Disclaimer: All respective characters and settings belong to their respective franchises.
A gentle breeze whisked past the field, sifting through the congregated crowd of students standing witness to the two figures that were facing each other in the ring, a collective pit in their stomachs having formed.
Ino had assumed her stance, the single flip of her hair fluttering gently in the wind, her gaze solely trained on her opponent. The confident smile on her lips was baffling to those watching, but to Naruto, it was hardly an afterthought. Ino was Ino, and he would oblige her challenge. Not because of whatever physical capability she might have, but simply for having known her for years, as much of a friend as Shikamaru and Chōji. And also because she'd more than likely never let him live it down.
"Just so we're clear, I shouldn't go easy on you?" Naruto inquired coyly.
"You've never been a gentleman, so why bother?" Ino countered in kind.
Naruto huffed, once again pocketing his hands. Ino saw through this as a means for him to seem disarming, which was the trap Kiba had fallen for. Masa raised his arm, and time seemed to stretch unsettlingly before the sound of his booming voice broke through the winding silence.
"Begin!"
Naruto allowed Ino the first move, to which she closed the distance with surprising speed, but he reacted by smacking her fist away with the same explosive speed, evading another and more as the heiress fired her arms in rapid succession. They danced for a short while, until Naruto was skirting dangerously close to the ring. He planted his feet firmly, and smoothly hooked her extended arm with his own, then swung his elbow upward to clip her on the chin, but she spun away at the last second to aim her own elbow to his head. He ducked, letting go to sneak around quickly behind her for a chokehold, but she fluidly pried his arm off, not letting go to twist the limb behind him, but he brushed her off by whirring in the adjacent direction to roundhouse kick her in the face, forcing her to disengage and snap her head back.
Ino retreated with a few hurried steps, but Naruto quickly charged at her. She braced herself for the incoming assault, following his gaze that was aiming for her right, readying her guard, until she felt a blow to her left leg that made her buckle.
"Idiot!" Ino chastised herself. She scrunched her features, her breath hitching to her throat, her cheeks puffing as she willed her body to dodge the palm strike that was coming her way. She got into a roll, but Naruto was on her like a light, dropping down on one arm for a sweep of his leg, but she sprang off the ground in a somersault to let his leg sail past. She touched down on all fours and stumbled to right herself, facing away from him with some distance reapplied between them. Naruto stood up, but chose not to press on, the two staring each other down after Ino recouped her position, quietly assessing their next move, which they both knew would decide the fight.
Naruto couldn't help but catch the mysterious glint in her gaze. She was out of breath, but the smile belied whatever exhaustion she might have felt.
You haven't changed.
He smirked as Ino rushed toward him.
What can I say?
Naruto smoothly parried two consecutive strikes, then seized that opportunity to grab her head with both hands, but she ducked from under his grasp, only for him to latch onto her shoulder to pull her in for a knee to the stomach. She smoothly gyrated her hips to let the blow slide past her and hooked an arm under his leg to send him flying with surprising strength. However, Naruto flipped in midair until he was facing the ground, lanced an arm down to stop his trajectory. He fell back on his feet, just in time to catch Ino's foot with both hands, the heiress hoping to kick him out of bounds. He shoved her leg aside and lunged forward to catch her neck with his outstretched arm in a lariat, not giving her enough time to gather herself as he dragged her clear across the ring until he tossed her over the line.
It's fun.
Ino was slammed onto her back with an audible thud, the impact displacing some dirt into a thin cloud around her.
"Ino!"
No one was sure who had gasped out her name; it was muffled by a slew of other voices that soon followed.
Down, but not unconscious, the heiress managed to crack her eyes open, seeing the blue of the sky without the stinging flash of the sunlight, next to a very panicked Naruto who was crouched over her, lamenting in distress that he had gone overboard.
Huh…he's kinda cute when he's sorry.
He didn't dare move her; instead, he called out her name in an alarmed voice, soon joined by Masa to help. After determining that she was merely stunned, they carefully sat her up. She let out a few coughs from the lingering pressure on her neck, then waved them away to let her recover her bearings on her own. Ino opened her eyes once more, taking in the sight of everyone gathered around.
She huffed and said in a breathless, joking tone, "So, does anybody else want a go?"
The now cowed students weren't willing to take her up on the mock proposal, including Sasuke, who figured that his time would have to wait. Masa sensed that the tension had abandoned the field completely, leaving everyone shaken and more than a little tired. With a sigh, he called an end to the class, dismissing the students early.
No objections were raised, the air settling into a subdued mood as the students returned to their classrooms to gather their things. Naruto had not said a word the entire way, and remained quiet still when he slung his knapsack over his shoulder, doing his best to ignore the looks he was drawing. The irony would have been funny to him, but he wasn't about to break out in a chortle; he didn't want to set anyone else off.
"Hey."
Naruto paused and looked up to find Ino once again sitting on the top row, a thin smile on her lips as she inclined her head towards the door. "Come on."
"Hm?" Naruto blinked in confusion. "What?"
Ino rolled her eyes and pointed a finger behind him, where Shikamaru and Chōji were also readying to depart. "Going home together."
Naruto stared at her askance, his brows furrowed; he said, "You serious?"
"Yeah?" Ino replied, arching a brow at him as if she had asked an odd question.
Naruto bit his lip and asked, "Aren't you mad?"
Ino scoffed and leapt down to their row, landing right in front of him, "Over what? A spar? Nah, I just wanted to find out for myself if you really were on the level." She did a stretch, letting out a low hum as she loosened the remaining kinks in her joints and muscles. "Gotta say, though, didn't expect to get creamed like that."
"Uh…"
Ino huffed, squaring her shoulders and placing her hands on her hips as she proclaimed, "I'm not mad, you big baby! What? Are you going to cry now?"
Naruto snapped out of it. "As if I'd cry over something like that!" he replied with returning confidence.
"Just kiss already," Shikamaru grumbled with a roll of his eyes at the two, and grinned at the unamused looks he earned from them before they headed towards the door.
The four made their way out of the classroom, with Chōji draping an arm around Naruto's shoulder as they marched down the hallway. From around the corner, Kiba was leaning against the wall, watching them leave, with Akamaru on the floor, huddling closely beside him and whimpering in response to the turmoil of his partner's emotions.
Glaring daggers at the back of the Uzumaki's retreating form, Kiba muttered with venomous intent, "I'm gonna get you, you fucker."
Not far behind him was Sasuke, who was also watching the blonde as he rounded a corner with the three clan heirs. He was tempted to follow them, mainly Naruto, until his pride kicked in at the last second. No, he was not going to stoop down to that halfwit's level. He simply needed to intensify his training. He had made sure of it, having burned through every resource within his clan that hadn't been confiscated by the government. Scrolls, books, equipment, all the while throwing himself fully into training that made his hands and feet bleed when he wasn't resting.
There was very little he could do to adjust or change, and it wasn't as if he was doing anything wrong or lacking in any area. He had optimized everything down to the minutest component. So, what else was he missing? Something that would give him an edge, preferably.
He could recall that the buffoon had made reference to what he ate. Perhaps he could invest in a more protein-focused diet with even less carbs. Could that be what he was missing? Well, it's not like he wasn't already playing with the thought of tweaking his grocery budget. It would be pricey, admittedly, but he had built enough of a workaround on his finances to keep his purse strings from snapping. His clan's assets were still under a trust, after all.
That being the case, his body still needed a healthy level of glucose, and quitting carbs entirely would be counterproductive and achieve nothing but the opposite of his goal.
With that, his mind was set.
Going home by himself was nothing new to Naruto, which made for an odd feeling when he finally had others by his side, with Bokomon and Piyomon being welcome and frequent companions. Now, going home from school with his classmates, he was musing over the sheer awkwardness of it all. That it was Ino, Shikamaru, and Chōji didn't detract from that sensation; in fact, it only added to it as they drew stares from the villagers who caught a glimpse of their little entourage.
Naruto decided to break the ice, and said, "So, uh, why did you really volunteer to spar with me?"
Ino, who had been walking ahead of him, threw a glance over her shoulder. She stopped and faced him, replying, "Like I said, I wanted to find out if you were being serious about wanting to improve your skills before classes were suspended. It's only fair on my part."
Naruto smirked. "Guess you found out the hard way, huh?"
"Don't get ahead of yourself," Ino retorted smartly, resuming her pace. "So, what's your secret?"
"I landed a gym membership," Naruto answered easily, scratching his nose with a finger.
"No, really," Ino pressed flatly.
"Yes, really."
"Oh, come on!" Ino whirled her head toward him. "You seriously expect me to believe that you got that buff by doing curls and squats?"
"Actually, it was more than that, but yeah," Naruto insisted with a nod.
Chōji chimed in, proclaiming, "Me and Shikamaru, too. We all go to the same gym."
Ino was not at all subtle, bringing up both hands in front of her and saying, "Okay, Naruto, I can probably see becoming a gym rat, but you two? Get out of town!"
"It's true!" Chōji insisted.
"Unfortunately," Shikamaru added drily.
Ino's lips were set in a bemused smile. "Yeah, that's gonna have to be something I need to see to believe. I mean, why wasn't I told sooner?"
The three boys looked at one another before facing her and answering in concert, "You didn't ask."
Ino stumbled, bristling as she snapped back, "Well, I'm asking now! I mean, my dad could have mentioned it to me at some point."
"You might not have to wait that long," Shikamaru said in a deadpan voice as he walked past her.
"Meaning?" Ino countered, her gaze following him.
She narrowed her eyes as the boys seemed to exchange cryptic glances. Naruto looked down, then met her gaze steely, and asked, "Uh, how do you feel about pumping some iron?"
"Like I'd rather kiss a warthog than work myself into a sweaty, sticky mess," Ino retorted, sticking her tongue out in disgust.
The boys stared at her blankly, and Naruto was the one to say, "You're lying."
"Excuse me?"
She didn't have time to react as Naruto, in one quick motion, reached an arm out and grabbed her left bicep.
"See? You've been lifting." The next sound that came out of him was a gurgle of pain from Ino embedding her fist into his face. He fell to the ground in a heap, with Shikamaru and Chōji only shaking their heads in the background.
Ino heaved, a visible tick mark on her forehead, her normally rosy complexion now red as a tomato. "Touch me like that again, asshole, and you'll be flapping your gums for the rest of your miserable life! Got it?"
Naruto coughed out a chuckle, a red welt on his face in the vague shape of the girl's fist. He rose back to his feet and dusted himself off, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he met Ino's glare. "Sounds like you can back it up."
The heiress deflated at that remark, her eyes widening as she realized she had fallen for his bait.
"You have been working out," Naruto said smugly, inwardly curious if Sakura would be able to hurt him with her punches as he was now.
Ino huffed, "Fine, you caught me. I've...been doing some training."
"So what's the problem?"
Ino gave him a look that conveyed, "What the hell do you think?"
Naruto nodded, saying, "Oh, right. Gossip queen." She lightly slapped him on his shoulder. "What? You are!"
"Okay, let's switch topics-"
"Sorry, but Sasuke doesn't go to our gym." Shikamaru blurted out preemptively.
"I will cut off your ponytail and hang it up on my wall as a trophy," Ino seethed threateningly. Taking a calming breath, she continued, "So, what's this gym all about?"
"It's got basically everything you'll ever need," Naruto answered.
"Which means that it isn't cheap." Ino understood.
"Well," Naruto started as if he was about to refute her, only for his shoulders to fall and concede with a flat, "yes. Yes, it isn't, but you get your money's worth."
"Yeah, you managed to show me that much," the heiress expressed drily, making the boy flush. "So how, pray tell, were you able to gain a membership?"
"...I won the lottery."
Ino leaned her head towards him, her brows furrowing sharply in a judgmental frown that caused the boy to mumble with a fumbling voice, "I…stumbled into an inheritance."
Her expression deepened, edging her head closer that their noses were almost touching until he admitted frankly, "Okay, fine, my uncle is loaded."
Ino relented with a satisfied smile, and said, "See? Was that so hard?"
"Does that mean you want in?" Naruto questioned in retaliation, to which the heiress scoffed and waved the suggestion off.
"Please, I'm already doing fine on my own," she replied.
"How? Weight lifting? Calisthenics?"
"A little bit of both," Ino revealed. "And I have to say, it's been doing wonders for my growing figure."
"Keep telling yourself that."
Ino was on top of the surly boy in a heartbeat, kunai drawn, grabbing a fistful of his ponytail in an attempt to scalp him. Shikamaru had his arms up to rebuff her assault, and was soon surprised at her strength, forcing him to double his efforts to repel her.
"Knock it off already, you two," Naruto said. "I just remembered that I have somewhere else to be."
Ino relaxed from a very annoyed and winded; but mostly annoyed, Nara, turning to the Uzumaki and asking, "You? Where?"
"I'm just picking up some groceries," Naruto replied, turning around.
Ino scoffed, waving him off dismissively and saying, "Boring."
"Yeah, yeah," Naruto replied, waving at them as he departed.
Ino huffed out a breath, then turned to her pair of other headaches. "Okay, you two have a ton of-what the? Where are you going?"
Shikamaru and Chōji stopped midway to glance at her, already a few feet from where the heiress still stood.
"Cloud watching," Shikamaru answered, rolling his eyes, still irked over nearly being scalped.
"Same as Naruto. Groceries," Chōji shrugged.
"And leaving me by my lonesome?" Ino huffed dramatically, crossing her arms over her chest, turning her head away briskly. "Hmph, are there really no gentlemen left in this village to escort a lady back home?"
Both boys recoiled, eyes widening. They shared an awkward glance before bursting into laughter.
"A lady?! You?!" Shikamaru hollered, a hand clutching his stomach while the other was pointing at an increasingly aggravated heiress. "Maybe in your dreams!"
"Don't kid yourself!" the usually polite Chōji guffawed with tears in his eyes, both hands clutching his belly.
Both boys barely had enough time to anticipate an enraged Ino as she lunged at them with the ferocity of a wildcat.
Naruto failed to notice any of this as it was happening, having already covered two klicks as he was sprinting towards Training Ground 44.
"I have to stay here?"
"As part of your training, yes, but only for a month."
Oton, Naruto, Bokomon and Piyomon were standing in front of a large gate between equally tall chain link fences that overlooked a seemingly vast thicket of forest, the ginormous trees with canopies so dense and winding the treeline was painted in darkness despite it still being daylight. Moss and other parasitic plants could be seen growing around the barks and rocks, betraying their age. The general perimeter was quiet. Too quiet. Naruto only noticed after focusing to listen, expecting for there to be at least the chirping of a cicada or a bird, but there was nothing that so much as tickled his ears.
"What is this place?" Naruto asked, raking in as much of the odd forest as his vision could cover.
"Training Ground 44," Bokomon answered next to him, reading from a small Konoha booklet. "It says here that it's an area that's strictly reserved for higher level ninja. The place is purportedly dangerous, so much so in fact that it's constantly guarded to keep things in rather than out." Bokomon closed the booklet and looked up, recalling what Anko had mentioned in passing about the fabled "Forest of Death", both flora and fauna so dangerous a mere civilian would be without their head the moment they so much as set foot over the line. It made him rather homesick.
"So, Piyomon, are you ready?" the scholar asked the pink bird, who was still in the midst of being briefed by Oton as they were standing next to a guard post, where a Tokubetsu Jōnin was stationed, observing the strange party oddly. Oton had handed him papers signed and stamped with the Hokage's approval to allow entry for the Bird Summon, which only meant that he was under no liberty to ask if he was going to hell for this, or be allowed to retire with a clear conscience. Regardless, he pressed the button that slid the gate open with a loud metallic noise that was sure to alert any of the nearby predators.
Piyomon turned to Bokomon, her eyes shining with excitement. "Uh-huh. I'm super ready! I can't wait to go in and see what kind of fun I'll have."
Naruto smiled at her, the full gravity of the situation failing to register, or that he was simply that confident in her perseverance. "Just be careful, Piyomon. And if anybody tries to mess with 'ya, give 'em hell."
Piyomon nodded earnestly, and with that, started for the gate, stepping within the boundaries of the training ground with an approximation of a smile on her beak. Already, a number of the fauna inhabiting this sweet little spot of hell drawn in by the sounds and scents of these newcomers were lying in wait, mouths watering over this specimen. They watched the adorable little prey as she was waltzing in with seemingly no care in the world, unaware that she; or parts of her, would soon be the lucky occupant of their stomachs.
Humming to herself a jolly tune, this left Naruto, Bokomon and Oton to watch as traces of her soon vanished into the maw of a creature that masked itself as the very forest itself, the animals merely the cells that composed it.
That was well over three weeks ago, and Piyomon seemed to have adapted well to life in the forest.
Naruto stood before the gate patiently, waiting for Piyomon to come out. Soon enough, he spotted a dark figure emerging from the treeline. It was large and covered in thick, dark fur. A black bear, twice or perhaps even three times the average size, was crawling on all fours towards the now-open gate where Naruto was standing. The guard, seated comfortably inside his post, read a magazine without paying attention to the approaching bear.
The Uzumaki wasn't reacting how one usually would, instead approaching the beast in turn until they stopped at about two feet apart from each other.
Rather than attack right off the bat, the bear had been keeping its head down the entire time, a shambling gait to its step, with Naruto opening his mouth and saying, "Whoa, it's bigger than the last one."
The bear seemed to rock unnaturally in place for a moment, before its upper body finally rose off the ground to stand on its hindquarters, ready to pounce on the boy.
Which would have been the case, had there not been a voice coming up from below.
"Yep."
Piyomon, her usually vibrant pink feathers scruffy and caked with filth, looked up from beneath the dead bear she was hauling. Their eyes met; hers still shone with youthful vigor, her time in the forest doing nothing to diminish her spirit. If anything, the experience had only enlivened her combat instincts.
That day, as she had entered deeper into the training ground itself, her senses had picked up on hostility from all sides. Practically every corner her eyes swiveled to was some animal ready to sink its teeth into her. Per the instructions Oton had given her, she was never to be the first to engage; instead, she was to simply defend against any and all predators that popped up to attack her, while leaving or ignoring those that chose to stand by or flee.
She was allowed to kill any creature she fancied eating, having been prepped with basic survival skills to prepare her meals outdoors. The rest, she would leave to her natural instincts as a Digimon.
"So, how was the training today?" Naruto asked as he helped Piyomon carry what was to be part of their dinner for the next few days, ignoring the stunned and terrified looks of those unfortunate enough to be caught in their path.
"Not as much fun as it was the first few days," Piyomon replied with a sigh. "They keep running away now. A lot of them are too scared to come near me."
"Really? Even the really huge snakes that you've been telling me about?"
Piyomon nodded, prompting Naruto to laugh and tell her, "I guess that's just natural. You've been kicking ass and taking names the whole time you've been there."
Piyomon hummed in agreement, glumly. "But it's not any fun anymore. And they keep calling me 'boss' for some reason."
Naruto glanced at her, astonished, from his side of the bear. "You can understand them?"
Piyomon undulated her shoulders in the approximation of a shrug, arms raised high to match Naruto's hunched position from where she was holding up the bear, its weight making it rather cumbersome. "A little," she admitted. "You pick it up after a while. It was really annoying though. I kept telling them my name, but they just wouldn't listen, so I gave up on trying."
Naruto chuckled, adjusting his right bicep from where his bag hung. "Heh, join the club, I guess."
"N-Naruto…?"
Naruto perked up at the voice and they both stopped, almost not hearing it due to the clumps of fur around his neck and face, and because it had been said with such trepidation that it came out as more of a whimper. Adjusting his head so that he could look up from under the large carcass, his gaze caught sight of a familiar red dress.
"Sakura-chan?"
Sakura had been walking home after making a quick stop at a clothing store, window shopping for what would best impress Sasuke. Coming upon her usual street, she caught movement from the corner of her eye, and all color drained from her face after doing a double take, terror locking her in place at the sight of a monstrously sized bear walking loose in the village. She was about to make a run for it in the opposite direction when she caught a flash of orange from underneath the beast's lumbering form.
Believing that she was imagining it, she was about to flee when she heard the faint, but distinct patter of footsteps, accompanied by a pair of voices coming from under the bear, and her terror was quickly replaced by dumbfounded shock after realizing who it was, trembling out his name in recognition.
Her breath hitched in her throat after he said her name back, her heart dropping like an anchor, further confirming that it was indeed the blonde nuisance. Her mouth went dry as she struggled to make a sound, her entire body quaking in panic. "K... K... Ky..."
"Hm?" Naruto had inched his upper body just enough to peek out from under the bear's bulk to get a better look at her, only to see the undiluted horror written across the girl's pale features.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Naruto and Piyomon winced as Sakura let out an ear-splitting shriek. Without waiting another second, she spun on her heel and booked it, leaving a thick trail of dust in her wake.
Naruto, his own jaw hanging open in bewilderment, could only watch as his crush ran off like she had gone mad. "E…E-E-Eeeh?"
"Who was that, Naru-chan?" Piyomon asked, tilting her head to get a better look. "Why was she acting so weird?"
For a moment, Naruto was at a loss for words, wondering to himself the same thing. "She's...," he stopped himself from saying that she was the girl he liked, a pit in his stomach telling him that it wouldn't be the right thing for Piyomon to hear. "She's a classmate of mine. From school."
"Oh," Piyomon said in clarity. "Is she your friend?"
"Not... not really," Naruto replied, the words slipping from his lips of their own accord. "Let's just go. The sooner we bring this to Oton, the sooner we can eat."
"Okay!" Piyomon chirped brightly, her stomach growling at the prospect of a good meal.
As they continued on their way, Piyomon's thoughts lingered for a moment longer on the girl, before her attention returned to another conversation with Naruto.
ANBU IT Division
Mitarashi Anko. Currently a Tokubetsu Jōnin, was having a very productive workday. She actually managed to wake up early and had a good breakfast. She took a bath and dried herself, then slipped into clean and dry clothes. She made sure to take a peek outside her window and saw that it was a clear day, not too warm and not too cold.
When she arrived at her workplace, it was exactly two minutes early, so she didn't get yelled at. She didn't make any unnecessary stops along the way, and made sure not to buy that new bra she'd had her eye on for a while now. When she was face-to-face with the ANBU that oversaw their department, all she was told was that there weren't any cup noodles or cookies today, which was a shame since she would have wanted to eat something sweet while working. Maybe some dango would have made a better snack; she realized that she had forgotten to buy dango. Why? She never forgot about dango. She felt very stupid, but it was fleeting and ultimately unimportant. What mattered right now was doing a good job at work and having fun while doing it.
However, that was not the case, as she was bored out of her mind, and wanted some beer to take her mind off the drudgery of her new job. One could say that she had expected a much more glamorous reassignment, but all she found were some nerds with BO and a penchant for takeout bento. Two of them, both claiming to be ANBU, were to be her handlers to show her the ropes, and she suspected that one of them was only there because he had made a pass at a coworker.
The one in question was a lanky man wearing a white T-shirt, with a brown stain at the bottom left that she hoped was soda. His blue jeans were rather torn in places, but it didn't outright expose any bits, so that was a plus. He had short black hair on the scruffy side and some thin stubble. The vibe she immediately got from him was that of a NEET pretending to be a ninja, and the administration must have just rolled with it due to budget cuts or something. He was currently staring blankly at a screen, his mouth hanging open as if it were a natural part of life.
The other was a woman with a more petite build, her black hair tied back into a tight bun and secured with a hairband. Freckles dotted her pale face, accentuated by thick round glasses. She wore a brown tank top and white shorts. With one hand on the keyboard, she picked at her nose while typing away at her blog, balancing it with her monitoring duties.
Obviously, she was working with professionals.
The room was spacious enough to house five computers; and whether she should be grateful or not, there was also a restroom. A table by the window held snacks and some coffee.
Not even good snacks, and the coffee was just a single red thermos with a stack of plastic cups lying precariously next to it. Probably instant. Clutter and waste were scattered about, but it was minimal that it didn't obscure the floor. Not that it made things more comfortable.
This is sad.
Anko threw herself into the job, lest she end up cracking and begging the Hokage for another transfer. Other than catching some guy bragging about cheating on his girlfriend with her mother, she had yet to find anything suspicious.
Or Digimon related.
She decided today to forgo her usual attire for a red button-up shirt and black cargo shorts. Although she rarely went conservative, she always worked best with computers in casual wear. It was probably more suitable considering the environment she now found herself in.
God, I could go for a beer. "Hey, Ichinose, what time was our break again?" A full minute went by, after which she spoke again, "Hey, Ichinose!"
Ichinose, the scraggly man gaping at the screen, made a lazy sound in reply. "When's our break?" Anko asked more assertively.
At this, she sensed the man's shrug. "Another twenty minutes... I think," he said.
Anko sighed, "Anybody up for a beer?"
Ichinose asked anxiously, "Are you buying?"
"Fuck no," Anko replied tersely. "I know you got a stash."
"No! That's my beer, my beer!" Ichinose asserted.
"It's behind a tile, on the bottom left of the toilet," the girl said haphazardly.
"Hey, don't go blabbing about other people's stash," Ichinose chided lazily, the clacking of keys echoing across the room as his fingers kept drumming. "Do you want me to shout from the rooftop where you keep your vibrator? Huh?"
"Go ahead," the girl replied unconcernedly.
Anko threw her head back, her boredom reaching its peak. "Akiyama, get me some beer."
"I'm on my period," the girl, Akiyama, picking at her other nostril, replied flatly. "You get it."
Ichinose turned to the newly minted Tokubetsu Jōnin, and said nonchalantly, "Don't you dare. I booby trapped it just in case."
"I'll suck your dick," Anko offered, eyes glued to her own screen.
"I only like 2D girls," Ichinose said.
"Gross," Anko said.
"Why is it gross?" Ichinose asked. "At least I won't be accused of sexual assault. 2D girls don't cry out or talk back."
"So annoying!" Akiyama yelled out. "Shut the fuck up. I'm trying to focus."
"Focusing more on your blog," Ichinose countered. "I'll report you."
"So annoying! Annoying!"
I want a beer. She was about ready to get some herself; booby trap be damned, when from the corner of her eye, she spotted movement. Hm?
"What's wrong?" Ichinose asked, tensing up, as did Akiyama.
"..." She eyed the corner carefully. "Nothing. Just a cockroach." I really want that beer right now. I'm starting to see things.
She looked back at the screen as the two ANBU realigned their focus back to monitoring.
Right around then a chat box popped up on her screen. Son of a…
4ngelf4c3: Heyo!
Anko typed a reply, keeping her fingers relaxed so as to remain inconspicuous, knowing that they were keeping tabs on every keystroke she made.
Ankyū: What?
4ngelf4c3: Just wanted to ask if the Digivice -V- worked like a charm. Well, did it?
Ankyū: What do you think?
4ngelf4c3: Excellent. I won't keep you for long, so bear this in mind. The coming weeks are going to be hectic.
Anko's gaze hardened.
Ankyū: Why?
4ngelf4c3: Just keep your eyes and ears peeled. Congrats on the promotion, by the way. Oh, and I've also discovered where you can find the next Spirit. Naruto will be informed later on. And, don't worry about this channel. It's private and won't leave any trace, so you should be fine.
Anko's expression withered, her head hanging low. "Fuck…"
"Hm? What is it this time?" Ichinose said, looking in her direction to his right, wondering who she was chatting with and why, finding the exchange suspicious. It seemed personal.
Anko paused for a moment before she huffed out, "Fuck it." She slammed both hands on her desk as she shot out of her chair and turned to march briskly towards the restroom.
Ichinose's expression betrayed panic and rushed after her. Akiyama was ignoring it all, her full attention drawn to her blog, writing her latest Bara erotic fanfiction featuring Hatake Kakashi and Might Guy.
"AH-CHOO!"
"Hm? What's wrong, dad?"
In the middle of a clearing filled with equipment, where Guy and his team were busy training, he rubbed at his nose, wondering if a cute girl was talking about him.
Lee, his dear son in all but blood, peered curiously at his sensei and adopted father as he was doing his one-hand pushups.
"Nothing," Guy sniffled. "Probably just some stray pollen." He then placed both hands on his hips and regarded his students' progress. Tenten was almost done with her pull-ups, working on her upper body strength.
His other student was sitting under a large tree, some distance away from everyone else, silent as a mouse and deeply immersed in meditation.
Guy couldn't keep a proud smile from coming onto his face. "Alright," he began, clapping for their attention, "Once you're all done, we'll rest up. Tenten, square those shoulders more."
"Got it," the girl replied between breaths, her entire body drenched in sweat.
Lee was similarly soaked through that his green jumpsuit had darkened entirely. "495, 496, 497, 498…"
"You've got this, Lee!" Guy encouraged him. "Almost there! Keep going! You can do it!"
"499... 500!" Lee croaked out the last repetition hoarsely, both from the itching in his throat and the sheer exhaustion of his muscles. He let go and fell flat on his chest, his breathing labored and heavy as he now lay sprawled on the grassy field.
"That's it, that's my boy!" Guy commended him. "Never give up until every ounce of vapor is gone from your body. Just another hundred and you'll be closer to accomplishing a thousand."
Lee smiled through the numbness. "Th-Thanks, dad…"
Tenten was also panting after landing back on her feet, hands on her knees for support. "This... has... to be... the craziest one yet."
"Oh come on, we've only been at this for seven hours," Guy said with some humor. "We haven't even warmed up yet."
Tenten brought a hand up, a reproachful look on her exhausted face, aimed squarely at her sensei. "Please, I am not in the mood for a trip to the hospital."
Guy laughed as he folded his arms over his chest, "Alright, alright, I'll ease up now. You sprouts still have a long way to go."
"Maybe they do."
He shifted his gaze to the one now emerging from behind the tree, his milky white eyes surveying them with disinterest and conceit. "When's our next mission, sensei?"
The Jōnin replied, "In a week. Why the hurry?"
The one who spoke was a boy, with long dark brown hair that came down to the small of his back, tied into a loose ponytail. He was wearing a beige shirt and dark brown shorts, with his right arm and leg wrapped in bandages. The standard blue shinobi sandals protected his feet. A black hitai-ate adorned his forehead. "I'm just afraid these two won't be at their best from all the last minute training you've been putting them through."
Lee frowned slightly at that remark, mirrored by Tenten, while Guy's smile remained unwavering. "Come now, Neji," he said. "You don't need to be so worried. They'll get plenty of rest so that they can be in top form when the day arrives."
Neji visibly grimaced at his sensei's remark that implied any real attachment. To him, he and his so-called teammates were on strictly professional terms. "I'll be counting on that," he replied, turning to leave. However, before he could go far, Lee called out to him.
Neji sighed and didn't bother turning around. "Yes?"
"Don't think I won't-"
"Catch up to me?" Neji said preemptively, indicating that this wasn't the first time they'd had this exchange. "I know. You've made that abundantly clear since our days at the Academy, but as always, I suggest that you only worry about your own progress."
Lee couldn't suppress a grimace of his own as he sat up and watched as the other boy left, both from his aching muscles and from being dismissed by his chief rival, albeit one-sided. "One day," he muttered under his breath.
"You'll get there, my boy," Guy said reassuringly, having crouched down next to him and patted the lad on the back. "So, is anyone up for some curry?"
All exhaustion instantly abandoned Lee upon hearing that, raising his hand as he shot up to his feet, exclaiming with a jubilant smile, "Me!"
"Ahahahaha! Yosh!" Guy cheered as he flexed his bicep victoriously after another day's worth of training was complete. "Mighty Guy's Anabolic Chicken Curry, super extra spicy! Great for recovery and fueling you up for even more training."
Stars shone in Lee's eyes at the thought of eating his father's curry; it would be the first time since the adoption had been finalized, and he saw it as a celebratory meal. Beside him was Tenten, who could only sag in gratitude that the training was over, wanting nothing more than to sit down in front of a computer so she could check out blogs on weapons.
As they were busy gathering their equipment, Tenten asked Lee as she was putting away some dumbbells into a duffel bag, "So, Lee, do you think we're a shoo-in for the Chūnin Exams next year?"
Lee was busy on his end, disassembling the bench. "Depends," he said. "The only thing we can do is train and gain experience with missions." He cast a glance at her. "Do you want to get promoted?"
"Absolutely!" Tenten exclaimed. "Higher-end missions mean better pay. What's not to like about that?"
"It'll be a toss-up if we even qualify," Lee reminded her. "I estimate this year's going to see a large turnout with all of the allied villages invited."
"Getting cold feet?"
Lee shot her a grin, replying, "You wish. Why do you think dad and me have been training as hard as we have?"
"Don't tell me you train at night, too?"
Lee rolled his eyes in thought, "Sometimes when we can, otherwise, we rest up to recover. If we didn't, it'd be no different from hurting ourselves."
"Wow!" Tenten blinked in surprise. "I mean, I always thought you two trained non-stop."
"That's just to give us motivation."
Tenten blinked. "Motivation?"
"By setting up higher and higher goals, we motivate ourselves to better reach those goals. If we fail, we push ourselves to try even harder," Lee explained. "It isn't that complex."
"Has it been doing you any good?" Tenten asked as she stood up and hauled the bag onto her shoulder.
Lee followed, carrying the bench under his arm, musing, "With what I'm capable of now compared to how I was at the Academy, I'd rather not dwell on it. I can't stop if I want to be the best shinobi I can be." A determined grin graced his lips, "Even if it seems impossible, it's the pursuit that matters, never about reaching the goal."
A proud smile flashed across Tenten's face, looking back at her friend and teammate, who had been the Dead Last during their time in the Academy. She remembered him then, and how he had changed since they met their now sensei, Guy. If things had been different, she wondered what Lee might have become.
She pushed that thought away, as she couldn't possibly see Lee being anyone else or taking up a different calling. After being subjected to a specialized training regiment, only then did Lee's natural aptitude for Taijutsu become apparent. Greater than her own, perhaps even at odds with Neji. Guy-sensei had seen and done his part in tapping into that hidden potential rather than in ninjutsu, though with some practice in-between, he had begun to see improvement as of late with the basics like channeling chakra or creating simple illusory clones.
Something that was strange to her at first.
Lee, no matter how hard he tried back in the Academy, had never been able to draw or mold chakra properly. Not even when he would force himself for hours to the point of strain. She would have chalked it up to him being a late bloomer, but cases like that were uncommon for a reason. The answer would eventually rear itself when the scandal at the Academy was made public, making sense of an otherwise trivial puzzle, yet some pieces were still missing to her liking.
"Hey, uh, I met him."
"Hm? Met who?"
Tenten kicked her legs out, helping to loosen some of the tension. "Uzumaki Naruto."
"Oh?" Lee brightened at the mention of the blonde who had piqued both his and their sensei's interest. "Well, what do you think of him?"
Tenten turned her gaze upward, humming in thought. "He didn't look all that special. You sure he kept up with you the whole time?"
"Would I lie about something like that?" Lee told her. "Uzumaki Naruto is strong, I could tell from a glance. He may be an Academy student now, but imagine how even more amazing he'll be after making Genin." The green clad lad trembled in excitement at the thought of his new rival becoming stronger.
"Indeed!" Guy exclaimed out of nowhere, appearing behind Tenten, who recoiled frantically at being startled. "Naruto-kun is an excellent rival! You've chosen well, Lee. He is one with plenty of potential. He will no doubt bloom into a truly magnificent shinobi alongside the rest of you. But, you must not be complacent, my son. More rivals mean more challenges. For that, you must continue to pour everything into your training!"
"Yes!" Lee declared, giving the man a salute. Beaming, Guy clapped a hand on his son's shoulder, and with that, the three vacated the clearing.
Naruto's Apartment…
After dinner, Naruto was relaxing at his computer, passing the time by going through chat rooms and reading manga online. In regards to the latter, the site was fairly new, making it slow and clunky with about a hundred others accessing it in real time, but it was an exciting and nonetheless convenient alternative to buying hard copies. He caught wind of it from a random chat room where two users were discussing an up-and-coming website where manga was posted and archived. He found it hard to believe at first, as who in their right mind would think of something so unusual. After some digging, he discovered that the person who created and managed the site was supposedly paying for it all out of their own pocket, including buying and uploading the material page after page.
It sounded too good to be true at first, but he copied the URL and was instantly hooked when he clicked on the first title that caught his eye - Underworld Paradiso. It happened to be one of his favorites that he owned a hard copy of. The story revolved around nukenin forced to fight in tournaments held at random locations by the Daimyo in order to gain amnesty. He loved it for its complex plot filled with political intrigue and nuance, as well as its unflinching portrayal of the harsh realities of shinobi life. Unfortunately, serialization ended after four volumes, leaving fans disappointed. However, he could still find hard copies available at shops and bookstores.
Incidentally, he had only discovered it long after his training under Oton began.
"Heh, now this is sure to ruffle some feathers."
Hm? Why?
"If you can just get something for free, then why pay for it? The market will take a hit as more and more come to know of this site. This will also affect the authors themselves, cutting into their bottom line."
Naruto thought about it, and indeed, why pay for something when you could just have access to it for free after a few clicks? It sounded unfair to those simply working for a living.
"Then again, piracy does have its advantages."
It does? Like what?
"Pick out the copy you have of Underworld Paradiso and compare it to the one on the site."
Uh, right.
Naruto took to his bookshelf and procured a hard copy he bought. Vol. 3 Chapter 5.
With some guidance from Kurama, Naruto compared every corresponding page and noticed with surprise that some of the dialogue and context were different.
What the-?
"Well?"
Naruto flipped through each and every page back and forth, and there were indeed discrepancies between the two, some more blatant than others. How could-?
"They omitted and changed parts of the dialogue and edited certain panels. What you're reading online is the uncensored version."
Uncensored?
"Certain parts of the storyline hold critique against the government, namely the Daimyō, which they can't have as you may imagine. Probably the main reason why it was canceled."
Whoa, that's…
"Sleazy? Underhanded?"
Well, yeah…
"If it's to keep people in check, they'll even tamper with random chicken scratch scrawled on a used tissue that's already in the trash."
Does that mean he was accessing a site he wasn't supposed to?
"I wouldn't worry. At least for now. The ANBU haven't caught on yet from the looks of it, but they will eventually. I wager by the end of the week, access will be blocked."
Naruto closed the window for safety, but it still ruined his mood. To think that the administration would go that far.
"This is par for the course in any shinobi village, and nothing compared to the more extreme cases."
Like?
There was a very long pause, with Kurama chuckling before saying, "Now, this might just be me, and I'll admit, it's been nagging at my brain for some time now, but this is sure to tickle your curiosity as well. After learning of your true heritage, hasn't it ever once struck you as a bit odd that not many seem to express any awareness of the Uzumaki Clan? With how close they were with the Senju; the very clan next to the Uchiha that practically founded this dump they call a home, you would think that at least someone would bring it up."
That…
He could feel Kurama grinning as his mind began to race through that very thought. The topic had come up to him from time to time in passing, admittedly, but he had always pushed it back over more pressing matters.
The Hokage's Office.
"There!"
Hiruzen sank into his chair with a tired yet euphoric sigh, having finally finished with the paperwork. He peered out of his office window and saw that he had been working well into the wee hours, which was not unusual for him, though he still felt fatigued. He smiled, nonetheless, eager to relax and enjoy some much-needed downtime. Just then, he heard a knock on the door.
My kingdom for some warm tea. "Come in."
The door opened, and to his surprise, it was Naruto. Rather than barging in like he used to—and he still did plenty of that even after he had grown some etiquette—he strolled in placidly, a taciturn air surrounding him.
"Good evening, Naruto-kun." Hiruzen greeted the lad amiably, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. Perhaps having a talk with the boy would enliven his mood. "What brings you here?"
Naruto kept silent as he sauntered up to the desk, with Hiruzen watching his body language closely. It was evident from how he entered the room that he wasn't there for some idle chat, which made him mildly vigilant and worried.
Naruto folded his arms and cast the old man a look, their eyes meeting in what was at that instant a stare down. "Jii-chan, may I ask you a question?"
That eased whatever tension had taken root within Hiruzen, though he didn't show it. "Go right ahead, Naruto-kun," he said. "You can ask me anything."
Naruto seemed torn over whatever it was, to the man's watchful eye, cocking a brow as to what the question could even be to make him this cagey in the way he carried himself. To his surprise, Naruto fished out a history textbook from a brown satchel that he now took notice of, hanging from his side. Could it be that he was simply asking for clarification? Advice? It seemed inappropriate to glean insight from the headmaster himself, but perhaps there was something else behind this visit.
The boy was leafing through the book at an alarmingly slow and meticulous pace, which told Hiruzen all he needed to know that something was definitely amiss. He leaned back from his desk when the boy seemed to have found what he was searching for and laid it before him. It was on the section about Konohagakure's founding, and there was no mention of the Uzumaki Clan.
Hiruzen sighed, steepling his hands over his now bowed head, shading his face that deepened in fatigue.
Their eyes met again, and a silent conversation seemed to transpire between them.
"Is there a reason for this?"
Hiruzen's cheeks puffed up as he heaved out a heavy breath. "I really am getting too old."
Naruto scowled as Hiruzen began to explain.
"All materials routinely pass through a rigorous vetting process before they ultimately qualify for my seal of approval once they pass my office. At least, that used to be the case. After your father's death, I delegated the task to a number of Tokubetsu Jonin when the fallout and other matters took priority, and has been that way ever since." The man's gaze lowered as he admitted, "And I confess, Naruto-kun, that as part of the measure in protecting your identity, we... did some revisions to the curriculum to omit certain parts that would have linked to your identity through your mother. Even more so with Minato, as your birth had been largely classified. Information, no matter how scarce or incomplete, when in the hands of shinobi, is dangerous. It was the most we could do to prevent anyone; ally and enemy alike, from piecing it all together."
This didn't diminish the blonde's annoyance. "I get that, Jii-chan, but did you have take out everything about my clan? That's just bullshit. Heck, I tried to recall most of our history lessons, and not once did I ever hear so much as a croak that sounded like my surname, even when we were learning about Seals. Believe me, everyone in my class would have noticed or remembered."
Hiruzen's blood went cold upon hearing that revelation. "Come again?"
Naruto jabbed a finger at the still-open book on the desk and declared, "Not a single thing about the Uzumaki can be found in this book. None. Hell, the First Hokage's wife was an Uzumaki, and I didn't see her name once. There's nothing about an Uzumaki or a Senju Mito anywhere. All it says here is that Senju Hashirama was widowed."
Hiruzen grabbed the armrests of his chair for support as he almost fell off his seat, his jaw meeting the floor. That was absolutely preposterous! "What?!"
Naruto was taken aback by Hiruzen's reaction as the man grabbed the textbook like a lifeline and began furiously rifling through it. "Not here…not here, even here? How could…?" He slammed the offending textbook down hard in a fit of rage that could have split his desk in two. Immediately, he signaled for the ANBU hidden in the room; two of them, who were already on one knee. "Get me Tadakatsu and the entire staff in the publication department immediately! Heads will roll for this!"
"Yes!" The two ANBU, wearing red and white masks that resembled tanuki, signed off on the order. Naruto watched as they vanished, but before they did, he sensed that the one on the right; a woman, had been eyeing him.
Naruto's hand found his forehead. "Don't tell me…"
"I have no excuse," Hiruzen remarked apologetically, massaging the bridge of his nose as he tried to ward off the beginnings of a headache.
"Mizuki?" Naruto still wondered.
"It could have been any other party for all I care," Hiruzen intoned in annoyance, and there was a good guess as to who.
Regret began to seep into Naruto's consciousness for having spoiled the Hokage's night. "I'm sorry," he said.
"If anyone should be apologizing, Naruto-kun, it's me," Hiruzen said as he massaged his eyes. "Things have been far more problematic than I could have ever imagined possible." No, this level of sabotage was practically pedestrian, and a younger him would have been on top of it before any damage could be done.
"I still think that I should be the one to apologize," Naruto rebutted meekly. "This only came up because…"
"Go ahead, Naruto-kun," Hiruzen said with a sigh, already guessing who it was that had put him up to this.
"Yeah, Kurama kinda blew the lid on it," Naruto explained. "I also went through my previous textbooks just to be sure. Almost all of them were more or less the same."
"Almost?"
"This textbook is outdated by about 10 years," Naruto elaborated as he took out another textbook from his satchel and presented it. "It's the one I used in my first year. I think I got it from that donation drive."
The Hokage nodded and gratefully accepted it. He rifled through the old and worn textbook and saw that information on the Uzumaki clan was indeed present. Not by much, but just enough for first-years.
Hiruzen frowned in thought, now having a clue to narrow down the timeline of when the sabotage occurred.
"Heh," Naruto snorted. "And here I was thinking that there wasn't some kind of elaborate conspiracy about me."
"My boy, there is always a conspiracy afoot," Hiruzen remarked coolly, steepling his fingers, now more collected. "Do you happen to know Daizaburo-san?"
"That sweet old lady who used to run the local pet shop?" Naruto asked curiously. "What about her? I heard her shop closed down after she retired."
"A cover story. That "sweet old lady" is dead, executed two weeks ago," Hiruzen revealed. "We busted her for illegally smuggling opium through the very animals under her care. She'd stuff the narcotics into their stomachs and her buyers would cut the poor things open. We were able to rescue the ones left and handed them over to a more reputable shelter."
Naruto reeled in shock. "Damn," he muttered in disgust. "Sounds like my clan being wiped from the history books should be the least of my worries."
"Which we will nonetheless have rectified forthwith," Hiruzen declared firmly. If the sabotage had been this roundabout, he shuddered to think what else could be out of place. Suspending classes again was completely out of the question. Too much time and manpower had already been spent, which meant he would need to enact the amendments without further delay. With the exception of the lessons that were to be delegated to a Jōnin sensei, they would have to organize an emergency meeting for the new Chūnin Instructors. He wasn't worried, as he and Inoichi had screened each and every one with a fine-toothed comb; backgrounds, work history, psyche, etc.
Other than that, if the subversive elements in the village had been evident before, it was now too blatant to ignore. Of course, it wasn't uncommon for a shinobi village to experience such subversion every once and a while, but for it to have been this elaborate for nearly a decade without anyone being the wiser, it was absurd. How could they have possibly let so much slip?
He could blame it on old age, the allocation of resources, perhaps even the years having taken their toll on his mind and the sheer numbness to the monotony of his time in office. Or, perhaps, these past years have simply been a wearying haze to his weathered self after a succession of misfortunes.
"I guess that's it," Naruto declared. "Still got school tomorrow. Good night, Jii-hm?" Turning to leave, he was cut off by a ringing noise coming from his pocket. Hiruzen ogled the young man curiously as he fished out the device and pressed a button.
"Good evening, Uzumaki-kun."
"This voice," Naruto muttered in recognition. Hiruzen simply sat quietly at his desk, listening intently. "Uh, g-good evening. What is it?"
"How have you been?"
Naruto exchanged a glance with Hiruzen, who nodded for him to answer. "Fine, I guess. Why the sudden call?"
"I simply want to know if you and your friends would be up for a trip."
Both humans gaped. "What…kind of trip?"
"The kind that shouldn't take too long, seeing as you already have school. How does Saturday sound?"
He glimpsed up at Hiruzen again, appearing deeply pensive. He gestured with his hand if he really should agree, to which the man nodded after a tense moment.
Naruto stammered out, "Uh, yeah, Saturday's…Saturday's great." He winced; it almost sounded like he was agreeing to a date.
"Excellent. Make sure to be well prepared."
"Uh, you haven't exactly given me the reason for this…trip," Naruto prodded tersely.
"I've managed to acquire the whereabouts of the next Spirit."
Naruto sighed, replying, "Okay, so, whose is it?"
"Not sure. Could be yours, or your friends', hence why it would be better for them to tag along just in case."
Hiruzen's jaw became set; he would need to discuss this with Shikaku and Chōza over some drinks.
"Okay, so, where is it in the Digital World?" There was a beeping sound and Naruto pressed the larger button on the side, causing a holographic circle to appear over the D-Scanner, knowing what to do after exploring its features whenever he had the time. It appeared to be a map, with a red dot that was blinking. "Where is "here"?"
"That's for you to figure out."
"W-Wait, I-" Naruto watched as the glow from the screen faded, leaving the two alone in the room to contemplate. "Are you kidding me with this? The first quarter exams are coming up and I have to get sidetracked." He blinked; since when did he start to care that much about exams?
Hiruzen massaged his forehead, betraying his weariness. "And I need to convene with Shikaku and Chōza."
Both let out tired sighs in unison.
"At least it's Wednesday," Naruto remarked, clicking his tongue. "Maybe we could even put it off for a day or two."
As soon as that was said, another beeping sound emanated from the D-Scanner, surprising them both as Naruto answered the call once more.
"Oh, almost forgot. I only came to know of the Spirit from a contact within Etemon's organization, who managed to locate it first, so if you're thinking about putting it off for longer, that'll be bad. Saturday is the best window of time for you. Good luck."
The line went dead again, right as Naruto replied thunderously, "You could try mentioning that sooner!"