from Academy to Anbu by theriku260

chapter 8

Thirty minutes out from the nobles' gathering…

Being forced to hold a henge for over a week that was half his size and do it while in an ornate kimono was not Naruto's idea of fun. Being carried on his teammate's Genma's shoulders and eating snacks though? That was the most enjoyable pastime Naruto could partake in.

"You're getting crumbs in my hair, you blond bastard!" Genma griped.

"Oh? But I'm a brunette" Naruto pointed out snidely.

"Shut it! And quit eating- you're heavy enough already" The senbon enthusiast whined. Though Naruto's henge could alter his shape, it didn't change his weight.

Wonder how he'd take the information that you're wearing about twenty-five pounds on your torso? Kurama sniggered in amusement. Naruto sent a mental smirk back.

We'll find out when we're safely back in Konoha and I can hide from him for a couple days. Naruto wanted to live thank you very much and didn't doubt Gemma's ability to kill him and blame another village. Not that he would, but one could never be too careful with powerful shinobi.

"Hey, Hayate? What exactly is this 'noble's gathering' anyways?" A pregnant pause ensued at Naruto's question.

"Ah…a sleepover to build political bonds" Hayate finally managed before coughing again.

"I-I-I have to sleepover with a bunch of spoiled brats?!" Naruto demanded. Raido tossed a book to the young ANBU/chunin with a pink cover- How to act during sleepovers for noble ladies!

"This will help- but weren't you taught how to act like a lady for undercover ops?" Raido asked. With Naruto's henge he'd be excellent at espionage. Hayate and Raido noticed the suddenly pale look on Naruto's face and Genma felt the shiver.

"Never mention that week again."

"Uh, you okay?" Genma looked up a bit concerned. Naruto shivered again.

"All I'll say is Kuranai Yuhi is far crueler than Ibiki is at times- all that tea!" He cried. Three sweat drops fell but they let it go.

Soon the group was in front of gold plated gates, four guards looking stoic at the ninja- though, they were disguised as samurai. Genma set Naruto down, getting into character by bowing to the 'little princess'. With nose in the air Naruto closed the book and snack pack, making them disappear somewhere inside his kimono.

"Tsubaki-sama, I wasn't aware your guards would be samurai! You usually have attendents. And where's your father, dear?" An elderly woman with grey hair piled in a tall bun said airily as she daintily made her way outside the gate. Naruto recognized her from the file he'd been given to study over important people Tsubaki knew- this woman was her father's old tutor and friend of the family. Sasame was her name he believed.

"Baa-chan!" Naruto said giddily in the same manner he imagined the real six year old Tsubaki would have. He bowed politely to her before heading inside next to the hunched but still regal woman. "I came all by myself this time, but the samurai are sooo weird. One eats senbon like a camel" Naruto sent a wink to the now twitching Genma. Hayate had to cough to cover up a snort while Raido inched away from the senbon user looking to 'practice' on something.

"Oh? How nice dear I didn't know samurai used senbon" Sasame commented, biting her lip nervously. Naruto noticed this instantly, as did the rest of his team. Hayate gave a look with a clear message: Be on guard.

That evening…

Naruto was finally getting the hang of the whole court scene. Over the last several hours she'd greeted dozens of females from high ranking positions in their rather extravagant night gowns. Naruto himself wore a loose silk white garment. Underneath the billowy sleeves and loose bottom skirt though were two senbon laced with the new faster acting sleeping poison Anko had taught him after he helped create the summoning scrolls for the chunin exams. One prick and even a trained ninja would be out within a minute, much less a civilian. Naruto himself only had partial immunity.