Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters in any way, shape, or form

Chapter 3: Onsen

While Akira rested, Itachi, Konan, and Sakura took to planning out their stay here, such as what notes they would take, and what questions they would ask -in particular about being deceptively careful about the information they let leak. Every statement would be deliberate, carefully planned to not reveal too much about them.

"Needless to say, we'll have to hope Akira doesn't slip up either." Konan frowned slightly. It was a shame that they could not confide in him fully -after having gotten to know him well enough, she discovered he truly was a great kid. But that was the issue: he was a kid, and as such Sakura did not want to entangle him in these messy politics. Until he was mature enough to learn about the mess that Sakura had in a way entangled them in, then he had no true business being here.

"He'll be fine." Sakura ascertained with a nod. "He doesn't know anything that would put us at risk, other than your identities. But he has never slipped up once before; I have utmost confidence in him." Plus, it wouldn't hurt that this would be a learning experience for Akira, and now that Sakura was successfully Otokage, it was also her duty to start looking into a successor, even if it was early on in her reign. Because she was playing a dangerous game, not just in alliancing herself with the Akatsuki, but also in coming here, she needed to have a back up plan for her nation. If her identity ever became compromised, she would have to step down from power, and if that were to ever be the case, she would have to have someone she could trust take over in her stead; and Akira was as good as any to do just that, given she had time to properly train him.

Konan sighed. "Let's hope so."

Akira had been woken up ten minutes before the one hour mark had been up, and after being reminded that this was a mission and that they had to be careful with the information that they divulged, they were left to lounge around languidly until there had been a sudden knock on their door. Kagami had approached the door and opened it, to reveal a thin, dark-haired woman with a round, plump pig in her arms.

"K-Konnichiwa... I'm Kato Shizune," she introduced herself hesitantly, her eyes roaming the room to finally settle upon the figure of the Otokage, seated on the couch alongside her remaining shinobi, "I have been instructed by Tsunade-sama to escort you to her office-" her sentence trailed off awkwardly -she wanted to say more, felt like she should, but felt too tense to even think about what to say.

The familiar, estranged sister-like figure had made Sakura's heart skip a beat, although none would have known it. "Konnichiwa, Kato-san" Kagami spoke, stepping aside and allowing the kunoichi in with a small bow. "You are Tsunade's right hand, yes?"

Shizune nodded wordlessly.

Miyuki said nothing, standing up -and as she did so her shinobi followed in a heartbeat. "Well then, let's not keep Lady Tsunade waiting."

"R-Right... if you guys would follow me, then." And nearly as soon as Shizune had arrived at their doorstep she was already exiting, but this time with a trail of foreign shinobi behind her.

They seemed to follow casually, although Shizune knew better, and also knew it was no coincidence that Miyuki had been sort of encircled by her own shinobi, a sort of protective bubble, it would seem, even if Konoha was as safe as it could get.

But no other words were spoken within the group, and even Akira, usually playful and quite curious and excited, took on a more serious demeanor. He knew how vital this was for his village, after all, and how important it was for his Lady Miyuki to show Konoha her best -and he had already made one blunder simply by fighting with the damned blondey anyway. He had to make it up to Lady Miyuki with impeccable behavior he knew he could have from this point on.

They had arrived at the Academy soon enough -the Hokage's office subsequently in its confines, and this is when Shizune finally began to speak again. "Tsunade-sama has already organized your stay here, and has asked a handful of her shinobi to keep you company for the nights festivities." she informed Miyuki vaguely -obviously Tsunade would explain to her the specifics.

Miyuki nodded, but said nothing else as Shizune led them inside and to a place that Sakura was all too familiar with.

Shizune knocked twice, waiting for Tsunade's typical "Come in," before opening the door and stepping aside to allow their guests inside.

"Miyuki." Tsunade greeted with a small smile, pleased to see the Otokage once more. "I take it you had a good rest?"

"Hai, arigatou Tsunade." Yet, Miyuki could not say she was all too focused on this conversation -there were others in the room, after all, and they were standing awkwardly beside Tsunade's desk.

Tsunade could tell that Miyuki (and her companions) were curious about the two kunoichi beside her, and as such changed the subject. "Ahh yes, let me introduce to you my kunoichi." Tsunade smiled slightly, turning to face the two kunoichi beside her. "You've already met my assistant Shizune. These two here are Hinata, and Ino, the Hyuga and Yamanaka clan heiress's respectively."

Miyuki bowed, greeting them humbly. "It's a pleasure to meet you all." Her face remained completely stoic and professional, although her inner thoughts were trying their best to not derail into madness.

Hinata smiled meekly alongside Ino, who did the same and bowed. "The pleasure is all ours, Otokage-sama." Ino remarked, although internally she couldn't help but wonder why Tsunade had insisted that she and Hinata meet and greet the Otokage personally.

Miyuki nodded, returning her attention to Tsunade. "Kato-san has informed me you've made plans for us tonight?"

"Hai." Tsunade affirmed with a small nod. "I've made some reservations at a barbecue place for dinner. I have invited a handful of my shinobi as well; the finest rookies in Konoha."

Miyuki's stomach could have sunk, but she didn't let Tsunade's words affect her. "It'll be a pleasure getting to know the finest of what Konohagakure has to offer, then." Miyuki answered with a small smile.

Tsunade seemed pleased with this response. "Afterwards, I've especially reserved the onsen for us tonight, Miyuki." Tsunade stated. "You and your shinobi will enjoy this; it's one of the nicest in all of the Fire Country. There will be some men to keep Akira company on the male's side too, if he and Naruto could get along well enough for one night."

Miyuki chuckled as she turned to stare at Akira, who tensed and blushed immediately at suddenly having his blunder brought to light once more. "He'll be good, I promise."

"I'd like to promise the same with Naruto, but I don't want to be held to my word in the future." Tsunade stated, half sarcastic, although they both knew some truth coated her words.

Miyuki laughed, but said nothing further as Tsunade began to lead her and her shinobi out of her office, and to a barbecue place which Sakura was awfully familiar with. Conversation had picked up casually between Tsunade and Miyuki, Ino and Hinata as well making small talk with Kagami and Konan, up until their arrival at the barbecue place.

She had found, not surprisingly, several members of her former Rookie 9 already seated there, and a few faces she wasn't particularly familiar with, although she didn't let it bother her. She and her shinobi were led down to a row of seats and greeted cordially by the bunch, repeating names Sakura need not to her and her shinobi. After the initial tension and awkwardness of meeting new people had died down, Tsunade had began conversation with Miyuki and her shinobi -asking what life in Oto was like and how it must have been tough to take over a nation that was so corroded with Orochimaru's mark.

"It was not an easy feat." Miyuki acknowledged with a small nod. "But if you would like to see Oto in its current state, I do implore you consider visiting us on another occasion." She was of course playing the part of a foreign diplomat, for if she could have it her way, Tsunade and all of her Konoha shinobi would stay far, far away from Oto.

Tsunade merely smiled in response. "I thank you for the offer; hopefully I'll be able to in the near future."

Conversation had paused momentarily as their waiter had arrived at their table to take their order, which apparently would be paid for at Tsunade's expense (declared when the waiter had asked how he should split the bill).

A sudden, near animalistic glint had appeared on the features of three separate shinobi.

"Well in that case, double my order!" Naruto exclaimed loudly with glee. "Thanks, Baa-san!"

Chouji, not one to hold back, had tripled his order, and Kiba had as well, nudged on my Akamaru, laying low at his feet underneath the table.

Tsunade glared, but at the act Miyuki merely snorted. "If it makes you feel any better, I have a few of those myself." Miyuki chuckled slightly, staring over at Akira who merely looked down in embarrassment.

"I'm a growing boy, Lady Miyuki." he countered with a pout and a fearsome glare.

"Hai, hai, that you are." More than anything else, she had been referring to Kisame though, whose love for cooking was only rivaled and superseded by his love for eating.

It had been easy to fall into conversation with everyone, especially with the help of Akira and Naruto already arguing left and right, and although Kagami was at first wary of how this setting might affect not just Akira, but Miyuki as well, she was pleased to find that despite the relatively casual vibe of the conversation, Miyuki's shoulders were still pinched back in discreet tension -she would not let her guard down simply because these were her former teammates, and it alleviated him greatly.

Her resolution was set in stone.

Dinner had seemingly gone by in a flurry; dinner eaten, desserts passed out, and bellies full. Even after everyone had finished respectively, they had stuck around, casually talking as they digested their food, up until Tsunade suggested they now go to the onsen for some relaxation -surely their travels left them which tense muscles needing some relaxation.

-And although Sakura wasn't particularly tired, nor were her more seasoned company, they really could not turn it down, and as such Miyuki had accepted this offer -some of Tsunade's shinobi had then excused themselves, obviously not attending the onsen with them, but others -namely Shizune, Ino, Hinata, Shikamaru, Lee, Kiba (and Akamaru), Naruto, and Sasuke (Tsunade had figured they would make good company for the lad, a little bit of obnoxious excitement and calm relaxation between all five of her Konoha shinobi) continued on their way to the onsen.

They had entered the establishment -the staff obviously ready to host the Hokage's private party, and they had been treated with meticulous care and kindness as they were greeted and led to the onsens, obviously split by gender.

It didn't occur to Miyuki the predicament that this would put them in, and hadn't actually noticed the problem until it was actually time for them to separate though, the bamboo panels dividing the male section with that of the female -a boundary which Kagami was clearly reluctant on passing given her real identity as a one hundred percent anatomical male. In fact, even Akira hesitated, his eyes flickering from Kagami to Miyuki in confusion and refusal (His Lady Miyuki being gazed upon by the lustful gaze of one Uchiha Itachi? Over his dead body!).

But no one had noticed the small interaction between the trio as all shinobi, male and female alike began to enter past the bamboo panels, until Ino turned back to notice none of the three shinobi had moved. "Kagami-san?" Ino had questioned, noticing that she had stopped right before actually entering the locker room. "Is something the matter?"

Miyuki turned, making direct eye contact with Itachi and almost immediately understanding his conflict, but she said not a word. "I respectfully decline the invitation. I shall wait for you here, Ojou-sama; it would be inappropriate for me to join you." he directed this statement towards Sakura, bowing courteously.

Ino could have blushed by how much of a queen she made the Otokage out to be. "Oh, don't be so modest, Kagami-san. We're all women here; and as much as you may make her out to be, being a Kage does not make her royalty." Ino laughed loudly, grabbing Kagami by the arm, an act which made her flinch at the contact, but she made not a word or a sound, or even action against the obtrusive touch.

"If you do not wish to join us, that is perfectly fine, Kagami." Miyuki merely stated, trying to appease her shinobi, if only because she knew what it meant otherwise.

"Nonsense." Tsunade shook her head firmly. "If Konan and Akira are indulging, there is no reason for Kagami to not as well." Decidedly, Ino had grabbed one of Kagami's arms, and Tsunade the other, securing her position alongside them.

"I-It's fine, I'll wait here with Kagami, then." Akira had nearly at once put his foot down, not allowing Kiba, who had an arm around the young lad, to pull him in any longer. He had to do something -how could he allow someone who he knew to be inherently a man to go into an onsen where Lady Miyuki would be, scantily clad? Especially in knowing what he knew? Especially with the way he felt about her?

No -this simply would not do.

"You're being ridiculous Akira." Naruto rolled his eyes -in fact, Kagami was too, but he did not feel comfortable enough with the near perfect kunoichi to tell her as such. "We came here to keep you company, brat. Don't make my perfectly valuable time wasted." he retorted, joining Kiba in dragging the boy into the onsen.

"T-T-Tsunade-sama..." Hinata stated nervously, not finding the intrusive contact to the Otokage's shinobi acceptable as she turned to look from Akira, being dragged away by Naruto and Kiba, to Kagami, being nudged un by Ino. Truth be told, she hadn't even wanted to be here -knowing that she was naked and that one simple wall separated her from Naruto did not bode well for her inner nerves. She had only come because Tsunade had forced her to, saying it would be good for relations to show Miyuki their hospitality.

"Ojou-sama-" But Kagami had not a word she could muster as she was literally dragged in to the locker room by not just Ino, but now Tsunade as well, both stronger than they appeared, although he had expected this from Tsunade. Once he was had crossed the boundary and was dragged in, there truly was no going back, and with a microscopic sight he looked at Miyuki, trailing along behind them, with an apologetic glance. She acknowledged it with her own hesitant smile, as if telling Itachi this was not his fault, and they would simply have to make do with the circumstances they had been dealt. As such, no more words were exchanged between the two of them up until they had successfully reached the locker rooms. The Konoha shinobi engaged in joyous banter as they began to undress, and Itachi respectfully so turned around, facing a corner as he slowly began to remove his tunic, all too aware of Sakura's location in the locker room among all the others.

If no one else, Konan was highly amused by the situation, and as such engaged in conversation with the Konoha shinobi, to distract them from the fact that neither Miyuki nor Kagami were currently undressing like the rest of them.

Before long, all the women, save for the two aforementioned kunoichi, were undressed and wearing nothing but a skimpy towel around their midsections, just barely able to cover all of the essentials. "Geez, you two take forever." Ino frowned. "We'll be in the water."

"Yeah, hurry on, Kagami-kun, Lady Miyuki." Konan called out, a glint in her eyes teasing them both, but they did not bother to respond as the five kunoichi disappeared behind the bamboo panels and entered the onsen.

Tension filled the air. "A-Anno..." Sakura spoke hesitantly. "If you'd like to leave-"

"It is fine. I do not want to raise suspicion." Itachi merely stated as a sigh escaped his lips. He turned respectfully as he began to undress. "I will wait for you to enter the onsen before I go in." At least in this way he wouldn't even catch a glimpse of Sakura in a towel -Kami smite him if he did.

Sakura blushed hesitantly. "H-Hai..." Although nerve-wrecking, Sakura hurriedly undressed, making sure to wrap the towel securely around her body. Without so much as another word, she began to walk away, sparing Itachi one more glance (although he couldn't see, his stark naked feminine back facing her), before she stepped out into the open.

"The water is great, Lady Miyuki." Konan called out with a small smile. "Come on in."

Sakura gave a small smile, glad to have some real feminine contact to distract her from the realization that she was bathing half-naked in front of Itachi. With a nod, she had stepped into the onsen and succumbed to its warmth -almost immediately after she had done so, Kagami had stepped out of the bamboo panels and emerged from the locker room, where she casually made her way into the onsen as well. Sakura could not help the small blush that rose to her cheeks, and so she glanced at Konan inconspicuously, almost as if questioning her why she wasn't self-conscious.

But why would she be? Itachi was a gentleman, despite his reputation -and besides, his eyes would not be on her, if they were on anybody to begin with. And regardless of all of this, she was a kunoichi, one who had had the unfortunate displeasure of having to bare her body for missions before -this was hardly a bother, especially because she knew Itachi and knew he would never even consider seeing Konan that way (it didn't hurt that she was nearly eight years his senior and after all the time they had spent together in the past few years, she had grown to see him as a younger brother, almost).

Kagami had emerged with her hair tied up into a bun, with stray curly strands falling out of its confines and framing her face. The heat flushed her cheeks pink, the towel just barely hiding everything it was supposed to, and for a second all the women in the onsen were mesmerized by Kagami's beauty (and why was the male the prettiest woman here, Miyuki couldn't help but wonder with much amusement).

"You sure are beautiful, Kagami-san. I'm envious." Ino frowned -her features looked so feminine, so flawless, that it made her jealous. Why didn't she have skin like that? Why didn't her skin have that dark, feminine glow to it?

Sakura couldn't help but snicker slightly. "She get's that a lot."

Kagami sent her a glance, but said no more as she slowly made her way into the onsen, carefully placed as far away from any of the other females in the onsen.

Despite the tension Miyuki felt, she had fallen into comfortable conversation with the women in the onsen. Truth be told, she hadn't expected it to be so easy to converse with them, especially not Hinata or Ino, but it was, and it made Sakura reluctantly admit that she had missed their company. Not that Konan wasn't superb company, but she was her senior by at least thirteen years; regardless of the fact that the two heiress's were currently unaware of it, Miyuki had grown up with them, something that went a long way for Sakura's nostalgic mind.

-And she wasn't the only one to notice this. Even Tsunade was having a hard time believing this was the same Kage she had opened her doors to just earlier that day. She had seemed so tense and on edge (although rightfully so, she supposed), but now it seemed like her walls were down and it made for a refreshing side of Miyuki that Tsunade honestly hadn't expected.

-And truth be told, Itachi and Konan could see this difference in Sakura, although they dare not comment on it.

The herbal water did much to hide what was underneath, of which both Sakura and Itachi were glad for, as the Konoha kunoichi removed their towels and folded them beside them. Naturally, the Oto kunoichi did too (with hesitancy from none but one).

"Miyuki-san, would you mind passing me the pale behind you?" Ino had asked out loud, motioning to the small wooden bucket behind the Kage, just out of her reach.

Miyuki blinked, turning around to look at the item which Ino had asked for. She had to lift herself up off the water slightly, although this did not matter much because she was facing away from Itachi, but upon doing so it left her bare back open for inspection -but no, not from Itachi, although he had looked.

Because that's when all Konoha shinobi were able to see the injuries on her back, and it made them all shift uncomfortably.

Hinata's eyes in particular lingered on the pink, scarred tissue on Sakura's back as she leaned to reach for the small wooden pale. Her back was marred with scars, clearly old, but blistered in an unsightly manner -neither Ino nor Hinata could help but frown at the injuries. Tsunade and Shizune had instantly taken note of it, but had not reacted in the slightest -they had lived through war, and had seen worse, after all.

It was then that Ino suddenly realized that perhaps Miyuki had been hesitant to undress before them in fear that they would see her scars, clearly self-conscious about it, and it made her feel a little guilty. Once Miyuki turned around, their eyes had shifted elsewhere, although Itachi and Konan knew that they would be asking about it nonetheless.

Sakura moved to hand the pale over to Ino and then once more succumbed to the warm water, oblivious to what everyone in the onsen was thinking.

"Those are extensive injuries on your back, Miyuki." Tsunade stated casually.

Miyuki turned, slightly surprised that they had been watching her with enough detail to note this (then again, it wasn't like it was particular hard to see if anyone was looking at that given direction anyway). "But yes, you are not wrong. An unfortunate repercussion of our line of work, nee?" Sakura tried to brush it aside with a small smile.

Tsunade wasn't entirely convinced -these were all areas that one would typically be protecting (she could tell most were exit wounds, meaning that whatever she had in the back, she similarly held in the front too), vital points you make sure you cover extensively. If they were injuries on her arms or legs, or even her face, she would understand, but these spots were personal, intimate spots -not a sexual sort of intimate, but places you protect above all else when in the field because injuries there meant certain death without a village nearby for surgery. So how had she been wounded so severely before? "Were you betrayed, Miyuki?" It was a logical conclusion, one which she and Shizune had apparently come to at around the same time, for she had seen the way that Shizune had looked up at Miyuki with pity.

Miyuki blinked, and for a few seconds her face was absolutely devoid of any expression, until it turned into a small smile. "Hai. A former teammate of mine, during a mission long ago." her smile revealed nothing of her true feelings on the matter, and it was clear to all around her that this was done as a self-defense mechanism; clearly whatever had happened to her still affected her today, and as such Tsunade did not pry much more on the topic of her teammate.

"You choose to still trust those around you with injuries like those? Don't mind me saying, but by the looks of it you should have died." Tsunade commented, her eyes having expertly evaluated the severity of what was once her injuries before she had hidden it from view. Half of those injuries were directly over vital organs, after all. "These weren't healed by conventional medical nin-jutsu, were they?" she added as an afterthought. If they had, no way it would have scarred up as badly as they did, after all.

"My past experiences have taught me to be careful with those I let close to me, that is all. I haven't had a betrayal from any of my shinobi since then yet, and I don't expect one anytime soon." Sakura dismissed Tsunade's forewarning. "And to answer your question, they were treated primarily through raw suturing and medical herbs. No chakra was involved whatsoever."

"And why is that?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow curiously.

"No medic was available to me at the time of my injuries." Miyuki merely smiled, a smile that implied for them to not push any further with this topic.

"You said that you don't expect anyone to betray you any time soon. Why is that, Lady Miyuki?" Ino questioned courteously, respecting the wall that Miyuki had built but also curious to understand her thought process.

"There is something to note about a village so grateful to you that they'd even be willing to follow you into a senseless battle or fight to come with you to a boring meeting between two Kages." Miyuki stated calmly. "I gave three years of my life fighting relentlessly for these people; and they have noted this, and have given me their full devotion in return."

"I can see why that would be useful." Tsunade commented with a nod.

Miyuki raised an eyebrow at this, turning to face Tsunade fully. "By no means would I use the word useful, Tsunade. These are my people. I live and breath to end their hardships; I only ask that they put their trust in me while doing so. There is nothing that I am doing, or intend on doing, that won't benefit my people in the long run."

Tsunade seemed to contemplate this piece of wisdom, knowing that Miyuki was directly implying her contact with Akatsuki, but nevertheless, she spoke so earnestly Tsunade couldn't help but believe in her. Why was someone so young so... eye-opening? Almost as if she had seen and lived through more than she should have?

Despite the strange company, Akira had to admit that he actually... enjoyed it. Don't get him started on how they got an enormous dog into the onsen, but once they had all settled down, their conversations had begun, all loud in their own respects save for the ones called Hyuga Neji and Uchiha Sasuke -someone who Akira would be especially wary of, given his direct connection and lineage to the man posing as a woman on the other side of the onsen.

The one named Lee had disappeared as soon as they had began to undress, only to return five minutes later with several bottles of sake, and suddenly what had been a relaxing venue had turned rowdier than he knew how to deal with.

"Come Akira, drink with us." Naruto motioned him towards a shot glass, already filled with the liquid, waiting for Akira to take.

"Iie, I'm fine." Akira adamantly refused. Truth be told, he had only ever had sake once before, for a Christmas party that Sera had thrown the year before, and it had not been a pretty sight.

"Oh please, you're among friends." Lee stated, most youthfully. "What harm can be done?"

But a lot of harm could be done, and Akira found out just how much as he was suckered into a couple shots of sake. He was not drunk; no, despite his low tolerance, it would take much more for him to get to that point, but he would admit he was buzzed and not thinking as clearly as he should.

But, at least, the same seem to be the case for everyone save the Uchiha who had refused to be caught up in Lee's and Naruto's silly antics (and what silly antics were those?).

But eventually everyone had settled into the onsen with boisterous laughter and conversation -all save for one blonde, who was poking and prodding the bamboo panel that separated the women's side to the man's. "Naruto, what you are attempting to do is most unyouthful." Lee spoke, attempting to be stern -even so, it sounded more like he was intrigued, as he removed himself from the onsen and began to do the same with Naruto.

Kiba merely began to holler out in laughter. "Are you really trying to peep at the Otokage? That's admirable." Kiba stated, lifting his cup of sake as if to toast to Naruto's dubious needs.

"W-W-What?!" Akira stood, quite alarmed, a threatening glare (at least, what was supposed to look like it) sent towards Naruto's, and now Lee's, direction.

Shikamaru sighed -why were his teammates unrepentant perverts? "Everyone knows that the owner of this establishment fortified the panels specifically because of Jiraiya and yourself, Naruto." Not that he cared much -but he was tired of seeing Lee's butt-naked behind and thoroughly wished for it to return under the water and away from his view.

"Man, that's no fun." Naruto sighed and with a defeated scowl, he turned to Lee -and them immediately looked away. "Lee, come on, at least put a towel on. Come on." He would have dragged the nin, but decided he didn't want to be anywhere near his manly tid-bits hanging out in the open.

"How dare you try and peep on my Lady Miyuki." Akira stood up menacingly as Naruto approached the onsen.

"Calm down pipsqueak." Naruto snorted. "I had no intentions on peeping on her." Even so, Kagami and Hinata were also on the other side of that bamboo panel -two beautiful kunoichi with equally ample bossoms. "But by the blush on your face, it looks like you want to, neh?"

"Naruto." Sasuke suddenly spoke, speaking with mild apprehension at the sudden glint that had appeared on Naruto's face.

"W-W-What?! No! That's p-p-preposterous!"

His face expression and stuttering buffoonery said it all.

Needless to say, Naruto entered the onsen and walked right over to Akira with a wicked grin, and wrapped his arm around the nin. "So what is it that you do see in her, hmm?"

And with a little bit of coaxing from Lee, Kiba, and Chouji, he spilled everything, he remarkable she was, her strength, her beauty, her kindness and intelligence, and how he had once seen her in a towel getting out of the shower (She had thought nothing of the encounter, which only further proved that she saw him as nothing more than a child), and he had absolutely lost it.

"Well Akira, as a man, it would be remiss of me to not let your dreams of seeing your Lady Miyuki the way I know you've probably dreamt of her."

"Naruto." this time Sasuke had spoken with a much more serious tone -he had also known the bamboo panels to be fortified, so he didn't care about Naruto's failed attempts. But as dumb as everyone thought Naruto to be (including him), he was also deathly aware of the fact that Naruto always had something up his sleeves -and if Sasuke had found the loophole to Shikamaru's statement, he had a feeling that so did Naruto.

"W-W-What do you mean? The walls-" he tried to find an excuse to not do exactly what Naruto was coaxing him into doing, but the alcohol was beating defiantly against his chest.

Why was Itachi allowed to be in there with her, and he couldn't even sneak a peak?

"Perhaps the walls -but they did not do the same with the roof, ne?" as he asked his question, he turned to look at Shikamaru with confirmation.

"..."

"..."

"Whatever you're plotting, count me out." Shikamaru sighed, a hand raking through his long hair. Even though he said this, he had a feeling that they were all going to suffer dearly for Naruto's indiscretions, and it royally sucked -why were they always punished for Naruto's idiocies?

In return, Naruto merely gave Shikamaru a thumbs up, turned once more towards Akira, a confident flicker in his orbs. "Come, young one. I will turn you into a man tonight."

"So," Ino began casually, "do any of you guys have any boyfriends? Or, emm, girlfriends? I don't judge." Ino smiled hesitantly.

Konan laughed in response. "Iie. In between my duties and daily life, I hardly find I have the time." Konan stated simply. "The same goes for them -I swear they spend more time with each other than anyone else. Maybe they are together." Of course it was meant entirely as a joke, but only Sakura and Itachi knew the true underlying meaning behind her words, and it made Miyuki scowl. Accordingly, she had grabbed her towel and thrown it at Konan's face with a scowl, who merely took it, stuck her tongue out at Sakura, and threw it out of the onsen and onto the floor behind her.

"Don't listen to Konan, she's just being a troll." Miyuki stated with a roll of her eyes. "And of you guys?"

"Hinata here has had an undying crush one somebody you met earlier today." Ino stated with a snicker.

"Oh, is that so?" Miyuki feigned intrigue -truth be told, she already knew the answer to this question. "And of you, Ino-san?"

Ino chuckled hesitantly. "Well, that's...-"

But before Ino had the time to bashfully answer her question, Kagami had stood upright in a defensive manner that had alerted the remaining kunoichi that something was wrong.

In an instant there was a crumbling noise -no, a crashing noise, and with two loud yelps of fear two shinobi came crashing down from the ceiling and landed on the floor of the onsen, just a few feet away from the water.

All the kunoichi had tensed immediately, poking out of the water deftly (before Naruto and Akira were no longer disoriented by their fall) to grab their towels and secure it around them.

But Sakura lacked her towel, having thrown it at Konan, and with an alarmed look she turned to stare at Naruto and Akira. But in an instant Kagami was before Sakura, removing her own towel and throwing it straight at Sakura. But she had no time to wrap it around her body, seeing as there was a commotion -footsteps already hurriedly approaching them, and suddenly Kagami had simply pulled Miyuki straight into her, their skin practically touching if not for the thin barrier of towel between them.

Konan had covered herself up using her origami paper, and it was all Itachi could do to protect Sakura's innocence by embracing her and covering her body with "her" own, her stark behind for the viewing pleasure of both males who proceeded to have a nose bleed at the sudden sight before them. But of course, the ruckus of the roof caving in just had to cause more males to flood in, namely Sasuke, Kiba, Shikamaru, and Lee, and at the sight of Kagami holding the Otokage so closely, so intimately even, in such a compromising position, half the males couldn't help but either blush or turn their faces to look away.

Heat rose to Miyuki's face almost immediately, able to sense "Kagami's" strong arms tugging her forward by the waist into her embrace. Her arms wrapped possessively around Sakura and simultaneously pushing her back, caging her between Kagami's own body and the boulder behind her, a thin, small towel the only thing between their bodies.

The tricky thing about henges was, it could give you what you had not, but it could not take away what you did. As such, despite the fact that Sakura could feel firm and ample breasts upon her own, Sakura could also inherently feel a pressure just a little further south from her stomach which wouldn't normally be there if this was truly a woman pressed up against her. 'Itachi's- she couldn't even finish the thought, lest she faint.

This distraction alone was probably the only reason she hadn't already castrated both Naruto and Akira, and promptly afterwards every other male that had barged into the onsen, but it seemed she would not have to.

It took a few seconds for the reality of the situation to sink in to all occupants (namely the females) of the room, but once it finally did, it seemed that every woman in the room was on the same page: murder.

"Na-ru-to!"

Although Tsunade subsequently stomped her way out of the water and picked Naruto up by the throat, she failed to realize that Akira was holding on to dear life, because Konan was already dealing with him, and as an effort to not be dragged away by the murderous Akatsuki member, he clung on for dear life to Naruto -more specifically, his only article of clothing for him to latch onto, his towel.

Within the next second, Naruto was left bare for the world to see, successfully causing the Hyuga heiress to faint straight into the water, and Ino, being the trust-worthy friend that she was, stopped her own murderous rampage on Kiba and Shikamaru respectively to return to the heiress' side to make sure that her towel did not somehow float away from her body.

"Itachi get them out." Sakura muttered nervously, obviously under her breath as frantic panic began to set in -she didn't know if it was because of her nudity and the Konoha nin though, or of it was because of the intimate position between herself and Itachi, though.

Kagami did not have to be told twice, and she gladly obliged her Ojou-sama. In an instant Kagami turned around (naked, for all of their viewing pleasure, might I add), although still hiding Miyuki from their view, but within the next second every male respectively was down on the ground unconscious, a genjutsu so strong overpowering each of them simply because they were both unprepared and already weak by the sight before them.

Nearly all the males respectively woke up in the hospital an hour later with severe injuries to their being (courtesy of Ino and Tsunade, and Konan on Akira's behalf), and a throbbing headache as they tried to desperately forgot the horrific genjutsu that Kagami had cast over them -one that had completely wiped their memory clean of the incident, not to mention, so even if Naruto would have thought their actions to be well worth it, he had found no recollection of what he had seen within the onsen.

"Quite frankly, you're all lucky that's all Kagami did to you all." Tsunade glared sternly at her shinobi -Akira included, all laying down in respective hospital beds in a large rest area. Alongside the wounded men were Tsunade, Ino, Miyuki, and her two kunoichi, all standing there menacingly with glares on their features.

But of course Akira was the only one to immediately react to this, as he immediately got out of his bed, despite his injuries, went straight over to Miyuki, and got on his knees to bow. "G-G-GOMEN LADY MIYUKI!" He hollered with tears in his eyes. "I was drunk and that idiot Naruto got the best of my young and hormonal teenage mind! Please punish me however you see fit!"

Naruto merely scoffed in the background, but would not mention anything about his crush on the Kage -he had more honor than to throw Akira under the bus.

"We'll deal with your indiscretions once we get back, Akira." It was Kagami who spoke, not Miyuki, as she looked down at him with a glint in her eyes that made Akira's soul want to leave his body. Because he was sure Itachi was sure to give him a hell like no other, and Akira merely whimpered in fear and retreated as far away from the fake-kunoichi as possible.

"I'm going to die." he muttered under his breath, crying and hiding in a corner of the room, and Naruto couldn't help but agree -he hadn't thought it before, but my Kami Kagami was utterly frightening.

"Anyway, while you idiots rest up, I'm going to have a conversation with Miyuki." Tsunade stated sternly. "And know that if I ever catch you peeping on our guests again, I will give you a hell worse than Kagami did, Naruto no baka." Tsunade stated with a tone so filled with promise that Naruto didn't doubt it one bit, and it had made him join Akira in his corner of terror and misfortune.

Miyuki snickered slightly as she turned to Konan. "Stay here and keep an eye on Akira, nee? You can meet back up with us once he feels well enough to leave, which by the looks of it won't be much longer." Because he an Naruto were inherently fighting once more -blaming the other for this entire mess.

You dragged me onto the roof to begin with you perverted oaf!

Yeah but you're the one who caved the roof in you idiot!

Konan rolled her eyes at Akira's antics. "Hai, Miyuki-sama."

"Again, I'm so sorry about this whole ordeal, Miyuki." Tsunade frowned.

"It is quite alright, no harm done." Miyuki stated calmly. "My own shinobi had a lot to do with this too, let's not forget."

"Yeah but I highly doubt with the influence of that baka any of this would have happened." Tsunade rolled her eyes.

"Perhaps not, but Akira can be quite impressionable." Miyuki smiled. "Irregardless, I'm sure the talk you wanted to have was not about Akira and Naruto." Miyuki's smile did not falter, despite the implications behind her words. She sat calm across from Tsunade's desk, Kagami standing respectfully behind them against the furthest wall from Tsunade, and Shizune standing respectfully alongside her Kage.

"Hai." Tsunade confirmed, her expression changing into a terse and serious one. "I wanted to ask if the rumors were true." There was a tense pause in the air, "Are you working with Akatsuki?"

The question had finally been thrown out in the open -the very same question that had been the sole reason for Miyuki's invitation to Konohagakure, and it had taken Miyuki several seconds for her to finally part her lips and speak. "I will not lie to you, Tsunade; you have been kind and hospitable to me and my shinobi, and you do not deserve it." Miyuki stated seriously. "I did make a deal with Akatsuki several years ago." She finally confirmed. "But I by no means have any involvement with their agenda, nor do I plan on capturing the Jinchuuriki on their behalf. Not now, not ever." She declared confidently, but all it did was make Tsunade's eyes furrow in confusion.

If that was not part of the deal that she made with Akatsuki, then what more could it be? "With no offense to you, it's hard to believe that an organization such as them would make a bargain with someone as young as you, especially if it does not involve helping them capture the bijuu. What could they possibly gain from making a deal with you?" And as she thought this, she couldn't help but mentally think, there is nothing that you are doing or intend on doing that won't benefit her people, eh? This was all about her gaining power, she can't fool me.

"Revenue." it was that simple, Miyuki's single word leaving Tsunade confused -why did she act like this was enough of a valid answer? "Sound is rich in resources and I made a deal that if they helped me claim it under my name, that I would double the revenue they gave to me within the year of my seating. It was a sacrifice I had to make in order to better Sound, and I have no regrets. I needed their funding in order to begin my plans. At first, it was primarily used for hiring workers -all of Sound origin, mind you, to construct roads and make travel easier for merchants and those who use trade as their form of living, as well as to hire intel on where Orochimaru's ex-shinobi currently resided. And with the rest of the funding that was given to me, I used this to begin creating my small shinobi army, if I could call it that, for it had only been fifteen at the time, to help ease my burden of protecting said roads from bandits and the like."

"Through these actions, Akatsuki allowed my budget to increase ever so slightly, and I began campaigning and accepting donations to build hospitals across the region. Of course, the donations had been slim to none, until my very first hospital had been built -after that it soared, and I found I had no need for Akatsuki anymore. To this day, I have yet to make another deal with them, seeing as it is rather unnecessary."

"And how can you trust them so readily? How do you know they won't double cross you?" Tsunade asked seriously.

"They have no reason to as of now. The only one who stands to gain anything at this rate is me. If they kill me now, they'll never see their source of cashing in. And I trust my shinobi enough; were I to die, they would make sure Akatsuki would not lay claims to my Otokage-ship, presuming this is what you were thinking all along." Miyuki stated once more calmly.

It had been quiet for a long time as Tsunade contemplated her words. "You sure have given this some thought." she finally spoke after a long time. It was actually quite surprising, truth be told. She hadn't heard of someone thinking so deeply into a matter other than Shikamaru or Neji -or Sakura, but that was rather irrelevant as things stood.

"You must, if you plan on making a deal with the devil." Miyuki stated matter-of-factly.

"Well then I won't beat around the bush with this matter, Miyuki. My beliefs stand same as yours -what I do, I do for my nation. And having Sound rise up again, with the influence of Akatsuki no less, is worrisome and dangerous for my people, primarily that of my Jinchuuriki, what with such a close proximity between our two nations."

"I understand your concern." Miyuki acknowledged. "I would feel the same were I to be in your shoes, which is why I accepted this invitation. I make it my personal word that as far as things go, Otogakure is neutral. We will fight for neither cause. Konoha will not be harmed in order to progress any of the Akatsuki agenda, and we will also not fight to exterminate Akatsuki. I give you my word, that Akatsuki is only but a stepping stone for me. This never gave them a permission to use me as some sort of ally for their agenda."

Tsunade thought about this long and hard. "I appreciate your words, Miyuki. I have not known you for long, but you seem to harbor no ill will towards any of us -and have only acted out as you see fit for your people. That is something that I respect greatly. So long as you respect these terms, I also give you my word that no action will be taken against Sound."

"I'm glad we can come to some sort of agreement." Miyuki gave a curt nod as she stood, a slight bow showing respect to the Konoha kage. "I'm glad you live up to my expectations of you -I have heard great things, after all. But now that everything has been said and done, I truly must return to my village. I hardly find it appropriate to leave my village just weeks after my coronation, if you will."

"You are more than welcome to rest for the night here and return to your village in the morning." Tsunade offered seriously.

Miyuki nodded in acceptance. "I will accept that then, arigatou."

"Very well, my shinobi will walk you out of the village when you are ready in the morning."

"Hai. Arigatou once more, Tsunade." And she began to walk away, although a thought occurred to her as her hand reached the door handle. "And as a side-note. I hardly think it appropriate for your shinobi to be listening into our conversation so secretively. If they wish to test my honesty, all they had to do was come in."

Tsunade blinked. Her shinobi? "What the- NA-RU-TO."

Miyuki couldn't help but quirk a smile as she left -Naruto had always, and would always, have the same tendencies, she supposed. But she thought that had been that, but apparently not, because as she and her shinobi began walking back to their resting quarters, she was called out to by the very same blonde shinobi.

She turned, curious to know what he wanted. "May I help you?" she quirked her head to the side in mild curiosity.

Naruto frowned. "I had initially come to Baa-san's office to apologize to you personally about the ordeal at the onsen." he began, the frown never leaving his features. "But I couldn't stop myself from overhearing your conversation... So it's true you're working with Akatsuki?" he stated seriously, coming closer to Miyuki and her entourage.

"I believe I have already spoken to Tsunade on the matter -why does this concern you?" Miyuki frowned. If she had settled the matter with Tsunade, then if Naruto had any reservations about it then he had to take it up with her; it was no longer her job to explain herself further, especially not to him.

"Because these are my friends who are being put in danger to try and defeat them." clearly, Naruto was not pleased with the indifference that Miyuki was portraying. "You're allied with my enemy."

"I don't need to explain myself to you, Uzumaki Naruto." Miyuki responded in a clipped tone. "If you have any reservations with me, take it up with your Kage." She began to turn and walk away, but clearly Naruto was not having that.

"I'm still talking." his voice seemed to echo around them with a force that demanded Miyuki hear him out.

Miyuki paused momentarily, before she turned to face him once more. She would wait until he was done, and then she would leave; she'd at least do him that respect after their years of friendship.

"This is my village. If you even so much as do anything questionable that may put Konoha or any of my friends even remotely in jeopardy, I will personally come knocking at your door."

Whether this was meant to be a serious threat or not, it had only made Miyuki laugh. "And what will you do then? Duel me? Show me your superiority so I know not to mess with you or your village?" she taunted him. "I'm out of your league, Uzumaki-kun. And don't you dare threaten me again." Her emerald eyes flashed with fire.

Naruto's hand tightened into a white fist, for a second at a loss for words as he saw something within Miyuki that stirred feelings of unrest -and for the first time in a long time, he felt scared. His hands began to sweat, his heart beat racing. Something about her had changed, and her posture had taken on a more aggressive stance even if she had barely moved. Her chakra leaked, whether she had willed it to or not, and for a second its crushing aura was enough to leave him motionless, shocked into solid stone; its sheer pressure overwhelming simply because he had not expected it.

But perhaps more terrifying than any of that was the fact that for a second he saw not Miyuki, but he swore it had been Sakura.

End of Chapter

So for anyone reading both stories, you can see how they're taking two complete turns already. I've been working really hard on coming up with content that will make both stories really unique, and I think I've come up with a pretty good solution, so I'm excited with that :) Reviews have been great, so thanks to all of you :)

I hope the tid-bit at the onsen was light and humorous. I kind of want to start developing Itachi and Sakura's relationship together in that sort of shy, stand-offish direction, but keep in mind he literally knows her inside and out due to their genjutsu training sessions (and he has also seen her naked, but that is beside the point right now).

Any and all feedback is much appreciated!