Chapter 15
4 months later...
…45 degrees northeast, 50 meters away. About 40 feet from the ground. Immobile. Chakra: average. Seems to be the one planting chakra tags around the forest. Definitely the girl.
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…The blonde is still unaccounted for.
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…!
The voice quickly did a 180 and stood at the appropriate stance to combat the chakra signature that had gotten the drop on her. As she predicted, a figure dashed from the bushes and right at her. Prepared, the disguised woman deflected the quick palm strike to her midsection and did the same for the ones aimed at her jugular, right breast, shoulder, and thigh.
On the seventh strike, she finally found an opening in the form of an overextended jab center mass and quickly grabbed the appendage with her hands. She made to counterattack, but her ear warned her of the sharp whistling of something coming in fast from her rear. Moving just slightly to her right, the kunai that would have no doubt disabled one of her legs soars by, right into the free hand of the Hyuuga before her.
Quickly releasing his arm, less she wished to lose her own, she backpedaled and had to draw a kunai of her own to deflect the projectile the Hyuuga had just thrown in retaliation to her retreat. Once again, he was on the offensive, and she did everything in her power to keep up with the speed and ruthlessness of the Gentle Fist.
After receiving one too many close calls with the Hyuga intentionally giving her openings just to have a random weapon thrown at her from the kunoichi in the trees, she decided to change tactics and quickly used another opening to retreat into the forest and towards the younger kunoichi constantly stopping her advances. Much to her frustration, she could feel the bun-haired girl quickly retreating at a similar speed the closer she got.
Just when she could feel she was making progress, something at her legs suddenly glowed bright, and she had but a split second to jump away from the exploding tag that would have taken off her legs. Landing a few meters away, she was caught off guard once again when another flash beneath her warned her of the danger she was in. She was able to jump, but not far enough from the blast radius, the heat on her skin visible as her body flailed through the air like a rag doll.
She was able to get her footing back before she hit the ground, but quickly about-faced to her previous target and continued to her mission objective. The Genin sent after her were far more than she expected, and she had no intentions of being captured by brats. But much to her growing frustration, the Hyuuga was outpacing her, and she knew it was a matter of time before he was back on her.
In a desperate attempt to gain space, she reached into the pouch at her hip and pulled out four paper bombs tied to kunai. With the swiftness of her Jonin status, she put some chakra into the tags before hurling one with pinpoint accuracy at the chakra signature quickly closing in on her. She did not stop in her haste as the explosion rocked the forest. Instead, she remained focused and continued to monitor the Hyuuga. As she expected, it didn't stop him for long, and he was quickly gaining on her once again. Putting just enough chakra to delay the next kunai, she casually dropped them on the branch below her and waited for her plan to bear fruit.
As she expected, the Hyuuga didn't hesitate to go around the trap she had planted. However, it didn't matter in the end. A smile came to her face as a bang sounded out where the Hyuuga suddenly stopped. Flash tags sure were useful when you needed them.
Not wasting a moment, she put all her strength into her legs, feeling she was getting closer to the waypoint. The Hyuuga was moving again, but she was sure she could get there before he could catch up. Just as she saw her goal in the distance, she was forced to stop as a purple barrier suddenly blocked her path. She made to go around it but found herself suddenly blocked on all sides by the same barrier.
Before she could question what was going on, something landed at her feet and immediately got her attention. All she could see was a tag with writing she'd never seen before her eyes flew open in shock as thousands of volts of electricity shocked her stiff. She screamed her lungs dry in complete agony as every part of her body felt as if she were being stabbed with needles.
It lasted for only a few seconds, but the damage was done. Once she could see clearly again, she could only notice that the barrier was down before the Hyuuga suddenly appeared in front of her and struck her hard in the abdomen, immediately disrupting her chakra system. Bile escaped her mouth at the crippling move, yet she didn't get a chance to even think. The earth below her suddenly shifted, and the woman suddenly found herself being wrapped up by what looked to be dark tendrils with chips of bone connecting the wire. The moment the rope touched her skin, she could feel her already damaged chakra stream become nonexistent before she was forcefully pulled into the ground to her neck.
Now closer to the dirt than any human had a right to be, she struggled for freedom but found none. It was as three figures appeared over her that she realized there was no getting out of her situation.
She was captured—by Genin, no less...
A fourth landed behind the Genin, immediately garnering their attention.
Kagero looked down at one of her agents before nodding to the Genin in approval. Though there were a few oversights here and there, there was nothing she had to comment negatively on. Their teamwork was leagues better than it was four months ago and their skills today proved it.
A smirk came to her face as she observed her team, the Genin who were nothing more than academy students not long ago.
They were ready.
Next day...
Hokage Tower
"Ah, Team 4. It's always good to see you." Hiruzen greeted the 'star' Genin of the year, always eager to hear their progress whenever he was able.
"Always a pleasure, Hokage-sama." Kagero bowed, followed by all except the Uzumaki who was too busy trying his best to keep his eyes open and his head steady. In fact, on closer inspection, Hiruzen noticed the very obvious signs of sleep deprivation on all the Genin. The only one who didn't show it was the Hyuga, yet not even the prodigy could hide the bags under his eyes.
"So, how is their progress coming along?" Hiruzen inquired, wondering just what the source of their fatigue was.
"They're getting there. It was a bit rough at the beginning, but they have proved worthy of their titles. Our latest training has involved bodyguard work and staying awake. I believe this is their 50th hour."
Hiruzen stared owlishly at the straight-faced woman, thinking there was some joke in there. Sadly for him and Genin, there wasn't.
"Is, that so...?"
"Hai, Hokage-sama. I believe it will greatly increase their efficiency on the field once they are Chunin." Kagero answered stoically, Hiruzen unable to stop the slight bit of sympathy he now had for the sleep-deprived younglings—two of whom had now passed out while standing. His sympathy grew upon seeing their Jonin Sensei look towards the now-sleeping Uzumaki and Higurashi. "You can ask them yourself how their training is going. They're awake, after all."
At that moment, Tenten stood stiff, her eyes shooting wide and fully alert as a large grin spread across her face. "We are, Shimura-sensei! Loud and clear, Shimura-sensei!"
"...Good," Kagero agreed, missing the girl elbow her blonde teammate awake upon turning back to their leader. Hiruzen's face remained passive even when the woman voiced the reason for her visit. "Now, Hokage-sama. We need a new mission."
"...Well, I have a few D-rank missions." The Hokage said, trusting his Jonin's teaching methods and moving on to the numerous papers on his desk. "Cleaning the Inuzuka compound, cleaning the Aburame greenhouses, and babysitting for the Akimichi's are the only ones we have on-"
"With all due respect, Hokage-sama, we decline all D-ranked missions until further notice." That statement surely woke the Genin up. All three were now looking at their sensei, their eyes wide and hopeful. "We've completed the necessary quota for Genin regarding D-ranked missions and request we choose something higher on the board."
The Hokage gave her a weary look, glancing towards the children before returning to the woman, her own expression remaining neutral and unreadable.
"Very well," Hiruzen conceded. "I'll give you another C-ranked mission. The last mission was well received and I believe this one will-"
"Forgive my continued impertinence, Hokage-sama, but if it is possible, I would like a mission where they can show the fruits of their labor."
Taken aback, Hiruzen leaned forward, a hand supporting his chin.
"What exactly are you expecting, Shimura-san?"
The Jonin turned to the three Genin, a thoughtful look on her face.
"I'm expecting them to be used for what they were intended, sir. They're a month and a half away from their first Chunin exam and have yet to take on a significant mission to fit our quota. I wish to take a mission to remedy this while testing their ability to perform as a unit."
"...Are you sure they are ready?" The old man was more than aware of the skills of the three children and was more than certain they could complete the tasks required for a B-Rank, but there was also the concern that the trio would find themselves in a situation they wouldn't be able to handle. Were they truly ready for such a responsibility?
"I'm positive," was the Jonin's only response. Hiruzen looked to the children, saw the determination and confidence they held, and sighed in defeat.
"Very well. I have a B-rank available for as early as tomorrow morning. Get some rest and report back tomorrow. Also, pack for a days travel. You'll need it."
"Are we really going on a B-rank mission, Kagero-sensei?" Tenten exclaimed the moment they were out of the room, her tired eyes replaced with stars.
"It is as I said. You've worked hard, and your efforts should be rewarded." Their sensei answered, getting a jumping fist pump from the bun-haired girl before hugging her sleepy blonde companion. "Save the celebration for later. I am giving you the day off. Do what you will until tomorrow, but be at the Gate no later than 0600 hours."
"You got it, Kag-oof!" In her excitement and process of untangling herself from her blonde teammate, she completely missed the man and mint-haired girl passing on her left. One could argue that if not for her sleep deprivation, she would have easily seen the man coming. Even then, nothing would excuse the chop to the throat she delivered to the unsuspecting man upon her salute attempt.
Several things happened in that split second.
The first was the flabbergasted look of both Tenten and the mint-haired girl, followed by the choking of the man the Genin had chopped. Next was Tenten's immediate attempt at an apology, and a furious look appearing on the face of the female stranger. Before Tenten knew it, killer intent like she'd never felt before erupted the moment she turned. Instincts she'd gained over the last 4 months of training had her turning on a dime to meet the threat.
She was met with a fist, then pain, then darkness.
The body of the Higurashi was not simply sent flying, but soaring. She broke the sound barrier, not only impacting the wall but going right through it. At the same moment the fist connected, a hand grabbed the perpetrator's arm while a tanto burst through her chest courtesy of the Genin's sensei. Neji went in pursuit of his teammate, while Naruto's eyes were wide as he saw the sword piercing through the mint-haired girl's chest.
Despite the wound, the girl only showed a moment of pain before her body erupted into a tower of red. The blond was able to jump back, but not before watching his sensei get consumed completely. The shockwave caused the blonde to cover his face, yet the force of the wave had him crashing through the same wall his teammates disappeared through. The last he saw was debris and the sky before-
*CRASH*
"It is as I said. You've worked hard, and your efforts should be rewarded." Their sensei answered, getting a jumping fist pump from the bun-haired girl before hugging her sleepy blonde companion. "Save the celebration for later. I am giving you three the day off. Do what you will until tomorrow, but be at the Gate no later than 0600 hours. Got it?"
"You got it, Kag-oof! Ah, so-" Before Tenten knew it, killer intent like she'd never felt before erupted the moment she turned. Instincts she'd gained over the last 4 months of training had her turning on a dime to meet the threat no doubt aimed at her.
She was met with a fist and-
The threat already being dealt with. The surprised look of the shorter girl trying to rearrange her face was what she was greeted to before the girl was suddenly elevated off the ground. Her elevation lasted for but half a second before she was reintroduced to the ground—this time on her back. In the same second, an orange blur landed on her, one hand holding the girl's arm over her head, another with a kunai to her throat, and a leg pinning her remaining arm to the ground. Any fight the girl held died upon realizing her current predicament.
And like that, in less than 3 seconds, a disastrous future was averted.
Sitting over the girl who would have likely been the cause of the Third Great Shinobi War, Naruto looked down on her with indifference while her pupilless brown eyes stared back in shock.
A beat later, her surprise morphed into a scowl. "G-get off of me, asshole!" The girl growled, thrashing around and getting angrier the longer she realized it wasn't working. Naruto was surprised at the girl's strength. For someone shorter than even him, she was freakishly strong. If not for his special seals, she would have likely overpowered him by now.
"E-excuse me," a hoarsed voice asked, the blonde turning his head to see the robed man smiling pleadingly. "Sorry, Shinobi-san, but could you kindly let go of my friend?"
...
"I'm so sorry!(x2)"
Now outside Hokage Tower and with a full explanation of events given, both Tenten and the man bowed profusely to each other.
Now that Naruto had a better look at him, he looked important.
Blue and beige robes covered his torso, followed closely by sky-blue baggy pants and a long red scarf around his neck. He had soft features with a ponytail that didn't at all help distinguish his gender. If not for his voice, if you glanced too fast you might have mistaken him for a girl.
And speaking of girls, his mint-haired companion stood next to him, arms crossed, head turned, and a pout on her face. She wore the standard Shinobi sandals and white arm warmers along with loose white cloths around her chest and waist, the fishnet underneath being the only thing to hide her modesty.
Seeing this, the man quickly turned to the girl with a pleading look on his face. "You apologize too, Fū. It's only right to do so when you're the one in the wrong."
The now-revealed Fū looked scandalized at even the thought. "Why should I apologize, Shibuki-san? She's the one who needs to watch where she's going!"
"It was an accident, Fū. You can't go around hitting people for honest mistakes. You're going to get us in a lot of trouble if you continue like this."
"Hmph, whatever..."
"To think such a brat nearly killed us all." Sothis couldn't help but comment. Unsuccessful in getting his companion to break, Shibuki turned to Team 4 with a sheepish smile.
"Sorry about her. She takes protecting me a little too seriously. She means well, but it often gets her in trouble."
"It's fine, Shibuki-san. I would have kicked her ass anyway."
A hand began to massage the Goddess's brow at her idiot's statement. Outside his head, Tenten's jaw dropped, Shibuki paled, and Fū looked more flabbergasted than angered. Words failed her, yet her constantly morphing features told of an approaching explosion.
"You, YOU-!" She seethed, her fist balled and ready to be used.
"It is best that you do not start fights against those who are your betters, girl." Neji, surprisingly, added in, getting the tick mark on the Taki girl's face to boil over and her eyes whiten in rage. She was quick, but Shibuki was quicker, grabbing the girl by the waist before she could rightfully assault the duo.
"That's IT! Let me at 'em! I'll kick both of their asses! I swear it!" Next to her team, Tenten gawked at the two smirking boys.
"Seriously, guys? The ONE time you agree on something and it's this?"
"I know you. You're the new head of Takigakure, Shibuki, no?" Kagero spoke up for the first time, getting the man to smile nervously while still struggling to hold back his short firecracker.
"Y-yeah, that's me. I'm still getting used to the whole 'leader' business, so forgive me if I don't seem like much."
"Oh? What brings you to Konoha, leader-sama?" Asked Tenten, getting the man's smile to brighten.
"N-nothing in particular. I just wanted to see the sights and learn about our ally. Plus, I got some scrolls to give the Hokage. I was planning to only be here for a few days, but..." Shibuki suddenly looked solemn, as if a bad memory had resurfaced. "In truth, an incident has caused us to be here longer than expected."
"What kind of incident?" Asked the blonde, causing the man to turn away.
"It's best not to get into the details. Just know that we'll be out of your hair soon enough."
"No one is trying to kick you out of the village, sir. We were just curious." Added Tenten, though that only made the Taki leader even more nervous.
"As nice as your words are, I don't think everyone shares your sentiment." Briefly, he glanced down at the mint-haired girl whose struggle was replaced with a pout. The glance was so fast that many wouldn't have even been able to see it. In the same instance, a smile replaced his glum look. "Anyway, sorry about the trouble. We have to be going now. Hokage-sama is waiting for us."
Bowing to the team, he turned and began to walk away, but Fū had other plans. She broke from his grip and gave the two boys a harsh glare. "Just so we're clear, you're only alive because Shibuki-san was here. The next time we meet, I'm gonna kick both of your asses and feed you to Chōmei!" With that, the girl turned on her heel and marched back into the tower, Shibuki giving an apologetic nod as he followed.
"...What an odd girl." Tenten stated once the duo were out of sight.
"She is a foreigner. What can you expect from such people?" Said the Hyuga, causing the bun-haired girl to frown at him.
"I don't wanna hear anything from you two! What was the point of provoking her like that?"
"She started it." The blonde defended himself and his fellow brother-in-torture. "Had she not tried to kill us, we wouldn't have anything to say. But seeing as she did, she got what she deserved."
"Still," Kagero interjected, getting the three to turn their attention to her. "You should have handled it more carefully. That girl, she's a Jinchuuriki."
"Jinchuuriki?" All three spoke, though only two were truly clueless.
"She is the container of the Seven-Tailed Beetle. It is why most do not find them welcome here. Bringing your Jinchuuriki to a village outside of the Chunin Exam is the same as declaring war. If not for his inexperience, circumstances, and status as allies, it could have very well caused a diplomatic incident... You three would be wise to watch your words and actions around her next time."
The three Genin all showed their own version of shock before looking back to where the girl had disappeared. To think they were a few words from angering someone who could potentially destroy their entire village.
Tenten sincerely hoped that when they met next, she would forget this day ever happened...
The Next Day...
Konoha: Front Gate
"You've got to be kidding."
Fū stared in open disgust at Team 4, all looking either unamused or exasperated at finding out exactly what their mission entailed. The group held eye contact for a few moments before the mint-haired girl turned to her leader.
"Shibuki-san, can we go request a different team?" I'm willing to wait another day if I have to."
Shibuki sighed, knowing this would be the outcome the moment he found out who would be escorting them back to Taki. "Unfortunately, we've overstayed our welcome, Fū. If we go back with complaints, I fear it won't end favorably for us."
The logic had the girl's face scrunched up in childish frustration. Not saying another word, she gripped tightly onto the red sack over her shoulders and marched towards the awaiting Team 4.
Tenten, being the de facto 'personality' of the group, was the first to speak upon the girl getting within range. "H-hey there, Fū! Small world, isn't it? Ready to get-"
Instead of stopping, the Taki girl walked right past the Genin, muttering a 'Let's get this over with' before heading down the road, leaving Tenten slackjawed. Her face eventually scrunched up in frustration as she watched the girl slowly get smaller down the road. "What's her problem?"
"Clearly, she woke up on the floor instead of the bed." Naruto answered, getting a nod of agreement from his teammates.
"Sorry about her." Shibuki apologized, walking up to the quartet. "Fū really is a good person. She just warms up to people slowly."
"If that's the case, then we're all 'good people'." Neji stated, to which Shibuki scratched his chin nervously.
"Have you confirmed everything with the Hokage, Shibuki-sama?" Kagero asked, to which the man readily nodded. "Good, then we should be off." She looked to her Genin, all of whom paid close attention to her stern gaze. "Remember, this is our first B-ranked mission, so I expect you all to be vigilant. Taki is a two-day walk, and we are expected to protect both the Jinchuuriki and Shibuki-dono until they are safely back within the walls of Takigakure. Does everyone understand the mission?"
Naruto and Tenten gave an over-the-top salute, while Neji simply nodded his confirmation.
"Is travel always meant to be this boring?"
Naruto grudgingly agreed with the goddess floating overhead.
Since they departed from the village, none have said a word. Aside from some light banter from Tenten and Shibuki, none have tried digging up conversation. Neji and their sensei were taking point, but they weren't very sociable to begin with, and Fū didn't talk to them for obvious reasons. It had been nearly 8 hours since their departure, and though Naruto had no problem talking to his friend, he knew she was quickly growing annoyed at the lack of activity around them.
To save them from further boredom, Naruto approached the only one in the group who would surely give his friend the entertainment she deserved.
"Sup, Neji." The Hyuga turned to his blonde teammate. His pupilless eyes met the boys, awaiting the reason for the sudden conversation. "Soooooo... nice weather, huh?" The Hyuga stared him down for a moment, looked up to the clouded sky, then back to the Uzumaki. He hadn't said anything, nor had his face changed, yet Naruto couldn't help but feel he was being judged. "...Good talk, Neji."
Accepting that his fellow Genin wished to enjoy his silence, he moved slightly forward until he was walking next to his teenage instructor. She glanced down at him, her face as placid as his own.
"Soooooooo... nice weather."
"Get back in formation, Uzumaki."
"...Good talk, Sensei." He slowed his speed considerably until he was back in his position next to the mint-haired girl. Floating down from her vantage point, laying down on an invisible surface with her fist propping up her face, Sothis stared incredulously at her ward.
"You're intentionally doing this, aren't you? You have to be." The divine accused. Seeing he was losing points, he looked to the one person who, for sure this time, would give her the entertainment his friend desperately needed.
Fū felt his gaze and turned, the glare on her face becoming more pronounced as she spat out a 'what'.
"Sooooooo...you're a Jinchuuriki, right?"
A hand immediately went to the goddess's face. Tenten, Shibuki, and even Neji looked back at the blonde, Shibuki's of fear, and his teammates with a look that screamed 'seriously'. As for Fū herself, her face morphed into various emotions. There was shock, fear, confusion, and finally anger. If looks could kill, then the glare she gave him would have killed him ten times over.
"Who told you that?" She snarled, looking to the back of their sensei before eventually falling on the Taki leader, who was currently holding his hands up defensively and shaking his head rapidly in denial.
"A lucky guess." The blonde eventually answered. The girl didn't look convinced at all. "So, you're a Jinchuuriki, right?"
Instead of deeming him worthy of an answer, she huffed and continued her previous efforts to ignore him. Seeing that the conversation wouldn't continue, both Neji and Tenten continued to their devices while Shibuki sighed in relief and followed suit. Naruto stared at the side of the girl's head a moment longer before returning his attention and following their example.
"...Good talk."
The group continued their travels in silence, using nothing but the ambiance of the forest life to fill the silence. Sothis had long since given up on finding entertainment in the outside world and opted to find peace in her world with tea, while everyone else found peace in the silence. In his peripheral, Naruto saw Fū glancing at him yet did not speak another word. This went on for nearly half an hour until the silence was finally broken once again.
"What if I am..." Naruto turned back to the mint-haired girl. Pupilless eyes looked back at him with an expression of uncertainty, even if it was slightly covered by the furrowed brows. "What if I am a Jinchuuriki? Got a problem with that?"
"...Not really." He said truthfully. "Kinda hard to be when I'm one too. Would be very hypocritical, don't you think?"
At once, the entire group stopped on a dime. All eyes landed on the blonde, expressions of shock and disbelief on all of their faces—even on that of the usually composed Shimura. The blonde blinked at the attention he was getting, suddenly feeling like that was the wrong thing to say.
"Y-you're joking, right, Naruto? You're not serious, right?" Tenten asked, desperation and nervousness clear in her voice. Naruto blinked at his teammate, not understanding her sudden nervousness.
"Why would I not be serious?" He replied plainly, causing the worried look on Higurashi's face to grow.
"W-why did you never tell us?"
"You never asked." He replied, pausing for a moment. "I think I'm the Jinchuuriki of the Nine-Tails, if that's important. He was sealed into me when I was a kid, which is why I have whiskers. My father and mother both died sealing him into me, which is how I became an orphan... Ah, Biju can't die, so they seal him in as a host so they can stay controlled. I've never seen the fox personally, but the Hokage himself confirmed this, which is also why I have a lot of chakra."
"Wait! Stop! STOP!" Tenten said desperately, her hands waving in front of her dramatically as if it would somehow hold back the revelation the blonde was casually spilling. "You can't just casually reveal something like that to us! This is something you build over time and eventually reveal with trust! TRUST! Saying it so casually like that makes it feel less important—like you just denied us an opportunity for a great team bonding moment!"
Naruto blinked owlishly at the exuberant girl and said, "I'm sorry I ruined your expectations."
"Chōmei says you're lying." Fū finally replied to the statement, now glaring warily at the blonde, who stared back at her unphased.
"Why would I lie about that?"
"I don't know, but it makes me want to kick your ass." She growled, the grip on her sash growing tighter. To fight the accusation, the blonde simply pulled up his shirt. With a small application of chakra, proof of his status appeared in the form of a seal. Both Tenten, Fū, and now Shibuki's eyes widened as they gathered around to see the ink that had appeared on the blonde's stomach.
"He's telling the truth." Shibuki gasped, stepping back. The mint-haired girl's brows furrowed, her anger slowly turning to confusion.
"How? I thought I was the only one."
"Apparently not." The blonde answered, to which the girl looked to him with a curiosity she hadn't held before.
"Is there anything else you want to tell us? Any other deep, dark secrets we should know about?"
"Hmmm..." The blonde placed a finger on his chin and closed his eyes. "I also have a small, Loli goddess in my head who likes tea, bacon, sweets, and occasionally talks in her sleep." Liquid being spat out followed by choking echoed in his head as he continued, "She's also insecure about her height, very smart, and the kicker, is an omnipotent being capable of both stopping and reversing the very flow of time, along with changing the very landscape as we know it. I would say more, but I fear being smited."
While Sothis choked on the tea she conjured, the rest of the group looked at the blonde with looks that said they didn't believe a word of what he'd revealed. Luckily too, because the goddess wouldn't have only reversed the lies he'd spread, but strangled him for good measure.
"Yeah, I think that's about it. Any more questions?"
"Do you have a death wish?" Sothis snarled into his ear, her form appearing before him. "Or have you gone insane? Pray it's neither because if Seiros finds a way to give me flesh, I will celebrate by finding any and every way of making your life miserable."
"Oh, and she's currently talking right now. She says 'hi'."
Fū slowly turned to Tenten while the goddess she couldn't see fumed above her. "Your boyfriend is either really stupid, or really brave." To her confusion, the girl's face suddenly lit up.
"I'll take the second option." Neji spoke up—the first words he had uttered the entire walk. "But only because the alternative doesn't make any sense."
"I'll go with the stupid option." Fū added, to which the blonde pouted in that way only he could.
"Wait! Back up!" Tenten shouted, pointing at the blonde angrily. "This anti-social idiot is not my boyfriend! He's too plain, boring, and way too much of a loner for my taste."The bun-haired girl suddenly paused, realizing how her words must have sounded, before turning to the blonde apologetically. "No offense, Naruto."
"...That hurts me more than you'll ever know, Tenten," the blonde replied flatly, letting the flap of his shirt return to its natural place and covering his seal. "But that's OK. I'm into taller and curvier women anyway."
The silence that followed that statement suddenly made the atmosphere uncomfortable. Shibuki felt he wanted to be anywhere but here, and even Neji felt the danger the blonde's words had potentially created.
While Tenten suddenly grew quiet, Fū felt confused. She didn't know what it was or why it was compelling her to react to the blonde's words, but she frowned all the same and said, "I don't know why, but I feel like you just gave me a legit reason to kick your ass."
"Are you all done?" Everyone turned to their leader, the woman looking wholly unamused. "Can we continue, or do you all wish to spend the next two days chatting like housewives?"
All gave their own forms of confirmation, reluctant or no, before they all turned forward to continue their journey in silence—Sothis quietly returning to her own world.
A few minutes back into their walk, Tenten decided there was a question she just needed to ask. "If you don't mind me asking, Shibuki-dono, where are your guards? You're a Kage, no? Shouldn't you have ANBU or Jonin protecting you at all times?" The Taki leader seemed to withdraw within himself at the question, the grip on his travel-bag growing tighter as he looked to the dirt. The Higurashi saw this and immediately waved her hands to reassure the man, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to! I was just curious, is all."
"No need to apologize, Tenten-san. It is only natural for Shinobi to ask questions regarding their mission. In truth, we do not possess ANBU. We only have Jonin, and very few at that. The ones who were with us were... they, perished in an ambush."
The mood around suddenly became somber.
"It is why we came to the Leaf and why this mission exist. We were being pursued by a group of missing Nin. If not for Fū, and my Jonin's sacrifice, I dont think we'd had made it."
"...Your village sounds weak."
Naruto's sudden proclamation left everyone speechless, the most so from Shibuki. The Fū turned to the blonde, looking as if she were a fish out of water, trying to process the words that were uttered. The obvious happened and she showed her displeasure by gripping the blonde by the collar of his shirt.
"Say that again, asshole! I dare you!"
"I-It's quite alright, Fū." He assured, stopping Fū while giving a sad smile to the Genin. "He is right. You four are basically escorting us home because I am weak."
"Th-that's not true, Shibuki!" Fū tried defending, but a shake of her leader's head stopped her.
"There is no shame in admitting such, Fū. Takigakure doesn't have many Shinobi, you see. We have no 'elite guard' or anything, so most are simply Jonin, who can lead. There are very few in our village who ever reach the title of ANBU, and those who do typically either don't stick around such a weak village since our funding is pretty low."
"What about Genin and Chunin? How do they make money if the village isn't supported?" Tenten asked.
"They are given missions within the village, but they are limited in what they can do. We don't have an academy like yours or an actual military force, so there is not much we can do outside the village. Our main source of income comes from trade instead of a daimyo, so it gives us a little flexibility when it comes to comfortability."
"Why is Takigakure so lacking?" Asked the blonde, to which the Shibuki became visibly more reluctant to answer.
"Well, you see, a lot happened recently."
"Like what?"
"A bunch of Taki Nuke Nin invaded and tried stealing our sacred Jutsu." Fū spoke up, seeing her leader's hesitance. "They were after our village's sacred water. It is said to increase the strength and chakra of an individual while also lowering their lifespan by even more. Took the entire village hostage and killed a lot of people just to get a bottle of it."
The three Genin stared at the female Jinchuuriki, intrigued by her words.
"And? What happened next?" Tenten asked, somewhat eager.
"I kicked their asses." Fū stated proudly, before slightly flinching as if being pinched. "With Chōmei and Shibuki-san's help, of course..." She finished sheepishly, everyone looking from the mint-haired girl to the Taki leader, who did his best to hide his embarrassment.
"It was nothing, really. Fū did most of the work. I was more of a distraction than anything."
"Forgive me for asking, but are you truly a Kage?" Neji asked inquisitively, getting the Taki leader to look a bit put off.
"S-sorry?"
"I've noticed this for a while, but your way of speaking and even your mannerism do not hold the same level of levelheadedness and authority that is typical of a Kage. In fact, aside from a bit of chakra, you seem no different from a civilian. It makes me wonder about the validity of your title."
"Neji!" Tenten reprimanded, but it was far too late. Shibuki's head was low, the words having obviously hit a sore spot. Seeing this, Tenten immediately went in for damage control.
"Don't mind him, Shibuki-sama. My teammates are just very blunt. Tenten tried but received no answer from the downtrodden Kage. "Sh-Shhibuki-sama?" She tried again, concern clear in her voice.
"Sorry, just... got some unpleasant memories resurfacing." He replied, forcing a smile on his face. "Let's focus on getting home, alright? There's still a long way to go." With that, he looked ahead, deliberately not making eye contact with the Hyuga, who returned his attention.
Next to him, Fū snarled at the back of Genin's long-haired teammate before turning that same glare toward the bun-haired girl. "The next time either of your boyfriends says something that pisses me off, I'm killin' 'em both."
Instead of feeling threatened, Tenten hung her head low in defeat.
"Why me..."
...
Hours later, the sun had set, and the party of six sat comfortably around a campfire. After a quick dinner courtesy of some field rations given by the Shimura, they'd all settled in for the night. Neji, Tenten, Shimura and Shibuki were asleep, their light snores and the occasional shift the only things disturbing the silence.
Awake were the two Jinchuuriki by the request of the mint-haired girl herself. Similar to earlier, Fū was constantly glancing at the blonde. Around the 30-minute mark, she suddenly whispered to get his attention. When he turned, he was greeted with a fist being held out to him. Blinking at it, he looked to her, confused.
"Bump your fist against mine. Chōmei says she wants to talk to you."
The blonde blinked.
"Is Chōmei the-"
"Yes, Chōmei is the Seven-Tails. Now, bump me and stop leaving her waiting." Despite not looking it, the blonde was hesitant. Sensing his reluctance, the mint-haired girl's eye twitched. "What? Scared of a fist bump?"
"No," Naruto replied quickly, frowning slightly. "Just... haven't met another Bijuu before. It's kinda weird to meet one now, you know?"
The girl rolled her eyes. "Don't worry. She's not that scary... Just don't say anything stupid and she won't have any reason to squash you."
That did nothing to alleviate the blonde's fears, yet despite his hesitancy, he did as the girl asked and lightly tapped his fist against hers.
His world immediately went dark.
Location: ?
Sothis gazed with half-lit eyes from her perch on her throne into what was meant to be a void of nothingness—a void that, since day one, had ultimately never changed. Once upon a time, she used it to entertain her ward in his infancy, yet those times have long since passed. She has had no reason to change it since and was content with looking out to the peaceful serenity that was nothingness.
Now, for the first time in what felt like forever, that void was filled almost completely.
First, standing before her was not just her ward, but a third party. The mint-haired Jinchuuriki girl looked around her living space with confused awe before her gaze inevitably landed on her. Yet, despite her attention, the Divine was captured by a much bigger elephant in the room.
That elephant being the Titanic beetle currently obstructing her view from her usually empty space. Moving her gaze ever so slightly to her right, they landed on the blonde.
"I knew you would eventually bring trouble right to my doorstep, but even I would have never expected to this extent..."
A/N: This may or may not be the last time I post on this site. The glitches that I have suffered since chapter 6 have completely demotivated me completely as of late. Still can't see my views, my reviews sometimes don't show, and just found out that almost half of the entire story isn't even visible for anyone on desktop or anyone using the desktop version for that matter. That means a good portion of the community can't see updated chapters, which is a big problem for the story's attention.
The final straw for me was when I was editing a particular chapter that was at least 2k in words. Don't know how or why, but when I went to save, the site just didn't save it. That means 2000 words are just gone. Thought I could keep going and ignore these problems for a while since I grew up on fanfiction net, but I honestly can't take these glitches anymore.
If you find that I'm no longer posting on this site, then know that this and my other story will be on AO3. It's already posted and will post the rest of the chapters throughout the week. Hey Dennis come to this, but until sight gets better I'm going to take my chances at AO3 or even Spacebattles.
Current ages in Scene:
Naruto: 12
Neji: 13
Tenten:13
Kagero: 19
Fū: 11
Shibuki: 16