Saruto | The Bloodline Prophecy (Part 1)

Chapter 40: The Palace

In our group of 6 people, we approached a luminescent palaces which architecture had trumped those around it. Very obviously rich people were getting out of their carriages pulled by horses and walking up the steps of the palace. I stood in awe at the marble steps.

"Wow, these are fancy folks, aren't they," Naruto said towards Sasuke who rolled his eyes.

Unlike Naruto, Sasuke came from many crowds of the social structure. Especially foreigners like these.

"Ha," Inojou whispered in my ear, "it's like Lord Seventh hasn't seen anything better than a car before."

I glanced over at him and thought about how trains, cars, and planes weren't very much around then. Carriages alone were the best that the high society had to offer.

Suddenly, Shikadami came up from behind us and bunch Inojou in the shoulder. He winced in pain as he grabbed it and then shot her a glare.

Her eyes narrowed at him, " Inojou, quiet down. Those things didn't exist in this time."

His glare slowly melted as he realized the situation. Inojou seemed embarrassed and blushed before sighing it off and rolling his eyes at her.

Shikadami was too good for him to let his obvious annoying gestures bother her. We followed close behind Kakashi, Sasuke, and Naruto as he led the group up the stairs. I observed as I received side glares from people who were obviously looking down on us. This was a sketchy environment. Everyone was suspicious of everyone. After all they were all criminals.

Suddenly Kakashi stopped halfway up the stairs and turned towards us. I observed as his lips pondered and he bit his inner lip. He was thinking of a plan. Was the original plan changing? Did he see something?

"Okay, I changed the plan," he said as he adjusted his glasses that were masking his scar, "to avoid group suspicion and to divide and conquer, we will be splitting up."

Splitting up. Hmm... I mean he has a good point. And Shikadami, Inojou, and I have been trained in infiltration. Kakashi knowing that we were part of the Anbu, he knew what we were capable of.

"Naruto, you're with Sasuke," Kakashi pointed out in a serious tone, "Sasuke's knowledge of the underworld should keep you guys informed."

I looked over to the two and they immediately nodded and acknowledged their instructions. It was weird to see that they were so submissive to Kakashi's authority. I was born after a time where they were his students and Kakashi was hokage. Now, they were the two strongest in our village and Kakashi's absence from the village gave them free range to display his teachings in a more authoritarian environment. Their seniority in the village trumped everyone else's. So seeing them follow orders was nothing but bizarre. It seemed Inojou and Shikadami were thinking the same thing because we were all used to receiving orders from Naruto as Hokage.

"Jou, you will be coming with me," Jou nodded and then Kakashi then turned to Shikadami and I, " Saruto and Shikadami, you two will be working together. I have trust in your ability because of our history in the ANBU together."

Kakashi was a very skilled shinobi. He was very careful to present us to these certain people. This of course was to make sure that Sasuke and Naruto weren't informed of our true identity.

Shikadami and I both nodded and the three groups separated with Shikadami and I taking the lead. I held out my arm and she looped her own in it. As we went up the steps, in the corner of my eye I saw using her free hand to put her black hair over her shoulder and then hold up her dress partly. I smiled at the fact that she wore the one that I had suggested. With his hair down I realized that she had looked exactly like her great-grandmother, Yoshino. Just like I had imagined, her dress perfectly complemented her deep dark green eyes.

As we approached a line to enter the palace, I leaned in close to her ear.

"You look beautiful." I whispered in a flirtatious manner.

I smiled as she blushed and hid her face. She was smiling.

Soon I drew my attention to the line forming behind us and two groups behind us were Sasuke and Naruto and then two behind them were Kakashi and Inojou. My eyes locked with Kakashi who gave me a nod of reassurance as we reached the front of the line. I nodded back and then turned to a figure who stood at the luxurious doors of the palace. He seemed like a stuck up man with a very slender figure.

We watched as he snapped his fingers for two security guards to come over and search us down for weapons. We moved our arms in accordance to make their jobs easier. After we were not carrying anything.

"Name?" the man said in a rude manner.

Shikadami immediately spoke up in a very uptight manner, to show a prominence in this setting. Her confidence is what sold it the most.

"Lord Araya and Lady Yodo of the Hidden Rain," Shikadami spoke confidently.

We stood there as he searched the paper and then annoyingly flipped to the next page. I watched as his eyes searched the paper and then locked on a name. He then looked back up to us and then down at the paper.

There was a long silence.

"Ah, yes," he prominently smiled, "from the noble Ame family."

We smiled and acknowledged his welcome.. Additional guards then opened the door and let us through. Form that we were faced with a large ball room filled with prominent figures and people. Gold and marble quartz lined the walls with a huge diamond chandelier hanging from the ceiling. It must have carried millions of diamonds. Lining the walls were artifacts and objects in glass cases. Around those cases were ropes that marked off how close each of the guests were allowed to be. Suddenly a well-dressed server headed our way and handed us a glass of champagne. We complied freely and then walked down another set of stairs to join the large crowd.

We were in the palace.