When Tenzo saw the gates of Konoha, he sighed in relief. This had been a long, tedious, and all around weird mission. He looked at the other ANBU disguised as normal chunin and wondered again how much money it had cost their employer to get six ANBU for a business trip. Granted this trip would give Konoha its first ever chakra tree.
What really bothered him about the employer was the flippant way she talked to everyone. She had walked into the Hokage's office unannounced while he was on guard duty and 'requested' the services of 'that tree growing Senju splicer you been hidin' in ANBU.' After the client had explained why she needed the mokuten wielder, the Hokage had declared her trip an S-rank mission and immediately assigned an over strength ANBU squad to it.
Tenzo had been amazed at the pull the woman had. As soon as he had gotten off duty, he had gone to research her.
Hibaku Natsumi. Retired tokubetsu jonin. Left service due to unrelated disability. Missions completed: one hundred five D-rank, one hundred seventy C-rank, fifty-three B-rank, forty-seven A-rank, one S-rank. Skills: Ninjutsu C-rank, Genjutsu C-rank, Taijutsu C-rank, Weapons B-rank, Peripheral skills S-rank.
He had gone through her mission reports to find that she was the 'Faceless Death Natsumi.' ANBU still used the methods she had pioneered for ambushing and trapping. She wasn't nearly as legendary as the Yellow Flash, but her role in the third war had been nearly as pivotal.
She had led a team of eleven other tokujo and chunin in the wilds of the isthmus that connected the Land of Fire to the Land of Lightning. The Hokage had sent her to screen for possible attacks from Kumo while the majority of Konoha's forces were tied up with Iwa. The preparation had proved necessary, and the choice of shinobi fortuitous. The team, under Natsumi's expert guidance, had created a killing field that had decimated Kumo's invasion force of five hundred shinobi. Kumo had immediately backed off with nearly two thirds of their fighting force gone.
The amazing victory had been lost in the noise made over Minato's amazing gains, but Natsumi's name had gone down in Kumo bingo books as an A-rank enemy. To this day, they still lacked a picture or even a description of her. It had earned her that rather morbid nickname.
She didn't seem to mind at all. She and her husband managed to wrangle the reputation they had earned into a very successful business. Even with her husband dead, she remained the primary supplier of trap kits in Konoha, and a major supplier for storage seals as well. If the scuttlebutt at ANBU HQ was to be believed, she had helped to revamp and upgrade Konoha's defenses as well. It wasn't too out of the question; Hibaku Natsumi was the single richest person in the village, and in the top ten for the Land of Fire.
So Tenzo wasn't too surprised when the Hokage had jumped at the chance to give the woman what she wanted. Which meant he and five other disguised ANBU guarding a minor living legend out to the Land of Forests to fetch a tree.
Tenzo had been confused about his presence until Natsumi had picked her tree. She had passed up all the healthy looking saplings offered to her and chosen the biggest damn tree in the grove. At which point she had looked at Tenzo and asked, 'Can you get it back?' He had just shrugged, to which she had said, 'Well. Do what you can. I'll just take it out of your pay if it dies.'
So here he was, sitting on the roots of a thirty foot tall tree that was sitting in a large wagon pulled by twelve oxen. He had never been so tired, but he had also never been quite so proud of himself. He had kept the tree healthy for nearly three weeks as they traveled. Another hour brought them inside the gates, and a few minutes later had them at her home.
"Alright, Tenzo-san," Natsumi called to him, "Walk it around back, I got a pit all ready for it to go in."
He nodded mutely, and with a surge of chakra animated the mass of roots. He went slow to prevent major damage, but soon had the chakra tree in the hole Natsumi indicated. She filled it in herself with a Doton technique.
"Gather round, boys," she called to the guards, "Its bonus time."
The ANBU exchanged curious glances as they gathered around the trap master. She was scribbling out checks like a pro. She handed them out, and the ANBU began exclaiming in astonishment.
"What?" she asked jokingly as she filled out the last check for Tenzo, "Fifty thousand not enough? Clear out you workaholics. Have some fun for once."
The guards did just that, heading in to report back to the Hokage. Natsumi waited until they were gone to hand Tenzo his check. Peering at it, he started.
"A quarter of a million?" he asked in disbelief.
"You did a great job, kid," she told him, "I expected half the leaves to be gone by now, but the damn thing looks better."
She shooed him off before he could recover enough to try to decline the payment. He made it back to the tower in good order.
"Tenzo-san," the Hokage greeted, "I heard the mission went well."
"I hope so," the young man responded, "She gave me a huge bonus."
The old man nodded, "I can give you a day off, but I need you back on duty after that."
"What's going on?" Tenzo asked. It was standard for ANBU off of long missions to receive at least three days of leave.
"Too much," his leader said tiredly, "Far too much."
XxXxXxX
Two weeks. It had been two weeks since that terrible night. His grief had run dry the first week. All he really felt now was an empty numbness. He found that slightly odd. He would have expected to feel hatred or at least anger. All that remained, though, was a hollow feeling in his chest.
That first night had been the worst. Waking up in an unfamiliar place with a strange man over him. He had asked in vain hope if it had all been a dream. The blonde man had simply shaken his head sadly and informed him that he was the only one left. The only Uchiha left in Konoha.
The man, Yamanaka Inoichi he called himself, came back and spoke to him every other day. Asking him questions. Sasuke had given mostly one word answers or grunts in response, but the clan patron had seemed satisfied that he answered at all.
He heard the door to his hospital room open. It wasn't the usual time they brought him food he barely touched, or the usual day for Inoichi to come by. Curiosity broke through his apathy, and he turned his head to see who had walked in.
"Hello, Sasuke-kun," Sarutobi Hiruzen said, "I hope I am not intruding."
Despite his young age and his general lack of interest in anything, he understood that the Hokage visiting him was rather unusual.
"I suppose you are wondering why I am here," his confusion must have shown on his face, "I have come to discuss certain matters with you."
Sasuke merely stared, waiting for the man to get on with it.
"A memorial service is being held for your clan in general," the old man explained, "Certain key members, such as your father, will have separate ceremonies. Is this acceptable?"
"Why are you asking me?" he wondered aloud.
"Because you are the only representative of your clan left," Sarutobi explained sadly.
"Do what you want," the eight-year old told him.
The Hokage nodded, "Very well. The services will be held a week from today. There is also the matter of your discharge."
Sasuke grunted in an inquisitive way.
"I am afraid you cannot continue to take up the resources of the hospital," the aged leader said, "I have arranged for you to have someone to assist you at home."
Something about having someone nanny him broke through his apathy and struck at the pride his father had instilled in him, "I don't need a babysitter."
"You have barely eaten in the past two weeks," the Sandaime explained, "The doctors are worried you'll starve yourself to death."
That much was true, "I will start eating," he allowed.
"Good...you still have a week to turn them around on the idea."
Sasuke nodded in relief. What would his father think if he required a nanny.
"I have also enrolled you in school," the Hokage went on.
"I'm already going to the academy," the boy said, confused.
"I'm afraid Inoichi-san has determined through his visits with you that you are no longer mentally capable of being a shinobi," the Hokage explained.
Sasuke turned his face back up to the ceiling. What counter did he have for that. Here he was, wasting away in the hospital while others made decisions for him. His father would have been disgusted. He was acting like a weak fool when he should have been trying to honor the memory of his clan; when he should have been training to bring vengeance to their murderer. He felt a tiny spark flare in his chest. A tiny bit of anger about what had happened. He sat up fully and turned to face the Hokage.
"Hokage-sama," he began as formally as he could, "Please allow me to continue to train as a shinobi."
The old man considered him for a moment, "And what is your motivation?"
"To honor my clan," he said quietly, "to resurrect it as only a shinobi can. To exact revenge on the one who tried to end it."
The Sandaime looked into his eyes, and damned if Sasuke didn't feel as if those wise old orbs weren't peering into his soul.
"You will continue to see Inoichi-san on a monthly basis," the Hokage told him, "If at the time of your graduation he feels you are still too unstable, you will be barred from the corps. Understood?"
Sasuke bowed his head in thanks, "Clearly, Hokage-sama."
XxXxXxX
Gai looked on as the widow of an old rival stalked amongst the training students, looking for the slightest errors in stance or execution. She stopped at a young girl and adjusted an outstretched arm up with one of her crutches, whispering tips as she did. He saw the girl's stance come more naturally after that. He marveled at the strength of the woman, carrying on despite her immobile legs, despite the loss of her husband. Truly she was an inspiration to him.
She spotted him standing near a tree at the edge of the training yard. Leaving the students in the hands of the chunin instructors, she hobbled up to him.
"You're awfully quiet, Gai-san," she greeted jovially, "Expected you to be in hysterics about the Power of Youth already."
Gai struck one his best Nice Guy poses, "Fear not, Mayu-san, I am merely showing my Great Respect for your Most Youthful Teaching."
The blocky woman laughed, "It's good to see you. You should come by and meet my boy."
"I am sorry I haven't yet," Gai's voice became uncharacteristically quiet and lost its unusual cadence, "After Eiji-senpai fell, it was... he should have my title, Mayu-san."
Mayu just shook her head and poked Gai in the chest with a crutch, "Is that survivor's guilt I hear. You know Eiji respected you as an equal despite the age difference. Come see my boy. He'd like to meet a friend of his father."
"Then I will do so," the Green Beast responded, "What did you wish to show me here, Mayu-san?"
She turned back to the students who were now going through katas to warm up for sparring, "Pick out the three best ones."
He considered the second year academy students, his eyes quickly picking apart their disparate styles, "The Hyuga boy knows his clan style very well. The girl with the buns looks like she would do better with a blade in hand, but her form is still solid."
His eyes roved more, finally settling on a dark haired boy with thick eyebrows, "But that one..."
A boy with wild black hair and thick eyebrows was moving as if he were years ahead of the rest of his class.
"What about him?" Mayu asked nonchalantly, but he could tell she had a vested interest in him.
"His form is perfect," Gai said, "He holds none of the stiffness that many students have even when they have the forms correct. What have you been teaching that boy?"
"Due to a medical condition he is incapable of performing genjutsu or ninjutsu," she explained, "When the instructors do practical exercises in those areas, he is released to me for additional taijutsu practice."
"That explains it," the taijutsu master said, "but how does he plan to graduate?"
"I was hoping you could help me with that," Mayu told him, "The Hokage is willing to waive certain requirements for him if he can get a jonin willing to take him on as a genin."
Gai raised a thick eyebrow, watching the boy. He saw nothing but determination in his eyes. It reminded him of Eiji. The older boy had fallen behind Gai in power in only a few years, but not for lack of skill. Gai was simply stronger than his senpai, and Goken had always favored strength over all else. Eiji had never given up on beating Gai, but had died on the same night his wife had been crippled.
From what Gai had seen of his friend's new style, they would have had a most youthful battle. It wasn't to be, though.
"You are asking me to put my Hard Earned Reputation on the line, Mayu-san," he said, falling back into his odd speech pattern.
The woman nodded, "I realize that, but this kid has boundless potential. He will not give up on being a shinobi... It's his dream."
"It sounds as if he has found his Flames of Youth," the man said, a glint in his eye, "I shall give him a chance. We shall see what this boy can do."
She smiled and called out, "Lee-kun. Come here. I've got someone for you to meet."
XxXxXxX
Aburame Shibi was a highly logical and intelligent man. He had a problem, however. Ever since the attack of the Kyuubi, his clan had been in a financial struggle. Collateral damage caused by the strange beings many had called demons that had appeared shortly after the fox had decimated their various business ventures. Bee farms had been destroyed, and their silk worm population had been killed. Luckily for the beleaguered bug users, their experimental kikaichuu hives had been kept in underground bunkers for both protection and secrecy.
Restoring his clan's financial stability had been difficult. New bee colonies had been established, but it would take years to selectively breed them to produce the various kinds of honey that had padded Aburame accounts with money. Silk worms were a greater challenge. Finding anyone willing to part with enough for a breeding stock had proven impossible. The clan was on the lookout for wild silk worms, but had not yet found any that produced the quality silk weavers demanded.
Business had never been a strong point for Shibi or his clan in general, but they had realized they needed financial aid to weather the rough times. So the clan leader had logically asked for help. The first to step forward hadn't been another clan, as Shibi had thought it would be, but a single woman. A woman with a lot of money.
Natsumi was as ruthless in business as she had been on the battlefield, but she had cut the Aburame a very good deal. She had given them a large amount of money in return for a cut of their profits once they started making them again. An 'investment' she called it.
It was because of this, that when a messenger bird had arrived asking that he send over one of his 'bug boys' to look at something for her, he had decided to go himself. He could hear her cane tapping out an even rhythm as she approached her door to let him in.
"Well this is a surprise," she said when she saw him, "Expected one of your drones."
His eyebrows rose ever so slightly above his dark glasses at the quip, but otherwise ignored it, "After the help you gave my clan, it is only logical for me to return the favor if I am able."
"Fair enough," she allowed, "This'll actually save some time. Follow me."
He did so, noting that her house was rather small, considering her large bank account. They made their way through a comfortable looking living room, then through a messy looking workshop twice its size.
"Mind your feet," she warned, "Boy's been experimenting again. No telling what wild contraptions are lying about."
"You have been passing along your knowledge?" Shibi asked conversationally.
"Sure have," she replied proudly, "Brat made his first explosive a few days back."
They exited the back of the house into a simple garden. Farther out he could see the blasted landscape of the infamous Hibaku Proving Grounds. Natsumi owned almost half of the fox district, using land no one else wanted to test her latest toys before offering them to the local shinobi as merchandise.
She brought him to a large tree. An oak from the look of it, but his bugs were reacting to it strangely.
"This is a chakra tree," he stated, "I had heard you acquired one, but did not expect to see a fully grown specimen."
The wily woman gave him a smile, "Neither did them fools in the Land of Trees. Got 'em to quote me a price. They thought I was looking for a sapling, and low balled. Should have seen the looks on their faces when I carted off their seeding tree."
"Your business exploits are quite impressive," he told here mildly, "But what does this have to do with me?"
"Go look up in the branches and tell me what you see," she told him.
He did so, and was about to needlessly mention all the branches and leaves when he noticed something very interesting.
"Are those silkworms?" he asked, the tiniest hint of excitement in his voice.
"Yep," Natsumi confirmed, "Took some of their silk to a local weaver, too. Said it was the finest stuff he'd ever seen."
"You do not have the proper facilities or knowledge to benefit from them," he reasoned out, "You wish for my clan to take them and breed them and provide you with some of the money we make."
"Close," she allowed, "I actually want their silk. About a tenth of what you produce."
"Why the silk?" he asked.
"It channels and stores chakra like you wouldn't believe," the Hibaku told him, "I can do interesting things with chakra conductive fabric."
"That is very interesting," Shibi said, "This arrangement is acceptable to me. I will send some of my clansmen to collect the silk worms."
"Good," she smiled, "Let me know when the little bugs start producing."
A/N: Hello readers. This 'chapter' is more of a few scenes that didn't fit the feel of the last chapter in Part 1, but fell chronologically near it. I decided to post it as an interlude, instead of forcing it in with the last chapter. Part 2 will start next week, and we will finally see what Team 5 is capable of.
On another note, I am changing up my format. Obviously my notes are now after the chapter. I am also going to start posting formal descriptions of certain characters, techniques, and items. They will never give away future plot points, but should give you a consolidated description of certain things. I am going to start with a character I've had fun writing.
Hibaku Natsumi
Rank: Tokubetsu Jonin (Retired, Disabled)
Gender: Female
Birth Date: February 18
Hair: Grey
Eyes: Brown
Height: 5' 4" (162.5 cm)
Weight: 125 lbs (56.7 kg)
Hibaku Natsumi is the mother of Masaru. She is known for her excellently engineered traps and ambushes. She is also a talented chemist, and produces the only known chemical based explosives in Konoha. She holds a grudge against her late husband.