Disclaimer: I once owned the rights to Naruto, but I lost them to Kishimoto in a game of go fish that took place over an active volcano... I can't back that up. It's complete BS. On with the show!

Rivers of Hades

Chapter 17

-- -

"Alright, Naruto, let's take a break."

"Yeah, sure, but why are you training me, Kakashi? What about your team?"

"Sasuke will be in the hospital until sometime after the Exams, and Sai, for some reason, turned down my offer to help him. He said he preferred to train on his own."

"What about Sakura?"

"Actually, I completely forgot about her." At this, Naruto shot Kakashi a disbelieving look. "Alright, alright. She's undertaking a personal mission vital to continuing her career in service to Konoha, something only she can do."

Naruto's eyebrows shot up. "What kind of mission?"

"Sakura... has absolutely no idea what she wants to do with her career. Just because she is on a team with people who are combat-oriented doesn't mean her path lies there. As her jounin-sensei, it's my responsibility to help her decide. So I spoke to Hokage-sama, and he arranged for her to spend the month before the finals working with professionals in some of the various specialty jobs available for a kunoichi."

"How can that take a month? I mean, the specialties are taijutsu, genjutsu, ninjutsu, kenjutsu, and fuinjutsu, right?"

"Not quite. You're confusing skill specialties with job specialties. I'm talking about things like weapons forging, teaching at the Academy, the medical arts for both humans and ninken, even some of the administrative jobs, like record-keeping and information analysis. That is what Sakura is doing."

"Wow, that actually sounds kind of cool. Too bad they don't do stuff like that for the Academy students or new genin."

"It would probably be a lecture series if anything. If the students were able to choose, odds are, they would flock to the active-duty options. I can't see an Academy student or fresh genin willingly submit themselves to administrative work."

Naruto scratched his chin. "I don't know. If it doesn't involve lots of activity, it would probably be right up Shikamaru's alley."

"Very true. To be honest, few members of the Nara clan remain front-line shinobi after a few years. They either become reserves and focus on their deer or become administrators. But we're getting off topic. You know, I'm curious. Why is it you haven't asked me to teach you Chidori? Considering the rate you devour new jutsu at, I thought you would have been begging me to teach it to you ages ago."

"Well, from what you've told me, it needs a Sharingan to be used effectively, which I don't have, and a fairly strong affinity to lightning, also something I don't have."

"I didn't think that would stop you."

"Call it sensei's influence. I'd love to learn it, but I'd never be able to use it they way it's intended, if at all. Besides, since you're the only person who knows it, I won't have to learn the jutsu in order to find a counter for it."

Kakashi scratched his head. "Fair enough. Now that that's settled, let's get back to work."

"Hey, Kakashi, I have a question. Why do you keep saying you're not much of a teacher? You're doing great as far as I can tell."

"Well, maybe it's not that I'm a bad teacher, it's just that I don't do well with rookies. I guess I've got something in common with Zabuza. We just do better teaching more experienced shinobi. Zabuza lacks the temperament needed to to work with rookies, and I have difficulty relating to how little experience and knowledge they have. Take that lecture I gave you way back when, on the hand seals. Did you understand any of it?"

"Not then, and I'm still kind of shaky on it, to be honest."

"My point exactly. Most jounin don't even know what effect the seals have on a jutsu, and I was trying to teach it to an Academy student. In my shinobi career, I have almost never struggled with anything. As a result, I don't always understand why others struggle with something I find to be dirt simple, and when it comes to training genin, just about everything seems dirt simple from my perspective. Now let's give that jutsu another try."

"Okay, here I go! Suiton: Daibakufu!"

Water from a nearby pond began to churn, trying to form itself into the jutsu. It quivered, before it exploded, drenching Naruto and Kakashi.

Naruto spat the water out of his mouth. "Too much chakra?"

"Yep."

--

The next day, Naruto was in Sarutobi's office, helping organize the files. Even though his first priority was preparing for the finals, Naruto still had duties to perform here.

Sarutobi was keeping himself busy so he could ignore the uneasy feeling in his stomach. The ANBU had reported that Kabuto had held a secret late-night meeting with Baki last night. They had intervened to prevent Gekko Hayate from confronting the pair, more than likely saving his life. Shortly, the entire Suna team would be coming to his office. Officially, it was so he could formally apologize for Sasuke's actions. Unofficially, he would be trying to extract any additional information he could. So far, the evidence pointed to some plot between Orochimaru and Suna, but he wanted something concrete. It was a result of being a man of peace; you tend to want undeniable proof before making any sort of decision that could lead to violence.

He wanted Naruto there primarily give the appearance that there was nothing out of the ordinary going on. Naruto had formed some sort of bond with the youngest sibling, and his presence would go a long way to keeping a light atmosphere. However, Sarutobi wasn't looking forward to the consequences should things go badly. He knew it was difficult for Naruto to make new friends, and a friendship with a ninja from another village was a double-edged sword. It could help build good relations between the villages, which was almost universally a good thing in Sarutobi's book. On the other hand, it was also not uncommon for one person to use that friendship to pump the other for information that could later be used against them or their village.

A knock at the door roused Sarutobi from his thoughts. Naruto opened it and let the four Suna nin inside.

"Welcome, and thank you for coming."

"Thank you for asking us here, Hokage-sama."

"Yes well, please take a seat. Tell me, how are things in Suna?"

Baki stiffened. "We are surviving, despite the daimyo's decision to begin contracting other villages to take missions that normally would have gone to Suna."

"Ah, I see. In all honesty, I still don't understand what made him decide to begin doing such a thing."

Baki's eyes flicked over to Naruto. "It happened after the affair involving the Uzumaki."

Sarutobi and Naruto both blinked. "I was under the impression that since she willingly chose to join in the fight, Suna was not liable for her death."

"That was the official decision. However, after what happened, the daimyo began to question our capabilities. If Suna couldn't handle a simple C-Rank escort and protection mission, how could we successfully handle the higher ranked missions? After that, he began directing missions of B-Rank and up to other villages, with other nobles and clients following suit. Kazekage-sama still spits acid when the name Uzumaki is mentioned."

"That is regrettable. I wish your Kazekage were more willing to accept Konoha's help. Alas, all that I can do is offer to return your missions to you. I can not make your Kazekage take them."

All four Suna nin focused intently on Sarutobi. "Hokage-sama, what do you mean when you said you made an offer to return our missions?"

"You weren't aware? For the last fifteen years, both myself and Yondaime Hokage have tried to reroute those missions back to Sunagakure, only to be stopped by the Kazekage."

"Why would the Kazekage do such a thing? He would be purposely harming Suna by those actions!"

Sarutobi spread his hands as if to shrug. "Your leader is a very proud man. When we asked him that very question, he said that he and, by extension, Suna, would never accept an act of charity from a competing village, especially when said act of charity involved something that was Suna's by right. Even approaching it like a business deal instead of an act of good will between two allies met with failure. He was, and still is, determined to have missions be contracted directly to Suna from the client or not at all."

Baki cleared his throat. "That is a fascinating story, Hokage-sama, but you can't expect us to believe your word over Kazekage-sama's so easily. Can you offer proof that any of this is true?"

"No. It is a case of my word against his, and I admit that. Still, if there were any way that Konoha could help, we would."

The Suna nin looked at each other. The Kazekage had always said that Konoha was refusing to return the missions, that was one of the reasons for their participation in the invasion. Yet here was the Hokage, saying that their leader was the reason their village was suffering. They couldn't deny that it was well within character for the Kazekage to stubbornly refuse something and then make excuses or blame the other party. But would he knowingly condemn his village over his pride?

Of course he would. He had done much the same thing with Gaara. He had made a costly mistake, and rather than admit fault and try to make amends, he tried to erase it completely, even if it cost the lives of his other two children.

"It is too bad that we can't come to some arrangement, Hokage-sama. Suna would welcome the return of our missions, despite Kazekage-sama's opinions to the contrary."

Sarutobi decided then and there to go for the direct approach. "Perhaps we can make a deal, Baki-san. Tell me, what is going on between my traitorous student Orochimaru and Suna?"

Seeing the Suna nin startle, Sarutobi continued, all business now. "Come now. I am well aware of your meeting last night with Yakushi Kabuto, who has been confirmed as a spy for Orochimaru. What is going on?"

Baki winced, knowing that one way or another, he would be forced to commit treason. "If... if I tell you, will you consider putting Suna's missions back on the bartering table?"

"They have never been taken off. If the Kazekage ever changed his mind, or if a new Kazekage was put into office, all they would have to do is ask, and we would sit down and begin hammering out details. As for negotiating now, that would depend on what information you give me."

"A-alright... Orochimaru is the leader of Otogakure, and he and Kazakage-sama have made an arrangement where the combined forces of both villages will attack during the Exam finals."

"I was expecting something of that nature. Among other things, he wishes to destroy the village and kill me, in no particular order. Tell me, how did he convince the Kazekage to aid him?"

"He promised the return of all our missions, as well as increased status for the village, for aiding in the destruction of Konoha, long heralded as the strongest of the shinobi villages, in front of some of the most influential people there are."

"So the Kazekage intends to take by force what has been offered freely for over a decade. Such a pity."

"The attack is set to begin at the beginning of Gaara's match. His opening attack is the signal."

"Very well. Let us begin to make a deal. In exchange for Suna's neutrality in the invasion, I am prepared to offer you the mission we have received that should have gone to Suna."

Baki blinked. "With all due respect, Hakage-sama, that is not much of an offer. You are asking us to change our stance, offering the same things as the deal Suna has already made."

"Yes, but as it stands, you would incur a rather sizable loss of life among your ranks of experienced shinobi in the process. One you can't afford if you were to regain the missions. I am offering the chance to regain the missions without the loss of life. However, if the Suna forces were to come to Konoha's aid rather than Oto's, the rewards would be that much greater."

"What exactly would these greater rewards be, that would make us rally to Konoha?"

"A complete overhaul on the treaty of alliance between our two countries."

The Suna nin were shocked silent. That was no small task, considering the daimyo of both countries would need to be involved.

"Why would you do such a thing?"

"It is something long overdue. That treaty has been in effect for over thirty-five years and not once has it been revised or amended. Large portions of it no longer affect either village. In exchange for Suna's help, we would reforge an alliance more suited to our current needs. I know you are the Kazekage's second-in-command. He would entrust no other with the training of his children. What do you say?"

Baki sighed dramatically. "You have me in a very tight spot, Hokage-sama. I can't, in good conscience, have Suna nin throw their lives away when I know a peaceful solution is within reach. On the other hand, you are asking me to commit treason against my leader."

"I am asking you to do what is in the best interest of your village and your fellow nin. When he took office, your Kazekage took an oath to always act in the best interest of his village and those he leads. He has broken his oath to all of you. What loyalty do you owe him?"

Naruto had sat in silence throughout the entire conversation. He wasn't sure what to think right now. Everything was a jumble in his head. The invasion thing was surprising, but what really got to him was how his sensei was acting. He had never seen the old man this tough before. It wasn't a look or an act of toughness, it was indescribable. The man Naruto had always known as the benevolent and even-handed village leader was gone, replaced completely by a stranger who was tough as nails and would do anything to get what he wanted. This wasn't his sensei, this was the Hokage.

"Hokage-sama, what you are asking of us can be done with only minor difficulty. I would need to deal with some of the Kazekage's more ardent supporters, but that is easy, and the others will follow my lead. So, though I am betraying my leader, I will throw my support behind Konoha. However, if I am to convince the others, I will need proof of your intentions."

"No problem." Sarutobi reached down into a desk drawer, and pulled out a large green scroll, along with blank paper, pen and ink. "Here are all the missions Konoha has received since the beginning of the month that would normally have gone to Suna. I am giving this to you as proof that I would honor the deal should Suna's forces be neutral."

Writing a message down on the blank paper, Sarutobi then signed it and used his personal seal on it. "This is a written document, stating that should Suna rise to Konoha's aid, I will contact the daimyo of both our countries about renegotiating the treaty. Will that be sufficient?"

Baki's hands were twitching at the mission scroll. "Hokage-sama, the mission scroll alone would be more than enough, but I will take both."

"Very well." Sarutobi turned to Naruto. "Naruto, why don't you take your fellow genin here to get something to eat and find some entertainment? Baki-san and I need to discuss some specifics and it may take a while."

"Hai, sensei."

"Whatever you decide to do, the Hokage's office will pay for, within reason."

"Are you sure, sensei?"

"Consider it a training exercise. One of the duties of a Kage and their assistants is to entertain visiting dignitaries. They qualify, so whatever you do can be considered a business expense. Now go on, shoo!"

The four genin stood, bowed to the two senior ninja, and left. After the door shut, Baki commented to Sarutobi, "Hokage-sama, your student is something else."

Sarutobi grinned. "I think so too, on occasion. What makes you feel that way, if I may ask?"

"You have read the report about what happened between Gaara and your student while he was escorting us here? Well, ever since, Gaara's personality has started changing slightly, especially where Temari and Kankurou are concerned."

"Really? How so?"

"Until recently, Gaara would attack anyone, friend or foe, on a whim. Now, he has begun to act over-protectively of them both."

"I wouldn't think that was such a bad thing, to want to protect one's siblings and teammates."

"It isn't. I want to encourage it, but he's taking it to an extreme. He has stated, in no uncertain terms, that if anyone were to raise a hand against either Temari or Kankurou, he would take great pleasure in wiping them from existence. That is my problem with his new attitude. They are both Suna shinobi, not porcelain dolls. Getting hurt is a risk they accepted when they put on the hitai-ate."

"If you want some advice, give him time, and he may calm down and accept that."

--

The four genin had just exited the tower when Gaara pulled to a stop. He was looking intensely annoyed, and wisps of sand were flowing around him.

"I need to do something before we start making plans. Alone." With that, he disappeared in a cloud of sand. Seconds later, the three remaining genin heard the sound of a tree being forcibly uprooted, then thrown into more trees coming from a nearby training ground. Naruto was about to hightail it over there to investigate, but Temari and Kankurou held him back.

"What gives, you guys?"

"Trust us, if you show up there right now, you would be nothing more than a blood stain in about five seconds flat. Gaara's... venting, and should be left alone until he's done, if you know what's good for you. In the meantime, let's keep others from poking their noses in."

As they slowly approached the training ground, Naruto spoke up. "Does he do this stuff often?"

At this, the two older genin shared a nervous look. "Actually, until Gaara met you, he was more likely to 'vent' on people and animals, not inanimate objects."

They had gotten close enough where they could hear bits and pieces of Gaara talking to himself over the sounds of the destruction he was causing.

"How dare he! What he did to me was bad enough, but doing it because he couldn't bring himself to ask for help from a village that we are allied with? The next time I see him, I will feed him to my sand!"

Then, as soon as it had started, Gaara's destruction therapy session ended, and he appeared next to the other genin in another cloud of sand, his normal blank expression back in place.

"I feel better now. Let's eat." His companions dumbly nodded, slightly confused by the sudden change in attitude.

Before they left for a restaurant, Naruto sent a Kage Bunshin back to tell the Hokage that the training ground Gaara had used was in need of some serious landscaping. He had checked, it was a wasteland now.

--

At the restaurant they had decided on, Temari asked a question that she had been thinking about since the Hokage's office.

"Hey Uzumaki," When she had Naruto's attention, she continued, "This has been bugging me. How on earth did your clan get one daimyo, let alone five, to act as middlemen for them in dealing with the major villages? Nobody has that much clout!"

"Well," Naruto began, "I wondered about that too. I never knew my mother or the Uzumaki clan. Hell, I didn't even know about either one until I was ten. I was sent on a mission to my clan home a while back, and I've kept in contact with some of the villagers who live in the area. From them, I've gotten enough information to put something together."

"So? Go on!"

"Near the village the Uzumaki clan called home is a port town, one that gets a lot of merchant traffic, both land and sea-based. If a sea-faring merchant wanted armed guards for their cargo, they would go to the nearest source, the Uzumaki."

"They could have gotten civilian guards or hired from an established village. Why go to the Uzumaki?"

"For one thing, the Uzumaki were right there, not even a half-day's walk from the port. Second, since they weren't affiliated with a shinobi village, their rates were cheaper, and we all know how merchants like cheap things."

At the nods, Naruto continued, "Finally, there are the Uzumaki clan jutsu, designed especially for use on open water."

Kankurou stared disbelievingly at Naruto. "Are you telling us that your clan had jutsu just for traveling on seas and oceans?"

"Yep. A lot of the jutsu unique to my clan are useless anywhere else. The most commonly used ones would bring wind on calm days or calm stormy weather in a given area. There are also offensive and defensive jutsu too."

"So how does all this tie into my question?"

"I'm getting there. Now, because of this, the Uzumaki became the go-to clan for sea merchants. That's part of the reason Kiri hated my clan so much. If it weren't for the Uzumaki, Kiri would be getting those missions. Anyway, sea merchants do business with land-based merchants to distribute their goods inland, giving the Uzumaki business connections just about anywhere there's buying and selling. And since even a daimyo needs goods from merchants, when the clan needed asylum, all they had to do was pull the right strings, and the daimyo of the five great countries contracted the major villages to give my clan that asylum."

Temari arched an eyebrow. "And what about the loss of Suna's missions? How does that fit in with your clan?"

Naruto started waving his hands in front of himself defensively, seeing Gaara and Kankurou focus a little more intensely on him. "Hey, we had nothing to do with that! When the missions were contracted, each one of the villages received an increase in funding. The Third Shinobi War was going on, so the money was needed. If the assigned clan member died under the village's protection from something that could have been prevented, the penalty was the loss of the extra funding, not losing missions. That's your daimyo overreacting! Besides, you heard my sensei! Suna was not at fault for her death! She chose to join in the fight of her own free will."

Temari smirked. "Relax, I was just teasing. The Kazekage may be our father, but we haven't much respect for him for a long time, as a father or a leader. If what the Hokage said is true and word gets out, he won't get much support from the rest of the village."

That settled, the four Genin started eating.

--

Weeks later, the time had come. Naruto was so nervous he was twitching. Today was a day that he both wanted over and had hoped wouldn't come. Today was the day of the invasion. The Hokage had kept him out of the loop for most of the planning, but he still had a general idea of what was going on.

The Suna forces had enthusiastically agreed to Sarutobi's offer. Baki had dealt with those loyal to the Kazekage, and now his biggest problem was keeping the Suna nin from going after the man themselves before the invasion tipped their hand.

Zabuza, once informed of what was going to happen, got hold of Naruto and started drilling into him some of the exercises taught in the Kiri Academy that conditioned the students for the former deadly graduation exam. Naruto was too old for them to have the full effect, according to Zabuza, but at least he wouldn't freeze up.

Naruto was standing in the contestant's booth trying to calm his nerves, when the Hokage's voice rang out.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the final round of the Chuunin Exams! If you will please take your seats, we will begin shortly."

-- -

Next time: War Comes to Konoha