I, Your Father, Carry a Big Stick

After reaching Otogakure, Wu, Guren, and Tayuya made their way over to Orochimaru's throne room. Guren had already reported the Rasa's slip up, so, despite appearing as her usual self from Wu's perspective, Orochimaru resembled the man in the Bingo Book as s/he said, "Welcome back, Dadi-sama, Tayuya-chan, Guren-chan..." in a raspy tone. Showing no signs he cared about being 'deceived,' Wu raised his hand and offered his standard, "Yo." while Guren and Tayuya gave comparably polite/respectful responses. Though he had expected Wu to ask at least 'some' questions, Orochimaru managed to stay on topic, asking, "How was your visit to Suna? I've been informed that you and the Kazekage's daughter hit it off remarkably well. As expected of the 'splendiferous' Dadi-sama..." Nodding his head, Wu mused, "She's a good girl. With a bit of polish, she'll make an excellent woman. Speaking of which...I didn't see Kagero. Where is she?" Believing 'Dadi' was concerned about one of his 'pets,' Orochimaru gave a knowing smile as he assured, "Worry not, Dadi-sama. If I had to guess, I would assume your little mayfly is currently waiting outside of your room. Since I knew you would be returning today, I elected to give her the day off so you can...gauge her progress." Amused by his own insinuation, Orochimaru snickered for a few moments before catching Wu a little off guard, asking, "So, where will your travels take you next, Dadi-sama? Iwa? Kiri? I would ask you to participate in the upcoming Chunin Exams, but your face and name are already recorded in the Bingo Book. 30,000,000 Ryo from Iwa, Alive Only. It would appear old man Oonoki has taken an interest in you. Ufufufufu~" Shrugging his shoulders, Wu adopted a cheeky grin as he asked, "Can you blame him? I'm pretty fucking amazing." Without trying to refute Wu's claims, Orochimaru mused, "Indeed you are, Dadi-sama. That's why I would like to invite you to accompany me on the day of the Chunin Exam Finals. As one of the people who will rule over the region in the wake of Konoha's ruin, it's only natural that you would have a first-row seat..." Though he had the creeping suspicion that Orochimaru had uncovered his identity and was fucking with him, Wu smiled brazenly and replied, "Count me in. I had always imagined Konoha would become my seat of power, so there's no way in hell I'd miss out on such a 'festive' event. Hell, it may as well be my very own coronation ceremony." Grinning like a demon, Orochimaru's voice carried a hint of excitement as he said, "Very well said, Dadi-sama. I always knew you had tremendous potential. At this rate, you may even be able to 'unify' the Continent in the future. Then, with my research prowess and your power, we can create a world in which everyone can reach their full potential...!" Surprised by Orochimaru's sudden 'vigor,' Wu opened his eyes in genuine shock. He and Orochimaru appeared to have more in common than he previously thought. It was almost unfortunate that he happened to be a man of his word... Offering an authentic smile, the look in Wu's eyes became serious as he stated, "It appears we speak the same language. I'm looking forward to seeing how things pan out...Orochimaru-sama..." ... .. . With only Guren being held back for an after-mission debriefing, Wu and Tayuya made their way to his bedroom, the latter staring at his back with an especially serious expression on her face. The discussion between Wu and Orochimaru had left her thinking that he may have changed his mind about murdering the amoral snake. Fortunately, just as they rounded the corner and spotted a much healthier-looking Kagero sitting on the ground, embracing her knees with a faint smile, Wu softly whispered, "I am a man of my word..." before walking away without turning back. Though there was a chance that Wu was deceiving her, Tayuya found herself exhaling a sigh of relief. The serious effort he had put into making her exercise should have been enough proof to show that he was serious about 'claiming' her, but it was still a relief to hear him affirm his intent. At the same time, a firm conviction was born into her heart as she hurried to catch up to Wu's back, falling into step beside him... ... .. . After spending two days idling about in the underground compound of Otogakure, Wu exchanged brief farewells with Tayuya, Kagero, and Guren before ascending into the sky. His purported destination was Kirigakure to the South-East, but his actual destination was Konoha in the South. Though Wu had every intention of visiting Kiri and Iwa in the future, there was less than a month left before the start of the Chunin Exams. Wu had no plans to partake in the actual exam, but there was much he needed to prepare before the Finals. Thus, after a quick two-and-a-half-hour flight, he slipped through the gap in Konoha's barrier and immediately made his way toward...Yakiniku Q. The food in Suna hadn't been too bad, nice and spicy, but he had missed eating veritable mountains of meat on Hiruzen's dime... Making his way into the establishment, Wu returned the greeting of the waiting staff before making a beeline toward a group of familiar figures. Two wore green jumpsuits, bushy eyebrows, and bowl-cut hairstyles, one had a perpetually constipated face, long dark hair, and the characteristic eyes of the Hyuga Clan, but the most important person present was the only female within the group, a dango-haired Kunoichi Wu regarded as his girlfriend. As he was approaching from behind Tenten, Wu managed to elicit a fairly adorable reaction from the dango-haired cuttie as he raised his hand and said, "Yo, long time no see, Guy, Lee, Ne-" Before Wu could finish his greeting, Tenten bounced to her feet and gave him a big hug, exclaiming, "It's about damn time you came back, Wu! You had better be home for more than a few days this time...!" Reciprocating the bubbly girl's hug, Wu earned himself a 'warning look' as he gave her pert bottom a light pinch and replied, "No worries. I'll at least be sticking around until the end of the Chunin Exams." Beaming with a radiance that could rival the sun, Tenten stated, "That's great to hear. Guy-sensei gave us the month off to prepare for the Chunin Exams, so let's train together." Hearing Tenten's words, Rock Lee, a strange but sincere-looking boy with glossy black hair and thick eyebrows, exclaimed, "That's a most excellent idea, Tenten! Please, allow me to join you and Wu-kun in your training! Let us experience the flames of youth together...!" Piggybacking off his young protege's words, Might Guy, resembling an older version of Lee despite being completely unrelated to one another, gave a toothy smile and a thumbs-up as he added, "Well said, Lee! But you've forgotten one key detail...!" Exhibiting an expression of shock, Lee exclaimed, "Oh, no! Please, Guy-sensei, endow me with your wisdom...!" Rising to his feet, Guy gave Tenten and Wu one of his best smiles, a faint glimmer reflecting off his brilliant white teeth as he said, "Young Wu here is Tenten's boyfriend. While it is youthful to want to train together, there are times when you should take a step back and allow youth to blossom naturally! Now, go, young ones! Go and experience your Spring-" Unable to bear the antics of her teammate and Jonin-sensei any longer, Tenten dragged Wu to the other side of the restaurant with a crimson hue coloring her face. She didn't mind their antics all that much when they were out and about as a Team, but she could barely tolerate them when anyone whose opinion she cared about was nearby. Though he actually got along well with Guy and Lee, the result of their earnest training ethic, Wu allowed himself to be dragged by Tenten until they reached one of the private booths on the opposite side of the restaurant. Each booth cost quite a considerable amount of Ryo to rent, but Tenten was aware of Wu's arrangement with the Third and knew he could very easily afford it. Breathing a sigh of relief, Tenten attempted to across from Wu before the latter abruptly pulled her onto his lap, asking, "Where you are running off to~?" in a teasing tone. Regaining her blush, Tenten gave Wu a light smack and softly exclaimed, "Jeez, Wu! Not when we're in public...!" Raising his hands, Wu allowed Tenten to liberate herself from his lap, this time sitting next to him before she exhaled another sigh and asked, "So, how was your trip? Meet any cute girls while you were away...?" As he had already made his intentions 'very' clear to the dango-haired girl, Wu didn't hesitate to nod his head, answering, "You'll meet them soon enough. As for the specifics, we'll discuss them once I've had a chat with the old man. Things could change drastically depending on what he has to say on the matter, and I don't want to provide you false information." Though she nodded her head, Tenten couldn't help asking, "Can you at least tell me how many? Two? Five? Ten...?" Shrugging his shoulders, Wu revealed, "It really depends on what the Third had to say, but I can guarantee at least five people will be joining our house once it's established. If everything goes according to plan, it will be closer to ten, but I doubt it will exceed it. Even five women seem like a hassle, but it's necessary for my ambitions..." Nodding her head, Tenten was sincere as she said, "I understand." She still had a lot of doubts about the future, but she also believed in Wu. So long as he remained the same boy she had fallen in love with, she could endure sharing him. At least, that's what she kept telling herself the past two months Wu was absent. Preempting one of Tenten's future questions, Wu grabbed her hand and said, "I never crossed the line...even when the opportunity was literally staring me in the face..." Adopting a marginally more prominent smile, Tenten exhaled a light sigh through her nose before squeezing Wu's hand in turn, saying, "I always knew you were a man of your word. Still, if it gets too difficult, don't hold back on my account. Just try not to get anyone pregnant. I want at least one of your firsts, and having your first child is pretty up there in terms of important firsts. Promise me 'that' little right, and you're free to cut loose as much as you want." Narrowing his eyes into an affectionate stare, Wu was being fairly sincere as he asserted, "I knew choosing you was the correct choice, Tenten...my only question is, when do you 'want' to have a baby? Because if it's in the distant future, I'll need to restrain myself so that certain individuals don't get too stressed. There are quite a number of women who will be wanting my children..." As she had thought about it 'a lot' over the past two months, Tenten only hesitated for a moment before replying, "If waiting until I'm a Jonin takes too long, I'm willing to start trying at sixteen. I would prefer to wait until we're twenty, but eight years is a pretty long time to wait considering the things you have in mind..." Catching Tenten a little off guard, Wu unhesitantly replied, "Sixteen it is. I know at least one fiery-tempered redhead who will protest, but I can use her 'frustration' to promote her growth further. Until then, we should work to increase your strength as much as possible. Some of the women I have met on my journey possess incredible talent and Chakra Reserves. I won't allow them to look down on you." Seeing the fiery conviction in Wu's eyes, the sense of longing that had waned a bit over the past two months was promptly rekindled in Tenten's heart. One of her secret apprehensions was that she would be among the weakest members of Wu's harem despite being the 'first' woman he chose to stand beside him. Thus, even though she knew she was probably going to suffer a bit in the month to come, she smiled excitedly and replied, "'We' won't let them," placing heavy emphasis on the 'we.' ... .. . (A/N: To those of you who are 'concerned' about the lack of lemons, know that there will eventually be quite a few. I just want to avoid the backasswards nutjobs who point fingers and accuse people of some of the worst things imaginable just to make themselves feel vindicated.)

"On the subject of girls that might join our family, have you talked to Kaia, Ino, Sakura, and Hinata yet? I'm sure Kaia would be more than happy to become your bride." Shaking his head, Wu asserted, "While I'm sure she would want to be my woman, her loyalty lies with the Inuzuka. Besides, if she were the type of woman who would abandon her path for sexual gratification, she wouldn't be my number one subordinate..." Since she had only spoken to Kaia a few times, Tenten didn't question Wu's understanding of the exceptionally spirited Inuzuka. Instead, she asked, "And what about the others? I know you spoke with Hinata before you left last time. Things have calmed down a bit between them, but her relationship with Naruto remains...tenuous." Shrugging his shoulders, Wu revealed, "It will either be her or her sister. The 'powers that be' within Konoha still want to tie me to the village, and the only prominent Clan with two female members of significant status is the Hyuga. As for Ino and Sakura...unless the former forfeited her status as the Yamanaka heiress, she can't marry me 'or' Sasuke. Whoever ends up with her would need to be adopted into her Clan, so she's in a pretty sticky situation, politically speaking." "And Sakura...?" Suppressing a chuckle, Wu mused, "Sakura is Sakura. She let herself be wrangled into Ino's antics, but her obsession with Sasuke is clinical. She was bullied due to her hair color and enormous forehead, and Sasuke just happened to be the first boy to tell her she was cute. Since then, she has effectively brainwashed herself into loving him..." Smiling wryly, Tenten remarked, "Yeah...it would take something pretty drastic for that girl to give up her obsession. I just figured I would ask. You know, considering the things the four of you did together..." Making a very 'meaningful' gesture with the fingers of his right hand, Wu teased, "Just say the word, and I'll expand your horizons broader than you could have ever imagined..." Though a faint blush colored her cheeks, Tenten rolled her hazel eyes and remarked, "Yeah, yeah. Considering your skills, not to mention your ability to alter your size, I'm sure you're a little monster in the bedroom. I'll judge your performance when you're rewarding my efforts. I'm not just going to ask for it, and you shouldn't get too carried away while 'playing' with other women." Nodding his head, Wu replied, "I'll keep that in mind." before eating a few pieces of grilled meat and asking, "What do you have planned for the rest of the day? I still need to speak with the old man, but I can come over to your place once everything's been wrapped up." Adopting a smile, Tenten gave Wu the impression she was going to say yes, so he was a little surprised when she said, "I don't think Gai-sensei would mind, but we're supposed to be practicing coordination as a Team right now. I want to say yes, but it would be pretty selfish of me to skip out on a prior commitment." Instead of being bothered by Tenten's words, Wu returned a smile and playfully remarked, "Yet another reason I chose you over everyone else. Relationships might be a compromise, but compromising your integrity to pander to someone else leads to moral decline. You're making the correct decision." Rolling her eyes, Tenten gave a playful retort, inadvertently embarrassing herself as she responded, "Gee, thanks, dad...I'm 'so' happy to have your approval..." Narrowing his eyes in amusement, Wu waited for Tenten to go completely red in the face before sending her over the edge as he whispered, "I don't mind if you call me Daddy..." Fortunately, they were in a private, decently soundproofed room... ... .. . Preempting Hiruzen's summons, Wu made his way to the Hokage tower with a bit of pep in his step. As paradoxical as it sounded, the more time he spent 'away' from Konoha, the more it felt like home. At the very least, he had good food and an even better woman to welcome him back upon his return. Since they could tell Wu was headed to the Hokage's Tower, none of the ANBU that had been keeping an eye on him bothered to interfere with his walk. Instead, they gave him a wide berth as, shortly after the rumors of Saiko Dadi began to circulate, Hiruzen placed an S-Rank information block on all information related to Wu. As such, he now had a status comparable to a Jinchuriki within the Village Hidden in the Leaf. And rightly so... Upon reaching the Hokage's Tower, Wu didn't have to wait long before the middle-aged receptionist informed him that the Hokage was ready to see him. This time, Wu entered through the door proper, briefly stunning the elderly man before he quickly composed himself, adopted a grandfatherly smile, and said, "Welcome back, Wu-kun. Based on the numerous rumors circulating about, I take it you thoroughly enjoyed your trip outside of the village?" Returning a smile of his own, Wu replied, "There were a few hiccups here and there, but, overall, it was pretty fucking awesome. The Two-Tails was a bit of a disappointment, but Raikage was a lot stronger than I expected. I ended up giving him one of my peaches after blowing a hole through his chest and lung. A twenty-year one." Though his left eye twitched when Wu casually mentioned giving one of their greatest enemies one of his peaches, Hiruzen didn't chastise or try to lecture him. Wu was the only one who could cultivate the mystical fruit, so the only person who had any say in who he gifted them to was himself. With Wu's consent, he had given his own peach to their R&amp;D Department, but the mysterious fruit ended up shriveling the moment they pierced its skin... With a noticeably wry smile, Hiruzen gestured across from him, saying, "Please, take a seat. We have much to discuss, and I'm sure you'd prefer to get it over with quickly." As instructed, Wu took his usual perch atop empty air before recounting everything Hiruzen 'needed' to know about his journey outside the village. This included the information related to Orochimaru, the invasion, and the fact that Tayuya was working as his double agent. What he didn't disclose were the specifics of his encounters in Kumo, the headway he made with the Kazekage's daughter, and his ever-expanding ambitions for the future. After hearing everything Wu had to say, Hiruzen needed a few minutes to process everything, his silvery-grey eyes staring off into the distance as he softly inquired, "Have you reconsidered your decision about whether or not you will accept the Hokage position? You're still young, but I can think of none better suited to wearing the hat..." Shaking his head, Wu reminded, "We had an agreement, old man. You let me do what I want, and I make sure that Konoha's enemies pay the price if they have aspirations for the village. If you're really desperate to be rid of the hat, give it to the melon girl. Considering I saved her from being an infertile husk, she owes me&mdash;you cheeky little monkey." Seeing the glimmer that flashed across Hiruzen's eyes the moment he mentioned the last of the Senju, Wu's gaze narrowed as he asked, "Don't tell me that woman finally 'came to her senses.' Besides, is she the apple of your favorite apprentice's eye? Jiraiya gave me some excellent...advice when I was younger. Even I would feel a modicum of guilt if I snatched up the woman he had been aiming at for forty years..." Though he gave a sagely nod, Hiruzen pointed out, "That's the issue. It's been forty years, Wu-kun. Twenty-five since Tsunade's lover, Kato Dan, was killed in battle. At this point, both Jiraiya and Tsunade need to move on with their lives. Tsunade has proposed donating her egg cells, but the political ramifications of such an act...I get a headache just thinking about them..." Shrugging his shoulders, Wu asked, "So, what do you want me to do? Try and seduce a woman more than four times my age? She might resemble a teenager in her true form, but she's still a temperamental granny hellbent on wiping her ass with the legacy of the Senju." Exhaling a sigh, Hiruzen turned his chair to the side, once again staring off into space as he softly asserted, "You're the only one I can trust with this matter, Wu-kun. The Council is well aware of Tsunade's 'revitalization' and have been pressing for the emergency enactment of the Clan Restoration Act. There is nothing they can do to force the matter, but I'm certain that Tsunade feels at least some obligation to restore her Clan...if she is going to be forced into a decision, I would rather he be with the one responsible for her revitalization than someone hand-picked by the Council..." As it didn't truly matter to him, Wu decided to get to the heart of the matter, asking, "So, instead of permitting me to create a Clan of my own, you want me to marry into the Senju? That would certainly achieve your goal of 'tying' me to the village, but there are just a few major problems with that..." Understanding what Wu was referring to, Hiruzen remarked, "The other girls you have set your sights on..." Nodding his head, Wu appended, "Tsunade is a proud woman. Even if she feels indebted to me, do you genuinely believe she would accept being in a harem? It might make things easier for her, but I can't really imagine her getting along with women half or even a quarter of her age." Though he could see where Wu was coming from, Hiruzen responded, "I have considered that. That takes me back to what I said previously, about Tsunade willing to donate her egg cells..." Realizing what Hiruzen was getting at, an understanding, "Ah..." emanated from Wu's throat. If Tsunade simply donated her eggs and permitted their implantation into surrogates, the fate of the Senju would fall squarely into the hands of the Council. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing, from a purely objective point of view, but it was virtually guaranteed that some of Tsunade's eggs would go 'missing.' The autonomy of the surrogates would also need to be restricted as it was only a matter of time before potential successors of the Senju began clashing over their birthright at the behest of people who would see them as puppets... Understanding Hiruzen's intentions, Wu remarked, "So, what you're really asking me is to 'protect' Tsunade and the legacy of the Senju by allowing her to use 'my' women as surrogates. That way, she wouldn't be forced to marry, and she could essentially live as she pleases while others bear the burden of her legacy...not a terrible plan." Feeling gratified by how quick Wu was on the uptake, a smile developed across Hiruzen's face as he replied, "I'm glad you think so. However, there is one thing you're overlooking, young Wu..." Seeing Wu raise his brows in suspicion, a mischievous twinkle appeared in Hiruzen's eyes as he elucidated, "You will need to marry Tsunade, making you the de facto Patriarch of the Senju. She might be resistant to the idea at first, but now that her body has reverted to that of a teenager, she will doubtlessly have 'needs.' Tsunade isn't a promiscuous woman. Once you marry, you become the only person she can depend on to 'alleviate' such urges..." Unable to contain himself, a wolfish grin developed across Wu's face as he remarked, "You perverted monkey. Just how much time have you spent thinking about your female disciples getting it on? You better pray I never catch you spying on us with that crystal ball of yours..." Though he might have tried if Wu was an 'ordinary' Shinobi, Hiruzen was being sincere as he said, "I would never. Tsunade is like a daughter to me, and I regard you as my grandson. Once this arrangement has been made, I have no intention of meddling in your personal lives. I would, however, like to see at least one successor to the Senju bloodline before I breathe my last..." Since Hiruzen's death would inconvenience him quite a bit, Wu had no qualms about giving the man a thumbs up and saying, "Leave it to me. I still have no intention of accepting that hat, but I can promise you'll have more 'grandchildren' than you know what to do with." As he had no doubts about Wu's 'capabilities,' Hirzuen exhaled one final chuckle, saying, "Thank you, Wu-kun..." before eventually releasing the ever-dependable boy from his office... ... .. . (A/N: You guys have no idea how long it took to come up with a 'proper' justification for Tsunade being a potential member of the MC's harem xD...)

Having agreed to meet up with her again following their first meeting, Wu ate breakfast with Guren and Tayuya before heading out to a small market Temari had introduced him to the previous day. Suna had several bazaars in place of a commercial district, so it was possible to find and barter for commodities from all across the world while simultaneously enjoying food from various street vendors. Spotting Wu quickly, as he was the only one dressed distinctly different from everyone else, Temari flagged him down, shouting, "Dadi-kun! Over here-!" Though he had spotted the blonde well in advance, Wu pretended to be pleasantly surprised by greeting, casually raising his hand before making his way over to remark, "You changed your outfit. Is lavender your favorite color?" As Temari had switched out her lavender robe for a comfortable-looking spaghetti-strap tank top, equally as purple, Wu correctly assumed it was the girl's favorite color. In response, an awkward chuckle emanated from Temari's throat as she combed back her bangs and answered, "I learned in the Academy that purple compliments yellow. Since then, I try to wear at least one purple item on me at all times..." Nodding his head in approval, Wu asserted, "It suits you. Still, I can't help but wonder how you can maintain such a fair complexion? Just yesterday, we were roaming around under the hot sun for hours. It's a wonder you're not red as a lobster or brown as a baked potato..." Shrugging her shoulders, Temari admitted, "To be perfectly honest with you, I'm not entirely sure. I do moisturize and apply sunscreen when I'm going to be out for an extended period, but I've never tanned or suffered a sunburn. A lot of girls in Suna are like that." Never one to miss out on a perfect setup, Wu feigned shock as he replied, "I hadn't noticed. Guess a certain someone kept me distracted..." Rolling her eyes, Temari remarked, "We should get going if we're going to catch the earliest screening. The theater here gets pretty crowded in the afternoon, and I don't like cramped places." Adopting a faint smile, Wu responded with a carefree, "Hai, hai..." before extending his hand to grasp Temari's. She tensed as he did so but didn't attempt to break free as he seized the initiative to guide her through the bazaar. He had memorized the layout of every place they visited the day prior, so it didn't take them long to reach their destination, a tiny theater with a single matinee. Suna wasn't exactly the most prosperous country in the world, but the increasing popularity of motion pictures had led to the previous generation's Kazekage authorizing the construction of a theater. While Wu didn't particularly care for movies, Temari's face practically lit up as she exclaimed, "Oh! They're playing one of Yukie Fujikaze's movies, The Adventures of Princess Gale! I love this series, and Yukie Fujikaze is an amazing actress." Seeing the woman with raven-black hair and ice-blue eyes plastered on the movie poster, Wu remarked, "She certainly looks like a princess..." Narrowing her eyes into a broad smile, Temari hummed, "I know, right~? Some rumors claim that the actress, Yukie Fujikaze, is actually a bonafide princess from a ruined kingdom. If she ever comes to Suna on one of her promotional tours, I'll have to ask her directly." Seizing the initiative from Wu, Temari dragged him to the ticket stand to purchase a total of twelve tickets. She hated having people sit in front of or behind her during movies, so two tickets were for herself and Wu, while the rest were to ensure at least a one-seat perimeter around them. As for where she got the money? Being the daughter of the Kazekage meant she was practically royalty within the village of Suna... ... .. . As his stay in Suna stretched from days into weeks, Wu's boredom began to compound with each passing day. He went through the motions during his outings with Temari, but Suna simply didn't have anything 'interesting' to do. When Wu asked her to take him to the most interesting place in the village, Temari used her status as the Kazekage's daughter to grant them access to a fucking greenhouse... Though it was admittedly more scenic than the rest of Suna, Wu's visit to the greenhouse had affirmed just how pitiful the desert-dwelling peoples' lives were. Even more ridiculous was the fact that they didn't 'have' to live that way. They didn't have that many people living within their borders, so if they bargained with a peace-loving shill like Hiruzen, they could migrate and become a part of Konoha. Instead, even Temari 'resented' the people of Konoha because they 'could never understand' the hardships of people who called the desert home. Just like people who rightly avoided flames could never comprehend the misery of those who willfully set themselves aflame... "Are you listening to me, Dadi-kun...?" Blinking back to awareness, Wu met Temari's slightly judgmental gaze and admitted, "I should have been." before following it up with a smile and revealing, "I just got a little distracted thinking about the fact we wouldn't be able to see each other for a while..." "Ah..." Having succumbed to Wu's incessant charms during their time together, Temari actually felt guilty for glaring at him, an awkward smile developing across her face as she proposed, "You could always stick around until the Chunin Exams. We're going to be...'working together' a lot in the future, so I can introduce you to my brothers." Though he did have an interest in Temari's youngest brother, the vessel of the One-Tailed Demon Tanuki, Wu shook his head and said, "I have a prior arrangement to attend. The next time we meet will probably be during the Chunin Exam Finals..." Unaware of the hidden meaning within Wu's words, Temari exhaled a faint sigh, maintaining a faint smile as she said, "Look on the bright side. Once this mess has been settled, we'll have plenty of time to spend together..." As her father had eventually made it very clear what his intentions were for her future, Temari began to look forward to her future 'independence.' She and Wu had kicked it off from day one, so most of her apprehensions about the future had disappeared. Her only complaint was that Wu didn't seem content with just a single woman, readily revealing he had 'several' and would likely 'acquire' even more. Hell, at one point, he had even joked about tracking down her favorite actress and having her join them... Returning a smile of his own, Wu surprised Temari by extending his hand to caress her left cheek as he asserted, "I'm looking forward to it..." in a deep, almost velvety smooth tone. Feeling her throat tense and her mouth dry, Temari inadvertently licked her lips and swallowed. Wu was two, almost three years younger than her, but she felt like putty in his hands. When he began moving his face closer to hers, she could feel her heart pounding in her chest, her mind racing as she tentatively closed her eyes and inexperiencedly puckered her lips. Though he was initially just planning to stare Temari down with his tried and true 'smoldering look,' Wu wasn't the type to pass on an opportunity to make considerable headway in an instant. The 'first kiss' of most girls was an incredibly significant moment in their lives, so, even if they weren't entirely sure of their feelings, they would 'convince' themselves they were in love after surrendering it to someone. Feeling a moist pressure against her lips, Temari's eyes abruptly opened wide as if to confirm she was actually kissing someone. Seeing Wu's face at a near-zero distance confirmed this was the case, causing her swiftly beating her to beat even faster. She genuinely had no idea what to do, so all she could do was trust her instincts as Wu wrapped his hands around her waist and guided her first steps into adulthood... ... .. . "Are you sure you don't want to say goodbye? Temari-chan isn't going to be happy when she finds out you left the village without telling her..." Shaking his head, Wu insisted, "It's better like this. I would rather have her be angry with me than depressed. Besides, it's not like we'll be apart for long. Making a big deal over a temporary separation is just senseless." Though she wanted to explain to Dadi that women, especially young girls, were delicate and sentimental creatures, Guren ultimately shook her head and sighed. She couldn't even be honest with herself, so lecturing others didn't feel right. Instead, she softly responded, "Well, if that's what you've decided, I have nothing else to say on the matter. Let's go home. I'm sure the Otokage is eager to receive us." With Guren punctuating her words by placing her hand on his shoulder, Wu returned a nod before picking her and Tayuya up in princess carries. He also suspected that Orochimaru would be happy to have them back. Unfortunately for her, him, or it, Wu wouldn't be staying for long. He was planning to use his incredibly boring stay in Suna as an excuse to justify traveling to another village, this time alone. Then, instead of doing that, he would return to Konoha and explain his findings to Hiruzen. From the perspective of Orochimaru, it would be like he had dropped off the face of the Shinobi World when, in reality, he would be waiting for the scheming snakes to overextend and expose her neck. With such thoughts on his mind, Wu elected to take a more scenic route, flying over the aptly named Lands of Rain and Grass before traveling East toward the Land of Sound. If not for the deadline of the Chunin Exams, he would have liked to explore both. Every nation had its secrets, and with his power, Wu was certain he could discover, expose, and take advantage of them all. For now, however, he had promises to keep and preparations for his future Clan, the fledgling seed of his future dynasty, to complete... ... .. . While Wu was planning his future conquest, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, members of Team 7 led by the 'legendary' Copycat Ninja, Hatake Kakashi, were returning to Konoha after their first away mission. Though they had initially accepted a C-Rank Mission to escort an elderly Bridgebuilder by the name of Tazuna, things quickly escalated when the group was attacked by missing-nin from Kirigakure, the Village Hidden in the Mist. Shinobi from Kiri were famous for their brutality and capabilities as assassins, but Team 7 managed to dispatch the first group fairly easily. Things became infinitely more precarious when they reached the outskirts of Tazuna's village and encountered Zabuza, an infamous assassin known as the 'Demon of the Mist.' As his opponents were a bunch of Genin and a Shinobi that had fallen off the face of the Earth after the Third Great Shinobi War, Zabuza severely underestimated the capabilities and teamwork of Team 7. He managed to escape at the last moment but ended up losing both his sword and one of his arms in the process. Though things went comparably smoothly after their encounter with the infamous assassin, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were in low spirits as they returned home. The former had never expected the outside world to be so 'grim,' a sentiment shared by the other two, even though Sasuke had once witnessed his Clan slaughtered by his own brother... ... .. . (A/N: For those that are curious, both Zabuza and Haku are still alive in this timeline. Unfortunately, while Naruto received a wake-up call after meeting Inari and seeing what life was like in the Land of Waves, he never encountered Haku or got to use his Talk-no-Jutsu on Zabuza. As for what the future holds for the duo, only time can tell. However, so long as life remains, there is hope...)

Chapter 48: I, Your Father, am a Man of Great Ambition