Chapter Three; Family Abandoned Building on the outskirts of Sunagakure
"So, you snuck in again?" Temari 's voice fills the darkened room "I could just attack you and not be punished."
"I thought we were friends."
"Acquaintances, sure. Friends is pushing it." Temari says standing proudly front and centre "Now, what do you want, Shikamaru?"
"Just a confirmation on some info I came across." The shadow user stepping out into view of the sand kunoichi "You came all this way for a confirmation?" although she knew this would happen at some point, she didn't think the leaf would figure it out this quickly "It is rather important information so yes. I came all this way."
"Then spill it already." She began tapping her feet "Has the Namikaze Clan returned?"
"The Namikaze? We spoke about this already." She lets out an exaggerated sigh "I'm not telling you clan information unless you provide equally pivotal information."
"I see. So, they have…" he mumbles not knowing that she had heard it "I really wished you weren't so observant." She mutters whilst clicking her fingers and it didn't take long for the scuffle to finish and the Nara was face down, chakra sealed and paralysed by a pair of ANBU "Take him to my brother." They just stare at her confused "The psychotic one." again, no dice and she sighs again, recalling that Naruto too has been sighing a lot and now she seems to be doing the same "The make-up wearing one." And they nodded before vanishing with the bound Nara. She looks back into the darkness "What? Didn't trust me?"
"You know full well that isn't the case." Ino says stepping out of the shadows "Just curious to see how far he's come since we last saw one another."
"You could have said hello at least?" Temari questioned as they walk back toward the Kazekage tower "Nah, it's too early for that. Him seeing me here is basically confirming what he suspects. Kuro won't kill him, but I doubt he'll be home to spread the news before we are settled enough into the village."
"Rather perceptive of you."
"I had to be. To keep up with them at all."
"How was it…?" Temari asks and the two begin to chat amicblcally on their lunch breaks.
Kazekage tower; Kage office
Naruto stands at Gaara's side, the pair looking out at the village below "This is a big step. I just got my head around being a clan head in practice and not just theory."
"You always do your best work on your feet."
"Exactly, not at a desk."
"You'll be fine. Just take care of the annoying Shinobi stuff within the walls and I'll handle the external stuff." Gaara explained again "I'll talk to my clan when they get back. No promises."
"Thank you, my friend."
Sungakure; Namikaze Compound
"Military Commander? Such a rank exists?" Akito questions as one of the clan heads office's four occupants "No." Naruto sighs "Not yet at least. Think of it as something akin to the Jonin Commander but a step higher. Internal security will be our primary concern, mission assignments will be split, B-class missions and below will be ours to distribute."
"Thats a lot of power." Tamari speaking softly "A lot of work he's dumping on me, more like." Naruto gripes with an intense stare at the coffee in his hands, resting upon the table "So, how will this affect us?" Ino asks lowering her cup, sitting on her husband's left "Not much really. Many civilian merchants already coming here for their coach maintenance and upgrades…" he pauses before snapping his eyes to Akito "…speaking of which, how's the garage doing?" the man in charge just smirks "We've cornered the market. We may need to expand further again."
"Well damn." Ino chuckles leaning forward on the knee-high table they were around "I'll get some clones on it; Tamari, can you ask your brother for permission and a deed to the land. He has our account details." Naruto starting while looking at Akito and ends at Tamari on his right "I will take care of it." She nods and as she goes to stand up "Wait – Actually, I'll go with you. I won't accept the new post yet. Let us get set up properly and stabilise our relationship with the villagers. I don't want to move too high, too fast." The all agreed and Naruto left with Tamari.
Upon the streets of Suna, the duo walk hand in hand with the princess hanging off Naruto's arm. The people smiles and waved at the couple and they responded in kind. Halfway through the journey she spoke up "Ever since the talk…" Tamari begins drawing his attention "…the kids have been more fired up about their training, more focused on their studies then ever before." Naruto smiles at that "I'm glad. Do you think we should tell them soon?" as they turn onto the path into the tower "I think it'll be best, yes." With a soft sigh "All these secrets within the family…"
"I hate them too. Most my life's classified even now." Naruto grumbles as an idea pops up "Hey, what if we explain everything once they graduate from the academy? As they are apart of the sobaku clan, they should know certain things."
"Too easy." She adds as they reached the top floor "They were already leading the pack, now they aren't even on the same level." They chuckle together as they enter the kazekage office only to find a large group of Jonin all at attention. The air was oppressive "Good. I was about to send for you." Gaara states from the front.
Kazekage tower; Kage office
Tamari and Naruto join the ranks of Jonin with practice ease "Now, we have a problem on our hands. Our scouts report that the Leaf has been sending ANBU and Jonin probing teams within the our boarders and that of allies, Wave and Spring have both reported incursions among Grass, Demon, and even Vegetable." Murmurs break out but everyone notices the growing killing intent slowly growing from one whisker marked blond at the rear "Luckily, we recently subdued a leaf spy here in our village, apprehended by my sister. The information revealed suggests that certain factions within our former allied state are attempting to goad us into initiating conflict." Murmurs arose at that proclamation "As to why that is…" Gaara steeples his fingers with narrowed eyes "…it seems they caught wind of one of the newest additions to the Suna clan roster."
"Why are they making a fuss? We didn't steal what they threw away!"
"Arrogant asses!"
"They're one of us now. They need to get off their high horses."
"Hope this doesn't lead to another war…" These comments continued until Gaara raises his hand and silences the room "Now that you are all aware of this, vigilance is paramount within the village itself but be sure to not travel beyond the gates alone. We will protect our home from all who want to see it harmed."
"YES KAZEKAGE-SAMA!" they all chorus "You have your orders, dismissed." They all vanish from the room leaving the Sabaku family and the lone Namikaze "A word?" Naruto asks and Gaara nods and gesturing to the seat "First of all, let me get this out of the way…" the yellow haired shinobi dropping down on the sand chair "…I won't take up the military commander role, yet."
"…that is… upsetting… why…?"
"My family is still settling in, the kids haven't even attended the academy yet, and our clan business is still in flux and undermanned until the others get here."
"Others?"
"Well…" Naruto sighs, slumping in his seat "…it's a long story, but we found several caravans in our travels and we did find clansmen but the bulk of them are civilians."
"How many are we talking about?" Gaara questioned sitting back in his seat "Thirty-five." Naruto explains with a hardened gaze "It's all we have left. A clan of forty-eight people."
"Is it alright that you left them behind? What about protection?" Tamari questioned somewhat concerned but Naruto just smiled "Four of them are chunin level. The jonin's are all here as…" he stares directly at Gaara "…you said it was an emergency." Most would not notice but as both Tamari and Naruto knew Gaara well, they could tell he was somewhat embarrassed at that "I see." The red head remaining composed under the glare of his fellow container "Well regardless…" Naruto continues on "…the bulk of our summons are escorting them. They got held up when locking down our base out there."
"A base? As in…?"
"Think of our new compound but four times the size and built up with defensive positions, chakra barriers and detectors. Our garage alone is the size of your compound." Naruto explained with a whistle from Tamari "We are preparing to welcome them, but they won't be here for a few months at most. Let's end this war before it escalates." A firm nod from the Kage was his answer.
Underground T and I department
The bulky steel door slides open and Ino Namikaze enters surprising the rooms lone occupant "Hey there Shika!" the Nara's attention, his eyes widen upon noticing the platinum blonde's arrival "Oh, so you're here too, Ino. That confirms our information." The blonde takes her seat opposite her childhood friend "Shika…" this caused the Nara to glance up, taking a double take at the very icy cold glare from the blonde "…I suggest you watch your mouth. I will not go easy on threats to my family." This caused Shikamaru to pause in his thoughts and reevaluate the woman before him. Studying her relaxed posture as she sat at the table, face tilted and propped up by her hand with an easy smile "Studying me, Shika? Why not just ask what it is that you want to know?" the man sighs at this, she was always getting under his skin and reading his mind, it was "Troublesome, huh?" causing the man to growl at her for reading his mind "Why are you here?"
"Just wanted to see my old friend. See how things were going?" Ino with a smile that was way too friendly and warm.
Half an hour later…
"Why are we talking about…" Shikamaru froze upon realising something very important. He looks up at the relaxing smile upon his childhood friend "You know what my mission is yet…" her sigh and nod before her eyes filled with sorrow "My friend. I am sorry but…" he didn't hear the rest or wouldn't remember anything else after those words. He would later awaken somewhere near the border, in a tree overlooking the border between Fire and Wind countries. Glancing around before voices reached his ears "Are you sure…?"
"Yeah. They said he ran this way…"
"Split up! FIND HIM!"
"SIR!" hearing this Shikamaru tenses, realising they must be after him yet for what he wasn't sure as to how someone knew of his mission to infiltrate the sand village. Is there a spy within the Hokage's office?
"I got tracks!" snaps the shadow user back to reality, untying himself in a moment before he dashes back toward the leaf, shuriken impacting the branch he once occupied "FOUND HIM!" the boy kisses his teeth, growling the whole way back.
Namikaze Compound; Garage/Workshop
Ino knocks on the office door while glancing around at the numerous shadow clones of both her husband and Akito working on the numerous groups of carriages in various states of disrepair. "Come in." Naruto's voice calls out and she enters to see both Namikaze men standing over design schematics "I'm telling you…" Akito growled "…the leaf spring is simple and effective enough…!"
"That may be true but if we get some more iron, we could get a double wishbone…"
"…but why? They never asked for it!"
"It was just an option we could offer…" Naruto was about to begin when he notices Ino's troubled look and immediately approached her and gave a very warm hug. A simple glance at Akito told the man to leave and with a nod, said man left the room with the privacy seals igniting as the door shut. Ino cried into his chest as he simply held her close, his scowl hidden in her platinum blonde locks and silently promised to cause problems for Gaara for forcing their hand into this matter.
Konohagakure no Sato; Hokage's office
"Two weeks?" Shikamaru questioned with slight bewilderment, standing before his kage who raised a delicate blonde eyebrow at that "…but I just…" he paused before looking to his father who too looked back at him concerned "…the only thing that comes to mind…" his father nods along with that trail of thought "You were captured, memories erased." They both look to their leader who had a contemplative look upon her face "We don't know much about their T and I department…" she looks over at her fellow blond, carefully observing the returned jonin "Inoichi, have you heard of any clans within Suna capable of this?"
"No…" Inoichi's almost immediate response as his gaze falls upon the last Senju "There are not many mind warfare clans around, most were wiped out during the clan wars era. We only survived thanks in no small part to the Nara's and Akamichi's. Those others who did join villages are few in number and extinct or on the verge of." He continued which only caused many to frown "A seal perhaps?" Shukaku asks and after a quick but thorough search "None visible." Inoichi confirms "Still, not recalling anything for the two weeks is a cause for concern. Get to the hospital and…" Tsunade turns to Inoichi "…after a check-up, I'll leave him in your hands. See if you can dig up anything." They all nod at that before leaving. The last Senju just sighed, glancing back out the window over the village of her ancestors. For the first time in a while, she truly felt her age and turned back to the picture on her desk of her and her knuckle head of a son/brother figure smiling and laughing in the Senju estate garden her neckless around his neck, that he returned upon his banishment. A sniffle was the only sign of fight back as the tears were wiped away and another entered the room 'Sochi'.
Konohagakure no Sato; Market streets
It's been a tough week for one Shikamaru Nara. Ever since getting back from his supposed two-week absence, he has been probed and prodded, mentally laid out by the Yamanaka's and physically scrutinised by the Senju. They found nothing at all. This face created more questions and more probing which caused more prodding, and it was all getting way too troublesome in his mind. As he sat at in his booth, facing his best friend Choji, he notices a new caravan entering the market but something about it felt "…familiar." Murmuring aloud causing his big boned former teammate to glance back at the group that caught his friend's eye "Hmm… those guys seem to have come from wind country. Those carts though look fancy so maybe the capital."
"Not necessarily…" a new voice catches the duo unaware as a pregnant Tenten suddenly flops down beside Shikamaru, Neji bringing over a tray of refreshments "…I've noticed a lot of carriages over the last few weeks that come from wind country have been growing in quality."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Apparently, a new workshop in wind country is gaining traction over there for offering decent deals on carriage upgrades and has all the affluent traders seeking them out." She explained as Neji slides into the seat beside Choji "That is true." Beginning to add his two pence to the conversation "…I have heard the elders of the clan wanting to seek this workshop out for their own personal and clan carriages as apparently, some of our associates have used the service and the craftsmanship is supposedly unrivalled."
"Wait, if they are so popular, how come we don't know where they're based?" Shikamaru questioned and the two shrugged "It's in wind country. Our informants haven't been able to find much out there in years." Neji reminds the Nara "Why not just ask the mercents?" Choji asks but again both Tenten and Neji just shake their heads in denial "They won't spill."
"'A stipulation in the contract terms' one said to me when I asked." the bun haired girl growled as she scoffs down another freshly cooked plate of beef "Troublesome." The Nara a sighed flicking out a cigarette only to be glared down by an irate hyuga.
Konohagakure no Sato; Hokage's office
Tsunade Senju was not known for her patients and even now that was true as she stared down at the paper before her, the three elders of the hidden leaf standing before her "So? What does that have to do with us?"
"Suna's influence needs to be kept in check, Tsunade." Koharu states calmly as if a known fact of life "They grow too powerful. Soon they will rival even us." Homura adds while adjusting his glasses "We must infiltrate their village and find out how they are expanding their forces and wipe out their most exposed shinobi." He continued "Or bring them under our own banner." Danzō decrees only to be engulfed in enough killing intent to cause the Ninja hounds in the Inizuka clan compound on the far side of the village to cower in fear, whining loudly along with some of their human partners "I think not." Tsunade growled not letting up the pressure as the three old farts were clearly struggling to breath "You've been going behind my back for far too long, ordering my shinobi in probing missions into neutral territory and possible jeopardising any future alliance with wind county." She clicks her fingers and six Anbu appeared in the room surrounding the trio "You have crossed me for the last time. Take them to T and I. I want to know everything they do."
"Yes Lady Hokage." The masked shinobi chorus but as soon as the chakra suppression seal was put on the back of the bandaged elder, he dissolved into mud causing a deep growl to leave the kages throat "Find him. Dead or Alive; I don't care at this point."
"Ma'am!" the two free hands bow before vanishing and the blonde looks to the remaining two relics "…and as for you…" eyes hardened, and a predatory smile worked its way upon the woman's face.
The sun lowers over the horizon as Tsunade enjoys her sake under the amber glow. Her apprentice joins her in the solemn moment, sitting beside her master without a sound and just looking out. The longest time. "I miss him too, lady Tsunade." The dark haired kunoichi announces causing a soft smile upon the blond Senju face "He was our ball of sunshine and what gave us purpose."
"He's the only reason I came back." A deep sigh as she glances back toward her first apprentice and daughter in all but blood "Shizune. I'm tired; Alone, and… and…" Shizune just hugged her mother-figure as tightly as she could, not holding anything back as she tries to comfort her only family she had left wishing, for something, anything to grab on to. Little did they know, a small red fox was sitting perched on a tree just beyond the Senju grounds, overlooking the pair and even at this distance could feel the despair and loneliness of the lady of the grounds.
Authors Note;
I am trying not to bash Konoha to hard and be somewhat fair however I still think they fucked up though. Though as Suna has many issues itself, Trade being its only lifeline with food imports and ore exports. The whole nomadic clan idea was what I came up with for the plot and how the clan will assist the village as a whole. The crumbling relationship between the Leaf and Sand I decided that the land of lightning would more than likely try and prevent the leaf from gaining any ground with the neutral Sand. I believe it would be the thing they would do.