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Minato opened the door leading to the Hokage’s office, ignoring the sounds of squabbling that he has long since associated with his students, or well… two of them. Once inside Minato raised a hand, and the sounds behind him quieted. At least his team was able to be silent when it mattered.
Most of the time.
“You’ve summoned us, Lord Hokage?” He asked.
The Hokage took a drag of his pipe and shot him a tired smile. Minato could see the way the war affected him, the lines that appeared on his face were not solely due to aging.
“Indeed. I wouldn’t have pulled you from the front unless it was important Minato, but we have an urgent C-rank from the Daimyo.”
“It will be done, Lord Hokage.”
“Good.” The smile on the Hokage’s face hardened. “Now down to business. Your mission is to escort the Daimyo’s benefactor. I can’t stress the importance that this mission is successful. Funding for the war depends on it.”
“We understand.” The war couldn’t be won without resources. Minato looked to his students, each of them nodding in acknowledgement.
“Alright, send him in.” Team Minato turned to look towards the doors.
“You called for me Lord Hokage?”
Minato flinched at the loud voice and turned around, grabbing Obito and Kakashi by their necks in a firm hold. The two had unsheathed their weapons in surprise at the man who appeared. Was their client a shinobi? Minato didn’t sense him come in at all.
The man who spoke wore a yukata of some sort, Minato was unfamiliar with the style, but the colors were as bright as the smile on his face. Pinks, blues, and purples blended together in an ostentatious flower pattern, the style so bizarre that Minato determined it would have looked horrible on anyone. Yet, for some reason he thought the man pulled it off well.
“My name is Eithan Arelius, though that name means nothing around these parts, doesn’t it? Quite refreshing.”
“Hey Bakashi… are you guys related? He’s got the same hair as you.”
A loud smack echoed around the room.
“My hair is silver, not white you idiot.”
"Boys.” Minato gave the two chunins a stern warning, stopping a fight he knew would have inevitably broken out, and offered their client a smile and an apology.
“No, no, it’s fine. I haven’t witnessed something this interesting in a long time.” Eithan responded, one hand tucked under his chin as he observed Team Minato with a wide grin.
“This is Nohara Rin, Uchiha Obito, and Hatake Kakashi, my students.” Rin had the best manners out of the three, giving a bow during her introduction, while Obito waved, and Kakashi gave a small nod before looking away.
“I’m Namikaze Minato. Shall we get going sir?”
“Please, just call me Eithan.” The man waved him off. “Though… blonde hair, blue eyes, and a dashing smile. Are you sure you’re not an Arelius? It would make sense if you were related to me.”
Minato gave a tiny laugh.
“Sorry, I’m a Namikaze through-and-through.”
“Hmm pity, your loss.”
The Hokage coughed.
“You will escort Eithan to the southern part of the Land of Fire, and help him find an item of interest, a marble with a blue flame. The mission shouldn’t take more than a month. You’re dismissed.”
Eithan clapped his hands together eagerly.
“Well then my protectors, shall we get going?”
Minato chucked.
This C-rank wouldn’t be boring with Eithan Arelius around.
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They had been traveling for a couple of hours and Kakashi concluded that he hated this ‘Eithan Arelius’. Was everything a game to him? It’s bad enough he roped his teammates into inane chatter, but he even got Minato-sensei in on it too.
They were in a middle of a war and they had to protect a guy like this? It was a waste of his talents. At the very least Kakashi wouldn’t let him distract him from his job. He was a shinobi, and he wouldn’t let anyone get in the way of that.
“You don’t talk much do you?” The voice came out of nowhere and it took everything in his power for Kakashi not to flinch. He turned to glare at the man who appeared by his side before turning his head away to hide the flush that threatened to creep up through his mask.
“Oh I embarrassed you didn’t I? Don’t worry, I didn’t see a thing. Well, that would be an incorrect statement because I know and see everything, but for your sake I can pretend I didn’t.”
The smile Eithan wore was starting to get on his nerves.
“You should come join us, talk with your teammates.”
“They should be focusing on the mission, not talking. Just another reason why they are below me, and they’ll stay that way.” Kakashi huffed.
“You know, it’s lonely at the top by yourself. ” Eithan said, the smile finally gone from his face.
“How would you know?”
Eithan placed his hand on Kakashi’s head and his smile once again returned to his face. It was even brighter than before, which Kakashi had a hard time finding possible.
“Didn’t I tell you earlier? I know everything.” Eithan pat his head a couple of times. “Your hair has good volume, but it’s too rough. I know the perfect shampoo to fix that for you.”
Kakashi growled, but before he could summon a lightning jutsu to shock his hand Eithan was already pulling away and moving back to the others.
Kakashi locked eyes with Minato-sensei, and saw the stern glare sent his way. Angling his body away he pouted.
He really did hate Eithan Arelius.
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It was evening the next day when they finally had some action. Obito was excited. Today was going to be the day he would impress Rin! The rain was gone, the sun was out, oh he could see it now. First he would bust out a Great Fireball Jutsu, then he would kick away the enemy, and once all was said and done, he would slide up to her wearing a smile.
The plan was perfect.
Or it was until he heard the whistling of metal. He dodged, and with the way the bandit slipped, Obito quickly disarmed the man with a kick.
“Pay attention idiot.” Bakashi said, as he bumped his shoulder into his. The force made Obito slip on the wet dirt, but his descent was stopped by a large hand on his back.
“Oh wow, that was close, for you I mean. I was doing just fine.” Eithan said, pushing Obito back up into a standing position. He blushed and rubbed the back of his head.
“Thank you Eithan.”
Eithan shot him two thumbs up and a smile, before going over to talk to Sensei. Obito though Eithan was nice. He wasn’t sure what it was about him that he liked, but he was fun to be around. Though, he was kinda weird at the same time. Obito had been around civilians before and he never seen one act as calm in a fight like him. Then there was another weird thing.
How come only his clothes didn’t get dirty?
Obito shrugged, he didn’t care that much. He had other important things to think about, like wooing Rin.
At least Eithan Arelius was a cool guy, he made the days go by faster.
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“Eithan, what do you do for a living?”
Rin was curious, sure they had been talking with the strange man over the past couple of weeks, but it was usually about her team and not himself. She couldn’t help but be curious.
“Oh? I’m so glad you asked. I am a janitor! The greatest janitor the universe has ever seen!” Eithan said, before leaning down to whisper in her ear. “Did you know I come from a whole line of janitors?”
“Truly?”
“Of course! The Arelius name is known for taking out the trash, in all of its forms.”
“And you’re proud of that?” Rin ask in a quiet voice.
“Yes! Being a janitor like us in not something anyone can do. Why shouldn’t we be proud of it?” His smile became a little softer. “Are you proud of what you do?”
Rin flushed and smoothed down her hair.
“Well I’m a medic-nin and I love what I do, and I know not just anyone can do it, but my fighting ability isn’t exactly… the best. Even with the bandits the other day I just let the boys handle it. I know its supposed to be my role as the medic to stay back from fights, but I just wish I could have done something.” Rin sighed, before continuing. “Anything.”
Eithan hummed.
“ The path you have chosen is different from your teammates, but there is a way to fight, you just have to find it.”
“Do you really think there is a path for me to be strong?” She whispered.
“There is a path for everyone Rin.”
“Thank you Eithan.”
Eithan shot her a bright smile.
“You’re welcome! It’s so nice to be respected again, I haven’t felt it in so long!”
Rin laughed.
Eithan Arelius was a kind person.
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The group had approached the ocean when Eithan finally told the group to stop. Minato looked around, and all he could see was sand and the water crashing upon it. Was the marble hidden here somewhere?
“Is this really the right place to find the marble Eithan?” Rin asked.
“Yes! It should be here in three…two…one… oh look here it is!” Eithan said, pointing somewhere behind them.
When Team Minato turned in the direction they saw two individuals standing there, but no marble.
The man placed his fists together and gave a small bow, the woman next to him doing the same a beat behind.
“Apologies, but we have come to collect our teacher. His vacation is over.”
“Hey, do you have a marble with a blue flame in it? It was our mission to find it for Eithan.” Obito questioned.
The man and woman shared a look before placing their gaze on their teacher. The man sighed and pulled a marble out of his pocket, matching the exact description the Hokage gave them.
“Oh look! We found it! Thank you for escorting me the whole way here, you were such wonderful guards.”
“Guards…really Eithan?” The woman asked.
Eithan walked over to his students and put his arms around their shoulders.
“Oh Yerin, I had to contribute to the local economy, you understand right?”
“No.”
“Anyways Lindon, Yerin come along. Let’s go home.”
The man newly named as Lindon bowed once more.
“Gratitude.”
“Did you have fun playing with the children?”
“Oh why yes, all four of them. Lindon, would you do the honors?”
Wait… four? Did Eithan include him as a child?
The next thing Minato knew a portal was opened and the three jumped through it. Wait what? They created a portal? Was that some space time jutsu?
“Did you see that!” Obito yelled.
“No, we imagined the whole thing.” Kakashi said, rolling his eyes.
“Shut up Bakashi!”
There were a bunch of questions going through Minato’s mind, but one was the most prevalent of all.
Just who was Eithan Arelius?