Hokage's office, moments later….
Naruto rubbed the back of his head nervously when his leader sighed. Kurenai keptgaping in a manner not unlike a fish while a quiet snort could be heard from the rafters.
Hikaru, the blond groaned mentally. Of course his sempai would find amusement in the situation. Pushing those thoughts aside Naruto straightened up, clearing his throat.
"Yes, well, the reasoning is quite simple: Miss Kurama's containment seal on her powers that doubles as a chakra suppressant is slowly eating away at her psyche, resulting in her Id gaining ground."
"Hold on, how do you even know this?" Koharu asked the blond ANBU pointedly before turning to Sarutobi. "I don't recall giving the Jinchuuriki the clearance to any files relating to Yakumo Kurama, Hiruzen." The Hokage gave a quick and silent glare to his former team mate while Jiraiya was more vocal.
"Can it, you old coot. You can't talk about my godson like he's an object." The sanin took a breath to launch into a second triad but the Hokage's raised hand stilled him.
"Calm yourself, Jiraiya. While Koharu would do well to remember Naruto's status isn't all he is, I too wonder how he came to know this." All eyes turned to the youngest in the room besides Angel who was holding her breath.
"Yakumo and Kurama, my tenant, told me" he said. Flinches appeared in Koharu and Homura at yet another reminder of the Biju's link to the Jinchuuriki while Kurenai blinked.
"Naruto, your 'tenant' knows about Ids?" She asked. Naruto nodded.
"Yes. He's the one who informed me of what will happen if we leave the seal on…"
"And?" Sarutobi prompted. He wasn't fool enough to believe he made the right choice with Yakumo, but at the time it had seemed to be the only choice.
Originally Jiraiya would have performed the ritual of the Kurama girl with Kurenai being there for support. But he was unreachable at the time and the genjutsu clan had been calling for the heiress's extermination or containment.
Kakashi would have been the next choice but the one eyed jonin had been on a long term A rank mission in Iwa territory stopping a smuggling ring set up by Onoki to channel drugs into Konoha. He hadn't returned until three months prior to Naruto's disastrous graduation.
Finally, the buck should have stopped with the Hokage, but he justified letting Kurenai do the ritual as having an old man do the sealing on a technically civilian girl- and heiress- would have been less than appropriate had word gotten out. He had meant to check on the poor girl's seal months ago but like many things it became easier to just believe that since nothing was immediately wrong he could afford to put it off.
Naruto cleared his throat at his leader who looked lost in thought before answering.
"Within six months Miss Kurama's seal containing the Id will break and allow that part of her mind to take over for a brief time. After the surge of power and chaotic release of her abilities, she will fall into a never ending coma, essentially becoming brain dead."
"Why don't we just reseal it?" Homura cut in. Naruto resisted a snort and settled on a long sigh.
"Because that would just delay the problem, Homura-sama. Sure a better seal done by Jiraiya-sama or even myself would hold strong for a couple of years, eventually it would break. If we keep reapplying one she would deteriorate more and more. However, taking the seal off completely and guiding her to face what is essentially her darkness would grant her safe access to her abilities once more. Miss Kurama would be able to utilize her abilities in combat even…" Naruto trailed off, still feeling odd about the situation. When he had informed Dragon-sama and Hokage-sama about him defeating his inner darkness the blond ANBU had ended up being scolded for his reckless decision to follow a Biju's advice and go off into the woods alone to battle half of his mind. Now here he was, recommending an almost identical process to one of the village's dark secrets. Silence greeted Naruto's proposal.
"The seal she has now is shoddy; I'm offended that anyone would think it would be adequate to contain a kitten" here he petted a huffing Angel who seemed to think he was referring to her. "much less an Id. It's so weak that while I was on Miss Kurama's protection detail its presence could be sensed during the full moon. It was as foul as any Biju's chakra. Now, imagine that instead of being stored away in the mountains like an unwanted disease, Miss Kurama could become a genjutsu Kunoichi specialist?"
"But Yakumo is weak physically! Even if she did manage to overcome her powers, she would never make it in the field" Kurenai insisted fervently. Naruto let out an irritated sigh.
"Really? Because Yakumo-chan isn't as weak as you say she is" Naruto spat, forgetting to say 'Miss Kurama' in his heat. "In fact, Yakumo-chan is strong in her own way and with training she'd become a great Kunoichi! Just because she isn't as physically strong as most shinobi doesn't mean she's worthless."
"I call her for ANBU!" Dragon's voice resonates from a corner before the enigma of a commander appears, amusement in his tone.
"ANBU! They have the highest death rates. Do you WANT her to be killed?" Kurenai asked incredulously. Naruto jumped at the opening.
"Oh, like how her seal is killing her? Besides, ANBU isn't a suicide corps like the chunin gossip it to be. Jonin should know better than to spout lies; ANBU die less often chunin and genin squads and rarely ever do suicidal missions. We haven't been the worst in shinobi safety since before the Uchiha massacre" Naruto defended. Really, he was sick of everyone thinking ANBU was a shinobi's grave- their killed in action rates had plummeted in the last five years and different squads focused on different areas of the shinobi world.
"But they're gruesome- just look at Kakashi! He's screwed in the head from his tenure in the black ops." She interjected.
"No more so than your squad, Kurenai" Dragon said lightly. "A Hyuga who can't bring herself to harm others, and an Inuzuka too brash and loud for any tracking squad, not to mention an Aburame who just can't give a damn half the time. You've had almost eight months with them but none of them could make a chunin sweat, nor are they ready for the position, not with their issues. I keep my men alive- if a bit insane- in the field by drilling team work and playing to their strengths- your squad can't even catch Tora without a fight breaking out and new scars."
"To be fair to the lovely Kurenai, Tora is a demon cat. The thing can now water walk and wall walk! There's even talk that it can use a genjutsu!" Jiraiya said.
"If I ever find out who taught that blasted cat how to be a ninja I'll assign them D-ranks until the day I retire" Sarutobi muttered, fed up with the extra paperwork it caused now that the cat had a tactical advantage amongst the majority of genin squads. No one but Dragon and Ro noticed Naruto's slight stiffening and beads of sweat running down his neck. Angel stifled a chuckle; she knew teaching Tora the 'false surroundings' genjutsu would be worth it and it was when ever screams of genin echoed through the village as they walked right into a wall or into the wrong restroom.
"Tora's super powers aside, don't you agree Mouse, that Yakumo would make a fabulous ANBU? Hmm?" Dragon sounded casual but Naruto knew: to keep his involvement with Tora secret he'd have to agree, even if secretly he thought Yakumo would be better at the political type missions, not black ops, regardless of what he told Kurenai.
"Ah, yes, Dragon-sama. ANBU is perfect for everyone" Naruto agreed blandly.
Dragon gave a triumphant gesture to the Hokage.
"See? Mouse agrees with me. So, when are we ripping the seal off?"
"Enough!" Sarutobi rubbed his temples; of course his ANBU commander and soon to be successor was trying to nab yet another potentially S-class operative. He'd deal with that later, but for now he had to decide on another of his mistakes' fate. "First, walk me through the process; Jiraiya, you will be the final word on if this can work or not. And Kurenai?" The young jonin looked her leader in the eye, unflinching. "We'll discuss your sealing practices after I see how badly it went." Though it was ultimately his fault, Sarutobi had to have his shinobi be honest with their skills; if Kurenai wasn't advanced enough to seal away Yakumo's powers she should have said so- not assure him for weeks afterwards that it was a perfectly capable seal and that he needn't worry.
"H-hai, Hokage-sama" The Kunoichi replied.
Several hours later, late afternoon…
"Thank you, Mouse; your squad is released from duty now, so go join them; just be sure to find Iruka." Sarutobi dismissed after another fours hours of heated discussion took place.
"As you wish, Hokage-sama" Naruto bowed and used a shunshin to leave, his squad following suite. By then it was only Sarutobi, Dragon, and Jiraiya left in the room. Once a moment passed Jiraiya let out a chuckle.
"Damn gaki is good; he kept Kurenai on her toes with his passive aggressive jabs. And his proposal- I still can't find anything wrong with it." The sanin admitted. Dragon huffed.
"I still don't see why we can't do this before the exams."
"Because I don't need Naruto by her side worrying about her recovery, or unable to function if the worst should happen and Yakumo must be put down." The chance was small but still there. If the Id proved too strong and possessed her they would have to do the extreme.
"Mouse is strong; and so is the Kurama girl. She's started sneaking out in an attempt to make it to the village for midnight ramen runs and she almost made it last night. Mouse has created a fellow addict" Dragon chuckled.
"Please don't remind me. I observed them the other day through my ball; she ate ten bowls! Ten!" Dropping his face into his hand Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a sense of dread at the thought of the two creating little genjutsu wielding, ramen loving, Uzumaki chakra chain wielding monsters.
"Not to mention the prank the two played on Ferret; he's sworn revenge on Mouse at the next poker game." Dragon added.
"Just a couple of months left, you can do this, Hiruzen. Then it's sweet retirement." Sarutobi chanted to himself. Jiraiya balked.
"Sensei! You're retiring?" He asked. Sarutobi nodded.
"Well then, I guess I need to go get Tsunade, eh?" The sage asked. Last time this conversation had come up seven years ago he had expressed interest in Tsunade taking the hat. However, when the Hokage shook his head he frowned. "Not her? Then who? Kakashi?"
"No, I'll be the one in charge of scaring the shinobi into obeying" The ANBU commander replied.
Jiraiya looked at his sensei. He looked at the brat who even he couldn't figure out the identity of. Giving a keen look and lecherous grin he asked his soon to be boss.
"Sooo, perhaps you'd see the value in opening a mixed bathing house?"
A kick that sent him out the window was his answer.
With Naruto…
"And that's why I think we should get sushi!" Angel finished passionately. Naruto shook his head as they traveled side by side on the roofs towards Iruka's apartment. After Tenzo had assigned him corner duty for a week and reminded him that insulting a jonin to their face, subtle or not, was a good idea, he was let off for the evening as long as he was careful of the two Iwa teams that had arrived. One had a close range sensor as a sensei that Deidara deduced could tell he was a Jinchuuriki. While they were in the village ANBU would contain them to the visitor sections while Naruto would keep away from the jonin senseis during the actual exams- not that that would be difficult seeing as Ro would be in the forest and following Kakashi's team- until the Iwa team was either disqualified or killed. Ibiki had been ordered to be especially sadistic towards the foreign squads to knock as many as possible out.
"No, sushi's expensive and we are saving up for armor for you- I won't have your ribs getting smashed in the middle of a fight anymore. Not to mention Hikaru keeps 'borrowing' money for rent. Besides, ramen is better and we get more of it for less money." The blond retorted. "Now hush, we're here." Clad in his off duty gear with a henge to make him brown haired and black eyed, Naruto stepped into his favorite childhood location.
Teuchi glanced at him when he entered, eyes lighting up in recognition. The old ramen maker was familiar with this particular disguise and wasn't fooled for a second.
"Ah, Naruto, welcome! Here for some more ramen? Is this elusive girl you keep telling me about craving the heavenly broth?" Teuchi joked. Naruto chuckled at Yakumo's habit- no matter how much she denied it.
"No, not for her, but for Iruka-sensei. I'm taking some over to his house so can I have my usual to go, Angel's usual of three fishcake boxes, and Iruka's usual?"
"Coming right up, though it will take a while since Ayame's off for the day. And it's about time you visited the man; he's started looking at my ramen like a lost puppy" Teuchi bellowed a laugh while straining the noodles.
"He's been avoiding him" Angel quipped only to be bonked on her head by a twitching Naruto.
"I have not, Angel. I've been worked to the bone with…paperwork" he finished lamely, stopping short of revealing his status to a civilian. Angel sniggered at his cover up.
"Sure you were. Keep it up and Dragon-sama might actually give you his paperwork. Naruto paled at the evil notion.
"Don't even joke about such horrors" the ANBU gasped and sagged dramatically. The hell cat sweat dropped at the over dramatism.
Barrier room, East side of Konoha…
Guren stared impassively at the remains of the Konoha scum in the way of her master's goals. She didn't particularly like murder but Orochimaru-sama was her world, she'd do anything for him.
"Guren-sama." A grunt stood by the side, avoiding the crystal spikes sticking out of the ground and bodies. "Squads two and four completed their goal. Five through seven are on standby."
"Hmm….And squad three? What of the Kurama girl? Orochimaru wishes her alive for study."
"…About that." He began nervously, his scratched Kumo head band on his neck becoming a place to dip his head into.
Back with Naruto…
Naruto held his breath while his knuckles rapped on the wooden door. His sensei lived in the single chunin apartment building, close to the academy. Before the blond could count to three the apartment door flung open to a wide eyed Iruka.
"Naruto," the chunin breathed. Both looked awkward, as it had been months since they'd seen each other and the first time Iruka had the full picture what Naruto had actually been doing since graduation.
"Hey, Iruka-sensei. Up for some food?" The masked boy inquired while holding up a scroll containing the ramen.
"S-sure. Come in." The older male led Naruto and Angel into the kitchen, sitting down at the low table. The two stared each other down. Naruto hadn't been here since his last year at the academy when Iruka had let him stay the weekend while his apartment was pieced back together in the days following his twelfth birthday. "So… ANBU?"
"…Yeah…" Naruto unsealed various bowls, dividing it up and giving his partner her food first.
"…what's it like?" Iruka asked, accepting a steaming pork bowl.
"Insane" Naruto blurted immediately then did a mental face palm. "But amazing." He amended. "My squad- they're the family I never had. Even Hikaru" he muttered, careful not to mention last names, even if 'Hikaru' was a common name in all clans. Iruka perked up at this.
"Hikaru? Is he on your squad? Is he a good influence?" Angel snorted and Naruto thought about how much he should admit, deciding the truth would better when the inevitable happened and Hikaru met Iruka.
"Absolutely not." Naruto said with abandon, causing Iruka's mouth to drop.
"W-well, as long as you don't follow his example." Awkward silence filled the air again before Naruto spotted a towering stack of papers.
"Want some help grading?" He said while pointing to the leaning tower of paper. The chunin sensei looked relieved at the distraction.
"Yes, that'd be great. And you can tell me the full story- especially how you gained a hell cat partner." Angel looked up amusedly.
"It all started with burning my jumpsuits" Naruto began. "Hikaru had started a ritual like dance while he poured more alcohol on them… why is the Hokage's grandson failing village history?" Naruto asked. Iruka rubbed the bridge of his nose in exasperation.
"That boy is much like you used to be but without the work ethic. He needs a role model."
"Well as long as the brat stays away from me. I've been assigned his protection detail once and it was once too many." Iruka sweat dropped.
"That bad?"
"Worse."
SHUKAKU! Kurama roared inside the seal abruptly. Naruto reeled in surprise and Iruka looked concern.
'Kurama! How far out?'
…One day. That little prick of a sand box will be here by noon tomorrow. Naruto, let me rip him apart!
'We can't. You'll get your chance soon. Why are you so blood thirsty all of a sudden? You didn't care about him for the past several months!'
Grr, his chakra makes me rage. Always spouting off how I'm not the best and how all Biju are equal. Bah, pathetic sand dog.
'…You can be a real egotistical prick, you know that?'
You're just jealous since you suck at your chains.
'Shut it fur ball! But if we want to beat him we'll need to work together again, okay?' A pregnant pause followed. 'Please? I'll not use the chains on you but I need my friend back.'
…Fine. But! You have to use those blasted things on Shukaku. I won't let him mock me for being sealed by them; let's see how he likes it! The fox let out a sadistic chuckle and Naruto vowed to find any hobby other than revenge for his furry friend to focus on. Perhaps jokes would do?
"Naruto? You spaced out, what's wrong?" Naruto blinked at his former sensei, realizing he had been in his head too long.
"ANBU business. I have to leave now, sorry." Naruto said apologetically before turning. "Angel. Protocol Ichi is a go." Angel gave a serious nod as they shunshined towards the Hokage tower, leaving behind a confused Iruka and several empty bowls. Iruka puzzled at the sight, wondering when his old student had managed to slip them into his mouth without removing his mask.
Hokage Tower, less than five minutes later, with Naruto…
Naruto crouched in front of the village leader and ANBU commander who were in a meeting. He had used his ANBU tattoo to bypass the security, appearing in the middle of the room.
"Hokage-sama, Dragon-sama, Project Ichi is a go; Kurama senses Suna's Jinchuuriki less than a day out." Naruto panted from the run.
"Yes, I know, and four days sooner than scheduled; that means my wayward pupil could be arriving at any moment. Go to your team, Naruto; Ro is to follow Sasuke Uchiha until the first exam starts before resuming the origional schedule."
"HOKAGE-SAMA!" A frantic chunin burst through the door before Naruto could leave. "The barrier squad on duty near the eastern sector was found dead!" Sarutobi took in a deep breath and attempted to restore order, only to be interrupted by an ANBU with a carp mask arriving in a deep bow, armor torn with blood speck.
"Dragon-sama, the maximum security prison was attacked by five missing shinobi, allowing for the prisoners to escape."
"Dragon-sama!" Ferret panted as he arrived with an unconscious Yakumo. "Two missing ninja attacked my post, killing the medic nin before I sliced their throats; Yakumo Kurama is relatively unharmed."
Naruto's world narrowed as he gazed at Yakumo, a small cut on her cheek as she slept in a troubled manner.
"Hey!" Dragon's voice brought Naruto from the beginnings of panic at seeing his friend unconscious. "the girl is fine; focus!"
"Yes, Dragon-sama." He sputtered. His shoulder burned as a mass message was sent from a grim faced Hiruzen Sarutobi using a seal on his desk.
'All ANBU report to HQ with squads. All reserve ANBU, report to Hokage Tower. A prison break has occurred and multiple foreign hostiles have been spotted. Be wary of attack and inform any chunin or above to move to lock down.'
"Now you" all faces turned towards the Hokage, whose eyes bore into the chunin who had given the barrier report, "Tell me everything. Dragon…you have military command. Naruto… send clones to get the council and join your team."
"Yes, Hokage-sama. And any prisoners or hostiles we come across?" Here the Hokage's eyes hardened.
"Make them hurt, Naruto; death alone is too good for them."
"…Right." And in a silent bow Naruto left to catch his team to participate in what would become one of Konoha's darkest nights.
END! The origional intent was to cover Guren and her peoples' mini invasion and the prison break, but I am in the beginnings of writing it now and didn't want to wait until next Saturday to post. So, I cut it off at the moment Naruto goes to be with Ro. They have a large part in the next chapter as Naruto gets to face off against Guren, who I am quickly finding to be a favorite after I watched her episodes recently!
How was the Yakumo continuation? I figured there had to be a reason (and probably a bad one) why Yakumo's situation turned out the way it did, so I opened the door for those reasons to come forth. Of course, as Yakumo was attacked, she'll need to be in the village again and as she seemed to enjoy pulling a prank on Ferret, I wonder what two early teenagers can get themselves into- especially against Kurenai? (And how will Tenzo react when he finds out?)