Let's get to the reviews!
RandomwriterJ: Yay! I'm glad you do!
Kagewolf25: YAY! I'm so happy you like it!
Blackcurse01: WOOO! I'm still planning it out but there will be a lot of cold shoulder from Hitori in this.
Alia00: Why thank you! :D
Guest: I'm so glad you enjoy it!
Lity: Yassssssssssssss!
Lucie4512: Thank you!
Guest: I'm glad you do! And an answer to one of your question is that Hitori is not a ninja. She had no intention of following Jiraiya and Tsunade's footsteps of being a ninja.
Fanfictionnatic: I'm so glad you like it!
Lizyeh2000: Yay! And I have!
Guest: I did!
DannyPhantom619: No not really. While Mito is an Uzumaki like Kushina, they share no blood relation. Naruto has no Senju blood, and while his one arm is made up of Hashirama's cells, it doesn't mean that there's any relation.
Kpopgal: Naw, thank you!
Guest: WOO! Thank you!
Guest: YOU NOTICED! THANK YOU, I THOUGHT NO ONE WOULD CATCH IT! I was going for the idea that A had a low sperm count, due to being an extremely powerful shinobi. A has no biological siblings, and I took that into the idea that extremely powerful shinobi would have lower sperms counts due to the large amounts of charka and straining the body while fighting/training. I'd imagine that not having a very high sperm count would be rather blowing to a man's pride.
Elle the reader: I'm glad you like it!
Mikurocks1234: YAY! And I updated!
Guest: Yeah, I did. I just didn't like how it ended.
IDM: I KNOW RIGHT?!
Guest: I updated!
Guest: I'd glad you like it!
Bunnyguest: It is called Life m'dear. And she can be a bitch.
Guest: YAY! Thank you for reading my story!
Guest: Here is a Band-Aid for your heart boo-boo.
Guest: I UPDATED!
I DO NOT OWN NARUTO. I DO OWN MY OCS.
It had been a number of months since Kumo rejected the offer of Konoha's and Suna's Chunin Exam. While a few of a Genin teams grumbled at the loss of becoming Chunin, their burning pride of being of the strongest Hidden Villages was stronger.
I was sitting on the balcony of the Raikage's residence, stretched out on a lounge chair with a large umbrella shielding me from the sun. I was in my 6 month of pregnancy, and like Oishi, I had a feeling this baby was going to be a big one. Our next appointment was in few days, and it was the only day my husband was free from the duties of being Raikage to come with me.
My fingers ran along the swell, tapping a lazy rhythm as I thought. A girl wouldn't be so bad, but Kami save the poor soul that shows any romantic interest in her. On the other hand, a boy would be mean going through the same things that A did with Oishi.
I grimaced at the memories. Trekking into the house with mud and dirt covering them from head to toe, my little boy and his father were all smiles after training. Like any young mother of a budding ninja, I fretted over his scraps and bruises, making Oishi complain and A watch over us with fondness. I had to smile slightly at the memory before readjusting my position in the chair. Perhaps Oishi will spare his sibling from their father's training methods.
"You seem happy."
Looking over my shoulder, I smiled at the sight of the said man who was leaning against the doorframe with an expressionless face. Yet his dark eyes glittered with softness, taking in the sight of me reclining in the chair.
"Do I?" I hummed, stretching an arm out towards my husband. A took a step forward, grasping my smaller hand in his large one before kneeling down on one knee next to the chair. He pressed a kiss to my palm and leaned over to press another to my cheek.
"Indeed. I was hoping we could take another trip to Waratenjin Shrine to pray for another safe birth. What do you think?" A asked, rubbing his thumb against the top of my hand.
A grin stretched across my face at the memories of the last trip to the shrine. Even after 3 years of marriage, we acted like blissful newlyweds back then, much to the amusement of our other traveling companions.
"That's sounds like a wonderful idea. When will we leave?"
A's grin grew even bigger.
"Tomorrow."
XxX
Like any trip, packing had been a whirlwind of everything necessary and unnecessary. A had walked in on me trying to stuff a bag of various lotions, creams, and my dark blue silk nightie with white lace (his favorite) into the overnight bag. Rolling his eyes, the man promptly kicked me out of our room and by the time I managed to unlock the door, A had neatly packed my bag and had it slung over his broad shoulder with his own. I had managed to sneak a peek into my bag and snickered with delight at the white lace peeking out from under my 'sensible' clothing.
A single rider carriage pulled by a soft cream-colored mare stood at the gates of the village, a number of travel ready shinobi going over last minute details. Oishi was double-checking the carriage and making sure everything was secure while B stood nearby, face buried into his little book as his pen flew across the pages.
"Everything ready?" A demanded as he placed my bag into a compartment and secured latch.
Oishi straightened and gave a slight bow. "Yes, Lord Raikage. We're preapared to depart when you and Kage no Tsuma are ready."
The large Kage grunted in approval before helping me up the mounting block into the carriage. Normally there would be a slightly padded seat for the rider to sit on, but given my condition, I was given extra, EXTRA padding for my sore hips and back. My sweet darling son had made sure to bring me my pregnancy pillow. The softest and plushiest pillow I had ever felt in my life had been given to me by A's mother, the SWEETEST dumpling of a woman, during my first pregnancy. Twice as wide as A's torso and just as long, it was like sleeping on a cloud. More than once, both A and Oishi used it after taxing day of training.
After adjusting myself to sit comfortably, A pulled out a light blanket and draped it over my legs.
"If you need anything," he began, staring sternly into my eyes. "You let me know. Understand?"
I smiled, feeling my heart swell at my husband's demand. Stretching up from my sitting position, I pressed a kiss to his mouth and pulled back, smiling broadly.
"Will do."
His dark eyes scanned my face before nodding. Pulling back, the bamboo curtain covering the door fell back and submerged me in darkness. Letting out a sigh, I dropped my head against the plush pillow. Running my fingers along my swollen belly, I felt the baby squirm under my touch.
"And away we go."
It took a number of hours for us to reach the inn, with a number of stops for me to relieve my bladder or to stretch my sore back. My embarrassment grew every time I called out to A, who was walking close to the carriage, about the need to make a stop. Immediately he would bark at the men leading the mare to stop and opened the flap with such a panic that Oishi would appear at his side with a medic nin right behind him. The apologies poured out of me to the other shinobi with us as A helped me down, keeping one of his massive hands over the baby bump.
My apologies were waved away by the others, one going as so far to say that his wife was the same way with all of his own 4 children and that if expectant mother needed to make a stop, you had better stop.
By the time we reached the inn, the sun had fallen long ago and all we wanted was something filling to eat and a warm place to sleep. Oishi and B entered the inn as A helped me down and the others began to unload the carriage. Within minutes, the two men came back, but Oishi was wearing a deep frown on his face.
"Oishi?" I called out, asking the unspoken question.
His eyes glanced before settling on his frowning father. Walking up to A, the youth stretched up to muttered something into his ear. Whatever it was about, A's expression turned dangerous but it quickly smoothed away to a calm appearance.
"A?" I called out, poking one of his pecs.
"It's nothing, my love," he said, rubbing his thumb against the back of my hand in a soothing movement.
Giving him one last look, I stayed silent and allowed him to lead me to our rooms. Opening the sliding doors, I was delighted to see the room pleasantly simple in the sense of decoration. The main room had the basic center low table with plush cushions and small tables set off to the side with beautiful bouquets in vases. A pair closed sliding doors lead to the bedroom that held the standard futon and furniture. As Oishi placed our bags into our bedroom, A carefully slid another pair of sliding doors open and I peered around him only to give a gasp of delight.
"Oh, A! It's the same room from last time we were here!" I squealed, taking in the rows of blooming evening primroses surrounding the pond as glowing fireflies fluttered across the rippling water.
The big man leaned down to press a kiss to my cheek. "I remember how much you loved it from last time, so I made sure to reserve it for today."
"Aren't you sweet?" I teased, giving his exposed abs a light tickle. He scoffed at my attempt to make him laugh before digging his large paw into my side, making me burst into giggles.
"This is so sickeningly sweet I think I'm going to have to go visit the dentist after this trip." Oishi muttered from behind us.
"Then go join your uncle," A growled at his son while keeping up with his tickle attack. The young man nodded and quickly fled the room, leaving me to suffer under his father's playful hand.
"S-s-stop!" I gasped, smacking his hand away. "I'm going to pee myself!"
A snickered before reaching down to give my bum a firm squeeze before wandering back to the main room. I blew a raspberry at his back before taking one more look at the garden and then closed the doors with a firm click.
"A! Can we order some dinner?"
Oishi closed the door to his parents' room with a relived sigh, glad to no longer watching his father flirt with his mother. It was the weirdest feeling to watch them, acting like his age and flirting with each other. It was mix of warmth and typical child like disgust. Yet it seemed to suit them, his hard battle worn father clashing with his stubborn and (somewhat) gentle wife. Oishi remembered the times as a child he heard his father and mother get into a spat, yelling and snapping at each other only to fall silent a few minutes later. With the curious mind of a child, he crept down the steps and peered into the kitchen to find his father bending his mother down into dip, covering her mouth with his.
He gagged slightly at the memory of catching them but he quickly wiped the image away and placed a frown on his face. Now was not the time to remember that past but to focus on the present situation.
Strolling down the hallway with a destination in mind, Oishi barely managed to turn the corner when something collided with his shin. Whatever it was, it had made a loud distressed noise at the sudden impact and Oishi had to do a double take at the sight.
Why on earth was there a pig in a vest with a pearl collar doing in an inn?
