Bring the Hammer Down

14

Two figures stared across the darkness at each other; one standing, the other sitting atop a stone. The one perched on the stone looked up with one visible red eye, its voice intoning that of a male.

"You will go and intercept Uzumaki. The Oto ninja that you placed that genjutsu on were worthless pawns, hardly able to ascertain his true power. I want an honest assessment."

The figure before him kept its eyes closed, and its voice was soft and even.

"You want me to...intercept him. This is a foolish endeavor. He has grown very powerful in recent times."

The red-eyed figure narrowed his eyes to slits and stood.

"You will do as you are told. I want an accurate assessment of his skills, to know if he is as powerful as he is made out to be. Kidnap his woman, threaten to kill her. I want him angered. I want him lost in misery. I want to know if he is the one who can challenge me."

The figure opened its eyes to reveal the swirling tomoe of the Sharingan and narrowed its own gaze, its voice carrying a small hint of anger.

"This is still foolish and unneeded. There are better ways of ascertaining his skill and power."

"And all of them take too long. I grow bored as the years march on. Now do as you are told and take Kisame with you. Do not fail me...Itachi."

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Itachi frowned as he left Kisame outside Konoha's walls. This reeked of failure...this new Naruto was not one to be trifled with anymore.

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Naruto awoke to a pressure on his chest and cracked an eye to find TenTen still dozing on top of him. He rolled his neck and tried to find a way to pry her off him without waking her.

"Don' move. M' comf'table."

'Well, there went that idea.'

Naruto sighed and lay back again. He was starting to cramp up though and needed to move. Wrapping his arms around TenTen's back, he formed his familiar seal and a Kage Bunshin popped into existence. The clone looked down at his predicament and grinned.

"What's the matter? Not comfy?"

Naruto glared at his doppleganger and pointed to the girl on top of him.

"Just switch with me so I can shower. Smartass."

The clone made the hand seal for Kawarimi and Naruto now stood beside the couch, cracking his back. The clone grunted and tried to shift her weight, resulting in a snorting TenTen snuggling further into its chest.

"What the hell have you been feeding this chick? She weighs a freaking ton."

"Really? I never noticed. Anyway, have fun and if she wakes up, stall her."

The clone nodded and put its hands behind its head. Might as well enjoy the downtime. The only time clones were ever called was for battle most of the time, but Naruto made it a point to use them for frivolous things. Part of his charm, one would suppose...

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TenTen rose from her slumber and moaned into the chest of her boyfriend. She hadn't slept that well in quite a while and had thoroughly enjoyed herself the night before. A good tussle was just what she and Naruto needed to relieve the stress and tension. Too bad that their opponents had been such wusses, barely worth the struggle.

The clone beneath her began to writhe and giggle when she tried to burrow her nose further into its shirt and TenTen growled at the unwanted noise and movement.