Butterflies

"Me? I'm nobody. I'm not skilled like Uchiha-san. I am not passionate like Haruno-san. I am not smart like Nara-san. I'm not as strong as Chouji-san. I'm not as collected as Aburame-san. Or as pretty as Yamanaka-san. I'm not as confident as Inuzuka-san. If anything, I'm like Hyuuga-san, socially awkward. Oh wait, no, she's just shy. The socially awkward one is me." OC! Team 7 remix!

Chapter 29 – Perspective: Truth vs Deception

8-8

"Alright team. After lunch we're going to the Tower. We're taking a C-rank mission today." Captain announces. I look at him, wondering about that. Don't get me wrong, another mission would be ideal, and Nii-san and I could put the money towards a few small projects we've been thinking up, but…

"Are you two that worried about Haruno?" I ask, not really caring either way.

"No. I'm curious how well you three will use your new skills in the real world." Captain counters smoothly. I roll my eyes, not buying it for a second. Still, whatever. I walk into the house, finding Sarutobi-san still reading her book. I can appreciate that, I really can.

"Training went well?" She asks. I nod, but remember that she's reading so she can't see me.

"Yeah." Hmm. A C-rank mission. That means leaving the village for a while. I don't think Yasu-nee would need help around the house –she's quite capable– but… I'll still be worried if there's no one around just in case. Not to mention the risk of her not being able to get back in, seeing as we still have no clue how to tweak the security seals.

"You look like a girl with something on her mind." Sarutobi teases, putting her book down.

Hmm, she can read her book and monitor those around her. She's very aware of her environment. I nod. "We're going on a mission again. Might be gone a while." I explain. "I was… hoping you might be willing to help out Yasu-nee if she needs anything?"

"Sweetie, that really isn't needed. I can manage while you two are gone." Yasu-nee says, already bringing in dish after dish for our lunch.

"Nee-san! How would you get back in if the gate closes? We can't just assume you won't need to leave the house for anything, and we don't even know how long we'll be gone!" I argue. She thinks about that for a whole second, before shrugging and leaving it at that.

"You would… trust me with this?" Sarutobi-san asks, her eyes questioning. I turn, but nod anyway.

"I guess we're just here for decoration then." Momochi-san complains.

"And drinking sake." I point out, my tone a complete deadpan.

"Touché." He shrugs.

"Namiki-san, if you wouldn't mind, I would help as well." Yuki-san offers. I blink at her, unsure what to make of it. Sure, she's been helping around the house as well, but… I won't be here, Nii-san won't be here. If… if she were to go crazy while we're gone…?

"That's very sweet of you, Haku-chan. Don't you think so, Aya?" I wince. Yasu-nee doesn't use her 'don't you dare even think otherwise' tone often, but when she does…

"Yes. Thank you, Yuki-san." I bow to her, my eyes trained on the ground in front of me.

"Fret not. I will protect your precious people." She smiles, really smiles. Her eyes hold a warmth I didn't know they could contain. Kami-sama, this girl is gorgeous when she does that!

Words will never express what I feel, so I walk up to her and hug her. She's a bit caught off guard, but I feel her hugging me back a moment later. "Promise?"

"I swear it." There's a sense of finality in her voice. I can tell, even without her saying it, that she'd die to protect my pack.

"Thank you… Haku." I hug her a little tighter.

"Now I just feel left out. She gets 'Haku', but I'm still 'Sarutobi-san'? How is that fair?" Sarutobi-san teases a bit; her little smirk is a dead giveaway.

"Naru-nii. I think Sasa-nee needs a hug too. Don't you?" I look to Nii-san, my eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Definitely." His eyes twinkle as well.

I can't tell how it happened. One second, we're hugging her, the next we're tickling her so mercilessly that I think she'll end up going… and a second later we're in a heap on the tatami mats, rolling over each other and all three of us are cackling with laughter.

8-8

"Team Seven, reporting for a new C-rank mission." Captain announces. Somehow, I end up between Uchiha-san and Nii-san. I'm not sure why. But I do know that he'd better not show any kind of slouch while we're addressing Hokage-dono.

"Ah. I was wondering when to expect you. I have just the thing. A village near the border of the Land of Tea has sent a request to investigate this new business that recently opened. The owners are from the Land of Tea, so the locals suspect they are somehow gangsters. It shouldn't take more than a week, not including travel time."

"What's the plan if they are gangsters?" Nii-san asks. That's… actually a good question.

"That is at the discretion of Kakashi. If he feels they are a threat, treat them as such." Kill them, in other words. I shrug. Not much different to clearing out bandit camps. "That is all. Dismissed."

"Team, pack for a two week mission. Meet at South Gate in one hour." Yeah, yeah.

8-8

"You have your flute?"

"Yes."

"Your kunais and those shuriken?"

"Yes."

"Enough ninja wire?"

"Yes."

"Explosive tags?"

"Yes."

"Rations bars?"

"And bottles of water. Both enough for four meals a day over two weeks."

"Good. What about clothes?"

"More than enough."

"Toiletries?"

"Yes."

"Makeup?"

"Won't need it, but yes."

"You don't need it in Konoha either, but it doesn't hurt. What about scrolls for training?"

"Three medical. Two sound release. Four genjutsu. One earth release." Yoshino-sensei is being a real mother hen right now.

"What about camping equipment?"

"Of course."

"Extra linens?"

"Sensei, I think next time I'll just let you watch me pack." I tease her. "Yes. Extra linens. I even have pads and such, just in case. And my first aid kit is fully stocked. And I have the antidotes to all the poisons Nii-san uses. And I have cooking ware. And I have some seasonings. Sensei, I have everything but the kitchen sink sealed. I'll be fine."

"… what about the antidotes to the poisons you use?"

"I don't use poisons. If I find a situation where I need to, I'll ask Nii-san, and I have the antidotes to those." I roll my eyes, smiling at her. She's not even a little bit sorry she's like this.

"Solider pills?" Is she still not finished?

"Yes."

"Blood plasma pills?"

"Yes. Those are in my first aid kit." I'd better be sure I word all this right, or she'll just go over everything again.

"… enough empty storage seals?"

"Yes. You do realise I only have like twenty minutes before I need to leave?"

"That's exactly why I need to double check now. Imagine you remember something when you're already half way there!" She smirks, still not feeling in the least bit sorry she's like this. I hug her. She's quick to hug me back, but even that doesn't stop her for long. "What about an extra pair of slippers and/or sandals?"

8-8

After our farewells –lots of them, really– we make our way to South Gate. It's the first time in a while since we've been 'unsupervised' in public. I really don't care either way. We're not allowed to go 'rooftop jumping', so we walk through the crowded streets.

We get more than a few zealous glances, but no one's going to start any crap with two shinobi in public like this – not if they have a brain.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY LET YOU OUT AFTER WHAT YOU DID TO MY DAUGHTER!" Pink hair. Green eyes. Shrieking like there's no tomorrow. I can guess this is a Haruno. We keep walking, not caring who the woman's even talking to – or about for that matter.

"Did Sensei give you a hard time about your packing too?" Nii-san asks. I snort, amused. "I thought so. Jeez. I guess I don't have to wonder anymore what it'd be like to have a mother." I smile. Yeah, I can imagine mama being exactly like that.

"Do you think we should sign Sakiko up for the academy? She certainly has the drive for it." I say, smiling a little. She's about the right age too.

"Hmm. We could at least talk to Yasu-nee about it. And we should only really talk to Saki-chan about it after that." Good point. I nod.

"AND THEY AREN'T EVEN LISTENING TO ME! KURA-SAN, DO YOU SEE THE GALL OF THOSE DEMONS!?" I stop dead in my tracks. Demons? Obviously she's talking about us then. I turn, seeing a very satisfied smirk carefully hidden under an angry mask.

"Hmm. Did you pack enough instant ramen?" I ask, walking again at the same pace, destination unchanged. I know a trap when I see one.

"Don't you start!" He complains. "What about your chocolate?"

I snort. Even Sensei was willing to accept blindly that I packed enough chocolate. That says something. "Of course."

"WHERE ARE YOU GOING YOU LITTLE-"

"Miss, I would advise you to mind your manners when addressing Konoha shinobi." Haku. I smile. "Furthermore. I recall being instructed to bring in any that would refer to a shinobi –any shinobi– by the term 'demon', unless it was in their moniker. I know these two, neither has a moniker with that term. I'm going to have to ask you to come with me. Whether peacefully or by force is up to you."

"Hey, Haku-chan! When we get back, we're treating you to dinner. You and Zabuza, 'ttebayo!"

"I'll hold you to that, Naruto-san." Haku says, smiling. She's always smiling. "Now, Miss, this way please."

8-8

We make it to the gate with five minutes to spare. I don't know why. Those idiots are never early, and I think Captain would have a heart attack if he was. Or maybe I'd have a heart attack if he is. I shake the stupid thoughts out of my head.

"Do you get the impression like the old man has high expectations of us?" Nii-san asks. His tone tells me he's been thinking about this for a while.

"Higher than you becoming Hokage? Not likely." I tease.

"Sis, I'm serious. I mean, telling Kakashi not to waste our time with D-ranks?" Is that only now reaching you? Jeez, that was like… forever ago!

"Naruto-nii, of course Hokage-dono sees something in us. He'd be blind not to." I say, rolling my eyes.

"Sis…?"

I sigh. "Look at the pieces of the puzzle." I tell him, but he just looks even more clueless. I groan this time. "You're not going to give up until you're Hokage, right?" He nods. "I'm not going to get left behind, right?" He nods again. "Uchiha-san's… along for the ride."

"Hnn." Ah. Old broody has arrived.

"The point is. Individually we're growing strong. If we work together, we can only become stronger. After all. I want to brag about having a Hokage for a brother." I wink at Nii-san.

"Speaking of which… did you?" Uchiha-san asks, giving Nii-san a meaningful look. What… does that even mean? And why is that in any way related to what I was saying?

"Naturally. We ran into her mom by the way. Haku's taking her to T&I because of her calling me 'that name'."

Uchiha-san makes a face. "Idiot." Can't argue with you there. She's an idiot. "Can't tell the difference between a scroll and kunai." WHAT THE…! My eyes are just about ready to fall out of their sockets!

"… what do you mean?" I ask cautiously.

Uchiha gives me a look that almost makes me think he's mutely calling me an idiot. Then he holds up nine fingers.

I turn to Nii-san, almost regretting the motion because of the pain. Almost. "What? He was bound to figure it out sooner or later. This way I can tell him about the rules surrounding that information."

I shake my head. What's next, telling him about your heritage? "And yes, he knows that too. I blame you for that one though. Calling her 'Sasa-nee' right in front of him? You think he wouldn't notice how deeply she was blushing from that?"

I narrow my eyes at him, holding a finger up and my mouth half open… I know I have a comeback for that!

…

I WILL have a comeback for that! Eventually!

"And since when are you a mind reader?" I ask. I know I didn't say a word about any of that.

"Jeez, you and her are too much alike." He rolls his eyes, amused. "When you let your guard down, every thought going through your head shows up on your face. All I have to do is pay attention." I roll my eyes.

"Whatever." We drone at the same time. I swat his shoulder, trying to act annoyed. I'm still smiling though.

"Wait a minute! If my calling her that tipped him off… when did you have time to talk about it?" I wonder.

"You went to the bathroom before we left for the Tower. It's not like it's a long conversation." I can almost imagine how Nii-san handled that. 'Hi, I'm Uzumaki Naruto, son of the Fourth Hokage and the jailor of the Nine-tailed fox. Oh, and Asami's really my twin sister.'

"No problems, I assume." I turn to Uchiha-san, my tone and eyes colder than ice.

He snorts. "I've suspected for a while. On all counts." I snort. I knew it was the world's worst kept secret! Still, that doesn't answer my question. I glare at him again. "No, Namiki. No problems." He gazes right back, obviously not worried. I nod; good.

"Geez, sis. Relax." Nii-san teases. I stick my tongue out at him. "Oh, the shame! I can never show my face in this village again!" I groan at his over the top stupidity.

"Hey, Namiki. I have a question." I look to Uchiha-san, wondering what he wants. "May I call you Aya?" I look at him, wondering what's going on.

"Something wrong with Namiki?" I ask.

"No." He drops it. Just in time too. Captain shows up and we head to sign out of the village.

8-8

We run until the sun starts setting. Well, I say 'run', but it's basically been a mad body-flicker dash across the Land of Fire. Eventually Captain decides he's 'not unhappy' with the pace set. Not that he told us that. No, can't have us with swollen heads during a mission. I only know, because he stopped picking up the pace at some point.

Captain dishes out the chores and sets up a rotation for tonight. I set up everyone's tent once again, only to finally notice that Uchiha isn't carrying a bag this time. I nod approvingly. Storage seals are just simply awesome.

Naruto-nii deals with the fire this time, and Uchiha-san is in charge of dinner. Roasted potatoes and deer-kebabs. Not a bad combination, really. No idea where he got the potatoes, or why they're in season, but… meh. Can't complain.

"We should make it to Kakunodate village tomorrow afternoon if we keep up this pace." Captain explains, having already had his fill. I shrug, not really caring. All I care about is the porch that we're going to build from the money – or at least put towards it.

"Hey, sis. I've been meaning to ask you. When are you going to start using your flute in a fight?" I think about that. Hmm. Using my flute would mean that both of my hands are occupied, but I can always use my kicks if someone gets too close. It would open the door to a few interesting jutsus I've been working on – or at least dreaming up.

"Not sure. Not going to test that on a mission though. Are you willing to give me a hand developing a style for it when we get back?" Sill question, I know. But it's only polite to ask.

"Sure. If you'll help me with a thing I've been thinking about?" I look at him curiously. He mouths 'later', so I don't press. Uchiha-san looks like he wants to say something, ask something, do something. He remains silent. I shrug, not caring too much either way.

"You guys should get some rest. I've got first watch." I say. They nod, heading into their tents.

8-8

The next morning, we get an early start. We run. We eventually reach the destination. Yea!

Captain leads us into the sleepy little village. It seems… peaceful here. And it's obviously a place where everyone knows everyone – and probably everything about them, seeing as everyone that spots us points and seems too excited about something.

We make our way to an important looking building in the middle of village, and we're shown into some –in my opinion– self-important man's office. He happily greets us, bowing over and over again. He tells us the tale of the 'vagrants' we're to investigate.

"They moved here six months ago. We knew from the start they were trouble, but really we're just too nice to turn people away." Warning signs are going off already, and he just started. I start looking around his office, seeing nothing but the best of everything here. Expensive cigars for him to smoke, aged whiskey sitting on a shelf with what looks crystal drinking glasses. This isn't some idiot running a small village. That's not possible.

"The husband and the father are away right now, so it should be much easier for you to deal with them." We're informed. Hmm. He presents this as if they are already guilty, but our mission is to investigate. We're meant to be the executioners, not the detectives. Interesting. There's more going on here than he's letting on. I'd bet all the chocolate in the world that these people aren't what he says they are.

"We will investigate immediately. I assure you, justice will be done swiftly and harshly." I smirk at Captain's words. That's a double-edged sword he's swinging about with words. In other words: we find out you're the guilty one, and you'll be the one that winds up dead.

He nods happily, calls in his secretary who's told to have us escorted to our 'suite'. I don't like the sound of that at all. He's trying to sway us.

"Thank you, but that won't be needed. We work better in the field than in a suite." Captain turns it down. Good. Less chance to get poisoned if he thinks we're on to him, and it'll be much harder to even know where we are.

"Ah, but how will we know to find you should we need you?" He asks with a small smile.

"We could report in every morning?" He offers. The man doesn't look pleased. At all.

"As you wish. Michiko-chan. Please schedule at least fifteen minutes for them every morning at, shall we say, ten o'clock?"

8-8

We stop outside of the village. Well outside of it. I don't like this. At all. "Team meeting. Fifteen minutes. No setting up tents, no fires." Yes, I thought as much. Captain smells a rat as well.

I go and quickly see to my needs, eager to hear what the plan is.

#I do not trust the situation.# Captain signs, signalling the beginning of the meeting. #There's no obvious sign of wealth in the village, yet the village head lives the highlife.# No farms, no factory, nothing. And yet they all make enough money to survive? Where's the money come from? Or is this come kind of utopia where money isn't a thing?

#Agreed. Fancy cigars, expensive whiskeys. I don't trust that man.# I sign, trying not to get too involved but wanting to make my point anyway.

#Fox.# Yeah, Nii-san decided that 'frog' no longer fit him. But seeing as there's no 'kitsune' sign, he settled for 'fox' #Shadow clone. Ten. Scout village for our targets. Do not engage. You are to spy on them and dispel one clone so we know where they are.#

#Got you covered!# Ten shadow clones head towards the village again, but slowly and stealthily.

#Hawk. You and original Fox, scout this area. No traps.#

#Understood.# Hawk and Fox sign as one.

#Wolf. I need you to be our helpless little girl. If this is what I think it is, you're the first target they'd go after.#

#Oh save me. Wolf fell and can't get up.# I smirk, liking the idea more than I should.

#You are to go into the village and buy some groceries. I will watch from shadows.#

#Can I kill anyone if they make a funny move?#

#Do not engage. Retreat. If they follow you out of the village and into the forest, then you may engage.#

#Understood.#

#Sub-mission. Subtly interrogate locals. Find out history. Find out about the targets. Find out about village head.# Call out my inner Ino. Got you. I nod this time. #Move out.#

8-8

Once back inside the village, I find it disturbingly easy to find out things they don't want me to know. Like first of all, all the men of the village wear wakizashis – obviously not a farmer's settlement, not that they have farms to begin with. Second of all, the women here are so used to armed people walking about that they barely even notice my three blades. This isn't some new development.

I walk into a… well basically a candy and confectionary store, wondering that they'd have that here. We're basically in the middle of nowhere, but they have the conveniences of a far larger settlement? Lucky me, it's run by a kind looking old lady. They like telling they're story to 'young-uns'. I order a few chocolate balls and get to work.

"I'm soooo glad I found this store! I was worried I'd have to wait until I got back to Konoha before I could get the good stuff!" I announce, happily munching on my chocolate. I taste a hint of brandy in it, so I know this really is the good stuff. I did make sure to get a good sniff to check for... anything I don't want in it.

"Well, I'm always glad to have new customers to try my creations. Tell me, girl, do you like it?" She asks. 'Girl', not 'child'. She looks down on me.

"I do! I wasn't expecting the brandy though!" I say. Not that it bothers me in the least. I don't think I'll ever prefer the stuff –they either end up making my precious chocolate too bitter or too sweet, and they always taste a little funny– but sometimes a little variety in my chocolate intake is a good thing.

I stay quiet for a moment longer, trying to assess the situation. I'm sure the little old lady thinks I'm just enjoying my chocolate though – which is also true. This woman's eyes are far too calculating, too sharp, for her to just be a store worker. "So you're from Konoha, are you?"

"Nn!" I noise happily, still munching.

"It must be strange to be all the way out here then." Oh? Is she trying to subtly interrogate me?

I shrug, putting my hand in front of my mouth once I swallow what I've been chewing on. "Not really? I mean, you guys seem to have everything I could want! So it's not like I'm going to miss anything while we're here." She smiles a little – a patient smile.

She's keeping a very close eye on me. Almost too close. "Well, that's true. We've been very luck." She's keeping it vague, polite. She thinks she's the one doing the investigating here. That doesn't add up. And she's subtly eyeing the chocolates I bought. She did something to them.

"'Very lucky'?" I ask. "You mean with trade? I kind of noticed there aren't any farms around here. Not that I'm complaining! Farms always smell… funny." I make a face, trying to play into the 'city girl' persona she clearly expects from me. Truth is, I don't care how things smell. Good, bad, no scent at all. It's all needed for one reason or another.

"You could say that." Pirates or gangsters. There's no other option. And she likes offering vague answers. She's used to this lifestyle, but doesn't expect me to pick up on that?

"Hmm. Well, what do you guys trade then?" I ask, actually curious – more if she'll answer me, but still curious.

"A little of this, a little of that." She shrugs but her eyes don't leave mine. I nod. I know all I need to.

"Thank you for the chocolate. It's really yummy!" I say, leaving the store without another word.

8-8

I make it to a butcher within minutes, after having sealed the remaining two chocolates – I want Captain to have a look at them before I munch away. Once inside, I notice that there's quite the selection of meats. I mean, the stall at the market back in Konoha pales in comparison to this!

I look around, finding no customers around. It's just me. I walk up to him, order two kilos of chicken filet, one kilo of rabbit filet and a half a kilo of deer steaks. He nods wordlessly and starts collecting my order for me. He tells me the price –about the same I'd expect to pay in Konoha– so I pay accept the three bags from him. I smell them each in turn, deciding that these are fresh, and seal the meats away for later.

After that I go to a greengrocer, for veggies and such. The same selection I'd find in Konoha, all here. I pick up a selection of radishes, carrots and potatoes. Some peaches and lychees. And, just to be sure, I sniff the mangos – even Konoha doesn't have mangos at this time of year! They smell fresh and ripe, so I take one. I offer my selection to the worker, who weighs it, bags it and ties it professionally, before telling me the price. Cheaper than I'd expect from Konoha. I pay and seal them away.

Just one last thing I need to check. I go into the convenience store. Everything I'd expect from Konoha as well. And once again, everything is far better priced. I pick up a tub of chocolate ice cream, a spoon and two packs of instant ramen. After that, I pay and leave. I've seen enough. I've heard enough.

8-8

I make it back to camp, taking my time and sucking the chocolate off my spoon. I keep going over everything I've seen, everything I've heard.

This mission stinks to its very core.

"Report." Captain says, popping out of the shadows behind me.

"They are too cautious for my level of skill. The first woman tried interrogating me in the same way, and I think she drugged one of the chocolates I bought from her." I say, sucking on my spoon again and loving the chocolate melting in my mouth. "This place… shouldn't exist. There are no obvious signs of income, but the have every convenience of Konoha and far better prices. Their source of income isn't the goods they sell. If anything, I'd call it a side job. No one even blinked at my blades, and every male I saw wore a wakizashi on the hip."

"Let me see the chocolate you're talking about." I stab my spoon into my ice cream, dig into my pouch and take of my scroll. Hmm… I'm not giving him my ice cream, so I sit down and set my ice cream in my lap. I then unseal the two chocolates and toss them to him carefully. After properly putting away my scroll, I pick back up my ice cream and get up. "Its subtle, but… a sedative is laced in this… enough to knock someone of your size out for a few hours. Let me see the other things you bought."

I grumble, sitting back down and going through all the trouble again to unseal the other things I'd bought.

I don't care what he does with it, to be honest. He gave me the money to pay for it! Still, I'm curious why he's dropping the meats onto the ground.

"Different sedatives from each store. But everything has at least one part laced with it." He says. He's more disgusted than anything right now. "These people aren't what they seem."

I snort. "Tell me something I don't know."

"Naruto found our targets. The very definition of simple folk. No formal education, no weapons at all, and constantly complaining that they aren't allowed to start a farm here because the others would complain about the smell."

That I didn't know. "What's the plan?"

"We're going to report in. Hokage-sama will have to decide for himself what he wants us to do." I nod, agreeing with that. I can tell just from the edge in his tone that Captain is tempted to wipe these people off the map – or maybe that's just me projecting my desires onto him. Either way, I think these people should be wiped off the map.

"Nii-san, how'd it go?" Naruto-nii walks up to us, his face way too serious for just scouting around.

"I found where they're getting their money from." He doesn't sound pleased.

"Oh?" Captain wonders. Nii-san tosses a small package, looking way too much like something I'd buy at the apothecary. Captain takes a careful sniff. "Opium. High quality too."

"It gets worse." Nii-san announces. "I found those in places where you'd normally expect weapons caches to be. The house our targets live in… was designed for shinobi."

8-8

End Chapter 29

8-8

A/N: Why is it that Team 7 never gets a normal mission? I mean, other than D-ranked missions, these guys only ever seem to attract the wrong sort of attention!

Well, let's see how this plays out this time, shall we?