-AN-
Time for some character growth!
-Story Start-
After a long journey on a passenger ship chartered from Wave, Team Seven was finding the Land of Honey to be an interesting place. Misty and heavily wooded, it wasn't all that much different from the Land of Fire in most places. Well, short of the lack of bandits, weird mega fauna, and-
Actually, best not to compare anyone else with the Land of Fire, their country was actually pretty odd.
That aside, they were making a push against time. The sun was setting and they were coming across the last known location of their target, Koya, to a castle in the middle of almost no where. Abandoned by the looks of it as far as the genin were concerned. Sakura has no problem speaking her mind on the subject.
"It looks creepy, like really creepy."
Sasuke grins, "Bet Naruto would be freaking out right now. Place looks haunted."
Sai raises an eyebrow as the two share a laugh, "Why would Naruto freak out? Isn't he super powerful?"
Sakura gets her giggles under control first, "Yeah uh. Naruto is a lot of things. Of all his quirks, he's got a thing about ghosts."
"Ghosts?"
"Yup." Sakura watched the gears turn in Sai's mind, sure that he was going to come up with some new and most likely heinous nickname for the lost boy.
Sai doesn't fully disappoint, "Is…is Naruto slow? Like…mentally?" Sai was trying to learn this thing Sakura called tact. It was a work in progress, but he was trying.
"Naruto's a genius with seals. No doubts. He's just a little…off…is all." Sasuke finally got back to standing up straight. He couldn't look at Sakura however, if he did, his giggles would probably start back up.
Kakashi sighed and shook his head, motioning for the team to get moving, "Time's a major factor here team. Let's get to it." The team begins to make their way inside.
Sasuke is the first to make another comment however as they cross the threshold, "Something does feel off about the place ya know."
"You aren't wrong." Kakashi mentions, his own senses tingling, but they set off to explore the interior. "Split up, keep your senses on alert, and make some noise if you find anything. We're here for the Daimyo's wife Koya and her guards, so keep your eyes peeled."
"Hai!" Everyone splits up from there, missing the front doors slowly close behind them as they make their way deeper into the interior.
Sai walks along a hallway filled with paintings depicting a long off battlefield of old. Samurai on open fields or on horseback. His artistic side being curious, he watches them all with interest. He's caught off guard as he looks between two pictures that they seem to change when he isn't looking. "Odd." Staring at one and only one for a moment, the visage of a hard set man in full armor, he was almost sure than maybe he was hallucinating. Turning away, the boy releases a sigh, "Perhaps I'm just seeing things because of what Sakura and Sasuke said earlier." Walking down the hallway, he misses all of the pictures floating and rearranging themselves along the hall.
Sakura is alone, somehow finding a library with an odd collection of old and dusty books. "I'm never living down the bookworm allegations if I come back with a book from all of this." Sighing she does proceed to look through some of them, but most are so old they're crumbling at the touch. On a large desk along the back wall of the room however she finds one book that is in nearly perfect shape. Maybe a clue that someone had been here recently? Sakura picks it up and rifles through it, reading quickly as only a seasoned late night reader could. "Huh…Koza Kubisaki…" Well this was interesting. Behind her books rattle in the shelves, and she turns with a start, sure that someone is there. "What's that now?" Looking around, she doesn't find anyone there. Waiting a bit more, she finally releases the breath she was holding with a sigh. "Don't turn into Naruto Sakura. He's crazy. Sasuke isn't much better. You have to be the sane one. Be sane. Be normal."
Talking to yourself isn't all that normal Sakura.
Sakura finally decided to take the book with her and look around some more. No one was here after all. Again, the books behind her rattle as she is leaving and she turns again to see what the noise is about. "I'm not playing this game damnit! Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei!" No one answers her at first. Then the books start flying around the room with speed and in no real pattern. "Nooope! I'm out!" Sakura turns and leaves the way she came. This was not normal by a long shot. Someone better be messing with her. Centering her chakra as she runs, she attempts to dispel any genjutsu that might be put on her. Seeing nothing change, she hunts down Kakashi instead.
In one of the larger meeting halls Sai hears pounding footsteps and waits to see who it could be. He had searched a good portion of the west end of the building with no luck. It was Sakura who was pounding away towards him, skidding to a stop as she looked around frantically.
"Please tell me you've seen Kakashi-sensei."
"No. Not yet, though, I'm sure I've seen some odd occurrences. What about yourself?"
"Do flying books with no noticeable chakra sound odd? Cause that was odd to me."
Sai had genuine surprise on his face, "Flying books?"
"Yeah."
Sai's eyes looked down at the book in her hands and then back up to her face, "Should we burn it?"
Sakura clutched the only intact book tighter, "Don't even try. Books are sacred." Hearing footsteps, both teens turn to see their sensei coming from another hallway, "Oh, Kakashi-sensei. There's some weird stuff going on around here."
Kakashi chuckled, "You know, I was about to say the same thing." Standing aside, he motions to a slightly see through man. "Meet Koza Kubisaki."
Sakura's eyes widen, "No way. No-no-no way."
Sai tilts his head again, "Huh. Ghosts are real."
Sakura shakes her head rapidly, "Nope. Nope nope nope. This is just an elaborate genjutsu that I can't break. Ghosts aren't real. Naruto couldn't have been right about that. No. No sane world can allow that. No way."
Koza turns to Kakashi, "Is she okay?"
"She'll get it out of her system in a moment. Now, you said you have information on our missing target?"
"Yes. See my summon was left behind when I was killed and I was unable to de-summon it. It created this mansion and has been, eating, people for the last 50 odd years. You'll have to find it's scroll and destroy it in order to leave, but I can lead you to where the Daimyo's wife is."
Kakashi bows lightly, "Well, lead the way." He lightly taps Sakura on the shoulder, "We've found Koya and her guards."
Sakura salutes quickly, eyes completely tracking past Koza as if he isn't there, "Lead the way Kakashi-sensei."
Sai pulls out a notepad and begins to write in it, "Almost jonin levels of denial while in stressful situations in order to continue the mission. Very formidable." He expertly ducked the fist that sailed through where his head used to be. At least he was learning.
Towards the heart of the castle we find Sasuke walking into what looks to be a large but empty room. If he didn't know better he'd say this room was to large to actually exist within the castle itself. Activating his sharingan finally, he starts to see why. He couldn't see if before, but in the middle of the room is a dog sized chameleon. Odd. "Hey there little guy, who are you?" The creature looks up, eyes coming up and they lock gazes. Against his will Sasuke is subjected to the events of 50 years ago. The last stand battle of its former master, becoming this form in order to survive these decades without its master to send it home. Taking and eating unsuspecting bandits and travelers. At first being discerning about it, until more recently less so. Sasuke takes it all in, before walking forward and kneeling before the summon, patting it lightly on the head with a soft smile. "I get it. You've been holding onto this duty, your fraying honor for all this time for a master who was taken from you. Fulfilling a role given to you from someone else." Sasuke applies more chakra to his dojutsu, connecting deeper with the summon. "Sometimes you have to let go. Move on with your life. You could have left, made a new path, found a new summoner. But I respect that you've done what you thought was best. But maybe it's time to rest for a while."
Shiromari, the summon of the former Koza Kubisaki is silent, emotions and feelings raging in Sasuke's mind, but they change faster than he can focus on. Eventually they settle on one. Relief. The summon stands, bowing slowly to him before things begin to fade around them. Sasuke smiles and salutes Shiromari, "Hope you find a new summoner to go on new adventures down the line."
"Already have." The voice is quiet, childlike, and then things turn sideways for Sasuke.
Outside the castle seems to warp and bend on itself, space itself not quite sure if the building should exist or not. With a crack of lightning several bodies are deposited on the road, Team seven along with their target Kayo and her guards. Grunting and groaning from the rough treatment and harsh landing, everyone takes a few moments to gather themselves before they stand. Team seven is greeted by the spirit Koza, who bows deeply to Sasuke who has his arms full of a massive scroll.
"Please. Take care of them like I couldn't. The Chameleon clan deserves better than they got with me."
"Heh, I'll do just that. It's a promise." Koza smiles and fades away, leaving the groups alone on the road. Sasuke turns to everyone else, raising an eyebrow as everyone is looking at him strangely. "What?"
Sakura just sighs, deciding she was never telling Naruto about this mission at all. In fact, she was already erasing it from her mind completely. "You're starting to act like Naruto, and I don't know how to feel about it."
"Wait what?"
Kakashi nodded, "Only Naruto would have that kind of luck."
"No. Wait." Sasuke thought about it. Walking into a castle that was apparently haunted by a ghost. Finding the summon responsible by chance. Talking to it and convincing it to join him. Wait. Was he really? "No."
Sakura nodded, "Yup. You're more like your brother Naruto than you thought. I'm so telling."
"Well shit." Sasuke smiled in the end. At least he could say he gained a summon all on his own. Take that Naruto.
-b-
Across the sea and to the south, another cell of Uzushio's Riptide was underway. Tayuya, Kotohime, and Karin had asked Tsunami who would be best to charter a ship from in order to make it to the Land of Sea. Tsunami went overboard and tasked one of Wave's newer container ships for the task, roughly 250 meters long and constructed of steel, Wave was quite proud of the newly built transport ship. Karin had asked why Tsunami was willing to loan it to them and she only smiled.
"Never know when you'll have a lot of something to bring back after all."
Left with that little tidbit, the group set on their way. Tayuya and Karin had remembered that there was a Sound base a long ways out this way, and more than likely they could raid it for important resources and to mess with Orochimaru. Karin had mentioned that there was most likely a man here that had a bounty on his head along with medical supplies while Tayuya was sure there were at least a smaller number of prisoners here that they could free. Kotohime just smiled through it all, trusting the other women's judgement and ready to pull her weight so to speak. Naruto would never ask of such from them, which made her want to work that much harder anyway. She just knew he would praise her. Much as he had that night. Repeatedly. Loudly.
Tayuya rolled her eyes as the group sat at the bow of the ship together, seeing Kotohime again lost in her own world, "Should be lock her in the ship and hope for the best?"
Karin giggled, "She had her date night with Naruto recently. You know what that's like."
Tayuya blushed and looked away, "I don't know what you mean."
"Mmhmmm, sure you don't." Looking out across the calm waters, Karin could just make out their destination on the horizon. "While this base should be lightly defended if defended at all. The previous researcher here has me worried."
Tayuya leaned against the railing, "What do you mean? Amachi? That blowhard is nothing, probably left the second Orochimaru abandoned this place."
Karin shook her head, "You don't know Amachi. He was, obsessive. He probably stayed to continue his research in spite of Orochimaru."
"Really think so?"
"Absolutely. Which absolutely means we could take him in for his bounty. He's wanted in a few countries after all."
"Well, guess we should plan then. The base is on Jiro island I think, between me and Kotohime, this really shouldn't be a problem normally. Amachi himself isn't a fighter."
Karin considers that, "No but. His experiments."
Tayuya waved that off, "If Orochimaru abandoned him, most likely it wasn't worth the effort. Just keep your guard up. How goes your seal work?"
"Not nearly at Naruto's level, but I can take care of myself. Plus…I have my backup."
"Good, keep close and we'll keep each other safe." Tayuya hadn't had a real chance to run a mission for Naruto yet, and he had put her in charge of this one. She wanted everything to go well and didn't want anyone hurt."
Karin frowned as she looked down into the water, "There's…something. No. It's gone."
"Someone underwater?" Kotohime was suddenly focused, looking out towards the sea.
"Something or one, yeah. But it's gone now. Wonder why." Karin mulls over it while Tayuya grills Kotohime next to her for information. Eventually they make it to Hahajima, their ship easily dwarfing anything else there and just barely fitting the length of the port. Tayuya gives orders to the ship captain, telling him they'll be here for at most the day before they set off for the next island tomorrow. He nods and retreats to give orders to the rest of the crew while authorizing some shore leave for some of them while warning them to stay close. They had VIPs on board after all, they needed to stay close and mostly functional. Tayuya looks over the side to see fairly official looking men headed their way. She almost immediately donned her own Onnamen mask, this was having a small streak of red down through the left eye.
"Look alive, we gotta be official."
Karin sighed, unsealing and putting on her Komainu mask. Idly she watched Kotohime place a blue Hannya mask on as well. "Yay, blowhards looking to sound important."
Kotohime chuckles, "They might actually be important, let's give them the benefit of doubt first." Tayuya led the way over the side of the ship as the crew set about mooring it to the docks. She and Karin followed after their leader, mentally switching over into mission mode.
The trio of Riptide have left the ship itself, walking along the dock to meet up with a duo or men coming to meet them. One looked very much in charge while the other was most likely a secretary. "Good afternoon, it's rare we see such a large ship enter our port. What's the occasion." The man was rather short now that they were closer, completely bald with a long and thin mustache and drooped past his chin. His assistant was tall and rail then, face somehow stuck as if he was perpetually smelling something foul. Just what the group wanted to deal with.
Tayuya took the lead, "We're of the Riptide group from Uzushio. We're hunting a dangerous criminal we believe is holed up on one of the surrounding islands. Should only be a day and we'll be on our way again."
The man nods sagely, "Hmmm, criminal you say…" He eyes the large ship taking up most of their port, "Be careful." His voice drops, hard to hear over the din of the busy port workers, "There's a monster terrorizing our waters recently. You're ship is impressive yes, but it would still be wise to be vigilant."
Tayuya nods, "Will do. Do you mind us having a look around?"
"Not at all, please, feel free."
"Great." Tayuya turns to the others, "Let's split up for now, keep it low key and meet back here at sundown."
"Hai." Karin and Kotohime both agreed and the trio set off, leaving the port master sighing.
"Why is it always ninja."
"They just about always pay well sir."
"If they pay at all. Come. Let's see if the ship captain will be paying the port fees." The duo set off, while Riptide disappeared into the distance.
Dropping from the rooftops and removing her mask, Tayuya figures it might be best to be as non ninja as possible. So saying, she sealed away her mask and most of her ninja gear, eventually flowing back onto the street and making her way towards the shore. Karin and Kotohime were looking closer towards the port for info, so she would be hitting the village a little outside of town. Joining the flow of people, Tayuya wondered at her current feelings. She had thought that maybe being at a sea side town that she might feel some type of familiarity, what with Wave and Uzu being much of the same. But it wasn't to be. She was only met with a sense of longing, of wishing to be home.
'Heh, this must be what homesickness is. Never would have imagined I'd feel this way.'
Shaking her mind free of those thoughts, she followed the road and saw that she was walking by what looked like quiet beach. Quiet or not however, she noticed two boys accosting a younger bandaged girl on the clear sands. Irritated and in a decent mood, she made her way to help the injured girl out. "Hey you assholes! Leave her alone before I stomp your shit in!"
Both boys stop, turning to look at the angry red head approaching them. Not believing their luck, Yoroi and Misumi look wide eyed at the member of the sound four who was here. "Tayuya?" Yoroi whispered as he turned to Misumi. "We gotta go!" Seeing Tayuya begin to recognize them and switch on her seal to transform, Yoroi becomes more insistent.
"Ye-yeah!" They both sprint away as fast as they can and Tayuya lets them go. Now that she knows they're here, she already knows where they're going to go. Better to have them all in one place.
Ignoring the retreating trash twins for now, Tayuya releases her seal and walks up to the girl they had been harassing. "Hey, you good?"
Isaribi wouldn't normally engage with anyone, so used to people getting close to her only to abuse her. However this was apparently someone who knew what it was like to be different, that other form reminding her more of herself than any other almost right away. Deciding to be friendly and nodding, Isaribi holds out a hand, "Thank you. They usually don't leave until they kick me around some."
Tayuya throws a thumb over her shoulder, "Don't let those weaklings push you around. Punch em once or twice in the nose and they'll leave ya alone." Tayuya gave the girl a once over and frowned. Sure she was bandaged, but she wasn't moving like someone injured. No. Something else was going on. "Wanna talk about it?"
Isaribi turned away, looking at her vandalized shack and sighing. "Don't know if you'll understand any of it."
Tayuya shrugged, walking past the girl and sitting on the soft sands, looking out at the waves, "I'm gonna take a guess that you know who Orochimaru is." Yoroi and Misumi being involved and not trying to kill or rape the girl? Yeah. There was more here going on that what appeared.
Isaribi sighed, "So. You're one of his." She walked forward, cursing her luck. She couldn't run now. Deciding to come forward and plop herself next to the taller woman, the bandaged experiment cast her own gaze out to the sea, "Here to take me in?"
Tayuya shook her head, "Actually, believe it or not, I'm not with Orochimaru anymore." Turning to the shorter woman she grinned, "I'm here to beat the shit out of Amachi and take him in for his bounty. Maybe raid the island. That sort of thing."
"You...wait. You left Orochimaru? How? Why?" It was unheard of. Everyone knew of how tightly Orochimaru controlled people. How could anyone even think of leaving and being successful at it?
Tayuya chuckled, "Would you believe me if I said it revolved around love?" Seeing Isaribi's incredulous look Tayuya nodded and pulled her hair aside, showing off her modified seal. "Someone dear to me made me a promise. Said they could get rid of the seal linking me with Orochimaru. And they did it. Did a lot of things actually that to this day I'm still surprised any of it happened." Much like Kotohime had earlier, Tayuya lost herself to some pleasant memories. Loud and brash she may be, she remembered soft words and gentle touches being exchanged in a moonlit room. Whiskers certainly had learned how each of them wanted to be treated and he seemed to be softest with her in private.
They sit in silence for a few minutes, quietly looking out into the peaceful waves while they both collected their thoughts. Isaribi however was first, "Since you understand just what Orochimaru is capable of, you probably don't need to wonder what happened to me then."
"Probably not. Guessing you were a test subject yourself?"
"Yes. Orochimaru tasked a researcher, Amachi, with making the ultimate water warrior." Pulling some of the bandages on her arm aside, she showed off her scales. "This is the result. I have another form much like you. Only I can't return completely to normal."
Tayuya nods at that, "That's probably why Orochimaru abandoned this lab and Amachi. He found a better method." Again another pause, a little more comfortable as they talked more. "What's your deal, really?"
A deep sigh is her answer, but Tayuya waits patiently. Isaribi is thankful for that, "I'm working with Amachi. He tasks me with destroying certain ships coming into port and raiding them for money and gold, and in return he has promised that he'll return me to normal."
"Ever consider the shithead is lying? This is Amachi we're talking about."
"Of course! I-" Isaribi lowers her voice, startling herself at her outburst. "Of course I know he's lying. He's also the only person I know of that even has a chance of doing it however. And I want…need to be normal again. I can't keep living this life."
Tayuya can agree with that sentiment, having once felt the same way. Wishing her life could be any sort of normal. That things were different. "What if…" She needed to channel some Naruto here for this, the idiot, "What if I could find someone to help you instead of him?"
"What?"
"Yeah. My cousin, sister wife, I don't really know what to call her. Her name is Karin. She's super smart and is really good at research and seals and what not. I bet with her help and another of my sister wives talents they could set you right as rain in no time at all." Hinata was the medical expert out of all of them. Maybe not Tsunade, but give her a few years and who knew.
Isaribi refuses to be hopeful. Amachi having given her much of the same speech once long ago. "Life, hasn't been that kind to me. It might not even work, this is to easy."
Tayuya scoffed, a hand fisting into the sand. "Look, life can be pretty shitty. I would know just as much as you. BUT. Sometimes, you gotta take life by its wrinkled balls and give em a good ole twist." Isaribi is looking at Tayuya like she's grown a second head and Tayuya herself laughs loudly. "Look there's nothing keeping you here in the Land of Sea except for a promise that you know doesn't hold any weight. So why not join us instead? Uzushio is a great place. Lots of good people, plenty of work to keep you busy, and for someone like you who seems at home in the sea, well, we are an island nation. Plus." Tayuya tempers her grin into something much more genuine and soft. "I meant it. If my friends can help you, they will, and they won't ask for anything in return. It's just how they roll."
"I just…" Isaribi pauses again, still not sure if she can make that leap from trusting Amachi all this time to this literal stranger who helped her with no hesitation and no requests…huh. "I don't want to get burned again."
"Well, life is life. I can't promise you'll never get burned again. I can promise that it won't be from us, and I can promise that we'll do everything we can to help you. Amachi is trash. Just watch, we'll end him and start setting things right around here."
Isaribi sighs, shaking her head as she really considers this. Would she really betray Amachi after all this time? It had been years, so many years. "How are you so sure you can do this?"
Here Tayuya blushes, gaze breaking away from the shorter woman to look out over the water and the setting sun. "Like you, my life was pretty shitty. But. I was saved. I found love. Real love. Ever since then I've never trained harder, felt stronger, done so much more than I ever have in my life. Thanks to him and his beliefs seeping into me, I want to pass it on. So. I'll fight tooth and nail to make sure anyone who had a life like me that I meet never suffers again. And today that means you."
Isaribi can see and feel that Tayuya means every bit of it and smiles, quickly wiping away a tear from one eye as she sits quietly in order to organize her thoughts. She really had no loyalty to Amachi, only being with him in order to return herself to normal. She knew deep down that he was using her to enrich himself. He probably had never meant to cure her, whether he could or not didn't really matter now. Because here was someone that she knew, even if she couldn't be normal, they could and probably would accept her just as she was. "He's on Demon island, they moved the lab after Orochimaru left. There aren't any guards besides Yoroi and Misumi, but he has a lot of prisoners. Like, hundreds, the majority not from this island."
Tayuya nods, "Good to know." Tentatively Tayuya reaches an arm out, settling it around Isaribi's shoulders and pulling her into a hug. "You're not alone anymore. We'll help you build a new family, make new friends. A new life, just for you."
Isaribi sniffles, "You know I'm older than you right? By close to a decade."
"So what, let me be big sis Tayuya for a minute."
"Is your husband this insane?"
"Oh just you wait. You think I'm bad? He'll have you wondering if the Kami are playing a joke on the rest of the world." Tayuya loved her whiskered idiot, but he really did have a screw or two loose. Probably rattled free by all the explosions. They sat there in companionable silence for some time, watching the sun truly begin to set, bathing them in the orange and soon purples of the late afternoon and evening. "C'mon, let's blow this shithole." Standing and pulling the shorter woman with her, Tayuya pointed at the shack, "Wanna blow it to hell?"
Isaribi stared long and hard at the shack that had been her little home for so many years now. Closing her eyes and centering herself, she eventually shook her head and let her body relax. "No. I wanna be rid of all of it, that means letting it go. No more energy towards it, let it rot away on its own without my help."
Tayuya grinned as they started walking back towards the port, "Sounds good to me. Though personally I like a little destruction therapy."
"Sounds violent."
"That's me." Tayuya chuckles and Isaribi sighs.
"Why am I doing this again?"
"Cause it's better than bowing down to some limp dick jack-off who's happy to use you for the rest of your life." Tayuya pointed at herself, "Plus, there's a good chance you believe we're actually pretty awesome."
"We'll see about that."
"Ohh a challenge, I like the thought." Tayuya would tease and poke at Isaribi the rest of the way, trying to get her to open up little bit by little bit. Still wondering at her fortune to find all of the information they needed right away. But she wouldn't complain. This was something Naruto would do without a thought. So she would do it as well.
Sun nearly completely set, the group is back together on the ship and inside their sleeping quarters. Karin and Kotohime are masks off as Tayuya finally walks in, a quiet Isaribi behind her.
Karin began to fret, "Oh please tell me you didn't beat the poor girl up, what the hell Tayuya?"
Tayuya raises a fist, "What the hell yourself! What makes you think I'd drag some girl here after beating her up?"
Karin whistled, "Well I mean. You're usually so violent with Ino and…"
"Oh screw you!"
Kotohime just smiled and let the siblings duke it out, "Hello, I'm Kotohime, what's your name?"
Isaribi sighed, "I'm Isaribi. I know I look young but I'm closer to 23 actually."
Karin and Tayuya pause, Karin pinching Tayuya's cheeks and stretching them while Tayuya was one step away from doing the same. "Oh. Sorry, you looked so young and-" Tayuya finally brushed her off.
"Yeah actually, she's more like us in the end. Isaribi, do you mind showing them?" Tayuya takes her second form and grins, "You aren't alone here."
Isaribi smiles gratefully, doing as Tayuya asks and transforming into her Kaima form. The girls go wide eyed, before Karin's fingers start to twitch. "What's with her?" Isaribi is ready to bolt, unnerved a little by the look in Karin's eyes.
Karin is frowning, "Was that Orochimaru's or Amachi's work?"
Isaribi shrugged, "Both. Orochimaru started it but Amachi picked it up and continued with it. He claimed he was the only one who could return me to normal, but that was years ago."
Karin was still frowning, "So another reason to stomp his shit in."
Tayuya wiped a fake tear away, "Oh they grow up so fast."
"Screw you."
"You'd like that I think."
"Well…" Karin thinks about it and blushes, "Maybe if Naruto was involved and was into that sort of thing."
Kotohime rolls her eyes as the duo get's back into scuffling. "They'll be at this for a while. Why don't we find somewhere for you to rest. We're setting out in the morning."
"Thanks." Isaribi had a smile on her face as she watched Tayuya and Karin. Who ever this Naruto was, he was a very lucky man. She'd have to stay far away from that madness, but he was lucky all the same.
-b-
In the morning the group and their ship are anchor up and steaming away towards Demon island. Tayuya left a message behind for the port master, telling them that they'll be taking care of the wanted criminal they were after and if they found any of their missing people that they would be returned. Now however, sitting on the main deck which is full of containers, the Riptide trio plus Isaribi are at the bow and chatting about what was to come next.
Tayuya motions towards the island, "Isaribi get's to stay here, I remember the layout well enough. We go in, ransack the place, stomp Amachi and his cronies and then steam for home before dinner."
"That's like, barely a plan." Karin sighs as she holds her Komainu mask loosely in one hand.
"It's a good plan."
"It's so full of holes if we dropped it over the side it would sink."
Kotohime giggled, "It wasn't that bad."
"Wait, you're saying it's bad too."
"Well~"
Karin grinned, "See, you can't plan to save your life."
"Complicated plans are guaranteed to fall apart. Trust me, we got this. Amachi is trash."
Karin rolls her eyes, "I have backup, so I guess it's fine."
"See, just relax. Go with the flow."
Karin took on a teasing look, "Is that what Naruto said to you last time you fu-" She missed Tayuya launching her way, didn't miss the tackle however. Isaribi again was looking at Kotohime.
"This seems, very common."
Kotohime nods, "It is for them. Don't worry, I'm sure you won't come down with this sickness. It's an Uzumaki thing." Kotohime had learned they were all a very physical bunch. Physical touch was absolutely Naruto's love language.
Isaribi watches the ocean quietly, "I'm supposed to attack a ship today. Amachi is going to be expecting me back."
Kotohime turned to face her, "This could work for us, it would mean his guard might be down."
"Maybe." Isaribi thought about that, because it could also mean his guard would be up. Yoroi and Misumi had seen Tayuya yesterday. She puts it out of her mind, assured that Tayuya would in fact do what she said, taking down Amachi and earning Isaribi her freedom.
The trip is short, not that much distance between the main island and this smaller island. Karin leaves to give directions to the captain, and eventually the ship half beaches itself near the shoreline on soft sand. Anchors dropped, it could pull away if needed, but it might need help if the tide went out any further. A portion of the side of the ship folded away, a 3 meter wide gangplank lowering to splash into the waters with the help of the crew. From there Karin motions for the containers to be opened, and from within 2 meter tall stone golem begin to follow her down towards the shore. At her sides, Tayuya and Kotohime are curious as she dons her mask.
"This is your backup?"
Karin shakes her head, "Nope. These are just to help ransack the place. We aren't Naruto after all. We can't spam shadow clones like him." Besides, golem were much more stable and could take a beating.
Tayuya waves back to Isaribi, "Don't you worry, we'll be back in a flash. Watch the ship for us!"
Isaribi nods and waves along with several members of the crew who were at the rails and watching the women leave. They had nothing but time now, again ordered to hold their stations and wait. Isaribi had nothing to do, but kept an eye out, just in case.
Tayuya led the way, quickly finding the entrance and showing the way inside as this entrance was rather large. "This place isn't all that huge. The first few sub levels are the prison levels, then the next are the labs."
Kotohime nods, "I'll help Karin convince people to leave if you want to scout ahead."
Tayuya shook her head, "Nah, I'll help out. Getting the people out of here is way more important. Karin, have you found any stronger chakra signatures here?"
"Just three, so I guess those are Amachi, Yoroi, and Misumi." getting a nod from Tayuya, they all set to work. True enough one level down they ran into cages upon cages filled with people. They started with a system, the girls explaining the situation before unlocking the cages. Then a golem would escort them back to the ship where the crew would take over for their care. Rinse and repeat for this floor and the next.
As they reach a research floor however, Karin begins to chuckle darkly as she gives orders to her minions. "I'm gonna steal everything that isn't nailed down. This'll go a long way towards helping Uzushio in the future."
Kotohime sighs, "Naruto won't approve of experimentation like this however." She peers into one of the tubes, a ghastly half human half anime hybrid floating inside. It's obviously dead, but she can only imagine how much they suffered before they met their end.
Karin agrees with her, "Of course he wouldn't. I don't want that. Most of this is actually really good medical equipment. It's just being used for, really evil shit." Karin holds out her arm, pulling up a sleeve to show off her healing bite marks, "If I can use these to create a synthetic version of my blood in order to heal people. Even if it isn't as strong. That'd be a win in my book."
Tayuya nods, "I'm all for it. Let's ransack the place and move on quickly."
Karin nods and unseals a large scroll. Unrolling it, she begins to seal away any and all of the equipment her golems bring. They leave any of the tubes that had dead people within them, Karin decides it would be best to use one of Naruto's explosives and bury everything here. "If we didn't need Amachi's body this would be such an easy mission."
Tayuya agrees, "Blowing this place to hell would be the easy option. Especially since the asshole is down there and not bothering us. Must be confident." They spend some time and finish with this floor before moving on to the next, Karin warning them that Amachi and his cronies are one floor below them.
As the others get back to stealing everything they can, Kotohime sets herself down next to the flight of stairs leading downward. "I'll get a genjutsu ready. Would be best to put your mask on Tayuya." Donning her blue Hannya mask, the older girl is grinning as she unseals her Koto.
Tayuya complies, equipping her Onnamen mask before shifting it as well into a blue Hannya mask. "Best to be prepared for anything? Even shit can make you slip up."
Kotohime hums, "Oh so you can use that head of yours."
"Naruto sure enjoys it." Tayuya's quip is near instant along with the grin that's hidden by her mask.
Kotohime pauses, raises a finger, pauses again, then sighs. "That was good."
Tayuya preens, "Oh hoh, you've acknowledged me, great shit."
Karin rolls her eyes as her golem set to work without her, taking the scroll and the remaining equipment back to the ship. "Let's go. I wanna head back home soon." Karin and Tayuya head down the stairs, the low haunting tune Kotohime decides to play following after them. They would be protected by their masks, their opponents however…
Below the duo walk in to find the thin and plain looking Amachi standing before a desk while pouring over notes, Yoroi and Misumi at his sides. Hearing the approaching footsteps the trio look up and Yoroi is already frowning. "See, I told you they were coming for us."
Amachi turns and is furious within an instant, "So Orochimaru finally returns now that my genius has born fruit! Well to bad! I'm going to make my own way, pursue my own ambitions."
Tayuya waves him away, "Yeah no, we're not here for Orochimaru actually. Though that doesn't really matter."
Amachi points a shaking finger at the girls, "If you know what's good for you you'll leave then. Unless you're ready to die."
Tayuya assumes her second form, grinning all the while, "Yeah, threatening me isn't the best way to make me leave buddy."
"Then what do you want? A cure like that broken girl? Like I would help you." Amachi was torn between if he had time to transform or if he should summon his greatest creation.
Tayuya shakes her head, flute appearing in her hand. Bringing it to her lips, her smirk never leaves her lips, "I don't need anything from someone like you. I've got way more to protect now, and someone important to return to. Don't you worry, you'll see what I want in a moment." Summoning her Doki, she begins to play.
"Shit, protect me!"
Yoroi and Misumi burst into action, and almost immediately are thrown on the defensive. Amachi only has moments to assume his Kaima form, before he's also set upon by one of the Doki as well. "What are these?"
Misumi is set upon by the large bald Doki, claws slashing and hacking at him as he twists and turns to try to avoid being eviscerated and escape. "This was supposed to be an easy job. Protect some lab rat and make some money."
Yoroi nods, trying and failing to keep out of range of the bandaged Doki. He couldn't tell what this one did, but something told him to keep far away from it. "Amachi! We need to go!"
Misumi however slips up, the battle damaging the room and one of the test tubes was beginning to leak. Slipping on the fluid and losing his balance, the bald Doki slams a clawed fist into his chest, nailing him to the wall and bisecting his heart. He's gone before he hits the floor.
Yoroi curses and taps a hand against the summon chasing him, siphoning some chakra and slowing it down. "Fuck. Maybe I better cut my losses."
Amachi hears him however. "Don't you dare! You're sworn to protect me so you better step it up you useless pile of tra-" Distracted, he misses the club wielding Doki swinging towards him. Yoroi doesn't have to look as he hears wood connecting solidly with a body to know that Amachi is down.
"That's it, I'm out." Turning and pumping chakra to his legs, Yoroi heads straight to the door. He'd at least leave with his life.
Karin has other ideas, stepping in his path, "Going somewhere?"
"Yeah, through you supporter!" Yoroi pulls a kunai to slash through the slip of a girl and continue on. He's stopped however, something unseen piercing his chest and halting his movement. Body quickly growing cold, the genjutsu drops allowing him to see several chains have erupted from the ground to skewer him. "Neet trick."
"I know right?" Karin grins as the form before him morphs into the same girl kneeling on the ground, chains coming from her hands and digging into the floor. She eventually retracts them, ripping them from his body and returning them to her. "Took a lot of work to get here." Standing and dusting herself off, she ignores Tayuya dispelling her summons while she commands her golem. More come down the stairs in a fresh wave, once more stripping the place for anything useful.
Tayuya questions her, "Don't you think you have enough?"
"Well, Isaribi wants to be normal again right? Or at least, normal looking. Some of these notes might actually have the answer. That Amachi guy looked normal until he changed, and it acts sort of like your previous curse form and now your Uzu seal."
"Uzu seal?"
"We should come up with a name for it."
"I guess." Tayuya walked around, sealing away the bodies of their enemies before grinning and looking towards the stairs as Kotohime walked down to meet them. "Yo."
"I heard the fighting cease so I assumed we were done here."
"Yup." Tayuya gave her a thumbs up, "Time to head home and get that vacation from Naruto."
Kotohime reaches up and rubs her shoulder, "A hot spring resort does sound lovely."
Karin nods, "I could go for that too."
Tayuya throws a fist in the air, "The it's settled. Let's get a move on and go home with our new addition!" This was a good end to a simple mission. She wouldn't jinx it, but instead focus on maybe they could gain an ally out of this as well. They did find a bunch of kidnapped people from the Land of Sea after all. Heck Naruto might really praise her for this one.
Karin was grinning as she unsealed a large scroll with two black bands of ink on each end, "I have a v2 ready."
Tayuya motioned forward, "Then let's get a move on and get the hell out of here." In an hour, there wouldn't be a trace of this island left.
-b-
Nighttime in Suna was a welcome reprieve from the extreme heat of the day. There was a sweet spot before temps dropped into freezing where everyone would come out and come together. Errands would get done, bars and shops would be at their busiest and overall the village mood would improve nearly one hundred percent from the day.
In one home, the home of the Suna siblings and the Kazekage, Gaara is laid up on the couch. Silent and not yet dozing off but not fully awake either. In the kitchen behind him Temari is waving a spatula in the air and complaining about cooking for them all. It wasn't like they were incapable of cooking for themselves after all.
Kankuro scoffs from his corner of half organized puppet chaos, "The kitchen is the woman's place sis, maybe you'll get a boyfriend if you get used to it."
Temari points the spatula directly at him, "Wanna find out just what really is women's work? Remember I know how to clean up blood better than you do." She pauses in her rant however as on the wall in the living room the hiraishin tag they placed there begins to chime. Drawing all of their attention, it chimes several more times in an increasing tempo before Naruto is there in a flash of light.
"Yo." Hands on his hips, Naruto is the picture of happy and healthy.
Temari is all smiles suddenly, "Oh Naruto. Welcome. I'm making dinner, are you hungry at all?"
Kankuro scoffs, "Where's all that complaining from a min-" He stops as a senbon pierces the wall next to his head. He didn't want to think about the fact that he never saw his sister even draw said weapon, or just where she got it from. No. He'd just get back to repairing and tweaking his latest project. That was probably better for his health.
Naruto however was right at home. A girl was trying to flirt with him, someone was getting threatened, and someone was trying to sleep. Just like home. Coming forward, he casually lifted Gaara into a standing position and hugged the shorter boy, "Good to see you Gaara."
Gaara had a moment of awkwardness before he nodded as Naruto stepped away. "Likewise Naruto." Still stiff, Naruto chuckles.
"It's called a hug Gaara. Won't kill ya and you'll get used to them around me."
Gaara nods slowly, "A hug."
Naruto however relaxes a tad. "Welp, you asked me to come visit, one Kage to the other. So here I am."
Gaara sits down again, scooting to the far end of the couch while motioning for Naruto to do the same. "We have a lot to talk about."
Naruto grins, "Hopefully all good. I want our countries to get along the most."
Gaara sighs, "I appreciate that as well and have hopes that things between all the countries could be as peaceful. Though thinking on it, you'll have to be acknowledged by the other Kage in order to call yourself a member of the major nations."
"Doesn't matter to me. With or without the official title my people will still look up to me. What ninja I have will still respect me." Naruto however pauses to scratch his cheek, "It would be nice though, at least to hear granny Tsunade to call me the Uzukage at least once." Naruto meant it as well. Travelling the nations and helping people had changed his perspective a bit. Sure it was nice to be called the Kage, but at the end of the day it was more about him actually doing something. He was helping people, saving lives. That was what was important.
As the two talk and bond a bit, Kankuro has made his way into the kitchen, most likely for more teasing. Temari is humming idly as she cooks with her mind focused on not burning anything.
"Hey." Kankuro leans against the kitchen counter next to her though out of the way. He nearly got stabbed the last time he interrupted her in the kitchen.
"Hmm?" Not looking up, she did acknowledge him.
"Think you've ever seen Gaara smile this much in one go?"
Temari smiles herself while shaking her head, "No and don't jinx it. Naruto is one of the few people on the planet that can understand him. Not as a weapon, but as a person and that's super important."
"Yeah, you're right, guess we should leave them be huh?"
"Yes, let Gaara have his friend."
Kankuro grinned, "So does that include you not trying to get in his pants then cause-" A folded battle fan crashes into his head and Temari begins to stomp him into the floor.
In the living room Naruto is watching the scene from the couch with raised eyebrows. "Temari sure is strong huh." It was impressive. Reminded him a bit of a mix between Tayuya and Ino. Funny that.
Gaara coughed and regained Naruto's attention. "You can't date my sister."
Naruto chuckles and scratches his cheek, "Don't worry, I don't plan to."
From the kitchen a flustered but grinning Temari stands up straight again to look at them. "There's plenty that can be done without dating!"
Naruto relaxes fully back into the couch, now this was the chaos he was more used to. "Why can't things be normal for me just once?"
Gaara reaches forward to pat his shoulder, "We're jinchuriki, we don't get normal." At least he had a friend, that was enough normal for him.
-AN-
A more Tayuya and group centered chapter with a couple looks elsewhere. I felt like Tayuya and Karin needed to fic time. I'm saying it ahead of time, Isaribi isn't a part of the harem, we're just out here rescuing people because we can. Besides, we have to see what Kiri is getting up to soon. Mei has been getting curious after all.
-OMAKE-
In a rowdy Karaoke bar in the Leaf village, Kakashi finds himself at the bar drinking with of all people Anko. Both are smiling, watching Iruka and Shizune pair up and attempt to sing a duet of some sort. They were far to drunk and so off key, no one could understand a word of it. But they were having fun, so they can't help but laugh about it.
Kakashi shakes his head at it all, "To think, this could be my life. It's just so. Normal."
Anko nods, agreeing with the scarecrow, "I know what ya mean. I didn't think anyone would see beyond my past long enough for me to have normal relationships like this." Her eyes trail to the flushed Iruka, "Especially someone like him."
"Maybe we just needed someone strong and sane to anchor us in this messed up world."
Anko pauses, drink halfway to her lips as she thinks about just how stable she had been since she started her relationship with Iruka. "You ain't wrong." Here she took a drink and moaned at the taste. "Sure the physical stuff is nice. But Iruka is a big softy, and gentle with me. I've never had that."
Kakashi holds his drink up, saluting Shizune as their song finishes and they begin drunkenly weaving back towards the pair, "I know what you mean. With Shizune I don't have the nightmares anymore. The doubts are gone as well. Everything is just, in focus with her."
They both turn to each other, before they clink glasses together and share their little moment, before they shake themselves and come back to reality for a bit. Anko's smile turns to a more vicious grin, "Tell anyone I said any of the mushy shit and I'll feed you to my snakes."
"I'll sic Naruto on you."
Anko starts to pout, "Wait a minute! That's way worse than snakes."
Kakashi shrugs, "I'm not above dropping a mountain on an ant hill for Shizune." They grin at each other, before clinking glasses again. Eventually both are half tackled by their significant others, and they both decide mentally that life isn't so bad.
Far away in a bedroom where the ocean waves can be heard crashing against the shore, a lean muscled blonde sneezes. Shaking himself awake, Naruto rubs his nose with a frown.
"Someone better not be talking about me."
On one side a naked Tayuya mumbles in her sleep, body rolling back towards him to throw a leg over his own. On the other, Ino doesn't so much of twitch, snoring lightly and clutching him like a giant pillow and pressing her chest into his side. Naruto shrugs, dropping back into sleep, and blaming the sneezing on Jiraiya. Everything was the pervert's fault after all.