Chapter 342: Mix of Steam and Silence
The bells over the door chimed faintly as three bundled figures pushed into the little tea shop, a wash of snow-dust tumbling in behind them before the door shut again.
Naruto stamped his boots on the mat. "Man, it's freezing out there!"
Shino adjusted her scarf, her expression mostly hidden behind the collar. "It is winter."
Ino huffed, tugging off her gloves and shaking snowflakes from her hair. "And some of us actually try to look good in it, thank you very much."
The warm air smelled of roasted barley and citrus peel. Paper lanterns painted everything gold. A clerk behind the counter smiled. "For here or to go?"
Naruto scratched his head. "Uh, for here. We're meeting someone."
"Private booth?"
"Yeah," Ino said quickly. "The big one near the window if it's open."
They followed the server's gesture to a corner alcove with a low table and cushions. Steam curled from pots all along the wall; the quiet murmur of other patrons filled the space like a heartbeat. The three genin—well, technically soon to be chūnin now, though none of them had fully grown into the title—settled down.
Outside, snow drifted past the frosted window. Inside, awkward silence settled just as thick.
Naruto fiddled with the chopsticks in their paper sleeve.
Shino sat perfectly still, hands folded.
Ino exhaled, glancing from one to the other.
"So," she started. "We're all early."
"Anko-sensei said this was the place," Naruto said, leaning back. "She's probably getting more dango. Or setting something on fire. Hard to tell."
That earned a small noise—something between a sigh and a chuckle—from both Ino and, more surprisingly, Shino. It was the first sound she'd made since they sat down.
"While we wait," Shino said evenly, turning her covered gaze toward Ino, "I am curious about something."
Ino blinked. "Yeah?"
"Are you still… planning to marry Malik?"
The question landed like a pebble dropped in tea—soft but rippling outward.
Naruto's chopsticks froze mid-tap.
Ino's smile twitched; a mix of pride and shyness crossed her face before she managed a casual shrug.
"Well… yeah. Still happening. Eventually." She twirled a lock of hair around one finger. "Why?"
Shino nodded once, thoughtful. "He asked me on a date."
Naruto nearly dropped his empty cup. "Wait, what? Malik asked you out?"
Shino's tone didn't change. "Yes. It went well."
Ino tilted her head, a knowing smirk replacing surprise. "That sounds exactly like him. He's got this thing where he reads people like a book." She leaned her elbows on the table. "Let me guess—he could tell you liked him but also knew it wasn't the kind of liking that turns into forever. More like respect. Friendship. The calm kind."
Shino considered that in silence, the warm, steamy air from the tea shop fogged her tinted glasses. "…Perhaps."
Naruto grinned. "Man, that guy's everywhere. Teaching, flirting, saving old people or something—"
Ino cut in with a teasing grin. "Jealous?"
"Wh-what? No!" Naruto waved his hands. "It's just weird, okay? He showed up at my apartment last night, talking about life and Hokage stuff—then he left and yelled something about marrying my mom!"
The words came out so fast the server passing by nearly tripped.
Ino blinked, then burst out laughing so hard she had to grab the edge of the table. "He did not!"
"He did!" Naruto insisted, face red. "Said it like he was serious!"
Ino wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, still giggling. "Oh, gods, that's so Malik. Don't worry—he's joking… probably." She hid the tiny, uncertain curl of her smile behind her teacup.
Shino's shoulders moved in what might have been a laugh. "He enjoys creating emotional turbulence."
Naruto frowned. "He enjoys making me crazy."
"Same thing," Ino said brightly.
Their tea arrived—three cups, steam rising in lazy ribbons. The warmth helped the silence loosen again.
"So, Ino," Naruto said after a moment, "how's the flower shop? Still running even with all this snow?"
"Oh, totally," Ino said, perking up. "Winter's great for business. Everyone wants something green in the house. We've been importing these little fire-lotus bulbs from the Land of Hot Water—bloom in warm rooms, glow at night. Mom loves them."
Shino's interest sparked immediately. "Lotus pollen of that species carries a mild heat resonance. My kikaichū are drawn to it for incubation. It's efficient."
Ino blinked. "Wait, you're bugs like my flowers?"
"They thrive on certain aromatic compounds," Shino explained matter-of-factly. "Particularly from plants with adaptive temperature cycles. Yours fit the pattern."
Naruto made a face. "You're saying the bugs think her flowers are… snacks?"
Shino turned her head slightly toward him. "More like portable greenhouses."
Ino laughed. "That's actually kind of cute, in a weird way. Next time I'll pack you some pollen samples, Shino."
Naruto leaned back, hands behind his head. "You two sound like you're doing a science project. Meanwhile I'm just trying to keep my houseplants alive."
"You have houseplants?" Ino asked, half-teasing.
"…I tried."
They all laughed then—real laughter, the kind that fogged the windows and made the air lighter.
Minutes passed in an easy rhythm. They compared training notes, argued gently over which tea was best, and even let Naruto tell a story about Kiba accidentally dyeing Akamaru purple during a snowstorm. Ino rolled her eyes but couldn't stop smiling.
By the time the clock over the counter chimed the 2nd hour, the awkward silence of before had melted like frost. The three of them leaned comfortably against their cushions, half-finished cups before them, a team still in pieces but beginning to fit together.
Outside, the snow kept falling.
Inside, they waited—for their teacher, for their mission, and for whatever strange twist or joke would bring.
-- A good while later===
The little bell above the shop door jingled again. The draft of cold air rolled across the floor, scattering the steam that had settled thick and warm over the tea shop.
Anko Mitarashi stepped in, brushing snow from her thick tan coat with a shake of her shoulders. Her violet hair—spiked and tied back into its usual fan-like tail—was dusted with frost, and her sharp eyes flicked over the room before landing on her students.
"There you brats are," she said, her grin wide, voice carrying across the shop like a gust of wind. "I swear, you're all too punctual. Makes me look bad."
Naruto blinked. "Anko-sensei! We thought you—uh—burned down a dango stand again."
Anko paused mid-step, turning her head just enough for the light to glint across her eyes. "...Once. That happened once."
Ino tried not to snicker behind her teacup. Shino's mouth was hidden, but the faint movement at the edge of his scarf betrayed amusement.
Anko strode over, sliding down onto the cushion beside Naruto and letting her coat fall open. Beneath it, her usual mesh bodysuit gleamed faintly in the lantern light, traced with scars like lightning lines down her collarbone. She looked relaxed, but her presence shifted the air — sharp, confident, undeniably alive.
She waved a hand to the server. "Tea for me, and put everything they ordered on my tab."
Naruto's eyes went wide. "Wait—you're actually paying this time?"
Anko smirked, leaning on her elbow. "Don't make it sound like a miracle, kid. I can be responsible when I want to."
"...When's that?" Ino asked sweetly.
"About once a year." Anko winked.
They all laughed — even Shino, whose quiet chuckle came out like a faint hum through his scarf.
But when the server brought her drink, Anko grew a bit more serious. She took one long sip, savoring the heat, before glancing at each of them.
"Alright, listen up. In three days, we're leaving the village. Our destination's the Land of the Sea. It's classified as a retrieval and observation mission, but it could turn into a full-blown combat op depending on what we find."
Naruto straightened instantly. "Got it! We're ready for anything!"
Anko's lips twitched. "You might want to hold that thought, because there's one more thing."
She took another sip, dragging it out, letting the tension hang just long enough for Naruto to start fidgeting. Then she looked up, eyes glinting.
"You're getting a new teammate."
Three heads turned toward her at once.
"Another genin?" Ino asked.
"Not exactly." Anko set her cup down, tone casual but her gaze sharp. "Mizuki."
The silence that followed was absolute. Even the soft background murmur of the tea shop seemed to fade.
Ino blinked. "…Who?"
Shino adjusted her glasses slightly, voice even as ever. "Former instructor of the academy. Attempted to steal the Scroll of Seals. Was imprisoned after attacking Naruto."
Ino's eyebrows shot up. "Oh. That guy." She gave Naruto a quick side-eye. "Wait, isn't he the one who—"
"Yeah!" Naruto cut in, eyes wide. "He's the jerk who lied to me—who tried to make me think I wasn't good enough to be a ninja! What's he doing out of prison?!"
Anko sighed, tapping her nails on the table. "Work-release program. He's under supervision. Technically, he's earned partial reinstatement as a shinobi under Malik's sponsorship."
Naruto blinked, incredulous. "Wait, Malik's sponsoring him?!"
Anko nodded. "And Tsunade signed off on it, too. Believe me, she didn't like agreeing with Malik. Said it made her skin crawl. But she did it anyway."
That earned a small laugh from Ino. "I can imagine her saying that word for word."
Anko smirked. "She threw a sake cup at him first, but he caught it. That probably made her even madder."
Naruto leaned back, still frowning. "So Malik's the reason Mizuki's joining us? That's nuts. Why didn't he just say so last night instead of talking about life and Hokage stuff?"
Anko perked up, curiosity flickering. "Wait—you saw Malik last night?"
Naruto groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Yeah. He broke into my apartment in the middle of the night. Said some weird deep stuff. Then left yelling something about marrying my mom."
Anko choked on her tea. "He what?"
Ino was laughing again, nearly doubled over. "I told you! That sounds exactly like him!"
Anko shook her head, still coughing. "That man's insane. I like him."
Naruto pointed accusingly. "Don't encourage him!"
But Ino's grin softened a little. "Honestly, though? Malik's not shy about his opinions. If he wanted you to know about Mizuki joining us, he'd have said so. He's not the type to chicken out of a conversation."
Shino nodded slowly. "Agreed. Malik operates with deliberate intention. If he withheld the information, it was purposeful."
"Exactly," Ino said, tapping her chin. "Maybe he wanted us to hear it from Anko instead. Or maybe…" she glanced at Naruto, "…he wanted to see how you'd react before hearing it officially."
Naruto frowned. "Why would he care how I react?"
Anko gave a small smirk, swirling the tea in her cup. "Because, blondie, you're the one Mizuki hurt most. And if you can handle fighting beside him, it means the rest of us can too."
That quieted the table. Even Naruto's retort caught in his throat.
Anko leaned forward, her tone a little softer. "Look. I'm not saying it's easy. But Mizuki's being watched. He's not the same man who tried to steal from this village years ago. Malik's seen to that. And Tsunade… well, if she's willing to give him a second chance, I'll play along."
Naruto looked down, his hands curling into fists before he slowly relaxed them again.
"…I'll give him a shot," he said finally, voice low but firm. "Doesn't mean I trust him. But if Malik thinks he deserves a chance, I'll see for myself."
Anko's grin returned—bright and feral. "That's the spirit. Doubt's fine. Just don't let it slow you down."
Ino exhaled, her smile softer now. "Well, looks like this team's about to get even weirder. Between Malik's magic, Anko's fire, Naruto's yelling, and Shino's bugs, I don't know how we're supposed to blend in anywhere."
Naruto grinned again. "Who said anything about blending in?"
Anko clapped him on the shoulder, nearly knocking him forward. "That's the attitude, kid! We're not here to blend in—we're here to get results."
Shino, as always, remained calm. "Results and restraint are not mutually exclusive."
Anko winked. "Sure they're not."
Laughter rolled through the booth again, warming the air around them. The tension eased, replaced by something else—a sense of strange, cautious unity.
As they finished their tea, Anko stood, throwing a few coins on the table. "Alright, team. Rest up. Three days. Training resumes tomorrow morning. Bring everything you've got."
They rose one by one, pulling on coats and scarves again. The bell above the door jingled as they stepped back into the cold, snow swirling around them like tiny white flames.
From behind them, Anko stretched, eyes bright. "This is gonna be fun," she said with a grin.
Naruto sighed. "Fun's one word for it."
Ino smirked. "Try 'chaotic.'"
Shino simply murmured, "Informative."
Anko laughed. "That's my team."
And together, they disappeared into the winter night.
=== —
Hours before the tea shop meeting…
The morning sky over the Hidden Leaf had been a dull silver, thick with the promise of snow. The forest beyond the training grounds was silent—too cold even for birdsong. But the stillness didn't reach the clearing carved beside the frozen river.
The sound of fists striking bark, the rush of breath, and the crack of ice filled the air.
Mizuki moved like a ghost wrapped in muscle and scars.
Half the field was solid earth, cracked from his footwork and scorched by chakra; the other half was a glassy expanse of frozen river, the ice spiderwebbed with fractures from his weight and chakra bursts.
He trained barefoot and shirtless, steam rising from his body as if his blood burned hotter than the winter wind could reach.
Three ANBU stood on the treeline, masks gleaming, their presence silent but obvious. They didn't interfere—just watched. Watched as Mizuki sprinted across the field, pivoted on his heel, and hurled one of his massive shuriken through the air. The weapon spun with a shriek, cleaving a frozen log in half before returning to his hand.
Then, breathing deep, he pressed his palm against the ground.
Earth Release: Stone Snare.
A ring of rock erupted around him, closing inward like jaws. Mizuki leapt, twisted in the air, and shattered one of the spires with a downward kick before landing again, panting, blood bright on his knuckles.
The cursed seal at his shoulder pulsed once—faint but alive. The old black markings stirred beneath his skin like ink under glass, eager to spread. But he stopped it. Controlled it.
Malik's training had changed him—tempered the seal's hunger. The power still came with pain, but now the pain had purpose.
He dropped to one knee on the ice, breathing hard, sweat freezing along his collarbones. "...Still not fast enough," he muttered.
That's when he heard it—the quiet crunch of snow behind him.
Soft. Unhurried. Familiar.
He didn't turn until he felt the weight of her stare.
"Don't tell me you're trying to freeze yourself to death," came Anko Mitarashi's voice, dry as old sake but warmer than the wind.
Mizuki glanced over his shoulder. "Anko." His tone wasn't surprised—she always had a habit of appearing unannounced.
The ANBU moved slightly when she entered the field, but a simple wave of her hand sent them stepping back. "At ease. I'm not here to arrest him. Yet."
She stopped a few paces from the edge of the river, her heavy coat fluttering open, revealing the thicker mesh bodysuit beneath. Her violet hair caught the dim light, and her eyes—sharp and tired and unblinking—swept over him.
"Shirtless in winter," she said, crossing her arms. "You trying to show off, or prove you're too dumb to feel frostbite?"
Mizuki's lips curved faintly. "Maybe both."
Her smirk returned, brief and wolfish. "At least you're honest."
He rose, grabbing his towel and draping it over his shoulder, though it did nothing against the cold. Steam still rose from his skin. Anko studied him for a long moment before speaking again.
"I heard from Malik," she said finally. "You're coming with my team."
He nodded once. "That's what I was told."
Her voice sharpened slightly. "I didn't ask if you were told. I'm asking if I can trust you."
Mizuki didn't flinch. "You shouldn't."
That earned him a raised eyebrow.
"I'm not asking for blind faith," he continued. "Trust isn't something you give because someone fills out a form or prays for forgiveness. It's earned. You'll see who I am out there."
Anko's eyes narrowed. "You're saying all the right things. You sound reformed, calm, disciplined…" She stepped closer until she stood at the edge of the frozen water, boots creaking on the ice. "But I've heard that tone before. From another snake."
His jaw tightened. He didn't need her to say the name.
Orochimaru.
Anko tilted her head slightly, her voice lowering, losing its bite. "You knew her. You followed her. Tell me—does she still haunt you?"
Mizuki's breath misted in the air between them. His green eyes darkened. "…Every day," he said quietly. "Her shadow's longer than most people realize. You don't work under her and come out clean."
Anko's smile faltered. "No. You don't."
For a moment, the cold between them wasn't just weather—it was memory.
The same teacher. The same poison. Two different survivors.
Anko looked down at his left shoulder, where the black pattern of the Animal Curse Seal barely shimmered beneath his skin. "You still use it."
"When I have to," Mizuki said. "Malik's helping me stabilize it. Says the key to redemption is control. I think he just enjoys watching me suffer, if just a little."
That earned an actual laugh from Anko. "Yeah, that sounds like him." Her smirk softened slightly. "At least someone's watching your back."
"I don't need saving," Mizuki muttered.
"Didn't say you did," she said, eyes narrowing with amusement. "I said he's watching your back. There's a difference."
He didn't argue, but the tension in his shoulders eased just a little.
Anko walked around him, inspecting the cracked ice, the scorched marks across the training field. "You've been working hard."
"I have to," he said. "People are waiting for me to fail. Malik's risking his reputation keeping me on that program. If I stumble, I drag him down with me."
"And you don't want that guilt," she said, voice surprisingly understanding.
"No," he said quietly. "I don't."
For a while, they stood there in silence, the only sound the gentle hiss of snow against the trees. Then Anko spoke again, tone lighter, as if shaking something off. "Well, since we're being honest, I came here to see for myself whether you were worth my time."
Mizuki smirked faintly. "And? Am I?"
Anko's eyes gleamed. "Still deciding. But I'll tell you this—if you make one wrong move on my mission, I'll kick your ass back to prison before Tsunade or Malik can blink."
He actually chuckled. "That's fair."
"Good." She turned away, shrugging her coat tighter. "Now stop showing off your muscles before you give the ANBU heart palpitations. I've got a team waiting for me and you've got a point to prove."
He nodded once. "Understood."
She was already walking away when he called out, "Anko."
She stopped but didn't turn around.
"You asked if she still haunts me," he said, voice lower now. "The truth is, Orochimaru doesn't just haunt people—she builds them out of their own fear. You and I? We're what's left when the experiment breaks free."
Anko was silent for a moment, the wind tugging at her hair. Then she said quietly, "…Maybe that's why Malik paired us. Two ghosts trying to be human again."
When she finally glanced back, her smirk had returned. "Don't make me regret it."
Then she leapt up onto a branch, snow scattering around her. "Damn it, I'm late. Try not to die before the mission, Mizuki!"
He watched her vanish through the treetops, her laughter echoing faintly behind her, and for the first time that morning, the field felt a little less cold.
Mizuki looked down at his reflection in the frozen river—the man who once betrayed the village staring back at the one still trying to earn his place in it. He exhaled, frost curling from his lips.
"…One step at a time," he murmured, before resuming his training.
The ANBU watched silently as he launched into another set, strikes hammering the ice like thunder, a man of sin forging himself against the winter.