Chapter 12 - Unexpected meeting

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{Houzu pov}

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For the next hour houzu listened to both their reports on yesterday's events after his departure. Surprisingly he wasn't charged or punished for injuring the toad sage. From what Shinko described about the nobility, they don't exactly approve of the old pervs presence with the palace walls in the first place.

They also needed to sign and swear to withhold any information about the fourth hokages survival. Houzu wondered why they even allowed Minato and his family to attend in the first place.

His appearance was bound to attract attention. Even rumors. But he could care less either way. For now the mission's end was near. In a few hours the daimyo would be prepared to travel onward towards konoha.

But what truly surprised Houzu was the topic of a large army of gaurds being formed to assist in the lord's protection detail. Such an event never occurred in the original timeline. Well... Niether was there suppose to be a houzu in the story...

Rummaging through his gi pocket he pulled out a large stack of ryo bills and split it between the two.

"Here.. Prepare for the trip back. Buy tools, traps, a weapon, anything in order to defend yourselves. If the daimyo is deploying such a force then it will attract unwanted attention." Houzu spoke evenly as the two took the money with wide eyes. Shinko practically drooled at the amount of cash in her hands.

"Do you really think anyone would be so bold as to attack such an important figure head?" Itachi asked as he stared at the wad of cash in his own hands.

"Of course. If one is strong enough to pull it off that is..." he responded as all of them remained silent.

"H-houzu.. I'll be sure to repay what you've given me. Just gi-" Shinko tried to say only to be cut off by houzu himself.

"No. Consider it a reward for not siding with those two back in the forest yesterday. Now... let's go shopping." He said getting up and walking past them both in a chipper mood.

"I still have a few things to take care of myself." Both genin hid a smile as they quickly followed behind the young man. It was quite the occasion to see houzu in such a pleasant mood.

...

~ Capital market district ~

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"T-that will be 24,961 ryo... please.." the store owner spoke as 90% of their wares were piled in front of the entrance.

Houzu simply put stack after stak of cash onto the counter without a care as citizens watched the commotion with wide eyes. "There, it's all there. Can I go now? Or do you want to count it all?" Houzu asked with an annoyed tone.

"T-that won't be necessary sir. But how wil-" Only for all the items to instantly disappear from sight, surprising the clerk. Walking out the doors he saw Itachi snacking on a few dango by a large sack of goods. Like a squirl he scarfed as many as he could fit in his mouth.

'He really is a glutton for sweets...' Houzu thought as itachi noticed his approach. Quickly the boy wiped away the left over snacks from his mouth as he got closer.

"It's almost time, you ready to go?" He asked the Uchiha who nodded in his signature stoic expression.

"Hey!" Both of them turned to see Shinko running towards them with a few large fancy bags hanging from her arms. He noticed she seemed more 'pampered' due to the bit of make up and overly scented perfume she definitely didn't have before.

"Hey fellas! Got everything I needed! Might have taken a few detours along the way~" She spoke with a pose, as if hoping they would liked what they see.

All she received was a dull look from the two prepubescent children. "You do know itachi and I are eight years old right?" Houzu spoke evenly as Shinko flushed in embarrassment.

"B-but you look the same age as me!" She yelled with a huge blush on her face.

"Yeah, still eight though. You look cute. But we're still eight years old dummy." in unison the two children walked back towards the hotel with a deeply blushing Shinko following from behind.

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~ Hotel Lobby ~

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All three genin sat in the hotel's breakfast lounge as they ate, exchanged potential strategies and contingencies as houzu gave out an appropriate amount of ninja tools to the two and notified them to ask for more if they run low during the journey back.

"Excuse me sir? I was told to give you this." Houzu turned his attention towards a hostess holding out a slip of paper. Taking it the woman bowed and walked off to continue her duties. Flipping open the note his face became expressionless as he slowly rose from his sear.

Putting down a wad of cash onto the table he walked off. "Order whatever you want. I need to take care of something real quick."

"Okay! Just get back soon, it's almost time to go!" Shinko shouted as she searched through her menu. Itachi looked at his retreating form, noticing his change in attitude.

...

"Room 204... this is the place. But.. just to be safe." He slowly merged and sank into the ground with ease as he made his way into the room without alerting the person inside.

'The mayfly technique... truly a highly useful and convenient ability to have.' The only others who could use this ability were the zetsu, Yamato to a limited extent, and himself.

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[Abilities]:

▪︎ [Fire manipulation] - (master)

▪︎ [Plasma manipulation] - (expert)

▪︎ [Nature manipulation] - (novice)

▪︎ [Fire release] - (master)

▪︎ [wind release] - (master)

▪︎ [Water release] - (adept)

▪︎ [Wood release] - (novice)

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[Curse techniques]:

▪︎ [Ember insects]

▪︎ [Embers insect swarm]

▪︎ [Eruption]

▪︎ [Scorching tsunami]

▪︎ [Scorching terrain]

▪︎ [Searing fists]

▪︎ [Scorching propulsion]

▪︎ [Plasma barrage]

▪︎ [Plasma sniper]

▪︎ [Paralyzing pollin]

▪︎ [Acidic pollin]

▪︎ [Venomous pollin]

▪︎ [Valley of cursed tree's]

▪︎ [Mayfly technique]

...

[Jutsu]:

▪︎ [Wind style: pressure damage]

▪︎ [Wind style: vacuum bullets]

▪︎ [Wind style: gale palm]

▪︎ [Wind style: vacuum blast barrage

▪︎ [Fire style: fireball]

▪︎ [Fire style: dragon flame bomb]

▪︎ [Fire style: burning ash]

▪︎ [Wood style: wood confinement]

▪︎ [Wood style: wood clone]

Moving through the floor he carefully made his way into the room and was surprised to see the one and only tsunade senju sitting down next to a floor table with a big bottle of sake in her hand. Her hands showed signs of fidgeting as if she was nervous or perhaps anxious.

Silently he rose from the floor and sat on the open windowsill.

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{Tsunade pov}

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...

"What do you want?" A boys voice spoke, causing the woman to almost drop her bottle of rice wine. Looking behind herself she saw the child she wanted to see. The boy she had been using clones to keep an eye on this whole morning.

Now... here he was, his capabilities were far greater than she estimated. Or perhaps her own skills had gotten extremely rusty from her 'retirement'.

"I want to see it." She said with a hint of excitement in her tone as she saw his face morph into a sly grin. Suddenly his demeanor changed to that of a stuttering child.

"I-I'm 8 years old ma'am. I can't g-get it up." He said with an innocent voice loud enough for a passerby to hear.

"Besides, you wouldn't be able to afford me. Especially since t-touching it will cost more." Her heart nearly ceased hearing those words as a huge blush and mortified look crossed her face.

"T-that's not what I meant!" She cried, running to the door she opened it and looked in both directions of the hall to see if anyone heard. Looking back inside she saw the brat smirking at her.

Gently closing the door she sat back down and took a long swig of sake. Giving a huff she glared at the kid and continued her intended request.

"You have wood release. I want to see it." Soon his expression turned serious as he got closer to the windows edge.

"So you say. Even if I had it, why should I show you." He had a point, houzu had no obligation to show her or trust her. If the reports she saw said anything it was that he was very distrustful.

Tsunade didn't agree with Jiraiya that houzu was a danger. Most of those he killed either tried to kill him first or broke the thirds decree. They were dead either way. Why was that perv so adamant to keep houzu away from his actual family.

Hasn't the kid suffered enough?

"We're relatives or rather... distant relatives." She explained only for the temperature in the room to heat up to the point she was starting to perspirate.

"That changes nothing. Your still nothing in my eyes. If you have anything else to say then say it." He said with a glare as the boy was prepared to leap out the window.

"Wait! The boy that hugged your leg last night! He's..." But before she could finish her sentence houzu quickly raised his hand to stop her.

"Don't... don't say another word. Whoever he is, it doesn't matter. None of them do. Not anymore..." her eyes widened are his words.

"You... you already knew.." she said while looking down in shame as houzu looked on in indifference.

"Hiruzen told me a year ago. At first during my first year of absolute hell in that village i wanted nothing else but to have a family. To have someone who actually gave a rat's ass about me in my life. But not anymore, I've come to terms with being alone. Tell them If you want, i couldn't care less.." the way he said those words sent a chill down her spine. How can anyone be so uncaring to those who want you in their life!?

"And tell that white haired clown I won't let him off the hook next time. If he tries to start a fight again I'll finish it. Permanently..." With those last words the child seemed to merge into the ground.

All she could do was look on to where he use to be. Without any hesitation Tsunade began to chug the bottle in her hand without respite. All she wanted was to forget this conversation ever happened.

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