Bloody Reunion

Blanket disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Tenjho Tenge

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Okay, here we go! I've wanted to get to this chapter for a long while as it finally wraps up the Tea Country Arc (for the most part). We will finally see the meeting between Shin and Maya as well. For those of you not as familiar with Tenjho Tenge; check out the roster for the Executive Council on the Tenjho Tenge Wiki since all of Natsume Shin's followers are characters from that group. Enjoy!

Last time:

"Uzumaki Naruto?" asked Mitsuomi. "That brings back memories. I was told not to play with him as a child by my parents. They wouldn't let me or Masataka near him. I never did know why aniki."

"It's because Naruto-kun was frightening to you parents." said Shin. "My Kaa-san always encouraged Maya-chan to play with him. She said his potential was limitless to me and people feared his power. It will be interesting to see how that squirt has turned out. Let's head towards the Tea Country/Fire Country border. We'll see them soon. I just can't wait to see my Maya-chan again."

Ryūzaki Tsutomu licked his lips and said, "Are there any other hot women Shin? I haven't had any fun in a while."

The effeminate Kagurazaka Shinobu said, "Why are you even interested? This is Shin's sister we're talking about here."

"I know you wouldn't be interested Shinobu but I figure she's a healthy fifteen or so years. I'm sure she'll be good and tasty, hehehe."

Shin's fist fit Tsutomu so fast that the perverse lecher hit the tree behind him with enough force to crack the bark. Shin's ryugan blazed angrily and he said, "If you even try to touch my baby sister Ryūzaki and I'll END you!"

Tsutomu shivered and nodded rapidly in fear. Natsume Shin never made idle threats, only promises…

…

Chapter 31

Tea Country

Around noon Team 11 set out for Fire Country. They finished their lunch on a ridge facing northward and could see the rich forests of Fire Country a few miles from their current position. "I'll be so glad to be back in Fire Country sensei." said Naruto to Yūgao.

"I will be too Naruto-kun. I'd love to stop in a nice bath house on the way to the Fire Capitol." said Hinata agreeably.

Maya nodded. "It would be nice to relax a bit. This trip has been a non-stop battle."

Yūgao smiled at her students but said seriously, "We need to keep our guard up and finish our mission to the Fire Capitol. I know you're all tired of being in foreign territory but just because we will be in Fire Country again doesn't mean we'll be safe. There is always a possibility of being attacked whether it's by highway bandits, rogue samurai or missing nins. We always have to 'look underneath the underneath' as my old senpai Hatake Kakashi always told me."

"Hatake Kakashi was your senpai Yūgao-sensei?" asked Hinata curiously.

Yūgao nodded. "Yes, he is a very admirable ninja who was a genin under our Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato."

Naruto snickered, "He's the one we captured in the Forest of Death. Quite a grandiose record." 'I wonder if my Father is laughing at him from the other side.'

"Pffft! The look on Hatake's face when we were hauling him along in that net was priceless!" laughed Maya. "I wonder what our Fourth Hokage would think of his student now."

Hinata stifled a giggle. "Who would have thought that he was actually telling the truth when he said he was there to protect us?"

Maya was still chuckling. "Well, his credibility was kind of shot when he was hanging upside down in a chakra net."

Yūgao sweat dropped and thought, 'I'm so sorry Kakashi-senpai. But then again you got out of being a jonin instructor because of me getting this job…Actually, I like teaching these three kids; I'd have never guessed…'

…

Meanwhile in Konoha…

"…And so we of the Jonin Council have all agreed that you are the ideal person to teach the next generation of ANBU Brats and continue Uzuki Yūgao's superb work at the Ninja Academy." said Nara Shikaku. "Congratulations Hatake Kakashi. Roll it in Choza."

Akimichi Choza pulled out a two wheeled dolly stacked four feet high with paperwork and said, "Here are Yūgao's lesson plans and class notes. Do us proud Hatake."

Tsunade and the Jonin Council were all smiles until Kakashi's single eye grew to the size of a dinner plate and he started shedding tears. The silver haired Jonin fell to his knees and screamed, "Damn you Uzuki Yūgao! Damn you! I swear you'll pay for this mischief in this life or the next!"

…

Back with Team 11…

Yūgao sneezed. "Someone must be talking about me."

Natsuko piped up, "Well I'm all for stopping at a nice hot springs. Hopefully there is one with mixed bathing. What do you think Naruto-kun?"

Naruto sweat dropped. "I kind of doubt we'll find that sort of place on the road."

…

Fire Country

Natsume Shin was all smiles as his group had lunch before they set forth towards the border where he foresaw his little sister and her group would appear. Shin and Takayanagi Mitsuomi were originally from Konoha of course as was Ryūzaki Tsutomu. Kagurazaka Shinobu was originally from Grass Country. They were soon joined by Sagura Koji*① who was a big, muscular ninja from Iwa whose taijutsu was based on grappling and his fellow ex-Iwa nin Tagami Shiro that was known for his expertise with the staff and had a habit of wearing a bandana. Shin had gathered this motley but fairly potent group over the last few years. The ryugan wielder was undisputedly the most powerful of the group but none of them were weak.

Their little troupe had found that money was good in the mercenary business and often took jobs from shady types that couldn't openly do business with the five big ninja nations because they were considered criminals by those nations. Finishing their meal and covering any signs of their campsite Shin led the group of six out towards the border. "Come on boys, we've got earn our pay. I just can't wait to see my baby sister Maya-chan!"

…

Tea Country/Fire Country Border

Team 11 quietly slipped across the border into Fire Country. "Normally we would go through the Tea Country Border Station but given we may have been followed there is a possibility of being ambushed on that path. It will be safer for us and more importantly our client just to slip through without anyone being aware of our presence." said Yūgao to her three students. "We'll check in at the nearest Fire Country outpost when we get the chance though."

About two hours later the team was in the forests of Fire Country and was crossing a clearing…one that would soon be a battlefield…

They heard a male's laughter. "There you all are! I've been waiting and waiting to see you baby sister!"

Seeing her elder brother walk out into the clearing with five others Maya gasped, "Shin!" 'After all these years why now?!'

Shin smiled. "Look at what a beautiful woman you've grown into Maya-chan!" He was almost giddy. "And you brought the Reiki back to your nii-san as well!"

Yūgao glared. "Natsume Shin; S-class missing nin of Konoha. Known for murdering your own family, four fellow Konoha ninjas and kidnapping Takayanagi Mitsuomi…What do you want here?"

"Shin aniki didn't kidnap me! I joined him on my own years ago." said Mitsuomi.

"Mitsuomi, is that really you?" asked a shocked Maya.

The older Takayanagi brother smiled, "Yep, it's me Maya-chan. I'm so happy to see you!"

Naruto glared at Mitsuomi. "You're the one that Maya-chan was so upset that Shin may have killed…You actually joined that traitor willingly?!"

Mitsuomi growled, "Don't judge me Uzumaki! You are a bad seed yourself!"

"Now, now Mitsuomi." said Shin. "We're here for the Nadeshiko kunoichi you've been running around with Uzuki. Natsuko or something isn't it…?"

Natsuko's violet eyes burned angrily and she said to Shin, "Why would a missing nin be after a kunoichi of my village? I can't imagine Shizuka-sama having any business with the likes of you."

Shin said, "Actually you are the specific target; not your village. A particular crime boss had both his heart and savings stolen by you before you blew out of town. He's kind of holding a grudge…Sound familiar?"

The now revealed Nadeshiko kunoichi looked thoughtful for a moment before she shook her head and frowned. "I can easily think of a dozen men that fit that description! Be specific. I don't know which one you are talking about."

Everyone present sweat dropped (except Natsuko). The members of Team 11 were all staring at their client dumbfounded in disbelief.

Shin coughed uncomfortably. "Well, be that as it may our employer wants you to pay for breaking his heart and his bank account last year."

"Let's just capture this whore already!" said Shinobu.

"I don't know who you are femme-boy but I happen to like men!" snapped Natsuko. "Judging by your appearance I'll bet you do too and you're just jealous."

Shinobu blushed scarlet and said, "I am not jealous!"

Tsutomu broke into raucous laughter. "Boy she pegged you right off the bat Kagurazaka! Femme-boy! I love it!"

"Shut up Ryūzaki!" screeched Shinobu. "At least I'm not a damn rapist like you."

Sagura sighed. "Can we please just get down to business?" asked the hulking man.

Shin appeared in front of Yūgao with his katana drawn. Yūgao barely had time to mount a defense with her own blade. When they clashed Shin yelled, "Sagura, capture our target! The rest of you pick your own targets to fight! I'll deal with the jonin." His ryugan blazed to life and he said, "Let's dance Uzuki. I want to see if you can actually use that sword of yours!" As the sparks flew between Shin and Yūgao everyone else exploded into action.

…

With Maya…

The Natsume heiress quickly drew the Reiki and went to support her sensei but Mitsuomi intercepted her. "Sorry Maya-chan but I can't let you interfere with aniki. I'm telling you as a friend to just sit this one out."

The silver haired girl growled, "Even if we were childhood friends, I'll carve you to pieces for siding with that murderer Mitsuomi." In a flash of silver, the Reiki crashed against Mitsuomi's kunai he was using to defend and sent the white haired*② boy reeling. He was barely able to avoid losing a limb to Maya's speed with her nodachi. Maya raised the Reiki into an attack position and it hummed in synch with her as she channeled chakra through it. Her blue eyes flashed with anger. "I'm going to end you and Shin today Mitsuomi."

Mitsuomi's eyes widened as he rolled to his feet. The elder Takayanagi brother summed his thoughts up succinctly by saying, "Oh, shit."

…

With Hinata…

The byakugan princess leapt forward but had to jump to the side to avoid a fireball jutsu launched by Ryūzaki Tsutomu. The glasses wearing lecher smiled and said, "Let's get acquainted sweetie; I'd hate to hurt that fine; fine ass of yours too much."

Seeing him licking his lips; Hinata growled at Tsutomu. "It isn't mutual sicko. You're going to regret crossing me."

Tsutomu laughed. "I guess you like it rough. Let's get it on then!"

…

With Naruto…

Naruto found himself matched against Shinobu who attacked with a brutal series of leg sweeps and hard kicks that caused Naruto to tumble. 'That didn't even break a rib. I feel like I'm kicking a rock! What kind training has he had?' thought Shinobu. 'I just have to pour on the damage!' Shinobu kept juggling Naruto with kicks but couldn't tell that he was doing any injury to the blonde ninja. Naruto was bleeding but nothing was broken. 'Damn it. I've got to keep this-'

Shinobu's thoughts were interrupted when Naruto caught the effeminate man's left ankle in an iron grip. Naruto gave Shinobu a very bloodthirsty smile and used his Whirlpool style taijutsu that he was still learning from Bunshichi to brutal effect. Naruto twisted the girly looking ninja's ankle so fast that the bones shattering in Shinobu's foot and ankle could be heard across the battlefield as Shinobu screamed in pain. Naruto added to the wicked amount of torque he already had on Shinobu's broken foot which sent the dark haired missing nin spinning. Naruto was going to give chase but a staff crashed down in front of him as the blonde rolled to his feet.

A bandana wearing staff wielder said, "Shinobu underestimated you. I won't." He spun his staff into a ready stance and narrowed his dark eyes. "I'm Tagami Shiro and I'll be your opponent."

…

With Natsuko…

Sagura Koji raced after Natsuko but the Nadeshiko kunoichi was much faster and more maneuverable than he'd predicted. He managed to knock her naginata away but wasn't able to land a hit on her personally. Then Natsuko landed a vicious kick to his solar plexus but she bounced back harmlessly. "Your attacks won't damage me that way." said Sagura. "I'm sorry but I have a job to do even if you are a woman." He attempted a two-handed overhead smash that Natsuko barely avoided and it cratered the earth when his fists impacted the ground.

Natsuko's eyes widened but she leapt back and assumed her Nadeshiko style of taijutsu, the Hardliner Gale Fist. She narrowed her eyes as the wind chakra became visible around her hands. "I will teach you to look down on a Nadeshiko kunoichi. This will hurt you lummox. Violent whirlwind!" Her jutsu spewed out a jet of wind. Sagura was sent tumbling by the high-pressure wind impact against his body. Charging her fists with wind chakra Natsuko tore after the big man.

…

With Yūgao…

Shin found himself getting frustrated. He had gone to the Academy with Yūgao years ago and the purple haired girl had just vanished one day. She was younger than him and Shin always assumed Yūgao quit even though she was at the top of the class. He leapt back to get some space in what was quickly evolving into a close-range knife fight with katanas. Her dance of the crescent moon justu nearly killed him. "What's with you Uzuki?! I thought you dropped out."

"I was recruited straight into ANBU at that age." growled Yūgao. She was getting tired and knew she wouldn't last in a battle of attrition against Shin. The purple haired sword mistress was trying to end it quickly but Shin was trying to stretch that battle out. Suddenly Shin shot forward with a simple cross slash that Yūgao had to parry vertically.

Shin yelled, "Sword breaker!" and Yūgao's katana shattered. She was barely able to fall backwards to avoid being cut in half. Shin grinned at her shocked look and said, "How do you like this sword's special ability? It wouldn't be able to hurt the Reiki but it will work against even a quality katana like you had there. I'd better finish this. I have a target to catch. It was nice seeing you again. Nothing personal Uzuki."

Yūgao thought of her lover Hayate and her students as Shin's strike went towards her in a deadly arc…only for her to be saved by the flying form of Takayanagi Mitsuomi who was avoiding the Reiki wielding Maya. He landed face first in between Yūgao's breasts and gripped them trying to steady himself. Looking up Mitsuomi saw the angry, blushing face of Yūgao who said, "I'll kill you; you little pervert!"

Shin had to angle his sword strike away to avoid cutting Mitsuomi. "Oh damn, now she's pissed." groaned Shin. He quickly spun his blade up to parry the Reiki as Maya came at him full force and sent sparks flying. Shin smiled. "I was going to give you some attention Maya-chan but you are so impatient!" Maya bared her teeth angrily and pushed him back. Shin was laughing. "Whoa baby sister! Looks like we're trading dance partners Mitsuomi. I don't think Uzuki is as skilled with taijutsu as kenjutsu. I'm going to go play with Maya-chan for a while."

…

With Naruto…

Tagami Shiro had his staff split into its chain components and found he really had his hands full with Naruto. Once the blonde brought out his two swords into play; Naruto's already soul crushing killing intent increased massively and the staff wielder found himself on the defensive. It was apparent that Shiro's staff wasn't going to break those blades and disarming Naruto had proven to be impossible. Shiro's eyes widened as the Kurimuzo-kougou grazed him.

It was a small cut but the blood was flowing from his injury to the demonic wakizashi. The bandana wearing man could sense the hunger for his blood oozing from the red glowing blade. In a moment of panic Shiro spun his staff to defend and it snapped the stream of blood flowing out to the Kurimuzo. Feeling the strange connection was broken between him and the Kurimuzo; Shiro allowed himself to sigh in relief before Naruto charged him again with both blades flashing.

'This is getting ugly really quickly!' thought the bandana wearing man as he parried another blow.

…

With Hinata…

Ryūzaki was having a good time. His fire jutsus kept the beautiful Hyūga girl at a distance so her juken style was almost useless against him. As soon as she was too exhausted to fight he planned to violate every luscious inch of her gorgeous body. He wanted Maya and the target too but Maya was off limits because of Shin. 'I'll have fun with this hot chick first.' he thought licking his lips. "Don't you worry honey; we're almost there!" he yelled as Hinata fell to her knees exhausted. Her byakugan deactivated from lack of chakra as her face took a look of complete despair. Ryūzaki got close and grabbed Hinata's forehead, so she was looking at him. "You look good on your knees baby. Just how I like my women." the lecher said. Then her expression changed to one of sadistic glee and he thought, 'A feint?'

Hinata suddenly reactivated her byakugan and smashed Ryūzaki right in the face with an eight trigrams: air palm that blew his glasses to smithereens and knocked out several of his teeth. He was sent tumbling back end over end feeling his face was shattered. He was completely disoriented. When Tsutomu's vision came into focus, he saw the cold byakugan glare of Hinata as she said, "You a within the field of my divination. Eight trigrams: sixty-four palms!"

Ryūzaki's body was shattered as his entire world exploded into white hot agony. He weakly tried to defend against the brutal point-blank attack but it was useless. Tsutomu few back unconscious with his eyes rolled back in his head from the pain...

…

With Natsuko…

Sagura was taking an unexpectedly vicious beating from Natsuko. He tried to get in close to grapple with her where his massive strength would prevail but her wind enhanced Gale Fist was hurting his chakra enhanced skin to the point he was badly torn up. He hadn't lost but his advantages were being worn down and he was covered in bloody gashes. That's when he saw Shinobu on the ground trying to set his own shattered ankle. Sagura then saw that Ryūzaki was down as well and Shiro was just barely holding his own against a berserker Naruto. 'This is going downhill fast.' thought the big man. 'Where is Shin and why is the jonin fighting Mitsuomi?'

…

With Yūgao…

Mitsuomi was in his own personal hell. First Maya-chan tried to slice him into cutlets and now this purple haired jonin was picking him apart. It seemed he had a slight advantage in pure taijutsu as Shin had implied but she was using jutsus, kunai and shuriken to level the playing field. Mitsuomi was rapidly falling back. "I'm sorry! It really was an accident when I grabbed your breasts!"

That got him a roundhouse kick to the face…

'Fighting angry kunoichi is awful! I should have taken the easy way out and gone after Uzumaki!' thought Mitsuomi as he dodged a brace of shuriken that grazed him.

…

With Maya…

The frustrated and angry Maya was facing off with her brother who seemed to be toying with her until she actually drew blood with the Reiki. She smiled ferally and said, "First blood goes to me nii-san."

Shin's face turned angry and he said, "I'm not playing anymore Maya-chan. Hand over the Reiki before I get serious."

Her blue eyes narrowed. "I'm the Reiki's guardian. You will not have it." The next thing Maya knew Shin was raining punches and kicks down upon her and had completely shattered her defenses. He was yelling nonsensical things about how much he loved her and to give him the Reiki over and over. The beating was intense and Maya was lost in a world of pain as Shin continued to knock her back. Her blurry vision saw his ryugan eyes blazing but she held tightly onto the Reiki with both hands. Finally, Maya was slammed backwards into a tree. She slid downwards into a sitting position and glared up at Shin defiantly while still gripping the Reiki possessively. She spit some blood out as he reached for the family's sacred blade. "I won't give the Reiki to you Shin. It is not yours!"

Maya looked up and saw Shin's face. He was crying. "Maya-chan, can't you see how much you are hurting your nii-san. I love you baby sister. Give me the Reiki! Don't make me hurt you anymore!" She was breathing heavily as he pointed his sword at her. "This is just how it was all those years ago! Stop being so stubborn! Give your nii-san the Reiki Maya-chan. He stabbed his sword breaker blade into the bark of the tree she was leaning against a fraction of an inch from her beautiful face. "Stop hurting me Maya-chan!" he roared.

Maya gritted her teeth and screamed, "Run away Shin! Run away now! I'll never give you the Reiki!"

Shin suddenly felt his sword arm riddled with small spikes of wood and cried out as he dropped his sword. He cradled his injured arm and locked his eyes with Maya's tear-filled blue ones for what seemed like an eternity before his ryugan deactivated. "You…you have the power over wood our great-grandmother had…that's why you don't have the ryugan yourself. I…I'm leaving now." Then he said in a hollow tone. "This is too much pain for me to bear." Shin quickly went back to the battlefield and called for a retreat leaving a puzzled Maya behind.

Mitsuomi was only too happy to grab Ryūzaki's broken carcass and run from the angry Yūgao. He was still spewing apologies to the purple haired jonin as he withdrew.

Sagura grabbed the downed Shinobu whose ankle was still too damaged for him to run "I guess you've won this battle." he said to Natsuko before he vanished with Shinobu in a body flicker.

Tagami Shiro was tired and glad to withdraw. He had taken a beating and was slowly losing the battle with Naruto through sheer staying power. He really didn't know what to think of the blonde ninja. The Kurimuzo-kougou struck fear into him though. When he heard Shin yell at them to pull out Shiro said to Naruto, "Until we meet again Uzumaki." before he too vanished in a body flicker.

Team 11 all but fell over in exhaustion once their opponents were out of Hinata's byakugan range. Maya was beat up badly and hobbled over to where the others were with help from Naruto. She wasn't sure what Shin meant about 'power over wood.' As Naruto helped her along, she thought, 'I'll have to look in the family records. There must be something on my great-grandmother's abilities there.'

Yūgao and Naruto were in the best shape overall and were still standing. Hinata and Natsuko were both too tired to go on without some rest and Maya was a total wreck. Once they moved over into the shade of the trees Yūgao said, "We'll set up camp here. Naruto-kun, make some shadow clones and let them set up a defensive perimeter. We all need to rest." Twenty minutes later the fatigued group was checking each other over for injuries and bandaging one another up. Hinata didn't have a lot of chakra left for healing the others and what little she did have was used on Maya as the Natsume heiress was in the worst shape…

…

Three hours later…

Naruto's clones finished gathering the kunai and shuriken on the battlefield and everyone was re-equipped. He handed the Sword breaker katana over to Yūgao because her own blade was demolished. Natsuko's naginata was damaged beyond repair so she unsealed her Nadeshiko kunoichi uniform*③ from a scroll and changed into it and her normal kunoichi arsenal. As it turned out her weapons of choice were kunai knives despite her skill with the naginata.

Hinata patched the group up as best she could with what supplies they had. Before long they were as good as they were going to be and set out. Yūgao said, "Naruto, you carry Maya piggyback style. Hinata, you are on point. Use your byakugan sparingly because you and all of us have low chakra except Naruto. We're heading directly towards the closest Fire Country Ninja Outpost Number 6 to seek medical attention." Yūgao turned to Natsuko. "I don't know what your situation or mission actually is but considering you aren't under the pretense of being a Miko anymore I'm assuming that you don't mind tree hopping instead of travelling as a civilian, yes?"

Natsuko nodded. "That's fine. As a foreign kunoichi in Fire Country I'm under your stewardship anyway. My mission is a write off since I've been found out."

Yūgao nodded. "So be it then. Let's move out."

The group travelled in silence through the treetops with Hinata activating her byakugan from time to time. Team 11 was moving at about half their normal ninja speed but considering their injuries and Naruto carrying Maya it was the best they could do…

…

Konoha Ninja Outpost Number 6

It was close to dusk when Team 11 arrived and Yūgao was pleased to see her former ANBU team Captain Tenzō of the Mokuton*④ was in charge there. She saluted and said, "Uzuki Yūgao and Team 11 reporting in Captain Tenzō. We are in need of medical assistance. Our client Natsuko of the Nadeshiko Village needs a doctor as well."

Despite the fact his mask hid his face it was obvious from his body language that Tenzō was a bit shocked at Yūgao and her team's battered appearances. He said, "Come inside Yūgao. You look like you've fought a war. Our Medical nin Kumadori is very good. He'll take care of your group."

Kumadori was a relatively young medic with short brown hair that wore a white medic nin's uniform. He was soon working on Maya because she was in the worst shape.

Tenzō was discussing the situation with Yūgao and they brought Natsuko in a while later. He turned to Natsuko and said, "Please explain the nature of your mission here in Fire Country. If you don't cooperate, I'm having you dumped back at the Tea Country Border without any medical attention."

Natsuko cringed. Given how fatigued and beat up she was there was little choice but to cooperate. She sighed. "I am Natsuko of the Nadeshiko Village. I was sent to eliminate the High Priest Wataru for attempting to molest my cousin and the Leader of the Nadeshiko Village Shizuka-sama. It was a great affront to all the kunoichi in our Village and my orders are to kill him dead."

Yūgao groaned. "That old fool tried to cop a feel of your head kunoichi? I wonder how he got out alive."

"It was a close thing but he managed to escape us." said Natsuko. "That was two years ago. I was hiding under the guise of a Miko ever since so I could infiltrate the Temple at the Fire Capitol."

"Well, you won't be killing him now even if you did make it to the Fire Temple at the Capitol." said Tenzō.

Natsuko looked affronted. "Are you questioning my abilities as a kunoichi?" she asked hotly.

Tenzo waved his hand to placate the fuming Nadeshiko kunoichi. "It's nothing about your abilities Natsuko-san. Wataru was removed from power and has been sentenced to death by hanging for multiple accounts of abusing his power to gain sexual favors from various members of the order as well as others. He'll be dead by the time you get to the Fire Capitol. The entire Priestesshood was so enraged when they found out about his stunt at the Festival of Flame that he was almost murdered before he even made it to trial. It's been all over the news. Where have you been?"

Natsuko's jaw hit the floor in shock. "Y-you're telling me the old geezer is already dead?"

Tenzō nodded. "Close enough. He will be hung first thing in the morning." Tenzō handed Natsuko a Fire Country newspaper and said, "Temples all around Fire Country were utterly scandalized. It's front-page news."

Yūgao read the headlines from over Natsuko's shoulder. 'WANDERING HANDS WATARU TO BE HUNG AT DAWN!' The Nadeshiko kunoichi hung her head in disbelief.

Yūgao slapped Natsuko on the back and started to laugh crazily. "I took my team to hell and back so you could kill a man who is already sentenced to die?! Bwahahaha! Tell me there is some booze here Tenzō! Bwahahaha! If I don't get a drink fast, I won't be held responsible for slowly choking Natsuko to death with my bare hands! Bwahahaha!" Yūgao had a bottle of sake in her hands faster than you could say 'bartender' thanks to Tenzō's lightning-fast reflexes…

Within the hour Naruto and Hinata (Maya was sleeping) were informed by their sensei that the series of unfortunate events (also known as a simple escort mission) was all for naught. On the positive side, the old fool of a High Priest Wataru that made passes at both Maya and Hinata a while back was finally going to be put down for good. It was small comfort given they'd been ambushed, trapped in a town that was literally a vision of hell and then had to face off with Maya's insane brother Shin and his merry band of missing ninjas. On the other hand, they had a tale worthy of telling their children and grandchildren in the future…

It had been a long trip and Team 11 was glad to see it was over.

…

POSTSCRIPT:

*①: No, Sagura Koji isn't wearing a lucha libre mask in this one. He may use some wrestling techniques but he is a ninja. My apologies to all you luchadores reading!

*②: Mitsuomi's hair is white in the manga but it's some sort of light blue in the anime. I went with the manga's coloration.

*③: Natsuko's uniform basically looks like Shizuka's with the single shoulder pad. The only difference is her uniform is dark blue instead of gray/black. Her fighting style is very similar to Shizuka's as well excepting the naginata.

*④: Later known as Yamato as well as other aliases. I don't believe he was actually given a true name by Kishimoto; just various code names.

Just as a little side note I realized that my depiction of Natsuko's appearance bore a strong resemblance to Shizuka so I decided to make them first cousins; hence their similar fighting styles and appearances. (Obviously their personalities are nothing alike). The Tea Country Arc was seven chapters long though I originally was planning for it to be half that. I'd like to jump ahead to the chunin exams but there is still a lot going on and a lot of story to lead up to that. Next chapter we'll see the Kazekage and the Sand Siblings arrive in Konoha. See you next time. Blue out. 7/5/23