When the Hokage and Kurenai finished their meeting, and found the two boys standing next to a passed out Hinata, they knew something was up. First of all, both boys had a very nervous, shifty look to them. Second, Hinata had a new choker on her neckline, well it was more the fact she was happily passed out right now that caught Kurenai's attention, but the Hokage spotted the choker. Third, and probably most damning of all, they refused to look at the two adults.
"Yuhi-san... if you would please take Hinata into my office, I believe the couch is the best place for her at this time... Naruto... Shikamaru... get in there," Sarutobi started kindly, before shifting into an order mode that had the boys scrambling to comply. Kurenai was a little more graceful as she scooped up the unconscious girl and carried her gently over to the couch. Laying her down with a long practiced motion, she turned to look at the Hokage with an expectant look.
The Hokage instead simply motioned to the two extremely guilty looking boys, however before they could say anything, the doors burst inward and a strange woman wearing little more than fishnets and a trench coat barged in. "Ah, Mitarashi-san, so good you could make it... Now we only have to do this once..."
"What's up with the bratlings?" the purple haired woman asked before looping an arm around Kurenai's shoulder. "Nai-chan... you got dragged into this as well?"
Sarutobi took the distracting person's entrance in stride, and decided to simply press on. "Naruto, if you wouldn't mind bringing Kyukon-san out..."
Naruto looked at the two woman sharing the sea next to the couch with Hinata on nervously, before pausing as though thinking about something suddenly. After a couple minutes he let out a heavy sigh and nodded. "Yes Jii-san... just a moment."
Holding up his left arm, the three adults watched as the gel like bracelet began to slowly spread out over the orange clad boy's body almost like he was purposefully dragging out the process for show. Shikamaru knew exactly what he was doing, they had discussed on the way that when showing people they weren't fighting for the first time, they would try to use Hinata's smoother transformation process.
The Hokage had to admit he preferred this method more than the viral clawing of tentacles of latex. His two wonderfully loyal chuunin on the other hand... were staring in sheer shock and awe over what they were witnessing. After finishing the transformation, the kitsune turned and bowed in greeting to the two stunned women. If it wasn't for the fact that Anko was sitting on Kurenai's lap, everyone was nearly certain that they'd have bolted for the door as she spoke. "Good evening, I am Kyukon, and we are the Orb Knights."
The two women blinked owlishly as they processed that little bit of information. Apparently the snake mistress was quicker in coming to her senses, Sarutobi wrote it off in part to the fact that she had once been Orochimaru's apprentice, and the debriefing after his betrayal was enough to leave Ibiki twitching violently for an entire week.
"We?" Anko questioned curiously, albeit still rather sluggishly. Kyukon nodded and indicated Shikamaru and the still unconscious Hinata.
With a nod, Shikamaru let his own transformation ripple over his body, revealing the form of Shiroshika. A graceful bow and he indicated Hinata. "I fear that she was a rather unfortunate accident... but from our memories, it is a rather fortunate one, in that her alternate form is very powerful in the ways of magic... She also seems to bring about an inner strength in her hosts..."
"Hosts?" Kurenai voiced cautiously, as though somewhat believing this to be a dream. "You mean you have had previous hosts?"
Kyukon and Shiroshika looked shiftily at each other before smiling nervously. "Actually milady," the soothing tones of Kyukon spoke while she played nervously with one of her tails. "These are our second host bodies..."
"So you know what we should look out for as far as side effects to the children, right?" Kurenai asked while smoothing some of Hinata's hair gently. "Or at least a rough guess..."
"That is not exactly accurate..." the white stag answered sheepishly while edging behind Kyukon, knowing she was the stronger fighter. "The original host bodies were little more than empty shells that were designed for us to possess."
The silence was palpable in the room as the new information was being processed by the responsible adults... and Anko. The children were either comfortable with their symbiotic guests, or dreaming about a wedding to a certain man wearing an orange tuxedo while foxes danced under a sunshine and rain filled sky. It was such a shame that there was no such thing as a psychologist in the shinobi ranks... they would have been rich in a fortnight.
Kyukon spoke up while the adults were digesting the information that they had three symbiotic beings that had what basically amounted to no idea on how they would effect their host bodies. "We are experienced in combat, and the scientists stated that the previous host bodies suffered no ill effects from our possession... for the most part," Kyukon amended her statement after a moment of thought. "There were a few which suffered from broken bones when the defenses didn't hold up..." Kyukon walked over and stroked Hinata's new choker softly, causing it to ripple in response. "We do not blame the symbiont... they were not made for fighting... it is our fault... the fighters are made to take the blows..."
The shame filled stances of Kyukon and Shiroshika spoke volumes to the experienced shinobi, these had seen combat before, and an order to protect the non-combat member had fallen apart. They might have the minds of adults, but it seemed more like they were children forced to grow old too fast. There was much that they were hiding from the elders, and much they had to learn, but the raw material was there for them to mold and guide.
"I believe that we should send for Tsunade of the Sannin," Sarutobi stated calmly while pulled out a scroll and began writing out a plan. "Once they are checked out, I will approve of them having supervised training by the two of you, Tsunade, and possibly Iruka as well... But... I need someone to go and ensure that Tsunade comes... she will be resistant."
"We volunteer to go..." Kyukon spoke up, straightening up to address the Hokage properly, "It is our hosts that need examination, and if she refuses to return, we may convince her to perform the examinations where we find her."
"Beyond that, the practical knowledge we gain from seeing such a reasonably safe mission being performed may prove more valuable than the material provided at the academy," Shiroshika clarified to the Hokage.
"Besides, it would be an utter waste to not get some experience with our new hosts..." the body on the couch spoke up with a confidence that Hinata completely lacked. The blue skin and gleaming gossamer wings gave the other two knights more than enough of a hint as to who was in control currently. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Enganxa, Orb Knight primarily of the magical support category."
"Is your host still recovering from the fall?" Kyukon asked curiously, worry evident in her voice. "Naruto has been worried about her since we brought her in..."
"She is... fine... though I would advise against taking her back to that clan house..." the water woman started calmly before turning into a violent and turbulent embodiment of power. "EVER!"Looking around she locked eyes with Kurenai quietly, after a moment she nodded and plucked a single hazelnut off her staff. Reaching over she placed it in Kurenai's hand gently, folding the older woman's hands over the seed. "You have served my host well in the past, I thank you... this is but a small token of my favor, if you ever have need of me, simply crack the shell and I shall arrive."
The red-eyed woman nodded as she swallowed a lump in her through. After tucking the seed away, she reached out and ran a finger through Enganxa's hair, marveling at how smooth the strands were. "You're real... not just some latex mask..."
"Indeed, we are real symbiotic lifeforms..." the water woman answered calmly while scooping Kurenai's hand in her own and resting her cheek against the palm gently. "See? Just as real as you are..."
"HEY! THAT'S MY GIRLFRIEND YOU'RE MESSING WITH!" Anko screamed with flames of rage flaring up behind her. This caused many things to happen at once. First, the hokage developed a sudden and unexpected nosebleed. Second, Kyukon and Shiroshika looked at each other in confusion. Third and possibly the most unexpected, the golden haired, blue-skinned woman began laughing like a babbling brook.
"Oh, forgive me Mitarashi-san..." the orb knight answered after her giggling had subsided. "I did not mean it as such. My host sees her as a mother, also... my heart belongs to another... a white knight that has saved me before..."
"Oh... well... uh... that's good..." Anko answered nervously as Kurenai turned to glare daggers at the snake mistress. "Now Nai-chan... let's be reasonable... I mean I know I just goofed but that doesn't mean you want to do anything I'm going to regret..."
At Kurenai's smirk, Anko let out a whimper of terror, and dove for cover behind the Hokage's desk. "I'll take the mission to get Tsunade, hell I'll even throw in a ripping out of Orochimaru's tongue, just get me away from her glare! PLEASE!"
"I think... for now I shall simply send a request message by hawk," Sarutobi stated calmly as he edged away from the grovelling and doomed woman. "But, I would like you two to take these three out after classes and work on their training, both regular and in the... knight forms... somewhere private..."
The knights all turned towards Kurenai, who was towering with rage, before dropping to a knee and putting their hands to the ground a foot ahead of themselves. "We are yours to command Ladies Yuhi and Mitarashi. Please help us become what we are meant to be."
Kurenai paused in surprise at the seriousness of their tones. "I will have to talk with your current academy sensei... Iruka, was it? To get to know what you need to improve on, and how best we can teach you..."
"Yeah, that's right! We gotta know that stuff..." Anko supported Kurenai from her hiding spot behind the desk. Unfortunately for her, it was too little, too late, as Kurenai simply walked over to the desk, and dragged Anko out of the room by the collar of her coat. "No Nai-chan, please don't... not that... please NOOOOOOOOoooooooo...." Anko's voice trailed off as she was dragged out of the room.
"Can... you block your hosts from gaining memories?" Sarutobi asked shortly after the doors to his office slammed shut. Getting a shrug from the three knights he sighed and set to writing that letter to summon Tsunade back. He felt that she would be far less of a headache than these Orb Knights or their teachers. "For now, I ask that you keep this a secret, and to keep the box of orbs hidden..."
"Hokage-sama, if I may have a word with you... about Naruto?" Kyukon stated after rising to her feet, her tails swayed behind her lazily. A nod from Sarutobi reverted the other two back to their normal selves, and he sent them back outside for the time being. Once they were alone, Kyukon let out a sigh and shook her head. "I have been over his memories several times... and I must say I find his treatment appalling... if it wasn't for Ichiraku's Ramen, he'd have starved to death ages ago. He is grossly overcharged, and they brag about it to his face. He is beaten, his home vandalized... The only place he ever felt safe is here, and at the academy once Iruka was won over onto his side. And about that academy, did you know they are giving him material that shouldn't be on tests for another full two years, and doubling his errors?"
As the kitsune began pacing, Sarutobi began to notice that the orange tips of her tail took on a deeper red tint, and spread slowly towards her main body. "Lady Kyukon... I had not known... I fear Naruto does not tell me these things, and I lack the time to dedicate to properly supervise him..."
The fuming fox woman stalled in mid-stride, and blushed slightly, a feat considering she had fur over the part that was changing colors. "I'm sorry sir, I was out of line... but it sickens me that a child, especially one as sweet as Naruto has been to me, might be so ill-treated by the very people he's protecting..."
Holding up a hand to stop her from continuing, the Hokage smiled tiredly as a plan formed in his mind. After all, if they were to train together, and two of the three were already on... non-traditional... housing plans, why not adjust things to make it better for all involved. "I have a plan in mind that may solve this... but I need time to work out the details. Can you put up with the foolish humans of this village for a little longer? I will see about making certain that Naruto is better cared for immediately... in fact..."
The old man reached in his desk and pulled out a trio of small embossed cards with a golden spiral leaf on the front and his personal stamp on the back. "Take these, give one each to your compatriots. If anyone refuses Naruto or any of you three service for illegitimate reasons, I want you to trace the spiral while releasing chakra into the card. This will activate a seal on a map to alert me of places that need to be... taken care of."
"Thank you Hokage-sama... and I apologize for my harshness..."
"It is I who should apologize..." Sarutobi answered quietly as he got up and walked around the desk. Shortly he had the confused fox girl pulled into a tender hug. "Please forgive a trusting old fool..."
"I always have Jii-san," Naruto whispered in the aged kage's ear, surprising the old man. Releasing the hug, he watched as Naruto left the office, passing out the cards to his friends with commands on their use. Things were about to change in Konoha, and come Heaven or Hell, it was going to be for the better.