Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Shinobi and The Miko ❯ Plans ( Chapter 7 )

 

“The tokin from E-2 to E-3, please.” Kaguya requested.

 

Temari counted the spaces up and across the grid, and moved the corresponding piece. Shikamaru sat back, crossing his arms. He remained like this for a few minutes, then moved one of his own pieces.

 

“I moved my silver general to take the tokin on E-3.” He said reflexively.

 

At first, when Kaguya had requested that he teach her Shogi, he had thought it impossible. Then she had proposed that they simply call their moves, and she'd keep the board in her head. He had been skeptical at first, but her quiet insistence had convinced him. Besides, he really did need someone to play with these days.

 

His hands moved to his belt, where he kept Asuma-sensei's brass knuckles. It had been those that started the whole thing. A few weeks ago, he'd been out practicing with them and had taken a break to watch the clouds go by. She'd apparently been drawn to the place by the altered sound they made when they struck something. When she expressed curiosity about what strange weapons he was using, he'd somehow wound up telling her all about Asuma-sensei and how they used to play Shogi. It wasn't another few minutes before he'd agreed to teach her. How troublesome. Still, she'd proven an apt enough opponent, and sometimes her way of thinking about things surprised him. Of course, they usually had a third person move her pieces (usually Choji), though he'd once tried to play as she did, keeping an image of the board and pieces in his head. It had proved an interesting mental exercise, but he had to say he still preferred to see what he was doing.

 

Today, Temari was the somewhat reluctant third. She had arrived along with Kankuro the previous day, emissaries from the now demonless Kazekage. Things are looking worse by the day.

 

Kaguya spent a moment in thought, and confirmed what Shikamaru already knew. “Hm…it seems as though you have me. I concede.”

 

“Eh. Don't worry about it.”

 

She shook her head. “One day. One day I'll beat you.”

 

“Not if you continue to play that conservatively.” He stopped for a moment. This was very like what someone had told him once.

 

“As you say.” She helped him stow the pieces, then rose to her feet. “Well, I'd better get going. Anko's got me practicing again today. The weather is so nice, too…”

 

“Lame,” he sympathized. “I'm going to see Kurenai-sensei, then Temari and I have to report to the Hokage.”

 

“More bad news?”

 

“Probably.”

 

She grimaced, and he sighed his agreement.

 

“Tomorrow, then.”

 

“Tomorrow.” He and Temari headed towards the main road in town, and she set off to the Southeast to find Anko.

 

“She's quite pretty, that one,” said Temari. There was a latent question in the statement.

 

Skikamaru shrugged. “Yeah, I guess…”

 

“You guess? What's that supposed to mean?”

 

He rolled his eyes. Always with the questions. “She's like art.”

 

“Art? Have you lost it?” Her tone was incredulous.

 

He shook his head. “She's well enough, but… I don't know. You'd be afraid to take her off the shelf.”

 

Temari let out an exasperated sigh. “Whatever. Do you have any idea what the Hokage wants?”

 

“She'll probably just update us on the Akatsuki, or something lame like that.”

 

“Hn. How many of them are still around, anyway?”

 

Shikamaru thought back to his encounter with Hidan. “Who knows? Hidan, Sasori, Zetsu, Deidara, and Kazuku have all been dealt with, but…”

 

As they continued down the road, a large man with red hair accompanied by one with a rather sinister-looking sword passed them, looking rather irritated.

 

“You guys sure have some weird help around here,” Temari jibed.

 

“Sasuke found them. They used to work for Orochimaru.”

 

“What?!” she spluttered. “And you're just letting them wander around?”

 

He didn't answer. Truth be told, he wasn't all that pleased with it himself. But if the Hokage thinks we can use them… The last few months had been full of surprises. Shikamaru hated surprises.

 

***

Anko crossed her arms and waited while Tsunade finished the paper she was reading, marked it with her seal, and passed it to Shizune, who left carrying it like it could tear at the slightest provocation.

 

“More requests?”

 

Tsunade leaned forward on her desk, head in her hands. “Every day. More people need the shinobi of this village, and I just can't seem to keep up.” She sighed heavily and blew a strand of loose hair out of her face. “Please tell me the two of you have good news.” She indicated for Anko and Kakashi to be seated. “You first, Anko. How's she doing?”

 

“Hn. It's a mixed bag. Two months and she can't even manage one genjutsu. Her taijutsu is decent, but transformation is…interesting.”

 

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

 

“She walks like me, talks like me… hell, she even smells like me. But she sure doesn't look like me.”

 

“That's to be expected I suppose, considering she had no idea what you look like.”

 

“That's the weird thing. She can do anything to her own appearance. You say `turn your hair black' and she does. And she makes perfect clones.”

 

“She wasn't born blind, then. And her knowledge of anatomy would mean that she knows how she's put together. How's her ninjutsu?”

 

“All I had to do was tell her how to walk on water, and she managed it the first time. Other than that though… she's probably on Sakura's level. I wouldn't recommend sending her on missions, though.”

 

“Why not? Sakura is perfectly capable of holding her own in most situations.”

 

Anko laughed, a sharp, barking sound. “Oh, she'd hold her own or defend you `til she died. Problem is, she doesn't have the stomach for it.”

 

“She's a coward then?”

 

“No…” Anko thought for a moment. “More like, well… a miko. Even when we're just sparring, she softens her blows. She knows full well that I don't like it, and she does anyway. You'd have a hard time getting her to hurt anyone, much less kill them.”

 

“Hmm…perhaps that depends on the situation.”

 

“Use her if you want. Just don't pretend you know what she'll do when it comes down to it. Throw her in with a four-man team if you really want her skills, but don't send her instead of someone else.”

 

Tsunade made a small note on a piece of paper. “Fine. What of Suigetsu and the other two?”

 

Anko grimaced. “I'd almost think Jugo was a nice guy, if I didn't know what he looked like when he fought. Suigetsu's a nasty little bastard, but controllable if he knows you're nastier.” She grinned wolfishly. “Karin, on the other hand… she acted up a few days ago and threatened to kill Iruka. She's currently languishing in prison. I wouldn't let her out if I were you.”

 

Tsunade inclined her head, and made some more notes before turning to Kakashi.

 

“I have nothing new on the Akatsuki; I'm sure Jiraya-sama will be the one to ask about that, when he returns from Amegakure.”

 

Tsunade frowned. If he returns, she thought to herself. No, I have to trust in him. “And Sasuke?”

 

“Is, as I expected, much stronger than he can handle. New jutsu aside, I'm not sure how stable he is.”

 

“Meaning what, exactly?”

 

“Meaning that I'm not sure he won't leave again. He has told me something of his time with Orochimaru, though, so I believe he is trying to restore his ties to this place.”

 

“Good. Stay with him for a bit longer. Actually, I'm going to place you two on a special ANBU squad, if you'll agree. Yamato and Sai will fill your places on Squad 7 for the time being.”

 

Kakashi looked at her curiously. “And for what purpose is this squad to be assembled?”

 

“To act as a team more... directly under my command. You'll be doing those things that I require of you. As such, you will answer to me and nobody else.”

 

“Is the existence of such a team truly wise? The council could take it to mean that you are attempting to subvert them.”

 

“Hmph. Danzo already has The Foundation. Oh yes, I know about that. Such open secrets are not spoken of for a reason, and that reason is because everyone has them. However, I intend to be somewhat more…covert. Your purpose will be a complete secret.”

 

Anko snorted. “Well, you're doing a fine job of keeping it with me just standing here.”

 

“Not at all. Two people does not a squad make. I am taking a risk by telling you before I have a guarantee of participation, but I feel it necessary to give you a fully-informed choice.” She paused. “Well? You two have come to be among my most trusted jounin. Will you continue to serve to the best of your ability?”

 

A fully-informed choice, huh? Doesn't sound like there's much of a choice here to me, thought Anko sardonically. Still, this could be fun. “I'm in.” she said aloud.

 

“Kakashi?”

 

He paused to consider for a few moments. Anko could practically see the gears whirling around in his head as he considered all the possibilities. Personally, Anko believed he overthought things a bit.

 

“As you wish, Lady Hokage. However, I do not speak for Sasuke; this is something he should be allowed to consider independently. You may tell him of my decision, but I will not attempt to convince him of anything.”

 

Tsunade nodded slightly. She had expected about as much. “Very well. Come see me tomorrow. Dismissed.”

 

Tsunade made to return to her papers. Somehow, though, she was unable to focus. The view of the Konoha sunset behind her was too tempting. She gave up and stared out the window for a while. She couldn't shake the feeling of sadness and foreboding that settled over her then.

 

Jiraya…