"If you really don't like him, we can try getting someone else," said Mebuki Haruno.
"No, it's okay. I don't have a particular problem with him," admitted Chie. "There's worse choices, and as we are a small clan these things have to be planned in advance. I'm just aiming for a suitably dramatic moment contrasting filial duty, duty to the village, and the whole duty versus freedom thing."
"Well," admitted Mebuki, "we are samurai and a certain amount of drama IS expected of us."
Chie nodded, then went into a series of taijutsu moves as she continued her training. "I think I'll have to write up a haiku or something. Have to think up a good one. Maybe run it by Sakura before I go public."
"So, no problem with the engagement?" asked Mebuki.
"Not really, though as I'll be with a different team next year, I won't see him all that often," continued Chie. "Engagement soon - marriage in three years or so? I'll be 15 then."
"Wait till you're sixteen in four years for the marriage," suggested Mebuki. "Public acknowledgement of the engagement will be during the Chunin Exams in a few months. Or at least that's the plan if things go well."
"You think Naruto-sama will be participating?" asked Chie.
"Yes, if nothing else Kakashi will nominate them just to give them experience with the system for the next one." Mebuki shrugged. "Their current mission will probably finish up in about two weeks."
Chie nodded as she continued her practice.
"Naruto is actually of Clan Uzumaki after all?" asked Hinata.
"Indeed," said Hiashi Hyuga. "It was revealed to us by the head of Clan Haruno."
Hinata considered briefly. "I wish to add a name to the scroll."
Hiashi nodded.
"Naruto Uzumaki," said Hinata. As the heir of the Hyuga Clan, or at least one of two, she had to choose wisely on potential husbands. Therefore keeping a scroll of potential choices, each of which could be of benefit to her clan. Though there were possibilities within the clan - it was understood that bringing in other potentially useful bloodlines and tightening alliances with other clans were also desired outcomes.
"I thought you might," admitted Hiashi.
They were samurai after all. Plans of battle were developed long before the first warrior was on the field and then adapted for the changing conditions.
Sakura Haruno was of the Haruno Clan of samurai. The samurai who had largely fallen during the destruction of their home village when the clan they served, the Uzumaki, had been largely destroyed.
It had been a major member of the Uzumaki Clan chosen to go to Konohagakure for a secret reason. Most assumed it was to further relations with Konoha much as Lady Mito had done before her. That generation's representative had been Kushina Uzumaki.
Crouched on the roof, hooded cloak shedding the damp of the local environment, Sakura Haruno extended her senses into the developing night fog.
She was accounted only adequate in the bow, being much better at taijutsu and kenjutsu and completely hopeless in some other tasks. So she had made a little purchase when she'd seen the hunting crossbow at the small stall.
Of course, when she'd seen how much reaction the meager payment had brought - it had gotten other details to become more noteworthy.
People were hungry, the children notably less so than the adults but still looked as if food was barely adequate. Buildings in need of repairs were common. Many houses looked abandoned in fact.
She'd pointed this out, as Lord Naruto was not always the most observant of folk. His reaction was as expected: surprise followed by a flash of anger which was quickly smothered.
No doubt Sasuke-kun had already determined this, and Kakashi-sensei was a jonin and had probably picked up details that she herself had not.
Gato was a merchant who was terribly shortsighted. He no doubt thought he was consolidating his hold on this island. He was using fear of his mercenaries and reprisal to keep the locals well under control.
However, this was not Fire Country. Team 7 had no authority to go hunting this upstart down and leaving his body hanging from the village gates as a warning to others that such behavior was not permitted.
It was certainly a pleasant thought though. Why - that decorative archway right over there would be perfect. Or maybe the head on a pike thing - it was nicely traditional and still made an adequate statement.
A group of three mercenaries wandered on their patrol close to the area that had been designated her kill zone. Sakura watched carefully, aware that there were enemy ninja who might be using this as a diversion.
The mercenary group were apparently inebriated by their staggering swagger. A crossbow bolt could take out that one on the left quickly, then she'd simply leave that weapon here and descend with her swords drawn and end the other two like the vermin they were. Quick, clean, and she'd be back at her post before the first had finished twitching.
Ah, they were wandering away now. Pity.
Haku watched from the shadows, confident of his ability to remain undetected. He was, after all, watching from a patch of ice that he'd formed in the shadows on a foggy night.
The girl of the team had taken the midnight shift on watch, and someone had set up traps all around the house. She had put together a bit of shelter with the chimney on one side.
She was also obviously awake and aware as that one patrol had gotten her checking her weapons and preparing to strike.
Haku had absolutely no doubt that the young lady was quite capable of killing all three of the mercenaries within seconds. The Haruno Clan had been from Wave and had a reputation as kenjutsu specialists. They had been nearly all slaughtered in the destruction of Uzushiogakure but some had gone to Konohagakure as part of their last orders apparently.
From Zabuza-sama's lectures on the subject, Haku knew of Konohagakure as "soft" in philosophy and approach to battle. Which was not to say that they were weak in strength. Kumo was the only village accounted stronger than Konoha. The presence of two samurai clans within the Konoha power structure was often mocked by other ninja villages.
Zabuza had spoken of that and deemed it foolishness. The Hyuga were archers to be feared - their eyes able to find even the most well-hidden ninja and their arrows able to find the slightest gap in armor. The Haruno were kenjutsu and tactical specialists who could match the best that Kumo would put out, and had a habit of never giving up once they had a target. Samurai had their pride and honor, both of which could be used against them, but their combat skills were not to be underestimated.
There was also the very well known tale of Hizashi Hyuga who had died in the manner of an Epic Samurai. Who apparently had killed by himself fifteen jonin, three hundred and twelve chunin, six genin, and carved a path to the Kage's office. Zabuza-sama had expressed some admiration for a swordsman capable of scaring the crap out of his enemies a full generation after his death.
This Haruno was young, a fledgling in terms of age and skill. Barely thirteen at most. A Haruno from the mon visible on her armor when she moved.
Haku was hoping that it would not be necessary to kill this girl, as the ice specialist could appreciate the whole 'small clan on the edge of extinction' angle.
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(Posted Sat, 21 Feb 2015 16:41)
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