บท 188: Chapter 7: Discoveries
The next morning and second day of the Ai, kazoku, heiwa no saiten (Love, Family and Peace Festival). Teams Kakashi, Gai, Kurenai and Asuma were awake and organising for the meeting and day ahead.
"Kakashi-sensei would it be all right if our team investigate the mysterious woman with Naruto yesterday?" Asked TenTen nervous she might be overstepping her bounds. However, Kakashi was unknown to her actually considering her request and not annoyed at all.
"Why do you want to investigate this 'unknown woman'?" Asked Kakashi, despite being extremely curious himself he couldn't authorise them spitting from the group without good reasoning, due to the importance of this meeting.
"Well, Kakashi-sensei if this woman was as important as she looked to Naruto, there's little doubt he wouldn't be with or at least near her, so if we know where and who she is, we know where Naruto/the Kōshoku no kage (Crimson shadow) will be." Respond TenTen hoping he understood her reasoning. Kakashi was wavering to agree but, he wasn't sure that she was truly sure of herself. Kakashi wasn't the only one wondering if she was honestly okay with this.
"Are you sure TenTen? I hear that the Osorubeki (Grim) Clan had a large amount of rare and strange weapons." Asked Neji concerned for his fiancee would regret her choice. However she looked at both of them with assurance and certainty.
"Yes, i'm sure. This is important." Said TenTen with no hesitation. Kakashi sighed.
"Okay, team Gai can go and investigate this mysterious woman."Kakashi drawled lazily.
"Yes!" TenTen cheered. But she was quickly interrupted.
"However, you must take Pakkun with you. This is so you can relay anything important or if there's an emergency." Said Kakashi while summoning Pakkun. TenTen looked at the small pug.
"Yo." Said Pakkun while raising one paw. TenTen looked at Kakashi before agreeing. Both Neji and TenTen went to gather the rest of their team.
An hour later everyone was ready to go. Kakashi took point and led them, he was flanked by Asuma and Kurenai. Behind them were Sai, Sakura and Sasuke. Who were followed by Shino, Hinata and Kiba and behind them was Shikamaru, Choji and Ino. All of them were dressed in their mission gear, albeit it was as lot more done up then their regular mission gear but, still mission gear. It didn't take long to make it to the steps on the mountain that led to the Osorubeki (Grim) Clan's home. As the stood on the bottom of the stairs, the sensei's turned to face their old students.
"Before we go up these stairs we want to remind you all that this is no different from any other diplomatic mission." Stated Kurenai, red eyes sharp like her tone of voice demanding respect.
"You are aware you are representing Konoha, its ninja and its hokage." Kurenai continued standing tall.
"If any of you step out of line or do anything that embarrasses our village, you will be gravely punished." Her voice took a dark tone none had ever heard her use.
"There are rules you will follow, some of which you already know." Stated Asuma, taking over from his wife but, his tone was no less commanding and strong.
"Firstly we do not know who the leader is so show respect to everyone, if the leader has discovered any of us being rude to their members they will not take it kindly." He looked over all of them allowing his eye ti convey the seriousness of this matter.
"Secondly, there is to be no fighting. This is not just our rule but the villages rule as well. No fighting during the festival, without permission of the Osorubeki (Grim) Clan head." Asuma stated having dealt with Osorubeki Clan members previously when being a 12 Ninja Guardian.
"Lastly and most importantly, do not insult, challenge or demean the Osorubeki Clan head or the Osorubeki clan in the head's or clan's presence." Said Kakashi, extremely darkly and his eyes turning to steel within a blink of an eye.
"Now, thats everything!" Said Kakashi in a happy tone, personality doing a complete 180. However, the tension in his shoulders was noticeable to anyone who genuinely knew the scarecrow. Shoulders squared they made their way up the large stone staircase.
After a lengthy climb…
Kakashi and the rest of the senseis and Konoha 12 stood at the top of the large staircase they climbed.
"Geez, how do these people climb those all the time?" Questioned a slightly puffing Ino.
"You have to admit its good stamina training." Said Kiba, Akamaru barked in agreement. As Kiba and Ino argued, the group had moved toward a set of gates sightly further in from the steps. Just like the village gate this gate was also wide open and had no one guarding it. This odd phenomenon was noticed and noted by the senses and Shikamaru. The rest of the rookies where fawning over the design of the wooden gate. The gate stood high and had Osorubeki (Grim) engraved at the top, around the gate was decorated with carvings of swirling flames. Sasuke simply didn't care and Sakura was drooling over how 'Awesome' Sasuke was. The ninja all visibly straightened before walking through the gate.
In Town…
TenTen, Lee, Gai and Neji were having a bit of trouble trying to find someone to talk to. Everyone was simply too busy due to the festival and to completely trusting of the Konoha ninja. The ninja however had a slightly different problem, they didn't know who lived in the village and who was visiting since they had not ever been here before.
"Why don't we speak to the woman that owns the bakery?" Question Neji looking towards his future wife.
"You mean Chizuru?" Said future wife looked at him like she did at weapons before becoming angry no one thought of this sooner. With that the four of them trudged on to find Chizuru.
Back on the Mountain….
Everyone was standing in a courtyard. The courtyard was paved with stone and had several different pathways, off to the front left was a small stone garden. In front of the group was a lovely traditional mansion with a wrap around raised porch, the whole home was made of dark wood. It also helped that surrounding the home was a very luscious forest. As the group headed through the courtyard they finally found someone. He was standing at the entrance of the house, in front of the porch. The man had blonde and black hair, he had amber eyes and He wore an olive green traditional plain kimono, with an aqua jacket over top and he had regular black ninja sandals. It didn't take long for Sakura to recognise this man, after all she bumped into him before the festival. Before she could continue her thoughts, the man spoke.
"Hello, my name is Kubinashi, I wish to welcome all of you Konoha ninja and hope you've enjoyed our village." Kubinashi spoke with a warm, kind and happy voice that, easily put the Konoha ninja at ease. It also helped that he didn't seem like a fighter. Kakashi went to speak but was interrupted by another voice.
"What are these people doing here Kubinashi?" The group followed Kubinashi's gaze and saw a black haired man with dark green eyes, he was lean and wore all black. Both his forearms were bandaged and he wore plain black gloves on his hands. He had a large sword that was covered in bandages on his back. His face was stoic and his eyes were cold and hard.
"They are here with the commander's permission Saizō." Responded Kubinashi with ease. The two of them seemed to have a silent conversation, which made Saizō nod and disappear. Kubinashi turned back towards the group.
"I apologise for Saizō, he has an issue with trusting others, especially ninja." Kubinashi said with an apologetic smile. He started leading the group into the compound.
"Kubinashi-san, from what I have gathered I was wondering if you were Osorubeki-sama's representative." Asked Kurenai in a respective tone of voice. Kubinashi couldn't help but chuckle slightly.
"I am rather amused you think that miss. No, I am not commander's representative, commander is here on the compound, so there is no need for a representative. Besides I am not of the correct social standing even if commander wasn't here." Replied Kubinashi politely.
"May I ask what your social standing within the clan than?" Asked Kurenai just as politely.
"Also who is this commander you continue to mention?" Asked Asuma in curiosity.
"Commander is what we call our clan head. It is a tradition founding back to the first clan head. As informing you of my social standing it is of no issue. I am a vassal of the Osorubeki (Grim) Clan." Answered Kubinashi, shocking the senseis slightly.
"Don't look so surprised, most of, if not all of those within the clan are actually vassals of the Clan." Smiled Kubinashi, he suddenly stopped walking and the group stopped in surprise, not even noticing they'd been walking through the mansion this whole time.
"We are here, the commander is just inside I will escort you back when your business is concluded." Stated Kubinashi opening the door for the group. The group walked through the door.
With TenTen, Lee, Gai and Neji…
The group were siting around a table with a cup of tea each and a plate of biscuits in the middle.
"Chizuru-san, I was wondering if you could tell us about the Osorubeki clan head and possibly about the romantic partner of Kōshoku no kage (Crimson shadow)." Asked TenTen politely. The brown haired, glasses wearing woman giggled.
"Of course! But first you need to know that Kōshoku no kage (Crimson shadow) is actually married. Oh, she is a rather wonderful woman. Also you need to know the obvious." Said Chizuru happily.
"The obvious? Which is?" Asked Neji curiosity leaking in.
"Certainly! Well, what is obvious is rather simple and you'll kick yourselves for not realising it sooner, there were more than enough hints." Said Chizuru confusing the group.
"Chizuru-san can you please not speak in riddles. We need information on thee two people." Said TenTen.
"That's just it, there is no two people." Said Chizuru, not easing the confusion only adding to it.
"Huh?" Said TenTen.
"The Osorubeki clan head and wife to the Kōshoku no kage (Crimson shadow), is the same person." Said Chizuru. Making everyone's eyes go wide at the declaration.
"So what you're saying is, that the Osorubeki clan head and the woman we saw with the Kōshoku no kage (Crimson shadow) are the same person? What about the woman in the park and those four kids that looked like him?" Asked Neji mind working overdrive. Chizuru smirked.
"Did this woman have silver and black hair?" Questioned Chizuru.
"Yes, she did." Neji responded nodding.
"What if hypothetically, I were to say that those four kids look like him because they are his? Or that the woman you saw was his wife?" Responded Chizuru, drinking her tea. While Neji froze.
"Neji?" Questioned TenTen.
"Thank you for the tea and information Chizuru-san." Said Neji as he rushed his team out of the bakery. After they left a shadow appeared to Chizuru's right.
"Are you sure that was wise Chizuru-san?" Asked the figure.
"Only time can tell Yuuji-san." Responded Chizuru, still drinking her tea. After leaving the bakery Neji led his team to a nearby empty area.
"Neji, what was all that about?" Asked TenTen annoyed she had no idea on what's going on.
"Chizuru just gave us some very important information TenTen." Said Neji having everything click into place.
"Be clear Neji!" Yelled TenTen fed up and annoyed.
"Chizuru-san, just confirmed that the children we ran into were Naruto's." Stated Neji, TenTen nodded already assuming as much from their appearances.
"She also confirmed woman we saw at the park was Naruto's wife." Neji stated and left the sentence having to see if TenTen would figure it out.
"But Chizuru-san said that Naruto's wife and the Osorubeki Clan Head was the same person." Said TenTen finally catching up.
"Which means we already met the Osorubeki Clan Head." Said Neji, sending the group into silence.
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