Chapter Four: Hidden Feelings. Hidden Agendas.
Within the Taimanin's Community Center, the Igawa sisters were currently neck and neck with the mother/daughter pair of Shiranui and Yukikaze. The elder Igawa sister was having difficulty concentrating on the bowling match as she felt deeply concerned for her partner.
While she knew that Asuka would be able to handle the situation, she couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. Kami, she should have gone herself for crying out loud. At least then she could have seen with her own eyes whether or not Naruto was okay.
Her musing was broken as she heard a familiar voice say "Yo. I miss anything?" Asagi turned and felt relief to see Naruto once again, she then noticed that it appeared he had been in a scuffle though didn't look seriously hurt.
"Naruto? What happened?" The Almighty Taimanin asked as she stepped forward and began dusting off his clothes with her sister and the mother/daughter pair giving concerned looks.
"Sasuke happened. He tried to buy me off so that I would leave you. I said 'No' so he pushed me. I guess he thought I'd roll over like a whipped dog or something as most everyone else does for him. Then I gave him a few good shots before Asuka-san showed up. Thanks for sending her along by the way." The Uzumaki explained as he sat down to take a sip of soda to quench his thirst.
Asagi accepted his thanks then questioned "Sasuke wanted you to leave me? Why? I don't think I've ever seen him show any signs of interest in a female before."
At her question, the whiskered teen answered "He only wanted to pair up with you because of Itachi. I think that maybe someone had tipped him off about your history with him or something. I asked him if that Homura guy had told him, but he didn't say anything."
"Ugh. That old fart again? Still causing trouble after he used that fake summons to bring me back?" Sakura grumbled as she crossed her arms beneath her bust.
"Eh? What did you say? What fake summons?" Naruto asked since he didn't remember the orangette mentioning that part.
"Hmm? Oh. Didn't I tell you? That Homura creep summoned me back to Konoha by forging a summons with the Hokage seal on it." The Tomboy Taimanin explained matter-of-factly, earning a raised eyebrow from her elder sister.
"Homura forged a summons? With the Hokage's seal?" Asagi asked for the sake of confirmation to ensure her ears weren't deceiving her.
"Umm... yeah. Didn't I mention that?" Sakura asked while scratching her cheek with a lone finger while silently asking herself if she had neglected to mention that part.
"I think you might have accidentally left out that detail." The Jinchuuriki stated bluntly. This piece of information earned a deep scowl from the Almighty Taimanin.
"Forging such a document, with the Hokage's seal no less, is tantamount to treason. Sakura? Did the Sandaime not do anything to punish Homura for his conduct?" The elder sister asked, prompting the younger sister to shake her head negatively.
"Wait. Back up. Can somebody fill us in? I'm confused here." Yukikaze requested with her mother giving a look of both curiosity and confusion. Asagi quickly explained the situation, detailing Sakura mistaking Naruto for a gold digger due to Homura's interference. Now it seems Sasuke was also trying to separate the Almighty Taimanin from her chosen partner.
"Ehhhh?! That scumbag! How dare he! This is Taimanin business! He doesn't have any right to mess with such things!" The young Lightning Taimanin growled while pulling out a pair of pistols as she added "I'm going to find this Homura guy and then I'm gonna blast him into so many pieces not even the buzzards and the rats will find them all."
"Whoa. Cool. You use guns?" Naruto questioned since he had planned to learn how to use firearms. At his question, Yukikaze proudly puffed out her chest and playfully twirled her pistols around her fingers with practiced ease.
"Heh. Not just any guns. These are special. Custom built just for me. I use these to channel my ability to manipulate electricity, often in the form of energy bullets. Very nasty. Hehe." She explained with a flourish as the whiskered teen clapped his hands, clearly impressed by the display.
'Homura... I bet you and your old teammate Koharu are behind all this. I'll need to have words with the Sandaime. This cannot stand.' Asagi quietly thought to herself. She would be handling this one personally. She refused to allow these people to continue harassing her and Naruto like this.
"Naruto? I am going to have a word with the Sandaime about all of this and get everything straightened out. You have fun. I'll be back later. Sakura will take care of you." Asagi spoke, earning a nod of understanding from the whiskered teen.
"I got it. Thanks. Do you need anything from me?" He asked, earning a shake of the head from the bluenette.
"No. Thank you though. Just enjoy yourself. You deserve to have some fun." She spoke in a reassuring tone before planting a quick peck on his cheek before departing... all the while trying to hide her Killing Intent.
Sakura quickly sidled up to the Uzumaki and pulled him into a one-armed hug which caused his head to press up against one of her large breasts "Looks like it's you and me Naruto-kun! As Asagi told you, your new big sis Sakura-sama is gonna take good care of you! Your wish is now my command!" She stated with a broad grin and a giggle.
"Don't forget, we still have a game to finish. One last set to be exact. It was Asagi's turn... so that means you'll be bowling in her stead Naruto-kun." Shiranui stated with a small smile. The blonde teen checked the scoreboard and it seemed like he would need at least a spare to win the game.
"No worries! I can handle this!" The whiskered teen declared with a grin as he cracked his knuckles, eager to forget about that nasty encounter with the Uchiha and instead focus on having a good time.
He picked up an orange bowling ball and rolled it down the center of the lane, the ball met its mark and knocked down most of the pins... with the exclusion of two. "Crap! The dreaded seven and ten split!" Sakura whined as two pins sat opposite of one another.
"Eeesh. That's virtually impossible to beat... unless you're lucky or skilled enough to make one pin knock the other over." Yukikaze pointed out with an impish smirk, feeling confident that she and her mother had this in the bag.
Naruto was a bit discouraged at this and felt that he'd let the Igawa sisters down. His gloom was quickly dispelled when Sakura came up behind him and gently rested her hands on his shoulders.
"Naruto-kun, it's okay. It happens to everyone. Even Asagi has been known to leave a seven and ten split behind. I'm sure you'll do fine. Now pick up the ball and give it a go." The orangette encouraged.
With a nod, the whiskered teen grabbed the ball and prepared to roll it. He took a deep breath and let the ball loose, aiming for the pin on the right. The ball rolled quickly down the lane, slowly veering a little off to the side. For a moment, everyone thought that the ball would miss the pin entirely, but instead struck it on the side, knocking it over into the other pin.
"Whooo hoo! Way to go Naruto-kun!" Sakura cheered as she lifted the whiskered teen up and gave him a tight bear hug. The Uzumaki blushed brightly and couldn't help but be a bit embarrassed by the affection, but also couldn't deny that he was enjoying the attention.
"I can't believe he managed to pull it off. Nice job Naruto-kun. Looks like you guys won." Shiranui conceded with a grin and a thumbs-up. The Uzumaki couldn't help but chuckle as he replied "Hehe. Thanks Shiranui-san. I had fun."
"What should we do next? Anything you wanna try Naruto?" The tanned skinned Taimanin asked with her mother giving a gentle smile to the young blonde.
"I'm not sure. Any recommendations?" He asked, directing the question to Sakura, wondering what she might pick.
The Tomboy Taimanin thought for a moment and then suggested "How about some ice skating?" At that, the Uzumaki quirked up an eyebrow. Snow was exceptionally rare in Konoha since the weather was pleasant almost all year round. However, he was still quite curious about it and wanted to give it a try.
"I'm game if you are." He spoke excitedly, earning a small squeal of delight from the orangette as she guided him towards another area that held an ice skating area. The place was a little chilly, but not unbearably so. After securing some skates and slipping them on, they entered the ring... only for Naruto to discover that skating isn't as easy as it is depicted in the movies.
"Crap. Crap. Craaaaap!" He muttered to himself as he struggled to find his balance. Sakura giggled at his predicament and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Here. Let me help you." She offered and the Jinchuuriki nodded, accepting the assistance.
She then gently gripped his hand and gave him a smile, helping him find his balance as she carefully guided him towards the edge of the ring where the railing was located. "It's best to start off along the wall to find your balance before trying to go towards the center. Just focus on trying to go forward for now." She advised, earning a nod from the Uzumaki as he pushed himself forward.
After a few moments, he was finally starting to find his rhythm and was even beginning to smile a little. "See? You're doing great! Now come on and give me your hand. I'll help you." The orangette spoke encouragingly as she stretched her arm out and grasped the blonde's hand.
Naruto grinned and gripped the hand, allowing the older woman to carefully guide him across the rink. He had a small smile on his face, finding that this was actually a lot of fun.
He chuckled with a merry expression on his face as he held Sakura's hand, a small blush on her face. 'His hand feels warm... and his smile... it makes me feel happy to see him smile. Is this... is this how my big sister feels when she's with him? I wish I had that.' The Tomboy Taimanin thought quietly to herself, wondering when she would find her ideal partner.
In the background, the Mizuki family watched from a short distance, the mother and daughter duo watching both Sakura and Naruto. "They look so happy together. One would think that they were partners. I wonder... is that what it's like? To have someone to love and cherish? To have a worthy partner?" Yukikaze mused to herself, she was still young, but even she desired a partner for herself.
"It can be the most wonderful feeling in the world Yuki-chan." Shiranui stated with a nostalgic smile on her face as she observed Sakura supporting Naruto and guiding him along the ice. It kind of reminded her of... of... happier times. She quickly shook her head to shrug off any depressing thoughts and put on a joyful smile as she and her daughter skated across the ice as well. After all, Shiranui wanted to ensure that everyone had a good time and not drag them down with her own pain and inner turmoil.
Meanwhile. Hokage Office.
Hiruzen leaned back in his seat, sighing tiredly to himself after having finally finished all of his paperwork for the day. Honestly, who would have guessed that signing scraps of paper could be so damned exhausting? He reached over towards where he kept his favored pipe, but was interrupted when the door to his office burst open, almost making him jump out of his seat.
He then saw the form of Asagi, dressed in her signature purple bodysuit and armed for battle with her katana. Her eyes were cold and sharp as a razor as she strolled in, her heels clicking against the floor. "Ah. Asagi-dono. Welcome. How are things with Naruto? How has he been adjusting to living with you? I trust he hasn't given you any trouble?" He spoke in a friendly manner, trying to ease the tension in the air.
"I am not here to mince words or have a casual conversation. I am here to make things quite clear. Take responsibility and control your people." She spoke in a grave and demanding tone, earning a raised eyebrow from the Sandaime.
"I beg your pardon?" He questioned, unsure exactly what she meant... unless...
"Your 'teammate' Homura forged a summons with the Hokage's seal, yes? Is that not an act of treason? Why has he not been punished then? In fact, he told outright lies to my little sister and tricked her into almost assaulting my partner Naruto, under the pretext that he was a gold digger or something of the like.
Just recently, Sasuke Uchiha came and demanded to see us, when Naruto went to find out what he wanted, Sasuke demanded Naruto to break up with me and even tried to bribe him after discovering my history with Itachi. I suspect this might have also been some sort of ploy by one or both of your teammates, or maybe other involved parties." She explained, sharing the detail of recent and past events.
"Do you have proof behind these accusations? I grant that Homura did use the Hokage's seal but..." The Sandaime spoke but was silenced when Asagi tapped her finger against the top of his desk, making it almost shatter and exploded into a shower of splinters before the aged Hokage's eyes.
"But? But? But NOTHING. You are the Hokage. Your job is to protect the village, enforce its laws and act as a guiding hand. A leader. Yet it seems you are content to let many things slide. It is no wonder many people are calling you things like 'soft' or 'senile'." She spoke in clear irritation, her presence now almost dominating the room as the Sandaime felt but a bare inch tall in her presence as she seemed to tower over him.
"If you cannot or will not control your people, then I shall handle things MY way. This is your only warning. If this harassment continues or if you will not take action, then I shall have no choice but to declare my own candidcy as Hokage." She announced as she crossed her arms beneath her impressive bust.
"You? As Hokage? You never wanted to become Hokage!" Hiruzen blubbered in astonishment. Was she being serious? Not once had Asagi ever expressed any interest in taking the Hokage mantle.
"True. I was never interested in taking a title that has practically lost its meaning. However, it seems that my hand has been forced. If it is for Naruto-kun's sake, I can and will become Hokage... or do I need to give you a reminder of why I am called the Almighty Taimanin?" She asked the last part, almost rhetorically.
She didn't give the Sandaime a chance to answer as she caused the Yokai within her body to flare up, the result created a powerful Shockwave that blasted the roof off of the Hokage tower and caused all the windows to shatter as cracks formed in the walls with some sections throughout the tower collapsing entirely from the pressure.
Hiruzen was currently on the ground, sweating, his body felt as though it were being crushed and found himself unable to breathe. Then, the pressure was gone and he was able to breathe once again. There was no mistaking it... Asagi had just flexed a portion of her strength to make her point. It was often believed that her strength is so vast, that not even the entire village would be enough to hold her back should she truly unleash her full power. It is no wonder that she is dubbed 'Almighty'.
"Out of respect to you, I shall give you this one chance and one warning. Clean up your act as soon as possible and keep control over your people. OR ELSE." She warned him once more before turning on her heel and leaving the Sandaime alone to absorb her words. However, despite her warnings, she believed that he wouldn't be able to follow through. Hiruzen was old and weak and had lost his spine. Spent too many years pushing papers, Glad-Handing, and playing politics. Too set in his ways to adapt to the times, trying to continue old and antiquated ideals that had no place in the real world.
Everyone knew that the old man was soft. One could see it in how he handles his students. Orochimaru? A Rogue Ninja who was still very much at large. Jiraiya? A perverted peeping tom that is infamously known to spy on women and sexually harass them with no real consequences and a worthless 'spy master'. Tsunade? Wasting her talents by drinking and gambling and racking up more and more debt. If the Sandaime cannot handle his own students, how can one expect him to even handle a village?
Hell, the only reason he did anything about Iruka was because it was a knee-jerk reaction due to the massive media coverage.
The warning she had provided him was but a mere courtesy. It was now time to make preparations for a new Hokage. Asagi had always been content to serve as a soldier and guardian for the village, trying her best to distance herself from the politics... however it seems that it was time for a different approach. Now may be a good idea to call up some old friends and cash in some old debts.
Meanwhile. With Naruto.
Naruto yawned tiredly as he stretched his limbs, feeling kind of tuckered out after having so much fun with Sakura and the Mizukis. "It was really nice playing with you both. I hope we can do it again sometime." He spoke to the mother and daughter duo who nodded their heads in agreement.
"Most definitely! You can count on it." Yukikaze responded with a smile as her mother rested a hand on her shoulder.
"It was nice spending some time with you, Naruto-kun. Hopefully, we can spend more time with each other again." Shiranui spoke warmly as Sakura wrapped an arm around the Jinchuuriki's shoulder. The motherly Taimanin felt that it was a good thing for her daughter to connect with someone closer to her age and make a new friend, especially since Naruto seemed to be a good kid.
"Come on, Naruto-kun. We'd better get home. Besides, we can always come back some other time and hang out. Don't want you to get tired out too much. We wouldn't want to have you collapse from exhaustion." The orangette playfully teased, causing the whiskered teen to chuckle a bit.
"Right." He replied curtly and then bid goodbye to both Yukikaze and Shiranui as he and Sakura made their way back home to the Igawa residence.
Along the way, Naruto looked up at the night sky and found himself thinking about Asagi and wondered what she might be up to. She said she was going to 'have a word' with the Sandaime, but she wasn't back yet. Ah well, she would come home when she was ready and able to do so. Whatever she was doing, he was certain that it must be of great importance. He was probably getting worried over nothing.
Sakura took notice of his distraction and couldn't help but wonder what the Jinchuuriki was thinking about, most likely it involved her elder sister. She knew that Naruto and her sister had a close bond. In fact, she had witnessed some of their intimacy together and... it made her envious. To have someone that special in her life and to be able to be loved by such an amazing person.
Even so, she didn't want to get in their way. They seemed to click very well together. Still, she couldn't bear the thought of him being sad or upset, so she decided to help cheer him up and distract him "Hey! Hey! Naruto-kun! When we get home, how about we do something a bit more lax? We could watch a movie together or play video games. Do you like video games?" She questioned in a bubbly tone.
"I never played any. Couldn't afford luxuries like that given how limited my stipend was. Though I certainly wouldn't mind trying. When I first entered your home, I noticed that there was a Taimanin themed game." He replied with a small smile.
"Oh yeah! That. Hehe. I think you'll like it. I'd love to teach you how to play games. Asagi isn't very good at them." The orangette spoke with a playful smile.
"You know... I'm really glad to have met you. You're kinda like the big sister I never had." Naruto said suddenly, causing Sakura to freeze up, feeling her heart skip a beat. "Y-Yeah. Same here. I'm glad to have met you too." She replied, trying to play off the moment.
However... she couldn't help but wish that he could view her more than as a big sister. 'Kami, what is wrong with me?! I haven't known him that long but I wanna... No! I can't do that to my sister! She deserves to be happy. It'd be wrong of me to take her partner away... but it still stings.' She thought quietly to herself, and then within a split second she put on a happy face for the blonde.
When they arrived at their home, they discovered a variety of packages left behind at the front door, all of them marked with the Prison Battleship store's logo. "Ah. This must be my stuff." Naruto spoke excitedly, happy that his things had arrived rather quickly. He was kind of eager to try out his new suits and gear.
"Oooooh. Come on! Let's get it all inside! Double quick!" The Tomboy Taimanin spoke as she unlocked the door for them both and the two quickly brought the various packages inside.
Naruto attempted to lift some crates that were marked 'Ammunition' on them, but found himself unable to make them budge. "Lemme help." Sakura spoke and then easily balanced three crates in each hand and brought them inside, the display of strength made the Uzumaki feel slightly inadequate, but he shrugged it off and reminded himself that he just needed to start training diligently so that he could become strong too.
"Wow. So these are your combat suits, eh?" She asked as she held up an all black suit after removing it from its bag. She then offered it to him and spoke in an almost demanding voice "Try it on! Try it on!"
The whiskered teen chuckled and agreed since he was eager to try it on himself as he accepted the suit and disappeared from view in order to change. A few moments later, the Jinchuuriki emerged now wearing his new suit, admiring how professional he looked in it. He was impressed at how there seemed to be no restriction of movement as he admired the range of motion. It also felt much lighter than his usual orange jumpsuit and more comfortable.
"Oh. My. Goshhhhhh. You look so handsome." Sakura spoke with a blush, admiring his new clothes, which fit the young blonde very well.
He blushed a little at the praise as he replied "Thank you. I gotta say... I really like this. It fits me perfectly. I'd say that Rieri and Naomi outdid themselves." The whiskered teen noted at the end as he picked up another box and opened it, revealing the katana that Asagi had bought for him.
"Jackpot." He whispered as he picked the blade up and carefully removed it from its sheath. He gave it a quick practice swing and noted how light the blade felt. It was virtually weightless in his hand as he made a slow sweeping motion. "Oh, I can't wait to practice with this." He stated with a smirk as he sheathed the katana.
"Heh. You'll have a hard time finding a better teacher for the arts of Kenjutsu than my sister. She's a renowned swordswoman." Sakura stated matter-of-factly.
"I am definitely looking forward to training under her." He spoke as he set aside the blade, and then added "But before we get into any serious training... I think I wanna try my hand at some video games."
Sakura gave a thumbs-up then advised him "Better put on your PJs because you're gonna wanna get comfy." At her suggestion, he quickly nodded and collected his other suits before retreating to his and Asagi's room where he changed into a set of orange fleece pajamas that had little foxes on them. Apparently Asagi found it cute, not that he was complaining.
When he returned to the living room, he couldn't help but blush a bit when he found Sakura booting up the TV and game console, she was wearing a pair of tiny shorts and a dark brown tank top that left little to the imagination. It would seem Sakura didn't have much in the way of modesty. He tried not to stare but it was quite difficult to do.
She had a really nice ass and the outline of her cameltoe could be seen through her tight shorts, making his eyes dart around a bit. His pants felt a bit tighter now and he was glad he was wearing a baggy set of pants or else she'd probably notice. He hoped his arousal wasn't too obvious.
'Crap. Stop staring Naruto! You're with Asagi!' He mentally scolded himself as he sat down on the couch, all the while trying his best to avoid staring at the orangette. However, what he didn't know was that the younger Igawa sibling had taken notice of the looks she was getting from him.
'Wait... was he checking me out? Shoot! I guess to a guy I must be dressed pretty provocatively! Crud. I'm not used to having a guy in the house. Just play it cool Sakura-chan. You're just gonna play video games with him. Everything will be fine. Just don't make a big fuss. Still... I kinda like that he's looking at me like that. STOP! NOPE! Don't go there! I'm not gonna two-time my sister like that!' The Tomboy Taimanin thought to herself as some pink coloring dusted her cheeks as she plopped herself down next to Naruto, all while trying to act casually as she sat next to him and handed him a controller.
He accepted it and observed how the orangette was holding her own as he tried to mimic her. "Ok, now I'll teach you how to hold it and how to use the controls." She spoke softly as she gently reached over and moved his hands, showing him the correct way to hold the controller.
'Kami... her hands feel really soft.' He thought to himself as she gently guided him on how to hold the controller. 'She smells nice too. And her hair... so shiny. What the hell am I thinking?! She's Asagi's little sister! Snap out of it Naruto!' He scolded himself as he snapped himself out of his thoughts and listened to her instructions.
Once Sakura was satisfied that he had the basics, she turned on the game. After a few moments of waiting, and observing the opening credits, the title 'Taimanin Action!' flashed across the screen as Sakura hit 'start' and took him to a tutorial screen so that he may engage in a practice match or two to get his feet wet.
"Okay, so the goal is pretty straightforward. You pick a character and then duke it out in a match. Best two out of three wins. The trick is to familiarize yourself with your chosen character, their combos, and their special abilities." She explained, prompting the Uzumaki to nod in understanding.
On the character selection screen, there were a number of various Taimanin to choose from. Some of which he recognized. Heck, even the Igawa sisters were playable characters on here. It didn't take him long to make his choice as he selected Asagi herself since she was his partner, plus he kind of wanted to see how she fought inside of a game.
"Ooh. You chose big sis? She's a great character for beginners." Sakura spoke with a sly smile as the practice match began. For the next several minutes, the Jinchuuriki familiarized himself with the controls as he fought against a basic computer controlled adversary that was using a certain treacherous Taimanin.
The orangette coached him the whole time, giving him tips and advice as he learned how to play the game. The first round ended with a win for Naruto's picked character and the second round followed a similar result. He was a quick learner and was picking things up faster than expected. Once the practice match was finished, he felt a lot more confident in his ability to play.
It was a good thing the controls were easy to learn and were quite intuitive. It also helped there was a list of moved in the pause menu that enabled him to memorize the various combos. With that said and done, it was time for both Naruto and Sakura to engage in a few rounds themselves. The two shared competitive looks and grins with one another as they started their first match.
All the while, Naruto was grateful to both the Igawa siblings for giving him the chance to enjoy things that he had missed out on. He was very much looking forward to more experiences with the two sisters.
Elsewhere. At a certain bar.
Asagi sighed to herself as she took a long drink of rum. She was seated at the bar, her body language and her aura gave off a 'don't approach' vibe. She was not in a very good mood. Most fortunately, everyone in the bar was wise enough to keep their distance or avoid pestering her.
Asagi had a lot on her mind. She was feeling a mixture of emotions ranging from anger, sadness, happiness, joy, and love. Her thoughts kept drifting to the blonde Jinchuuriki and how he was doing. She knew he was safe and in good hands with Sakura, and she trusted her little sister, but... she was feeling kind of lonely without her partner by her side.
However, what really concerned her was the almost unnatural vendetta people seemed to have against him. She could understand the fear and resentment towards Jinchuuriki. They were essentially weapons of mass destruction and if they were to go out of control then there was no telling what the damage could be.
Though at the same time, mistreating them was a sure-fire way to invite disaster. Honestly, it was as if people actually WANTED him to snap so that they may have an excuse to be rid of him.
"Well now... look who's here. Nice to see you Asagi." Spoke a familiar voice that the Almighty Taimanin did NOT want to hear right now. Was it too much to ask to be able to enjoy a damned drink in peace?!
"Go away Kakashi." She spoke in a warning tone, despite this, the Copy Ninja slid into the stool next to her anyway with a drink in his hand as he gave her his signature eye-smile. Many would describe Asagi as being patient, mature, diligent and tolerable... however even she had her limitations to what she would and would not tolerate. Kakashi was perhaps one of the few people she couldn't stand due to how unprofessional he could be with his tardiness, not to mention his vices.
"What's the matter, Asagi-chan? You sound rather angry." He teased with a slight chuckle, causing the blue-haired ninja's eyebrow to twitch slightly. It should also be mentioned that he also hits on her on occasion and she does NOT appreciate his advances. Especially now that she had a partner.
"I am angry because there are people that keep messing with my partner. That aside, I am not in an entertaining mood either. Least of all for a pervert that reads trashy smut in public." The bluenette growled angrily, the clock quickly ticking down as her patience ran thin.
"Your partner? Oh, right. Naruto. He's a bit young for you, don't you think? You never struck me as the type to go for younger guys. I know he's pretty cute and all but he's hardly a man." Kakashi noted with a shrug.
"And I suppose you are?" She countered.
"Well, I'm no boy." The Copy Ninja spoke in a half joking and half serious tone which only served to further irritate the Almighty Taimanin as she let out an angry snarl as she tightened her grip around her glass which slowly cracked in her hand.
"Would you be saying such things if I was... say... partnered with Sasuke Uchiha?" She asked him, her voice filled with venom, knowing full well that Kakashi had some sort of obsession with repaying his fallen teammate from whom he received his Sharingan eye.
"I-I uh... Well..." The silver-haired ninja stammered a bit, caught off-guard by her sudden question, not knowing how to answer.
"You're no different than the rest, aren't you? I am getting really sick and tired of people glorifying that damned Uchiha like he is Kami's gift to the world while putting down poor Naruto. What did Naruto ever do to deserve this? What is wrong with all of you?! It is his life! My life! Our lives! Can't you let us be happy together?! Can't you just leave us alone?!" She screamed out in anger and frustration as she clenched her fist around her glass, causing it to shatter.
Under normal circumstances, Asagi would keep her cool and maintain her composure. However... even she could lash out if provoked enough. Now she had reached her breaking point. "Why are you all so obsessed with that little Sasuke brat anyway? What's so special about him? Do you think he's supposed to be some scion to recreate his clan? Am I to be some damn breeding mare to pop out his spawn?" She questioned as she looked about the room, as if she were demanding answers from the various people within the bar.
Many of the patrons either looked like they wanted to say something but chose otherwise for the sake of self-preservation, or were trying to ignore the scene entirely. She scoffed in disgust and marched towards a particular patron that she recognized as belonging to a major news media outlet for Konoha and asked him "Do you have a recorder on you?"
"Y-Yes. Why do you ask?" He replied nervously, feeling intimidated by the famous Taimanin. She only glared at him and made a small 'hand it over' gesture with her finger. Seeing the look in her eyes, the man quickly complied, not wanting to risk angering her further and placed the recorder into her open palm.
She clicked it on and began to record her own voice "This is Asagi Igawa, going on the record. I am perfectly happy and content with Naruto Uzumaki as my partner. I will NOT be leaving him. I will NOT be accepting Sasuke Uchiha as my partner. I REFUSE to procreate with Sasuke in a vain effort to revive a DEAD clan. I am NOT some breeding mare. If you all have a problem with it, then come and find me. I will be at home, with my blade at the ready to cut down anyone, and I do mean ANYONE who tries to come between us. This is your only warning. Further harassment will be met with both severe consequences and extreme prejudice."
With that, the recording ended as she tossed the recorder back to its original owner and then stomped her way out of the bar, leaving behind a stunned and silent crowd and a shocked Kakashi who realized that he had basically fucked up.
The bluenette stormed her way through the streets, heading towards her home. Everything was a blur to her as she almost saw nothing but red. This whole situation was starting to get out of hand. If the Sandaime didn't get his shit together within the next few days, then she would have to handle things her own way. Which might involve putting certain annoyances to the sword.
She marched up to the gates of the Taimanin district and pulled out her passport in an almost automated manner, the guard, Murasaki, let her through in a rather hurried fashion upon seeing the angry and distressed look upon the Almighty Taimanin's face, the Axe-wielding Taimanin looked like she wanted to ask Asagi if she was okay, but didn't get the chance as the famed Taimanin rushed on home. Upon reaching her house, she threw open the door and stomped her way into her living room. It was only then that she had come down from her anger induced high and saw Naruto and Sakura both sitting on the couch playing a video game.
Upon noticing the older Taimanin, both the blonde and orangette paused their game and turned their heads to greet her. Naruto gave her a cheerful grin and asked her "Welcome home Asagi. You were gone for a while. Everything go okay with the Hokage?"
She grit her teeth for a moment before relaxing herself, willing herself to be calm as she replied "Honestly... things could be better."
"What happened?" He asked, noting the look on her face, her expression and body language seemed to tell him that she was not in a good mood.
"There are a lot of idiots in Konoha, Naruto. That's all I'll say for now. At any rate, you two go on back to your game. I think I need to lie down for a while." Asagi muttered, feeling more tired now that her anger was draining away.
"Well... alright. If you're sure. Sakura's teaching me how to play. We've been at it for a few hours. And I'm having a lot of fun." Naruto explained with a grin as the bluenette gave him a nod and a small smile, feeling grateful to her younger sister for looking after him and keeping him entertained. It was good that Sakura was so quick to accept him. The whiskered teen then added "If you ever want to talk, I'm willing to listen. Let you vent out your frustrations."
"Thanks Naruto. I'll take you up on that offer. Though for now, rain check." She answered, her smile growing a bit wider as she appreciated his words of support before departing towards her bedroom.
Both Naruto and Sakura watched her leave with the blonde letting out a sigh of disappointment and worry. The younger Igawa sibling patted him on the shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile, silently telling him not to worry and that everything would be okay. He returned the gesture with a smile of his own, finding her to be a very sweet girl.
Once they were left alone again, Sakura picked up the game controller and said "So... want to continue playing? Or would you rather do something else?"
"Let's go another round. Afterwards, I think I'll go to bed myself." He spoke the last part, believing that it wouldn't be a good idea for Asagi to be all alone for long. Even if she didn't want to talk, it would be good to at least stay silently by her side to let her know he was there for her.
"Yeah... same." Sakura muttered, feeling a little jealous that the blonde would be joining Asagi's bed instead of her own. Kami, why was this kid growing on her so fast? Was it because of his kind and loving nature? Was it because she craved what her sister had? Was it something else? A combination of these things? She didn't know... but she couldn't help these feelings growing inside of her.
Sakura was not like her sister, who was the more reserved one, who was the calm one, who was the responsible one. No. Sakura was the more hot-headed of the two. The one that tended to wear her heart on her sleeve, and when she saw something she liked, she went after it. Though in this instance, what she wanted was already claimed by her sister. The orangette forced a smile to her face as they engaged in a final round together, their match seemed a blur to the Tomboy Taimanin as she found it hard to focus on the game.
After the round was finished, the orangette bid the blonde a good night as she departed towards her room. Once inside, the young kunoichi shut the door and slid her back down against the wooden frame as she looked around her bedroom. Her thoughts once again returned to the blonde Jinchuuriki as she thought to herself 'He's not supposed to be that adorable. Why do I feel this way? Why did it have to be big sis and not me? I want someone to love me too! Am... am I a bad sister?' She thought to herself, feeling more and more guilty for wanting something that was her sister's. It felt wrong to want her sibling's partner for herself, and it wouldn't be fair to any of them to ask Naruto to choose between them.
She sighed as she flopped on her bed and stared at the ceiling... perhaps it would be best to sleep this off? Meh. It was just a stupid feeling. A childish crush. She'd feel better later and get over it... right?
Later that night.
Sakura tossed and turned in her bed, her body covered in a sheen of sweat as she found herself unable to sleep. Her body growing hotter as her thoughts lingered on the young Uzumaki. She bit her lip as certain... intrusive thoughts filled her mind. She sighed as she tossed the covers off and decided that she was unable to wait any longer. She needed to quench this thirst she had, to cool off this burning desire in her heart.
She swallowed a lump in her throat and crept towards her big sister's room and peeked through the door, finding her big sister fast asleep while the whiskered teen seemed a bit restless as he seemed... busy beneath the sheets. No surprise that he needed to relieve some tension since he was sleeping next to a damn hot babe like her sister, not to mention there was the fact he was still a teenager with raging hormones. He was supposed to be fifteen right?
She smirked as she found herself with an opportunity to... give him a little tip-toed her way inside and smoothly climbed into her sister's bed without making so much as a sound. The young blonde looked up at her and mouthed "What are you doing?" In response to his question, she put a finger to her lips to tell him to be quiet.
Sakura reached down and cupped his groin through the covers, feeling the large bulge beneath the sheets as she softly cooed "Don't worry Naruto-kun. Asagi doesn't have to know. Just let your new Big sis Sakura take care of you. I think you want my juicy tomboy tits, don't you?" She slowly peeled the covers back, her face reddening as she found herself becoming hot and bothered... then stopped midway, a sudden sense of guilt overcoming her. What was she even doing? This was all kinds of wrong.
"I... I'm... I'm sorry. This... this was a mistake... I shouldn't be doing this." She whispered apologetically... then she saw it. Her sister was awake, staring at her, silently accusing her. Asagi's eyes burned with contempt, unable to decide whether to scream at her or beat her within in inch of her life.
"I can't do this. I can't do this." Sakura whispered to herself as she clenched her eyes shut and started to curl into a ball...
"I CAN'T DO THIS!" She screamed out loud as she jolted forward... it took a few moments for it to register... but she then realized that she was not in Asagi's bedroom, but in her own. Her body covered in sweat with the sheets and her clothes sticking to her. "It... it was just a nightmare. Thank Kami. I thought I legit did something I was gonna regret." She whispered to herself as she tried to wipe some of the sweat from her forehead. She glanced towards a clock a discovered that it was now morning time.
There was a knock at her door as she heard her sister call out "Sakura? Is everything okay? We heard you scream."
"Errr... it's nothing Asagi! I just... had a bad dream!" The orangette replied truthfully, though obviously left out what she had dreamed about.
"Were you watching scary movies late at night again? I told you to stop doing that because they'll give you nightmares! Don't tell me, was it the one with the masked cannibal chainsaw guy?" Asagi questioned through the door, voicing her obvious disapproval to late-night horror movies.
"Something like that." The younger sister answered half-heartedly with a small grimace.
"I see. Well, get dressed! Naruto is cooking breakfast for us!" Asagi spoke as her footsteps could be heard retreating away from the younger sibling's door. The orangette nodded to herself as she got up from her bed and then looked herself in the mirror, now feeling more ashamed of herself than ever.
"What is wrong with you?" She asked her own reflection, as if searching for an answer... though she received none as she sighed to herself. No matter what, she couldn't let either Naruto or Asagi know about this... but how long could she pretend to hide her feelings? She wasn't sure. Perhaps some breakfast could help cheer her up? Wait... breakfast? Naruto was cooking breakfast? He could cook? Well now... she was kind of looking forward to trying out his cooking.
Elsewhere. Location unknown.
"Well now... this is interesting." Spoke a woman with wine red hair as she read the morning newspaper with the front pages headline reading 'Almighty Taimanin, Asagi Igawa, releases official statement! Confirms partnership with Sasuke Uchiha is not happening!' The woman smirked as she leaned against the padded wall of her cell, feeling a certain sadistic satisfaction that an entire clan and bloodline was facing extinction.
"Never did like those Uchiha's... though given their track record, I suppose the late Nidaime's suspicions of them were justified, no?" The woman asked as she looked up towards a grizzled old man covered in bandages, a disapproving look on his face as he glowered at the woman.
"Be silent." The bandaged man ordered in a gruff tone, feeling annoyed by the prisoner's insolence.
"Aww, come on. You're no fun. So tell me, what's this about a young Taimanin and a Jinchuuriki, hmmm?" She asked him with a little grin. It was no secret that the Kyuubi was the source of the yokai that created the Taimanin... but for a Taimanin to pair with the very Jinchuuriki that contained the beast itself? Ooh, just what sort of chaos could that cause?
"Not your concern, woman." He spoke venomously, his lone visible eye glaring at her.
"Oh, come now Danzo. Don't be such a spoil-sport. I'm curious though... why did you come to see little old me? Come to admire the view? See a little skin? Sorry honey, but I'm not into the golden oldies like you. I prefer something a little on the younger side. Unless you're here to finally silence me? You're not still made after that little fiasco in Kumo, are you?" The crimson haired woman spoke in a mocking and haughty manner, dripping with some overconfidence as well.
The old warhawk replied coldly "Do not tempt me Oboro. Eliminating you is still very much on the table, especially given that you sold certain secrets without my permission."
"Secrets? What secrets? I haven't sold any secrets... though I do have quite the collection of secrets to tell. Your little fronts at the orphanages that secretly funnel you recruits. Your past dealings with Hanzo and Orochimaru. Your blackmailing Itachi to be the triggerman to eliminate his own clan. Your illegal business practices. The maps to your underground tunnel networks. Oh, and that freaky Senju/Uchiha fetish you have. Why would I sell what is currently keeping me alive? If I go, then your secrets get publicized." Oboro responded cheekily since she had quite a bit of ammunition to use against the grizzled warhawk.
Secrets were her trade, her currency and lifeblood. It was also why she was known as 'The Treacherous Taimanin'. Unfortunately for her, she had gotten in a little over her head and was cast into this prison by Danzo himself. Now she was too dangerous to let live, but also too valuable to kill. Quite the conundrum for poor old Danzo, especially since he didn't like loose ends. Ask all the double agents he had quietly terminated and betrayed. Ugh. It was a shame that it wasn't the Sandaime that caught her, with Hiruzen she could easily bat her pretty little eyelashes, make up an excuse and then be sent on her way with a little slap on the wrist. Danzo? Different story.
"Perhaps we can have some form of a compromise. Tell me... what do you know about a man called Edwin Black?" Danzo asked with a raised eyebrow, tossing a file at Oboro's feet.
"Oh? Digging into the story of a dead man, are we? I have some pretty juicy secrets about Edwin too. They can be yours... for a price. Perhaps I can trade up for a nicer cage? Something less... confining?" She asked, gesturing to the cramped padded cell that she was currently occupying, it would be very nice to be able to stretch her legs a bit.
"Perhaps... though if you try to run, I know of a few secrets of yours as well. The kind that could have every Anbu from every village after you, and a lot of angry clients who wouldn't wish to do further business with you." He spoke in a warning tone, earning an annoyed roll of the eyes from the Treacherous Taimanin.
"That would be quite... inconvenient. Very well then. What do you wish to know?" She asked as she flipped the file of Edwin Black open with a lone finger.
"Everything. Starting with his experiments." Danzo requested with his lone eye narrowing, which resulted in Oboro giving him a crooked grin, knowing that the many secrets she held could open a great many doors for her. That aside? She was bored… and she hated being bored. Who knows? It might be fun to shake things up a bit and see how the chaotic fallout unfolds.
End chapter four.