Turning a page of the book Naruto was reading, he desperately wanted to move his right shoulder, it was tingling and numb down to his fingers. He would have too if not for Din leaning back on his arm, also reading the same book. Well, either that or she was asleep, she hadn't moved in a while. Gritting his teeth a little, he sighed and kept reading, brushing her long red hair out of the book that the wind blew in the way.

Looking up to hear some voices, Naruto nearly groaned when just who he didn't want to see right then was escorted through the estate. Jiriaya. The man was giving a wide smile as the sisters Mina and Nina took him through the grounds, his eyes every now and then looking down to appreciate the sway of their hips. "There he is, sir," Mina told him.

"Naruto, this man is here to see you, says you invited him," Nina said as she moved closer, trying not to wake Din. When Naruto waved him over, she turned to Jiriaya and said, "We shall leave but if you cause trouble, we will enjoy skinning you." The twins walked pass him, making him turn around to watch them leave.

"…I love Uzu no Kuni," the man said to himself before facing Naruto. "So, this is the little cutie you've found for yourself."

Naruto gave him a glared and a soft growl, doing the second only to bare his teeth. "Quiet, Jiriaya, she's asleep."

Din took a deep sigh and muttered, "Not anymore." She nuzzled her head further into his shoulder and mumbled, "Can you purr again? I'm still sleepy." She apparently wasn't fully awake.

Naruto wanted to say something to get Jiriaya to stop grinning, especially when that rumble did come from his chest, making her smile in her sleep. Seeing as he couldn't say or do anything, he just flipped him off. So, Jiriaya sat down on the other side of the tree Naruto leaned against. "Think your little girlfriend would mind too much if I steal you away for a time?"

"…Probably."

"Because…I thought we might spend some time together."

"Busy," Naruto said before Din suddenly stirred and stood.

Stretching her arms and her wings fluttering a little, she said, "Go ahead Naruto. I could tell you were nearly dying for me to get off your arm."

Naruto arched an eyebrow as she walked away with a smile on her face. Jiriaya looked around the tree and said, "Yeah, you'll learn that they do that on purpose. Women have an almost instinctual need to make your arm fall asleep."

"You don't say," Naruto muttered. "So, what do you want to do?"

—oo000oo—

"…You know this isn't quite what I had in mind," Naruto told the older man. The two of them were laying on a small fishing boat, relaxed, with Naruto holding a fishing pole made from a fresh cut willow branch and string while Jiriaya had just tied a string to his big toe before casting it out and laying back.

"You don't know any jutsus, don't care to know any jutsus, don't want to know any jutsus so I have nothing to teach you as a ninja," Jiriaya told him. "Might as well just skip that and do other things. Like fishing and wasting the day away." He thought he might have felt a nibble on his hook but nothing bit so he didn't care to pull. The hook and bobber just sat there without bait and without him caring.

"Then we just hang out and do…nothing," Naruto ask, leaning back to look at his godfather completely reclined.

"Is that a bad thing," Jiriaya countered. "Naruto, why don't you just lay back, relax the hold on that pole, and chill." Naruto looked to him a moment before doing as he was told.

"But…what if a fish bites? I won't be able to tell."

"The point here isn't to catch fish, but to relax. If you catch a fish, good for you, but if you don't, it still isn't a wasted day."

Naruto looked to him curiously. "So…just relax?"

"Yeah," Jiriaya replied. "Relax. Things are better when you do."

"…Hmm, no, I want a fish to eat," Naruto told him, getting a laugh, though he stayed as he was. "So…Naruto," the young man asked him.

"Heh, I guess you can say I gave you the name. It's the same name as the main character of my first book." Naruto snapped his head to the side to face him so fast, it almost rocked the boat. Already knowing what Naruto was going to say, Jiriaya was shaking his head. "No, it wasn't one of those books. Adventure book based around the life of one of my students. Nagato. I was eating ramen one day, looking at a naruto topping in it, and I figured it was a good name to change it to."

"So…I really am named after a ramen topping," Naruto said, dropping his head back and looking up to the sky. "Guess I owe Konan five ryo." He was silent a moment and said, "Nagato…I don't suppose his eye were a bit different, were they?"

"Yes, he had the Rinnigan. How did you know?"

Closing his eyes, he thought about his cousin and if he should tell him. "The battle of Ami, there was a woren there with a Rinnigan, calling himself Pain while being called Nagato by Hanzo."

"He's…alive?"

Naruto shook his head slowly. "No, Pain is dead. Uzumaki take care of their own, even that part."

"I…see. Did you know if two others were there?"

"What were their names?"

"Yahiko and Konan."

Naruto blinked at that and asked, "Konan?"

"Blue hair, she'll be in her forties now, could form paper from her body."

"…Well I'll be," Naruto muttered. "I've more than heard about her."

"You know where she is," he asked excitedly.

"Nope, not a clue anymore. But I have met her some years ago, she protected me from Akatsuki. And she was part of them. I think she was taken prisoner but I've never seen her again."

Jiriaya sighed. "And I take it you've looked?"

"Yup. But I do believe I know what happened to her somewhat."

"What?"

"I have a friend also named Konan. Blue fur, yellow hair, wild temperament…and can create pieces of paper from her body." He now had Jiriaya's full attention. "And she is about my age, her birthday was a few months ago."

"Your… I remember hearing about her. I didn't think much of it before but…"

"Yeah, maybe your Konan is the mother of mine," Naruto said with a smirk. "That would be nice to know, I imagine. If she cared that is."

"She doesn't?"

"Not for a long time. She stopped caring a few years ago while I was off training. Hmm, how to describe her." He thought a moment and snapped his fingers. "She's your partner in crime, no matter how insane it is! Literally, her and I have done everything together. Just last week we asked a friend of ours to fly us up above the clouds and then we jumped down."

Jiriaya blinked as he looked up to where a few clouds floated lazily. "Up there? You dropped down from above that?"

"Yeah."

"…I get it, you used a spell to fly to slow yourselves, right?"

"…Sure," Naruto agreed, not really wanting to tell him that the two just used raw mana pushed from their bodies to slow themselves down enough to survive dropping into this very lake.

Jiriaya nodded and asked, "And the little raven back there?"

Naruto's grin fell down to a gentle smile as he thought about her. "Din… She's the first person from Uzu that I met. She got me to relax and calm down. I didn't know what to expect in coming here, just that I didn't trust anyone. I met her while she was dancing on a stump, she had somehow gotten animals to watch her do it like a ranger. I guess I never stopped appreciating what she did for me. Kind of funny though that I don't listen to her as much lately."

"Oh, how so?"

Naruto chuckled and said, "Deis-kaasan said it best; 'there is something about Konan that will always drag me into trouble'."

Jiriaya blinked and asked, "And you're dating Din?"

"Yeah."

"Because it seems to me that you're in love with Konan." Naruto scoffed at that. "Hey, hey, just saying. Only one woman could ever drag me into trouble even though I knew it was."

"Is that right? What about the hotsprings, hmm?"

"No, I got into trouble because of a woman," Jiriaya corrected. "Only one woman I'll get into trouble for."

"Whatever," Naruto dismissed. "Considering you're not married to her, I highly doubt you know crap about women."

"Oh, just dig that knife in deeper," Jiriaya said, holding a hand to his chest. "Fine, let's talk about something else."

"Like what?"

"…How about your new sword there," he said, looking to the weapon in the black and gold leather scabbard.

"…Sometimes you got to make a stand on your commitments even if it hurts you," Naruto said, hand going to the sword hilt. Before his pole almost got pulled from his grip. "Hey, I got one," he shouted, trying to pull it in.

"Don't let it get away," Jiriaya encouraged, smiling. It took several seconds before Naruto pulled it up out of the water only to find several kunai hanging from it.

Blinking as he looked at it and then to Jiriaya, he asked, "Okay, how did you do that?"

"Actually it was very easy to do," Jiriaya said in a wise sage like voice. When Naruto looked at him expectantly for an explanation, the old man said, "Now that…is a secret," before bursting out with a great laugh.

—oo000oo—

"Sore wa himitsu desu?" Shaking his head, Naruto walked home that afternoon. "And what was that? Me in love with Konan, really?"

Coming to a stop in front of a field with work being done on it, Naruto tilted his head in confusion before being tackled from behind. "Nya," Konan said to him lying on his back. "Heard you spent time with the big pervert."

"Yeah," Naruto replied. "Mostly talked, about this and that, and my friends, even you."

"Nya, really? Like what?"

"Not much really, he was impressed with your fighting skill used against those ninja a month back."

"Wasn't much, just a little of this and that," she said before shifting onto her back while still laying on him. "The tournament of champions," she said, looking at the work. "Heard that they plan to hold a 'Little Dragon' tournament too."

"Little dragon?"

"Everyone under eighteen," she explained.

"So…you going to sign up?"

"Yeah, it sounds fun…if we get the invite. Same rules concerning that."

Naruto nodded a moment before turning to mist, dropping Konan to the ground, and reformed above her, offering his hand to help her up. "No 'if's for me, I already got it. And I'm certain you did too."

Konan smirked as she took the hand up. "Nya, you know me so well. So, how far you plan to get?"

"Whole way," he replied, self-assured.

"Well then, I guess I should give my best of wishes," Konan said with a playful smirk before kissing him on the cheek. "Good luck kiss. From myself and Ecaflip." She laughed at seeing his shocked expression. "Nya, don't over think it, Naruto! Just for good luck."

"Yeah," he said slowly. They talked a bit more but Naruto seemed a little distant for it. By the time evening came around and they had to part, Konan was wondering if he was sick.

"Naruto," Deis said, appearing before them in a snap. "We have guests tonight," she told him. "You need to get ready."

"Huh? Guests, right. Bye Konan, I'll see you around and good luck."

"Bye," she called cheerfully. "I should probably head home too, bye aunty Deis!"

Taking her son's shoulder, Deis and Naruto appeared outside their home. "Have a good day," Deis asked.

"Pretty good," Naruto said. "Get this, Jiriaya said I might be in love with Konan."

"He did? And what did you say?"

"I nearly laughed at him," Naruto said with a smirk. "She's my best friend."

Deis nodded knowingly and said, "You'd be surprise how often best friends end up married."

"Yeah…but Konan, married? She couldn't settle down even if she had no choice. No, you and I could both be old and gray and she will still be looking for another adventure. Dragging me along no doubt."

"No doubt," she said, walking inside. "Get changed."

"Okay," Naruto said, walking to his room, passing a fidgeting Carol as he did. "Hi little bite, anything new?"

"They won't stop itching," she nearly screamed, scratching her back with a back-scratcher, between her two new, bright and shiny golden scaled wings. Carol had started changing only a week and a half ago and her wings were already halfway big enough to supporting her weight once she learned to fly. Their mother was so proud when she not only grew wings but gold wings as well. She practically crowed all across Uzu. Naruto didn't really understand why she had turned into a dragon at first until they checked her birth certificate. There had been a slight mistake in writing it, she was given Deis' maiden name instead of Uzumaki. Auntie Bleu always pushed on them the importance of true names and apparently that was why. "Big brother, did it itch this bad for you?"

"Worse," Naruto assured her. "Be glad it's just wings; just wait to see if you get horns or a tail."

"…I hope I get forward hooking horns like Talinth has," Carol said, picturing a heroic figure colored gold in her mind.

"You might but don't worry about it," Naruto told her. "Everything comes in their own time…"

"No need to rush them," their first guest finished for him. Suzuka smiled at him from where she sat, drinking tea. "Hello Naruto," she said pleasantly.

A smile Naruto returned. "Suzuka-sensei," he said with a nod. "It is good to see you again after all this time. I almost thought you were looking for another student."

"Hmm." Taking another drink from the cup, she set it down and said, "There were times I almost wanted to," she replied. "You are the most willful and stubborn a student anyone could hope to train. Of course, that comes from thinking for yourself and never letting anyone or thing decide for you."

"It is who I am," Naruto replied. "I can be no more or no less than that."

"Still won't say going down there was the wrong decision," she mused with a wry grin. "Not that I expected you to."

Chuckling, Naruto quoted something Alucard said in service to Matron Olath'Velve. "I do all that may become a man, he that does more is none."

"So, your mother has been telling me that you learned a few things besides swordplay," Suzuka said leadingly.

"A few things," Naruto replied. "This saber is a good sword but at times it doesn't feel quite right."

"About that…I am surprised you didn't make a new one," Suzuka stated.

"…Wouldn't feel right either," he offered with a shrug. "How is Cutter?"

"Uncooperative, stubborn, headstrong, every little bit like you." That made Naruto smile more, he missed that sword. "Maybe we can spar, see what all you have learned."

"That sounds good," Naruto said, praying on the inside that she would say he can return to being her student. He enjoyed the training and the dedication to the art. He missed it and talking with her.

"Then shall we," Suzuka asked, motioning outside.

"Don't even think of it," Deis called, stopping them before they started. "Naruto, our other guest is about to arrive." Naruto smiled with a bit of mirth as there was a pop and suddenly Samui appeared, stumbling to keep her balance. "Welcome back, Samui," Deis said pleasantly as she and Rei finished setting the table. "Since you're here, would you like to join us for another meal before I send you back.

Samui sighed, again, and said, "Very well, Deis-sama." Naruto sat across from the blond, giving a big Cheshire grin. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Oh very much so," Naruto replied. Samui had learned the hard way that Deis had put a spell on Naruto for him to always appear in time for dinner barring exceptions like dinner at a friend's house. It was to keep him from wandering too far again. "So, where were you this time, meeting the Raikage?"

"No, I was waiting for this. You know, Deis-sama, if you would just remove the spell, I wouldn't be bothering you like this every night."

"Oh it's quite alright, dear," Deis told her with a smile. "It's no trouble at all. Besides, the spell was made to fade away on Naruto's eighteenth birthday, next October tenth." Samui sighed again, that was over fourteen months away.

"So, this is how you've been keeping busy," Suzuka said, taking her place as well. "Samui, wasn't it? I am Ryu Suzuka, a pleasure to meet you."

"And you, Suzuka-san," she said tiredly. "Pass the pork please. No sweet and sour sauce?"

"Over here," Carol said, passing a small bowl to her.

"Thank you," Samui told her. "But please, Deis-sama, this is interfering with my work."

Deis looked none too pleased at the young woman pushing the subject. "Samui, because I understand you are frustrated, I will let it slide that you are being rude at the dinner table. So, allow me to say this. Your Raikage saw fit to alter several of my spells, so he can break it if he doesn't want this to keep happening." Seeing the woman sigh once again, Deis decided give her some form of hope. "Or, failing him able to do that, he may come here and apologize to myself, my husband, my son, Dorogan, Aoi, and Althor for being rude, demanding, and overall a jackass."

"He will never agree to do that," Samui protested, shock throughout her voice.

"Then I guess we shall continue having you here for dinner until then," Deis said calmly. "Rice?"

Samui opened her mouth to say something but ended up sighing and nodding, "Yes please."

"Here you go, dear," Deis said, giving her a scoop of it. "Oh, tomorrow is Yuki's birthday, we're having cake and Dragon Cuisine. You simply must have some."

"Yes, Deis-sama," Samui said in defeat, getting a wry grin from both Uzumaki males as Deis had in several times in their lives made them use that voice. "…Not to change the subject, Deis-sama, but what about Naruto? Won't he need these spells as well?"

The older woman looked sharply to Naruto as the young man found his plate of food very interesting at the moment. "Yes, he does…but he is entering into something soon and such spells are prohibited during it."

"So, Naruto has been invited into the Tournament of Champions," Suzuka asked, pleasantly surprised.

"No, the Little Dragon's Tournament," Rei told her. "Aoi felt that fighters underage couldn't stand a chance against those like Dorogan and Deis. Frankly, I wouldn't stand much of a chance against either of them."

"Of course," Suzuka stated. "They have had centuries to train in their skills. It would be like four children fighting against a four thousand year old damphir." She looked purposely to Naruto as she said that.

"Never going to let me forget that, are you," Naruto asked.

"Not even when you're fur is gray," Deis told him. "Regardless, I agree with Aoi's choice. This will also encourage those that haven't tried in a long time to do so. I know I haven't entered on of the tournaments because I felt that it would be unfair against those younger than me and haven't had a chance to win yet."

"Who all may enter," Samui asked, interested in the chance to see the unbridled might of Uzu.

"Sorry, Samui, the Tournament is by invitation only," Suzuka told her. "Invitations were sent out last week, the tournament to take place in a month. Those that do not have their invitations will have it soon."

Samui furrowed her brow, trying to understand why the limit. "And why do that? If you limit who enters then you decide the strength of those fighting. To say you won that might mean nothing if you are suspected of keeping those stronger than the favorites out."

"Jonin Hyuuga Neji," Rei said, his eyes closed while he held up his cup to drink, "of Konohagakure, Momichi Haku of Mizugakure, Kurosuchi of Iwagakure, Tenro Ryuka of Yumegakure, and Omoi of Kumogakure to name a few just from the Little Dragons."

"Omoi? He is my teammate. You believe he is powerful enough to against Hyuuga Neji?"

Deis cleared her throat and said, "To join the tournament, we are looking for two things, the mastery of your style and the mastery of your style against others. This tournament is even older than I, predating ninjas completely. It was a means to judge whose was the strongest. A full contact combat between two fighters, no limits. It was this that inspired your 'Chunin Exams'."

"I…see. So, you are inviting ninja against yourselves?"

"No, the world," Naruto and Suzuka told her at once.

"The best fighters in the world are invited, human and otherwise," Rei stated. "Ninja and pirate, thief and knight, martial arts and weapon's fighting."

Samui raised her eyebrows at that. "So many people in one tournament, this will take a long time to go through."

"Two hundred fighters in each," Suzuka stated.

"…What's the prize," Samui asked. "Is it bragging rights?"

"That too," Deis offered. "But the reward for second is gold, enough to never have to work again, or magic if they so prefer."

"And that's just for second place? What about first?"

Deis took a deep breath as she considered telling her. "Sorry, only those that are in the tournament may speak of it. I am not. Now enough questions, dinner is getting cold."

"But I was hoping…" She trailed off when Deis looked up from her food and stared her in the eyes. "Eating now," she muttered.

—oo000oo—

Inside Konoha, team nine were no longer sparring together, having all received an invitation to a tournament held within Uzu no Kuni. Standing before the Hokage, Tsunade looked at them while reading their letters for herself. "A wish," she asked aloud. "They claim to give the winner a wish, any wish they want?"

"So they claim," Lee told her.

"That's impossible," she said with a shake of her head. "As if anyone has that kind of ability."

"Lady Hokage, was there not a tournament twenty years ago," Neji asked her.

"Twenty five," she corrected.

"Do you know if the reward was different then?"

She frowned, still remembering the letter she had read back then, inviting her to a tournament she didn't go to. They claimed one wish at that time as well. "No. But the chances of it truly being that is slim to none."

"…But if it is true," Gai asked.

"If it is true…" Tsunade shook her head. "A single, unlimited wish? In the hands of those that would use it for world domination or something? If it was then we would have been conquered by now."

Tenten cleared her throat and said, "Lady Tsunade, you are our Hokage. If you tell us not to, we will not go. But I have one question. I know these invitations are not exclusive to Konoha and that several other villages have received them as well. It says that only the strongest of both age groups are going. That means the top fighters of Uzu no Kuni and beyond. This, it has to also be a public event to show the strongest around. If they decide to chance going, can Konoha honestly stand back and not?"

Tsunade frowned, not really liking any of this. "…Hatake Kakashi, Maito Gai, Yamanaka Ino, and you three, arguably my best ninjas. This could very well end up being a trap."

"Yes, it could, Lady Hokage," Maito Gai conceded. "Yet if it is, Uzu no Kuni is going through a considerable effort for it. They have opened their ports for any to enter for this event."

"You are correct about that." Closing her eyes, she considered this for a time. "Yamanaka Ino is on an information discovery mission while there, it would be good to learn what she knows." She thought about it a moment longer. "Neji, have you gotten over that fear against the Uzu's Dark Knights?" She saw him wince and sighed. "You know very well that they will likely have a dark knight in this tournament. Do you still wish to continue?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Neji said without hesitation. "For the Hyuuga clan and Konoha, I would be honored to fight."

"Hmm." She narrowed her eyes on all of them and asked, "What would you wish for?"

"I would wish for the betterment of the village," Neji started to say.

"Don't give me that crap," Tsunade shouted. "A single unlimited wish and you would wish for that? Bullshit! Either you all tell me what you really would wish for or you can forget going!"

"…My mother and father," Neji said after a moment.

"To one day be as great as you, Tsunade-sama," Tenten stated.

"To show that you don't need a jutsu to be a great ninja," Lee said with pride.

"…I don't know," Gai said honestly. At Tsunade's raised brow, he said, "Tsunade-sama, I'm an old ninja, I'll be forty before the decade is out. My dreams have come and gone, I have fought my great rival, I have reached the peak of taijutsu, and I have trained the three perfect students. There is little else I could wish for."

Tsunade considered what he said a moment before nodding. "Wise is the man that knows enough is enough," Shizune said from the side of the room, silent until now. "Shall I send acceptance letters, Hokage-sama?"

"…Yes," Tsunade consented. "But if I even smell something fishy, I'm pulling everyone out."

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

—oo000oo—

"Eleven," Konan growled as she pushed with her legs and gently lowered them. At the moment, she was doing inclined leg presses. "Twelve." Her back straight and at ninety degrees to her legs, her arms stretched to the side to two hand-holds she gripped tightly. The entire effort was placed squarely on her legs. "Thirteen." And it was an effort that would break a lot of people. The muscles in her legs were quickly being pushed to their limit, sweat matted her fur, and her teeth were grit so hard they were about ready to crack. "Fourteen."

"Konan," a voice said softly from behind her. Leaning her head back to look at him, Konan saw Nagato standing there.

"Hello, fifteen."

"You're aunts said they saw you here…"

"Sixteen."

"…Training. Just how many pounds is that?"

"Seventeen. One thousand, seven hundred and thirty pounds." With a click from the weights reaching their zenith, she lowered them again with a grunt. "Eighteen."

"God almighty," he muttered.

"Not really, world record is twenty three hundred. Nineteen. I intend to beat that by doing twenty reps at three thousand. Twenty." Lowering them and raising them up a little, she let go of the handles and from her hands created enough paper to hold it up away from her. "…Damn that's hard."

"…I can't even understand how you do that without looking like a body builder."

"Easy, the strength to do this is there. But the muscles aren't used to doing it so they feel weak. I build them up to doing this by doing repetitions."

Having caught her breath a little, she was going to push them up and create more paper to be able to get clear of it when Nagato tapped the weights and they slowly rose up the bar. "…These eyes of mine can let me control gravity," he told her. "Impressive ability, no?"

She stared at it before grinning. "Nya! I found my workout partner!" Getting up and out of the way, Nagato lowered the weight back down. "So, what's up putty tat?"

"Ahem…I…ah hell with it. Will you go out to dinner with me?" Konan could only blink in surprise at that sudden question.

—oo000oo—

"He just asked you out," Din asked while finishing casting a spell that created ice around a knot at the end of five hanging ropes.

"Yes," Konan replied, stretching her legs before giving a kick to one, completely shattering it. Doing a round house into another block, her friends swore there was a loud pop before she touched the ice.

"Uzumaki Nagato, quiet, stays mostly to himself, constant pensive look on his face, rings in his eyes, Nagato asked you on a date right out of nowhere?"

"Yes," Konan said again breaking a third and fourth block.

Naruto, not too far away setting up bricks for Konan, couldn't help but listen. "What did you say?"

Konan fixed him with a stare that made him fidget a little and said, "That's a secret."

"…Secret? Konan, we've never kept a secret from each other. The only secret I didn't tell you was where I was going three years back."

She clearly didn't like that he said that. "You don't keep any secrets," she corrected. "I'm a woman, I have plenty of secrets. This is one of them."

"…But why don't you want me to know?"

Konan frowned, just wishing he would stop pressing. "Naruto, I can push near two thousand pounds with my legs. If you don't stop asking, I will kick you."

"Yes ma'am," Naruto said, his ears a little laid back in submission. After Konan broke the last of the ice, he cleared his throat. "Bricks now, Konan."

"I just broke ice and you want me to break bricks?"

"Do you honestly think I would let it be that easy? No, this isn't about power. This is about control. Look here." He pointed to two bricks laying across another two bricks that were standing on end. They were positioned so that the two laying on them were only half on. "You are going to break just the bottom brick." Naruto picked up the top brick and laid a plate of glass atop the bottom before replacing the top.

"…Ok, that might be tough," Konan admitted.

"Think you can do it without shattering the glass?"

"…Nya! Who do you think I am?" Kneeling before the bricks she placed her right palm on the top brick and raised it a little. She started to lower it when Naruto shook his head. "What?"

"That's not a hit, Konan, and you know it."

"Fine." She raised her arm fully, made a few practice tries on the ground next to it, before finally doing it. Her palm slapping the bricks, she winced when she went right through them all.

"That's Konan," Din said dryly. "Power but not enough control."

That elicited a growl from the woman. "Set them up again! I'm not going to stop until I can do it!"

"Oh come on," Din said, shaking her head. "Konan, nothing bad against you, but you are trying to break a world record on weight lifting; that requires you to put out a maximum force constantly."

"She can do it, I know she can," Naruto said with a smile. "There is little she can't do if she wants." Setting several up without the glass, he said, "Try with these, Konan. Go slow, figure out how they break and which ways. Then we'll try with glass."

Din had been listening to this and suddenly said, "You know Konan, with the tournament just a week away, maybe you should stop to be ready for it. What if you hurt your hands?"

"…With what she normally trains with, I'm sure bricks will be no problem. But the choice is yours, Konan."

She looked between the two of them and sighed. "I guess I'm overdoing it again, aren't I? Nya, I'll finish here and rest up." Starting at the first and moving on, she tried different speeds and strengths to break them. When she finished the ones set up, she took the ones still useable and began setting them up.

Hearing Din suddenly speak up, Konan looked to her. "Hey, Naruto?"

"Yes?" They both looked at her in time for Din to suddenly grab his face and kiss him. When she pulled back, Naruto just stood there eyes wide. "…And that was for?"

"Letting you know how much I care for you." In Konan's hand, the brick she held was crushed.

—oo000oo—

"Father, grandfather!" Deis ran up and hugged two men that looked well aged. The first was a man with long gray hair with just traces of blue here and there. He had wrinkles just about everywhere and had trouble walking. His name was Ryu Bateson and three thousand years ago, he saved the world from Deathevn.

"Oh," he groaned as he was hugged. "Careful now, I don't know how much more of those I can take." When Deis let them go, he leaned back, popping his spine. "Ow, I can't keep making these trips."

"Grandfather, if you would just move to Uzu, I'm sure everyone would be honored to have you here and we can help you."

"Now now, leave the old man be," the red haired man next to him said with a smile. His name was Matrim Chaun Bateson. He was also a member of the dragon clan but unlike his father, he had wings and a tail. His eyes were gold like a woren's and he had fur atop his tail and spine instead of spikes. He was almost as old as his father, his mother being Katt Chaun, Ryu's teammate and deceased wife. Because he was only a quarter human unlike his father, he had aged better but not by much. "Now, who said you could see me without a kiss young lady." He shifted a staff he held from one hand to another, the top and bottom of it decorated with a cat's paw.

Deis laughed before hugging her father and kissing his cheek. "It's so good to see you both. I've missed you very much."

"And we you," Ryu told her. "Now, where is that wonderful great granddaughter of mine, Kushina." He looked around but didn't see her. But he did see the most hurtful expression on Deis' face and didn't need an explanation. Living for three thousand years, you got to see many you love die. "I'm so sorry dear." He hugged her again, resting a hand on the back of her head.

"I…wasn't even there," she said. "I couldn't protect her." She closed her eyes and wiped the tears away. "But there are others I want you to meet." Leading them to a waiting area, Deis showed Ryu and Matrim her family. "You two already know Rei, this is Carol, my…current eldest and Yuki, my youngest daughter. Carol, Yuki, say hello to your grandfather and great grandfather."

"They're beautiful," Matrim said, kneeling down and hugging them. "Hello girls, it's very nice to see you. And you Carol, a gold dragon. I can see why your mother looks so proud."

"Hello father," Rei said to him. "There's one more you two need to meet."

"Oh," Ryu asked.

"Yes. Naruto, grab Din and Konan and come over here!"

"Sure, Tou-san." Waving over his friends, he walked to them and bowed his head to the two old men. "Ojii-samas, it is a pleasure to meet you."

"Rei, he looks just like you. Your son," Matrim asked.

"Strictly speaking, grandson," Rei told him. "Naruto, these are Ryu Bateson and Matrim Bateson. Your great grandfather and great, great grandfather."

Naruto blinked at hearing that before looking to them. "I'm happy to meet you. Ryu Bateson? It's an honor, truly."

Ryu nodded but was looking to Konan instead. "…Katt?"

"Uh, no sir," Konan said, moving her hair out from her eyes. "My name is Konan. You are talking about Katt Chaun, right? You're ally that helped kill Deathevn."

"Y-Yes. While on our adventure, we met these shamans that could transform my friends. Katt changed to look like a hero of her people…uh… Shalula the Panther!"

"I'm told I look just like her by Bleu."

"Heh, she still around here?" Ryu looked around in time to get pulled into a kiss by said snake woman. "Ah ha, here she is."

"Ryu, still as handsome as ever."

"Bleu," Ryu shook his head. "You haven't changed at all. You know, one of these days you're going to have to get old like the rest of us."

"Ha, that's what you think," she challenged. "I plan to live forever."

"Not me, I've lived long enough as is. I'm ready to see my wife again."

Bleu let out a rueful sigh. "Even three thousand years later, huh handsome?"

Naruto looked to his friends and said, "This is so weird."

"It is," Din agreed. "Gentlemen, what brings you back to Uzu no Kuni?"

"This does," Matrim said, tapping his staff to the ground. "This is Kuk d'Tigar'zimut, the Staff of Dominance. My mother used this staff in the battle against Deathevn and while it was already powerful from constantly being bathed in the blood and aura of demons, that battle turned it into something truly incredible."

"What," Konan asked eagerly.

"Well, among other things, it is tapped directly into the Weave."

"…Blood and bloody ashes," Din said in shock and amazement. "The Weave, the source of all mana and magic, created by the goddess Deis, the Master Magician herself, that Weave?"

"The very same," he told her. "You see, long ago, some centuries after I was born, the world was in a very bad way. War threatened to destroy everyone and everything. There was too much power in the world, you could say. So, my father and Bleu figured out that the best way to stop it from getting bad was to bring all the fighters together in a single event and let them fight it out. True, there were still soldiers and armies, but it was the individuals that set the strength for those. The tournament was to crown a single one more powerful than all the others. At least that was the hope. But no one was willing to agree to join. Gold, magic, nothing was a great enough interest to bring them together. So, I suggested one thing. A wish, a single wish, to be made then and there upon victory. Why not, after all with magic we could accomplish just about anything a person could ask for. So we spread the word of the prize and now people came. Not just warriors either but priest and mages as well."

"You're forgetting something, Matrim," Bleu reminded. "We didn't plan to use that staff, we didn't even think about it. We planned to use our abilities to grant the desire. Except when the winner stood before all else, he said, 'I wish that the life that had been stolen from my family was returned.' We had forgotten something important. We were ready for heroes and tyrants, coming there for greed or a greater sense of good. But a man, a farmer and the best staff wielder of his age, asked for something that could not be granted as we planned. We couldn't go back our word so Matrim grabbed the staff and we made it happen."

"Power to do that though…" Din started saying.

"Yes, it is rare and immense," Matrim told her. "The ability the staff has to grant a single wish can only happen once every twenty five years."

"The last tournament," Naruto said in realization.

"Correct, grandson," Ryu said with a smile. "The last tournament was twenty five years ago and the winner was one of those…ninja."

"What did he want?"

"The knowledge to bring about the peace his ancestor sought."

Naruto blinked a moment when something suddenly occurred to him. "This is something that has been going on for thousands of years, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Seven hundred years ago was the first record appearance of the Juubi. Before that, it weren't here."

Ryu frowned. "It is not always a good man that wins, and we cannot stop them from making their wish. You are correct, seven hundred years ago someone sought a creature so powerful that it would let him take over the world. Thus the Juubi was born. But like all stories, a good man rose up against this evil. He wished for the means to pacify the Juubi. He became known as the Rikudo Sennin. The battle for good and evil has been fought in this tournament. Yet you would be surprise how often the champions of these two groups wish for something significantly less world changing."

"Why keep doing it," Konan asked. "Why risk giving a single wish that could bend reality to anyone?"

"Because nothing has changed," Deis told them. "When the Juubi was created, the thought that average fighters could one day possess the means to defeat it was laughable."

"Now there are no less than possibly ten that could in the world," Bleu picked up. "Seven hundred years ago the Rac could never be defeated by a mage but just three years ago that same creature was killed by a sixteen year old girl. The strength of the world keeps increasing, the threat of war can still destroy it." She sighed. "Two thousand years before the first steam engine, an inventor created a toy. You filled it with water, put it over a fire, and the stream would turn a wheel, creating a whistle as it spun. The steam engine two thousand years prior to the one made that changed the shape of the world without magic. What was the difference between the two times?"

"…We're still evolving," Din muttered.

"Right. The shape of humans and even us hasn't changed much in fifty thousand years but our minds are constantly evolving. As the limits of our minds expand, so too does the limits of the body. To the first man that walked upright, fire was a thing of the gods and couldn't be controlled. To the first hunter using a club, the bow was the most powerful thing on earth. And to the first person that sought understanding, the epiphany changed everything."

"Knowledge has always been the greatest weapon of sentients," Deis told the three. "Now, enough, you three must return to the waiting area."

"Wait, wait, there are two tournaments, one wish," Naruto questioned.

"Two wishes, one wish will be limited in its strength is all," Deis answered. "Now go, all of you."

"Yes, kaa-san," Naruto said, followed by, "Yes, Aunt Deis," from the two young women. "Gentlemen, it has been an honor," they all said with a bow of their heads before running off.

—oo000oo—

Four men from Konoha walked through the area set up around the arena looking for a certain woman. These men, Yamanaka Inoichi, Sarutobi Asuma, Akamichi Choji, and Nara Shikamaru, were looking for her because they were close but also because they were hoping to gather some information she might have. "Mendokusē, couldn't she have let us know where she was waiting for us," Shikamaru moaned. "In the stalls around the south side of the area is not small."

"I doubt she expected it to get this big," Choji replied. The stalls, which from what they had heard was only supposed to be a hundred feet deep but was now almost a quarter kilameter in all directions around the stadium. As more people arrived, their own shop owners traveled with them and opened stalls with the prefered meals and games of their cultures. Even as they talked about where to find the woman, they passed a stall that was ran by what looked like a bipedal rat, of similar porpotions as a human, talking to another that was in full plate and carried a spear.

"These manillo are charging outragous prices for the simplest of things," the spear holder said with a shake of her head, talking about the race of fish people that excel at trade. "One actually had the audacity to try and sell me armor and weapon polish for five gold pieces. Five!"

"They are as shrewd and disgusting as any lawyer," the shop tender agreed. She shook her head before peering around the spearman. "Hello, gentlemen, interested in trying some of the foods, wines, and even fine tabac."

"...I could get a gift for my father," Asuma said while taking a drag from his own cigerette. "Guys, hold up a minute."

"Do we really have time for gift shopping," Inoichi asked. "I would like to find my daughter sometime today."

"Just give me a minute." Asuma walked over and said, "What kind do you have, ma'am?"

"We have some fielded in the Two Rivers area of our home, viewed by many as the best in the world and...my god, what is that smell!?" Both the female shopkeeper and the spearman took a step back while the woman in armor waved a hand before her nose. The shopkeeper glanced around before focusing on the cigarette. Snatching it from Asuma's mouth, she took a smell of it and scowled before putting it out on the counter. "This is what you smoke, have you no pride in yourself? No, no, this will never do!" Asuma could only blink as the mousy woman moved like a hurricane in her stall, reaching for things, putting some back after shaking her head, and finally picking some back up.

"...Like a hamster on coffee," Asuma muttered, watching her. "And what was wrong with my cigarette, that's my favorite brand."

The spearman tapped her snout and said, "You don't have these noses. That thing is vile and we could still smell the pesticides used in growing the plant."

"Done!" The shopkeep set down a few pipes and bags of tabac. "First off, we need to get you a proper pipe and..."

"I prefer cigarettes," Asuma tried to say but she continued.

"And then we'll see about the tabac and flavor. First off straight pipe or curved? After all, aestetics is important, they can make a fine tabac even finer."

"I said..."

"Straight, of course, that is the prominent style in this area," she interrupted. Picking up a straight pipe of medium length, she put a small pack of tabac in the end while saying, this is just a free sample. Remember when lighting the tabac, never use that god awful lighter you have in your vest pocket and wait about three seconds after lighting a match. Gets rid of the sulfur taste in the flames." She struck the head of a match, catching the flame, and after waiting, lit the tabac. "Try this," she said, almost shoving the pipe in his mouth.

"...Hamster on coffee. Fine, fine, I'll try it. Can't be that much better." Taking the offered pipe, he put the end in his mouth and breathed it in.

The girl behind the counter began to smile and said, "Well?"

"..." Asuma took the pipe out his mouth, holding the smoke in a moment longer, and finally let it out. "Alright, I'll admit there is something to what you're saying. But I better take a second taste to be sure."

"Of course, of course," she said. "That is what I was telling about earlier, Two Rivers Tabac. They have spent generations getting to know their plants and how to take perfect care of them. You gentelmen, won't you come and try as well?"

"We don't smoke," Shikamaru told her.

"Yeah, my wife would kill me if I started," Inoichi informed them.

"Ah, a wife with a heavy hand," the shopkeeper said before moving in back. "I know just the thing for you." She moved to the back and came back with a small box. "How about some insurance for the next time you get her angry with you. I can tell you now, flowers every time she is upset eventually loses effectiveness."

Inoichi smirked as he thought of his flower shop. "You have no idea. I own the flower shop."

"Then you definitely need these!" She opened the box and lifted out a set of three combs carved from mother of pearl and inlaid with amber on the back of all three. "These are completely unique, one of a kind. If she is still upset with you after giving these to her, you might as well just move your stuff to the den."

"...I might be interested in that," Inoichi admitted before heading over. "These are gorgeous."

"Thank you. How about you sir," she said, looking at Choji, again with a smile.

"No thanks, I don't have a girlfriend, I don't smoke, don't drink, there is no one that I could be in trouble with."

"Of course, of course," she said, still smiling. "Then while we wait for these two to finish, mayhaps you would like to try a meal from my home village of Cleyra? We use a fine array of spices and meats to make any mouth water."

"I really shouldn't," Choji tried to deny.

"And we also make some very good sweats. Salt water taffy, caramel, and rock candy. Not that the finest foods must be made, ice plums and tundra berries are some of the sweatest, juiciest fruit you will ever taste." Choji couldn't keep himself away any longer, he headed over. Before she could turn her gaze and smile on Shikamaru, he was walking away.

"Don't even try it," he called to her. Finding a chair, he said down in it and said, "She's good at what she does."

"Got that right," a man not to far from him said. "I've been here for fifteen minutes and you're one of the first to be able to escape her gaze."

Shikamaru took the guy in, he had blue eyes, blond hair, and was wearing a suit. "And you are?"

"I'm Nobody."

"And do you have something to sell?"

"I always have something to sell, what that is depends on who I'm talking to though. Hmm. You're not someone for my usual wears though," Nobody stated.

"...Have you seen a blond haired woman around my age that is nothing but trouble?"

"Information you want huh? I got that too. As for the girl, you'll have to be more specific. And information isn't free."

"...What kind do you have?"

"Oh, this and that. I listen. For example, that girl that wrangled your friends so easily, her name is Anju Crescent. The spearwoman over there, shaking her head and laughing, she is her sister, Freya Crescent. You could guess that as she is wearing her armor and weapon, she is here for the tournement and you would be guessing right." He cleared his throat and leaned back. "Anything else you might want to hear, the whos and hows, is going to cost you something."

"...If it is money you want..." Shikamaru trailed off as Nobody shook his head.

"Nothing so transparent. You go over to Anju and ask her for a bottle of 'Scotch', and share some with me, and I'll tell you all you want to hear. Including where your missing chickadee is."

"Mendokusē," Shikamaru gave his customary complaint as he got up and went back over to the lion's den.

"So, that's three bags of Two River's Tabac, and the pipe, for you sir, and you wanted the combs, did you want the matching ear rings," Anju said before turning around to take a plate from one of her assistants. "Thanks Claire. Here you go sir, a meal my family has made for a very long time, borscht soup in a bread soup bowl with tundra berrie fruit pies. Pipe and tabac, three gold pieces, seven silver. Combs are... Oh, and the earrings, that'll be four gold and two silver, and a silver and three copper for the meal."

"This is the currency we use, will this do," Asuma asked, setting down several coins.

"Hello," Anju said, taking a gander at them all.

"Our monetary system is called ryo. These small coins are Ichibubans are worth a quarter of a ryo or these medium ones called Kobans. They are made from silver or gold. Kobans are all made from gold. And the large one, an Ōban, is worth ten Koban."

Anju blinked and picked up two Ryo. Rolling one along her fingers to check the balance it had, she said, "Evenly casted." She hit the two together, getting a excuisite ring from them. "Good purity too."

"You can tell the purity by the sounds it makes?"

"With these ears, how could I not?" Her final test was to bite it but not to make sure it was real. She actually tasted the metal. "Hmm. Good, good. these will do fine. So, original price for these were three gold, seven silver, so I'll go with three ryo and two of these gold ichibubans."

"Ah but gold is worth more than silver, so shouldn't it be one ichibuban?"

She smiled and said, "Three ryo, one gold ichibuban, and two silver ichibuban, and not a coin less."

"Deal." She put his items in a paper bag and handed them over after taking his gold.

"You sir, four ryo and two silver ichibuban."

"Here you go."

"And finally the meal, a silver ichibuban and...hmm, what would be..."

Choji set an ichibuban on the counter and three copper coins with holes in the center. "These are called Mon."

"...You have very pretty coins in this part of the world. Thank you. Hello again, sir."

"Hello Anju," Shikamaru said to her. "Do you have 'Scotch'?"

Anju blinked as did her sister and said, "Yes, but that is hardly a wine like what is drank here. Are you sure you wouldn't rather try a chardonnay?"

"Scotch, please."

"Very well." She reached down and picked up three short, fat bottle. "The first was aged for eight years before being bottled. The second has been aged for twelve, and the last one I have never found a buyer for. This bottle of scotch is almost ninety years old, having been aged for twenty."

"Long time."

"Very. Makes it very expensive too."

"...I'll go with the twelve, how much?"

"Fifteen ryo for the whole bottle and two glasses."

Shikamaru set it down and picked up the bottle and glasses she set down. "Over here, please." Going over and sitting down, Shikamaru set down the bottle and cups. "Alright Nobody, here is the Scotch. Now about that information."

Nobody was silent a moment as he reached for the bottle, popped the cork, and took a smell. "Nice. Indeed, the information. I believe I should either start with that chickadee or the favorites in the tournament."

"Yamanaka Ino," Shikamaru told him.

"Ah, her. You'll find the berserker fifty five meters north, seventeen meters east from here. She should be shouting and having a good time."

"You guys go ahead, I'll learn what else I can," Shikamaru told them. "Why don't you tell me about the people fighting."

"There's a lot to go over. Inoichi, yes, you should know your daughter has changed some since coming to this island. Not exactly a little princess now."

"She is still my daughter, she will always be that," Inoichi told him. "Thank you for telling me where she is."

"No problem. Now, Shikamaru," Nobody smirked while Shikamaru narrowed his eyes at him knowing his name. "Since you already met one combatant, we shall start with her. Freya Crescent is what is called a Dragoon. Master spearmen, dragoons first started a long time ago as dragon-kin slayers."

"Dragon-kin?"

"Yes, you know the dragon clan here in Uzu no Kuni is a kind of dragon-kin. Another kind is wyverns, walks on two legs much like a hawk, shaped like one too. No forelimbs, webbed wings, long neck, long tail, and stinger on the end. Makes good mounts if you can train one. More animal like than other dragon-kin. Incredibly smart for an animal but an animal none the less. There's also wyrms, you might recognize them as those long serpentine dragons in the artwork around the Elemental Continent. Regardless, the Dragoons. The heavy armor is made to resist dragon attacks and breath weapons while training has given them an amazing ability to jump high into the air while wearing that armor. This was needed as dragons attack literally on the fly so they had to go up to them." Pouring a little Scotch into the glasses, he picked his up and took a sip. "Very good. She is of a race sometimes called Were-rats, inappropriately as they do not shift forms but they make no attempt to correct anyone. They live in two cultures, one studies art and science. The other does too, just that concerning weapons."

"By resisting breath weapons, you mean like fire."

"To begin with, yes. But a dragon's breath weapon changes with their color. You are already familiar with the breath weapon of a mercury dragon, are you not?"

"I am."

"There you go. The armor of a Dragoon must be able to take a hit from these and survive. Fire, light, sound, corrosion, rust, that one always surprises me, lightning, rot, even weakness. If the gods truly made something in the image of themselves, then I say that the gods are Dragons."

"Yes, dragons are impressive and anyone or thing that can kill one is equally impressive. Who else is there?"

"There is Triel of Suldanessellar."

"Who?"

"Take a look over there, see the woman with black skin, white hair, and pointed ears, she's watching the guy there with white skin, blond hair, also with pointed ears." He pointed to a woman much like he discribed with peircing red eyes with a blow tattoo on her forehead and red slashes under her eyes. She wore a silver tunic until a breastplate decorated with a crescent moon on her right and a triangle on the left.

"I see them."

"The woman is Triel, she is a follower of the Fierce Diety and as such has dedicated her life to the perfection of her skills with any weapon she could ever find. Her race is Dokkalfar."

"The other is Lin, he is Ljosalfar and a master at the sword and shield fighting form. But what he excels at, much like Triel, is multiple weapon fighting. Bow, boomerang, hammer, so forth." Lin kept an eye on Triel as he checked over his sword. He wore a golden breastplate over a scalemale tunic with golden boots and guantlets.

"Seems they don't trust each other."

"They are cautious," Nobody replied. "In ages past the Dokkalfar and the Ljosalfar were the same, just Alfar, then a civil war broke their great culture assunder. For a thousand years after being driven underground by the Ljosalfar, the Dokkalfar tried to kill them. Eventually the attacks stopped, leading to both eventually thinking the other was dead. They were wrong, of course. Neither are eager to continue yet they don't trust the other enough to lower their guard. No doubt the two of them are wondering if one might use this wish for the destruction of the other."

"What do you think?"

"I think that Triel is here to fight that one person with the strength and skill to possible defeat her. Him, I don't know. He doesn't really talk to anyone."

"Anyone else of note?"

"Plenty. There is a favorite of Uzu no Kuni, Uzumaki Naruto. I heard that he's good and a Spellblade. Then there's also this one guy from Suldanessellar called Alucard. You can't miss this guy, dresses like a western noble, keeps a saber at his waist, and his has this bearing and face that will make anyone, including you, saying he is beautiful."

"What is he?"

"Not human, that's for sure, no matter how much he looks like one. If you believe some of the rumors, he is the son of the devil himself sworn to defeat his father, to A, take over hell itself, or B, rid the world of evil. I don't believe that. There is also the rumor that he is a half human child of a demon or monster. That holds some possiblilty of being truth. But again, anyone that might no feels no need to talk about it. And it ask is just rude."

"I see. Continue."

—oo000oo—

"Ein zwei drei vier! Lift your steins and drink your beer!" Several voices shouted that accompanied by pounding and cheering. "Ein zwei drei vier! Lift your steins and drink your beer!" There was the sound of something shattering and even more cheering.

"What's going on over there," Inoichi asked, seeing an area with several long tables and poeple huddled around the smallest one.

"Ein zwei drei vier! Lift your steins and drink your beer," they chanted again as two people grabbed their steins and started drinking them as fast as possible. The first finished, slammed the empty mug down hard enough to break it, reached across the table, grab the challenger, and slammed their heads together, knocking the challenger out of his chair and to the ground. The victor got up on the table, grabbed another beer and raised it in toast. "For honor!"

"HONOR!"

"For Glory!"

"GLORY!"

"Katarl!"

"KATARL!"

"Katarl!"

"KATARL!"

"And let all those that face the might of the Katarl berserker lodge know they face death itself!"

That set them all off in more cheers and beer raising. And a new chant came up. "Yamanaka! Yamanaka!"

"What on earth," Asuma said before the speaker headed for the table edge and the berserkers parted to let her down. Standing at a towering two meters tall, with blond hair hanging down to her waist and tied into a braid, wearing a purple tunic and a black metal breastplate with a skull of a snow leopard on her right shoulder with black metal greaves and guantlets.

Stepping down, she laughed at what one of them said before before grabbing another beer. She was going to drink it when she noticed several men looking at her. Leaning left and right around others to make sure she saw who she thought she did, a smile split her face as she called out, "Daddy!" Discarding the beer, pushing people out of her way, and jumping over a table, she almost lunged at her father to pull him into a hug. "I can barely believe it's really you, daddy!"

"Ino, is that really you," Inoichi asked almost in disbelief. He had expected his little girl to be at least a bit who she was but the woman before her was not his little princess anymore. Warrior princess maybe.

"It's so good to see you!" She pulled back to arms length to look at him more and then noticed something. "Daddy, when did you get so small?" She glanced down and then back up. "Weren't you bigger than this?"

"No I wasn't honey." Inoichi looked at her and just felt shocked. "Well, no matter how big you get, you will always be my little princess."

That made her smile and hug him again. "Thank you daddy."

"Ino a little princess," one of the berserkers called. "That'll be the day!"

"Could you imagine her wearing a dress like some mage!? BWUHAHAHA!"

"Dress!? I can't even imagine her without britches on!"

"...Pardon me daddy, I need to do something." Ino turned around, grabbed a bench and held it like a club. "RRAAAGGGGHHHH!" She charged and slammed into them knocking them into a keg, breaking it, and throwing them all into the now muddy street, kicking and a gouging in the mud, the blood, and the beer.

When she was finished, she threw some away and gave a kick to the rears of others to get them moving. "Go away, leave my father alone!" Trying to clean herself off as best she could, she headed back over and grabbed a clean rag from one of the still whole tables. Cleaning her face off, she kissed her father and said, "Missed you daddy."

"And I you, Ino."

"He's not the only one," Choji said, smiling at her.

"Choji! Asuma-sensei! She hugged both of them close before looking around and beginning to scowl. "Where the hell is Shikamaru!? If he said it was too troublesome to visit me, I swear I'll go back to Konoha, borrow his mother's skillet, and what trouble really is!" The look in her eyes said she was already planning everything she was going to do to him.

"Don't be too hard on him," Asuma placated. "We couldn't find you so we had to split up for a bit. He has to share a bottle of something called Scotch with someone in exchange for telling us where to find you."

And with that her anger was gone. "Of course he is, he knows what I would have done if he stayed behind. Oh, its so good to see all of you! I can't wait until I can go home and see mother again!" Grabbing all three and hugging them at once. "I have to show what its like here! There's also a party celebrating the beginning of the tournement and there is..."

"Ino, we'll get to that," Asuma interrupted. "But first, we need the information you've been gathering and the ceremony for the start of the tournement."

"I know," she sighed. "I finally meet you all after so long and I don't have any time. Here, this is my journal, everything that I have seen I kept in it. Most of it is about the lodge itself but some of it is about the rest of the island."

"What about the Bijuu? Has there been any sign of them," Inoichi asked.

"No father, if they are even here, they are invisible."

"They might not be," Asuma asked.

"Correct. The mages are quite adept as summoning and returning extraplanar creatures like demons and angelic beings like devas. I wouldn't be surprised if one of them returned the bijuu from wence they came just to spite the ninja villages."

"...That's good news, in a way," Choji stated. "That means they don't want to use them personally."

"It could also mean they feel they current strength is equal or superior than that of a jinchuuriki," Asuma pointed out.

"...I thought we already knew that," he replied. "What with Deis, Dorogan, and Talon, did we honestly ever think otherwise?"

"No," Inoichi and Asuma said a bit softly.

"Demons are unpredictable, there is no complete and sure way to control them," Ino stated. "I believe they would rather remove them than use them personally."

"And the Guardian beast are just as dangerous and unpredictable," Inoichi muttered.

"That is why they use demons sparingly and banish them quickly once done," Ino explained. "Devas, as long as the task is aligned to the light, is far less likely to kill you, should you not insult their honor and pride. Elementals even more so, I would say that if not for their bodies being made from the elements, they are like you and me."

"...One last question Ino, then we should hurry to the arena. Would being a berserker be something that would aid Konoha by spreading the teaching?"

"...I do not believe so. The rage itself is hard to control and that's when taught by a master. I am not. Plush it is a very straight forward life, meant only for facing others in battle and defeating them. Berserkers have no use for sneaking, espionage, and theft. Were we instead the samurai of Tetsu no kuni, then yes but then, the samurai would not want it for it is a means of losing control and restraint. Good to have, sparingly, but the village would suffer having a lodge outside a war."

"Hmm. Ino, who were those celebrating with you?"

"Them? They were the younglings like myself. We have all completed our trials and are being welcomed into the lodge as full warriors."

"Oh...Let's go collect Shikamaru then and get to the tournement."

"No need, this is just the welcome ceremony. Show the arena and present all of us and all that followed by a ball and then tomorrow is when the fighting starts." She led the way to the arena. "I meet him, and hurt him, tonight," she said with a smirk as she entered the door to the arena, eager to start.

—oo000oo—

Author's notes: This one was long in coming and long in writing. In all truth I didn't want to stop here without some fighting in it but if I didn't, it would just keep going. The reson for the delay is because my computer decided to be difficult and needed the OS reinstalled. In doing so, I lost my microsoft word program and haven't gotten it back. I lost some enthusiasm for writing after that so I want to thank Kage88 for getting me to get my butt back in gear and working again.