Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Hidden Continent ❯ Teasing the stoic ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

The Hidden Continent

Part Three: Teasing the Stoic

Koenma's office was day to the Hokage's night. There was little need for subterfuge in the Reikai, partly because normal visitors had no body to speak of, mostly because the man in charge was a God. True, he was an incompetent, infantile God-in-training, who didn't look nearly as good in his teenage form as he thought he did, but he was still a God.

Aside from Koenma's 'human' appearance, the office was the same as it had been the last time Hiei had seen it, over three years ago when he was still a tantei for the Reikai. Too bright, stark yellow walls that aimed for glossy but came out sickly and made for an uneasy lack of shadows, the eternally cluttered desk that took up half the wall and was piled with stacks of paperwork to be stamped before they toppled to the floor and had to be sorted all over again, and the blurred sheen of the projection screen between the desk and the door that left a decidedly uncomfortable tingly sensation when walked through. All things considered, Hiei preferred the stark cell-like mock-office the humans had used to Koenma's cheery little headquarters.

Koenma stood behind the desk. He'd decked himself out for the occasion in his more appealing human aspect. His short brown hair was windswept despite the complete lack of wind, the long bangs dipping past the Jr emblazoned on his forehead and down toward seemingly deep, sober eyes. He was tall and dressed in comfortably loose blue, with a dark red cape that still reminded Hiei of the ningen comic Yusuke had shown him after first seeing the junior king's 'teenage' form. While Koenma did cut a better figure as a human then he did in his chubby baby-god body, the blue marble pacifier in his mouth destroyed any respectability his appearance garnered. Showy, incompetent, and oh so annoying.

"Glad to see you, too, Hiei," Koenma greeted. It was interesting how clearly he spoke with an energy-sucking ring recharging in his mouth. Interesting, like how he actually believed anyone could take him seriously with that ball bobbing in front of his face.

Hiei didn't waste so much as a sneer on him. He stepped into the office, skirting the projection, and left the doorway clear for the two men following behind.

"I think he's broken," he said, with a jerk of his head to the twitching ningen Bui prodded into the room.

Kakashi glowered faintly at the barb. He'd figured out very quickly that this wasn't a trick the two strangers were pulling on him, and on Konoha by association. This was too elaborate to be an illusion, and they were way too casual about it all. Like the enjoyable freefall that had left him clinging to Bui like a leech. They could have mentioned the man's unusual chakra allowed him to do more things than just create barriers. Not that he would have believed a man could fly using his chakra alone. He wouldn't have believed a girl could fly on what looked like a boat paddle, either, but they could have at least tried to convince him. Their casual amusement gave him the impression the flight was nothing compared to what they had to show him.

The tour he'd been given of the 'palace' had the same careless and casual air about it. They'd led him in the front doors, which were easily twice the height of Konoha's walls, as if made to fit a giant. And they hadn't so much as slowed down when Bui prodded him right through the center of an enormous hall that appeared to be filled with humanoid monsters scrambling around like genin late for class. All he'd gotten was a vague glance from Hiei, who called the creatures Oni like that explained everything. Surely if they were trying to crack his rational brain, they'd have taken advantage of his confused and admittedly panicked response. It wasn't every day that he used the sharigan and hand seals to break illusions three times in the space of two minutes.

Koenma wasn't sure what to make of the wary and tired looking man Hiei had brought in. He was tall and lanky, dressed in black and dark blue with a high, open-collared vest of muddy green. His shirt rose into a cloth mask that hid his face from the bridge of his nose down. A wild shock of grayish white hair was held back from his face by a metal plated headband, and he had mismatched eyes, one black, the other red with an old scar from the eyebrow down. When he looked at it, the black curls in the red iris rotated full circle. Weird.

Despite his funny eyeball, the man was definitely human. He was powerful, too. That didn't really come as a surprise, considering the man had entered the Reikai for the first time and walked right into his office without so much as freaking out. Oh, sure, he was a little twitchy, but he wasn't screaming like a girl or plotting ways to attack him. That put him above Kuwabara and Yusuke. For a human who'd technically been isolated from all three worlds, he was handling this well. Now if Hiei would just prod the guy far enough into the room to see the projection...

On cue, that cue being Koenma's impatient shuffling and bugeyed stare from him to Kakashi to the projection and back again, Hiei turned to look at the screen. What he saw made him roll his eyes and turn for the door.

"That's their leader," he said. "She sent him to see the Ningenkai in her place. Have Botan bring him to Yusuke when you're done with him. There's a youko over there Kurama should know about."

Koenma jerked a little, his eyebrows twitching inward at the impertinence. "Just a minute, now. You don't give orders here."

Hiei paused long enough to sniff at the demi-god's constipated face. "That's Mukuro's land they're on. Don't forget."

"Don't you forget who got you in there," Koenma glowered back. "I may not have control over Kurama, but Yusuke and Kuwabara are mine. Maybe I don't want them over there."

"Who said I do?" Hiei sniffed. "They'll show him the ningenkai. With Botan. He has no immunity to ningenkai sickness. You wouldn't want him going back and wiping out the entire population. Yusuke may have chosen the ningenkai, but he's still youkai. If you send him with me when we go back, that's up to you. But anyone you send will follow my orders there. The Baka couldn't follow me even if I wanted him there. Which I don't."

There was no point arguing with Hiei now that he had Mukuro to stand behind. Not that he stood behind her these days. Koenma didn't really pay that much attention to the Makai, but he'd noticed Hiei was doing most of the work in Mukuro's place. Especially if it involved humans or the Reikai. As hard as it was to imagine, Mukuro had even less...people-skills...than Hiei did. Still, it was very annoying to put up with Hiei's attitude when just a few years ago the youkai had been at his beck and call. That was what he got for letting Kurama talk him out of imprisoning the psychotic little demon when he'd had the chance.

Hiei was already out the door, talking in hushed tones to Bui. Koenma didn't bother to call him back. As annoyed as he was by Hiei's manner, he couldn't really argue with his point. The humans isolated in the Makai were like an island herd of inbred animals. A single human virus from the Ningenkai could kill them all. So Kuwabara was out of the question. That didn't mean he couldn't send someone else who'd annoy Hiei nearly as much. He smirked darkly and sorted the ferrygirls in his mind for one who could replace Botan until further notice.

-.-

The hospital room Sasuke had been moved to was more of a cell than anything. There were no windows or ventilation and he was convinced the door had been sealed to keep even the tiniest bit of air from sneaking in. It made him wonder if he'd suffocate once he'd used up the available oxygen, or if the stuffiness was just in his mind. He knew there was a seal around his bed, which had been placed in the very center of the white, empty, room. He could feel the seal like a wet blanket draped over him, dulling his senses and weighting him down. If he'd cared, he might have told them a leash would suffice and that the cage was unnecessary.

He was drained. That was putting it mildly. He'd used everything he had and more that he didn't in that fight with Naruto. He could barely remember stumbling the rest of the way to Orochimaru and it amazed him that no one had picked him up and carried him back to Konoha while he was too dazed to put up a fight. No one had. He'd made it the rest of the way on his own and when he'd gotten there...the reception wasn't what he'd expected.

Orochimaru had been weak, just settling into his new container. And he'd been startled, furious, even, when he'd seen the condition Sasuke was in. What had he expected? Had he really thought Konoha would just let one of their own go without putting up a fight? That his henchmen would return unscathed? Had he really not feared the source of Naruto's power?

Sasuke hadn't known. It was disgusting that he hadn't realized, especially after watching Naruto's battle with Gaara. But he honestly hadn't. He'd seen the sudden strength, but he'd been blind to the reason. It was unthinkable. He didn't want to make excuses for himself, but when it came down to it, it was just that. Unthinkable. The demon that had taken the life of a Hokage to defeat was still alive? And it was inside Naruto? Unthinkable. Even if Naruto had told him, he wouldn't have believed it.

Orochimaru had known what was inside Naruto. He'd known all along. He'd known why Itachi wanted Naruto and he hadn't said a word. He still didn't consider it a threat. Kyubi! Even if it was housed in Naruto, how could anyone not consider it a threat when he was using it in battle? Of course he'd been forced to use the seal. He hadn't known what Naruto was tapping at the time, but he knew now and it seemed amazingly stupid to think he could have gotten away from him without using the seal. And that was with Naruto in control. What did Orochimaru think he could have done if Kyubi had broken loose? He almost thought it had for a while, when he'd been fighting chakra. Claws made entirely of...of chakra. How was he supposed to defend against that? If he hadn't used the next level of the seal, he'd be dead now.

He felt dead. Naruto, the seal, then Orochimaru. And they still thought he had the chakra left to stand up, let alone try to escape? Where was he supposed to be escaping to? He hadn't told Orochimaru anything he didn't already know, and Orochimaru hadn't told him anything that was true. Why would he go back? Orochimaru not only claimed Kyubi was sealed and helpless, despite what Sasuke had seen with his own eyes, he actually had the nerve to punish him for using the seal he'd given him. What could he gain if he went back? Three years in a cage? He didn't know why he'd woken up in Konoha, but he was here. If he were going to be caged it didn't really matter where he was.

They'd sent Ibiki to interrogate him. He couldn't help but be somewhat smug about that. It was a wasted effort on their part, but it was still nice to know they considered him that much of a threat in the hands of their enemies. He wasn't even the first Uchiha to end up with Orochimaru. They'd stopped sending Hunter nin after Itachi years ago, and they knew Itachi would be a threat for as long as he lived. What threat did they think Sasuke posed that Itachi never had? Why had they sent an entire team after him when Itachi had walked in and out of Konoha, attacking Kakashi along the way, without so much as a single Jounin chasing after? They hadn't bothered about a mass murderer and known missing nin, so why the fuss over one genin?

He'd thought it was because he knew about Kyubi. They must have read the chakra in the valley. He thought maybe they were afraid he'd warned Orochimaru about the real power Naruto had access to, the power Konoha had access to. It was, after all, a power that Itachi's group planned to capture and harness for themselves. They had no way of knowing that Orochimaru didn't care about Naruto, Kyubi, or the plans Itachi had for the latter. Sasuke was still a little stunned that Ibiki never so much as mentioned Kyubi during his questioning. Did he really think Sasuke hadn't figured it out? Or did Ibiki not know about Naruto? He found it difficult to believe.

All of the questions had been about his loyalty and the information he'd given to Orochimaru. He didn't even have to lie or hide details about his welcome to the Sound country because Ibiki never asked. He hadn't told Orochimaru anything about Konoha, either, and he'd never planned to. He hadn't gone to Orochimaru as a Konoha shinobi. The only thing he'd even spoken to Orochimaru about was his fight with Naruto, and that was just to explain why he'd used the final stage of the seal. Orochimaru hadn't believed a word of that, so it didn't matter.

He didn't have any idea what they planned to do with him. For now they had him isolated and suppressed, but what about later? It wasn't a crime to leave the village without permission, and he hadn't killed anyone or shared any secrets with the enemy. He'd planned to use the enemy, not join them, and even that had been dismissed after he'd gotten there and seen exactly how little Orochimaru knew about real power. No one who dismissed a demon like Kyubi had anything to teach him. And the only Konoha shinobi he'd attacked was Naruto. It wasn't like they hadn't fought before. Gaara and Naruto had nearly killed each other, and yet, from what little Orochimaru had told him, the Sand was now Konoha's ally.

The door opened to admit a very unwelcome sight. Tall, a black bowlcut, thick rectangular eyebrows, and enough skintight green spandex to make even the most stoic man choke and whimper in the back of his throat. Sasuke locked his eyes on the white wall across from the door and prayed the man hadn't entered in order to talk to him. Ibiki could come back and torture him to his heart's content. Anything but Gai.

Since he wasn't looking in the man's direction, he didn't see what he did when he reached his bed. He felt it clearly, though. That wet blanket-like seal broke in an abrupt wash of fresh air. Sasuke refused to show any sign of relief. Gai knew he was awake. He was probably just waiting for him to look over. There was no way he'd do that. He'd sit quietly through as many lectures as Kakashi and Tsunade wanted to give him, but he'd sooner go back and kiss Orochimaru's feet than have Gai rant at him about not wasting the glorious days of his youth.

"Sa...Sasuke-kun...?"

Despite his determination, the soft, faltering voice caught him by surprise. He jerked and looked toward the door just in time to be blinded by Gai's face-splitting grin. No human should have teeth that white.

"Ah!" Gai exclaimed, beaming from the poor, ever-so-young Sasuke, who'd been so sadly led astray, over to the hesitant, blossoming Sakura, who'd so faithfully awaited his return. "Such a glorious-"

Sasuke did his best to block out the man, focusing instead on the pink-haired girl standing just inside the door. Sakura was wringing her hands, unshed tears shimmering in wide green eyes. He braced himself and looked away. What was he supposed to say to her? If he said one word, she was going to let out a wail and throw herself on him. He just knew it. He could already feel how much it would hurt, too. And if he tried ignoring her or shoving her off, she'd cry and cling that much tighter.

"-miraculous proof of how wonderful-"

Sasuke twitched. That was it. Maybe if he decked Gai, they'd seal him back up and deny visitors. Was this supposed to be his punishment? They might as well have sent Naruto in to-

"He's naked? Why's he naked!"

"N-Naruto! You insensitive idiot!"

A dull thud sounded, followed by a pained yelp and a sharp whine of, "Sakura-chan...!"

No. This wasn't punishment. This was hell. Gai stumbled for a moment of silence, then resumed where he'd left off in his extolls of the glory that was youth. Sasuke snapped his head around and glared at the man for all he was worth.

"Are you here to supervise me?" Sasuke asked, in the coldest tone he could manage given the circumstances.

Gai blinked in surprise. "No. I-"

"Then please leave. I want to talk to them alone."

Sasuke was quite proud that he'd managed to make the order sound more like a request. He really wanted all three of them to leave, but he knew he'd have to deal with his former teammates sooner or later. Sooner was better, especially if it meant Gai went far, far away from him.

It took a few more minutes for Gai to leave the room. Apparently his speech had been for Sasuke's benefit, so he was compelled to finish it before his departure. That gave Sakura time to control the blush she'd gotten from Naruto's insensitive, but entirely accurate, assessment. At least, she tried to control it. The closer she looked, the more she realized exactly how much skin was showing from Sasuke's seated, half-turned position. Naturally she understood that they'd have stripped him when they brought him in. And sealing him in a sterile room like this would be pointless if he were left with articles of clothing that might possibly serve as weapons. Yes...it was only natural. Far be it from her to make a fuss over the fact that she was standing three and a half feet away from a Sasuke clothed only in one dropping white sheet...

"It's not my fault," Naruto whined quietly. "He could have at least pulled the sheet up when he saw us come in..."

It wasn't like he'd meant to look. Kyubi was the one who'd taken one look at the bed and informed him that his 'boy' was entirely naked under that sheet.

'A very thin sheet,' Kyubi added. 'If it were damp, you could see right through it.'

Naruto's face flamed darker than Sakura's and he danced in place, his eyes closed tight. 'Shut up - shut up - shut up!'

'At least he's still fresh. A few more days and you might have had to play second to the snake. Like this...'

Naruto choked at the image that flashed into his head. 'OhMyGodShutUp! That's so disgusting! Sasuke would never let that disgusting - gagh! Oh! Stop it! Stop it, or I swear I'll scratch my eyes out. I swear! Oh, man, I'm gonna be sick...Ew...Ew, it hurts...!'

Sasuke stared at his teammates with a dazed look on his face. Sakura wasn't looking so shy anymore. In fact, she was wearing a rabid fangirl blush that he usually only saw on Ino, and she shook a little with each breath, like she was giggling in the back of her throat. Her eyes were roving over him in a way that made him tug the sheet up to his chin. Naruto, on the other hand, appeared to having some sort of fit, shuddering and jittering all over the place. He was scrubbing his eyes with the heel of one hand, the other locked clawlike over his mouth. What the hell had happened to them since he left?

"I've only been gone three days..."

.-.

The office building Kurama's ningen stepfather owned was a sterile graceless thing, planted in the middle of a dozen other colorless deathtraps. The streets and lots were crowded, the air was thick, and a person could barely stand on the rooftop without cringing under the weight of the filth and imminent death. And demons complained that the atmosphere in the Makai was stifling. Idiots.

Kurama had resisted his mother's well-meaning but unheartfelt pleas for him to go on to college and find a career that suited him better. They both knew his intelligence was wasted here, playing errand boy for his stepfather and filling a position that any secretary with a minimal education could have handled. He chose to stay because it let him maintain an interest in the family. Shiori never came to the office, but she was satisfied just knowing he was near. She could put him out of her mind that way, making it easier when the time came for her to forget him. Being in position to spy on the man she'd married was another perk. Too bad he was every bit as kind and straightlaced at work as he was at home. Even after working for the man, Kurama had no idea what his mother saw in him. He was the epitome of normal. Boring.

Kurama let his footsteps announce him as he stepped out onto the sunspeckled rooftop. It was his way of thanking Hiei for not popping up on the window sill and scaring one of the secretaries into spilling hot tea on him. It was all good and well that Hiei could erase a human's memory with a snap of the fingers, but Kurama was the one left with the burns and stains, and those were considerably harder to get rid of. He found Hiei standing on the ledge and scowling at his feet. Kurama smirked.

"You can step down, you know," he greeted. "The concrete isn't as dirty as it smells."

Hiei didn't budge. He never did when he was forced to visit Kurama here as apposed to his more sanitary house. Especially during the day, when the sounds and exhaust fumes were thick enough to make his head hurt. It was a wonder Kurama's lungs weren't black from breathing this in every day.

He lifted his gaze from the smog-stained concrete beneath his feet and shot a look at the fox. Kurama was wearing a suit, black and straight cut. He must have thrown on the coat when he felt Hiei's energy pulse, because the flowing material and copper color didn't match. His hair was the same, red, thick bangs dipping into too-vivid green eyes, long sidelocks falling forward over his shoulders. The rest was pulled back in a loose tail that didn't come anywhere near being tame and dignified and normal. He might as well have been playing dress-up.

"You look awful," Hiei grimaced.

"I love you, too," smiled Kurama. "I didn't expect to be seeing you so soon. Weren't you investigating that kekkai? A blank spot in the middle of Mukuro's territory and you take time off to come see me. Really, Hiei. I had no idea."

Hiei tried to keep his eyebrow from twitching, but it was useless. He turned his head so Kurama wouldn't see it and gloat. It was a lost cause since his irritated tone gave him away.

"We need to talk," he said. "Not here."

Hiei's shoulders had hunched a little, just enough for Kurama to smirk at his profile.

"Right now?" asked Kurama. "Across rooftops in the middle of the day? You must really be desperate to get me alone with you."

Hiei twitched and rounded sharply. He really didn't like stepping onto that sun-baked, smog-soaked, roof. There just had to be a humid lack of wind today. He glared and flitted over to the annoying fox. It took four seconds for Kurama to catch his scent. That sly, taunting smile flashed into a look of shock, followed immediately by anger and a sharp golden sheen in his eyes. Hiei hesitated long enough to smirk in amusement. Then a hand shot out and he darted away, confident the fox would follow. Canines. They were all about the chase. Honestly.

An hour later the two of them were in the Makai, having the private discussion Hiei had aimed for. The only deviation from his plans was the distance between them, and Kurama's unexpected tantrum.

"Stop involving innocent bystanders," Kurama glared up at him.

Hiei rolled his eyes and leaned to the side of the smoldering branch he'd taken shelter on. Kurama had gone youko on him the second they'd crossed realms, all silvery hair and glossy white clothing. Not to mention sharp claws, gnashing teeth, bristling tail, and narrow golden eyes. Like Hiei was actually going to go near him when he looked like that. This was exactly why he hadn't told him on a ningen rooftop where some idiot human might walk out any minute.

"Don't make the trees attack me and I won't burn them," Hiei said calmly.

"Then come down here and talk to me," snapped Kurama.

"Like you really plan to talk if I come down there," Hiei smirked.

"Damn it, Hiei!"

"I don't see why you're so angry," Hiei continued, in a careless and amused tone, like he wasn't on guard for the moment the tree tried to snatch him again. "I came all the way to that wretched building to tell you. I thought you'd be intrigued."

Kurama wasn't the least bit amused. Hiei had known exactly how he'd react. "You let him touch you."

"Only for a second to confirm my suspicions," said Hiei.

Whether they were doing it from a distance or not, Hiei was satisfied that they were finally talking about what mattered. "I couldn't tell how old or powerful he is, but he's sealed in a human host. They can probably communicate, but their souls haven't merged. We may not be able to contact him without going through the human he's contained in. A child, about the age Yusuke was. Bui and I don't-"

A growl interrupted him, and Hiei kept a closer watch for any vines that might be sneaking their way toward him. He should have known better than to mention that name when Kurama was already annoyed with him.

"You'd be able to relate with the host," said Hiei. "We already know the demon's interested in you from the way he attacked."

"Come down."

Hiei sighed and looked at the seemingly calm youko staring up at him. Like he couldn't see the way Kurama's silvery tail was lashing behind him. What a one-track mind. He continued as if Kurama hadn't spoken. "Koenma's delivering one of the humans to Yusuke. If you want to help, we need to meet them and show the human the Ningenkai."

"I'm coming with you," said Kurama, "but it'll be difficult if you won't go near me. Come down here."

"I'm not in the mood for a quickie-"

"Damn it, Hiei!"

"-and there's no time for anything else," Hiei finished. "I'll meet you at Yusuke's in the Ningenkai. You should pack and make excuses before that. This could take weeks."

"Hiei..."

"Try not to attack that human if you get there before I do. He smells more like that youko than I do."

"And where do you think you're going?" Kurama glared.

"To update Mukuro," Hiei smirked. "You're not invited. She's still upset with you for attacking her new second in command during your last visit. Go back to the Ningenkai, fox. As amusing as you are this way, you're not thinking clearly enough to catch me. I'll be sure to burn this scent off before I come back."

Hiei darted off, leaving Kurama scowling at the still smoldering tree. Contrary to Hiei's biased opinion, Kurama had no intention of chasing him down and...marking his territory. He hated the way Hiei phrased that, as if he went around spraying people like an animal. He didn't hold to tradition that strongly. He was part human now. Hiei was much worse than him with his use and discard, taunt and run. That was definitely a koorime trait. At least it explained why Yukina was so affable and stationary. She'd gotten the looks and Hiei had gotten the instincts. The power and speed he'd inherited from his father just made him better at it than his koorime ancestors. He was a damned tease. And he was so going to get it when this was over.

.-.

Umino Iruka was livid. It didn't look good on him. He had a way of blowing up so that his eyes bulged and his head appeared four times its normal size. Then there was his mouth, better described as a gaping maw. And his painfully booming voice. Tsunade finally understood why even jounins in the mission office went out of their way not to annoy the man. For a simple chunin school teacher with a tendency to blush when he laughed, Iruka was downright scary when he was mad. And so very loud...

Tsunade rubbed her ringing ears and waited. Sure enough, an embarrassed silence followed the outburst. Iruka remembered who he was railing at and dropped his eyes. A faint blush struck out on his cheeks, making the scar across the bridge of his nose more prominent. Tsunade decided she liked him better like this, abashed and pliable. It was cute. If he stayed that way long enough, maybe she could forget how big his head got when he yelled.

"Like I said," she sighed, "I just called their bluff. Unfortunately, they weren't bluffing."

Iruka closed his eyes tight. It was very difficult not to snap when she admitted her mistake with such a careless tone. He'd never understand why the elders had been set on looking outside the village for their next Hokage. Tsunade's medical skills were unparalleled, and she was certainly more reliable than Jiraiya. She was still a virtual stranger gambling with the lives of people she'd never met and knew nothing about. And Naruto had gone on and on about how she was a gambling addict known all over the continent for always losing. He prayed that Naruto was exaggerating.

"There's no reason to be concerned at this point," said Tsunade. "Whatever their true goal is, they won't make any progress if they don't bring Kakashi back with them."

Iruka looked up. "And Kyubi?"

Tsunade frowned darkly and didn't answer immediately. She hadn't yet decided how she felt about that. She didn't know what to think. Naruto wasn't just tapping into Kyubi's resources, he was communicating with it. And that arrogant pervert Jiraiya had to have had something to do with it, she just knew it. When she got her hands on him, she'd wring his wrinkled neck. Except she couldn't, because he'd probably get off on that. Damn meddling pervert.

"I spoke with them," she finally said. "They weren't demons. Their chakra was strange, but they weren't masking their appearances. There are no records of demons that look as human as that."

"You think Kyubi's lying?" asked Iruka.

"It doesn't have any reason to tell us the truth. Even if they are containers like Gaara, the demon wouldn't have attacked them unless it felt threatened by their presence here. You're sure Naruto's hiding something?"

"Yes," Iruka said, reluctantly, "but I'm convinced it's nothing that would endanger Konoha. I think it's more that Kyubi is taunting him, especially with the extra seal keeping its chakra in check. It's talking to him and I don't think he can shut it up on his own."

"Well, if it's a competition of willpower..."

"...Naruto is too stubborn to lose," Iruka finished. Naruto was the one issue on which they were united. They shared a brief, knowing, look before Iruka switched back to worry mode. "A distraction is just what he needs right now."

"Good. Because I honestly don't know what to do with that kid. Ibiki says he's not dangerous, and I'm more than willing to blame Orochimaru for the entire mess we had chasing after him. He still left on his own, though, and he and Naruto nearly killed each other. Naruto's fervor is understandable, especially now that we know Kyubi is active, but Sasuke..."

"Kakashi is the one who understands him best," said Iruka.

And they were right back where they started. Tsunade sighed and waved a hand at the tenacious chunin.

"I'll send him over after he reports back," she said. "I've already assigned a team to watch Naruto. You're free to join them until further notice. Now get out of my office. If you fly off the handle every time I assign Hatake Kakashi a dangerous mission, I'm going to suspect you have ulterior motives. You know how rumors fly around here. Think of your reputation."

Iruka sputtered and blushed and beat a hasty retreat. She watched him go with a catty smile. Nice. It would be a while before he got up the nerve to argue with one of her decisions again.

.-.
TBC