CHAPTER 119 NEW TEAM
<span style="font-weight:400">I got to the front of the house to find my old team waiting for me. Hinata was taller and more filled out. Her hair was grown down past her shoulders and I had to admit, she was beautiful. Kiba was more muscr, and his faithfulpanion Akamaru was as tall as his waist now.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Hinata! Kiba!” I yelled excitedly running to them. Grabbing them in a hug I enjoyed the surprised looks on their faces. I was a lot taller than them and I was sure I looked nothing like my 12 year old self.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Weston?” Kiba barked. “What the hell kind of mission you been on?” He asked in amazement. “You lookpletely different.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Different good I’m sure,” I said with augh. “Look at you Hinata, more beautiful than I remember.” She blushed deeply. “What? Still can’t talk?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I can talk,” she said with more force than I expected. “In your letter you said you’d be gone for 2 years. Not 2 and a half.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“You’re right. I found the sacrednd of sea turtles and was there way longer than I nned,” I admitted. “What’s the matter? Already move on from me?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“We did actually,” Kiba said with a smile. “About 6 months ago we were assigned a new team member.” Kiba motioned behind himself. I noticed the twink there. “This is Sai.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“What?” I asked, putting on a shocked look. I was a little surprised but I knew who he was. ck hair, pale skin, weird fis clothes. Sai had taken the ce of Sasuke in team 7. He had some weird Bloody Mist sort of ritual he had to go through back in the day. Where he had to kill his best friend. His skills were very cool though. He could manifest his drawings from his chakra.
<span style="font-weight:400">“How dare Kurenai drop me,” I said walking up to the new guy. “And for this pretty boy.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Hello,” Sai said putting a smile on his face.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t give me that fake smile,” I said. “Hinata please tell me you haven’t dumped me for this guy.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“What?” She asked nervously. “I don’t know-“
<span style="font-weight:400">“You heard her, Sai. Hinata is in love with me. Not you. No matter what you try.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I never said…” Hinata whispered. Blushing she looked fo her hands. Quieting down.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Damn, I broke her already,” I said. “Sorry Sai. I’m just ying with you. You too, Hinata. I know you couldn’t stop loving me.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I never said-ugh why do I let you do this to me?” She asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">I barked augh. “No idea. So what? You guys sent by the Hokage for me?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah. We just got back from a mission when we heard the news,” Kiba said. Turning around he and I headed out the door while the other 2 followed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What? No Kurenai? She hate me?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Nah. We are all Chunin now. We haven’t had her looking over our shoulder for a while,” Kiba said. Akamaru barked. “So where the hell you been?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I got lost. Hinata and I made a secret rendezvous to express our love for one another. But I got turned around. Ending up near the ocean I found thend of turtles.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah yeah. And what really happened?” Kiba asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Super secret mission for the Hokage. But I really did find thend of turtles. It was in this huge underwater reef. They taught me their secret ninja turtle martial arts.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Dude, I don’t believe you,” Kiba said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m serious,” I said. I did the summoning jutsu hand seals. Focusing like Kame said I kept my burst of chakra minimal as I used the summoning jutsu. I was pleasantly surprised to have Michi appear.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What’s up?” He asked, looking at me.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Nothing. My friends didn’t think I could summon a ninja turtle,” I said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m not a ninja,” Michi said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah whatever,” I said, picking him up. “You miss me?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I saw you like a week ago,” ‘Michi said, annoyed. “I was sitting at home eating. You need something?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I…guess not,” I said. He turned into smoke and disappeared. “Damn, how’d he do that?” I asked. “See. He’s a ninja turtle.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Can you summon small ones?” Hinata asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh my god. There were about a million baby ones there. It was the cutest thing,” I said. “I’ll try to summon someter.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Ok,” she whispered with a smile on her lips.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What about you guys?” I asked. So they caught me up on their Chunin exams. All the missions they had done. And drama around the vige. I hadn’t missed much. We got to the Hokage’s office and she let me right in.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You all can go back,” Tsunade said. Kiba and Sai nodded. Walking out.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Um okay,” Hinata hesitated.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t worry,” I said. “I’ll stop byter so we can catch up.” My potential fiancé nodded and ran off. “What’s up my favorite Hokage?” I asked. The blonde woman hadn’t aged of course. Still in her normal attire she appeared to be in herte 30s. Large chest showing some cleavage I eyed it without shame.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You said 2 years,” Tsunade said. “It’s been 2 and a half.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“It has. Heard anything from Naruto or Jaraiya?” I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">She hesitated. “I uh heard they were seen entering the Land of Fire. They could be here in the next few days.”
<span style="font-weight:400">I let out a sigh. “Good. Then it will start soon,” I said.
<span style="font-weight:400">Tsunade frowned. “What makes you say that?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Because I know,” I said. “I’ve been doing a lot over thest 2 years, Hokage. Lots of training for this.” I looked around. “I happened to hear that Danzo died. Do you feel the area is…safe for sensitive conversations?” I eyed her assistant.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I can guarantee it,” Tsunade said.
<span style="font-weight:400">I nodded. Sitting in the chair I had decided my course of action a long time ago. “Akatsuki is on the move once more,” I said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“How can you know this?” She asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Where do you think I’ve been for thest year?” I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You infiltrated them?!” She asked, genuinely worried.
<span style="font-weight:400">“No,” I said. “I’ve been gathering information. They are on the move. They have 4 or 5 teams of 2 members. They will begin gathering the Jinchurikis and ripping the tailed beasts from them.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Who? When?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Any day now,” I said. “They will kidnap the Kazekage.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Gaara?” She asked with a gasp. Her assistant stayed quiet but was writing notes. “Why him?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“One of their members is from that sand castle of a vige. He has spies there. And why wouldn’t they start with the 1 tailed beast?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“This is not good,” Tsunade said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“No shit,” I said. “None of it is. But I have a n for them.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“A n?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh my god. Hokage. Stop interrupting. Just let me talk,” I said, rolling my eyes. She red at me but stayed quiet. “I have a n. We know Akatsuki ising. We can prepare for them. They are extremely powerful. But they are only 2 men. I think if you let me go with a team I choose, we can save him.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’ve already set that up. You’ll be moving to Team 7,” Tsunade said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I will?” I asked. “Honestly that’s perfect. But we need to move now. Before Naruto gets back.” Tsunade frowned but nodded.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What else?” She asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You need to warn the other Kages. Whoever has a tailed beast. They will all be targeted in theing weeks. And you need to call for a meeting with all the kages.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“What? Why?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Because it’sing to a head, Hokage. Everything has been leading toward this point. If we can keep Naruto, Gaara, and a few other Jinchurikis out of their hands we could put a damper on things. But the real problem is they have the advantage. We are divided right now. It will take all of us to beat them. Call for a meeting now. They’ll say no. Once their Jinchurikis start getting attacked they’ll realize you were telling the truth and agree.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Even Kirigakure?” She asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">nd of the mist? Of course. Why not them?” I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’ve heard rumors that Akatsuki started there,” Tsunade said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“No, they didn’t start there. I don’t know where they started. But I do know it wasn’t there. All of the kages will be needed for this,” I said. “Did you make lots of underground facilities?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“We made lots of tunnels leading outside of the city,” Tsunade said. “We have drills sporadically to make sure people know how to use them.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Good. I’d prefer we don’t need them. But I’m d we have them just in case,” I admitted. “Anything else you need?” I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">Her eyes widened as she grew angrier. “I need a hell of a lot more than this. I risked a lot following what you said Weston. All with very little proof,” she said. “I need to know what you know.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Like what? Tsunade I really don’t know what I could tell you that would make you feel better. We are going to have a busy few weeks. Akatsuki will be right at the center of it all. Akatsuki and Naruto.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Why Naruto?” She asked. “Why don’t we just lock him away and then Akatsuki can’t get him.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Because we couldn’t lock him away far enough to keep them out of their hands,” I said. “Naruto is special. You know that. Not only his lineage. But also his attitude. He wants to be the Hokage. I believe he can do it.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“And what about you? What do you want?” She asked. I hesitated. “Do you want to be Hokage? You could be ying a long game here. Keeping yourself at the center.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Be Hokage…? Fuck that,” I said meaning every word. “Look at your desk. It’s littered in papers. You know my mission. I yed the Mizukage’s assistant for months. Her desk looked barely better than yours. I wouldn’t wish this job on my worst enemy. No, I will be a retired ninja after this war is over. Spend the rest of my days with a girl on each arm. Let you and Naruto handle all of this crap.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Tsunade actually cracked a smile. “Fine. So you’re doing this out of the goodness of your heart?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m doing it. Because I can change it,” I said. “I can limit the damage. Do you know what happens to a Jinchuriki when you take the tailed beast out? They die. I want to save them. Save them from dying. Keep them in one ce and make the enemye to us with every single ninja on the to fight the army of Akatsuki. We fight the war that ising on our terms. Not theirs.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Tsunade studied me for a while. Then letting out a sigh she said, “Call team 7 and Temari here.” Her assistant nodded and walked out.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Temari is here?” I asked. A little nervous.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. The Chunin exam wasing up. She was working with Shikamaru on nning it,” she said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Right…” I said slowly. Growing a little angry Shikamaru had 2 and a half years with her while I was off…seducing a kage. I wondered if the sand ninja girl remembered me. We had only had a little bit of fun. That was years ago.
<span style="font-weight:400">Tsunade asked some rifying questions but as the 3 people walked in I moved to the side of her desk. On the opposite side of her assistant, Shizune.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Kakashi, Sakura, Temari,” Tsunade said. “We have received information that the Kazekage may be attacked soon.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“What?!” Temari asked. Gaara was her brother. Of course she was worried.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I don’t think it will happen for a few days,” I said. “We should have enough time to get there andy a trap for the people attacking.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“And you are?” Temari asked, eyeing me.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Temari, darling,” I said, putting on a hurt look. “How could you forget our time together in the Chunin exam?” Her eyes widened as she studied me again. “I beat up your brothers and everything.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Weston?!” Sakura yelled as she stared at me wide eyed as well.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Jeez, calm it down with the yelling. Hokage, she’s your apprentice. How did you not beat the yelling out of her?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I don’t know,” Tsunade said. “I was quite surprised by your looks as well.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“You yed it off well,” I said. “So I know Naruto’s not here. But we have a short window to go and save your brother. I think we should head out at first light.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“First light?” Tsunade asked angrily. “Don’t you think you should head out now?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“What?” I asked, seeing my own mistake. “But I uh just got back to town. I need a reunion. And to say hi to people and-“
<span style="font-weight:400">“You’ll have plenty of time for that after youe back. This was your n Weston. You said that timing was important,” Tsunade said. She appeared to be enjoying the saddening look on my face.
<span style="font-weight:400">I sighed. “Okay. Let me at least…change clothes…and replenish ninja stuff. Yeah, that’s it. Um, 2 hours. Meet at the South Gate?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“We need a little more information than this,” Kakashi said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’ll uh catch you guys up on the way,” I said. “Just meet me at the South Gate in 2 hours.” I looked behind me and opened the Hokages back window. I didn’t hesitate to jump out. I needed to empty my balls badly. Reina, Hina, and Shinju wouldn’t forgive me if I didn’t.