Blood Bonds

Chapter 7

Ignoring the two males Aoi motioned for Megumi and Minako to follow her as she led them to the Hokage's tower, with an arm around Megumi's shoulder in a tight grip. Irritated by Aoi's constant physical contact with Megumi, Minako sulked as she walked slightly behind the two.

Both Naruto and Sasuke followed a short distance behind the group suspicious of Aoi's claim about being a former leaf shinobi.

Knowing there was nothing she could do about the contact Minako tried to take her mind off of Aoi and Megumi by starting what would soon be her favorite pastime, teasing/making fun of Sasuke.

"So handsome, got a girlfriend...?" Minako questioned Sasuke with raised eyebrows and when she didn't get an immediate answer she finished, "… or a boyfriend?"

Seemingly unaffected by Minako's question Sasuke merely raised his eyebrow had her sudden behavior. While Naruto tried to any laughter that threatened to escape him at Minako's question.

Taking his raised eyebrow as an answer Minako exclaimed in a sing-song voice, "So he does have a man in his life."

At that Naruto began to quietly laugh and Megumi shake her head at Minako.

Noticing something out of the corner of her eye Megumi questioned Minako, "Hey, what happened to your ankle cuff?"

Just now noticing also Minako looked down to see that the cuff was no longer where it had been.

Naruto answered enthusiastically despite the question not being addressed to him, "Oh, Sasuke took it off after we knocked you two out the second time." Naruto's enthusiasm died down as he reached the end of his sentence and he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

Neither one of the girls had the chance to respond because by that time they had reached the Hokage's tower and Aoi had opened the door for them since both she and Megumi couldn't fit through the door while Aoi held onto Megumi's shoulder.

Megumi politely thanked her sensei and in return was practically shoved through the door by Aoi who was impatient to meet with the Hokage.

But due to Aoi's shove Megumi was unable to stop before she ran into the other person who happened to be exiting the tower when Aoi opened the door.

Sai was exiting the Hokage's tower after being called to Tsunade's office.

As he was about to push the door open it was opened and one of the girls who Team 7 had brought that day came through, practically shoved into him. He guessed she was pushed based on how even after she had stopped moving and was practically crushed into his chest; he still felt something pushing her onto him.

Stiffening at the unexpected contact with who she knew from the anime as Sai, Megumi did her best to stop her movement so that she could move out of the door way and let him pass; but unfortunately for her Aoi continued to push against her back and into Sai's chest, seemingly determined to get her through the doorway and that force was the best way to accomplish that.

Pulling her face away from his chest Megumi exclaimed, "Aoi-sensei!"

Hearing the discomfort in her student's voice Aoi paused in her pushing Megumi through the door to see that the reason that she hadn't been able to push through the door.

Not taking her hand off Megumi's back Aoi politely introduced herself, "Sorry about that, I'm Aoi."

Flashing the two a fake smile and eyeing them both suspiciously Sai responded politely, "Don't worry its fine. My name is Sai."

Smiling Aoi responded, "Nice to meet you Sai, now if you'll excuse us."

Giving a fake smile in return Sai stepped out of the doorway to let the females through.

When he saw Naruto and Sasuke enter he politely asked them, "What are they doing here?" referring to Megumi and Minako.

Naruto shrugged sheepishly as Sasuke turned away, silently refusing to answer.

Sai tilted his head as though assessing their actions. Aoi quickly rushed through the doorway, paying no heed to Sai as she hurried quickly toward Tsunade as she pushed the confused Megumi in front of her.

The three others trailed behind them like sheep. Minako tried to get through the door at the same time as Sasuke and ended up jamming the doorway. Minako slightly turned her body with expertise to get through in front of him, flashing him a smirk as she walked on ahead of them to the Hokage's office in the tower.

Aoi burst into the room, startling many people in the process. Tsunade looked up from what appeared to the others to be a firm face-clutch, only to shake her head with a horrified look at the person who had just entered.

"Tsunade!!!" Aoi screamed as she walked in. Tsunade looked at her with a disgusted face, her eyebrows twitching. "Out!!!" she yelled suddenly. "All of you out, Sasuke they are no longer a threat to the village but they are staying with you till they find a home, now out!!! I must speak with...this woman! Alone!" she shouted.

Sasuke was about to protest when the 4 we're pushed back out of the room and escorted out of the tower by Sai before any of them could get a word in edgewise.

"W-w-what was that?" Sasuke spluttered. Naruto nodded to himself with a hand on his chin in a considering pose.

"I've never seen Tsunade Obaa-chan react like that to someone before." he thought for a moment. "Sai, do you know who she was?"

Sai looked at him for a moment. "Classified" Naruto sulked to the side as the others considered this newly acquired information...or rather lack there-of. Sai shrugged as he walked off sparing a glance only to the brunette before disappearing into the night.

Minako sent a pleading look to Megumi. Megumi instantly knew what was on her mind. "Oh no, not today you don't. We are not spending their money like that." She stated with determination.

Minako pouted at her for a minute. Megumi sighed. "Fine, if you can get our caretaker to agree as WE have no money." Minako smiled at her, a slow, purposeful grin.

She then turned to look at Sasuke the same look still upon her face. He looked back with disdain, instinctively fearing whatever this girl was about to do. Minako strode up to him, "Sasuke..." She said slowly, her voice bordering between pure innocence and sickly sweetness.

"Whatever you want, its fine." he stated hurriedly before the girl could say anything else.

Minako looked around at her companions, Megumi sighing and Naruto looking at her with a questioning gaze.

She quickly linked arms with Megumi and almost appeared to shudder away from the two boys, but that couldn't be right the boys quickly concluded. "Sasu-chan. Lead us to the nearest bath house that's still open!" She demanded loudly.

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(At the bath house Yokujou (1))

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Minako rushed into the bathhouse, having arrived upon Sasuke's shoulders that she had previously jumped onto and forced to carry her.

"They'll pay for us." Minako Stated loudly as she rushed by the old man at the front desk and into the woman's side of the bath after pausing to look deviously at the men's side, a smirk on her face.

She then proceeded to run in, without waiting to catch a peek at the guys changing. 'Maybe later' she thought to herself jokingly.

Megumi followed close after pausing before walking in. She looked back at Sasuke and Naruto. She bowed deeply. "I'm terribly sorry for…HER," She said critically before simply walking into the woman's side.

Sasuke and Naruto stared after them for a few full minutes before dazedly walking into the male's side after handing the money to the man at the front desk.

"Bath, bathe, bathing, bath, bath!" Minako happily yelled as she swiftly stripped her clothes off and ran through the second sliding door.

She instantly ran into the backs of 2 girls. Sakura and a blonde-haired girl turned around "Hey, watch where you're going."

Megumi sweat dropped when she heard the noise on the other side of the door. Minako simply smiled and waved slightly. "Greetings fellow homo-sapiens." She said happily before walking swiftly past them to sit down. She left the two girls seething behind her.

Sakura had previously told Ino about this girl and already they both hated her. She hadn't even apologized after running into them. They were not happy kunoichi.

Megumi followed shortly after, softly and quickly evading the angry kunoichi to stick to the oblivious Minako who had just tripped on a bar of soap, slid across the floor where her foot turned the knob for cold water all the way on right above her.

"Nyaaaa" Minako cried out in surprise as she was pelted with icy cold water.

Sasuke and Naruto jolted as they walked through to the main room. "That sounded like-"Naruto began. "Yeah…I know" Sasuke cut him off exasperatedly, "Minako…are you okay?" He threw his voice over the wall, praying that they were the only ones there.

"Just fine Sasu-koi." She shouted over as she slowly unfurled herself. Two new people rushed to help her after they walked into the bathhouse.

"Oh thank you." She said to the new ones. They looked to be a brown-haired girl and a blue-haired girl. After righting herself, she noticed that her towel had slipped down considerably to show all the deep bruises on her shoulders, back, and collarbone.

She ignored the new arrivals' shocked expressions and instead ran over to Megumi, who had been approaching her silently anyways, "I want to bathe!" she shouted loud enough for the entire bathhouse to hear before walking back to the shower and adjusting the heat.

Megumi trailed after her with a dazed expression on her face at the horrible bruising, 'She really does bruise easily.' she confirmed silently.

Sakura and Ino stood to the side, still too enraged at the "Sasu-koi" to even move.

Naruto and Sasuke flinched at Minako's loud voice as six new people entered the room, a large dog trailing after a certain individual.

"Choji, Shikamaru, Neji, Lee, Shino, Kiba, Akamaru." Sasuke stated calmly, "Good evening." He said almost quietly. "Hey guys, Wassup" Naruto continued. Various "Hi's" and "Good evening's" and a "woof" replied the new arrivals.

"Hey, Megumi…" Megumi shook her head; "I don't have any Minako" Minako nodded. "Hey Sasuke…could you please throw me some shampoo?" She asked, her voice ringing throughout the rooms.

Sasuke sighed. "Why me?" He asked as he threw over his shampoo. "Because I wanna smell like Sasu-koi" She replied happily, causing several of the boys to have reactions like an eye twitch or a frown of disbelief as Sasuke actually lost his cool façade in shock.

Minako jumped up the wall by putting chakra in her feet and popping her head up over the wall so that her bruises weren't visible. "Thank you." She replied, as she was about to jump down.

Having gotten a good look at the towel clad young men she paused to yell over the wall, "Nice merchandise." Megumi quickly pulled her down. "MINAKO" She shouted embarrassedly at her as she yanked her back to the floor.

The blue haired girl from earlier blushed as the brown haired one stuttered at Minako's actions. Ino and Sakura simply stormed out. "I'll take a bath at home, I'm leaving" Ino called out over the wall as Sakura simply stormed out, not having arrived with her team like Ino had.

The brown haired girl came up to the now arguing Minako and Megumi. "I'm Tenten and this is Hinata." She said as she motioned first to herself and then the blue haired girl beside her. "H-hi, what are your names?" She asked. Megumi promptly replied with her name as Minako looked at them for a minute.

"I bet you guys just want me to tell you about the 'merchandise' huh?" She said with a smirk. Hinata blushed as Tenten smiled back. "But, of course." She replied.

Minako lightly punched her on the shoulder in return. "I like you already" She responded "I'm Minako." She finished.

After they chatted a bit as they washed their body and hair, they all got into the bath together.

"So…how's it cracking?" Minako asked Tenten and Hinata good heartedly. "Bought anything recently?" She asked, vaguely referring to the "Merchandise" from earlier.

Tenten shrugged and gave Minako a wink in reply.

Hinata simply blushed bashfully before wading closer to Megumi. She quickly moved back again at the glare Megumi was directing at Minako, who was either completely oblivious to it or ignoring her.

Hinata hid back behind Minako who was giggling at Tenten's antics, carefully placing her hand on a non-bruised portion of Minako's back.

Minako flinched away, wincing slightly as if caused physical pain. Her laughter halted suddenly as she abruptly stood up, dripping water as she walked quickly over to Megumi. She leaned over to place her head on her shoulder, otherwise not touching the girl as she still stood above her sitting form.

The girl accepted the touch wordlessly, her expression changing slightly as her lips twitched as though she was holding back a smile at Minako rejecting the others' touch so completely.

Minako turned around after a moment, her expressionless mask back in place. She looked to Hinata and Tenten briefly. They looked back at her, forgetting to hide the fact that they were obviously pondering Minako's odd behavior.

"I'm leaving." She said as she headed for the door. She quickly left without looking back. Megumi sighed lightly barely hiding the fact that it was only for show. She wordlessly got up and followed after Minako, ignoring the others' questioning gazes.

"Minako, you were rude." She stated calmly to the other girl as she closed the sliding door connecting the changing room and baths. Minako replied without turning around "She touched me". She smoothly slipped her clothes over her body, still refusing to look at Megumi.

Snorting lightly Megumi shrugged off her friend's logic and also began to get dressed.

Before the two left the room Minako stopped Megumi and ordered her seriously, "Drop the transformation technique."

Sighing Megumi seemed to relax as her appearance shifted slightly, now her hair that had seemed fairly straight was poufy and slightly curly. Her skin tone was slightly darker, tanner, but the most obvious change were the numerous cuts that were apparent on her arms, legs and even some on her face.

With a sad look on her face Minako raised her hand to gently touch the cut that was located on Megumi's cheek. Looking away Megumi reactivated the transformation technique and walked out of the room, Minako following her for a change.

Catching up to Megumi, Minako walked at her side and asked sounding slightly concerned, "Were those for your training with Aoi? Do they hurt?"

Avoiding the second question Megumi responded, "Yea, none of them are infected."

Neither of them bothering to attempt to start a conversation Minako and Megumi walked in silence to the Uchiha compound.

Returning to the room Sasuke had originally shown them they settled down to sleep.

1. – Yokujou means bathhouse in Japanese. It's a bad pun.

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