Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated! Seriously though, school took up a lot more time than I was expecting. Thankfully, I was actually able to write [at least] partial games. One was a Fallout 3 mod (video link in my profile). The other was an original game I'm still working on and hope to release to the public in the near future. Happily, I earned my Bachelor's degree, with Summa Cum Laude to boot! Anyway, on with the show! Don't be too disappointed with the first section...
Chapter 35:
It's All Relative
Sailors often describe treks across the vast and open seas as chaotic journeys, struggling against nature. A ninja of the seas is feared for conquering the great beast that would just as soon consume those treading across its surface. Even the great ninja of the mist respect dedication to naval life. Though they often use the great waterways, they spend most of their times on land, no matter how great or small.
Waves crashed against the small boat, threatening to send it to the depths. The great storm started just hours after they left port, and the brave ninja of the leaf were forced to batten down below deck. Momiji held close to whoever was closest. Though she obviously preferred Naruto's presence, she was forced to acquiesce whenever he was forced to leave for watch or other duties.
The seas only grew worse, and the captain of the small vessel never hesitated. He knew the waters in which he sailed, and he understood the waters enough to avoid the worst of it. More than once, they passed close enough to strong undersea currents to feel the undeniable tidal pull. It was little surprise to learn the gulf they sailed was often called, mostly by fearful amateurs, the Abyss of Man.
The few days at sea were hard on the young ninja. Though they easily found sleep when it was required, Momiji only found such solace in the arms of someone trusted, usually Naruto, and extreme fatigue. She was not used to the tossing and rolling of relentless waves. The previous voyage to Void was not nearly as harrowing. Still, she felt safer and slept easier among people who treated her lovingly, like only her family and Shion before.
It was lunchtime of the third day when Kanaeru announced that they had entered the Maw of the Abyss. The waters were as uninviting as their nickname implied. Massive tidal forces formed whirlpools, short-lived or not. She also announced they were close to their destination. For the next several hours, the only one permitted on the upper deck was the vessel's captain, and he was housed in the captain's cabin.
The sun was setting as they landed, and the Konoha shinobi were grateful to feel land beneath their feet once more. Once disembarked, Naruto took a moment to take in the scenery. With the sun behind him, he could see the vast sea spread before him, even if mist obscured the grand visage. It was tinged orange as the sun hovered above the horizon. The scene was hypnotic, and colors splashed the landscape like a painting.
"Ah, it's good to be back!" Kanaeru stretched happily, and Naruto snapped out of his daze. As he looked around, he noticed the captain and his ship had already departed, and a heavy fog veiled the landmass. His aunt walked up to him and grasped his shoulders with a familiar smirk upon her lips. "You are going to enjoy this!"
She released him and turned without explaining. Perplexed, he looked to his friends. They shrugged before quickly falling into step. Naruto tilted his head before picking Momiji up and following. He looked over his shoulder to make sure their armor-clad companion also followed. He didn't have to wait, and a young girl's yawn forced his attention forward. He didn't feel like making Momiji sleep on his back rather than a warm futon or bed.
"The official story is: Whirlpools was destroyed in a massive invasion." Kanaeru started without preamble. "There are certainly a lot of rumors circulating as to the reasons why, but there are few, hard facts. What would propel a staunch ally to invade a small land with few exportable resources and fewer accessible waterways?"
Naruto looked to his friends, and his gaze lingered on Shikamaru to see if his intelligent ally had any questions of his own. If he had any, he was surprisingly keeping them hidden, and his expression settled to a narrow, suspicious gaze. The blond genin, not enjoying the silence, decided to speak up. "There was something else they were after, so they were willing to risk little to no gain for the cost." His answer almost sounded like a question.
"Bingo!" Kanaeru blurted out gleefully. "Whirlpools has always been home to the Uzumaki clan, and there was one resource Earth vaunted over the other shinobi nations." Though curious over her word choice, the Konoha shinobi remained silent and allowed her to continue. "They had a closer relationship with Whirlpools and the Uzumaki than the other four great nations."
"Now, Whirlpools maintained a non-aggression pact with all five shinobi nations, but it was easier for Iwa to plan joint operations with the ninja of Whirlpools." She turned and started walking backwards. "Now, I'm sure you think this is all beside the point, but it's building up to the shrouded mystery. Why did Earth attack Whirlpools?" She paused to take a deep breath.
"When the last great ninja war started, the five great nations were expecting hostages from non-aggression lands. Earth expected more, however. They expected the heir of the Uzumaki clan. They were surprised and insulted when that heir, and her imouto, was sent to Fire instead. The bigger insult came, however, when that heir married the soon-to-be Hokage."
"Wait! You're talking about kaa-san and tou-san; aren't you?" Naruto blurted out, wide-eyed with curiosity. He stumbled for his next words, even as the question was clear in his head. "Wha-What was she heir to? Was Earth against her marriage?"
Despite the tone of the story, Kanaeru's smile only widened, and she continued in a chipper tone. "Patience my young Naruto-kun; I'm just getting to the best part." The Konoha shinobi looked at each other warily. Naruto's aunt was speaking of betrayal, but her tone befitted something altogether different.
"They had their legitimate concerns, of course. They thought the marriage would go against the non-aggression pact, but love is love. Kushina-nee and Minato-nii were in love, and they weren't letting the rhetoric of politicians get in their way." She took a deep breath and prepared for something unpleasant. Her face twitched at a bad memory, and she looked ready to spit on some evil or the wrongdoer who committed it.
"Fifteen years ago, our world was thrown into turmoil by two facts. One, Akatsuki was on the move again under the banner of an unknown leader. Two, they boldly moved against the Uzumaki clan heir. We were ready to go to war over our loss when Earth stepped in." She paused and turned back around, marching forward with determination. She was not going to show her emotions.
"The world of ninjas is filled with deceit and lies. You never know whom you can trust, and you can feel falsely emboldened when you know, in plain black and white, who your enemies are. Whirlpools was set to take on Akatsuki and avenge the loss of family once again. We were blinded by rage and no small amount of guilt." She wiped a tear that threatened to blaze a hot trail down her cheek.
"The official story is that Earth felt it was their chance to strike back against the insults we burdened them with. They didn't want to be seen as weak because such a small land defied them. Before Akatsuki could make their move, Whirlpools was crushed under the mighty shinobi army of Iwa."
Shikamaru finally spoke up. "That's not what happened." Everybody looked at him in wonder, except Kanaeru and, surprisingly, Naruto. The intelligent ninja took note of that fact. "The lands remained staunch allies even through political maneuvers. Perhaps Kushina and even Minato-sama helped, but they saw a hidden threat that Whirlpools missed in rage and grief."
"Akatsuki was going to attack Whirlpools, too." As Naruto took over, Sakura looked at him in amazement. Shikamaru already guessed he might have figured it out, and Hinata, too, had noticed the gears in his head turning. "I guess everybody thinks Iwa destroyed Whirlpools because they suggested that cover story." He looked at his friends. "In spite of how much I detested his lechery, Ero-sennin made me read his books. Something similar happened in one of his earliest best sellers."
His explaination seemed reasonable enough, but Sakura was forced to think differently of her teammate and friend. She imagined more and more what kind of person he would have been if he were not seen as a monster in the academy. If more teachers than Iruka had noticed his potential, would he have been as good at analyzing situations as Neji or even Shikamaru? He was better than anybody she knew at reading people, but he was also easy to play, when he was younger at least, because he didn't seem able to hide his emotions.
Attention returned to Kanaeru as she continued. "Well, I guess you'll find out soon enough." She closed her eyes and tilted her head to one side as she shrugged casually. They hadn't realized it, but she turned to face them and stopped at some point. Instinctively, they had also stopped. Some distance behind her, shadows tried to peek out through the fog. Though they couldn't tell what they belonged to, they seemed too structured to be natural.
Before they could figure out what they saw in the distance, Naruto and Hinata took on defensive stances. Shikamaru and Sakura responded quickly in response. Before they could move, Kanaeru was flanked by unknown ninja. Instead of bearing arms against her, they lowered long spears on the Konoha shinobi. They were prepared to fight back when Gayt stepped between the two groups poised to fight.
"Kanaeru-sama…" The guard to her right started. The left side of his face was almost completely covered in burn scars, and his scalp was covered with a solid blue bandana. He was fairly tall, and his grey camouflage blended in nicely with the mist. "…why are these foreigners with you? They haven't harmed you; have they?"
"Why would we…?" Gayt stopped Naruto before he could continue. The young blond looked at him in confusion, but the armored man only continued to stand between the Konoha shinobi and their client. He didn't understand why his aunt had to defend her right to bring him along with her. He wanted to know more, and he wanted to defend his honor.
Kanaeru sighed and rolled her eyes. "It's okay to just call me Kanaeru." She crossed her arms and took a relaxed and slightly annoyed stance.
"That would be improper, Kanaeru-sama." The second guard responded. He was much taller, easily as tall as Gayt, and the latter wore armor. He hid most of his face behind an ANBU-like mask. His clothing was decidedly earthen colored, so he did not blend in as well to the mist. "You should know that bringing anybody here is highly unorthodox, and won't be looked upon kindly."
She only chuckled in response before patting him on the shoulder. "You guys can show Naruto-kun some good, old-fashioned Whirlpools hospitality." Their attention was drawn where she indicated, the blond genin. He chuckled nervously as she continued. "Besides, I'm sponsoring a few clients and their missions. I promised them a good, central headquarters from which to work." She winked happily at the masked guard.
"Ka-Kanaeru-sama!" The masked guard started flustered. "It is highly improper to bring outsiders without permission from the taichou." He managed to bring his breathing under control before he finished.
The scarred guard shook his head and loosened his stance. Heaving a sigh, he stepped forward. "Even if he is who you say he is, the taichou won't allow his friends into the village."
"Oh please, let me deal with tou." Her back stiffened as a large shadow materialized behind her. Her confident demeanor slipped, and her expression was replaced with a nervous smile. "Oh, hi tou…" He seemed to simply tilt his head down to gaze at her, but her body language immediately changed. She grew solemn and politely, stiffly bowed. "Greetings otou-sama; I have returned from Konoha."
Naruto narrowed his eyes in an attempt to identify the large man. If he was his aunt's father, he was also his own grandfather. Kyuubi's internal pacing wasn't helping the weight of his emotions any, either. When the powerful man's visage was fully visible, Naruto thought his jaw would drop off. He was very familiar, and he had to force the bile from rising in his throat.
The man was certainly a commanding figure. He was deserving of his honorific in appearance and demeanor. His stony gaze reduced his daughter to humility in an instant. His hair was dull red. The only reminder of his mane's once vibrant color was the highlight near the roots. Besides a few wrinkles, only a few grey streaks of hair on his sides betrayed his aging. Strangely, his eyes were nearly blood red. The outer rings of his irises were brilliant emerald.
When his stern expression turned towards the Konoha shinobi, they froze. He concentrated on one in particular, of course. He carefully scrutinized his eldest daughter's first and only born. His poisoned gaze seemed to look past him, however, into his soul. It was disconcerting, but, to Naruto, similarities to the male human-form Kyuubi seemed more important.
The man seemed to finish his investigation, and he turned his back on his grandson. In the same instant, the tumultuous emotions he felt coming from the Kyuubi no Kitsune finally settled on one. The great beast he had feared for so long was speechless in dread. She feared reprisal, and he could clearly feel her trembling chakra. It was an uneasy feeling.
The only sign of emotion on his face as he studied his younger daughter's face was a twitch of his lip. "Send them back to Konoha." His statement was simple and filled with finality. He seemed devoid of emotion, and the guards lowered their spears in preparation.
"But, tou…" Kanaeru started. The harsh glare she received caused her to flinch. She took a calming breath before continuing. "Otou-sama, they've come a long way to take care of some missions. I'm personally sponsoring them, and they need a headquarters much closer than Konoha to handle them." She licked her lips and prepared her next words carefully. "We must also recognize that Akatsuki has stepped up operations again."
"By bringing them here, you have endangered us all." He betrayed no emotion as he berated his child. As leader, he was as concerned with the safety of his village as his family. "We don't know what Akatsuki knows, and we do not know…" He punctuated each word. "…how well informed their information network is. If they discover the route you took, they may discover a connection we cannot risk them uncovering."
Kanaeru sighed. Arguing was going to prove difficult, but she came prepared. "Otou-sama, look at Naruto-kun again." With a gentle shake of his head, he obliged. "Do you notice anything significant?" She was hoping he would notice without directly pointing it out. She crossed her arms as she waited.
Naruto felt uncomfortable as he was, once again, carefully scrutinized. The powerful leader shook his head after a few moments and looked over his shoulder to his daughter. She merely pushed her hands forward as if to tell him to go on. Shaking his head once more, he continued scrutinizing. After several moments, his eyes fell on Momiji.
At first, he tried to ignore the strange feeling his gut was giving him. She shrunk from him as the feeling grew to a drumbeat in his head. He didn't know why she seemed familiar, but something in his memory sparked. Naruto protectively intervened between the two, but the elder ignored the behavior in favor of dismissing the sudden curiosity. Then, it struck him.
"She can't be…" He stood erect and turned to his daughter. "She's in more danger here." He paused in momentary disbelief. "You should know this better than anybody." He barely maintained a calm demeanor. He was obviously keeping his temper in check. A flicker of red chakra, however, did not escape the gaze of the Konoha shinobi.
Kanaeru took a deep breath. "If I thought she would be in any danger here, I would not have brought her, otou-sama. In fact, she's safer here than in Demons. Even though her adopted mother is Shion-dono, we cannot trust that information would not eventually leak. I couldn't leave her in Konoha, either, because I'm certain Akatsuki make another push there very soon."
The elder looked down and scratched his chin as his younger daughter continued. "They know Naruto-kun in a jinchuriki." She took a deep breath. "…and Momo-chan used her biju's chakra. Though the puppet leader was defeated, Akatsuki is most certainly not out. If any other members were nearby observing, they'd know two jinchuriki are in Konoha, or at least were. Moving them is the safest option. Besides, what could it hurt to let Naruto-kun train with a few interesting missions?"
"The puppet leader was defeated?" The village leader only needed to see his daughter bob her head. He did not sternly demand a proper answer; he was only interested in the information and how it benefited the village. "He was powerful, so his loss must be a blow to Akatsuki. They either won't make a big move immediately or they'll place their bets on taking advantage of whatever damage the puppet left in his wake." He sighed. "Surprisingly, I'm forced to rescind my previous order."
He raised his hand to signal his guards. They bowed and returned to their posts. They did not question his change in orders. They understood the logic well enough, and they trusted their leader to make the right decision. Once they were out of earshot, he continued. "As you all should know, I'm the current leader of Whirlpools, and I'm directly related to Kanaeru and Naruto. My name is Uzumaki Taketo. Now, I wasn't expecting this opportunity so soon, but I'd like you to join us for a formal meal."
Before the Konoha shinobi, and an elated Naruto, could speak up, Kanaeru interjected. "Uh, actually otou-sama…" He looked at her curiously. "They…should really be leaving for their first mission." He gave her a stern look, but she nervously continued. "It'll be fine once they get back, butI really have to make sure all the, uh, preparations are in order."
He narrowed his eyes with obvious disappointment. She responded with a nervous chuckle as she scratched the back of her head. With a light sigh, he decided to simply ask her later. "Very well, but they can at least rest and prepare for the mission ahead. They might not have time for a formal meal, but they shouldn't leave without at least something adequate to fill their bellies."
Kanaeru couldn't argue with her father. She hadn't briefed Shikamaru on the mission details yet, and she was sure he wanted to look over the file before committing time and resources to it. She also wanted to share some details on the client. She was helping sponsor him, after all. She also wanted to give Momiji a chance to acclimate to the new environment while Naruto was still in Whirlpools, no matter how short.
Of course, Naruto's aunt understood why the young girl was as attached to the knucklehead as she was. He was kind and easy to approach. He befriended everybody, and he was openly warm. She recognized the gentle aspects about him, and she was drawn to them. She was drawn to similar qualities, and he seemed to rub off on people. She was attached to Shion because Naruto reopened her heart to people, and her warmth radiated much the same way.
Kanaeru could only hope Momiji wouldn't shut herself off when he left. It was hard to find the warmth he openly gave off. As they entered the village through humble gates, she worried about how corrosive despondent souls might be. Whirlpools hadn't had reason to celebrate since Naruto was born. In fact, they mourned the death of the beloved Kushina the same day they celebrated the birth of her son. It wasn't even long after they received the news that they were forced to make a tough choice to fade from his life.
She was also worried about Naruto. In less than a month, he had discovered more blood relatives than in the previous almost sixteen years of his life. He was overwhelmed not long ago in Konoha when she told him she was his aunt. She could only hope he took meeting his grandfather much better. She didn't want him to lose his ability to trust.
It was twenty-seven years ago when a land north of Earth revolted against its daimyo. It was not the first time the land experienced political upheaval. The first daimyo came to power in a bloody revolution long before the shinobi lands were formed. The land, Old Tree, was ancient compared to its neighbors. While clans and factions fought for domination, Old Tree strengthened its economic power and influence.
Before ninja existed, warring factions used Old Tree as neutral territory to buy resources, food, weapons, and alliances. The land saw great growth and prosperity. The population boomed, and they had little to fear from the violence outside their borders.
Once the ninja world was established, their resources and weapons lost value. They watched as ninja used jutsu to forge mighty weapons that far surpassed their workmanship. With economic prowess, they managed to stay neutral territory where at least food and alliances were traded.
Old Tree could not maintain a neutral stance forever, however. While many clans were content to leave the land be, some grew drunk on their newfound power. At some point, war broke out between Old Tree and the more volatile factions. In that time of crisis, a merchant discovered a means to draw them to his side; he unearthed a rare and valuable crystal that, when properly refined, enhanced chakra-based jutsu. He became the land's first daimyo after he led several factions in violent revolt over the government of the time.
Even with the rare crystal, the economic boom in shinobi nations sounded Old Tree's decline from prominence. The citizens lived in fear of border skirmishes as their main trade export slowly dried up. As any desperate power, it was soon forced to find new products. Under the daimyo in power around the first great ninja war, Old Tree once again became a center for economic power. Seemingly overnight, the land could afford hordes of mercenaries and rogue ninja.
The Konoha shinobi did not understand the need for a history lesson as their client explained the political and economic turmoil of his land. Their client, Gavin Marshall, leaned back in his chair as he continued. "I'm proud of the strides we've managed to make in the last twenty-seven years, but we still haven't brought all our criminals to justice. People just can't rest easy."
Though his name sounded odd to them, they accepted him for who he was. He was a well-respected man within Old Tree. His official political capacity was something like chief judicial officer. He also held a strong belief in bringing criminals to justice, and he held a strong passion for history. He was in his early forties, and his compassion laced his voice.
His auburn hair was receding, and his similar colored eyes showed the weight of years. He was admittedly pudgy, and he seemed to prefer pacing to sitting. He only sat near the end of his history lesson to pull out a file folder on their target. He propped his feet up on his desk as he explained the situation. "Watanabe Junichi was one of the former daimyo's top economic advisors, and he's wanted for multiple crimes."
Shikamaru flipped through the pages in the file. He ignored Naruto and Sakura looking over his shoulder and absently wondered if Hinata was using her doujutsu to read the target's information. "Well, he's not the friendly sort." He lazily started. He set the file down and shrugged as he dug for more information. "I can see why he's troublesome, but what do you need ninja for?"
Gavin set his feet on the floor and leaned on his desk. He hated sitting still, and his feet tapped in protest. The nervous tic did not go unnoticed. "Junichi's always one step ahead of us. We don't know how he does it, but he's always prepared when we think we're ready to move in. We gather a police force; he hires mercenaries with no qualms about killing. We gather mercenaries; he hires ninja to wipe them out before they even get close."
He sighed and shook his head. "Besides, he's still got economic power. He pays off politicians where and when he can, and he always makes sure witnesses 'go missing' before we can gather evidence. I fought and scraped for the budget to hire ninja, and, this time, I know what information he has."
"Wait…" Sakura started. "…you mean he knows we're coming?" Their client only nodded. "Then what's the point of hiring us?" She restrained herself from punching through his desk or wall. It was hard enough to contain her voice from screaming.
"That's why I asked you to come today. He thinks we've hired a two-man cell, and, frankly, our budget could only really afford that. I had to get sponsors to cover the rest without actually borrowing any money. If we borrowed money, he'd grow suspicious. Instead, we managed to contain and control information this time."
"Oh-ho, so we have the numbers advantage!" Naruto pumped his fist. "All right, we can storm his compound, and he won't know what's coming!"
"It's not that simple." While Naruto looked disappointed, Shikamaru seemed to expect the addendum. Gavin continued. "We need evidence. We need to put Junichi away, and we need the public to feel confident in our ability to hold onto him or execute him." He paused and leaned back. "Tomorrow, he's holding interviews to hire a couple of rogues. We have several advantages, actually."
Shikamaru nodded. "Yeah, rogues are like mercenaries. The highest bidder can buy them. Junichi also isn't expecting to see a four-man cell. You've managed to secure both the element of surprise and information. So, let's hear your plan."
"Argh, where are they?" Naruto angrily stamped his foot. He was irritated, and the quiet of the forest just seemed wrong. He also didn't know if he liked Gavin's plan or not. He was sure their client knew what he was doing, but it wasn't his style.
"I'm sure they're all right, Naruto-kun." Hinata tried reassuring him. Even she was growing nervous. They hadn't seen Sakura or Shikamaru in a while, and she couldn't help but worry. At the same time, she sensed something else eating at the blond jinchuuriki. "You've been on edge ever since we left Whirlpools. What's wrong?"
He sighed. The Hyuuga were just too perceptive. He looked to the canopy. "I don't know, Hinata-chan. I'm just… I just don't know." He was finding it difficult to express himself in words. He felt he wanted to tell her, but he was too confused to voice what he was feeling. He felt an upheaval of emotions, both positive and negative. Kyuubi wasn't helping with his…her…its chakra churning.
Hinata was about to continue, but Naruto interrupted. "I have family, Hinata-chan." He blinked and shook his head. "I have family, and they don't hate me." He looked at her, not quite in control of his feelings. "As strange as it sounds, they protected me by not being there." He paused, casting his gaze as if looking for an answer. "Even after I knew what was sealed up inside of me, I never even considered it. As Akatsuki was chasing me, I never imagined how dangerous it would be to be related to me."
He shook his head and licked his lips. "Worse, now I realize just how dangerous it is." He heaved a sigh and returned his gaze to the canopy. "It's a wonder Shikamaru doesn't hate me. Asuma-sensei died to protect me." Naruto closed his eyes before meeting Hinata's worried look. "People have died, so I could…" He paused in aggravation as he searched for the right words. "…continue forward."
"Sometimes…" She started, not quite sure what to say. "Sometimes it's hard to continue forward." She wasn't sure what to say, but something about his presence, his eyes that she always loved, drove her forward. "Asuma-sensei was protecting the village, and he died with no regrets. Shikamaru doesn't hate you. He took Asuma's fire." She smiled remembering his perception. "You've seen it; haven't you? As long as the fire lives on, he's a part of Konoha, and he never really dies."
"Do you believe that, Hinata-chan?" She smiled and nodded in response to his simple question. "How?" She blinked in surprise. "You almost died!" He paused and turned around. A half-step away, he pulled at his hair and continued. "Kanaeru almost died. Tsunade-baachan's in a coma, and Konoha is in ruins!" He turned back around. "You almost died, Hinata! How can you not blame me?"
She smiled and took a step forward. Instinctively, he flinched. She paused for an instant and took another step forward. Tentatively, she reached out with one hand. She stared into the eyes she loved and simply smiled brightly. She lightly touched his cheek, momentarily taking in the whisker-like scars. "It wasn't your fault. It was never your fault, Naruto-kun. We're your friends, and we'd never blame you." She paused for a moment and looked down. "Circumstances just weren't kind."
Naruto closed his eyes and half-smiled. He appreciated the gesture of trust and kindness. He knew she was right. He felt the way her chakra moved. Hinata wasn't lying. He needed her perspective to calm his thoughts. He just had to look back and remember. He knew Shikamaru didn't hate him, and he knew Kanaeru was worried about him. "Hinata-chan, you're not stuttering." Strangely, he felt like teasing her before thanking her.
Her eyes widened, and she almost gasped. Before they could say anything else, they were forced to jump over a barrage of arrows. Once in the trees, they suppressed their chakra and expanded their senses. Naruto almost rolled his eyes when he easily pinpointed their would-be assailants. "Well, hopefully things are going better for our friends." He whispered as they both prepared kunai and carefully molded chakra.
As they leapt through the trees in pursuit, they were surprised by a two, key facts. One, their would be assailants were obviously not ninja. They doubted they could even mold chakra. Two, they weren't trying to form up ranks as they retreated, so they could attack again. It was obvious they were trying to lead them into a trap or set up some sort of ambush, but their plans would be ineffective against the young pair's speed.
The high-canopy forest shortly gave way to barren, craggy ground. Neither Naruto nor Hinata gave a second thought to abandoning the natural cover of tall trees and dark shadows as they continued to track their quarry. They knew it was a good chance to locate their target's base of operations. They knew he was seeking rouge shinobi to hire, and Old Tree was not an easy land to search.
The north country, where reports put their target, was notorious for its many hiding places. The forests were easy to search, but the barrens obstructed search parties with sheer cliffs riddled with caves, some hidden behind waterfalls of the river that formed the canyon.
Even if the mercenaries formed ranks to attack, they were in the open and easy prey for trained ninja. They were also restricted to following the standard paths down the cliff face, but chakra-infused feet allowed ninja easy footing on even the steepest rocky cliff.
Naruto smirked as the chase continued. The mercenaries were making it too easy, and he was confident in Hinata's ability to detect traps long before they ran across them. Chasing down mercenaries was also a good chance to unwind. Compared to the hectic events of the past weeks, he was itching for the chance to let things work out slowly in his mind as he physically pounded sense into ruthless, if comparatively harmless, thugs.
Hinata was, however, distracted as she followed Naruto. As they molded chakra to their feet and ran down the cliff face to chase and demoralize the mercenaries, her mind wandered to her latest interaction with her beloved. She knew they were on a mission. She knew they couldn't afford to be distracted, even if the thugs stood no real chance against them.
Her heart just wouldn't listen to logic!
Hinata was so close to Naruto. She almost, almost touched him. She only meant to reassure him, and closeness was certainly an excellent way to display utmost trust. She blushed and shook her head. If they weren't interrupted, could she have gone further. He teased her, innocently she reminded herself, but he was the one who, with his usual confident drawl, reminded her she hadn't stuttered once in her speech.
"-ta…" She skidded to a stop long before her senses caught up to her. She blinked as she stared straight ahead. She felt anxiety start to take over when she came to a very important realization. She was alone. She spun around and entered a defensive stance, but nobody was behind either. She could have sworn somebody called her name from nearby.
She closed her eyes and concentrated for a second. "Byakugan!" When she opened her eyes again, she surveyed the surrounding areas. There were a lot of caves to hide in, and nobody was on the pathways above, below, ahead, or behind. When she could find nobody along the cliff, she extended her vision inside. She paused and blinked. She again extended her vision inside the caves.
After a moment, Hinata withdrew her vision. She closed her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Na-Naruto-kun?" She couldn't see him. Something in caves blurred her vision. No, whatever substance lining the caves obscured her vision. She started running forward, looking for clues along the way. If she couldn't see with her Byakugan, she had to find him some other way, any other way.
A businessman sat behind his desk as he listened to a report from agents on the field. He nodded in understanding as he flipped through reports. Though he didn't say anything, he was pleased with the progress his men were making. It was difficult to position things as he wanted when ninja were involved. When the messenger finished giving his report, the businessman waved him off. When the door closed behind the messenger, the businessman stood and walked around his desk.
He wore formal clothing. They were pomp for the dimly-lit, cave dwelling, but he was a pomp man. His kimono, hakama, and obi were all tied perfectly, and he stood straight and regal. After a moment, he made his way to a simple wall hanging. "This was a gift from the former daimyo." As he spoke, another man seemed to emerge from the ground as if clay molded his form. "If not for me, it is most fair to say Old Tree would have been defunct many years ago."
"They repay your kindness with hostility. I know exactly how you feel." As his form solidified, his hitai-ate emerged and clearly displayed loyalty to Kumo. His expression masked no emotion as his burning hazel eyes revealed hatred. "However, that has nothing to do with you letting foreign ninja do as they please! We had a deal, and you're supposed to take that monster out of my hands!"
The businessman held up his hand. "Patience." He paused and clasped his hands behind his back. "We are alike, you and I, in that we are opportunists. I can no longer work with the government here. They hound my every step, but, as rich as I am, I have not the resources to escape." He paused and turned to face his ally. "You see the danger the…" He paused to evaluate the next word. "…monster poses to your village, but you cannot betray the trust of your village by directly being involved in getting rid of said monster."
He chuckled and slowly walked back to his desk. "With a little patience, a common benefactor brought us together. With a little more patience, we escape from this ordeal unscathed. You have me do the dirty work, and you return to your village with an untarnished name. I make enough money for ten lifetimes, and you remove a threat from your village."
"What does that have to do with the ninja here?" The cloud shinobi seethed. "We have a chance to eliminate a threat, and you're just playing games. No worse, you're hiring missing nin to do the job I should be doing! Why else keep me here if not to use my expertise?"
The businessman sighed. "I have many rivals in my vocation. The smart ones are still alive. The most cunning weasel their way into a daimyo's courts. They survive with protection. On the other hand, the stupid ones die after making it rich quick. In fact, one was known as Gato. He hired missing nin to kill anybody who got in his way. He aimed to kill ninja, and he paid dearly for it."
The cloud shinobi looked at his partner warily. He wasn't sure where the tale was going. The businessman continued. "You are here to conduct business. I have not hired you. On the contrary, you have hired me. The missing nin I hire have a simple mission. I grow weary and wish to retire, so I cannot afford the undying rage of some random Kage." He glared at his business partner. "Now if you are done here, send in the next group."
The ninja scowled, but he knew he couldn't do anything. He needed the businessman's expertise. He needed his connections, and he was perfectly willing to do anything, even forgive a weaker man's insults, to get rid of an unnatural threat. He seemed to turn into clay as he melted into the ground. A few moments later, there was a knock at the door.
The businessman smiled and once again sat behind his desk. He straightened out his formal wear before beckoning them in. "Ah, welcome honored guests. I hear you have some talents that I find myself in need of. Come, please sit." When the two were seated, he continued. "My name is Junichi, but I am sure you already know that. Please, introduce yourselves."
The dark-haired male spoke up. "I'm surprised. Usually our clients like to brag about how much they already know." The light-haired female looked at him for a moment and shrugged.
Junichi smirked. "Oh, I am sure that just annoys you. After all, you work so hard for anonymity." His expression turned cold as he lowered his face in suspicion. "You have even managed to remove yourselves from any bingo books. It is almost as if you were not rogues, but you are recognized among them."
The male shrugged, and the female rolled her eyes. She remained silent, however, as she surveyed the room. "The bingo books are too troublesome. I don't want hunter nin coming after me, and bounty hunters tend to get in the way." He leaned forward and looked at the pomp man sideways. "For all my former village knows, I'm dead. I died over three years ago when Oto."
Junichi looked to his guests with no small amount of confusion. He coughed and half chuckled. "Well, I do not know if it is more difficult to fake death or just vanish. It certainly seems, rather…" He paused for a moment. "…inconvenient to invent your own death."
"Not really." The female spoke up, still staring at a particularly fancy wall decoration. It was a geode that reminded her of compressed raiton. "It's just a matter of making a body seem convincingly similar to his and pulling off a convincing autopsy." She turned her attention to their potential employer. "I am a medic, and, for all our village knows, I'm still loyal."
Junichi was about to respond when the male interrupted. "We're a team. Always have been; always will be. She can be troublesome, but it's nice to have somebody still on the inside." He looked at her and smirked. "They think she's still grieving, so they let her wander relatively freely. She has to go back from time to time to debrief and receive a psych eval, but that's a small price to pay."
Junichi smiled. So far, they seemed to be exactly what he was looking for. If they could fool medics and ANBU investigators, they were masters in their field and in deception. He leaned forward and rested his chin on tented hands. He was interested in learning more. "I have to know. How did you pull the wool over the eyes of an entire village?"
The rogue ninja both stood at once. They glared at the pompous man, and again the male spoke. "That…" He paused to heighten the tension. "…is something we will not discuss further. All you need to know is that we can do that job you requested."
The female continued. "You want to escape without causing an uproar. If you are behind the deaths of a ninja, there is a good chance you'll show up on some bounty posters, even hunted by the very village you dishonored."
Junichi licked his lips. He had to be careful dealing with rogues. They were greedy, and that was the only trait they possessed which he could trust. He could not, unintentionally or not, afford to slight them. He raised his hands in mock surrender. He had his ways, and he was confident he could find out later. "You got me. However, at least properly introduce yourselves."
The dark haired male sighed and rubbed his brow. "I'm Nara Miyagi. My lovely accomplice is Nagara Aina." He tilted his head and, though he appeared to remain calm, seemed to spit out his next question. "Now, are you going to explain the details of this little job?"
"Oh, I am sure you have already deduced the details." Junichi started slowly, stroking his chin. "I want you to use a genjutsu to keep the shinobi distracted. I do have a specific request, though." The smile he wore was sinister. "They have to believe I was killed in the course of the mission. I don't care if the genjutsu makes it seem like I resisted or was crushed in some random cave in or whatever."
Aina almost laughed. "You want the same treatment I gave my partner?" Junichi nodded. "We may be good, but the best genjutsu in the world is worthless without a suitable corpse to make them fully believe you're dead." She held up a clenched fist and displayed a digit for every point she ran off. "We need to match body structure. We need to match appearance if features are discernable. We need to match blood type. We may need to perform a few extra jutsu just to make sure nobody can identify the corpse as somebody else's."
Junichi nodded. "I am paying you quite handsomely to make sure the job is completed. I am sure you can figure out what to do, and I do not really care what has to be done. If you need something, I am sure I can provide it. My resources are vast, and I have excellent connections." He chuckled. "I can easily provide a body double, anyway."
Miyagi was about to speak up when there was a knock at the door. Angered, Junichi rose and practically slammed his open palms on his desk. "What is important enough to interrupt me?"
Tentatively, the thug outside opened the door. "I know ya got visitors, but we got some news. We ambushed some trespassers earlier, but they turned out to be shinobi." Junichi swallowed nervously. Miyagi and Aina traded anxious glances. "We didna get a good look at 'em, but we somehow managed to split 'em up. We lost sight of one, but we got one tied up nice 'n' tight."
Junichi licked his lips and turned to Miyagi and Aina. "Well, it looks like we can start our business early. It seems our first guest has arrived, and I am eager to see if you live up to your rumors." He walked around the table and motioned for them to follow. Halfway to the door, he stopped and looked up as if he had a thought. "Yorukage, I believe I am quite going to enjoy my retirement."
The rogue shinobi showed no sign of hesitation. When Junichi walked out of the room and down the corridor, they simply followed. However, Miyagi couldn't help but chuckle. "I've never liked our nickname. It stands out too much, so it's troublesome." Aina simply nodded her acquiescence.
As they wandered the maze or corridors, the rogue shinobi took everything in. They recognized the path they took in, but they never took the connecting corridor they were being led down. It also didn't hurt to be on the lookout for ambushes. Absently, they noted the unusual veins of crystal formations. Though in unfamiliar territory, they felt an odd sense of déjà vu.
After multiple twists and turns, their guide stopped at the end of the corridor. Junichi looked at the thug, and the hired help nodded in response to the unasked question. Before they could open the door and enter, the thug spoke up. "Before ya saw these missing nin, they asked to see a rarely used cave entrance to set up a demonstration or some such. When we discovered 'em trespassers were shinobi, we led one of 'em there." He smiled at the rogues. "Worked like a charm."
Miyagi blinked in surprise. "Are you sure?" Startled, the thug nodded. He turned to Aina, and she shrugged. "The genjutsu we set up was low level. At best, it would slow down a genin. We set it up at the cave entrance just to give you a small taste of what we can do. If it actually caught a shinobi sent after you, it is likely a trap."
Junichi laughed heartily. "I am glad to see you think ahead, just like me." He waived his hand dismissively. "No matter, my men are trained to expect traps. I assure you; the shinobi they caught is not only shackled but stripped bare of his powers." He eyed the thug forebodingly. The thug swallowed hard and nodded his head vigorously. With a confident smirk, he turned and opened the door.
When their eyes adjusted to the light in the room, Miyagi and Aina gasped. In the center of the room, a brightly dressed, blond ninja sat tied to a wooden chair. Several torches acted as spotlights to make sure guards saw his every move. As they moved closer, they noticed the drool slowly making a trail down his chin and dripping onto the floor. A small dark spot stained the otherwise dry granite.
Junichi looked over the young man. "Ha, your genjutsu did more than slow down this genin." He leaned in close and observed the rise and fall of the captive's chest. He shook his head and laughed at the steady rhythm of his breath. "He is really out of it. He is undoubtedly fast asleep."
Angrily, Aina confirmed his observations. "Yeah, he's most definitely asleep." Junichi and Miyagi looked at her as her lips twitched and a vein appeared ready to pop. She opened her eyes in time to see their employer's unasked question. "He's from our village, and he's the very reason we left. His name's Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto."
Junichi turned to the captive. "Na-Naruto?" His voice was surprisingly giddy.
Miyagi sighed. "Well, this is a troublesome turn of events. If he's here, we can bet his sensei is, too."
Junichi was about to ask a question when Naruto stirred and breathed groggily. He vainly struggled against his bonds as he looked around. He didn't recognize his surroundings, and he was sure he was just in hot pursuit of some poorly trained mercenaries. As his faculties caught up, he realized he was surrounded by unfamiliar faces, and he couldn't move. "Huh? How'd I end up here?"
I am completely dissatisfied with the opening. I had a few cases of writers blocks, with names to be precise. It didn't help that school got in the way, and I actually wrote this chapter, oh, six times. Yes, I kid you not. Anyway, I have a few random comparisons to the manga (once again). In my story, Kanaeru showed stunning ability with seals and, in fact, shows them to be very important to the Uzumaki. She even said she and Kushina taught Minato how to use the seal that keeps Kyuubi no Kitsune inside Naruto. See any similarities to the latest chapter of Naruto? I could go on. In fact, I could go on, and on, and on, ad nauseum. Let's just say I felt like banging my head on a wall several times for how similar my ideas have been to the manga artist.
I want to see if anybody has any suggestions for names for twins! I have their backgrounds and personalities already worked out, but I just can't think of any good names. I want them to have have a rhyme, theme, or some 'cutesy' relation. They are a boy and a girl, by the way.
As always, reviews are appreciated, and flames outright ignored.
Story Word Count: 8,092
Story Page Count: 16
Terms:
Yorukage - Night Shadow: Miyagi and Aina are known as the Shadow and the Night because of their mastery of shadows and dreams.
EDIT v2
I noticed a little (understatement) late that I incorrectly introduced the mystery ninja in this chapter as loyal to Iwa. He is indeed loyal to Kumo. I meant to foreshadow his identity and may have done just the opposite. I sincerely apologize.