AlexandriteSky: Many thanks to Eisfuchs, DarkBlackHeart, TKM, and Pierniczek for reviewing! It really motivated me to spit out this next chapter is record (for me) time! I hope you all enjoy this next chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
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Last time:
"I feel as though we can skip the formalities, since we're already meeting in such an unconventional manner." The blonde chuckled, lifting up a hand. "Why don't we make ourselves comfortable first?"
The blonde took a seat on the floor and the rest of them followed, though Kakashi sat in the front with Sakura and Sasuke behind him. Sasuke glared at the blonde testily, not unaware of the way that Naruto's eyes lingered on Sakura's face before switching back to Kakashi.
Could this man really be trusted?
"So." The blonde smiled easily, though his face remained unreadable. "What can I do for you good folks?"
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"I'll get straight to the point then. We need to get to Byakugan City without taking any of the major routes, no questions asked." Kakashi stated, neatly folding his hands together in his lap.
Naruto's brow rose. "That leaves only the mountain pass; a treacherous path indeed. Doesn't this job fall more under a guide's expertise?"
Behind Kakashi, Sasuke bristled silently at the blonde's apparent lack of understanding of what the phrase 'no questions asked' entailed. It wasn't until he felt a gentle touch on his knee that he unclenched his jaw as Sakura shot him side-long glance warning him to be patient.
The raven-haired man decided to keep his mouth firmly shut and leave the rest of the talking to Kakashi.
"That may be the case…" Kakashi replied sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "But I was told by a close friend of mine that you were most suitable for our needs."
The blonde frowned. "I wasn't aware I had people advertising my business. What is your friend's name?"
"His name is Iruka." The silver-haired man answered simply. At the mention of the man's name Naruto's eyes widened, and something akin to understanding seemed to light up cerulean orbs. Sasuke observed with interest as the blonde's figure visibly relaxed; though it had not been apparent before, it was now obvious that Naruto had been every bit on guard as the rest of them.
"Ah." The blonde sighed, choosing to abandon his sitting position and instead sprawl on the ground. "That explains a lot more than it doesn't, believe it or not." The kimono that he wore rose slightly, revealing much more of his long slender legs that Sasuke would have preferred. Everything about the blonde irritated him, whether it was his promiscuous personality or his couldn't-care-less attitude.
"Can't you be a little bit more decent?" Sasuke snapped, unable to restrain himself. Kakashi face-palmed in front of him as he secretly wondered whether or not he should have left the raven-haired teen out of this meeting.
If he managed to scare Naruto away, their chances of succeeded would become slim to none.
To the scarecrow's relief, the blonde merely grinned in reply after taking a few seconds to recover from the sudden animosity. "Don't put the blame on me if you can't take your eyes away from me. It's a curse, really." He winked at Sakura, who turned bright crimson but managed to let out a soft chuckle.
Sasuke growled but did not attempt to respond to the blonde's teasing. He knew that he had already overstepped his boundaries and that his quick temper could easily become detrimental to the only chance they had of getting to Byakugan City safely. Though he wanted nothing more than to reject the blonde's entire existence, Sasuke understood that he could not afford to do so at this time.
The only thing that mattered right now was getting Sakura to safety; both his temper and his pride were of little significance.
"I'm going to be straight up with all of you." The blonde began with a yawn. "I don't know if Iruka's made this clear to you, but I'm a jack-of-all-trades; not a guide. That being said, I have navigated the mountain pass before, and I am willing to do so again – that is, if it's worth the reward."
Cerulean eyes sparkled. "If you catch my drift?"
It was as Iruka said. The blonde seemed willing enough, just as Iruka had predicted; however, Kakashi knew that now was the time that would be most crucial in getting Naruto to join them on their quest.
With what little pocket change they had remaining, it would be a miracle for the blonde to even consider taking the deal.
"Here." Kakashi said, throwing a bag of coins on the ground. "We can offer this much now; the rest you will get upon reaching Byakugan City."
He watched as the blonde reached for the bag excitedly, only to frown upon retrieving it while tossing it up and down in his hand.
"Yo…I don't know how to say nicely but…isn't this a little light?" the blonde asked, tossing the bag back onto the ground. "You can't seriously want me to risk my life without any proof of compensation?"
"You little…!" Sasuke hissed, rising to his feet. He was stopped by a hand on his shirt that violently jerked him back down, and he turned to see Sakura slowly shaking her head at him.
Patience. She mouthed, looking sterner than she had ever had before. Sasuke settled back down, aware of how the blonde's eyes twinkled with amusement as they observed him from across the room. He gritted his teeth with frustration and looked away.
"Were you that disturbed from the sight of me butt-naked?" the blonde asked with a raised brow. "I have to say, I'm a little offended. Weren't you the one who interrupted me?"
"Don't mind him, he's just shy." Kakashi cut in neatly, not giving Sasuke the chance to respond.
"Wasn't that shy when he came barging into a brothel room…" Naruto muttered, flashing an innocent grin when Sasuke's glare deepened. "But back to business."
He sat up, his kimono thankfully slipping back into place as he did so.
"What you have here is not enough." He said evenly, scratching behind his head. "You've got to understand – there's a base price I must receive before I'd even consider doing a job like this."
"How much?" Kakashi asked.
"Five times what you have." The blonde answered firmly, holding out his right hand with each finger extended. "I won't take any less."
"We don't have that kind of money at this moment, Mister Uzumaki." Sakura spoke, coming forward. "Isn't there anything else you would take?"
Sasuke silently fumed behind her, hating to see his friend demean herself for someone so far below her status. He knew that Sakura had abandoned her title upon fleeing the city and had quickly adapted to civilian mannerisms and thinking, but he would never forgive the fact that she should have never had to do so in the first place.
As someone who had been at her side since they were children, it was painful for Sasuke to have to see people to speak to her as if she were just another normal girl.
"Just Naruto is fine." The blonde corrected gently. "But I'm afraid that there's nothing else I need. I'm sorry, but I'll have to pass."
"What about this?" Sakura asked, pulling out her necklace that usually remained tucked away underneath her clothes. It was a beautiful pendent set in solid gold, with a variety of precious stones that sparkled beautiful even under the dim light. At the very center was a triangular cut diamond, and one look was enough to tell that the necklace was forth a small fortune in itself.
Both Sasuke and Kakashi glanced at each other before looking back to the blonde. The necklace had belonged to Sakura's mother and remained as the last token Sakura had to remember her parents by. They had no doubt that Sakura was hurting as she defiantly held up the necklace, but both men knew they had no right to speak.
This was Sakura's decision.
The blonde drew a bit closer, cerulean eyes bright with curiosity as he looked over the valuable trinket. His eyes narrowed only moments after and he scooted back, looking a bit miffed.
"A word of caution: you should keep that pendant carefully hidden away, miss." He spoke. "I'm sorry, but I'm still going to have to say no."
"What-" Kakashi began, only to have the blonde stand up.
"It was nice meeting you folks." Naruto dipped his head, though his tone was resolute. "I wish you all the luck in the world on your journey, and I'm sorry I couldn't be more of a help."
Before any more words could be uttered the blonde had already left the room, the sound of the screen door closing signifying his exit. The three occupants left behind fell into silence, the atmosphere in the room heavy as Sakura wordlessly tucked her necklace back into its place.
"Don't worry." Kakashi spoke, though his face looked wary. "We still have time. For now, we'll go back to the inn and rest; tomorrow morning, I will go find us another guide."
With that said, the three wordlessly left the brothel, Sasuke's fingers tickling the hilt of his blade as they itched to strike somebody down. Though he was glad there would be no future interactions with the blonde, he still couldn't shake off the feeling of extreme irritation that bubbled within him. Everything about the blonde had annoyed him to no end, from his apathetic nature to his indecent actions.
Again and again, his mind wandered to the moment they had first met, and Sasuke was glad the darkness of night was there to hide his discomfort.
At his side, Sasuke heard Sakura sharply inhale, and he instantly became alert. He searched his surroundings for what could have troubled his friend and found it to be a wanted poster stuck to a bulletin board next to a shop, and it didn't take long to find the source of her apprehension.
It was a wanted poster offering a large reward for her head.
Luckily, the picture provided was from many years ago, and it was almost impossible to identify Sakura from the poster besides her flashy hair color and emerald eyes. They had seen this poster many times before, but it was unsettling every time; it was proof that Madara was still toying with them and intended to keep his promise after three years were up. A small glint caught the corner of Sasuke's eyes, however, and he felt a chill run through him as his gaze focused around the younger Sakura's neck, locking onto a detail he had never noticed before.
You should keep that pendant carefully hidden away.
It couldn't be…Sasuke thought as they walked away, Sakura gripping his arm tightly.
There was no way the blonde could have known.
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Knock.
Knock knock knock.
Iruka shot up at the sound of somebody banging at his door, his sleep-clouded mind unable to process what was going on. It was pitch dark outside, signifying that it was probably sometime after midnight – much too late for a casual visitor from a friend.
Grabbing the knife from his bedside, Iruka slowly crept towards the door, his heart pounding at the sight of shadows flickering outside of the front window.
Who could it possibly be…?
"Iruka!" a familiar voice called impatiently, followed by more knocking. "Open this door, goddamit! I have a bone to pick with you!"
Ah. Iruka relaxed, setting the knife down on his dining table. Of course.
He opened the door to reveal an irritated looking blonde, who pushed past him carelessly as if he was entering his own home.
"I can't believe you." Naruto stated, wringing his hands in the air. "Of all people, you send me a princess!?"
"So you knew." Iruka replied, closing the door.
"Am I an idiot?" the blonde retorted, sitting down at the kitchen table with a loud sigh. He grabbed at a piece of bread that was still sitting in the middle of the table and began to bite into it furiously.
"Sometimes." The brown-haired man answered, despite knowing the question had been completely rhetorical.
"A princess." Naruto continued, ignoring the older man's jab. "A bloody princess. You're trying to get me mixed up in something way over my head!"
"It was a favor to a good friend." Iruka frowned, taking a seat across from the volatile blonde. "They can't trust anybody else, Naruto. You know that every single guide in this city would be more than willing to turn them in."
Naruto grabbed at his throat, choking slightly after eating too quickly. Iruka rose and got him a glass of water, which he downed in one gulp before slamming the cup back down.
"And you think I won't?" he asked once he could speak clearly again. "In case you've forgotten, I'm always in dire need of cash, Iruka."
"If you do, I will never speak to you again. I mean it, Naruto." Iruka warned dangerously.
"…" Naruto remained silent, but his face appeared a bit sheepish.
"Besides, as I always tell you; if you're so low on cash, why not stop spending what you have at the brothels every night?" the brown-haired man continued, his tone taking on a more parental manner. "Your habit is expensive, Naruto; not to mention unhealthy."
"Oh piss off." The blonde mumbled, looking to the side. "I like having sex. Sue me."
Iruka sighed, knowing that the blonde's night-time activities were out of his control. "I just worry about you, Naruto." He stated, going to his room to get the blonde a blanket. "You know that."
"If you were really that worried about me you wouldn't have sent me an exiled princess as a client!" Naruto countered, though he gratefully accepted the offering and wrapped it around himself. The nights were getting colder as winter approached; pretty soon it would be first snow, which would blanket the mountain peaks and make travel impossible.
"You really won't consider it?" Iruka asked almost pleadingly. The brown-haired man remembered the desperation on Kakashi's face from earlier; though he knew it would be putting the blonde at risk, Iruka had wanted to help his friend no matter what.
"That's not the only problem." The blonde explained a bit warily, looking a little guilty that he had upset the older man. "They're broke, Iruka. They only had about 100 wons to pay; I rescue cats from trees for that kind of pocket change!"
That explained a lot. Iruka thought as the blonde continued to ramble on. His confidence that the blonde would agree to Kakashi's request had not been unfounded; knowing Naruto, Iruka had no doubt that he would have discovered Sakura's identity within their very first meeting. However, it was not in the blonde's nature to involve himself in somebody else's business.
He needed an excuse to do so, and that excuse would have to be money.
"Naruto…what if I paid the base amount?" he spoke up, interrupting the blonde in the middle of his rant. "Would that do?"
"Eh?" the blonde replied dumbly.
"It's obvious that you'll be handsomely compensated once you get the Byakugan City." Iruka explained evenly. "They probably didn't want to say too much without giving themselves away, but her uncle would no doubt be overjoyed by the arrival of his only surviving family from the Tanto massacre. If it's the base amount that you're concerned about, I would be more than happy to cover for them."
"…I'm not taking money from you, 'Ruka." Naruto mumbled, his mouth full. "Don't insult me."
"See it as a favor, then." Iruka implored. "Please, Naruto?"
"…" the blonde continued eating, though Iruka noticed that his pace had slowed.
"…"
"….."
"…."
"Gaaaaaaahh!" the blonde exclaimed at last, throwing the piece of bread he was holding onto the table. "No fair." He pouted, crossing his arms. "I can't turn down a request from you."
Relief washed over the brown-haired man and he smiled widely, ruffling the younger man's hair. "Thank you, Naruto." He said gently, laughing when the blonde turned away from him with a sniff.
"I can't believe I'm doing this." The blonde grumbled, looking cross. "A warning next time would be nice, Iruka. Something like: 'Oh hey I'm sending a princess your way, and they're going to come barging in on you while you're having sex. Cheers!'"
Iruka only laughed harder, imagining how awkward that situation must have been. Something the blonde said struck him, however, and he turned to Naruto with a troubled look.
"But I did give you a warning." He stated, his brows furrowing. "Didn't you see the note I left you in your office explaining the entire situation?"
"Note?" Naruto asked distractedly. "What note?"
"I left it on your table." The brown-haired man stated. "Maybe you didn't see it?"
"There was nothing on my desk when I got back from lunch." The blonde replied. "The window was open, though; that was kind of weird…"
The two men glanced at each other with horror, understanding suddenly dawning upon them like a flash of lightning.
"Shit." The blonde cursed, tossing away the blanket and grabbing his coat which he had left hanging by the front door. "What inn did your friend say they were staying at!?"
"Phoenix." Iruka replied, his face ashen pale. "Naruto-"
"Don't worry, 'Ruka." The blonde said reassuringly, though his face was grim. "I'll go make sure they're okay."
Iruka nodded and watched the blonde run out the door, his hands shaking slightly.
Please be okay.
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AlexandriteSky: Of course, Naruto could never turn down a request from Iruka! But Iruka has unintentionally put Kakashi and the gang in danger…Please R&R and let me know what you think!