Principle of Nature
Chapter 1
Setting the Scene
xXx
Dear Gaara, Hey Gaara, Anyway, I wanted your advice. You've been a Kage a bit longer, so perhaps you could give me a different view on this situation. One of my kunoichi (damn that sounds dirty), and one of my other shinobi (a male) are dating. Have been dating, off and on for a couple of years now. My kunoichi claims to love her partner, and vice versa. However, as the days pass, and I am able to see more and more of their interactions, I can't help but wonder if it's entirely a Good Idea for them to continue dating. Or at least, without taking a break. I know, I know, technically, it's not my business. But... it's affecting her judgement, in a long-term manner. I don't know what I should do. Should I attempt to separate them? Or perhaps try to fix the problem? I don't like seeing my shinobi in pain, but I also don't want them DEAD because they were distracted during a mission. Can you give me some advice? -Naruto
First of all, why do letters start with 'dear'? That sounds like the sorta thing you'd say to a lover or something! Oh! I know, I'll start over. Here. (All scratched out)
How's it going? See? That's much better, right? Doesn't make me seem gay. I'm not gay. I'm dating the sexiest kunoichi ever born. Though I will admit that Sakura-chan comes a close second. Er... Don't tell Itachi I said that. I might become a very DEAD Hokage. Don't give me that look. It's true.
Gaara set down the letter and sighed. While he was fortunate to have not run into a similar problem - yet - with his own nin... he was somewhat familiar with it. Before he'd become the Kazekage, he had seen others dismissed from service entirely, or separated from their beloved for such a thing.
He wasn't certain what he should tell his friend, though. Perhaps Naruto should talk to those involved? Killing was obviously out of the question, but Gaara was tempted to suggest it just to see Naruto's reaction.
With this thought in mind, Gaara got up for some more ink and a fresh sheet of paper.
xXx
Naruto looked up from his paperwork when there was a knock on the door. "Enter," he called, brows furrowing.
Ino, Shikamaru, Choji and Asuma filed into his office, the kunoichi and Choji liberally spattered with dried mud. The blonde looked irritated, while Shikamaru tried to keep his peaceful friend between them. Naruto's brows lifted. "Hey. Mission over, I take it?"
"I hate Ame," Ino seethed, scowling. "I hate it, I hate it!"
Naruto gave her a sheepish grin. "You can take a shower soon. Your report?" he asked, switching his focus to Asuma.
Asuma ducked into a brief bow. "Yes, Hokage-sama," he said, stepping forward and placing a plastic-wrapped scroll onto the corner of Naruto's desk. "Here. As you said, the mission was essentially a piece of cake. On the way back, though, we ran into a nukenin. He was unfamiliar, but he had a Mizu headband. He sent a water jutsu at us and vanished before we could pursue."
Naruto's eyes widened. "He didn't engage you?"
"No, Hokage-sama. He seemed more interested in getting away," Asuma replied.
Shikamaru stirred from his wary contemplation of his blonde teammate. "He was using a henge to disguise his appearance," he noted.
Naruto hummed thoughtfully. "You said he attacked you?"
Asuma shifted, shrugging. "It was... a wave of water, actually. Pretty gentle in comparison to some water jutsu I've seen."
"It was a distraction," Shikamaru inserted.
"Would you like to give the report?" Asuma groused.
"No, too troublesome," the Nara replied.
His captain rolled his eyes and returned his attention to the Hokage. Naruto sat back in his seat, feeling like he should be smoking a pipe. These old robes always made him feel weird. "Mmm. Alright. Anything else of note?"
"No, Hokage-sama."
"Very well, dismissed," Naruto said. "Ino-chan, would you please return in an hour? I wanted to speak with you."
Ino nodded, grateful he was letting her have a shower first. "Okay."
He waited until they'd left, shutting the door behind them, before flaring his chakra briefly. Yamato stepped out of the wall. "Hokage-sama?"
"Get me Itachi. He is to meet me here in an hour and a half," Naruto ordered, reaching for the plastic-wrapped scroll his ninja team had left behind.
"Yes, Hokage-sama," Yamato said, and melded once more with the woodwork.
Naruto sighed and got back to work.
xXx
"That's IT! I'm throwing his shit in the GARBAGE!" Sakura shrieked, and went to pick up Itachi's dresser.
Ino flailed briefly, before tackling her friend to the floor. "Sakura-chan! What's going onnnn?" she demanded, freaking out.
"That- that bastard! It's all his fault! All of it! And- and he's going to DIE! I'll kill him!" Sakura roared, trying to shove her friend off of her.
Ino had just come over before her meeting with Naruto, to say hi and tell Sakura she was back... to find her friend pitching a fit. Apparently, the night before, she and Itachi had had a huge fight - though Ino had no idea over what, and Sakura wouldn't say - and now Sakura had kicked him out of the house and refused to let him back in, upon pain of death and possibly castration.
Now Ino was trying to keep her friend from demolishing the furniture in her fury. "Why are you so pissed!" she yelled.
"IT'S HIS FAULT GODDAMMIT!" was the only response she got.
Ino groaned. "This is what I get for going on missions. I always miss the juicy stuff. That's it, I should quit being a ninja and just work in the hospital," she said sarcastically.
Sakura whipped around so fast it was amazing she didn't get whip-lash. "Don't you dare," she growled. "You be a ninja! I can't!"
The blonde sat up abruptly. "WHAT! Why not!?" she screeched unnecessarily.
The rosette kunoichi suddenly clammed up, pressing her lips together and giving her best friend a wide-eyed look. Ino's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Spill."
Sakura grimaced, glanced around to make sure no one what around, and whispered in Ino's ear.
"WHAT! OH MY GOD!"
xXx
Twenty minutes later, Sakura was significantly calmer, as the two sat on the kitchen floor talking about her problem. "And of course Naruto found out - I bet you anything Itachi told him - and now I'm banned from missions until it's all over."
Ino shook her head. "You poor thing. I mean, I understand why he banned you, but damn! It must be frustrating!"
The rosette kunoichi grimaced and nodded miserably. "And I was so pissed off that I broke up with Itachi last night and kicked him out of the house. I told him if he ever came back, I'd never forgive him, and I'd castrate him on top of it."
The blonde nodded sympathetically. "So you guys are done? I mean, are you over?"
Sakura sighed and leaned back against the leg of the table, dropping her chin onto her chest. "No, yes, I don't know... I guess it depends on how mad he is at me."
"Girl, that man cannot stay mad at you," Ino pointed out bluntly. "We've tested it."
"Yeah, but... but this is different!" Sakura insisted, waving an arm in a vague gesture.
Blonde brows snapped together. "How?" Ino asked flatly.
"This is- it's- it just is, Ino, don't argue with me!" Sakura yelled. She took in Ino's now raised brows, and groaned, dropping her head into her hands. "Oh gods, I am so fucked."
"Literally." Ino smirked at her friend's glower. "Face it, Forehead. You're going to have to apologize."
"Fuck you."
"Itachi's job, clearly."
"I. Loathe. You."
xXx
"Hey, wait up! Ino, wait up!" a voice yelled behind her.
The blonde sighed and finally stopped, turning to cross her arms and glare at Kiba. "I'm busy. I have to go see the Hokage. We have a meeting," she told him bluntly. "And whatever it is you have to say, I don't want to hear it."
Kiba blinked. "You have a meeting with the Hokage? Right now?" he asked, surprised.
"Well, in ten minutes, yeah," she said, brows lifting. She eyed him suspiciously. "Why?"
"So do I," Kiba replied, and grinned. "This is great! We can talk on the way!"
She bit back a groan, shoulders slumping. Oh, this probably meant a mission. Fuck. I can't be on a mission with Kiba! That would be so awkward! Also, I just got home from one!
"Look, Ino, I... wanted to apologize. I was an idiot. I didn't mean to... you know, ignore your feelings, and I love you, and I don't want this to come between us," he said, all in a rush.
Ino stopped and scowled at him. "You say stuff like that every time, Kiba. It won't work this time!" she vowed, though she was pretty sure she'd said that several times before. Gods, Kiba was like a bad habit!
Still, she was determined to make it true this time, and stalked toward the Hokage tower, Kiba following and pleading for her to forgive him. She made a face as she stalked through the doors. The face - a scowl - stayed as they climbed the stairs. And then finally, when they came to a stop on the top floor, she looked more irritated than anything.
Kiba reached out and grabbed her arm, stopping her before she stepped out of the stairwell. "Ino, wait, please," he begged.
She glared at him. He hesitated, then kissed her. Almost immediately, she melted against him, giving in just like he'd known she would. How could she stay mad at him? She loved him! Even if they fought sometimes. That's what couples did. They fought over stupid crap, yelled at each other, then walked away, then made up, and were happy again. Look at Sakura and Itachi! They would make up soon, and there was nothing that said Ino and Kiba couldn't too.
She heaved a sigh and nudged him away. "We're going to be late," she grumbled.
"Then you forgive me?" he asked hopefully.
"Yeah, yeah, shut up," she said, ignoring his happy cheer and stepping out of the stairwell.
She knocked on the Hokage's outer office door, and it opened to reveal his assistant. She offered Izumo a smile. "I - er, we - have a meeting with the Hokage."
"He just finished lunch," Izumo deadpanned. He cleared his throat. "You're a little early, I'll go tell him you're here."
Ino beamed at him and stepped into the outer office with Kiba, while Izumo went over to the inner office door and knocked. He was bid to enter, and closed the door behind him. After a moment, there was the sound of Izumo panicking, and a brief clatter, before he suddenly exited the Hokage's office, holding a trash bag like it was going to bite him.
"Go in," he grunted, and fled.
Kiba snickered. "Freak."
Ino pinched him. "Knock it off! Izumo-kun is a nice man! You should be kinder to him!"
The dog-nin nodded quickly, eyes wide, and followed her into the Hokage's office. … which was empty. Blinking, Ino glanced around, searching for her missing Hokage. "Um... Naruto-sama...?"
"Put the sock on the door," came a squeaky voice from beneath the desk.
Kiba blinked. "Eh?"
"Do it."
"Um..." He gave Ino a wide-eyed look, and she just shrugged. Finally, he grabbed a sock off the Hokage's desk and walked around the door, hanging it on a nail there.
"Shut it."
Ino sighed as Kiba shut the door. "Are you going to explain this?" she asked, propping her hands on her hips, even as Naruto peeked over the top of the desk.
"Turf war," he said gruffly, and resumed his seat. He coughed. "Ah, Ino, Kiba. I'm glad you could make it! I needed to talk to you about a few things that have... er, come to my attention. Please, sit," he gestured toward the two chairs in front of his desk.
Ino blinked, then eyed him warily. "Um-"
"Sit." His brows lifted, and he relaxed when they both slowly obeyed. "Good. Right." He cleared his throat. "So. Actually, the Kazekage and I have been discussing a trade between Suna and Konoha." He stopped when there was a knock on the door. "... who is it?"
"Kotetsu. Why is there a dirty- oh, nevermind. Can I come in now?"
"Oh, yes, come in," Naruto said, and watched Kotetsu step inside. "You're late."
"I'm on time," Kotetsu retorted. "They are early. You're the one that started without me."
"Yes, yes, shush," Naruto said, waving a hand. Kotetsu barely managed to refrain from rolling his eyes, it looked like.
"Anyway, as I was saying. We've been discussing a skills trade. This would theoretically promote village cooperation, and ease of communication between us and Suna," Naruto told them. "I have been telling everyone, in the groups that I am assigning them in. Each nin that consents to this exchange would be paid the usual fee for an A rank mission, as the other village is essentially hiring those involved to share certain abilities." He sat back. "I encourage participation, but I will not require it."
Ino frowned. "So basically you want us to spill our secrets to Suna?"
"No, we are sharing specific abilities or techniques with our allies in Suna," Naruto corrected. "The Kazekage is particularly interested in our iryo ninjutsu and our fuuinjutsu."
"And what will he be giving us in return?" Kiba asked, frowning.
"The Kazekage has agreed to share their puppetry techniques with us, as well as their expertise in poisons, provided we share in kind. That is why I have asked you here, Ino-chan. You are one of Konoha's best iryonin. Should we be able to push this through, I want you to go."
"What about the fuuinjutsu?" Ino asked. "Neither myself nor Kiba are exactly experts. In fact, Kiba knows absolutely nothing about seals." She gestured toward the male beside her, who nodded quickly in support of this fact.
Naruto was unsurprised, of course, and merely nodded. "I know. Sai is. I have already spoken with him, and he has agreed to go. All we're waiting on is you. Should you decide to go, Kotetsu here, Kiba, and Sai will be your teammates. You have one week to make your decision. Dismissed."
Ino and Kiba stood, bowed and departed. Kotetsu waited until they were gone before tossing a scroll at his Hokage. "From Temari of the Sand. Probably her new recipe."
"Cookies!"
"Noooo," came a moan from the other room.
Kotetsu snickered. "I should go make sure he isn't having a stroke..." he said, as always quick to tease his germophobe partner.
xXx
Less than twenty minutes later, after a meeting with Anko discussing her displeasure with certain annual events, a dash to the shopping district for more ramen (his had mysteriously disappeared) and suffering through Izumo's fretting over the state of his robes, Naruto had barely had time to flop into his chair and wish Hinata was home and not on a mission. Then there was a light knock on the door.
He glanced at the time and rolled his eyes. Always on time. Couldn't he ever be late? Or early? Did he just... wait around specifically so he could be on time? Anal retentive, fussy, ex-nukenin- "Come in," the blond moaned, and forced himself to sit up straight.
"Hokage-sama," Uchiha Itachi said, stepping into his office. He politely shut the door behind him and faced the blond, no expression what-so-ever on his face to give away his thoughts.
"She still mad at you?" Naruto asked with a wince.
If possible, the look seemed to get even blanker. "I had hoped that her displeasure would be set on you," he admitted bluntly.
Naruto snorted. "So of course it's on you. You know how she is." He offered a chair and a smile. "Don't worry, she'll get over it eventually. She's not really mad at you. She's just... a little overwhelmed."
"She broke up with me," Itachi replied, not sitting.
His Hokage blinked, and gave him a wide-eyed stare. "Oh."
"Aa." Itachi frowned at him. "Did you merely wish to speak of Sakura's current state?"
"No, I wanted to know if you've seen someone recently." He glanced toward the window, then performed a seal or six, muffling the room. "Kisame-san, specifically," he added once they had privacy.
Itachi's face remained neutral. "Kisame-san."
"Yes, I believe one of my teams ran into him. It was such odd behavior for a henge-disguised mizu nin that I had my suspicions. Are you still in contact with him, Itachi?" Naruto asked, also with a neutral expression.
Itachi didn't reply for a full minute, but he finally nodded slowly. "Yes, Hokage-sama..."
Naruto perked up. "Wonderful!" he chirped, amused by Itachi's brief flicker of surprise. Ha! Naruto: 5, Itachi: 6. He was catching up! "Perhaps we can make an arrangement. You will have to discuss it with Kisame-san, of course."
"An arrangement of what sort?" Itachi asked, eyes narrowing with suspicion.
Naruto's smile faded. "He's perfect for what I need..."
xXx
"You know, I was tempted to bring a pipe with me and stand outside your cell smoking it," Naruto said cheerfully.
Sasuke gave him a frown. "Like Sarutobi."
"Yes, essentially," agreed the Hokage. "So the guards tell me you've been behaving well! You know what that means?"
"Probation?" was the query, though it lacked any sort of hope.
"I'll revisit that in another ten years. No, you get a prize for good behavior. Name it, within reason, and I'll see if I can arrange it," Naruto said, beaming at his erstwhile friend.
Sasuke contemplated the fidgety blond for nearly ten minutes in absolute silence. Then, "A better dinner."
Naruto hummed thoughtfully. "I could arrange for that, perhaps once a week? How would you like that?"
"It's a start." Sasuke sat back on his bunk, and crossed his arms. "I want to see Sakura."
"No." There was no hesitation on Naruto's part, and Sasuke flinched. The blond continued. "She has already stated that she has no wish to ever go near you again, especially not now." He shook his head. "I won't allow it, even if she did."
"Why not?" Was it Naruto's imagination, or had there been a note of hurt in Sasuke's tone?
"Because you tried to kill her several times, kidnapped her to draw Itachi and I out to kill us, injured her badly... need I really go on, Sasuke? You blocked off that bridge, and then you burned it, years ago. There's no crossing it again, not after all the betrayal you've put her through."
"Then let me rebuild it," Sasuke insisted, leaning forward slightly.
"No." Naruto closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. "I need to go. I'm sorry Sasuke. You'll get your good dinners once a week. I'll make sure they have tomatoes, mm?" He got up, gave his prisoner a sad glance, and left.
xXx
"Saaaaaakkkurrrraaa-chaaaaannnn!"
"EEK! SHANNARO!"
Crack, crash, thud thud thud!
"Oh my god, Forehead, you just jettisoned a Sannin!"
The two kunoichi peeked around the edge of the now destroyed fence, quickly finding the heap that was Jiraiya and some garbage bags. He moaned and started to roll over, and both women jerked out of sight. "Run!" the rosette kunoichi squeaked, and they both took off in a mad dash for the closest safehouse.
The Aburame strong-hold, aka compound. The guards blinked and watched them dash by in bemusement - Ino was not a threat, they knew, as she had been to this place several times while dating Kiba. The duo skidded to a stop in front of the main house door, even as it opened and Shibi - the clan head and Shino's father - looked out. He blinked at them. "Oh, hello. Erm... Kiba isn't here..."
"No, just trying to hide from a ninja pervert," Sakura panted. "Is Shino here? Or Kairi?"
"Erm... Shino's training... Kairi's stalking Taji-kun, I believe. Would you two like some tea while you wait?" Shibi asked, clearly bemused.
"Yes!" they yelped in unison, and got a blink for their trouble.
But he let them in and got them tea. And then they sat in silence, the women fidgeting as they sipped at their tea. Though, admittedly, the silence wasn't as uncomfortable for Sakura as it was for Ino. Sakura at least had regular exposure to Itachi. Ino... well, didn't.
"So." The blonde cleared her throat, and Shibi set down his tea politely (Sakura didn't bother setting it down, but she did lower it). "Um. How has your day been?"
Shibi's brows lifted slightly, but it was hard to tell beyond that due to the sunglasses. "Pleasant," he replied after a beat. "... and your's?"
"Oh, you know... Heh heh... not... bad... well, beyond Sakura being stalked by a pervert," Ino said thoughtfully. "We should tell the Hokage. He could deal with him."
"We're not telling Naruto that his old teacher is stalking me," Sakura deadpanned around a sip of tea. "He would never let me live it down."
Ino shrugged. "Suit yourself. But when he's going through your underwear drawer, don't come crying to me."
Sakura stiffened and stood up. "Excuse me, Shibi-san. I must go apologize to my fiance and coerce him into moving back into the house." She bowed and quickly hightailed it out of there.
Shibi blinked and looked at Ino expectantly. She beamed and took a sip of her tea. "Just keep this between us? I owe Jiraiya-sama a few ryou."
"You hired him?" he asked, brows lifting again.
"Oh goodness no, who do you take me for?" Ino said, and shook her head. "No, I'd just been trying to get her to go apologize all day!"
The Aburame clan head nodded and picked his tea back up. They lapsed into silence once more, broken only once when a clan member arrived to ask Shibi a question, then departed. He returned to her to find her fidgeting nervously and drawing intricate patterns on the table with a finger. "Perhaps you should go search out my son instead of waiting for him?" he suggested.
She jerked, actually having missed his return, and looked up at him with wide eyes. "Oh! I thought... um, you said... he was... you know, training..."
"Yes," Shibi agreed. And that was it.
Ino shifted uncomfortably before downing her tea, giving him a smile and getting up. "Have a nice day," she said, and quickly escaped. No reason for her to stick around if she wasn't wanted, after all.
xXx
I was going to wait to post this until I got at least five chapters written... but meh. Anyway, here it is. Chapter 1 of Principle of Nature. Sequel to I Spy.