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Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine. Also this story is a lemon fiction therefore is intended for people of a legal age from wherever they come from. So if these type of stories offend then stop reading now. Thanks.


Eroninja: Little Black Book


Chapter 5: Gathering Intel Before Establishing a Beachhead


Chapter takes place over the time period covered in chapter 75


“Excuse me miss,” a male receptionist said pulling Kin from her thoughts, “the Mizukage is ready to see you now.”


Kin nodded and stood after grabbing the leather business bag that she had brought with her. She felt a little uncomfortable wearing the gray business suit that she had chosen for the meeting since it would be the first time she would be acting in her new job with the Great Tree Shipping Company, and so adjusted the skirt that she wore. She followed the man, who approached the door and opened it for her. Before then stepping outside and closing it behind him. The Mizukage looked up from her desk, and stood to come around in order to shake her hand.


Giving the Mizukage what she hoped was a firm, but friendly handshake she said, “Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Lady Mizukage.”


“Please call me Mei,” the auburn haired beauty said kindly.


“Only if you’ll call me Kin,” she replied causing the Mizukage to give her a soft smile before returning to sit behind her desk. Kin’s gaze drifted down to the desk where she saw a file was sitting open. She wasn’t too surprised to see that it was a file in regards to her, which was one of the reason she hadn’t used a false identity and a position within the Great Tree Shipping Company had been created for her, as she had doubted that Kirigakure’s Intelligence Division would be fooled.


Mei folded her hands over the file Kiri had on her and asked, “I hope you don’t mind my saying that I find it rather strange that a company would use a former Sound-nin as a representative. Surely your bosses would think doing so might put us on edge.”


Kin smiled politely before replying, “Perhaps they feel sending a former Sound-nin and being upfront about it would be better than sending someone else, like say someone with a record that wouldn’t make you suspicious, but ends up making you even more so because you think they are a spy.”


Mei laughed softly before replying, “That is the crux of the world that we live in.” Kin thought she noticed a sense of melancholy appear in the woman for a moment before she recovered and said, “But, that lack of trust seems to be an issue that Kumo, Suna, and Konoha are working to address.”


“I’m sure there is room for Kirigakure in the current Alliance,” Kin replied as she began digging in her bag. Producing a notepad she said, “You could say the Great Tree Shipping Company likes to think it leads the vanguard in opening relations between villages.”


“Yes,” the Mizukage said quickly. Kin wasn’t sure why the Mizukage’s tone made her worried since it didn’t really display much emotion. But she believed it was that lack of sentiment which was behind her sudden unease, since it gave her the feeling of a card player not wanting to give away a tell.


Pushing her concerns that the Mizukage was hiding something to the backburner for the moment, she said, “What brings me to Kirigakure though is as you may have heard we have purchased a port in the Land of Wave. We’ll be using it to support our shipping operations over the ocean. We also intend to sell our goods in the Land of Water.”


Mei inclined her head, but said skeptically, “But that doesn’t exactly explain why you would feel a need to meet with me. You do not exactly need my permission to sell your goods in Water Country.”


“That might be,” Kin admitted. “Yet, as I’m sure you can imagine the companies we will be competing with are likely not all that thrilled with the idea of us venturing into new territories. It is understandable though particularly when one considers how successful we were on the mainland.”


Kin noticed the Mizukage again seemed to go stone-faced for a moment, but then replied, “I’m afraid that I still fail to see the point of your visit.”


“Why intel of course,” Kin said with a smile which grew wider at the Mizukage’s momentary surprise at her bluntness in reveling that the goal of her visit was to gather information. “We are essentially moving into a new territory and one that we haven’t had much experience with. Even our sources in the other Shinobi Villages which make up the Alliance are not able to provide us much in the way of details about the Land of Water or your village. Primarily since there has never been a successful invasion of Water Country. I’m sure there are all sorts of threats that we have no idea exist. Who better to ask about them then the woman in charge of protecting this land?”


“I’m afraid that I’m not one to give away our secrets,” Mei said politely, “It would seem you’ve made this trip for nothing.”


Kin let her disappointment show, but replied, “Really, not very many people consider threats in their areas of operation to be all that important a secret to keep.”


Mei grew stoic as she replied, “Perhaps, but I haven’t quite decided whether you are here just for the reason that you claim to be. You say people don’t consider threats in their lands all that great a secret, but it may very well prove to be an important secret to keep. For example, let us say an Alliance agent is looking to gain allies for a possible invasion, which as you’ve pointed out there has never been a successful one. That lack of information which you are seeking to rectify could be a contributing factor in our successful defense. Recently, I’ve entertained several Iwa envoys who claim that we should be wary of the Alliance between Kumo, Konoha, and Suna. It is a sentiment echoed by my own advisors as well. So much so they have even considered once more entering into an alliance with Iwagakure. No small thing when one considers how the previous one ended. Yet, even if you aren’t here to spy on the Alliance’s behalf. I can’t ignore the possibility that you might take your goods and sell them to these same troublemakers in my lands since as we both know, war is good for business.”


Kin frowned at the woman as she said heatedly, “War might be good for business, but it is hell for the people caught in the crossfire.” Her gaze hardened as she added, “You’ve seen my file Lady Mizukage, it should mention that I’m from The Land of Rice Paddies and lived in one of the regions hardest hit by the previous Daimyo’s War with the Land of Waterfalls. I lost both my parents in that war.”


Mei’s demeanor did soften some, but she countered, “And went straight into Orochimaru’s arms.”


“Not straight,” Kin countered, “Only after years of living off of the scraps my sister tried to support us both with. I grew tired of my lot in life, and soon grew bitter and angry so that when he came along offering power I jumped at it. I wanted to be in control of my own destiny, but even though I became stronger I wasn’t in control.”


“Because Orochimaru was just using you,” Mei supplied.


“No,” the former Sound-nin replied, “Because my bitterness and anger at how unfair I felt life had treated me were what ended up controlling me. He just used it to his advantage. With that said, we have no desire to see you deposed Lady Mizukage or the people of Kirigakure to suffer in pointless conflicts.”


Mei studied the woman for a moment before finally countering, “I wish I could believe that. But, I can’t ignore the fact that recently many of the materials trading between the Villages that make-up the Alliance seem to be those suited to preparing for war, not to mention your company seems to be the one profiting the most from it.”


Kin nodded as she replied, “I can’t deny that, after all most of the Chakra Infused Wood Konoha provides the Great Tree Shipping Company in turn does head to Suna where it is used for puppet creation and so on.” She reached for her bag, and then pulled out a Senbon from a hidden pouch that she had managed to smuggle into the office despite the bag being searched. She had done so slowly enough that Mei wasn’t threatened by the action. Although, she did arch an eyebrow at her for reveling that she had snuck a weapon past her shinobi. Kin quickly explained, “But, just because there has been a buildup doesn’t mean the reason for it is for some nefarious reason. This senbon for example is just a lump of metal with sharpened ends, it can be used as a weapon, a medical instrument, or even a paper weight. It is simply the will of the person holding it which determines to what purpose it is used. But even if it is used as a weapon, is that a bad thing if it is used to defend someone? If it is used in medicine that doesn’t necessarily mean it is good because it might be for some horrible experiment.” Kin could see her point had at least reached the Mizukage so continued, “The reason Suna is building up its puppet forces is simply because after decades of decline, they finally have enough chakra infused wood to let more of their shinobi pursue creating puppets of their own design. Heck, recently it has even lead to a new form of entertainment as the puppet fights have become quite popular. Naturally, even though these war instruments are being used for a game, it has led to some developments which will eventually find their way to the battlefield.”


“I do see your point,” Mei said interrupting Kin before she could continue with more examples. “But ultimately it doesn’t exactly make mine about not blindly trusting you or your company any less poignant. You might very well believe everything you just said, and I would even claim that you are being truthful. But, your superiors might have chosen you for that very reason and their motivations can still be suspect. I’m sorry to say that at present I have very little reason to help you and many reasons why it would be wise not to.”


Kin sighed disappointedly, before replying, “My only mission here is to get to know you and the people of Kiri a little better in the hopes to tip the scales in favor of you helping us succeed, and to assess any threats that we might encounter.” She began packing her stuff up as she added, “But, I can see the desire to learn more about us isn’t mutual. I will take my leave.” Standing Kin gave a proper bow before saying, “I hope someday we can meet as friends.”


Mei inclined her head, but made no move to stop her leaving Kin disappointed, but she didn’t show it as she left the Mizukage office.


****************************


Rin walked through the streets of Kirigakure, and would admit that she felt rather nervous being there. After all, she knew that at one point the village had believed they had made a deal with her to secure the Synthetic Hero’s Water. Granted, all of those that had made contact with the fake her had died according to Kakashi, and her death had been well documented. Still, she was afraid that someone may have seen through her false identity when she had applied for permission to enter.


She doubted that was the case though as her false persona had likely been overshadowed by Kin’s very real one. Kirigakure was an exceptionally secretive place much like Takigakure was, and in order to enter people needed to register for passes at branch offices. The one that she and Kin had used was located in the largest port within the Land of Water. As such they simply used the bureaucracy of the process against it. Knowing that a known Sound-nin would require many more resources to validate and verify then a young college student working on her thesis about the various cultures found in the shinobi villages, they had entered their petitions at close to the same time. Kin had naturally gone first since any that came after stood a greater chance of being rubber stamped. Particularly due to Kin’s stated desire to meet with the Mizukage. As such, Rin had been standing in line waiting to hand her form in at the exact moment where it felt like the gears of the bureaucratic process had begun to grind under the strain of verifying Kin’s identity. Several windows had been closed as agents were pulled away to collect and distribute information.


Naturally, it did mean there had been a chance that the bureaucratic machine would grind to a halt, and her application could have been thrown in a pile to be worked on at a later date, or she’d simply be sent home to try again. But, if Rin had learned one thing about such processes, it was that nobody wanted to have work pile up on them, especially if they had to pick up other people’s slack. Therefore, when she got to the window and as the man on duty looked over her paperwork while she chatted on endlessly about the various villages that she had been to already and how excited she was to possiblly get to see Kirigakure in person, all while his line kept getting longer and longer, she wasn’t surprised he practically rubber stamped her for a visitor’s visa.


Yet, walking through the streets of Kirigakure, if she was working on a thesis for a paper she would have to give the Mist Village a failing grade when it came to welcoming people. Not to mention, there was an unease that hung in the air which she couldn’t just attribute to the perpetual mist that covered the village. Naturally, the villagers and shinobi wouldn’t elaborate on it to her, but even an untrained observer could pick up some of what was wrong in the village. Rin, stopped at one such sign as she saw graffiti which read, “Get out Bloodfreaks!”


Rin frowned at the evidence that the hatred between those with bloodline abilities, and those without hadn’t exactly disappeared just because the current Mizukage was rumored to possess a couple of Kekkei Genkai. Not to mention, she doubted the current Mizukage had been elected to office as although a few years old, the signs of a battle that had happened inside the village was still evident. She supposed that it shouldn’t come as a surprise, particularly since she had heard from Haku how fanatical those hunting the Bloodline users had been. Not to mention, the way Haku’s father had turned against her mother when he realized that she had likely inherited abilities not found within his family. It hinted at a problem deeply rooted within the Land of Water, and Rin doubted a new Mizukage would just make it disappear. Still, she wondered what it was that had set the hatred in motion, particularly since Bloodline Abilities were not all that rare. Had it been a problem that existed since the very founding of the Village, which had happened to explode into violence from an incident that happened after the Fourth Mizukage had come to power. Or, had it been something that he had tapped into and cultivated during his reign.


Rin suspected that from how the hatred and mistrust appeared so deep and longstanding that it could cause a man to turn against his own daughter, a woman she could only describe as one of the gentlest souls she knew, she believed it was something that had always existed. The Fourth Mizukage had likely just allowed it to spark into open genocide.


Rin paused by an alley as she noticed some flickering lights through the haze of the mist. Stepping into it, she heard several people begin to run away from her footsteps. Stopping at a makeshift shrine where a picture of the previous Mizukage was surrounded by candles, she felt she might have uncovered some of the reason why people hated those with Kekkei Genkai as written above the picture on the wall was, “The beloved leader that tried to destroy those with the Demon’s blood. Long may his memory last.”


She wasn’t surprised that it appeared some viewed the Fourth Mizukage in a positive light. In fact, she suspected that it might have been an opinion that was in the majority, at least among the normal civilians unaccustomed to facing those with Bloodlines on a daily basis. Still, it made some of the graffiti more telling as she suspected the places she found it were now associated with those with bloodline abilities. One such place, had used to be the headquarters of a group of Hunter-nin called the Purifiers, and according to what she had learned had belonged to a powerful Clan from before the Fourth Mizukage’s reign. It had been reclaimed by a survivor of the Clan a woman named Rias Gremory, and she had opened it to other women who possessed the same bloodline ability. Rin wasn’t quite sure what that ability was, but thought she had seen a woman with bat-like wings fly past the moon above the mansion. Naturally, she figured that perhaps her mind was playing tricks on her and was beginning to understand how the people of Kirigakure could see demons in everything due to the fog.


Reaching her destination, she stepped into a bar and smiled as she saw Kin sitting on a stool. Finding the setting similar to how she first introduced herself to the woman, she sauntered up to the bar to ask, “Is this seat taken?”


“No, apparently the locals don’t like strangers here so are giving me a wide berth,” Kin replied her tone telling her fellow Harem member that the meeting with the Mizukage likely went exactly as Tsunade had predicted it would.


Rin also took the opportunity to scan the room since Kin’s comments invited such an action. As she suspected most people didn’t seem to want them there with most of the looks being the type that conveyed that message. She did note that unlike her, Kin seemed to have someone interested in her, but it was only in a manner to make sure that she didn’t cause trouble. She noted that he had an eyepatch over his right eye, making her wonder if it was hiding something. Her gaze didn’t linger, allowing her to only notice his blue hair, and the talisman like earrings that he wore.


Focusing once more on her partner, she said, “Yeah, I can’t really say they’ve rolled out the welcome mat for me either. My name’s Nira by the way.”


“Kin.”


Rin waved the bartender down and gave her order, and had to catch it as the man unceremoniously slid it over the bar rather hand it to her. Frowning at his rudeness, but expecting it, she ignored the desire to tell him off to say, “Take it the business that brought you here didn’t go well.”


She suppressed a smile as Kin sounding rather suspicious, for their observer’s benefit, said, “How do you know I’m here on business?”


Rin sounding amused as replied, “Well, how you’re dressed is a dead giveaway. Besides, you’ve already established you’re an outsider as well. So, likely a long trip with hardly a thing to show for it. Does that about sum it up?”


Kin sagged dejectedly before replying, “Bullseye!”


“Do you know what I find helps me get over such disappointment?” Rin asked placing a hand on Kin’s knee. Then answering her own question, she said, “An orgasm.”


Kin played up her surprise at the proposition as she said, “Sorry, but I’m not into girls.”


Rin smiled as she said, “Really, I can understand that. I was the same until recently and joined a special sisterhood. So why not give it a shot? It’s probably the best offer you’ll receive all night.”


Kin looked around nervously, before downing her drink. She turned to Rin and immediately had her lips seized by the kunoichi. She played up being surprised at first, before relaxing into the kiss. When she pulled back, she noticed that they now had most of the male clientele’s undivided attention, thus making the man following her stand out the most as he tried to avoid staring. Rin slid off her barstool after paying her tab and said, “Let’s go to my motel room.”


Kin just nodded as she took the hand, and was glad since it was likely her room had been bugged while she had been meeting with the Mizukage. The two of them walked to Rin’s motel stopping occasional while her partner played the free-spirited college student seducing a woman on a business trip. As they stopped occasional to make out, it gave them time to sweep the area. Kin frowned as they both were sure her tail was following them, but apparently had a means to do so without needing to keep visual contact. It made her suspect his eyepatch had been hiding something after all.


Rin likely suspected as much as well since she took things to a new level as she lifted the front of Kin’s skirt, and then began rubbing her through her panties. Kin didn’t need to fake the moan that the medic-nin’s talented fingers pulled out of her. Which seemed to drive her partner wild as well as she whispered, “I can’t wait to taste you. How about we just duck into one of the alleys?”


“N…no,” Kin moaned as Rin began teasing her nipple with her other hand through her grey business jacket.


“Okay…okay,” Rin said not needing to fake the lust in her voice, “Let’s just hurry though.” She then grabbed Kin’s hand and pulled her behind her. Suspecting some sort of visual jutsu like the Byakugan was in use, she took Kin through a rather crowded part of the village, which worked out as she had selected her motel room for just such a reason. She looked behind her and just caught sight of the same blue haired man that she had seen in the bar. He was obviously having trouble discerning their chakra from among the field of people that she was dragging Kin through. It didn’t really matter if they lost him, but Rin didn’t exactly want an audience for what she intended to do to Kin once they were alone.

****************************


A naked Kin sat across from an equally naked Rin on the motel’s bed as they pressed their mounds together. They ground them against each other energetically as they neared the climax that they had been working towards since losing her tail. She doubted he would be able to hear them either as Rin’s motel room was above a club so their cries were drowned out by the bass of the party going on below them. Kin was fine with that as she had no intentions of holding back her cries. Rin had the same idea as she cried out, “I… I’m so close.”


“M…me too,” Kin panted as she gripped Rin’s leg a little tighter to pull herself against the other woman harder, an action her partner mirrored. A moment later Rin was calling out her name, as she began to jerk in a less controlled manner. It helped Kin along as well causing her to lose control as her climax washed over her.


Drained, Kin fell back on the bed, and seeing as she was at the head of it. Rin tiredly pulled herself free to climb up her body. She kissed her talent scout partner, tasting herself on Kin’s lips just as the dark-haired woman be able to taste herself on hers. She smiled as she said, “Feel better.”


Kin returned it, replying, “Yeah, although I’m sure that I’m going to get a giant I told you so when I get back.”


Rin smiled, but didn’t say much more since although she suspected they had lost the shinobi tailing them, didn’t want to be careless. She was also glad they kept their chakra colors hidden thanks to Tsunade’s Special transformation technique as she was confident their tail had somehow managed to get his hands on the Byakugan due to the veins she had noticed around his eye when he had appeared after losing them. Making a mental note to add it to her report, Rin focused on the woman she was laying atop of as she asked, “So did you learn anything of interest since I was a bust.”


Rin nodded, before bringing her face a little closer so they just appeared to be talking softly as lovers tended to after being together, “You weren’t meant to succeed remember.


You were just meant to chew up resources that might have focused on me more thoroughly in order that I could move around freely.” She then added, “But, Kirigakure is going to be a tough nut to crack. I don’t think the Mizukage’s position is all that secure, which is one reason why she would view you with suspicion. You know what they say about something being too good to be true.”


Kin sighed before saying, “And I was so sure she’d jump at the chance to open up to us. I mean, look at all the good we’ve done everywhere else our ambition has reached.”


“True, but she only knows you as a representative of some company, and as you know Water Country has been at the mercy of similar companies for quite some time. I mean, the Daimyo of Wave was too trusting when Gato came to town, so it is little wonder the Mizukage would view you with some suspicion. Plus, there seems to be a lot of lingering hostility between those with bloodlines and those without. Not all that surprising since I doubt the previous Mizukage went silently into the night, not to mention those members of his regime who supported him. He didn’t initiate those purges by himself after all. I’m guessing the Mizukage came to her position through force, so there is bound to be hostility from those who supported the previous regime.”


“That’s hard to believe considering how Haku describes her home,” Kin said after a moment of thought.


“Yes, but then again she was on the wrong side of the powers in charge at the time,” Rin replied and then after a moment of thought added, “We can’t be sure that the current Mizukage is just a benevolent ruler either. She is suspected of having not just one bloodline ability, but two. She might be just as cruel as the previous Mizukage, but towards those without them.”


Kin inclined her head, but countered, “I don’t think we need to worry about that. But, she isn’t one to just trust blindly it seems. I think she was hurt badly by someone she cared for.”


Rin arched an eyebrow before asking, “What do you base that off of?”


“It’s just a hunch,” Kin admitted, “But, she didn’t even want to discuss threats that her rule faces with me for fear I’d use the knowledge against her. It didn’t just seem like baseless paranoia either, but something one learned from experience.”


Rin filed the information away since she would be the one to create the report as she was sure Kin would be searched when they tried to leave the village. She likely would as well, but would have more free time to compose the report and send it off before needing to leave the village since the man following them would likely return to Kin’s hotel to reacquire his target. Finding their discussion was helping her organize it as well she said, “Well. She has plenty of people after her position and likely her head as well. There are a group of Hunter-nin called the Purifiers who carried out much of the bloodline purge. I also heard there is a clan not all that thrilled with her rule, they are called the Hojo. They almost seem more like a group of warrior monks rather than shinobi.”


“Are there any avenues for our ambition to take hold?” Kin asked with a knowing smile.
Rin returned it as she said, “The current leader apparently has Three daughters that look like they might be identical triplets. You might get a little uncomfortable around them though. It’s said they use snakes in battle, and their eyes kind of resemble a snake’s from the members I’ve come across.”


The former Sound-nin smirked but said, “I don’t know, maybe they have a long tongue like a snake’s as well. Imagine the possibilities.”


“Settle down girl,” Rin said although she quickly found her own imagination traveling down a similar avenue. As such when Kin raised her leg between hers the medic-nin couldn’t resist rubbing herself against it. Soon she began to leave a wet streak along Kin’s thigh, but continued telling her about what else she had uncovered, “Mmmm, there…there’s also a group called the Witches.”


“The Witches,” Kin said finding such a description rather strange, but supposed it fit when considering the Mist Village’s preoccupation with calling everyone Demons and such.


“Yes…” Rin said breathlessly as she began rubbing against the thigh nestled between her legs harder and faster. “Apparently, they are a sect of kunoichi that...were quite supportive of the Previous Mizukage. They were rumored to commit experiments on some of the bloodline users the Purifiers brought back. There were quite a few, but three in particular seemed to create the most unease in the people willing to speak to me. They were apparently called the Gorgon sisters.”


Despite the topic, Kin found herself growing wet due to the faces and sounds that Rin was making as she used her leg to get off. Beginning to rub herself lazily she asked, “What the hell is a Gorgon?”


Rin let out a small laugh, but it quickly became a moan as she replied, “I asked the same thing. But apparently it was some sort of creature that Kirigakure learned about from shipwrecks that washed ashore. They were said to be female creatures that were snake like in appearance. But, that doesn’t exactly apply to these sisters, although one seemed to use snakes to fight. When the Fourth Mizukage was deposed, naturally they tried to have these witches answer for their crimes. But it appears they were one step ahead as they disappeared along with most of the other witches. Rumors persist that one of the sisters seems to be gathering the other witches to her banner though.”


“I’m guessing if these witches are as bad as you say, then they are going to have to be dealt with the old fashion way,” Kin said causing Rin to grip her shoulders tighter as she pressed her knee up firmer against her slickened folds.


“YES…It would appear so,” the medic-nin replied panting heavily as she neared release again.


Kin knew that it wasn’t a sure thing the women could be written off as unapproachable, but if the Mizukage was afraid outsiders might align with such a group. Then it was a true threat to her rule, which if the Mizukage truly set herself up as an opponent to the Family’s ambition could prove to be valuable allies. Yet, the former Sound-nin doubted that Mei would prove to be an opponent to their goal, although it was apparent she had some trust issues. But, hearing some of the threats arrayed against her, and suspecting she had suffered some betrayal in her past, supposed she could understand why.


Kin focused on her partner and leaned forward to capture one of her hanging breasts with her mouth. Rin hissed as she began suckling on it after rolling the hardened nub around with her tongue. She pressed her thigh up against Rin, as if to try and lift her with it, and due to the medic pushing back drove her over the edge. Rin collapsed atop of her, but rather than relaxing for long her hand soon covered the one Kin had been using to lazily give herself pleasure. Rin, began to take over, and then began kissing down the Sound-nin’s body before settling her face between her thighs. She smiled up at her before plunging in to drink her essence causing Kin to let out a moan. The dark-haired woman buried her hands in Rin’s brown locks as she ground her muff against the medic’s mouth and probing tongue. It wasn’t long before she was coating Rin’s chin with her essence, who happily drank it down before finding herself pushed onto her back so Kin could return the favor.

*****************************


Mei stared at Ao with a shocked expression as he reported, “Um… I’ve lost the target.”


“How pray tell with that eye could you possible lose some former genin?” a woman that was sitting on the corner of Mei’s desk said teasingly.


Ao focused on the woman who was wearing a simple bikini top which displayed the seal on her well-endowed chest, and abdomen. He knew the upper seal was wear the woman stored her sword. Being the Great-Great Granddaughter of the man that founded the village, her Family name was Kirigakure. She tilted her head back to drink from the can of alcohol she was holding, and then shook her head causing her pink and yellow hair to wave around her as she asked, “What’s the matter Ao, she show you her tits or something?” The man blushed at her question causing her to quickly lean forward in interest as she said, “Holy shit she did, didn’t she?” She then sat back and began laughing as she pictured the man rocketing off with a geyser of blood coming from his knows.


“If you must know, Shura,” she was approached by another woman, “and um… apparently… they hit it off rather well.”


“What does that me?” Mei asked wondering what was causing her Anbu director to fidget so much.


“He’s saying they began bumping uglies, and he grew so flustered that he lost track of them,” Shura said as she began laughing harder.


“Be that as it may, it’s possible this woman she met with might have been a spy passing her information,” Ao said ignoring the other woman’s snort.
It grew harder as Shura said, “Oh, I’m sure they are passing a lot more than information between each other considering how hard you are blushing.” But, then the woman grew serious as she asked the Mizukage, “Do you want me to hunt them down?”


“No,” Mei said after reflecting for a moment, “We’ll see if this Kin returns to her hotel room. I’m sure you’re already searching her belongings.” Ao nodded so she said, “If nothing suspicious is uncovered make sure to put everything back where it was found. If she was just looking for a distraction from today’s meeting, I don’t need to further alienate her by having her coming back to her room to find it trashed. We need the Great Tree Shipping Company to start operations in this country.”


“If I may ask, then why did you treat her so coldly?” Ao asked with genuine curiosity.


Mei sighed as she answered, “Because I do not want them to know how much we need it. The companies they will be competing with are rather nervous, and that is something we can use. But, if they learn of that then our leverage disappears.” Mei felt a wave of sadness as she thought to herself, “And trusting the wrong person is a mistake I will not make again.” Focusing on her shinobi she said aloud, “Let me know if she doesn’t turn up as it might mean there was some other purpose to her visit.”

Both Shura and Ao nodded before leaving her alone. A state of being that Mei feared would be her status quo for the rest of her days.


Author’s Note: Well hello everyone. I hope this peak into Kirigakure wets everyone’s appetite for what is to come in the story. Granted, we are still a while away from it, having several arcs to get through. But, my hope is we’ll be ready for Mei’s appearance before the year is out. This chapter of LBB actually came about from my writing what turned out to be Chapter 6. This is because although some elements of what was alluded to here were going to appear, I realized I could take them much further than originally intended. Primarily, when one considers how the ending to me was such garbage. One of the many things I hate about the ending is the issues raised by it are just magically fixed rather than actually dealt with. Taking Mei’s being the Mizukage means that all the hatred of those with Kekkei Genkai just disappeared overnight. I mean seriously, that hate was so inbreed into the people that it caused Haku’s father to kill his mother, and in turn Haku to kill him in self-defense. That kind of blind hatred doesn’t disappear just because a new Mizukage was elected. It might have been a step in the right direction, but doesn’t mean the issues are gone. Particularly as the bloodline purges were carried out by quite a few willing people I’m sure. But, just hand waving problems away became the stock and trade of how such issues were dealt with. However, as I like to believe there is a far more compelling story in actually exploring them, plus Kirigakure just being a happy place with Mei in charge smacked to much of the lazy writing Kishimoto gave us with the conclusion of the 4th Great Shinobi war solved every issue he raised, because Naruto was Hokage.


With that said, some people have likely noticed that I reversed my decision on including some of the women from High school DxD. One of the primary issues I had was it was hard to fit them into a story where they had bat wings, but were from different family’s and such. But, I realized with the bloodline purges in effect a bunch of teenagers with such a kekkei genkai wouldn’t exactly be out of place as they banded together under the new regime.


Plus, the Gorgon Sisters from Soul Eater were mentioned as well. Now, I know some people feel I already have too many antagonists in the story. But to be honest, this to me is something I feel elevates the story. After all, if Naruto is going to enter into a new territory, especially one that was mysterious and barely interacted with the others, then it is only naturally it has its own threats and issues to deal with. This is the same, thing with Kumo and so on, and so on. If a person is honestly going to try and sell the idea that a group is working to peace, then as that group grows it is only natural that they find more forces working against that goal. Plus, since these other groups are true threats it means they can’t really be just swiped off the board after just one or two appearances.


In any case, eventually the time will come when threats are faced and hopefully dealt with. But honestly, I actually still feel like I’m only at the part of the stage where I am setting up the game board as it was. That might be a ridiculous thing to claim for some considering I’m 74 chapters into the main story not to mention with add on like this and Limelight. But telling a good story means properly dealing with every issue raised, not like the manga which pick and choose as well as blatantly ignored many facts it established in the beginning. But, to properly deal with them, you also have to take the time to properly set them up. I hope you will agree that although complex that is something I have strived for, and hopefully achieved. In any case, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. So until next time, take care. Sincerely, The Lemon Sage.