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 84 – Loyalty
3rd Person Pov Chapter
A/N: In celebration of the 100th chapter! I give you one big confuffle of a chapter! This is the 'mission' Aya still has to take, and some fun stuff tossed in for the heck of it.
8-8
The sun hasn't risen, but those in the Namiki, Uzumaki, Hatake and Yuki compounds are already starting to stir, ready to start their day. In the Hatake compound, Hana is already busy dealing with Tokara's morning workout. He's too busy trying to make her smile to even remember how crumby he feels, and each time he does the exercise right, her eyes soften and he lips curl up slightly. He loves the effect this has on her, so even though he firmly believes this is hopeless, he pushes on. Just a little harder, just a little more, just a little faster… just for her.
In the Uzumaki compound, Fuu is complaining to Minori about her having to leave soon. Minori isn't too happy about it either, knowing she'll miss her best friend and roommate. Still, she knows that Naruto needs her. And at least Haruki's coming too. It isn't perfect, but it's something. She tries reminding Fuu that she has a lot of studying to do, that becoming a doctor isn't easy. Fuu smiles a little, thankful Tsunade is considering taking her. The two hug, wondering what tomorrow will bring.
In the Namiki compound, things are… a little different. Hitomi is already awake, has been for a while now. She doesn't get out of bed though. She doesn't want to. Why would she? Kin decided she couldn't sleep last night –not in her own bed, at least– so she snuck into Hitomi's. The second she was comfortable, spooning with Hitomi, Kin was out like a light. Hitomi couldn't sleep, however. Even curled up behind the love fate offered her, even though she's exhausted, sleep won't come. Her mind keeps going over Aya's situation, and her situation is troubling.
In Aya's room, Ryuuzetsu stirs. She… feels something is wrong, the picture she sees makes no sense. She feels Aya each and every time she moves, but she can't remember her coming back to bed. And Aya's side of the bed isn't made up as it usually would be. Her glasses are missing. And… her scent is too faded for her to believe she came back at all.
Ryuuzetsu jumps out of bed, still in her pyjamas, runs down the hall to Hitomi's room, doesn't knock and, "Aya's missing!"
Hitomi doesn't even think about it. She activates her Byakugan, trying to track Aya down. Interestingly, Keito isn't in the house either, nor are his or her slippers. On a hunch, Hitomi scans the Yuki compound. She smiles and deactivates her Byakugan. "Chouji's bed." Is all Hitomi has to say. Ryuuzetsu calms down, now that she knows everything's alright.
"Ah, should have known. Thanks." She waves, seeing herself out.
8-8
In the Yuki compound, Zabuza and Maki are stirring. She stretches, her hand idly massaging his six pack, content. She wouldn't change a thing about how little he wears to bed. He, on the other hand, is idly wondering about his mission. Even as his hand caresses soft skin and gentle curves, he has a bad feeling about this mission. He feels slightly better knowing that Haku and Anko are going with him, but… it doesn't change the bad feeling. Not even a little.
"It'll be fine, love." Maki murmurs, feeling the pre mission jitters troubling her bedmate; her lover.
"I know." He says evenly. He'll make it alright; he has to. There's no way he's dying before marrying the woman in his arms. There's no way he's dying before he gives her the child they both know she craves from him.
"Why so tense?" She teases, he leg gently, teasingly, trailing up his.
"… Thinking about things." He says, his free hand now on her thigh. "About the future. Our future."
"Ooh, I like this train of thought. Do tell." She says, a teasing smile in her tone.
"You won't let me leave without telling you." He doesn't ask. He knows her well enough by now.
"Nope." She chirps happily.
He thinks about it some more. Finding no reason not to, he tells her. "I want it all, Maki." Her eyes narrow, one more than the other –mostly because her cheek is smushed against his rock hard pec– as she tries figuring that out. "We already have the house. So all I need is a loving wife."
Maki's eyes widen in shock. She wants so badly for this not to be a dream. So much so that she doesn't realise she's crying until his calloused hand wipes away her tears. "And babies. We can start with one, and wing it from there."
Her lips capture his, the gentle fire he just ignited obvious in her needy, soft kisses. And how her fingers gently scrape his scalp, combing through his hair as they do.
"I get… to decide… how many." She demands between kisses.
"You've… got… to… carry… them." He caves without putting up a fight.
Maki pushes him down, using that force to push herself up. "Lay back. You've got a mission, so you need to conserve energy." She demands, straddling him. He takes one look at her. Her steamy, bedroom eyes. How the oversized sleeping shirt hides her toned, yet soft, body.
He couldn't deny her even if he wanted to; and he doesn't want to.
8-8
In the upstairs hallway of the Yuki compound, things are just starting to liven up. The Akimichi patriarch and matriarch come out of their bedroom at almost the same time as the Yamanakas. They take one look, seeing Namiki Keito sitting seiza in front of Chouji's bedroom. They don't ask, they already know.
Keito, for his part, is fast asleep while still being wide awake. An odd combination, but one that works for him. The conscious part of his brain is asleep, at rest. But he hears everything around him, everyone around him. He can identify them by their footsteps, judge that they are no threat to his lady by how they carefully avoid coming too close to him.
In Keito's lap rest Aya's kodachis and wakizashis. She's unarmed, essentially defenceless – in his eyes. That says something to him, speaks to him in a language only a samurai honour guard would understand. She's telling him: I trust you so deeply that I don't feel the need to arm myself. Of course, she sees it differently.
Even as Keitou slowly awakens, consciously starts taking in his surroundings, he hears his lady's gentle breathing. She's still asleep. So he forces himself to go back to sleep as well. She'll need him well rested.
8-8
In Chouji's room, in his bed, the man himself is… at peace. Even though he couldn't go back to sleep after Aya came in, he doesn't mind. He's mostly just amused that she fell asleep with her glasses on, which now rest near his right hand.
Even though his stomach is growling angrily, he doesn't move. She's sleeping, and he doesn't want to wake her.
Instead of worry about how hungry he feels, his mind churns. Kakashi had explained to him everything he explained to Aya. Chouji knows what something like that would do to her, emotionally, mentally. He knows she's angry right now. She's pissed with this broken world, badly enough that she's probably tempted to burn half of it down.
He knows her well enough to know that she didn't come to him seeking the sleep that was eluding her. She came seeking comfort. She was tired of her chasing her own proverbial tail, and she wanted him to fix that – to fix this. He knows that he can, fix it. But more than that, he's clueless what to do.
On the one hand, getting engaged to her is a no brainer; to him at least. Neither of them is ready; and even if they were, they'd never convince their parents. Not an option.
On the other? If the Hokage is powerless, if the Fair daimyo is powerless, the other clans of Konoha are not. One clan complaining in a council meeting is just a whining child wanting their way. However, if half the council complains and starts putting in motions and petitions for action… that's a whole other story. Chouji knows the Uzumakis, Yukis and Hatakes will back her up without question. Now… now it's his turn to rally the others.
He nods to himself, already planning his day for the second Aya wakes up. Talk to Nara Shikaku. Talk to Yamana Inoichi. Talk to Akimichi Chouza. Talk to Sarutobi Asuma. Four more clan heads to stir the bees nest that is Konoha's Shinobi Council. He even vows to talk to Shimura Danzo. The man is honourless, conniving and vile. But he is also one not to be trifled with. If news were to reach him that daimyos are trying to weaken Konoha by 'stealing' the Namiki clan from her? Let alone the clans and shinobi that would follow her to the ends of the earth?
Chouji doesn't doubt that there'd be a string of 'accidents' involving daimyos all across the Elemental Nations. After all, one of the first lessons his father had taught him: never underestimate Shimura Danzo, he's called the Darkness of Shinobi for a reason.
8-8
In an underground lair, deep under Konoha. Shimura Danzo listens to the report. His spies uncovered no less than six royal messengers from lesser countries en route to Konoha. Specifically Konoha. They are certain, because they are scheduled to arrive in less than a day.
"Bring me Sai, Torune, Fu and Hyou. Immediately." Danzo demands. As would be expected, the four kneel before him not five minutes later – even if they were sleeping when he summoned them. "You four will guard Namiki Aya with your lives. I will expect updates on all international activities surrounding her until further notice. There are royal messengers en route, likely with marriage proposals. You are not to hinder them, but if anything were to happen, they are to be assassinated immediately. You have your orders." Without a word, all four Root Operatives body flicker towards their target.
8-8
"Hiashi-dono, there are four unidentified shinobi outside the Namiki compound. The one who draws I am familiar with, but the others…" Hiashi thinks about that. He doesn't like how busy things have been there lately, he worries for his daughters. In the Hyuuga compound her can guard them, but there? He doesn't even pretend to have enough sway with any of them to…
"Bring me Natsu and Kou. Immediately." He demands. The Cadet Branch member body flickers without a word. Not a minute later, the two requested individuals present themselves to their clan head. Natsu is dressed as a maid, though bearing a Konoha headband to hide her Caged Bird Seal. Kou on the other hand is wearing a black men's kimono, his unmarked forehead proudly left bare. "Pack your things. I will offer your services to the Namiki clan to help guard my daughters. If anything happens to either of them…" He leaves the threat hanging, even though the ominous tone gives the pair a pretty good guess what would happen to them.
"At once, Hiashi-dono."
Hiashi doesn't have the sway, he knows that, but he has a plan. Simple, but effective: beg her until she relents. His daughters are worth the damage to his pride. He stands, activates his Byakugan to locate his nephew, and sets out too.
8-8
"Torune… just what are you up to?" Shino mumbles to himself. He recognizes his childhood friend and clansman without any trouble, even if his allies do not.
Shino has gotten into the habit of checking up on Fuu lately. He doesn't understand why, but he knows his mind is more at ease when he knows she is safe. Surely there is no safer place than where she is now, but… still his mind is at ease when he confirms she is well.
He knows, without a doubt, that Torune is still a member of an organization that shouldn't exist. Shimura Danzo's organization. That bothers Shino. He doesn't doubt that the four clans can handle themselves against four shinobi, but… he worries for Fuu.
It isn't easy to find a female that isn't bothered by his clan's symbiotic bond with insects. Let alone a female that finds it intriguing. Let alone a female that shares his passion for studying and collecting rare insects. It would be illogical to allow something to happen to her. At least, that's what he keeps telling himself.
So, with his observations, suspicions and a rudimentary plan, Shino approaches his father, Shibi, to discuss what the Aburame clan can do to aid Fuu – and the others by extension.
8-8
"Dragon. Unknown shinobi activity in front of the Rehab Centre."
"Two teams, there, now." She grinds out. Tsume doesn't even have to think about it. Not only are the Anbu's wounded there, but so is her daughter. She doesn't doubt that the off duty Operatives constantly there can handle it, but this is more than that. This is an Anbu Commander showing that not only her out of uniform subordinates, but also her wounded, are worth the manpower to protect at all costs.
Anbu look out for their own. They always have.
8-8
Aya is in a bad mood. A very, very bad mood. She'd overslept and is now running late. Why didn't anyone wake her?
So, after rushing through her morning, gearing up, and cursing every step of the way that she has to leave a warm and cuddly Chouji behind, she exits the Namiki compound…
"Okay. I'm not sure what's going on here. But let's start with you." She begins. Then she snaps and the familiar form of Sai falls out of the tree he usually camps in. "I've made my stance clear. You were not to come back here."
"Danzo-sama ordered it." Sai says, knowing not to toy with his target. Her temper has become something of a legend recently – overthrowing a country tends to do that.
"Sai, I don't care wha-"
"He knows of the messengers sent to proposition you. He wants you guarded. So he sent us." Sai interrupts her. He's been studying her for weeks now, and even though he doesn't understand her, he knows that she appreciates a desire to protect others.
"I don't need more guards. As you can see, I have more than enough." Aya counters, annoyed enough that her eye starts twitching.
"What if one of the messengers tries something?" Sai tries. He know he needs her permission to guard her – no doubt the reason he was selected for this mission, he understands her better than any other Root Operative.
"Then they die." Aya answers coldly.
"Which would put their blood on your hands and cause an international incident. If I were to kill them, my life is less valued." Sai says, stoic as ever.
"Leave, Sai. And take the others with you. If Shimura wants something of me, he'd better have the guts to come and speak to me himself."
"Then you'll have to kill me, Namiki. I will not leave."
Aya sighs. Why do people enjoy the hard way? She snaps three more times, and three more bodies drop in chains. "Now that that's dealt with. You eight, what's Dragon's deal?"
One Anbu Operative fades into view. "She heard of shinobi activity. She wants this location secure." Deer says in a lazy tone.
"There's no reason you should be out here then. Being inside is more effective." Aya tries.
"We're needed here, first line of defence." He counters. Aya shrugs, knowing he'd disagree with her.
"See. Perfectly safe here." She says, her tone souring as she turns to the Hyuuga group. Hiashi and Neji she recognizes easily. The other two are new. "But you're here to disagree with me anyway."
"I am." Hiashi agrees easily. "I've come to beg a favour. Please, allow Kou and Natsu to guard my daughters from within your walls."
"A jounin from the Main Branch and a genin from the Cadet Branch. Hmm. No." She doesn't think about it.
"Namiki-sama, please. I implore you reconsider." Hiashi bows low to her, shocking the other Hyuugas with him.
"A Cadet Branch member means your council has a plant in my den. No." Aya shoots him down.
"There would be no communication between them and the Hyuuga clan. And there was no time for either to receive orders without my knowing. They are no threat. On my honour, on my life, I swear it."
Aya starts mumbling under her breath, cursing that she's even considering bowing to this. "I don't have time for this." She bites her thumb hard enough to draw blood. "Get inside, the four of you. We'll discuss this later." Hiashi doesn't care that this will wreak havoc on his schedule. She isn't outright turning him down – baby steps, baby steps.
"As for you three." Aya turns to the Aburame head family. "Fuu is safe. For the love of Kami-sama, you see how much manpower we have here. We don't need more."
"I agree, Namiki-san. Logically there is little we can add." Shibi is quick to agree. "However, Shino's irrationality is not something I'm quick to disregard. He is emotionally invested in the one you guard. I would consider it a personal favour should you allow for at least him to enter and guard her."
"I swear, the entire village is starting to figure out I'm a softie." Aya grumbles, but can't bring herself to turn down something like this. Not if the ever stoic Shino is emotional about it. Besides, it's not as if she doesn't trust Shino. Other than his being Hinata's teammate, he's been a trusted ally –tried and true– for months. Never once has his loyalty been brought into question. She rolls her eyes, obviously annoyed. "Fine, fine." She's at least glad she was smart enough to not close the gate. "You know your way around. Make sure to talk to Yasu-nee so she knows."
"You have my thanks." Shino bows politely, entering the compound without a word.
"Correction, you have the thanks of the Aburame clan." Shibi says, bowing low to her. "Should there ever be need of it, do not hesitate to call on us."
"Aburame-san, I am not doing this for any debt." Aya points out, amused – but still very much annoyed that this is taking up so much time. "For your son to become irrational and emotional… there is no other logical option."
"Indeed." Shibi finds himself smiling a little. Few understand his clan's ways quite like the kunoichi before him. "The offer stands." He says, before he and his wife disappear via body flicker.
8-8
With her usual shadows –and Ikoku, who is a recent addition to her shadows– in tow, Aya makes her way to the meeting she is now officially two hours late to. The guards recognize her instantly, letting her in, and she finds Shikaku and Dragon are now also participating in this meeting.
"My apologies for being so late." Aya says, her tone giving nothing away.
"Ah, Namiki-san, we were just talking about you." The Fire daimyo admits. "It would seem that you are spearheading the medical training for the Mist-Leaf collaboration?"
"Nn." Aya nods, wondering what that has to do with anything.
"Truly remarkable. To have garnered such a reputation so young. However, I still find myself wondering if she is capable of training so many. After all, we would be sending twenty of our own medics, should this come to pass." The Wind daimyo plainly shows his doubts, wondering how she will respond.
"That's fine. Don't send them." Aya offers without a care.
That throws everyone for a loop. That isn't the political response they were hoping for, but the Fire daimyo is amused. "Ever the Namiki." He muses. Aya shrugs, still not caring.
"Milord, I assure you, Namiki-sama is the woman for the job. She has been training her own people as well as ours for some time. Even though she also works as Hokage-sama's secretary, helps out at the hospital, and dozens of other duties I'm not at liberty to discuss. And that doesn't even include her training me personally whenever she finds the time." Gaara offers, impassively meeting his daimyo's curious gaze.
"Truly?" The Fire daimyo is curious about that. "What has she been helping you with?"
"Taijutsu, kenjutsu and genjutsu." Gaara answers evenly. He also thinks about how she is helping him train his genin team –one as a medic, one as a mid- to long range wind release ninjutsu specialist, and the last a kenjutsu specialist– but he doesn't feel that's important to discuss here. "If she says she can handle it, I trust her." He offers instead.
"I see. Well that is interesting."
Even though Aya's been in the room for just over a minute, she's already tired of this. Shikaku notices, of course, and beckons to her while carefully pushing his chair back to make some room for her.
Everyone –other than Tsunade and Dragon– looks at him curiously, wondering what's going on. Until Aya plops onto his lap and curls up in his embrace. The girl's light snores say more than words ever could.
Shikaku smiles, wondering why she came to the meeting at all if she's still so tired. He carefully removes her sandals, dropping them on the ground beside his chair. Then he removes her glasses, placing them in her flak jacket pocket for safe keeping.
To further show just how used to this he is, he reaches into another pocket of hers and pulls out a bandana, wordlessly handing it to Dragon. He carefully supports her neck and tugs her a bit away from him, so that Dragon can free her hair she's been laying down on. Dragon French braids it, rolls the braid up and carefully ties the bandana around her head – something everyone in her pack knows she does before she goes to sleep, even if she barely thinks about it anymore.
Three daimyos stare in awe. The Fire daimyo most of all. The simple display says more to him than the others. After all, if Aya didn't trust these people implicitly, she'd have made her displeasure known by now.
And just to prove the point, one of the Fire daimyo's guards strays a little too close to Tsunade. An elite who simply didn't understand that even as Aya sleeps, she guards her pack jealously. All he wanted was to refill her glass with water.
Instead, a snap is heard. Tsunade grabs the jug with water before it spills – she's used to Aya after all. And the guard? On the ceiling wrapped up nice and snug. His mind keeps going over what just happened and he comes up emptyhanded.
"I wouldn't come too close to us before she wakes up." Tsunade explains, amusement in her tone and a teasing smile on her lips. "She won't be able to differentiate between good and bad intentions."
Just to mess with them a little, she grabs Aya's dangling feet and gently sets them in her lap. Three daimyos rightly expect to see the Hokage on the ceiling – after all there's no way Aya wouldn't notice that, right?
Aya shifts into Shikaku's embrace, trying to find a more comfortable position. Eventually deciding on burying her face in his chest and resting her feet in Tsunade's lap. Her breathing evens out again, obviously happy with the arrangement.
8-8
While the meeting continues, in another part of Konoha messengers from the Land of Rivers, the Land of Sound, the Land of Sea, the Land of Frost, the Land of Fangs and the Land of Bears arrive. Royal messengers sent by their lord to deliver a something of great importance. They, of course, politely demand an audience with the Hokage immediately. Each believing their claim is of far greater importance than the next.
Figuring they don't want the headache, the gate guards send word for the Council to deal with this.
So, not two hours later, the both the Shinobi and Civilian Councils of Konoha meet these messengers, asking what news they bring. Each, takes a turn, in no particular order, unfurling a section of their scroll, and reading in a far too stilted and haughty manner. Each words it differently, but they boil down to the same thing. They want Namiki Aya.
The first time, the no one quite knows how to react. After the sixth? They know exactly what this will lead to. They deal with Namiki Aya on a regular basis. She'd slaughter them without a second though.
"Six daimyos all asking for Namiki-sama's hand in marriage. Quite the honour." The Haruno clan representative –from the Civilian Council– says, wondering what else there is to say.
"Quite the problem." Yamanaka Inoichi counters. "I know Aya better than most here. She will not accept any of your proposals."
Six messengers, then each take a turn to warn that their lord will not take kindly to being turned down so frivolously.
"You misunderstand, though Aya is currently single, there isn't anyone in this room other than yourselves that does not know of her desire to be with Akimichi Chouji." Inoichi counters, patting his long-time friend on the back as a sort of congratulations. "She will turn you down, because she will not abandon her village, and because she is spoken for."
"Then I demand to speak to your Hokage. Immediately." One of the messengers is stupid enough to step forward, speaking these words.
"Hokage-sama is in a meeting with the daimyos from the lands of Fire, Wind and That. Do you find your lord's request to weigh heavier than that of these three?" The room goes eerily quiet at Danzo's cold words and tone. "We only catered to your request because we thought it was worth our time. Each in this room knows Namiki Aya will not agree, and frankly it's healthier for you if she never hears of this request."
The messengers want to say something, but the way how every councilmember is nodding, gravely, with a subtle lining of fear in some member's eyes… it unnerves them. They'd heard, of course, that Aya had overthrown the Land of This on her own – it's what sparked their lord's interest in her. Though each messenger came to Konoha under full guard –as their lord's future bride would deserve– they aren't foolish enough to believe they can force someone like that to come with them.
Seeing as Aya herself isn't present for them to press the issue –which, according to the entire council, is a blessing– and the Hokage is unavailable, the only thing they can do is wait. Their lord would not be pleased if they come back emptyhanded, after all.
And so, they each decide to wait until they may speak with the Hokage – obviously having figured out that speaking with Aya might not be that bright an idea.
8-8
The second day of talks continues without a hitch. Everyone feels these talks are going well, and there are more than enough propositions being tossed back and forth. Trade agreements, stronger alliances proposals, the Land of That sending all their missions to Leaf and Sand, there is talk of having a few teams from either village stationed in the Land of That's capital for extra security measures, and even more talks about approaching the Mizukage and the Water daimyo about joining this alliance.
The third day goes more or less the same. Dragon isn't needed this time, but Shikaku is. Aya is once again curled up in his lap, lightly snoring. The man doesn't seems to mind in the least, and Tsunade finds a twisted pleasure in massaging the girl's calves, just to show she can touch the sleeping wolf without reprisal – something that without a doubt earns her no small amount of respect. Even the Fire daimyo's guards have learned not to test the young Namiki, or to stray too close for any reason.
It's the fourth day that breaks the mould. Dragon and Shikaku are once again present. Aya is once again sleeping in Shikaku's arms. But… there's an unexpected visitor. Akimichi Chouji.
When Tsunade orders he be let in, everyone looks around curiously. The heir to a noble clan, while important, isn't quite in the same ballpark as three daimyos and two Kages – even though Gaara hasn't been officially instated.
"Please, forgive my rudeness." Chouji says, bowing to those gathered. "Uncle, you really should have sent her home. She's exhausted from training all night." Chouji gets on the Jounin Commander's case.
"Well, since you're here anyway." Shikaku says, smirking. He carefully pushes his chair back, standing to his full height with his daughter still carefully snuggling in his arms. Chouji feels everyone's eyes on him, but he can't figure out why. It's not like Aya would ever do anything to hurt him, after all.
So when Chouji takes the sleeping brunette into his arms, no one's brain can quite function right. Seeing her in Shikaku's arms as she slumbers was hard enough to wrap their brains around, but eventually they'd accepted that she sees him as her father and left it as that. Now here this genin that no one would ever confuse for a heart throb, taking her from her father without a fuss. Someone that knows her well enough to know she's exhausted, why she's that way, and willing to give his commanding officer a hard time about it as well – calling him 'uncle' notwithstanding.
Shikaku offers her sandals to Keito, knowing he's going with her.
Another enters. Anbu Operative Cat. He whispers something into Tsunade's ear, before disappearing again. "Dragon. There's been an ambush. Have team Wolf in my office in five minutes. Excuse me gentlemen. I need to deal with this immediately."
No one even notices Aya's eyes popping out, now wide awake. Other than Chouji that is.
8-8
Four minutes later, in Tsunade's office, five Anbu arrive. Wolf wearing a white flak jacket and painted mask to show she's a captain. Rabbit, wearing panted mask and grey flask jacket, the standard gear of an Operative. Koala, Bear and a 'new face' each wearing blank masks and 'blank' jackets to show they are trainees. "The situation is as follows. Momochi Zabuza's team has been ambushed en route to the Land of Snow. They are guarding an actress, while shooting a movie. You will provide backup. Momochi Zabuza will still have tactical command. You leave immediately." Tsunade tosses a scroll with the details to Wolf.
The only thing that goes through Wolf's mind: They better have chocolate there, I don't know how long this will take!
8-8
What had taken Zabuza's team three days, Wolf's team travels in mere hours. They don't have any civilians with them, after all. It would seem that, given the popularity of one famed actress Fujikaze Yukie, they were 'ambushed' by fans of hers. Zabuza, being more than a little annoyed, described it as just that in his report he sent back to Konoha.
So… when Team Wolf arrives, he finds himself grinning like a madman. "It wasn't that kind of ambush, Wolf. Go home."
"Thanks. I'll pass." She says, waving it off. "A few weeks in the land of Snow sounds like a vacation compared to what I just left behind." Wolf looks around, finding herself in a movie studio. The first location where the movie will be shot.
"Seriously. Just pretend you're still out on a mission, Tsunade won't care. But we'll need your team there, should another team actually need you."
"I hate you right now. I really do." Wolf tells him. He grins even wider.
"Just ask her for a team that is more than five minutes late reporting. Someone is bound to need you, Wolf-chan."
8-8
Hours later, a very annoyed Wolf interrupts the meeting, updating Tsunade and demanding another mission immediately. It takes the Fifth Hokage considerable effort not to laugh, but eventually offer that Team Gai is taking some peddler's protection mission that might be worth looking into. She also makes sure to tell her to send any more such communications through Asami or Naruto. It's more effective.
Wolf nods, and makes sure to buy more chocolate than is healthy for her at this point. She just knows she'll regret not having on her.
8-8
On finding Team Gai two days later, Wolf is even more annoyed. He updates her that the caravan was ambushed by three shinobi and that one of the 'peddlers' named 'Shun' turns out to be Lady Haruna, the soon to ascend daimyo of the Land of Vegetables.
Naturally, the three were no match for Team Gai, so there was literally nothing they needed to do. "Perhaps we should escort Lady Haruna to her destination then? That way they will arrive swiftly, under full guard and you may continue with your mission?" Wolf offers, in no mood to even consider bothering Tsunade for another mission – but she will if she has to.
"How do I even know I can trust you?" Lady Haruno –still very much dressed as a guy, but smelling like a woman anyway… do people actually fall for that?– demands.
"Lady Haruna, I assure you this is Team Wolf of Konoha's Anbu. They are loyal to Konoha without question. If they say they will protect you, they will protect you with their lives!" Gai announces, offer the nice guy pose and a thumbs up. Light still glints off his far too white teeth for Haruna's liking, but even she has to admit he's a skilled combatant. "Wolf, the two with her are Kikunojou and Yorinojou. They are her bodyguards."
"Thanks Gai. We'll take it from here."
8-8
Wolf is at least pleased that the bodyguards are fast. They run most of the day, jumping branch to branch to save time. Lady Haruna isn't very happy right now though. She flatly refused to let anyone touch her, so Wolf decided that Mime's Barrier would be an excellent middle ground – no one's touching her after all. In fact, they can't.
The travellers only stop to eat, drink and see to their needs. Wolf takes it upon herself to stay by Haruna's side – to make sure nothing happens.
It's during one of these stops that Haruna gets curious. Or bored, but she wants to know anyway. "Your men seem to respect you."
"There is the possibility." Wolf says, going near a tree. Haruna had long since gotten used to going in the wild like this – stupid Kikunojou and his suggestion to travel like this! Princesses shouldn't travel like common rabble! "Why do you care? You don't seem the type to care if your men die in front of you."
"Why should I? If they are sacrificed for the greater good then their deaths will at least have meaning." Maybe it's the sessions with Inoichi, but Wolf finds herself calming down easily this time.
"You are no leader, Haruna. Leaders are willing to die for their people. They don't sacrifice them like pawns." Haruna bristles, infuriated that some… commoner would speak to her in this way! "Don't give me that look, princess. I come from a long line of true leaders. Wolves that lead their packs with honour, with dignity. Wolves that provide for their young, teach them our ways, protect them. I know what it takes to lead. And you don't have it."
Haruna snorts, not believing it for a second. It's a shame she can't see the look in Wolf's eyes, it might have prevented what comes next. Wolf body flickers to Haruna, grabs her by the neck and pins her to a tree, all completely without making a sound. Wolf then takes off her mask, glaring holes into the supposed princess.
"Perhaps I haven't been properly introduced. I am Namiki Aya." That… is a name even Haruna knows well. She might have been kept in isolation all her life, but her father made sure she was up to date on all the latest news so she'd be prepared to lead one day.
Wolf releases her throat, letting her breathe. "Do not think your status as daimyo, or even kami, would faze me."
"The Butcher…" Haruna manages without a stutter, but Wolf can tell it takes considerable effort.
"Do you know what really happened in the Land of This?" Wolf continues without a care. "The daimyo believed he was entitled to me, that he had the right to kill my team and claim me as his bride. That the 'sacrifices' brought to him were a gift from the kami he could do with as he pleased. That sounds a lot like you sound right now, princess."
Haruna wants to say how she's nothing like that, but Wolf cuts her off. "And then there's the six other daimyos I hear are vying for my hand. To bring strength to their country I'll bet. After all, why would a mere commoner turn a daimyo's marriage proposal down, right?"
That shuts Haruna up. That's exactly how she thinks, and she knows it. "Come, princess, let me show you what makes a leader."
8-8
Back with the others, Aya drags a very subdued Haruna along. Everyone tenses, wondering what possessed Aya to reveal herself to a non (Konoha) Anbu. "Guys, it's alright. Haruna here needs this." The Anbu team relaxes somewhat. "Masks, please."
Without hesitation, each member removes their mask. "Haruno, meet the people behind the mask. Namiki Hitomi, born Hyuuga Hitomi. Her clan ostracised her for her sexuality, which is a common practice, mind you. Hatake Ryuuzetsu, originally of Grass. I met her on a mission, where a village her battalion was meant to guard was being constantly ambushed and killed off one by one. She later had to bisect and behead her own father to save her people. Only to find out that her village refused to send the backup they knew was needed. Imamura Ikoku, formally a Stone rogue. Her clan was plagued by their inability to control a jutsu, and they ended up killing each other off for it. When I met her, her father tried to smash her head in, only to later ask her to end the cycle of hatred that plagued them all. She is the last of her clan, and now finds herself a loyal Konoha kunoichi under my protection and guidance. And last is Namiki Keito, formally a ronin, dishonoured and cast out of his ancestral home. He went by a different name then, and doesn't talk about his past at all."
Haruna stares, unsure what to make of any of this. "They are my pack, Haruna. They would give their lives for me, and they know I would give my life for them. We are strong because we stand together, as wolves should. I would not send them to their deaths even if it would benefit my village or my country. I would stand by them to the last breath."
The purple eyed brunette drops to her knees, overwhelmed by what she's hearing. Her bodyguards are at her side instantly.
"These two men, your bodyguards. Would you die for them? Would you live for them?" Aya presses. Haruna looks to them, seeing the warm acceptance in their eye that's always been there. "If you answer no to either question, you aren't fit to lead."
And just like that, Wolf dons her mask, unseals dinner and water bottles and hands it out to both her people and to the three they guard.
8-8
Haruna finds herself staring up at the sky as they travel the next day. Aya's words are looping in her mind, over and over. "If you will not die for them, if you will not live for them, you have no right to lead them." Haruna murmurs, thinking about that. Over and over again. Always thinking about that.
She was taught by scores of private tutors how to run a country – macroeconomics, governing, Land of Birds' laws, international treaties, international relations, all of that and more she could do with ease. But to lead? She thought the two ideas –'running a country' and 'leading'– were one in the same.
But, if this person that could conquer countries on her own, if she would only use that power to protect her people? Doesn't that make her a better leader that Haruna has ever been?
That's what Haruna is thinking, that's all she's thinking. Well, that and trying to figure out if she would die for her people, if she would live for them.
8-8
Team Wolf drops off the princess in her oh so lovely palace. They are invited to stay for the coronation; seeing as nothing important is happening, and Wolf still flatly refuses to deal with the idiots waiting for her in Konoha –and Naruto confirms every day faithfully that those messengers are still waiting for her, even after Tsunade turned them down– they decide to stay.
So they stay a few days, spending almost all of it training. Typical for Aya, really. Kikunojou amd Yorinojou join them whenever he can, finding that even Keito –admittedly the weakest of their group– could kill them in an instant if they ever truly fought.
Each time Haruna comes to see them, she finds Aya teaching them, training them, helping them in every way she can. Even Haruna's two bodyguards are forced to take lessons to improve their skills. "I swear, you call yourselves the bodyguards of a daimyo? My five year old sister could take you!" Aya leans into them, continuously pushing them harder and harder. Haruna stares in slack jawed awe. Aya is taking on both of them at the same time, and she is embarrassing them. In Haruna's eyes at least.
When the fighting ends, Aya helps both of them to their feet. Then the weirdest thing happens. "Keito, what were they doing wrong?"
"They work together well, but they weren't looking for your weaknesses. They seem to think brawns over brains is a good thing." The sole male of their group answers.
"That's part of it. Tsu?"
"They weren't thinking, like Keito said. They were only attacking." The silver-haired one agrees with her teammate.
"Looking for a different answer. Ikoku?"
"They weren't covering each other's weaknesses." The quiet one with glasses answers.
"Exactly. To be part of a team doesn't just mean knowing your teammates strengths, but also their weaknesses. You need to know what they can and cannot handle and act accordingly. After all, who wants their teammates to die?"
Haruna thinks about that. To have your flaws pointed out so callously, and be happy about it? Shinobi are a species Haruna cannot admit to understanding.
Aya stiffens for a moment, almost as if something is being whispered into her ear. "Team, fun time is over. We move out immediately."
Haruna hears this and runs over to them, wanting to beg them to stay. "Haruna, I don't want to hear it. It's fun and games here. We're needed where lives are on the line. Contact us in Konoha if you need something."
"Will we ever see you again?"
"That depends on you. Lead your people well, Haruna." With that, Team Wolf disappears. Haruna can't even tell if that was advice or a threat. Somehow, she feels it's both.
"I think I will contact Konoha, if for no reason other than to thank her." Haruna says, smiling at the… really abrasive ways Aya does things. Still, even she has to admit it's effective.
Kikinojou and Yorinojou smile, finding they already miss the members of Team Wolf. "Milady, if you need a messenger, I would gladly go to Konoha for you." They say as one.
"You just want to test yourselves against her team again." Haruna teases, finding herself smiling for the first time in years. Both of her bodyguards rub the back of their head, embarrassed to have been found out so easily, but smiling anyway. They aren't denying it either.
8-8
Team Wolf travel for days, back the way they came, up north through the Land of Waterfalls, to the coast. On arrival, they once again find Zabuza, looking annoyed. "I'm going to stop telling Tsunade what happens during a mission. Seriously. We're fine. It was just a group of mercs. They didn't even put up a real fight."
"Momochi-san, we're currently avoiding Konoha. She knows this. Don't tell her about an ambush without telling her clearly the threat has already been neutralised."
"I did. But… There's still a problem. One I think you might like." Zabuza is a lot more serious now. "We need to talk, privately."
Wolf shrugs, not really caring too much. Zabuza leads them into another set, interrupting the filming without a care. "Oi! We need to talk. Now." He demands. The assistant and the lead actress look at the familiar masks – this group is here for the second time, for some reason.
8-8
"Privacy." Zabuza demands, looking to Wolf. She rolls her eyes behind her mask, but casts the privacy jutsu anyway. "Now, it would seem that these idiots here have been lying to us. Constantly. Repeatedly. This isn't just some actress."
"Hey!"
"Shut it. She's also Kazahana Koyuki, rightful heir and 'daimyo hopeful' to the Land of Snow." Zabuza isn't the gentle type, so everyone from Konoha knows not to expect any different from him. "Not only that, but it turns out that we might well be facing the entire army and their shinobi village. And they don't think to mention any of this in advance. Not to mention they've been trying to capture me and my team on camera without wanting to pay us for it. I swear, I'll have a lawyer sue them into the poor house if they try doing that to my daughter."
"… Idiots." Wolf snorts. "Konoha has five teams to deal with situations like this. And you go and lie. Why do people lie to shinobi? Do you think we won't figure it out?"
"It gets worse, of course." Zabuza says, smiling – even though only the Konoha shinobi even notice that.
"Of course." Wolf intones. "I've been sent twice. My bad luck will no doubt have serious consequences."
"Hey, that last one went off without a hitch." Koala tries.
Wolf isn't buying it. "Because Team Gai already dealt with it. Anyway, continue."
"They want to overthrow the country, reinstate Kazahana as daimyo."
"So that's why you want me to stay." Wolf says, amused.
"It's a bigger country, but you have more backup this time." Zabuza smiles again, his eyes twinkling with impish delight.
"What do you think Mitarashi-san?" Wolf asks.
"You already know what I think." Anko says smirking.
"Haku?"
"I'll have a natural advantage." The look in her eyes says there's more to it though. Those that know her well, know she'll follow Zabuza into the stomach of the death god without blinking.
"Alright. And you are?"
"Ku-"
"The idiot we got saddled with because Haku's not a rank fifty medic." Zabuza cuts him off, obviously annoyed with the medic dumb enough to wear Konoha's medic uniform. The second one Wolf has met, mind you. There has to be a pattern.
"Ku-"
"Are you still trying? I don't care what your name is, my daughter is the only one other than Wolf that will be tending to me. You are dead weight. You can't fight. And frankly if not for having two people I could already trust with my life, I'd have refused the mission." Zabuza lays it out in no uncertain terms.
"His name is Kusushi, Wolf. He's a Rank Eight medic." Haku explains, smiling serenely as her father glares at her.
"Good. You're up to Rank Five aren't you?" Wolf asks.
"Yes, but on paper I'm still a Rank Three. So Hokage-sama wouldn't hear of my own estimations."
"Works for me. Momochi-san, you have tactical command. We'll work from the shadows." Wolf offers.
"Alright. Then for the love of Kami-sama, I need a spar."
8-8
With more manpower, they are far more capable of spreading out shifts so that no one gets bored to the point of killing the target so they could go home already – mostly implying Anko and Zabuza.
Meanwhile, Wolf finds herself wondering about something. A lot of somethings actually. Too many somethings. Not wanting to actually deal with that can of worms, she alternates between training her team and sparring with Anko and Zabuza. Their spars are starting to draw a lot of attention. A few days later, they board a ship meant to take them to the Land of Snow. On board, Wolf makes a unique suggestion. One that has every shinobi – other than Kusushi – grinning from ear to ear.
"Hey guys? How about Shinobi tag? Stealth style. No visuals allowed, no making a sound, and once you're tagged you have to count to a thousand before you're allowed to move."
"Stealth training huh?" Zabuza thinks about that. "Might do what's his face some good." He thumbs the medic he still thinks should have stayed in Konoha.
"Momochi-san, is that really needed?"
"Yes, it is." He assures him.
"What have I done to deserve this treatment?"
"It's what you haven't done." Wolf explains, seriously. "I'm a medic, Rank Seven. I'm also an Anbu Captain. And I actually enjoy sparring with Momochi-san, Mitarashi-san and even Hatake-san."
"… N-nn…" Kusushi wonders about that. To have the brains to be a Rank Seven Medic, and to have the brawns to live by Zabuza's standards? "It's a fluke." Kusushi says to himself. It has to be, he reasons. No one can do both.
"I think not. Hokage-sama is a Rank Fifteen medic, and current reigning Hokage, is she not?" Wolf argues. "As well, Haku here is a Rank Five medic and an excellent defensive combatant. Koala is a Rank Four Medic and an excellent offensive combatant and infiltration specialist."
Kusushi thinks about that, but doesn't know what kind of picture that paints. People that kill and heal… that just doesn't make sense to him.
"Well, anyway. I'm it. I'm starting to count… now!" Wolf announces. With that everyone, other than Kusushi, fades from view.
8-8
They spend their days on the boat training. Stealth training, silent killing style training, even some medical training. Kusushi is more than happy to help the medics further their studies, even Wolf.
Keito, codenamed Crane, needs the most work on his stealth skills and jutsu and sensory jutsus. Still he has the right people around him. Wolf and Rabbit take turns working with him until his techniques are good enough for Zabuza to admit they are good enough.
Koala focuses most on her medical and her kenjutsu training, seeing as she feels they need the most work. Bear is mostly focusing on her silent killing style and the Namiki meditation.
Everyone has something to focus on, everyone has something to keep them busy for the three week, waterlogged journey.
Every step of the way, Wolf relays updates to Konoha. She also keeps asking for updates on her people, on their training, on whether or not those idiot messengers are still waiting. And oh yes, they are. Waiting faithfully, and desperately annoying everyone to see things their way. Naruto's taken to pranking them endlessly.
8-8
They eventually make it to the coast of the Land of Snow, and Team Wolf bids them farewell. They are going to scout ahead. Zabuza is almost to the point of begging to go with them, so is Anko… but someone has to stay with the idiots.
When the ship arrives at port, the crew starts disembarking. Zabuza and his team –and the idiot medic– are already on the dock, shadowing the 'actress' and her assistant.
The director starts ordering people around to set up for a scene, already walking the actors through it, already getting the camera set up and ready to roll.
That's when it happens!
The director remembers he left his script on board and runs to collect it.
Zabuza finds himself missing Team Wolf, mostly because Wolf comes up with some unique ways to train. Even though Zabuza doesn't really need the low level stuff her team is working on, she keeps it entertaining even for him. It's so much fun to watch sensors mere centimetres in front of you and know that they can't sense you. Entertainment right there!
"Oi!" Zabuza turns, recognizing Wolf's voice anywhere. "You know where Mitarashi-san is? We got three idiots that tried ambushing you guys." Zabuza grins. He just loves going on missions with Wolf, never a dull moment.
8-8
The film crew take a few days to do their thing. In the meantime, Anko does hers. And she's good at her thing. Better when motivated, but she's good enough for now. She gets locations, names, plans, dates, the whole shebang. She almost kills one of them, but she sees it as practice for the medics. She's fine with it.
With everything they need, Zabuza calls for a meeting with the 'actress' and her assistant. The assistant at least knows the lay of the land, the actress is mostly just complaining and wallowing.
"Wolf… you deal with her. Because I'll-" No one has to guess what he'd happily do.
"On it." Wolf grabs the woman and drags her away, not wanting her to hear the very graphic things Zabuza is without a doubt plotting to do to her.
While Wolf is busy, so is Zabuza. Sandyuu, for the most part, is resourceful. But all the resources the supposed rebels have is a fifty samurai. It takes every ounce of self-restraint in Zabuza for him to not strangle the man. "Look… I don't care what numbers you have, I can for the quality of those numbers. What are their ranks, what are their skills? Because everyone, other than the useless medic, we brought with us could take on fifty shit-for-brains that carries a sword without even breaking a sweat."
Sandyuu doesn't even know how to respond. He himself was taught to wield a sword, but… he'd seen these people during what they call spars. He doesn't doubt for a second that even the medic could take him.
"Forget it. I don't deal with cannon fodder. Tell your people to lay low until we need a human sacrifice or something." Zabuza really hates dealing with people some days. Other days, like today, he realises that it isn't just 'some days'. "I swear, if Tsunade didn't send Team Wolf…"
8-8
Wolf, for her part, is trying not to pull out her hair. Koyuki is… emotionally crippled. There's no other way to explain it. As she is, she feels no emotion at all. No joy, no sadness, no love, no nothing. She just is. A corpse who's heart has yet to catch up with reality – or just a corpse with lazy rigor mortis.
Wolf wonders why she ends up dealing with deadbeat daimyos – it seems to be a pattern in her life. She tries explaining things to her, the same things she tried explaining to Haruna. And she just asks, "What's the point?"
"The point," Wolf is this close to losing her patience and breaking something vital on the woman. "Is that your people need you. And don't try telling me you don't care, because if you didn't want people to notice you, you'd never become an actress. You like the attention, you crave it."
Koyuki just stares at the masked –she assumes– girl in front of her. "WAKE UP, WOMAN!" Wolf shouts out of the blue. "People suffer because you can't get over your past. People are dying because you won't act. Can you live with that?" When the woman doesn't react, Wolf gives up. If she pushes any further, she'll end up joining the 'let's just kill them and go home' camp, and there's no doubt in her mind that Anko and Zabuza are just waiting for her to come around at this point.
8-8
Seeing as they really just are in no mood to linger, Wolf seals the princess and the assistant –and, as per Zabuza's direct order, the 'useless medic'– in her scroll and they take the fight straight to Dotou.
The plan is simple: start at the top and work their way down, just like Aya did in the Land of This. They are going in stealth mode and they are going to find their way into Dotou's little hidey hole, and kill him. Well, one team is. Zabuza's team.
Wolf's team is supposed to focus on the diversion. Not the 'big diversion', that comes later. They're meant to knock out as many grunts as they can – the ones Zabuza can kill twenty of with one swing, so they're no fun. The three 'big fish' are already taken care of, but according to Anko there should be another twenty at least that should put up a 'decent fight'. Not a good fight, but… decent.
Figuring it's better than nothing, Zabuza hopes his team finds them before Wolf's does.
The first sign that something is dreadfully wrong in Kazahana Castle, is that people start dropping for no reason. They're breathing just fine, and seem to have nothing wrong with them, but… they just won't wake up. More and more of their men start dropping. Like flies.
Then… things just get worse. There's a fire in the courtyard. Six of their men are screaming, rolling around in the snow to put the fire out. But the fires just won't die down. It's almost as if whatever is happening to them just keeps happening to them over and over again.
There's quite a crowd standing around them, wondering just what the hell is going on. Then, suddenly they hear singing. The most beautiful voice they'd ever heard. And they're all suddenly thinking back, reminiscing about the good ol' days.
In twos or threes, this group falls too. Comatose.
The guards in the security room can't make sense of any of it. They can't see anything that makes sense. He sounds a red alert, because he doesn't trust this… only to find that… as much as he presses the button… the alarm won't sound!
The guard looks to the button, finding an elongated needle preventing it from being pressed. "What the-" Two needles land in his neck, and he drops like a ragdoll. If he was paying attention, he'd have noticed that the five others in the room with him have are also very much comatose. Haku makes a mental note to talk to Koyuki about training these people better. This is just sad.
8-8
Systematically, every major post in the castle falls. The minor posts are mostly pests, so who cares. This is around the time that someone like Dotou would decide to sound the alarm. Nothing happens though. And the more things that go wrong, the more it becomes obvious that Dotou simply isn't here.
They don't care. They just keep going. Either Dotou will show up, or they'll find a lead that leads to him. He needs this castle, it's too symbolic to the Land of Snow for him to not need to retake it.
A castle, manned by over a thousand guards, falls in less than two hours. And almost no one puts up a fight. Zabuza is LIVID!
"WHO THE HELL LEAVES THEIR MAIN BASE THIS POORLY DEFENDED!?" His voice carries down every hall, down every corridor. And no one reacts. No one even registers what happened. They're all either dead –mostly the people that annoyed Zabuza– or in a coma.
Team Wolf starts meticulously collecting the people, starting with the ones outside, and dragging them all into the castle. In the dungeon. Once in a cell, they are roused from their coma – unless Haku got to them, in which case, the 'useless medic' has patients. And Zabuza makes sure he hears it too! Kusushi is not amused.
Koyuki and Sandyuu are unsealed in the throne room, where they are informed of the situation. Koyuki doesn't have a clue how to respond. She never thought it possible, and yet… it isn't just possible, it's happening.
"We're not out of the woods yet, we still have to face Dotou. We have the castle. He'll come to us." Zabuza points out, still itching for a fight. A good fight.
"There's a railway that he might use to sneak back in. Sandyuu is –finally!– being useful. Zabuza orders him to lead the way. Anko's staying with Koyuki, and Team Wolf is manning the security room, with a suspicious group of crows hanging about the castle perimeter.
"What if he's holing up somewhere else?" Zabuza asks. "Where would he go that's secure?"
"Hidden Snow Village."
A day later, a castle guard stumbles into Hidden Snow with a note stuck to his arm with a kunai: We've got your castle, bitches! For some reason, the handwriting looks suspiciously like Zabuza's.
8-8
It takes four days. Four whole days, but they finally arrive. Zabuza and his team survey the enemy from above. Hundreds of shinobi carrying what looks like rifles. Ballistae. The whole nine yards. "Now this, I can live with." Zabuza says, seeing hundreds of shinobi littered about just outside the courtyard of the castle they 'need' to defend. "One point for genins, five for chuunins, ten for tobubetsu jounins and twenty for jounins. Highest tally gets to order the others around for a month!"
"You're on!"
Zabuza grabs his sword's hilt and he looks to his daughter, his pride and joy. They nod, already agreeing that they're teaming up. Anko doesn't like the unfairness, so she decides to summon three of her larger snakes – deciding for herself that her summons' kills count are added to her tally, so long as she keeps track. Wolf and her team don't even think about it, they're doing this as a team. Zabuza pours an almost unhealthy amound of chakra into the Hidden Mist jutsu and…
They… have at.
Within seconds the ground is littered with body parts, blood, and the very air is tainted with screams.
Team Wolf tear into the enemy, hacking and slashing as they go. The worst part isn't that the enemy isn't prepared… it's that they don't have time to react properly. Even with their superior technology, a combination of the Hidden Mist jutsu, and the fact that the castle is literally designed to be easily defendable… it's a massacre.
Eventually the enemy starts losing it. They start firing their kunai launchers at any little sound. Which doesn't help them at all, because the Konoha shinobi aren't making any sounds; they're opening fire on their own.
Wolf mostly focuses on the ballistae, and her team focuses on taking out the enemy – knocking out as many as they can and killing who they can't, because they know Zabuza won't bother. He's on a killing spree, and Anko isn't getting left behind.
The supposed shinobi army? Withers, their numbers dwindling fast, and they can't even see well enough to notice.
Sooner, rather than later, the mist is lifted. Dotou stares. He just stares. What kind of army did Koyuki bring with her!?
In the middle of the carnage stands one little girl. It was Zabuza's idea to toy with the enemy's head. Nothing messes with you quite like coming to the realisation that a little girl with long, flowing hair and glasses –can't forget the glasses– just slaughtered an army. Nothing.
And the look on Dotou's face certainly doesn't disappoint. He looks like he wants to crap himself and laugh so hard he'll pass out from lack of oxygen at the same time. It takes him and the ten jounins left almost a minute to process what they're looking at. Black hair, glasses, vertical scar on right eye. "Namiki Aya. So what, we're country number two?"
"Hmm? This is a country?" Aya drones, looking around curiously. "I dunno. Looks more like a backyard to me."
"Are you here alone?" Dotou asks, almost begging to hear that there are at least a hundred jounins lying in wait somewhere. Something has to make sense here! SOMETHING!
"Well, there's always the voices in my head? Is that what you mean?" That did it. That seriously did it. Dotou grabs on of the kunai launchers and opens fire on the…
Click-click-click-click-click!
Dotou looks at the kunai launcher screams in frustration and runs for the Gatling gun on the train. Same response. He looks closer, seeing ice had formed on the loading mechanism. He's too frustrated to even guess if it's natural ice or not.
"I WANT HER HEAD, YOU HEAR ME! KILL HER! KILL ANYTHING THAT MOVES!"
The only response is five bodies hitting the snow, headless. The remaining five drop, three of them with needles in their necks, two seemingly for no reason at all.
Dotou loses it. He just loses it. He starts laughing, soft at first, but slowly, ever so slowly, the volume starts picking up. Soon he's laughing at the top of his lungs, unable to understand what the hell just happened.
This shouldn't be possible. It can't be possible. There's just no way this can happen. No way.
Dotou sees the girl walking up to him, sees her unseal a scroll seeing out of nowhere, sees her unroll a section of it. He does nothing but laugh, his hands gripping his hair, wondering why pulling on it hurts. This is just a dream, a bad dream. This… isn't reality. Reality doesn't work this way. Little girls don't overthrow countries. It's not possible. It's-
His last thought is interrupt as he gets sealed away in Aya's scroll.
"Momochi-san, you're an evil genius, you know that?"
"I try." Zabuza says, grinning. Seeing the look on Dotou's face… he's taking that memory with him into the afterlife. He wants to see the look on Kami-sama's face when they talk about this. Seriously… just too perfect for words.
8-8
End Chapter 84
8-8
A/N: After this chapter, there's only wrapping things up in Konoha, seeing Naruto off, and sending Aya off to Sand with Gaara and co. I figure, two chapters max. Maybe three if I get a funny idea I want to work out.
Sorry that there weren't two updates today, but this is two updates. Seriously.