Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or The Last Airbender.
Bodyguard of Azula
Chapter 54: Grousing and Tensions
"Talking"
"Thinking"
"Bijū/spirit talking"
"Bijū/spirit thinking"
(Location: Team Paragon)
They sat at a long table, the sounds of a bar during happy hour swirled around them. Drinks sat in the front of them, but they only occasionally drank. They were too busy waiting for the team from Kiri to join them. They were to do a joint mission together that would benefit both villages.
For the past month or so, the team had been working hard at trying to figure out if what they thought of the Akatsuki was true. Jiraiya's spy network was doing the same thing and was working overtime on it, but it hadn't turned up much. At most, they were tracking down aliases and rendering them useless by finding the original person and getting everything they gave the Akatsuki. There had been a few times when they had the identity of a possible spy or informant, but every time they arrived, the person was either dead or gone. It was getting a little frustrating if they were being honest with themselves.
In the time they weren't on the missions, they were spending time in Konoha. Asuma was a part of the group that was supposed to infiltrate Yukigakure, so he had left within a day of Teams Kakashi and Paragon's return from the capital. Aside from that, the other teams were glad to spend time with Team Paragon. Sokka and Akela were able to learn a great deal from Kiba and Akamaru about fighting as a team. Suki and Tenten, along with Lee and Chōji, got in a good deal of sparring time, which helped the Kyoshi Warrior figure out how to fight against shinobi. Both Azula and Sokka were able to put their wits up against Shikamaru and Sasuke, which helped sharpen them. Both Shino and June had been testing each other by trying to see who could find who the fastest, June with Nyla or Shino with his Kikaichū (so far, the score was tied).
But while they were interacting with the shinobi, Naruto was doing his best not to. He was more than happy to do stuff with his own team but when it came to the Konoha Eleven, he did his best to stay away. He would occasionally get involved, like helping Sokka against Shikamaru or Kiba, or even spar with one of them, but he tried to keep it to minimum. Azula and the others had often tried to bring him in on what they were doing. It worked with some success, but he staunchly refused to be anywhere near Team Kakashi. "If it doesn't have to do with a mission, I won't be near them," he told them repeatedly.
While he did not interact with the Konoha Eleven, he did spend time with a few people in the village, mainly Iruka, Teuchi and Ayame, and surprisingly, Team Ebisu. That last one happened when he had accidentally walked past them sparring in one of the training grounds.
(Flashback)
He watched in silence as Konohamaru fell to the ground, Udon standing over him. "He should've seen that one coming," the Kyūbi commented.
"No kidding," Naruto agreed. "You know, Konohamaru, that sweep was obvious," he said aloud, surprising the three Genin as well as getting their attention. "You left your right open when Udon threw that kunai at you. You must look underneath the underneath, remember?" They didn't say anything in reply; they just stared at him in silence. "Well? Are you going to say something or are you just going to stare at me?"
"…What are you doing here, Naruto?" Konohamaru asked him, finally speaking. He was nervous. Since the last time they had met, the person standing in front of them warned them to stay away from him.
"Observing."
"How…how long have you been in the village?" Moegi asked him.
"Only a couple of days, we came back from the capital."
"We heard about that. You were there when the new Daimyo was crowned," Udon told him. Although it sounded like a question, it wasn't one. He already knew the answer. "She gave you the title of Shinobi Kikan."
"Yeah, she did, although acting formally in front of nobility is something I'm not used to." He noticed the looks on their faces, ones of doubt and uncertainty. "What?"
"Is it even right to call you that when you're not one anymore?" Konohamaru asked him, his tone almost accusatory.
"There's no such thing as an ex-shinobi," he replied, making the Sarutobi heir stiffen slightly. His grandfather, the Sandaime Hokage, had said those exact same words when he came out of the retirement after the Yondaime Hokage had died. "Just because I no longer have the title, doesn't mean I no longer have the training. And it's the training that makes it count."
"We remember," Udon said gloomily, remembering the day on the bridge. "You proved that to us effortlessly."
He looked at them over again. When he had seen them in Kouzan, they had hoped that he would come back with no problems, and everything would be back to the way it was. Now, they looked at him with suspect, doubt, and fear. It was like they didn't know what to think of him anymore. They didn't know if he was an enemy, a stranger, or even an ally. A small part of him felt hurt by that.
"I had to do it, though," He thought. "If I hadn't, they would've come after me and I would've been forced to kill them. I couldn't afford that."
"That was then, kit," the Kyūbi told him, having listened in on what he was thinking. "This is now."
"So, I've noticed." But the fox's words did give him an idea. "You guys want some tips?" he asked Konohamaru and his two teammates.
"Wha-what?" asked a surprised Moegi. Both Konohamaru and Udon were caught off guard by the question as well.
"You heard me; do you three want some tips on how to fight better?"
"You…you mean it?" Konohamaru asked.
"Does it sound like I was kidding? The three of you need all the help you can get." He tried to be completely serious when he said it, but he couldn't help sounding slightly humorous.
They heard the humor in his voice and relaxed a little. "We're glad you can help us, boss," Udon told him, only to cover his mouth after realizing he had unconsciously called Naruto "boss." Konohamaru and Moegi looked nervous as well, it sounded like they were still hoping that he would come back.
"Alright, get back to sparring," he told them, acting like he hadn't heard Udon's slip. The three smiled and raced back onto the field.
(End Flashback)
Azula, Sokka, Tenten, and Shino soon found him watching them spar against one another, giving them tips on how to last longer or fight better. Although he probably would have never admitted it, Azula saw a ghost of smile on his face as he watched the three Genin. She could tell he was a little happier.
But even though they were making friends (or in the case of Naruto, keeping minimum contact), the threat of the Akatsuki and their lack of a serious success hung over their heads and refused to leave them alone. They kept going but until Tsunade had called them into her office a few days earlier, it had looked like they weren't going to have any luck.
(Flashback)
"A few hours ago, we received a message from the Mizukage," Tsunade told them as they stood in front of her desk. "Apparently, Kiri has managed to locate the town where the Underground Auction is taking place."
"What's the Underground Auction?" Azula asked.
"It's an illegal event that's been happening since the Second Shinobi World War," Jiraiya explained, standing next to Tsunade. "Organized crime has a yearly event where they auction off some of the valuable things they've obtained. One section is the items they 'procure' from shinobi." He used finger-quotes to emphasize "procure," they all knew what he meant when he said that.
"What kind of items?" Naruto asked. He knew fully well that a shinobi item had the potential to be dangerous and if it was in the hands of a capable person, that potential was realized. A very good example was Zabuza Momochi with the Kubikiribōchō. That was downright terrifying to people who knew what that meant (to those who didn't, they either soon learned, or were dead).
"Most of it is just your typical run-of-the-mill stuff that turns out to be completely false, a kunai that can effortlessly cut through the steel without the use of chakra, a scroll that has the power to seal a Bijū. That's the stuff that used to get rid of the small fry. The big fishes will go after the items that come out later because those are the dangerous ones."
"Why haven't you guys done anything about this auction? It seems the ideal place to recover lost items and get an upper hand over your enemies," Sokka pointed out, having realized the potential of that scenario.
"The organizers of this thing have always been both smart and secretive. They keep moving the location, which they don't reveal until a few weeks beforehand, and the catalog isn't released at all," the Toad Sage explained. "You're only given a copy once you've arrived at the location. Usually, the only time I've been told about the Underground Auction's location was when it was already done, so it would be too late to send shinobi in to stop it."
"Sounds like a lot of paranoid people," June commented. "But what does this have to do with us?"
"The last time the Underground Auction was held, one of my informants got lucky and was able to attend. While he was there, he saw someone in the crowd wearing an Akatsuki cloak. I checked his description of the man, and I can confirm it was the member known as Kakuzu." The team paid more attention after hearing that little tidbit of information. "He did a little snooping and found out that Kakuzu has been attending the Underground Auction for the past twenty years. He's never bought anything but after each auction, a few of the auctioneers go missing."
"Did they have high bounties on their heads?" Suki asked. She, as well as the others, had read up on all available information about the Akatsuki. They knew that Kakuzu had a sense of greed that wasn't to the point of obsessiveness but went straight past it. As such, he would go after people, whether they were civilians, or shinobi, who had a big enough price on their heads. According to the information that the shinobi took from Orochimaru, Kakuzu often referred to himself as the Treasurer of the Akatsuki.
"Every single one of them," he confirmed. "But that gives us an opportunity."
"We go to this Underground Auction; we can possibly find Kakuzu. We find him and we can take him out, thereby leaving the Akatsuki with one less member and also possibly ruining their financial needs in the process," Azula summarized.
"That's correct," Tsunade agreed. "Team Paragon, your mission will be to rendezvous with the team Kiri is sending and infiltrate the Underground Auction. You are to then kill any Akatsuki members you find at the time you deem appropriate. Are there any questions?"
"I have one," a voice from behind them said as the door to the office opened. An old man walked in with the use of a walking stick. He wore a black robe that covered his right arm and left his other arm free to hold the walking stick. Underneath the robe was a white long-sleeved shirt. There was an x-shaped scar on his chin and underneath his black shaggy hair were bandages that covered his forehead and the right side of his face.
"I didn't summon you, Danzō," Tsunade told the man curtly.
"Forgive me, Princess Tsunade," He apologized, not sounding apologetic at all. When he had first spoken, only Azula had noticed that Naruto stiffened a little and a small look of panic and fear had briefly flickered in his eyes. It disappeared as soon as it arrived, and he wore a neutral expression on his face. "I must ask why you do not trust such a mission to a Konoha team."
"I'm going, Danzō," Jiraiya told him, folding his arms across his chest. "Besides, Naruto and his team have agreed to help us with the Akatsuki. In that regard, they can be considered a Konoha team."
"They are not shinobi of Konoha. They are simply mercenaries you and Princess Tsunade hired," he retorted. Most of the members of Team Paragon felt insulted when he called them mercenaries. "This mission is one of highest priority. Therefore, a team of qualified shinobi should be the ones taking it."
"Would that team be from Root?" the Toad Sage asked. "You'll have to forgive me if I don't find that reassuring."
"I don't care at all, Jiraiya. This mission should have Konoha shinobi on it."
"And they will be," Tsunade told him. At that moment, there was a knock on the door. "Enter!" she ordered.
The door opened and Anko walked in, right behind her was Jūgo and Karin, wearing Konoha headbands. "Yo! How's everybody doing?" she greeted casually, wearing a big grin on her face.
"The crazy snake lady is coming with us?" Naruto asked the mandatory rhetorical question.
"Yes, I am," she declared. "And these two knuckleheads are coming with!" She gestured to Jūgo and Karin.
"Anko-sensei, please stop calling me a knucklehead," Jūgo asked her, embarrassed.
"I keep telling ya, Jūgo. I'll stop calling you one when you stop being one," she replied with a smile. "Unlike Karin, she's a permanent knucklehead." She pointed her thumb at the person in question.
"Anko-sensei!" protested Karin.
"Hey, it's the truth and we both know it."
"…Hm, I see," Danzō said, bringing the attention in the room back to him. "I have no further objections. I wish the Konoha team good luck on their mission, and I hope they will remain skeptical of what outside parties say." He turned around, ignoring the looks Team Paragon (minus Naruto, who tried to make sure he didn't even make eye contact) were shooting at him, and walked out of the office.
"Looks like he hasn't lost his sunny disposition," Jiraiya commented sarcastically. "Kami, I detest that man."
"You and me both, Jiraiya," Tsunade told him, breathing out a sigh.
"Okay, just who in the name of the Spirits was that guy?!" Sokka demanded, his tone of voice sounding both furious and questioning.
"His name is Danzō Shimura. A long time ago, both he and Sarutobi-sensei were candidates for the title of Hokage," Jiraiya explained. "I don't think he's ever gotten over that loss."
"I'm guessing he's dangerous?" Azula asked.
"Imagine a Long Feng who's a lot more subtle and a lot harder to double-cross," Naruto told her. Realization dawned on those who had been in Ba Sing Se. Long Feng had been a somewhat dangerous enemy (they used somewhat because of how Naruto had easily pulled the rug out from under him after slowly usurping his power without him or them knowing) but the way they heard it, Danzō would've made him look like a rookie. However, a small part of their minds was also wondering how Naruto knew who Danzō was and how he acted.
"So, if we piss him off, we're in trouble," June stated.
"That would be putting it mildly," Tsunade replied. Most of the people who did that were enemies of Konoha, and they weren't around long after.
"Hey, gaki," Anko said to Naruto, uncharacteristically serious.
"Yes, crazy snake lady?" he asked, facing her.
"I've got two things I want to do to you." She surged forward and buried her fist in his stomach. "That was for killing Orochimaru," she told him as he fell to the ground. She then grabbed his collar, pulled him up, and gave him a kiss full on the lips. They could tell that he wasn't a willing participant, due to the amount of struggling he was doing. "And that was for killing Orochimaru," she told him after pulling away.
He stumbled a little before regaining his balance. "You kiss Iruka-sensei like that?" he asked a little dazed. His question made Azula turn and glare at the Jōnin.
"Nope, kissing Iruka usually involves a lot more tongue and us clawing each other's back," she replied with a grin.
The dizziness went out when the window when he got that image in his head. "Oh, I don't need to hear that!" he protested, covering his ears. Hearing about his old teacher's sex life was something that he tried to avoid.
"You're the one who asked."
"What was with that punch and kiss?" June asked, finding Anko to be a little interesting.
"The punch was for him taking away my chance to kill Orochimaru myself," she explained. "The kiss was for him killing Orochimaru. I was so happy when that happened, I ran Iruka ragged the entire night."
"Argh, what did I just say?!" Naruto demanded, trying to get the image out of his head. It was proving difficult to do so.
"Anko-sensei, please stop torturing him," Jūgo told her.
"Are you kidding?" Anko demanded. "This is a golden opportunity! I can make the amazing Shinobi Kikan cringe and suffer like a little girl!" She had been waiting for a chance to do this even before he got that name.
"Sensei, could we please just focus on the mission?" Karin all but begged her.
She pouted at them. "You guys are no fun."
"That's why I assigned you to them, Anko," Tsunade spoke, getting her attention. "Now will you pay attention or are we going to have to hide Iruka from you again?"
"No! You don't need do that!" she almost shouted. The last time that happened, Iruka had been hidden from her for a week. By the end of that same week, she was like a kid who had lost her puppy and was practically groveling at Tsunade's feet for Iruka's return (although, according to Iruka, when she found had finally been told where he was, they had managed to redefine the term "wild monkey sex").
"Good. Do you all understand what you're supposed to do?"
"Yeah, we do," Naruto answered her, regaining his calm (even though his dignity took a dip). "But I've got a question. What's Kiri's stake in all this?"
"Don't know. You'll have to ask them yourself," she told him. "You're all dismissed."
(End Flashback)
"I gotta tell ya, there is nothing as cheerful as a bar at happy hour," Anko declared as she watched the people around them. "That is, of course, there's a bar fight."
"Are you planning on starting one, Anko?" Naruto asked her as he took a drag from his cigarette. He decided to be professional while on a mission and call her by name instead of the "crazy snake lady" (the fact that she would start recounting the sex life she and Iruka have might've been an incentive for him to do that).
"We're focusing on the mission, Naruto, you can be sure of that," Jūgo assured him. He was still weary of the Paragon, but he was also thankful for what he did. "Anko-sensei won't start any fights."
"Yeah, she ends them," Karin added, taking a drink from the cup in front of her. Their sensei had led them into several fights, but they always came out victorious in them.
"Hey, Lord Jiraiya, are we sure that the team from Kiri is supposed to meet us here?" Anko asked him.
"Fairly certain, considering I sent a messenger bird ahead of us," he told her. "They should be arriving soon." He looked around the place and sprouted a lecherous grin when he noticed a woman sitting alone at a table. "Well, hello there."
"Keep it in your pants, F.S.-sensei," Sokka warned him. "We're on a job here and neither Naruto nor I want to go hunting for you in the morning." They had done that plenty of times with Zuko during the month they spent in Ba Sing Se dealing with the creation of the fifth country. They had honestly lost count of the number of times they had to run away from angry boyfriends (even though Jiraiya kept saying the woman was completely willing and didn't object).
"I am well aware of that fact, Sokka." He scowled at the Tribesman. "Despite what you may think, I know when to rein it in."
"Could've fooled us," both he and Naruto said in unison.
"There was a reason I used to call you Ero-Sennin," Naruto told the Toad Sage as he took a drag.
"Do you want to go a round of training with me later tonight?" he threatened the blonde.
"No thanks, you're having fun with June. I'd hate to interrupt the process." June glared at him when he said that. It was still a painful memory for her. Jiraiya had decided to have the entire team train together, starting off by sparring against him. June had cockily declared that she could beat him easily. Within ten minutes, she had been easily beaten and Jiraiya hadn't even been trying. After that sparring session, he decided to be harder on her than the others. That decision led to her to start calling him a Fucking Sadist as well (when they heard that, both Naruto and Sokka said "Welcome to the club").
"In any case, one of us should probably go outside and keep an eye out for the Kiri team," Suki suggested.
"We don't need to do that. Hell, we don't even need to move," Anko told her before looking over at Karin. "Do your thing, Karin."
"I'm going, Anko-sensei. I'm going," Karin replied, closing her eyes and concentrating on her chakra.
"What exactly is she doing?" Azula asked Anko.
"Karin has the ability to sense someone's chakra at a distance that exceeds six miles. She can also tell if someone is lying or under a Genjutsu. If she just focuses on one particular chakra, she can even tell their exact location and movements with a good amount of detail," She explained.
"Impressive," Naruto commented.
"What do you expect? She is your—"
She was interrupted when Karin groaned loudly, getting everyone's attention. "Why did they have to send him? Why?" she moaned, placing her head on the table, and cradling it with her hands. "Do you hate me, Kami? Is that why you're torturing me like this?"
"Uh…Karin, what's wrong?" Jūgo asked her.
"The Kiri team is here."
"Oh, that's good news, right?"
"No, it's not. It's really not," she all but sobbed.
"Hey, it's not like I'm going to enjoy this either woman. So shut up," Suigetsu's voice told her as he and two others stopped in front of the table. He looked the same as they had last seen him with the only exception being he now wore a Kiri headband instead of a Kusa one. Behind him were Chōjūrō and someone they didn't know, even though his appearance was a little startling. For all intents and purposes, he looked like a younger Kisame Hoshigaki. There were a few differences. His hair was flat, and he lacked the gill-like facial markings.
"What did you say, idiot?!" Karin demanded, her personality doing a complete U-turn.
"Karin, calm down," Jūgo told her. She didn't really want to, but she also knew that this wasn't the place to start one of their arguments.
"Suigetsu Hōzuki I presume?" Jiraiya asked.
"Yeah, that's me," he answered with a shrug.
"I see Chōjūrō is with you, but who is the third member of your team?" he asked, looking at said member.
"This is Raimu," He briefly introduced him. "This is his first mission as a Chūnin."
"He-hello," Chōjūrō greeted them nervously. Raimu didn't say anything. He just kept a stoic expression on his face.
"Before we get talking, let's go someplace a little quieter," Sokka suggested, quickly looking around the place. "I think we can all agree that we don't want anyone listening in on us." They understood where he was coming from. They had no idea if they were being watched right now or not. It was better to be safe than sorry when it came to the Akatsuki.
Those who were sitting at the table stood up and walked away, with Jiraiya leaving the money for the bill on the table and Naruto stubbing out his cigarette. They walked out of the bar, getting the attention of Akela and Nyla who stood up from where they laid on the ground and followed them. They made their way through the town's practically empty streets. They left the town and entered the surrounding forest. The sun was setting into the twilight as they found a suitable spot to camp.
They broke up and did their respective chores. Jiraiya, Naruto, Jūgo, and Anko collected the firewood while Suki, Chōjūrō, and Karin took the wood and got a fire going. Azula, Suigetsu, and Raimu set up the tents. Sokka, June, Akela, and Nyla were patrolling until everything was done. There were a few small arguments in the process which were mainly between those Konoha and Kiri and were about the little things (like how the tent should be set up or how the wood for the fire should be placed) but thankfully they didn't escalate into full blown fights.
They were soon done and seated around the fire. A pot hung over the fire with their dinner cooking in it. Silence reigned supreme as they waited for dinner to cook (no one wanted to talk shop without a full stomach). Finally, Sokka couldn't take it.
"Hey Naruto," He said, breaking the silence. "Why don't you read a part of that story you're working on to us?"
Naruto was surprised by that question. They knew he was working on the novel, but he honestly didn't expect any of them to ask him to read a piece of it. "Are you sure about that, Sokka?" he asked. "I'm still working on it. For all you know, it could be the most terrible thing you would ever hear."
He shrugged. "Sounds about right when it comes to you," he replied with a smirk, making the others chuckle.
"That's a point to him," Jiraiya noted. Nobody was sure who had the lead now in the point game; they were just doing for entertainment and lightening the mood. "But that doesn't sound like a bad idea, actually. If you read a part of what you've written, we can give you constructive criticism," he told Naruto.
"You guys sure about this?" he asked the rest of the group.
"Eh, why not?" asked June. The others (minus the Kiri team) nodded in agreement.
"Alright then." He pulled out the book and opened it up to the first page. "Please bear in mind that this is still a work in progress." He warned them before reading the first page.
The clouds in the sky above bulged with the threat of thunder and rain. Two cloaked strangers walked down an empty street. They were in the middle of a city but the threat of rain and the fact it was evening had emptied out the street ("That's a little unrealistic," Sokka noted. "There's always someone out on the street."). "Are we sure he's here?" the smaller of the two strangers asked. His voice was little high-pitched and would squeak if he was riled up enough.
"According to the information they gave us, he's been here for at least two months," the second answered with a voice that sounded melodious. It was the kind of voice that stopped men in their tracks. "He's been doing small jobs and spending most of his nights at a bar near his residence."
"That's the bar right there, isn't it?" he pointed to a building just down the street from them ("How convenient," June muttered. "Shut up, June. I told you that this was a work in progress," Naruto snapped at her).
"Yeah, that's the place." They made their way over to the bar and stepped inside. It wasn't very crowded, as it was a weekday and most of the bar's patrons were at home. A couple sat at tables and one sat at the bar. But they weren't interested in them. What had their attention was a man sitting alone in a corner booth who looked to be in his mid-thirties holding a cup and contemplating it ("Why would anyone be contemplating a cup?" Suigetsu asked. "It makes him look like he's deep in thought, idiot," Karin told him).
"Pardon me but are you Shiro Ryū?" the slightly smaller stranger asked him.
He looked up at them, making the light overhead shine down on his face. His cheeks were slightly shrunken and his nose was a little pointed. His hair was cropped short but was also a little messy, like he had rolled out of bed and decided not to take a shower. He was clean-shaven and his eyes were the color of hard steel. But what stood out was the color of his hair. Most people would mistake for being platinum blonde at first glance, but it was pure white ("Geez, are you describing a fashion model or something?" Anko asked. "That actually wasn't bad, gaki," Jiraiya complemented him).
When he saw who was standing in front of him, he scowled. "What's it to ya, shrimp?" he asked rudely.
The stranger bristled. "I'm not a shrimp!" He was a respectable height, but people kept annoying him by calling him any variations of short ("Do I sense a recurring theme here?" Sokka asked. "What you sense is the punch I'll hit you with if you keep talking," Naruto threatened. "Point for him," Azula noted).
"I call it like I see it," he said with a shrug.
He would've yelled at the guy had he not felt his partner's hand on his shoulder. "Calm down," the taller of the two ordered, her melodious voice taking a hard tone.
"Yes ma'am," he acknowledged, forcing himself to calm down.
"Good." She turned to face the man in the booth. "I apologize for his behavior, Mr. Ryū."
"What do you guys want?" he asked, ignoring her apology.
"We have business with you," she told him. "May we sit down?"
He took a drink from the cup. "Go ahead." They nodded their thanks and quickly sat down. "So, who the hell are you two?"
"You may call me Singer," the woman said as she lowered her hood. Luscious black hair framed a heart-shaped face. Her eyes were purple in color, and they almost looked like they glowed. Her lips were rosy and full, they looked like they had worn many playful smirks that got a man's blood pumping ("Again with the fashion model description," Anko complained. "Could you please use something else?") "This is Tusk," she introduced her partner as he lowered his hood. His face was plump, roundish, and looked to be about fifteen years younger than his partner and Shiro. He had a pug nose and it looked like he smiled a lot. He had shaggy brown hair, and his eyes were the same color ("Finally, a different kind of description," Anko said with a sigh of relief). "We're from the Agency."
When he heard the word "Agency," his scowl darkened. "Oh great, you guys," he said tensely. "Why do you people insist on coming after me? You're the reason I have to keep moving from place to place."
"That's not fair. The heads left you alone for eight months before they started sending out people for you," she protested lightly.
"How generous of them. Again, what do you guys want?"
There was a shadow of a smile on her lips before she settled with a professional look. "There's a situation in a nearby country and we require your help with it."
"No. Go away," He ordered.
"You haven't heard the rest of it!" Tusk objected, getting the attention of the other people in the bar.
"And I don't want to. You and your lot have been hounding me for the better part of two years with 'situations' that 'require my help.' This is your mess. You can clean it up without me. It doesn't concern me."
"Actually, this one does concern you," Singer told him ("Doesn't it always?" Suki asked. "Not always," Jiraiya disagreed).
He turned to look at her. "What?"
"The country in question, the Land of Wings, has been in political turmoil for the past five years. Recently, there is fighting in the streets of every city and town in the country and the death toll is mounting. It's getting to the point where an open rebellion will tear the country apart."
"And what does that have to do with me?" Shiro asked.
"You were the one who started the whole thing," Tusk said his tone almost accusatory.
He froze when heard that, the cup in his hand halfway to his lips. "I beg your pardon?" he said.
"Tusk, don't talk until I tell you too," Singer ordered her partner, who was about to speak again. He reluctantly closed his mouth, but still looked at Shiro with distaste in his eyes. "Sorry about that," she apologized to Shiro.
He wasn't interested in the apology. "What did he mean about it being my fault?"
She threw a brief glare at Tusk before sighing briefly. "You were active in the Land of Wings a few months before the turmoil began. Naturally, some people at the Agency believe it's your fault just because of that." Both looked at Tusk after she said that. It was clear that he was one of those people. "With what happened to you two years ago, you can slip into the country and see if you can quell the turmoil while also putting a leader on the throne that would be beneficial to all."
"You mean beneficial to you and the Agency," he accused. He had the feeling that that was one of the reasons they came to him for this instead of one of their own. "And how exactly would what happened two years ago be beneficial to me?"
"With the loss of your memories, you can pretend that you remember something vague about the Land of Wings. Therefore, you can use that as an excuse while you complete the mission."
"I see." Things fell silent as they just sat there. Both Tusk and Singer watched him as he fiddled with the cup in front of him. Some of the other people in the bar got up and left, saying that they needed to get home. Outside, the clouds opened up and dropped the rain they were holding in. There was the occasional boom of thunder, but no one really paid attention to it. As the rain pattered down on the ground, Shiro finally lifted the cup and took a drink. "No," he stated, lowering the cup.
"What?" Tusk asked, surprised at the answer they were given.
"I said no. I already told you; this is your mess. You can clean it up."
"Mr. Shiro, please reconsider!" he all but begged.
Shiro looked over at him and stared directly into his eyes. Tusk could only shrink into his seat when he saw that look. All intents and purposes, Shiro honestly looked like a dragon that was a step away from being really angry at him. It was enough to make any sane man very nervous (if not downright scared for his life). But while Tusk was trying to become one with the seat, Singer could only smile at the situation. "That's the Shiro Ryū I remember," she thought with fondness.
She couldn't let those thoughts run rampant, she had to remain professional. "The heads of the Agency realized that you might say, considering how many times you've refused us before. So, they gave us an additional order: we are to accept any price you give in order for you to take this offer," she told Shiro.
He turned his gaze over to her, surprised etched on his face. "Any price?" He repeated, unsure if she meant it. "You're sure about that?"
"Yes, I am," she answered confidently.
"Then consider yourself lucky. I'll take your damn offer and accept the mission."
"Excellent, what is your price?"
"I think you know my price," he replied with a scowl. "I woke up two years ago in a hotel room with only these to tell me who the hell I was." He showed them his arms so they could see the black triangles on each wrist. Although they didn't see it, both Singer and Tusk knew there was a third triangle in between his shoulder blades. "I didn't know what they meant until a prisoner who was about to be killed asked to see me and told me what they meant. I have no idea what happened to me during my life because the last thing I remember before waking up that day was entering the Academy, when I was nine," He looked her straight in the eye. "You want my help? This is my price: your damn Agency took my memories. I want them back."
Naruto closed the book and looked around the campfire. The others looked at him in silence. "…Well? What do you think?" he asked hesitantly.
"That was…interesting," Jūgo admitted. "I would certainly get the book to see if the rest of it is just as good."
"It still needs a little work," Jiraiya stated. "But you're not rushing it. You're taking your time and making sure that nothing is wrong. That's the best thing you can do with the story right." Everyone agreed with what Jūgo and Jiraiya had said, only the Kiri team kept silent.
"I'm glad everyone seems to like it," Naruto said with a small smile. He had been working on the novel and its characters ever since he, Azula, and Zuko had come back from Ba Sing Se. He was trying something he hadn't done before, so he was little nervous about how people would receive it. While he wouldn't have committed suicide if they had said it bad or anything else along those lines, he still would've been hurt.
"Are we done with this crap?" Raimu asked, finally speaking. "We have more important things to worry about some damn book."
"If that's how you feel, you should've said something before he opened the book," Azula told him, bending a small fireball in her hands, ready to attack. Naruto noticed the fireball and shook his head slightly at her. She glared at him slightly, but she extinguished the fireball all the same. She knew that the teams from Konoha and the team from Kiri had to work together, not fight with one another.
"Knock it off, Raimu," Suigetsu ordered, getting a glare from him.
"Hey look, the food's done!" Sokka cried aloud, getting their attention. "Let's eat!" He poured himself a serving and began eating with gusto. The others joined in and as they ate, they were mentally thanking him. He had managed to head off a potential fight by distracting them with the reminder that they hadn't eaten.
The silence in the camp was only broken by the sounds of eating. The food was hot and good, that was the only thing it needed to be at that point. Once they were all full, the bowls in their hands were set aside and they got down to business.
"So where is the Underground Auction being held?" Jiraiya asked, getting straight to the point. It was that simple fact was the only preventing the Konoha teams from going there themselves.
"According to our sources, it's being held in a city called Masu," Suigetsu told them. "It's on the coast of the Land of Rivers and it is practically right next to the Land of Fire."
"I know that place, there's a restaurant there that makes some good dango," Anko commented.
"Sensei, you know a lot of places that make good dango," Karin told her, making it sound like they had this conversation before.
"Are you sure it's going to be in Masu?" Jiraiya asked. He knew from personal experience that it never hurt to double check information. He knew Masu was big enough to be able to hold the Underground Auction and the place was widely known for its trout, which anyone could use as an excuse to go there.
"Our sources are reliable, Lord Jiraiya," Chōjūrō assured him, trying not to sound unsure of himself. "They told us it was in Masu."
"Was there any word on the day of it?"
He shook his head. "Unfortunately, that was one thing they couldn't give us."
"That's okay. I'll have my contact do a check, just to be sure."
"Your…own contact?" Suigetsu repeated.
He nodded. "I have an informant in Masu. He can help us with this when we get there."
"How many informants do you have?" Jiraiya's spy network was legendary to any shinobi who didn't hail from Konoha. They didn't really know who the spies were, mostly because Jiraiya never really told anyone their identities.
"Why should he have to tell you, moron?" Karin demanded in return.
"Shut up, harpy! I wasn't talking to you!" he shouted at her.
"I could be wrong, but this sounds like the start of a beautiful marriage," Jūgo commented quietly, but with a smile. The arguing immediately stopped as everyone looked at him in surprise.
"Did…did Jūgo crack a joke?" Jiraiya asked. In the time he had known the kid, he always seemed to be the straight man.
"Yes. My little student made a joke," Anko answered with a big grin. She grabbed Jūgo and pulled him into a big hug. "I'm so proud! Jūgo made a funny!"
"Sensei, please let go of me," he told her, but she wouldn't listen. It finally took both Jiraiya and Naruto to pry her away from him.
"Sorry, Jūgo," She apologized as they sat back down. "But come on, when you first became my student, it was almost impossible to make you smile. Now here you are making jokes. I'm so happy, I could cry.
"Please don't, we still need to know one thing and a sobbing woman would really kill the mood," Azula stated drily.
"Um, what's that one thing you need to know?" Chōjūrō asked, a little nervous.
"What exactly does Kiri stand to gain in this mission? I hardly doubt you worry much over the Akatsuki taking Naruto, so there must be another reason."
The Kiri team shared a look. "I knew we forgot something in that message," Suigetsu commented with a snap of his fingers.
"We didn't forget. We left it out on purpose," Raimu growled.
"And now we're going to tell them," he replied, his tone brokering no objections. He turned back to face the other teams sitting around the fire. "When our sources told us the location of the Underground Auction, they also told us of a vague rumor. That rumor is the reason the Mizukage sent us on this mission."
"What's the rumor?" Sokka asked.
"That the remaining swords of the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen, Nuibari, Kabutowari, Shibuki, and Kiba, had been found, and that they would be at the auction. Our orders are to investigate that rumor and if it's true, do everything in our power to get them and bring them back to Kiri," Chōjūrō answered. The Konoha teams knew what those swords meant to Kiri. They also knew the implication of that village having all seven again. It would make them a force to be reckoned with again and could also make them a useful ally.
"This isn't just Raimu's first mission as a Chūnin," Suigetsu said, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "He's a candidate for the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen. If we succeed in this mission, he's one of us."
"Get your hand off of me, Hōzuki," Raimu snapped, grabbing the offending hand with his own and yanking it off. Suigetsu was offended but did nothing or said anything in return. Chōjūrō looked angry and was about to say something, but Suigetsu shook his head in the negative and motioned him to stay put.
"Alright, that's a good reason," Jiraiya admitted, standing up from where he sat. "I'll go write a message for Konoha, informing Tsunade of this."
"I'll help you write it," Anko stood up and followed him into one of the tents. That was the silent signal for everyone that the meeting was over. Both Sokka and June stood up and told the others that they were going back on patrol with Akela and Nyla. Suki joined them, leaving the rest at the fire.
"So," Suigetsu said to Jūgo and Karin, breaking through the awkward silence, "how have the two of you been?"
"We've been fine," Jūgo answered while Karin kept silent. "Anko-sensei has been helping me control my anger."
"How the hell does she do that?" he asked as he began drinking from his water bottle. He knew that there were very few (if any at all) people who could control Jūgo when he lost control. If you weren't one of those people, your best option would be to run.
"She has a snake whose bite causes paralysis. Whenever I lose control, she simply has it bite me and I become paralyzed. After that happens, she has me try and mentally force the rage down, making myself calm."
"He whistled. "Sounds like a handful."
"Anko-sensei believes in a hands-on approach," Karin told him before both she and Jūgo shuddered. Some (if not most) of Anko's teaching methods could only be described as torture. When they told her that, she would always tell them the same thing. "Would you rather train under Lord Jiraiya?" Having heard tales of how he trained his students, they declined the offer every time.
"What about you, Suigetsu?" Jūgo asked his former teammate. "I thought you were taken back to Kiri to be imprisoned."
"Well, I was," he admitted. "Then the weirdest thing happened about two months ago."
(Flashback)
He floated around in the capsule they put him in. It was completely air-tight, so he couldn't get out, and it was filled with water. They knew that he wouldn't drown, so they put a chemical in the water that made him feel sluggish and unable to think of a plan to get out. He had lost track of time in the capsule. In all honesty, he was content to just drift in the water.
A hissing sound began to fill the capsule. "Huh? What's that?" he asked himself. As the hissing continued and got louder, he slowly noticed that the water level in the capsule was going down. As it got lower, the chemical in the water drained out, letting him think clearly again. "What the hell is going here?" He tried to look through the glass, but it was a one-way mirror. While he could only see himself, the people on the outside could see him clearly.
When the water was finally all gone, the glass began to rise up all around him. When it was high enough, he stumbled forward and fell onto the ground with a wet smack, naked as the day he was born. "Ow! That hurt!" he groaned as he struggled to his knees. He saw three pairs of feet in front of him. Looking up, the Mizukage, Ao, and Chōjūrō stood over him. "Oh great, you guys."
"You will be respectful to Lady Mei," Ao ordered him.
"Why should I? I'm not a Kiri shinobi anymore."
"But you were once, and that is why I stand before you now, Suigetsu Hōzuki," Mei told him.
"What? You're going to make me a Kiri shinobi again?" he asked sarcastically.
"You abandoned your village and consorted with Orochimaru, a well-known criminal."
He scoffed. "You call it consorting. I call it being kidnapped and being experimented on." He was still embarrassed by the fact that Orochimaru had captured him easily. If his brother was alive, he would never let him live it down.
"You do not deny the charges?" she asked, looking like she was the example of a calm woman.
"What does it matter? You're going to kill me anyway. This is Kiri we're talking about here. It's either kill or be killed in this village."
"This is not the Bloody Mist you once knew, Suigetsu," Chōjūrō told him, trying to be friendly. "We're a new Kiri, a different one."
"Now why do I have a hard time believing you?" He asked rhetorically before shrugging his shoulders. "What does it matter in the end? I'm a criminal in Kiri's eyes, so I'll be executed to remind other shinobi the penalty of 'abandoning' your village." He placed heavy sarcasm on the word "abandoning."
"I am the Mizukage," Mei told him. "I will be the one who decides whether or not you will be executed."
He looked up at her and saw that she meant every word she said. The woman radiated both confidence and power. He could see why the people of the village had elected her as the leader after the civil war that had almost torn the Land of Water apart. But he was still skeptical of what she said. "So you are going to reenlist me as a Kiri shinobi," he said with an accusatory tone.
She shook her head. "No, I'm going to give you a choice." She turned to look at Chōjūrō, who nodded and handed her the Kubikiribōchō. She took and held up in the air, the blade pointing to the ceiling. "This is the Kubikiribōchō, one of the swords of the Seven Swordsmen. It has a bloody past but has always served the village until Zabuza Momochi took it away with him. When he died, it was left as a grave marker on his grave. You took it from there, but you did not serve Kiri with it. You served Orochimaru with it until your defeat in the Chunin Exam. The Konoha shinobi then gave it back to me."
"Does this monologue of yours have a point or are you just trying to bore me to death?" he asked, scratching the side of his face. He also remembered that very same event the Mizukage mentioned, especially the horrible stench that forced him to vomit on the arena. Her answer was to swing the sword down and slam it point first into the floor, half an inch away from his face. "Holy hell, she could've killed me!" he mentally screamed.
"I am giving you this choice, Suigetsu Hōzuki: you will either be executed by this sword, or you will take this sword, and the title of Kirigakure no Kijin (Demon of the Hidden Mist), and serve Kirigakure as one of the Seven Swordsmen," she spoke with a tone of absolute authority. "What do you choose?"
He stared at the blade for what seemed, in his mind, to be a long time. "What would you have me do if I took the sword?" he asked. "Protect the village? Is that all I would do?"
"No, it would not," she answered, making him look up in surprise. "One Swordsman cannot defend the village, and neither can two. Should you take the sword, your mission will be to find shinobi worthy to carry the swords and defend the village. It will also be your mission to find the rest of the seven swords and bring them back home, where they belong." She looked him straight in the eye. "Do you accept this mission, or will the Kubikiribōchō taste your blood?"
The entire room was silent as the two of them had a staring contest. Both Ao and Chōjūrō waited quietly for Suigetsu's answer. They got it when he looked away from the Mizukage's gaze and began to stand up on shaky knees. He stood up to his full height and grabbed hold of Kubikiribōchō's hilt. He pulled it out of the floor and held it in front of him with both hands, the tip pointing down. "I accept the mission, Lady Mizukage. You have a Swordsman and a Demon."
(End Flashback)
"And that's what happened," he finished. "I've been working with this guy ever since." He pointed at Chōjūrō with his thumb, which made the guy look embarrassed.
"Who would've thought an idiot like you would actually end up being of the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen?" Karin asked, both rhetorically and sarcastically. But she was impressed; she just didn't want to show it to him.
Unfortunately for her, he saw right through it. "I'll take that as a compliment," he said with a grin, showing all his teeth.
"To think the Mizukage gave a traitor one of the swords," Raimu muttered to himself while the others were talking. "It's enough to make any loyal shinobi sick."
His muttering was loud enough for everyone at the fire to hear him. "Did you say something, Raimu?" Chōjūrō asked.
"I said the fact that Lady Mei gave a fucking traitor the position of one of the Seven Swordsmen is enough to make me sick," He said in a louder voice, standing up. He pointed angrily at Suigetsu. "Just looking at him with the Kubikiribōchō strapped to his back makes me want to puke."
"I'm no traitor," Suigetsu replied calmly, although they could tell he was trying not to get angry.
"Who was the one who left the village for a criminal?"
"I told you already, I didn't leave! I was kidnapped!"
"Oh, of course you were," he replied with obvious and heavy sarcasm. "You were kidnapped and didn't try to come back to the village."
"If I had tried to escape, Orochimaru would've killed me. You know that."
"Ha! A likely story! So not only are you a traitor, you're a coward too!"
"You're out of line, Raimu!" Suigetsu shouted, standing up and raising a hand to Kubikiribōchō's hilt.
"And you don't belong in the village! You should've been executed!" He shouted in return, holding a kunai in his hand. "I'll kill you myself right now!"
It looked like they were about to fight one another when Chōjūrō stood up. "THAT'S ENOUGH!" he bellowed, getting in between them. They weren't sure if Jiraiya or the others heard him. But if they did, they pretended not to hear it. "Raimu Touken, put that kunai away and take a walk, you need to cool off. Suigetsu, get your hand away from that hilt. You both know how important this mission could be. What we don't need is either one of you getting into fights. If this happens again, I'm sending the both of you back to Kiri with the recommendation that Suigetsu be relieved of his position as a Swordsman and Raimu be stripped of his candidacy. Is that clear for both of you?" he asked the two of them. Even though it was a question, it was a question that demanded an answer.
"It's clear," Raimu growled, putting the kunai back in his pouch and stomped away into the forest. Chōjūrō turned his gaze onto Suigetsu. The shy, nervous kid had been replaced by a confident shinobi who expected nothing but the best from his teammates and didn't tolerate fighting between them.
"Yeah, it's clear," Suigetsu answered before grinning. "Man, you are definitely the Kirigakure no Hogosha (Guardian of the Hidden Mist)." That compliment was enough to send Chōjūrō away from the confident look he had and make him embarrassed for the praise.
"Hey, Suigetsu," Naruto said. Both he and Azula had kept their silence throughout the entire thing, respecting the fact that this was both friends getting back together and a dispute that required no outside intervention (something both Karin and Jūgo realized too). But now, there was something that needed to be asked. "I have a question about Raimu."
"What about him?" he asked as both he and Chōjūrō sat back down.
"Is Touken his actual clan name?"
"Yes, it is," Chōjūrō answered. "He got it from his father."
"Oh, I see. I'm only asking because…well—"
"You're asking the question because he's almost a spitting image of Kisame, right?" Suigetsu asked, cutting him off. He knew where this conversation was going.
"How did you know?" Azula asked curiously.
"It was obvious. And it was the same question I had when I first met him."
"Then…who exactly is he?" Naruto asked.
"Chōjūrō already told you when he answered your question about his clan name. But if you want me to spell it out, then fine. Raimu Touken is not the son of Kisame Hoshigaki." He took a long drink from his water bottle. "He's his nephew and he hates his uncle with a passion."
End
Author's note: Thank you for all the reviews you have sent me.
So I had them do little missions in between arcs. It gives the sense that this entire part of the story is not happening within a couple of days. I'm trying to make it seem like they're in the Elemental Countries for a couple of months. It's more realistic that way. Plus, it helps the idea that the Akatsuki is much bigger than originally thought.
I had Naruto give Team Ebisu tips on fighting for a reason. The idea is to have him slowly open back up again to the people he knows in the village (like Jiraiya, Iruka, Teuchi, and Ayame). Now before any of you start accusing me of being hypocritical (or something along those lines), I will remind you that it's only a few people right now. That might change later or it might not. You'll just have to wait and see.
If you want to why Naruto acted like in Danzō's presence, just wait. I'll explain it soon.
Now, I've read a lot of stories where even though Jiraiya is a self-proclaimed super pervert, not a single woman will go near him. Quite frankly, that's getting a little boring. Look, it's not illegal to let the guy get some. He is a super pervert. That title probably didn't just come from peeking on women in hot springs and bathhouses. Besides, I highly doubt a person in his fifties is still a virgin.
The reason I had that part about reading the book is because I wanted you all to see what exactly he was doing with it. You've all read snippets and pieces of what Naruto's doing, but that's all you've gotten. So I decided to do something about it.
And yes, Raimu's relation with Kisame and the reason he hates Suigetsu will come back. Actually, you could say it's almost central to the arc.
I'll see you all next chapter!