Chapter 2, Naming

Year 56 since Konoha founding. Third Shinobi War, one month after Uzugakure’s destruction. Kusa-no-kuni

- Sasori-sama, thank you and your men for freeing us. We will forever be gratefull for that. Bowing profundly in front of him.

- You’re welcome. Making the man raise himself.

- How do you intend to take us to Konoha ?

- We will go across Kawa-no-kuni, as fast as possible to avoid problems here. Then, straight to Konoha. We will have to deal with their shinobis when we encounter them. I will count on you as this thime.

- Of course Sasori-sama. Said the man, bowing again.

Two days later, they crossed in Hi-no-kuni. The refugees wariness decreasing as they approched their destination.

- Sasori-sama. Called Hiashin, the refugee leader. Do you think we will reach Konoha without encountering their shinobis ?

- No.

- Why do you think that ?

- We’re being hunted. Answered Sasori, looking straight ahead, where a silhouette appeared suddunly.

The shinobi, an adult with a green chunin vest, black trousers, sandals and sleeves, had silver hair and his face covered by a mask.

Sasori : Since you finaly revealed yourself, I suppose you want to talk. White-Fang.

Sakumo : You know your bingo book kid. (chuckling) Nice puppet bird. (looking far above them). One of Sasori puppet was flying high above them, serving as the Suna shinobi’s lookout.

Sakumo : Mind telling me what a bunch of sand shinobis are doing in fire country with some refugees in tow.

Sasori : We freed them after killing the slavers trying to sell them to Iwa. Since they probably wanted to reach the leaf we offered them an escort. Now, would you mind accompany us to your village, some of them were pretty roughed.

Sakumo : Walk with me. As he intended to go through the every bit of information he could get out of this Suna Chunin.

Two of his team’s members came out of the forest. An Inuzuka with his brown ninken. And an Aburame with their tippical outfit. Sasori knew the fourth member was checking on them discreatly. He had seen four silhouettes, running toward them form affar. He didn’t mind the leaf’s shinobis wariness at all. He would have done the same.

As they walked side by side, Sasori got the pleasure of a double interrogation, as Hiashin kept harrassing him with questions. Did he have a clan like Sakumo Hatake ? Did he have a family name ? Why ? Why does Suna’s shinobis don’t usually have a family name ? Where they not clan there ? Did Sasori-sama had a nickname ? Why not ?

Sakumo was smiling behind his mask in front of this whole comedy. The young chunin acting as the responsible and calm parent. The old refugee leader, like a six years old on a sugar rush.

Sakumo wondered what would be the follow up when the small caravan reached the village. He had allready sumoned one of his ninken for this task. Listen to the discussion and report back to Hiruzen-sama, the third Hokage, Konoha-no-kuni chief.

Their arrival at the leaf village at the end of the day made quite a commotion. Police members (Uchiwas) and Anbu patrols, medics, civilians, ninjas, surrouding a man in a red mantle and hat.

Hiruzen bore the fire kanji on his hat. Making him the Hokage of Konoha-no-kuni.

As an habile politician, he was fast to thanks the Suna shinobis, inviting them for a meeting in his office at the Hokage Tower. During this time, the refugees would be checked by the doctors, bringed to the hospital if necessary, or to the warehouse wich they transformed in a sleeping area. This could help the police and Anbu to check on them.

Sasori went with his team and Hiashin to Hiruzen’s office.

The Hokage had a nice smile on his face, showing his grand-father’s look toward the young chunin. Sasori knew it was a ploy to soften him in the following discussion.

He steeled his heart before repetting again what it could tell the leaf about the rescue mission. All knew some parts were edited, either modified or suppressed. He wouldn’t never want to give them to much informations about his team capacities.

It took them a good hour before Hiruzen was willing to releaze them. Even if they weren’t prisonners, the aura he had around him was imposing. After all of this, the team was in need of some relaxing time and discussed where to go eat.

While Hiruzen was writting a lenghty message to his wind conterpart, Sasori wanted to go to a barbecue place he had heard about.

They ended up at Ishiraku-ramen. Damn democratic’s rules.

As they seated themselves at the stall, the other clients allready here got up and bowed to them.

- Kome-sama, Son-sama, Jura-sama, Akuna-no-Sasori-Sama. They said respecfully, winning them a blank face from Teuchi, his aide, the Suna-nin and the only other client here.