-AN-

Life sure can take some sudden turns can't it? I'm alive and well ya'll it was just a mix of things naturally slowing down because of the holidays and health reasons. For now let's get to the story, and see where things go.

-Story Start-

"Karui anything?" Samui kept her voice down as they jumped through the thick forest trees. While they hadn't seen or sensed anyone since leaving Bee, it never hurt to be careful. They had a mission to complete after all.

Dodging a low branch as she extended her senses, Karui shook her head as she and Omoi ran side by side, "No chakra signatures nearby. We're still alone." Thankfully no Konoha nin were backing up the super powerful sage. That would have really put an end to their mission early.

They continued to journey in silence, Karui and Omoi watching their squad leader's back while unknown to them she tried to formulate some plan to salvage this situation. Leaving Bee behind was an almost catastrophic set back. He was supposed to cause a disturbance while they hit their targets. Without him, their own goals became nearly impossible.

Samui frowned and nibbled on her thumbnail, "Unless…." Motioning for the others to stop, she pauses on a thick branch and turns back to Karui and Omoi who stop within arms reach of her. "I have the beginnings of a plan, but it isn't a good one."

Omoi shrugged, "So long as we can complete our mission, it's good enough."

Karui would have been happy to call it quits and leave that village alone. Voicing such was treason however, and not something she wanted to dabble in. "What's up then leader?"

Shifting her weight as she thought about things, Samui crossed her arms around her middle, "We're still going to Wave and thus, Uzushio. But without Bee and no sign of our scouts means we're going in blind…" No info and no backup? Honestly sounded like suicide at this rate unless she could adjust their circumstances somehow.

Trying to see where this was going as his leader paused, Omoi linked his hands behind his head, "So we need info. Thinking of capturing a border patrol team and interrogating them?" Would be the fastest way to retrieve information.

Shaking her head, Samui eyed Omoi specifically, "We're going to surrender."

Karui could feel her blood boil almost instantly, "You have got to be kidding!" Seeing Samui refuse to budge she turned to Omoi, who as well seemed to be thinking it over. "This is insane! Why?" Surrender willingly and end up in an Uzumaki jail instead? That was lunacy!

Omoi could see the merit of it, "Everyone knows Uzu takes in refugees and deserters. With the reputation Kumo has, it wouldn't be too far fetched as far as Uzu is concerned for a team to run off. Plus, there's you." Omoi pointed at her deep crimson hair, "Whether you like it or not, you have Uzumaki blood. On that alone they'll probably let us in." After that however? Well, that was anyone's guess.

Samui turned to face Karui now, "Truth is, with Bee locked in battle and not encountering our scouts like we planned, I have a feeling Uzushio knows we're coming. Or at least knows that something is up. So, we play it like we're coming to warn them and we're bringing a lost Uzumaki to them and maybe they'll let us in easily enough." Or at least give them a chance to gain some info, without a heavy fight right off the bat.

Shifting her weight and fighting the urge to ball her hands into fists, Karui frowned and spit off to the side, "And if not?"

"Then we run. Hightail it back to Kumo and record the mission a failure." Samui did her best to look nonchalant at the admission. In her mind this mission was most likely already a failure, but she had one goal she absolutely wanted to achieve that had nothing to do with the Uzumaki. "Think you can hold it together long enough to pull this off?"

Seeing her leader's piercing eyes locked on her, Karui huffed and finally nodded along, "I'll play nice, so long as I don't have to spend any real time around them." She didn't need a report hitting the Raikage's desk that she was less than cooperative.

Samui mentally breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Good, then lets get a move on. We shouldn't be that far by now." Turning and restarting their journey, Samui led the way while Omoi grinned at the sulking Karui.

"You're gonna have to play nice with the Uzu ninja. Think you can handle that?"

It wasn't like she had a choice anymore in the matter now did she? Karui gave him the finger as the tree cover started to thin out, "So long as no one gets touchy I'll be just fine. You just don't get lost on one of your tangents."

Chuckling, Omoi shook his head, "No promises." Eyes turning up to watch their squad leader, his eyes hardened just a bit. "Leader?"

"Yes?" Samui answered his questioning tone without looking back, eyes and senses alert for any sign of enemy ninja.

"This is still about the mission, right?"

It took a lot of self control not to falter in that moment, but Samui managed, "What do you mean Omoi?" Tone sharp, she didn't want to worry over Omoi possibly sniffing out her real reasoning for wanting to continue on with this disaster of a mission.

"Well, at this point like you said, the mission is really risky and probably doomed to failure. So why continue when we can return to just let the Raikage know Bee ended up in a battle?" Omoi watched and waited, only partially mollified when he saw no odd movements from Samui. "You've never been one to care so much."

Samui sighed as she launched herself from the next branch, "If war is on the horizon, and it sure seems like it is. The last thing we want is any mission failures. For all we know this is vital to Kumo's war efforts. It's not our place to question, only to carry out our mission to the best of our abilities." Here she turned a watchful eye back towards the only male of the team. "Unless you think we're incapable of completing any portion of this mission."

Omoi shook his head and waved placating hands in front of himself, "I-I'm not saying that. I just wanted to be sure was all. Honest." There was the self assured, cool and collected leader that he knew. Her usual demeanor set him at ease.

Turning back and spotting a road ahead, Samui allowed herself to drop to the ground, "Well I hope I've assuaged your concerns. Keep your chakra low and try to be as nonthreatening as possible. Karui, any chakra nearby?"The forest gave way to carefully paved roadway, a sure sign that they were close to Wave.

Karui hummed thoughtfully as she followed along with her team and idly looked up into the clouds, "Something, no. A few signatures yeah, but they're hazy…It's hard to get a bead on-"

Karui didn't get a chance to finish as her body locked in place. Struggling and failing to free herself, she could only watch as Omoi was half a second slow to respond, a lightly clothed woman in a blue bodysuit appearing behind him to hold chakra covered fingers to his temple. "Ah ah, best not move sword boy."

"Coward."

"Says the Kumo nin. Long way from home yeah?"

"Enough!" A burly man standing a head taller than everyone else dropped down from the trees, a smaller woman with glowing red eyes following behind him while keeping her gaze on Karui. "The border is closed to you Kumo-nin. Unless you're looking to die you'd best turn around and slink on back home."

Edging her hands up in a surrendering manner Samui turned to face the incoming ninja and nodded, "We're deserters, with hopefully something the Uzukage would have some interest in."

Pausing next to Karui, the much taller Keitaro smirked and wondered at his luck. He had promised En and Gosu that he'd do the Chinoike proud while on a patrol team. The Kami seemed to be smiling on him to drop an Uzumaki right in his lap. "You do huh? And what would that be?"

Keeping her hands up, Samui nodded to Karui, "My teammate is an Uzumaki, and she wants to return to her clan." She did her best not to irritate the muscle bound man with short hair, this was the dangerous part. Getting this team to believe them.

Keitaro turn his head to look at the frozen Karui, "And? That the truth of it?" With a motion from him the woman behind him released her technique, allowing Karui to stumble and catch herself.

Shaking herself and wondering at just what technique that was, Karui stood at her full height and turned to the man, "Yeah that's right, my team decided to stick with me when I left Kumo. I'm here to re-unite with my clan." Fighting down the instant feeling of bile the rose in her throat, she reminded herself that this was for the mission. Only for the mission. "It's been hell in Kumo, I just want to be with my family again."

"Hmmmm. Chi, what did you feel in her blood?"

The smaller woman's eyes were sharp as she watched Karui for a moment. Lady Karin had given all of the Chinoike members a chance to feel Uzumaki blood samples for just such a occurrence. This girl's blood wasn't as pure, but it had the same feel to it. "High chance she's telling the truth. At least when it comes to her blood. Enough that we should take them in." Her voice was quiet, barely above a whisper, but her squad leader heard her nonetheless. He was used to her manner by now.

"Hah!" Keitaro was all grins as he clapped his hands together. "That's good enough for me, Sam, let em go."

The woman wrapped around Omoi sighed and nodded, releasing him and bouncing away to Keitaro's side, "Welp, there goes my fun."

"Odd way to have fun." Omoi rubbed at his shoulder where he hadn't noticed she had struck him once. She had to be a Hyuuga, or had knowledge of their techniques.

Sam winked at him, tossing her long brown hair over a shoulder, "Oh don't worry, stick around long enough and I'll show you all kinds of fun." Eyeing the sword poking over his shoulder, she wondered if he had any real skill with it or not. If they were deserters she might get a chance to spar with him one day.

Rolling his eyes, Keitaro removed a scroll and unsealed three paper tags, "We don't have to seal you completely, but you'll need to wear these, precautions and all."

Being genuinely wary, Samui frowned lightly, "Can you swear we'll come to no harm?"

Keitaro nodded easily, "We're not Sound. We treat our prisoners with the utmost respect. And if your story checks out, you'll be free to do as you please back in Uzu." Turning to the short woman, Keitaro handed her the seals, "Place em would ya Chi?"

Keeping quiet as she accepting the task from Keitaro, Chi dutifully walking forward to place a seal on Karui's right shoulder first before moving to Omoi next. Omoi watched her with something of an itch in his heart, "What do these do?" Chi didn't respond, only placing a seal on his shoulder before moving on to the unmolested Samui. "Some bedside manner."

Sam bounced on her toes, "That's just Chi, she doesn't talk much to people she doesn't know." Turning to ask her leader a question, she paused as he had a finger to his ear and was nodding along to someone on the other end of his radio. New orders maybe?

Keitaro sighed and turned back to the ground, "Yup, time to head back, Someone is going to meet us at the station to take them the rest of the way." Surveillance must have been listening in with one of their freaky fake birds or something.

Sam shrugged and led the way, weaving between the others to take the lead, "Anyone we know?"

Keitaro shook his head, "Most likely not, someone closer to the higher ups." It certainly wasn't information that he was privy to.

"Ah, you poor bastards." Sam had heard rumors that something truly big was going down and chatter over the radio had reports that some lucky s.o.b. ran into an advance squad of Iwa scouts. Now that they had found a Kumo group, it was beginning to paint a real interesting picture. "Sure hope your story checks out." Though she wasn't one for blood, she'd drop these Kumo intruders in an instant if given the order.

Samui sighed as she followed along behind the mute Chi, her own chakra still accessible but muted, slow and hard to move. "It will, because it's the truth." At least now they had an in with Uzushio. Now the next stage was coming up, getting close to the Uzumaki clan.

Keitaro was grinning as he sidled up next to Karui, "Man I don't get to hang with the higher ups much like En and Gosu do, but you Uzumaki really do stand out don't ya? No one could mistake that bright red hair."

"Yeah, funny that." Karui edged away from him a bit, eyes ahead and focused on the relaxed Samui. Maybe if she believed it hard enough she could be as cool and collected as her squad leader. "Just can't help that Uzumaki blood."

"Ain't that the truth. Really sucks what the world does with ya, but Uzumaki-sama has done right by bringing as many of ya back together. You'll see, we're doing right by the Uzumaki clan and Uzushio, just you wait." Keitaro wondered if he could wheedle some praise for his clan out of Uzumaki-sama for this. Or at least an honorable mention.

"Can't wait." Trying and just barely succeeding to keep the contempt from her voice, Karui sighed and mentally prepared for what came next. She didn't want to put up with men and women like this, doting on her because of her cursed blood. This would never be her home.

-b-

The wagon cart squeaked and groaned as Fuu and Naruko sat together in the driver's seat and kept pace behind the more luxurious coach holding the Daimyo and Shion the Priestess. While Koyuki had asked them repeatedly if they wanted to come back as they didn't need to keep watch one hundred percent of the time, Fuu spoke for them and admitted that this suited them just fine. The clear sky was above them, the warm air was nice on their skin, and they had some real freedom here. More than either of them expected at this point in their lives. Fuu most of all.

Said girl was relaxed into Naruko's side, having taken a short break after she returned from flying above them and scouting ahead for obstacles. Having found none, she returned to her girlfriend, "You know, after this mission, what should we do?"

Naruko shrugged, mind more at peace now that whatever link she and Naruto had seemed to have calmed down, "Doesn't matter to me, so long as I get to stick with you."

"Flatterer." Giggling and nuzzling further into the blonde, Fuu sighed and gained a thoughtful look, "You know. Isn't it kinda exciting? You're going to be an aunt soon."

"Yup, and the world weeps at the chaos that's coming." Naruko didn't know a thing about babies or families. But she knew that she wanted to spoil all of the little soon to be born brats. She was going to be the bestest aunty ever. Believe it. "What about you? What's got you thinking?"

"Well…" Fuu sat up straight and kicked her legs as they continued on, "Nothing yet really. It's just something exciting, something new. I never thought I'd have the chance to interact with babies, or children at all." Much like other Jinchuriki, Fuu had been considered just slightly better than a living weapon. To have such a carefree life now? It was still all so much of a dream. A dream that she actually got to live for once.

Naruko could understand. It wasn't like she, or Naruto, had much time with infants or even other children. Now she and Fuu were all about experiencing everything they could. Which meant Naruto's kids being born would be a new opportunity for them to experience life. "Well, don't you worry, we'll have lots of new adventures. As many as you want." And if they got far enough along who knew? Maybe one of them could give being a parent a shot.

Behind them there was a groan and Fuu reached back to whack one of the two tied and bound men in the head, "Shouldn't we just seal them away and be done with it?"

Naruko shook her head, "Nah, I want that brother of theirs to see em and get real pissed off. I want a good fight this time."

"Not everything revolves around fighting Na-chan."

"Says you, fighting is a wonderful stress reliever."

"Oh, better than-"

"I said wonderful, not the best, let's not go crazy." Naruko chuckled as Fuu slapped her playfully on the shoulder. Today wasn't looking to be so bad after all.

Ahead of them Koyuki finally relaxed and leaned against the side of the coach, "We should be at the capital by tomorrow. Are you worried at all?" Her eyes turned to the newest addition to their group, the in hiding and true Daimyo to the Land of Vegetables.

Haruna sighed but shook her head, "Had you asked me that yesterday I would have said of course. But now, especially after seeing the way Naruko handled the two younger brothers of Renga, I can actually hope for once." Here she gave Koyuki and Shion a soft smile, "This is going to work out."

Shion nodded resolutely and crossed her arms, "Of course it is, it is Naruto-sama's will after all."

Koyuki rolled her eyes, "Don't mind her, but yes. Uzushio really wants stability to return to the region. With that, it means we are willing to do whatever is necessary to help you."

"And after I agree to an alliance with you? What then?" Haruna didn't think they were the type to double cross those that they called friends. But she would be remiss to not at least ask. She had seen betrayal more than once in her life by now.

Koyuki turned to Shion, "The Land of Birds is next isn't it? Something is going on over there."

It took a moment for Shion to get her mind off of her Naruto-sama, but eventually she did and adjusted herself accordingly, "Yes. Apparently there's some trouble involving a cursed warrior that is causing some unease. Something we could look into."

"Well, hopefully it'll keep Naruko busy, or we might have to send her back home." Koyuki didn't want to get rid of the young woman, but her tendency to go straight into battle mode was a little hard to explain away for negotiations.

Behind them and enjoying the warm breeze, Fuu perked up with a giggle, "Chakra signature, male, headed our way." Tilting her head just a bit as she tried to glean any information she could, the mint haired woman shrugged, "Chakra feels a bit like the two behind us."

Naruko handed over the reigns to Fuu and stood, stretching out her back by twisting this way and that, "I do believe that's my cue to get up to trouble."

Always happy for a chance to watch her girlfriend show off, Fuu did have to at least pretend to be the voice of reason. "Not to much, again, we should keep him alive for now."

Giving her girlfriend a wink, Naruko turned to a single man bursting free from the treeline between the two wagons, "I'll try to hold back." At the least, she wouldn't eat him.

-b-

Samui didn't know what she expected as the Uzushio ninja team escorted them across the Great Naruto Bridge. Having never visited Wave or Uzu before, they could only speculate and go off of rumors. Was it a strict military dictatorship the likes of Kumo and Iwa were used to? Or more civilian oriented like Konoha? Time was coming up to show her one way or another.

Karui grunted as they joined the flow of people traffic over the bridge and first entered Wave proper. If there was anything she was used to, it was the stares of curious or somewhat hateful people. When younger she had gotten many praises for her crimson hair, both from those who hoped she was a new breed for Kumo's future and some who were jealous for what she represented. Even so the stares and mutterings she heard now weren't much different. She was a show piece, being paraded as some special creature for the masses against what she truly wanted. So long as she kept her mind on her mission she could stop her itching fingers from reaching for her kunai. Only just though.

Keitaro walked along with a smug look on his face as Chi led the way down the main street and away from the port and market area. Next to him the well endowed blonde, Samui if he remembered correctly, looked up to him, "Where exactly are we going?"

Sniffing and pointedly looking far away from the blonde with the impressive chest, Keitaro shrugged, "Like we said, meeting up with someone to take you the rest of the way to Uzu."

"But Wave isn't connected by land to anyone else?" Samui knew that for a fact. The bridge was the only land connection they had, all other movement and trade was conducted by shipping.

Keitaro chuckled, "You'll see in a bit." Raising a hand to another team that dashed over the rooftops, the Chinoike clan member put any worry about the Kumo team out of his mind. They weren't going to be his problem for very long. Now how to properly write this report to make his team look the best? Maybe a bit of embellishment about how long they had stalked the Kumo team? Something to think on.

Samui settled in as they continued on a well paved road, following along with excitable citizens who all seemed to be going in the same direction. A pigtailed boy with black hair caught her eye for a moment, before he was pulled along by what looked like three younger sisters. Huffing and shaking herself, she ignored the newer buildings and clean streets as they came upon the large glass and concrete construction that was a train station. Well, at least that question was answered.

Omoi was already mumbling as Chi paused and turned back to them, motioning to the group off to the side to keep out of the way of normal traffic. "An underground train network? A good idea in terms of troop and supplies movement. Certainly hard to sabotage when you don't know where it is."

Samui sighed, "It's also an easy way to keep your nation's restoration a secret. No wonder we always thought Uzushiogakure was still a minor threat. This had to take some time." The team came together as the Uzu patrol team stood off to the side with Keitaro in the lead with his arms crossed.

"Welp this is where we part ways. Keep your noses clean, less something bad happens to ya." Keitaro was all grins still as Sam leaned around him and pointed at Omoi.

"Step outta line, I'll be there to paralyze ya nice and tender like."

Omoi shivered, "I believe it."

From behind them another woman's voice called out, "You should, we've given the go ahead for shoot first ask questions later policies when it comes to Iwa and Kumo right now." Everyone turned to take in the bright red headed Karin as she walked along with the silver haired Kabuto and another slightly taller blond that the Kumo team recognized right away.

"Yugito!" Samui's yell was instant and nearly betrayed her real thoughts, but Omoi and Karui seemed so surprised as well that she was hopeful that they didn't catch her slip.

Yugito stopped with Karin, bowing lightly to the team while Karin dismissed the Uzu patrol team, "Hey there Samui, see you've gotten yourself into some trouble."

Hands on his hips and frown on his face, Omoi's mind was doing overtime trying to come to terms with what this meant. "You're, alive. We thought you dead after not getting any word from you in so long." Omoi looked her up and down, seeing that she didn't seem to be harmed in any way. Maybe she took her mission along a different route? She seemed close to the Uzumaki at the least.

Samui shot Omoi a frown which cowed him quickly before turning back to Yugito herself, "You were captured then?"

Sighing but nodding, Yugito turned to Karin, "The Uzukage beat me soundly and offered me a choice. So here I am. But I hear you've run away from Kumo? Do tell." Her eyes hardened and the three Kumo nin had a moment of worry. Was she still loyal to Kumo? They needed time to talk to her in private, straighten things out.

Clapping her hands to get everyone's attention, Karin motion back towards a steaming train, "Let's get a move on back to the city for now. I'm sure you have lots of catching up to do." Honestly she didn't fully believe it for one minute that they were deserters, but Yugito had asked them to give them a chance. Plus, Karui was an Uzumaki by blood, Naruto would be rather cross if they didn't at least try with her. "This way!" Turning and walking back through massive steel and glass doors with Kabuto just behind her shoulder, she let Yugito attend to the group.

Samui stayed next to Yugito, face carefully blank as she tried to gauge the older Jinchuriki's mindset. "You're really here, alive. We truly thought you were dead…" At the minimum Samui could admit that there was a relief that washed over her at seeing the other blond in the flesh. The thought of Yugito's death had been the largest reason behind accepting this mission against Uzushio.

Smiling softly and listening both to Samui and to her tenant, Yugito placed a hand softly on Samui's shoulder as they boarded the train back to the city. "You've been worried. But I promise that even though I was defeated and a prisoner, I was treated with respect and dignity."

"As if these barbarians know anything about that." Karui's real emotions slipped out once they were away from the press of normal people. She regretted her words near instantly as Karin's eyes locked onto her. Waving her hands to dispel the thought, Karui chuckled nervously, "Sorry, just, a little worn out is all."

Karin shook her head, "I get it, you know. Kumo is all you know and propaganda is a powerful thing." Continuing to walk down the center aisle as she waggled a finger over her shoulder, "But Uzushio really is meant to be a peaceful city. A nation that talks and negotiates first before anything else." Here she paused and turned, motioning to a set of bench seats, "Come sit, and we'll talk."

Samui, Karui, and Omoi all set together on one side of a bench table, while Yugito and Karin sat together across from them. Omoi raised an eyebrow as Kabuto left, continuing to where the engineer must by, most likely to start their journey. Karin folded her hands on the table top, eyes sharp as she watched them. But it was Yugito who addressed them first, "So you're deserting Kumo? Why?"

Karui took a breath to open her mouth, but Karin held up a hand to pause her. Another hand made a motion from her forehead to her chin and a blank Onnamen mask formed over her face. After that she motioned for Karui to continue, who felt a bit on edge but decided to stick to their story. "I wanted to leave. What Kumo has planned for Uzu is wrong and I wanted to rejoin my clan. I'm tired of being some tool for the Raikage. Samui and Omoi supported me." Everyone braced themselves as the train began to move, the screeching of metal rubbing on metal filled the cabin for a bit before tapering off as they sped up.

Yugito frowned but nodded. It wasn't impossible if she thought about it. Karui knew what happened to Uzumaki women eventually in the Village in the Clouds. Maybe she saw the writing on the wall and didn't want to end up as a new generation of breeder? Or was there more going on here because they were dealing with an attempted invasion at the moment. "While I'm glad to see you've opened your eyes a bit, what do you think the Raikage is going to do? He won't just let you go."

"I know that." Karui believed that part completely. If she ever truly did want to run away the Raikage would have hunter parties after her for probably the rest of her life. "But between ending up broken and well, worse, I'd rather take my chances for some freedom."

Turning to Samui, Yugito raised a delicate eyebrow, "And you're okay with this? You always struck me as a level headed by the book squad leader Samui."

Holding the other woman's gaze, Samui nodded, "Some things are worth the risk."

Seeing Yugito's eyes turn his way, Omoi shrugged and tried his best to look indifferent, "Being a realist about it, what Kumo is doing is wrong. So I stick by my team."

Karin hummed as the train car rocked a bit, "So you say…tell me, what if I said the Raikage is a aging blowhard who doesn't know he's already lost? Would that anger you?"

Omoi shook his head, "Not at all. It's the truth." He'd have to make sure to remember to put this in his report properly later.

Watching Karin hum again but say nothing else, Yugito continued, "Well, since you are an Uzumaki by blood you'll be treated a bit different than normal. They'll-"

Clearing her throat and shaking her head, Karin turned to Yugito, "We should leave the decision of where she wants to go right away up to her. This is a new land and a new people she's going to be around. It's a big culture shock and maybe she'll want to stick with her team until she is more used to us."

"My apologies, I should have considered that." Yugito nodded and steered the conversation to lighter topics while next to her Karin watched on with an unseen frown.

Because Karui was lying through her teeth and Omoi was holding back the truth as well. The only half honest one here was Samui, which begged the question of what exactly was she actually here for? Time was running out for them, because if Naruto got a hold of them? Karui having Uzumaki blood probably wouldn't save her like she was potentially hoping. Karin wasn't interested in seeing family kill family, but she had heard some stories from the Uzumaki rescues from Kumo and none of them were good. There was a chance Karui was too far gone. Or at the least really didn't want anything to do with them.

Samui asked the one question she wanted to know more than anything else at the moment. "How did you survive all this time? The Raikage said that you should have self destructed if you had failed your mission."

Yugito leaned back in her seat, looking up as she tried to dredge up just why she hadn't done that. "After Uzumaki-sama beat me soundly, he set about removing those seals from me. After that, he gave me a chance and I accepted it."

Omoi nodded, "So you didn't follow through with it because you couldn't. Reasonable."

Rolling her eyes as this cloak and dagger song and dance wasn't to her liking anymore. Karin more than likely was using that mask to gather information anyway and they were under seal. No point to hide it. "No. If it I had it still, I wouldn't use it. Uzu has given me a chance at redemption, and I took it." Yugito grinned internally at the wide eyed looks she received from the others. They were surprised, good. "I wanted a fresh start, a new life. Free from combat and destruction. A life that's mine to chose the path, not just another soulless tool."

Blinking and trying to figure out if the older nin was being honest or not, Karui couldn't fathom it. Why come out and say something like that now? "But that's…to go against everything Kumo stands for…"

Yugito pointed a deceptively delicate finger at her, "Is that not what you're doing?"

"I…" Karui cut herself off as she realized that this cover story was exactly that. Great. "Well yeah, but hearing it from you is just surprising is all."

Samui nodded with some relief, "Yes. You were one of the most loyal of us. To hear you talk of betraying the village is surprising."

Yugito winked at her, "Oh just wait, I'm just full of surprises." Now, how to get Samui away from these two? She had a feeling the other blonde was keeping something from them. Maybe she could cook something up on the way back the tower.

-b-

Hoshigaki Kisame was a lot of things that he was happy to admit. A battle maniac, a sadistic killer with a penchant for extreme violence and an appreciator of healthy mature women everywhere. However, walking along and bouncing his Samehada on his shoulder, he consider his options for the near future. Uzushio was a hotbed for activity right now, and battle was almost guaranteed so long as he kept going. But that also proved one big problem. Kisame didn't just want to slaughter any and everyone on his way. He wanted a real fight, something to get his heart pumping! So that meant only one person was on his mind.

That Uzumaki brat, the Uzukage. Naruto.

Sure the last time they had met the kid could barely hold out against him, but at the same time the kid had gotten a good hit in. That was years ago, surely the kid had improved a great deal. He was a legendary Kage now. He had to have learned some neat skills over all this time. So that meant getting his attention. Should Kisame kill a few patrols to get his attention? Maybe send one or two members back with a message? Just walk on in and demand they fight? Thinking too hard wasn't his thing. Itachi was normally the brains of the operation. Blasted Uchiha, asshole cared about his little brother more than helping him fight. Boring.

On his shoulder Samehada rustled and rattled its scales together, grabbing Kisame's attention. "Yeah yeah, I know you're getting impatient too. I promise, this kid is worth the wait." Kisame's grin turned feral as the sentient blade settled down, a feeling of anticipation rolling over him. He considered that it was another day's travel to the coast, and then a few days swim to Uzu. He would go there directly and figure it out as he went. He was a man of action! Of war and blood! All this thinking was starting to give him a headache.

"Just you wait brat, I'm coming to knock your teeth in."

-b-

Shivering and not knowing why, Naruto read over a report while his office was still full of people. Was the day over with yet? No? Balls.

"I'd like to mention that any one of you can make yourselves useful somewhere else, you don't have to crowd my office." Naruto's eyes landed pointedly on Sakura and Sasuke, who were still lounging about where his clones would normally be doing paperwork. They had been joined by Ino who was gossiping with Sakura while Tayuya was sitting on the edge of his desk, helping a bit with reading over reports after Karin had left to retrieve that Kumo team.

Sasuke waved over his shoulder as he lounged about on the couch, "You could just order us to go away."

Naruto considered that for a brief moment before frowning, "Would you listen?"

"No. But you could do it anyway if it'll make you feel better."

"I'm teaching your kids how explosion seals work as soon as they can hold a brush."

Sasuke gave him the finger, "I'm teaching your kids how to properly throw shuriken. Lord knows you can't."

Naruto gasped in horror, how dare he! "I can throw shuriken just fine!"

"You could be standing next to a barn and still miss."

"Asshole."

"Idiot."

"Boys!" It was Tayuya's voice that froze both young men. Naruto had been looking forward to a good scrap, he kinda missed Naruko now. "Can you act your age, for like half a day?"

Naruto sulked, "He started it."

"What're you, six? Let it go." Tayuya leaned forward and punched him in the shoulder, "Or should I give you a real reason to cry."

"No ma'am."

Sasuke chuckled and went back to resting, "Whipped."

Sakura leaned over and casually pinched him hard in the upper arm, eliciting a yelp from him, "Don't start."

"Yes ma'am."

Naruto fought back his own chuckled as his desk intercom chimed to life. Reaching forward to press the call button, he cleared his throat, "What's up Kiyone?"

There was a click before the radio responded in return, "Word from Lady Karin. Kumo team claims to want to defect, however two members need interrogation while one member may actually be honest in their intentions." There was a pause before the other woman's voice continued, "There is an Uzumaki with them, she is one of the ones that needs to be interrogated further."

Naruto nodded even though she couldn't see him, "Roger that, separate them and bring the Uzumaki to me directly. Let Karin take care of the other interrogation and Yugito can deal with the actual defector." Naruto released the intercom and leaned back in his chair, eyes turned to the ceiling in thought. A Kumo Uzumaki? Was it that dark skinned girl he saw at the summit? What was her name again…Karui right?

'Be careful, if Karin is saying she isn't being completely honest then she could be a threat.' Kurama didn't want to come out and directly say that a member of his clan could be an enemy, but these things could happen. Just look at the Hyuuga.

"Yeah…" Naruto knew logically that, but it was still hard to consider that one of his clansmen would be happy with would Kumo had been doing. At at the minimum hadn't cared enough about the rest of the Uzumaki's plight to do anything about it. Everyone had different circumstances he supposed. Looking down into Tayuya's confident smile, Naruto nodded and set aside his work, "You wanna stay for this?"

Standing and taking a small pile of reports on patrol movements with her, Tayuya nodded, "Yeah, I'll hang out with the others. Other actual Uzumaki opinions may be needed besides yours." With a wink Tayuya left to join the others, forcing Sasuke to sit up so she could claim a spot on the couch to continue working.

Naruto watched it all with a smile on his face before picking up some new form that required his attention. The Hotaru were requesting construction of a firing range closer to their property? Now why was that he wondered. Reading on he could see that the Hotaru and the Zosensho were working together with the engineering group from Spring on some newer long range weaponry that needed to be tested more frequently. Huh. Easy enough to approve since it looked like the Zosensho were happy to finance it all. Setting his stamp at the end of the collection of forms, he set it aside before picking up the next set. A petition from the Yuki clan to allow for public business operations. Again, another easy approval and one he was happy to give his seal. At least they were working on being self sufficient now, though he wished there weren't so set on paying back their debts. He had promised them that he built their home with no plans to bill them for it. But trying to get Hana to back down from anything was proving to be a useless endeavor.

After some time and some light ribbing back and forth between him and his team, there was finally a chime from the intercom on his desk. A button press and Naruto focused a bit, "Yes Kiyone?"

"I have En escorting Karui of Kumo here for you."

Well this was it. Moment of truth on whether Karui was being truthful or not. Naruto grunted and pressed the call button once more, "Send her on in." Naruto waited and watched as the pair walked into his office, En opening the door and leading the way. Naruto gave the older man a grin and waved him off as Karui and he stood in front of his desk. "You're dismissed En, go back to your normal duties."

"Yes Uzukage-sama." With a salute En turned sharply and was gone, flashy glasses sparking in the late afternoon sun.

Left alone before the devil himself, Karui did her best to glare down Naruto. She hadn't liked him when she finally got a look at him at the summit, and she really didn't like him now. If her chakra hadn't been sealed, she wondered if she could risk getting a few good hits in on him or not.

Mentally rolling his eyes at the irritated woman before him, Naruto subtly activated a seal under his desktop, a short range truth seal. "So, Karui was it? Report says you left Kumo to defect and return to the Uzumaki clan. That true?" Moment of truth.

Karui went to nod right away, best to get this over with and really sell it, but found that she couldn't. "I-I…No." That wasn't what she wanted to say! Why couldn't she move?

Seeing the confusion beginning to crawl all over her face, Naruto sighed and sat up straight. He had a feeling that it was to good to be true. Idly he noted that Tayuya and the others were paying rapt attention to her now. "Yeah, I didn't think so. So what were you originally here for?"

"To capture any Uzumaki breeders that we could, destroy targets of opportunity, and return to Kumo with Killer Bee covering our retreat." Karui could feel dread filling her heart. Just what was this? The seal they put on her shoulder earlier? No, she had been able to lie about their mission easily before now. Something the Uzumaki head did? But what?

Well, there went any hope that Kumo was being sensible. Naruto laced his fingers together and tented his hands in front of his face, "So, you aren't here to rejoin the Uzumaki then. What do you really think about us?"

"You're vermin. Trash that doesn't deserve to remain. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have this cursed and useless blood." Karui had known it for years. Kumo higher ups had always hoped that she would gain something from the Uzumaki blood in her veins. That none of the better traits had ever presented themselves had just shown her to be a disappointment, but they eventually banked that one day she would give birth to future Uzumaki after they had gotten a few male children from the program. A program destroyed by the man in front of her.

'Well she's probably a lost cause Naruto.' Kurama's voice was quiet, gentle, and Naruto appreciated that.

'Yeah, I know.' Naruto watched her quietly for a short minute before groaning and leaning back in his chair, hands flat on his desk. "Well what the hell am I going to do with you now. Yeah you have Uzumaki blood, but you sure as well aren't an Uzumaki. Do I keep you here and try to rehabilitate you, or send you back to Kumo?"

"I'd rather die than stay here." Karui had no problem saying the truth there now that it was apparent to her that he had done something to make sure she couldn't lie. Whether she was going to die or not was up in the air but she had a reasonable idea that he wouldn't just kill her outright. "Whatever you did to Yugito to make her change her mind, I want no part of that."

"Trust me, I didn't have to do much there." Naruto would happily leave the clingy kitty alone if he could.

'Do so at your own peril.'

'God, you're just as horny as the Matatabi.' Naruto tried his best to ignore the biju's cackling, "So you wanna go back to Kumo then?" Seeing Karui nod, Naruto decided he wasn't going to fight it. She obviously hated him and the Uzumaki clan a great deal. That was a lifetime of teaching that would probably take even longer to unprogram, something she didn't seem to even want herself. "I'm just letting you know, you could have a life here. Hell, you don't even have to rejoin the clan. Live on your own, see that we aren't the evil people that Kumo has led you to believe. Why even Yugito is-"

"I want to go back home. To Kumo." Karui interrupted him easily, not caring about sassing off to this wannabe Kage. She had no respect for him in the end.

"Even though I'm most likely going to wipe that village off the map?" Naruto's voice turned cold. Here he was trying to give her a chance and she seemed to want nothing more than to spit in his face. Great. "I mean it, I'm going to destroy Kumo, if you return you're going to die with them."

"Then I will die with my people." Karui's eyes did not leave his, wishing to her core that she could draw her blade in this moment.

Naruto could tell the truth of that without any seals and shrugged, releasing the seal and watching her stumble a bit. "Fine. Know this. I really did want to make things work between us and Kumo. But some things can't be forgiven." Here he made a clone, which walked around his desk to latch onto Karui's shoulder.

Said young woman nearly shrugged him off, but the clone's grip was like iron, "Like I give a damn. The Raikage has decided you deserve to be crushed, so that is what we'll do."

Naruto waved her off, "Hope you make peace with that." And then they were gone, his clone delivering her to the Raikage's office while his office was peacefully quiet for a short while. "Well, that was something."

Standing and walking over to him slowly, Ino placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, "So you decided Kumo wasn't worth the effort?"

"Yeah. But I'm giving that honor to someone else who is already on the way. One last mission for a very tired Uzumaki ninja." Naruto didn't continue on the subject, instead wondering about what was going on closer to home. "I'll have to assume that the other ninja from her team will want to be sent home as well, let me make a clone to go and find him." Naruto did just that, making a clone that ran off to hunt down where it could feel Karin's chakra. "But that does leave the third team member that was being honest about why they were here."

Ino shrugged as she shimmied her way into his lap, playfully pecking him on the cheek, "Don't stress over it so much. It'll all get dealt with and then we can relax tonight at home." She luxuriated at the feeling of his strong arms around her middle.

Deciding that she wasn't wrong, Naruto wondered at the state of things. His forces could deal with Iwa and Kumo, short of their heaviest of hitters. With Bee retreating, how long before that problem would resurface? Would the Raikage himself come along next time? Best not to give him a chance then. "I sure wish this day was over and done with."

Ino could agree, "It's been a busy one to be sure. Just think, at this rate things will all be worked out before the week is over."

Naruto couldn't find fault in that logic. One way or another things really would be dealt with. Iwa was going to be their vassal, Kumo was going to be eliminated and all that was left was Akatsuki. Yeah, like that was something easy to deal with. "Here's hoping." And then maybe he could finally get some quality sleep.

-AN-

Sorry this update took a lot longer than normal. My hand ended up getting infected and the required some new drugs and physically had to be opened up. Lots of fun really. But I'm her and back. I'm hoping to have a few updates for ya in the coming week so we can get back on track.