Naruto: New Growth

Disclaimer: neither I nor my compatriots own Naruto. If we did, we would have more money, more drawing talent, live in Japan and have not neatly as much time on our hands as we do or at least two of our number do. (Narutard17: I blame real school.)

"The fire's shadow will illuminate the village and once again tree leaves shall bud anew."

Old man third, Naruto volume 16

"Watch where you're throwing those." The tall blond with a vulpine smile chastised lightly. Another kunai was thrown and it landed a few inches from where his foot had just been. "Are you trying to start a fight with the Hokage?" He said as he jumped once again from the projectile. He continued dodging for a bit but then disappeared. Only to re-appear directly behind his assailant and lock their arms so they could not get away.

"No fair."

"All's fair in love and war." He said suddenly scooping his son up in his arms. "And I do love you."

"I love you to dad." Tetsu said hugging his father from his upraised position.

Uzamaki Naruto is 6"2' with blue eyes and small whisker like scars on his face. He was to be found having fun or training with one of his friends or his son, when he wasn't being forced to do the work that comes with the position of Hokage.

"All right you two, it's time for dinner." Tetsu's mother called from inside the house. She is considered the best cook in the village, or at least The Uzamaki's and their friends think so, and so the father and son raced each other inside to smell another of her wonderful culinary works.

"Ramen! My favorite!" shouted the very excitable sixth. Hinata smiled. It was obvious that she really loved Tetsu's father. She is 5'3", has pale white eyes and long black hair that she ties up when ever she is working.

After his first and second helpings were finished, the original maverick ninja turned to Tetsu and asked, "So aside from attempting to kill me, what did you do today Tetsu?"

"Well, I hung out with some of my friends and we played ninja war. It wasn't very fun 'cuz I'm a lot better at it than most of the other kids, so I get left out some times."

"May I suggest you don't using you byokugon next time? It could make the game more fair." His father said to him with a falsely stern look. Tetsu nodded in assent. "Anything else?"

"Well, I trained with Uncle Neji,"

"Neji-sense." Hinata reminded him, ever a stickler for honorifics.

"Right, Neji-sense."

"Hm." His father, on the other hand, is not so strict.

"He has graciously taken on our son as a student. The least we can do is show him some respect." Hinata remonstrated.

"He only took him on so that he could look like he's doing the Hokage a favor and so he can pretend that he's passing clan secrets on to the next generation. Like you could teach Tetsu yourself."

"Uzamaki Naruto, I will not have you speaking so rudely about my cousin! He is an honorable man and he deserves our trust." Tetsu had hardly ever seen mom so ticked. It scared him so much, he lost his appetite.

"Sorry Honey. It's just; he was so opposed to my marrying you. I guess I never really got over how much he used to antagonizes me." Naruto looked really sorry for what he had said and Hinata's anger melted instantly.

"Don't think that I have forgotten what he used to do. But you have to let him do what he can to make up for it."

"Um." Tetsu said trying to get their attention. "May I be excused." He could see, even without the aid of the byokugon, that this was going to turn into one of those mushy moments that, in his mind, take up such large sections of action movies and are total waist of time.

"Oh, you're finished already?" His father said. He looked a bit guilty about having gotten so passionate with his 5 year old son still in the room.

"I think I'll do see how Kushina's doing." And Tetsu ran to go see his little sister.

"Hey Kushina! How ya doin'?" Tetsu said as he ran into his little sister's room. She was almost the splitting image of their mother except with dark blue eyes and lighter hair.

"Konichiwa Tetsu-niisan. I'm fine. How was your last day of freedom?" She looked up at him and gave one of her lovely smiles. The kind that helped him bare the taunts of some of the more stubborn members of Konaha that still held on to what his father was. A container for a monster. But his sister, along with that beautiful smile, would reassure him that they were just jealous of how great dad was.

"Ug! Don't remind me!"

"It will be fine brother. Father says Konahamaru-sense is a very good teacher. And besides, you will get to be with all your friends. You will have a great time." It always struck Tetsu that, despite her byokugon not having manifest itself yet, his sister could always see right though him and say exactly what needed to be said.

"She'll make a great diplomat if she decides not to become a shinobi." He thought. Shaking himself out of his reverie, he asked, "Why didn't you come to dinner again? That's like the forth time this week you missed a meal. Plus you keep coming late when we play ninja wars. You're getting as bad and old man Kakashi."

"Kakashi-sama is a very busy man; he doesn't remember to stop working sometimes." Kushina rebuked him.

"Kakashi is a lazy bum who spends his time reading smut, spying on ladies in baths and taking the occasional mission so he has money for food, baths and saki."

"Shut up Tetsu." Kushina said, finally goaded by her brother's attitude.

"Oh. The princes is pissed." Replied Tetsu. He was having fun messing with his little sister now.

"Just because you are older and have the byokugon doesn't mean I can kick you butt. I've been training too you know."

"Really? Who with?" Tetsu was curious now.

"Well, actually, I've just been practicing on the fight dummies… but I still learned some stuff."

"Okay. Let's see it."

"What?" She was shocked

"I said, let's see it. I want to see what you've been working on. We have an hour or so before bed. Maybe I can teach you some of the stuff Neji-sense has been showing me."

"Really? That would be great! Oh thank you honored brother." Kushina was ecstatic.

"Hold on. I haven't shown you anything yet. Wait till you learn something before you celebrate." But he smiled at her any way. And it was a perfect reflection of his father's smile, right down to the whisker marks on his cheeks.