Chapter 4
A Decision
Yugito had no idea how hungry she was until she stepped into the cafeteria, and upon the whiff of cooked food there was a sudden, almost deafening (To her at least) growl from her stomach. She looked around with a slight blush, only to relax when she saw the place was empty besides the kitchen staff, and a few off duty Ninja.
The moment she, Naruto and Jiraiya had chosen a table a plate full of food was placed in front of her. A basic breakfast meal really. A large bowl of white rice, a large slab of grilled fish fillet with side pickles, a bowl of miso soup, some seasoned sheets of seaweed to wrap the fish and rice into and a small bowl of fermented soy beans.
Her eyes lit up like street torches at the fish. A rather strange side effect of having a Nekomata sealed inside you was that the host gained quite a lot of its demons likes and dislikes. Because of this Yugito loved fish at an almost fanatical level. To her fish of almost any kind was considered the holiest creations on the planet. Her speed was blurring, and barely thirty seconds after the food was placed before her all that remained were spotless plates.
Then she asked for another.
Naruto and Jiraiya had been given the same dish, yet by the time they finished their meals the blonde haired Kumo Jonin had finished her third serving. Eating didn't do the performance justice. She inhaled the food. Leaning back in her chair with a content sigh the Nibi Jinchuriki looked a hairsbreadth away from finding a nice quiet place to take a nap (Another Side effect).
She stopped when she saw the look on her young charges face. For some reason he refused to meet her eyes, and this worried her. When he wanted something he had no problem going up to her and asking for it, same when he had a problem he needed advice with. This shy and nervous kid was not the child she had looked after these few years.
"What's the matter" she asked, frowning when he twiddled his thumbs she took on a more firm tone "Naruto, my eyes are here" she had never seen him look so uncomfortable about something in his life, so with a sigh she motioned him closer "If your worried about it just whisper it to me"
For Jiraiya warning bells were going off in his head, as well as a massive sign flashing neon red for 'Get the hell out of there!' Knowing in his subconscious exactly what the boy was about to ask about. If she pushed him for why then he would see first hand if his speculation about her strength being on par with another certain blonde female was right.
Slowly he rose from his chair, sighing in relief when he saw her full attention was on Naruto as he whispered something into her ear, and she replied in a hushed tone while taking a sip of her milk. He edged closer to the door, ignoring the questioning looks the assigned ANBU guards were giving him.
"Ah mom" Naruto said "I saw something I think I shouldn't have seen"
"Such as?" she asked with a raised brow
"Well when you went to get changed the big guy went into a room next door" he explained a little sheepishly, hand scratching the back of his head "I was bored, so I followed him and…"
"And" she motioned him to continue, taking another sip of her milk.
"It was one of those viewing rooms" he explained, seeing her form suddenly go stiff "You know like the ones connected to those questioning rooms"
It took a second for the information to filter to her brain, and when it did she spat out her milk, catching the attention of everyone else in the room. Looking over to him, white liquid dribbling from the corners of her mouth, she asked the dreaded question "What was he observing?"
Now her charge really looked uncomfortable "Naruto" she asked, her tone forcing him to stare into suddenly merciless brown orbs "What – was – he – observing?"
"Um" the child replied, almost looking like he wanted to run "You"
Jiraiya had managed to sneak his way to the door when he felt a sudden, merciless stab of killing intent so utterly deadly it would have probably killed any plants in the immediate vicinity. There was only one other time he had felt intent so potent, and that was when Tsunade had caught him peeping on her in the public bath, and she had nearly killed him.
Slowly he turned to see the Kumo-nin. He could have sworn her eyes had taken a sudden cerulean glow, and she was cracking her knuckles in a very threatening manner.
"You!" it was more of a feline snarl than a voice.
Jiraiya backed up, laughing nervously "Look, I had no idea the brat was in the room…I swear!"
"And that makes it alright" she asked indignantly. He heard a snap, and looked at the chopsticks in her hands. What had him worried was that the chopsticks she had snapped like twigs with her fingers were made of stainless steel.
"If it makes you feel any better you have a steaming hot figure" he said with a nervous laugh.
What followed was a sudden maniacal look in her eyes, followed by a growl…and a lunge. The ANBU made no move to stop her, in fact by how they backed away it was the last thing they wanted to do. For Mei and Suki however they were looking on with interest. Maybe she could finally beat some sense into the pervert.
Jiraiya, Densetsu no Sannin, legendary Toad Sage, student to the Sandaime and sensei to the Yondaime ran out the door screaming like a little girl, an irate blonde right on his heels, using the snapped chopsticks as senbon needles.
It was another ten minutes before Yugito returned, taking a deep cleansing breath as she walked past the starring ANBU to Naruto. She leaned forward, draping an arm over his shoulder and gently pushing him back towards the table. She couldn't erase the memory from the child, but the next best thing she could do is steer him away from becoming another Jiraiya.
With a sigh she looked up to her ANBU guards and reaching into her pocket threw a small notebook at them. The woman with the wolf mask, Mei, instinctively caught the book "Do you know fire Jutsu?"
The woman hesitated, before a small smile formed under the mask "Burn it?"
Yugito smiled back "Burn it"
Naka Shrine was one of many clan shrines located around Konoha, stone steps led up to a Torii gate, the symbol of the Uchiha enshrined on the gateway, and a stone path leading to a large Honden shrine, a giant ornate building made of pine. To the citizens of Konoha, and anyone outside of the Uchiha clan the shrine was a simple place of worship for the founding clan.
However the shrine was designed for another purpose. In the main hall, hidden by the seventh tatami mat from the far right was a secret entrance. Leading to a spiral staircase of stone steps, which in turn led to a secret room, within this room it was dark, the only light coming from scented candles. The symbols of the Uchiha clan were imprinted on the walls, and at the far end of the small chamber was a stone tablet, pertaining to the most ancient history and secrets of the clan.
In this room, seated cross-legged on plush cushions were five men, dressed in crimson and white robes, their skin crinkled and weathered by age, their eyes hardened by the times they had lived. These five men represented the oldest and supposedly wisest of the Uchiha. They were the advisors to the clan head, each one a former Shinobi who had unlocked the Sharingan eye.
Fugaku Uchiha knew this. The current head of the Uchiha clan knew that these men and their experience were invaluable, and all were in agreement. The time when the Uchiha stayed on the sidelines was over. They were the last surviving founding clan of this village. The Senju was all but extinct. Their last survivor was off in some gambling hut throwing her money away. They should have more say in how this village is run.
Sometimes Fugaku Uchiha wondered how it had gotten this bad. Then he remembered, and the memory filled him with rage. The Kyubi no Yoko, in one night a single demon laid waist to the Shinobi forces of the Hidden Leaf. Many had died so that the Yondaime could seal it away, including several members of the Uchiha clan.
He had spearheaded the campaign to kill the monster once and for all, by mercifully putting down the child chosen to house the beast. He had felt pity for the boy, but he needed to remind himself that there was no boy. The child died the moment the demon was sealed. It needed to be done. But the Sandaime Hokage, forced out of retirement, had put a stop to everything. He had shot down his attempt and put laws in place to protect the child, to protect it.
What was worse were the rumours that suddenly started not long after the attack. Rumours that the Uchiha themselves had lead the beast to their doorstep, that they were somehow behind the attack. These stories were false, but that didn't stop the village from relocating his clan to a corner of the village where they could be easily monitored. To the clan elders this was a sign that the warning spoken of by their founder, the long deceased Madara Uchiha, was beginning to come to fruition.
Enough was enough. The Uchiha would not be watched like a pack of rabid dogs. It was time for the Sharingan wielders to fight back, to retake this village from the lesser clans, but somehow the Council of Fire, and the Hokage, had caught wind of their plans. This infuriated Fugaku, and made all chances of a bloodless coup d'état impossible.
But how could they have known? He and the elders had ordered that it strictly be kept secret. Even within the clan only those who held the rank of Clan Elder or Shinobi knew of the attempt, their civilian members knew nothing. He had even kept it a secret from his wife. Even though Mikoto was a Jonin herself before she retired she was not what the elders called a true Uchiha, having married into the clan.
It was Hideki Uchiha, one of the eldest in attendance who spoke "Tell me Fugaku-sama, what are the results of your investigation, have you found the informant yet?"
"Not as such Hideki-san" the head replied "The investigation is still ongoing, whoever the informer is he has hidden his tracks very well"
"This is most troubling" Kazuko Uchiha spoke, his voice raspy and ancient "To think one of our own would willingly betray us"
"As troubling as it is Kazuko-san the fact that the Hokage and the Council have caught wind of our plans is proof enough that one of our own has become a spy" Osamu Uchiha said sternly, the fifty year old man massaging his trimmed dark gray moustache.
"What about the Chunin" Hideki said, looking to Fugaku "Could one of them not be as loyal as you let on?"
"The Chunin know next to nothing about the coup" the clan head replied calmly "Nothing other than that if we did instigate one we would have their support"
"Bah" Osamu growled "Most of these Chunin are low class, not from any prestigious clans, how can we trust such commoners at their words?"
There was a buzz of agreement all around.
"What about your son Fugaku-sama" Yuuma Uchiha asked "You've placed him in ANBU as a spy. What information has he gained?"
"Very little" Fugaku replied "Other than the Sandaime is more interested in trying to negotiate a settlement instead of fighting us openly"
A smirk appeared on Hideki's face "Heh, Hiruzen is getting senile in his old age. The fool is becoming a pacifist, believing that everything can be settled through discussion"
"Hiruzen is many things" Kazuko spoke up "But a fool is not one of them. He hates bloodshed yes, but to him the village is worth more than any individual clan. If we push him too hard then he will push back"
"Hiruzen is not so much the problem as Danzo" Yuuma growled "That one armed mummy has gone to a lot of trouble to spit in our faces. It's almost like he is daring us to make the first move"
"Do you fear that cripple Yuuma-san" the last elder, Minoru Uchiha spoke up at last, remaining quiet during most of the meeting "Do you fear him and his half trained Root?"
"It is foolish and stupid to not take a threat like Danzo seriously" Yuuma replied "And you underestimate his Root Minoru-san. They may not be a match for a well trained Jonin one-on-one, but they're not supposed to be. Root operatives are trained as assassins and spies. They strike from the shadows and melt back into the darkness once their task is complete. They fear nothing, not even death"
"Enough" Fugaku growled, smacking the table with his fist "Look at you all, you are acting like a bunch of scared rabbits! Is this really the mighty council of the Uchiha clan!?"
As one the five elders bowed "We apologise Fugaku-sama" Hideki intoned "However our chances of victory are slim. I propose we back away for now, and wait for another opportunity to strike"
Murmurings rose up among the elders, silenced by Fugaku's raised hand "Wait for our enemies to drop their guard, then strike for their exposed neck. Very well, I agree"
Sarutobi glowered over his desk at the scene, hands stapled together and generally trying to look threatening. At the far end of the room was Jiraiya, trying to look cool and in control when in fact he was sporting a black eye, his clothes riddled with several small holes from near misses.
"So" the old man began calmly, shooting a sorely disappointed look Jiraiya's way "Please explain this all to me. He peeped on you while you were changing…and when you were informed of his, ahem, activities you chased him through the halls of ANBU headquarters, utilising chopsticks as weapons" With the seal still firmly in place to boot.
Yugito nodded, throwing a murderous glare the Sannin's way which promised pain and possible decapitation if he did it again. The Gama-sennin actually physically flinched under her gaze.
"And what were the ANBU doing during all of this?" Hiruzen asked.
"Yeah where were you guys" the Sannin exclaimed "She could have killed me!"
Suki and Mei looked at each other for a moment, before shrugging "We thought the great and gallant Jiraiya-sama was more than capable of dealing with a Shinobi who had her chakra suppressed"
The Sannin shot them a hurt look, but any further talk was silenced by the Sandaime clearing his throat "Yugito-san" he said, gaining her attention "I take it you called me for more than to complain about my students questionable…activities"
"Yes, Hokage-sama" she replied, before looking down to the floor for a moment, her eyes uncertain, battling an internal battle of emotions "I would like to request asylum for Naruto and me"
She had been thinking about this the entire night, and as much as she wanted to take Naruto and run Yugito knew that was impossible. The next best option was to seek sanctuary in another village, preferably another one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages. It was common knowledge that once a Ninja became a member of a village they were protected by the village and no where else was more zealous in this belief than Konohagakure. Yugito was also no fool. They knew who Naruto was, and they would never willingly allow her to leave with him.
The Hokage took a puff of his pipe, as if in deep thought, before opening the drawer to his desk "There are certain procedures that need to be followed when a Shinobi considered a Nuke-nin wishes to enter our village" he placed the hatai-ite of the leaf on the desk, the metal, adorned with the symbol of the Hidden Leaf, polished to a shine "First you will need to adhere to a mind examination by a Yamanaka to make sure your wish is genuine. Second you will be put through a series of tests to assess your skill level; these exams will test your knowledge of Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, Taijutsu, weapons knowledge and battle tactics. The second is a prohibition period of no less than three months to test if you are truly sincere in your wish, you will be guarded by a select group of my ANBU operatives during this time"
"It may be best to put a cover story in place about her origins Hokage-sama" Jiraiya spoke up, his tone deadly serious once again.
"Mm" Hiruzen nodded in agreement.
"What do you plan to do with Naruto?" she asked suddenly.
"For now I will allow him to remain with you" Hiruzen replied "I have a feeling a stipulation of you staying is that the two of you are not separated?"
She nodded.
"But that leaves us with a dilemma" the Sandime took another puff "As to where the two of you are to stay until you can afford a place of your own"
"They can stay in one of my apartments" everyone turned to look at Jiraiya, who smirked "The one in the Shinobi district should do I think. Two bedroom, open floor living room and kitchen, a single fully stocked bathroom and a decent view"
The young woman raised an eyebrow suspiciously "What's the catch?"
"I just want to make sure my godson is looked after"
"Jiraiya" Hiruzen spoke up warningly.
The Sannin frowned at him "She's going to be his guardian, so she might as well know a few things" he stared the woman in the eyes, unflinching "Naruto is my godson, chosen by both his father and mother"
It took a while for the information to sink in, but when it did Yugito starred venomously at him, wondering where this man was all of Naruto's young life "So where were you!?" she asked harshly "When I found him he was sitting on a swing, drenched by the storm and shivering while the orphanage workers locked him out. If he didn't have his prisoner he would have died of pneumonia!"
"You were there" Jiraiya asked incredulously, all in the room knew what he was talking about.
"I was one of the ambassador's guards" she replied, knowing that if she wanted these peoples trust she needed to tell them everything.
Sarutobi sighed "The Hyuga are going to love this if they ever found out"
"And you were okay with trying to kidnap a four year old girl?"
"I didn't attempt to kidnap her" Yugito shot back "We were ordered to remain at the hotel. The guards weren't told the true purpose of the peace talks until the day before. We were told what would happen and were to leave if the attempt failed, that was it" she starred at him "You're changing the topic! Where the hell were you when he needed you!?"
Both men looked at each other, even the ANBU looked uncertain. In her mind the Nibi Jinchuriki knew they would be asking questions about her involvement later, but now there were other issues that needed to be sorted, pressing issues that in her mind were more important than a four year old village feud.
This time it was Jiraiya's turn to growl "I spent the entirety of his first four years trying to protect him. Do you know how many kidnap and assassination attempts were made against the boy in that time? I personally foiled nine kidnap and fifteen assassination attempts, not to mention the fifty others that were never implemented because of my spy network!"
"He needed more than protecting" she all but shouted in agitation "He needed someone to be there for him. Do you have any idea what it's like to grow up all alone, to have no one there to look out for you or be there when you got home" she knew from personal experience, she had lost her mother and father when she was young, and most of her family soon after. It was only her and her younger sister "He needed more than a silent protector from the shadows! He needed a father-figure, someone to tuck him in at night, someone to sooth him when he was scared, someone to worry about him when he didn't come home!"
She knew this from experience. Damn did the cub do a number on her stress levels during their first year together? He used to be plagued by terrible nightmares, terrified that people hated him when someone looked at him funny, and that was just his emotional baggage. His manners and personal hygiene were atrocious. To put it bluntly he had been a mess, a well hidden one, but a mess.
Jiraiya sighed, his tension leaving his muscles "I know" his response surprised her; she was expecting a retort "I know I wasn't there when the kid needed me. But I will be making up for it starting now, by giving you that apartment" he smiled sadly at her "I didn't do the job right, and his parents would have been ashamed of me. His mother would have beaten me to a bloody pulp and his father would have probably killed me. But he has a sister-figure in you. You were there when he needed you, and for that I am grateful"
She was dumbstruck by such a display, her opinions of this man suddenly taking a u-turn. Suddenly a thought hit her "You knew his parents?"
"Yes" he replied, ignoring the Hokage's threatening glare.
"Who were they?"
"Unfortunately I can't tell you that, at least not until I know I can trust you" the Sannin replied "I can tell you that while they were alive they made a lot of enemies outside of the village. Enemies who would have no qualms about killing their son for a twisted sense of revenge"
She nodded and after a moment of silence, bowed her head "Are you sure it's okay to just give me the apartment?"
He smiled sheepishly "I haven't been in there for the better part of a decade, besides I have another two apartments and a house in this village" he reached into his pocket and tossed her a set of keys "It's all yours"
"Now we definitely need a cover story for you and Naruto" Hiruzen said after a moment, frowning that the Sannin let slip that he was the boys godfather but glad he kept tight lipped about everything else. They would talk about it later "If the Hyuga found out the situation could get messy"
"There is a civil war going on in Mizu no Kuni at the moment" Jiraiya thought out loud "And quite a few refugees are fleeing the country" a broad grin emerged "I got it. You and your little brother are refugees from Mizu no Kuni. You were originally a Shinobi of Kirigakure, but your clan was betrayed by the Mizukage. With no other options you took your little brother and fled to Hi no Kuni!"
The room was silent, and then the Hokage spoke "If one didn't know any better one would think you were a talented author"
The middle aged man looked pointedly at his former sensei "What you mean old man? I am an author!"
The Sandaime shook his head, before setting his eyes on Yugito once again "I will send for a Yamanaka immediately to take care of the mind examination, and if he is satisfied then I will have Jiraiya remove your seal. Once that is done you are to report to training area twelve at 9am tomorrow morning, I will send one of my ANBU to put you through the tests. When that is over return here with Naruto in the afternoon so that we can enrol him in the academy"
Yugito nodded her affirmative "If it eases your concerns I will volunteer for the mind examination"
"Excellent" the old man smiled, before sounding the buzzer at the end of his desk, a few seconds passed before his secretary, a female Chunin, peeped her head through the door.
"You called, Hokage-sama?"
"Is Inoichi-san in the waiting room?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama" she replied with a nod.
"Thank you Nemu-chan" he said with a smile "Has your uncle been waiting long?"
Nemu Yamanaka shook her head "No, Hokage-sama. Only for about five minutes or so"
"Hmm" the Hokage hummed "Let him in, and close the doors. Don't let anyone else enter until I say otherwise"
She nodded and left for the waiting room, a few moments later she reappeared with another individual. A man in his middle years, his skin, although rugged by age was not wrinkled, his eyes a dark blue, hair a dark blonde done up in a long ponytail. He wore the Jonin attire. Black trousers and jacket, a Jonin vest, and over it a sleeveless maroon long coat, the headband of the leaf tied to his forehead.
"Hokage-sama, Jiraiya-sama" he greeted with a respectful bow before setting his gaze upon Yugito, who met it unflinchingly.
"Inoichi-san, thank you for coming" Hiruzen returned with a smile "Yugito this is Inoichi Yamanaka, head of the Yamanaka clan. Inoichi this is Yugito Nii"
Yugito knew of the Yamanaka clan, of all the clans of Konoha they were one of the newest to have joined, becoming a major clan of the village just before the outbreak of the Third Shinobi World War. Their numbers were medium, around eighty to a hundred strong, and those of them who became Ninja excelled as experts of mind reading and control Jutsu, to this day the head scientists of Kumo did not know whether the Yamanaka were just skilled in the field of interrogation, or had a Kekkei Genkei.
The Yamanaka hesitated for a moment before offering her his hand "Nice to meet you"
"You too" Yugito replied, accepting his offered hand.
"Yugito is formerly a member of Kumogakure. The former caretaker of Naruto Uzumaki" the Sandaime explained, knowing full well it was best to inform him now rather than him stumbling upon it later. Inoichi's eyes widened slightly at this, but he remained silent, allowing the Hokage to continue "She fled with Naruto from Kumogakure after a certain series of events, and wishes to join our village so as to protect him" he looked Inoichi in the eye "What I told you and am about to tell you will be an S-class secret, do you understand?"
Inoichi nodded.
"I want you to scan her mind to see if what she says is genuine, though I have little doubt that it is" he explained "Also I must warn you she herself is a Jinchuriki to a Biju, and although it is one of weakest I advise you not to probe to deeply"
"I will keep it at bay, Hokage-sama" Yugito spoke up, ignoring the Yamanaka clan heads fearful look "I have nothing to hide"
"Are you sure you can suppress it?"
"Although I do not have full control over her I can tell you that of all the Biju the Nekomata is the most docile. She will not lash out unless she feels threatened, or if I ask her to" Yugito said with a smile, before looking thoughtful for a moment, folding her arms under her bust and tapping a finger against her chin "She's actually really lazy"
"As well as this I would like for you to probe her memories of four years ago" Sarutobi added, casting a look the former Kumo-nins way "She was one of the High Ninja's guardsmen during the Hyuga incident and I want to know if she had anything to do with the kidnap attempt"
"Hai, Hokage-sama" Inoichi replied with a bow, casting a suspicious look Yugito's way.
Sarutobi looked to the elder blonde for confirmation, who shrugged "I will cooperate"
The Sandaime looked thoughtful for a moment, before nodding and motioning to a chair "Take a seat. Let's get this over with"
The woman nodded before doing as asked. As Inocihi loomed over her she began to fidget "So what am I supposed to do?"
Besides the situation the head of the Yamanaka clan smiled nervously, not used to doing a voluntary mind examination "Sit up straight, close your eyes, take a deep breath and relax"
She nodded and did as asked. If you can hear me Nibi, allow this man to probe my mind.
Yugito could have sworn she heard a purr of agreement before the elder Yamanaka placed his right hand over her forehead. Then everything was still and silent. A pin drop could have been heard. Then she felt it, a slight discomfort, like feint wisps of shadow were seeping through her skull into her mind. Involuntarily Yugito shivered, the tendrils felt so cold.
Inoichi tried to keep his ministrations as light as possible, his mind ghosting over the Kumo-nins memories with as much care as he could muster. He saw images of her childhood, the training she went through, her time as a Shinobi. He did not linger on these and carefully nudged them aside so he could delve further and gain the information he needed.
He stood in a street, one he recognised as the main road of Konoha. A celebration was taking place, people crowded on the sidewalks in the hundreds as a procession of carriages and wagons slowly moved passed. He saw the High Ninja and all of his guards, including a certain sixteen year old girl flanking him on his left side.
He fast-forwarded the memories to the hotel they were staying in and stopped. All six of the guardians had been assembled, and the ambassador was explaining the kidnap attempt to them. He was surprised when he felt her emotions of shock and disbelief at the news, even more surprised when she abruptly stood and excused herself, saying she needed a breath of fresh air.
He watched as she walked through the city streets, her mind a violent mixture of emotions and doubts. The teenager did not like the plan. This war had taken a lot from her. She had lost her grandfather, uncle and aunt, her last living relatives besides her sister, to the border skirmishes. Yugito did not hate Konoha for this; she just wanted the war to end.
It was then that a little boy rushed around the corner and bumped into her. She had been taken by surprise, and immediately turned to yell at the child, but upon seeing his eyes, reddened by tears, she hesitated. An old man came around the corner then, holding a cane threateningly, but by then she had already knelt beside the child.
"Are you alright?" she asked softly.
Inoichi watched as she comforted the boy. So that was how they met. In truth the clan head was appalled by how the orphanage employees ignored this deranged old man as he threatened the child. Like the rest of the council the Yamanaka had known of what the boy held prisoner, yet unlike Fugaku he did not hate him for it. It's not like it was Naruto's fault that he was born on the same day as the Kyubi attack.
He sifted through a few more memories, and came to the conclusion that although she was there she did not have knowledge of the Hyuga abduction until a few hours before the fact, and she did not partake in the attempt. She did kidnap Naruto, but she thought she was giving him a better life while doing so. It could be forgiven.
His first task done the Yamanaka moved forward to the newer, fresher memories of the last few weeks, checking through them several times over to make sure Yugito was giving him the correct information. The memories swarmed across his vision.
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"At his rate of progress he may never fully master the nine tails of his transformation. The Kyubi's chakra is just too vast and potent that its consciousness would encompass and take over his host. He would become more of a danger to the village than as its protector" the scientist suddenly shut his report, his eyes partially hidden behind his round glasses "Unless"
He let the word hang in the air, not caring to reiterate further. The Raikage tapped his finger against the surface of his desk in impatience, before sighing "Unless what?"
"Unless we put him through the full conditioning"
Yugito growled at this, the full conditioning, more like torture. The subject would be conditioned both mentally and physically to become a weapon. She didn't know the details but what she did know was that the practice was cruel and inhumane in every sense of the words. When the training was complete the subject would lose all emotion, he would basically become a hollow shell of what he once was, the perfect killer.
The Raikage growled at the scientist for a moment "If we did that the boy would be nothing more than a shell of what he is now. No emotions, no individual thought, he would be stripped of all that makes him who he is. Such barbarism has been outlawed"
"It is regrettable" the scientist replied, his almond eyes gleaming with a sick joy behind his glasses "But necessary, I will be putting this forward in the council meeting later today. But your agreement would make this much faster"
"I refuse" E replied without hesitation, fixing the scientist with a glare which would have melted steel, lips twisted in a sneer of disgust "And I will fight this motion of yours with tooth and nail. There is a reason why I banned all forms of that training, and I doubt you will gain enough support on the council to overrule me"
A smile adorned the old mans face "Off course Raikage-sama, but I will still put my recommendations forward when the council meeting begins"
"You are welcome to do so, Sakamoto" the Raikage said tightly "And my opinion will remain the same, now leave me"
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"Nii Yugito, by order of the Council of lightning you are hereby relieved as guardian to the Kyubi host, Uzumaki Naruto" he spoke in a deep voice which left no room for argument, before trying to push past her.
"On whose authority?" she asked, unmoving.
The ANBU frowned "By authority of the council of lightning"
"I answer only to the Raikage" she replied coldly "As do you"
"You think I enjoy being their lapdog, Captain?" the man spat in annoyance "If I had my way I would tell them to shove this order up their asses, but I can't! Now stand aside!!!"
"Not a chance" she said, standing doggedly in place, ready to use her position as a captain in the ANBU corps to her advantage "I'm your superior boy, and I think I deserve to at least take him there myself instead of allowing him to be lead off by a bunch of complete strangers!"
The ANBU looked to his associate "Sakamoto isn't going to like this"
Yugito's growl was feral, making the two elites flinch "Either you go against Sakamoto with these jokes for orders and get lightly reprimanded, or you go against me and get a broken nose and a demotion. Your call boy"
The ANBU hesitated for a moment, before his face fell "You have one hour to report him to headquarters to begin his training"
"We'll be there" she snarled before slamming the door shut in their faces with a resounding thwack.
------
As the lift continued to descend she came down to a knee so that she was face to face with him, removing her mask and attaching it to her belt before she starred into his brilliant sapphire eyes "You have everything right?"
He nodded.
"Don't let him push you around Naruto, don't let him do anything you don't like nor want. You got me?"
He nodded again.
She was about to speak, then stopped, tried again and failed again. Finally her face fell, a sad smile tugging at her lips "Look at me, the child I care for like a son is about to go into the lions den and I don't know what to say"
She felt her eyes glisten, but stubbornly refused to let them fall. The old persona as the Ice Cat coming into play for a moment, tightly she shut her eyes and willed for the tears to stop. A hand was on her shoulder, startling her. She glanced up and saw him look at her with a genuine smile.
"I know you're not my real mom" he said "But you've been more of a mother to me than anyone else ever has. I was all alone in Konoha. I was hated, feared and people even tried to kill me. You took me away from that. You gave me a home, a family, people who cared about me. You gave my life meaning" he seemed conflicted, scared and uncertain as he spoke the next few words "I know this seems selfish, but can I still call you mom. You know, if we ever met again?"
The tears flowed, and without a moments hesitation she put her arms around him and dragged him into an embrace, shutting her eyes tightly as she cried "Yes, I would like that Naruto. I would like that so much"
------
"You're going, aren't you?" she stopped, but did not turn around "I love Naruto too, but think about it. He wouldn't want you to do this!"
"How else am I going to get him out of there" Yugito asked, turning her head for a side glance at her younger sister.
"Yugito Oneechan" Samui whispered pleadingly "If you do this then you will be labelled as a missing-nin, E-sama will not be able to defend you. You'll play right into that bastards hands and you'll be in that cell beside Naruto. Do you think he would want that!?"
"I won't let him become a monster" the elder said, reaching into her vest and pulling out a small scroll from one of her abdomen satchels. She walked to her little sister and handed it to her "Give this to the Raikage when this is all said and done, it will expunge you and Kirabi from any wrongdoing"
Samui hugged herself, looking at her elder sister pleadingly "Sis, please don't"
She smiled behind her mask "Goodbye Samui"
Before her sister could try to stop her Yugito moved. her attack was a blur, her hand chopping the nerves on her sister's neck. Samui's eyes bulged before closing. She fell into her sister's arms, carrying her into her apartment and setting her on her living room couch. She turned to leave, but stopped at the door.
Looking back at her little sister one last time she closed her apartment door and vanished in a flash.
"Sorry"
------
She ran across the rooftops, Naruto slung to her back. The boy was unconscious and sickly pale, obviously been put through extensive sessions of his 'training'. She gritted her teeth at the word. Was this what could have happened to her and Killer Bee?
Finally she reached the last building, seeing the huge vertical structure of the outer defensive wall of her village stretch up to the heavens. She stopped, feeling a sense of déjà vu. This reminded her so much of four years ago when she was scaling the walls of Konohagakure with this child on her back. Now she was doing the same thing again, only this time it was in her home village. Concentrating chakra into the soles of her feet she jumped, landing on the wall and effortlessly running up the vertical structure. She reached the top, seeing an empty corridor which would have been filled with long range specialists during a siege or a time of war.
She looked back upon her home, her eyes, hidden behind her mask, confining every contour of the rocky structures to memory. Suddenly a voice resounded from the darkness "Going somewhere, Yugito?"
She turned, and her heart literally jumped up to her throat. There stood the Rakage, fully dressed in his robes of office, looking upon her with eyes as hard as diamonds. She was no match for him, no matter the situation. But something changed. He looked upon her, diamond hard eyes softening before stepping aside.
She hesitated, thinking for a moment that it was a trick. Then she walked across the corridor between the village and the outside world. She gave the Raikage one last glance. He stood with his head bowed, eyes closed as if in penance.
"In six hours" he spoke, his voice saddened "I won't be able to keep it a secret much longer. I will be forced to list you as a Nuke-nin, and send a Hunter team after you" he looked into her eyes, conflicted as to what to say next, then he closed his eyes and bowed his head again "Go"
She hopped up to the battlements, looking down at the seemingly bottomless abyss in front of her, but something in her stopped. She turned, locking eyes with the Raikage.
"Sorry" she whispered, before she leaned back and fell from the battlements.
------
Inoichi broke the meld, removing his hand from the girl's forehead before turning to the Hokage "She is telling the truth on both accounts Hokage-sama. In my opinion she is not a threat to the village"
Hiruzen nodded "Thank you Inoichi, stay a moment" he then turned to Yugito and smiled softly "Thank you for your cooperation, I know that would have been difficult"
She nodded, a hand on her head in a vein attempt to stop the drum pounding against her skull. Although the Yamanaka had tried to be careful the presence of a foreign entity was still a stressful encounter.
"Jiraiya will remove the seal and show you to your new apartment, until I gather a trustworthy team of ANBU he will continue to be your protector" Sarutobi explained, sending a pointed look at the Sannin, only to find him nodding in agreement "Get a good nights sleep and prepare for the examination tomorrow"
Yugito nodded, rising from her chair and bowing respectfully to the Hokage before turning to leave, the old sagely voice of Hiruzen reaching her before she made it to the door "Oh and if your examiner is a little late don't hold it against him!"
She turned to him with a frown "How long is a little?"
Omake: Bath Time
A sixteen year old Yugito squared off in a starring contest with a four year old Naruto, both starring into each others eyes, not missing a beat. Suddenly Yugito moved, pointing her finger to a sliding door at the other end of their little two bedroom apartment.
A single word escaped her "Bath"
A single word escaped him "Nope"
They had been living together for three months, and in those three months Yugito came to a conclusion. Naruto had not had a single bath since he arrived, and she could not let this continue. This was mainly because of the smell, and also because, thanks to the Nekomata her sense of smell was a hundred times greater than a regular human. Because of this Yugito Nii felt like she was in a trash dump in the hottest day of summer, and she didn't like it.
This was infuriating; she was bigger, stronger, smarter and prettier than him. Why could she not convince him to take a bath and end her misery "Bath Now?"
He folded his arms in his usual 'stubborn as a mule' stance, and shook his head "I take the 1st amendment!"
"This is not a democracy!" she yelled.
"Well it should be" he shot back.
"Do you even know what democracy means!?"
"Does it matter" he replied.
She heard a giggle and turned a pointed glare at her twelve year old younger sister, watching the whole encounter from the safety of the living rooms main couch "A little help here"
Samui shook her head "Leave me out of this"
She sighed, massaging her forehead with her free hand "Be reasonable, you haven't taken a bath in three months, maybe longer, and my sense of smell is very strong. Please just take a bath and end this nightmare!"
He grinned "Make me"
A demonic smile spread across her lips, and in a quick motion she pounced "With pleasure!"
Three minutes and a lot of struggling later a dishevelled Yugito stood at the precipice between living room and bathroom, and in typical behaviour inherited from her symbiotic Yugito dangled the younger blonde, still fully clothed, over the bath tub.
Like most boys his age Naruto didn't like to take baths. That is until they were in the bath, then they never wanted to get out. Samui looked on as the boy was busy squirming and screaming at the top of his lungs for help, held by the collar of his shirt in the blonde woman's mouth. Just like a mother cat would do to her kittens when she wanted to move them from one place to another.
She smiled and with a slight movement of her jaw released the boy, allowing him to fall into the fully drawn bath of warm soapy water. There was a scream, stifled by a splash. Then Naruto resurfaced, soaked to the bone, coughing and sputtering before setting an angry glare at his guardian.
"Bad kitty" he yelled.
"Bad kitten" Yugito countered, ignoring the barks of laughter coming from the next room.
Glossary
Shinobi – Ninja
Nuke-nin – Missing Ninja
Kumo-nin – Cloud Ninja
Jonin – High Ninja
Densetsu no Sannin – Legendary Three Ninja
Hi no Kuni – Land of Fire
Mizu no Kuni – Land of Water
Konohagakure no Sato – Village Hidden in the Leaves
Kumogakure no Sato – Village Hidden in the Clouds
Kirigakure no Sato – Village Hidden in the Mist
Hokage – Fire Shadow
Mizukage – Water Shadow
Raikage – Lightning Shadow
Sandaime – Third
Yondaime – Fourth
Genjutsu – Illusionary Techniques
Ninjutsu – Ninja Techniques
Taijutsu – Physical Techniques
Kekkei Genkei – Bloodline Limit
Sharingan – Pinwheel Eyes
Jinchuriki – Power of the Human Sacrifice
Nibi no Nekomata – Two Tailed Monster Cat
Kyubi no Yoko – Nine Tailed Demon Fox
A few notes for this so far; someone asked me why I have Yugito calling Naruto pup in this story, and truth be told I just did it, didn't even think. I thought that considering Naruto is the Jinchuriki to the fox, and foxes are closely related to dogs that I would have her call him pup. But now I'm not so sure. I'm starting to think Yugito calling him Kitten or Cub would be better. I'll think it through then make the changes to the other chapters if I think differently.
Also a note on the Omakes I will be putting at the end of the chapters. They'll mostly be an attempt by myself at humour (As bad as it may be), and although the first was directly linked to the chapter others will not be, like this one that takes a slice out of Naruto's life in Kumogakure. I got the idea after reading another Yugito/Naruto fic called Kitty, its more of a salute to the author than anything else; Death's Spear.