Chapter Sixteen: Mindwalks, Meetings, and Monkeys—Oh my!
Author's Note: As always, I'd like to thank everyone who's left a like, follow, and review on this story. I sincerely appreciate it.
Otherwise, I hope you enjoy this story!
Bold: Technique (English Translation)
Italics: Thoughts
Horizontal Line: Flashback
(Scene Change): Signals a scene change
Ino's eyes slowly fluttered open to the sounds of birds chirping outside her window. Her nose cutely scrunched up as she thought, "Go away, bird." The girl rolled over, burying her head in her pillow to escape the sound. She was a moment away from falling back to sleep when her tired mind processed her thoughts, causing her to shoot up from bed. "Birds!" Ino thought as her mind flooded with images of a large, green-haired man bending over to pick up a sake saucer, followed by extreme pain. Reflexively, the blond reached her hands up toward her neck and delicately traced it with her finger. Her eyes slowly widened as she felt a long, thick line of upraised skin across her throat.
"What happened?" she tried to ask. Yet, the only thing that came out of her mouth was air. Ino felt her heartbeat skyrocket and begin beating faster than a galloping horse as she tried again and again to say something–anything!
Hello!
Can you hear me?
Someone? Anyone?
Please!
Tears fell in wet drops down her pale cheeks as she mutely shouted into the room, hoping, praying for any word to leave her mouth. Ino started to become lightheaded as she continued to voicelessly scream; the muscles in her neck drew painfully taut like overstressed bowstrings, but regardless of how hard she yelled, not even a whisper left her lips. The girl was so consumed by her anxiety and fear that she didn't hear the blare of a nearby heart rate monitor nor the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps as her stomach muscles wrenched and clenched themselves into knots.
"Ino!" she heard a familiar voice shout as the hospital room door slammed open.
The girl whipped her head towards the noise and saw the blurry figure of her father, Inoichi. Instinctively, she reached out her arms towards him as the older blond rushed into the room and swiftly swept her into his arms. Ino burrowed her head into her father's chest as she felt his arms wrap tightly around her, followed quickly by him resting his chin on her head and rocking her gently back and forth as he whispered reassurances in her ear, much like he had done in the past when she had been startled awake by a nightmare and went to him to feel safe. His presence and soothing gestures were a balm to her frazzled mind, which helped to slowly allay her fears.
Steadily, the heart rate monitor stopped blaring and fell into a stable rhythm as Ino gradually calmed. A while later, the girl gently pulled away from her father and looked up at him, the question evident in her red-rimmed blue orbs: What happened?
"Are you sure you want to know right now? We can wait," Inoichi offered, not wanting to potentially upset his darling daughter further. However, the Yamanaka clan head was surprised to see his heir's face set into a resolute expression he had never seen from her, followed by a firm nod. Fatherly pride and affection swelled through the older blond's body as he saw that his daughter was willing to face her injury immediately.
"Alright," Inoichi said as he released his daughter. Yet, when he saw the flash of hurt cross her face, he quickly explained, "I just need to free my hands so that I can use the Shindenshin no Jutsu (Mind Body Transmission Technique) to hear your thoughts."
Ino's face instantly brightened as she shuffled back and moved her bangs away from her forehead.
Inoichi felt a small smile grace his lips at his daughter's eagerness as he ran through the required hand seals before he placed his palm on her forehead. "Ino, can you hear me?"
"Daddy! Yes, I can hear you! You can hear me, right?" Ino rapidly thought.
Inoichi felt some unseen tension roll off his shoulders at the sound of his daughter's voice. The smile on his face bloomed brighter than a morning glory. "Yes, I can hear you loud and clear, Princess," Inoichi assured before he steeled himself to explain what had happened to her. "Ino, during your mission, you were wounded. Do you remember that?"
Through their connection, Inoichi saw a series of images flash through his daughter's mind: Ino finding a small brown bird, transferring her mind to the animal, flying over cliffs and plateaus until arriving at a mining town, swooping down and alighting on a tree branch outside of a house, looking into the room and seeing Raiga speaking with one of his men followed by speaking with a young boy with red eyes, Raiga leaving the room, the boy looking directly at Ino, then Raiga reentering the room, a brief conversation, a veiled threat, followed by a sake saucer slicing into the bird's neck.
"Yes," Ino answered as she shuddered psychically and physically. "I—that boy somehow saw me; saw me when I was a bird. And when he made that comment, I knew I had to get out of there, but I guess I wasn't fast enough." The girl reached up toward her neck and traced the scar. "What happened after…"
"From the reports, you were severely injured, but thankfully, Haku-san swiftly sprung to your aid. She—" Inoichi was cut off by a surprised thought from his daughter.
"-Haku-san saved me?" Ino thought as her mind flooded with images of her knowingly riling up the older teen as she pursued Naruto. She instantly felt like a heel.
Inoichi's brow raised as he wondered what had happened between his princess and Naruto to make her treat the young Uzumaki like the last loyal Uchiha. Unbidden, the father thought, "What's going on between you and Naruto?"
"What?" Ino thought, blinking in confusion at the seemingly random question before her mind unconsciously brought up memories of Naruto defending her honor and lending her his jacket.
Ino's face flushed, knowing that her father had seen those memories. "Daddy! You can't be asking me personal questions like that when you're in my head!" Ino ranted as her hands clenched into fists-fists she used to fruitlessly pound against her father's chest.
"I'm sorry, I just couldn't help myself," the Yamanaka clan head apologized. "I suppose I've another thing to thank Naruto-san for."
"Huh? What do you mean? What did Naruto-kun do?" Ino asked, not even bothering to hide the affectionate suffix anymore.
"He helped save you as well; he summoned a toad to send for aid from Jiraiya-sama and then stayed behind to act as a rear guard, holding off Raiga so that he wouldn't pursue you and Haku-san," Inoichi explained.
"What?" Ino gasped, her mind flooding with images of a smiling Naruto being lit up like a lightning rod. Dread gripped her heart as she hesitantly asked, "Is Naruto…"
Inoichi sent his daughter a reassuring smile. "No, Naruto-san isn't dead. He's perfectly safe and sound."
"Thank God!" Ino praised as an overwhelming sense of relief flooded her, followed swiftly by an overwhelming urge to kiss her fellow blond senseless for helping to save her.
Inoichi grimaced at the image playing in his little girl's head. While the father would remain eternally grateful to the young Uzumaki for saving his daughter, he still didn't like the idea of his precious princess kissing a boy. "I didn't need to see that."
"I didn't want you to see that!" Ino whined as her face burned an incandescent scarlet.
"Then don't think it," Inoichi retorted. "Now, was there anything else you wanted to know?"
Ino became more subdued as she gestured to her neck. "Will I be able to talk again?"
Inoichi's eyes dimmed. "No, Princess. I'm sorry."
Ino's eyes brimmed with tears as she once again threw herself into her father's chest and cried once more.
(Scene Change)
Elsewhere, in Konohagakure's market district, Asuma and Kurenai were in a clothing store.
"Do you think this would look good on me?" Kurenai asked, holding up an eye-watering lime-green scarf to her boyfriend.
"Huh? Yeah, sure," Asuma absentmindedly responded as he looked out the store window. His brown eyes were dull and distant as they seemed to peer past the various buildings and toward Konoha's hospital.
Kurenai withheld her sigh, already knowing what her boyfriend was looking at, or toward, to be more exact. While the stunning jonin couldn't empathize, she could undoubtedly sympathize with him. If one of her students was injured or worse, she imagined that she would be in similar straits as her taciturn lover, even if she had only had her team for a few months. Heaven forbid something happened to her three students, especially her sole female student, Hinata. Just the thought of the kindhearted girl getting wounded in any way was enough to make the Genjutsu Mistress' heart seize, followed by her blood boiling.
"If anything happens to them, I swear to trap the perpetrators in a permanent genjutsu of their worst nightmares," Kurenai mentally vowed as her fists tightly clenched the atrocious-looking scarf, scrunching the garish fabric. The raven-haired beauty took a deep, calming breath before releasing her sudden anger.
"It doesn't do to dwell on could-bes, especially when we've time to prepare for them," Kurenai thought, glancing at her silent boyfriend. She wanted a way to bring him out of his dour mood and was wondering what to do when she caught sight of the accessory in her hands.
"Hmm, a wound like Yamanaka-san's is bound to scar, and from what I know of the girl, she's rather image-conscious, so I don't think that she'll want to show off her neck," Kurenai mused as she smoothed out the scarf. "And you can help me get Asuma's attention," the woman thought with an impish smile.
Unaware of his girlfriend's plans, Asuma brooded: "I should have been there." Asuma frowned before quickly admonishing himself for the negative thought. The man knew that it wasn't his fault and that the guilt he was experiencing was misplaced. Yet, just because his logical mind understood that fact, internalizing it was a different matter. The bearded shinobi took a deep breath, trying to ease the tension in his shoulders. "I should–what?" Asuma blurted out when a sickly-looking green veil abruptly obscured his vision. The Sarutobi heir quickly lifted the obstruction and saw his giggling girlfriend. Seeing her mirthful smile dancing across her full, red lips drained much of the tension in Asuma's body.
"Is there a reason you threw this–what even is this thing?" Asuma asked, eyebrow raised. He took off the scarf and felt his eyes tear up at the sight of it. He quickly looked away and held the offending garment far from his body like a poisonous viper.
"Now he notices," Kurenai muttered as she playfully rolled her eyes and took the scarf from her boyfriend. "And I threw this—" Kurenai paused, waving the scarf "—to get your attention."
"Well, you certainly have it, as well as anyone the next block over," Asuma joked as he felt more tension leave his body.
Kurenai let the comment go as she folded the garment and returned it to its place on the table. "I was thinking that we could buy Yamanaka-san a scarf–something fashionable–so that if she wants to cover up her neck, she'll have something to do so."
"That sounds like a great idea. Thank you, love," Asuma smiled, feeling a surge of gratitude and affection for his girlfriend at the kind gesture.
"You're welcome," Kurenai chirped before turning towards the garment selection. "Now, what color do you think she would prefer?"
Without missing a beat, Asuma responded, "Purple. Or anything that goes with it. The girl's like Naruto-kun with orange."
"I don't think she'd appreciate being compared to Uzumaki-san, at least when it comes to fashion choices," Kurenai pointed out, stifling a giggle as she perused the scarves. She chose ones in various shades of purple, with a few blue ones as well, recalling the color of the Yamanaka heiress' eyes.
Asuma grinned as he stepped closer to his girlfriend. "True, though if the looks Ino was giving Naruto-kun were any indication–before her injury–I don't think he'll be wearing that jacket for long. I reckon she'll drag him to a clothing store for a new outfit before their first date."
"Really?" Kurenai asked, her eyebrow raised as she handed her boyfriend a few scarves to examine. "I thought that she was interested in the Uchiha? Like most of the girls in the Academy."
"She was," Asuma confirmed as he took the offered scarves. He immediately dismissed a shiny, light purple scarf that enemies could easily spot during a reconnaissance mission. "That was until the Uchiha opened his mouth and showed his true colors; he insulted Ino, calling her a 'useless fangirl."
Kurenai frowned as she took the rejected scarf, folded it, and returned it to its spot. "Harsh. But how does the Uchiha insulting her lead to a crush on Uzumaki-san?"
"Because Naruto-kun defended her," Asuma answered, examining a navy blue scarf with a critical eye. "He told the Uchiha that he was wrong and that Ino was pretty in the same breath. After that, Ino kept stealing glances at Naruto, with the occasional blush." Asuma finished with a chuckle and a bemused shake of his head.
"Interesting," Kurenai slowly said, frowning as she realized how serious Ino's crush could be and what that meant for her female student. "Hinata-chan might be in trouble," the raven-haired jonin concluded as she bit her lower lip. "It would be one thing if Uzumaki-san's actions ended with defending Yamanaka-san's honor, but to compound that with saving her life? I don't know many women alive who could simply dismiss those actions as kind deeds. Hinata-chan will have to get the boy's attention, and fast! But how?"
Kurenai then began to plan on how best to help her wallflower of a student capture the attention of the boisterous, blond Uzumaki. So consumed by her thoughts, she barely registered Asuma handing her the rest of the scarves, save one. However, as Asuma passed her by to purchase the navy scarf, he made a comment that drew Kurenai's full attention.
"Yup. Pops was right to call him an 'unintentional casanova. He already managed to get one girlfriend and is probably on his way to two."
Kurenai's eyes bulged as she quickly trailed after the broad-shouldered man, asking, "Hold on! What do you mean he's already got one?"
(Scene Change)
Meanwhile, in the reception area of the Hokage's office, a blonde boy sitting in a chair sneezed.
"Bless you," Haku said, looking concerned at her boyfriend, who sat beside her. "Are you alright, Naruto-kun? That's the sixth sneeze you've had in the past five minutes. Are you allergic to something?"
Naruto shook his head and sniffled. "No. At least, I don't think so. Though maybe I'm allergic to this thing," the blond said, finishing with a growl as he pulled at a strap of the red harness on his chest. The harness had two straps that looped over his shoulders, across his back, and around his waist as a belt. Attached to the belt was a leash the same color as the harness. However, what stood out the most about the harness were the lines upon lines of tiny kanji running up and down its length.
"The harness is hypoallergenic," Jiraiya said from the corner of the room, drawing the blond's attention. The toad sage smirked at his godson as he tauntingly waggled the leash's handle. "Besides, even if it weren't, a rash would have been even more motivation for you to get it off."
"What motivates me is using this to strangle you!" Naruto declared as he shot out of the chair. Keen observers noted that the blond's knees slightly wavered as his feet touched the ground, as if there was some great, invisible weight that the boy carried on his shoulders.
"If you could do that, then this wouldn't need to be on you," Jiraiya explained as he once again tauntingly waved the leash like a matador waving a red flag in front of a bull, which was enough to set the young Uzumaki off.
Naruto shot forward. His fist reared back to sock the smug grin off of Jiraiya's face. However, the blond's plans were derailed three steps into the act when the kanji on the harness suddenly pulsed like thousands of tiny hearts, and the boy's mug was instantly acquainted with the green, linoleum floors of the reception area.
"Urk!" Naruto grunted, his eyes smarting from the pain of crashing into the floor with what felt like a great waterfall of muddy water suddenly falling onto him with consistent pressure.
"Oho, that was some improvement! You made it one extra step this time!" Jiraiya praised as he channeled his chakra into the leash.
"Jiraiya-sama, I'd greatly appreciate it if you'd stop tormenting my boyfriend," Haku said with a saccharine smile and a twitching eyebrow. Oh, how the Yuki heiress wanted nothing more than to use her bloodline to form some ice senbon to pepper the older ninja. However, she restrained herself, not wanting to cause a scene under the watchful eyes of Konoha's ANBU.
Jiraiya waved her off. "Bah! It's helping him grow stronger and keeping him out of trouble."
Naruto grunted as he shakily raised his head from the floor. "I will get you," he gritted out, his face red from the embarrassment and the exertion of channeling chakra throughout his bones and muscles to fight against the newly added weight. The blond didn't know if things could get worse, though he would soon learn not to tempt fate.
"Naru-kun, since when were you into sub-play? And men?" Mitarashi Anko asked as she strolled into the room and over to the struggling blond.
Jiraiya cackled at the purple-haired kunoichi's remark while Naruto sputtered like a boiling teapot on a faulty burner, and Haku was neither amused nor embarrassed by Anko's remarks, though that was due to her alarms being raised by the woman's affectionate nickname for the blond Uzumaki.
Haku's blond Uzumaki.
"Who is she?" the Yuki heiress thought, her worry rising as she watched the scantily clad woman kneel before Naruto, more than likely giving the blond quite the show. "She's not another Ino, right?" Unconsciously, Haku's right jaw muscles twitched as a cool flash of insecurity chilled her bones and hallowed her core. She dreaded vying for Naruto's attention against a woman who obviously had a connection with him and was more 'physically' gifted. To distract herself from the gnawing anxiety, Haku focused on her boyfriend's conversation.
"I'm not gay!" the blond yelled out after he recovered from his shock and glared straight into Anko's bemused, pupilless brown eyes.
"Thank goodness!" Anko chirped as she cupped Naruto's cheeks and began rubbing his whisker marks. The woman's voice then turned sultry as she purred, "Then that means you wouldn't mind if I owned you, right, my dear, foxy-kun~."
Naruto let out a strangled noise as his traitorous, hormonal mind supplied him with a bevy of racy images of Anko owning him. It didn't help that the woman was sending him a teasing smile full of sinful promises as she knelt there in her provocative outfit: a fishnet body suit that clung to her bountiful curves, which were teasingly hidden by a tan trench coat and a tantalizingly tiny skirt. However, with an iron will, Naruto tamped down on his earthly desires and answered, "No! I'm no one's pet! Plus, I've got an amazing girlfriend already."
Unknowingly, Naruto's declaration assuaged his girlfriend's growing worries, causing Haku to release the unnoticed breath she was holding. Yet, that sense of relief would soon be challenged by the purple-haired woman, and not in the way that one would typically expect.
The edges of Anko's smile slightly dropped while the corners of her eyes tightened at Naruto's answer. Yet the teasing seductress recovered so fast that most people would have thought it was a trick of the light. "Oh, that's too bad," Anko playfully sighed as she continued to rub Naruto's cheeks. She looked over toward Haku, knowing from Jiraiya's reports that the raven-haired girl was Naruto's girlfriend, and asked, "Do you mind sharing?"
One could hear a pin drop in the reception area as everyone there—Jiraiya, Haku, Zabuza, Naruto, the ANBU guards, and even the Hokage's secretary, Aya—looked upon Anko with dropped jaws and bulging eyes at her scandalous request. The silence seemed to last for an eternity when, in reality, it only lasted for a few seconds before the room exploded with activity.
Geysers of blood rocketed out of Naruto and Jiraiya's noses, sending them flying upwards toward the ceiling. The ANBU guards shook their heads. Aya facepalmed. Zabuza looked stunned. And Haku? Haku's face was doing a remarkable impression of a fresh tomato.
"Sha-sha-share?" the young woman thought, her mind supplying images of herself, Naruto, and Anko in compromising positions. Interestingly enough, Haku wasn't immediately repulsed by the idea, which confused her greatly.
"Was it something I said?" Anko asked, tilting her head with a mien of innocence. Innocence that no one who knew the kunoichi well would have bought for a second.
The sudden crackle of the secretary's intercom drew everyone's attention. "Aya-san, please send my noon appointment in," the aged voice of the Sandaime Hokage ordered.
Aya quickly clicked on the intercom's call button. "As you wish, Hokage-sama. Would you like me to bring your afternoon tea?"
"If you would be so kind," the Hokage said.
"As you will," Aya said before removing her hand from the call button. She then rose from her seat, smoothing any wrinkles that had formed on her kimono as she turned her attention to Jiraiya's group and Anko. "If you'd please follow me," she stated before walking to the double doors.
Knowing it was time for a serious conversation, one with significant political ramifications, Jiraiya put on his game face as he strode to the doors. He made sure to reduce the weight of Naruto's harness as he did so, not wanting to drag a heavy, disgruntled blond into the Hokage's office. Unless it were a particularly top-heavy, disgruntled blond with a gambling addiction, then Jiraiya would be all for that.
Feeling the weight lessen on his body, Naruto popped to his feet and walked to Haku's side, missing the dimming of Anko's eyes as he did so. The blond flashed his girlfriend a reassuring smile before they fell behind Zabuza, with Anko bringing up the rear.
Seeing everyone ready, Aya opened the office doors and led everyone inside.
As Naruto passed the threshold, he felt something shift in the air. This shift made the blond look around the Hokage's office in a new light, making him wonder if the room had always felt so small. The boy quickly shook away the thought as he stood before the Hokage's desk and laid his eyes on the old man. Naruto felt his breath hitch at what he saw. Instead of finding his genial grandfather figure with his warm brown eyes, Naruto found Sarutobi Hiruzen, Konohogakure's longest-serving ruler and the second Kami no Shinobi.
The Sandaime sat behind the desk with his chin resting between his interlaced fingers, watching the assembled group with a cool calculation from beneath the brim of his hat. Naruto fought the urge to gulp when those eyes landed on him, seeming to look both at him and through him as they studied him with the intensity of a hunting falcon. Naruto had never felt so naked as he did under the Sandaime's scrutinizing gaze, and he was ever so thankful that the Hokage's secretary had interrupted the elder shinobi's examination.
"Your noon appointment, Hokage-sama; Jiraiya-sama, Mitarashi Anko, Uzumaki Naruto, Momochi Zabuza, and Yuki Haku," Aya announced as she gestured to each of the shinobi in turn.
"Yes, thank you for escorting them," the Sandaime said before dismissing his secretary with a wave.
Aya nodded before she offered her leader a deep, silent bow. She then promptly left the room, the office doors closing behind her with a soft click.
"So, Momochi-san," Hiruzen began after a moment's pause, his eyes locked on the swordsman, "you and your apprentice wish to join Konoha. Why should I allow that?"
Zabuza stepped forward and offered the aged leader a bow. "Hokage-sama, my apprentice, and I offer our skills and loyalty to you and Konohagakure."
Hiruzen raised his eyebrow as if amused by the comment. "Loyalty?' Like the loyalty you showed to the Yondaime Mizukage? If so, then when should I expect your assassination attempt?"
Naruto bristled at the line of questioning. "Hey! That—" Whatever the blond was about to say was quickly cut off by Anko covering the boy's mouth.
"Quiet! Only speak when spoken to!" Anko hissed in his ear before apologizing to her leader. "Apologies, Hokage-sama. I'll ensure that Naruto is adequately punished."
"Don't worry; I'll see that he is. However, I do find myself curious: what were you going to say, Naruto?" Hiruzen asked as he gestured for Anko to release the boy, wanting to hear what his grandson in all but blood thought.
Naruto stepped forward, stood next to Zabuza, and looked straight ahead at his grandfather figure. "What I was going to say was that Zabuza only tried to kill the Mizukage because that wackjob was killing bloodline users, all because of what they were born with. That's not right!"
The Hokage gave Naruto a quizzical look. "And that gives him the right to disobey a superior's orders? His Kage's?"
Naruto became flustered, his face turning hot. "What? No! But-"
"-But' what?" the Sandaime asked, pinning the blonde with his stare. "Are you suggesting that a shinobi only follow the orders he agrees with?"
"We're talking about murdering innocents!" Naruto growled, his fists clenched as he glared directly at his leader. "Are you saying you'd order one of us to do that?"
"Should I need to, then yes, I would."
"What?" Naruto gasped as he took an involuntary step back, the Hokage's words chilling the blood in Naruto's veins. "But that's-"
"-Wrong?" the Sandaime asked, finishing the blond's thought for him. "And how do you know it's wrong?"
"Be-because of you. You told me that it was wrong just to kill innocent people-that life should be cherished," Naruto explained, feeling small underneath his leader's gaze. "Are you saying that was wrong?"
The Hokage shook his head, his countenance softening."No, Naruto, I'm not. However," the aged leader began as he rose from his chair and circled his desk, "while I believe that it's wrong to murder innocents, I also understand that, unfortunately, there are times when needs must, especially when it comes to the security and well-being of the village and its people. As a Hokage, you will always have to place the safety and betterment of our home before that of others-even if the acts you take will weigh heavy on your soul." The Sandaime stopped before Naruto, laid a hand on the lad's shoulder, and gently squeezed it.
Naruto frowned as he looked up into his grandfather figure's eyes. He suddenly appreciated just how old the man was; the blond could feel it in the slightest tremor of the elderly man's hand and how the years seemed to press down upon him like a heavy mantle. The young Uzumaki could see that his Jiji was trying to impart some wisdom to him. It was similar to the wisdom that Jiraiya had tried to impart to him during their conversation in the cave—the conversation they had before the ill-fated scouting outing.
"Would you trade Ino's life for one of the villagers down there?" Jiraiya asked.
"Hell no! I wouldn't trade her! But why does it have to be one or the other?! Why can't I save both?" Naruto argued.
"Because, as Hokage, there'll be times when your only options are between 'bad' or 'worse,' and someone will end up dying," Jiraiya stated.
An image of Ino's body lying on the clifftop flashed into Naruto's mind, causing him to look down. The usually vivacious girl whom Naruto had known for most of his life, the one who-even if she threw the occasional unkind comment his way-he still considered a comrade and a friend, that girl was replaced by a pale, lifeless thing that was bleeding profusely out of her slender neck; Ino could have died.
Naruto had never had anyone close to him die before or come close to it. Sure, he had seen Iruka-sensei take a few kunai and a fuma shuriken to the back for him. Still, the brunette teacher was made of sterner stuff than the blond had ever credited him for, given that Iruka seemed to shrug off those wounds and still serve as an obstacle for that bastard Mizuki. And the boy supposed it was for that reason-his teacher getting up and continuing the fight-that seeing him injured didn't affect him as much. Yet, when Naruto thought of Ino, how one second the girl's body was fine and the next he was feeling her warm, sticky blood spraying his face, the boy felt shaken. He was shaken by how suddenly someone he cared about could be taken from him.
"I'm not telling you this to dissuade you from your dream but to prepare you for one of its grim realities."
Naruto dug his nails into his palms and heavily bit his lower lip to banish the bloody images to the depths of his mind as he recalled what his response to Jiraiya was.
"I understand, but I refuse to believe that we can't save those villagers without putting them in danger-come on, Ino, let's go and plan!"
"Idiot," Naruto cursed himself, wanting nothing more than to punch his past self for making such a naive statement. "How could I think that the lives of some random villagers are more important than my friends? Ino got hurt because of that belief, and Haku-chan could have been hurt, too."
"But is it wrong to help those we can, even if we don't know them?" a tiny voice whispered in the blond's mind. "If we didn't help, wouldn't that make the world...colder?"
"...It would," Naruto admitted, his palms stinging as he felt blood start to drip between his fingers. "But if it's a choice between my loved ones and comrades and some innocent strangers, then I'll choose my loved ones every time."
"Naruto-kun?" Hiruzen asked, looking worriedly upon the boy when he heard the drops of blood hit the floor, unaware of the internal debate taking place in the young Uzumaki's mind.
"Why?" the tiny voice asked, sounding genuinely confused.
"Because I can't protect both. I'm not strong enough," Naruto confessed, ashamed of his weakness.
"Then why not get stronger, then? To protect both?" the tiny voice asked, sounding as if the answer was obvious.
It was as if a lightbulb suddenly turned on over the blond's head at that simple suggestion, chasing away shadows of doubt that the blond didn't know were initially there but was thankful for their dispersal all the same. Naruto felt a new conviction suddenly kindle in his soul.
Hiruzen frowned and tightened the grip on the lad's shoulder. "Nar-"
"-I understand, Jiji. Ero-sennin told me something similar: that when I take the hat, I'll have to make tough choices, life-changing choices. Choices that could end up with someone getting hurt. Choices that will end up with someone being killed," Naruto paused and raised his head, staring Hiruzen straight in the eyes with a look that caused the leader to lightly gasp, "But like I told him, I refuse to believe that I have to choose who I save because I'll be strong enough to protect everybody, I swear it!"
"Minato," Hiruzen thought, seeing the ghost of his late successor standing behind Naruto with the same fierce determination, the same burning will to protect, shining in his blue orbs. It was that same relentless will that made Hiruzen choose Minato over Orochimaru because the Sandaime knew that it was that type of mentality that would ensure Konohagakure's continued safety and prosperity. However...
"While an admirable sentiment, Naruto-kun, it is a naive one. Even as strong as I was in my prime and as strong as my sensei, the Shodaime, was in his, neither of us was powerful enough to protect all whom we wished," the aged leader advised.
"Don't care!" Naruto stubbornly exclaimed as he dismissed the advice with a wave of his hand, "I'm not gonna run away, and I never go back on my word; that is my nindō!"
"And there's Kushina," Hiuruzen wryly thought as he saw the ghost of the boy's mother join Minato behind the boy. The woman bore the same stubborn expression as her son, an expression that said, come hell or high water, she would see her goals through. "The boy's got the will and the stubbornness to see his goal through, and who would I be to try and squash it? But this doesn't mean that I won't test his mettle."
"Is that so?" Hiruzen chuckled, and it was a sound that, unbeknownst to the rest of the people in the office, sent a shiver down the last loyal Sannin's spine. "Then allow me to test your resolve."
"He's not going to do 'that?' Is he?" Jiraiya thought as he quickly glanced between his former teacher and godson.
"Bring it! I can take anything you throw at me!" Naruto declared.
"We'll see," Hiruzen said before he briskly bit his thumb and blurred through the hand seals for the Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Technique).
"He is doing 'that!' Jiraiya alarmingly thought as all present were treated to the distinctive 'poof' of a summoning technique. The godfather sent his godson a pitying look as he saw a familiar silhouette appear in the white cloud of smoke. "Good luck, brat, you're going to need it."
The smoke cleared to reveal a stout, dark-brown monkey with pink paws. The primate came up to the Sandaime's waist and had pink, pointed ears. The monkey's tiny black eyes first landed on Naruto and zeroed in on the red harness the boy was wearing. "Ooo?" the monkey cooed to Hiruzen as it pointed at the confused Uzumaki.
"Um, gramps, who's the monkey, and why's he pointing at me?" Naruto asked as his eyes shifted between the Hokage and the unfamiliar monkey summon. "This guy is my test? What does he want me to do, fight him?"
The Sandaime made no indication that he heard Naruto as he looked down at his summon and gave him a nod. "Yes. I need you to do 'that.' I'll ensure you're compensated with two bunches for your services."
The monkey's eyes twinkled like stars as steam poured out its ears and nostrils. "Ooo!" the monkey cheered as it pounded its chest.
Naruto felt his eyebrow twitch, feeling like the old man was ignoring him, but he kept his cool as he tightly said, "Oi, Gramps, who's this-"
"-This, Naruto-kun, is Babursu, and he will be your test-Oh! And your punishment as well, now that I think about it," the Hokage explained as he gestured to the monkey excitedly bouncing up and down on his feet.
"Okay, and what do you want me to do? Fight hi- what do you mean by punishment? What the hell did I do?" Naruto yelled.
"You interrupted a meeting between the Hokage and two potential recruits," the Sandaime explained, gesturing to Zabuza and Haku, who watched the interaction with their respective bemused and worried expressions. "And as for what I want you to do, I want you to catch him."
As if that was some hidden signal, Babursu shot toward the blond.
Startled, Naruto stumbled back. "Wha-" Whatever the blond was going to say was cut off by a paw to the face as Babursu used the boy's head as a springboard to jump onto the ceiling, which it quickly bounced off of like a brown pinball as it launched itself towards the opening office doors.
"Your-" Aya paused as she ducked the snickering monkey that flew over her head and out of the office, "-tea Hokage-sama."
"Excellent, thank you," the aged leader said, sending his assistant a thankful smile as she handed him his cup. He savored its soothing scent before looking down at the stunned blond who had a large, red pawprint on his face. "Well, what are you waiting for? You better go catch him."
Naruto blinked. His mind took a few seconds to process what had happened before he growled and shot to his feet. "I'll catch that monkey before the day's done!"
"Really? Well, we can't have that, can we? Wouldn't do if your punishment didn't last long enough for the lesson to sink in," the Hokage said before forming a one-handed seal with his left hand.
The blond yelped as the seals on his harness suddenly pulsed to life, and a large weight came crashing down on his shoulders, sending him face-first into the floor. "Ow," Naruto grunted, his voice muffled by the floor's tiles, as the feeling of being trapped underneath an unending waterfall of muddy water returned. The Uzumaki quickly channeled chakra through his protesting bones and muscles to relieve a bit of the constant pressure, enough so that he could raise his head and ask the Hokage a question, "Weight-you-how?"
"Who did you think created that harness in the first place?" Hiruzen asked before taking a sip of his tea. "Mmm, delicious as always, Aya-san."
"But-leash?" Naruto gritted out as he placed his palms flat on the floor and began pushing.
"The leash? I suspect that Jiraiya added that to humiliate you further; neither of us needs to use a leash to activate the seals," Hiruzen explained, throwing a slight smirk at his former student.
Jiraiya looked indignant as he protested, "Hey! That's a damn li-"
"-Kill...you," Naruto hissed as he shakily raised his upper body, turned his head, and glared at his godfather with such ferocity that one wondered if the blond was trying to strip the skin off of the Toad Sage's bones with his gaze alone.
Jiraiya flinched and raised his hands. "Now, gaki, calm down. It wasn't-"
"-It wasn't nice of you to threaten a superior officer like that, especially in my presence," the Sandaime said, interrupting his former student. "That calls for an additional punishment." The Hokage then began to stroke his beard as he hummed in thought. "Hmm, what would be an appropriate one...Aha! I've just the thing," the Hokage paused, snapping his fingers as if some great bolt of inspiration suddenly struck him, "If you can't capture Babursu within two weeks, then you are banned from consuming any ramen for a year."
Naruto nearly choked on his spit as he got his feet underneath him and wobbly stood up, his face red with exertion as he looked like a baby standing straight for the first time. "But-can't!"
The Hokage pointed to his hat. "Yes, I can." The leader then looked to his right outside one of the windows, spotting Babursu in the distance, hopping along the rooftops before stopping on an awning that overlooked a fruit cart. "You best hurry, Naruto-kun; Babursu's gotten quite the head start."
Naruto growled, and with another burst of chakra to his legs, the blond slowly trudged out of the office, internally vowing to get his revenge on his godfather and grandfather figure as he shut the door behind him.
"Anko, please ensure no one bothers Naruto-kun while he's performing his punishment," Hiruzen commanded as soon as he was sure the blond was out of earshot.
"Understood, Hokage-sama," Anko said, giving her leader a bow before disappearing via Shushin (Body Flicker Technique).
The Hokage smiled, dismissed Aya with a wave of his hand, and returned to his desk, sipping his tea as he did so.
"You're evil, you know that, Sensei," Jiraiya stated as he watched his elderly teacher sit behind his desk. "That damn monkey's going to make Naruto's life hell."
"True," Hiruzen acknowledged as he settled into his seat and placed down his cup, "but you cannot deny that he'll be much stronger within the next two weeks."
Jiraiya grunted, crossed his arms, and looked away out the window, spotting Babursu perched on a rooftop with a bag of tomatoes. "Still hate that damn thing," the Toad Sage muttered before sighing. "Suppose that gives me some time to get his training plotted out. Sensei, is your offer still on the table?"
The Hokage nodded. "Yes, should he learn those seals, I'll have a scroll with the Kage Bunshin (Shadow Clone) variations delivered to you."
"Wonderful," Jiraiya said before adding that training to the list of things he would teach Naruto. "Also, I need to remember to tell Kakashi that Naruto's punishment from Nami has been satisfied; if the brat can't waterwalk for half a day after chasing Babursu for a week, I'll eat my hia-ate."
Satisfied, Hiruzen returned his attention to Zabuza and Haku. "I apologize for the interruption. Now, Momochi-san, I believe you had offered me your and your apprentice's loyalty and skills, correct?"
"Correct, Hokage-sama."
"And I had questioned your capacity for loyalty before we were so rudely interrupted, yes?"
"Yes."
"And? Do you have anything to say in your defense?" Hiruzen asked as he slightly leaned forward in his chair and stared straight into the missing-nin's eyes.
Zabuza unflinchingly met the Hokage's gaze as he answered, "Nothing that the brat didn't already say earlier."
The Hokage nodded. He then turned his attention toward Haku, noting how the raven-haired girl's eyes occasionally flicked out the window, presumably trying to spot Naruto. "And what say you, Yuki-san? Do you have any reason as to why I should trust you and your sensei's words?"
Haku's eyes flicked to the Sandaime's as she answered, "None that would assuage your suspicions."
"Hmm?" the Hokage hummed, his eyes alight with interest as he leaned back in his chair. "And what do you mean by that? Elaborate."
"You fear we are infiltrators, and from your position, I can see why," Haku began as her eyes momentarily shifted to the stone-faced Jiraiya before returning to the Hokage, "Jiraiya-sama informed you of our previous conversation-the one that occurred after he subdued Kuriare-meaning that you know that Zabuza-sama planned to have me approach Naruto-kun with the aim of gaining his trust to get an audience with yourself. Thus making all of our actions suspect."
The Hokage slightly inclined his head as he gave the girl a measuring look. "Indeed. But, humor an old man; why do I continue to suspect you after all you and your teacher have done? Did you both not aid in Nami's liberation from Gatō? Did you, Yuki-san, not help save the heiress of one of Konoha's most prominent clans? Did your teacher not eliminate Kurosuki Raiga and secure the Kiba for Konoha's use? Why, then, do I mistrust you?"
"It's because you are old and therefore wise. Wise enough to know that sacrificing a few pieces can capture a king," Haku answered, noting how the ANBU guards stationed in the ceiling corners tensed at her words.
"And is that your play?" the Hokage asked, knowing that all it would take is a single twitch of his finger and the two missing-nins' heads would be on his desk.
"No," Haku said, her eyes warm as she stared unflinchingly at the Hokage. "I'm here because I fell in love with Naruto-kun and wish to make a home with him."
"You seek to join our village because of love? You understand why I doubt your sincerity," the Hokage said as he schooled his features.
"I understand, but that's the truth," Haku said, giving the Hokage a guileless smile.
"And I don't doubt that it is," the Hokage internally mused, "but one can never be too careful in our world." The Sandaime then straightened in his chair. "Then we shall see if that is the case—Neko, Tori, please escort Yuki-san and Momochi-san to T&I for mindwalks."
As soon as the order left his lips, two ANBU guards-one bearing a porcelain mask shaped like a cat and the other a bird-appeared suddenly and silently beside the Hokage, flanking his chair.
"Understood, Hokage-sama," the cat-masked ANBU, Neko, said from the Hokage's right.
"Good," the Hokage said, glancing at the female ANBU before focusing on the two recruits. "I urge you to be forthright with your memories. It will expedite the process and make it far less…unpleasant. Afterward, we may discuss how best you will serve our village," the Hokage addressed, stressing the word 'our.'
The two missing-nins' eyes brightened as they offered the Hokage deep bows and simultaneously said, "Thank you, Hokage-sama."
The leader nodded and bade them leave with the two ANBU, who quickly escorted the ex-Kiri duo out of his office.
A few seconds after the door closed, Hiruzen rose from his chair and walked over to the window to gaze out over the village with a slight smile. His student soon joined him as they both silently looked over the village. "Naruto-kun found himself quite the bright girl. She'll be wise counsel when he takes the hat," the Hokage remarked, breaking the silence that held the office in its soft grip for the last few minutes.
"And is that why you gave her the third degree? To test her?" Jiraiya asked as he spotted his godson get splattered by a tomato, staining the boy's blond locks red. The elderly man smiled as he thought, "The brat might look like a full-blooded Uzumaki come two weeks."
Hiruzen gazed fondly upon the blond boy he considered his grandson as he answered, "Naruto-kun reminds me a lot of Hashirama-sensei. Sensei was an optimist who wanted to help all he could, seeing the best in most people. It was that characteristic that allowed him to form the bonds that saw the creation of this village." Hiruzen's eyes left Naruto and flicked toward the abandoned Uchiha district. "Yet, when one only looks towards the light, they often overlook the shadows; an often fatal mistake."
Jiraiya simply nodded, his eyes glazing over as a pair of yellow reptilian eyes flashed into his mind, followed by an insidious chuckle. Wanting to banish the image from his mind, the Toad Sage joked, "Well, given the brat's bloodlines, I'll expect that he'll have plenty of wise counsel to watch the shadows for him."
"And have you talked to him about the act?" the Hokage asked, an eyebrow raised.
"Err, not. I was kind of hoping that when you revealed his heritage to the Councils he would learn it that way-and you disagree," Jiraiya lamely finished when he saw the slow narrowing of his teacher's eyes.
"Yes, I do. Why would you, his godfather, not tell Naruto now to give him and his current paramour time to adjust to the idea rather than being informed by the Councils?" Hiruzen asked, pinning his former student with his gaze and making the towering man feel as tall as a toddler.
"Well, when you put it that way..." Jiraiya trailed off as he sheepishly scratched the back of his head.
The Hokage sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose before ordering, "Tell him, Jiraiya. And I want it done a week before the Chūnin Exams begin so the inevitable shock has time to wear off."
"Understood, though, when are the exams again?"
"The exams will start in two months, on the first of July. Before you ask, Kakashi has already requested that his team get that time off for training."
"Excellent," Jiraiya said, his mind racing as he tried to formulate a training plan for Naruto. "After two weeks of chasing that monkey menace, Naruto will be better conditioned and have better chakra control, which should make becoming an official Toad Summoner easier. Then, using the remaining time and a crapload of shadow clones, I should be able to get the kid's handwriting good enough for fūinjutsu training, maybe even teach him the seals needed to get those Kage Bunshin (Shadow Clone) variations. With those under his belt, the boy will be a one-man artillery salvo."
"Good, you're dismissed," the Hokage said before returning his attention to the village. A smile graced his face as he saw Naruto chasing Babrsu, looking forward to the results of the boy's efforts.