I, Your Father, Carry a Big Stick

After hearing Wu's account of his stay in Otogakure, several thoughts ran rampant within Hiruzen's mind. First and foremost, he was astonished by how 'easily' Wu had managed to infiltrate and become a ranking member of another village. Secondly, while the Otokage wasn't guaranteed to be Orochimaru, everything Wu revealed suggested it to be true... As important as the first two points were, the information that stood out the most in Hiruzen's mind was the 'arrangement' Wu had made with the Otokage. It was also the only point he could address at the moment, so he asked, "Are you intending to establish a Clan in the future...?" Shrugging his shoulders, Wu lied, "I haven't thought about it. My status as a member of the Sarutobi Clan has been extremely 'convenient.' I was just bullshitting to see what lengths the Otokage would go to in order to retain me. It also allowed me to establish that Otogakure has at least three more bases spread throughout the Elemental Nations." "I see..." Caressing his chin, Hiruzen lowered his gaze, a thoughtful glimmer in his eyes. He knew the boy well enough to know that Wu wasn't being entirely truthful. If he had to guess, Wu 'had' thought about his future quite a bit. His actions with the Higurashi girl were enough to prove that. If Hiruzen had to guess, Wu just wanted to gather more information before making a decision that would shape/impact the rest of his life. Raising his gaze, Hiruzen inquired, "Those girls you mentioned...based on your observations, do you believe any would be willing to become citizens of Konoha? If their goal is merely the restoration of their respective Clans, arrangements can be made..." Having already anticipated such a question, Wu replied, "Some are loyal to the Otokage, but I'm almost positive it's because they fear and respect her. If she can be taken out of the picture, most of them would have little choice but to lay their roots elsewhere. It's impossible to found or restore a Clan without adequate backing, power, and resources." Nodding his head in approval, Hiruzen offered a soft, "Well said..." before entering another contemplative silence. Based on the information Wu had provided, it could be seen that Oto was a meritocracy of sorts. While that provided them many advantages during the founding stages of a village's development, Clans needed land and resources to lay their roots. In other words, unless the Otokage established an actual settlement, it was only a matter of time before the groups serving her became disillusioned. Understanding the type of person his former student was, Hiruzen could imagine the fates that awaited anyone who had served their purpose. The only person Orochimaru truly cared about was himself. He had the mental fortitude and charisma to inspire fierce loyalty, but he would not hesitate to sacrifice even those closest to him if they became a hindrance... As that thought crossed his mind, Hiruzen found himself gazing at Wu, a boy not all that dissimilar to Orochimaru. The difference was that Wu had no fear of death and intended to reach the pinnacle with his own strength. Orochimaru dreaded the end so much that he would go to any lengths to preserve his life. Both manipulated the people around them, but Wu did so to help others improve within the bounds of their capabilities. Orochimaru was nearly the polar opposite as he endlessly pursued external powers to circumvent his mortality... Confident in his assertion, Hiruzen went on to state, "The Chunin Exams are three months away. If an attack is to happen, it will most likely occur during the Finals, when the eyes of various nations are fixed firmly on the Leaf. I'll begin making preparations, but there is only so much we can do without alerting our enemies and undermining the trust of our sponsors..." Narrowing his eyes slightly, Hiruzen observed for any changes in Wu's as he added, "If an attack does happen, I'll be counting on you to exhibit to the world that Konoha is not a soft target to crack. In exchange, once the Chunin Exams have ended, I will personally endorse your advancement to Jonin..." Seeing no changes in Wu's expression, Hiruzen adopted a devilish grin as he revealed, "Once you have been promoted to Jonin, you will be allowed to splinter from the main house and form a Branch Family of the Sarutobi Clan. If that doesn't entice you, I can also make arrangements for you to develop your own house, but having a familial connection with an existing Clan is usually better from a political standpoint. Regardless, once you are the Head of a Clan, you will have every right to decide its members..." Understanding the implication of Hiruzen's words, a similar grin developed across Wu's face as he playfully remarked, "You're serious about keeping me in this village, aren't you?" Without hesitation, Hiruzen nodded his head, admitting, "Indeed. Just as you often comment about how you would be a 'fool' not to take advantage of certain situations, it would be careless of me not to do everything in my power to ensure Konoha remains your home. Many others share this view, so please keep us in mind if you ever find yourself at a crossroads..." Nodding his head, Wu replied, "I always do." before rising to his feet and asking, "Is there anything else you wanted to discuss? If not, I have a lot of training to catch up on." Though there was actually a lot he wanted to discuss, Hiruzen exhaled a light chuckle and replied, "No, I think that just about covers everything. I may have more questions for you later, but you're free to return and do as you please. Just let me know if you decide to take another stroll outside the village. Knowing you, I imagine you're still eager to investigate Kumo and Suna." Instead of responding to Hiruzen's words, Wu waved over his shoulder, 'disappearing' the moment he reached the door. The things Hiruzen said had given him a lot to think about, so, while Kumo and Suna were on his mind, they were only third and fourth on his list of priorities... ... .. . Though a month had passed since Wu's departure, mere days after they became a couple, Tenten was in reasonably high spirits. There were times when her mind wandered to thoughts of the future, but most of her focus, time, and effort was spent improving herself and her various tools. Holding up the sickle she had just finished polishing, an approving smile developed across Tenten's face as she appraised its luster. Wu had told her that he would be returning in a month, so she had spent most of the day polishing the various weapons in her room. Her outfit, consisting of a long-sleeved white cheongsam and red waistband, wasn't really suited for the task, but Tenten wasn't the type of girl to care about getting oil on her hands and clothes. "Hm, hm, hmm~" Narrowing her eyes in contentment, Tenten began to hum a soft tune as she polished the blades of a giant fuuma shuriken. It was the last item left to polish, so she took her time to ensure not even a single blemish could be found between its creases or along its blade. When she was finished, she wrapped it in a cloth before turning around, her body freezing in place as she spotted a familiar figure lying sideways on her bed, observing her with a teasing smile. Though she wasn't sure she wanted to hear the answer, Tenten asked, "How long have you been here...?" Adopting an even cheekier grin, Wu answered, "Around the time you were finishing up with your final set of kunai, so around an hour or two? And no, I didn't sneak in. Well, I did, but your mom let me into the house and gave me permission to come up..." "I see..." Setting aside the bundled fuuma, Tenten made her way over to the bed with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Wu half-expected her to try and hit him, but their time together hadn't been for naught. Tenten knew the futility of trying to catch him off guard, so she sat next to him on the bed, patting her thighs as she said, "Put your head down. Then tell me all about your month outside of the village." Though briefly taken aback by the proposition, Wu followed Tenten's instructions, resting his head on her toned yet incredibly smooth thighs. As he did so, she began combing her fingers through his hair, her voice gentle and soothing as she inquired, "Did you have fun?" Confident that he could dodge even if she tried to pinch his cheek or pull his ear, Wu closed his eyes and responded, "It was a learning experience, that's for sure..." "Mmm...I see..." Moving her fingers from Wu's hair, Tenten caressed his cheek with the back of her hand as she asked, "And, when do you leave next...?" Without footing around the issue, Wu's voice softened as he replied, "In a day, two, maybe three. I could delay things a bit, but I've never been the type to put things off..." Like a message on repeat, Tenten muttered, "Mmm...I see..." while tracing Wu's lips. In response, the latter brought her middle finger into his mouth, gently suckling it for a few seconds as they sat in silence. Removing her finger from Wu's mouth, Tenten revealed, "I talked to Kaia, Ino, and Sakura while you were away...they told me about what happened when you were playing the King's Game..." Exhaling through his nose, Wu opened his eyes and asked, "And, what did you think? Did it make you regret becoming my girlfriend...?" Shaking her head, Tenten surprised Wu by admitting, "I'm not sure if Ino and I can ever be friends anymore, but, other than that, it actually made me a little jealous. If I had known you were so...easy, I might have taken advantage of you myself..." Turning to look up at the dango-haired beauty, Wu raised his left eyebrow and retorted, "You think I'm easy? Is that why you got me to rest on your thighs...?" Instead of refuting it, a faint smile developed across Tenten's face as she replied, "Something like that..." Then, even though her heart was beating like a startled rabbit, she guided her hand to Wu's chest, stroking the firm muscles beneath as she revealed, "Since all the 'simpler' ones have been stolen by others, I'm tempted to take the remainder of your firsts..." Exhaling a light chuckle, Wu playfully remarked, "Someone grew bolder in the past month..." Though she would ordinarily react to Wu's teasing, Tenten remained calm and composed as she dropped another bombshell, revealing, "Ino told me about the agreement you made. That if things didn't pan out the way they were hoping, you would accept 'responsibility' for each of them...that you would invoke the Clan Restoration Act and take all of them as your wives." While internally remarking, ("Never trust a Yamanaka to keep a secret...") Wu outwardly responded, "I'm not going to deny it. Because of my unique constitution, the old man has been pushing me to marry since I was eight. Does that change anything between us?" Exhaling a faint sigh, Tenten said, "That depends on you. If you can tell me why you chose 'me,' of all people, I might be willing to forgive you..." Understanding that Tenten was asking him to lie to her, even if she didn't know it, Wu's expression became serious as he asserted, "Of all the girls I interacted with growing up, you're the one who compliments me the most. We have similar interests, similar values, and, most significantly, a similar drive to improve. While other girls were chasing their crushes and wasting time, you kept your head up and continued working toward your dream. It was honestly refreshing..." Though she felt more than a little gratified by Wu's words, Tenten did her best not to let it show. Truth be told, she didn't really mind if Wu had other girls. Well, it did. Quite a bit, actually, but she also understood the value of Wu's bloodline in the grander scheme of things. What 'really' bothered her was the idea that Wu had been sneaking around behind her back, keeping her in the dark while preparing for his future alone... "No more secrets, Wu-kun...you will tell me everything, or we will never talk again. Do I make myself clear...?" Instead of taking offense to Tenten's assertive words, Wu offered a faint smile as he replied, "No problem. Just remember, you chose this path...if we're going to walk it together, you'll need the same conviction now that you had in your youth..." Snorting through her nose, Tenten retorted, "You let me worry about me, you damned monkey. Now, start talking..." Maintaining his smile, Wu closed his eyes, memories playing within his mind like the stills of a movie as he whispered, "It all started eight years ago..." ... .. .

Though she knew about Wu's frequent visits to Jigokudani, hearing him claim that he had 'popped' out of a thousand-year-old statue, alongside many other outlandish claims, left Tenten feeling lost and confused. She believed he was telling the truth, largely because he had allowed her and her father to examine some of the items in his Storage Pouch, but it was just so...unbelievable. Wrapping things up, Wu claimed, "So, yeah...ever since the Third adopted me, I've been doing my best to fit into human society. I am human, mind you. I have the medical records to prove it. I'm just something...more. The old man seems to believe I'm the flagbearer for the next era, so he's been doing his damnedest to keep me linked to the village. The rest is history in the making..." After waiting several seconds to see if Wu had anything else to say, the most exasperated sigh of her life escaped Tenten's mouth and throat. She had always known Wu was different; pretty much everyone did. Now that she knew just 'how' different, she couldn't help wondering if she was even worthy of him... "Hey..." Grabbing Tenten's hands, Wu's expression and gaze were serious as he said, "I chose you, and you accepted me...remember that..." Regaining a faint smile, Tenten joked, "You're right...I'm just worried that our kids might end up as half-monkeys..." Understanding what Tenten was trying to convey, Wu's eyes narrowed, a fiery red hue spreading from his pupils. However, before he could reply, Tenten adopted a severe face of her own and said, "Thirteen is a little too young to be a mother...I still want to focus on my career as a Kunoichi, at least for the time being..." Instead of pressing the issue, Wu nodded slightly and replied, "I'm not exactly in a hurry to be a father. As for the matter of me becoming a Clan Head, I'll keep you posted..." Squeezing Wu's hand, Tenten 'glowered' as she said, "You better..." in a low, threatening tone. She had already forgiven Wu for keeping secrets from her. After all, he did have a pretty compelling reason. Now that the truth had come to light, however, she expected transparency from him moving forward... ... .. . With three days passing in the blink of an eye, Wu was preparing for his second trip outside the village when one of the servants showed up at his door to inform him, "Young Master Wu, Uzumaki Naruto is asking to be let into the Estate. Shall I show him to the greeting room...?" Though he was tempted to have the servant send Naruto away, Wu could already guess what the mustard-haired youth wanted. Thus, after a brief moment of consideration, he answered, "You have my permission. Tell him I'll be with him shortly." Despite there being a bamboo door separating them, the middle-aged housemaid gave a polite bow, responding, "As you will, Young Master." before quickly setting out to convey Wu's words. At this point, everyone affiliated with the Sarutobi Clan believed that Wu was being groomed as Hiruzen's successor. He might be an adoptive member of the Clan, but he had earned the respect of 'almost' everyone within... ... .. . Several minutes after he had sent the servant away, Wu was unsurprised to hear the sound of agitated footsteps, followed by Naruto sliding open his door and shouting, "Wu! We need to talk, you hear me!?" Maintaining a calm, borderline deadpan expression, Wu replied, "Even if you weren't shouting, I could still hear you just fine. Now, what has your panties in a twist?" Walking up to Wu, Naruto attempted to grab the shorter boy by the collar. His attempt was successful but was immediately followed by Wu closing his hand around his wrist, squeezing it like a vice as he kicked the feet out from under him. As Naruto lost his footing, Wu used the former's wrist and arm as leverage to pin the boy to the ground, his voice flat yet penetrating as he asserted, "Grabbing people by their collar isn't very polite. I showed a willingness to hear you out. Why are you being so aggressive?" Ignoring the pain in his shoulder, Naruto's usually blue eyes gained a faint red hue as he practically growled, "You know why! Stay away from Hinata, you bastard...!" Raising his brows, Wu feigned ignorance, questioning, "Why? The 'three' of us have been friends since we were children. In case you've forgotten, I'm the one that helped set the two of you up. Why should I stop meeting one of my good friends just because you're feeling insecure...?" "Damnit...!" Attempting to free himself from Wu's hold, Naruto's finger dug through the tatami mats of the floor and even the wood below. His Chakra also began to saturate the air around him, prompting Wu to mutter, "You used to be a good kid..." before releasing him. Bounding to his feet, Naruto turned to face Wu in the basic stance of the Academy, his chest heaving as the color of his eyes alternated between pale blue and murderous red. However, instead of attacking, he gradually eased out of his stance and asked, "What's that supposed to mean?" Shaking his head, Wu answered, "It doesn't matter, not if you're unwilling to improve yourself. I've already given you multiple chances, Naruto. I'm not some endless fountain of knowledge you can drink from whenever it suits you. It's time to grow up and start figuring things out for yourself..." Punctuating his words, Wu walked past Naruto, giving him one final clap on the shoulder before departing the room. He had helped Naruto out of a dire situation, played matchmaker between him and Hinata, and given him no less than seven chances to rectify his behavior. Since they had been in the Academy at the time, Wu didn't mind it as much. However, now that they had graduated, Wu had much better things to do than being the one to make up with his former friend... Seeing Wu walk away, a confused expression marred Naruto's face. This was far from the first time they had a 'disagreement,' so he was used to Wu sticking around to try and talk things out. More often than not, well, every single time, the conflict between them resulted from some kind of misunderstanding. He had expected Wu to give him the same 'assurance,' so Naruto didn't know how to react to one of his best and longest friends simply walking away from him... ... .. . Though he was tempted to depart the village immediately, Wu dropped into an alleyway a few blocks away from the Sarutobi Estate and waited. Less than a minute later, a familiar figure entered the alley beside him, her hair noticeably shorter than a few days prior, but her body concealed in a thick, excessively baggy hoodie. With an extremely apologetic expression, Hinata looked like she was on the verge of tears as she muttered, "Wu-kun..." Shaking his head, Wu said, "You don't need to apologize, Hinata. This is one-hundred-percent Naruto. Now, tell me...what's with the hoodie? I'm pretty sure I beat the lack of confidence out of you..." Hanging her head, Hinata remained silent for nearly a full minute before revealing, "After I cut my hair, Naruto-kun...he got really upset. When he discovered the reason was because we talked, he started saying...some very mean things..." Shaking his head a second time, Wu said, "You don't need to get into the details..." before narrowing his eyes and asking, "Did he hit you?" Raising her hands, Hinata waved them rapidly, simultaneously shaking her head as she loudly insisted, "Naruto-kun would never do that!" Then, in a far meeker tone, she divulged, "He just...he doesn't like it when other boys stare at me..." Exhaling a tired sigh, Wu felt compelled to say, "You're not his possession, Hinata. It would be best, for both of you, if you didn't change things about yourself to soothe his insecurities. I've said this before, but the more you appease and pander to him, the worse his behavior will get. You're not his mother, Hinata..." Hanging her head low, Hinata gave a slight nod, a heavy silence lingering between them as she couldn't bring herself to speak. Her instinct was to defend Naruto, touching on the point Wu was trying to make. Thus, even though she had many things she wanted to say, she remained silent and simply...endured. Shaking his head one final time, Wu's expression and tone softened as he said, "I can't live your life for you, Hinata...just try not to do anything you'll regret..." Punctuating his words, Wu ruffled the slightly shorter girl's head before retracting his hand and turning away. Then, because he knew she was about to ask, he added, "I'll be gone for around 2-3 months this time..." before following it with a faint, "Good luck..." Without waiting for Hinata's response, Wu appeared to vanish into thin air. The former's Byakugan immediately activated, but, as remarkable as her eyes were, tracking Wu when he didn't wish to be seen or followed was easier said than done. In fact, as his speed and capabilities increased, it was becoming nigh-impossible... Exhaling a sad sigh, Hinata turned away from the direction Wu had departed. However, instead of making her way to where she and Naruto had been spending time together before he stormed off, she decided to return home. Naruto wouldn't be happy about it, but as she continued to spurn his advances, there weren't a lot of instances where he was...not since he had started doing 'boring' and 'meaningless' D-Rank missions for people that once treated him worse than garbage... ... .. . After carefully considering his destination, Wu decided to make a quick stop over at Otogakure, just to 'touch base.' If the Otokage attempted to punish or imprison him for leaving without permission, he would just bust his way out and cut ties with the unorthodox hidden village. There was a chance this would result in her canceling the invasion of Konoha, but that wasn't exactly a bad thing. Upon reaching the entrance to the underground base, Wu ignored the hundreds of spiders staring at him, casually strolling into the interior with his hands in his pockets. Before he could get far inside, however, the floor beneath him turned to sand as the green-haired Kagero emerged, asking, "Where have you been...?" in her hunchbacked disguise. Raising his brows, Wu asked, "Didn't you read my note? I said I was going on a walk. I know you probably won't understand, considering you spend most of your time playing in the dirt, but spending weeks cooped up in an underground bunker isn't my idea of a good time." "..." Sinking back into the ground, Kagero muttered, "Otokage-sama will want to see you..." before quickly slinking away. Kimimaru had instructed them to attack if Wu dared to show his face again, but the memory of their first encounter was still fresh in her mind. If Kimimaru was determined to repel or punish Wu, he could put his own ass on the line... ... .. . "Welcome back, Dadi-sama. Did you enjoy your 'walk'...?" Exhibiting no indications of anger or condemnation, the Otokage had her usual smile as she welcomed Wu. In response, the latter adopted a smile of his own as he replied, "Not really. I hit up the Tanzaka Quarters in the Land of Fire, but there was nothing interesting going on. I think I'll head up to the Land of Lightning next. See if I can't bully some Kumo Shinobi." As Wu's words were actually the truth, the Otokage couldn't see through them even if she wanted to. He had stopped by Tanzaka Quarters, albeit only for a few minutes, and he absolutely intended to head to the Land of Lightning next. Perking her brows in apparent interest, the Otokage asked, "Do you have enmity with Kumo?" Shaking his head, Wu answered, "Nah, not really. I just find their names dumb and their actions questionable. I figure someone ought to put them in place, so it may as well be me. Why, did you need me for something...?" Pausing for a moment, the Otokage's smile broadened as she responded, "No. Just a passing curiosity. However, to avoid future misunderstandings, I would appreciate it if you notified me before abruptly departing. You are a precious ally...I'd hate to lose you." Adopting a wry smile, Wu pretended to be embarrassed as he pointed out, "Well, I told you this time...that ought to count for something, right?" Exhaling a raspy chuckle, the Otokage mused, "I suppose..." before rising from her snake-themed throne and adding, "Now, while we're on the subject of your journey to Kumo...might I suggest taking Tayuya-chan with you? She didn't take it well when she found out you had 'gone for a walk.' Here, take this key. You can find her in the prison ward, cell D-16." Catching the proferred key, Wu raised his brows and asked, "Did she go on a rampage or something?" Nodding her head, the Otokage affirmed, "The Cursed Seal of Heaven has the unfortunate side effect of making the recipient...unstable. Don't worry, she will have calmed down by now. We were just keeping her there for the safety of herself and others." Seemingly finished with what she had to say, the Otokage made her way past Wu. However, before departing the chamber completely, she took a moment to look back, adding, "Oh, you should probably speak with Guren before you leave. Her reaction wasn't nearly as extreme as Tayuya-chan's, but she has been in a depressive state since your departure. I'm sure she would appreciate it if you stopped by to give her an explanation..." Truly finished this time, the Otokage turned away, departing the room as Wu spun the key around on the tip of his finger and mused, "It seems I'm quite popular~" in a voice he was sure the five-headed woman could hear. ... .. .

(A/N: I noticed how much traction the supplemental post was getting, so here's a bonus chapter.) With the deadline for his return to Konoha fast approaching, Wu found himself at a crossroads. He believed he had made considerable progress infiltrating Otogakure, but he had yet to obtain any valuable information, excluding the recently acquired medical files. If he suddenly disappeared, all of his 'hard work' would go out the window, undone instantly. Though he could easily make arrangements for a 'proxy' of sorts to hold down the fort until his return, Wu didn't immediately decide to do so. After all, while he felt compelled to stick around and learn more, gathering info on Otogakure wasn't his original 'reason' for leaving the village. His actual targets were Kumogakure and Sunagakure, two of the Five Great Shinobi Nations. Despite his conflicted thoughts, Wu had a relaxed smile on his face as he softly mused, "Seems I'll need to put more thought into my actions before committing to anything long-term in the future..." Having made his decision, Wu rolled forward, took out a piece of paper, and began writing a letter. He had enough foresight to understand that he would probably be enemies to Otogakure the moment they initiated their plan, so there was no reason to 'cling' to the identity he had forged under their roof. He did, however, want to leave things up in the air, so he wrote a simple 'going sightseeing' before setting the letter on his bed table and promptly 'disappearing.' In reality, he had shrunken down to the size of an ant, slipping under the door and making his way out of the underground compound a few minutes later... ... .. . Arriving outside the gates of Konoha a little less than three hours later, a faint smile developed across Wu's face. He had always been a creature of comfort, so as much as he enjoyed his newfound freedom, he preferred familiarity. After all, he had spent four years cultivating an identity within Konoha. He had no intention of undermining his hard work. After slipping through an underground passage that Hiruzen had shown him before his departure, Wu took a moment to consider whether or not he should return to the Sarutobi Estate or stop by to see how his 'friends' were doing. Most newly established Genin Teams were forced to do two months of menial missions within the village, so there was no reason they should be outside. Deciding to think it over during or after filling his belly, Wu made his way over to one of the more famous eateries of the Akamichi Clan, Yakiniku Q. It was a place where customers were given tiny hotplates or pots of hot umami to grill or boil strips of premium cut meat. The prices were through the roof, but that was actually a good thing as it meant most of the guests were well-off or successful Shinobi. In other words, if you were looking to randomly encounter people from Konoha's various clans, enjoying a meal at Yakiniku Q drastically increased your chances. Upon entering the nostalgic venue, Wu was immediately greeted by an extended member of the Akamichi Clan, remarking, "Oh, if it isn't Wu-kun! It's been some time since your last visit. Would you like a private booth, or are you meeting up with someone...?" Before answering the young waitress's question, Wu passed his gaze over the dining area, zeroing in on a familiar silhouette, his brows rising ever so slightly as he replied, "I'm going to join an existing table. My order will be the same as usual but substitute the green tea for ginseng." As Wu was a regular within the establishment, the young woman nodded before making a quick note and informing him that his meal would be out within ten minutes, a Yakinuku guarantee. Wu just nodded his response to this before meandering his way over to the private booth nearest the back of the restaurant, remarking, "It's unusual to see you eating alone. Did you get in a fight?" Not expecting Wu to be the one to surprise her, even though he was fairly famous for doing so, the young girl hanging her at the table nearly leaped out of her skin, involuntarily exclaiming, "Wu-kun!?" before looking around in embarrassment. Adopting one of his more charismatic and amused smile, Wu replied, "It's good to see you as well, Hinata. Mind if I join you...?" Though a part of her wanted to continue eating alone, Wu's long absence compelled Hinata to exhale a faint sigh through her nose, responding, "Of course, you can." in a kind yet noticeably dispirited tone. Sitting across from the inky-haired girl, Wu footed around the subject he was actually interested in, asking, "You're growing your hair out...?" with slightly raised brows. Exhaling another sigh, Hinata lowered her head slightly and explained, "I know you always told us that long hair is a detriment during combat, but I wanted to try growing it out. Naruto...Naruto-kun prefers girls with longer hair..." Not expecting Hinata to immediately transition the conversation toward Naruto, Wu feigned obliviousness as he asked, "Speaking of which, how is our resident wastrel? Is he still using his ridiculous Chakra reserves as an excuse to slack off in his training...?" Instead of responding to Wu's questions, Hinata exhaled a third, markedly more exasperated sigh. Things hadn't been going especially well between her and Naruto in the past month. Being forced to complete 'pointless' D-Rank missions had Naruto in an understandably lousy mood, but that was only the tip of the iceberg... Catching Wu a little off guard, Hinata reverted to her formerly meek self as she softly inquired, "Do you think it's normal for boys and girls to have sex before marriage? Naruto-kun has been a little...insistent the past few weeks. I keep telling him it's too soon and that we should wait until our wedding night, but he..." Realizing that she might be forcing Wu into an awkward position, Hinata's words gradually trailed into silence. She and the other girls had confided in Wu a lot over the past four years, but he had made it clear during the final weeks leading up to their graduation that their training with him had ended. Shinobi were legally considered adults, so while Wu had said he didn't mind meeting up now and then to trade pointers, he wasn't going to keep 'pampering' them as he had been... Surprising the young heiress, Wu quickly replied, "While it 'is' normal for some couples to enter a physical relationship before marriage, everyone has their own circumstances. Neither you nor Naruto can be considered normal, so comparing your situation to 'ordinary' people is just dumb. The most important thing is to do what 'you' believe is right. I told you before but a relationship is a compromise. You may have to make concessions to make things work, but that goes both ways. If you're the only one making compromises, you're being taken advantage of." Though he had nothing against Naruto, Wu's appreciation for his former friend had waned considerably. Naruto had 'inserted' himself into their training shortly after he and Hinata became a couple. His presence had caused a number of issues at the time, not simply because he didn't work hard but because his growth, backed by his nonsensical Chakra reserves, was borderline monstrous. Despite his minimal efforts, Naruto had managed to supplant himself as the third stronger person in their graduating class. For a time, he had even secured the second position, but his abrupt growth had spurred Sasuke to petition Wu's personal guidance. They didn't train together often, but Wu would periodically visit the Uchiha Compound to see what the broody boy was up to before beating some sense into him and offering some 'friendly' advice. Shortly after that, Sasuke destroyed Naruto in a spar, upsetting the latter so much that he had accused Wu of 'betraying' their friendship. They had eventually made up, primarily due to Hinata's mediation, but, as Wu had once told Hiruzen, trust, once broken, could never be restored to the way it was... As Wu's words settled in her heart and mind, Hinata's melancholy became increasingly apparent. She 'knew' Wu was right, he rarely wasn't, but she still wanted to make things work between her and Naruto. They had their ups and downs, sure, but she believed Naruto would eventually return to the earnest and hardworking boy he once was... With his food arriving during Hinata's depressive silence, Wu allowed her to mellow for a bit as he consumed a veritable mountain of meat. One of the things he genuinely relished about Konoha was their food culture. His stay in Otogakure hadn't been 'intolerable,' but their cafeteria needed a lot of improvements. Seeing Wu engorge himself with a contented look on his face, a feeling of relief washed over Hinata. Compared to most aspects of her life, Wu was like a constant, unchanging fixture. He had matured considerably over the past four years, but everything from his personality to his heartfelt desire for improvement remained the same. He could be a little 'dense' at times, but Hinata believed that, if she needed him, Wu wouldn't hesitate to offer his assistance and advice. It was just the kind of person he was...abrasive yet incomparably reliable... ... .. . After parting ways with the embattled Hyuga heiress, Wu attempted to return to the Sarutobi Estate but soon found his path blocked by a man with a beige cloak and a white mask bearing a red crescent. "Genin Wu. Report to the Hokage's Office at once." Instead of responding in the affirmative, Wu raised his hand and said, "Good to see you, Raidou-san. I see the old man still has you running around for him." Losing some of the 'edge' radiating off of him, the masked man exhaled a sigh and said, "Wu-kun...you know you aren't supposed to use our names when we're in uniform. If someone were to hear you, it could compromise us..." Shrugging his shoulders, Wu offered a lazy, "Yeah, yeah. Tell Nanao I said hi." before changing his destination to the red compound near the base of Hokage Mountain. He hadn't exactly been trying to remain low-key, so he wasn't too surprised the old man had sent someone to fetch him... ... .. . Staring out over the village from the vantage point of his office, a circular room with very little decoration, Hiruzen mused, "I wonder how he'll try to surprise me this time..." Having already dismissed his guards and activated a sound-suppressing seal, Hiruzen was fully expecting Wu to try and prank him. It was a little game they had started playing just over a year ago. If Wu could sneak up on him undetected, Hiruzen would increase the boy's allowance or permit him a single, minor request. Inversely, if he managed to catch Wu before the young boy could place a hand on his shoulder, Hiruzen could request his help in reviewing the mountain of paperwork cluttering his desk... Fortunately, Hiruzen had a slight advantage in their little game as he could track Wu's presence with his crystal ball. He knew exactly when his young protege was supposed to show up. The only challenging part was timing his words when Wu was in the room. He wasn't a Sensor, so there were several instances where he had spoken confidently to a completely empty room... Straining his senses to their absolute limit, Hiruzen waited for around six and a half minutes before musing, "It looks like I win our little game this time. You can come on out, Wu-kun..." *silence* Turning around, Hiruzen narrowed his eyes ever so slightly as he added, "It isn't like you to feign ignorance, Wu-kun. I might not be able to sense your exact location, but I know you're present..." *silence* "..." Feeling a little embarrassed, Hiruzen returned to his seat and decided to pretend he had invited Wu over to discuss something 'serious.' Before he could get into the proper mentality, however, a hand came to rest on his shoulder, followed by a teasing voice remarking, "You're lucky I choose to play by 'your' rules. I know damn well you couldn't sense me..." Instead of refuting Wu's words, Hiruzen exhaled a chuckle, nodding as he mused, "Your affinity with Natural Energy truly is a marvel...." Then, with a grandfatherly smile, he looked up at Wu and inquired, "Did you enjoy your foray outside the village?" Returning a nod of his own, Wu gave Hiruzen a light pat on the shoulder before making his way around the front of the desk and taking a seat atop empty air. The ambiance within the room became noticeably warmer, but that changed rather drastically when Wu casually revealed, "There is a reasonably high possibility that Konoha will be invaded in the next three to four months..." ... .. .

Chapter 32: Motivation