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"Kazekage-sama."

Kouseki grunted in acknowledgment, not turning away from the window. From his office located at the top of the Kazekage tower, he had a lovely and unobstructed view of Suna's arena. It was very early in the morning, but already a steady stream of excited civilians were making their way towards the protected section – constructed in a way so that non-shinobi would be able to fully appreciate each fight without endangering their lives. Mobile stores with varying merchandise were beginning to emerge in the arena's proximity. The Sandaime Kazekage took a few moments to savour the peaceful lull of noise drifting up to his office before turning his full attention to Nakamura Setsumei, his secretary, one of the various captains of the Puppet Brigade and unofficial leader of his selected guards for the next month or so.

"Is there a problem?"

"No, Sir. The Tsuchikage and Mizukage have arrived. Even as we speak, they are being escorted to their respective barracks to freshen up before the festival commences."

"Very good. And the others?"

"The Raikage will be here within the hour. As for the Hokage…it seems like he has yet to cross our border."

Kouseki laughed at her insulted tone. "Sarutobi Hiruzen is a crafty old man with a secret love for dramatics. Whatever his reason for not arriving a few hours earlier, I can guarantee he will not turn up late."

"So the little parade before the ceremony…?"

"Will commence as scheduled. No need for delays."

"As you wish, Kazekage-sama. It's your nose that's going to suffer, not mine." His secretary rolled her eyes and walked away, her peeved rants floated through the left-open door. "Seriously, to arrive just on time for the announcement ceremony…what kind of irresponsible Kage does that…"

Kouseki trudged back to his desk, shifting through the small stack of paperwork distractedly. In truth, he was a little apprehensive about the alliance talk, more so than the surprise he felt at the quick reply to his proposal, and even more startled to learn that Hiruzen himself was going to be present for the duration of the negotiation. Usually, diplomats were sent to hash out the details before reports were written up and handed over to the Daimyo. To have the Kage on the receiving end of the proposal personally handling the nitty-gritties signified the value Hiruzen placed on this alliance.

Hence his trepidation. While Suna did not take as active a role in the Second Shinobi War as the other Great Villages, they did seize the opportunity to eat away at the Land of Rivers, edging their border further and further in. It took the loss of only two Leaf outpost in that region to attract the Hokage's attention. Thus commenced the short and brutal skirmishes between Konoha's forces and the majority of Suna's Puppet Brigade across Kawa. As the war stretched on, it was clear Konoha-nins had the upper hand, more used to fighting in tropical-like terrain than the desert-dwellers. But still the Sand clung on, too invested – physically, mentally, emotionally – in this conflict to give up and pull out, for doing so would be spitting on the graves of their comrades. So they fought on.

In the initial stages, when they still had their Nidaime and Kouseki was still a frontline jounin, Suna fared the best among the other invading nations. However, Konoha had a final trump card. The famous – or infamous, depending on one's perspective – S-rank ANBU team. The original members earned their individual names on the near-decade long battlefield, each terrifying in their own right. Together in a squad, they were most enemies' worst nightmare. In less than a week and at the cost of two members, that squad forced the Sand's eventual surrender. Left with just enough active men to defend their own borders, Suna pulled out of Fire and River Country to lick their wounds.

Hence Kouseki thought that his mixed feelings on hosting the Kage he indirectly provoked was justified. It had been a while since their last clash, when he was a bigheaded, newly-minted jounin trying his luck at landing a hit on the lauded God of Shinobi. They had a few more fights, – more of a less-controlled spar that somehow always degrades into drinking – conversations that he can only half-recall and then permission to call each other by name. They weren't friends, at least that was Kouseki's own opinion, but they were more than acquaintances. Needless to say, it was a complex relationship.

And he just made it slightly more complicated.

Through no fault of your own, a small voice in the back of his head spoke and he agreed. It was his damn predecessor's fault. How dare he offed himself and foisted all the kami-forsaken problems on his poor successor!

Between running the village and researching Shukaku's unique sand manipulation abilities to enhance his own magnetic release, he barely had time for anything else. The only upside to the hectic last four years of his life was the fact that he was so very close to mastering his 'Iron Sand' technique.

Growling, the Kazekage tossed his pen aside and sprawled gracelessly in his chair, tipping his head back to stare listlessly at the ceiling and the lazily spinning fan. There wasn't any point trying to work when he couldn't concentrate.

"Shirking work again, I see, Kazekage-sama."

"Get off my case, Setsumei. At least I'm still ahead. These don't require looking at for the next week or so."

His secretary's long-suffering sigh annoyed him enough that he willingly mastered up the energy to cross his arms and glare. "Whatever. You have an hour to get ready, Sir. If you're not done when I come back in, prepare to be humiliated."

"And you'll be fired."

Setsumei simply laughed in his face, the vertical scars that ran down the left side of her lips contorted, making her look more vicious. "Hmph, if you can handle yourself as well as you do your enemies, I wouldn't need to be here, Kouseki-chan."

All curses upon his friend's older sister and her secret stash of embarrassing photos.

An hour later, he emerged in his full Kage robes, hat pulled low and veil tied securely to protect against the scraping wind. His chosen trio of guards fell into step behind him and together, they made their leisurely way towards the arena, frequently stopping to greet the excited population. The shinobi forces not on duty were also starting to gather, converging around their leader in a loose formation.

In the middle of the group, he could feel the uneasiness and tension gripping the majority of his forces. He could sympathise, really. Suna is the first village to host other Kages and their elite bodyguards after the war, and as such, any flaws or mishaps would be exploited. The one recently held in Kumo did not count, seeing as only its allies participated. But it couldn't be helped. Konoha hosted the last exams before the war, and none of the smaller villages would willingly step into Kiri, Kumo, or Iwa, let alone permit them unrestricted entry into their own village. Besides the Hokage, Kouseki was hesitant to drop his guard around the others. The foreign delegations will consist entirely of A-rank nins or higher, which did not ease his mind at all.

Stepping onto the small platform jutting out from the sheltered lounge above the other tilled seating reserved for the Kage and special guests, Kouseki looked the crowd over as they quietened. He grimaced behind his veil. Speeches were not his thing.

"Citizens of Suna and foreign visitors, I welcome you to the first multi-national chuunin exams held in the Land of Wind in the last ten years. As you are all aware, the chuunin exams is more than just a way for genins to showcase their skills and abilities. Granted, that's the reason we all came to watch. But it is ultimately a challenge for the next generation. Even if they have the skills, do they have the resolve to take on harder tasks, shoulder greater responsibilities…and more importantly, be able to lead well when called to? This is a virtual battlefield that will determine the worthy. As such, we have a few…prestigious guests among us today. Setsumei, if you would?"

"It would be my pleasure, Kazekage-sama. From Kumogakure, Raikage Ā-dono and entourage. Dōzo."

The burly dark-skinned Kage walked towards him, each step smooth and purposeful. Behind, two S-ranks flanked him – kenjutsu and ration ninjutsu specialists – followed by four A-ranks and a duo of fresh-faced youths who were new jounin at best.

Kouseki mentally ran through the layout and positions of his own elite forces. If the Mizukage and Tsuchikage both brought entourages of similar strength, he needed to be sure his own forces would be able to protect his village at the all cost.

Exchanging respectful nods, the Kazekage watched as Ā claimed the seat to his immediate left. A pleased smile tugged at his lips. He did not object to seating close to the muscular Lightning leader. It was better than sharing the same space with the icy Hyouzan or stuffy Kurotsuchi at any rate.

"From Iwagakure, Tsuchikage Kurotsuchi Onoki-dono and entourage. Dōzo."

Two S-ranks, two A-ranks and five B-ranks. It was surprising to note that Iwa still had a couple of powerhouses left alive.

"From Kirigakure, Mizukage Hyouzan Suiken-dono and entourage. Dōzo."

Murmurs broke out even as his own guards shifted a little. Kouseki's eyes narrowed distrustfully at the three Swordsmen of the Mist and their apprentices. Each had an unsettling grin on their faces, their barely leashed chakra making his fingers twitch, iron powder trickling down his arms beneath his sleeves itching to wrap itself around the Mist shinobi. However, he staved off the urge and managed to keep all negative emotions out of his greeting. His gaze did not leave the group until they occupied the leftmost seat.

"From Konohagakure, Sarutobi Hiruzen and entourage. Dō…zo…"

Kouseki blinked as Setsumei trailed off. The silence that gripped the entire arena was deafening. In his peripheral vision, he caught sight of the other Kages stiffening in their seats, guards snapping to attention and drawing closer to their leaders, hands drifting to grip their respective weapons. Each and every well-honed chakra sharpened, ready for instant use.

"Is that…?"

"Well shit…to see them this close…"

"And here I thought the Kiri Swordsmen will take the cake."

"Kami-sama…to think the Hokage will come with them…"

"…Sensei? Are you sure we're…well-equipped…to handle them?"

"Hey, take a look at those two. I thought they would be taller, y'know…"

"Tch. What so special about them anyway?"

"Shut up. They can hear you, morons. I don't want a kunai to the throat before I even make chuunin."

Kouseki grimaced. Trust Hiruzen to pull something like this. He could see the satisfaction in the Hokage's eyes at the mixture of fear and awe radiating from the gathered mass. All eyes were transfixed on the approaching delegation. He felt every guard tense as the group drew closer. The Kazekage couldn't blame them, really. How often was it that one got to see the S-rank ANBU squad in full view, with them not aiming to cut your life short? The painted masks alone made a more than intimidating sight. Heck, even Kiri's hunter-nins' demon theme masks had nothing on them. And the Leaf's depicted animals. Seriously, how did they pull it off? Especially Cat. Or Mouse.

…And his thoughts were wandering again.

Hiruzen came to a halt before him and Kouseki took the small pause to observe the other man and his guards. White spotless surfaces, wrinkleless garments and heavy atmosphere, they looked as if they just stepped out of Konoha and shunshin here, not traverse across muddy terrains and sandy desert on foot. Then again, maybe that was exactly what they did.

"I'm glad you could make it, Hiruzen," he remarked drily.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Kouseki." The Hokage smirked, moving slowly pass the other Kages to the only seat on the Kazekage's immediate right.

The ANBU squad did not spare anyone a moment of their attention, masked faces fixed forward. (Not that they had any need to, seeing as everyone else was too scared to attempt anything in the presence of the full squad.) Kouseki would bet his entire year's pay that they were very aware of everyone in their proximity, marking all noteworthy threats. He inwardly snorted as young Rasa flinched violently when the Jackal-Hyena duo moved to stand beside him, arms crossed and body deceptively relaxed. His little cousin subtly inched away from the Jackal-mask one, who in turn merely dismissed him with a glance.

Kouseki's yellow eyes roved over the arena and he raised his hand once more, drawing all attention back to him. It took longer than expected for the buzz to die down.

"Now that our guests have arrived, let's not waste any more time. Our presence here is for the sake of watching the prowess of our next generation of shinobi. Thus, without further ado…genins, step forward!"

One by one the teams puffed onto stage, their jounin-sensei standing at attention behind their genins. There were ten in total: three Suna, two Konoha, one Iwa, one Kumo, one Kiri, one Ame and one Taki.

"Congratulations on making it to the Second Stage, however, it is still too early to celebrate. Tomorrow, you will face your second task so I suggest getting sufficient rest in preparation. But today…let the festival begin!"

… …

… …

He was lying spread-eagle on hard, sandy ground. That was the first thing Minato registered as he groaned, slowly regaining consciousness. The second thing was his dully throbbing head. Not finding the drive to open his eyes just yet, he moved his various limbs and muscles experimentally, relaxing slightly as he realised they were in perfect working condition. Minato forced himself to a sitting position, slightly dazed eyes blinking as he surveyed his surroundings.

What in the Sage of Six Paths' name happened?

The last thing he remembered was meeting the proctor in a small room with his team, made to sign another warrant, the cloying sweet smell, then…he woke up here. He extended his senses, frowning when none of the chakra signatures he brushed over were familiar. Rolling his shoulder and flexing his legs, the genin stood, drawing a kunai from the thigh holster as a precaution.

A piece of paper fell from his open pouch strapped to his waist.

Find them. The minor effects would have already settled in. Another hour and you will start to feel real pain which doubles every hour. Good luck genin brats.

PS: Watch out for scorpions. They are unnaturally active this year, especially around colourful looking things.

Minato examined the entire note before squinting up at the sky. It was late morning, about ten or so. That means he had approximately half an hour to find another person in this desert and compare notes. Because he was quite certain he did not possess the entire clue to the test. He made his way silently towards where he had felt the first stirring signature, steadily ignoring the slight burning in his throat and still persisting headache.

Minato heard the boy even before he saw him. A long string of muttered curses came from behind a ragged boulder.

"…rip that shitty son of a bitch ta shreds and stitch 'im back together again so I can continually kick the stuffing outta 'im and – who's there?"

Minato stopped where he was and smiled innocently, lifting his empty hands to in the universal 'come in peace' gesture. His hastily stowed away kunai was threatening to fall out of his sleeve. He glance briefly downwards at the hitai-ate strapped to the other genin's left bicep.

Suna. Bullseye, he may know something extra about this test. And hopefully have the other part of the clue.

"Oh, a Leaf…wait, ya look kinda familiar…" A lightbulb seemed to flick on behind his dark eyes. "That's right, ya that crazy kid who went flying pass us in the Maze!"

Minato gave a hesitant grin and scratched his head sheepishly. "Ah…I guess so?"

However the other boy wasn't listening. A series of emotions flickered across his tan face. Recognition, surprise, confusion and finally thoughtfulness.

"Hmm…this is quite a development. Kid, what did ya say ya name was?"

"I didn't. But it is Minato. Namikaze Minato."

This time, the flash of satisfaction was clear. "Soyokaze Kazan. Now, don't suppose my good luck's still holding and that ya have the second part ta this puzzle?"

"As a matter of fact I do."

Minto moved out of the blazing sun and into the shade cast by the deformed rock to hand over his note. Soyokaze laughed in equal parts surprise and delight, his voice scratchy as a result of puberty.

Entwined with both day and night, one in shade, one in light. Unmoving killers and saviours both, they give hope to the dying when crushed. If you want to live

Find them. The minor effects would have already settled in. Another hour and you will start to feel real pain. Good luck genin brats.

PS: Watch out for scorpions. They are unnaturally active this year, especially around colourful looking things.

"Poison." Minto muttered with no trace of doubt. "Probably weak to low moderate, seeing as the effects are not too severe. Mild headaches, slightly stiff muscles…"

"Oh, an aspiring poison specialist?"

"No, not even close. The Academy had a few lessons on poisons and antidotes. They were quite fascinating. Ask me something more advanced than identifying the strength of poisons and I wouldn't know where to start."

"Alrighty then. Leave the poison stuff ta me. But before we do anything…I'm not gonna help for free, ya know. We may be allies in the near future, but I want a favour for this."

Minato frowned. Owing favours was risky. It was the one of the few things that shinobi were honour-bound to fulfil, and the receiver could call in on that favour anytime, as long as the giver was still alive. Hence, giving a favour to strangers only occurred in the stickiest of situations. He reckoned he could pass this test without the Suna genin's help, he just had to locate his Konoha comrades and –

Dammit. Looks like that option was out. Something was blocking his senses. No matter how hard he tried, nothing registered besides his own and Soyokaze's. It must have activated the moment he reined it in and focused on this genin's signature. One final attempt and Minato gave up, tucking this discovery away for later investigation.

"Don't look so worried, Namikaze. I just want ta take ya ta meet some people after we get outta 'ere."

"That's it?"

"Well…what happens after would be totally outta my hands. Nothing life threatening, I promise."

"Hmm…I guess there's no other way. It's a deal Soyokaze."

The Sand-nin rubbed his hands together with a self-satisfied grin.

"Okay, now ta figure this shitty puzzle out. I swear Asano-sensei was the one who came up with this. He's crap at making up poetry. This stage is meant ta test intelligence and knowledge. Knowledge about poisons and antidotes, sure. But intelligence? Pah, I wouldn't be surprised if everyone figured it out."

"If they want to give an easy test, who am I to complain? I bet the real test will come in the form of the third stage."

"What with all the foreign delegates, yeah totally. Say, ya leader really went all out, eh?"

Minato merely shrugged. He did not know what all the fuss was about. It wasn't as if Team Wolf were going to do anything in Sunagakure. They were there for intimidation at best and pieces to show off at worst – Hari's words, not his. The only thing Minato was concerned about was getting into the finals of the tournament. He did not want to disappoint either Hari or himself.

"Hey kid, d'ya know desert nightshade and hemlock when ya come across one?"

"If they look anything like the ones found in tropical land, yes. Why?"

"'Entwined in both day and night', where ya find one, ya find the other. 'One in shade, one in light', that speaks for itself. Nightshade grows best in the night under moonlight, hemlock in the day under some shade. Can't be any others seeing as those make more potent poisons. After that, plants obviously don't move, and the only way ta kill – or in this case cure – someone using its flowers as raw material is ta crush 'em. Ayish…"

The disgusted and resigned noise Soyokaze made reminded him sorely of Shikaku when the Academy teacher forced all of them on the track for a ten-lap endurance run.

"What is it?" Minato asked as he unsealed a bottle from his belt and took a swig.

"Scorpions. If I know 'em well, and I think I do seeing as I grew up in the damn desert, they should be less active now, especially during this time. It's too hot for them ta be moving 'round."

"So in other words, the ones we encounter would be fake or summons."

"I'm leaning towards summons. Kami damn it. I knew this wouldn't be as easy as it seemed. Ah, no point dwelling on it. Anymore thinking and I'll swallow my senbon. Come on, kid. Let's get outta here before the hour's up and the sun fries us ta crisp."

Thirty minutes pass the mild effect deadline, a series of random muscle spasms, harsh itches in unmentionable places and two epic fights with two separate groups of scorpions of varying sizes, the two genins laid panting on the hot sand. The bitter taste of the powdery paste the flowers were grounded into – plus the fine grains of sand from the makeshift mortar and pestle the petals were grounded in – lingered in Minato's mouth regardless of how much water he consumed to get rid of it. The scorching sunray beat down upon him even as the antidote slowly leeched away the effects of the poison.

"Kid, ya – pant – still alive?"

"Of course – huh."

Silence enveloped as they brought their breathing back to normal.

"Is it just me or is the sky dimming?"

"No, I'm seeing it too. What in the – "

Minato's muscles protested loudly as he jerked upright. His surroundings promptly dissolved, leaving a vastly different desert scheme behind. A presence shuffled close to his back even as he settled into a crouch, shuriken poised to fly.

"Genjutsu?"

"This one's not rea – "

There was a flash of metal, then silence.

"A little trigger-happy there, little Leaf." A female clad in red and brown jounin uniform sauntered over, a clipboard in one hand and Minato's shurikens in another.

"Well done, you're the first to finish this task. Soyokaze and Namikaze, was it?" At their nods, she scribbled on her clipboard and laid her hands on their shoulders. "Now hold on, genins. I'm going to transport you out of here."

They landed back in the hall they were gathered in this morning. To the left, Minato could see the small rooms they were led into and poisoned.

"I'm sure you know where to go from here. Best check in with your sensei first, then you are free to spend the entire day anyway you wish. Just don't go causing trouble and all that, yeah?"

As soon as the proctor was gone, Soyokaze turned to him. "Ya up for the favour?"

"Now?"

"Yep, right after we report back ta our teachers."

Unfortunately for him, Soyokaze's jounin-sensei was waiting right outside the exit, meaning the older genin opted to tag along. With his towering height and outstandingly white hair, Jiraiya was not hard to spot.

The Sanin grinned proudly at Minato as soon as they were within earshot. "First one out, eh? Looks like all my hard work paid off."

Minato shot him a mock glare. "Your hard work? If I remembered correctly, I was the one being tossed all over that training ground. And this was mainly about puzzle solving and dodging crazy scorpions, not trying to overrun a giant."

"Yeah, yeah, but tossing you and your teammates around required me to do some work. Anyway, who's your friend?"

"Oh, this is Soyokaze Kazan. Soyokaze, this is my jounin-sensei, Jiraiya. Soyokaze helped me out back there and I sort of promised to meet some friend of his…so…"

"Well…as long as you keep that seal on you at all times, sure. With this many nations around, starting something drastic on Suna's turf would be a very bad idea. I don't think anyone would risk that. Go on then, enjoy yourself. I'll inform you when any of the others turn up."

"…Okay. Later, Jiraiya-sensei."

Soyokaze had barely led Minato out of the marketplace when his emergency contact seal started burning.

… …

… …

"If it isn't the Poison Thief."

"Excuse me?"

"Drop the act, Poison Claw. Your face is splashed all across the bloody Books. Give me some credit in recognising my sworn enemy cowering behind his stupid mask."

"I'm on duty. Removing my mask just because you want a glimpse of my handsome face will be a violation of the rules. Besides, you can hardly call it stealing. You were practically inviting me to do so when you hurled those poisoned weapons my way."

"Seeing your face once was more than enough. Or have you forgotten who gave you that scar? And I am not talking about the poisons I used to coat my weapons. You know those are nothing special. Every time you pass through on a mission, a couple of my completed notes seem to be misplaced. Imagine my surprise when I find them already in use and in some unfortunate corpses' bloodstream."

"Hmph, it's not like you don't do the same. Don't go denying it now. I've got solid proof, puppet hag."

"And you think I don't? If this alliance thing wasn't well on its way, I'll castrate you right here and now, thieving ass."

Half listening to the fascinating argument between Fox and Nakamura, Jackal pressed his back further into the cool sandstone wall. The Hokage and Kazekage were catching up over tea in the Kazekage's compound, leaving the two bodyguard details to mingle…or stare at each other warily from their respective spots. Captain was already in deep conversation with the Kazekage's Second-in-command, Panther was playing a card game with another stoic Suna-nin involving sake and shinobi wire. He had no idea how it worked and he did not care. Hyena was leaning on the opposite side of the circular room, holding a one-sided conversation with a pale man and a nervously twitching kunoichi. That left Spider to his immediate right sprawling lazily on a windowsill, arms tucked behind his head and appearing dead to the world.

Jackal sensed the thin layer of chakra-infused gold dust beneath his feet shifting for the fifth time in as many minutes and tilted his head at the Kazekage's young cousin. He had heard of the Sabuku clan's unique Kekkei Genkai, Magnetic Release, and was slightly eager to see it at work. He supposed he could pull off manipulating sand or other equally fine particles, but it was not his style. That would be kept for only the most desperate of situations.

As though sensing Jackal's gaze, Rasa jerked minutely. Guarded dark brown eyes peered out from behind auburn hair and the boy gave a curt nod. Jackal returned his gaze to the chatting Kages.

"Gold dust? Why not something more common?"

The adolescent gapped for a minute before his brain kick start and he stuttered out a reply. "Uh – why – I mean, my chakra's slightly different from Kouseki-itoko's, I think that's why."

"Hmm…that means you have trouble manipulating iron but Kazekage-dono may face the same problem when trying to use your gold. That's interesting." He chance another glance to his left. "Relax, I'm hardly going to attack a soon-to-be ally. Especially the Kazekage's cousin."

"Why are you going out of your way to talk to me? You hardly seem the type."

This time, Spider's amused drawl answered. "Boredom, that's why. And Jackal here can't go five minutes without something on his mind. All the brooding must be what gives him insane abilities."

"Pot and kettle, Spider."

"Whatever. But I'm curious, kid. How are you going to use that gold of yours outside Suna? Carry a gourd around or something?"

Jackal rolled his eyes and was about to retort when a foreign presence announced itself through a small gust of wind.

"K-Kazekage-sama!"

The tall Suna leader regarded the rude interruption with a tilt of his head and a raised eyebrow. "What is it, Waraitake?"

"Forgive my intrusion, Sir, but there's an emergency situation at Genkaku Hou. Two genins have gone missing!"

The Kazekage's eyes burned with fury. "Who? And how did this happen?!"

"We believe them to be nuke-nins. Arate Kaori managed to take one of their numbers out before she was struck down. The healers are currently trying to stabilise her. Fujin has taken over her position as proctor. The abducted genins are Ageshio Sattou of Taki and…" Here the man trailed off uncomfortably. His eyes darted towards the Hokage and Jackal stiffened in dread. This sort of reaction did not bode well. "…the other is Uzumaki Kushina of Konoha."

Waraitake flinched as the Hokage's pipe smacked sharply on his palm as he nonchalantly cleared it of used tobacco.

"Hyena, Jackal."

Even his tone was deceptively mild.

"Hokage-sama."

"Hunt the perpetrators down with any means necessary. Leave one for interrogation."

"Hold it. ANBU running loose in the Land of Wind, Hiruzen? I cannot allow that."

"Then send one of yours along, Kouseki, but do not attempt to restrict my men from fulfilling their orders. Hyena has a personal interest in keeping his clan's heir safe, violating proper conduct in foreign ally lands or not."

Yellow eyes regarded Hyena calculatingly. "His clan, eh? Very well. Rasa, go with them. Waraitake, fill them in on the way. Every minute wasted dulls the lead."

"Tell me everything you have gotten on the abductors." Jackal ordered Waraitake as the four dashed across the desert on a north-westerly direction from the village.

"A squad of trackers are already on their trail. An eagle summons circling overhead will mark the squad's current location. As far as we know, it was a group of five nuke-nin. Four now. The three that personally abducted the genins are stealth and speed experts. We did not detect an infiltration until it was too late. By the time the alarm sounded, they were already out of the village. The other two would be either backup or the muscles of the group."

A cry pierced the air and in a few more bounds, they met up with the tracking team.

"Targets are still heading north-east from what I can tell. It is most likely they are heading for the Land of Claw or Fang. Going through Ame or Kawa is asking for trouble."

"Then why did you stop?" Hyena gritted out, itching to cover the distance between themselves and his cousin immediately.

"The trail has divided into numerous paths, Hyena-san. There are two likely routes but we would have to split."

However, Hyena was not listening. He wandered over to a patch of cactus, reaching out and pulled what seemed to be a piece of paper out from amongst the green and brown mess.

"This is one of Kushina's. I recognise the design." Hyena tucked it away and addressed the tracker leader. "You. One of the likely trails go in this direction?"

"Yes, but – "

Jackal signed in resignation as his brash partner vanished instantly. "Sabaku, with me. The rest of you, follow the other path."

Then he took off, hot on Hyena's heels.

… …

… …

The trio streaked across the sand, pausing every so often to pick out ripped seals from amongst thorns or piles of rocks. Behind him, Hyena could hear the harsh panting of Rasa, who was no doubt unused to the punishing pace the two ANBU set. It might seem like torture, but he was sure Rasa could cope with it. The Kazekage certainly did, to send his younger cousin off with ANBU. If not, the kid was free to stop and wait for their return right here for all he cared. He did not have time to spare and rest for the boy's sake, not that he would have in the first place. His first priority would be to see his cousin back in Suna, safe and sound. The thought spurred him on, increasing his speed sightly beyond what he was normally capable of.

"Hyena."

He skidded to a stop. Approximately two hundred meters away was a small cave, the first they had come across so far. While he may not be a sensor, Hyena was trained enough to pick out the faint signatures of Kushina and supposedly, the Taki genin.

"It seems the kidnappers themselves are absent," Rasa spoke, still breathless as he crouched, one hand splayed on the ground. "They are unexpectedly foolish, to remain in hostile land and not keep an eye on their acquired targets."

"Is that – "

His partner's shocked voice drew his eyes to the unmistakable mop of blond hair slowly creeping towards the mouth of the cave, a head of brown curls close behind.

"The hell is he doing here? And the tagalong is not someone familiar."

"It doesn't matter who the other is, they are going to get an earful the moment we get back. Minato especially."

Hyena couldn't help but wince at the irritation in Jackal's words. He pitied Minato, really, but the genin had it coming for his reckless actions. This wasn't Konoha. He could have lost his life stupidly and drag the other foreign genin down with him, or vice versa.

Jackal moved towards the cave as soon as the four genin signatures were huddled together. Following behind, Hyena cursed as two nuke-nin appeared and promptly entered. The pair was already off before the genin's chakra could fluctuate in panic.

Hyena dashed in to the sight of Minato and the genin with brown curls standing protectively before the abducted girls, kunai and futon ninjutsu already cutting a path towards the incoming opponents. The nuke-nins were sprinting towards the four, a wide grin on their faces as they nimbly dodged the attacks. In a split second, Hyena threw his right hand up, palm faced forward as the fingers of his left folded into a half ram seal. The shinobi in front leaped forward at full force, hand drawn back to deliver a devastating hit…

…and bodily impaled himself upon the red spike-riddled barrier that sprang up between him and his would-be prey in the last second. The other wanted shinobi went down with a gurgle and a spray of blood.

The light at the end of the cave was dim, but it was enough to see the stunned expressions adorning the children's faces. Releasing the barrier, Hyena hunkered down before them, moving his mask to the top of his head. It wouldn't do to scare them even more. Lowering his voice to a soothing tone, Hyena reached out and tapped each genin lightly on the shoulder, lingering concernedly on his cousin's.

"Hey, it's alright now. We're here to take you back."

That seemed to break Kushina out of whatever trance she was in. With a sobbing whimper, she threw herself at Inazuma, burying her face in the crook of his neck and wrapping her arms as tightly as she could around his chest. Running his fingers through her long hair, he murmured comforting words softly to calm her from her hysteria.

"Shh…Shina-hime, I'm here. You're safe now, imouto. I'm sorry you had to experience that, but I'm here, no more bad guys are ever going to get their hands on you ever again…"

Her sobs slowly subsided to quiet sniffles and he gently extracted his body from her hold. Then he beckoned to the Taki kunoichi.

"Sattou-chan, was it?" The gentle smile he plastered on seemed to remove the tension from her, and she gave a shy nod of confirmation. "Are you injured? Do you think you will be able to run all the way back to Suna?"

"Yes, ANBU-san. I only have a few scrapes and bruises from the ropes and stuff but my chakra will be able to hold for a long run back."

"Good, because that is exactly what you will be doing." Hari had also moved his mask to the side, green eyes assessing their current conditions. "Minato, when I get back, we are going to have a long talk."

True to his assumption, Minato winced and bowed his head in resignation. "Understood, nii-san."

The familial honorific seemed to strike something in Hari, whose eyes softened a fraction as he carded a hand swiftly through the blonde tresses. "You were following your beliefs, otouto, there's nothing to regret. All I ask is that you reduce the impulsive behaviour. Now, let's get you out of here." The Jackal mask slid back onto place. "Sabaku, quit staring and listen up. Escort them back to Suna and take them directly to Hokage-sama and Kazekage-dono. I am sure you'll find them where we left them this afternoon. Is that clear?"

"Crystal, Jackal-san. However…are you not returning with us?"

"No, tell Hokage-sama that Hyena and I have gone…hunting and will return with live preys."

The moment the group disappeared from sight, Hyena sifted through the various possessions of the dead nuke-nin, tossing all weapons and scrap metal to Jackal for storage. Nothing incriminating was found on their corpses. Not that he expected there to be, but typical missing nins should have a scratched hitai-ate on them, surely. This was starting to resemble the Uzushio Invasion in regards to anonymity way too closely for his liking. Then Jackal's fingers twitched and the pair melted into the shadows of the cave.

(Looks like we don't need to track them down. They have come to us instead.)

(Tag team or individual?)

(Individual. We need to capture at least one alive.)

(It's not my fault they always end up dead when we tag team.)

(I'm not arguing with you over this again. I'll take the stealth one out first. He's out in front.)

(Go for it.)

(Contact in three...two…one.)

The gangly plain-faced missing nin's foot barely brushed the entrance's floor when Jackal lashed out from his position, stuck to the sandstone ceiling. The kunai dissolved as the man fell forward, blood bubbling out of the hole in his throat.

"Oi, Chūya, you tired already? And where the hell is Taka – "

Hyena and Jackal struck in unison, legs kicked high towards the underside of their chin in an attempt to knock them out in a single blow. But of course things never went the way he visualised. Most of the time he blamed Jackal. His partner had the strangest luck.

The manoeuvre brought all four out of the cave and into the open, giving them more space. His foot met air as the opponent skidded backwards. Not giving him a moment to recover, Hyena sank the ground under the nuke-nin's feet. A scowl of displeasure formed as the man hardened it again with a tap. Closing the distance in a single move, Hyena ducked under a bladed knuckle-duster and returned the gesture with a right hook and leg-swipe. The man pushed himself up and over, backflipping in the air and into Hyena's modified Restraining Cage. The knuckle-duster's blade managed to slice the shimmering bars but a stream of fire forced him to withdraw. Whole once more, the bars contracted and tightened around the struggling captive until he was a squirming bundle.

He chance a glance over to Jackal, who was in the middle of tying up his own unconscious opponent with wire and looping a rope around the ankles. The poor guy's eyes were wide open and rolled to the top of his head, a thin line of drool dribbling out the corner of his mouth and down his chin.

"Yesh, you didn't break him, did you? The interrogators wouldn't be too happy if you got there before they did."

"I used a mild genjutsu. He couldn't withstand it and fainted."

"Ah, mild for you, you mean. Mind knocking this one out too?"

"Why? He wouldn't be going anywhere."

There was a momentary pause as Hyena thought it over, then an unexpected rush of sadistic glee flooded his being. Yes indeed, this guy couldn't escape, not with his arms pinned and utterly immobile. A large wolfish grin stretched across his face. Here was a fine opportunity to vent his pent up distress and anger. He would have been a fool not to take it. With a bounce in his step, Hyena trussed up his still conscious captive in the same manner as Jackal did his.

Mission accomplished and all objectives met, the ANBU partners dragged their respective cocooned nuke-nins back to Suna, while making sure to take the rockiest trek back.

As long as their mouths and brains were left undamaged, it doesn't matter if they might never again walk properly, right?

… …

… …

Jackal stepped away from the mumbling nuke-nin – Sanagi Jikou of Takigakure – as he slumped against the metal chair. The man's eyes long lost their clarity and focus, fixed ahead instead as he divulged everything under the moon he had any knowledge about. Glancing back at the head of Suna's version of T&I, Jackal had to admit they were brutally efficient. Unlike Konoha's interrogation unit, Suna's was not filled with sadists whose methods killed prisoners with above average mental fortitude, which means essential information from the victim was always lacking. Thinking back, the black-ops had no idea why the Yamanaka clan was not fully immersed in that department. Don't they have a mind-walking technique or something? He would have to talk with Inoichi the next time they met.

"Now this one was a wealth of information. I must thank you, Jackal-san, for both the challenge and bringing me a prisoner that makes my job much easier."

He acknowledge the thanks with an absent nod as the two stepped out of the chamber, attention already focused on the approaching Kages.

"Zaraki. I sincerely hope you have some good news."

"That I do, Kouseki-sama. Sanagi Jikou is the leader of his little band of criminals, and he was so kind as to tell me everything he knew about this kidnapping scheme. Ageshio Sattou was targeted because she is to be the next jinchuuriki of the Nanabi. Her bloodline limit allows her to mould her coils to suit any chakra nature, making her the perfect host for a Tailed Beast. The Uzumaki was also targeted for her bloodline and knowledge, being the clan heir and all."

"And the identity of his client?"

"Even he does not know that. The deal was done through a middle man. A civilian whose body was apparently discovered a few days ago in his own house. Sanagi was planning a double-cross once he had the goods. Depending on how much the client was ready to offer for the …goods, he would have stalked the civilian until the client revealed himself, then renegotiate or simply off him. The girls would then be sold to the highest bidder. Obviously, that half-baked plan never will be pulled off and so the identity of the client remains a mystery."

"Then we do not know if this is liable to occur again. Although I'm loathed to admit, I do not care much about the Taki genin once she is back in her village, but the Uzumaki on the other hand…"

"Indeed, this is…troubling news."

"Is that really all you can say about this, Hiruzen?"

"When you've become as old as I am, Kouseki, you learn not to worry about things you have no hold over. I guess it's time I teach you how to handle being a Kage in peacetime – or at least as close to peace as we can get."

"I know how to. I've dealt with the Council on daily basis, but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Ignoring them does not equals dealing with them."

"You're one to talk. You forget who you keep complaining to whenever that teammate of yours…Ranjo? No, doesn't sound right…Hanzo…? Wait, that's the Ame leader…"

"…Danzo…"

"Yeah, him. Until you can successfully keep him off your back, you don't get to tell me how to deal with my Council."

"Well, with his current situation, my hands are tied. But. We're getting off topic."

"Hn. Who would have thought nuke-nins were so useful? Of course, hiring them to do your dirty work is always a gamble. Well, no matter. Zaraki, you may dispose of those two. They have outlived their usefulness."

"As you command, Kouseki-sama."

"Jackal, Hyena, I think it's about time you are both relieved. It is quite late and you have things to take care of, don't you? Wolf and Fox will take over from here." The Hokage gifted the pair with a small smile. "Oh, and take the day off tomorrow."

Snapping a salute, they shunshin away and walked up the wall of their temporary compound to reach the second floor. Jackal deactivated the multiple-layered trap with a flick and slid the window open, dropping silently on the smooth wooden floor of the dark room. Hari removed his mask, sidestepping to allow Inazuma entry. A soft footfall and sharp intake of breath announced Minato's presence.

Hari cocked an eyebrow at the genin's peculiar expression. "Do I have something on my face?"

"If you mean blood splatters, yes, you seem to be covered in it. Both you and Ina-san might want to clean up before doing anything else. The blood might be long dried but it still stinks." Minato opened a closet located at the corner of the room, tossing Hari and Inazuma towels and clean articles of clothes. "Ina-san, you can use the bathroom below. Kushina-san's room is two doors down from there."

Inazuma gave a tired wave of acknowledgement and disappeared down the stairs, loosening the armour straps as he went. "Alright, and I'll see the both of you tomorrow…probably…"

Thirty minutes, a nice warm shower, clean clothes and a light supper later saw Hari and Minato sitting on the porch side by side, a cup of warm tea in their hands as they enjoyed the cold desert air. Minato was pointedly not fidgeting, sitting as still as he could as if to avoid drawing attention to himself. For the younger boy to hold that position for a good fifteen to twenty minutes was a feat in itself. Hence Hari, taking a little pity on him, set his teacup down with a solid thunk and faced Minato fully.

Minato squared his shoulders, set his jaw and met his eyes straight on. "I apologise for the actions I took earlier today. They were impulsive and reckless, which would have caused grave consequences not only for me, but also for the unwilling …participants…of this situation. However, I do not regret going after Kushina. I would do it again in a heartbeat. Admittedly, I should have taken a different approach."

Hari was silent for a moment before a mixture of a small chuckle and sigh escaped him. "Ah…and here I am, fully prepared to give you a lecture of a lifetime. So tell me, Minato, what your errors were."

"My biggest mistake was going after the nuke-nin with only a Suna genin as backup. Foreign shinobi with permission to roam Suna are only allowed unrestricted access to the village grounds. For me to travel unsupervised through a good portion of the land could have threatened the alliance had I not been a single genin, especially with conflict fresh in the minds of Suna shinobi. In addition, my companion's Sensei was not aware of his whereabouts which would have worsened the ties between our villages had he come under harm."

"Correct. Always consider where you are. If this was Konoha, your actions would have been acceptable. In foreign lands, they would result in things crashing down around you. As a chuunin, you will be a leader of a team. If you violate the law, all consequences would be yours to bear. It may be a failed mission, capture, even the death of a comrade. In desperate times, there is little time to think. That is why awareness is so important. It allows you to make split-second decisions without wasting time to adjust plans to suit your situation. Which brings me to your second major mistake."

Confusion seeped into Minato's eyes. "Second major mistake? But…"

"The second mistake is not taking into account the resources you have access to. I know you could sense our signatures the moment you stepped out of Genkaku Hou. We weren't even trying to hide it. The one second it takes you to shunshin to where we were will not impact the slightest on what happened after. With your abilities, it will only make sense for the Kazekage to give you permission to assist in the mission, as it will significantly reduce the time wasted by the tracking team."

"I – I think I understand, nii-sa – Hari."

"Don't be too hard on yourself. I'm impressed you managed to dissect your actions and analyse them so thoroughly. You will have opportunities to learn and build on your previous mistakes, especially the second one. Kami knows it took me a while to be able to run through multiple plans and settle for the best course under stress. That comes with experience which you currently do not have. But every little thing is a step closer to becoming Hokage, hm?" Hari couldn't help but ruffle his hair once more in comfort. Then in a lower tone he continued, albeit slightly embarrassed. "And…I don't mind you know, being your older brother."

The brat's entire being seemed to light up with joy, a startling hundred and eighty degree change from the downcast expression he was sporting mere seconds ago. "Thanks, nii-san! I swear to make you proud!"

Hari felt fondness and adoration rush through him with surprising intensity, and he didn't even think about quelling it. Damn. He was turning into a softy. All because of one sunny, blond brat.

Sunny, blond younger brother. A voice in his mind corrected and another wave of…fluffy…feelings hit.

Double damn.

… …

… …

"…this is my nii-san, Kurayami Hari…"

Kazan barely managed a stiff nod in greeting, more occupied with his inner freak-out. He locked his jaws together, unwilling to look like a fool in front of the scary unmasked ANBU. As further precaution he mentally locked his smart mouth away for the next few hours. Because he did not want to accidentally offend an A-rank shinobi who could snap his neck in an instant. Besides, hysterically screaming what was flashing through his mind – holy shit holy shit my long lost relative has a deadly assassin as an older brother figure what the hell totally didn't see that coming and he is tagging along my family is going to die scratch that I am going to die if he so much as thinks I am trying to steal his little brother away – would not put him in Jac – Hari-san's good book.

"So, where are we going?" Namikaze beamed, looking far more relaxed than he had ever displayed.

Once again, Kazan could see Raichi-oji in the boy's place, smiling down at him with the same hair and eyes. The same excited posture. A sharp pang stabbed his heart, although slightly less fierce compared to the very first time he properly laid eyes on the blonde. He was sceptical at first, but the name and mannerisms were way too similar to be a coincidence. And the age matched too. The Suna genin knew it was very unlikely that Minato remembered him. Minato was barely a year old when Raichi-oji and Noazami-oba moved to Hokori, a small town south-east of Sunagakure. Two years later they received news of a raid that burned the town down to the ground and all residents hunted down. The entire Soyokaze clan had mourned the loss of the last of their sister clan. But now…

"Soyokaze-kun, are you alright?"

Kazan pushed the dark thoughts aside for the time being and found himself under intense scrutiny from six pairs of eyes.

Wait…six?

When did the kid's Konoha genin comrades – minus the redheaded girl – get here? Scratch that. When did this turn into a mini tour? Those little buggers ruined his plan on taking Minato back home and slowly feeding him the truth of their relationship. Now, there was no way he was bringing these little duckies and one menacing jackal to his house. Okaa-san would stuff them with food and never let them leave and honestly, Kazan refused to be near Kurayami longer then strictly necessary. Sure, once he manage to get his cousin to acknowledge them as family, Kurayami would have to be an unofficial part as well. But. Until he stops feeling like a bug next to the ANBU agent, he would endeavour to keep his distance.

"Why…exactly are ya friends 'ere?"

"Allow me to repeat myself, seeing as your head was in the clouds. The favour you asked for did not specify that it strictly involves me only. Therefore, here are some tagalongs on the basis that they were bored."

Stall them. Directly say no to their faces. LIE IF YOU DON'T WANNA DEAL WITH THEM!

"Well, I can't take ya anywhere if ya sensei doesn't approve."

"Not a problem. I was assigned as their chaperone."

Damn Kurayami.

"Ah, but ya duties for – "

"I got the day off."

The Uchiha girl cocked her head to the side, an apologetic smile on her face. "Oh, are you busy right now, Soyokaze-san? We won't bother you if that is the case right, Minato-kun?"

Yes, yes, that's it. I'm too busy to deal with the lot of you. Just leave my cousin here with me and scram.

Outwardly, he sighed. "Well, I'm kinda – "

"Zan-kun!"

Of all the times – "Oboro-baasan. What a coincidence."

His father's tiny, old, spitfire of a mother moved through the crowd gracefully, not once brushing against another person even with the humongous shopping basket dangling from the crook of her elbow.

"Zan-kun! You didn't tell me you were going out with your new friends! Now, who are these lovely young people?" Her smile was a little too toothy.

Kazan gulped, finding himself trapped between a sandstorm and a wall of kunai. He did not know the names of the Leaf brats besides Minato's and the ANBU's. To introduce them to his grandmother without providing their full names would earn him more than her disapproval. To his immense relief, Kurayami stepped in and dipped an elegant bow, kicking off the little round of pleasantries and introduction.

"Oh my, such a lovely and polite group of youngins." Oboro-baasan commented with a giggle. "Are you children on your way anywhere urgent? If not, you simply must come with me back to the compound. I'll make you lunch. It'll be cheaper than eating out. Zan-kun can continue the tour later."

There was a chorus of agreement and thanks, making Kazan groan into his hands. So much for calling on his favour. Judging by the glint in his grandmother's eyes, Minato was not going to have his ancestry revealed at a slow and acceptable pace like he had planned. Baa-san was going to flatten the blonde under photo albums, letters and a whole lot of chatter.

Led by Oboro-baasan, the group started moving away, leaving Kazan to drag his feet through the dust and sand. Shoulders slumped in resignation, he scowled darkly at the back of the woman who thrived in upsetting any of his plans that she either stumbled upon or get her bony claws on.

Now, he didn't know who to pity more. His long-lost-and-found-again cousin or himself.

He spent the entire day tensed and jumpy, prepared to interfere the moment his grandmother looked like she wanted to whip out the photos and overwhelm Minato. No matter what, he could not allow that to happen. The shock would not do his cousin any good, instead, it would hinder his performance whenever he dwells on the revelation and loses focus, something no one can afford to do in the third stage of the exam.

Hence he distracted and hindered until the sun crossed the hottest period of the day and with great relish, he ushered everyone out of the compound with a hasty farewell. It was fortunate that every other member of his relatively small clan was absent, meaning less obstacles in his path to a disaster-free day.

Later that night, as he clambered through his bedroom window and readied for bed, Kazan couldn't help the smirk that twisted his lips and the first stirrings of anticipation curling in his gut. Tomorrow, kami-willing, would be the day he would finally – hopefully – be able to call Minato cousin. And if they were pitted against each other, then all the more opportunity to deepen the bond, right?

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Stage Three will come in the next chapter. I tried fitting it all in but the second stage which should have been only a small portion of the story began to grow like bacteria. And I didn't want to keep you guys waiting too long. I've already taken so much time to complete this chapter. About the kidnapping. No strands of hair as a trail. Sorry. Different environment and all that, you understand.

But, way more action to come and don't worry, I haven't forgotten all the other Konoha genins. The fights would most likely be from each of their perspectives. Only one more chapter until this arc (can it be called one?) wraps up.

Hope this chapter was worth the wait.

Comments? Complains?

Later!

Kagetsuki-taicho