"Move the pinky up a little. Yeah, like that."
"This doesn't feel right at all. Is it supposed to bend like that?"
"Would you just stop complaining and do it already?"
"Hey, close your eyes and pay attention to what you're supposed to be doing! Let me take care of this!"
"If I don't watch, you're going to do it wrong! You're hands are all over the place! Here, give me your hands, and I'll do it for you."
"Ugh, just sit down and let me do it. I'll never get it if you don't let me practice and get used to your hands."
"There's nothing wrong with my hands."
"They are really nice. I bet you can do a lot of great things with them."
"Yeah, you should feel privileged to experience them like you have."
"Whatever, you know I enjoy your body more than your hands."
"Yeah, if only your body was as nice."
"Hey, my body is great! I mean, just look at it!"
"I've seen it enough, can we just get back to your fingers. You need to curl them more and then hold it for a second."
"Like this?"
"Yeah, that's good, but pay attention to the pinky, it should be higher. And don't put your fingers there!"
"Okay, okay, geez, would you close your eyes already and let me work on this."
"Fine, fine."
Captain Yasaku stepped back from the door, shaking his head in amusement. "Ta be young and sexually active." Though he didn't understand how the young man didn't find the woman attractive. She was quite stunning, the dark red hair and quite large assets, though he knew it was a disguise. Perhaps she wasn't as sexy as she made herself to appear, which was too bad, as Yasaku was a great fan of that type of woman. He started up the stairs, heading for the deck.
"Hey," Naruto said and Ino opened his eyes from where he was sitting crossed legs, trying to meditate. They had released their henges, returning to their current real bodies.
"This hand signal kinda looks like I'm giving a hand job," she said and laughed at her curled fingers. She moved her hand up and down then ducked a thrown pillow.
"Pervert," Ino muttered. "Get your mind out of the gutter."
"Pssh, if my mind ever crawled out of the gutter, it would die of exposure!"
Ino groaned in exasperation, collapsing onto his back. It was going to be a long trip.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, it belongs to Kishimoto. If I owned Naruto, I wouldn't be writing this fic.
"Cold! If the thermometer had been an inch longer we'd have frozen to death."
- Mark Twain
A Mind Bending Inconvenience
A Naruto Story
By Hawk
A/N: This fic takes place AFTER the Naruto series, AFTER Akatsuki has been defeated, and Sasuke is back in Konoha. Characters that aren't dead in the Manga at CHAPTER 356 (when I started this) may or may not appear in this fic, even if they die in the very next chapter. The Rookie Nine are all in their early 20's in this fic.
Thank you for reading and your reviews, they mean a lot! If you enjoy the fic, please leave a review, even if it's a a two worded one, they're appreciated!
Chapter 5 – Spring Country's Reception
Naruto stretched her back, arching like a lithe cat, and it popped softly. "Ah, man, this has been a pain."
"You? I'm the one sitting non-stop," Ino replied, stretching as well. He had been forced to meditate for the past two hours, something Naruto demanded he do. It was a part of the daily training Naruto had to put his body through in order to keep Ino from wandering into Kurama randomly during the day or while sleeping. It wasn't uncommon for Kurama and Naruto to speak to one another at random times of the day. No doubt, Kurama was confused about Naruto's now 3 day absence and the stranger he'd encountered in Ino's sleep.
"Well, next you're gonna do some physical training so that'll get you moving." There was a sly smile on Naruto's lips.
"What kind of physical training?" Ino asked warily.
"Swimming, of course."
"This is . . .!" Ino exclaimed before his head disappeared underwater, ". . . bullshit!" he finished once it popped up again.
"Swim faster, the boat's gonna leave you behind!" Naruto shouted. She was straddling the rail, trying hard not to laugh.
"The water . . ." head underwater, ". . . is freezing!" He was pumping his arms as fast as he could, diving beneath the glassy surface, vanishing for seconds before exploding out, absent of breath.
"I won't let you drown!" Naruto called, playfully kicking her legs. She could feel the eyes of most of the crew on her, some no doubt thinking she was crazy, the rest hoping she'd fall into the ocean and need rescuing.
"Damn straight . . ." head underwater, ". . . you won't!" Ino's words were as bitter as the air, which Naruto had noticed was steadily growing colder. She wrapped her arms around herself and looked off into the distance, hoping to catch a glimpse of Spring Country but knew they weren't anywhere close.
"Only thirty more minutes!"
"Thirty . . . more minutes . . . my ass . . .!"
Why was it getting colder the closer their approached Spring Country? Naruto recalled the previous time she had sailed there, when it was Snow Country, and how it felt like the air was going to freeze his lungs. This had that same feeling. She exhaled and watched wisps of her own breath appear in the air. Her lips were drying fast as well.
Sasuke had thrown out the warning to bring warm clothes. He must have known that things had changed, but what could've have done it? What could turn Spring Country back into its winter nightmare?
This wasn't just a protection mission, Naruto resolved. It was also to discover the truth. Yukie's happiness came with the melted snow and if it had returned, Naruto could only imagine how cold her heart might have become with it.
"Protect the Princess, save the Country . . . done it before, I think I can manage doing it again," she muttered darkly to herself. Wincing, Naruto covered her nipples with her hands, the cold air doing them no favors.
"So much for the serious mood I was going for," she said, hopping from the rail and hurrying back to the cabin, hands guarding her breasts from prying eyes.
"Hey . . .! Where are . . . you going . . .!"
"Iceberg, dead ahead!"
"Where have I heard that before," Naruto mused, rubbing her chin.
"I think the better question is, 'Why is there an iceberg close to Spring Country'?" Ino said and from where the two stood on deck, they could see the giant block of ice floating a short distance away. The ship easily avoided it, Captain Yasaku cackling with laughter as it did.
"No ice cube's gonna sink mah ship!" he crowed.
"Well . . . it is a really small ship. Getting it to avoid anything that big isn't that hard . . ." Ino whispered to Naruto. After dragging himself out of the ocean and onto the boat, Ino had found Naruto putting on warmer clothes in their cabin. He had followed suit, drying off and hurriedly pulling on pants, a long sleeve shirt, and heavy jacket.
Naruto crossed her arms, humming to herself. "I think it's safe to say that Spring Country isn't Spring Country anymore," she said, ignoring Ino's second comment.
"What do you mean?" Ino asked. The iceberg was broadside the ship, and it towered over them, blocking out the sun, easily five stories high. The ice was sheen and clear, freshly formed it seemed.
"Before it was Spring Country, this place was called Snow Country. The last time I was here, there was this dick dictator who was controlling the place and keeping it covered in snow and ice," Naruto explained then breathed hotly on her knuckles before rubbing them on her jacket, as if polishing them. "I kicked his ass, saved the Princess, saved the country. That's something you need to know about, actually. Wouldn't be good for you to show up not remembering how 'you' saved the day."
"Yeah, that's true," Ino said. The iceberg was behind them, but in the distance, a dozen smaller ones were floating along their course. "Looks like we're gonna be a little late, so we've got some extra time." She nodded at the impending blocks of ice.
"Okay, so, it all started with a movie . . ."
For the next thirty minutes, Naruto told Ino the story, explaining in detail everything as she remembered it. The people, the fights, everything, how Princess Yukie's name was actually Koyuki Kazahana, but she went by Yukie for short; that she was a famous movie star back then, and they had been hired to protect her from her uncle, who ruled Snow Country and wanted Yukie dead to cement his power. Yukie also had a special key that her uncle believed would reveal some hidden treasure when in fact; the treasure was a machine that would melt all of the snow.
"So after Sasuke jumped in, without my asking, and hit him with his Chidori, I managed to finish Doto off with my Rasengan. He got knocked into this giant mirror thing, which broke and suddenly the machine turned on and all the snow started melting. Yukie decided to stay there and become their Princess but didn't give up acting."
"Yeah, I know! I love her movies!" Ino exclaimed, clapping his hands together gleefully.
"Could you do that a little more girly next time . . ." Naruto muttered sarcastically, though she was glad that Ino was also a fan of Yukie's films. She blinked, thinking for a second and realizing that being fans Yukie's films was the first thing she and Ino had in common.
"I'll act less girly when you stop reaching down to my crotch," Ino retorted and Naruto quickly removed her hand from her groin.
"I can't help it! It's so . . . empty there . . ." she mumbled, blushing embarrassingly.
"You don't have to tell me that. I keep wanting to adjust myself," Ino replied grumpily. "But it's a lot more awkward for you to be caught with your hands on your groin right now than it is me."
Naruto huffed in annoyance. She didn't like how Ino's body was reacting to the cold, especially the new parts she wasn't fully accustomed to. Glancing over at Ino, she could tell he was having the same problems, namely in the region of his groin.
"Got a cold boner?" Naruto asked, amused by Ino's growing predicament.
"Seriously, why is it doing this?" Ino growled, trying to stand in a way that didn't show off the bulge in his pants.
"Yeah, they're pretty 'hard' to control," Naruto joked with a toothy smile.
"You just keep chalking them up, Naruto, 'cause when we're back to normal I'm going to give you such a beating."
Naruto pressed her hands together, lifting them to her lips in mock thought. "Would that be a . . . 'long' and 'hard' beating?"
Ino grit his teeth. "And there's another."
"Geez, you don't have to be so 'hard up', Ino."
Night fall came fast, and with it, a halt to their travels. The captain wouldn't risk moving in the dark with so much ice in the waters, so the ship floated peacefully on the freezing ocean, bobbing with the gentle waves.
"Look, I should get the bed because I'm the girl."
Ino scoffed. "You couldn't be any less of a girl!"
"I'm a delicate flower!" Naruto snapped. "And of the two of us, I have the vagina in this room!"
"Oh, don't give me that!" Ino retorted, throwing his hands up in exasperation. He was standing in front of the bed, blocking Naruto from it. They had dressed down for bed, but quickly redressed, as the cold air had been too much to handle. Ino was wearing a white, long sleeve t-shirt and black orange sweats (a pair he'd unhappily taken from Naruto's place), while Naruto was covered warmly with a thick purple sweater and plaid pajama bottoms.
They'd surprised each other with how easily changing clothes had become. No longer was it an embarrassment (that they would admit), as both of them had seen everything the other had to offer more than enough already. There wasn't any misdirected anger toward one another when shirts and pants were removed, only a sense of priority, like a job to be done and tolerated.
Sharing a bed was another matter. While Naruto had little problem with it, Ino flat out refused. It was bad enough sharing a body with Naruto, he didn't want to have to share a bed as well. Naruto was still Naruto, there was no telling what kind of dirty things she might start doing while Ino slept.
"I can't sleep on the floor, I'll freeze to death!" Naruto bit out and to prove her point, she exhaled heavily. A thin mist appeared in its place, revealing how cold the room had become. Her teeth started chattering, almost comically, to help prove her point. "I think my nipples might freeze and break off! They might cut through the floor while I sleep, thereby creating massive holes in the bottom of the ship, sinking us, and sending us to a freezing cold, watery death!"
Ino rolled his eyes at the absurdity, but he had to agree that the room was starting to freeze. He sighed in defeat, and before he could say a word, Naruto was dashing by, throwing herself into the bed. His lips pushed together in annoyance as he watched Naruto snuggle into the bed, wrapping the covers around her body.
"You can still sleep on the floor, if you don't want to share," she said blissfully.
"Move over," Ino ordered, lifting the cover so he could climb under. When he had, he rolled over, his back to Naruto, and curled up for warmth.
"Stop hogging the covers," Naruto said and pulled on them. "When you roll over like that, you're pulling them off of me."
"Yeah, well, that's just how I sleep," Ino replied and yanked on the blanket.
"Fine, then I'll just have to curl up next to you to keep myself warm!"
Ino groaned in frustration. "You have got to be the most annoying person I've ever met." Turning over to face Naruto, Ino blinked in surprise. There, not inches away, was her face. Her eyes were closed, Naruto having magically fallen asleep in a matter of seconds.
Ino blushed brightly as Naruto's warm breath softly hit his face. She was so peaceful, for once; it seemed a miracle she could be this calm. Ino had almost expected Naruto to sleep like she lived: chaotically.
If Naruto had been in her own body at that moment, Ino would have head butted her. Instead, Ino rolled over again, shaking his head in disbelief. How had he let this happen? How'd it come to him and Naruto Uzumaki sharing a bed? Only a chance meeting with Naruto could cause his world to be turned on its head.
His tongue ran over his lips. The sight of Naruto's, his real lips, gently puckered, had made him wonder about the ones he currently had. They felt rough, dry, and bigger than his actual lips. He puckered them and then pulled them in, as if fastening his mouth shut. His tongue dragged across them, and he suddenly felt like a complete idiot. Raising a hand to his face, Ino rubbed away his embarrassment, replacing it with frustration.
This was all Naruto's fault.
Ino's eyes snapped open as he felt the boat absorb a strong wave. His vision tossed with it, and for a moment, he was off kilter. Yawning loudly, he brought both hands to his face, massaging away the exhaustion and cold. It was with great horror that he felt morning's affect on his body, and immediately pressed his legs together, mortified. He started to rise, but stopped when he found a hand, not his own, resting on his shoulder.
Naruto was strewn out on her stomach, head lying on Ino's chest, right arm shoved under his shirt and through the neck hole. She was breathing as softly as the night before, seemingly dead to the world. In the middle of the night, Naruto must have woken; the sweater she'd fallen asleep wearing was gone, leaving her in a slim white sleeveless undershirt. Her breasts were mashed against Ino's side and Ino let out a shuddering breath. This was too much.
"Naruto, wake up," he growled anxiously.
"I'll . . . never let you . . . go," she sleepily mumbled in return.
"What?" Ino snapped, confused. He sat up quickly, pushing Naruto away and scrambling from the bed. His blush increased tenfold, and he stood over the bed, annoyed and humiliated. "Wake up, idiot!"
Naruto slowly made her way into the real word, blinking heavily and licking her lips. She scanned the bed, then the room, eyes finally landing on Ino. "I was dreaming about ramen . . ." she groaned and slumped back into her pillow. It molded with her head, and she snuggled into the blanks, enjoying the warmth.
Ino put his hands on his hips, not caring about Naruto's food fetish. "You were all over me! And where's your sweater, you're practically falling out of that shirt!"
Turning her head to Ino, Naruto tiredly looked up at him. "You should do something about that," she murmured after a moment, lifting a weary hand to point at Ino's crotch. "Don't expect me to help."
With a yell of frustration, Ino stormed off, leaving Naruto smiling pleasantly in bed.
"Twenty minutes!"
Naruto glanced up from where she was practicing hand signs. Having memorized how every sign looked, she was still having problems doing them in proper order, and making her fingers curve and bend the way they should. A big problem she'd discovered, something that had slowed her considerably: she was too used to her own hands and adjusting to Ino's was becoming an issue. Her right pinky was the biggest problem, as she couldn't make it fully curl, something she attributed to an old injury Ino must have sustained.
She started working on bending the finger, seeing how far she could get it to go, but eventually gave up. Grasping her pinky, she rubbed it gently, as it had become sore in her trials.
Ino entered the room, dressed for the cold weather outside. His jacket was entirely black with a more formal appearance; he was to meet a future queen after all. While made to look formal, his outfit was still practical for ninja. Secret pockets lined the inside of his jacket's vest, filled with blades and shuriken. At a moment's notice he could be fully armed and ready to strike.
Naruto wasn't dressed as nice, bundling herself in a large blue coat, though Ino had helped apply dashes of makeup to her face (much to her displeasure). They had to hold the appearance of two people from a higher class as the pre-coronation events were for the wealthy only. As such, they'd created pseudo-characters for themselves to play.
Naruto had chosen the name Haruko(1), while Ino finally settled on Satoshi(2). They were the daughter and son of the Motou(3) clan, a noble family from a small village in the Land of Wind. It had taken a long time for Ino to pick a name, due to Naruto's constant refusal. His first choice had been Mamoru(3), but Naruto had shot it down, explaining that she once knew someone by that name; a real ladies man, overly cocky, who liked to talk big while rarely backing it up. Other names Ino had picked, but Naruto had immediately approved. Kenta and Shouta had put Naruto into a giggling fit. That alone was enough to make Ino change his mind.
They had also chosen the Land of Wind, knowing that Gaara wouldn't mind the creation of a fake village. In order to look more like siblings, Ino henged away the whiskers on his face and lightened the color of his hair to match Naruto's, before slicking it back so it was flat and clean. When they walked out onto the deck, Captain Yasaku gave them a once over, nodding appreciatively at how they looked. He knew what they were, having been hired personally be Princess Yukie's security team.
As Naruto had felt and feared, Spring Country was no longer that. As the ship docked, she anxiously took in the island she'd once saved. Every building, street, and home was blanketed in ice and snow; each tree was dead, bare of any leaves or anything resembling the color green. The air was shockingly cold, colder than Naruto remembered from her first visit, and she pulled her coat tighter around her body. Her nose was already cold and turning red, so she pumped a little chakra through her body to help keep it warm.
As they stepped off the boat, bags in hand, they were greeted by a pair of men, dressed in pure white cloaks; dark colored caps keeping their heads warm. Their expressions were solemn, business-like, and as Naruto and Ino stepped up to them, they nodded in greeting.
"Uzumaki-san?" the larger of the two asked. He was nearly twice as tall as Ino's body, which made Naruto's eye twitch in annoyance.
"Yeah," both Naruto and Ino replied in unison. They shared a glance, and Naruto frowned an apology for her blunder.
"That's me," Ino said and nodded at the man.
The giant of a man extended a hand which Ino quickly took and shook once. "My name is Ryouta Yamada," he said and Naruto giggled, "Second-in-command of Yukie-sama's security detail. It's an honor to finally meet you. Yukie-sama is very excited to see you."
Naruto frowned, annoyed that she wasn't the one receiving the kind Ryouta's kind words.
"We were expecting you to come alone, though; who is this lovely lady?" Ryouta asked, turned his attention to Naruto.
Naruto's mouth fell open, an uncontrollable blush rising in her cheeks. 'Lovely lady', what the hell? She wanted the 'honor to finally meet you' greeting! "Ino Yamanaka, it's a pleasure to meet you, Yamada-san."
"You as well, Yamanaka-san," Ryouta said and bowed his head. "Come, we must escort you to the castle. It's where all the nobles are staying. While we go, we'll inform you of what's happened and what we know."
"Sounds good, Yamada-san" Naruto replied and the group of four started away from the docks. "We need to tell you about us."
"Good, I will start," Ryouta started before they stepped onto snowy street. The fresh snow crunched loudly beneath their boots. "A couple weeks ago everything was as it should be. The sun was out, the weather was warm; this was Spring Country. And then, suddenly, it started getting cold."
"Are you saying that all of this," Ino gestured to the winter wonderland in disbelief, "happened in a couple of weeks?"
Ryouta nodded. "Yes, after the first week every plant on the island was dead and the snow was starting the stick. We searched daily for a reason for the snow's return, but couldn't find anything. The machine responsible for keeping our island warm was still functioning, nothing made sense. The next week was worse, it got so cold, the machine shutdown. There was nothing stopping it and . . . well, as you can see, Spring Country's been snowed in . . .
"After that, we started receiving threats to Yukie-sama. They said that if she became Queen, she would die. That's when we sent the request to Konoha, specifically for you, Uzumaki-san. We believe that the cold weather and continuing threats aren't some coincidence, but instead deeply connected. Yukie-sama's coronation is in four days and the closer it gets, the more threats arrive.
"Soon there will be an attack."
Naruto nodded to herself, her earlier suspicious confirmed. This was more than a protection job.
"Then we arrived not a moment too soon," Ino said.
The group was approaching the ice covered train station, a large locomotive was parked, steam pouring out of its smoke stack. It would take them up the long tracks, through the mountains sides, and to the castle, which sat at the summit of the island's giant plateau.
"I see your train's still working," Naruto noted, though she knew the truth before Ryouta explained.
"Our trains were built when the land was like it is now, so they're made for this kind of weather," Ryouta said, confirming Naruto's thoughts. "We'll have our own cabin so we can finish discussing things in private."
As they stepped onto the train, Naruto and Ino were surprised by its lavish interior. Clearly it had been made for high class passengers. With spacious hallways and soft rugs, the heat on full blast, Naruto suddenly felt like she was melting. Moving down the hallway, she unzipped her coat, seeing Ino was doing the same with his jacket. Ryouta and the other guard had unbuttoned their cloaks, revealing light blue armor underneath.
A couple of passengers poked their head out of their cubby. The man, blonde hair pulled back into a long braid, stared at them, visibly annoyed by having to wait. His company, a woman with light brown hair, cut neatly at her shoulders, was also frowning. As Naruto and Ino passed, they ducked back inside, recognizing that security was walking with them, though Naruto swore the man's eyes had lingered on her longer than necessary.
Ryouta ushered them into an empty cabin, and the four took seats, Naruto and Ino shedding their coat and jacket completely. Ino looked over at Naruto, afraid she might start sweating and ruin her makeup. Ryouta and his partner removed their caps, both of their heads covered in short, messy black hair.
When the door was shut, Naruto leaned forward. "So, do you have any suspects?"
"Unfortunately, we don't. Since the snow started over two weeks ago, we have reason to believe it's someone that has already been inside our country for some time and has perhaps made a name for themselves among our people. The arriving nobles are also suspects, as in the coming days, they will be the ones who will be having the most contact with Yukie-sama. Of course, the coronation is a public celebration, so if the enemy is hiding among the citizens, that would be their time to strike. Time is short, and the suspects many."
"I see," said Naruto, taking control of the conversation. It was her mission after all; Ino could follow along. "Well, In – " And she paused, catching herself from saying something stupid. Taking a breath, she started again, "Naruto and I will be uncover, as I'm sure you've already surmised by our appearance."
"Yes, had we not been expecting you on Captain Yasaku's ship, we would have never known who you were," Ryouta stated, leaning back in his seat. The entire train jarred for a moment, and they all shifted with its momentum as it began to move. "And we will be the ONLY ones to know of your nature, outside of Yukie-sama and Hayato Hiyashin, Head of Security, of course."
"Then perhaps your partner should give us his name," Ino said, looking purposefully at the guard that had said nothing.
Pulling his gaze away from the window and the moving scenery outside, the second guard gave Ino a condescending smile. "My name is Ryou Yamada, I am Ryouta's younger brother."
"And that is why I trust him," Ryouta stated coolly, slapping a hand on his brother's shoulder. His brother returned his attention to the window. "Now, what names are you to be announced as? Yukie-sama is awaiting each noble on this train, and they will be announced to the assembled crowd and her majesty before she greets them. She will know it is you because you will be escorted by us."
"I think she may recognize him," Naruto said, jutting a thumb toward Ino. "He doesn't look too different, but she won't know me."
Ino blinked and his dark blue eyes were instantly lighter. It didn't hurt to make smaller changes while he had the chance. "Our names are Satoshi and Haruko Motou.
We're siblings of the richest family in our village, which is very small, but well guarded and respected in the Land of Wind," he explained.
"The name of your village?"
"Kansou(5)."
"Alright then, when we arrive, you will greet Yukie-sama as though you were nobles. You know what that entails?" Ryouta asked, then steepled his fingers.
"Bow, shake her hand softly, say a short hello, and step aside," Ino said with a confident grin.
"Good. Any sign that you aren't nobility and your cover maybe blown."
"Don't have to tell us that," Naruto said. "Don't worry, we're professionals."
"Some of us," Ino muttered.
Naruto rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "You keep thinking that."
"After the introduction, we'll show you to your rooms – " Naruto and Ino's attention perked at the prospect of separate rooms " – and then you must prepare yourselves for the night's dinner party. I hope I don't have to tell you that it's formal wear only. If you don't have clothes, we can provide some for you."
"What about our things?" Naruto eyed Ino's bag, which held Atsuta inside. Losing the sword wasn't something she or Konoha could afford.
"Your accouterments will be brought to your rooms by castle attendants."
"Sounds good, Ta-san," Naruto said, branding the commander with a nickname that made her giggle to herself.
The two guards stood and Ryou moved to the door. As he slid it open, his older brother addressed Ino and Naruto one final time. "We have to visit the other cabins and take down passenger names for security reasons. When we arrive at the castle, we will return and escort you out, as planned."
Naruto gave him a thumbs up and toothy grin, causing Ryouta to pause, momentarily confused. The giant commander finally nodded, stepped out of the cabin, and shut the door.
Exhaling heavily, Ino slumped in his seat. "Are you sure we can do this, Naruto?"
"Don't worry . . . we're professionals, remember?"
Despite his worry, Ino smiled. "Yeah, we are."
"So start acting like one and call me Haruko from now on, geez. Not even off the train and you're calling me the wrong name."
"Just practice the hand seals, idiot," Ino growled.
Naruto smiled and lifted her hands, starting the Mind-Switch Jutsu's signs. The smile never left her face.
"God, you're STILL doing it wrong! How can you be such an idiot?" Ino shouted, throwing his hands up in frustration. "How many times do I have to tell you? Boar, Bird, Boar, Dragon, Rat, Horse – "
" – Ram, Hare, Ox, Boar! Yeah, Yeah, I know the order, 'Satoshi-otouto(6)'!" Naruto bit out angrily. "Your hands are just weird! They won't let me perform the Rat correctly!"
"How did you ever become a ninja?" Ino demanded.
"Through hard work!" Naruto snapped.
Ino froze, regretting his words. He knew how hard Naruto had struggled, when they were younger, to be a ninja, and how often he had failed. Naruto never seemed to have any talent as a kid and was always made fun of for it by the other students, Ino included. Naruto was 'worst in class,' 'the class idiot,' 'useless,' 'a failure,' 'a complete nobody.' To most of the parents, he was 'a monster'.
"Sorry, Na . . . Haruko-ane(6)," he said softly. "I didn't mean it like that."
Ino and Naruto had decided that she should be the older of the two, as technically, Ino's body was a couple weeks older. So Naruto while became Haruko-ane, Ino had in turn become Satoshi-otouto.
"Yeah, yeah, just get off my back. I'm trying as hard as I can," Naruto grumbled, practicing the Rat seal. Damn pinky wouldn't curl.
The train's whistle sounded and the two glanced out the window, seeing the outer wall of the castle coming into view over the horizon. It was so much different than Naruto recalled; hundreds of buildings and homes had been constructed outside the massive wall for citizens to inhabit. As the train passed through the large village, Naruto scowled at all the snow and ice that coated the land. It was hurting the people, their lives; the nearby streets were almost bare of human life. Only a few people braved the weather, trudging through the deep snow.
When the train passed through the castle's wall, Naruto and Ino stared up in awe. It towered high in the sky, beautifully designed and built with stone and metal, and would have been almost impossible for an army to successfully assault. The backside of the castle had been built at the edge of the plateau, so attacking from behind was unfeasible, as the drop was over thirty stories.
The train started to slow, and Naruto rose to her feet, pulling on her coat. "You ready?"
Exhaling noisily, Ino nodded. "As I'll ever be," he replied, sliding his arms into his formal jacket.
"Ok then, keep it together out there," Naruto said as she adjusted her hair, pulling the ponytail over her shoulder. The train came to a complete stop, jolting them off balance.
"You keep it together," Ino retorted.
"I won't have a problem keeping it together, so you keep it together!"
"I am keeping it together!"
Naruto slid open the door to their cabin, sticking her head out to look down the hallway. Ryouta and Ryou were heading their way. She looked back at Ino, glaring. "Keep it together!"
Ino smiled and shook his head. "I feel like we've done this before . . ."
Ryouta and Ryou stepped up to the door and Naruto backed up, allowing them to enter. "You'll be announced fifth," the older brother said. They picked up their white cloaks and caps, having left them in the cabin with Naruto and Ino, swiftly putting them back on. After buttoning their cloaks, Ryouta nodded at his brother, who stepped out.
Naruto and Ino followed, and Ryouta fell in step behind them. They moved down the hallway until they were blocked, another couple of nobles standing in their way. It was the end of the line until another couple stopped behind them. Naruto wondered how many nobles had piled into the train and was suddenly grateful they were only fifth. Any further back and she might have started pushing people out of her way.
As they moved closer to the exit, they began to hear a voice bellowing over a microphone. It was a royal attendant, announcing the nobles' names for everyone to hear. Ryouta had mentioned that there would be a crowd, other nobles and castle attendants no doubt.
Glancing over at Ino, Naruto noticed his hands nervously sliding in and out of his pockets, as if trying to figure out what to do with them. With an exasperated sigh, Naruto reached over and grabbed Ino's hand, holding it tightly in her own.
Ino looked at the hand that had grabbed his, and then at Naruto, who was staring straight ahead, as though nothing had happened. She was focused on the task at hand, resolved. The warmth of her hand seeped into his as the chill from outside began creeping through the train.
The speaker was getting louder, only two more couples stood in front of them. Grandiose music was booming in the background.
"Keep it together," Naruto whispered.
Nodding, Ino gripped Naruto's hand firmly and swallowed.
The couple in front of them, the same nobles that had stuck their heads out earlier to glare, was stepping off the train. Ryou held out a hand, stopping Naruto and Ino from following.
The man with the long braid and blonde hair was announced as Takehiko Mino, the son of a noble from the Land of Lightning. He smiled and waved to the crowd in such a way that Naruto wanted to throw up. The woman with him, a beautiful creature with all the right curses and shapes was called next: Izumi Nakata. She too smiled and waved, but Naruto found her to be much more captivating.
Looking past them, Naruto finally spotted her. Princess Koyuki 'Yukie' Kazahana was even more spectacular than the last time she'd seen her, which had been when her last movie had come out three years prior. Her hair was as dark blue and silky as always, now falling across her forehead and down to her shoulders, tied off into two short ponytails. Her blue eyes were filled with joy, matched only by the stunning smile she was giving Takehiko and Izumi. She was dressed in white, gold and blue, a ceremonial robe, and a richly crafted crown was secure around her head.
Naruto felt her breath stop and suddenly her confidence was shot.
Takehiko and Izumi bowed to the princess and then extended their hands, shaking Yukie's briefly. A few words were exchanged, and they stepped aside, joining the group of nobles that had also just arrived.
Ryou's arm moved, and Ryouta was herding them out the door and into the cold. Ino stepped out first, pulling Naruto with him, their hands still joined, fingers tangled. As they strode across the platform, Ryouta and Ryou fell in behind them, and to Naruto's amazement, the happiness in Yukie's eyes and smile increased three times.
'She could melt all this snow with that smile alone,' Naruto thought.
"Nobles Haruko and Satoshi Motou of Kansou Village!" the attendant's voice boomed through the speakers, and the gathered crowd of local and foreign nobles politely applauded. The music blared louder, muffling their applause.
Ino made the first move, lifting a hand and waving confidently at the crowd in thanks, and Naruto hurried to do the same. The nobles were eating them up, a beautiful pair of siblings holding hands, showing their family unity. Finally they stood before Yukie, and they bowed together to the soon to be Queen.
Yukie smiled back, her gaze lingering on Ino's face. To them, it was easy to see she was struggling to not embrace Ino right there. When she looked to Naruto, her happiness wasn't as bright, a little confusion replacing it. The princess snuck a peek at their tightly held hands, and her smile dropped ever so slightly that only Naruto and Ino noticed.
Ino extended his hand to Yuki, and she greedily accepted it. She leaned closer, saying, "It's a pleasure to see you again, Satoshi-san. I look forward to speaking with you later." Her words were covered by the music, so that only the three standing there could hear.
Giving a polite smile in return, Ino nodded once. "The pleasure is all mine, Yukie-sama. I look forward to that as well." He swallowed quietly, not liking the way Yukie was eyeing him or the anticipation in the princess' voice.
Naruto's heart burst with jealousy, angrily listening to the exchange that was meant for her. She released Ino's hand and lifted it for Yukie to take. When the princess did, her smile was strained.
"And I don't believe we've had the enjoyment of meeting yet, Haruko-san," Yukie said, shaking Naruto's hand firmly.
Trying to hide her frustration, Naruto grinned as best she could. It came out awkwardly, a half pleased, half annoyed expression. "I look forward to getting to know you better, Yukie-sama," she said.
"Yes, I look forward to finding out more about you as well," Yukie replied and to Naruto it sounded more like a challenge than an offer of friendship.
Together, Naruto and Ino moved aside and walked to the other nobles. The braided noble, Takehiko was eyeing Naruto again, and she didn't like it. A chill ran down her spine, not due to the cold.
"That went well," Ino whispered. He wouldn't admit that Yukie's forward demeanor had made him nervous.
Naruto turned her attention away from Takehiko and glared into the distance. "Yeah . . . the kinda well a little kid falls down . . ."
For the rest of the ceremony, they stood and clapped for the other nobles, but they exchanged no words. It was an uncomfortable silence lost among blaring music, welcoming applause, and biting cold.
Next Time: Chapter 6 – Dance, Dance Revolting
The day's festivities continue, leading to a dinner party Naruto and Ino would sooner throw up at than enjoy.
A/N: So, after churning out that One-shot, I got writing on this and just . . . beat the living words out of it. Finished in a day, pretty much, outside of going over it for grammar mistakes. I've changed a few things about Snow Country, clearly, such as the castle and its placement. Hell, I don't even remember if there was a castle in the movie, let alone where it was, but you know what, I don't care. I know there were mountains and such. That island was all kinds of weird. Someone posted a review saying that this was a Naruto trapped as female permanently, which isn't the case . . . otherwise Naruto and Ino wouldn't be training so hard to switch back to their bodies. Naruto is not going to be falling for any guys in this story, just as Ino isn't going to be going after any girls.
Hope you're enjoying it; this one wasn't really that comedic, I think, as I'm getting more into the story and the shit hitting fan stuff.
(1) Haruko means 'Sun, or Sunlight'. Felt it was fitting for Naruto to pick a name involving sun since he melted the snow before. And is sounds like Naruto . . .
(2) Satoshi means 'Clear-thinking, Quick-witted, Wise'. I like to think Ino chose the name as a joke, as she believes Naruto to be the complete opposite.
(3) Motou means 'Base, Origin, Source'. No real reason for this other than needing a damn last name.
(4) Mamoru means 'Protector' and yes, it was making fun of Sailor Moon.
(5) Kansou means 'Dry'. Thought that'd make sense for a village from the Land Of Wind.
(6) Otouto means 'Younger Brother', Ane means 'Older Sister'. Ino is older than Naruto in the manga, but since they've switched bodies, Naruto is the 'ane' and Ino is the 'otouto'.
Lastly, Naruto is laughing at 'Ta' in all the names, which means 'Thick, Big'.
Oh, and 10 points if you caught both of the Titanic references . . . don't know why I put them in there . . . trying to be clever, I guess.