"Destiny" in Deep Winter
To say Naruto was feeling down this particular evening would have been an understatement. They had just failed again to catch Sasuke, and this time they had been so close he could practically feel his fist connecting to the teme's head and latching onto his collar to drag the baka back to the village. To make matters worse, it was one of those days in Konoha. If anything, Naruto thought bitterly as he trudged through the snow, it's the absolute worst of all. Except for Fox-chasing Day. Fox-chasing Day will forever be the worst, no exceptions. Stupid Match Making Day…
Match Making Day was a tradition that had been brought to Konoha by the First Hokage's wife, Naruto's great aunt (not that he knew that at the time). It was an event invented for the sake of maintaining a high shinobi population, most hidden villages had systems or events similar to it. In Konoha though, this particular event had become something of a holiday devoted to love and romance after the First Hokage had fallen in love with his wife during the event.
It was a very simple event, all shinobi on the active duty roster, even the Hokage, had their names put into a kunai pouch. One third of the names were then drawn and placed into a second pouch by the Hokage. Then the Hokage would draw one more name from the first pouch, and that person would do the rest of the drawing. Once the drawer had been declared, they would draw names from the pouch in pairs, and a council of clan hereditarians and med-nin would declare the pair either suitable mates or not. If a pair was deemed suitable, then with much joyful jeering and jostling from their fellows the two shinobi would be thrown together like so much loose firewood and sent on a date mandated by village law to see if they could get along well enough to possibly eventually get married and have children. Those already in relationships could ask for permission to not if their partner or someone to vouch for their relationship was present, and if someone was too sick to go on a date or out of the village at the time they were excused, but there were no exceptions otherwise.
The reason Naruto was particularly sour about this day which most were exuberant and delighted about was the same reason he was sour about most other holidays in Konoha: He was excluded. Constantly. Every festivity, every party, every…anything really, he was excluded, and he saw no reason for this to be any different. Except for Fox-chasing Day, he grumbled in his head, I'm the star of THAT show. He took a deep breath and sighed as he looked up at the rough gray skies dumping drifting snow flurries down on the village, Who knows? Maybe Granny Tsunade will get my name in the pouch and I'll get a date with Sakura-chan? The little pessimistic voice in his mind leered, The same Sakura-chan who was still more upset over the fact that we lost Sasuke again than the fact that my arm got broken by that missing-nin? Naruto grimaced, Yeah, that Sakura. She did patch me up really good though, I'm not even stiff anymore.
He sighed, Oh who am I kidding? There's no way my name will get drawn…Why should I even go to the Tower Square? He stopped and frowned, You know what? I'm not going. I'll go get some ramen instead. He turned and stormed off towards Ichiraku. He didn't even notice the sad little sigh from behind a nearby fence as Hinata watched him go with her Byakugan before proceeding on with the rest of the Hyuga clan.
==Half An Hour Later==
Naruto twitched as the tremendous voice of Might Guy boomed through the village, Who let Bushier-Brow Sensei have a microphone?! "SHINO ABURAME AND MIDORI BAGU! WHERE ARE SHINO AND MIDORI?!" Naruto growled and Ayame smiled sympathetically. Then a few minutes later, they both jumped as Guy thundered, "LADY HOKAGE AAAAAND…" Just as Tsunade's voice echoed through the streets, "WHAT?!" Guy declared the second name, "JIRAIYA!" The following victory shout deafened Naruto and rattled the whole village.
When Naruto finished cursing his Sensei's volume, he shook his head to try and get the ringing out of his ears and then smiled in the direction of Tower Square, "Good for you Pervy-Sage, you finally got her." Then his head snapped up, "Wait a minute, if Pervy-Sage finally got a date with Granny Tsunade, then it's a day for the impossible! Maybe I'll get a date with Sakura-chan!" He slapped some money down on the counter and took off with a plume of snow in his wake.
==Three Hours Later==
Naruto sat down on an ice-encrusted bench as the crowd dispersed. Neither his or Sakura's names had been drawn. Bushy-brow and Tenten had been sent off together and several Hyuga's had been called, including Neji with a blonde who Naruto had honestly thought was pretty cute, and a young woman with coal black hair who had absolutely pounced the pointy eared shinobi she'd been assigned to before said pointy-ears grew wings and flew away with her laughing as a bunch of old Hyuga's cursed and stomped their feet.
Hinata had been sent off with Shikamaru of all people, and Asuma-sensei and Kurenai-sensei had gone as well, both blushing and pretending they didn't care and were only going to supervise their students. A very flustered Iruka-sensei had been tied up and dragged away by the madly cackling form of Anko-sensei, and Shizune-neechan had gone off with Kakashi-sensei. There were a lot of other people called, a third of the shinobi in Konoha, but those were the only ones Naruto knew.
Naruto sighed and slumped on the bench, "Who was I kidding thinking my name would get drawn?" Then someone sat down next to him, "You too huh?" Naruto looked over and saw Ino sitting next to him, her elbows propped on the seat back and her legs crossed as she leaned back and looked up at the sky from under her little white knitted cap with a flower on it. She had her hair down and it was flowing down over her shoulders framing her face very nicely Naruto thought. Naruto sat up slightly, "Oh hi Ino, were you hoping to get called too?"
Ino snorted with a slight smile, "Yeah, I guess I'll always be a little bit of a romantic. It may be silly, but surely I'm not the only girl who dreams of getting the perfect man on Match Making Day." Then she smiled, "And hey, today proves that dreams like that can come true. Jiraiya-sama and Tsunade-sama finally got together, at least for today," she added with a slight smile. "Iruka-sensei finally got the date he's always wanted with Anko-sensei and he didn't even have to muster up the nerve to ask her out, Asuma-sensei and Kurenai-sensei got a date even though they're in denial… even Yumiko and Hatsumei got together!"
Naruto blinked, "Who?" "Yumiko Hyuga and Hatsumei Fukusei," Ino explained, "The girl that was with the guy who flew off with her that all the Hyuga Elders were so angry about? Those two have been the sweetest couple for years but they've never been able to be official because the Hyuga Clan refuses to let any of their members date a Fukusei. Now that it's been effectively made a direct order from the First Hokage by virtue of being called on Match Making Day, they can't say or do a thing about it." Naruto blinked, "Wow, really? Why won't those old guys let anybody date a Fukusei?" Ino looked at him as though he were slightly dense, "Naruto, the Fukusei are one of the most infamous clans in Konoha. Everyone knows they steal clan secret jutsu and can render any kekkai genkai obsolete if they're allowed to marry into a clan with one."
Naruto gaped, "What?! They can do that?!" Ino sighed, "Yes Naruto, they can do that. They only get away with it because they're the village's failsafe against losing kekkai genkai. They married into the Hyuga and Uchiha Clans way back when the village was founded, that's why the Sharingan and Byakugan became so common instead of being rare or dying out like the First Hokage's Wood Release."
Then she frowned, "What were we talking about? I've completely forgotten." Naruto thought about it, "Ah…I think we were talking about dreams coming true or something." Ino smiled, "Right." Then she sat forward, "Well, maybe next year." She rose to leave and then Naruto caught her hand, "Wait." Ino turned to look at him in surprise and saw he was smiling at her, "Would you… maybe like to go get something to eat?"
Ino blinked in shock and then smiled gently, "I'm sorry Naruto. I'm flattered you would ask me, but I know you've still got it bad for Sakura. To tell you the truth, I think you'd treat her better than Sasuke, and I don't want to take your affection from her. She'll open her eyes and see you one day Naruto, I know she will." She smirked, "After all you've done for her, she's a fool to have not seen how much you love her already. Go ask her out Naruto, I know you were hoping to hear her name with yours today." Naruto blinked in surprise, he would never have expected that from Ino.
Then she smiled up at the sky, "Who knows? Maybe she'll even say yes. I know she was feeling kind of down in the dumps when I saw her earlier, why don't you go cheer her up?" Then she looked away and blushed slightly, "If she says no, come try me again. I'd love to have somebody look at me the way you look at he-r?!" Choji had crept up behind her and held some mistletoe over her head before kissing her on the cheek. Ino stared at him, "Choji?!"
Choji smiled, "So all I have to do is look at you with nothing but love in my eyes?" Ino's jaw dropped as she realized he already was, "CHOOOJIII!" Choji grinned from ear to ear and caught Ino with open arms as she pounced and kissed him. By the time they came up for air, Naruto was gone.
==Twenty Minutes Later==
"Hey Sakura-chan!" Naruto called as he ran up, "Wanna go get some ramen?" Sakura turned an over the shoulder glare on him, "Naruto." Naruto tried to skid to a stop and fell flat on his butt as he slipped on the ice. He looked up at Sakura in shock as he took in the cold look on her face. She looks like Fox-chasing Day came early… Naruto thought with horror as she crossed her arms and glared at him, "What do you want? Can't you see I'm on a date?"
The white haired young man next to her who Naruto had just noticed was observing him with a quirked eyebrow and Naruto felt something in his heart break as he realized she was in fact, on a date. With someone else. "Oh," Naruto said quietly, "um, no, sorry. I didn't realize." He got back to his feet, "Sorry, I'll, I'll go. Um, h-have a nice time, I guess…" He turned and trudged off.
A few minutes later, Naruto felt an arm drape itself around his shoulder. He looked up and saw the white-haired guy that had been with Sakura walking alongside him, grinning ruefully, "Shiro Sarutobi, Lord Third's grandson. Konohamaru's told me a lot about you. Thanks for showing up when you did Naruto, I was about to waste time and money on that b****. Don't even try to say she's not one Naruto, nobody even remotely respectable treats their teammates like that. If you've got a crush on that my friend, then come with me, we need to introduce you to some real ladies."
==Over Two Hours Later==
Naruto found himself cheerful. The company Shiro had led him to was delightful. He hadn't realized Hokage-jiji had had so many grandkids, but Shiro had wasted no time in introducing him to three of the Sarutobi Clan's loveliest, all three granddaughters of the Third Hokage. Shiro's twin sister Shirahoshi was the eldest, and like Shiro she was two years older than Naruto, but Mito and Biwako were both a year younger. Mito had reddish hair and Biwako had chocolatey brown, and they were both extremely playful, flirty, and as Naruto had quickly discovered, absolutely wonderful fun to be around.
He had quite lost his sense of time as he drank and played cards and laughed with the Sarutobi clan. He had no idea how Konohamaru had managed to stand on his head while half drunk as part of the game, or when he had arrived, or why they were drinking, but he was certain that this was the most fun he'd had on a holiday in…ever.
Then there was a knock at the door. Shiro, who was apparently exceptionally skilled at holding his liquor, rose and went to open the door before yelling, "Naruto! It's for you!" Naruto rose wobbling and staggered over to the door, "Oh hey Pervy-Shage, hi Kakashi-shenshei, what'sh, what'sh up? *hic*"
Jiraiya and Kakashi looked at him in utter mortification, then Jiraiya laid a hand on Naruto's head and all the alcohol exited Naruto's body in the most rapid and in a lot of cases unpleasant ways possible. As the haze immediately lifted from Naruto's mind, Jiraiya suddenly snatched him up, yanked his clothes off him in one incredibly swift motion, jammed a fresh jumpsuit over Naruto's head and put fresh pants on him in an instant and bounced away with Naruto flapping along in the breeze behind him like a kite, "Come on kid! No time to explain!" Naruto vaguely noted that Kakashi was bouncing along behind him with Shiro somehow flying behind Kakashi and struggling to shake off the effects of the alcohol.
A few moments later, Jiraiya set him down and handed him a breath mint before quickly doing everything he could to smooth the wrinkles from Naruto's jumpsuit, "Eat this kid, straighten up, look presentable, you're about to meet a village leader." Naruto stared at him, "What?" Jiraiya ran his fingers back and forth through his hair, "GAAAH I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS CAME BACK TO HAUNT ME AFTER ALL THIS TIME!"
Then he took a deep breath to calm down, before grabbing Naruto's arm and towing him along down the street, "Walk and talk. Ok, here's the deal, about thirty years ago I was traveling okay? So I went to this all female ninja village I had heard about to do some research. They took offense, I ran away, you know the drill." "Yeah no kidding," Naruto grumbled as he recalled the many many times similar events had occurred over the course of their two years training together.
"So anyway," Jiraiya continued, "I thought I had gotten away when all of a sudden their leader caught up and challenged me to a duel. She offered to marry me if I won and wouldn't take a polite refusal for an answer, so we fought and eventually I managed to talk her down before the fight was decided because I love Tsunade-hime, but to talk her out of it I had to cut a deal. One day my student and her student would seek each other out and finish the fight, same rules. I thought surely she would've sent a student way before now, but she's only just now sent one, and it's their village's new leader! She's hell-bent on fighting you to see if you're strong enough for her to marry or not!"
"Is she cute?" Shiro asked as he clutched his throbbing forehead. "Gorgeous," Kakashi replied. Shiro nodded, "I'm not one for hitting girls, but go kick that fine a** and get the girl Naruto! It's matchmaking day, your sensei just set you up with holy cow is that her?!" Shiro's eyes turned into hearts as he looked up ahead past Jiraiya.
A girl who Naruto had to agree was absolutely gorgeous turned to look at them as they walked up. Her hair was long, straight, silky and jet black. She had it pulled up in a high pony tail except for her bangs which framed her face, and her eyes were an even prettier green than Sakura's. Naruto couldn't tell much about her figure beneath her long white cloak, but if it were as pretty as her face, then he knew it was utterly drool-worthy.
Jiraiya pulled Naruto forward and pushed him towards the beautiful girl and her companion, "Ladies, my student. The one and only Naruto Uzumaki." "Konoha's number one unpredictable hyperactive knucklehead ninja," Kakashi added with a helpful grin. "Senpai to the Third Hokage's grandson," Shiro declared in reference to Konohamaru.
"Best guy I know!" Iruka called as he ran by clad in what they hoped was more than the large metal garbage can that he'd apparently gone through head first. As everyone stared after the teacher wearing a garbage can like a poncho and an old paper bag like a hat, an irate Anko came skidding out of the building behind him clad in nothing but an open robe that revealed that she had very very little on under it, "GET BACK HERE AND GIVE ME BABIES!"
As Anko chased Iruka off down the street, everyone who saw them sweat dropped. The gorgeous girl cleared her throat and turned back to Naruto before bowing, "Good evening. I am Shizuka of Nadeshiko Village. If you are the student Jiraiya-sama has selected to represent him, then I am here to request that you face me in a duel and marry me if you win."
Naruto's mind was still racing to catch up, "Wait, like, now?" Shizuka blinked, "It's my destiny to face you, whether or not that ends in our union will be determined by the skills of our teachers." Naruto thought for a moment, "Ah, this is all really sudden. Marriage? This can't be real!" "It's not sudden," Shizuka's bodyguard declared, "It was decided years ago, and I assure you it is quite real." Jiraiya cleared his throat, "The marriage wouldn't be immediate right? Just the betrothal? Naruto is quite important to Konoha, we'd have to do some negotiating to make the marriage work."
Shizuka looked at him curiously and her bodyguard frowned, "Negotiating?" Jiraiya nodded, "Yes, we can't just send Naruto off to Nadeshiko full time." "Haven't you heard?" Kakashi asked with a grin, "He's going to be Hokage." Shizuka nodded as her bodyguard opened her mouth to say something, "A political marriage is still a marriage, and if he is strong enough to be Hokage then he should have no problem proving strong enough to be my husband."
Naruto twitched, "Don't I get any say in this?" "Not really," Jiraiya told him bluntly. Shiro laid a hand on Naruto's shoulder, "Sure you do Naruto, say 'yes please'. Trust me, I don't think you'll regret it at all." Naruto glared at him, "That's not helping!" Shizuka frowned at him, "Is there an issue?" "Yes there's an issue!" Naruto exploded, "Just because this pervert made a careless promise when he got caught peeping I have to get married?! This is so messed up! I'm sure you're a very nice girl and you're absolutely beautiful, but we still don't know each other at all!"
Then Might Guy suddenly boomed from behind them, "NARUTO UZUMAKI AND SHIZUKA FROM NADESHIKO VILLAGE!" Naruto jumped half out of his skin, "GYAH!" Then Tsunade stepped forward, clearly fresh from drinking with a big smile, "Naruto! Hokage's orders! You will participate in the Match Making Day festivities by going on a date with Shizuka, then have a fight tomorrow afternoon, we will provide the arena and even a crowd if you want one Lady Shizuka. Naruto," Tusnade drew very close to Naruto and suddenly cranked out enough killing intent that Naruto almost soiled himself, "Hokage's orders: WIN. This is a very important alliance riding entirely on you. Scerw this up and you'll have nothing but D-rank, no, I will invent and give you E-rank missions for the rest of your life and pass a law so that you can get nothing above a D-rank and keep you from leaving the village ever again."
Naruto shrank in horror, "But, but, that…" Tsunade grinned evilly, "I'll even go a step beyond that. I'll do the one thing to make your life a living hell beyond anything you can imagine!" If Naruto had shrunk before he dwindled away to nothing now, "What?" he squeaked. "NARUTO UZUMAKI AS HOKAGE I HEREBY DECREE THAT IF YOU LOSE TOMORROW'S MATCH OR FAIL TO GO THROUGH THE FOLLOWING BETROTHAL IF YOU WIN, RAMEN WILL BE COMPLETELY OUTLAWED WITHIN THE BORDERS OF KONOHA!" Tsunade declared loudly. Naruto almost fainted in horror.
Shizuka's mouth twitched upward in a faint smile and she bowed to Tsunade, "Thank you for your assistance Lady Tsunade." Tsunade smiled, "You're quite welcome. I have a lot of friends in Nadeshiko, I'm quite happy to strengthen ties with your village. If you marrying the bright orange wonder here will do that, then I say more power to you." Shizuka smiled, "Thank you Lady Tsunade."
Jiraiya grinned, "Now Naruto, I'm sure you remember the stakes, so you had better go get to know your future bride." "You seem remarkably certain that Lady Shizuka will lose," the bodyguard who Naruto soon learned was named Tokiwa, noted. Kakashi smiled, "You've clearly not met Naruto if you think he'll lose. On his first C-Rank mission he was instrumental in the defeat of Zabuza Momochi of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, as well as Zabuza's equally formidable accomplice. He has also taken on Orochimaru of the Sannin as well as several members of the infamous Akatsuki, and myself alongside his various teammates, and he's the long time rival of the infamous Sasuke Uchiha. When Naruto decides a battle is important, there's no stopping him from winning, and Lady Hokage just threatened his ramen. He won't lose."
Shizuka smiled slightly, "Then I am ensured a challenging fight if nothing else." Naruto finally managed to recover from his shock and horror, "Oh you better be ready! I'll beat you for the sake of ramen!" Shizuka shed her cloak to reveal the armor beneath and slid into a stance, "You're as eager as I am, why wait?" Naruto's gaze flicked to Tsunade who inhaled to refuse, thought about it and then smirked, "Go ahead. Just keep in mind what you're-" "SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!"
The fight was over very quickly. Shizuka did well. She managed to pop almost half the Shadow Clones before the other half buried her in a massive dogpile over fifty Narutos strong and a dozen more prepared Rasengans. Jiraiya raised his hand, "Three, two, one! Time's up! Winner, Naruto!" Tokiwa gaped and then nodded, "I must agree." "ALL RIGHT!" The Naruto pile chorused before disappearing to reveal a very stunned looking Shizuka lying flat on her stomach squashed through the foot thick layer of snow into the street below. The original Naruto pulled her upright and caught her when she almost slipped on the icy street, "Sorry about that, but you did come looking for a fight."
Then he frowned in confusion, as a blushing Shizuka told him, "You can let go now." Wait a minute… He squeezed slightly with his left hand and immediately turned beet red as he realized ribs were not that soft and Jiraiya howled with laughter, "THAT'S MY BOY!" Tsunade face palmed, Shiro cackled, Kakashi clapped, and Tokiwa thought with horror, Oh god I've just married Lady Shizuka off to a complete pervert from a village of lunatics… Naruto had caught Shizuka's breast by mistake when he caught her.
Naruto sprang back immediately, "OH! I'm so sorry I didn't mean to!" Shizuka blinked at him, still blushing lightly as she took in his embarrassed bordering on mortified face, and then a small snerk sound escaped her as the corner of her mouth twitched up, then a snort, then a smile broke out over her face and she started laughing. Tokiwa gaped, that's the first time I've heard her laugh in years!
The tension eased from Naruto's face as he realized she wasn't angry and he observed her in shock and confusion as she tried to stop laughing. When she finally caught her breath, she straightened up and looked at him with a smile, "There's no need to apologize, you are my fiancée, one day not too far away I hope, you will be my husband and we'll do considerably more than that on our honeymoon. If you're always this funny, then I think we're going to get along just fine."
Neji Hyuga paused as he was strolling by in wake of what had been a surprisingly enjoyable date for him, "Of course, haven't you heard? It's destiny." Then he strolled away whistling jauntily and everyone stared after him wondering, Did Neji Hyuga just tell a joke?!
Then Shizuka turned back to Naruto with a smile, "Now, introduce me to this "ramen" you're so fond of." Naruto gaped, "You've never had ramen?!" "I must confess I have not," Shizuka admitted, "Seeing as how you're so fond of it though, I suppose I should try it and learn how to make it." An image suddenly flashed through Naruto's mind of Shizuka in nothing but an apron making ramen and he almost fainted from the nosebleed.
Shizuka raised an eyebrow as she smiled at him, "What a strange fiancée I have." Then she grabbed him by the foot and dragged him off down the street before pausing, "Which way is ramen?" All Leaf-nin present pointed east and she smiled, "Thank you!" She passed Anko dragging Iruka in a similar fashion and the two exchanged a look of understanding and with a smile and nod went on about their way.
When they made it to Ichiraku, the smell roused Naruto just in time to hear Ayame yell, "PAY UP DAD! I TOLD YOU A CUTE GIRL WOULD CLUB NARUTO OVER THE HEAD AND DRAG HIM IN HERE ONE DAY!"
