Smoke rose through the room. The stars glittered bright, their light piercing through the smoke of the cooking fire. The edges of the village glimmered with bright light, individual flames lit in the darkness.

"I'd like to start off soon," Soyokaze whispered, their voice difficult to hear in the darkness. They rested their back against the shadowed wall of the refuge's deepest depths.

Naruto cupped his hand to his ear. "What?!" he shouted in a loud voice. He leaned forward, retaining the same loud voice. "Speak up! I can't in the slightest hear what you're saying!"

Kōju covered her left ear with her freed hand, wincing at the loud noises. She turned the stick of meat over the fire. Several herbs simmered on the edges of the squares of meat. She turned over the meat once again, her expression calm.

Tayuya rubbed her throat. "Can't be helped. Apparently we need Sasori as a guide or some shit. If it were up to me, I'd go in chakra blazing regardless of the odds." She glanced briefly toward Sasuke. "No point wasting too much time. Better odds if you catch 'em while they're stressed. Tense people make mistakes." She sat down on the bench beside the fiery logs. "But, well, what do I know? Kage's orders."

Sasuke glanced upward. "That why you curse so often?" she questioned, a faint smirk crossing her lips. "So people'll be stressed out by you and not think so very clearly?"

Tayuya gestured toward Sasuke with her middle finger raised to the heavens. She stared at the fire quietly. Drops of oil fell against the logs, sizzling in the light. The scent of carefully-cooked skewers rose from the food.

"We will save him. Some way or another." Soyokaze fell silent. Their hands clasped across their waist. Their blue eyes flashed momentarily under the hood, bright with inner light.

Naruto grinned. "Yeah! No way we're coming home empty-handed again!" He threw his fist up into the air. He leaned forward. "That ain't the way the number one ninja of Hidden Leaf reacts to trouble."

Tayuya raised an eyebrow. "You know, logic and reason." She hesitated. "No, that's too little. Every fiber of my being tells me this isn't going to work out so well." She leaned against the wooden pillar. "But shit. When I'm with you guys, I started believing in absurdities like this."

Sasuke said nothing. She stared silently at the flames. Her crimson eyes flickered upward briefly before returning to the dark flames of the fire, the sparks rising through the air. To her it seemed a familiar sight.

Kōju turned the food over once more. She said nothing. Her expression remained concerned, her lips pursed as she studied the meat. She finally sat down again, her expression distant.

"Are you worried?" Sasuke questioned. Her crimson eyes narrowed as she studied the meat. "Have they stopped already or something? What's the matter here?" she asked finally.

"Worried?" Kōju waved her hands defensively in the air, releasing the end of the stick. "Well, not really about Gaara per se. I'm sure if Naruto-kun says he's reformed, he's reformed. It's just about this organization." She hesitated. "Hakubo, was it? Or something like that. I can't imagine that they'd declare grand war on the Elemental Nations without having some kind of strategy in mind. That's what's troubling me."

"No trouble!" Naruto grinned. "We'll catch 'em all there, and then kill off the problem early! Two birds with one stone!" he declared loudly. "Someone like us should be able to handle it right now."

"I can't imagine it'll be that easy." Sasuke rose to her feet. She stepped closer to the fire. A thin trail of drool ran down the corner of her mouth as she stared at the succulent meat.

Tayuya shook her head from side to side. "No, he has a point. If we catch them near the end of the technique, they'll have lost most of their strength. It may not be easy, but at the least we can get enough information about them to have someone like Tsunade or Unmei blast 'em straight to hell."

"Anyway, more importantly, they're still on the move and dinner is served." Kōju smiled brightly. "It's a little different from what I originally planned, but it should be fine." She set down plates on the table near the firepit.

Sasuke sat down at the table. She glanced briefly at Naruto. Her eyebrows furrowed as she glanced toward his hand once again. What the hell is going on with that thing?

"All right! I've been looking forward to your cooking all day!" Naruto shouted, seating himself rapidly. He clattered his fists against the table. "Food! Food! Food!" he shouted in a rhythm.

You dirty liar. You didn't even know she'd be cooking until just now. Sasuke's lips briefly curled upward. She leaned forward at the table, some of the drool dribbling down her lip.

Kōju set down the plates at the table. Her grin broadened. She set one skewer on each of the plates. "And here's yours, Naruto." She held out the stick to Naruto with her right hand.

Naruto stretched out his hand eagerly.

With her free hand Kōju seized Naruto's hand and forced open the palm. A solid black mark rested across the center of the palm. She clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "I thought so," she remarked in a quiet voice.

Naruto scowled. "Hey, leggo!" he shouted. He tugged at his arm. Damn, she's using some of that chakra-enhanced strength Tsunade gave her! What the heck?! He growled.

"What is that?" Soyokaze asked in a soft voice. They leaned forward, staring at the palm with wide blue eyes. "I have not seen this injury type before. What is the matter?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. She studied the wound carefully. Is this what you were trying to hide from me? Her crimson eyes narrowed. The patterns aren't cut, but there's a vibration of chakra there. What is that?

Tayuya stared flatly at the blackened surface. "Don't screw with me. Why didn't you mention this?" she demanded in a cold curt voice. Her brown eyes narrowed as she studied the injury.

Naruto avoided meeting the gazes of those around him. He scowled, staring at the plate. I just wanted some food. How did things come to this? He swallowed tightly. I definitely won't say too much, though.

"It's chakra backlash," Kōju replied briefly. "It's from the tags, am I right?" She studied the hand. "I'd guess the other hand has this kind of patterning too. Something along these lines."

"Yeah," Naruto replied finally. He let his free hand fall to one side, his blue eyes closing. It's not that important. I'm sure that it won't prove that important. In the long run I'll make it.

"I thought so." Kōju sighed. "This is nothing more or less than the effects of using a technique that doesn't belong to you. Those tags acknowledge Naruto slightly, because he is his father's son. But as he is now, with Genkuro-san inside him, they won't acknowledge him fully. As a result, there's a disharmony between his chakra and the chakra used in the Flying Thunder God seals." She looked down at the hand. "It produces damage I can't heal. So because of that, I'd advise him against using them again except in case of direst need."

"I disagree." Tayuya raised her voice. Her hand tightened into a fist as she studied Naruto's face before lowering to one side. "I don't think that's necessarily true, based on my observations."

Kōju glanced upward briefly. Her eyebrows furrowed. "As the medical expert of this team, I protest that ruling. There are limitations to how much the human body can endure."

"If Naruto thinks he can handle it, let him use those damn seals. I did something like that more than a few times in the past." Tayuya's eyes narrowed. "But you better be damn sure of it." Her hand rested against the burn mark on the hand. "If you can't handle it be honest and say so. Because if you can't you might be dooming the rest of us." She looked Naruto in the eye sternly. "You get me?"

Naruto nodded. He held his hand across his heart. "I'll take care of it," he promised quietly. He stared at the mark on his hand briefly. All the same, I can't heal this damage, it seems.

Soyokaze leaned closer to the fire. Their blue eyes flickered with the reflected flames of the dark fire, the sparks sending brief echoes of light through the eyes' depths, like the peaceful pools of an oasis.

"Anyway." Kōju paused. She forced a smile as she glanced around at the newly formed Team Seven. "Well, I've already stated my opinion on the matter. Let's have dinner peacefully!"

The group gathered around the table. Simultaneously the team picked up the skewers of meat and took a bite of the end square.

Soyokaze delicately bit away a piece of the meat. Their smile broadened under the white hood of the robe. "This is wonderful. It's nothing like home's food, but wonderful all the same. I thank you for this repast."

Tayuya's eyebrow furrowed. The only time he talks with happiness is about food?

Slowly, the evening wore on. At last the bright stars glimmered in the sky high above, and the moon soared upward like a bright reminder of the autumn evening's beauty.

"Well, it's about time I got to bed." Tayuya yawned, stretching her shoulders outward. "Hell, the same goes for the rest of you too. Sasori said he'd be makin' it here tomorrow, meaning that we don't exactly have time to dilly-dally around. He fuckin' hates being late, according to what's in Tsunade's file." She leaned back against the bench.

"That is true, from the statements of my master." Soyokaze bowed their head.

"I see." Sasuke rose to her feet. "In that case."

"That reminds me. How's Haku doing?" Naruto questioned.

"The same," Tayuya replied tersely. "At the least, she seems to be coping, but whatever genjutsu that thrice-cursed fox in your head used on her did a number on her brain so bad I'm certain I can't do anything about it."

Kōju bowed her head.

Soyokaze glanced toward Naruto. "You are the heir of the Nine-Tails?"

Naruto inclined his head. "Yep, that's me!"

Soyokaze inclined their head. "I see."

Sasuke's eyes studied Soyokaze briefly. "You wouldn't kill him for that, right?" She frowned. "I know Gaara killed a lot of Sand. Naruto's not like that."

The five started back toward the center of the house.

"I cannot kill him. I have shared hospitality with you, and eaten your food." Soyokaze gestured to Naruto. "I cannot then turn and stab you in the back." Soyokaze breathed quietly as they entered the house.

"Ah." Tayuya's eyebrow quirked upward. Well, whatever. She lay down on the couch, her eyes closing the instant her head hit the pillow.

Naruto found it harder to go to sleep. The night air encroached, making his pillow cold and darkening his skin. And in the intermediary moments between dreaming and waking, the silver-white fox crept into his dreams, bringing with her the grand cage.

"Y' would name yerself so readily my heir, but still won't call my power out in battle." Genkuro's lips curled upward in amusement. "What kind of brat are y', anyway? I can't call y' stupid after the shit I'd seen ya pull off. So I don't know what to say."

"I may be your heir, but there's no way I'm trusting you yet. Last time I did that you fried a friend's mind." Naruto's eyes narrowed as he stared at the kimono-wearing figure.

Genkuro sighed heavily. "It saved her life, did it not? Y' monkeys are so damn obsessed with the issue of 'consciousness'. She's alive, and she's happy, in her way. Does that somehow put me in the wrong?"

"Yes." Naruto scowled. "Well, you'll have to acknowledge me if I become Hokage on my own, and then you'll play nice."

Genkuro slunk into the corner of the cage. Her eyes narrowed, flickering briefly golden. "I'll give y' this much. Yer persistent." She paused. "But becoming Hokage is gonna be one hell of a harsh road for y'. No jinchūriki has ever become Kage without the aid of their Tailed Beast. I can't say it's never happened, but yer goals and mine had gotta be in alignment." She curled up in the corner of the cage. Her tail twitched on the ground. "And right now there's no way in hell that's happening. Yer way too naive."

Naruto clenched his fist. "I'll prove you wrong! For sure, I'll make it to Hokage by myself!" he shouted. His voice echoed through the dark cage. Sweating, he sat up in the futon.

Sasuke lay motionless. Her chest rose and fell in silent slumber.

Naruto turned over, the covers rustling beneath him. He stared blankly at the hooded face beside him.

Soyokaze blinked slowly awake, their blue eyes glimmering. Their delicate eyebrows furrowed. "Naruto-sama. What is the matter?"

"Ack! You were planning to kill me in my sleep." Naruto leaned backward in the sleeping bag. He reached toward a kunai at his side. "You won't take me dead! I'll definitely avoid it!"

"As I said, I don't want to kill you. I reasoned that if they were targeting jinchūriki it was likely that they would try to steal you away. In the interests of preventing this I located myself here." Soyokaze fell silent. Their breath briefly accelerated before returning to an ordinary even pace.

Naruto scowled. "Well, I still don't like it," he muttered. "Anyway, what are you doing up?" he demanded after a long moment. "If you really aren't trying to kill me, there should be a good reason."

"You woke me. If there's nothing further." Soyokaze closed their eyes.

Naruto frowned. He tilted his head to one side. "You really weren't trying to kill me?" he asked suspiciously. "Though I will admit if you are trying to kill me, you're doing a much better job at it than most of the villagers. They usually don't act this calm."

Soyokaze opened one eye. They sighed heavily. "I know about prejudice. Better than most. To me, you don't seem a threat."

"Well, I guess that." Naruto's eyes widened. "Hey! Don't insult my strength."

"I don't mean you aren't strong." Soyokaze's lips curved upward into a brief smile. "But you are good. That's different. I mean that you wouldn't attack me without reason." They closed their eye once again. "My sense is that you are a good man."

Naruto tilted his head to one side. What the hell is this person? he muttered to himself, staring at the motionless form. I don't even know how to respond to this.

A/N: Necessary plot advancement here. More details forthcoming in future chapters.