Toltiir had noticed but figured it was just one of those odd peculiarities about these universes. After all, just look at a typical pokemon universe and try to find work/sports/games that did NOT feature pokemon. Or similar universes with card games or some other specialty going on.
It was therefore of some interest to watch how the ripples spread now that the encounter was done.
The shifting of there being two samurai clans in a ninja village caused other shifts to take place. A large shrine now dominated a hill in Konohagakure, with miko and priest and (surprising even the elder god who'd set up the program to make the adjustments) a guardian spirit.
The focus of the village was ninja, ninjutsu, and the quasi-military organization. The daimyo was still the leader of the country. The Hokage was still the leader of the military, it was still called a ninja village and the soldiers ninja. Which rankled the samurai and non-ninja in the ranks but there was a place for them and it had been that way for a few generations now.
The other villages tended to be more "pure" ninja. With the exceptions of the Village Hidden Among The Hot Springs (which had disbanded its ninja village and now had a few scattered ninja and their families who had other professions) and the Nadeshiko Village (which Toltiir couldn't remember being there a moment ago but then found several other timelines with one.) He spent a few moments verifying the last one, and pondering if this was some sort of cross-contamination from a Ranma universe, before deciding just to accept it and move on.
There was, of course, the Land Of Iron and its samurai. As well as priests and shrines which had very little influence in the ninja world in general.
So Konohagakure was called weak or soft for having a few samurai and other non-ninja in its "ninja forces" by other villages. With the exception of every village that they managed to beat like rice for mochi. Nobody who'd ever faced the Hyuga clan would consider them weak or soft.
Kumogakure for example. On the attempt to steal one of the Hyuga children and breed their eyes having been stopped, they had denied responsibility and demanded the return of their diplomat and reparations for his death.
Neji's father Hizashi had begged the clan head for permission to send a suitable reply. The clan itself had prepared for war, only held back by the possibility that this WAS a rogue element. Hizashi had then, while it was otherwise being debated still, gone off to Kumogakure and carved a bloody path from the gates of their village to their Raikage's Tower in order to deliver the head of their ambassador directly. He died with seven spears, countless kunai and shuriken, and two swords buried in him. It was said that even having been killed, there were so many weapons in him that his body remained standing in the doorway.
Kumogakure on that day stopped referring to Konohagakure as a weak village.
Neji never grew up thinking of his father as having been a sacrifice for the main family. He still obsessed with fate and destiny, but his father had died being an utter badass and striking fear into his clan's enemies. Mostly the same outcome, but entirely different perceptions involved.
Another surprise was that Hinata Hyuga DID approach Naruto Uzumaki, being a cooly distant friend to him even if there was absolutely no chance of a romance developing between the two. She was still a bit shy and easily embarassed, but knew what her fate was to be. Hanabi would be chosen as the heir of the main family due to her skill with Jyuuken, the family kenjutsu, and bow. Hinata was nearly as skilled with two of the three but lagged on the unarmed skill. So a seal would be applied, she would marry into another clan - strengthening the ties to Konoha and that clan.
Sakura Haruno and the other members of the Haruno clan were curious about Naruto Uzumaki, but without the red hair or other obvious features of the clan had dismissed the name as not being of their own Uzumaki clan.
The Uchiha Coup was plotted. The Uchiha Massacre happened. Itachi left the village. Sasuke plotted vengeance. His younger sister on the other hand -
Younger sister? Toltiir double-checked. Younger sister. By three minutes. Huh. A surprise to more than a few people. Sasuke and Matsui. Weird but it was the little unpredictable things that kept things interesting, right?
Matsui survived by apparently having a wall collapse on top of her, which pretty much ended her career track as ninja but left her able to get around with a cane.
Naruto was still mostly an idiot and loud and snubbed and pranking. Except those who really paid attention to him noted that there was something more going on.
This part drew Toltiir's attention. Painting slogans on a wall wasn't an interesting prank. Making a trap that flour-bombed the person who'd "accidently" kicked him the day before? Much better. Having curtains rigged to drop down in front of a restaurant that had refused to serve him, declaring this "Customer Appreciation All You Can Eat Day" just before the Akimichi Clan arrived? Intriguing. Having a ninja supplier reach for his hidden stash of illegal goods, only to release a toggle which allowed a string to retract which turned a gear which released a bar which caused a dozen eggs to cascade down upon his head?
Ah, and here was a scene he'd half-expected.
"Yamanaka-san," said Sakura, sitting herself next to the blonde.
"Why so formal, Sakura?" asked Ino.
"It appears we are both interested in the same boy," said Sakura.
"Oh, so you're going to tell me to back off? Isn't happening," said Ino.
"No," said Sakura. "I shall hold out the position of concubine for you should I win this battle."
"Ah," said Ino, taking a drink of her tea before what the other girl was saying caught up with her.
Sakura eyed the resultant spit-take and nodded. "Four feet easily. As expected of a ninja of your pedigree."
Ino spent a few more minutes coughing before fixing her friend with a glare. "'Concubine'?"
"If you wish to negotiate for the position of co-wife, that may be possible but I am not willing to concede that at this point," said Sakura as calmly and quietly as if she was discussing the possibility of particularly good moon-viewing that night.
"This is some weird samurai-shi... stuff, isn't it?" asked Ino. "No way!"
"Of course, for the proper revival of the Uchiha clan," began Sakura as stoic as a samurai.
"We're ELEVEN. Not a possibility."
"One must always plan ahead," said Sakura. "To go into battle with no strategy is to lose before one has begun."
"This is about love - it is NOT a battle," said Ino.
"Love is a battlefield," said Sakura. "It just uses different weapons."
"Samurai," grumbled Ino.
"Ninja," responded Sakura.
"I'm going to win this fight," declared Ino.
"We shall see," said Sakura. "As you pointed out, we're eleven. There is time for our conflict to properly develop."
"You samurai just HAVE to set rules up ahead of time, don't you?" asked Ino.
"We can be civilized about it, and fight with honor and bring glory to our respective clans," said Sakura.
Ino stared at her friend for a moment. "Do you remember when Ami was teasing you about your forehead? When she was talking about how some samurai-girl should just go off and play with her sword instead of pretending to be a ninja?"
"I do indeed," said Sakura with a nod.
"Do you remember when I talked you out of cutting Ami's head off and shoving it up her buttocks?"
"I remember that as well," agreed Sakura.
"It took me a few days to realize you hadn't been bluffing."
"And as a result, Ami is still in class and still an annoyance," noted Sakura. "Though admittedly, once SHE realized that I had been serious and that I was capable of doing so - she has no longer been directly annoying to me."
"Sometimes," said Ino, "the gulf between the samurai approach to things and the ninja approach to things seems pretty darn wide."
"Perhaps," said Sakura. "Who is your 'Plan B'? Or is that a secret?"
"I don't have a 'Plan B', I'm going to win Sasuke's heart. Just wait and see," said Ino.
"Ah, so your 'Plan B' IS a secret," concluded Sakura with a slight nod of her head. "You ninja really do love secrets."
"No. I really don't have a 'Plan B'," Ino informed her. "You samurai are SO Obsessive-Compulsive."
"We're just more organized and honest," said Sakura. "You going to keep toying around with those croquettes?"
Ino realized she'd been toying around with her food and glared at Sakura before trying to scarf it all down.
About what he had expected.
Toltiir checked. Team sorting. Team 7 formed for much the same reason it had.
Oh. This was unexpected.
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(Posted Fri, 13 Sep 2013 03:20)
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