Uzumaki ~ Detective Chronicles
Chapter Two: Case One - The Innocent Killer
Hyuga Hinata's Apartment Building, Early Morning
Uzumaki Naruto whistled softly as he scaled the creaky wooden stairs that led to Hyuga Hinata's apartment. After nearly three years of walking through the corridors that led to her place every morning, locating her apartment was second nature to him. He stopped in front of the door to Apartment 301, and knocked, rapping out a simple cheery beat on the worn wood.
Not a minute later, Hinata slowly opened the door an inch, peering nervously at the visitor. When she ascertained that her blonde partner was outside her door, she opened it fully, stepped over the threshold while smiling softly at him and turned to lock the door.
Naruto expression changed to one of sadness as she twisted the key in the lock. Even after three years away from her family, mainly her father, she was still nervous that Hyuga Hiashi would come to take her back home.
About three years ago, when Naruto was just starting out as a detective, having helped the police (mainly Sakura) in locating an art thief's' stash, Naruto had asked Sakura to drop him off at the Hyuga compound to ask Neji to join him in his recently started Detective Agency. Having a partner with the ability to use the Byakugan would be handy during investigations - mainly for interviews and searches.
As he was welcomed inside by a branch member of the clan and was shown to the visitors lounge, sounds of sobbing led him through the open air corridors to the back of the compound. As he entered what could only be described as a private botanical garden, the pride and joy of Hinata's late mother, he found Hinata herself, lying curled up outside on the back porch. A faint, hand shaped bruise was starting to form on her cheek and she was crying, clutching a gold heart shaped locket to her chest.
Naruto had quickly snatched her up and whisked her away to his apartment, worried that one of his precious people was in danger. Hinata had always been exceptionally kind to him, sharing her lunch with him when he forgot his own and giving him various healing ointments to use on his cuts and bruises acquired through training during his brief stint at the Police Academy.
In the morning, the two promptly sought the counsel of the Godaime Hokage. Tsunade had ordered that Hyuga Hinata be removed from the Hyuga compound to prevent further instances of domestic violence, and would only return as she herself saw fit, or was required to when the time came to take over as head of the Hyuga clan.
But Hinata was adamant in saying she would never go back, going so far as to scream it at the Hokage. Her desperate, distraught cry shocked both Tsunade and Naruto, who had never heard her shout before. Feeling Hinata's cry for help wrenching at his own wounded heart, Naruto quickly enveloped her in a hug, calming her down with soothing words while lightly stroking her dark indigo hair.
Hinata, who had been taken aback by the hug, was struck speechless when Naruto offered her a job as his assistant/partner at his Detective Agency. All she could do was nod, and watch as Naruto's trademark foxy grin spread across his face. And she could not help but be swept along by his enthusiasm, returning his grin with a shy smile of her own.
Later that day, they found her an apartment she liked (that charged a reasonable amount of rent for what it offered), and from that day on, she was Uzumaki Naruto's partner and one of his closest friends.
Naruto snapped back to the present as Hinata slipped her keys into her pocket. He then assumed a formal, gentlemanly demeanour and proffered his arm to her. Giggling softly, Hinata entwined her arm in his, gently leaning into him as they made their way out of the building.
Uzumaki-Hyuga Detective Agency, Midmorning
Uzumaki Naruto was pacing around his office. Hinata was out on a quick errand (they were out of instant ramen cups), and he was anxious to tell her about the tests he had run on the senbon while she was gone. Completely devoting all his attention to the new developments, often not an easy task for the hyperactive knucklehead, he did not notice as he stepped up onto the wall of his office and continued walking, unconsciously diverting chakra to his feet to grip onto the smooth, vertical surface.
He continued onto the ceiling, where he stopped, adhering himself to the roof as he stroked his whisker marks with his thumb and forefinger, pondering the meaning of the new information.
Outside the office, Hinata was screwing up the courage to walk into the room without knocking, her natural sense of politeness clashing with what Naruto had told her to do. Taking a deep breath, one hand tightly clutching a plastic bag filled with cups of instant ramen and shaking with nervousness, she reached forward and took hold of the handle without knocking first.
Feeling a little more confident, she twisted the handle and swung the door open swiftly, clobbering poor Naruto with a solid thwack. He yelped in pain as he was knocked clean off the ceiling and sent sprawling to the patch of floor in front of his desk. Naruto landed on his front face first, rear in the air and groaned in agony.
Hinata stood in the doorway; hand still on the door handle, her mouth agape with shock. She mentally swore on her Nindo, her ninja way, to never again open a door without knocking as she dropped the bag of instant ramen cups and ran to Naruto's side.
She rolled Naruto over on his back and hoisted his head gently into her lap. She checked for any obvious signs of injury, but there appeared to be none. However, the expression on Naruto's face was more than enough to instil a strong sense of dread in the pit of her stomach. Hinata started to channel chakra to her eyes, ready to examine him with the Byakugan, when he slowly opened his mouth, trying desperately to form words, despite the immense pain he seemed to be in. She froze, eyeing him intently.
"Hinata-chan..."
"Y-yes, N-Naruto-kun?"
His eyes, his beautiful, cerulean eyes, were trying hard to remain focused on her face. "Come closer..."
Hinata leaned in, nervously quelling the urge to apologize over and over again in fear of missing whatever he had to say.
Naruto's eyes closed, and tears formed in Hinata's. "I... I need..."
The tears were coursing down her cheeks, running down her face and dripping onto Naruto's whisker-marked cheek. Oh Kami, what will I ever do without my Naruto-kun? He's the reason for my existence! If he's not with me in this world, I'll... I'll... "W-what do you n-need, Naruto-kun?"
His eyes shot open, making her jump. "Ramen!" he said cheerily, his wide grin plastered on his face. Hinata's eyes widened in shock, then rolled back into her head as she fainted dead away. She toppled backwards and landed on the fluffy carpet with a muffled thump.
Not once throughout the ridiculously over dramatic performance did it occur to her that Naruto was pulling her leg.
Naruto sat up quickly as she fainted and sighed. "I went a bit too far again, didn't I?" He glanced over at Hinata's prone form, nestled in the soft carpet. He smiled fondly. Hinata looked so cute when she was asleep... Or passed out. She even had a faint blush clinging to her cheeks, making her look all the more adorable.
Naruto scratched the back of his head and grinned sheepishly. He really needed to stop making Hinata faint like that. For the second time that week, he picked her up bridal style and placed her on her 'recovery couch'.
Naruto noticed the door to his office was still open. He was proud of Hinata for what she achieved today. "Though I've probably wrecked it for her with that stunt..." he sighed again. As his hand closed upon the door handle, his foot nudged against something that rustled. Glancing down, his bemused expression was quickly replaced by a massive, childish grin of glee.
"Ramen!"
7th Precinct Headquarters, Midmorning
Officer Haruno Sakura sat at her desk, filing away the paperwork that would allow Detective Uzumaki Naruto and his assistant to join the investigation. She sighed wearily, propping her elbows up on the desk, resting her head in her hands and knotting her fingers into her soft pink hair. She'd had a rough morning. Her boss, Yasuki Fumito, had chewed her out the minute she walked in that morning for giving away crucial evidence to a private detective without filling out the proper forms.
The man was a stickler for proper procedure, and always knew when someone had not followed the guidelines, no, the rules, that he so carefully laid out. The rather plump man would spend an hour or so every month reviewing them during staff meetings. Yasuki, through some form of supernatural ability, could even detect slip ups when he was taking his post lunch nap, dealing with them harshly once he woke.
Sakura emptied her mind of all thought. Trying to figure out his freaky rule-breaker detecting mind magic, this early in the morning, would only succeed in adding to her painfully throbbing headache. The quiet, early morning murmur of the other officers engaging in conversation or typing away at their computers filled her ears. She shut it all out and closed her eyes tightly. Suddenly, the smell of a freshly made vanilla latte wafted by her nose. She looked up, spotting Shikamaru in the seat next to her desk, holding out the Styrofoam cup responsible for the heavenly smell while sipping at his own cup of black coffee.
Sakura accepted it gratefully with a nod of thanks, sipping at the hot liquid as she glanced expectantly at her communicator. She had left a two way communicator with Naruto when she'd had the files delivered to his office, so that they could swap information or go to the others aide at a moment's notice.
Shikamaru noticed the glance. "You know he won't call until he's sure he has solid evidence to share with you. There's no point in getting worked up."
"I'm not getting worked up! I just... Wanted to talk to him again." she blushed. A slight frown formed on her brow as she felt her cheeks heat up. Why was she blushing?
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. Sakura seemed to realize how what she'd said sounded like to him and quickly corrected herself. "I mean, it's been so long since I've seen him. He's one of my best friends and we never see each other anymore." Shikamaru nodded, his lips set in a slight smirk. As he opened his mouth to say something, the communicator buzzed.
Sakura clapped her hand to his mouth as she answered the call. "Officer Haruno Sakura speaking... No, I have not seen a black cat with a red bow. Yes I'm quite sure. No, I don't want to double check. I can assure you, I have not seen 'Tora'. I think you have the wrong number, good day ma'am." She slammed the communicator down on the table.
She looked at Shikamaru's quizzical expression and shook her head, sighing. "Don't ask."
Uzumaki-Hyuga Detective Agency, Noon
After nearly 15 minutes, Hinata finally stirred. Pale lavender eyes slowly opened and focused on the smooth white surface of the roof. She tilted her head forward and, as expected, saw her blonde partner seated next to her on the 'recovery couch' in his usual spot, watching her with an unusually sombre expression. She started to sit up and Naruto was quick to give her helping hand, grasping her arm gently as he pulled her up, treating her like she was made of glass. Which in fact she was, emotionally at least.
Naruto seemed to be thinking of the best way to phrase what he had to say. Then he began. "Hinata, I'm sorry for playing that prank on you earlier. I realized a little too late that jokes about me dying are not... Tasteful... When it comes to you."
"Naruto..."
"You rely on me for strength, I know that, and if I wasn't around... Well, I don't want to think about what you might do. So I'm really, really sorry. When I see one of my precious people get hurt, I hurt as well, and when it's me doing the hurting, it's... Words can't describe the feeling. Do you forgive me?"
He looked at her, his simply worded apology further deepened by the regret that filled his deep blue eyes. Hinata couldn't, even if she wanted to, say no to such a heart filled, honest speech like that. Naruto always seems knows what to say, and when he doesn't, he says what's in his heart. So open... So caring... I really am very lucky he found me when came to visit Neji that day.
Hinata focused on his eyes, eyes that were dull with sadness. "Naruto, I forgive you. How could I not? You are my closest friend and I... And every day with you is like a dream, the best dream anyone could ever have."
Naruto grinned, the lustrous sparkle returning to his eyes as the weight on his heart lifted, leaving him feeling light and relieved.
Hinata stood up from the couch and assumed a mock disapproving manner. "But I don't want you to try anything like that ever again. Have I made myself clear?" she said in an exaggerated commanding voice.
Naruto's grin widened and he stood up to his full height, looking down at Hinata with his hand raised to his head in a salute. "Yes sir! Ma'am! Hinata-sama!" he yelled, a mischievous glint in his bright blue eyes.
Not wanting to delay any further, Naruto grabbed her by the hand and led her out of his office and into the small room next door, which served as the evidence storeroom and case file archive of their small agency. Against one wall stood a white board, a timeline of all five victims already drawn on with the times and relevant facts about their deaths scribbled in Naruto's nearly unintelligible scrawl. On the other side of the room, several large metal filing cabinets seemed dangerously close to bursting, filled with the cases files and evidence of investigations past.
Naruto tugged Hinata over to the desk he had been working at while she recovered. Hinata glanced curiously at the items laid out on the table top. A still steaming, half eaten cup of instant ramen stood next to an open packet of uncooked ramen noodles. Beside them sat the evidence bags holding the mystery senbon and a scroll on moulding chakra into inanimate objects. Finally, a small takeaway plate holding a cinnamon roll and a small cup of zenzai (sweet red bean soup) sat on top of a small pile of books on senbon.
Naruto picked up the plate and handed it to Hinata; she nodded her thanks and immediately dug in. Her favourite food was wolfed down in seconds and she set the plate down, directing all her attention to Naruto. "So what did you find?"
"Well," he said, assuming a stance akin to that of a sensei addressing his students. "I was puzzling over the senbon, trying to figure out what they were made of when..."
Hinata leaned forward. "When?"
Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I uh, got hungry and chakra hopped down to Ichiraku's for a bowl of miso."
Hinata giggled, hiding her grin behind the back of her hand. Naruto grinned and continued. "So while I sat there, chatting with Ayame-chan, I noticed Old man Teuchi opening one of these," he motioned to the packet of noodles. "A light bulb in my head lit up as I saw them and I asked him if I could take the packet with me."
Naruto held out the ramen noodle packet and the evidence bag with the broken senbon to Hinata. She accepted them with a confused looked upon her face. He motioned for her to examine the two items.
"Notice anything about them?"
Hinata saw it almost immediately. The thick, dry noodles and the senbon were almost exactly the same colour and size.
"Now I tasted both, they're nearly the same." Hinata gasped, gazing at him with horror.
"B-but, this senbon was used to kill someone! It hasn't even been cleaned! We need to get you to a hospital!"
Naruto raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Remember Hinata? I asked Sakura for a senbon that hadn't been found in a body. This was the one Shikamaru stepped on," he face changed into a mock hurt expression. "And I washed the bit I ate, I'm not that unhygienic!"
Hinata blushed. Naruto smirked and continued. "Now this," He picked up the scroll on chakra moulding. "Was very helpful in figuring out that these senbon, uh, noodles, are homemade. Chakra can only be moulded into a weapon material when it is in a soft state, in this case the raw noodle batter before it hardens." He leaned back against the desk, shovelling down the rest of his instant ramen like it was the last one in Konoha City.
Hinata nodded her understanding as she placed the packet of noodles and the evidence bag back on the table. "So the killer used senbon made of ramen? That's very... Unique."
"It's brilliant!" Naruto exclaimed, tossing the now empty cup and plastic chopsticks into the wastebasket. "It's these sorts of cases which are so interesting! How many killers do you know who actually put effort into doing something different? They could've gone with the usual kunai to the back, but no, they really thought about how to make their crime unique!"
A childish sense of exuberance flowed out of him, and it was infectious, Hinata noted, as she once again found herself smiling along with Naruto.
Naruto's expression became serious. Hinata herself sobered up as the energy in the room seemed to change to the feeling of impending danger. "I have to go speak to Takami Sayu now, to see if she has any information for me. I'll be back soon, an hour at the most." he added quickly, as Hinata opened her mouth to protest. "It's probably for the best if you sit this one out, I'll tell you about it when I get back. Sayu can be a bit unpredictable, and I'll need to stay sharp till I know if she had any involvement in the murders or if she's on our side. I know you're very capable and can look after yourself but it'll be one less distraction for me if you don't tag along, just this once."
Hinata nodded and looked down dejectedly. She had long since accepted that Naruto had seen and experienced many unusual things during his life and on his three year training trip with a certain perverted, washed up detective turned adult novelist. Hinata shuddered at the thought of what Jiraiya might have subjected Naruto to during his training, despite the amazing results that it produced.
Naruto smiled gently, thinking she was worried for his safety. He ruffled her dark indigo hair, the long, straight hair soft and silky between his fingers. She looked up and he gave her his trademark foxy grin while flashing her a thumbs up. "No need to worry Hinata-chan! No one can bring Detective Uzumaki down, believe it!"
She smiled as he loudly stated his old catchphrase. Uzumaki Naruto was confident, strong and the sort of person one would put their faith in without reservation. He had some sort of mysterious power, one that makes people trust and believe in him. And Naruto would never betray that trust.
She nodded her acceptance of his decision. She believed his words without a doubt.
Takami Mansion, Night
Detective Uzumaki Naruto stood outside the tall iron gates that separated the Takami Mansion from the rest of city's inhabitants. The night was cold, and he was grateful for his ever present orange jacket. Despite what many of his friends said about it, his orange jumpsuit was one of the few things he would never part with. The brightly coloured clothing was a representation of how he was inside - warm and cheerful. But the black material across his shoulders were like a reminder that even someone like him had a dark history, a sad past, exposing to the world that he was human; not as indestructible and sure of himself as many liked to think.
But people like Hinata-chan and Sakura-chan depended on him for his strength, and he was determined to not let his precious people down. His train of thought was disrupted as the iron gates opened without warning, not a creak to be heard from its well-oiled hinges. He stepped inside and started walking up the white pebble driveway. The white stones crunched softly beneath his feet, and a quiet clang from behind told him the gates had closed, sealing his fate. He gulped, and nervously straightened his jacket, making any subtle effort to fix up his unruly appearance.
Takami Sayu stood at her floor to ceiling bay windows, and watched as Detective Uzumaki made his way up the white stone driveway to the front door. She watched his futile attempts to tame his stubborn mop of hair, chuckling softly when the blonde gave up in irritation, his hair even more messy than before.
A look of surprise crossed her face. It had been awhile since she had laughed out loud at, well anything really. And here was Uzumaki Naruto, pulling it off without even trying, or being aware of it. A knocking sound shook her from her reverie, and the sound of the large oak door being pulled open told her that Uzumaki Naruto had entered her home. It's been quite a few years, Naruto. I wonder how much you've changed.
A slight sound behind her told her that Saeko had appeared in the middle of the room. Sayu continued to watch the bright lights of Konoha City while motioning for Saeko to speak with a wave of her hand. She watched the reflection in the pristine glass as Saeko knelt down to one knee in a respectful bow.
"Takami-sama, Detective Uzumaki has arrived. Will you see him now, Milady?"
Sayu nodded her approval. "Yes. Send him up now, but do not speak to him. I wish to gauge his initial reactions to the changes that I have undoubtedly undergone over the past years. Then I shall introduce you to him and what I have planned for you."
Saeko bowed her head before standing; her weapons clinked softly as she brought her right hand up in front of her face in a one handed ram seal. "As you wish, Milady." Saeko molded the necessary amount of chakra and vanished...
...Appearing right in front of Naruto, causing him to crash into her, sending them both toppling to the floor. Naruto, realizing he had knocked over a lady, quickly grabbed her arms and twisted in mid-air, landing hard on his back, but cushioning the mysterious woman from the impact of the fall with his own body.
As she fell, Saeko's face showed no sign of worry or alarm. This was a test, and Uzumaki Naruto had passed. A man who respected women was either very kind or self-sacrificing, and so was deemed worthy enough to speak with Takami-sama in her book.
Naruto and Saeko lay on the floor for a few seconds, their faces inches from the others'. His bright blue eyes locked onto her dark purple ones for a few moments before Naruto blushed and averted his gaze, much to Saeko's confusion. "I'm very sorry, that was entirely my fault, and I should have been paying more attention to where I was going." he was still blushing and gazing anywhere else but at her.
Saeko was puzzled. She sat up, her swords glinting in the light from the chandelier above their heads, and readjusted her bright red scarf. Why would he... It hit Saeko then, their position had been quite intimate and their position now, she straddling him over the waist, was borderline provocative. She too felt a warmth creeping along her cheeks, and stood up in one fluid motion, offering a hand to the now relieved detective.
He took her proffered hand and was quickly pulled to his feet. A stunned look that quickly turned into awe crossed his face as she revealed her strength in that single, smooth movement, despite her slender and rather gentle appearance. If you ignored the menacing looking blades strapped to her back and waist that is. Her dark blue skirt whipped about and her red scarf trailed behind her in the air as she turned on her heel and led the way, hoping to hide the blush that reddened her cheeks yet again. What was wrong with her today?
They continued down the hallways of the mansion until they reached a large, intricately carved door with a gold lion's paw shaped doorknob set into the dark wood. As they walked, Detective Uzumaki had opened his mouth once or twice, indicating that he wished to initiate a conversation, yet closed it each time, seemingly picking up on the fact that Saeko couldn't speak to him.
Yet.
She rapped sharply on the wood, the echoes carrying on down the lonely passages of the mansion. "Enter." murmured a voice, a soft, feminine one at that. Naruto steeled himself as the door opened. He found himself reconsidering the decision to leave Hinata behind. But he knew this was something he had to do himself. It had been eleven or twelve years since he had last seen her, but people don't change too much in that amount of time, do they?
Saeko pushed the door open slowly, gently, giving Naruto cause for alarm. This was the sort of behaviour that one exhibited when entering the presence of someone very important or very dangerous. He hoped it was the former. He looked at Saeko for permission and received a nod in confirmation. Hesitantly, he started forward into what could possibly be his untimely end.
He stepped slowly into the office, feet sinking into the plush carpet as he made his way over to the lone figure by the window. He stopped in the middle of the room as the door behind him shut with a soft click. Saeko had not entered, and despite only knowing her name, Naruto felt safer with the sword wielding stranger.
Sayu watched him from the reflection in the glass. Naruto really hadn't changed. Sure, he was older, and had a more serious air about him, but Sayu could see hints of the younger knucklehead she used to know in his eyes. Those bright, cheerful eyes that sparkled playfully with a youthful energy were currently frowning in anxiety as he waited expectantly for her to turn around. Deciding that the suspenseful mood had been set, she spoke.
"Detective Uzumaki Naruto," she smirked as he jumped slightly. "It has been many years since we last spoke." She turned around with an inviting smile on her face. A smile that did not quite reach her eyes, robbing the friendly gesture of its intended purpose. Deciding that she did not mean him any harm at that very moment, but still very much on guard, Naruto grinned his trademark foxy grin.
"Too long, Sayu-chan!" she showed no reaction to the use of the familiar suffix. It had been awhile since he, hell, since anyone had called her that. Naruto, slightly disheartened at the lack of response he elicited from the woman in front of him, clasped his hands behind his head and stood waiting for her to begin.
She tilted her head to one side curiously. Coupled with his old cute grin, his more mature look made him look rather handsome. She quickly stifled the thought before the faint blush threatening to appear could creep across her cheeks. She decided to focus on his attire, to draw her mind away from such thoughts. He still has a fixation with the colour orange. Some things never change, I suppose.
She motioned for him to sit in one of the comfortable chairs in front of her desk as she made her way around the table to her own seat. "Well Naruto, let's get down to business, shall we?" He nodded his agreement and she continued. "You are a very good detective, I openly acknowledge that. The fact that you thought to interview me first unlike the police proves the fact, not taking into account your previous track record of solved cases."
Naruto brought a hand up behind his head and grinned. "Stop it, you're embarrassing me! But honestly, half those cases wouldn't have been solved without my partner Hyuga Hinata." he said humbly.
Sayu seemed to nod with approval. The boy was still modest to a fault. Though 'boy' was hardly the word to describe the young man seated in front of her. Her childhood friend from the orphanage had long since grown up. "However you choose to do so, I expect you to solve this case. There is someone out there who thinks they can murder my best lieutenants and get away unpunished. I want you to prove them wrong."
Naruto pulled out his orange notebook and looked her straight in the eye, self-confidence and determination seemingly flowing off him in waves. Sayu could feel a sense of assurance welling up inside her bosom in response. "I can promise you right here and now, I will bring the killer to justice, believe it!" he said with a foxy grin and a cheesy, albeit reassuring thumbs up.
Sayu felt a wave of nostalgia pass through her as she heard him declare his catchphrase. Some things really do never change she thought, as his infectious cheerful demeanour brought a smile to her own lips. Quickly relaxing her expression into one of calm indifference, she watched as Naruto pulled out a pen and held it over his notebook, ready to take notes. "Now, let's start from the beginning..."
Uzumaki-Hyuga Detective Agency, Night
Hyuga Hinata was out of her mind with worry. Her partner, her best friend, the object of her deepest affections was alone inside the home of Konoha Cities' biggest criminal mastermind. And what's more, from what she could gather from Naruto's vague answers the previous night, he had had some form of relationship with her in the past! Needless to say, Hinata was very stressed out.
The way he was so elusive about Takami Sayu, he must have been close friends with her... Maybe he even had a romantic relationship with her in the past! And since they're alone together, who's to say those old flames won't rekindle? What if they get swept up in the moment and...? Hinata blushed and instantly severed that train of thought. What if that... Woman... Is stealing my Naruto-kun at this very moment? The young Hyuga thought, her index fingers pressing tightly together repeatedly in her anxiety.
She sighed and sat up from her curled up position on the 'recovery couch'. How often had she awoke to find Naruto sitting next to her, waiting to apologize for making her pass out? In fact, there was even a slight dip in the plush upholstery where he normally sat and waited, or had his daily cup of instant ramen; molded firmly into the seat from what had probably accumulated to hours of sitting patiently, waiting for Hinata to awaken.
She activated her Byakugan for the umpteenth time, checking the full length of the streets that the front and back doors of their building opened out onto. Only the faint chakra signatures of civilians making their way home or to the night clubs were roaming the streets. She even checked the roofs, as Naruto had made his way to the Takami Mansion by chakra hopping over the roofs and balconies of the Residential District to the upper class areas of Konoha City. Without a map she thought to herself sadly. Clearly something had to be going on between them for Naruto to not need a map to find the place... Or to get Hinata to explain how to use it.
Just as she was about to deactivate her Byakugan, a sudden crowd of about twenty civilians passing by the front door of the office stopped her. She looked more closely, her brow furrowing slightly at the strange sight. These people were obviously civilians and yet... Their chakra signatures were stronger than normal. Some were brighter than others, and person in front, a female Hinata assumed from the general body shape, had a weak but completely developed chakra network! Sure, it wasn't enough to qualify for a police officer or medical personnel, but still...
Hinata focused her Byakugan, straining to spotter the finer details. Just who was this mysterious person? As her vision magnified, she gasped. Floating next to the persons thigh, presumably in their pocket, were two thin sticks of chakra. They matched the chakra density of the ramen senbon in their evidence storage!
She quickly leapt out of the open window next to Naruto's desk and landed softly behind the group. She searched through the crowd with her Byakugan, but the various chakra signatures were hiding the one she was looking for. She deactivated her Byakugan, so as not to intimidate the group of people with the rather ferocious look it unintentionally gave her.
"Ex-excuse m-me!" The group stopped their chatting and laughter and turned to face the now very nervous pale eyed girl. "M-my name is D-Detective Hyuga Hinata. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?"
The members of the group, equally composed of men and women, spoke amongst themselves before agreeing.
"Would you be kind enough to explain why your chakra signatures are so well developed, for civilians that is?"
"Well," said a black haired woman near the front of the crowd. "We've just come from a self-defence lesson that teaches us 'civilians' the basics of chakra control along with light weapons training."
"I see," Hinata replied, committing the details to memory to write down and relate to Naruto once he got back. "And did you by any chance train with senbon?"
A bulky, bearded man wearing a bloodstained butcher's apron replied in a shockingly high pitched, squeaky voice. "Yes, we did. We bring our own senbon and our sensei has a practice range set up for us to train on."
Hinata's jaw dropped, and she stared in utter shock at the man before the rumble from a passing motorbike shook her from her reverie. "Uh... Yes, th-thank you." she turned to face the group. "Would you all be so kind as to pull out your senbon for inspection?" As the group began to ruffle through their pockets, grumbling under their breaths, Hinata noticed one girl in a white shirt slowly sliding away from the group.
"Um, excuse me ma'am? I need to see..." she was cut off as the girl turned tail and ran. The girl's light brown hair flowed free from under the loosely tied bandanna keeping her hair out of her eyes as she ran for the nearest alley. Hinata was quick to pursue, using chakra to cover more distance. The brunette vanished into the darkness. Hinata caught up seconds later and skidded to a halt at the mouth of the alleyway. She couldn't sense the mysterious girl in the small rubbish filled alley. She turned back to the street to find that the crowd of civilians had vanished as well.
But Hinata was convinced that the girl who ran was the one with the senbon. She bent over, panting slightly from the frantic chase. Did I just find the killer? And if so, where did she go?
Takami Mansion, Night
Sayu took a calming breath and began. "These killings began a couple of months ago. One of my men, Furaku, was meeting with a client."
Naruto mumbled her words under his breath as he took notes. He glanced up and asked "And what did this Furaku do?"
Sayu seemed to hesitate for a moment, as if thinking of a way to answer his question without implicating herself. "He was in charge of my organizations 'pharmaceutical' division, as it were."
Naruto stared at her with a deadpan expression, his eyebrow raised sceptically as if to say how stupid do you think I am? Her impassive face gave nothing away. Slowly he nodded, shelving the issue for the moment. "Ah ha. OK, so he was the head of your 'pharmaceutical' business. So what happened with the client?"
"He drove out to the Financial District to meet with a client who wished to work for him as a distributor. However, the client had wanted a loan to revive their failing business, through which they said they would push our 'product' through."
"Did they specify what kind of business they owned?"
Sayu leaned over to reach the bottom most drawer on her desk. Sliding it open gently, she rifled through the neatly arranged files until she reached a bright green folder. Placing it on the desk, and shielding it from Naruto's gaze with one slender arm, she whipped through the pages, stopping at one near the middle of the file.
"They said they owned a small restaurant. Nothing too fancy. It wasn't like they were trying to run my 'products' out of a strip club or brothel." Sayu paused for a moment, to allow her joke to rouse laughter from her audience of one. When none was forthcoming from said audience, she frowned. "That was a joke, to lighten the rather serious tone our conversation has set."
Naruto regarded her with another deadpan expression. "Really? That's your best attempt at humour?" Naruto shook his head in disappointment. "And to think you used to tell the best jokes when we were kids. But now is not the time to be joking around." He sat up straight in his seat, having started to sink down into its soft upholstery during the conversation.
"Yes, you are right. Forgive my lack of professional etiquette, it has just been too long since we've seen each other and I would like to make up for lost time." With those words, she smiled her first sincere smile in years, one that lit up her pretty hazel eyes.
Naruto was floored. The smile instantly changed the serious, sombre woman in front of him into a very attractive older version of the girl he used to know. Not that she hadn't been attractive before, but that smile, that simple bright smile seemed to bring out the Takami Sayu who was once Naruto's best friend. He made a mental note to make her smile like that more often, it suited her much better than the serious, I'm-the-leader-of-the-criminal-underworld look she had at the start of their meeting.
The blonde grinned back. "That sounds great, but let's organize something after the case is solved."
The brunette nodded and composed herself. "When Furaku died, I wrote it off as a hit by one of my competitors. This kind of thing happens often in my profession. However, a week later, the same thing happened with one of my subordinates in the weapons division. It was the same scenario; she drove out to meet with the client, who needed a loan for their restaurant, which they would then use to sell my black-market weapons. As promised, she had the money in a briefcase, the client swore to talk and nothing else, lest they suffer a painful death."
Sayu glanced over at Naruto. The young man was frowning as he wrote in his orange notebook, and she doubted it was because of the circumstances of the murder. However, Naruto said nothing, instead nodding for her to continue. He is very professional. I'm impressed. She thought
"And soon after, I received word that the head of my weapons division had been killed. At this point I was tempted to halt all future interactions with potential clients until the killer had been caught... But the killer got smarter. They started using different stories and types of meeting places."
"And because of that, you can't tell which clients are... I won't say 'honest' but are genuine in their intentions when requesting a meeting." Said Naruto, shaking out his right hand, which had become cramped from taking so many notes.
"Correct. And because of this, three more of my subordinates have been killed since. And all in the same manner. And what's more, to add salt to the wound, the killer has the nerve to collect the bounties on his victims' heads."
"Or her."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Studies show that nearly fifty one percent of hired killers nowadays are female. They are able to get closer to their target without arousing suspicion, and then easily blend into the crowds after the deed is done. So there's a roughly fifty-fifty chance that this could be a woman.
Sayu regarded Naruto with an 'are you serious' look before sighing softly and turning her head to glance out the window. The crescent moon shone down on Konoha City, illuminating the forest on the outskirts of the city with a dull white glow.
"Alright... Shall we move on?"
An hour had passed when they finally finished going over the details of the case from Takami Sayu's perspective. Naruto leaned back in his chair and sipped the drink that had been provided sometime during the interview by a silent Saeko.
"Thank you, Sayu-chan, this should be enough for a few good leads at the very least."
Takami smiled in response, a genuine smile that lit up her expressionless brown eyes. "Glad to be of some assistance. I want this killer found, and I want him or her found now."
Naruto grinned back. "Well if that's all..." As Naruto stood up to leave, he felt a tug on his sleeve. Sayu had reached over the table and grabbed the arm of his jacket gently. The simple action brought back memories of her from their time together at the orphanage, how she would always hold his arm or sleeve; seeking protection and comfort.
Sayu seemed surprised at her own involuntary action. She hadn't meant to grab onto him like a little girl would. She hastily removed her hand from his jacket and straightened up from her rather undignified position.
"Before you go Detective, I have something for you." she said, her face expressionless and her eyes lacking any emotion. Naruto was instantly on guard. The sudden shift in mood had him on edge. What was she planning?
Sayu nearly smirked as Naruto seemed to ready himself for an attack. "Relax Naruto-san, you should have realized by now that I mean you no harm. No, this is something you will like, I guarantee it."
A bemused look crossed Naruto's face. "Something I'll like? What?"
"More accurately I have two things for you. One thing to give you, another to explain to you about and then give to you, in a way."
Naruto scratched the back of his head, thoroughly confused now. "OK... Sure. What are they?"
Sayu opted to answer his question with an order. "Saeko, please bring it in now, if you would be so kind."
Saeko appeared next to Naruto and to his credit, he didn't flinch, showing that he was trusting Sayu, to a certain degree.
"I trust that you will find the killer soon, yes?" Sayu said, gently crossing her arms under her ample bosom. Naruto nodded, his seriousness conveying his determination.
"You have my word, Takami-san. And I never go back on my word."
Sayu seemed convinced. "In that case..." she motioned for Saeko to step forward. Saeko moved closer to Naruto and held out a small black metal box in both of her seemingly delicate hands.
Naruto looked her in the eye, wariness and curiosity conflicting within him. He slowly reached out and took hold of the small rectangular container. Deciding to get it over with once and for all, he quickly flipped the lid open and held it away from his face, eyes screwed tightly shut. When no explosion or sound of gases of poisonous gases escaping was heard, he cautiously open his eyes, ignoring the smirks the other two occupants of the room were directing at him.
Inside the box was a very familiar object. "Huh? How did you find this? It's been missing for years!" he said in wonderment. He slowly reached into the box and pulled out a pair of dark green goggles, the exact pair he wore when he was in the orphanage. It had disappeared the day that Sayu had left, though 'left' was a gentle word for her rather dramatic exit.
"Yes well, after I was taken from the orphanage, I found these in my backpack after searching for... A certain item. I believe you asked me to hang on to them while you went swimming, and hold on to them I did."
Naruto grinned at her as he slid the goggles on to his forehead. The dark green goggles fit perfectly now, sitting snugly over his brow without sliding down his face, like it had in his youth. "It still fits! Thanks Sayu-chan!"
She only smiled briefly in response before returning to her business like demeanour. "As for the second thing I wish to give you, it, or rather she, is standing right next to you."
Naruto glanced over at Saeko. "Really? You're giving me your bodyguard?"
"In order to stay on top of the investigation, I would ask that Saeko accompanies you during the day and reports back to me in the evening on the new developments in the case. She is also an accomplished short and long range fighter and is a very good cook. She will be a valuable asset to your team, if I do say so myself."
Naruto appeared to mull it over, looking Saeko up and down as he muttered to himself. Finally he seemed to reach a decision. He nodded and stuck his hand out towards Saeko. "It'll be great to have you on the team Saeko. Welcome aboard!" he grinned his wide foxy grin and received a polite smile in return.
"It will be a pleasure working with you, Detective Uzumaki-san." Murmured Saeko as she grasped his hand firmly and shook it.
"No need to be so formal! Naruto will be fine."
"Yes, Naruto-san."
Naruto shook his head with a chuckle. "We'll work on it."
Sayu sat herself back down on her comfy leather chair. "It was good to see you again Uzumaki Naruto."
Naruto nodded back. "Likewise, it's nice to see you after so many years. We'll organize a catch up dinner sometime soon OK?"
"I'd like that." She smiled another genuine smile. "Will you be able to get home safely or would you like Saeko to drive you? You could get acquainted during the ride home."
"Sure! I wasn't looking forward to chakra hopping all the way home."
"Goodnight, Detective Uzumaki and good luck."
"Goodnight, Takami-san."
Sayu raised her hand in farewell as Saeko gripped Naruto's arm, raised her free hand in the half ram seal and vanished, taking a surprised Naruto with her.
Takami Sayu leaned back in her chair, content with the way things had turned out. Oh no, she thought, I forgot to ask him if he remembered his promise to me. Well, I suppose I should bring it up later, trying to fulfill that promise could distract him from the case.
She nodded to herself once, to reassure herself and stood up, making her way to the door of her office, ready for a good nights' sleep for the first time since the whole serial killer affair had begun.