Fiat justitia, ruatcaelum

{{A/N; Sorry. Life called and I had to pick up the phone. And thanks again all.

And keep an eye out for 'Gathering Clouds' at the bottom. It's another double. CD}}



Before The Storm



Sakura took a deep breath and sighed it back out. The water was perfect. Warm without being hot, softly scented, and still, not trying to drown her or reveal more than she wanted to show.

Just like it always was in her favorite bathhouse back home.

Her real home.

This had to be it, even if the water was a little too perfect.

She peeked at the mountain again. The Hokages of the past looked down upon the village, intact and with all the right expressions. Though the one the stone cutters were carving now looked familiar, it wasn’t complete enough for her to pick out the features.

*I know I’m dreaming… But I don’t really give a damn right now…*

Sakura sighed again as she ignored the obvious circumstances.

The light touch of bare feet approached. It was Ino. The towel fell to the tile and the blonde slipped into the water, “Hello Sakura.” She settled herself for a long soak, “Ahh… The water’s perfect today.”

“Better than perfect…” Sakura replied. *It’s nice to have a pleasant dream once in a while…*

“Sakura! Hi!” The water splashed and a thick wave washed over her as Tenten came back to the surface, pushing her loose hair out of her face before it could stick.

“Yo.” Sakura looked up. Hinata stood behind her, “Scoot over, billboard brow.”

*Happy feeling’s gone. What the hell…?*

*Don’t even look at me for this one.* her inner grumbled as she made room in the bath for the newest arrival. Hinata entered with barely a ripple.

“Hey Sakura! Got room for one more?” Temari leaned against the doorjamb, chewing her lip.

Sakura looked around the tub. It had seemed large enough for two or three earlier, though it seemed that no one was crowded. *Damned dream convenience…* “Yeah, come on in.”

“The water’s beautiful today…” Ino chimed.

“Yes!” Temari cheered herself quietly and came to the bath, dropping in and settling on the far side of Hinata.

Greetings aside, the group was nearly silent as they soaked or gently preened.

*If Tsunade shows up, I’m out of here.*

“Excuse me, miss?” One of the attendants had snuck up on her and knelt next to her shoulder, “Your betrothed is waiting for you outside.”

“You’re so lucky to have caught him, Sakura.” Tenten sighed at her.

“He’s such a dream.” Temari smiled, “I bet he’s good in bed too.”

“Aren’t you gonna go find out what he wants?” Ino leaned forward, “I overheard him talking about a romantic retreat. Just you and him.”

“Hn…” Hinata sunk lower into the water. “…pisses me off…” She muttered before her lips passed beneath the surface.

*So do we play along or what?* Her inner prodded.

Sakura held her council as she climbed out of the bath and dried herself as she walked. In the dressing room, she found a white kimono neatly folded in the place where she tried to leave her things. The simple dark blue ring on the back she recognized as her own.

She dressed quickly and headed for the front doors. She pushed them open and looked down the cobblestone path.

Standing in the path was Naruto. In one hand, he held two coupons to Ichiro’s and the other ran through his neatly combed hair mussing it. He saw her and grinned as wide as he’d ever grinned before.

Sakura smiled as well and lifted her arm to wave, the sleeve catching her eye.

The white silk hade become a pale blue, trimmed with an ornate wave pattern.

She came down the stairs and tried to speak, a flicker of movement catching her eye.

Out of view, Sasuke had been waiting in the shade a tree. His dark eyes met hers and he produced a rose from behind his back, the thorns trimmed away.

Sakura felt the silk grow warm in spots. Looking down, she found the blue replaced by a deep black, a large Uchiha fan embroidered on each side of the sleeves.

And even as she stared at the silk, it was changing again, now to a deep emerald green, the hanging sleeves shoring up, a gray pattern of smoke rolling along the hems.

Sakura turned around, seeking the cause.

Lee, his huge eyebrows and innocent grin shining, knelt in the grass. A box used to hold dresses was in his hands, offered forward to her. Lee opened it wordlessly, revealing a pair of heavy fighting gloves with long bracers on them that would lace up tightly. The plates across the backs were massive, but wouldn’t restrict jutsu.

None of them seemed to care that the others were present and none seemed to notice anything was amiss with her, though they all watched and waited.

And no clue among them that something was out of place and desperately wrong.

“Hardly seems fair, does it?” Sakura turned to the distant voice behind her. Itachi and his mangenque peered down with a sorrowful expression. His gaze shifted, looking down into his hand.

Hanging from his fingertips on a chain of fine silver links, a modest pendent. The Uchiha fan set inside of a ring of silver

Sakura glimpsed her kimono, different yet again. Cobalt blue trimmed and patterned with bright pink cherry blossoms and thumb sized Uchiha fans, hung in pairs from green stalks like cherries.

*Well… I’m buggered.* Her inner admitted bluntly.

*Why? How…? Who…?*

“That,” Sasuke spoke from the shade of his tree, “is a question for you alone to answer.”

“YES!!” Lee shouted almost violently, “Search your heart! Find the truth that lay in the eternal fires of Youth and Love!!”

Sakura turned to Naruto. He was still grinning, eyes squinted closed. “Hehe, It’s okay, Sakura. We’ll wait for ya…”

Sakura closed her eyes, covered them with her hands. She was suddenly aware of a painful swollen feeling that seemed to pain her from outside her body, like a sprained ankle that had swollen too large.

That coupled with the pressures of a full bladder, Sakura decided simply going back to sleep was out of the question.

Leaving her mind at rest, she wandered to the lavatory. She didn’t want to think about her dream or the finals of the exam or what she was going to have for breakfast. All she wanted to do was pee and go back to bed.

The spartan facility was where she had left it and Sakura wasted little time as she lifted her nightshirt and had a seat and relaxed.

The natural course of events, however, was rudely interrupted by a stream the shot up in front of her face.

“Gyahh!!” Sakura leaned back and away, her eyes drawn down to the borrowed phallus in her lap.

The door burst open, Itachi dressed in black shorts, a long kunai in one fist.

“Hey!” Sakura bolted to her feet, turning away, “Turn around!”

Itachi was already doing so, his empty hand over his eyes, groaning to himself. “Why?” he asked slowly, “Why were you shouting?”

Sakura blushed, “I forgot about… and… I was surprised for a second. That’s all.”

“And I come in here to find your ‘surprise’ hanging out. Thanks.” Itachi was smiling under his hand.

“Hey, ‘tashi… ‘Zeverythin’ a’ight over here?” Naruto appeared as the definition of groggy, his long hair was a terminal mess, eyes were half lidded and drooping, and his step was unsteady at best.

The borrowed nightshirt was pushed out shamelessly by the soft breasts of his illusion. The instinct of the illusion Sakura wore reacted against her will.

“It’ll be alright, Naruto.” Itachi ruffled his hair, “Go back to bed.”

“Righhhht…” Naruto yawned, showing his molars. “S’kura…” He turned and walked away, “Yer pitchin’ a tent…”

The nightshirt had done little to hide Sakura’s problem, simply tossing the shirt over herself, and Naruto’s presence, had resulted in a mildly impressive ‘tent’ of sorts.

*This is So not my area!* Inner Sakura shouted, *I want nothing more to do with that unnatural and disobedient appendage!!*

*You and me both…* Sakura pressed the insolent manhood up and flat to her belly, “How do you deal with these…Things!? I mean, I almost had it under control, and then Naruto comes around the corner and Wham! Whole problem, all over again!”

Itachi was chuckling behind his hand, eyes closed, “A guy just gets used to it, I suppose. And I tried to warn you. I told you to wear pants.”

“I tried! They were uncomfortable, so I took them off. They kept getting bound up in the shirt.”

“So why not just ditch the shirt?”

“I tried that too. I felt… exposed.”

Itachi sighed, “Makes sense, I suppose.”

“So tell me how to fix this. I can’t pee with this thing sticking up like a…” Sakura growled, “I just can’t do it!”

“Hn.” Itachi held up one finger, “I’ll go get Zabuza. This is kinda freakin’ me out…” And the Uchiha left, his back catching the light as he left, the flash of light illuminating a streak of pale flesh that ran from the crest of his shoulder to the small of his back.

And then he was gone.

*That was not a birthmark.* her Inner observed.

Sakura ran through her list of knowledge, but nothing she had seen or heard of as medic seemed to apply to the old wound.

She was distracted by the knock on the door and a hand waving in the air, “Hello? Anyone home?”

“Sempai. Please help.” Sakura sounded pathetic. She felt pathetic.

Zabuza leaned on the doorjamb, the sleeves on his robe had been torn away and appeared to have been used as a belt, though the knot had mostly come undone, the tight wraps of his sarashi showing. “Well then. What seems to be the problem, little Hanuro?”

Sakura sighed. *How many times do I have to actually say this out loud?* “I have to take a leak and I’m not really cooperating with myself.”

She was glad that he didn’t let his laugh slip out, “There are indeed some things you just have to live through to know about them properly. First things first, You need to check your… state of affairs.”

Sakura sighed, pulling up the nightshirt. *Now it’s gone flat… What’s wrong with guys that they have to have something like this?* Sakura voiced her Inner’s rant much more briefly. “What. The. Hell?”

Zabuza cleared his throat, hiding another laugh, “That tends to happen. The relief vein runs behind the bladder. As you fill overnight, you roll over to relieve pressure, but the weight settles onto the vein, pinching it and restricting the exit flow of blood, ergo…” He left the sentence hang.

“Think boring thoughts and wait a few moments, things become manageable again.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Sakura grumbled, “Normally, I’d be fascinated by this unique connection of mind and body, but I Really gotta go!”

“We should proceed with aim. The loo is behind you.” Zabuza’s voice held mirth in it. And this made it somehow easier to bear. “Very good. Now, take yourself in hand, but be gentle. It’s a kitten, not a snake. Good. Not so tight… Now relax like you normally would… just let it flow…”

Sakura’s body shuddered as the sensation ran through her.

In the forest, she had simply squatted and their sleep was in short shifts.

*All puns aside… This problem just never arose.*

*That wasn’t funny.* her Inner grouched at her. But she could feel the smile.

“Watch your stream.” Zabuza’s voice cut in, “You need to correct your aim as you lose pressure.”

Sakura appraised the situation, tracking up a few inches. The stream died away suddenly as she ran short of urine.

“And finally, just give it a few shakes…”

Sakura did, the last few drops flying away.

“Well done.” Zabuza yawned, “Now quit playing with yourself and go back to bed.”

Now fully awake, Sakura headed back for her cot, picking up the discarded shorts and slipping them on.

Her hands hesitated at the hem of the nightshirt and she pulled it away with a snap.

*Let’s hope that doesn’t happen again in the morning.* Sakura laid back down, *how embarrassing…*

“A minor problem full time kind of makes up for a big problem part time.” Naruto’s voice whispered across the gap between the cots.

Sakura rolled over to face the transfigured boy, “This happens a lot?”

Naruto nodded, “Just wait until something strikes you just wrong and you can’t get it out of your head. There really is no discrete way of rearranging yourself in public so no one notices.”

Sakura flopped onto her back, one hand laying on her bare, flat chest. “With any luck, you’ll be out of that henge before your next period. Lucky bastard.”

“Hehe. Night, Sakura.”

*No!* Her Inner shouted, *No way! I heard that dirty thought! No!*

*Why not?*

*It’s the henge talking to me, I swear it is!* Inner Sakura shouted, *Only the Ero would think a thought like that! Sakura! I want to talk to Sakura!!*

Ryo climbed out of the cot and leaned over Kitsune. He could see the short hairs fluttering in the warm breeze of his breath.

*SAAKUURAAA!!!!*

“What is…” Kitsune turned over and found Ryo’s hand pulling her up into a passionate kiss. The mouth trying to speak was open and Ryo thrust his tongue into the sweet mouth, tasting the woman only briefly as a firm, delicate hand pushed him away.

“We can’t…” Kitsune smiled up at him, pushing him further back, “Normally I’m game for most anything and this seems like it would be a very interesting experience indeed. But we’re in a room with four other people, some of which actually need the sleep.” Naruto had returned as the holder of the face, “And I’m kinda loud sometimes.”

Ryo smirked, trailing his hand down to Naruto’s collar, “I’ll have to catch you alone sometime then.”

“Do you really like me that way,” Naruto chewed on his ruby red lip, “Or is Ryo horny?”

*You better answer this right or you can forget about peaceful sleep for a week, Sakura! Nightmares! I mean it!! Bad ones!*

Sakura grinned, “I’m just horny, I guess. This henge is really… There’s a lot of feedback noise sometimes.”

“Yeah, I know.” Naruto smiled. “It’s what makes them so good. For a time, you really are a guy.”

“But I like you as well.” Sakura gave her crush another peck on the lips, half surprised when he allowed it.

*You…* Sakura could feel the simmering fury of her Inner voice, *What’s the male equivalent of a harlot?*

Sakura let the chuckle slip out, *Ero, I think.*

*Just you go to sleep… You’re going to rearrange the whole damn Yamanaka flower shop, sew a dress, and cook until you feel the full oppression of womanhood.*

*Can it wait?* Sakura sighed, snuggling deeper under the blanket, *At least until I have my chest back where it belongs?*

*Hn… Alright. But not one night sooner, Ero!*

*Thanks…* Sakura sighed again, slowly willing herself to sleep.



{{A/N; Last chapter with the code names! Good. Now that we’ve got that out of the way; I just want to thank everyone who reads, you are counted, and everyone who reviews, you are loved. Since my original muse seems to have deserted me, Damn it, EN!!, I have only you guys. I will finish this damn thing yet! I promise. CD}}



Gathering Clouds



The black masked anbu waited patiently as the three ninja strolled down the hall. He recognized them from further away than he could throw a shuriken from their chakra alone.

Orochimaru. Jiriaya. Tsunade.

The legendary sannin.

“How awfully nice of you, Hokage. Inviting us to watch the chunin exam tournament.” Jiriaya took a hit from the leather flask in one hand, “Us being mortal enemies and all.”

The anbu stepped to one side as the Hokage and his guests approached, opening the door to the observation room.

“I wanted you to bear witness to the progress the newest generation of ninja have achieved under my reign.” The snake sannin gave a nod to his anbu as they passed, “Then, perhaps, you will leave to my ways in the peace I have accorded you.”

“Whatever…” Tsunade scoffed, “You know as well as we do; the Underwood has been a neutral ground for decades.”

They passed into the room, the heavy doors slamming shut behind the trio.

“Be that as it may,” Orochimaru turned his gaze to his former teammate, “You are still here by my invitation.”

Tsunade kept her arms crossed, “You couldn’t keep us out and you know it.”

Orochimaru’s lip curled. “We will finish this conversation later…” He turned, pasting on a wide grin, “Esteemed guests, I would be most pleased to introduce my fellow sannin!”

The others in the room turned as the Hokage clapped his hands.

He gestured to a woman behind a rebreather mask, “This is the current Mizukage, with whom Konoha is most closely allied, and her husband, the captain of the Mist anbu squads.” The woman nodded, the man seated beside her was stone still, his shark faced mask motionless.

“And we have the self proclaimed Kazekage. I’m most pleased you could attend.” The man pushed back the hood bearing his status symbol, deeply tanned skin and shaved head exposed bowed in his seat smoothly.

Orochimaru smirked as he turned to the other table, “The young Lord Moerku, stepping forward as the Moerkukage at last…”

Lee had come to his feet, giving a sharp bow and holding it rigidly, “I am honored.”

“…And the elusive and mysterious Lady Hanuro and her nameless attendant.”

The woman had stood as well, bowing respectfully, one foot sticking out behind her.

“That’s it?” Tsunade peered at the woman over her dark glasses, “No fancy title or anything? Not the Kikage of a flashy suit of armor?”

“I’m afraid not.” Hanuro spoke softly, “I am far too humble for such a thing.”

“But not too humble to have an ex-hunter nin for a bodyguard.” Tsunade turned on the masked man, “He’s tall. Poised. Relaxed.” Tsunade looked him over from across the room, “Well toned despite his age… Not some pick-up missing nin. What’s your worth in the Bingo Book, swordsman?”

He simply shrugged. Silent.

“And he answers without permission…”

A thin eep issued from Jiriaya. “Hey…” he looked around his feet, “Who stepped on the toad?”

Tsunade sat at the table left empty, “Who always steps on the toad around you, Jiriaya?”

Heavy boots echoed along the hall and the doors thundered as Kakashi entered the room, “The genin teams have assembled, Lord Hokage. It would appear that all of the teams succeeded this year.”

“Then, let us begin.” Orochimaru strode to the shuttered windows, grasping a turn crank and winding it.

The grind of dry gears and the hum of an electric motor filled the room as the shutters wound themselves up. In the open area directly below, a wide, tiled arena was laid out. And standing in tight formation, both the leaf and mist ninja turned to the observation room. The mist nin bowed as a single unit and stomped on the floor as they righted themselves. The ash and sand nin stood apart, some raising their brows at the display.

“Booo!” The blade nin in the bright red dress stuck her tongue out. The only male blade nin cuffed her on the head with a stern scowl.

“How disruptive…” The Mizukage hummed.

“They seem older than the last class I remember.” Jiriaya tipped the leather flash up again, “I’d say old enough to test individually.”

“That is where the differences in administration truly begin, my dear toad sannin.” Orochimaru leaned against the rail, “I’ve restricted the age bracket higher, allowing only the better trained, older cadets to apply. Combined with stricter testing and less forgiving instructors, the Underwood itself for example, those that make it this far are often quite powerful and of higher quality and stronger resolve.”

“And what’s the mortality rate at this level of testing, Hokage?” Tsunade put her feet up on the table, “Half? More than half?”

The snake sannin grinned in empty innocence, “This is the first year for these students, though their survival rate is expected to be nearly eighty percent.”

Below, and anbu stepped out of the doorway that sat next to an elevated catwalk, fixed to the wall. He looked down at the genin, pulling the wooden senbon from his teeth, “I am Sergeant Eboshi and I will be overseeing the remainder of the exam. The rules are simple; you will conduct one on one matches. The point is to win, not kill your opponent. Should the battle escalate to that level, so be it. Anyone may yield at any time for any reason they deem worthy. You will not be questioned as to why should you wish to forfeit. If you forfeit during combat, you will be allowed to withdraw.”

He replaced the senbon, “Past that, there are no rules. Use what you like, so long as you can wield it. Questions?”

“Sir,” Haku raised her hand, “What became of Sergeant Mitarashi, Sir?”

A few of the leaf nin murmured and nodded. A few of the mist nin scoffed.

“She has been reassigned.” The silence that filled the area was thick. As if more than a few of the genin expected more for an answer.

“Very well.” Eboshi descended the stairs, picking up a flat plank of wood, “Before we begin the process of assigning standing, there are a number of you under a henge. We don’t really give a damn about who you are, but in the matter of conserving chakra, you should dispel the illusions. You know who you are and you have nothing to hide.”

Sakura turned to her comrades.

Ino had come to Sasuke’s side as he watched her. Haku and Naruto were watching her as well, both seemed nervous.

“Let’s do it.” Hinata pushed up her headband, “All else fails, we had their attention real good at the end.

Sakura turned as a subtle whumph of chakra sounded. One of the sand nin had lost half his height and a third of his age.

There was a moment of silence as the genin looked upon the boy. He glared back at them defiantly.

“Let the boy continue, Sergeant!” Orochimaru called down, “He had fooled us this far.”

Sasuke nodded to the young boy, “We stand and fall together. I agree with Hinata.”

“Suke-kun…” Ino had gone teary eyed hanging on his arm.

The eyes hard turned from the boy to the blade nin.

Sakura nodded to Naruto, tying a cord around her vest to hold it shut.

The boy called Exile nodded in return, smoke seeping from his skin. The effect spread to the rest of the blade nin, only Haku was excluded.



“Lady Hanuro…” The Mizukage’s words were hesitant, “I had been somewhat aware of the sand village’s deception… But why are your nin suddenly obscured?”

Itachi smirked beneath the veil, foregoing the soft falsetto, “I do believe the cat’s out of the bag, Zabuza.”

Tsunade came to her feet, standing on the table, “I knew I recognized that ass! And your mask! Momoshi Zabuza, I thought you were dead!”

“Zabuza the demon?!” “The Blade Bearer?!” Chairs toppling clashed with voices rising, the smoke cloud pushing nervous genin back forgotten.

“Yes…” Zabuza unclipped his mask, though e lift the bandana in place. “The Demon was in your midst all along…”

The mist captain grabbed the hilt of his sword, glaring at the hand of Tsunade as she gripped his wrist.

Itachi shrugged in the robes, casting them to the floor, revealing his shorts and vest. The Uchiha fan printed as largely as the garments would allow and glowing bright with absolute pride.

“Uchiha!” Kakashi jumped, his fist rising and the scream of frenzied birds filled the air.

The thump of a strong jutsu burning chakra was as great as the cloud of smoke that appeared atop one of the tables, a great pink tongue shooting out, entrapping Kakashi midair and letting him fall to the floor, entangled in the tongue of a massive blue toad.



Eboshi summoned a strong wind to move the slowly thinning smoke.

“The Exile!” “Uchiha!” “The Missing Hyuuga!”

“Sango… Why am I staring down Shikamaru?” Konohamaru had followed Sango’s lead, been right behind Satoshi, and had his back to Haku.

Satoshi was closest to Hinata, “So how well did you say you knew Hinata?”

“Pretty well.” Hinata answered, “But she died. She died with the curse seal that caged her.”

“I envy the bird that flies free…” Satoshi answered.



The toad sannin stood between Kakashi and Itachi, knocking back a hit from his flask, “We’ll be having none of that, boys.”

“I am loathe to agree…” Orochimaru looked from Kakashi to the mist captain, “But the law is quite clear. Any continued attempts at hostility will force my hand into things I would rather not do.”

The mist captain released the hilt of his sword, rubbing his wrist when Tsunade turned loose of him. “Don’t pout, it isn’t broken.”

Kakashi’s eyes burned with rage as the chidori fizzled out. The toad tongue retracted, though the creature remained. Bright green eyes surveying the room.

“How come you call me for the indoor stuff? Can’t I fight in the sunshine, just once?”

“Maybe next time.” Jiriaya shrugged. “Sorry, it was an emergency.”



“YO!” Every head on the arena floor turned to face Eboshi, his face red, “I promise you can take a crack at them, random selection willing, but until I and I Alone, tell you to fight, All of you WILL Behave! Am I Understood!?”

The genin drifted apart. Mist and leaf grouped, casting glares and snarling. Sand and ash, plus Sango’s group, drifted to the back, trying to hold out of the path.

And in the center, the blade nin.

“Good. Now, one at a time, carve your sign onto the plank and then we can get on to the bloodshed you obviously seem to crave. Then move to the second level.” Eboshi pointed to Kiba, “You go first. The first idiot to draw a weapon or flash a single sigh will find themselves lacking a hand.”



“How rare a treat when a shinobi of your renown rises from the dead.” The Mizukage chimed, though he remained a good distance away, “How many of your company still survive, aside from yourself, that is?”

Zabuza drew inward, “The Swords of the Mist are dead save two; Their commander, and their traitor.”

The Kazekage lifted one hand, “Pardon what must be a silly question, but which is which?”

Zabuza and the mist captain locked eyes.

“Let’s say that it’s up for debate.” The captain growled.

“Debate…” Zabuza was still, “Yes. Let us debate on that. The Swords of the Mist were guardians. Perhaps to be lumped in with Hitake’s Black anbu in station. But after I retired, they became an offensive unit and began hunting the shinobi and kunoichi in the world that were of any real strength. Or could challenge their kage and give him good workout.”

“Under orders.” The captain shot back.

“As part of our treaty of alliance.” The Mizukage looked to Orochimaru.

Tsunade looked down at her nails, “And the buck stops. So why have you been murdering anyone who might rise against you, Hokage?”

The Kazekage looked from sannin to sannin, eyes wide.

“My policies are my own business, but yes. I felt that ninja of that level were a hazard to the stability of all the villages when they refuse to swear fealty and service to even their home village.”

Zabuza hung his head, “And this is the reason why I call no man my lord. Your petty fear drove forward the blade that defended the lives of my children and slaughtered my brothers and sisters.”

Orochimaru reclined in his chair, “Thus I believe that any man who can overcome a dozen of those he would otherwise call friends, and of that caliber as well, cannot be trusted. But tell me, Zabuza the Demon, Which of them was the hardest to kill?”

The cold gleam in his serpentine eyes was ruthless.

“…They all fell… There is no more to say…”

“And there it is. I rest my persecution.” Orochimaru smiled. “Though This demon is not half the threat to us all that Hanuro is.”

The Mizukage sat up straighter, “So this woman does exist? I had thought she was just rumor. Another false Uchiha.”

“Hehehehe,” Itachi laughed, “Hanuro Sakura? And Uchiha? She is our ally, but not one of us.”

Orochimaru frowned, “And there lies my greatest trouble with the woman. She is as elusive as a warm day in the winter. She holds incredible clout and her activities are so wild, and yet low profile, it is a tough riddle separating fact from fiction and half truth.”

“Is it true, Lord Uchiha, that this woman is a jinchuuriki?”

Itachi caught the Mizukage in his mangenque, “Beats me. I’m not even certain the lady is a she sometimes.”

“Lord Hokage! Your attention is called for on the floor.” Kakashi was leaning on the rail, staring wide eyed and slack jawed.

Zabuza sighed, “Now the cat’s out, Itachi.”

“Cat…?” Jiriaya held a bottle of brandy halfway to his lips, “What cat? Tsun, I’m allergic to cats.”

Tsunade slapped him.

The snake sannin frowned, “They began already?” He rose, moving to the rail as well. “Behold indeed… Hanuro…The Exile…Uchiha…The Missing Hyuuga…Young Momoshi…”

The Mizukage was a the rail in a flash, “My, my… And those are just the criminals! It’s a who’s who of young nin down there…

“What game do you play at, Uchiha?!” Kakashi reared upon Itachi, fist clenching.

“I like shogi, and I love go, but anything with dice drives me right up the wall…”

“Stay your hand!” Jiriaya stood between the men again. He pointed the sloshing brandy at them as he spoke, “Hitake, don’t be so easily provoked. Itachi, knock it off.”

“Will you all autograph my Bingo Book?”

“You want what?” Kakashi turned his back to Itachi and Jiriaya.

The Mizukage held an open book and a ready pen out toward him. “I was going to ask each of you in private later, but it seems as if that would be too late.”

Kakashi took the pen flipping though until he came upon his own picture. “This is beyond inane…” And he scribbled. Then passed the book to Jiriaya. The sannin perched the brandy on his head, signing to book and passed it to Itachi.

He signed it as well, holding the book out to Tsunade. “Sorry. I don’t do autographs for free.”

“I’ll purchase a subscription.”

“Sold!” She scribbled her name into the Bingo Book, passing it to Orochimaru.

“I already signed it.” The snake sannin passed it back to the Mizukage. “My, wasn’t that a friendly distraction.”

“Forgive me, Lord Hokage,” Kakashi pinched the bridge of his nose, “Do we intend to knowingly allow missing nin and criminals to participate in these exams?”

From his place, Orochimaru looked down at the gathered genin. “Put that way…” He faced Itachi with a sigh, “Captain Hitake is right. The Lady Hanuro and the Exile will have to withdrew from the exams. While I do wish to see their potential, they are simply too powerful for the genin. The others, however, may remain.”

“With due respect, Lord Hokage…”

“Enough, Hitake.” Orochimaru silenced him, “The laws of this ground are the most absolute anywhere. I cannot ban someone from either observing or competing unless they are too disruptive or too powerful. And the latter only if they mean to fight someone of considerably lower status than themselves. Crimes and alliances mean nothing here.” He glared openly at the anbu captain, “My authority here comes only from professional respect and that I have genin in competition. Nothing more.”

“As long as we agree to get along,” Zabuza spoke softly, “I have to side with the Hokage on the matter of Naruto and Sakura. He is too strong for this sort of tournament. And Sakura has shown signs of great improvement to her already substantial skills. If you lot are mistaking her for a jinchuuriki, perhaps she is more powerful than even I give her credit for.”

Kakashi cracked his knuckles, “It would be my honor to test her skills.”

“Back off the kunoichi, straw man!”

“Have you so soon forgotten our last encounter, weasel?”

“Hey,hey,hey!” Jiriaya held his hand up, facing down both shinobi, “I do not have hooch to deal with this!”

Tsunade held Itachi’s wrists, forcing his hands down, sheathing the half draw kunai, “Stow the blades, Uchiha.”

Jiriaya was facing Kakashi as the man brandished an orange toad by the legs.

“Wha…? Hey! Put me down!!”

Kakashi cast the toad away, glaring at the toad sannin, “I will break your arms!”

“I just stole the blade from your hand, replaced it with a toad and didn’t spill a drop.” Jiriaya patted the tanto tucked into his belt, “I really wouldn’t try it. And you are skirting that disruptive and violent edge of the ‘toss him out’ line. Eh, Scales?”

“As is Itachi with his near constant provocation.” The snake sannin sighed.

“It would be over if you hadn’t gotten in my way, old man.” Kakashi glared around the toad sannin. “Give me twenty seconds on the combat floor. Less than half a minute and I’ll be more than happy.”

“I’ll take that offer.” Zabuza clipped his mask into place, “If you’re still willing to keep that promise, Hitake.”

“Our dispute ended years ago when you fled the field, Momoshi.” Kakashi glowered, “You cannot shield the weasel forever. Why pick a fight now?”

Zabuza shrugged, “Fine, straw man. Back out. If you know you can’t take me in a fair fight, just say so.” Juvenile taunting coated the words as they slipped from the hunter mask, “I can understand your fear. Zabuza the Demon has frightened many men who thought they were brave.”

Kakashi’s fists clenched, “I will not be goaded by your sophomoric behavior, Momoshi.”

“Aww, come on!” Zabuza crossed his arms, “I’ve got some new moves you can steal, Copycat.”

Kakashi was turning red. An interesting shade of red. “I left that title to rot twenty years ago…”

“And kept the eye?” Zabuza’s head tipped slightly, “So what is it now? The Master of Mimic? Or just the Terror of Konoha?”

“You really do…”

“…have quite the death wish, don’t you.” Zabuza covered his mask, as though yawning, “You said that last time. Do we fight? Or do you still wanna back down. Admit defeat without your cannon fodder henchmen to back you up.”

Kakashi was trembling, his face red as boiled lobster, thick purple veins standing out on his neck and jaw.

“That was some first class button pushing…” Jiriaya muttered. “You think we have any chance of stopping this once it breaks?”

Tsunade shook her head, “Not without putting them in the hospital.”

“OI!!!” Jiriaya moved to the rail, a hand held protectively over the tanto, “KIDS OUT OF THE POOL!!”

The genin all looked up, some annoyed, other curious.

“Yes, you lot there!” Jiriaya shooed them off of the floor, “Quickly now! Go on!”

The Sergeant pulled out his senbon, “You heard Sannin Jiriaya! Clear the floor!”

Jiriaya threw the tanto out over the arena, hearing the anbu teleport away.

Kakashi snatched the blade out of the air and laid the flat of the steel on one genin’s shoulder.

“Momoshi Haku…” He stared into her eye as she paused, “Pray for the unwed man you call father. Today he falls.”

Haku returned his stare, “You cannot frighten me with his death, Captain Hitake.” Her back was straight and the steel reflected her clam eyes, “He laid his demon to rest years ago.”

The tip-tap of steel boots on the floor rang like a heart beating and stopped a short distance from Hitake and Haku. “Strike the shinobi. Leave his family in peace.” Steel rang a long vocalization as it slipped free of it’s sheath.

Hinata took Haku by the arm, guiding her away, “Come on…” Haku was drawn away more by the gentle insistence of those two words than by the firm grip on hr arm.

Zabuza watched his daughter’s retreat from the corner of his eye, speaking when she could not hear his next words, “I would have died long ago if you had heeded that lesson.”



“Who is that man… In truth?” The Mizukage peered down at them, leaned over the rail as though the last six inches would show her some hidden detail.

The rival began to slowly circle, each holding his blade in one hand, the other leading the dance.

“You call him Zabuza the Demon, due to his zanbato and his rather unique style of combat.” Jiriaya took a heavy swig out of the brandy bottle and resumed, speaking slowly, “But on this day, I think that the man down there is not the Demon. He’s just one man protecting his family from another man.”

“Do you mean to sell short two of the most powerful men you are likely to meet?” Jiriaya arched one eyebrow high. Then he looked to Tsunade.

“No…” The toad sannin sighed, “But I mean to say that their battle here is not for glory, money, or kage and country. They fight for themselves alone. It’s just that one has slightly more noble reasons for fighting for himself.”

“That sounded really impressive, Jiriaya.” Tsunade looked at the bottle in his hand, “You’re not sober, are you?”

“I’m trying to fix that problem…” And the toad sannin drank deeply.

“I know I ask all these questions,” The Mizukage eyed Jiriaya warily, stepping away from him, “But how will Zabuza fare without his legendary zanbato?”

Jiriaya scoffed, waving to Orochimaru.

The Mizukage scowled back and forth, “I feel it is a legitimate question!”

Orochimaru sighed, “Pardon him. What he means to say is that while jonin and anbu can win or lose a battle with the difference a weapon makes. And as you go along, chunin and kage can lean on the difference to tip the field, the men below you are much like genin when it comes to a single weapon.”

The snake sannin leaned on the rail, “Take the most powerful weapons, give them to genin. You have a child with a tool. In the hands of those that lack experience, even my Grasscutter will fall to a broomstick. The tools have such little impact for them because genin simply lack the experience to use them properly. But with these men, a weapon is a mere thing. Their experience, their talent, and their instincts, honed by not just years, but decades or battles, both easy and difficult, makes one’s weapon an insignificant thing.”

“And in final,” Tsunade finally spoke, “As our sensei told us before we had even grown up; When battles are fought between the greatest ninja, they either change the landscape or no one notices anything happened.”