I, Raymond Smith, own nothing


Hollow

Chapter 3: Homecoming


It was a misty morning in the Land of Waves, and Tsunami was smiling as she prepared breakfast and lunch for her father and son. Ever since Inari had been inspired years ago by Team 7, he had strived to learn as much as he could from Tazuna about construction and carpentry.

She mentally thanked a certain blonde member of Team 7 for helping her child believe again and find his inner strength. Tsunami took a moment to look out the window of her kitchen, spotting a small part of the large bridge her father had built and that Team 7 had restored the hope of her countrymen.

"I wonder how they're doing," she mused softly, returning to her cooking before she accidentally burned anything.

It was around half an hour later that she finished cooking the food and she was currently packing what she had cooked for her boys' lunches. Their breakfast plates had been set aside on the table, ready for them to eat as soon as they woke up.

She was interrupted from her work by a knock at her door. Curious as to who could be calling this early in the morning, she headed for her home's entrance while wiping her hands on her apron.

"Coming!" she called to the knocker just before she opened the door to the sight of a familiar, yet older, blonde.

Wild and sunny blonde hair rested atop an angular face highlighted with unique whisker markings and deep cerulean eyes. Around his shoulders was a green scarf with blue stripes, resting atop a black jacket that had an orange trim on the edges, interior, and zipper. The jacket itself was open, showing a sleeveless orange shirt resting beneath some mesh armor. Black pants were held up by a sash that held a metal plate with the Hidden Leaf symbol on it, the legs being tucked into black sandals that covered his shins with orange armor. Over it all, he wore a slightly damaged storm gray cloak with the hood up and the Uzumaki Swirl on the back. Unseen by her, the necklace of the First Hokage was tucked beneath his orange shirt.

Beside the blonde man was a young girl with turquoise hair, hazel eyes, and a hooded gown that covered her form save for her bare feet. The hood was down, showing a cute mask with a large crack that rested on her head. What stood out with the girl was the large scar that lined up with the crack in the mask and the red marking that stretched across her nose and cheeks below her eyes.

The man grinned brightly at her and greeted, "Long time no see, eh Tsunami-chan?"

Her eyes lit up in happiness at her visitor, stepping forward to embrace the blonde Uzumaki. "Naruto-kun! It's wonderful to see you again!"

He chuckled as he returned her embrace. "Same here. Sorry for not visiting, but things have been busy these last few years."

"Oh, don't worry about it. I had a feeling that being a shinobi would cut into any time needed to come here. I'm just glad that you did visit." She then looked to the young girl and asked, "So, who's this little one?"

"Nel is Nel!" the Arrancar greeted with a smile as bright as Naruto's. "Nel is Ruto's friend after Ruto saved Nel from falling out a hole in the sky!"

Tsunami blinked at the explanation and looked back to Naruto, who was rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "It's a long story. Mind if we come in?"

"Oh yes, of course! You came at a good time, also. I just finished making breakfast, and there's plenty extra to make you both a plate."

"You don't have to do that," Naruto tried to politely decline as he and Nel followed the woman into her home.

"Nonsense! You and Nel are guests in my home. The least I can do is offer you both something to eat and drink."

"Nel is hungry, Ruto…" the hazel-eyed girl notified, showing Naruto where she stood on Tsunami's offer.

Sighing, Naruto gave the woman a smile and acquiesced, "We'd love to have some of your cooking. Thanks, Tsunami-chan."

She gave the young man a knowing smile. "Women always get their way in the end, Naruto-kun. It's best that you learn that now before it's too late."

She then left for the kitchen, giggling in amusement at the sight of Naruto's comical slump just before she departed. Yes, it was wonderful to see the blonde knucklehead again.


A certain Sage sighed in annoyance as he walked through the streets of the Hidden Leaf, heading for the Hokage Tower to speak with his old teammate; alone.

He was not happy, knowing that Tsunade would be even less happy when she saw that Naruto was not with him. The way Tsunade had bonded so quickly with Minato's brat still surprised the Sage; but, he chalked it up to Naruto being the one to knock some sense into her and restoring her faith.

It was amazing how Naruto was able to sympathize with others and change them for the better. Tsunade was just one of many that Jiraiya had witness change after meeting Naruto; the new Kazekage and the Branch Hyuuga prodigy being two others that got sense literally knocked into them. And apparently, there were others that he reached out to and changed before they died.

It was because he wanted to visit their graves that Jiraiya wasn't making a bigger stink about leaving him to face Tsunade alone. Hell, he still took time to visit the Memorial Stone and talk with friends and loved ones that he lost.

Finally making it to the office, he decided to try and lessen the Hokage's anger by using the door instead of the window. He knew she hated when he did that, and he'd rather have more time before she punched him into orbit.

Knocking, he waited for her to grant him permission before he entered her office, already dreading what was going to happen when he saw the confusion written on her face. "Jiraiya…where's Naruto?"

He sighed and simply said, "Wave."

She blinked at the single-worded answer. "Why…?"

"He's visiting some old friends and a couple of graves. That's all he told me last night. He and the other brat were gone this morning before I even woke up."

She groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. "And you didn't follow him because…?"

"He can take care of himself. I'm considering this a test to see how far he's come without me around as a buffer for bigger threats," the man answered boastfully.

The dry look she gave him showed the man that his answer was stupid. "You and I know that's a load of bull. Why did you really come here without him?"

Taking a seat on the small couch in the office, the Toad Sage got comfortable before regarding Tsunade seriously. "Naruto's been hiding something; from everyone. I think that girl he saved may be connected to it, but I also think that he's been hiding this secret long before he met her."

Steepling her fingers, Tsunade asked, "And what makes you suspect the brat of hiding anything? More importantly, why do you care? Everyone is entitled to their own personal secrets. Just because you're so openly brazen about anything doesn't mean that everyone else acts on the same wavelength."

"Usually, I wouldn't be concerned about his secrets," he agreed. "But, he was acting so much differently than what I was used to before I took him on the trip. He wasn't a ball of endless energy all the time; he was collected and calm. He didn't complain much except for when I left him on certain exercises for a few hours. Hell, he didn't even make a fuss when I spent the first year drilling in the basics that he still hadn't mastered!"

"I'll admit that it's odd to not hear about his complaints; but, maybe he was just trying to give this trip his full efforts? From what I can tell, you're the first person to give him hands-on instruction without other people getting in the way; like how Kakashi had to divide his workload between his other two students."

"Actually, I think you'd better take a closer look at what Kakashi taught his brats, because Naruto was seriously lacking in basics; dispelling genjutsu being a prime example of something he was never taught."

Tsunade frowned faintly at that. "I'll be sure to look into it. But, how does Naruto's change in attitude qualify him hiding something?"

"It's just the start. During one of our spars after he rescued the brat, he pulled out some fūinjutsu that I know for a fact I never showed to him. I barely tried to teach him the basics before he walked off. At first, I thought he was just not interested; but now, I'm thinking someone else taught him and he was hiding what he knew."

"Every shinobi needs a trump card, Jiraiya," she tried shooting down.

He frowned at her response. "Fine. How about how he left the girl with a Clone of his before walking out of a town's festival and had a fight with nothing?"

"…That sounds completely ridiculous."

"I thought he was simply testing out some combinations, but I saw him make a Rasengan and struggle with nothing while a Clone did the same with a kunai. It was like some unseen enemies were targeting him and he fought them off. I couldn't even sense anything in the area except for his chakra!"

"Invisible shinobi that could erase their chakra presence?" she guessed, frowning now.

"Possibly… However, the biggest shock was when he chased after something I couldn't see and then called out his mother's name as if it were some sort of technique."

Tsunade looked surprised. "He called out Kushina's name?"

"Yes, and his chakra faded from my senses as he did so. Whatever those invisible enemies were using, Naruto has access to it; more than likely for a while now. You need to speak with him about this; he won't talk to me."

"And why exactly is that, Jiraiya?" she pressed, her anger bleeding into her voice. "Why wouldn't Naruto feel comfortable discussing things with you?"

Officially sweating, Jiraiya gave a strained grin and nervously replied, "Well, uh… He thinks that…this trip was…a waste?"

The next moment, a Sage shaped hole was formed going through the roof of the Hokage Tower while a pervert reached for the stars.


Standing in front of two makeshift grave markers was Naruto, who was staring at the small crosses with somber eyes. Behind one of them was a massive sword stabbed into the earth, and the other had a white cloth draped respectfully atop it. Blue eyes then slowly panned up and saw spectral chains attached to the crosses, stretching above them and connecting to a pair of spirits that the Uzumaki was hoping to see.

"Zabuza… Haku…" he greeted softly, giving them both a faint smile.

The Demon of the Mist looked to the older blonde that he last saw as a brat. "You've grown up from the whining welp I first met," he remarked.

"Zabuza-sama," Haku began, her voice as gentle as ever, "must you try and instigate?" She then returned Naruto's smile and added, "It's wonderful to see you again, Naruto-kun."

"Same here, Haku. I'm sorry I never visited. A lot has happened since Team 7's mission here in the Land of Waves."

"I'm more curious on how the hell you can see us, brat," Zabuza cut in. "As far as I can tell, you're still alive and kicking. How can you see us when we're dead?"

"I've been able to see and speak with spirits for as long as I can remember. I'm still trying to figure out why I never saw your spirits before I returned back home all those years ago…"

"Perhaps this gift you have needed to mature alongside you? Or maybe our spirits hadn't tethered to the graves you made for us in time for you to speak with us?" Haku suggested.

"Maybe… But, I'm not going to dwell on it. What matters now is that I can see you, and I've wanted to talk to you two for a while now."

"What about, kid?"

"I wanted to say thanks to you both, and that I'm sorry that we ended up fighting. I couldn't help blaming myself about your deaths, even when I know that I did all that I could to try and prevent them."

"Kid, I learned early on in my shinobi career that there are plenty of things you can't change. Shit happens, and strong people move on through the hard times while weaker people dwell on them. I'll admit that you helped me regain my strength before I died, and that wouldn't have happened if we never started off on opposite sides."

"Plus," Haku added, "you showed me what it could've been to have a friend; someone who could understand my pain and help me through it. I regret not being able to expand on that friendship, but I'm still glad that I met you, Naruto-kun."

He smiled sadly at the Mist shinobi spirits. "Yeah… I'm glad I met you both, too. You two inspired me into forming my own nindo and taught me what real strength meant. You helped me see that being a shinobi wasn't some silly game and that I needed to be the best I can for the ones I cared about." A soft chuckle escaped him as he declared, "I made a promise to myself that I would never go back on my word, and that I would risk everything that I am for the people I cherish. I made that vow right here," he pointed to where he was standing, "and I've made sure to stick to it ever since."

The two spirits smiled at the blonde Uzumaki; smirking in Zabuza's case.

"Kid," the swordsman began, "do me a favor."

"Anything," Naruto promised.

Gesturing to his buried weapon, the Demon of the Mist declared, "Take up my sword. It was never meant to collect dust and rust away on some hill. It's a weapon, and it should be used as such."

Naruto was shocked at the request. "…Why me?"

"You helped me end my story as a human instead of another demon. You broke through my self-made illusions of shinobi being nothing more than tools and weapons, proving that we're all still human inside; that we can feel, that we can dream, and that we can stand together. I can think of nobody else to pass on my sword to, because I know that you will give it a legacy that generations will recognize."

The two men stared one another down, the larger descending to the ground to stand before the blonde and place a large hand on his shoulder.

"Naruto Uzumaki… I pass the Kubikiribōchō onto you."

Naruto felt himself standing a fraction taller at the man's declaration, watching as he stepped aside to allow Naruto access to the sword. Stepping up to it, the Uzumaki reached out with his right hand to grasp the handle, feeling a sudden breeze blow past him and flare up his cloak and jacket.

With a determined gaze, Naruto gripped the handle tighter and removed the blade from its earthen sheathe, holding it with ease while Zabuza smirked and Haku smiled proudly.

"Use it with pride, brat. You're carrying my legacy with you, after all," the Mist Demon warned.

Resting the blade on his shoulder, Naruto turned back to the two spirits with his signature grin. "No worries, Zabuza. I promise that it's in good hands."

The two nodded before their spectral forms gave off a faint glow. "Huh… Looks like it's finally time…"

"Seems that way, Zabuza-sama," Haku agreed, sounding sad about what was going to happen.

Naruto said nothing, simply gazing at the two spirits somberly before he felt movement beneath his cloak. Looking down, he saw that his scarf was covered in his reiatsu before it split apart into the thousands of threads that made it, wrapping around his right wrist before attaching to the chains of Zabuza and Haku. White spiritual fire outlined the trio, slowly absorbing the chains and safely detaching them from the two spirits before changing them into reishi and assimilating them into Naruto.

A rush of power was felt flowing through him, building up in a flourish before expelling like a breath of air. The power froze the ground beneath him while the energy flowed out from his body and took the shape of a demonic face that grinned darkly behind him.

Zabuza and Haku were left slightly awed at what happened while Naruto realized what his scarf had done. "Binding Threads… It really does connect me to those I hold close."

"What are you talking about, kid?"

"I mean that, since you both influenced me deeply on a spiritual level, my scarf let me inherit some of your abilities. It's called Binding Threads, and I awakened it's power when I unlocked my own spiritual power."

"So…this means that…?" Haku began.

"That I can keep both of your legacies alive," Naruto finished, giving them both a grin bursting with determination and pride. "Don't worry about me, you guys. I'll be fine now that part of you will always be with me in spirit. I promise that I won't let you two down!"

As their spiritual forms began to fade into reishi, Zabuza chuckled at the Uzumaki while Haku gave him a beautiful smile. They both nodded to him in respect before they fully faded away, the wind of the Land of Waves carrying the last of their spirits out to the ocean while Naruto's scarf reformed and situated itself over his cloak, taking the form of a makeshift holster for the Kubikiribōchō.

Smiling, he took a breath before flourishing the massive weapon and setting it into its new holster with ease, grinning at his success. He then turned to the crosses one last time and bowed to them in respect, holding it for a few seconds while silently wishing them a peaceful rest.

With his final farewell given, Naruto straightened himself up before turning around and heading back to Tsunami's home; feeling the warmth of the sun on his back as it shined behind him and hit the two graves with a hopeful light.


The next morning, Naruto and Nel bid goodbye to Tsunami and her family while the blonde Uzumaki promised to visit again when he could. He shared a hug with the woman and her son before shaking Tazuna's hand, turning around so that Nel could climb onto his shoulders. Giving the family one last grin, he took off at full-speed to the Hidden Leaf.

"Was it just me, or did that kid seem more…at peace?" Tazuna asked his daughter while Inari looked up in curiosity.

Tsunami smiled to the two men in her life. "Yes, he did. Whatever he did yesterday seems to have lifted a heavy weight off his shoulders. Maybe it's because he took on that sword of Zabuza's?"

"Maybe," Tazuna agreed. "Still, I never thought that he'd be the one to pull it out of the ground after so many people tried and failed."

"Zabuza must've been waiting for Naruto-nii to return and pick it up," Inari suggested, earning thoughtful looked from his mother and grandfather.

"Maybe so, sweetheart," Tsunami agreed with a gentle smile before she ushered them inside to give them their lunches for the day. Before entering herself, she took one last glance down the road Naruto took and whispered, "Take care of yourself, Naruto-kun…"


"Faster, Ruto! Faster!" Nel cheered as she held onto Naruto throughout his sprint. "Go faster!"

"Heh! You asked for it, Nel-chan!" he replied, gathering chakra into his legs and shooting off in a blur that left a faint sonic boom. He then kicked off the ground, leaping high into the air and getting Nel to squeal in delight. "Hang on, Nel-chan!" Naruto warned before he gathered his reiatsu and started kicking off the reishi in the air, essentially leaping throughout the sky as he raced to the Hidden Leaf.

"WOOHOO!" Nel cheered as they rushed through the air, quickly arriving near the gates of the great village.

Deciding not to make a scene, Naruto cut off the flow of his reiatsu and rapidly fell back to the earth, making Nel cry out in surprise before it turned into more excitement. Just before he landed, he had the reishi cushion his impact so that he landed with the tap of a footstep.

"Man, I love reiatsu," Naruto exclaimed to himself before he turned to the large gate of the Hidden Leaf and headed for it. Once he was within speaking range, he called out, "Yo, Kotetsu! Izumo! Look who's back home!"

The two Chunin Gate Guards turned to the voice before they both smiled in recognition. "Naruto! Good to see you, man!" Kotetsu greeted before he took note of the girl on his shoulders and the sword on his back.

Izumo noticed them also and exclaimed, "Whoa! Was your time away that exciting?"

Naruto grinned knowingly as he answered, "You guys have no idea! Anyway, I'd better hurry up and meet baa-chan before she gets even more pissed. I'm technically late, after all."

"By how long?" Kotetsu asked.

"I was supposed to be here yesterday. Hey, maybe I should make up some sort of excuse like how Kakashi-sensei usually does!"

The two Chunin snorted at the idea before they grinned in agreement. "Make sure it's a good one!" Izumo bid before Naruto waved farewell to them and walked off.

"Ne, Ruto? Who were those two?" Nel asked, oblivious to the stares she and Naruto were receiving.

"Oh, those two were old friends of mine. They used to help me pull off pranks here in the village," he answered, aware of the stares but ignoring them expertly. "Right now, I'm going to introduce you to someone who I like to call baa-chan."

"Is she Ruto's grandma?"

"No, but she's old enough to be," he informed with a chuckle, returning his focus to the road. "I'm sure she'll like you, though."

"Nel thinks Nel will like her too!"

Another chuckle escaped him as he kept talking with Nel, telling her about the many parts of the village she pointed to and asked about. He was so relaxed around the young looking Arrancar that he never noticed that he passed by a small eatery that had a certain Sand kunoichi as a patron.

Teal green eyes looked on in surprise at the sunny blonde that walked passed her with an excitable green-clothed kid literally hanging off his shoulders. She couldn't help but blush faintly at how his carefree smile brought out his natural appeal, noting that the last two and a half years allowed the Uzumaki to fill out nicely.

Finishing her meal, she gathered her belongings before leaving money for the bill and taking off to the Hokage Tower. She had to prepare the Hokage for a certain Maelstrom's homecoming.


"Should be here any minute now," Jiraiya spoke up from his position on the windowsill. "I've been keeping track of him with one of my Scouter Toads."

"I still find that to be a betrayal of trust, Jiraiya," Tsunade replied. "You know that he wouldn't keep tabs on you like that."

"I wouldn't have to resort to this if he didn't hide things from me. I'm his teacher and he's my apprentice. He shouldn't need to hide anything."

"Everyone is entitled to their own privacy, Pervert. You just ignore that entitlement and use it for those damnable books of yours."

"Maa, Tsunade-sama," Kakashi spoke up from his position against the wall, reading the newest edition of Jiraiya's book series. "Everyone needs to draw inspiration from somewhere."

The Hokage gave a dry look to the Jonin, earning his infamous eye-smile. She was prevented from commenting when her office door opened and Sakura walked in.

"Is he here yet?" she asked, not bothering to greet anyone since she caught up with Kakashi and Jiraiya yesterday.

"Almost," Kakashi answered before they all heard a knock at the door.

"Enter!" Tsunade called, prompting the door to open again and reveal Temari. "Yes?"

"Just wanted to let you all know that a certain someone is almost here, and he's not alone," the Sand kunoichi informed.

"We know already," Jiraiya replied dryly. "Well, not all of us; but the important people do."

Kakashi and Sakura gave the man dull stares at his comment while Tsunade fought an amused smirk at her old teammate's easy dismissal of them.

"How soon do you think he'll be, Temari-san?" Shizune asked politely.

"Should be coming up now. I managed to get here while he was just down the street. I saw him passing by when I was having lunch and hurried over so I could tell you."

"Tell them what?" a familiar, yet more mature, voice asked. When everyone turned their attention to him, Naruto raised a brow at their mixed stares. "What? You guys never seen a whiskered blonde before?"

Tsunade shook off her surprised stare for a stern look. "Brat, where were you?"

Here, Naruto sheepishly grinned while rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah… Sorry I'm late. You see, I was caught up in some sudden waves before I washed ashore and met up with an old demon and princess. We talked for a while before I was gifted with the demon's sword, which helped guide me home!"

Everyone, minus a certain scarecrow, sweatdropped at the excuse. Kakashi simply chuckled and gave the Uzumaki a thumbs-up. "Nice one."

"Learned from the best bullshitter I know," Naruto replied cheekily before crouching slightly to let Nel jump down from his shoulders. "Nel-chan, these are some of my friends. You already know the Pervert, but the other guy with white hair was my old teacher, Kakashi."

She looked to the Jonin, who gave her his signature smile. "…Cyclops!" she exclaimed in shock, her eyes wide.

Awkwardly chuckling, Kakashi replied, "Actually, I'm not a-"

"Then there's Sakura," Naruto interrupted, making the man slump comically. "She's my old teammate."

The pinkette looked to the turquoise-haired child, giving an unsure smile. "Uh, hi…?"

Nel, on the other hand, moved closer to Naruto and gripped his pant leg, giving Sakura an accusing stare.

"Um, why is she staring at me like that?" Sakura asked Naruto, who shrugged.

Nel kept her small glare before she asked, "What's your relationship with Ruto?"

"…Huh?" Sakura asked, unable to think of anything else to say in response.

The others, meanwhile, found the moment very amusing and stifled their chuckles.

"Anyway," Naruto resumed, "the blonde lady with her hair up is Temari. She's a sister of Gaara."

"You mean Sandy?" Nel asked curiously, making Naruto grin while Temari face palmed at the nickname for her brother.

"Yep! She's really strong and uses her fan to make wind attacks!" the Uzumaki answered, earning him some brownie points with the Wind Mistress.

"Wow!" Nel exclaimed with sparkly eyes. "Nel wants to see!"

Temari smirked at the girl, moving over to pat her on the head. "Maybe some other time, Squirt."

"The lady next to the other blonde is Shizune. She's really nice. You'll like her."

Shizune gave Nel a warm smile and greeted, "It's wonderful to meet you, Nel-chan."

"Nel is happy to meet Shi-Shi too!" she returned, making the medical kunoichi giggle behind her hand at the nickname.

"And lastly is Tsunade-baa-chan!" Naruto rounded off, earning a tick mark from the Hokage while Nel looked to her in wonder.

"Baa-chan is pretty!" she declared. "She doesn't look old at all!"

Naruto bit his lip to keep from laughing as Tsunade's tick mark gained two friends. "That's everyone! Everyone else, meet Nel-chan!"

Nel waved brightly, showing a childish innocence to the others. Sakura, still a bit rattled from the sudden accusation, simply stood in silence. Kakashi offered a lazy wave in response while Temari and Shizune smiled at the girl. Tsunade gave Nel a short glance before returning her attention to Naruto.

"We have a lot to discuss, brat. Everyone else but Jiraiya leave," she ordered.

"Me too, Tsunade-sama?" Shizune asked in slight surprise.

"Yes. This is something private."

"Are you sure I shouldn't stay as well, then?" Kakashi questioned.

"If it's important enough, I'll fill you in later. Until then, leave."

While he was slightly miffed, Kakashi nodded before he led Sakura out of the office and Shizune led Temari out. Nel stayed beside Naruto, earning a raised brow from Tsunade.

"I want her out of here too, Naruto," she explained sternly, making Nel move closer to Naruto.

The Uzumaki frowned faintly at that. "You don't need to be so harsh about it," he groused before he crouched down to face Nel. "I need to talk with Pervy Sage and baa-chan for a little bit. I'll leave you with a Clone that will take you home. Okay?"

"Nel wants Ruto to come too!" she cried, giving him a pouting glare.

"I know," he replied calmly, patting her head with a smile and surprising Tsunade with his caring tone. "But I'll be back as soon as I'm done here. Then we can go get some ramen and I'll introduce you to Teuchi and Ayame-nee-chan. Can you wait that long, Nel-chan?"

She kept her pout. "…Will Ruto's copy play with Nel?"

"Of course, he will!" he answered with a grin. "Just tell him what you want to play, and he'll play with you; promise!"

When she heard that word, she finally dropped her pout and smiled. "Okay!"

He patted her head again while a Shadow Clone popped into existence beside him, once again surprising Tsunade since no seals were used. "Take Nel-chan to the apartment. Whatever she wants to play is fair game."

"Even Eternal Tag…?" the Clone asked with a grimace.

"Any game."

Resigned to his fate, the Clone crouched down for Nel to jump on his shoulders before he left the office. The real Naruto then moved to the wall to lean the Kubikiribōchō against it before he stood before Tsunade's desk.

"So…? What was so important you sent everyone else out?" he asked with a frown.

"Don't give me that look, brat. You were supposed to be here yesterday and I'm not going to deal with your usual attitude. I'm the one who's angry right now. Understand?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama," was his reply, making Jiraiya hide a wince at the steel in his voice. It reminded him of Kushina whenever she was getting angry.

The Hokage simply nodded before she continued, "Now, Jiraiya informed me yesterday about how he felt the last two and a half years went. I want your opinion on them."

"Anything I accomplished on that trip, save for one thing, could've easily been done here, Hokage-sama," Naruto answered professionally, his face betraying nothing.

Tsunade fought a frown at that, not used to seeing this side of Naruto. "And what was the one thing you think couldn't have been accomplished?"

"Saving Nel-chan and taking her in. If we didn't go on this trip, no one would've found her until she had already died."

"You can't honestly expect me to believe that she fell out of some hole in the sky, brat," she shot down.

"Believe what you will, Hokage-sama. All I'm saying is that I was in the right place at the right time when it came to her recovery. I'm just grateful we were near a medical facility aligned to the Land of Fire."

"And do you think you'll be able to handle the responsibility of taking care of a child with your circumstances?" she pressed.

"If you mean the Akatsuki, then yes. I know that I'll be able to keep her safe. If you mean the Kyuubi, then I'm sure I can keep myself in check."

The last comment was practically spat in her face, and she winced at how he took her question. "Naruto, you know I didn't mean it like that."

"Was that all, Hokage-sama?" he asked without missing a beat, still not showing anything.

She opened her mouth to speak, but she backed down when she realized that continuing this would only widen the rift she had started to build between her and Naruto. And she didn't want that.

"Naruto, I'm not trying to start anything with you," she stated sincerely. "I'm just worried about what has happened since you left, and I don't want you to think that I don't trust you." When he didn't answer, she continued, "Please, can we talk about this normally and not as a shinobi and their Kage?"

Slowly, Naruto dropped his professional look for a small frown that showed his slight hurt. "Kinda hard not to feel that way when you're asking questions that make it sound like you're doubting my abilities. I'm not going to lose control of the Fox, Tsunade. I thought you trusted me on that?"

"I do, Naruto," she replied. "I'm just concerned about the choices your making. Taking care of a child at your age is a big responsibility. Not to mention that you're doing it alone without any prior experience."

"If I was able to take care of myself for years without anyone helping, I think I can manage looking after a little girl who has nothing," he fired back with narrowed eyes.

She and Jiraiya both winced at that, honestly forgetting how little support Naruto actually had while he was growing up.

"Anyway, I'm sure that's not the only reason you sent everyone else out. What else are you trying to figure out?"

"You've been hiding some things, kid," Jiraiya spoke up this time. "Things that you should've mentioned before. Why didn't you tell me that you already had a decent understanding of fūinjutsu before we left on this trip?"

"Because it was none of your business. What I knew before you decided to train me is my business, and nobody else's. Besides, I should be the one asking what the hell you both are hiding from me."

"We're not-"

"Don't you dare try to bullshit me anymore, Tsunade!" Naruto cut off, visibly angry. "How dare you two sit there and accuse me of hiding anything from you when you both hid the truth from me! Why should I trust you when you wouldn't even have the guts to tell me who my parents were?!"

"So, you did know…" Jiraiya mused with a frown. "That's why you called out Kushina's name that night of the festival."

"Spying on me again, you perverted bastard?" Naruto snarked. Mentally, he was berating himself for not noticing the Sage that night.

"Yes! When my student keeps things from me, I make it a point to look into it; even if I have to keep tabs on him!"

"I'm not the Akatsuki or any other criminal! You spying on me makes me feel like you see me that way, and it's not fair when you're bigger criminals than I am! What kind of people decides when the time is right for a child to know about their parents?!"

"Naruto, we just wanted to keep you safe," Tsunade tried to reason.

"Safe? If that's your real reason, then where the hell were you earlier in my life? Where were either of you on the nights I questioned why I was alone, or when I had to teach myself how to find food, or when I was pushed away by ignorant parents who feared me? You two, and even the Old Man, just never trusted me!" His anger was boiling now. "Hell, I never found out about the Fox until I was almost killed as an Academy Student! And I'll be the Old Man would've kept lying to my face about it if that bastard Mizuki never had the chance to spill the beans that night!"

"You weren't ready to know!" Jiraiya argued.

"Who are you to judge when a Jinchūriki should know about the Bijuu they carry? What if I went on a mission without know about it and lost control? Whose fault would it be then? Because it sure as hell wouldn't be mine!"

Jiraiya would've argued some more, but Tsunade cut him off. "You're right, Naruto," she declared, getting both of them to look at her. "Kushina was told about the Kyuubi before she became its container, and you never got a choice in the matter. It wasn't fair to you to grow up with this stigma that you never understood, and that others kept secret from you. To be honest, I'm surprised that you never snapped under the emotional pain and fell victim to the Fox's influence."

"Feh! Clearly, she's never seen your more willful moments," the Bijuu commented.

"I'm stronger than you think, Tsunade," Naruto spoke up. "I'm just sick of people demanding I trust them when they never return the sentiment."

"I understand. So, I'm asking for a clean slate from this point on," she suggested. "I don't want there to be anymore secrets that can ruin this bond we have. You may not think so right now, but I do care about you, Naruto. I don't want to lose anyone else that I care about; not when I've lost so many of them already."

He was tempted to tell her that Mito was still around, but he kept quiet and gave her a small smile in agreement. "…I think I can live with that. I'm still upset, but I can't keep dwelling on this if I want to move forward. Otherwise I'll be like Sasuke and how he never moved on from what Itachi did."

"Right… Thank you for understanding, Naruto. I still want to talk some more about your trip, but I think it's best if we hold off on that for a little while. We all need time to think about what's been said today."

Nodding again, Naruto moved over to the Kubikiribōchō and holstered it. Turning back to the others, he gave Tsunade another small smile before leaving the office.

"You should've asked about that other thing," Jiraiya grumbled.

"Only you seem to be so concerned about it," she shot down. "Besides, if I pushed any further, I doubt he would've agreed to give me another chance. I wasn't lying when I said I didn't want to lose anyone else; whether it's through death or any other method."

Snorting, the Toad Sage didn't reply to her comment and left her office via the window. He had his own thoughts to settle.


That evening, Naruto was seen standing before Mito's spirit before he gave her a warm embrace that she returned without hesitation. "It's wonderful to see you again, child. I can see how much you've grown; and not just physically."

"A lot happened during the past couple of years, sensei," he explained. "I figured out how deep my connection to the spiritual side of the world goes, and I met someone who came from a separate part of that world. She's hurt, and I need to keep working so that I can help her heal."

"Sounds like quite the story. Why don't you tell me everything you've experienced so far concerning your spiritual connection? Maybe I can help you sort things out."

Smiling gratefully, Naruto spent the next couple of hours regaling his ancestor about his first meeting with Nel and Neliel. He then told her about what Neliel informed him of Hueco Mundo, and about why she's forced into a younger form with fractured memories of her past. After that, he told her about how he and the Kyuubi figured out how to unlock his spiritual power, about the true potential of his mother's scarf, and how Zabuza and Haku's spirits helped him grow stronger.

He then showed her what he could do with Binding Threads to prove how much he had grown, allowing her to see the manifestations of his connections to Kushina, Zabuza, and Haku. Finally, he told her about his encounter with the two Hollows and his concerns about running into more in the future.

"I'm worried about what else may show up. One of those Hollows threw out a name, which means that someone else in controlling them or is in charge of them. I haven't seen anyone else reacting to spiritual presences, and I can't help thinking that I'm the only one in this fight that I know is going to come."

"You fear that your efforts won't be enough when the time comes; that you will become overwhelmed with having to deal with these malevolent spirits as well as the Akatsuki on the physical plane," she summarized, earning a nod. "Have you tried to give Nel some of your reiatsu again?"

"Not yet… I wanted to be sure I had decent control over it before I tried."

"Based on what you've told and shown me, I think you'll be fine," Mito assured him with a supportive smile. "You've grown from the small boy I met so long ago, Naruto-kun. You've become a young man that I know can carry on the legacy of our people, bringing the Uzumaki name back into the shinobi world with confidence."

He smiled tearfully at her words, feeling a swell of pride at the sheer belief her voice portrayed concerning his abilities. "Thank you…Mito-baa-chan."

Her smile softened at the title, having only heard him call her that a handful of times. She gave him another hug, letting him relax in her embrace before she pulled back and cupped his cheek lovingly. "You remind me so much of Kushina-chan… I see her in you more and more as time goes on, and I know without a doubt that she'd be proud of the man her son has become."

He chuckled through his lingering tears, relishing in the warmth he felt from the moment.

"Now, get back to Nel and do what must be done. Don't rush it, don't force it, and don't despair over it. Let things run their course and do your best."

"I will," he promised, giving her a bow of both respect and gratitude before he took off back to his apartment, leaving Mito smiling towards his departing form.


When Naruto returned to his apartment, he saw that Nel was still asleep and the Clone he left to watch over her was reading through his personal notebook on fūinjutsu formulas. "Thanks for keeping an eye on her," he said, earning a grin from the Clone.

"Hey, she's important to more than just you, Boss," he replied before dispelling, giving Naruto his memories.

Shaking off the mental input, Naruto moved over to Nel's resting form and smiled softly as he gently brushed some of her bangs behind her ear. His hand then moved slowly from her hair to the damaged mask, resting atop the crack before Naruto closed his eyes in concentration. With months training his reiatsu, it came to him with ease now, and he slowly opened his eyes again to reveal the white rings within them to the world.

Letting his spiritual energy flow, he had it build up in his hand before he slowly began transferring it into Nel's mask; the action producing a slowly building white glow from the blackness within. Like it did before when he accidentally gave her his reiatsu, the eyeholes of Nel's mask slowly started to glow pink before they flashed once and blinded Naruto with their brilliance. The room was covered in pink smoke that slowly dispersed into the air, revealing Neliel laying comfortably atop Naruto's bed.

She started to stir as Naruto removed his hand from her mask, blearily opening her eyes to his blurred image before she blinked a few times to get them into focus. "Naruto-san…?"

He gave her a warm smile as he greeted, "Nice to see you again, Neliel… I finally unlocked my reiatsu."

Sitting up with a groan, she reached out with her senses and smiled faintly at the feel of Naruto's spiritual core. "So, you have. That's wonderful news."

"I'm hoping that I can restore you to this form soon, but I know that it will take some time."

"Yes. The damage I sustained was more than I realized, and my spiritual energy needs to be resorted from the distorted mess it has become. However, with continual doses of your reiatsu fixing the flow, I should hopefully return to this form soon."

"Glad to hear that. I made a promise to help you, after all," he reminded her with his signature grin, earning a soft smile from her.

"That you did, to which I'm grateful." She closed her eyes and took a feel of her energy, mentally estimating how much time she had before she reverted back into Nel. "I believe I may have enough time to hear how you unlocked your reiatsu and why it feels so strong already. I'm curious as to what you did between our first meeting and now."

Grinning a bit wider, Naruto sat down on the chair his Clone was using before he said, "I guess I should start by saying that my connection to the spiritual world has been with me since the night of my birth." At her understanding nod, he continued, "See, I was born on October tenth, and on that night, a great beast known as the Kyuubi was released from my mother…"

For the first time in years, Naruto shared the circumstances of his birth with another person, and he knew deep down that she wouldn't judge him like so many had done before.

After all, Neliel was more than the humans of the Elemental Nations. She would understand; he knew.


That's the end!

Man, what a chapter! Reunions, powerups, arguments, and the true start of a bond between our orange knucklehead and the hazel-eyed beauty of the Hollows! This is the longest chapter yet!

Next chapter will go over the test between Kakashi and his students. However, before that happens, Naruto will encounter another spirit in the Hidden Leaf he never knew about.

Who is this spirit, and what will happen when they realize that Naruto can interact with them?

Hint: they knew Naruto's mother.

Until next time!

~pain17ification~