Chapter 25: Day in the Capital

Outskirts of the Fire Capital

The rest of Team-11's journey to the capital was as uneventful as their first day. As Shisui-Sensei said, they didn't stop their training even on a mission outside Konoha. But it was much lighter than they were accustomed to and was done in the morning. For the most part, they spent most of their days traveling. Sometimes they would stop for an hour or two to rest.

When night started to fall, they would stop somewhere to make camp, a couple of times, they got lucky and were able to stop in another village. Those proved to be some of the most exciting parts of the journey. Mostly for Naruto because the people there were friendly.

They didn't look at him and see the container of the Kyūbi, nor did they ignore him because he was a reminder of a tragedy. All they saw was a blind boy traveling with some friends. It was stranger for the Jinchūriki to see people look at him with warm smiles.

His teammates and Sensei had noticed this and felt happy for the boy. For the first time in Naruto's life, he wasn't being ignored or glared at. He was receiving warm welcomes from people. At the same time, they felt a little sad that it took him leaving Konoha to experience something like that.

Hinata, though, was simply happy for Naruto. For her, his smiles were something to be treasured, like the one that was on his face now. She could look at that smile forever.

Hinata felt her face heating up when she realized that thought had crossed her mind. She looked away before the boy could notice, thankful he was dense enough not to notice. Unfortunately, someone else had noticed her staring out of the corner of her eye, Hinata saw Shisui-Sensei smiling at her.

Luckily for her, he wouldn't get the chance to comment on it. Coming to the top of a hill, Hinata and the rest of Team-11 stared down, almost losing their breath at what they saw. An ocean of buildings and lights stretched out for as far as the eye could see. "Is that?" Hinata heard Sasuke say in amazement.

Shisui-Sensei nodded. "It is," he said. "The Capital of the Land of Fire."

Hinata looked down at the city that stretched out before her. She had heard stories about the Capital being the biggest city in the Land of Fire. How to the eye, it seemed like an ocean of red and orange that went on for miles. She had always compared it to Konoha as that was the biggest place she knew. Indeed, Konoha was big, more akin to a city than a village. But Konoha didn't seem to compare to the Size of the Capital. Several Konohas looked like they could comfortably sit in the city she was seeing.

Then her eyes went to one of the most noticeable details of the city. A large hill towards the other side of the city. On top, it was what looked like a mansion, easily two or three times the size of the main Hyūga Compound. "Is that the Daimyo's residence?" She asked.

Again, Shisui nodded. "It is," he said.

She looked over at Naruto to see what his reaction was. His head was turned to face the city below them. His facial expression morphed into one of awe and wonder. "I don't think I've seen anything like it," he said. "I always thought that Konoha was big. But this," he gestured to the city below them.

Hinata and Sasuke nodded as the looked back at the city. "I know," Shisui-Sensei said. "I was just as surprised as you when I first saw the Capital. It makes Konoha look like an actual village in compassion. Heck, I think it might have gotten bigger since the last I saw it."

For a moment, Hinata wondered if Konoha would ever grow to the same size as Capital. Then she shook her head. She couldn't imagine it. "Come on gakis," Shisui said. "We still have a mission to complete." He held out the scroll as they walked down the hill to the city.

Hinata and the rest of her team followed their sensei. Maybe an hour later, they were at the front of the Daimyo's residence. Shisui-Sensei was talking to one of the guards.

Meanwhile, Hinata, Naruto, and Sasuke were talking amongst themselves. "I heard stories about the Capital," Sasuke said. "My father even talked about it a couple of times. But I could never imagine just how big the place was."

Naruto nodded. "I know," he said. "Did he ever mention how many people there were?"

Sasuke shook his head. "I don't think he did," he answered. "At least not that I could remember."

"My father did," Hinata said. "He said that there were lots of people in the Capital. Even more than there in Konoha."

Naruto nodded. "I can believe it," he said. "I mean, I thought that Konoha had lots of people. But what we saw was something different." His tone couldn't hide the wonder.

Hinata nodded, sharing the sentiment. Living in Konoha, she thought she was used to large crowds in the streets. But walking through the streets of the Capital, she felt like she was caught up in a river.

"I hope we get to see more of it," Naruto said. "That's assuming the Council member lets us stay for a day or two."

"I'm sure he will," Hinata said. "Shisui-Sensei can be very persuasive when he wants to be."

Sasuke nodded. "Yeah," he said. "Even if we don't, I'm sure you'll get to see more of it than we will. I wouldn't be surprised if you already have your eyes spreading across the city."

Naruto smiled and held his hands behind his head. "It's kind of jarring, to be honest," he said. "There's so much to take in. That my eyes are having a tough time navigating the place."

"I'm sure they are," Shisui-Sensei said, walking up to them. "As we've seen, the Capital is a big place. It is not that hard to get lost. If the Council member lets us stay, I suggest the three of you stick together," Hinata nodded, as did the others. They had planned to explore the city together anyway. Then Shisui pointed to the entrance. "Come on, we got permission to enter the estate and drop off the scroll."

"Then we go to meet the Council member," Naruto said. Hinata noticed the slight edge in his voice. This was one part of the mission that he wasn't looking forward to. Something that Hinata understood, the civilian side of Konoha's Council didn't look at him kindly, with a few exceptions. Hinata prayed that this member was one of them or that they would keep their hostility hidden. "Where are they anyway?"

"Luckily for us, he happens to be in the front entrance of the Daimyo's residence," Shisui said. "Where we're about to drop off the Scroll."

Hinata raised an eyebrow at the coincidence. "Really?" She asked.

Shisui nodded. "He was here to drop off a gift for the Daiymō," he explained. "And since he knew we would be arriving here sometime day. He decided to wait at the front entrance, save us the trouble of finding him."

They entered the reception area of the Daimyo's residence. Hinata was taken aback for a moment by how lavish the place looked. All along the walls paintings and sculptures lined the room. The floor looked like it was made from velvet, and spread throughout the large room was furniture made from the finest materials.

She heard Naruto let out a low whistle. "The Fire Daiymō sure doesn't skip out on the fancy stuff, does he?" He said.

Shisui nodded as they walked up to the reception desk. "Well, he is the ruler of this nation," he said. "He's got to impress when people first walk into his residence. I hear the rest of the place is a bit more modest."

"But still fancier than anything you would see back home," Naruto concluded. "And I'm including the clan compounds."

"In our defense," Sasuke said. 'We are Shinobi clans, so we tend to be more reserved about our luxuries."

Shisui nodded. "Quite right," he said. Then he looked at the receptionist and an older-looking man who was looking at them curiously. "Apologies for the later introduction. I am Uchiha Shisui, the Jōnin-Sensei of Team-11," he held out the scroll. "We are here to drop off a scroll for the Daiymō. The details of our mission should be inside."

The man nodded and took the scroll. He opened it to inspect the contents. Meanwhile, the genin of team-11 continued to look around the reception area. Both admiring the luxuriousness of the room and looking for the supposed civilian council member.

A few other people were scattered across the room, any of whom could be the council member. A couple of men and a woman sat about being attended to by servants. Hinata supposed she could discount the woman since Shisui-Sensei said 'he' when addressing the council member.

"Alright, team," Shisui said, getting Hinata's and the rest of the team's attention. She saw him pocketing another scroll. She guessed it was proof of them completing their mission. "We're done here, so let's go greet our council member."

Hinata nodded. The three genin followed their sensei as he led them to one of the guests in the reception area. He was a man that appeared to be in his mid-thirties. He had short, well, kept black hair and brown eyes that were surprisingly alert as they scanned over the approaching Jōnin and Genin. He was dressed in what Hinata had expected a merchant to wear, only they looked like they were made from finer materials.

Aside from that, she was surprised at how modest the man looked. She had expected the man to be more lavishly dressed, like most members of the Civilian council tended to be. In his hand was what looked like a highly expensive bottle of wine and a drinking dish in the other.

The man greeted them when the team stopped in front of him. "Ahh, I presume you are the team that has been sent to fetch me?" he asked in a friendly tone.

Shisui nodded. "Yes, we are," he said. "I am Uchiha Shisui, and these are my genin." He gestures to the other members of Team-11. Uchiha Sasuke, as you can guess he is my cousin."

Sasuke nodded and let out a quick greeting.

"I believe I can see the family resemblance," the man said, sipping from the drinking dish.

"Hyūga Hinata." Shisui pointed over to Hinata.

Hinata bowed. "Hai," she said, keeping her nervousness down. The Council member nodded and gave her a friendly smile.

Then Shisui introduced Naruto. "And finally, Uzumaki Naruto." Hinata saw Naruto stiffen up a little as he braced himself for the council member's reaction.

A curious expression spread across the man's face. "Uzumaki, you say?" He asked.

"I'm an Uzumaki," Naruto said defensively. "Anything wrong with that?"

The man smiled. "No, nothing at all," he said. "I am just honored to have representatives from three major clans here. Feel like I might have underpaid for this mission."

Before Shisui could respond, Naruto cuts in. "Wait, you know about my clan?" he asked. Hinata's eyes widened. The man had said three major clans, not two.

The man nodded. "Of course, I do," he said. "My family can trace its ancestry back to Uzu. While we did settled in Konoha a little after its founding, we still maintained ties to our ancestral home. That is until it was destroyed."

"I see," Naruto said, scratching his cheek. "I didn't know other people lived in Uzu. I thought only the Uzumaki lived there."

The man nodded. "While the Uzumaki were the most prominent people living there. There were others living alongside them. Even a few other minor Shinobi clans called Uzu home. Of course, they were wiped out with the Uzumaki and much of Uzu's population. The attack spared very few."

Naruto was silent for a moment before he responded to the man. "I knew about my clan, and it had a village of its own," he said. "But I never knew that others lived with them. I always thought it was just a village-sized clan compound or something. I know why the clan was wiped out, but were there any survivors from the village that wasn't Uzumaki?"

The man closed his eyes. "As I said, the attack spared very few. The invaders didn't discriminate between Shinobi and civilians. Young and old, Uzumaki and non-Uzumaki, the attack was intended to leave no one alive."

Naruto lowered his head. Hinata felt her heartache at the description of the attack. She wonders how anyone could be so heartless to carry the destruction of an entire village and all its people.

Then the council member smiled. "But despite their efforts, some survivors managed to escape the village and now reside in Konoha in what is now called the Uzu district. My family owns a lot of shops and restaurants there. If you ever decide to visit, I'm sure you will be greatly welcomed there. The people still remember the Uzumaki fondly." Naruto nodded. Hinata was confident that he would try to visit the place, likely after they were done with their mission. "But where are my manners?" The man rose from his seat, leaving his bottle and drinking dish on the table. "I have entirely forgotten to introduce myself. I am Eguchi Mitsu, and as you may well know, I am a member of Konoha's Civilian Council," he bowed to the members of Team-11.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Eguchi-San," Shisui said, allowing the man to rise up. "As I said before, we're here to escort you back to Konoha."

Eguchi nodded and picked up his bottle of wine and drinking dish." Yes, of course," he said, pouring himself some of the wine onto the dish. "So, when will we be leaving?" He took a sip.

"I was hoping to discuss that with you," Shisui said. "You see, this is my genin team's first time in the capital. In fact, this is their first C-rank mission."

"I see," Eguchi said, taking another sip from his wine. "I don't think there can be any better first C-rank than one that takes you to the Capital. Truly something to celebrate." He raised his wine into the air.

Shisui nodded. "Yes, my thoughts exactly," he said. "Which is why I was hoping that you would be willing to extend your stay here for another day or two."

Eguchi nodded his head in understanding. "So, your little genin may get the chance to enjoy what the Capital has to offer," he said. "Maybe even bring back a souvenir to remember their first C-rank."

Shisui nodded. "Yes, they work hard as genin," he said. "So, I thought a chance to stay in the Capital would be something nice for them to do. So, if it's not too much trouble, would you let us stay in the capital for a day or two? If not, then we will take you back to Konoha right away."

Eguchi looked between Shisui and the genin members of Team-11. The genin were looking at him intently, willing him to let them stay. He looked back at Shisui, took another sip from his wine, and chuckled. "Alright then, Uchiha-San," he said. "I'm willing to extend my stay here for another day. In fact, I was hoping to discuss something like that with you. But it seemed you beat me to the punch."

Shisui raised an eyebrow. "Really?" he asked.

Eguchi nodded. "Tomorrow, a festival will be held in the Capital," he explained. "It seemed like a good way to celebrate my recent success here. So, I was hoping to stay as well," he walked out from the seated area. "Come, we can discuss this on our to the hotel I'm staying at."

They followed him outside and down the stairs leading away from the Daimyo's residence. "You no doubt read in the mission brief that I was conducting business here. Correct?"

"That's right," Shisui said.

"If it's not rude to ask, Eguchi-San," Hinata spoke up, touching the tips of her fingers together. "What sort of business was it?"

"Not at all," Eguchi said. "While my family owes a number of businesses, we primarily deal in the wine industry," he held up the bottle in his hand to empathize. "We are, in fact, one of the largest dealers in wine in the elemental nations. We have connections that go back generations across the industry. I'm surprised you haven't heard of me."

Shisui said. "Well, they are just kids," he defended his genin. "Though I have heard of your family. I might have bought a bottle or two from one of your distributors," now Hinata was thinking about it. She did remember some of the older members of the clan talking about wine from an Eguchi-owned store.

Eguchi nodded. "You very likely did," he said. "There are very few wine shops we don't have a hand in. Especially if they are in Konoha. Getting back to the point, my business here was to secure a new line of wine for our shops in Konoha to distribute."

Shisui nodded. "I see," he said. "And you said you were successful?"

They entered the main city streets. Eguchi nodded. "The people I was negotiating with practically fell over themselves to secure this deal," he said. "The Eguchi name holds a lot of weight in the wine industry. I could have easily taken them for everything they have."

Hinata and Naruto frowned. "You didn't, did you?" Naruto asked.

Eguchi nodded. "Of course, not Uzumaki-San," he said. "Such a thing would not be good business. I prefer deals that are beneficial to both sides. It is more sustainable that way. So, I negotiated a deal that both parties could walk away happily from. We got a new line of wines to sell, and they get to say their products are being sold by the Eguchi Clan."

"Clan?" Sasuke queried.

Eguchi smiled at Sasuke. "What, you thought that Shinobi had the exclusive right to have clans?" Sasuke looked away, hiding the red tinting on his cheeks. "With the deal out of the way, I thought the local festival would be an excellent way to celebrate the success. Granted it isn't one of the major festivals that take place in the Capital. Just one of the smaller ones that take place every month or so. But it still felt like something nice to do."

Hinata nodded. "I wouldn't mind seeing it," she said. Even if it were one of the smaller ones, she still wonders how it would compare to those held in Konoha.

Eguchi nodded. "I thought you would be interested," he said. "But there are other things to do here if your teammates are uninterested. It is the Capital of the Land of Fire."

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders. "I don't mind," he said. "A festival sounds nice. Naruto?"

Naruto grinned. "Of course," he said. "I bet there will be lots of games to play. And lots of stands with great food. Maybe they'll have a ramen stand," then he looked at Shisui. "So, what about it Shisui-Sensei?"

Shisui chuckled and smiled. "I think a festival would be fun," he said. "You said it was tomorrow, correct?"

Eguchi nodded. "It'd be later into the day tomorrow," he said. "Then it will stretch out into the night. So that should give you plenty of time to prepare and explore the city a little bit."

Shisui nodded. "Alright then," he said, looking over to his genin team. "The festive it is tomorrow. Then the next morning, we returned to Konoha. Sound good?"

The genin nodded. "Hai Shisui-Sensei," Hinata said. They all were looking forward to the festival tomorrow.

Shisui nodded. "Then let's get to the hotel so we can get settled in for the night," he said, looking up at the sky. Hinata did the same and was surprised to see that the sky was darkening. Where had the time gone?

They arrived at where the Council member was staying, an expensive-looking hotel. Luckily for them, Eguchi had already arranged for them rooms. So, they wouldn't have to worry about looking for a place to stay.

As Eguchi said, the festival had not started until late into the day. This had given the genin of team-11 a chance to explore around the Capital for a bit. They even got to eat at one of the restaurants that was recommended to them.

Exploring around the city had put into perspective how different life was in Konoha than it was here. Most obviously was, the Capital was so much busier than Konoha. Konoha's streets were busy and filled with people, but even then, there was usually enough room for people to move about comfortably. But here, it was a struggle to squeeze in between the crowds of people.

Then there were the less obvious things, the things that most other people wouldn't notice. Not unless they were observant or Shinobi. Such as the lack of Shinobi. For Naruto, this was more apparent to him than to his friends. He was more observant of his surroundings than his friends. Not to say they hadn't noticed, either. He just noticed it more readily.

That and he did have swarms of eyes all over the place. Not that anyone had noticed. Back in Konoha, it was an everyday sight to see Shinobi running all around the village. Academy students going to the Academy and making mischief. Genin going from one place to another, completing missions, and Shinobi of all ranks jumping from rooftop to rooftop. If one looked closely enough, one might even notice one or two hiding in the shadows. Though never ANBU, you didn't see them unless they wanted you to.

It was interesting to see and made Naruto wonder how different his life would be if he had not been born in Konoha. Would he still have wanted to become Shinobi? Or would he have desired something else, like becoming a soldier or a samurai? Or something simpler, like a merchant or a farmer?

It was fun looking around the Capital, even if they almost got lost a couple of times. It was a good thing they were sticking together. Otherwise, they might have never been able to find each other.

Then the day passed by quicker than he could imagine. Now he and the rest of his team, plus the council member, were standing in front of the festival. Admittedly Naruto was both impressed and a little bit disappointed. After seeing the Capital and how big it was, he thought its festivals would be just as grand and impressive. Even the minor ones Naruto had thought would rival the largest festivals held back in his home village.

Instead, the one they were attending was crammed all into one street, albeit a very long street that looked like it cut right through Konoha. Even then, it was still impressive to see. Decorations of all kinds hung from the roof, and stands lined the streets as far as the eye could see.

"It's not as I imagined," Naruto said.

He heard Eguchi chuckle. "Well, I did say it was one of the minor ones," he said. "If you want to see one of the grander ones. I'm afraid you will have to wait for two or three months," he pours some wine onto a drinking dish. That was something Naruto had noticed about the man. He always carried a bottle with him. And yet he never seemed to get drunk.

"But it does look fun," Hinata said. "Can't you feel how lively it is?"

Naruto nodded. "I did," he said. Even though it wasn't as big as he thought it would be, he still felt like he was being drawn into it. The decorations that lined the street, the noises of enjoyment of the people, and even the vendors at the various stalls calling out to the festival goers made it feel like a festival back in Konoha. The same, yet different.

"Come, guys, let's get to it," Shisui said. "This festival only lasts for tonight. So, let's enjoy it while it lasts. Remember, first thing in the morning, we leave back for Konoha."

The genin nodded and joined their sensei and client as they walked up to the festival. The moment they stepped onto the festival grounds, it felt like they had entered another world. One moment they were just observers watching from the outside. Now they were being swept into the festivities of the celebration.

Walking through the festival grounds, the trio of genin looked around at all the different stalls seeing what they had to offer. Games, food, and small shops all called out to them. Naruto was almost bouncing on his feet, wondering which one they should hit first.

"Eguchi-San," Hinata said.

"Yes?" the man responded after taking a sip from his wine bottle.

"Can I ask you what this festival is for?" Hinata asked. "What is it celebrating?"

Eguchi nodded. "Sure, you can," he said. "Now, I know the capital features a lot of small festivals, but if memory serves, I believe this celebrates the blue moon."

"The blue moon?" Naruto questioned. "Isn't that where we get a full moon two times in a month?"

Eguchi nodded. "Exactly," he said.

Sasuke frowned. "Why celebrate something like that?" he asked. "Isn't it a little weird to celebrate a second full moon in a month?"

The civilian counselor shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe," he said. "Personally, I think people will find any reason to celebrate. Birthdays, holidays, the passing of seasons, and for the harvest. And any other reason people can think of. Humans, I guess, are creatures that like to celebrate things."

Sasuke nodded. "I guess," he said. "I mean, it's weird, but still, it is fun."

Eguchi nodded, then looked up at the sky. Naruto did the same, seeing the full moon slowly rise into the sky. "That said," the man said. "If you want any particular reason. There are still people who hold the moon in great reverence."

"Reverence?" Naruto asked. Something about that sounded familiar.

Eguchi nodded. "It is believed that a rabbit goddess dwells there and watches over us," he explained. "And that, at one point, she lived among humans and ruled over us."

A spark of familiarity flashed into Naruto's mind. "I think I read about something like in the Hyūga liberty," he said, trying to recall the details. "Something about a paled-eyed rabbit goddess that came from the moon."

Hinata nodded. "I remember those stories too," she said. "The stories said she saved humanity from a great evil and ruled over us with kindness."

Sasuke and Shisui both looked intrigued. "Really?" Sasuke said. "I don't think I've heard of her."

"I haven't either," Shisui said.

"She's a mostly forgotten-about goddess," Eguchi said. "I doubt most people have even heard of her. Frankly, I'm surprised that the Hyūga even know about her."

Hinata nodded. "She's an old legend in our clan," she said. "Her pale eyes are believed to have been the Byakugan. So, legends say we are descended from her, or she gifted her eyes to our ancestors."

"I see," Eguchi said.

"If I might ask," Shisui said. "How do you know about it. From what you said, it doesn't sound like something that would be common knowledge."

The civilian councilor nodded. "True," he said. "But that would depend on where you come from. Stories about the rabbit goddess were common back in Uzu, and its people still speak of her."

Now that piqued Naruto's interest. "Is it something that the Uzumaki knew about?" he asked, curious about the stories and legends his clan might have told.

Eguchi nodded. "Yes," he said. "In fact, many of the stories came from the Uzumaki. Unfortunately, with the loss of their clan, so did their stories and legends go with them. The only ones we have left were the ones our grandparents and parents could remember, and even then, details have been lost."

Naruto nodded, feeling sad. Here he had a chance to learn more about his clan and the beliefs they had. "That's too bad," he said. "I would have liked to learn more about them. Maybe finally get an idea of what they were like."

"You still can," Eguchi said. "Visit the Uzu district, and you can learn all about the stories and legends your clan once told. The ones that remain."

Naruto nodded, making another mental note to visit this Uzu distract. "I wouldn't mind hearing more about this rabbit goddess," he said. "She sounds like an interesting character."

"I wonder if she might have been real at one point," Naruto thought to himself. "Maybe I'll ask Kurama. He might know something."

Deep in the seal, Kurama was unusually silent.

Shisui hummed thoughtfully. "I'll have to comb through the Uchiha liberty," he said. "There might be something in there about her."

Eguchi nodded. "It is a possibility," he said. "Your clan is one of the oldest in the elemental nations. Not to mention in some tellings, she is the mother of the Sage of Six Paths."

Now that got a wide-eyed look from Shisui. "Now I really have to look through it."

Naruto gave his sensei a questioning look. "How come?" he asked.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at Naruto. "You don't know?" he asked, getting a shake of the head from Naruto. "It's believed that the Uchiha Clan descends from the Sage of Six Paths."

"The Senju clan is also believed to have come from the Sage," Hinata said. "He had pair of twin sons. One became the Ancestor of the Senju, and the other the Ancestor of the Uchiha." If Naruto still had eyes in his sockets, they would have been wide right now.

"Wait, you mean Baa-Chan might be related to Sasuke here?" Naruto said, looking between Eguchi and Sasuke.

Eguchi raised an eyebrow. "Baa-Chan?" He quired.

"Tsunade-Sama," Hinata supplied. "Naruto-Kun likes to call her that."

Eguchi looked at Naruto like he was crazy. "You call a lady who knows more about the human body than anyone in the elemental nations, Baa-Chan?" He asked. "Not to mention the fact that she could punch you through a mountain."

Naruto beamed at him, giving the man all the answers he needed. The counselor shook his head. "It is, as my grandfather said. Uzumakis are crazy," he muttered. "But to answer your question. Maybe?"

Naruto frowned at the answer. "Why, maybe?" he asked. "If both the Senju and Uchiha come from this Sage guy, shouldn't that make Baa-Chan and Sasuke related?"

Eguchi shrugged. "Assuming the accounts from the Uchiha and Senju are true, and they are related to the Sage of Six paths. That doesn't mean you, friend, here," he pointed to Sasuke. "Is related to Tsunade-Sama. To be frank, it's been thousands of years since the time of the sage. Any relation between the two clans had long since vanished."

"He's right," Shisui said. "Besides, if you're saying that Tsunade-Sama and Sasuke are related, then you have to acknowledge that Hinata and Sasuke are related."

Naruto froze up. "Why would I have to do that?" he asked.

"Well, Hinata did say the Hyūga come from this Rabbit goddess lady," Shisui said. "If that is true, and it is also true that the same lady is the mother of the sage. Then that would mean the Hyūga and Uchiha are related, and therefore Hinata and Sasuke are related."

Naruto thought about it for a moment. Then stopped thinking about it and shook his head. "On second thought, Eguchi-San has a point," he said, getting smiles from the others. "It's been so long that there's no way they could be related."

Sasuke smirked. "What's wrong, dope?" he said. "Afraid that Hinata and I might be distant cousins."

Naruto glared at Sasuke with several pairs of eyes. "Teme," he said. "I don't want to even think about the possibility that the two of you are related."

Sasuke's smirk grew. "And why is that?"

"Because there is no way someone as nice and pure as Hinata can be related to a teme like you," Naruto growled.

Before an argument could be had between the two boys, they heard a chuckle coming from the counselor. "While this has been an interesting conversation," he said after sipping a small dish in his other hand. "There is no way to prove if any of these accounts are true. A lot of people throughout history have claimed to descend from the Saga of Six Paths. But none have given credible proof."

Shisui nodded. "As an Uchiha, I should be denying what you said," he said. "But you are right. We only have some scrolls and a piece of stone that says we're descended from the Saga. I figure the same goes for the Senju. Who's to say those weren't made to make my clan look better."

Eguchi nodded. "I guess the only way to know is to go back in time," he said. He smiled and took a small sip from his wine. "I think that is enough of the whole legends thing if any of them are true. It doesn't matter what this festival is celebrating. It's a festival, and we're here to have a good time. Don't you agree?"

Naruto nodded. "Yea, he's right," he said. "Wow, I'd never thought I would be agreeing with a civilian council member," he thought. Then again, the man didn't seem all that bad. Maybe he was one of the few members that didn't care if he had the Kyūbi inside of him. That or he didn't know. "Let's have some fun." Naruto pumped a fist into the air.

This got some strange looks from the people around them. Sasuke grabbed Naruto's arm and pulled it done. "Dope, you're going to embarrass us," he said evenly.

Naruto just smiled. "Don't care," he said.

Shisui smiled at his genin. "Alright, you guys," he said. "Be nice," he then looked at Eguchi. "So how are we going to do this? We only have tonight to celebrate, and then we have to leave in the morning?"

Eguchi rubbed his chin and rotated the bottle in his other hand around. "I was thinking that maybe we could split up," he said. He looked over at Naruto and his teammates. "The genin can go off and do whatever they want. While you and I can stay together and do whatever we want."

Shisui hummed thoughtfully and looked at his genin. "What do you guys think?"

Naruto, Hinata, and Sasuke looked at each other, holding a silent but quick conversation. At the end of it, Naruto shrugged and looked up at his Jōnin-Sensei. "We don't mind," he said. "Spilt up or stay together. Either way, we're here to have fun."

Shisui smirked and nodded. "Alright then," he said. "But on the condition that you guys stay together. I don't need any of you getting lost or into trouble," On the latter, he eyed Naruto. Who in turn gave him an innocent smile. "I'll stay with the Council member if you don't mind my company."

Eguchi smiled. "Not at all," he said. "You are supposed to be protecting me. Besides, without the kids around, we could enjoy other things we would not be able to with them around. To empathize, he held a bottle out.

"I hope you brought a second bottle," Shisui said warily. "Wouldn't want to go through the stuff too quickly."

Eguchi snorted. "I always bring another bottle," he said, opening his jacket, revealing another bottle of wine. Two, in fact. "And if they're not up to your taste, I'm sure we can find a stand with some that are."

Shisui shook his head. "I would not want to offend," he said. "Besides, anything chosen by a member of the Eguchi Clan is bound to be good," he looked back at the genin. "You three go on now. We'll meet back at the entrance at, say, eleven?"

"Hai, Sensei," Naruto and the others said. Naruto turned around. "Come on, guys, let's go," then he grabbed Hinata's hand and dragged her further into the festival, oblivious to the blush on her cheeks. Sasuke followed quickly behind with a smirk.

Shisui waved to his genin in goodbye. Then he crossed his arms once they were out of eyesight and sighed. "I really hope that Naruto doesn't get them into much trouble," he said. "I don't want to have to explain to the Hokage about an incident in the capital."

Eguchi chuckled. "From what I've heard about the boy, that might be a long shot," he said, sipping his wine. "But I don't think he will. He doesn't have the same reasons to cause mischief here, then he does back home." Then the man's smirk grew, and he shrugged his shoulders. "But even if he does, I can offer you a bottle," he opened his coat showing the two bottles of wine. "So, you can drown out your worries."

Shisui snorted. "It would do me more good than you," he said.

Eguchi rolled his eyes. "Perhaps," he said, closing his jacket. "After all, I don't exactly get all the benefits from drinking this stuff," he twists the bottle around in his hand.

Shisui looked at him for a moment. "So, how was your business here?" he asked.

Eguchi took a sip from his bottle. "Quite good," he said. "As I said, I secured a new line of wines to sell back in Konoha. I even learned some interesting new things," then he looked Shisui in the eye. "Something I think Hokage-Sama might be interested in."

The festival was proving to be more fun than Naruto had thought it would. The games were fun, and the food was good. The stalls also sold all sorts of things that he wouldn't normally find back in Konoha, and already the blindfolded boy had bought gifts for his close ones back home.

"It almost feels like we're back home," Sasuke said.

Hinata nodded. "It feels like any other festival in Konoha," she said. She was still holding onto Naruto's hand and still had a visible blush on her hands. But this time, she was leading Naruto around instead of vice versa. This was to keep up the illusion that Naruto was a blind boy. No one needed to know otherwise, the same they didn't need to know that the three were Shinobi. Their Haiti-ates had been left back at the hotel.

It was funny seeing the reactions of the people watching them. Especially some of the adults who had odd smiles, like the ones that Jiji, Hinata's parents, Sara, and Iruka would sometimes get when he was around Hinata. It was like a knowing smile, but Naruto could never figure out what it was they knew.

"Well, why would it be any different?" Naruto asked. "It is just another festival, right?"

Hinata looked at him as she slowly guided them through the festival grounds. Naruto couldn't bring himself to say, but it felt nice that she was the one leading him around. For whatever reason, the feeling of her hand over his felt comforting.

"Well, it is a festival in another place," Hinata said. "So, I guess we thought that it would feel a little different."

Sasuke nodded. "You'd think that going to a festival in another village," Sasuke paused and corrected himself. "Err, city, would feel different. But here we are, and it feels like we're still back in Konoha. Minus shinobi jumping everywhere."

Naruto thought about it for a moment. Without moving his head, he looked around the festival grounds. Taking note of the stales sold various food and knickknacks, the stalls that offered games in exchange for prizes, and people that went about having a good time. Even the kids running around laughing and playing all add to a sense of familiarity.

Naruto nodded. "I get your point," he said. "Maybe it's because we're still in the same country. You know, shared customs and all. It would be different if we were in another country like," from off the top of his head, Naruto tried to think of another country they would be likely to visit. He discounted the lands of Earth and Lightening for obvious reasons. "Like the land of Wind."

"I guess," Sasuke said with a smirk. "Can you imagine holding a festival with all that sand around? What would they even celebrate there? Not getting hit by a sandstorm?"

Hinata giggled. "Sasuke, be nice," she said. "I don't think it matters where the festival would be. It could be back in Konoha, here in the Capital. It could be on the sands of the Wind or even at the bottom of the Ocean. I think what matters is we're having fun. I think that's why it feels so familiar. It's that sense of having a good time and enjoying each other's company." Once she was done, Hinata blushed and tried to retreat her head into her jacket. "At least that's what I think."

Naruto smiled. "Hinata-Chan is right," he said. "We're here to have fun, not talk about how different or similar it is back home."

Sasuke was also smiling. "I guess you're right," he said with a shrug. "After this, it's back to Konoha and back to Shinobi training and missions. So, let's enjoy this while it lasts."

Hinata had a soft smile on her lips. "That would be nice," she said.

Naruto nodded and tightened his grip around Hinata's hand. "Then come on," he said, taking off. "There's one game I saw," then promptly stopped and scratched his cheek. "One game I heard seemed interesting. You think you can take me there Hinata-Chan?"

Hinata blushed but nodded her head. She knew they had to keep up appearances. "Sure Na-Naruto-Kun," she said. "Just tell me what you heard. Then me and Sasuke-San can take you there."

Naruto nodded and gave her the details. Then a moment later, he felt a gentle tug at his arm as he was guided to the place he described. With Sasuke closed behind.

Sooner than Naruto had expected, they were standing in front of the stall he had told his friends about. The stall owner, a man in his mid-thirties, noticed the presence of the kids. He looked over at them, and for a moment, Naruto saw a look that he could only describe as predatory flashed across his face. Naruto was instantly on alert.

"Well, what do we have here?" The man greeted them with a warm smile. "Some kids who are interested in my game. Come over here, please don't be shy. If you're interested, why don't you try a round? It'll only be five Ryo."

Naruto and his friends looked at each other, pretending to exchange nervous glances. Before Hinata and Sasuke nodded at each other and walked up to the stand guiding Naruto.

The man chuckled, a smile twisting at his lips. "I see I have some takers," he said. "Though I'm afraid a couple of you might be at a disadvantage." He looked at Naruto and Hinata.

Hinata smiled politely at the man. "I'm not as blind as I appear," she said. "I can see just fine."

The man raised an eyebrow. "Really now?" he asked, leaning on the stall table. "So, little lady, tell me. What do you see then?" Naruto had to resist the urge to thrash the guy for the way he was talking to Hinata.

Hinata looked around the stall, beginning to describe what she saw. "Well, I see a line of targets, seven of them. All held up by metal rods. Behind them, I can see a shelf full of prizes, and in front of me, I see," she picks up a wooden kunai. "A wooden knife?"

"A kunai," the man corrected. "It's supposed to be a wooden Kunai."

Hinata faked a look of surprise. "You mean like the one's shinobi use?" she asked, twisting the thing around her hand. Acting like she was inspecting it.

"Those are the ones," the stall owner said with a smile. Naruto and Sasuke exchanged quick smiles. This man didn't have the slightest idea that he was dealing with real shinobi. He just saw a bunch of dumb kids. "Alright, I apologize for assuming you were blind, young lady. That was shameful of me."

His smile and tone couldn't be any more fake. Did he really think he could fool anyone with that act? Maybe if we were civilians, Naruto thought. Even then, he had his doubts about that.

"No need to apologize," Hinata said politely. "It's a condition I was born with. Many people have assumed I'm blind. I'm used to it," then Hinata looked over at the line targets and wooden kunai in front of her. "So, what is this game about?"

The stall owner had that same smile from earlier on again. Something is up here, Naruto thought. "Well, can you not see?" the man asked, gesturing to the line of targets. "This is a game where you get to pretend to be shinobi."

"Pretend to be a shinobi?" Sasuke quired. Naruto nodded, tilting his head to the side in mock curiosity.

"Why indeed," the man said. "Haven't the three of you ever dreamed of being shinobi? Doubtless, you have heard the tales and legends of the shinobi that wonder the elemental nations. Of their hidden villages and the great deeds they have done." Naruto and Sasuke had to repress their snickers if only he knew. "And what kid hasn't played being Shinobi?"

"W-we played a few times," Hinata said nervously. She put the wooden kunai back on the stall table.

The man's smile grew. "Of course, you have," he said. "But let's face it, the three of you should be old enough to realize something. That, not everyone can become a shinobi. Simply put, not everyone is cut out to be one. I'm certainly not," he gestured to himself. "Something tells me the three of you aren't either. I mean, I can't see your friend here being a shinobi, going on missions and stuff?"

Naruto frowned, and this time it wasn't an act. Before he could respond to the man's insult Hinata and Sasuke stepped in front of him protectively.

The stall owner had a surprised but amused look in his eyes. "I didn't mean to offend," he said. "But I do speak the truth, don't I?"

Naruto held back a biting remark for the man and smiled. "Yeah, you're right," he said, scratching the back of his head. "I can't even leave my home without someone to guide me. Like my sister Sara or my friends here."

The stall owner nodded. "Don't be so down on yourself," he said. "That is just how life can be. But here," he gestures broadly to his stall. "Here, you can pretend none of that exists. Here you can, for a moment, feel like a real Shinobi. All you have to do," he pointed to the set of wooden kunai on the table. "Is pick a wooden kunai and toss it over at the targets," he pointed over to the line of targets. "If you manage to knock one of them down. You can be the owner of one of these lovely prizes," he shifts his hand slightly to point out the prizes behind the targets. So, what do you say? Five Ryo, and you can have a round."

For a couple of seconds, Hinata and Sasuke acted like they were thinking it over. They even exchange quick glances at each other. Meanwhile, Naruto stood between the two, turning his head around like he was trying to look between them.

After a moment, Hinata and Sasuke nodded at each other. Hinata looked at the stall owner. "Alright," she said, pulling out some money. "I'll try it."

The stall owner smiled as he took the money from Hinata. "A wise choice, young lady," he said. "I hope you enjoy yourself," he gestured to the stall table with the wooden kunai on it. "Please know that you only get three shots. If you miss them all, you lose. So, if you want to throw more, you'll have to pay for another round."

Hinata nodded as she picked up one of the wooden kunai and pretended to inspect it. Then she eyes the targets lined in the stall. She pointed it at one of them. With a lazy flick of her arm, she tossed the kunai. The Wooden kunai sailed through the air toward her chosen target. However, the kunai flew past the target and landed on the floor behind.

The stall owner gave her a sympathetic smile. "Don't worry," he said. "You got two more tries."

Hinata nodded and threw her next kunai. This time it lands just short of the target. Again, the stall owner gave a sympathetic expression. "So, close," he said. "Maybe try putting a little more power in your next throw."

Hinata nodded and threw her third and last kunai at the targets. This time it did hit the target right on the outer ring. Naruto frowned when the target didn't go down.

Hinata had a confused look on her face. "I hit it," she said.

The stall owner shrugged. "But you didn't knock it over," he said. "Maybe next time, try aiming for the center. That is if you want to pay another five Ryo."

Sasuke gave Naruto a sideways glance. That told him Sasuke was having the same thought as he was. Something was up. Even if Hinata had hit the target on the outer edge, it still should have hit with enough force to knock it over.

Naruto made a quick handsign to Sasuke. Telling him he was going to have a look around. Sasuke nodded, and he looked back at the stall. Hinata had given the man another five Ryo. While he was busy retrieving the thrown kunai, Naruto flew a pair of eyes into the stall to look around.

Naruto kept the expression on his face neutral as he looked around. Trying to find anything suspicious. It was around the time that Hinata threw her next kunai, that Naruto found something.

Hinata's fourth throw had missed, going way above the target and landing behind it. Her fifth throw, however, did not miss and hit the target near the center. The target went back for just a second before it returned to its upright position.

This time Hinata frowned. "Mister," she said, faking a confused tone. "I hit the target in the center this time."

Naruto didn't pay attention to what the man said as he whispered into Sasuke's ear. "The game is rigged," he said.

"I figured that," Sasuke whispered back. "What does he got set up? And can we expose him?"

Naruto shook his head. "Not without exposing the fact we're shinobi, I don't think," he said. "Under the stall, he's got a series of foot levers, each connected with one of the targets. My guess would be that whenever someone does hit the target, he gets to decide if they win or not."

"My thoughts exactly," Sasuke said. "Maybe we can get Shisui. He could help."

Naruto shook his head. "I think we can handle this ourselves. Besides, I see something that could help us," he said as he looked at something not far from the stall. "How about you play one quick round. Then we go."

Sasuke nodded and stepped up next to Hinata. "How about I try a round, Hina?" he said to her.

Hinata looked at him for a second before she nodded. "Sure, Inu," she said. Then stepped beside Naruto as Sasuke laid down five Ryo on the stall. Which the owner eagerly took.

"So, what did he say?" Naruto asked. "About not being able to knock the target over."

Hinata leaned over to whisper in Naruto's ear. As she did, Sasuke threw his first kunai, barely missing the target as it grazed past it. "Something about not hitting hard enough," her tone told him she didn't believe a word of it. "You think something else is happening?"

Naruto nodded and gave her a quick rundown of what he saw. By then, Sasuke had thrown his second kunai, which missed the target. But his third hit the target dead center with an audible thud.

The stall owner frowned as the target went back a little. His foot pressed on one of the levers, and the target fell down fully.

The man smiled as he turned to face Sasuke. "Well, it looks like we got a winner," he said. "Care to pick a prize?" He gestured over the line of prizes on the back of the stall. "Or do you want to try another round and try for better prizes? The more targets you knock over, the better the rewards you can win."

Sasuke acted like he was tempted to but shook his head after a moment. "No, sorry," he said. "Me and my friends don't have long at this festival. So, we want to see as many games as possible."

The stall owner looked disappointed. "You sure?" he asked. "You already knocked one over. Don't you want to see if you knock moreover? Win better prizes?" Sasuke shook his head. The man's frown deepened but was quickly hidden by a smile. "Very well then. So, what will it be?"

After Sasuke selected his prize, a stuffed animal of some sort, the trio left the stall. "Alright, Naruto," Sasuke said. "What did you see, and how will it help us get back at that man?"

Naruto smiled at them. "Wait and see," he said.

Five to ten minutes later, the trio of genin was listening in on a very interesting conversation.

"Come on, Mitsu," a boy said, looking between his friend and something else nervously. That something being the stall the trio had been at a moment ago. "Is there really anything we can do? Why can't we just tell the authorities and let them handle it?"

They were watching a group of four boys who looked to be about two or three years younger than the trio. The named Mitsu appeared to be the leader of the group. "You know why we can't, Akira," he said to the other smaller boy. "They would never believe a group of kids. Especially not us."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at that statement. Except for Akira, the group did appear to be on the rough side. "The local troublemakers?" Sasuke said, directing his gaze at Naruto.

Naruto smiled. "Oh, they defiantly are," he said.

Sasuke snorted. "Of course, you would know," he said. "Takes a troublemaker to know one," to his disappointment Naruto didn't glare at him but instead gave him a smirk.

"Guilty as charged," he said. "But I imagine they have nothing on me. After all, I am the prankster king of Konoha."

"And you're proud of that?" Sasuke asked.

Hinata giggled. "Behave, you two," she said. "Remember what Shisui-Sensei said."

"Right," Sasuke said with an eye roll. "Don't cause any trouble. Although I get the feeling that is about to go out the window."

Naruto snorted. "Don't worry," he said. "They'll never know it was us," then he waved to his friends to follow him. "Come, we got some new friends to meet."

"We can't just let Yu get away with this," Mitsu said. "We have to,"

"Uhh, boss," one of the other boys said.

"What is it, Titas?" Mitsu asked.

"I think someone is coming," the now-named Titas said, pointing at the approaching trio.

The group of boys looked at the trio as they stopped in front of them. "What do you three want?" Mitsu asked them, a slight growl in his voice. "This is private business we're conducting. So, if you know what's good for you, you'll walk by and mind your own business."

Sasuke snorted. "You call this private business?" He questioned. "Anyone with a little spatial awareness could see you hiding here in the shadows. Even my friend here," he thumbed at Naruto. "Knew you were here."

Mitsu growled, taking a step toward the older boy. "What did you say, duck-ass?"

Sasuke's smirk instantly faded. "Duck-ass?" he asked.

Mitsu smiled. "That's right," he said. "What did your mommy do your hair for you. Or did you find some duck and put it on your head?"

A tick mark appeared on Sasuke's head. Which bulged when he heard sniggering coming from Naruto. Sasuke glared over at his friend. "Don't you get started," he growled at him. Naruto smiled and whistled innocently. Sasuke snorted and looked back at the grinning Mitsu. "Anyway, you weren't as subtle as you thought you were."

Mitsu frowned and crossed his arms. "So what?" He asked, then he squinted his eyes and got a closer look at the trio. "Hold on. You three look familiar. Haven't I seen you somewhere before?"

"I think you should," Sasuke thought. If these four really had been spying on the rigged stall, then this boy should have recognized them. Then he mentally shrugged. What was he expecting from a bunch of civilian kids?

"Uhh, Mitsu," the boy named Akira said. Sasuke noted he was trying to hide himself behind the bigger Mitsu. "I think those were the kids we were just watching. Y-you know the ones that were playing at Yu's stall."

Mitsu looked between the smaller boy hiding behind him, and the trio of genin in front of him. A look of recognition spread across his face. "Now that you mention it," he said, getting a closer look at them and rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "They are those kids."

Sasuke looked at Mitsu and his friends with a smirk. "Who are you calling kids?" He mocked. "We're older than you. It's us that should be calling you kids."

Mitsu frowned and took a step toward Sasuke. "You're not much older than we are," he growled. He tugged at the boy's shirt. He looked over seeing Akira holding onto his sleeve.

"Please, Mitsu," Akira said. "Don't start anything."

Mitsu looked at the smaller boy briefly before a soft expression broke across his face. "All right, fine," he said, looking back at the trio. "Whatever. What do you three want?"

Sasuke was about to make another snide remark when Naruto walked beside him. "Sasuke," he said. "We didn't come here to start anything."

Sasuke looked at Naruto, then over at Hinata. Who was giving him a disapproving look. Sasuke sighed and looked at Mitsu and his friends. "All right," he said. "I'll play nice. Look, we only came here to say what you four were up to. My friend here," he pointed to Naruto. "Noticed you spying on us while we were playing at the stall."

Mitsu frowned as he looked at Naruto. "I thought he was blind," he said.

"I am," Naruto confirmed. "But I do have other senses," he pointed to his ears. "I heard you four talking while Inu and Hina were throwing those kunai."

Mitsu had an annoyed expression on his face. He looked over at one of the other boys in the group. "See Titas," he said. "I told you we were being too loud."

Titas looked at Mitsu with an offended expression. "Hey, don't look at me," he said. "You were the one shouting at us to keep quiet."

Mitsu snorted and looked back at Sasuke and the others. "I'm Mitsu," he introduced himself. "That is Titas and Arata over there," he pointed to the two boys standing by the ally wall. Then he gestured to Akira. "This little guy behind me is Akira."

The members of team-11 nodded at the boys. "I'm Inu," Sasuke introduced himself through a cover. Then he gestured over to Naruto and Hinata. "And these two are Ruto and Hina."

Mitsu nodded before he looked at Sasuke. "To answer your question, we were just spying on the stall owner over there," he gestured behind him. "You should already know him. You were just playing his game. His name is Yu, and he's a con artist."

"A con artist?" Hinata questioned. She gave Sasuke a quick look. It was as they thought.

Akira nodded as he stepped out from behind his friend. Though he kept half of his body behind the bigger boy. "Yeah, he is," he said softly. "He likes to trick people out of their money. But they don't know it."

Mitsu snorted. "He's a real crook," he said. "I'm not at all surprised he tried to take advantage of two blind kids."

Hinata giggled, getting the boy's attention. "Actually," she said. "I'm not as blind as I look. I can see fine. I just have a condition that makes it look like I'm blind."

Mitsu looked at her for a second, nodded, and looked back at Sasuke. "Not that it matters much," he said. "Either way, that teme took advantage of you. I'm only glad you three left when you did. If you stayed longer, he would have taken every Ryo you had."

Sasuke nodded. "We sort of noticed that," he said. "Something felt off, especially when Hina hit the targets twice," he rubbed his chin, acting like he was trying to think about it. "So, I'm guessing you're trying to expose him?"

Mitsu smiled and puffed his chest. "Of course, we are," he said with a proud smile. "We can't let guys like Yu run around like that. I consider it our civack duty."

"Civic," Akira corrected Mitsu. "It's civic duty."

Mitsu rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatever," he said, waving the smaller boy off. "We're doing this because we're such nice guys."

One of the other boys snorted, the one named Arata, a chubby-looking boy. "Yeah, right," he said. "You're only doing this because of what he said about Akira the other day."

The aforementioned Akira's face turned a bright red, and he tried to hide himself behind Mitsu again. Mitsu also had a dusting of red on his cheeks as he gave Arata an indulgent look. "Arata!"

Naruto cocked his head to the side, a genuinely curious expression on his face. "What did he say?" He asked.

"Nothing," Mitsu said quickly, crossing his arms. "He said nothing."

Titas snorted and looked at the trio of genin. "And by nothing," he said, ignoring the glare he got from Mitsu. "He means that Yu commented that Akira looks like a girl."

A moment later. Mitsu launched at Titas. Or tried to as Akira stopped him by wrapping his arms around his stomach. "Mitsu!" he said.

This seemed to calm Mitsu down enough for him to get control of himself. At the same time, Sasuke was able to get a better look at Akira now that he wasn't hiding behind Mitsu. The boy does look rather feminine. It wasn't just that he was smaller than the others, but his arms and frame were thinner. His hair was even on the long side, framing his face.

From a distance, he could easily be mistaken for a girl. Though a closer look would dispel that. Sasuke kept this observation to himself, though, judging by Mitsu's reaction, he decided it wasn't something worth starting over.

Once Mitsu was calmed enough, he shot a dirty look at his friend Titas, who smiled in return. "Tsk, well, whatever," he said. "It doesn't matter what my reasons are. All I care about is taking Yu down a notch or two."

Sasuke smirked at this. Finally, they were getting to the point. "Which is why we came over here in the first place," he said. "There's no way we can let a guy like that swindle us and get away with it. Isn't that right, Ruto and Hina?

Both of his teammates nodded. Sasuke looked back at Mitsu and his group. They were giving him questioning looks. "So, what do you say?" He said. "How about we partner up and take this guy down?"

Mitsu gave him a weary look for a second or two. Then a smile broke out across his face. "You're on," he said. His friends nodded, showing their support.

"But how are we going to do that?" Akira said. He wasn't hiding behind Mitsu anymore. "We've been spying on Yu for a while now. And we haven't come up with a way to get back at him or expose him."

Mitsu waved the smaller boy off and shrugged his shoulders. "Don't worry about that, Akira," he said. "We'll think of something. Isn't that right, guys?"

Before the other boys could respond, Sasuke cut in. "Actually," he said, getting the group's attention. "We might be able to help you out on that. Believe it or not," he gestured over at Naruto. Hinata gave him a gentle nudge, letting him know to step forward. "Ruto, here is our town's resident prankster king."

Naruto smiled as the civilian boys gave him questioning looks. "But how?" Arata asked. "You're blind? Aren't you."

Naruto nodded. "I am," he confirmed. I can show you."

Thankfully before Naruto could traumatize the group of civilian boys, one of them had the good sense to put an end to it. "No, no," Akira said quickly. "We believe you. It's just, how can you be the prankster king of your hometown when you can't see a thing?"

Naruto's smile grew, coming to resemble a fox's. "I may be blind," he said. "But that doesn't mean I don't know how to pull a good prank. Now listen closely because I got an idea on how we can get back this Yu guy."

Yu smiled to himself as another customer left, a few Ryo shorter than they began with, and what's better, no prizes in hand. His idea of rigging his stand was a brilliant stork of genius on his part if he said so himself.

Who would suspect a man like him to conning people out of their money during a festival and one at the Capital no less? None, as far as he could see. Sure, he would let a few of the customers win a game or two, that way, suspicion would not be raised against him.

A simple and effortless way for a man like him to earn money, and he was doing quite well tonight. If only the festival would go on for a day or two longer. Yu shrugged and decided that it wasn't worth worrying about. He had made plenty today, and now all he had to do was decide what to do with it. That and come up with his next money-making plan.

A shrill cry of despair tore him out of his thoughts. "What the?" He said, standing up straight. The sound of crying was coming from in front of his stall. He looked around to find the source but saw no one making the noise. But he did see several passersbys looking down at something in front of his stall.

Yu looked over his stall to see what they were looking at and what the source of the horrible noise was. It was a child. A boy with spiky blonde hair and a blindfold wrapped around his head.

"Now, where have I seen that before?" Yu asked himself, walking around the stall. There was something familiar about this kid.

"Hey there, kid," he said with a smile, hoping to calm the distressed child. "What's got you upset?" Mentally he was hoping that someone else would come by and take care of the brat. Yu didn't like kids very much. He thought they were a nuisance, and crying ones were even worse.

The boy seemed to get control of himself for a moment and tilted his head up to face him. "Mister," he said in a soft trembling voice. "Can you help me? I lost my friends, and I can't find them."

"Your friends?" Yu asked the boy, getting a nod from him. Then something clicked in his mind, a recent memory of a trio of kids playing at his stall. "Wait, I know you. You're that blind kid with that trio earlier. What did they call you?" Yu tried to recall what the boy was called. "Rata or something?"

"Ruto, mister," the boy said. "Please, sir. You have to help me. I can't find my friends anywhere. I'm lost without them. What if… What if they leave me behind? I-I caahhh," the boy started to cry again.

Panicking, Yu placed his hands on the boy's shoulders. "Alright, kid, just calm down," he said. He wasn't liking the looks he was getting from the people passing by. He needed to calm this kid down before he drew too much attention. "Take a deep breath and tell me what happened."

The boy did as he said, taking several deep breaths. Once the boy was calm (or at least calmer than he was before), he started his story. "I don't know what happened. We were going deeper into the festival, and I felt a lot of people bumping into us. I-I. I heard a lot of noise, and then suddenly, I could no longer feel Hina's hand. I felt like I was being pulled away from her. I tried shouting for my friends, but I don't think they heard me."

Yu nodded, getting an idea of what had happened. He knew how crowded the festivals could get, even with some of the minor ones. It was no surprise that something like this could happen. Now what to do from here?

"Ok," Yu said. "I think I can see what happened. Once you got separated from your friends, you tried to look for them," was that the right word to use with a blind kid? "But after a while, you couldn't find them. So, you retraced your steps back here. Is that right?"

The boy, (Ruto, was it?) nodded. "Y-yeah," he said. "I was hoping that they would be here. Waiting for me. B-b-but they weren't," the kid was about to cry again.

Yu put a quick end to that. "Hey, hey," he said in a soothing voice. "Don't cry, kid. Just because they're not here doesn't mean they aren't looking for you. Why I bet they're worried sick about you."

The boy raised his head to look at Yu. "Y-you think so?" He asked. Yu nodded, though he could care less what the boy thought. He just wants him to stop crying and stop drawing attention. "But what do I do now?"

Yu frowned a little, thankful that the boy couldn't see it. That was a question he was hoping to avoid. He sighed and figured it wasn't worth stressing about. After all, what could a blind kid do? "Don't worry," he said, taking his hands off the boy's shoulders. "You can stay here at my stall until your friends come. Is that okay with you?"

The boy seemed hesitant but nodded his head. "Thanks, mister," he said with a small smile. "I can't thank you enough. Y-you think they'll come?"

Yu nodded, again caring less. "Sure, they well," he said. If this was any other circumstance, he might have never offered to let the kid stay too much of a risk of him finding something and asking questions. But seeing as the kid couldn't, well, see. Yu figured the risk was minimal at worst. "I'm sure it won't take them long."

In fact, Kami was smiling down on him when he said this. "Ruto!" A child's voice called out. Yu turned around and felt relieved when he saw one of the kid's friends running up to them.

The boy stopped in front of the blindfolded boy. He breathed heavily as he hunched over to his knees. "Thank Kami," he said. "All of them. Hina and I were so worried when we learned we separated from you. We've been looking all over the place."

Yu watched the exchange with a raised eyebrow. "I take this is one of your friends?" He asked. He had recognized the boy from earlier. But he wanted to make sure.

The blindfolded boy nodded his head. "It sounds like him," he said. "Does he have a duck's ass for hair?"

The other boy glared at him. "Ruto," he growled.

Yu suppressed a chuckle and took a good look at the glaring boy. His hair did look like it came from a duck's ass. "I wouldn't call that," he said. "But yeah."

The blindfolded boy smiled. "Then it's him," he said.

The other boy, Inu, was it? Yu couldn't quite remember. He looked at Yu with an appreciative expression. "Thank you, mister," he said, bowing to him. He shot his arm out and forced the other boy to bow as well. "If it weren't for you, I would have never found Ruto. Thank you, sir."

Yu looked around nervously, seeing several people giving him approving looks. This incident really was drawing too much attention for his liking. "Hey, don't sweat it," he said. "I'm glad you found your friend. Now, why don't you run off and enjoy the rest of the festival? Just promise me you won't get separated again."

The boys rose from their bows and nodded at him. "We won't, mister," the boy with the duck hair said. "We promise. Don't we, Ruto?" He looked over at his friend.

Ruto nodded and smiled at him. "We won't," he said.

Duck hair grabbed the blindfolded boy by the arm and started to walk away from him. "Come on, Ruto," he said. "Let's go find Hina before she gets too worried."

The boy nodded and waved back to Yu. "Bye, mister," he said. "Thank you for the help."

Yu waved back at the boys, straining to keep the smile on his face. He heard some bantering from them. Something about Sara-Chan not finding out, Yu figured she must have been their caretaker. Not that it matters to Yu. He was glad to be rid of them and the attention they drew.

Once the brats were out of earshot, Yu let out a sigh. "Brats," he muttered under his breath and walked back around behind his stall. He thought about who his next customer would be when he saw a box between the prize shelf and the targets.

Yu raised an eyebrow. When and how did that get here? He approached the box and knelt to get a better look at it. It was then he noticed the box had some lettering on it.

To mister Yu.

Yu smiled. A gift to him? Obviously, someone must have taken a liking to him and left him a gift. Perhaps it was a very pretty woman who was admiring him from afar.

Now somewhere in the back of his mind Yu knew he should have been more suspicious of the box. That the timing of its appearance was a little too coincidental, and he should have taken heed to investigate it a little closer. If he had, he might have avoided what happened next.

As it were, Yu was too wrapped up in thinking about what kind of gift was left for him in the box. He would get his answer when he opened the lid.

Boom! Splat!

Yu blinked once, twice. His mind having hit a proverbial brick wall. Upon opening the box, he had seen a flash of orange before feeling something splattering all over his body. Partially shell-shocked, Yu looked himself over.

He was covered in paint, starting at his chest and spreading out to his arms. The orange paint went up to his neck, and Yu was certain he could feel it around his mouth and nose.

Finally, Yu realized what had happened. A flash of anger tore through his mind as he shot up to his feet. He had been pranked. Some brat had pulled a prank on him. Yu clenches his fists. When he got his hands on whoever did this, they would.

"Are you alright, sir?" A voice cut his thoughts out. "I was patrolling nearby when I heard the explosion.

Yu turned around to yell at whoever it was. Could they not see he was not okay. Some snot-nosed brat had pulled a prank on him. Then stopped and paled when he saw who was addressing him. "Officer," he said to one of the Capital's police officers. "What brings you here?" Inwardly he was cursing his luck.

The officer gave him an odd look. "Isn't it obvious?" He pointed to the orange stain on Yu's clothes.

Yu repressed a wince. Of course, the officer would want to investigate what happened here. In any other circumstance, he would be more than happy to let the man do his job. However. "Oh, this?" Yu said, trying to play it off. "I don't think it's anything to worry about. Just some harmless prank, I'm sure." Yu needed to get rid of this man quickly before he looked too closely at his stall.

The officer, though, didn't seem to buy it. "Harmless, you say," he said. "I would hardly call," then he trailed off as something caught his eye. "Hang on, what's this?" He was looking down at something at Yu's feet.

Yu followed the officer's line of sight. To see a trail of orange paint leading away from the box, he opened it. How did he miss that the first time around? His line of sight followed the line as it went past the lined-up targets and to. The. Back. Of. His. Stall.

Yu Slowly turned to the officer, praying to Kami that he wouldn't notice anything. Unfortunately for him, his prayers would fall on deaf ears. The officer's line of sight followed the orange trail to where it ended. A moment later, a look of suspicion spread across his face. He walked up to where the foot leavers were hidden and knelt.

All the while, Yu was sweating nervously. Again, he found himself praying that something, anything, would happen to take the officer's attention away.

No such luck. The officer placed his hand on one of the levers, pressing down on it. The connected target went down. His fate was sealed; Yu gulped. "I can explain.

A short distance away, a group of seven kids was holding back laughs as they watched the exchange play out. "I can't believe that worked," Mitsu said.

"I told you never to doubt Ruto," Sasuke said. "Trust me, he's used to pulling stuff like this," the Uchiha heir shuddered as some memory seemed dug up in his mind.

Naruto just looked at him and smiled. He really couldn't see what was wrong with his pranks. They were all in good fun. Naruto chuckled a little. Aside from the fact that this was his first C-rank, he had been worried that it would be a boring event.

Sure, there was the excitement of leaving the village and seeing the outside world. But aside from that, there was nothing to do other than training and completing the mission.

A chance to stay in the capital and go to a festival had eased those fears. Now Naruto had a chance to do one of his favorite things. "All in a day's work," he said, rubbing his nose. "There are plenty of asshole vendors back home. Gives me a lot of practice."

Mitsu nodded. "I can imagine. I actually feel a little sorry for Yu. He never saw it coming," they watched as the man in question was dragged away by a police officer. While his partner shut the stall down.

"You do?" Akira asked.

Mitsu snorted and shook his head. "No way," he said. "It's what he gets for messing with us. Isn't that right, guys?"

The other boys in Mitsu's group nodded. "Right, boss," they said in unison.

Mitsu nodded and looked at Naruto and his friends. "For a blind kid, you're pretty awesome," he said. "Thanks for the help," he held his hand out for him to take.

Naruto nodded and held his hand, pretending to look for Mitsu's. With a little help from Hinata, the two boys shook hands. "You don't have to thank me," he said. "It was my pleasure," he left the blind comment stand.

Mitsu nodded as their hands parted. "Well, I guess this is where we say our goodbyes," he said. "So, good."

Naruto stopped the boy by holding his hand up. "Now, who said we had to say goodbye just yet?" he said, getting looks from everybody. "The night is still young, so let's enjoy it together. Plus, Inu did say I'm the prank master of our village, so I want a chance to prove it," he had a fox-like grin on his face.

"Ruto," Sasuke drawled out. "Shisui said for us to stay out of trouble."

Naruto shrugged. "Well then, I guess he doesn't need to find out about this," he said. Naruto wasn't sure how they would be able to do that, as he was sure their sensei had a shadow clone tailing them.

Sasuke frowned for a second before he shrugged. "No matter where we go, you're a troublemaker," he said.

Hinata giggles next to him. "And we wouldn't have it any other way," she said. "But Ruto-kun, can we at least try to keep it on the down low?"

Naruto felt some heat in his cheeks. "Uhh, sure, Hina-Chan," he said. "I can try," he turned to face Mitsu and his friends. "So, what do you say? Want to have some fun before this festival ends?"

Mitsu looked between his friends, holding a silent conversation. Akira gave a nervous shrug while the other boys nodded at him. Mitsu nodded back and turned his attention back to Naruto. "Sure, why not?" He said with a wide smile. "Let's make this a night to remember."

Naruto's smile grew. Team-11's first C-Rank would be something to remember.

Doesn't matter where he goes Naruto will always find a way to cause trouble. I hope Shisui is ready for that.

So, the team got to enjoy their day in the capital and even got to meet a member of the civilian council who does hate Naruto's guts (is that even legal?) And Naruto got to learn a little more about his ancestorial home. I know not a lot happened her in terms of action. But I want team-11's fist c-rank mission to be on the lighter side. Not everything has to involve a disaster happening (not yet anyways) That said the team is still in the home Strech an there is room for the unexpected to happen.

After this we'll be getting into my own take on the Wave mission. Hope you're looking forward to that.