Vanex: Hello all! Here is the next chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

"Normal Talking"

"Normal Thinking/Dreams/Flashbacks"

"Demon Talking"

"Demon Thinking"

*Scene Change*

Chapter 3

"So Naruto, I assume that you and Kushina are going to return to Rouran, to rebuild it?"

"Yes. I'm sorry Tsunade. But Rouran is my home now. Once I do a few more things here, I will depart."

"I'll have to announce to the village what happened to you."

"Be careful when you do that. While the ninjas and some of the civilians have accepted me and see me as a hero, most of the civilians still think I'm a demon. They'll won't take the fact I'm married to a queen and legally free of Konoha very well. They may try to have me killed."

"I'll do whatever I can to stop them. Goodbye Naruto. I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, Granny Tsunade."

Instead of being angry as she usually is upon hearing that, she chuckles instead, knowing it's the last time she'll ever hear that. Naruto hands her his headband, and then turns and leaves the vault with Kushina.

The Uzumaki duo walk down towards Ichiraku Ramen, having gone to both Naruto's apartment and the Namikaze estate to get some important scrolls as well as personal items. With these items sealed in another scroll, they both wanted a last helping of ramen, before leaving.

"It's hard being here, Naruto. Every time I look at something, I think of that night. The night that you and your father condemned yourself to being the third host."

"It had to happen Mom. It's a very vital part of my life. Being the host shaped me into the person I am. It also allowed me to touch others, like my friend Gaara."

"Yes, you told me about him. The Kazekage."

"Yes. Imagine if I had never changed him. He would have remained a psycho. He would probably be dead right now, cause no one would have wanted to rescue him from the Akatsuki, or he might have been killed in the attempted Oto/Suna invasion during the Chunin Exams. It's impossible to tell."

"Yes, I know. I'm sorry, Naruto. Even now, I still feel a little anger at you, for condemning your infant self and denying me the chance to raise him."

"I had no choice. I had a wife and daughter to think about. I couldn't sacrifice my daughter's existence, just to make my life better."

"She might have still come to be."

"There is no proof of that! There was no way for me to predict how much would have changed if I hadn't become the third host and an orphan!"

"I know. I've accepted that. I just, can't stop lamenting that I never got to watch you as you grew up. Twenty years with you, stolen away."

Naruto's eyes soften as he looks at his mother. He pulls her into a hug. The two stand in the street for a few minutes, having a mother-son moment, before pulling away.

"Now then, we better get going to Ichiraku Ramen. That ramen is calling my name!"

Naruto dashes off towards the ramen shop, leaving a laughing Kushina to follow him, enjoying the fact that he inherited her love of ramen.

Ten minutes later...

Teuchi smiles at the big wad of cash in his head. Ayame doesn't pay attention to the money, as she's busy sweatdropping at the piles of bowls behind the Uzumaki duo.

"It'll take me forever to wash all these bowls."

Naruto gives a nervous grin. "Sorry, Ayame. But this is the last time I'll be able to stop in for a long while, so I wanted to have as much as I could."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll find out everything from the Hokage, soon. But now I have to say goodbye."

"What?"

Naruto turns at the voice, seeing that both Team 8 and Team 10, including their senseis, are standing outside the stand looking in surprise at Naruto. The one who had spoken was Kiba.

"I can't stay here anymore."

"What do you mean, Naruto? And why are you so much older?"

"To put it bluntly, on my last mission I got sent twenty years back in time with no way to return to the present, except living those twenty years. I'm now a married man with a daughter. I have to look out for my family."

Hinata's eyes widen at the statement of Naruto being married to someone else, before she turns and runs off. Naruto is about to run after her, when he is stopped by Ino asking another question.

"Why can't you and your family live here?"

"Cause my family is the royal family of the now being rebuilt Rouran. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to talk to Hinata."

Naruto quickly runs off after Hinata. The others watch him go and then turn to face Kushina. Kurenai's eyes widen upon recognizing her.

"You're the wife of the Fourth Hokage, aren't you?"

"That's right. Kushina Uzumaki's the name."

This surprises everyone. Ino's the one to speak the question on their minds. "Uzumaki? As in Naruto Uzumaki?"

"Yep. I'm his mother!"

This causes everyone's mouths to drop open. Choji is the first to recover. "Then where have you been all his life?"

"With the older Naruto and the people of Rouran. Naruto wanted to make sure that his childhood happened exactly as it had before."

"Impossible."

Everyone looks at Kurenai as she continues. "You were listed as dead! How are you alive?"

"Naruto saved me and brought me to my daughter-in-law and granddaughter, where I've been until today. Now, if you'll all excuse me, I better go catch up with Naruto."

Kushina walks away, leaving the whole group standing there.

*Scene Change*

Naruto rushes into one of the training grounds. He stops for a moment and hears the sound of crying. He follows the sound to it's source, who is sitting by a stream.

"Hinata."

Hinata doesn't move when Naruto calls her name.

"Hinata, I'm sorry. But there was no way I could be with you, when I'm twenty years in the past."

"I know."

Naruto is surprised that Hinata responded.

"It hurts. It hurts that I can never be with you, that we can never get married or start a family together. Just, tell me one thing. Are you happy with your wife?"

Naruto answers without hesitation. "Yes."

"As long as you're happy, I can let you go. I'll move on and hopefully find someone else. Just promise me one thing."

"What's that?"

"Never lose that happiness. You've deserved to be happy for a long time."

Naruto pulls out a picture from his pocket and hands it to Hinata. She looks at the photo.

"Is that your wife and daughter?"

"That's right. My wife Sara, and my daughter Hitomi."

"They look beautiful."

"I know. Hinata, there's one last thing I want to ask you."

"What is it?"

"Well, when Hitomi was born, I listed you as her godmother."

Hinata's eyes widen as Naruto continues talking.

"Of all my friends, you would be the first I would ever consider to be my child's godmother. I don't know Ino or Tenten as well as I know you. Sakura isn't even an option. Are you okay with being the godmother of Hitomi?"

"Of course! I'd love to be her godmother! Just make sure I get a chance to visit her!"

"Thank you Hinata, you have no idea how much this means to me."

Hinata hugs Naruto and gives him back his picture.

"This is goodbye, Hinata. Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"I'll be fine. It'll take a little time, but I'll be fine."

Naruto smiles and then turns to join Kushina, who caught up with them two minutes ago.

"Goodbye, Hinata. Have a happy life."

"You too, Naruto."

Naruto and Kushina leave. Hinata stares after them, before turning to head back to join her team.

*Scene Change*

Naruto and Kushna have reached the gates and are about to leave, when a voice stops them.

"Are you going to leave without saying goodbye to me, Naruto?"

The two turn to see Kakashi leaning against the gate.

"Yo."

"Kakashi-sensei. I thought you were on a mission."

"I was, but now I'm back."

"Kakashi? You're still wearing that mask?"

"Hey, don't make fun of my mask! So what if I like wearing masks?"

"Considering that you aren't surprised that my mom is alive, I assume Tsunade told you?"

"That's right. I'm here to see you both off. Goodbye Naruto, hopefully we'll meet again someday."

"I'm sure we will, Kakashi-sensei. Goodbye."

Kakashi waves to Naruto and Kushina as they walk out the gates, heading for Rouran.

A few hours later...

Everyone is gathered outside the Hokage tower, waiting to hear Tsunade's announcement. Their attention is drawn to the roof, where Tsunade is standing, looking down at them all.

"People of Konoha. On Team Kakashi's most recent mission Naruto Uzumaki got sent twenty years back in time. He lived out those twenty years, and he's gotten married to the queen of the rebuilding city of Rouran. He is no longer a shinobi of Konoha, and is no longer living within its walls."

Those that see Naruto as a hero are silent, saddened by the fact that Naruto is no longer one of them. The remaining Naruto haters start shouting out.

"Declare war on Rouran!"

"Make that demon loving city suffer!"

Tsunade reacts in anger. "Silence! How dare you say things like that! We will not declare war on our allies!"

"Since when were they allies?" shouts a random villager.

"Rouran is a city in Kaze no Kuni, which we are allied with! They are under the protection of the Wind Daimyo and the Kazekage! To declare war with Rouran is to declare war with Sunagakure!"

The two Elders walk out of the crowd and jump up to where Tsuande is.

Homura speaks first. "Lady Hokage, since Naruto Uzumaki is still listed as a Konoha shinobi, we have to demand that you either force him to return, or mark him as a missing nin."

"I can't do either. Naruto filled out a resignation document twenty years ago and it was officially signed by the Third Hokage."

She shows them the document.

"He is well within his rights to leave. We can't do anything legally to bring him back."

Koharu looks angry. "Why would you let the Jinchuriki go? Now he is no longer under our power! What's to stop him from turning against us and killing us all?"

"Like I said before, he is a part of Rouran, who are allies with us. He is still allied to Konoha and will defend us if we should ever need his help. If you two are done whining, my announcement is done and everyone is dismissed."

Tsunade and the people who view Naruto as a hero all leave. The Elders join the people who hate Naruto.

"What do we do now, Great Elders? The demon is a bigger threat then ever! If only he didn't go back in time!"

Homura gets an idea. "Maybe that's the solution. We can't do anything to him in the present, but if we could find out how he traveled in time, we could do something to him in the past."

"So, we'll kill him in the past?"

Koharu speaks up. "No, we need his powers. We need him under our control, especially in the upcoming war with the remaining members of the Akatsuki. If only Danzo were still alive. He would have been able to deal with this."

"So, pull him out of the past and into the present. That will undo his marriage to the queen and the resignation document. He'll be a part of Konoha again, as he should be."

The group turns to see the speaker.

Homura regards the speaker with a questioning eyebrow. "Why would you help us? You don't hate him like we do, Sakura Haruno."

"I know," says Sakura, "but he does not belong there with that whore of a queen. I want my Naruto back, no matter what it takes."

Vanex: Uh oh! Sakura is conspiring with the Naruto haters to pull Naruto out of the past. Will they succeed in pulling the sixteen-year-old Naruto out of Rouran's past? Or will the thirty six-year-old Naruto stop them? You'll find out eventually. Next chapter, we return to the past, as Naruto tries to get used to living in Rouran, while beginning his preparations for its eventual destruction. See you all next time!