Tamamo are going to have to discover. It's another reason they're going to have experiment with their powers and see just how far they can go.

Apple-Cinnamon Bostock is a French pastry, The French Toast usually topped with almonds and occasionally strawberries.

Baise-moiis French for "fuck me".

Espèce d'idiot is French for "you idiot".

Chizuki is derived from Haochizuki, which means "month of falling leaves", it's an old Japanese name for the month of August.

Hiyu is an adjective that means "cold".

Next chapter we're getting back into some action as I can promise you all the first Servant vs. Servant fight of this story, and a Master vs. Master fight too. Until then!