Inuzuka Yon and Aburame Kochu had once again pulled gate duty. This time however, it wasn't because they were recovering from injuries incurred on a more strenuous mission. Their abilities were needed as an additional security measure today, and they were assigned to a team that was to attend to the gate rather than the usual pair that normally manned the gate. Today was far busier than the last time they'd pulled gate duty and there was little risk of either Yon or Kochu dying of boredom, since today was the third phase of the Chunin Exams.
The dignitaries who were steadily streaming in from all parts were to be expected, and Yon's partner Han gave each of them no more than a cursory sniff as they passed through on their way to the arena in which the Third and Final Phase of the Chunin Exams would be taking place. A rather militant looking Senju Tsunade leading a rather defiant looking group that mainly consisted of redheads wasn't expected however. And, rather than sniffing the group that had just arrived at the gates, Han had rather sensibly hid himself under the table.
"W-Welcome to K-Konoha. M-May I ask what the p-purpose of your v-visit is?" Yon stammered out as he quailed under the combined killing intent of the Shodai Hokage's granddaughter and the bunch of people who looked like they were related both to her and to each-other.
"We're here to see the Hokage!" Tsunade said as she slammed her papers down on the table to be stamped.
Yon released a breath he didn't realize he was holding when Tsunade and her companions were finally out of sight, being escorted to the Tower by one of the other guards.
That had been beyond scary. He had never been that frightened before, not even on his first combat mission.
Orochimaru fidgeted nervously as Tsunade of all people, Tsunade who had sworn never to return to Konoha, took the seat which his sensei's guards had hastily set next to the old man he planned on personally killing later. Though he half expected it, Tsunade didn't call him on the fact that he was sitting in the Kage box disguised as the Yondaime Kazekage. Considering how much of their lives they'd spent together since childhood, and how well she knew him and his Chakra from putting him back together more times than he could count, she had to know he was there.
Why was she here though? Had she learned of his plans and come to stop him? She had been able to beat him before, could she still do so now?
"I must admit, I'm quite surprised by your return Tsunade." Orochimaru's sensei said to his former teammate. "The last time we spoke to each-other, you swore that you wouldn't be coming back. May I ask why you returned?"
"You know why I returned." Tsunade said, sounding irritated as she fanned herself with the program for the day's events which one of the guards had thoughtfully provided her with.
"I do?" Sarutobi Hiruzen Sandaime Hokage of Konoha asked, sounding surprised, which was exceedingly rare for the man who had been dubbed The Professor. Very few had ever managed to take him by surprise.
"You honestly expected me to let the bastards around here kick my grandmother's relatives out without doing anything about it?" Tsunade said, as she forcefully crushed the program she'd been fanning herself in her fist. The small book which had been one of the hardbound souvenir copies which had been made for some of the more important nobles crumpled as if it had been a mere sheet of paper.
Orochimaru's former sensei winced at both Tsunade's statement, and her show of strength.
"They haven't been kicked out." the Sandaime who was still ignorant of Orochimaru's presence said. "In fact, they have a compound here now."
"You mean that run down apartment building that was covered in eggs and graffiti which we passed by on the way to the tower?" Tsunade asked, clearly irked at the recollection of the Uzumaki Clan "compound".
"We?" his former sensei asked as he gestured for one of his guards, before whispering something in the man's ear.
"I brought a few relatives home with me." Tsunade replied as the guard departed.
"How many is a few?" his former sensei asked, suddenly sounding a bit nervous.
"A couple dozen." Tsunade replied with that little smile that meant that someone was going to be in a lot of pain very soon.
Orochimaru was glad that smile wasn't directed at him. Very glad. No good memories were associated with the few times he'd seen that smile pointed in his direction.
"Note to self:" he muttered under his breath. "Don't do something to upset the Uzumaki."
Down in the civilian portion of the viewing stands, a large number of people were making note of the arrival of a sizable contingent of redheads who were wearing the symbol of a clan that most people had thought to be virtually extinct up until a couple months earlier.
There was a general groan of "Oh crap, there's more of them." as the group made their way to a number of hastily vacated seats next to the already seated group of Uzumaki. This groan came from all, not just those who had been Anti-Uzumaki. But, the reasons behind the general groan that arose in the stands weren't uniform. The Pro-Uzumaki group took this attitude, because there were more arrivals from outside the village that would cause the Anti-Uzumaki group to be even more fiercely up in arms. The Anti-Uzumaki group took this attitude because, hey, there were more Uzumaki. Those who were neutral and generally couldn't care less about the Uzumaki took this attitude, because with more Uzumaki came more screaming fits and whatnot to disturb their lives.
The Uzumaki response to this was a bunch of glares, killing intent, some vulgar salutes in both civilian and ninja handsigns, and a few shouts from the more exuberant members of the clan.
"So, which one of you guys is the Clan Head?" one of the new arrivals asked as soon as the group was seated next to the contingent of Uzumaki who were already established in Konoha.
"None of us." Uzumaki nee Momochi Zabuza replied.
"The Clan Head's down there, and he's up first." Uzumaki Masao said, as he pointed down to the arena where the competitors were lined up.
"The kid with the gourd on his back?" asked one of the new guys who sounded somewhat confused. Probably because the kid with the gourd had the symbol for Suna's ninja forces on his person.
"Nope. The kid in the orange and blue track suit." Uzumaki Koyo replied, pointing out Naruto.
"But he's..." one of the newcomer's started.
"Blond?" Koyo replied. "You know what they say, blonds have more fun."
"Only if they get their hands on a redhead dear." Koyo's wife said.
Outside the walls of Konoha, one of the members of Suna's forces had spent a good long while trying to come to a decision. In the end, it came down to village then family. Now that his moral quandary was over, he retied the hitai-ate that he'd spent the last hour looking at.
If he ran into any of his relatives, he would give his life to protect them if need be, but that wouldn't stop him from invading Konoha in the first place. After the war was over, he would offer any of his clan that survived a home back in Suna. Anyone else from Konoha however...
Considering how Konoha had treated his family, they deserved to be invaded.
Edited 2-27-17