Kitsune no Hanabi – Chapter 4

A/N: Well, it has been quite some time since I wrote anything. A lot has happened in the last years, some good, some bad.

A lot has happened in the last 3 years and I really haven't had much time (or motivation) to write anything, but I'm trying to get back into the scene now and hopefully can turn out a few chapters.

It was later that day, that Team Kakashi and Team Gai passed the main Gate, looking like they went through a small war and thrived.

And they had every reason to do so. They had survived their first encounter with their enemy and the experience would be useful for the next encounters that would follow in the future.

Still looking like winners, the two teams entered the Hokage tower to report in and receive their payment, which in Naruto's case would immediately be spent on tons of Ramen at Ichiraku's to celebrate the mission.

This was where Neji found Naruto three hours later after being ordered to deliver an important scroll to him by Hiashi himself, leaving him very confused since he seemed to be missing some important information and Neji hated being left out of the loop.

Entering the Ramen stand Neji gaped at the tower of empty Ramen bowls that stood beside Naruto, who seemed to be intent on making the tower reach the wooden ceiling, his entire concentration focused on the bowl he was currently devouring.

Neji nearly scoffed at the behavior of Konoha's number one most surprising ninja and how he let himself wide open for an attack when his favorite food was involved, that he was seriously surprised when Naruto whipped around his head to face him, Ramen noodles still hanging from his mouth, the centrifugal force nearly spraying him with the brooth.

"Mo Mewi mwas up?" asked Naruto around the noodles in his mouth before swallowing them noisily.

Having gotten used to the darker side of human nature, like seeing Gai-sensei and Lee hugging, Neji showed no outward reaction other than making a step backwards. While deciphering what Naruto just asked him.

Getting no immediate answer to his question, on what was going on, Naruto grew bored and turned his attention back to the bowl of heaven in his hands only to be foiled again by Neji who handed him a sealed scroll and left without further words.

Naruto blinked a little before looking at the scroll in his right hand and to the bowl of Ramen in his left, before shrugging and setting the scroll aside.

Messages, no matter how important could wait. Ramen had priority.

Another hour and many bowls of Ramen later, Naruto finally had the time to see what was in the scroll Neji gave him.

Taking out a Kunai from his leg holster Naruto cut the wax seal with the Hyuuga crest in two and opened the scroll.

Looking over the contents of the scroll, Naruto's eyes crossed from the big words thrown around in what seemed to be an invitation of some sorts.

Mulling over one word in particular, Naruto looked around and found the smiling face of Ayame.

Grinning for all he was worth he asked "Ne, Ayame nee-chan, what's an Omiai (1)?"

After half an hour in which Ayame tried, futilely to explain the concept of an Omiai to Naruto without embarrassing herself, as he was still a kid in her eyes, Naruto left the Ramen stand with a confused look on his face and a part of his mission's pay in Ichiraku's register.

So still without even a clue aside that it had something to do with 'forming a lasting bond', Naruto made his way to his next source of information, deep in thought.

/What bond?/ Naruto thought. /Team Kakashi has an open spot, but that was no problem on the last mission. Why would they invite me, but say nothing about Kakashi or Sakura-chan? And why didn't Tsunade baa-chan say anything to us at the debriefing?/

So deep in the maze that was his mind, Naruto nearly missed the academy and the person the wanted to see.

"Iruka-senseiiii!" came the shout in a tone and pitch, its recipient had long ago learned to fear. Iruka, sitting in the teachers lounge, nearly spit out his coffee, as doom was approaching him in the form of an orange/black clad former student of his, who to his utter horror seemed to be in one of his 'curious phases'.

He shuddered at the thought of what had happened last time he heard Naruto like that. After an extremely embarrassing 'talk' and explanation about some of the facts of life, it lead to the creation of the Oiroke no Jutsu two days later.

/Please, oh please let it be a non-embarrassing question/ Iruka prayed, as Naruto entered the lounge.

"Iruka-senseiii!" Naruto barreled into the room, grin on his face and waving a small scroll around, like it contained his nomination for the Hokage title.

Iruka hope began to rise.

Only to fall into a deep hole as Naruto shot his hopes down. "Ne, Iruka-sensei, what's an Omiai?"

It was at times like this, when Iruka wondered what crimes he had committed in any of his past lives to deserve this.

Another hour later, but still without a grip on the situation, Naruto left the academy towards his next target, the Hokage tower, where the Godaime Hokage had just received a notice from the Hyuuga clan, pertaining the final appointment of the Hyuuga heiress, Hyuuga Hinata.

Tsunade sighed, rubbing her eyes, as she put down the letter from Hyuuga Hiashi. If there was one thing she hated more than clan politics it was the Hyuuga clan politics and their practice of the Caged Bird Seal, that her grandfather created for them.

While she could understand the Hyuuga's need to protect their bloodline, the seal itself was barbaric in her opinion, a Damocles sword that was hanging over the heads of the branch family, ready to kill or maim the person under it at the command of any main branch member.

In her personal opinion it was nothing more than a glorified form of slavery, she could do nothing about, as even the Hokage couldn't meddle in the clan politics, as long as it didn't endanger the village. As a medic nin however, she had a even worse opinion of the seal, as she had seen what it could do to a person.

Sighing again, Tsunade mourned for the poor child /Hyuuga Hanabi, was it?/ that would receive the seal. /And to think that she was handled like the heir for a time/ though Tsunade sarcastically.

Tsunade was soon cut from her thoughts by the enthusiastic cry from Naruto who just entered her office. "Heya, baa-chan!"

Tsunade released another sigh, secure in the knowledge, that today couldn't get any worse. She was proven wrong, only a minute later, when Naruto got the chance to ask his question.

Tsunade sighed once again after she got over the initial confusion. Trust Naruto to make her day more strenuous than it already was.

"Omiai, huh?" mumbled Tsunade as if tasting the kanji on her tongue for the first time, just to infuriate the brat a bit.

Of course she knew what an Omiai was and what it entailed, but she had no idea why Naruto would ask her about it, since the practice of Omiai's was pretty much replaced by the Ren'ai (2), the marriage out of love, except for marriages that would be used to 'strengthen' family ties and clans.

Tsunade twitched as if hit by static discharge, as pieces of a puzzle came together.

"Naruto, did the Hyuuga invite to an Omiai?" asked Tsunade.

At Tsunade's question Naruto looked questioningly at her, before he simply took out the scroll he got earlier and handed it to her. She was probably better with that stuff than him.

The air in the Hokage office was thick with tension, as Tsunade tried to get her head around the content of the scroll Naruto that Naruto showed her after she got over the shock of Naruto asking her about the meaning of an Omiai.

With the letter from the Hyuuga, naming the new heir of the clan, there had to be some sort of connection between the two letters, one that Tsunade was very curios to find out.

Turning her attention from Naruto's 'invitation' from the Hyuuga towards the unknowing boy, Tsunade gained a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Naruto" intoned Tsunade in full Hokage mode, leaving him no other choice but to stand at attention and listen or else...

...else which could be summoned up under 'major bodily harm'.

"Since you don't know the meaning of an Omiai, let me explain it to you. The practice of the 'Omiai' goes back to the era of the samurai to form and protect strong military alliances among warlords to ensure mutual support." began Tsunade, while watching for any sign of Naruto not paying attention to her.

"The word itself translates literally to 'looking at each other' or 'miai' for short. The practice of Omiai is a custom where unattached individuals are introduced to each other to consider the possibility of marriage" at that Tsunade grinned as Naruto's eyes widened.

"Normally an Omiai takes a person who wants to marry and a nakōdo, the 'mediator' between the families, who judges possible candidates suitability before creating a list of possible candidates."

"Then, if the marriage candidate has chosen a suitable partner, the nakōdo sends out an invitation to the family, where they get to meet their potential spouse" here Tsunade paused for a moment to gauge Naruto's reaction, before continuing.

"After the initial meeting, it is decided if you want to continue the courtship and go on a few dates, after which you can decide if you want to go through with the marriage".

"B...But baa-chan...m...marry...wha?" stuttered Naruto.

"Don't interrupt me" hissed Tsunade "And let me tell you something important.

Normally an Omiai is between people with the same or similar social standing, for someone from the Hyuuga clan to request an Omiai with you...well" Tsunade paused, catching Naruto's hurt look "It seems that there is someone in that stuck up clan who really likes you, but can't just ask you on a date" grinned Tsunade.

"W...what do you mean baa-chan?"

"Well, the invitation you got amounts to someone telling you "I like you very much and want to marry you, so lets see if we can make it work" Not pausing to comment on Naruto's expression of shock, she continued.

"Get some formal wear today, something that can be used for official meetings, so no orange. There's a tailor near the Hokage tower, that makes very practical but formal wear, tell him I sent you and he'll make your commission priority" she ordered, nearly shoving Naruto out of her office, before she paused at the doorstep.

"Oh... I nearly forgot. Of course I'm going to accompany you to your Omiai tomorrow as a stand in for your family" with that Tsunade pushed him out of her office and closed the doors. Naruto would probably be out of her hair for the rest of the day.

And indeed, Naruto was rather out of it, after he was thrown out of the Hokage office. So out of it in fact, that he even followed Tsunade's order without complaints and soon found himself in front of the tailor's shop she recommended.

Naruto looked at the sign, proclaiming itself to be the Konoha's Sewing Box with a pompous sign, framed by a large needle with a thick thread that wrapped itself around the letters of the sign.

"Ooohhkaayyy" mumbled Naruto to himself, before he entered the shop.

Only to be greeted by what seemed to be a bigger atrocity against human taste than Maito Gai himself.

Dressed in a purple tailor suit and pants, framed with pink frills, wearing a large pin cushion on his head and a pair of thick horn glasses, that amplified his overly large eyes and eyebrows, stood Maito Kash, proud owner of Konoha's best (and proudest) tailor shop.

"Super Freaky Eyebrows" squeaked Naruto, before he was pulled off his feet, stripped to his underwear and tied up in measuring tape, where he had to watch, while the walking fashion disaster packed up his precious orange jumpsuit, muttering about horrible fashion sense and whatnot.

After his jumpsuit was packed up, Super Glasses Eyebrows, as he was now firmly designated in Naruto's mind, turned towards Naruto.

"Le pardone me, monsieur, but Madame 'ohkage-sama insisted I 'urry, make you new la garderobé, rapide, rapide".

Naruto, who was still out of it due to the shock that there was another person that made up the Family of the Super Eyebrows aka. Gai and Lee couldn't react as he was measured from his large toenail up to the tips of his hair.

After a few minutes Maito Kash had everything he needed and began his work at speeds, his relative would be proud of.

Naruto vanished in a cloud of smoke, pincushions, fabric and threads and came out a minute later, wearing the typical James Bond attire, down to the Walther PPK in one hand and a glass of Martini, shaken not stirred, in the other.

Naruto blinked his eyes /What just happened?/.

"Noh, noh, noh monsieur, 'zis not your style" mumbled Kash, before resuming his work.

Once again Naruto vanished in a cloud of smoke and tailoring equipment, only to reemerge a minute later, this time in his Oiroke no Jutsu guise, wearing a midnight black playboy bunny style suit, complete with ears and whatnot. As Naruto looked down on himself, he wondered how the hell he changed into Oiroke form without performing the Jutsu.

"Oui, 'zis is good, but you looking for male clothing, no?"

Naruto could only attempt a warding gesture, before he was, again, enveloped in a cloud of smoke. The transformation was interrupted as a beautiful brunette with hazel eyes dressed in a floral print kimono walked into the shop and with determined steps closed in on the dust cloud that roamed around the shop as Naruto tried to escape. As she reached the cloud she stuck her hand into it and pulled the now male but stripped to his Ramen boxer shorts Naruto out of it.

"Anata, what are you doing?" asked the woman, nearly causing another shutdown of Naruto's mental facilities /Anata???/.

Kash didn't seem to notice Naruto's mental breakdown but he noticed the woman holding him.

"Ma Chérie, Madame 'ohkage-sama..." began Kash, but was interrupted by a bonk to the head from the woman's free hand. "Kash-kun, stop it, Tsunade-sama sent me a message that she needs a proper formal attire for Naruto-kun here, not your usual hijinks, so get on to it" she scolded.

"Hai Darling, I will get to it" replied Kash and strolled into the back of the shop, leaving Naruto with his savior.
After about a minute Naruto regained control on his wits again and dashed towards the nearest changing booth in embarrassment, causing a melodious laugh from the woman.
"You must excuse my husband's excitable behavior Naruto-san, but sometimes he can't help himself, it seems that all Maito's are like that" she explained.

Naruto's head peaked from the curtain of the changing booth showing a mix of embarrassment, shock and curiosity. "Ya mean he's you husband AND related to Bushy-Brows?"

"Bushy Brows? If you mean Maito Gai, he's Kash's brother and my brother-in-law" she explained "I'm Maito Hitomi by the way, I've been married to Kash for five years now, he's a very nice man once you get past his eccentricities" the look she received from Naruto told her he didn't believe that.

After an awkward moment between them, Naruto asked the next important question "You know...could I get my pants back? it's getting cold".

This time Hitomi could control her urge to laugh and waved him off "Don't worry, Kash-kun should be back in a moment with some clothes for you, it would be unnecessary to put on some pants and take them off in a minute to try on a new pair...well what did I tell you, here he is"

And true to Hitomi's words, that was the moment Maito Kash strode back from the backroom of the shop with a bundle of clothing folded over his arms, looking a bit more subdued now than when Naruto first encountered him, probably due to Hitomi's presence.

With a wordless thanks Naruto snatched the clothes from him and proceeded to get dressed.

A few minutes later he emerged from the booth, clad in black Jounin-style pants without the cargo pockets and Bandages for a kunai-pouch, mesh shirt and a green, long-sleeved shirt. Over the shirt he wore a formal-style dark green vest, also with the outer pouches removed, but with a few hidden ones sewn in the inside. All in all it was a definite step up from his orange/black jacket and pants combo he wore normally.

Deciding that if he complained about his current outfit, he'd just end up in something much more formal or even with a full sized male kimono with hakama pants. So being smart for once, Naruto held back his comments, paid for his purchase, gathered up his old clothes and beat a hasty retreat.

A/N:

(1) Omiai: Arranged Marriage (lit. "looking at each other")

(2) Ren'ai: Love Marriage

I apologize for my butchering of the french language, no Frenchmen were harmed in the making of this chapter.