-AN-

I'm feeling good working through this story, hopefully keeping it engaging for as many of you as possible. I know some are hoping we get a little more action along with the fluff, and well, we'll be getting some here and there, more as we go along, the set up is more or less taken care of now. Heh.

-Story Start-

Naruto wasn't one to believe in omens or fate, if anything he was someone who fought against those superstitions almost fanatically. As the sky slowly became more and more overcast as the day went on, he was starting to wonder. Masks on while he read over the mission scroll again, he frowned as they walked along. On either side of him Ino and Hinata took in the hilly countryside that they found themselves traveling. Apparently Taida, the Land of Hot Water Daimyo, was concerned about his neighbor, the Land of Frost. Citizens from the neighboring country have been seeking asylum in greater numbers and it was becoming a problem. At first it had been minor, something that looked like normal immigration. A few months however and it had started to become a serious burden on Hot Spring's economy. So here they were to inspect whether there was some emergency going on, from a famine to possibly some epidemic. It was more concerning as well that Taida hadn't heard from the Frost Daimyo about the situation.

So here the team was, a letter of admittance from Taida as they traveled an empty road. Moving north as they were the weather was rapidly beginning to cool, snow covering the hills while in the distance they could make out snow covered mountain ranges. That most likely was the border with Lightning in the distance, but they shouldn't need to go that far. Coming up and over a hill, they could look down into a valley to see the Daimyo palace itself, surrounded by farmland and a smaller village not far off.

"Should we inspect the village first before we talk to the Daimyo?" Hinata leaned in to ask quietly. Something in the air was bothering her, none of the people they had passed on the way here looked healthy. Malnourished, desperate in some cases. But oddly not sickly. At least not visibly.

Naruto nodded, "Yeah. I wanna talk to the people first before the Daimyo." Naruto's eyes raked over the palace, taking in the lights and what looked like multiple smoke trails from chimneys. The village however was dark, not nearly as many cook fires from homes. He was beginning to get the same vibe from the place as Hinata was. "Let's go."

Ino pulled the hood up on her dark blue cloak, matching the others, "It looks like it'll start raining any minute, or snowing I guess." Going from the warm sea side climate of Uzu to this was miserable as far as she was concerned. But they needed to build a reputation and make some money, so she shouldn't complain. To much. At least she was getting more alone time with Naruto.

Down into the valley they went, angling first to the village to mingle about the villagers. There they split up and began to question the locals for information. Ino first runs into a mother helping her daughter on their porch, working on her makeup and helping clean and brush her hair. Ino is curious, and comes up to ask them since they're the first people she's really seen moving about.

"Excuse me. Can I ask you something?"

The mother looked up towards the masked woman, fearful at first but calming as she doesn't see a Frost headband anywhere. "Um…of course ninja-san, what would you have of me?"

Ino looks around slowly, "Why do things seem so run down here? There has been a larger than normal amount of people leaving Frost."

The mother nods, going back to brushing her daughter's hair, "We've been receiving larger and larger taxes as of late. The Daimyo hasn't said why, only sending out his ninja to make sure he gets paid. One way or another…" The last part was mumbled, but pausing here she puts her brush in her mouth as she works her daughter's hair into a delicate and intricate hairstyle. The daughter picks up her story however, looking straight ahead with no emotion in her dark eyes.

"The best you can hope for right now is to gain the Daimyo's favor. That's where I'm headed, to hopefully become one of his women, to at least earn some pay."

Ino shuddered internally before bowing to the two, "I understand, thank you. I won't bother you anymore." She turned and left, off to look around some more. Things were bad enough that families were selling off their children. Ino shook her head to free herself of her thoughts of judgement. This wasn't Konoha. Things like this happened in the smaller countries, even if she felt like it shouldn't. Something must be going on right? For the Daimyo to be taxing his people so much.

Hinata was in much of the same boat, having just run across some children who claimed to not have eaten in days. It was easy for her to hand over several ration bars to them, easily getting answers that there was a food shortage and not everyone was eating. The kids didn't understand it, the adults mentioning something about a hard crop harvest and poor weather. Hinata sent the children off with a wave, weaving through the closely built homes and using her byagukan to link back up with Naruto and Ino. So there was a famine, but that still didn't account for why the Daimyo apparently wasn't requesting aid.

Naruto had found himself sitting on a barrel while chatting with a group of men. "So the harvest was weak this year?"

"Yeah son, real grubby. And now the snow is a comin' and we've got no stockpiles for the winter months." The older man, bald and gray, spit on the ground. "The ninja keep squeezin us for money we don't have and the promise of imported food never comes. We're gonna die at this rate."

Another man was sitting on the ground, looking into the dirt, "My family has been here for generations. I don't want to just pack up and leave."

"Might not have a choice sonny, think of that wife of yours." They all devolved into bickering back and forth, but Naruto got enough info out of it to nod and make his way back towards the road where he could see Ino and Hinata waiting. Linking back up with them within a moment, he waved a hand.

"Daimyo is taxing the hell out of them." Naruto's tone shows that he is more than a little upset over this. Ino can agree.

Hinata points to the fields surrounding the village, "Harvest was very weak this year and a famine has set in. Sickness is beginning to set in as well." In the more tightly packed area of the village, Hinata had been inspecting things with her byakugan thoroughly. Several people were stuck in their homes, weak and ill. With people weak from hunger, it didn't bode well for their immune systems. If something didn't change fast these people were going to die in droves. It would be a race between starvation or illness that did it.

Naruto started walking, the palace visible on a hill overlooking the village not even a full mile away. "Then it's time to get straight to the source."

Ino lightly touched his shoulder, "What will you do? Our mission was just to observe."

Naruto shrugged, "Since when do I ever do just the minimum?"

Ino nodded, "Good. I wanted to make sure we weren't going to just leave these people to suffer." She thought back to that mother and daughter, the dead look in their eyes. She didn't want to see anyone with that hollow visage ever again if she could help it. In this instance, they could.

On they went, making their way publicly along the road towards the traditional looking palace while Naruto considered just what he would do. This country needed help, and they were already somewhat in the red with their own people. Maybe there was a chance something was going on behind the scenes and the Daimyo was doing the best they could do? Naruto couldn't put it past himself that maybe his judgement was off because of his hatred of anything political or controlling. Taking a breath and exhaling steam, he decided to give the Daimyo the benefit of doubt and held out hope that there was a reason for this suffering.

Getting onto and in the palace grounds was rather easy. They had a scroll with the Hot Springs Daimyo's seal which let them through. The grounds were well kept within the walls and as they were led by a ninja guard inside the main building, they had their first look at just where some of the tax money seemed to be going.

In the front rooms there seemed to be a gathering in full swing, good food and full tables, what looked like local lords and ladies dining together as they passed multiple rooms. The group removed and sealed away their cloaks, no longer needing them in the warm and stuffy building. Naruto's mood soured quickly watching it all, not needing the abilities of the emotional sensing mask to tell him just what these people were like. They were finally led to a larger hall, a banquet in full swing where at the head of the table they could see a shorter older man, Frost headband firmly in place and gleaming, and surrounded by geisha and well done ladies.

Hinata leaned close to Naruto, "He has a headband, but little chakra. Not a ninja."

Ino leaned in as well, "What're the odds that's the Frost Daimyo?"

Naruto shook his head as they were led around the table and to the Daimyo's side, "No bet, this all reeks of corruption." Everything about the interior of the palace screamed a mixture of gluttony and opulence. So much for giving the Daimyo the benefit of the doubt. Off to the side Naruto idly spied another taller blonde man in a standard special forces mask. Mask left blank, the ninja was being attended to by two young ladies who had smiles that did not reach their eyes.

The Daimyo was laughing, having just whispered into one of the finely done geisha's ear while the woman giggled and smacked his hand away from her. He was sure to have taken it as flirty, while all of the ninja present knew better. Eventually his eyes landed on the group, eyes crossing a bit as he tried to focus on them. "Who're you?"

Naruto stepped forward, holding up the scroll from the Hot Springs Daimyo and showing his seal there, "We're here on behalf of the Land of Hot Water. Apparently there has been a massive wave of people leaving your country and we have been sent to find out the cause."

The Daimyo grumbled, mood beginning to sour at the nosey busy bodies, "Well if they left they weren't really my people were they? The Frost people are a proud type, they'd never fold to a little bad weather. Now leave, you've seen things and you can see I'm doing just fine. No need for concern."

Naruto sealed the scroll away, hands calmly at his sides as he thought that over, "Yeah, there's a problem with that."

"Eh?" Lazy eyes turned back to the boy before him. Who dared to talk back to him?

Naruto however was beginning to grin behind his mask, "See, the problem is that the people are suffering. That suffering is leaking out to other countries and now we can see for ourselves it's all rooted in your quest to live comfortably and enjoy a luxury you really don't deserve. What gives you the right to force your people to suffer? People you are supposed to lead?"

"Right? Hahahaha! The boy talks about my rights." He laughs louder, drawing the room's attention as he finally waves the courtesans away from him, clearing the space except for one women that he draws into his lap, "You have a lot of nerve boy. Playing dress up and standing before me as if you could lecture me." Bringing a hand up he snaps his fingers, the man in the corner standing and coming to rest at the Daimyo's side. "I have all of the divine right that any Daimyo has to make decisions for my people. Those decisions must be made with a clear heart and mind and that requires rest." Hands disappearing into the Geisha's clothing, the blush and grimace on her face tells Naruto and the girls exactly how she feels about it. "This all means I must be stress free. Get it? And you? You're stressing me out boy."

Naruto shakes his head, "Well, true to our word our mission was to just confirm the situation and report, nothing more or less." He had no intention of following through with that, but goading this old bastard on would probably get him to fly off the handle first. Hopefully. He didn't want to leave things as they were. "We'll take our leave then."

"Leave?" Another chuckle, "No boy." Another snap and the room is completely cleared of everyone except ninja and the geisha in his lap, "You won't be leaving here now. You know to much. Here's a new offer, you can submit yourself to me, your little girls can join my harem, and we'll call your lives payment. Sound fair?" The Daimyo licked his lips as his eyes roamed over Hinata and Ino, "Or you can die, your choice."

Naruto was willing to put up with insults to himself, absolutely. It wasn't the worst that had ever been said to him after all. Watching the Daimyo roam his eyes over his girls however set off something ugly in his chest. Hand slowly coming up, his mask changing from the happy Onnamen to the manic Red Hanya mask, Naruto shook his head, "Yeah. I'm gonna have to blow you and all your friends away then. No one is touching them."

"Hahahahha, are you daft boy? You pretender! You think you're the Maelstrom when I've got the real thing right here!" Motioning to his side, the taller blonde puffed his chest out a bit, "A holder of the explosion bloodline, a true wielder of chaos, what hope do you have of touching me?" Ino can't help but giggle out loud and on Naruto's other side Hinata's shoulders shake but not much else. "Why're you laughing? Have you fallen for this boy's lies that deeply? Stupid women can never think for themselves." He snaps another finger, "Kill the boy, capture the girls. Whoever brings me his head can have whichever one they want to themselves for the night. They'll make good meat sleeves for the rank and file later."

Several ninja surge forward but Ino reacts faster, senbon spearing forward to drop 4 men before she surges into the group, earth chakra pumping through her system being used to be strengthen herself and toughen her skin. Opposite her Hinata utilizes her mask's features, building a barrier to block the kunai strikes of 3 ninja before jumping into taijutsu range. Dropping the barrier, she quickly performs several juken strikes to each of them in order to paralyze and leave them helpless. She has to keep on the move, creating barriers to keep her back clear while using her natural flexibility to make strikes that none of the others can block. Several ice shuriken smash against her blue barrier and hold, and she watches as he attacker receives several senbon in the back for their trouble.

Behind them both Naruto had unsealed his sword and was slashing forward in a high arc designed to hit the Daimyo but spare the woman in his grasp. He was blocked by a fuma shuriken held by the taller blonde opposite of him, though he was struggling. "This all you got kid?" The strain was evident in his voice.

Naruto made several clones with a thought, two coming forward to lay glowing hands on his opponents chest, "Time to see who the real Maelstrom is huh pal?" Low level explosions knocking the enemy ninja away, Naruto watched as two clones had already captured the Daimyo and were holding him down with the woman being ushered away to safety by another clone. "I'll deal with you in a minute." Jumping forward, he swung his sword hard, "Futon: Daitoppa!" The blast of wind knocked the ninja through the wall and out into another hall and Naruto was quick to fallow him with a cackle, "Let's have some fun!" And then he was gone.

Behind him Ino and Hinata are being forced to work back to back. Hinata is creating temporary barriers to keep away the Frost ninja while Ino is putting them down with her poisoned senbon and the occasional low yield exploding kunai. Hopping away as one of the frost ninja tries to capture her, his hand meets the floor and a layer of frost is left behind. "Oh great, they freeze things now."

Hinata frowned as she dropped one barrier, again surging forward and striking one opponent three times in the legs. Jumping away she watched as the man convulsed and his legs cramped up hard, she heard the snap of bone and knew he wouldn't be getting back up for a while. "That looks like it hurt." Rolling backwards over a ducking Ino, she was there to first disable an outstretched arm with several more well placed strikes while next creating a barrier behind her newest prey. Behind her she missed Ino laying a massive punch into the chest of a burly looking man who was immediately folded over her fist and launch into the wall. Having room to breath, Ino flipped her hair away from her face.

"Easy work."

Hinata grins behind her mask, "How boorish."

"You're one to talk little miss milk jugs."

"Jealousy doesn't behoove you Ino." Hinata looked around, byakugan activating to show that indeed the room was empty. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Hinata joined Ino in walking up to the captive Daimyo. Ino is cracking her knuckles with a smile on her face, "What was that about wanting to make meat sleeves out of us?" From a wall panel a Frost ninja attempts to get the drop on them, releasing several kunai shaped ice projectiles at the girls. Hinata erects a barrier, chakra beginning to get low but she's able to block them, while Ino holds up a finger, chakra welling in her eyes. "Something new for you." Releasing the technique, a modified version of her clan technique that did no more than scramble the pathways in her target's brain. Unconscious before he hit the floor, they were again truly alone. Huffing Ino turned to Hinata, "You didn't catch that one?"

"Blind spot."

"Ah." Ino nodded, going about the room to tie up and pile all of the enemy ninja together while the Daimyo began to rant and rave.

"Who are you brats! The Hot Water Daimyo didn't send you, you're here rob me aren't you? What do you want? Gold, jewels, money? Take it!" Hinata walked up to him, chakra welling up in her hand.

"The Maelstrom was telling the truth, he and us Riptide members were only here to observe the situation." She leaned closer, causing the man to flinch, "You've made a grave error this day."

Bravado failing before the threat this girl was putting off, the Daimyo shook his head, "No no no. See. That fake, yeah, that fake! He was the one who was ordering me around!" He looked between the clones and Hinata, nodding quickly he turned back to the girl, "He said he was the Maelstrom, exploded some of my ninja and threatened my people. I had to do what he said is all, that's all."

Hinata stepped away, already mentally done with the coward, "Your fate now rests with the Maelstrom, not I." Checking their surroundings again, she frowned as more ninja were gathering in the courtyard. "Incoming."

Both of the remaining clones rose to her sides, one tossing a suppression seal on the Daimyo to keep him from moving. One clone looked to the other, "Should we try a bait and switch?"

"Oh that plan? We haven't had a chance to try that out yet have we?"

"Now would be fun."

Ino finished her self imposed task, piling all of their groaning enemies against a far wall before walking over, "Do we want to know?"

Clone 1 grinned, "Nah, it'll ruin the surprise."

Clone 2 made a ram sign, transforming into the guise that was the very likeness of Tsunade dressed in a fairly loose kimono, if she were perhaps 20 years younger. "Oh this'll be good."

Clone 1 followed her lead, transforming into one of the basic Frost ninja before Clone 2 leapt into his arms and pretended to be knocked out, assets just barely held in. "Operation 'Get Help' in effect."

Ino sighed, "I'm so telling Tsunade-sama when we see her again." Ino also had to question, just how did Naruto know her well enough to be able to transform into her, and copy her voice? That was a situation worth looking into.

Clone 1 saluted over his shoulder, "She'd find this funny as hell."

Hinata shook her head, "They're gathering in the courtyard."

"Thanks!" And then the clones were gone through the front main doors.

Ino sighed, "Should we be worried?"

Hinata nodded, "For the Frost ninja most likely." The room rattled, and both girls turned back to the hole in the wall Naruto had disappeared through. "He should be about finished soon."

Through said hole Naruto has having a blast, sword arcing out in tight swings and quick jabs, his faker retreated quickly. He apparently truly was a holder of the explosion bloodline, able to turn anything his chakra interacted with into an explosive. Fun, but a downside he was finding. As Naruto avoided a downward foot stomp from the man with a shunshin that placed him at the man's back, the floor exploding before Naruto caught him with a swing of the Kubikiribocho. There was a second of resistance, before Naruto cleaved through a broken section of floor, a quick kawarimi saving the man. Well, not completely is the line of blood across his middle was any sign when Naruto caught sight of him again through the smoke.

"Give it up kid! You have no chance against the Maelstrom! I wanted to just humor you, but it's time to go."

Naruto paused and tilted his head, "What do you know about the Maelstrom?"

"What? I am the Maelstrom, what kind of question is that?" Surging forward with a shunshin, a glowing hand missing Naruto and hits the wall, Naruto himself dodging away with ease. His enemy was much slower than his clones.

"See, problem is. I know you aren't. One, the Maelstrom is just some kid from Konoha, you're a little big for that." Swinging the Kubikiribocho like a bat, he released another Futon:Daitoppa at the man to fling him away. "Two, your eyes are the wrong color." Naruto dodged away from another grab attempt, the wall exploding behind him as he hopped away, "Three, well…" He applied chakra to his eye, making sure to hold eye contact with the man. The look of dread that cross his face was priceless.

"You..you're."

"Oh c'mon, if you're gonna fake at being me at least be good at it!" Eyes blazing, Naruto made a new brace of clones and sent them after the man. An explosion blocked his view for a moment in the hallway, before he cleared it with an application of wind chakra and revealed the man panting and bleeding in the middle of another great hall. Walking forward with his sword on his shoulder, Naruto sighed, "You're no fun. Your explosions aren't artful at all! There's no flash! No excitement! Boo! Zero stars! Boo!"

"You're insane!"

"Insane?" Naruto tilted his head and nodded, "Probably." Here Naruto leapt forward again, sprinting within range to begin slashing and hacking in the wider space. The explosion user did his best to defend himself, applying chakra to the floor when he could to create distance and sometimes tried using the very walls. When that failed he tried to snag Naruto's sword, which had said boy grinning, "Ooooh, you must love shrapnel."

"What?" The explosion from several seals lined through the sword caught him full in the chest. The larger explosion rocking the building and Naruto watched as the enemy nin was tossed again through the wall and into what looked like a hidden room. Walking into the dimly lit space through the smoke, Naruto sniffed as he noticed literal piles of gold and jeweler, nice silks and all manner of other luxuries he probably couldn't name. No wonder this country wasn't doing well. He could probably fund Uzushio off of this hoard.

"Seriously, this is like, b grade bad guy stuff."

Mask cracked and falling apart, Naruto could finally see the face of the man he had been fighting. Roughly in his mid twenties, there was a scar that ran from his right temple to his left, like someone started to scalp him but then stopped. The blonde hair was his, but more slicked back and short. Gritting bloody teeth, the man forced himself to his knees, blood pouring from his chest. Of interest to Naruto however was the slashed out Iwa headband on his forehead. "I won't lose to some brat. Not after I found such a good gig here."

Naruto however was ignoring him, a bingo book unsealed and he was flipping through the pages. "Ah, there we go. Nakamura Inochi. Run away from Iwa's Explosion Corps. Pretty decent bounty too even with a high B rank to a low A rank rating. Welp, looks like we're getting that vacation after all."

Nakamura surged forward, the last of his chakra built up in his right hand, "I won't die here!" Hand making contact with the boy's mask, his control fizzled out and the technique died. "What?"

Naruto thrust his sword forward and pierced the Nakamura's chest, allowing it to drink greedily from the man to repair itself. "Yeah, I never mentioned it huh? The red mask? Let's me negate lower level ninjutsu. So you're little baby explosions were never really a worry for me." Watching the life leave Nakamura's eyes, Naruto pulled his repaired sword free and sealed it away. It took an extra moment to prepare and seal away his body, but eventually Naruto stood to make his way back to the others. He'd be having words with the Frost Daimyo.

The girls are standing over the Daimyo as Naruto returns to the dining hall, mask still in place but now back in his usual Onnamen mode. Naruto however doesn't spare time, "Ino, mind walk him would ya?"

"On it."

The Daimyo looked on in fear as the girl made a peculiar hand sign, "Wait, wait wa-" He slumped over to the floor with a thud, Hinata grabbing Ino's own body to keep her from falling.

Hinata looks up to Naruto, "How bad was it?"

Naruto shrugs, making more clones and sending them to guard the door, "Not to bad, guy had some boring explosions, nothing to write home about."

"Only you could call some explosions boring."

"I'm a man of good taste."

Hinata motioned down to herself, "I can agree with that."

"Minx."

"You love me."

Ino gasped, coming back to her body in a rush. Shivering and rubbing her arms, she has to hold her self back from stomping the Daimyo's balls in. "That-that…he's a monster."

Naruto frowns as Hinata tries to calm the other girl down, "What did you see?"

Ino slowly regains her composure, "It's more than just the taxes or the luxuries he buys himself here at the palace. He's. He orders the ninja to take whatever beautiful girls from the villages, whether they want it or not. He makes them..them.."

Naruto holds up a hand, "Say no more." A rasengan suddenly blooms to life in his hand, "I'll make this quick."

Hinata makes sure Ino is steady before walking to Naruto and holding a hand to his chest, "Beloved. You can't."

Naruto blinks, not moving, but making a show of looking down on the knocked out man and to the rasengan in his hand, "It'd be really easy actually. Like breathing, or stepping on bugs." There were a few things that set off Naruto straight to violence. Forcing anyone to give up their freedom, slavery, yeah. That set him off right away.

"Beloved. If you kill him he can't answer for his crimes. That also means his people not only won't get justice, but all of his hoarded riches won't make it back to them as well. Let the people see him for what he is, let this country heal on it's own. You've done your part."

Naruto took a few deep breaths, focusing on Hinata's warn hand on his chest, "You really know how to calm the beast."

"I try."

Sighing, Naruto wills his chakra construct away, turning as the main doors burst open. The group of ninja are singed and burned and more than a little worse for wear, but they looked ready to fight at least even if they were wary of the shadow clones. Naruto isn't having it. Unsealing the scroll from Taida again, Naruto raises his voice, "Listen up Frost ninja! Cause I ain't repeating myself!" Seeing he had everyone's attention, Naruto pointed down at the knocked out Daimyo. "How are you okay with a man like this leading you? How are you okay with seeing your own people suffer like this? This is crazy!"

There's quiet among the group, some shuffled feet, before someone pushes to the front. An older man in worn armor comes forward, gray in his beard and streaked through his hair, "I am Yamamoto, captain of the guard here. To answer you, we didn't have much choice. We swore an oath. Our loyalty is to the daimyo, we have our honor to maintain."

Naruto rolls his eyes hard and groans, "Honor?" Naruto points behind them, back towards the run down village, "How is it honorable to watch your people starve? To watch mothers and fathers sell off their daughters? This suffering, you're okay with it all? What about your friends, families? What if it was them?" Naruto receives no answer and he almost spits on the floor in disgust. "Yeah. You put up with this shit and for what? For him? Great choice." Naruto takes a deep breath to calm himself. Then takes another for good measure. "Ya'll have two choices that I can see. Either take back your country and help it heal, or I'll do it for you."

Yamamoto shakes his head here, "Powerful though you are, there's no way we'll accept some outsider taking control of us. We'd rather die."

Something in Naruto snaps, drawing on some of Kurama's chakra as he directs real killing intent towards the gathering of ninja, "Helping your people is really so much harder than setting aside your shitty honor for a short while? Are you kidding me!" Blue eye changing to red, ripples circling his purple eye, Naruto is ready to lay into the men, "You could elect a new daimyo, make changes, unless you really believe this shithead is worth so much more than any of you?" Under the pressure the Frost ninja begin falling to their knees under the oppressive aura. It was like nothing any of them had felt before, almost as if they were staring at death itself.

Hinata walks forward calmly, a gentle hand laying onto his back. No chakra needed, she stands there and waits for him. Naruto responds, slowly relaxing and releasing his hold on Kurama's chakra. It takes a few moments for him to be back to normal, the boy sighing heavily as blood leaks from his left eye. Kneeling down to grab the Daimyo he tosses the old man over his shoulder.

"If you want help instead of someone to lead you, send word to the Land of Spring, they'll help you get back on your feet. I'm building an alliance of smaller countries. People who have been exploited and used, much like yourselves. You don't have to do this alone. But, if you want to, I can't stop you. In the back there's a hidden room with a ton of gold and jewels, use it. Help your people."

Yamamoto frowns, stepping forward slowly, "Why would you go so far? You could kill us easily, level our forces. Why extend a hand to help us?"

Naruto shrugs, both girls coming to his sides and holding onto his shoulders, "I know what it's like to be used by those you trust. To be blinded by duty and honor. Learning to look beyond that is really the hard part." Naruto points at the older man, "If you do ask Spring for help, ask for Sandayu, he's a good guy, he'll direct you to who you need." With those final words they're gone, leaving the Frost ninja alone as Naruto's clones all disperse.

A random ninja walks up to Yamamoto, "Did we really just let them leave with our Daimyo?"

Yamamoto sighs, taking a moment to firm himself before standing tall. "Our Daimyo was a traitor and a fraud. Go confirm that the horde is there. If it is, begin making preparations to buy and distribute aid to the civilians. This has gone on long enough." He wasn't happy about being lectures by a child, but he couldn't deny the young man spoke the truth. Perhaps they had been ignoring the obvious out of their useless sense of honor and duty. No, not perhaps, they had been. Things needed to change.

Far away, Naruto carries the knocked out Daimyo while Hinata passes a green hand over his face to check over his eye. Ino walks beside them, writing in a scroll to list all that she had seen within the Daimyo's mind. It was a long walk first to the local bounty station, and then to the Land of Hot water's Daimyo palace, but they would manage. Naruto sighs, "Think Taida will be upset?"

"Is the sky blue?"

"Uh."

"God why do we love you?"

"Cause I'm awesome?"

Hinata giggles, poking both of her loves, "Let's go, we have a lot of ground to cover."

-b-

Somewhere in a Land of Tea forest, Jugo, Kin and Sasame make camp and are resting after a productive day. It had been easy to clean up a few bandit camps that had rolled in after Naruto's first major pass through the country and now their next mission was to make for the port town at the northern border, another location Naruto had previously helped out. This time however they were to board a ship and pursue pirates that had been giving the locals trouble.

At the moment however Jugo is staring up into the tree cover, taking in the sounds of the forest and enjoying being able to have a moment of peace. On one side Sasame is attempting to make a campfire meal, while on the other Kin is maintaining their weapons, something she was finding she was pretty good with. Shaking himself, he decided maybe he could take a page from Naruto's book, being more forward and honest with both himself and his feelings. He had grown close to the girls traveling with him, and he knew they had some type of feelings for him as well.

"I have to say, this has been, pleasant." Jugo's voice cuts through the night, Kin and Sasame looking up to the bigger boy. "I uh. I have something to say to you both."

Kin is instantly attentive, weapons away and hands in her lap. "I'm listening."

Sasame has to keep stirring the stew she's attempting but she locks eyes with him and nods all the same, "So am I. What's wrong Jugo?"

Jugo takes a deep breath, 'be like Lord Naruto…just less chaotic.' "I. I realize you both have feelings for me, and…I don't mean to offend, but I don't know what to do. I like you both, yes, but until recently my whole life was focused on ridding myself of this curse, of not passing it on to anyone else if I could help it. Now that it's taken care of, that I have options in regards to controlling it, well….It's opened up the possibility to a real and full life, and I don't know what to do. I don't want to treat you wrong, but, I don't have experience with this."

Seeing the boy finish, Sasame is ready to bury the hatchet with her rival immediately. If he was going to be as clear as he could with his feelings, then so would she, "I'm willing to help you through whatever feelings and confusion you have. I like you, a lot, and I'd like to explore that."

Kin sighs as it wasn't like she could be upset with Sasame. After all, the girl has excellent tastes in men, first Lord Naruto and now Jugo. "Well, if you're going to think about rebuilding your clan in order to truly be a retainer of the Uzumaki, then you'll need help." Kin looks up to both of her teammates, their current cell of Riptide, "I'll be here, with you both, together."

Sasame smiles brightly, "We may not be like Fox Den. We can't share like them."

Kin picks up on that as Jugo shakes his head furiously, "We can share with each other because we're both Fuma girls, but you try to run around on us and we'll be having words, got it?"

Jugo nods quickly, "Like I said, I still want to figure out my feelings. I'm attracted to you both for sure, you're both beautiful girls, but my feelings. Emotions, those are harder."

Sasame leans over, a hand settling on top of his own, "That's okay. We'll be here to help you through it all. You aren't alone. Not anymore."

Kin grins, channeling a bit of her sister, "Don't you worry, I'll help you through the more, carnal, side of things."

Sasame rolled her eyes, "Please don't turn into your sister." One Kotohime was bad enough.

Seeing Jugo blush, Kin shrugged, "I don't know. I think Jugo likes the idea."

Jugo chuckles, "I think I'll have to work up to any of that. I don't have the stamina like Lord Naruto does."

Kin nods, "I almost feel bad for our Lord. The girls are going to wear him out one day."

Sasame agrees, "Like some men would say, what a way to go right?" All three share a look before laughing together and getting back to helping prepare a meal. Secretly all three share a united thought, a silent prayer.

'Good luck, Lord Uzumaki.'

-AN-

We're back on another tour of the nations. We're going to be checking in with other nations, seeing a few of the leaf teams and what they're up to, and Naruto seems to be making progress on his eye for better or worse. There was a reviewer who brought up the "get help" idea from Thor and I eventually thought it was to fun not to mention at least once. You all usually have great ideas, I just can't use them all. Welp, on to the next one.

-OMAKE-

On a sandy beach on the shores of Uzu late at night, Kotohime sits peacefully. Fingers strumming on her Koto, she breathes along with the sea as she plays a haunting and yet lovely tune. Not far from her, leaning on his hands as he sits with legs outstretched and looking up into the moonlit sky, Naruto enjoys the music and the atmosphere. They had decided to come out together at Kotohime's request, their little date night just the two of them much like all of the others had requested at one time or another. Song building into something more, Kotohime's voice joined the music, weaving a tale of loss and love.

Naruto smiled, listening and letting the music seep into him. It wasn't often he had one on one time with the older girl, and tonight he was happy to have this time. The soft sand under them, the quiet of the night mixed with the crashing waves of the sea, he could get used to this.

Eventually the song comes to an end and together they sit in silence, though Naruto looks over his shoulder towards one of the women he had feelings for, "That was beautiful Kotohime."

Kotohime blushes, knowing he was being sincere with his praise, he never was anything less than sincere when speaking to any of them. "Thank you. You know, once, long ago…a part of me wanted to travel, see the world as it is. Play for fancy lords and beautiful ladies."

Hearing her trail off, Naruto shrugs, "You still could, not like you're locked down and can't after all. You're still young ya know."

Kotohime shakes her head, standing and leaving her Koto behind. Long legs carry her to Naruto where she smooths her Kimono and sits next to him with a smile and leans into him, "Those were the dreams of a young girl who didn't yet know what was important to her. Now…" She says no more, looking out and watching the sea with him, the stars mirrored in it's surface. Skin glowing in the moonlight, Kotohime entwines a hand with his own, "Now that I'm a woman, a bit older, there are some things I find much more important. Family for one." Here she pulls away to look into his eyes, "Thank you. Again. For saving my little sister."

Naruto nods slowly, watching her glassy eyes, "I'd do it again in a heartbeat. She needed help, and I could provide." He accepts the hug from her no problem, hugging her back instantly.

"I know, and that's what so important. You're a beautiful soul, one who's light is worth basking in." Kotohime doesn't hesitate, rolling and coming into his lap, hips straddling his own while her Kimono came a bit undone. She trails her hands up to his cheeks drawing him in to a passionate kiss that lights a fire deep within her soul. She had waited. Long after she knew Hinata and Ino had their time. Long after Tayuya seemed to make a decision on what she wanted. And again after at least Karin made it clear what she was going to do. Here now, she could have her time. She could fulfill her desires. After what felt like an eternity she pulled away, eyes shining, "Can I ask for something, if I never ask for anything again?"

Naruto shakes his head, arms wrapping around her waist as he matched gazes with her, "You can ask for anything and everything, as many times as you need."

Kotohime nods, coming closer and bringing her lips to his ear, "Then, my Lord, will you give me something else to hold onto. More than your presence, more than your love?" She pulls away again, a blush on her face as she begins to slide open her kimono a bit more, "Something, from the two of us?"

Naruto nods slowly, understanding this was much more important to her than anything else. Unable to respond verbally, he leans forward to capture her lips again in another soul searing kiss.

Uzushio was said to have cool nights and a constant chilly sea breeze. On one moonlit beach however, there was nothing but fire and music.