"The Greatest Idea Ever"
By Quick-n-Popular
Disclaimer: "Naruto" and its characters are not my property.
A/N: This is a shorter chapter but I think I got what I needed put down.
Chapter Ten: A Farewell to Innocence, Part One
The Hokage, along with Jiraiya, Danzo, Himura and Koharu; listened to Maito Gai's report on what his Genin student, Tenten, told him late the previous day about the secret meeting between members of the Kazekage's family in the Forest of Death training grounds and the supposed deaths of two Genin from Otogakure. The final report of Gai were of his findings in the forest and finding small traces of somewhat fresh blood but no bodies.
Finishing his report, Gai stepped back and the elder members of this meeting talked among each other.
"This supports what I've been trying to tell you for years, Hiruzen. Peace is failing and war is at our door." Danzo drawled, leaning on his cane. He probably would be the only one to get away with such thinly-veiled disrespect but no one in the meeting tried to reprimand the old war hawk all the same.
"Add to it Gekko-kun's attack while on patrol. It all spells out the plans of an attack on the village, Hokage-sama." Himura said, "Thank goodness Jiraiya-kun was there to save Gekko-kun after that happened, otherwise we would have lost such a valuable swordsman."
Jiraiya nodded but Danzo quietly scoffed, "A shame he didn't see the attacker." The Toad Sannin slightly glared at the old war hawk before turning back to give his report for this meeting.
"Suna does seem to be gathering their forces for something. Hearing Gai-san's student's account of what they were talking about, it's safe to assume that they're not doing this alone. Oto, most likely, is their supporter. Those two Genin that died were unquestionably theirs."
"You should imprison the Kazekage." Danzo muttered.
"And risk even further retribution? Like it or not, they do have a legitimate complaint against us due to their foolish Daimyo." Sarutobi sighed.
The room went quiet before Kurenai Yuhi, one of the newest Jounin Instructors, ventured a question.
"What did the Daimyo do?"
Asuma, one of the other Jounin, answered her, "He redistributed the missions that were supposed to go to Suna to other villages and we took in the most; this created a deep loss for Suna as a result."
The Hokage nodded, "Thus, I can't do anything premature like arresting him or his children while they're here in the village for the Exams. Or I risk us being attacked by the other villages in retaliation for Suna. The best thing for us to do is to continue monitoring and setting up contingencies."
Danzo scoffed and then limped out of the room. The rest of the discussion went to talks about heightening security, putting Anbu to tail high profile guests, and make the Jounin ready for the worst case yet to happen.
Later, Jiraiya was watching as Naruto finally managed to complete the second part of the lesson to mastering the Yondaime's second signature jutsu, the Rasengan. It impressed the old Toad Sannin how quickly the boy was learning and wondered if something had triggered it. Last time he checked up on the kid he found that the boy struggled learning in the classroom, but here he was now, a hair breath's away from learning an A-ranked jutsu of his father's. The spy master had a big hunch it had to do with the time the boy has spent with that Tenten girl and with her helping him learn swordsmanship.
Jiraiya was pleased that the boy made a connection to someone close to his age. By the look of how the two treated each other in that meeting about the boy's father, Jiriaya had an inkling that something was growing between the two. Whether or not they were aware of it was another matter. The Toad Sannin idly wondered how the boy's parents would react to this girl. Tenten was a tomboy like Kushina but she has the level of seriousness that felt the same to Minato. Personally, the author of Icha Icha, believed they'd approve.
Jiraiya smiled as he reminisced about his late student and his wife.
"Quit thinking pervy things and tell me what to do next, Ero-Sensei."
Jiraiya scowled as he now regretted on showing the boy the newest book he had been working on which brought on this disrespecting name. However, he grinned, evilly as he used his counter.
"You and that girl are going to make me a fortune in book sales, brat. Wanna hear a preview?"
The blond teenager scowled but then sighed, tiredly. "I keep on telling you, there's nothing really going on between us."
"But I'll bet you'd like there to be, right?" Jiraiya noted.
Naruto shrugged before kicking one of the popped balls he had been using before on the ground, "I guess. The only other girl I really paid attention to was Sakura-chan but she wouldn't even give me a smile in thanks."
Jiraiya nodded knowingly as he has had a similar relationship with his own teammate, Tsunade.
Naruto continued, "However, I don't want Tenten to hate me if she doesn't want to be like that with me. She's special and I'm more worried about doing something to mess up what we have now. She's also very serious about being a Kunoichi. Would she really want to be someone's girlfriend?"
Jiraiya smiled, "I know someone who's serious like that Tenten girl, and even she fell in love, kid. So, it's not really that hopeless of an idea."
Naruto looked thoughtfully at the ground before Jiraiya cleared his throat.
"However, once you learn these things I'm teaching you, you can go right on impressing the panties off of the girl. So, lets get back to it. You know what they say, "work before pleasure."."
Naruto looked at the grinning old man with exasperation before listening as the man gave the instructions on the last part of mastering the Rasengan.
Sitting at Ichiraku's ramen stand distractedly stirring her noodles in a tired daze, Tenten was unaware that the owner of the ramen stand, Teuchi, was talking to his teenage daughter Ayame, nodding over to the Kunoichi.
"Do you think I made the ramen too bland, this time?"
Ayame cocked her head to the side as she folded her arms and looked up, "I don't think so, Dad. Maybe it has to do with that Exam going on in the village. Naruto-kun said that they were in it."
As Teuchi nodded in agreement, their favorite customer soon bounded up and sat on the stool next to the deep in thought teen girl.
"Chicken ramen, old man! Hey, Tenten. How are things?"
The girl sighed and finally took a bite of the food she was stirring for so long. "Nothing's going on, that's my problem. I can't find anyone to help me with training."
Accepting his meal, Naruto looked up in contemplation before turning to Tenten, "Well, I know someone who might be able to help you find someone as she helping me with Hayate-sensei still in the hospital."
Tenten's head lifted up and she looked to Naruto with hope in her eyes, "Really? Tell me more."
The two were seen later walking to the training grounds where Naruto was being taught by Hayate. When they arrived Tenten saw a mature-looking woman in Anbu gear talking with the woman that had started the second part of the Exams, Anko Mitarashi.
"Hi, Yugao-san, are things getting better for Hayate-sensei?" Naruto asked the woman in concern.
The woman gave a soft smile but shook her head, "No changes. However, he's not in any immediate danger now."
The blond nodded.
Yugao's attention turned to Tenten before looking back at Naruto, "I see you're not alone."
Naruto grinned, "Neither are you, you know." He turned to Tenten while talking to his kenjutsu teacher's girlfriend, "My friend here needs someone to help her prepare for her match in the finals. We were hoping you might know of someone?"
Yugao looked thoughtful before shaking her head in the negative, "Sorry, no. Everyone in my unit and those in my circle are too busy at this time."
Naruto looked to the ground disappointed while Tenten shrugged in tired acceptance. She was about to tell Naruto that she was grateful that he tried to help her out, when someone cleared their throat.
"Excuse me, since when do I not count among your "circle"?"
Tenten looked at Anko who was giving an annoyed look at Yugao.
The Anbu member sighed, "I WAS counting you, Anko. Didn't you complain to me yesterday about how Ibiki-san was giving you more work now that both of your parts' of the Exam were done with?"
Anko snorted, "Yeah, I did. So, what?" Getting only an expectant look from her friend, Anko looked away. "After hearing from you and Hayate about training this blond brat, it sounds like a good 'time-killer'." She then turned to the weapons enthusiast teen.
"I saw your match, too, girly. You improvise and think on the spot. Compared to the other female Genin in the village, they're a bunch of unimpressive little skanks. You at least have a pair on you."
Tenten nodded slowly, "Thanks, I guess." She, then skeptically, asked, "But can you really help me train against that boy from Suna?"
Anko grinned menacingly, "Oh, you bet I can."
After separating from Tenten (who Anko dragged off to who knows where), Naruto had a refresher spar against Yugao who corrected some of the holes in his forms that he was being lazy about. However, it ended soon after as another Anbu in a mask came to collect Yugao and she stopped their session there for the day.
Thus, with nothing better to do Naruto walked through the training fields trying to come up with a method to work on. Before he knew it, he was soon at a different training area and he found someone practicing their taijutsu. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be someone he was relieved to see.
"Hinata! How're you feeling?"
The girl was jolted out of her own thoughts by his greeting and she turned shyly to him.
"I'm much better, Naruto-kun. Th-Thank you for the get well card and the coupon to Ichiraku's."
Naruto nodded, "Well, you're welcome. I plan on getting back against that Neji bastard for what he did to you."
Hinata flinched at the mention of her cousin but smiled softly that Naruto had this much concern for her. However, she shook her head sadly.
"Thank you, Naruto-kun. But don't think too poorly of Neji-ni-san. He has his reasons for feeling angry against me and my father."
Naruto looked at her surprised, ""Reasons"? But he almost killed you! What reason could there be that makes it okay for what he did?"
Hinata sighed and then hesitated for a moment before she finally began telling the blond about what happened when she was kidnapped by a Kumo delegate. The result being her father rescuing her, killing her captor, and Neji's father taking Hinata's father's place when Kumo called for his head, because they were twins.
After she had finished retelling the story, Naruto now had more of a conflicted look on his face.
Hinata, feeling a bit guilty for bringing Naruto down with her family woes, decided to change the subject.
"I forgot to tell you, c-congratulations on making it to the finals, Naruto-kun."
Naruto snapped out of his thoughts and grinned sheepishly, "Thanks."
Hinata pressed her index fingers together, shyly, "I'm glad BOTH of you made it through."
Naruto blinked, "Both of us?"
Hinata laughed nervously, "N-Nothing, never mind."
Later, watching Naruto leave to go home, Hinata smiled as she remembered the crush she had and maybe still has on the blond. He served as an inspiration for her at the Academy on how to try and conquer doubt with determination, something she struggles with. Yes, Naruto…and her teammate, Kiba, had drawn her attention and gratitude. With Kiba, it was his confidence in himself and loyalty to his team. When she was bed-ridden after recovering from her cousin's onslaught, he visited her often and stayed to talk to her about the matches and how grateful he was that she was okay.
Still watching the blond's disappearing figure, she remembered feeling conflicted when she heard Naruto call out, encouragingly, to Tenten at the start of her match. There was no mistake, Hinata's crush seemed interested in the older girl in a more passionate way. It hurt a little but she knew that she had never opened herself to him because of her shyness. Smiling sadly, Hinata sighed before getting her things and making her own way home.
The Village of Konoha was seeing a steady flow of visitors as the day of the Finals of the Exams was approaching. While security was tightened because of suspicion of an attack, there were some exceptions being made. Important dignitaries and some high profilers were allowed passage. One person, especially was given permission even though they were trying their best to be unrecognizable.
A woman of tall stature was dressed in heavy clothing with a hood covering her hair, wore glasses and did her best to be unassuming. However, despite her best methods and cosmetics applied, the Chuunin on duty recognized the faint mark of the purple diamond on her forehead which she couldn't fully conceal. His reason for not announcing her identity was simple. He owed the woman a favor for saving his niece's life when the girl was in the hospital. Thus he let her through with no commotion.
Yes, Tsunade of the Sannin had come to Konoha, a place she had previously condemned and vowed never to return to. Her reason for coming back? Not that complicated.
"Hmmm… That Lee kid has good odds but not as good as this Gaara brat from Suna…Interesting…"
The betting pool was what drew this bee back to the hive.
Meanwhile, another of the Sannin was present in the village but in a more secluded spot.
"Things are going splendidly, wouldn't you agree, Kazekage-san?"
Rasa, the Kazekage of the village of Sunagakure, looked at the speaker with some wariness. Ever since entering a deal with the Snake Sannin, the Kazekage had been warned by most of his retinue that making a deal with this devil was sure to come with cost he'd be regretting. However, due to their Daimyo's neglect he felt like the village and himself was in danger already.
"It seems like Konoha has no knowledge thus far. But we've had some close calls." Rasa said.
Orochimaru chuckled, "Yes but this village is still soft on the under belly, a lot goes unnoticed."
The Kazekage still was surprised the level of nastiness and uncaring this, once student of the Sandaime, felt towards his home. Thinking on it, he imagined his own son Gaara would probably feel the same further down the road, if he ever ended up that far.
Taking his mind off of his family matters, Rasa sighed and looked at his "benefactor" in the eyes, "Is there anything more you want for Suna to do in preparation?"
Orochimaru looked up in thought but shook his head. "You'll wait for our signal as planned.
Otherwise, no."
The Kazekage nodded before taking his leave, "Then I will leave the rest to you."
Watching him go, Orochimaru thought about one of his Genin that had gone missing. Kin Tsuchi, after her failure against her match against Sakura Haruno, had gone missing when he called for her and her teammates to meet with him. He doubt that one of his dogs would 'bite the hand that fed them' but in the end she knew virtually nothing. The Snake Sannin had sent one of his tools to find her but hasn't heard anything since. Possibly the village had captured both but that was debatable. So far it was on "alert" but not "high alert". In the end it was of no consequence. This village was doomed.
Looking at where the Kazekage had been, Orochimaru grinned to himself and thought:
'Yes, doomed. The same as some others. My apologies, Rasa-san but I am going to put "you" to good use.'
To be continued…
A/N II: Hinata is going to be a challenge in this but it should work out. A shorter chapter in the long run but the "meaty" stuff is next to come, so stay tuned and please review in the meantime.
Thank you for reading!
Q-n-P