I do not own Majestic or Naruto, DC and Kishimoto do.

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The Librarians

Support And Structure

"I'll get it." Sasuke called as a knock sounded at the front door. Dropping his pen, Sasuke almost catapulted himself away from the kitchen table (and the homework spread upon it), running silently through the house to greet the visitor. Opening the door, he bowed slightly.

"Hizashi-sama, Hinata-san, welcome to the House of Majestros."

"Thank you." Hizashi said gravely as Sasuke waved them inside. Limping forwards, the man with almost half his face covered in burns moved past Sasuke, his cane tapping lightly against the wooden floor.

"Wha..!?" Naruto's voice echoed from the kitchen and Sasuke winced. "Hiashi-sama! What happened? You were fine when you taught me how to tree- and water-walk!"

"Dammit, Naruto!" Sasuke muttered to himself, but before he could correct the blond, someone else did it for him.

"Naruto-san, this is my uncle, Hyuuga Hizashi, my father's younger brother. He was injured protecting my father from a suicide-jutsu performed by a Kumo Shinobi who was trying to kidnap me."

The mix of pride, sorrow and gratitude in Hinata's voice as she explained Naruto's error made Sasuke smirk slightly. As he stepped into the kitchen, it was to see Naruto bow.

"My apologies, Hizashi-sama…"

"No apologies are necessary." Hizashi waved it off. "You spoke from ignorance, not malice. Now that you know, I am certain that you will not make the same mistake again."

Naruto nodded almost frantically as Sasuke's smirk widened.

"Hello, Hizashi." Eucrastia said in greeting as she seemed to float down the stairs.

"Eucrastia." Hizashi nodded back. "May I ask where Majestros is?"

"Another mission." Eucrastia sighed. "He's taking this years reports to the Daimyo's Court."

"I heard that Asuma has almost finished reconstituting the Twelve Shinobi Guardians." Hizashi replied. "I also heard a rumor that the Daimyo offered you and Majestros a place in the ranks of the new Twelve."

"He did." Eucrastia shook her head. "We turned him down… politely. Just like he has the previous three Daimyos."

Naruto blinked. "Huh?"

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Majestros came to a halt so that his eyes were a bare hairsbreadth below those of the Daimyou, who was stood on the balconey that overlooked the Formal Gardens, a huge grassy lawn with deep koi pools that formed the kanji for fire.

"The annual reports from Konohagakure, Lord of Fire." Majestros held out a sealing scroll and Sarutobi Asuma stepped forwards to take it from his hands. "The Hokage sends his deepest respects."

"He always does." The Daimyo noted as Asuma passed the scroll to one of the many interchangable assistants. "Pass my regards to him when you return."

"As you wish, Lord of Fire." Majestros nodded. "Do you wish to send any messages or messengers back?"

"Not at this time." The Daimyo waved his fan dismissively. "Thank you for your service, Majestros."

Majestros gave a slight bow, then accelerated away.

"Why do you let him talk to you like that, most sublime one?" One of the newer members of the court asked.

"Majestros and his wife Eucrastia are the most powerful warriors in the Elemental nations." The Daimyo replied, his eyes tracking Majestros' distant form. "It is said that Majestros himself was able to wrestle the Kyuubi no Kitsune into submission not once but twice. While I remain uncertain as to whether it was indeed this Majestros or one of his ancestors who perfromed that feat, one cannot deny that he has abilities that no other Shinobi possesses. Not in the land of Fire or any other nation to the best of our knowledge. No, Majestros is as an heirloom blade, to be treated with respect and wielded with care. Once you understand that, you will understand why he is one of the few who I have given permission to address me by my name, without titles, should he wish to do so."

The flunky's jaw dropped while Asuma concentrated on not smirking.

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"I'm home!" Majestros called out as he opened the front door.

"Kaasan's gone to the library." Sasuke noted as he glanced up from the book he was reading. "Hizashi dropped off Hinata, she and Naruto are in the garden going through a scroll of basic Kanji. Hizashi is playing solitaire on the patio."

"Which sort of solitaire?" Majestros asked as he hung up his cape and Sasuke closed his eyes in thought.

"Um, the one where the cards start in a triangle, kinda. The seven column one?"

"Ah, yes." Majestros nodded as he placed his gauntlets on a shelf, then slid a finger under his left pauldron to unlatch it. "I know the one. Well remembered. Your memory skills are improving."

"You and Eucrastia keep testing me." Sasuke mock-complained, although the twitching of his lips belied his apparent dissatisfaction.

"Scamp." Majestros chuckled as he finished hanging his pauldrons on the armor rack. "I'll get changed and head out there to see how they're doing. Anything else I should know about before I do?"

Sasuke shook his head. "Nope. I think I covered the important things."

Majestros nodded. "Good. I need to get changed."

Sasuke gave a small shrug and turned his attention back to the book in his hands.

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"How goes it?"

Hizashi lowered his cup and glanced up at Majestros.

"Better than expected." The scarred man replied just as quietly so as to not disturb the duo on the grass. "I am uncertain as to whether it is my niece's teaching skills or Naruto's intelligence, but he already seems to have a good grasp on the basics."

"His father was one of the most intelligent people I have ever met." Majestros noted. "His mother was on a par with him… the two of them could easily have reshaped the world, had it not been for…"

Hizashi nodded slightly in agreement with what Majestros had not said, then reached out to pick up the teapot.

"Do you want to join me?"

"I do believe that I shall." Majestros pulled his legs up into seiza, then floated down to settle on the other side of the low table, accepting the cup of tea that Hizashi held out.

"There are times that I envy your ability to fly, Majestros." Hizashi noted blandly, causing Majestros' eyes to crinkle in amusement.

"It does have its uses."

The two men sat in companionable silence as they sipped their drinks, their eyes resting on where Hinata was carefully guiding Naruto through the various Kanji forms.

"She is good at teaching." Majestros finally noted. "Yes, Naruto does seem to be picking it up quickly, but…"

"I think that Naruto is learning more than just his Kanji." Hizashi noted. "It would seem that he is actually learning… how to learn."

"Something that too few achieve." Majestros sighed. "By the way, if you move the red seven onto the black eight…"

Hizashi looked down at the cards arrayed in front of him. "By the Sage, you're right! That'll free up the eight… which means the four can be…"

Majestros chuckled quietly as Hizashi's free hand blurred into motion, shifting the cards to clear another column.

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...and this is where I realized that I actually had no clue as to where I had intended to take this.
I hope you enjoyed the fragment and apologize for not being able to truly turn it into its own story.