Eroninja

Urd ignored the bickering siblings as she approached Mito to say, "Nice speech. You don't think you're stacking things too heavily against us do you."

Before Mito could respond Mirajane stepped in as she commented, "What's a matter, scared? If you're so concerned sit the competition out. But a real Bijuu is more than a match for the collection of punks waiting to engage us."

Urd narrowed her eyes at the Six-tails who appeared to be a girl of around fifteen years of age and had taken to wearing a rather revealing black outfit. Urd knew that Kiyomi was of the belief that the reason her sibling had taken the form of a woman on the cusp of womanhood was so that she wouldn't be locked in it. Urd imagined that should Mirajane choose to drastically alter her bust or height, she'd explain any sudden changes as the onset of a sudden surge of hormones. Still due to her youngish form, the woman that had come into being from the sacrificed tail of the eight-tails often had the urge to take her over her knee and spank her for her attitude. However, instead she simply fired back, "I'm not scared, but neither am I so foolish as to believe that one or two of those we may face might not give us a challenge." Focusing on Mito, she added, "Giving them the chance to all gain up on us is just asking for trouble."

"I know," Mito responded calmly, "But it was an addition to the rules that Kiyomi always intended. She believes that since the goal of most of the sponsors is to defeat you in as definitive way as possible. The prize money is actually secondary to them, and so the temptation to combine forces will cause them to use up most of their resources quickly. Kiyomi doesn't doubt that you'll prevail, but fears that a long drawn out contest would begin to favor them."

Kukaku snorted dismissively as she said, "Her concerns are unwarranted. But, I've got places to be later so if we don't need to spend all day taking on these chumps one at a time I'm all for it." Kukaku sent a smug look towards Yoruichi since her tone of voice left little doubt that her plans included entertaining some man.

To her surprise though, her sister didn't rise to the bait, which Yoruichi owed her restraint to a recent talk with Naruto. Yoruichi kept her smirk at Kukaku's reaction to herself since she wanted to honor her lover's request that she stop being so confrontational with her sister about her choice to be with other men. Naruto had explained to her that despite her belief in her father's prophecy the important relationship wasn't the one between Kukaku and him, but the one between the two sisters. As he had explained it, Kukaku had suddenly found herself experiencing knew thrills she hadn't realized were possible, and since she hadn't had the same attachment to him that Yoruichi had developed through Yugito. It was only natural that she would wish to explore them on her own terms rather than binding herself to someone else right after gaining a new form.

Still the dark-skinned woman took some satisfaction in taking some of the wind out of Kukaku's sail by not giving her the reaction she had been looking for. Deflating them a little further she added, "We'll do what we can to get you out of here in time for your date then." Turning to her sisters, who had given themselves to Naruto, she grinned cat-like as she proposed, "Speaking of dates, how about we make things a little interesting by seeing who can take out the most opponents?"

Rangiku put her argument with Nel, which had degenerated into a childish set of name calling on hold by placing her hand on the diminutive Bijuu's head to ask, "What's the prize."

Yoruichi smirked as she said, "The privilege of escorting Naruto to the unveiling of the new playroom."

Both Seven and Rangiku were both tempted by the proposition, but the Seven-Tails commented, "What makes you so sure you'll be in a position to decide such a thing. I thought the plan was to open it for Naruto's eighteenth birthday, I imagine the competition to escort him to it is going to be rather stiff." Advertisements

Yoruichi smirked as she admitted, "Plans change, and I have it on good authority that since it might be difficult to get everyone together on his exact birthday, it's being decided to open it the next time we can get everyone together, even if it's a few months early."

Rangiku sensing that Yoruichi was the mastermind behind the change said, "Let me guess, you just so happen to know what that date is."

Giving a cat that ate the canary grin she admitted, "Not only that, but secured a date with Naruto that night already. But I'm feeling generous and felt a little contest between us might add a little spice to today's entertainment."

Rangiku smirked as she accepted the deal saying, "Well I'll be thinking about you as I'm wrapped around his..."

"Rangiku!" Seven said quickly interrupting her sister.

"What?" the blonde asked but remembered who was present as a result of a pointed look from her sister as she motioned down towards Nel.

"Nel wants to play too," the child-like Bijuu said excitedly.

Which earned her a quick, "You're too young," from the busty blond.

"That's what you always say," Nel said angrily as she puffed her cheeks and began to pout. "Nel is the same age as you according to Kiyomi."

"Yeah, but you don't act the part," Rangiku fired back.

"Neither do you," Seven said amused before adding, "But count me in as well."

The three women shook on their agreement as Tier watched in silence. In truth, she still wondered what it was that had her siblings so eager to please the young jinchuriki. She admitted that he was kind and despite knowing of her origins didn't treat her any differently than any of the other women she had seen him interact with, accept for not as affectionately as he was with the women bound to him.

She would admit to being a little surprised that he wasn't trying to actively claim her as he had her other sisters, since she believed that had been Kiyomi's intention in releasing the other Bijuu. More to the point, she had overheard Naruto's conversation with Yoruichi as it had taken place in the mansion after a particularly nasty argument between the purple-haired woman and Kukaku. She had been rather shocked to learn that Naruto felt Kukaku had a right to explore a life that didn't involve him. Yet, while his belief that Yoruichi shouldn't let Kukaku's choices ruin the bond between them due to her interpretation of their father's prophecy would seem to me he had no desire to claim any of the other Bijuu, it had perked Tier's interest in the blond man. Still, she felt her cheeks color as she recalled needing to leave as Yoruichi decided to make herself forget her argument with her sister by entertaining herself with her lover.

As a result, Tier was glad that they were covered by the collar of the jacket that she wore since she hadn't moved as fast as she could have as she would admit some of the noises her sister made had intrigued her. She was glad for the distraction as one of the women she had given life to Emilou Appaci asked upon noticing her gaze resting on her sisters, "Don't tell me you are considering joining in their competition Lady Tier."

"I do not believe it was proposed for my benefit," Tier said turning to the three women that had pledged themselves as her serfs, despite her insistence that they did not need to. Tier could see Appaci wasn't going to drop the matter which would result in either Cyan or Mila jumping in as they reprimanded their comrade for questioning her, which in turn would likely result in an argument. Not wishing to see their energies diverted as she knew how important the contest was to Kiyomi, she intervened in the cycle that had played out many times by saying, "I expect you to give your best efforts today. Do not disappoint." Redirecting the conversation back to its origin point further she said, "Also, Urd's concerns are genuine Mira. I sense several of our opponents are trying to suppress their chakra to get us to underestimate them. They only need to defeat one of us to emerge the victor; we need to defeat all of them. We have already surrendered the knowledge that we believe ourselves to be strong by agreeing to faces so many opponents. Those we face are under no such obligation and a moment of inattention can cost us the contest."

"Don't lecture me number three," Mirajane said annoyed as she mentioned Tier's reduced number of tails.

Tier didn't rise to the bait as the women pledged to her threatened to do which she prevented as she calmly replied, "My number of tails has no correlation to my current level of power. Furthermore, if it did would it not do for you to show more respect to Urd."

Mirajane looked like she was going to fire back a harsh retort, but a buzzard sounded indicating that the time limit had been reached. The women watched as a man approached the microphone situated in the area for their opponents and announced, "I've been elected to announce the decision reached by several sponsors who've decided to join forces. We pledge all our entrees which number over two hundred."

Yoruichi smiled as she watched a large section of the arena begin making their way down the aisles to leap into the center. It soon became apparent that a good portion wouldn't fit so the rest remained back to act as reserves. The dark skinned woman leapt into the area as she said, "Game on girls."

But she found both Seven and Rangiku had landed in front of her with the blonde saying, "Oh no, you don't. You're not settling our bet in the first round." Before Yoruichi could comment, Rangiku turned to the three women on her right as she asked Tier's shadows as she thought of them, "And what are you three doing? Don't tell me you want to muscle in on our bet."

Cyan raised her hand to her mouth as she responded, "Hardly, but Lady Tier warned us against underestimating our opponents and you three are obviously thinking more with your loins then your brains."

All three Bijuu narrowed their eyes as Seven commented, "Do I get the ten-million ryo if I knock that bitch out?"

"Possibly, but you'll be the one to explain it to Naruto," Yoruichi commented drily. Spotting the first wave charging she said, "Come on, let's show them even with our loins calling the shots we're twice the women they are."

Appaci, Cyan, and Mila seemed ready to accept the challenge as they took off after the three Bijuu who tore into the opponents' ranks hoping to secure themselves a little Naruto time. As a result most of the people in the first wave didn't know what hit them as they were sent flying.

*****

"Come on Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said bored as he lay on the ground while he waited for his teacher to show up, "I'm missing the fight."

"Well then I suggest we get to it then," Kakashi said as if his student's words had summoned him.

Naruto leapt up to his feet as he said, "I've been waiting here for hours. You said to meet at around one in the afternoon."

"Which means you should have known I actually meant to meet at three," Kakashi replied looking up from his book.

"If that's what you meant then you should have just said so," Naruto replied annoyed. "Can't you just announce a time and show up at it like everyone else?"

Kakashi chuckled as he replied, "Now who is wasting time?"

"Argh," Naruto said as he rubbed his head in frustration before asking, "Alright you win. So what is it you need my help with?"

"Simple," Kakashi said amused, "Do you have one of your Hiraishin kunai?"

"Sure," Naruto said digging it out of his pouch as he procured the kunai. Tossing it to his teacher he asked, "But what do you need it for?"

"Simple, I'm going to use Kamui on it to teleport it away. I just want you to report on what it is you sense in regards to its location."

"That's it?" Naruto asked surprised.

"That's it," Kakashi confirmed as he lifted his headband and then tossed the Kunai in the air. Focusing on it he caused space to warp around it before it was pulled in and disappeared.

"Whoa," Naruto said although Kakashi believed it had more to do with what he was feeling rather than the jutsu that he had just witnessed.

Pulling his headband down, he asked, "Can you feel where it's at?"

"It feels kind of like its everywhere and also nowhere," Naruto said struggling to put what he was feeling into words. "I definitely don't think I'd want to try to retrieve it."

Kakashi nodded as he would hate to have to explain it to Tsunade that Naruto was lost in much the same way as Toka had been. Shivering from the thought of a bunch of enraged females looking for his blood he said, "Can you release the mark on the kunai?"

"I'm not sure," Naruto said as he made a hand sign for release to dispel the mark on the kunai. Kakashi suspected it worked as the Naruto's face lost the slightly confused look he had been wearing as he tried to place the kunai's exact location. Focusing on his teacher the jinchuriki asked, "So was that where Toka was all this time?"

"I don't believe so," Kakashi answered, "Truthfully, if I had to guess she was trapped somewhere between the dimension that Kamui created and this world. It's likely that since Toka described the Uchiha that sent her there seemingly had just unlocked the Mangekyō Sharingan the dimension never fully formed. She was likely caught somewhere in the pull of this and that dimension. It's likely that she snapped back as a result of that dimension collapsing and surrendered its pull on her."

He could tell his student didn't quite understand, but was eager to watch the event being held at the Chunin Exam Arena as he said, "Right, well is there anything else?"

Kakashi chuckled since he knew Naruto would be getting an up-close and personal view of it as he said, "Nope that was all I needed. Now that I'm certain my Kamui is feeding into something I can work on exploring different avenues for accessing it."

"Okay great," Naruto said turning to leave as he was eager to see his lovers and the other Bijuu showcase their skills.

Kakashi watched his student leave and let some of the concern he felt about his discovery reach his face. His mask hid most of it, but he was sure his eye reflected it as well. He knew his theory about Toka was a sound one, but what concerned him was the realization that both he and Tobi appeared to share very similar techniques. He believed that the differences in them could simply be a result of how each of them had come to realize they had access to Kamui and then developed the technique.

Kakashi still wasn't sure at which point he had unlocked the Mangekyō Sharingan as he had only explored the possibility that he had it after his run in with Itachi in the wake of the Sound Invasion and having the Uchiha use his Tsukuyomi on him. In the three years that Naruto had been away with Jiraiya, he had eventually learned to activate it, but was unsure of the conditions of how he had initially advanced his Sharingan to it. As a result of his limited chakra when using the Sharingan in the first place, as well as his awareness that using the Mangekyō Sharingan had apparently put a great strain on Itachi. He had focused on honing Kamui into a quick but efficient mean to end a fight.

Yet, if he was correct in his thinking about his Kamui being the same as Tobi's jutsu except developed along a different path, then he realized that it was possible that it might be possible for him to use it in a similar matter. Also, Tobi seemed capable of using Kamui multiple times in quick succession although Konan had alerted Naruto and by extension him of the limitations she had noticed in the masked man's technique.

Kakashi would admit to there being another concern in regards to his recent revelation about his jutsu. He wondered if both he and Tobi were actually sharing the same technique. If so, he knew that it meant that they could possibly counteract some of the masked man's intangibility techniques since if their jutsu were connected then that meant they might be sharing the same dimension that Kamui had created as well. Something his belief that the dimension that had held Toka trapped collapsed would seem to suggest the dimensions created for Kamui were unique to the eyes which used it. Advertisements

Kakashi hoped he was wrong as while Tobi had apparently had two Sharingan one of which he had sacrificed against Konan. The fact that he had hidden it behind his mask suggested to Kakashi that as far as Tobi was concerned it had always been expendable, and that it was the right eye that he truly valued. An eye that if the theory Kakashi was forming was correct he had believed had been crushed beneath a boulder. A cold dread began to run down his spine as he began to wonder about the possibility that if he had been wrong about that, then was he equally mistaken about the fate of the man whose left eye he know wielded and truthfully whose jutsu he was going to dedicate the foresee able future to perfecting.

The possibility sent Kakashi's mind racing and he wasn't surprised that most of them had centered on Rin. He began to realize that if Kiyomi's theory that the old broker Rin had encountered had been an ancient Madara. Then the fact that Tobi had claimed to be Madara upon first introducing himself to the Ame Orphans could scarcely be a coincidence. That the ancient Madara had set out and targeted Rin had in Kakashi's mind all but sealed the identity of Tobi since he had appeared shortly after Rin's supposed death. Yet, despite the certainty he felt, he didn't want to cast a dark shadow over the memory of a man that had as far as the village was concerned died a hero. Not without proof at least.

Kakashi pulled his headband up as the first step to collecting that proof would be in mastering Kamui to a similar degree as Tobi, or as his mind was already calling him Obito. Kakashi, was surprised at the calm acceptance he was displaying that his teammate may very well be alive and behind much of the suffering that his village had gone through. Ultimately, he believed it was because while Obito might very well still be drawing breath, the earnest young man he had been had been dead for decades as the actions he had performed showcased, such as his attack on their sensei on what should have been his happiest day, and as a result had deprived his student of his parents.

In truth, the man that called himself Tobi stood in mockery of everything that Obito and now Naruto believed. An abomination, which had likely been given life by the true Madara Uchiha through the apparent death of Rin. Kakashi paused as he sent a look in the direction that Naruto had left as he wondered how Obito would react should he learn that not only had Rin not died, but she was alive and in a relationship with Naruto. On the one hand it might be the sparked needed for his teammate and friend to abandon the dark path he had walked for decades if he learned Madara had set the events in motion. Yet on the other hand, a man that already had abandoned everything he had been might no longer harbor the same attachments that he once had, or upon learning the truth could be driven to even more acts of depravity as he saw the person he had desired most had found happiness with someone else.

In either case, Kakashi felt it would be wise to make sure Rin's existence remained a secret and to monitor whether anyone ever began to suspect otherwise. While he knew, that if Tobi was Obito such knowledge would elicit a strong response, he was also aware that it was likely that Madara had taken precautions incase his puppet had ever tried to deviate from the plan he had spent decades putting into place. Yet, once more he returned to the first step in proving any of his theories correct which laid in mastering Kamui to a greater degree, so set about spending the foreseeable future pushing himself in a way that would make his student proud. As since Naruto had taken on his self-appointed duties in stopping Sasuke, he figured the least he could do was show his appreciation by handling the bad apple of his old team in a similar manner.