Hiruzen's POV (Leaf Camp Headquarters - Land of Iron)
Hiruzen wished the job of a Kage ended with the day, but often, the night was saved for unexpected and unpleasant meetings. Unfortunately for the old man, this night was no different. Instead of retiring to his tent, smoking his pipe, and wishing he could sleep in his own bed. Mifune had arrived, asking to speak to him. Hiruzen had momentarily considered telling his men for Mifune to talk to him in the morning. But Mifune had told his men it was necessary, and Hiruzen trusted the man to use his time effectively.
The whole trip for him had been miserable. First, he had to adjust to the cold weather; it had constantly reminded him of each long year he had served. The Samurai had offered more than fair accommodations, a sizeable defensible camp with large and luxurious tents, each heated with an impressive built-in fire pit. Yet he missed his warm and cozy office and comfortable bed. As the Hokage, his tent was the most prominent and nicest furnished, but the cold seemed to eat at him all the same. Secondly, Mifune had arrived with his men, and tension seemed to build. And lastly, Hiruzen feared it was related to the disappearances…
The samurai walked into his room on his lonesome. Standing at the entrance silently and respectfully as if waiting for him. Hiruzen inwardly sighed, but with the patience a long life gave him, he smiled at the man and nodded respectfully as he packed his pipe. Mifune bowed slightly at this before entering the room; he glanced at the seat Hiruzen sat at in front of a coffee table and took the opposite place. Hiruzen didn't acknowledge the man at first; he gathered his thoughts as he lit his pipe with a finger. Mifune took a heated kettle from the fireplace and poured them both drinks, sipping his plain as both men enjoyed the moment of calm before the storm commonly referred to as business. Hiruzen sighed; his stalling was finished as he finished his pipe. Hiruzen tapped the now spent pipe's contents into an ashtray with a rueful puff. He faced Mifune and straightened his posture. The old men who had been relaxing were gone, Replaced by the old inhuman legends they both were.
"Old friend," Hiruzen said pleasantly. "To whatever do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"
"I wish it were a pleasure, Hokage-san," Mifune answered gravely.
"Hokage-san? I see; this will be an unpleasant conversation, then. I assume this is regarding the disappearances of several of my men in your land." Hurzen said this calmly, but the ocean of killing intent that seemed to set in the room betrayed his upset nature. Hiruzen knew better than to think Mifune was fully responsible. But there was no question Mifune and his men had sworn to see to the safety of all visitors. Something Hiruzen would not take lightly.
"Indeed." Mifune responded plainly; the seasoned man did not flinch at the considerable wave of intent that washed over him. "Despite the efforts of some of my best men, there is no evidence of them being taken or who did so."
"No evidence of being taken?" Hiruzen asked incredulously.
"According to my men, it was clear they were attacked, with nearly all of them having struggled to some content. But the methodology of such and where they went is a mystery. It seems some third party somehow attacked and took several of your Genin."
"You realize my men going missing here places responsibility on you, correct?" Hiruzen asked with a raised brow.
"Of course, it goes without saying that we and our forces have nothing to"
"HOKAGE-SAMA!" A loud, boisterous voice called out as a group approached. Both older men flinched and gazed at the new arrivals. Several of them leaked killer intent, even making the two legends take notice. The group was headed by the ever-passionate Might Gai. Behind him stood a hesitant-looking Kakashi, angry Mikoto and apologetic Shisui Uchiha, a furious Tsume, and a concerned Choza. "I am terribly sorry to interrupt! But I am guided by Youth, and it demands action!" Gai ranted to the nod of the group behind him. He stopped as he eyed Mifune. "I see you are already discussing such! Excellent!"
"Sorry Hokage-san." Kakashi said while rubbing the back of his head. "I tried to convince him to wait, but he insisted upon seeing you." In truth, it had been a combination of Gai and Ino coming and encouraging him that had led to Kakashi coming. Though he had a sinking suspicion about what decision would be made…
"It's our damn right!" Tsume interrupted. "Especially when some pissants are messing with our pups! We want to know what's the plan to find them and who's ass we're kicking if we don't."
"Tsume is correct in some ways. I mostly want my boy found." Choza added his opinion on the matter. "That being said, whoever is guilty will feel the wrath of the Akimichi for this."
"The Uchiha as well." Mikoto said darkly upset to see one of her few remaining family members go missing.
"Though primarily we wish to find, not cause trouble." Shisui agreed with a sigh. "Please tell me you've found them, Mikoto is liable to snap any minute."
Hiruzen hesitated as he thought about how to spin this well. But Mifune did not share his hesitation; the samurai stood and lowered himself to the floor in a deep bow, apologizing and acknowledging each of them.
"The Land of Iron had no hand in these mysterious kidnappings; we are certainly somewhat guilty in the sense we failed to assure their safety within our land. As such, I have motivated many of my troops to search all of the surrounding area as well as the entirety of the Land of Iron. You can be assured if they are here, we will find them. We will keep you in the loop regarding information, but that is all I can offer for now." Mifune recited, standing to face the crowd.
"The hell are you saying?!" Tsume roared, incensed. "You assured us we'd be safe here; now, one of my litter is missing, and that's all you have to offer?!"
"I sincerely hope there is more…" Mikoto warned as her Sharingan spun wildly.
"Please calm down; I'm sure they'll allow us to do our own investigation as well. We'll surely find them if they don't. I'll head it myself." Shisui assured, glancing towards Mifune.
"Of course, it'll be a limited team, but such is the norm for international incidents. Mifune and I were discussing such." Hiruzen intervened, sensing the tension in the room building.
"I'm afraid I cannot allow such." Mifune replied frankly. The room fell silent at the declaration, but only for a moment. Mikoto, Gai, and Tsume all attempted to stomp forward angrily, only to be held back by Shisui, Kakashi, and Choza respectfully. Mifune did not flinch even as he dealt with the creative threats from Mikoto and Tsume and the odd dressing down of "Youth" Gai described.
Hiruzen allowed his mind to process this as the chaos built. It could have been better; many of those missing were heirs and other prominent shinobi. Furthermore, it burned Hiruzen to even consider allowing his own to be harmed and not acting. Yet Mifune was a reasonable man; if he denied them, it was likely for a good reason. Besides, if they acted against their wishes, it would incite an international incident and potentially lead to a war… unacceptable. His mind was made up. Now decided, he glanced at both parties and sighed as he flexed a sizable portion of his chakra. The chakra made the air in the room swirl and the tent quiver and sway; it broke through the disorder and allowed Hiruzen to grab the attention of all of them.
"I appreciate that my subordinates are so passionate; it brings me pride to know you all intend to protect your own fiercely. But you must allow me to deal with matters such as these. It is why I'm Hokage, after all." Hiruzen assured the group, who slowly settled down as Hiruzen faced Mifune. They still didn't like it but knew better than to argue at that moment. "That being said, I would have you explain."
"I intended to." Mifune sniped back. "As you know, I am not the leader of this land, leader of its military, yes, but not its political leader nor the leader of the people of it. As such, when it comes to international law, I must default to the laws put in place by the council."
"Meaning?" Hiruzen asked patiently.
"Meaning until the council members meet regarding these events, I must bar you from investigating the matter. Or performing any unapproved actions." Mifune continued.
"You have no right." Choza countered. "We should be able to pursue this, especially when we're down multiple shinobi. You surely cannot intend to bar us from getting involved."
"Perhaps in most cases, but when it comes to shinobi law, it is different in the Land of Iron. In the past, the Five Kage and the General worked out a peace agreement proposed by the Elder Samurai Council. This has several rules; the main theme is the outright banning of shinobi work in the Land of Iron. There can be exceptions, but the council must vote on such." Mifune told them gravely.
"Why the hell should we listen?!" Tsume countered. "We have sons and daughters missing!"
"One of my family is lost here, and you expect me to sit idly by?" Mikoto whispered darkly.
"WHAT OF THE YOUTH?!" Gai yelled passionately.
But Hiruzen merely shook his head as he interjected. Once again, the group fell silent as their leader chimed in. "So when could we get the Elder Samurai Council to decide on this?"
"They won't be back in session till after the exams." Mifune explained. "I know this could crush the odds to save them, and I'm sorry. My men are working tirelessly in the investigation, and I am using my sway to convince the council as we speak. But for now, you must simply wait. You have my word. What can be done will be."
The group of Jounin all roared in defiance at this, save for Shisui and Kakashi, who eyed Hiruzen with sad but accepting eyes and eyes respectfully. Hiruzen sighed again as he spoke, knowing his people would be dissatisfied and potentially incensed by this. "There is no other way?" He asked. Mifune gravely shook his head no. "But after the exams?"
"I can convince the council to allow some activity, likely not a high-level mission, though." Mifune explained honestly.
"Then so be it." Hiruzen decided grimly. His subordinates were silent at this; they knew not to openly critique his choices, yet Hiruzen could feel the weight of their disappointment settle on his shoulder. It was a familiar weight. "Goodnight." He dismissed simply. Without argument, the combined group marched out of the room, each furious. Even the ever-controlled and kind Gai offered a dark glare at the Hokage. The tent fell silent as they crawled out of it. Mifune and Hiruzen stared at each other; years of experience allowed the two to understand each other on a level others could never. "That being said." Hiruzen began again. "If they are not found, I hope you realize I'll be expected to react. And for my village to react, I shall."
"You crave peace, Hiruzen; let's not pretend otherwise. Reacting would end poorly for both of us. Primarily when one of our rivals picks apart the pieces in this hypothetical." Mifune retorted.
"Yet react, I will." Hiruzen promised darkly. "This job often leads to watching the ones under your order die following them. You never get used to it, and it merely becomes one of the mistakes that haunts a leader. If it turns out you do not allow us to pursue this and they are not found…" Hiruzen warned as he politely guided Mifune out of his tent. "You'll find crossing the Leaf is one as well."
"We are innocent despite how it looks, Hiruzen." Mifune promised.
"I believe you, but I hope I do not regret such." Hiruzen countered as he was left alone. He slouched lower into his comfortable chair as the stress of the day drifted off of him. Before he could fully relax, his mind decided on another decision. "Shadow Anbu!"
An Anbu clothed in all-black clothing and a dark mask appeared and kneeled in the tent's center.
"Ensure the news of these disappearances does not spread!" Hiruzen ordered. The masked man nodded as he vanished. One more weary sigh emanated from the Hokage as he closed his eyes. "I'm too old…
Hiruzen sighed wondering how many more times he would deal with peril…
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Samui's POV (Cloud Camp Headquarters - Land of Iron)
Samui was led by A's secretary, Mabui, to the Raikage's tent. She had known her leader would call for her soon, especially with what he would see as a failure by her teammates. Samui was hesitant, unsure she could defeat Naruto Uzumaki, yet she knew A would demand it. Samui knew failure wasn't something A tolerated. He usually punished such severely, but Samui was cool with that. She had suffered much before. She just hoped the punishment wouldn't fall on Atsui.
Mabui had been the secretary for A for years now and, by all metrics, was the perfect fit for such. Patient for the chaotic and often loud and violent scene that was the Raikage's life, kind and charming to ensure she didn't suffer A's wrath, strong enough to be helpful, and compliant to a fault. All traits A valued in those beneath him. Samui wasn't fond of A, but Mabui was a woman she had always respected. Mabui had been one of the few to take pity on her after her family's fall and often offered advice and lessons. She had grabbed Samui by the wrist and wordlessly led her away from the main camp. Samui knew to listen to the woman and trusted her to inform her of what was happening. Maybe not to keep a secret, but she was cool despite that.
"Raikage-sama wishes to discuss the performance of Team Bee in the exams so far, your upcoming match with Naruto Uzumaki, and a new order to follow." Mabui lectured as they marched through the camp, primarily empty due to the fair soon to be held.
"Cool." Samui replied blandly. Samui liked Mabui but knew better than to trust the woman entirely. She reported to A regarding anything of note. Even when it came to her friends. Mabui had cemented her spot in A's inner circle by selling out her husband's conspiracy against the Raikage. Samui had no doubt she would not be entirely safe either.
Mabui stopped their trek and walked into a random tent. Samui followed, confused. As she entered, she saw Mabui whispering to a Jounin before the man nodded and left, activating a sound seal to ensure privacy on his way out.
Before Samui could process this, Mabui turned with a serious face as she stared at Samui. "You have always been one of A's favorite kunoichi; he chose you to lead his brother's unit, spared your brother for his treason, and now confers with you during the Chunin Exams." Mabui listed.
Samui frowned at the topic; something about this felt dangerous. Mabui almost seemed desperate to make Samui understand. "Your point? Being vague is only cool in casual conversation." Mabui smiled sadly at this.
"My point is that success differs for us as a Kunoichi." Mabui explained. "How we achieve it, what it means, how others perceive it. We are similar to shinobi in strength yet have a flair for more… unique situations. We tend to be more social, subtle, and successful regarding the more cerebral aspects of being ninja. A will ask you to do something you may not want to do. Something that many substantial kunoichi are asked to do. I warn you to consider what it means to what he says and what it means to refuse it. The problem may seem unsolvable, but when that time comes, you'll discover the true strength of a woman. Adaptability."
Samui frowned at the conversation. Mabui was all over the place? What did she mean? "What exactly is he going to ask me to do? Why are you saying all of this?"
Mabui smiled melodramatically at this. "Because I had a similar moment to this one. I had no one to offer me advice and no time to consider my choice… I made a choice… a choice and regretted it every day since. Consider. Everything. Carefully." She lectured before deactivating the jutsu and marching out of the tent without a word.
Samui was frozen by the odd conversation and the intense feelings Mabui had radiated. Were things truly ever going to be cool? But as she always had done, Samui swallowed her anxiety and feelings and marched forward. Having to speedwalk to catch up to Mabui. The woman seemed locked into her own world, and Samui didn't bother pulling her from such.
The rest of their trek was uneventful and silent. Both women locked into their minds as they traveled, but soon enough, they arrived at the large tent created for the Raikage. Samurai and Anbu alike held a loose perimeter around the tent. As they did at each camp to ensure the Kage were kept safe. Two Anbu marched forward and briefly discussed their presence with Mabui. After a short whispered conversation, Mabui locked eyes with Samui and nodded her into the Raikage's tent. Though she noticeably stayed behind.
Samui entered, head bowed and respectfully silent as she emerged into the tent. In lieu of a standard setup, the room was full of weights, weapons, and booze. A was currently doing one-handed push-ups. Using the other hand to hold onto a glass of sake. Samui, familiar with the odd A, was silent as he worked. She waited patiently as the man worked out, knowing that interrupting him would not be taken well.
A was someone Samui held both great contempt and respect for. On one hand, the man was the reason Samui was alone. He had killed her father and mother and only spared her brother for her loyalty. Yet A also was the man who had made her home the superpower it was. He was a man Samui could never imagine being defeated or usurped. A simply was too mighty, crafty, connected, a true Raikage in every sense. Samui loved her village and, as such, begrudgingly accepted A.
Two main contributing factors made A such an effective leader. One was his indomitable strength; even among the other Kage, A was known for his absurd physicality and power ninjutsu. The other was the utter loyalty he commanded from his men. Samui was not indeed that unique of a case; he was known for his harsh treatment of anything he deemed "traitorous."
Likely having known she was there from the start, pushed himself up with his arms. Impressive using mere arm strength to go from prone to standing. At first, he did not acknowledge Samui as he toweled off access sweat and sat on a couch facing away from the fire. A offered Samui no seat, nor did she go to sit. With a weary sigh, he guzzled down the still-held glass of sake before he decided to acknowledge her.
"Samui, I am happy you did not keep me waiting. Did Mabui brief you on the meeting? I told her not to, but the woman gets ideas in her head." He likely was asking such to punish Mabui if she had.
Samui responded quickly, which was a key to getting through a conversation with A smoothly. "No, she explained you wished to see me and asked my opinion on the likely victor of the exams." Samui felt a tiny sliver of fear within her as she lied. While she was loyal to her home, she knew being such did not mean she must be loyal to A. Besides, it would be uncool to rat out Mabui, who had stuck her neck out for Samui.
"Hmmm." A openly considered her words. "You know better than to lie to me, I suppose. Anyway, I first wanted to discuss your team's exam performance."
Samui flinched. While she may have defeated Ino and represented her home well. Her teammates could have done better. Karui failed the second test, and Omoi in the third. Samui doubted such impressed the harsh and judgeful A.
"This performance is nothing short of disastrous." A said with contempt; his anger led to him leaking a small amount of killing intent. "Karui did not even make it to finals; she will be on probation for the next year and going through the training such demands. She's lucky I don't demote her."
"She was placed, unfortunately, with our team. She surely would've made it further." Samui excused. She was desperate to defend her teammates.
"Yet you and Omoi were fine!" A snapped. "We of the Cloud are not weak; we cannot afford such a thing now. Karui will go through emergency training as you did before. Then, she will serve on probation; if she fails, she will be punished as expected. Omoi will be going through the same. While he performed better than that weakling Karui, his fight was embarrassing. For that, he will be on probation and face the same hellish emergency training Karui will."
"Raikage-sama, please, I barely survived such; they may not be so fortunate." Samui reasoned. "I will save our reputation."
"Ha! You face the jinchuriki of the Leaf next; the boy hasn't been truly slowed down yet and hasn't bothered to use his beast. We both know you cannot hope to beat him." A coldly responded.
Samui felt anger swell but expertly buried such. Despite the bold lack of faith A had shown her, her expression did not shift. Samui doubted she could defeat Naruto, but hearing her leader say such made her furious. She had served A as well as any Genin and survived the hellish "emergency training" given to shinobi A felt needed. And as a proud kunoichi of the Cloud. Yet A had already assumed she would fail.
A aware of the inner turmoil of Samui but uncaring continued. "These exams are a bust for us. Yet, I see a path for profit all the same. Better yet, I see a use for you, Samui; you can aid our homeland in a way few could."
Samui kneeled respectfully; as conflicted as she was, listening to A was something she was used to. "I will serve as I always have Raikage-sama."
"Heh, I knew you would, Samui, I knew you would. Firstly, while you cannot beat Uzumaki in straight combat, you can affect him in other ways." A explained.
"Sir?"
"From what I saw, you have become somewhat close to Naruto Uzumaki, haven't you?" A asked with a smirk; he pulled another bottle of sake from behind the couch and filled then chugged another glass.
Samui's mind raced; she maintained her outward cool using all of her willpower, but terror raced through her. A had used her for missions many times before, but rarely did it contain someone she considered a friend. Samui briefly entertained lying to A. But her loyalty and logic stopped such. He asked, but he likely already knew the answer. He was testing her loyalty. Samui did not wish to bring A's attention to Naruto, but she had no choice.
"Yes." She answered simply. Despite the single word it felt like a drastic betrayal.
A laughed from his gut at the announcement. "Excellent!"
"Sir?" Samui asked, confused, some of the dread leaving her body. Somehow, he was happy? "Excellent?"
"Of course, see, the Exams have nothing left to offer the Cloud, but that doesn't mean we can't find a benefit to our time here. See, as I'm sure you are aware, jinchuriki are not beloved by the average person. They contain beasts that dwarf even the Five Kage in power, able to unleash it upon any great emotional stress or death. Truly a walking, talking, terrifying timebombs. As such, they are usually socially exiled, often living short and tragic lives. But in our great land, such is different. We recognize jinchuriki as the powerful weapons they are and treat them as such. Both Bee and Yugito are treated fairly well by citizens and given respect by their peers. As were their predecessors and all jinchuriki of the Cloud." A explained.
"Of course, sir, we've always recognized such, but what does that have to do with Naruto and me?" Samui asked.
"Everything, see Naruto Uzumaki is a rather unique case. These exams show the Leaf foolishly attempted to keep his jinchuriki status a secret. In an attempt to calm the foolish citizen that lives there, the Leaf convinced the Nine-Tails had died or disappeared. And somehow, for a while, it worked! Naruto Uzumaki has lived a relatively normal life." A chuckled cruelly at this. "But now that the truth has been exposed, Naruto Uzumaki faces the burden all jinchuriki carry. Our spy has been working hard to get us this information. A perfect time for a third party to get involved. See, I want you to convince Naruto Uzumaki to abandon the Leaf and join the Cloud instead."
Samui was stunned by the order. Naruto quickly became someone she admired and reminded her of her brother in all the best ways. Having him come home would be… enjoyable. But Naruto would never do so. "I… am cool with the order, of course, sir. But I fear Naruto Uzumaki is not the man to betray his friends."
"Oh, that is to be certain; those foolish Leaf fools are always led by their foolish hearts. Something I, and by proxy you, can easily take advantage of. Your mission is simple: convince him to do so. What is the method? By any means necessary, you know how I feel about failure. Seduce and bed him, befriend him and gain his trust, learn a secret, and blackmail him. The method matters little as long as he does so. He'll join us to get the love and attention he doubtlessly craves. We'll gain a powerful new soldier for our home, and he'll thank us for it!" A explained with a smug smile.
Samui was now close to cracking; it took more control than she knew she had to not respond impulsively. Instead, she tried to figure things out. Some way to convince the Raikage to avoid this path. Samui respected and admired Naruto; she wouldn't lead him on merely to trick and seduce him? Indeed, A did not expect her to honestly do such. She wasn't that kind of woman! Samui's mind settled on an excuse, and with calmness she did not feel, she cautiously began her counter. "Surely such would not be wise. The Leaf would not sit idly by while we take their jinchuriki." Surely, A would see the logic and change his mind-
"Normally, you would be right. Every village, regardless of their distaste for jinchuriki, recognizes them as the useful political tools they are. Any village that holds one wields a power comparable to any of the five Kage. There could be war taking such a thing, not to mention the potential for the other nations to get involved. No, the ramifications for such would make taking a jinchuriki foolish… Unless, of course, we could hide the fact we've taken such." A explained with a cruel smile. "My men say there are reports of the Leaf losing several Genin. They're trying to keep such information on the hush, but I have spies within the samurai and Leaf. This will provide us with the perfect distraction to win over Naruto Uzumaki without the other villages knowing. By the time it is discovered, the Cloud will simply be too strong to contest. With the power of three jinchuriki, we will rise above the other four "great nations."" A ranted with a relaxed smile.
"Sir, I'm…" Samui started as fear stopped her. As much as she liked Naruto, could she genuinely afford to say no? Atsui would've done so, and Naruto likely as well. But maybe this could work out for the best… No! She would keep her cool and reject this order. "Uncomfortable with this order. I do not wish to deceive Naruto, nor am I comfortable with seducing him. I will, of course, attempt to convince him, but-"
"It matters little." A snapped back. "I don't care if it makes you uncomfortable; you are a kunoichi, one of my kunoichi. I don't care if you force him, bed him, or become his best friend and convince him. You will convince him to return with us." He demanded as he stood and loomed over Samui.
"It's uncool to manipulate others." Samui stated boldly. She looked as if she was bored even as the massive A stood before her. In truth, she was terrified, but thinking of Naruto and Atsui made her feel brave.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
"Perhaps you forget your place. Kunoichi of the Cloud are merely tools, as are all who serve under me; they can kill just as the men and convince enemy men to do their whim. Your beauty and power are a tool for me to use when I see fit. You will do so as all the others have done before you. Get used to it; a beauty like yourself has more than one use, after all… Unless, of course, you wish to see Atsui die…" A threatened darkly.
Samui outwardly flinched as her control snapped.
She couldn't let Atsui die…
She couldn't.
Samui's face didn't change, but tears streamed from both eyes.
"I see you understand now. You must've momentarily forgotten your place. I will forgo your punishment. I assume we understand each other?" A asked, killing intent, flooding the room and causing Samui to drop to her knees.
"Y-yes." Samui answered with great effort.
"YES WHAT?!" A asked as his intent grew even more powerful. Samui dropped prone at this.
"Y-es Rai-Raikage-sama." Samui whispered, voice shaky.
"Good." A answered as he marched back and collapsed onto the couch again. As he faced Samui, he watched her climb back to her feet. "Make sure to dress up nicely for the fair. Use those looks of yours to bag me another useful weapon. It's for his own good anyway."
Samui exited the tent and marched back to her own tent in the camp. She was glad Omoi and Karui were at it already; they deserved to have fun before attending Emergency training. She had to meet with them and pursue her new mission. Besides, A might be right. Maybe it was the best for Naruto…
Samui wasn't sure if she believed it but pretended to.
Had to keep her cool.
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Neji's POV (Edge of Sand Camp - Land of Iron)
The Hyuga sat stoically in a small grouping of trees outside the Sand Camp. The cold bit at his skin, but laser focus allowed him to ignore it. He was here to find someone.
Neji scanned the sand camp from the edges of its territory, looking for him. While the fair would undoubtedly be fun, he always preferred to handle business first, then pleasure. And with the current matchups and potential future ones, the business certainly needed addressing.
If he was tracking any regular person, they would almost surely be at the fair, but Neji's target was anything but ordinary. N Neji suspected Gaara would be near his camp, likely somewhere he was unlikely to be bothered. His Byakugan allowed him to search the camp from a distance. Though it did not allow him great detail, it allowed a rough search for Gaara. He had been looking for a little while and had yet to spot him. He prepared to give up his search and head to the fair. Though with a flinch, Neji saw his search was now over.
Gaara was standing a short distance away from him. Smiling coldly at his back. Neji had not even seen him approach…
"You seem to be searching for something human. Is there something you need?" Gaara said with a taunting smile. "It could be quite the incident… you coming here, especially if it is with ill intent. That wouldn't be the case…" He disappeared and reappeared closer. Mere inches away from Neji. "is it human?"
Neji did not flinch as he turned to face Gaara; instead, his Byakugan glowed in the moonlight as he leaked killing intent at the redhead. "I do not have that as my current goal, no. Though that can be changed, depending on our conversation."
"Shocker." Gaara joked. "The weak human came to talk. Interesting, if nothing else, and what prayer to tell would we be discussing?"
Neji felt his rage grow but held it back. "The upcoming match you have with my cousin and a potential future match with my teammate. I came to warn you that if you harm either, I'll-"
"Kill me, I would guess; you humans are quite unique. So weak compared to others and yet so quick to violence. I suppose that is why I am so violent myself, a sliver of humanity, I suppose. However, I find myself wondering. What will you truly do? If I kill Hinata Hyuga like the weak insect she is, can you truly do anything? What if I kill my own brother, Naruto Uzumaki, as well? Then you will kill me? How? I just have to ask human. You could not even beat Sasuke Uchiha, and I am much more than some human with a chip on their shoulder. I am similar to you humans but have been made greater. I am a monster created by humanity. A being they unknowingly created to subvert them. You, on the other hand, are a failure. Fitting for yet another "genius."" Gaara lectured as he turned his back to Neji.
As he finished his words, Neji could no longer hold his rage. Soundlessly, he fired an air palm at the redhead. A wall of sand formed and absorbed the attack with absurd speed, making Neji freeze at the sound and casual counter. The sand parted as a smiling Gaara marched through.
"Naruto claims that humanity is not weak; he fights for others heedless of himself and is determined to win over you… humans. Yet here you are, living evidence of the flaws of his ideals! Another human lauded as great yet weak!" Gaara ranted. "Word is you lost to Naruto Uzumaki, blameless; how could you best one of mine as a mere human? Then Sasuke Uchiha is pathetic but expected for someone like yourself. At least he was able to beat a lesser jinchuriki. Suppose your something of a measuring stick. Leave the real threats to your monster of a teammate, aye?"
Neji spun in place, activating a massive kaiten that Gaara blocked with his own swirling orb of sand. The force of which pushed Gaara back and wiped out the trees that had hidden Neji. His mind swirled as Gaara's poisoned words echoed throughout it. He had lost a lot recently, Naruto, the criminal, now even Sasuke. What sort of genius was he?
"I may not be the strongest." Neji admitted with a scowl. "But I represent the Hyuga, the genius of the great clan. I will protect my own."
Gaara didn't even seem bothered by Neji's second attack. "The "geniuses," that damn word again. You humans leave your prodigies and geniuses, yet you are a sorrier lot than even my own kin. Manipulated and used till their final day, they are never remembered for their successes but for their one failure. Poor human, you are a remarkable shinobi, but only in your own world. A big fish in a small pond, as they say. Well, welcome to the ocean. Am I the shark from the deep, and I will do as I please…" Gaara stated as he started to walk away. "Will you?"
Neji was frozen by his words and the full killing intent of Gaara settling upon him. Could he truly stop this monster?
"Run along now, genius. Soon enough, I'll see if that was an idle threat." Gaara said, then vanished.
Neji sat silent and still for several moments before screaming in fury and slamming his palm into a tree. The pure force cracked the bark, and the chakra tore the tree in half. Yet Neji knew one thing for sure.
He wasn't strong enough. Yet.
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Shikamaru's POV (Iron Fair - Land of Iron)
Shikamaru knew he wasn't like most men. Hell, certainly nothing like most shinobi. Shikamaru supposed he was similar to his father and other clan members, but even they seemed different. Shikamaru cared little for most things, not because he disliked them, no because he was simply a simple man. He didn't need an exciting life, endless riches, or to be recognized. Shikamaru was more than happy to live a boring and eventful life. Like his father and clan, Shikamaru wanted to do even less.
But he knew it wasn't in the cards for him, even from a young age. Born as the heir of the Nara clan, Shikamaru would never skirt by living an ordinary life. No Shikamaru had been destined to be raised to be a shinobi, a notoriously complex and challenging career. Not to mention likely to have you die a terrible death. In other words, the opposite of Shikamaru Nara, worse yet for the young Shikamaru, was the fact he was talented at it. It had guaranteed he would never escape his fate.
But Shikamaru had made peace with such; he would eventually lead his clan and have a career as a shinobi. But he had been determined to make it as easy as possible. All of which had fallen apart when he had met Naruto Uzumaki.
Much younger than he was now, he had seen a lonely Naruto. Most would've brushed it off and moved on with their day. Shikamaru had certainly debated doing such, but he, as much as he wanted to be, was not expected. Even as a young child, Shikamaru knew the ramifications of allowing Naruto to be isolated. His intelligence did not allow him to be ignorant as such. So Shikamaru had added the young boy to his group of friends. It had been trouble ever since…
Choji was another friend of Shikamaru. A much easier one to maintain than the rambunctious Naruto if he was being frank. The guy was incredibly kind and caring, insecure about himself, and just liked relaxing. All things Shikamaru liked and understood. Naruto was… different.
Loud, confrontational, impulsive, hard-working, determined. All traits that could be applied to Naruto were already disadvantageous by themselves. Some he found simply annoying, the others conflicted with his relaxed nature. Those traits made Naruto a great guy and a future boon for the Leaf, but they also marked a guy who was the opposite of him. Yet oddly enough, Shikamaru had learned to appreciate these values and even wished to support him. Emotions were such a damn drag.
Worse yet, realizing just how difficult the road for Naruto was ahead, Shikamaru found himself trying reasonably hard at this shinobi gig. So much for his easy life...
Said emotions were the reason for the torture he was being subjected to… the cruel and meaningless bottle toss…
"What the hell Tenten? How are you doing this? I can't get one to land!" Naruto complained.
"It's a skill thing." Tenten shrugged.
"Suggesting you lack such." Sai added helpfully.
"I know what she means, you dick!" Naruto snapped. "Hey, vendor! Is this rigged or something? I can literally ricochet kunai off each other in mid-air, yet I can't get a damn ring to land on a bottle!"
The old man with a flowing beard snickered at this while stroking his beard. "It is a difficult skill to master." He commented as Tenten and Sai continued to land at will.
"Sorry Dickless," Sai apologized sincerely. "I suppose you won't be able to get the stuffed tanuki."
"You've won like five times already; just get it for me, your dick!" Naruto replied.
"No, Tenten informed me that dick is an insult and also warned me that being rude is morally wrong." Sai lectured the blonde.
"Calling me dickless is rude!"
"It's a nickname I am displaying friendly teasing." Sai explained.
"Fine, then your nickname is Dick." Naruto declared, tossing a ring and missing.
"Thank you." Sai said earnestly.
"Well, Dick, good work on making a new friend." Tenten joked, ignoring Naruto's pointed denial of such. "And Dickless, I'll win you the tanuki."
"Stop calling me that." Naruto pleaded as Sai missed the point, seeming pleased to be given a nickname.
"Naruto, firstly, aim for the edges; fewer things to block you. Then, flick your wrist quickly and release it when it's straight. The spin keeps it straight. Secondly you promised to not do this Sai." Shikamaru said. Sai nodded his head, his version of an apology. "You too Tenten." Said woman rubbed her head guiltily at such. Lastly, the three of you are a headache." Shikamaru listed with a sigh. Sai seemed to frown as he remembered the promise and nodded his head. He turned to face his friends only to see Naruto and Tenten (now joined by a stuffed tanuki and panda of all things.) running off to another stand that advertised BBQ. "God damn, I need a drink." Shikamaru complained. "Won't even let me smoke here."
"Smoking is bad for you, Shikamaru." Sai replied. Shikamaru gave him a blank stare as he strolled to keep up with his teammates. He supposed he should've known the three of them would be excited. Due to their past, neither Sai nor Tenten had been to a fair, and Naruto had never been with friends. Leading to the ecstatic Naruto and Tenten to lead the group to the various stalls. It was annoying… but Shikamaru had to admit seeing Naruto and Tenten having so much fun was nice. Sai as well, but it was difficult to tell with the man. And Shikamaru struggled to get him to act somewhat normal. Still, while he may not enjoy it, it was nice to see his closest friends happy. He supposed it wasn't all bad.
In fact, Shikamaru could readily admit the fair was stunning in appearance. It was a field that had been cleared of snow and debris, and various wooden stalls had been installed in its place. Some held fair games, others food, and some offered knick-knacks for sale. Iron sheets seemed to shine in the moonlight for each stall. Installed on the roof, the light reflected and offered soft illumination for the fair. This was further augmented by lights between each stall that bathed it in various colors. The snow reflected all this light, making the entire fair glow. Even the cynical Nara had to admit it was a sight to behold.
If only Shikamaru could convince them to laze about at a bar and truly enjoy the night. Such dreams were shattered as an impatient Naruto and Tenten dragged him to another stall; luckily, this one was a sit-down restaurant.
"So this is fair; I can see why Danzo never let us go to these things." Tenten stated in between sips of a glass of water. "I can't think of the last time I had so much fun."
"I can't believe fairs can be this fun with friends! Even if one of them is Shikamaru!" Naruto joked. Both Tenten and him share a laugh at Shikamaru.
"I rather like Shikamaru." Sai said with a frown. Apparently not getting the joke.
"Joke, Sai, it is a joke." Tenten said with a roll of her eyes. Shikamaru didn't bother to add anything. Instead, he ordered a bottle of sake and a glass. "Sheesh, must you drink every time we go out?"
"It's legal, we're shinobi. Besides, you said I needed to cut loose tonight." Shikamaru replied easily. In truth, he never really got all that drunk. He would sip at an even pace as others got drunk around him. And he really did intend to use it to cut loose. Tenten rolled her eyes again but ordered a bottle of sake and three glasses. Once such was given, she filled a glass for them. While Shikamaru waited patiently.
"Shikamaru," She said with a smile. "Naruto, Sai. We celebrate tonight because of progress, because of opportunity, because I need to forget Naruto kicked my ass." Tenten said. Shikamaru rolled his eyes, while the Root had certainly complicated the woman. It hadn't managed to fully get rid of her spunk. Secretly, Shikamaru enjoyed it.
"Cheers." Shikamaru replied with a smile while raising a glass.
"Cheers?" Sai asked, confused. He mimicked Shikamaru but clearly didn't understand.
"Cheers!" Naruto cheered as he slammed the glass. Shikamaru, Tenten, and bewildered Sai followed him. "Let's have some fun tonight!" Naruto roared. Tenten laughed at his decree and thought Shikamaru had told him to be quiet. If he was being honest.
He loved his friends…
And a nice drink…
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Hinata's POV (Medical Tent of Leaf Camp - Land of Iron)
Hinata sat by the bed next to Sasuke. It was a position she was used to holding. Sasuke was a workaholic and often worked himself till he collapsed. It was simply a quirk of their odd team. The formation of Team Six had been an odd one from the start. Kabuto and Hinata were soft personality types thrown in with the aggressive Sasuke. Sasuke had quickly deemed the two useless, unhappy to have them. Kabuto and her had worked together to support and win over their teammate. It took a while and several interventions by a rueful Shisui, but they eventually earned Sasuke's respect and friendship.
Then Kabuto disappeared, and they were told by Shisui that he had launched an assault on his team during the Trial of Nio, leading to the injury and death of most of them before fleeing. It had rocked the recently cemented bonds of the teams. She and Sasuke had quickly grown apart without the charismatic Kabuto playing mediator.
Such had continued to get worse until a taijutsu spar one day. Sasuke had been winning, of course, and had been frustrated by it. Determined to see some fight from her, Hinata was taunted and mocked by the Uchiha until her rage was freed. She could not remember the spar, but it had ended with the two of them battered and bruised. Sasuke had discovered her temper, and she seemed determined to trigger it once it had been found. The two clashed more and more; Sasuke seemed determined to face the temper, and Hinata grew more frustrated by it. Before, Hinata had done what Team Six had never seen since its formation. Defeat Sasuke in a spar; it had been a silent conclusion. But ever since then, Sasuke has treated her with civility and respect. Even often encouraging her and acknowledging her as an equal. Combined with Neji's efforts, they had managed to form the new her. Still polite and humble, but willing to fight when necessary. She is proud of herself and determined to become even better.
Perhaps that explained her anger as she gazed upon her injured and beaten teammate. Hinata had been mortified during the match when he used his ace. To see the pain it had cost not only his opponent but himself, it had been painful to see as his friend. Worse yet, Sasuke had been heedless of the risk. That anger calmed the usually nervous and antsy woman as she decided on her action.
The two of them were in a large tent separated into rooms by flaps enforced with sound seals for privacy. While mostly healed from his injuries from his clash with Fuu, Sasuke was still suffering from chakra exhaustion. And was bedridden till tomorrow. Awake but seemingly content in the silence, the Uchiha was zoned out. Likely not expecting Hinata to say anything.
"Why." Hinata states bluntly. Her eyesight was stronger than most, even without the Byakugan active. As such, she saw him subtly flinch as he drew from his thought and lazily slid his gaze at her.
"Why what?"
"Why must you be so reckless? Why risk your life at these exams? Why risk others?" Hinata asked again. Her voice held no stutter, and her Byakugan had reflexively turned on due to her anger.
She watched as Sasuke pondered this before he offered his response.
"Because it's who I am." Sasuke replied.
"You realize dying would not fulfill your goal, nor would crushing others." Hinata criticized.
"If I did anything less than my absolute best, it would dishonor my family. I cannot be sure of why, but my family was destroyed and discredited. I cannot allow this to stand as long as I still do. I have already traded my own life and the lives of those who would stand in my way. Besides, Fuu was no regular person; it took everything I had to take her down. I'm not sure what it would take to kill her." Sasuke explained.
Hinata wasn't sure what to say. She knew this would be his answer somewhere deep inside her, but she wasn't sure how to refute it. Was Sasuke going to tear himself apart for his goals? Was it right of her to impede such?
"Hinata, you need to surrender." Sasuke interrupted her thoughts. I changed the topic, recognizing it wasn't going anywhere. "Gaara is without a doubt the strongest Genin present. Fuu was a joker and would've beaten most of us with ease. Gaara is the same as her but is motivated. I'm certain he'll defeat you, worried he may do even more."
"Hypocrite." Hinata replied icily. "You can risk yourself for your ideals, but I can't do the same? You motivate me to try my best, then tell me not to try?"
"Hinata, that's not what I." Sasuke stopped as a furious Hinata stomped out of the room. "Damnit… Gaara of the Sand… if you dare take one of mine… I'll kill you…" Sasuke vowed to himself, now alone.
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Ino's POV (Iron Fair - Land of Iron)
Ino slowly marched through the fair, feeling incredibly lonely. Things were still awkward between her and Naruto; Neji was missing in action, and the same was true for Sakura. Her other friends were either missing or likely hanging out with Naruto. Instead, the Yamanaka slinked around the edges of the fair, attempting to take in the sights but mostly looking out for those she was trying to avoid.
Of course, things couldn't work out so neatly. Perhaps Ino's time in Team Seven had made her and Naruto develop the same taste. When she had chosen a location to mope, she discovered Naruto and Team Eight were present. A slick and regretful getaway had allowed her to avoid the complicated mess that was her love life/friendship with one Naruto Uzumaki. Furthermore, she felt conflicted by Tsunade's message.
How to repair things with Naruto, what it means to be a kunoichi, and if Ino could match her teammates. The woes pursuing Ino whirled through her mind. The young woman walked through the fair in an emotional daze. She gazed at a more oversized stall advertised as a dango bar, bringing Ino memories of her temporary sensei, Anko Mitarashi. Perhaps that was why she walked in, got a booth, and settled in with a pile of dango and sake. A habit Anko had seemingly instilled in her. As a Yamanaka, Ino knew this was a form of mimicry from her role model. A chilling thought her seeing Anko as an idol, but she supposed she needed guidance…
God, booze made her introspective. Her mind was interrupted by her booth shaking slightly as someone haphazardly plopped down into it. Ino jumped at such, then leveled a glare at the interrupter. The dark-haired Iwa kunoichi smiled at her as she poured herself a glass of liquor from the bottle Ino had bought. Ino, in a bad mood and not wanting some random woman to mess with her, drew and fired a kunai with lightning speed mere centimeters of the face of Kurotsuchi. Said the woman, freezing before barking with laughter as she sipped her glass.
"Ino wasn't it? We were on the same team in part one. I think I fought your monster of a teammate." She asked while sipping at her stolen booze.
"Yes," Ino said, her tone defensive and frosty. "Why do you ask, better yet, why are you here? If you want revenge, then just leave, I won't have mercy for some bitch gunning for my teammate. What was your name anyway?" Ino felt her rage bubble as she spoke; sniping at someone without guilt felt good.
"Ahahahaha!" Kurotsuchi roared, slamming her fist on the table, heedless of the other patrons who glared at them. Though none dared approach, almost all of them had seen the matches of Ino and Kurotsuchi, and while they hadn't won, it was clear they were strong. "See, before, you were friendly and funny, which was nice, but you lacked some fire! Now I can see a bit of a badass out of you. Glad to see Blondie has a teammate just as fun as he is."
Ino felt annoyed at Kurotsuchi so casually using her affectionate nickname of her teammate. But buried it down, more than happy to ignore such to accept the compliment. It felt nice to talk to someone, and it was simple and guilt-free. Ino smiled as she raised her glass, and Kurotsuchi slammed hers into Ino's, both girls chugging their drinks and refilling their glasses with content sighs.
"So we're just drinking and eating off the loss, or is something else up?" Kurotsuchi said as she twirled her glass with a raised brow. Ino froze at the odd question. "Oh, come on, drinking, eating absurd amounts of unhealthy food, and doing so on your lonesome? I recognize a night of moping when I see it."
Ino sighed but nodded her head. "Frustrated with myself, not only am I weak, but I hurt one of my friends with my big mouth. Just trying to enjoy the night somehow… pretend like everything isn't fucked up." Ino said cynically as she sipped her glass once again. She was already feeling tipsy, but her misery liked the buzz.
"Ah, so I see." Kurotsuchi said plainly. "You're upset you messed up with Blondie, and even more upset you couldn't beat Miss D-Cups for him. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for moping a little bit. After all, your ass of a teammate kicked my own. Lords knows I did some pouting of my own." She said while guzzling her glass and setting it down with a sigh.
Ino weakly glared at her but morosely nodded all the same. "Utterly embarrassing, I hurt the guy's feelings, declare my victory for him, then lose. What kind of teammate am I? Hell, what kind of kunoichi even…"
"A normal one, I would say." Kurotsuchi replied with ease. "Personally, I fail a lot, more so than I like. My grandfather mastered one of the rarest ninjutsu styles, yet I seem helpless to master such. I was also defeated today after a declaration of my own. See us, kunoichi are a little different from regular shinobi."
"So I've heard." Ino complained, looking into her glass with a frown.
"Assuming you got some spiel about how it's so different for us that we have to basically forgo ourselves to match our male counterparts?" Kurotsuchi asked. Ino blinked, stunned at the accurate guess. "Yeah, I've heard the shit too. Crushing, isn't it?"
"Yes!" Ino yelled out passionately. "It's like I have more problems than I can handle already, and now, just because I'm a woman, there's even more coming." She slumped in her seat as the flame of anger burned out as quickly as it came. "I'm trying my best, but it all feels hopeless…"
"I suppose it might be if you were some pussy and not a kunoichi." Kurotsuchi countered. "Trust me, I've been there. But I've got the perfect answer."
"The perfect answer?" Ino asked doubtfully.
"Of course! Spite is the answer, my young student." Kurotsuchi started.
"Not your student."
"See, I've always had a chip on my shoulder. Always was looked down upon and doubted. It ate away at me until I realized I could use it, had to use it." Kurotsuchi explained. "I took all the frustration and such it caused me and used it as fuel. The world may doubt you, and you may fail, but if you stay as sure as stone, in the end, you will prevail. And victory will be all the sweeter for it. My grandpa said that to me when I was young, which has always stuck with me. So, while we may be looked down upon and even fail. We do so knowing eventually we will succeed and be acknowledged for such."
"Is this some sort of reasoning behind your superiority complex?" Ino asked frankly. "Because my team really doesn't need another ego on it."
"No, Ino, I'm starting to see Blondie's point on some things; it's making me reconsider some things… But this is more of how I keep going. It never gets easy, Ino, but if we as women persevere, we can do anything we set our mind to. Even surpass our male rivals, and one day we will. But until then, we gotta keep strong. Be confident and smart, and everything they expect of us. One day, we'll change the game when we can! … if that makes sense… I'm not very good at this comforting thing." Kurotsuchi finished lamely. "Always got into a good fight when I was upset."
Ino chuckled earnestly at her new friend. Kurotsuchi was right, and her words didn't fully comfort her. They filled her with hope; truthfully, she understood what Kurotsuchi meant. Perhaps she just needed to keep going. "No, no, you not, but somehow that helps. Why are you helping anyway?"
"Ugh, I hate to admit it, but Blondie kinda made sense in our fight… somehow that idiot had a clearer picture of what it meant to be a Kage to me… and is oddly…" Kurotsuchi paused, searching for the right words.
"Wise and caring yet confusing and infuriating?"
"Yes! For some reason, it wasn't enough to kick my ass, but he had to psychoanalyze me and set out to change me for the better! And worse… it's kinda fucking working!" Kurotsuchi complained. "I'm already acting nice to you, Leaf Hippies! And now I can see why that is so problematic… your boyfriend is a damn pain in the ass, hippie."
Ino raised a brow and leveraged another kunai. To which Kurotsuchi smiled apologetically.
"Sorry reflex… anyways. After Naruto won, I couldn't help but wonder if my need to be better and my perceived superiority of myself and my home were holding me back as a person… Maybe that's what that old bastard always refers to when he says I have growing to do… anyway when I saw you moping, it reminded me of his words. Felt like talking to you would be the right thing to do." Kurotsuchi said with an odd tone.
"Thank you…" Ino was somewhat touched by Kurotsuchi for helping and was amazed to see Naruto's influence.
"Eh, wouldn't have come if I realized how heavy this would be." Kurotsuchi teased. Ino felt a little happier as she smiled.
"Well, wanna pig out with me and get drunk to forget our embarrassment?" Ino asked, hoping to fix the awkward atmosphere.
"I thought you'd never ask."
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Samui / Drunk Naruto's POV (Iron Fair - Land of Iron)
Samui found herself glad her teammates weren't around. Even more so, A had the wherewithal to ban Bee from coming. As much as she loved her team, she had more than enough problems on her hands without juggling them as well.
It was disappointing this fair had become business for her. Samui had always found them cool and traditionally beautiful; fairs were something Samui had always enjoyed. Even now, she did so to a limited degree, but mostly, she searched for Naruto. It was a new feeling for Samui, while for reasons outside of social nature, she could not say she was used to chasing the guy.
Truthfully, Samui was unsure what she would do upon finding the Uzumaki. She must see him; she had said she would do so, and not doing so would be uncool. Yet doing so was inherently uncool due to A asking her to do so to manipulate her new friend. Despite A's orders, Samui had plans to further befriend Naruto. He was… interesting to her, similar to her brother, yet different… perhaps she should do as A said? Naruto was a pretty cool guy, and it would be nice to have someone else around. Yet guilt still made it feel wrong.
Samui's search had yet to succeed even a couple of hours into the fair. Seemingly, Naruto had either left or not even attended. Just as she intended to leave and accept her punishment for failure, a familiar and slurred voice rang out.
"You thought you could outdrink me? I'm no pushover, ya know?!"
"Cool…" Samui sighed as she marched into the stall. The bar was largely empty despite the busy fair it was held at. The barkeep seemed bored and upset, perking up slightly when he saw her. Only to slouch when she gestured towards the only patrons. Samui smiled apologetically as she walked towards the back.
In the aisle seemed to be a pale-skinned male who was passed out on the ground on the outside of the booth. Samui noted such and stepped over the man; she had no time for drunks. Well… this one anyway…
Inside the both were a litany of empty sake bottles. They are separated into neat piles assembled in front of each person. Shikamaru Nara, the man who had unintentionally avenged her teammate, had two empty bottles and was sipping lazily from a third. She believed Tenten, the woman she recognized from Naruto's first fight in the finals; to her credit, the woman had four bottles in front of her. She held her head in her hands and seemed to be lamenting something. Finally, it was her target; he had six bottles before him and was guzzling a seventh. Naruto Uzumaki, someone her leader had demanded she somehow win over.
And he was surrounded by protective friends, and they were all drunk…
Cool…
Somehow, the group seemed oblivious to her arrival. They continue on, needing to be made aware of their waiting audience.
"How. The. Hell. Can you drink so fucking much…" Tenten complained. "It feels like the room is spinning, and you've drank twice as much as me…"
"I warned you. Shoulda paced yourself like me." Shikamaru spoke in a slow slur. "Shoulda listened; jinchuriki are hosts of all sorts of extreme um… shit, what's the world?"
"Awesomeness!" Naruto offered.
"No less stupid." Shikamaru responded.
"Bullshit?" Tenten guessed, then hiccuped. Now, entirely collapsing on the table.
"No…" Shikamaru said with a glance, Samui saw him notice her. "But it works… Naruto, what's with the chick?"
"Chick?" Naruto asked confusedly before his gaze landed on her. "Samui! I missed you! Drink with us!"
"I think you've had enough." Samui answered honestly.
"A good uh? Rundown?" Shikamaru asked?
"Beatdown." Naruto guessed.
"Assessment." Samui answered with a smile. While this wasn't perfect, their inebriated states would at least make isolating Naruto easy.
"Someone gets it. Anyway, you want to speak to Naruto or something?" Shikamaru asked. Samui flinched, realizing even drunk off his ass Shikamaru was sharp… "Bring him home a man~" Shikamaru sang with a giggle. 'Or he's shitfaced.' Samui rolled her eyes, grabbed Naruto's hand, and led him off. Samui did not see when the drunk man straightened and narrowed his eyes at them as they wandered off, nor did she notice a tiny mouse following them out.
Drunk Naruto's POV
It was hard to focus; what was he doing? Was he drunk? Surely, Naruto Uzumaki wasn't drunk. He hadn't been since that little get-together they had a while back. It had led to an embarrassing and confusing night. He had learned his lesson…
Where the hell was he again?
Drinking with his excellent buddy Shikamaru and his teammates, he believed. Man, he loved those guys; they always had his back… wait, hadn't he been taken away?
Oh yeah! His new friend Samui had shown up and had asked to speak to him. Naruto wondered what she wanted… oh wait… she was speaking…
"Naruto, were you listening?" Samui asked, concerned. "Maybe it's best I wait to talk to you till later…"
Naruto's mind whirled wildly as it formulated a response. It calculated the risk and the purpose of the conversation. His mind was a machine that formulated the perfect response.
"Screw that! I like talking to you, ya know? Nice not to be judged or dissed in a conversation, hehe." Naruto responded, using all of his charisma to convince her. Samui smiled, and Naruto knew his silver tongue had convinced her to stay and convinced her of his sobriety.
"So you're absolutely shit-faced…" Samui said with some kind of tone. Naruto struggled to read her; Jiraiya had taught him to check their bodily language. Or had that been to check them out? Best not trust the pervert, he guessed. "Maybe that's for the best…"
"Of course it is." Naruto nodded confidently. It had always been the correct choice to agree to whatever his mother said when not heard so it would work again.
"Listen, just… listen, ok?" Samui stated plainly. "My Kage wanted me to get close to you tonight. To seduce, bribe, or extort you into joining my village. He wants to do this to weaken our rivals and strengthen ourselves. I was trusted to manipulate you subtly. But I can't… we're not incredibly close, but you seem to be one the coolest people I've ever met since… well since I lost him… So, despite my duty and pride as a Cloud kunoichi, I won't manipulate you. Instead, I ask you as a friend to consider the offer. The people of the Cloud see jinchuriki as heroes. You would be under the tutelage of people similar to yourself. You would want for nothing, and we would protect you from the Leaf or anyone else who would seek to harm you. All we ask in return is…" Samui turned to gauge Naruto's reaction, only to see the blonde completely asleep. She sighed at this but smiled all the same. "Uncool." She finished simply before she started to aid Naruto back to his friends. It appears she would have to try again. Perhaps a different angle…
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Kakashi's POV (Courtyard of Iron Arena - Land of Iron)
Kakashi stood in the center of the Courtyard, staring out blankly. The crowd was silent, but the tension in the air was palpable. The Five Kage sat in their box, patiently waiting. The nonfighting competitors watched with rapt attention; this fight was one everyone was interested in. The crowd murmured over the matches and bets placed on them. But none of this phased Kakashi. He hadn't learned to be so nonchalant for no reason. Standing in the center of the arena, making everyone wait on his word? Even Obito would've respected it.
"I believe it's time then Ne~!" Kakashi said, with the crowd immediately roaring in approval. He waited until it died down, and he got the Kage's nod before continuing. "Well, let's not waste any more time. Hinata Hyuga, are you ready?"
"Hai." Hinata answered calmly. Byakugan was already active as she glared at Neji and lowered into a loose combat stance.
"Excellent. Gaara of the Sand, are you ready?"
"I suppose I'm ready for this farce." Gaara answered.
"Disrespectful. Anyway, let Day 2 of the Chunin Exam Finals begin!" Kakashi roared. The crowd's echo was much louder.