Double the Pleasure Double the Blond
Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto, he belongs to Kishimoto.
This is a continuation of Blonds-verse, Blonds Have More Fun.
Chapter 9
Forest of Death
Neji dodged Kabuto's strike and landed three hits along the glasses wearing teens arm before he spun away.
Kabuto held his useless arm against his body and above Orochimaru laughed and clapped his hands.
"You see what I mean Kabuto?"
Kabuto pushed his glasses up. "Yes Lord Orochimaru. While not great as the Sharingan, the potential is there."
Orochimaru sneered. If you only knew what I learned Kabuto, the Sharingan is a mutation of the Byakugan. Once I have the Byakugan I can make some experiments. And should they prove fruitful I will capture many more of the Hyuga.
Below Neji went on the attack and Kabuto was on the defensive, keeping away from the dangerous blows of the Hyuga.
This Genin is more skilled than originally reported. Kabuto thought and he lashed out and connected with the arm and Neji backed off.
"I bet you're wondering what I did, aren't you?" Kabuto said as he ran a green glowing hand over his useless arms and grit his teeth as he released the three points that Neji had struck and feeling returned to his arm making it feel like it had been stabbed by a hundred senbon needles.
"I am a medic after all, so what you can do to chakra points, I can do to your nerves and muscles. I just severed the tendon in your arm." Kabuto said as he took up a stance.
"Kabuto."
"Yes Lord Orochimaru?" the traitor asked not taking his eyes off the Hyuga.
"You can destroy the body, I just want his head." Orochimaru said from where he was leaning.
"As you command." Kabuto said.
Neji for the first time in his career as a Genin was on the defensive, he knew he couldn't block the green glowing hands.
I must retreat. Neji thought and tried to leap away only to find a massive snake in his path.
It opened its mouth and Neji managed to adjust his leap and hit the tree and leapt back.
His trajectory carried him right into the strike from Kabuto who smirked as Neji hit the ground hard his spine was severed.
Kabuto knelt by Neji who was glaring at him. "Such a fierce look." He performed a series of seals and Neji soon died as his head was removed from his body. Kabuto placed it in a jar with numerous seals, then sealed the jar in a scroll.
"Here you are Lord Orochimaru." Kabuto handed the sannin the scroll once he'd come down.
"Well done. We should…" Orochimaru said and looked up feeling a familiar chakra signature.
"Anko." He said and barely leapt aside as his former apprentice hit the ground, she did connect a back kick that sent Kabuto skidding away, the kunai barrage surely would have killed Orochimaru had he not moved.
"Is this how you greet your former master?" the Snake Sannin asked mockingly.
Anko snarled and lashed out with another barrage of kunai. Orochimaru dodged and lashed out with his tongue that stretched over twenty feet.
Anko managed to grab it and wrapped it around her arm. She used the Shadow Snake Hand jutsu and the snakes wrapped around the tongue as well, sinking their teeth in for purchase.
Kabuto seeing his master in danger raced towards Anko's unprotected back, his hand blazing with green energy as he was going to end her life with one blow.
He missed the incoming green missile that was powered by righteous fury of Neji's former teammate, Rock Lee.
"DYNAMIC ENTRY!"
The foot connected solidly with Kabuto's face and sent him flying into a tree, his glasses destroyed.
"Good shot kid." Anko bit out as she was playing tug of war with Orochimaru.
"Allow me to help you…" Lee began but Anko shook her head. "Keep his pet occupied. Help is on its way."
Anko was about to perform a suicide jutsu, but Orochimaru melted revealing a mud clone.
"Poor Anko, not able to fight your own battles? How weak you've become."
Anko snorted. "Coming from you, that's a compliment. And I've learned the value of friendship and teamwork." She looked up. "Right brats?"
"You think I'm going to fall for such an obvious tri…"
"RASENGAN!"
Orochimaru barely managed to dodge as there was a blond blur and the ground where he'd been standing had been destroyed leaving a large crater and a pissed off whisker marked blond.
"You killed Neji…" Naruto growled.
"ROSE WHIP!" Once more Orochimaru thanked the stars above for his ability to shed his skin as the attack had cleaved his body across the shoulder.
As he escaped another useless shell he saw another blond. "You bastard!" She said.
"The young chunin's from the first exam." He said recognizing the brat that attacked him.
"And today, we'll be your executioners, right sensei?" Naruto said.
Anko took up a position on Naruto's other side. "Damn right we will."
Orochimaru looked behind them expecting to see his summoned snake, but the bushy eyebrow, green spandex freak of a child had destroyed it and was kneeling by the body of his dead teammate.
"No getting away this time." Naruto said. "You don't have a room full of Genin to use as shields and your spy is unconscious."
"The Hokage let Kabuto's team back in so we could keep an eye on them better." Anko said. "I didn't think you'd fall for it." She mocked at her former sensei.
Ino stood with the rose whip she had created. It was a jutsu Naruto in their past life had helped her create. A blend of her love of flowers and the dangerous ways she could use them.
He laughed like mad when I told him how I used some flowers as shuriken when I was little to shut Ami up. Ino thought fondly.
Next to her, Naruto was a vortex of rage. By removing Sasuke they had opened the doorway for something different. And the price was Neji's life. He thought of the children that Neji and TenTen would never have now. Of the friendship that he and Neji had developed over the years now would never be.
"Now you pay." Naruto growled and made a one handed seal and with a blast of smoke surrounded the area with over a thousand shadow clones.
Orochimaru looked around. "Impressive." He cocked his head to the side. "You are the Kyuubi brat." He said taking in the boys' appearance. "I thought you were a failure."
Naruto snorted. "I kept well away from everyone. Only Ino-chan and the old man knew what I could really do until we were teamed with Anko-sensei." Naruto said giving in a part of a lie with a blend of the truth.
"After all you sick bastard, deception is a ninja's trade."
Orochimaru smiled at this. "You interest me. Enough that I think I'll give you a gift."
Naruto's eyes narrowed at this. "Won't work. The Kyuubi will overpower your seal."
Orochimaru raised a brow at this. "Telling secrets out of class are we Anko?" the Snake Sannin said with a hint of disproval. "No matter. It's been refined greatly since I gave that failure her seal all those years ago."
Anko, Ino and Naruto tensed and Orochimaru summoned Manda.
"Kill the women." He ordered.
The boss summon didn't even negotiate as it attacked.
XX
Anko and the Uzumaki's leapt away, but this was what Orochimaru wanted. His neck elongated and his head sped towards its target.
Orochimaru however forgot about the clones and the barrage of shuriken forced him into the game of dodge the sharp pointy objects or become a pincushion.
"Naruto! Do something about the snake!" Ino ordered.
"Ino and I will help the clones keep after the bastard." Anko said and they leapt away.
Naruto bounced from tree to tree avoiding the lightening fast attacks by the boss summon.
"You got a grudge." Naruto growled at the snake missed and they seemed to climb higher.
"I know all about you boy." Manda snarled.
"If you do, why haven't you told…"
"Because he has become worthless. I have a deal for you and your mate."
Naruto leapt further away allowing his battle to climb high into the trees. "What kind of deal?"
XX
Chapter 10
Yamanaka Household
Izumi sighed as she poured herself a relaxing cup of tea. I remember when I was pregnant with Ino, how the only thing that helped me at all was a cup of tea.
She knew that the kids were busy with helping the exam, Inoichi had been called in two hours ago. She sighed and brought up her cup to take a sip from when the handle cracked and the cup and tea fell to the floor.
That can't be good. Izumi thought as she went to get a towel and dustpan to clean up the mess.
XX
Forest of Death
"ROSE WHIP!"
Orochimaru was beginning to hate flowers' as the girl wasn't just using the rose whip, which he would have to discover how, but the blond menace was actually turning leaves into shuriken.
If it isn't her, its Anko or those blasted clones! The Snake Sannin hissed in annoyance as they were keeping him on the move, not giving him time to go on the offensive. And Manda used too much chakra when I summoned him! This is not acceptable!
Orochimaru landed and was forced to block the attacks from the shadow clones, who were far above the skill level he had been told about.
The Kyuubi brat is more skilled than believed. How is this possible? No one can pretend that well!
A roundhouse kick sent him skidding back, but he managed to block it. The power in this boy is unbelievable!
Orochimaru leapt only to find Anko leaping at him from a tree branch at him and he saw the Shadow Snake Hand jutsu. He barely managed to replace himself with a mud clone.
Sadly it seemed like the blond girl was waiting and sent a hundred chakra enhanced leaves at him.
"ENOUGH!" Orochimaru swatted them aside and tore into the shadow clones that had followed the leaf shuriken in.
He spun after kicking the last one aside to see Anko standing twenty feet away. She was once more preparing a jutsu.
"Now, now. We can't have that." He made a seal and blinked at his former student's feral grin.
"That won't work bastard." Anko finished her jutsu and launched it, the whole time mentally thanking Naruto for taking care of her seal.
Flashback
"Anko, can I talk with you, its something important." Naruto asked her it was the day before the Chunin Exam.
Anko looked at Kurenai and nodded. "Catch you later Nai-chan." Anko followed her friend and teammate as he leapt to the roof. Once he was sure they wouldn't be overheard he stopped and sat on a ledge, his back to the street.
"So, what's the big talk about whiskers? You didn't get Ino pregnant did you?" Anko asked with a teasing grin.
"No!" Naruto said. Sheesh, why does everyone expect me to get Ino pregnant? Shaking his head he looked at her. "I want to talk about your curse seal."
He saw Anko tense up. "What about it? And how do you know about it?" Anko demanded putting a hand to her seal.
Naruto sighed. "I've seen it on your neck, we've worked together and have been close enough for me not to have seen it." Naruto looked at his friend. "Listen, you know I've been learning about seals on my own, right?" Naruto asked and she nodded remembering seeing him with a seal masters book and she had to admit that some of the things she'd seen him do with seals was shocking.
"Well after I saw yours…."
"Naruto, shorten your explanation, I have a short attention span remember." Anko said and Naruto gave her a smile. "Fine. I can remove it…I think."
Anko blinked then blinked again. "You can WHAT?!"
End Flashback
Anko grinned as her Shadow Snake Hand drill jutsu sent Orochimaru flying backwards as he had been in shock when his cursed seal didn't work. Take that chuff nut. Naruto removed the seal and gave me a wicked tattoo. Anko could almost hear her former sensei's thoughts as to what was wrong.
"How? How did you block it? Even the best seals Jiraiya developed could only mute it." Orochimaru landed on the ground with a back flip and skidded several feet.
Another voice answered.
"I guess I'm just a better seal master than Pervy Sage."
Orochimaru turned and saw the real jinchuriki to the Kyuubi standing atop of a seven-tailed white fox.
"Impossible!" Orochimaru said. "How did you beat Manda?"
"He's not that bad." Naruto said. "Now say hello to my little friend." Naruto said.
The fox gave a snarl and Orochimaru felt the killing intent from it. "Now she isn't as tough as the Kyuubi, but she's in a real bad mood. Kyunai say hello to Orochimaru. He's playing the part of your snack."
The Sannin barely managed to avoid the lunging teeth. Damn fox is faster than Manda! the Sannin thought.
How is this brat so strong? He's a seal master that managed to overcome my curse seal, he's beaten Manda and now he's able to summon foxes! Orochimaru narrowed his eyes and realized that he needed to escape.
He managed to get to the clearing where Kabuto was laying, he knew he would need the medic's service in the future. Talent such as his is hard to come by. He thought as he grabbed Kabuto and performed a preset escape that he only needed one hand seal for.
As he and his assistant sank into the ground he smirked at the growl the whisker marked blond gave.
"We'll meet again Kyuubi child." He taunted.
"Bet on it." Naruto growled as Orochimaru vanished. His last words were left hanging in the air. "And tell Sarutobi sensei not to cancel the exam. I'd be most…upset."
He turned to see Ino. "You okay?" Ino nodded and looked towards Anko. "You okay sensei?"
She nodded and they followed her eyes to where they landed on Lee and the headless corpse of Neji Hyuga.
Fucking Orochimaru. All three thought of the Snake Sannin swearing next time he wouldn't get away.
XX
Hokage's Office
"The three of you took a big risk today." The Hokage said to Team 10 gathered before him.
"You were the one who allowed Kabuto's team back into the exam. Don't give us the fucking guilt trip." Naruto snapped.
Ibiki, who standing off to the side leaning against the wall quirked an eye at this.
"We didn't know he would go after the Hyuga until it was too late." Anko said shooting a look at Naruto to keep his mouth shut. "We sent word and got the Genin out of the forest." Anko said.
"And yet Neji Hyuga is dead." Ibiki said.
Anko shot him a look. "Team 9 separated and it took time to locate them."
"While you were fighting Orochimaru, did he say anything?" The Hokage asked.
The three shook their heads. "Between the three of us he was on the defensive until he made a rush at the end."
"He said to tell you not to cancel the exam." Ino said from her position next to her husband. She wanted to be held, but there was the report to deal with.
The Hokage sighed. "Very well." He looked at Hayate and Genma. "Announce the preliminaries to begin in five days. There are too many Genin thanks to this snafu."
Naruto grunted. "I say cancel it and scour the village for him and his spies. They were too informed of what was going on and they got around the security seals way to easily."
"We can't it would look bad to the other countries that have come for the exam as well as potential clients." Ibiki said before the Hokage could speak.
"Dismissed." The Hokage said after a moment. "Naruto, Ino remain behind."
They waited until the door was closed and the Hokage activated security seals around the room.
"Now, what happened?"
Naruto shared a look with his wife. "Orochimaru pulled a fast one. In our past future he went for the Uchiha."
"We never knew he helped with the creation of the caged bird seal." Naruto said. "It seems that he's got alternate plans. Even if Neji's Byakugan is destroyed by the seal, Orochimaru knows enough to bastardize one and use Neji's DNA to make fully grown clones."
The Hokage sighed. "What do you recommend? I mean really?"
The Uzumaki's shared a look. "Let us and Anko hunt for him. We know his ego won't let him leave. With the invasion coming up at the end of the third round in a month we need to stop him."
Ino looked at her husband. "What about liberating Suna?"
Naruto shook his head. "Orochimaru won't replace the Kazekage until sometime in a month. We can't attack until we know that he's made the change or Suna would have a real reason to break the treaty."
"Jiji, keep an eye on Gaara from Suna. He holds Shukaku." The Hokage winced.
"Any more surprises for me?" the Hokage asked. "You know at my age one too many shocks could give me a heart attack."
Ino smiled. "Mom's pregnant."
The Hokage shook his head at that news. "Go and rest up. Report back to the tower in five days to watch over the preliminaries."
The blonds nodded and left once the Hokage had unsealed the office. He looked at the photos of past Hokage's. "I thought this job was supposed to get easier."
XX
Chapter 11
Ichiraku's Ramen Stand
"Why so serious?"
Naruto looked up to see Ayame looking at him. "Lost a friend today, or a potential friend." He sighed as his mind kept replaying the death of Neji and how his memories kept showing him how over time Neji had become a true friend of his.
Naruto's mind when not showing Neji's past life would flip to the battle with Orochimaru. He ate the bowl of ramen slowly not even enjoying the flavor. He looked at his watch and bid Ayame and Teuchi farewell after one bowl. He leapt to the rooftops where he was joined by Ino who had gone home to check on her mother and father.
"What is this about?" she asked.
"Wait until we get to Anko's." Naruto said.
They made it in no time and after rapping on the door and being let in they dropped onto the couch.
"Alright brats, what's going on?" Anko said sitting across from them with her legs curled under her. Ino always found it funny seeing the usually mesh wearing Jonin sitting here wearing a pair of baggy sweat pants, this time they were a velvet blue and a large sleeper shirt with Garfield on it. Anko's hair was down and she was totally relaxed.
"As you know I spoke with Manda." Naruto began.
Anko nodded and Naruto continued, "He has made a deal. If you summon him, he won't be asking for sacrifices, he wants you to make his contract a family contract."
Anko blinked several times. "This smells like a trap."
Naruto shrugged and pulled out a scale he had hidden in a scroll. "He asked me to give you this as a show of faith."
Ino made a face. "So he broke off a scale?"
Anko however went very still. "That's not no ordinary scale. That's Manda's first scale." At the look the blonds gave her she knew she had to explain. "Manda's first skin is priceless, there is power in the very first skin, all summoned snakes keep their first skins hidden." Anko swallowed as she reached for it. "He's serious?"
Naruto nodded. "He's says their seers have told him that should he stay on his path it will lead not only to his death, but the extinction of his species."
Which was true. Manda knew that should Orochimaru continue on his way then the summoned snakes would be exterminated by the other summons.
Flashback
"I want my species and kin to live!" Manda implored.
"Then you will need to change. No more sacrifices!" Naruto said as he leapt away from the lunge that carried them further away from Orochimaru and the others.
"Deal!" Manda said. "All I ask is that whomever you chose as my summoner, you give me a one time chakra boost."
Naruto looked at the snake. "That will empower you to be stronger than ever."
"I need the power to resist Orochimaru and it will be used to cement the new summoner's control."
"I want it to be Anko." Naruto said.
Manda's eyes widened. "Why?"
"She's loyal. Ask the rest of your snakes and you will see. She's never summoned you due to your connection with Orochimaru."
Manda seemed poised as if ready to strike. "I will agree as long as she finds a mate and passes on my scroll as a family summon. It is time for the Snake clan to have honor once more."
Naruto nodded. "I will tell her."
"And if she has no children, then you and your mate will take over guardianship of my clan until you can find someone worthy."
"You put a lot of faith in me." Naruto said.
Here the giant boss snake gave a hissing laugh. "I've watched you boy. I know you will follow through with all your promises."
Naruto nodded. "Then we have an accord."
End Flashback
Naruto explained the deal to Anko, Ino could tell her husband was leaving things out and would get him to explain it to her later.
"Children?!" Anko sat back in disbelief.
Here Ino chuckled. "Come on Anko, you'd make an awesome mother."
Anko gave her a dirty look. She looked at the scale on the coffee table between them.
"I need to be there the first time you summon Manda." Naruto then explained his part of the deal.
"I…I need to think about this." Anko said.
Naruto nodded. "We're going to pay our respects to Neji and the rest of the Hyuga clan."
"I know we barely new him…" he looked at Ino and she knew how much this loss was really affecting him.
"See you both tomorrow. Good luck with the Hyuga's."
The pair left Anko's apartment and once they were atop the Hokage monument Ino held Naruto as he broke down over the loss of his friend that will never be.
XX
Yamanaka Residence
Naruto lay on the bed with Ino snuggled against his side. The funeral had been the branch family, Hiashi, Hinata, Hanabi, Neji's teammates and sensei and them. None of the elders showed up.
Naruto had seen Hinata and felt bad for her. She was and always will be a tender heart. He thought.
Now back home with his in-laws and his wife Naruto's mind kept focusing on the loss of someone who had been a friend.
I knew we should have killed him before the exams. Naruto was mentally yelling at himself. Next time we won't make that mistake again. Naruto was already making plans for the third exam. Ino will kill me if I mess it up and die.
XX
The preliminaries went quickly, the Uzumaki's were hunting for Orochimaru and his servants in Konoha. Thus far the search had turned up nothing.
"I wish I had paid more attention in my last life." Ino muttered as they leapt across the buildings.
"We were children." Naruto said with a shrug.
His headset chirped.
"Jester and Flower, this is Viper, anything in your sector?" Anko's voice came to them.
Naruto pressed the transmit button. "Nothing here either. We'll need to report to the stadium as the third round is about to start." Naruto informed her.
"Sensei, what about the Uchiha, has anyone checked his cell?" Ino asked adding her own thoughts.
"Aye, Ibiki added extra guards after I spoke with the Hokage. Are you certain the bastard will go after the other bastard? You did burn out his sharingan and destroyed his testicles."
"Do you think that will stop Orochimaru?" Naruto asked.
"I see you're point. Remember, you two are to meet me on the roof near the Hokage."
"Copy." Ino and Naruto intoned. The month since the end of the preliminaries had been busy. "Do we even know who passed?" Ino asked her husband.
Naruto shook his head. "And we haven't had time to talk with Sakura or the others as by the time we're done with our duties its late at night."
Ino leapt again. "Tell me about it. With all our efforts I've been too tired to even have sex."
Naruto snorted. "Your dad's been happy with that."
Ino laughed. "We'll make up for it after the invasion."
Naruto shook his head knowing his wife meant well but he thought at times she went out of her way to make sure that her father, his father in-law wanted to skin him for all the naughty things that she would get him into.
I mean, that time in the store was so not my fault. Naruto mentally whined.
XX
Chunin Finals, Stadium
"Shika, Sakura, Haku, Rock Lee and Shino are in the finals." Ino whispered.
Naruto looked on to see that Gaara, Temari, Kankuro were also there.
"This is not good." Naruto said softly from their position above the Hokage and looking down.
Ino nudged Naruto as the Kazekage stepped into the box.
Orochimaru. Both blonds thought. They couldn't attack now, but their attention did take in where the members of the Kazekage's guard took up position.
"Naruto love…look at Lee." Ino whispered.
The Green Beast of Konoha was dressed in a black version of his usual outfit his gaze was something that Naruto thought he'd never see. It was rage. The loss of his friend and teammate had done something to Lee. Naruto scanned the crowd. "Where is TenTen?"
A thump and they turned to see Anko.
"You asking about Gai's other student?" she asked. The blonds nodded.
"She had her back broken in the preliminaries. The Suna Kunoichi got carried away and the girl landed on the sand blonds closed fan which broke her back."
Naruto sighed. He saw Gaara looked even more insane than he remembered and he wondered who had come across the insane container to get his bloodlust this high.
"That Suna kid destroyed the Inuzuka in the preliminaries." Anko said seeing where Naruto was looking.
The whisker marked blonds shoulders tensed. Damn it. Another friend…
Ino entwined her fingers with Naruto's knowing that things were not going the way they wanted.
First Neji, then TenTen and now Kiba. Was this because I stopped the Uchiha? she thought, her mind spinning a million miles an hour and if their next interference would cause even more damage.
XX
Chapter 12
Chunin Finals, Stadium
Naruto's foot tapped out a military beat as he waited. Anko had gone and gotten the reports on the preliminaries. He was glad to hear Kiba was alive, but it would take months of surgeries. TenTen was a question mark, her back was broken and none of the doctors here had the skill, so once more it came down to getting Tsunade back.
If Baa-chan was here the percentages would be better. Naruto thought and vowed to drag her back here after the invasion.
Neji is dead, that can't be fixed but if there is anything that can be done for the others. He thought and nearly jumped out of his skin when Ino put a hand on his shoulder.
"Sorry." She said. "They are about to begin." She said and both blonds tensed as they saw who was up first.
Shikamaru and Kankuro. Man one thing changes and the ripples are endless. Naruto thought and spared a look at his wife who was nibbling her bottom lip in worry.
Kankuro fought this time and Shikamaru gave it his all, in the end he won using the chakra strings from the puppets to Kankuro to gain control and make the puppet user attack himself with his own weapons. Shikamaru took the win with a sigh and returned the sidelines, exhausted.
The next fight came up and Naruto watched as Shino fought Sakura the pink haired girl tried to fight, but she lacked the tools and had no defense to the kikai bugs that swarmed her and she was left shivering on the arena floor as they drained her chakra. Shino was awarded the win and he called the swarm back and Sakura shuddered seeing them go under his coat.
"Sakura did better than I thought she would." Ino said.
Naruto grunted. "I'm surprised she made it to the finals this time."
Ino leaned in. "That's because I wasn't there to mess with her head and she's gotten better training since Wave."
The next fight had them nervous as Rock Lee fought Temari.
"I don't like the look in Lee's eyes." Naruto said as they watched Temari's wind attacks chew up large sections of the arena while Lee was obviously unhampered by weights was moving out of the way with ease and then he was inside Temari's defenses and his blows rocked her body. From their position both Uzumaki's winced as Lee's fists seemed to impact on the other side of Temari's body like a piston he pummeled her. Then while she was suspended in the air by one of his fists, he moved and spun, the Leaf Whirlwind attack of his sent her flying across the arena where she impacted with the wall just below the Kage's box.
Everyone in the arena winced and as the smoke cleared and Temari's body slowly fell from the crater it made.
"WINNER: ROCK LEE!" Genma called out quickly as medics rushed in to help Temari.
From their position the Uzumaki's heard the Kazekage speak.
"Rather forceful wasn't he?" the Kazekage said and both blonds could practically hear the hiss coming from the man.
The arena was cleaned up for the final fight.
Both Uzumaki's turned to see Anko. She gave them several hand signs and they huddled together.
"What's up?"
"Anbu Squads 3 and 11 found the starts of an invasion. Looks like Suna and Oto are allied against us and are waiting to attack during this next fight. Be prepared to get to the old man. Ibiki has started moving our forces outside the walls to come behind them while other units are being prepared to allow them past the wall."
Naruto shook his head. "This is a mistake."
Anko shrugged. "Not our call. Now I need to let the Hokage know." She stepped off the roof and landed silently near the Hokage. She whispered in his ear and he nodded. "Very well. Take care of it." He said.
"Problems old friend?" the Kazekage purred.
"Some villagers are drunk and causing a scene. Nothing to worry about my old friend." The Hokage said and the Kazekage nodded missing the stress on the word.
"Your youngest…Gaara." The Hokage began.
"He's a weapon." The Kazekage said with a cold tone. "Nothing more, nothing less. We all know you have one as well." The Kazekage's tone had Sarutobi looking at him.
"I have no idea what you are talking about." Sarutobi said his tone hardening.
"Don't be that way old friend. Konoha set the standards with making weapons out of the Jinchuriki. You have one, Suna has one, Mist, Iwa and other villages have one. Nothing to be ashamed about." The Kazekage said with a shrug.
You just confirmed you are not the Kazekage. Orochimaru, what have you done? Sarutobi watched as Gaara appeared on the field in a swirl of sand.
I pray that Konoha's Killing Frost can stop him. The Hokage thought of Kakashi's newest student who had earned the name Killing Frost as Squad 7 was wiping out bandits.
An ice mirror appeared on the other side of the field and Haku stepped out calmly and gave a short bow to Genma and then towards the Hokage.
Naruto was watching with concern.
"Can we do anything?" Ino whispered to which Naruto shook his head. "We can only watch and wait. It's up to Haku to stop Gaara this time. I just hope they both listened to what I told them earlier." Naruto muttered.
Flashback – Gaara
"Mother wants your blood." Gaara's voice intoned.
"No. Shukaku doesn't want my blood." Naruto said stepping out of the shadows. "I came here to speak with you Gaara. I came here to offer you a choice. Stay out of the invasion and don't kill anyone and I'll fix your seal so that you can sleep."
"Why?" Gaara asked.
"Because I think you and I can be friends and if you hurt anymore of my precious people I'll have to step in and do something that I know I will regret down the road."
"Friends?" Gaara intoned.
"Just stay out of the invasion and don't hurt anyone. Surrender to me and I'll do everything I can to help you. I promise and that's my nindo, I never go back on my promise."
End Flashback – Gaara
Flashback – Haku
"Yo."
Haku actually jumped and Naruto smirked seeing Sakura flushed jump away from Haku.
"Naruto…we…"
The blond held up a hand. "I'm married, you don't have to explain it to me." He told Haku who blushed. "I approve, but that's not why I'm here."
"I'll see you later." Sakura said giving Haku a look. Naruto waited until he was sure she was gone before he spoke.
"I want to talk to you about your opponent."
"Gaara of the Desert?" Haku asked.
"Kakashi-sensei has already…"
"I want you to avoid the fight." Naruto said cutting him off. "I have my reasons."
"May I ask why?" Haku inquired.
"For a friend and a possible friend. Listen, Gaara is different than anyone in the exam." Naruto wished that Ino was doing this, she was better at talking but she had her own task to do. "Gaara is…"
"Kakashi-sensei said that Gaara is a Jinchuriki." Haku said and Naruto sighed.
"His seal isn't stable. I've made him an offer that if he surrenders to me I'll fix his seal."
Haku was quiet.
"Just…think about it." Naruto said and leapt away."
Haku looked to where Naruto had gone and sighed. "I would do anything for you Naruto-sama, you are my friend and you saved me when I was on the edge of the abyss. If this Gaara is going to be a friend, then I hope he is worthy of your trust."
End Flashback – Haku
"FIGHT!" Genma's voice echoed around the arena and several people tensed at what was about to come.