Chapter Six; Homeland Defence
Land of Fire; Hidden Leaf; Hokage Office
"Well, this mission can be considered a success." Tsunade states looking over the mission report, looking up to her secret team of Anbu known as Zeta "Although, we have received thanks from the Mizukage, and her guard, for our help in clearing out the rats." Yet still no response. Glancing up at them, she did not notice the tension "Any issues?"
"No, ma'am." Zeta Snake responds "Very well. Dismissed." and just like all the other times before, the darkness seemed to consume the entire team before vanishing.
Tsunade lets out a heavy sigh as her mind wonders' back to her blond knucklehead, staring out the large window that dominated the back of her office as her two apprentices entre with stacks of reports "Master Tsunade…" one pink haired Sakura Haruna, gaining the last Senju's attention "Can I ask you a question?"
"Depends." Tsunade mentioned standing up and leaning against the window seal "What's up?"
"Well, it's Naruto." Sakura spoke getting the whole rooms attention "What about Naruto?" Tsunade questioned before mentally remembering that most the members of the previous Konoha Eleven were now members of the newest Anbu force. Those that were left behind have been reassigned to new teams, and almost left behind by those who now dwell within the shadows with the hokage's apprentice being one left behind "I haven't been able to get a hold of him recently."
"Have you checked his apartment?" Tsunade asks to which she nods "Ichiraku's?" another nod "Hokage monument?" another nod "So… you want me to…?"
"Can you tell me where he is?" The Haruno clan heir asks of her village's leader "Why are you so focused on him?"
Land of Fire; Hidden Leaf; Zeta Hideout
All eleven members of Anbu Team Zeta are scattered around the hideouts' common room, Naruto sat deep in the coach with the squads' male members scattered among the various chairs around him. On the opposite side was an annoyed Anko with the female members standing against the group, "Explain yourselves?" the squad leader snipped at the men who all wore blank faces "What's the big idea?" Kiba questioned "We just wanted a night off…" Naruto adds with a blank faced "…was that so difficult?"
"Why not just invite us? Why do you need to get away from us?" Ino shot off, hands on hip with a hard glare directly into the cold blues of Naruto "Answer me."
"Does it matter?" Naruto responds matching her glare firmly and unwavering "Yes."
"We've been under you watch since reactivation." Shikamaru adds in, gaining the female attention with Ino being the only one who maintained her gaze upon her partner "Just one night…"
Tension continues to raise between the two groups, an impasse reached yet neither backing down, "Fine!" Anko snipped out, eyes narrowed, and arms crossed with her head turning away from the males of the group. Naruto slides to his feet, in a moment the snake found herself wrapped around the six-foot man, his breath against the nape of her neck as he whispered so low that even Kiba missed it. Akamaru didn't though. Anko's indifferent, slightly annoyed, expression was replaced by what Ino knew as her 'Gooie' mode which foretold of their imminent failure.
"No fair…" Ino bellowed, gaining the rooms attention but before her tirade could gain strength "Enough, petal…" Anko snapping back at her, the Yamanaka actually recoiled "It was only a night, a night we ruined yet they are willing to replace. Now, this meeting is over. The boys get the day off, the rest clear up then get out." Anko ordered and the group parts as Naruto glances back, still embracing the snake jonin from behind and winking at his fellows who all nod in gratitude.
The room was cleared, Anko leaning back into the strong chest of her subordinate, his left arm over her chest, loosely around her neck with his other around her waist. This was the most secure Anko had felt at any point, seriously this hold on her was something else, something dangerous. "You know…" she whispered but their proximity allowed him to hear "…the comfort I'm feeling, right now… it's dangerous."
"Dangerous?" he whispered back and she half nodded softly "…my guards down right now, ya know…" silence continued for the longest moment, "…and yet your my warm, supportive pillar of my life." Her eyes lids open halfway "That… is why you are dangerous."
The next morning finds Naruto walking through the streets, seemingly unbothered by the stares at him in discontent yet he didn't care. The smell of wet dog filled his nose, a dog which was usually was one of three causing a silent groan to escape his lips. He ducks beneath the leaping ninkin, the second scent was almost predictable as he side steps the second grey blur, as the third approaches on to freeze upon Naruto's words "Stop." all three pups froze like statues. His eyes narrow at them and they all began to whimper "So, why are you here and not at the kennels?" the trio share glances which Naruto picked up on. The final scent that he picked up caused his groan to become audible before he quickly vanished in a formless body flicker.
After slurping a fourth bowl of ramen, an Anbu from Team Echo lands beside him, "Hawk, what can I do for you?" maintaining his pace of ramen consumption "The council has requested…"
"The council has no jurisdiction over me." Naruto reports causing the Hawk masked to stiffen, "Yet they have the nerve to try, eh? Echo has it rough, right?" he gestures to the seat beside him and for some reason Hawk actually sat down and took a cup of tea presented "They are goons. Nothing more." Hawk complained before sipping his tea, "Why did lord second create the damn civilian council?"
"They're supposed to be an advisory board." Naruto continued on to which the man nods along positively "You should remind Echo that Lady Hokage is your commanding officer." which caught Echo's leader attention, his head turning him robotically "If that's an issue, I can have a word with my CO…" he turns to his fellow Anbu member "…you know who she is, right?" Naruto spotted the shudder which caused him to smirk in a way too familiar to a certain snake mistress.
Land of Fire; Hidden Leaf; Hokage Office
A knock on the door "Come in." Anko stepping in with her customary dango stick in mouth, a wide smile upon her face "Lady Hokage. I just heard something that you may need to be aware of."
"Oh?" Tsunade raising an eyebrow as she rests forward on to her elbows, fingers interlaced beneath her chin. A quick pulse of chakra into her Anbu Tattoo, confirms that Team Sigma was in the office with them consisting of four members, Anko glances up with nothing but bloodlust as a snake jerk up and coils around a Root Anbu that was promptly dragged out from the hidden compartment. A poof of smoke and it vanishes.
"Anyways…" Anko continues on as if that action was not witnessed "…it seems some of our comrades are being 'instructed' by the civilian council. Can 'we' take action?" grinning manically which caused the Hokage to grin too "Oh, by all means…"
"Then can you, please lead the way? I also think that Team Sigma will enjoy the show too." A dangerous yet mischievous glint within her expression "Oh…" standing up "…I guess we should get moving then." As she said that Anko grins before going up in a puff of smoke, all eleven Zeta members appearing alongside members of the Sigma team "Awaiting by your orders, ma'am." Zeta Snake announces in Anbu monotone. "Sigma, Zeta; Fall in…" the hokage orders, the Anbu squads stiffen immediately as she cracks her bloodthirsty grin "…we got a council to scare shitless."
"Ma'am!" they all chirp.
Land of Fire; Hidden Leaf; Council Room
The double door was blasted open, the black masked Anbu charged in with various weapons drawn "ANBU!" another somewhat elder voice as numerous the groups of blank masked shinobi appear from the shadows. Within moments blood was splattered across the walls and even ceiling as the Black masked shinobi tore through the blank masks, Teams Sigma and Echo dropping in and assisting. Thirty to twenty, to nine all the way to three bounded, gagged, and kneeled before the Hokage with Zeta Snake, Sigma Parrot, and Echo Hawk held blades to their necks.
Tsunade sat at her table, a very proud smirk upon her face as her personal Anbu teams had clearly suppressed the illegal force that was operating within the hidden leaf village. Her village. Glancing to her left, Zeta Fox had his blade at Danzo's jugular, Sigma Wolf a naginata at his heart and Zeta Deer with his shadow's wrapped around him. Echo Samon had a naginata at Koharu's throat, Sigma Falcon had his own blade at Himuora's. "So, why was this council called without my consent?" Tsunade questioned with a raised eyebrow. The spare members of the three squads clearing out the bodies "It was us, Lady Hokage…" Himuora's stiff response, not wanting to jerk and accidentally cut himself on the finely polished blade of the villages most highly trained assassins "…we had received reports that the Kyubi jinchuriki had returned to the village and wanted to…"
"Wanted?" Tsunade quirking an eyebrow, looking to her 'Advisors' with absolute loathing "Did you forget that I am the hokage? That every shinobi that wears the leaf headband are at my command, not yours." Tsume Inuzuka was at the opposite end of the room, grinning ear to ear upon seeing both her son and, perspective son-in-law effortlessly slaughter rouge Anbu with little effort.
A loud thud draws the rooms attention as Zeta Deer, Sigma Wolf, continue to pin the bandaged elder to the table while Zeta Fox finishes a seal that promptly sealed away his chakra. The white wraps fall off and reveal nothing, several hand signals caused several low curses "Report." Tsunade requested and Zeta Snake steps forward "Lady Hokage; Elder Danzo seems to have switched out with an earth clone."
"I see. Can you track him?"
"If you wish us too." Zeta Snake responds, with a nod to which Tsunade gains a death head grin "I want every Anbu operative to hunt them down, execute them on site."
"Ma'am!" all Anbu call out and all three teams vanished.
Land of Fire; Hidden Leaf; Anbu Headquarters
Sigma, and Echo leads Zeta into the Anbu headquarters to find nearly three-hundred members of Anbu Black Operatives. Many stared at the odd ones out, black masked Zeta Team as they form up before the Anbu commander "Listen up! We got the green light to hunt down…" Dragon paused upon seeing Zeta strolling with purpose through the ranks. Zeta Fox stops before a Zulu Bear, the two staring at each other as Zeta Fox's left hand raised and just before he made contact Zulu grabbed his wrist "Sir?" he froze abruptly as Zeta Snake places a seal on his back instead. Three more were captured before four others fled "Damn."
"What the hell?" Dragon called as Zeta team dropped down the four Anbu operatives "These a Root members. Plants within your organisation." Zeta Fox reports stunning the fellow masked operatives "We'll have to clear out the rest, but none remain within this Battle Squadron." Dragon nods at that "Very well." Turning back to the others "Hunt down Danzo Shimura and his root traitors." He swipes his hand, and they all vanish. Glancing down he snarls at the Root traitors bound and restrained at his feet.
Land of Fire; Hidden Leaf; Village
The ground shakes rumbled, knocking people off their feet, carts running wild and panic settling in as the underground battles rage on. In the tunnels beneath the village, Anbu Team Ro find themselves pulling Foxtrot leader from a collapsing tunnel. "Wood style, four pillar prism." Ro Tiger declares as wooden pillars explode up to secure their position, Team Jole rushing forward in their place, cutting down yet another four Root Anbu decapitated. Boom. Zeta Team Raccoon appears beside Ro Kat, her bow exploding forward with a lance of blue flames that lick across the floor, caressing her skin as if a gentle lover as her byakugan allowed her to aim true as the exploding arrow of flames "Zeta Art; Flame Lions Roar." She whispered beneath the wind, her delicate fingers relieving the tension and allows the fire-based arrow to tear down the corridor, turning to ash any who dared oppose her.
Elsewhere Zeta Rose was tag-teaming with Zeta Ape, the former with twin naginata the later with a Bo staff. Team Serpent was on the offensive seamlessly merged into the duo's offensive, the group leaving a trail of blank masked bodies in their wake like a murderous maelstrom of fury and blood.
Zeta Snake led the remaining original Zeta team members with Zeta Owl at the rear as they push through the maze of the underground Anbu Foundation Base. On their backs were Anbu Team Sigma and Gale, the group broke into the Barracks block which held the bulk of the enemy forces, busting the door down and without a broken stride the party exploded into the hall.
Danzo was not one to panic, he had plans for such an occasion. All this time, he never thought that his old friends pet project that escaped his grasp would press him to this point. Before he could escape a solid chain pin the tall shelf to the wall, preventing the secret entrance from parting, blocking it. Zeta Snake uncoils and smashes through two blank masks, twin swords through their necks, while Zeta Deer pins Fu, Danzo's right-hand man, against the far wall as Gale and Sigma close in on Danzo.
"You do great work." Tsunade comments as she strolls into Danzo's office, the man himself was locked down by numerous seals provided generously by Anbu Team Zeta, who were mixed among the other Anbu operatives in the clean up operation. "Thank you, ma'am." Dragon states from her side "All primary objectives have been achieved. Secondary objectives too have been acquired, minor setbacks, with the tertiary objectives secured."
"Excellent." The hokage states as she strolls around the room, noticing the slightly open wardrobe "Casualties?"
"Less than twenty percent." Dragon responds dutifully before turning to Zeta Ape, offering new orders to which the Zeta squad men left. "Oh-ho! Darker hokage robes, huh?" Tsunade holding up the unofficial robe "Sir, the children are back in the medical tent."
"Thank you Ro Beaver." Dragon states ass he approaches his superior who was laughing at the phoney robe that she deposits upon the desk "Really Danzo. This is just…" Tsunade just sighs before looking at the old war hawk "With all this evidence… you'll be lucky to get an execution order." The old man remains stoic, not that he had much choice as he was sealed completely, no chakra, no motor function, courtesy of a stasis seal upon his back.
"This is a mess." Spoke Zeta Petal moans as she and Zeta Wolf assist in the triage centre "Damn straight. We found a few lost pups down there."
"Same here."
"The bastard stole from all of us." Zeta Wolf growls with fury that startled a few of the rescued children earning a slap from Zeta Lily who was passing by before turning back to the kids to comfort them. "You really are an idiot like your blood brother, huh?" Zeta Petal chuckles passing him by with a shake of her head "What can I say, Fox and I are just that close…" Zeta Wolf chuckles as Sigma Penguin lands beside him "Zeta Wolf, Petal, the commander wants to see you both." the two nod in response before he vanishes in a swirl of leaves. Petal looks up at the full moon and sighs "When did things get all screwed up?"
"When we got recalled, clearly." Zeta Wolf responds before glancing to his brothers' mate who stares back at him. They're moment was cut short as she body flickered away. He sighs "She's still hung up that I see." he flickers away.
Land of Fire; Hidden Leaf; Considery Ale Bar
In a private dark room at the back of the Chunin level bar, kunoichi only, a group of five women sat around cocktails while talking amicably. "…so, ladies…" one spoke gaining the other three's attention "…let us get down to business."
"Indeed commander." They all chorus "Now, then Lexia; do tell what you have uncovered?"
"Well, Commander; The black Masks seen in the Root clean-up operation, a month ago, are definitely the new team that was apparently 'Reactivated' a few months ago."
"Callsigns?"
"Anbu Team Zeta." Lexia, a generic black haired kunoichi with grey gaze looking over the group "An ambush, tracking, and assassination team." A snort is heard "Bullshit. They fought in the front with the regular Anbu."
"No doubt. Plus, they had more members this time around."
"Reinforcements, then…?"
"Tsk; sounds like it. Means we gotta do sometin about 'em. We Onin's barely have any funding as is."
"Can they be reasoned with?"
"Unlikely… probably just as stuck up."
"Hikari, do recon… find out what we're up against."
"Yes Commander."
"Lexia; keep tabs on 'em. I wanna know how many shits they take a day…"
"Fine commander, I'll get it done."
"Ryuzen; find their barracks. We need to find them after all."
"…" a silent nod was a response. A manic grin upon their leaders' face "We'll prove that us Onin Hunters are even more fierce that any heavy assault squad!" they all cheer and giggle.
Land of Fire; Hidden Leaf; Zeta Hideout
Naruto jerked awake to find himself pinned downed, his body weighted, and senses dampened. Glancing around he could only see what he could unable move his head. He had no feeling beyond his neck until a sudden jolt up his spine earned a silent scream upon his lips before a certain brownette faux innocently looking down upon him, "Ah, you're awake…" her voice not even meeting whisper levels, his throat tightened "…I guess my estimations were off." She pouts, "Never mind. I'll get it right next time." Yet before he could compute that line of thought the black void reclaimed him.
At some point Naruto jolted up again, his room in the hideout was considered a double with a large bed, shelves engraved in the hard rock with scrolls and books covered them. The desk was large and could be confused with a dining table however with the number of books and scrolls disguises it size, his chair loaded with clothes. Getting up from the orange cotton sheets, Naruto sits and turns to the edge while breathing hard to get it under control. Another sigh before he finally stands, crossing the room leisurely yet before reaching the other side, he stumbled. Hand on the wall, his breathing was laboured, a flash of his friends' chakra allowed his body to burn off the rogue elements within his frame.
After a lengthy shower, a set of casual clothes of large black loose t-shirt marked with his clan symbol and baggy sweatpants, he walks into the common room "…Mornin…" he mumbles while wiping his eyes before yawning, snorting was heard "…morning? It's almost evening." Anko mentioned from the kitchen table, amusement evident in her voice as Naruto moved to one of the pantries "Oh?" Anko with a raised eyebrow "Don't you have anything to do today?"
"Nah, not really." Naruto responds before turning back to her as she spoke again "Are you feeling, okay?"
he froze before making eye contact with the snake mistress, who too was equally casually dressed, her psychotic mask too missing within this sanctuary of theirs. Her pupil-less brown eyes bore into his slit, cobalt blue "Tell me the truth." She almost whispered yet the two seemed to be in their own world, a seriousness that the two shared within their unique relations that not even Ino had been able to penetrate. Immune to the twisted machinations of the teams Genjutsu Godess, her own words, the two continue to stare into one another's souls "…well…" he rubs the back of his neck as he finally breaks off his gaze "…well…"
Land of Fire; Hidden Leaf; Inuzuka Compound
"Hey Kiba…" the woman known as Hana stepping in from closing up the clinic, said boy looking up from the training the new pups "…where does Naruto live? I went to his apartment but…"
"He moved." Kiba's curt response before the teen notices the slumbering Kuruma visibly perk up, head snapping towards the hideout briefly before resting back down with a smirk "Where?" His older sister growled but was caught by surprise as Kiba bore his own canines at her "Don't ever ask about Any of us. Understood?"
"I just wanted to…"
"Relax pup." The ol' fox yawned drawing the groups attention "Besides, he just awoke…"
"Seriously?" Kiba's incredulous reproach "I swear he's been spending too much time with Shika." The multi-tailed fox chuckled at that, "Hey cub…" looking at Hana who's heckles actually raised "…why are you interested in my container?"
Land of Fire; Hidden Leaf; Ichiraku Stand
Naruto slips past the counter in the stand, much to Teuchi's surprise, and moved towards the stairs which he surprised Ayame in the house's kitchen. "Naruto." She squeaked but froze upon seeing the slightly glassy look, a look she hadn't seen in nearly "You're…" as he hugged her tightly, the woman, quick on the uptake, returned it with a slow soft caress upon his back "…welcome home." she whispered to which he simply just melted into her hold.
"Sorry about that." Naruto whispered as he rested his head upon her lap, the two sharing the sofa with Ayame slowly running her hand through his soft golden locks with a soft humming of an old tune from their childhood "I had heard rumours of your teams return…" her soft melody of a voice as his eyes remained closed "…hmm…"
"…but you didn't tell me anything…"
"We've been busy…" Naruto whispered again "…really busy."
"You know that is not an excuse that works with me." She gently taps his stomach with her spare left hand "Now, tell me what's on your mind…"
Teuchi had finished closing and had returned to his family home above the store to find Naruto and his daughter setting the table "Welcome home, tou-san." Ayeme mentioned as Naruto finished dropping the final set of plates. "Ayame…" looking to Naruto, a flash of recognition, and smiling "…Naruto my boy."
"Tou-san." Naruto bowing his head and the three shared a family dinner.
Land of Fire; Hidden Leaf; Zeta Hideout
This all happens in one day.
Yakumo hums softly to herself as she entered the hideout via the barracks and was making her way towards her target's room only to freeze up a soft clear of a throat. The hazel eyes locked on to the pupil-less eyes of Anko "Yakumo." the stern look forced the genjutsu user to join the snake mistress at the table within the kitchen, having taken a freshly prepared hot coco upon the way. "Let's get this clear." Anko softly sipping her tea "You can drop that faux girl next door act." her gaze turned blank, yet intense and focused. Yakumo too drops the act, an aggressive scowl upon her lips while the glare back at her captain intensified "Now then…" Anko began with cold indifference "…I understand your intent with our favourite vice-captain."
"Oh?" Yakumo with a raised eyebrow, raising her cup to her lips "If you want to be…"
"I don't need your approval, captain." the kimono donning lady with an equally rigid stare, "I want to make myself clear too, captain. He was mine, is mine, will always be mine…" a soft smile upon her mouth as she raises her cup toward her lips, sinister smile in place "…you may claim him, ride him, smother him, but after all that, he will always come back home to me."
"Yeah that's not happening." Anko states so firmly, you'd think the statement was made up of solid steel "His will is his own. You may think you have a hold upon him…" her cold stare turns into an absolutely vicious smirk that could the sun itself to shudder "…but he far stronger than you think he is."
Land of Fire; Hidden Leaf; Nara Compound
Shikamaru sat before his father, currently pinning the man down in shoji, while puffing on his smoke "So, this task force of yours…" Shikaku moaned as he glanced up to his son "…how does it function out in the field, exactly…?" moving his piece forward "Pretty straight forward normally."
"Oh?"
"…yeah…" blowing out smoke before glancing down at his fathers move "…we all have our role, covering something and pulling our own weights yada yada yada…" taking a pull from his smoke, "…yet there are groups within the larger groups, all working in synergy to complement our various formations and functions out in the field." breathing out the smoke whilst closing down the last ditch assault from his father, seemingly unfazed by the effort "Damn." Shikaku breathes out while scratching his beard, glancing up at his son "…so you are not hold back anymore?" a shake of his sons' head was the response "Nah… last time I did, shit hit the fan faster than an Uzumaki can consume ramen."
"…" grunts Shikaku as he concedes and the two reset the board.
Another heavy sigh as the opening moves is played when Asuma Saratobe arrives and sits beside the two men, greeted by muted nods, settling into watch the epic battle of strategies. It remained deadlocked for a while, the new arrival feeling completely out of his depth "So, did you come for a reason, Asuma-sensei?" Shikamaru questioned as he flicked his smoke into the ash tray, not even glancing up. The smirking charcoal blue haired man chuckled and nodded "Well, I've been hearing a lot of things lately…"
"…oh…?"
"Yeah, though I guessed that with Team Ten's dissolution, it kind of makes it obvious." Asuma continues as he flicks off his death stick "Well, strategic command is a much better application of my skills; so…" Shikamaru comments without missing a beat while contemplating his opponent's next move.
"Indeed, it would be." Asuma chuckles knowingly "Though, I haven't heard from Ino yet; I guess she's in with T and I." to which Shikamaru nodded "More surprisingly is Naruto's entrance into it alongside her."
"Eh?" that froze Asuma, mid cigarette retrieval "Yeah. Naruto and Ino are Anko-sensei's assistants in the T and I department."
Yoshino Nara arrives with three sets of green tea, and sandwiches, to the three men who all look way to serious for her liking, and due to that she made no effort in complaining about their smoking. Upon her rather surprisingly silent departure, the conversation picked back up "Anbu huh?" Asuma questioned in a very low voice unaware that Shikamaru had just now gone through one handed sign before placing his hand upon the porch, an invisible sound barrier, "Anbu Team Zeta." Shikamaru states causally surprising Asuma for a moment before the Jonin noticed the barrier 'When the…' with a quick glance to his superior who nodded back in affirmation "All members of the team are given 'Rudimentary' lessons in the art of fuinjutsu." Shikamaru lets out a sigh "Though, our base level is a notch or two higher than the base level of everyone else."
"A privacy barrier with one handed seal; quite an accomplishment." Shikaku announces softly, "It was troublesome." Shikamaru before looking to his official sensei, "As you know, with all Anbu Teams, our official capacity is a cover for the duration of my time within Team Zeta." a huge sigh before returning his gaze to the board "So, ask away…"
Land of Fire; Hidden Leaf; Yamanaka Flower Shop
Ino sat behind the counter of her family shop, notebook on her recent idea for a poison chemical make up being scratched in by pencil. Humming a tune to herself, she didn't notice her father's approach from behind, peering over her shoulder to see the poison being brainstormed by his daughter to which he actually paled. The poison in question had a primary effect of chakra disruption, secondary effect of quickened heart rate, tertiary effect of increased perspiration and a final effect of force impotence.
"Hi daddy!" Ino called out without taking her eyes off the pad she was working on, scratching out another incompatible strand that did not work "Dearest daughter, have I told you how much I love you?" Inoichi comments with a soft smile causing said daughter to break out in a smile, dropping down her pencil as she turns to him "I love you too, daddy!" she responds as the two embraces.
"So, how is your new team doing?"
"Old team." Ino corrects as she continues to doodle in her notepad "Right, old team." Inoichi sighs before getting serious "Though I am curious as to how you all were able to participate without anyone noticing your absence." Ino smirks at that but does not face her father "Classified." a snort from her father was the indignant response to her short quip "I won't tell you any more than that."
"I am head of hidden leaf T and I…"
"Yet you did not know of us till our reactivation." Ino inserting herself forcefully, breaking her father's conversational flow as she finally turns to him fully "Everything about it was classified above your security level and though personally I would rather have you on the inside, I am the in the minority."
"Oh…?" Inoichi comments with a raised eyebrow to which she nodded "There are only three of the eleven, which including me, that wanted to reveal our team." A heavy sigh, as he faces dropped into her open palm "Were it not for the Captain's orders, the others would have outright refused to break the secrecy edicts."
Inoichi thought on this for a while contemplating the structure of this Anbu team, "Your squad is certainly unique, Ino."
"Yeah, we are. Which is why we don't work alongside other black ops squads." The heiress continues as she sighs again, something the whole team seemed to be doing ever more "The excitement the other day was a unique experience, but we struggled to coordinate as everything was different to what we are used too."
"How so?"
"Our hand signal language is shorter, more accurate, comms were erratic, and even the combat ideology strategy were diverged from theirs quite a bit." Ino began to explain, another raised eyebrow from the T and I head "Though I didn't realise by how much until that mission."
"Really?"
"Yeah." Ino adds with a nod as she stares off into nowhere in particular "Shikamaru said it something like; 'Anbu flows like a canal, while we flow like a river.'"
"Organised, always moving, yet focused and potentially dangerous." Inoichi began whilst trying to understand the idiom presented by the Nara "Against a potential of unconventional curvature, unrelenting force, and constant fluctuations." He nods along to that, Ino slightly wide eyed with her mouth somewhat ajar "How did…?"
"Interesting concepts, even more so when…" he paused upon the entrance of a woman, who looked generic in all ways with dark black, almost blue hair, and grey eyes and soft features "Welcome to the Yamanaka flowers, how can we help you today?" Ino with a customer service smile, unaware of her fathers' eyes hardening behind her as he recognised this woman who had no real reason to be here, something was going on and he didn't like it.
Land of Fire; Hidden Leaf; Inuzuka Compound
Illia Kuruma yawned as she stretches while snuggling deeper into her boyfriend's warmth though it took a second before, she realised he was absent. Peeking out, her dark blue almost grey eyes looking around to see a pillow in place of her puppy, not that she would ever say that aloud or in uniform. Getting up with a soft whine, yawning while smelling the breakfast being prepared by her man caused a schoolgirl squeal and giggle.
Bouncing down to the kitchen table, Illia finds Kiba laying out a tray of breakfast whilst being coached by his sister on how to properly serve it out. The Kuruma clansmen found herself leaning against the wall at the base of the stairs and just watches as her man interacts with his older sister who spots her "Ah… Illia right?"
"Hana, Kiba's older sister…" Illia responds casually not moving from her place, nodding at her "Babe; I was about to bring you breakfast in bed…" Kiba spoke as she approached him with a soft, growing smile "You are so sweet." Offering a soft peck on his lips "Big bad wolfy being so soft and cuddly." Illia speaking as if Kiba was a baby, normal human to dog speech. Kiba's blush could be seen from the hokage monument "Lia-chan, you can't… not in front of…" he pauses upon hearing the snickering of the three hymour triplets, Akamaru, and even his sister who was stepping clear of the duo.
Having cleared breakfast, Hana sits opposite her kid brother and his lover with a soft smile "So…" gaining the duo's attention "…you both serve under Naruto, right?"
"You can't be serious about that Hana-nee?" Kiba growls out which causes Illia to look to him slightly confused "Serious? About what?"
"Marrying your XO." Hana confirms which causes a raised eyebrow from the Kuruma clansmen "Oh?!" with clear shock upon her face. "My mother wants him in the clan." Hana smiles warmly, unknowingly releasing specific pheromones which all the Inuzuka family picked up on, more snickers from the canines before another entered with a yawn. His bright orange fur lit up the room and the dogs all fell silent as the new arrival ranked above them alongside their pack leader. Kuruma glanced around before noticing the pheromones in the air and began a deep low chuckle towards Hana "Really…"
Land of Fire; Hidden Leaf; Akimichi Qu
Phera entered the barbeque place spotting his cousin, Kila, clearly seducing another man to get a free lunch, again. A heavy sigh as he approaches the counter "Hey, Johmei! Can I get my usual?" speaking to his favourite server behind the counter, the stereotypical Akimichi who grinned at him and gestured toward his usual table. Reaching said table he wordlessly drops into the booth, promptly lighting the cooking plate in the tables centre.
The cooking plate reached prime cooking temperature as Johmei, brings over the platter "It's been a while since I last saw you Phera."
"Yeah well…" Phera began as he begins "…I was recalled, and reinstated to my old team. We've been really busy."
"With what, exactly?"
"Stuff." Spoke Kila as she drops down beside her cousin "Stuff?" a raised brow from the Akimichi to which the lovely Kila just smiles as she nabs a strip of bacon from the plate "Oi." Phera growled but she simply raspberried back "We can't really say, to be honest."
"This remains between us." Phera meeting his old genin teammates eyes who nods to confirm "Naturally."
The two Sarutobi clansmen entering the streets and travelling the roads of their home village "Say, Phera… do you ever think about the others?"
"Others?" Phera questioned with a sideway glance as the two continue through the emptying marketplace "Juna, Tshiro, Nilo…"
"Rola was my best friend, Kila." Phera glaring at his cousin with a hiss in his voice "She deserves your respect." waving her hands to placate him "I know, and I do. Relax Phera." and he sighs out, that subject was stroll somewhat sore for him "I miss her."
"I miss him too." She states as she looks to the sky, hoping the one she had crushed on all those years ago was still with her "You probably thinking of being miss Hatake by now, right?" Phera teases causing a scowl to appear upon Kila's face with a growl "Watch it their mister."
"Well, there's only one Hatake left now. Daishi's trails still cold as snow." Phera getting unusually serious "Tch, can't find it comfortable that one of our own has just vanished like that."
"We were trained to do just that."
"Yeah but…" she pauses as he pulls her into the shadows of the buildings and with an almost inaudible whisper "If he still breathes, we'll find 'im. We've never left our people behind before." She couldn't help but nod in grim determination, even more so when she recalled that fateful mission where everything went wrong. Great her mood was now completely ruined.
A pair of Kunai were raised and aimed at a shadowy figured within the shadows the two were in, "You know chasing shadows in a ninja village is unwise…" Kila states with her whisper almost growl like as the shadow had their hands up clear above their head. A light thud. Poof. "Well, that was unexpected." Phera stating the obvious before both he and Kila vanish within the smoke and shadows.
Land of Fire; Hidden Leaf; Hyūga Compound
A knock on her door "Enter." and Hiashi appears within the door of his eldest daughter's room, the teen polishing an ornate bow adorned with light sight worn damage. She was clearly doing maintenance upon it yet he got the impression of its nobility, the engravings were clearly Hyūga but not of the current error "May we speak?" his stoic mask forever perfectly placed, his posture picture perfect, composure fully formed. She gestured to the small table as she moves her long bow to the side, she'll finish cleaning it momentarily "How goes your career within Anbu?"
"Well." Hinata's crisp response "Any issues?"
"None." Her response "How goes Hinabi's efforts?"
"Acceptable."
"I see." Hiashi nods as he stands back up, turning back to the door he pauses briefly at the table "Many on the council wish to understand your wish to reintegrate the bow into our clan efforts. I shall summon you shortly."
"Hinabi should be summoned too." Hinata instructs with caused a raised eyebrow "If the council wishes to understand the usefulness of the bow. This one is an older one but should suffice for now." The heiress looks up directly at her father's gaze, unwavering "My long bow for range, Hinabi uses a short bow; our applications of the bow are alternatives of one another." Hiashi nodded at that "Very well. When I send for you, bring her along with you."
"Yes father."
An hour later...
Hinata led Hinabi towards the council room, both holding their non-Zeta practice bows "Nervous?" Hinata smiles down at her little sister who only manages a half smile back "A bit."
"Well…" the elder of the Hyūga sisters turns back forward, the council room coming up ahead of them "…we've practiced countless times, till our fingers bled…"
"…and our eyes stretched thin." Hanabi finishes the promise the three Hyūga made all the way back then; back when the squad was still all together. Together, they both take a deep breath "Ready?"
"Does it matter?" Hinabi chuckles as her sister knocks "No, not really." Hinata whispered back as an "Enter." Was muffled but clear and they both pulled the door apart before entering.
Within the Hyūga council chamber the two heiress's bow deeply before lowering down, their ornate bows placed before them. Hinata's Long bow was the same one her father had seen earlier, whereas Hinabi's was slightly larger than half of her sisters in size but no less elegant in the carvings. "Dear honourable elders. We have heeded your call." Hinata bowed "Ah yes, we have been contemplating your request to reinstate our archery program." The two youngest Hyūga nod in unison, as if perfectly trained to do just that "May we ask why you believe this would be to our clans' benefit?"
"Before that…" Hinata opens up much to the surprise of the eight elders "…Father, is this a secure place?"
"It is."
"Than we require that nothing spoken here will be used to benefit the clan in anyway." Hinabi spoke firmly causing an uproar from the elders, but they were silenced by the girls' father "You wish to speak of your new post." This caused them all to quieten as the two archers both nod "Indeed." Hinabi spoke up again "As it is still an S-class secret…" Hinata continued as her father nodded "Very well. On our honour we shall respect this information."
"Hinabi and I are both members of the new top secret task force, Anbu Team Zeta." Hinata began to explain much to the surprise of the elders, not that they showed it, "As members of this squad, we have fully utilised both gentle fist alongside both longbow and short bow combat." Hinabi continues as she recalls the Mist mission "I was able to comfortably identify and hit targets beyond five kilometres with my longbow with perfect accuracy."
"I was able to fight through corridors, firing off, arrows through doors and walls with little effort." Hinabi explained and despite the stone faces looking back at them both, both heiresses could tell they were getting through. "We have been able to provide indirect fire support on several occasions." Hinata began "We have protected our allies from the shadows, with swift precise strikes…" a glint in Hinabi's eyes told of her pride in her eyes which seemed to transmit to the elders "…hitting a tenketsu point from a kilometre away."
"Is that possible?" one elder questioned with an actual raised eyebrow to which the shear amount of smugness emanating from the two sisters could be cut with a knife "Indeed." Hinata with the Hyūga pride turned beyond previously known limits.
"Perhaps we should give this some consideration." One elder spoke to the room "Yes. If the members of old saw fit to do so, it would do us well to acknowledge our ancestor's wisdom." Another spoke gaining nods from the group's nods of agreement "Thank you for bringing this to our attention." They both bow their heads, leaving their equipment behind to allow the elders to inspect the bows, that both sisters consider obsolete.
Upon the door closing behind the two young heiresses, the council were quick to move to inspect the weapons, the fine lines, and scripts of seals along with the quiver filled with both wooden, and metal arrows also scripted with various seals for various effects. "This is rather exquisite craftsmanship. Truly worthy of our heiresses'…"
"Surely our own craftsmen can surpass it."
"Indeed. These must be replicated and improved upon immediately. We cannot allow this power to escape us."
"Then we are in agreement?" Hiashi spoke with the entire council nodding along with it.
Land of Fire; Hidden Leaf; T and I department
That night…
Anko pushes into the office of her coworker "Yo Inoichi, you called." Shutting the door, and immediately a privacy barrier was erected upon its locking "Yes, something has been bugging me all day since I spotted someone troublesome doing recon on my daughter."
"Oh?!" Anko with a raised eyebrow, unsealing several dango sticks "Yeah…" throwing a file atop the desk "…recognise her?"
"Not directly." The snake mistress eyeing up the accompanied photo "Hikari Hyūga, branch member of their clan and member of Hunter-Nin Squad Four."
"Hol' up…" Anko raising her hand, head down before the two switch places "Isn't that the squad full of…"
"Yeah." Inoichi cutting in again "I suspect they intend to cause trouble. Perhaps paying them a visit…" the blond smiles meaningfully "…with your XO."
"…hmm… perhaps…" before a full-blown grin appeared upon her face "Time to hunt the hunters…"
A/N; Due to real life. It will be a long time before I update again.