Kurotsuchi POV (Iron Festival - Land of Iron)
There were few pleasures in this world Kurotsuchi enjoyed as much as a plan coming together. Her impromptu fling of poor Samui and deployment of over-eager Fuu had worked perfectly. And based on Ino's frustrated face, it had worked as intended. Kurotsuchi's smile grew enormous, and her eyes glided to Samui and Naruto. The Cloud kunoichi seemed slightly unsure, but her smile made it clear she was enjoying this. Naruto ever the nice guy had adapted to such and was now happily dancing with Samui. "Ah, to be young and in love." Kurotsuchi joked to herself. "Though I would never pick such a clueless guy…"
However, she saw a potential party pooper attempting to make a move. Luckily, Kurotsuchi had never been afraid to get her hands dirty. She had never really craved a dance with a Leaf hippy but in pursuit of laughs…
Kurotsuchi leaped directly in front of Neji, who flinched at her arrival. Taking advantage of his momentary stunning, Kurotsuchi snatched a hand and began a rough rendition of the dance being done by Naruto and Samui. Prideful as any Hyuga and unwilling to look silly, Neji smoothly went into such with masterful guidance, guiding them through the dance. He was almost charming.
"What are your intentions?" Neji barked darkly. "I don't enjoy these silly dramatics you're bringing about."
"Now, now," Kurotsuchi snarked. "Act your class and age. I merely wanted to help my friend get a dance with an interest in hers and improve social relationships. Think about it: Leaf, Cloud, Stone, and Waterfall shinobi all becoming staunch allies and friends. All due to a little romance due to your's truly."
"Convincing words, if not tone women." Neji sniped back. "It seems much more likely that you're stirring the pot for your own twisted amusement."
"Perhaps, but that's such a cynical world view," Kurotsuchi remarked. "Ever consider I'm helping them along? They say a little competition is good for you. Might make Ino realize that guy won't be naive and undervalued forever…"
"That does not excuse you sticking your nose into it and manufacturing incidents for your own amusement," Neji said rebutted.
Kurotsuchi merely snorted. "We're shinobi, not some honorable moral warriors. Deceit and manipulation are our bread and butter. Besides, it wasn't a lie; either they fight, and that blond bastard catches on, one of them makes a move and he catches on, or they realize he's not all that. They, and much more importantly, I, win in each situation. Besides, we're not little kids anymore; real love isn't so easy as first sight."
"It strikes me as odd to be so invested when you lack a partner yourself," Neji said with a smirk.
Kurotsuchi felt her excellent mood only increase. To think one of these Leaf bastards would engage in some actual verbal sparring! "There hasn't been a man who could handle this," she said with a wink; however, Neji was unaffected.
"That ego is overwhelming." Neji agreed.
"The pot calling the kettle black~!" Kurotsuchi sang.
"I, at least, do not manipulate others for mere entertainment. Unbefitting for a Kage's blood."
"Yes, because we must all engage in endless self-serving platitudes, lest the others realize we Hyuga are human!" Kurotsuchi mocked. "Besides, you should be lucky to dance with two beauties tonight~!" Kurotsuchi sang again even more gleefully.
"Ignoring the fact I would contest your supposed beauty." Neji insulted. "Whatever do you mean-"
Kurotsuchi didn't allow the Hyuga to reply. Instead, she yanked his hand, ripping him close to her. She snuggly hugged him to lean in and whisper in his ear. "Ah, and here you were, my type, Hyuga~." Before he could process and respond to such, she sent him spinning away with a quick toss. Fuu did the same; Neji was caught by Fuu, and Ino landed back with the blonde, leaving a confused Samui alone. Kurotsuchi fixed that by grabbing and leading her into another dance. The two stared at each other as they danced. Kurotsuchi with a broad smile, and Samui with a surprisingly passionate glare.
"Okay, what the hell, Kurotsuchi? First, you randomly threw me at Naruto, and now you interrupt our dance. I was willing to indulge you, even happy it led where it did. But what is your game?" Samui asked seriously. Though Kurotsuchi couldn't help but see the slight flush her skin had. It seemed she either had it bad or the blonde bastard was smoother than he looked.
"I was just trying to help you out. I can tell you are interested in the Blonde Ba- Blondie, and I wanted to make sure you got a dance with him. Didn't expect Ino to be so territorial like that." Kurotsuchi explained. "So you'll have to share with her, it's only fair. I think she has first dibs as his teammate, anyway. They probably spend all sorts of time together."
Kurotsuchi knew that all wasn't relatively true; it seemed clear to her that as infatuated with the blonde as she was, Ino wasn't fully decided on making something more of it. Hell, Samui seemed interested, but cross-village relationships? Rare and often looked down upon. But stirring it up was just as eventful as she had figured.
Samui glanced at her eyes suspiciously. But Kurotsuchi had been careful to tell half-truths, which were harder to suss out than outright lies. "It is uncool of her…" Samui admitted.
"Especially considering who knows when you two will cross paths again, let alone if it will be as enemies." Kurotsuchi tended to the flames cautiously. "If it were me, I'd make my mark."
"It's probably not worth it…" Samui reasoned to herself.
"True, Naruto does seem to be into her, I mean, look at the two of them." Kurotsuchi continued, barely able to hold her mirth. The two women glanced over to the pair, and the pair of blondes laughed as they danced. They focus on each other, and their movements are seemingly in sync. The two had seemingly unknowingly drifted closer nearly touching as they danced. Ino seemed to sense their attention, for she offered a cocky smirk before they turned away in dance.
'That Bitch!' Kurotsuchi knew Ino had that fire in her!
"That little b-" Samui started before sighing heavily. "Uncool of her, but maybe for the best."
"Hopefully," Kurotsuchi agreed. "Then again, the guy definitely doesn't fully realize, I bet he thinks he's low-demand goods Maybe if some beautiful lady enchanted him…"
Samui frowned deepened at such. "My brother always did say it was uncool to keep emotions bottled up…"
"My thoughts exactly…" Kurotsuchi agreed. "When we have an opening?"
Samui puzzled over it for a few seconds before nodding.
Kurotsuchi loved these exams.
Naruto's POV
Naruto needed clarification. First, he danced with Ino and had a ball. They were proving Neji wrong and were simply enjoying each other's company for the first time in months. Then suddenly, one blonde had been replaced with another. Samui suddenly appeared, and Naruto, not wanting to be rude or stop dancing, simply continued with her. Samui had caught him up with some of A's reactions. Apparently, Karui and Omoi had been sent back to the Cloud early, disgraced, and both apparently received some sort of special training due to such. He had been light on Samui but warned her to continue her mission. Naruto felt odd at such; unlike before, Samui seemed focused on him and not her mission. Yet as they danced, Naruto swore they brushed against each other more than necessary. Samui wore a rare smile as they danced wildly. The energy from her was infectious, and Naruto found the different side of her enjoyable.
Yet just as she was getting into such a situation, Samui seemed primed to ask him something, and she was again replaced with a blonde. Ino was back.
'The fuck is going on here?' Naruto thought, confused, as he looked at Ino.
Ino seemed less surprised, grabbing his hand and began another dance. Naruto didn't mind but was well beyond confused at this part. However, the oddness was quickly forgotten as the two continued their dance. Ino eyes lidded, and like Samui, they seemed to get closer as they danced.
"Naruto," Ino asked quietly, eyes intense yet somehow relaxed as they were fixed on his eyes. Something in her tone made him hesitantly gulp.
"Yes?" Naruto asked.
"What do you think about Samui?" Ino asked sweetly.
"Samui?"
"I didn't stutter, Blondie."
Naruto gulped again; he knew that tone. Well somewhat, he knew it wasn't good! Ino was not playing games here. She would only drop the matter if given an answer that she liked or felt was fully honest. Naruto chuckled to stall, as his mind wildly tried to think of a conclusion. "Well, she's pretty strong; her swordsmanship is as skilled as mine, hell we use the same kind of sword and her lightning jutsu is no joke. Though I honestly was a bit disappointed when she beat you. Thought you had that for sure."
"Continue," Ino said with a nod.
"Um, well, she's smart, accepting, and I like how chill she is. I guess overall she's cool, ha ha." Naruto finished lamely.
"Do you enjoy her company?" Ino asked. Eyes making it clear his answer had been unimpressive.
"Well, yeah? But I mean, I don't really know her all that well." Naruto explained honestly. He was attempting to get through this conversation smoothly. But Naruto simply didn't understand what she was getting at here.
"You don't," Ino said with a smile, she was pleased with his answer? She suddenly stopped her dancing, glanced at Samui, him again, then asked another question with that sickly sweet tone. "So, who do you think is prettier?"
Naruto also stopped dancing, recognizing, at the very least, the minefield he had suddenly been dropped into. While unsure of what Ino was getting at, he knew his answer would need to be tactful. "Well, they say beauty is subjective, ya know? Who cares what I think?"
"I do," Ino said with that same terrifying smile. "I'm just curious. I mean, Samui is a gorgeous girl with a lot of…" Ino seemed to glance over to Samui. "assets…"
Fuck. This was worse than Naruto had thought.
"Well…" Naruto began whirling his mind through the limited advice he had bothered to remember his mother had given him. As someone as ambitious as he, social situations had never been his forte. "You're both incredibly beautiful!" Ino's short stare was all the response he needed to know that was not his escape.
"Naruto, no need to be dishonest. Everybody has their type; which of us is closer?" Ino promised.
Naruto went to respond before two streams of water suddenly wrapped around his body, and the blonde yanked from the clearing and into the snowy landscape around them. Honestly he should've been alarmed or angry, yet he felt like he had been somewhat saved.
Give him random kidnapping to this any day!