"Finally, the Inuzuka trackers and their prey!" Konohamaru grinned, looking at the Inuzuka and then at the beautiful girl in front of him. She wasn't much older than him. He stood up straight and gave his best smirk. "Welcome to Konohagakure miss, I'm Konohamaru Sarutobi, sixth Hokage."
At this Kiba felt anger well up in his chest again. That brat was trying to flirt. But before he could say or do anything about it two loud thumps were heard followed by the Hokage lumping in his chair, his eyes large and his hands over his head. "OOOW!" He wailed, half heartedly. Moegi and Yuka both looked at each other, fists raised; a grin plastered to both their faces.
"Very nice," Moegi said, a smirk plastered on her face. She had grown. What she said as a gennin about being the sexiest kunoichi in Konoha, she meant it now. She was taller, her hair softer, supple around her rounded face and round hips. She looked delicious as well. Sneaky brat Kiba thought. That's what he's always smiling about.
"Thank you," Yuka said, extending her hand in friendship. Moegi looked at it and grinned.
"I'm Moegi, the sexiest Kunoichi in Konoha. Don't forget it," she smirked before extending her index and middle finger to her. Yuka looked at it and Moegi jerked her hand, motioning her to do the same. She did and then she linked fingers with her, nodding. "Good, now were rivals and friends."
Yuka looked at their hands curiously. Moegi let go and smiled, looking over at Konohamaru. He was watching them with a grin on his face, standing and extending his arms. "Alright ladies; alright. Enough pheromones around here, Kiba will go nuts," Konohamaru said, smirking at Kiba. Kiba just growled, looking out the window. "Now, please, don't do that again. Moegi," he said a little louder. She skirted right to his side, her eyes on him.
"Yes Hokage-sama," she said softly. Konohamaru grinned and looked over at the girl. "See that she is outfitted with the gear and things she needs for a kunoichi. Also, I want you to fill out that questionnaire with her."
"It's more of an exam Hokage-sama," she said, looking at the girl. "We have to check her height, her chakra reserves, her health, weight, mind competency, and skill. It's going to take longer than a few minutes."
"Well, I know that!" he said looking at her with a light hearted grin. "But rather you than me right? I mean, she already likes you."
"Excuse me Hokage-Sama," Yuka interrupted, bringing both their attentions to her. "But if I am going to be a part of this village, I want to know that I am not stronger than its current leader. No other opponent will do, Hokage-Sama."
At this Kiba couldn't help but stare over at her. Challenging a Hokage directly, in front of witnesses was ballsy, but to mean it was even more so. At this Konohamaru sighed. "This is no way to make friendships and bonds Yuka-chan," he said, moving to sit in his chair. She shook her head defiantly, watching him sit.
"No, Hokage-sama-," she began but he held up a hand.
"Please, call me Konohamaru, of if you want Konohamaru-san," he said, shaking his head.
"Fine, Konohamaru," she said, her anger rising. "I will not desist in this matter. I want to fight you one on one."
"Please, sit, relax, vent… we are all friends are we not?"
"No, we are not. You can tell a person's heart from the blows you exchange in friendly combat. It marks you as equals until proven otherwise," she said, glaring over at him.
The room was silent. Those words hadn't been spoken to them in some time. To hear them replay like that was emotional to say the least. Moegi had covered her mouth and her eyes were wide, as if she'd seen a ghost. Tsume-san and Kiba-kun shuffled uneasily, their eyes downcast in sadness. Konohamaru's reaction was what shocked her the most. He was smiling, a huge grin on his face as if the whole world shined anew for him. He had watery eyes and a cheeky boyish charm.
"Yuka-chan," he breathed, breaking the silence. "Those words have long been forgotten and I believe it is time we bring back that spirit. Yes! I will spar and we shall see who the better is. What say you take on another rival along with Moegi! Only it will be I truly battling."
"Hokage-sama!" Tsume stepped in, stopping their moment of delight. "This is not a game. She has openly challenged you. You cannot just go spar like it is nothing."
"I am not, I assure you. If she wants me to show her why I am Hokage, then I am happy to oblige!" Konohamaru laughed. "Come, Tsume! Call Kakashi, Neji and Hiashi Hyuuga, Shikamaru and Shikaku Nara, and Kurenai Yuhi! We shall have them analyze and decide on the girl's fate. Kiba, you are also part of this group. As part of my council you have the right."
At this Kiba froze. "Wait, Hokage-sama, what do you mean to decide her fate?"
"You will decide what rank she will be given, what division she'd be best suited for, and most of all since you've spent the most time with her you can provide an accurate analysis to convey to the others. Now move! We don't have time. Moegi, take her to get ready, we give you an hour. Tsume, Kiba, meet with the others at the stadium. Tell no one else. This is no joke indeed."
"Hokage-sama," Yuka said, grabbing the pack off her back and handing it to him. "To build trust and ensure a fair fight." She opened it and inside was a dozen scrolls. Some old, some hand written in her ledger. "These are the scrolls I managed to gather from my mother's collection as a child and some other seals I've created. Hopefully this alone will prove I am worthy to be a Kunoichi of Konoha."
Konohamaru just grinned and nodded. "Indeed," he agreed, nodding for Moegi to take her. After they disappeared and Tsume had run to get the others, Kiba glared at Konohamaru.
"What is this about?" Kiba asked. Konohamaru was opening the scrolls now, looking at them with intense interest. "Hey, did you hear me brat?"
Konohamaru looked up at him now, a playful yet dangerous look in his eyes. "Kiba, please, I'm your Hokage now. And as for your question, I don't know what you mean."
"You know what I mean!" he yelled, making Moegi close the door quickly. He didn't even know they were there. It didn't matter. "Why are you doing this to her? You can't possibly make a fool of her out there and then expect to gain her friendship."
"Ah, Kiba-san," he said, standing and crossing to him. "There, right there is your problem. I remember that reckless, carefree, happy Kiba that used to run around with his dog Akumaru terrorizing all the old ladies with cats. What happened? Are you still torn up over the past?"
"How can I not be!" he growled, stepping away from the Hokage. "It fucked us all up. I feel the loss of all my friends. Ino lost her best friend in Sakura, we ALL lost Naruto, and Hinata, poor Hinata…" Kiba groaned. "You've forgotten how she will feel once she finds out who Yuka is. Who she is to Hinata's son, little Jiraiya. She's dealt with this his whole life but now you want to bring in someone who is almost the spitting image of Naruto minus the looks and dick!"
Konohamaru just looked at him dumbstruck. Then he sighed again, grabbing Kiba by the arm and looking at him. "Listen here, Inuzuka, if you've thought that I forgot for one second that my mentor, my brother, Naruto sacrificed his life for peace, your wrong. I'm reminded of it every day when I carry these goggles," he said, grabbing them in his hand. "When I put on my kage garments, when I protect our people, when I make decisions about their lives, and when I make friends. I have never forgotten."
Kiba couldn't help but feel guilty about bringing it up. Konohamaru was devastated. Naruto really was his brother. It was like everyone was Naruto's family really. But he was gone and that pain in everyone's heart was enough to cripple. Ask Hinata, she barely recovered. Kiba sighed, grabbing the ninjas arm, shaking him. "Alright, I know… we've all been affected."
"No, you don't know… unlike everyone else around here you don't seem to truly grasp what Naruto was saying. Bonds," Konohamaru, nearly punching Kiba's chest, his fist over his heart. "That is what truly builds understanding and peace. He worked for it, idolized it. We can only learn from that. Peace can be possible. It's slow and it may take the strength of one man to make us all realize it but at least it isn't too late."
These words cut Kiba hard. Bonds, bonds were supposed to get him through this turmoil, to ease the burning that had cut into him deeply, like a knife? Just then Kiba felt Konohamaru's fist leave his chest only to press his headband to Kibas, grinning cheekily.
"If Naruto-kun was here he'd do this and then he'd say something like Kiba, get your ass in gear. That was an order from your Hokage." Konohamaru then grinned wider and stepped back, grabbing the scroll again and looking through it. Kiba couldn't help but grin as he left the room for the stadium. "And Kiba!" Konohamaru yelled after him. "Don't underestimate her! She's strong!"
Kiba just snickered, leaving the room. Way to go Naruto-kun. You've managed to clone yourself and make it Hokage.
"Kiba!" Yelled Kurenai from the railing, appearing from the stairway. The stadium was empty except for Kiba and the group following Kurenai. Everyone was there. Kurenai, Shikamaru, Shikaku, Neji, Hiashi, Kakashi, and to his utter disbelief, Hinata.
"H-hinata-chan!" Kiba said, looking at her. "Ma, Konohamaru said no one else. Why is Hinata here?"
"Tch, hell if I know," she said, looking out over the stadium.
"Kiba-kun, I've been watching you since you got back. I know what happened. I saw her, I just needed to confirm it for myself. I want to know what kind of woman she is before I let anyone tell her anything about my son." Hinata had a fierce look in her eyes; the one thing that had strengthened her was motherhood.
"So tell us Kiba," Shikaku said after they had all found their seats. "Who is Yuka, what's she like, and more importantly, why has she challenged the Hokage?"
Kiba sighed, running his hands through his hair. "The simplest and fastest answer I could give is that she is Naruto-kun in female form. Clumsy, sort of flighty, never gives up, determined, powerful, and proud. Yeah, that about sums it up… besides the fact that she has a vag-."
"Kiba!" Neji warned, glaring over at him. Those eyes never sat right with him.
"Ugh, anyway, she is a mystery to me when it comes to her jutsu. I've seen her use two the entire time. Almost three but by the time I had broken it up it was done."
"Broken what up?" Hiashi asked, looking down at him. Cold as ever.
"She ran into Shino in the woods outside the village, he thought she was an enemy, she engaged, they fought and she kept pace. She's definitely a genin at the very least."
"And her powers?" Shikamaru asked, looking him over.
"Well, besides some small fire Justus I've seen a seal on both her hands. She's obviously good with them and controlling her chakra. She can communicate to Akumaru through her chakra. She didn't explain it but said she can read the minds and heal with one seal by focusing her chakra, and with the other seal she just said she could destroy. That's all."
Everyone was silent for a moment and then for the first time Kakashi spoke. "Sounds like she's going to be an interesting match for our young Hokage."
At that moment Konohamaru appeared a grin on his face. "Ah! Council, how good to see you. Ready for the show?"
"Hokage-sama…" Shikaku began but Konohamaru waved his hand.
"No , no Shikaku-sama. I won't be swayed. Believe me, Kiba already tried that. I'm going to fight this girl and that's going to be our bond, our friendship!"
"But Konohamaru!" Kurenai said, standing up and touching the boys shoulder. "You're a Hokage and from what we've learned she will be a serious opponent. Don't let your guard down."
"I don't intend to Kurenai-chan," Konohamaru said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "Besides, I'm your Hokage! Have some faith."
"Faith is not what you need, Hokage-sama," Hiashi said, looking at him. "You need to keep the peace and stay alive at the same time. Keep that in mind."
"I will, thank you Hiashi-sama," Konohamaru said, moving away from them. "Now, I believe my opponent approaches. Am I right?"
Three byakugan activated and a certain dog nin whiffed the air, nodding his affirmation. "Yup, not even five hundred yards. Better get down there Hokage-sama."
With that Konohamaru was gone, standing at the base of the stadium. Kiba sighed, leaning over the edge now, watching the spectacle. He saw Moegi enter the stadium walking up to Konohamaru. She said something in his ear and then he just chuckled. Then Yuka entered and everyone stood silent. It was something that none of them were prepared for, least of all Hinata. Yuka had picked out an outfit worthy of Naruto himself.
It was a pair of tight black leggings, orange stripes going up the sides covered by a short loose orange skirt hanging about her hips. Around it was a ninja belt and pack. Her top was, in the men's eyes, alluring. She had on a black mesh shirt with a simple orange wrap covering from her breasts to her abs. It sort of looked like a corset of orange but there was no design; just an orange cloth covering her as much as she was comfortable with. What was even more interesting is she chose no shoes, yet again. Her hair was pulled back on her head, tight with loose tendrils around her brow and on her head was a hidden leaf head band.
"Wow," Kurenai finally said, breaking the awkward silence. Kiba looked over to see Hinata's eyes alight with amazement. He could see her lip trembling a bit but her eyes were free of tears.
"Let's see how this turns out," Kakashi said, putting his book down.
Kiba watched in amazement at the spectacle before him. Blow for blow, clone after clone, Rasengan vs. Yuka. It was amazing. Whatever seals and jutsu's she was using kept Konohamaru's attacks at bay, providing quite a challenge for the Hokage. The whole time the members in the stands were commenting on her attacks and moves.
"She's got great foundation, flexible, taijutsu is pretty tight," Kurenai said, looking her over from a distance.
"What is that justsu, Hiashi, Neji?" asked Shikaku, looking at the byakugan users. They were actively following the fight.
"We don't know. She is concentrating her chakra in large but short bursts into the seal. The seal is somehow igniting a burst of greater chakra, spreading it like an invisible layer of gas. The closer she comes to her target, the deadlier her strikes."
"It is almost as if she is using the Hyuuga technique," Neji commented. "But she isn't attacking chakra points. She is attacking weak spots throughout the body, wearing them down."
"Yes, it also seems as if she is getting into his head somehow with her chakra, playing with his mind. His chakra is not completely stable," Hinata added, watching them intently.
"It's not genjustu," Kurenai commented. "How is she finding these weak spots?"
"I don't know, I knew her seal could do something of that nature, that I was sure of the second I saw it," Kiba said, his eyes never leaving her. She was quick, accurate, and what was worse is that as time went on, her stamina never faltered. "Amazing amount of stamina."
"I agree, but I think I may have some sort of an answer to her jutsu," Shikamaru said, looking over at them. "It was a pain but what I've gathered is that those seals on her hands focus chakra to intense amounts, concentrating it until she gets it in contact with you. Once she does it starts to gnaw away at the body parts that seem to be most neglected or injured. Am I right Hiashi-sama?"
Hiashi nodded. "Yes, every organ is something that was either already weak or was on the verge. She is slowly breaking him down. But how is she pinpointing them? The chakra automatically goes to the weakest area?"
"Yes, so far as I've surmised. However her dodging is also quite good, too good to hide from my eyes the way she hesitates in her thinking, as if dodging was something she didn't want to do. It's driving me insane really."
"There is more?" Neji asked, looking at Shikamaru. He nodded.
"Well," he began. "This whole time she hasn't once gone in for the kill, not once has she tried to end it. At first I couldn't figure out why but that comment about her chakra was what tipped me off. She's slowly building chakra for a final move; with her other hand."
"So it would seem," Kakashi agreed, watching them with his Sharingan. "But there is something you're all missing. Her movements are intentional. I can see it in the way she's moving, copying her every move. They are intentional and she is using it to her advantage by both confusing Konohamaru and getting him to let his guard down. She is toying with him right now."
"Smart," Shikamaru said, watching the girl. "Wherever she learned her nin skills I have to give credit where credit is due. She has the wit of a Nara but the beastly ferocity of an Inuzuka."
Kiba glared at Shikamaru, a knowing smirk on his friends face. Kiba turned back to the match to see Konohamaru flat on his back, Yuka falling toward him with brute force. Then she did a quick set of hand signs, so fast only Kakashi caught them.
"Wow, she's really fast," Kakashi said, watching the woman intently. She was about to land her blow.
With her hand glowing a bright green she balled it up into a fist, aiming straight for the Hokage's chest. There was absolutely no way he'd get out of that. Kiba was about ready to rush down there when all of a sudden:
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" There was a loud rumble and pop before a loud grumble was heard.
"Ugh, brat! What did you summon me here for! It's too small," the large orange and purple toad groaned. He was right. His whole body filled the bottom of the stadium. "Konohamaru!"
"Whoa, whoa, toad chief… settle down Gamakichi. I need your help, you see this little girl down here," he said, pointing down at Yuka's tensed body standing at the base of the toad's giant leg. "She thinks I'm not worthy of the Hokage title."
"Well you're not! But that's not my business," he grunted angrily, grumbling under his breath about that blonde haired brat and protégé.
"Whaa!? C'mon chief! You said you'd help me out so help. Grind her into your dust!"
At this Yuka took her chance, in a flash she had focused her chakra to her feet and bolted up to Konohamaru. She ran up the toad's leg, over his arm which made him jump slightly before landing a hard blow in Konohamaru's side.
He fell down but not before Gamakichi could catch him in his great hands. "Kid! Hey, how did that feel? Good huh, cause you just got punched out by a girl."
Yuka had had enough. Girl or not, she was going to show them her worth. Kiba's words still echoed in her mind. He thought she'd be made a fool of, he thought she was weak and this she wasn't going to allow. This would be the most chakra she'd ever tried to exude at one time and she was ready to let it fly. She jumped down to the base of the toad, his great belly above her. "Be ready toad," she murmured before concentrating all of her chakra to her arm, quickly performing her hand signs before placing her hand flat on the toad's stomach, sending a seal across it before blowing him nearly fifty feet in the air.
This, however, had caused her arm to rupture, chakra pushing out of it from her skin, making burn holes and burn marks on her arm. She screamed out before jumping sideways, the large toad falling hard toward her. In a flash she felt a breeze and then two arms around her, carrying her wherever they may. She didn't see because her arm was in pain so bad she could barely stand the sensation, the burning making her whole arm shake and tears come to her eyes.
"FUCK! OH MY FUCKING GOD! FUCK, SHIT THAT HURTS. DAMN IT!" She screamed. Everyone's ears in the place turned red except for one pair. Tsume just grinned at the string of curses and her son who had not only fallen for the girl but had saved her from death itself.