The next morning when Naruko woke up she was in a very pleasant mood even more so than usual something that her mother was quickly able to pick up on, "did something good happen yesterday…I saw that Kiba-Kun stopped by yesterday," she said in an offhand tone.
"Hai yesterday was great," Naruko answered but it was for a different reason than Kushina thought, "I am running to the store!" she ran out the house without another word.
"What was that about?" Minato asked seeing his daughter, the joy of his life running out the house with a large grin. Seeing her so happy made him happy.
"I think she is dating Kiba-Kun," Kushina replied and the expression on Minato's face changed from one of joy to a look of terror then to a look of a deranged murderer, "calm down sweetie she is growing up, you had to know this would come one day, she can't be daddies little girl forever. We were about the same age when we started dating."
Minato knew that if he did anything Kushina wouldn't be happy with him…but Kiba was due for a psych-evaluation, "Minato whatever you are thinking about doing don't," she said with one hand on her hip and poking him threatening in the chest, "Kiba-Kun is a good boy."
"Hai," he said trying to smile despite the terror he felt at that moment.
Naruko was at the market picking up things to make for lunch during her training session with Kurama. She grabbed everything on her shopping list before running back home and into the kitchen.
"What are you doing sweetie?" Kushina asked smiling scaring Naruko half to death.
"Nothing!" she said rather quickly, "I…am just cooking lunch."
"It's not like you to cook…who are you cooking for?" Kushina asked smiling.
"No one," she said her face turning bright red.
"Would you like some help?"
"No I got it," she said turning back cooking, Kushina left smiling. When she had finished cooking Naruko felt horrible her curry didn't look much like curry, it didn't look much like anything. She had tried so hard but she had never been a good cook. She left the food on the counter. She couldn't give something like that to Kurama. She felt a tear run down her cheek she quickly wiped it and ran to the training grounds to meet up with Kurama, but unluckily for her, her mother saw this.
"Kurama-Kun, have you been waiting long?" she asked seeing him sitting on the ground looking up at the sky.
"That depends…how long have you been standing there?" he asked looking towards her.
"I just got here," she answered.
"Then no," he said smiling.
"You haven't changed a bit," Naruko said smiling.
"Is that so," he said smiling, "is that a good or a bad thing?"
"It's good, you aren't afraid to be yourself," she said blushing slightly.
"And you are the same sweet girl who tries her best," he said getting to his feet, "and I believe one day you will be the most powerful Shinobi to live. Now let's get to the work."
Choji was out down hearted when he bumped into Ino, "What's wrong Choji?" she asked the large boy.
"Ever since we graduated it seems like Naruko-Chan and I have been drifting further apart and now that Kurama…well how could she like someone like me," he said.
"Sure he is handsome beyond belief he has a smile to melt your heart, the prettiest blue eyes ever and I bet his body is like a sculpture, but take that all away and what's left?" Ino asked.
"Thanks Ino I feel a lot better," but he didn't look any better.
"He is probably a complete tool just like Sasuke…and besides you have a lot going for you, you are the nicest guy I have ever met and you are a loyal friend. Just go ask her out and if things don't work out I am sure there are other girls out there for you. And besides can you see Naruko with someone who isn't a Shinobi?"
"But he is a samurai," Choji said.
"And Shinobi are better than Samurai any day of the week," Ino said winking at him. Choji decided that he would go and talk to her. First he went to her favorite ramen stand and when she wasn't there he decided to try her home, before he reached the house he heard a commotion. He ran to the training grounds Naruko was laying on her back with a large smile.
"Good job, one down one to go," he said smiling.
"If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have gotten it," she said smiling back at him.
"Naruko-Chan," Choji said she sat up.
"Hey Choji-Kun," she said smiling.
"I was wondering if you wanted to get lunch but…" he said his eyes fell on Kurama.
"Naruko, go have fun, there is something I was meaning to take care of anyway," he said smiling at her. She felt a little hurt that he was so will for her to leave him, was she a bother to him she wondered, "you are no bother, I promise," he said softly so only she could hear him.
"How…" she asked her eyes wide.
"It was in your eyes," he said smiling, "so go have fun and when you return we will work on the other Jutsu."
"Hai," she said feeling a little better. He watched as she made her way across the grounds with Choji, he turned when he felt another presence approaching. He was surprised to see Kushina approaching holding a Bento.
"Hello you must be Naruko-Chan's mother," Kurama said smiling.
"Hai…where is she?" Kurama asked, "She said she was going to be training and so she made lunch and she forgot it."
"She was here but you just missed her, a friend asked her out to lunch," he said still smiling there was something familiar about his voice but she didn't know where she had heard it before.
"My name is Namikaze Kushina," she said extending her hand.
"They call me Kurama," he said taking her hand and her eyes widened. 'Kurama was what that man had called the Kyubi…could it be…no he is way too young,' she thought to herself, "is something wrong?"
"No nothing at all Kurama-Kun," she said quickly, "I have never seen you around before."
"That is because I am not from here, I met Naruko a few years ago and I promised that I would come and visit. When I say I am going to do something I do it, I never break my word," he said answering the unasked question.
"Are you a Shinobi too?" she asked.
"Maybe in another life I was, I am just a traveler looking for a place I belong."
"When was it you arrived in Konoha?"
"Last night, and I must say this is a lovely place everyone has been so kind. Do you always cook for Naruko when she trains?" Kurama asked.
"I didn't make this Naruko-Chan did…she worked so hard on it," Kushina said, "I think she made it for a friend but it's a shame it didn't turn out the way she wanted it too, so I was going to ask her what she wanted me to do with it."
"Naruko-Chan made it," he said smiling remembering the horror stories she told him about the few times she tried to cook, "I will take it so it doesn't go to waste since Naruko-Chan went to lunch with a friend."
Kushina smiled as she handed it over, when he opened and ate with Kushina watching him, he finished every last bit, Kushina took the bento box from him, "thank you," he said with a bow, "Please excuse me I have a few things to take care of."
Sakura and Ino were walking thru the village when they saw Kurama walking thru the village, but the way he walked it was as if he knew where he was going not like someone who had just arrived in the village. They followed him at a safe distance until they saw him walk into a building and the sign above the door read Konoha realty. He was talking to someone at the desk a woman who looked to be in her late twenties early thirties was giving him a lustful look. They couldn't hear what was being said but he was defiantly looking as something. After five minutes, they both left the office and when to a lot of land that was barren.
"This is it," the real estate agent said.
"It is perfect," Kurama said looking around.
"If you are sure we can head back to the office and fill out the paper work," the agent said, Ino and Sakura were both wondering the same thing, 'why was Kurama looking at land?'
When Naruko returned she saw that Kurama wasn't there she went up to the house to grab other scrolls to study while she waited for Kurama to return.
"Naruko-Chan, I met an interesting young man today in our training grounds," she froze and slowly turned to see her mother's smiling face, "What was his name…Kurama I think."
"Really…" she said trying to act calm.
"Hai, I went to bring you your bento that you made but you had gone to lunch with someone else," Kushina said still smiling, a look of horror came over Naruko.
"What happened to the bento?"
"I gave it to Kurama I didn't think you would mind since you made it for him anyway," Kushina said.
"Is that why he isn't there did my cooking kill him!" she started to panic.
"You are so dramatic just like your father," Kushina said giggling.
"I am not dramatic and if he is dead it is your all fault," Naruko said crossing her arms.
"If he dies from your cooking I will take full responsibility," Kushina said patting her Naruko's head.
"You better," she muttered under her breath, walking off to her room to grab a few scrolls her room.
It was nearly an hour later when Kurama came into sight, "what have you been up too?" she asked trying to act as if she didn't care.
"When the time is right I will show you what I was up to," he said smiling, "and thanks for lunch it was very good."
"No it wasn't," she said blushing.
It was after dark when Kurama left he went to the lot that he now owned, 'Mokuton: Shichuka No Jutsu' the frame of a two story house appeared before him, he would need a plumber and electrician. He decided that he would do it in the morning.
He placed his hand on the ground and a hawk appeared before him, "Tell the Hokage about the two Akatsuki members closing in on Konoha." The bird flew off landing outside the village to avoid suspicion. The second the bird landed it transformed into a man with dark eyes and hair. The man wore a blue robs with pale blue feather designs. No one stopped the man as he walked thru the village, everyone who saw him couldn't help but to stair. He made his way to Minato's office and knocked on the door.
"Come in," he called out, "who are you?"
"Please excuse me Hokage-Sama, my name is Izuna," he bowing his head.
"What is it that you need Izuna?" Minato asked.
"I on my way I spotted two people wearing black cloaks with red clouds," Izuna said.
"How long before they get here?"
"A day or so," Izuna answered, "the young Uchiha is near too, and if you want any hope of saving him convince him to return to Konoha before he tries to kill Itachi."
"Why before?" Minato asked watching the man called Izuna carefully.
"If he kills Itachi out of revenge he will be lost to the darkness in his heart consumed by revenge but if he faces Itachi not in revenge but to protect something important to him and forgive Itachi, then and only then can he be saved…if not he must die," Izuna said vanishing in a swirl of leaves. He needed to act quickly if he wanted to keep the Akatsuki from reaching the village. He flipped thru some files and decided that he would send Asuma's team along with a few other seasoned and he would have to keep a closer eye on Naruko and Fu.
The next morning Naruko saw Choji and his team leaving the village, but when she saw a few more Shinobi joining them she had a bad feeling about it, she would have to ask Kakashi about it when she got the chance. But first she wanted to talk to her dad about something that had been bugging her.
She was about to knock on the door when she heard Kakashi talking to her father, "Will Asuma's team be able to handle the two Akatsuki members?"
"If I didn't think they could I wouldn't have sent them," Minato replied, "I didn't send you because Uchiha Sasuke has also been spotted in the area and until we know what he is after I need you to keep a closer eye on Naruko."
"Hai," Kakashi said before he opened the door Naruko ran down the hall out of the Hokage tower right into someone she looked up to see Kurama standing there he reached down to help her up.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing," she said.
"Come on Red-Chan you are a bad liar, so tell me what is bothering you," Kurama said standing with his arms crossed.
"I hate this, my friends are going off to face the Akatsuki I should be with them," she said furiously.
"You are a Shinobi just as they are they are ready to lay their lives on the line there is always a chance that they won't return it is hazards of the profession," Kurama said, "there is only one truth we all share we live and we die."
"Shut up…what do you know, it easy to say when you have no one to care about, you are alone!" she shout not realizing what she was saying. He could hear Sasuke's voice ringing in his head, 'Just shut up for once! What the hell do you know about it! It's not like you ever had a family in the first place! You were on your own from the beginning, what makes you think you know anything about it! Huh? I'm suffering now because I had those ties, how on earth could you understand, what it feels like to lose all that!'
"It is because I am alone I have realized that people don't stay forever no matter how much you want them to…life goes on even if you don't," he said walking away she glared at him as he walked off without another word.
"Naruko-Chan is something wrong?" she turned to see Kakashi standing there reading his book.
"Kakashi-Sensei we need to go help Asuma-Sensei and his team if they really are going against the Akatsuki."
"They have been given a mission and you have to trust in them," he said placing a hand on her shoulder, "Go home I am sure they will be back soon enough."
She nodded but instead of going to home she went to the training ground, but going to the lonely training ground just pissed her off even more.
"Naruko!" she turned to see Sakura running towards her.
"Sakura-Chan what are you doing here?" Naruko asked.
"We haven't seen much of you since Kurama arrived, have you two been catching up," she said then she looked around, "where is he?"
"How the hell should I know I am not his keeper," she snapped.
"Did something happen?" Sakura asked.
"He is just an insensitive Teme," she pouting.
"I will be back," Sakura said she was going to give Kurama a piece of her mind. She rushed off the plot of land that she had seen him purchase, but when she got there, it was no longer an empty lot, but a beautiful two story house stood before her. She knocked on the door and it swung open.
"Hello Pink-Chan," he said with a smile.
"My name isn't Pink," she snapped.
"What is your name?" he asked smiling but he already knew what her name was, he had once been in love with her but that part of him died during the fourth Shinobi war along with his desire to be Hokage.
"Haruno Sakura," she answered, "what did you say to Naruko?"
"I told her harsh truth about being a Shinobi," Kurama said in a hollow tone.
"I am interested to hear what someone who is not a Shinobi thinks the truth about us is," Sakura said placing her hands on her hips.
"There will be a time your friends go on a mission and will not return, and the only thing you can do is go on. Is there anything else Sakura-Chan?" she just shook her head staring at him like she had never seen him before. The way he spoke was like that a veteran Shinobi, "well then good day Sakura-Chan."
Night was nearing and seven Shinobi rushed beyond the gate, two of them were supporting a third and all of them were hurt some more than others. They rushed to the hospital, "Get Tsunade-Sama!" Ino shouted that medical staff ran off to find her.
"Asuma-Sensei hold on," Choji said panic filling his voice. Tsunade bounded around the corner and started barking orders to the medical staff.
"Get them all into rooms!" they didn't wait for her to finish giving orders before they went on the move she took followed Asuma since he was in the worse condition.
Naruko was in her room she wanted to go talk to Kurama but she didn't think he would what see her after what she had said to him. On top of that she didn't even know where he was, he always just seemed to be there. If only he would show up now she had so many things that she wanted to say to him the first and for most being she was sorry.
"Naruko-Chan dinner is ready!" her mother called up she got to her feet and when down stairs. Then she noticed the table was only set for two.
"Dad isn't joining us again?" she asked looking over at her mother.
"Hai, he went back to the office saying something about urgent business came up," Kushina said. Just then there was a knock at the door Naruko opened it and Kiba was standing there.
"Naruko…Asuma-Sensei's team returned but they are all in the hospital," he said quickly Naruko quickly turned to her mom who just nodded and the two young Shinobi ran off towards the hospital.
They saw the rest of the rookie nine waiting along with Gai's team, "Sakura…what is going on?" Kiba asked.
"Ino Choji and Shikamaru are fine but…Asuma-Sensei," Sakura was unable to say it but they all knew, "he had extensive internal damage and by the time they got him here it was too late."
"Can we go see them?" Naruko asked.
"No not until morning," Sakura answered.
Sasuke was close to Konoha the closest he had been in three years, it seemed so quiet and peaceful. He looked at his sleeping team plotting his next move when he heard a voice, "Uchiha-San, it is dangerous to be this close to Konoha…or are you hoping to be caught, looking for an excuse to go back."
He turned to see a familiar looking man standing just out of the shadow of the massive trees, "why would I won't to return?" he asked in his emotionless voice.
"Because you realized that revenge will get you nowhere but an early grave," the name replied.
"Who are you?" Sasuke asked activating his Sharingan but the man didn't look way but his eyes change he had the Sharingan but it was different from his different from Itachi, and in that moment Sasuke felt a very real fear as he witnessed his own death. Without another word the man vanished, Sasuke fell to his needs shaking wondering if what he had seen was real or if it was just an illusion. That Jutsu was like his Jutsu Itachi Genjutsu known as Tsukuyomi.