This is it everyone! The GRANDE FINALE! I've had a lot of fun, writing it and reading your reviews! I hope you guys had just as much fun. So, without further ado! I thought of donig an epilogue, but decided to put everything here.
DISCLAIMER: I don not own Naruto, only Misashi Kishimoto does.
In Konoha!
"Shh, do you want this plan to work or don't you?" Tsunade whispered to the giggling bundle in her arms, readjusting her arms around it to get more comfortable. She carried in her arms a giggling Naruto, who was covered from head to toe in a yellow cloth so that he was hidden from sight. Shizune also couldn't help giggling at his obvious excitement at being home. As the group approached the gates, Tsunade once more warned him to be good.
"I'll be real quiet, baa-chan!" Naruto promised quickly before hushing up, as they approached two gob smacked chuunin manning the sign-in. Surely they could be surprised at the fact that Tsunade, the legendary medic and woman who had sworn to never return was back, along with her apprentice. Though, their expressions could also be attributed to the attire of the two women. Tsunade's hair was pinned up with gold pins, and she replaced her usual attire with a beautiful emerald green kimono, a pattern of gold cranes and brightly colored flowers flowing around her shoulders, down the seams to cover the bottom of the kimono like an ebbing wave. Shizune also sported a kimono, in dark blue with pale flowers adorning it in the same fashion as Tsunade's, her hair scraped back into a low bun.
"Ts-Tsunade-sama! Shizune-sama!" one of the chuunin gasped, finally snapping out of his daze.
"That's my name." Tsunade agreed with a raise of her eyebrow. The two chuunin blushed and quickly bent over in a bow of respect, intoning, "It is an honor to see your arrival to Konoha, Tsunade-sama!"
Tsunade moved one hand from the bundle in her arms to wave them up "Hurry up gaki, I've got somewhere to be. Tell your Hokage that I'm coming to see him, and Kushina better be there when I do. Also, he better not tell his stupid sensei of my arrival either. I want to go in quietly."
"Of course, Tsunade-sama." From the corner of her eye Tsunade saw an ANBU flash by, and nodded with satisfaction. She'd give Minato ten minutes to collect himself. Once she and Shizune were done, they made to start walking into Konoha when the guards stopped them again.
"My apologies, Tsunade-sama, but may I ask about what you're carrying?" one of the chuunin asked.
Tsunade gave him a sharp glance as she said, "This is a very sick patient whom I must treat at the hospital, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't give me much flak about it. Minato will cover it anyway."
"Tsunade-sama, I must insist that—"
"Brat, don't question me, the more time I waste is the sicker this poor sod gets. Well?" Tsunade demanded with a dangerously quiet voice, and when she saw that the chuunin were sufficiently cowed she snorted and turned around, hands already making seals for a genjutsu, just as Shizune was doing.
In a puff of smoke they were replaced by two nondescript women, brown hair and brown eyes in simple kimonos. They walked through the gates, and though Tsunade felt something expand in her like a balloon— fear, anxiousness, or perhaps an anticipatory happiness, she sure didn't know— she squashed it and focused on the trembling form in her arms.
Tsunade smiled and ducked her head down to speak in Naruto's ear. "Almost there, gaki, I hope you don't think I'm getting in between you and your kaa-chan's anger."
"Aw, baa-chan!" Naruto squawked, and Tsunade laughed at the sliver of fear in his voice. What kids don't understand, she mused, is just how desperately they are loved by their parents.
"It'll be nothing less than you deserve, Naruto-kun." Shizune said in a low voice from their side. "Perhaps if you show just how sorry you are, they might go easy on you."
Naruto said nothing for a moment, and then: "I know they must have really been scared . . . but, do they know, that I missed them so much?"
Tsunade and Shizune shared a surprised look, before melting into warm smiles and looking down at the boy they were sure was blushing. "I'm sure they do, it won't be any more than they missed you." Shizune answered softly.
"Shizune, I think it's time you get on to your part of the plan." Tsunade said after a while, and with a nod Shizune broke off from the group and headed in another direction entirely from the Hokage Tower. Naruto chuckled, and Tsunade followed, getting caught up in the child's contagious happy mood.
While the duo were walking towards the Hokage Tower, at the top floor of the administrative building, Minato and Kushina sat awaiting the arrival of two old and dear friends, confusion and some nerves building up inside of them. Tsunade had sworn up and down that she would never set foot in Konoha, never mind being anywhere near it.
"Do you suppose she's come to help search for Naruto?" Kushina asked Minato, standing by his side as he gazed down at the village, searching for Tsunade and Shizune.
"Jiraiya would have told me if he managed to get Tsunade to join in the search." Minato answered, feeling as lost for answers as Kushina was.
"Then what could she be here for? She swore never to come back." Kushina persisted. Minato sighed tiredly and looped an arm around her slim waist, bringing close to her side. Kushina stepped closer to him in his embrace, head resting on his shoulder. He turned and pressed a kiss to her temple. "I honestly have no clue . . . we'll just have to see when she gets here. Also, why did she say not to tell Jiraiya? I think he'd be happy to see her today of all days, seeing as it's his birthday— it would at least cheer him up, he's been so . . ."
"We've all been a little out of sorts since Naruto left." Kushina interrupted him, sadness coloring her tone before she managed to push it back as she spotted something. "Minato, do you—?"
"Yes, I'd bet that's them. This whole thing is strange, but why on earth did they feel the need to cast a genjutsu to change their appearance?" Minato muttered, brow furrowed over diamond blue eyes as they spied two 'civilian' women. The only thing wrong with the women were their smooth gait, the bodies that held themselves in such a way that only kunoichi did. Minato knew this, and he knew they knew it, so whatever the reason they were hiding themselves wasn't important enough for them to pay attention to all the details . . . he was going to get a headache from this.
A knock from the door made the couple turn around. "Come in Ayako-san." Minato answered the knock, and his secretary came in with a tray of tea, hot and fragrant and ready to pour from an antique bamboo accents tea pot with its matching cups. Ayako set the tray on the table in front of the couch in the corner, smoothing her skirt with nervous hands as she turned to Minato and Kushina and said, "Well, I thought they might want some refreshments . . . and you'd want a distraction."
"Whatever I bought for you last Christmas, I am totally topping this year." Kushina joked with a weak smile, moving forward to grasp Ayako's hand with her own clammy one. Ayako squeezed it supportively before letting go and moving back.
"You'll be fine Kushina-sama, it doesn't appear she's agitated or anything." Ayako comforted the woman.
"Kushina-san maybe, Kushina-chan, just not –sama! We've been over this Ayako." Kuhsina chided.
Ayako smiled. "Yeah, we have. I better get back to the desk, it won't do to seem unprofessional in front of Tsunade-sama." She walked out the room, closing the door softly behind her. Kushina bit her lip nervously, arms wrapping around her middle. When the strong arms of her husband wrapped around hers, she eased back into his embrace and felt his head settle on top of her own.
"It will be fine, everything will be fine." Minato whispered. Kushina nodded, but still tensed up the slightest bit when she heard Tsunade's voice from the reception area, Ayako's answering murmurs sounding as relaxed and calm as she wished she felt.
Suddenly a squeal of happiness pierced the air and both Minato and Kushina separated, moving a couple steps to the door in confusion. Ayako's laughter stopped them in their tracks, deciding instead to let whatever was going on come to them.
"This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder." Minato said, and Kushina laughed a little, standing by his side as they waited. When the door opened, Minato was hard pressed to keep his jaw from dropping in surprise, but Kushina outright gasped.
"Oh, nice way to greet me after all this time." Tsunade huffed, crossing her arms as she walked in, stopping just inside the door and leaning on the doorframe, genjutsu now gone and showing her resplendent appearance.
Her playful smirk shocked them even more, not expecting her to be so calm— relaxed even— in Konoha. Kushina was the first to move, rushing to Tsunade with a cry of happiness. As Minato watched the two women embrace, and Kushina chatter excitedly about the beauty of the kimono, Minato just closed his eyes and shook his head ruefully with a smile. Well, just have to roll with the punches, he thought.
"Tsunade-sama, it's wonderful to see you back in Konoha again. Where is Shizune though?" Minato asked, walking towards them.
"She's taking care of something. I'm also here on some . . . business, I suppose you could say." Tsunade answered slyly, and the knowing glint in her eye along with the quirk of her rose red lips caught the interest of Minato and Kushina.
"Oh? What business could actually get you to come back?" Kushina asked dubiously.
"I had no choice but to come, you see . . ." Tsunade lingered, and her smile grew at Kushina's impatient huff.
"What's so funny?" Kushina asked.
"Oh, it's just, how many times have I seen that exact same expression?" Tsunade mused, half to herself, having far too much fun prolonging the anticipation. It was mean of her, she knew, the effect of Naruto's departure was obvious . . . but the anticipation would only make the reveal better, wouldn't it? Both she and Naruto were suckers for dramatics, honestly.
"Back to the point," Minato cut in, amused when Kushina poked her tongue out at him, "why do you say you had no choice?"
"I was brought as a gift, and I was persuaded so thoroughly that I had no choice." Tsunade answered promptly. Minato's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"Who brought you here?" He asked, and a blonde eyebrow rose in time with a red brow on his wife's face as Tsunade giggled— uncharacteristic for sure.
"I'll show you." She leaned out to speak to someone in reception— whoever, Minato realized, it was that made Ayako so overjoyed at seeing them.
"Come on brat!" Tsunade called. Brat? They thought with confusion. They weren't confuse for long, and they were frozen shorter than that when they heard all too familiar laughter get closer and closer, tiny yet resounding footfalls indicating that he was running to them.
Kushina's legs gave out when Naruto rounded the doorframe, sparkling blue eyes and wide grin so beautiful to her at that moment she couldn't help herself. And that voice they had missed so much . . .
"Kaa-chan, Tou-chan!" Naruto trilled, jumping into Kushina's arms as soon as her knees hit the floor. Kushina snatched him from the air, rising up at the same time as Minato's hands hauled her up from the floor and crushed them to him, and it was just so . . .
When did I start crying? Kushina wondered as Naruto's small hands wiped away her tears, and she realized she wasn't just crying but sobbing. She hugged him tightly to her, face burrowing into his sunshine hair, and Minato's head ducked down to plant kisses all over Naruto's face— that precious laughter she had missed over the course of his absence falling on her ears like music once more— and she copied her husband, taking small hands in her own and kissing her baby's fingers and palm, just so happy.
Minato held his world in his arms, his universe once again righted as he saw with his own eyes, his precious baby boy. Hear that laughter— pure and tinged with that ever-present mischief— and felt the child's weight. He pressed another kiss to the sunshine hair of his child, breathing in his scent. Feeling his own eyes start to water, he blinked back the now futile tears and steered his family to the couch. They plopped down, practically falling onto the furniture, and Minato finally noticed that Tsunade was no longer in the room and the door was closed. His emotions finally settling down from the roller coaster it was on before, Minato had an epiphany.
"So, that's what you were doing all this time," Minato's stern voice got the attention of Naruto and Kushina, who was wiping away the remnants of her tears, "you were looking for Tsunade, to bring her to Konoha for Jiraiya's birthday party."
"Hai, tou-chan." Naruto answered, now subdued and downright solemn compared to just a few minutes ago. Kushina leaned back, and so did Naruto, so they could all see each other clearly. Kushina opened her mouth to speak, but her voice stuck for a moment in her throat, so she closed it again and took a deep, shuddering breath before starting again.
"Naruto . . . how could you make us worry like that?! We had no idea where you were, what had happened to you, if . . . if you were going to come back—" Kushina broke off and looked to the side, fighting back more tears. Naruto flinched guiltily and spoke up in a quavering voice.
"I . . . I'm sorry, kaa-chan, but I just— I just wanted to give jira-jiji a great birthday present." Naruto looked like a kicked puppy begging for forgiveness, but Kushina and Minato had died too many deaths in these two weeks to just give in so easily. They would find out everything that had happened.
"Did you even think about how your jiji's felt after hearing you had gone missing?" Minato pressed, sharp eyes never wavering from Naruto's crestfallen face, the child now biting his lower lip in thought. "Did you wonder about how the people who loved you would feel?"
"I . . . I left a note, and I thought—" Naruto clamped his lips shut, as if sensing that saying anymore in that vein wouldn't be good. He was a smart boy, because his parent's faces suddenly twisted with grimaces.
"A note!" Kushina cried. "A note saying that you weren't kidnapped, that you were coming back soon— Naruto, you can't think that was enough! Realize who you are!" She scolded.
"I don't understand." Naruto whimpered, fat tears welling up in his luminous blue eyes.
Minato sighed, rubbing soothing circles in the boy's back with his hand, bringing both him and Kushina closer to his warmth as he explained. "Naruto . . . you are the son of two very powerful ninjas. I, being the Yondaime Hokage and a hero of the Third Ninja War where I earned the nickname: Yellow Flash. Your mother, an Uzumaki— the entire clan being very powerful back in its heyday— and also a war hero with the moniker Red Hot Blooded Habanero. We have . . . a lot of enemies, people who would want to do us harm using any means. Using any one of the people close to us." He paused here, leaning down and modulating is voice so Naruto could understand the importance of this.
"You are our only child. Our precious son. You would be a prize catch for anyone of our enemies if they wanted to hurt us without having to actually get to us. If anything happened to you . . . if our enemies did something to you . . . it would destroy us Naruto. We'd just die— and we'd make sure our enemies went down with us."
"We can't stand the thought of you being out there, for two weeks alone Naruto." Kushina took up the role of narrator, soft voice and gentle hands to wipe away Naruto's overflowing tears as he sobbed quietly. "What if Iwa nins came down here? Tanzaku Town is for everyone . . . what if the people who hated us caught wind of you? What if you really were taken away and you couldn't come back like you promised? I know you promised, Naruto . . . but no one can predict what will happen in the future. And that's what had us so terribly worried, my beautiful son."
Naruto had to work hard for a few minutes to control his sobs, breath hitching too hard for him to speak. Eventually he blew out a harsh breath, and rubbing his eyes to stop the tears he warbled, "I'm 'orry, kaa-chan, tou-chan. I . . . I thought about that though! I did! So I made sure to be with lots of people in my first part of the trip. And I got to Tanzaku really quick after I left people behind . . . I just wanted to give jiji the best present ever! I'm sorry . . ."
"Naruto, your jiji will be happy with whatever you had given him from right here in the village, as long as you put your heart into it." Minato said gently, taking a napkin from the table and wiping his son's face with it. He smiled at the cute way Naruto scrunched up his face as he did so.
"I know that, too. I know jiji would have been happy if it was just his family." Naruto sniffled, finally having stopped crying.
"So then why did you go looking for Tsunade?" Kushina asked.
"So that way we could all be here." Naruto answered simply. Minato and Kushina looked at each other in surprise, neither saying anything, before they started laughing. It started off as quiet chuckles, and then it erupted into full laughter, something that confused Naruto greatly. While they were laughing, the door opened quietly, and Naruto's face brightened as he saw who was walking in and he made to clamber off Kushina's lap.
Kushina felt Naruto trying to move, and immediately tightened her grasp on him, drawing him closer to her body and making him squeak in surprise. She and Minato both stopped laughing to see Tsunade now walking toward them.
"Now that your reunion is out of the way, it's time Jiraiya had his too." Tsunade offered as explanation, holding out her hand to Kushina. Kushina smiled and took it, using it as help to get up while she settled Naruto on her hip. Minato rose up as well, smiling at them. Kushina and Minato, however, both noticed the exchange between Tsunade and Naruto. Tsunade cast the child a worried look, to which the boy responded with a half grimace, half smile. They left that for later however, and returned to the older woman's previous statement.
"Shall I have ANBU fetch him?" Minato asked.
"No, it's okay, I had one of my slugs send a message to his toads, he should get it soon and he'll be back home very quickly. Meaning we have to hurry and hide now." Tsunade answered, smiling widely at the confused expressions of the couple before her.
"Hide?" Kushina repeated.
Naruto tugged on her sleeve making her look at him, and with bright eyes he exclaimed, "It's a surprise party kaa-chan! Shizune put up all the decorations back home with the key I gave her!"
"That's right, you took your key." Minato mumbled in the background, Kushina too busy ogling her son and a laughing Tsunade. Minato suddenly stepped forward, arm wrapping around Kushina's shoulders as he steered them all out of the office.
"Well then we better hurry along!" Minato smiled, gazing fondly at his exuberant and giggling baby boy.
At the same time as the now complete and happy group were making their way to the Hokage's residence, Jiraiya was doing double time some several miles away from the village, having just received the message that Naruto was back home safe and sound, and that Naruto wanted to see him immediately to wish him a happy birthday.
Happy birthday! Jiraiya snorted, ghosting through the trees. I want a proper explanation of where he's been all this damn time, not a happy birthday wish! . . . Besides, he's back— that's a perfect birthday present all ready.
Jiraiya pushed himself to go faster and faster, and he jumped over the gates instead of pausing at the gates. He was nearly halfway to the Hokage Tower when a squadron of ANBU moved into his path, forcing him to stop. Jiraiya vaguely recalled them as being the ANBU in charge of guarding the Minato's home.
"Well?" He prompted them, glaring at their silent forms. "You people have a reason to stop me or not?"
"Jiraiya-sama, Naruto-kun and the rest of them are at the Hokage Mansion. Please move there as soon as possible." ANBU Cat stated quietly, before her and the rest of the team performed a shunshin, probably back to the house.
"You don't need to tell me again." Jiraiya muttered, changing his course and making a beeline straight to the Namikaze-Uzumaki Manor. Panting, Jiraiya marched up the walkway, up the porch stairs and gripping the door handle.
He paused when it twisted open so easily, and it was then that he took notice of how he could see nothing through the windows, curtains half-drawn. With more caution, he opened the door and stepped through. Nothing, not a sound or a movement. He slipped off his geta and walked through, deciding to hit the living room first.
"Naruto?" Jiraiya called. "Hey, Minato, Kushina! What the hell is going—?"
"SURPRISE!" The room suddenly filled with noise and cheers, forms popping up from behind the sofa, behind the armchair and— behind that table filled with foods, and presents, and in the middle one large birthday cake proudly standing?
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY JIRAIYA!" The guests now clapped and cheered for the visibly stunned Toad Sage. Everyone was there, Sarutobi and his kids with the little grandchild, Minato and Kushina, and little Kakashi brat. Wait, was that . . . it was! Shizune, in a beautiful kimono, and TonTon!
"What?" he replied intelligently.
"We put all this effort in, and this is the thanks we get? No, not even a thanks, it's just your usual baka self." Jiraiya's eyes widened even further as the voice registered in his mind. He slowly turned to the side, seeing his old teammate Tsunade, looking gorgeous in a kimono, carrying his godson. Jiraiya's mouth opened, and then closed.
"I don't even . . ." he blew out a breath. "OK, first thing's first. Tsunade, hand me my godson."
Tsunade chuckled and obliged, the boy in her arms already starting to reach for the larger man as she extended her hold on him. Jiraiya snatched Naruto out of her arms, crushing the boy to him. He didn't miss the small grunt of pain the boy let out though, and eased his hold around him as he looked down at the small child in his arms.
"What's the matter kid? Can't take a bear hug anymore?" Jiraiya teased.
"Hey, after kaa-san and tou-chan, I'm a little tender so excuse me." Naruto shot back, grumbling half-heartedly in protest when Jiraiya chuckled and ruffled his hair with a large hand.
"Brat, you're tougher than that. You must have gotten knocked by Tsunade for something stupid right?" Jiraiya waited expectantly for the sheepish expression to reveal the boy, but felt his brow furrow when Naruto and Tsunade exchanged a look.
"Naruto." They looked to see Minato standing in front of them, and behind him he could see the others looking at them with worried expressions. "What happened?"
Tsunade spoke up. "Look, let's be honest here . . . the kid broke two ribs—"
"How?!" Kushina demanded, rushing up to card fingers through her son's hair, her silent apology for hurting him unintentionally. Naruto nuzzled her hand, accepting it. Minato had practically flashed to their side, eyes roving over Naruto as if he could somehow look through him and see the broken ribs.
"Kaa-chan, let's leave that for later okay? I'll tell you all about how I got baa-chan and Shizune-nee back here, ok? For now, I want Jira-jiji to blow out his candles so I can get some cake." Naruto pleaded, eyes round and shining as a pout wobbled on his lips.
Jiraiya looked around at the others, who reluctantly nodded in assent, before he sighed dramatically. "OK, brat, you win. You will tell us later." Not letting up on his sharp gaze until he saw the boy nod in assent, he grinned and then walked over to Tsunade, grabbing her up in a bear hug.
Laughing at her indignant squeal and Naruto's laughter, Jiraiya shouted, "Ok, people, now we can get this party started!"
The others cheered and soon food was being passed out, memories were being shared, and laughter was a constant. Naruto was passed around from person to person, all glad to see the little ball of sunshine back safe and sound. Naruto, for his part, took it with all grace and happiness, just as glad to see them. Occasionally, he'd wince or grunt in pain, making the others panic a little, and Tsunade would suddenly be there whisking him out of the arms of whoever had him and soothing his pain with a glowing green palm.
"Tsunade, why do I get the feeling you're trying to steal my little sochi?" Kushina asked jokingly, as Naruto was yet again taken from his parents' protective hold to be checked over.
"He's so sweet I just might eat him!" Tsunade grinned, gently tickling the little blonde in her arms.
"There's plenty of cake to go around, no need for that now!" Naruto assured her, laughing as he tried to squirm out of her hold.
And, when Jiraiya had sat down as he was serenaded with a rousing chorus of "Happy Birthday", and he blew out the candles much to quickly for Naruto's liking, the little boy just had to say something.
"Jira-jiji!" Naruto howled. "You blew them out to quickly, you didn't even wish for anything!"
Jiraiya looked down at him, picking him up and ruffling his hair, laughing at the squawking indignation of the child, and said, "I have everything I want, right here!"
THE END . . .
Nah, just kidding!
After the party . . .
Naruto hummed to himself as he helped clean up the last bits of ticker tape and silly string, throwing them all in the garbage can. He was filled with a heady sense of victory, as well as the warmth of his family's love and the happiness at being back home again. He had, apparently, forgotten that he was going to be taken to task for his "little trip."
Naruto walked back to the living room with a bounce in his step, intent on retrieving his bag and putting away everything from his trip. When he realized the living room was still full of all the birthday party guests, as well as a few additions, he froze. All his friends were there— Kiba, Sasuke ("Oh, hey, Sasuke!" he cried happily, waving at the child who tried gamely to fight off the smile making his lips twitch), Itachi, Hinata and Neji, Ino, all his civilian friends and Ayako-san from the office . . . why were they all here?
"What are you guys doing here?" Naruto asked, looking around with a perplexed look on his face. He was suddenly lifted up by two hands around his waist, and he was settled onto the gentle slope of a hip. Looking up, he saw Tsunade looking down at him with a wry grin tugging her lips up.
"The time of reckoning is here kid. Time to tell us all, how you got to me." Tsunade told him, walking over to Minato and Kushina, settling in between them so Naruto was close to them all. Naruto, fidgeting on her lap, turned around with a cheesy grin and said,
"Can't I say it was our bond of love that led me to you?"
Tsunade snorted at the same time Jiraiya choked on his cup of sake, laughter and incredulity making him splutter. "No." she told him.
"Come on, kid, you nearly gave poor Mikoto and Fugaku here heart attacks when they heard their third son had run off!" Tsume teased, getting an ice-cold glare from the Uchiha clan head.
"I'd also like to know how you got past the ANBU." Itachi added mildly, before continuing under his breath, "So I can train them into the ground later." A snort from his right showed that Kakashi had heard him, and thoroughly approved.
Naruto sighed gustily. "Okay . . . hold on, I got to get the bag— it's important too!" He scrambled off the older blonde's lap, running to fetch his bag and returning. When he was settled once again in Tsunade's lap, he unpacked his bag and laid out his tools of survival all on the table.
"Are those the sealing scrolls I gave you?" Minato asked, curiously, picking up one and unrolling it, revealing the seals. Pushing chakra in, he was rewarded with a handful of ration bars and snacks.
"You packed food?" Kushina asked, frowning as she hadn't recalled anything different with the pantry during Naruto's absence.
"Yeah, because even if I could catch a fish . . . I couldn't cook it very well." Naruto admitted, though this logic impressed the adults.
"Wow, you really did do all that . . . Tell us how!" Ino demanded, starry-eyed at the thought of such an adventure.
"Yeah!" The kids chorused.
"Okay, so it started out like this . . ." and Naruto told them.
He told them about sneaking out on a caravan ("Those idiots are in so much trouble!" Minato swore, remembering who was on duty that night). He told them about arriving at Otafuku Gai, and walking around looking for help. He told them about Daisuke-jiji and Yamamoto-jiji (and judging by the way Jira-jiji's and Saru-jiji's eyes had widened, they were familiar to them). He told them about hitching a ride with Jin-nii and Ichi-nii, who nice they were to him and how fun the ride was ("Well, if we can find them then we'll definitely thank them for taking such good care of you— and taking you camping too!" Kushina said brightly, having seen a trace of wistfulness in his expression). He told them about reaching a town at night, and sneaking away from them ("That wasn't right Naruto, you lied to them? They were probably worried too." Saru-jiji scolded him, and he deserved it, he thought miserably). He told them about trekking for two days in the forest ("I can't believe you were so reckless!" the adults hissed, horrified at the thought of what could have happened. Kushina and Minato clung to him with pale faces, while the children went, "So cool!"). He told them about meeting Hattori-san and getting a ride form the exuberant man ("And that old bas— er, baka, didn't tell me?!" Minato and Jiraiya hissed, remembering just in time the younger ears in the room). He told them about his first meeting with Tsunade (which got quite a few laughs). He told them about needling her for the following three days (which got more laughs).
Now, when he told them exactly the reason for his broken ribs and various bruises that littered his body underneath his clothes, that was the most violent reaction yet.
"Threw a window . . ." Kushina breathed, horrified as she sagged into Minato, who regarded her with something akin to panic.
"Can we get some water over here?" Minato called, fanning Kushina worriedly. He turned to Tsunade suddenly, expression cold and dangerous as anything she'd ever seen, and said, "What did you do?"
"What do you expect? I punched him clear across the market!" Tsunade huffed, feeling a little better when Minato's cold face thawed.
The others, meanwhile, were taking this in with varying reactions— anger, being the most prevalent. Naruto, however, was quick to calm them.
"It's okay! I was fine, I healed up really good! So, then, baa-chan said she'd come back to Konoha, just to make sure I healed up right. But!" Naruto suddenly shouted, catching all their attention, even his near-fainted mother. "She told me something, on the way here that was even better!"
"Oh? What could that be?" Jiraiya asked with a frown, dark feelings still brooding from the thought of his little godson attacking a large man and getting punted across the road for it.
"I've decided . . . to move back to Konoha!" Tsunade declared, prompting a cheer from Naruto and loud gasps from the adults. They too, however, soon joined in the cheering, glad to have such a prestigious medic-nin and powerful ninja back with them.
"That's great, really, but . . ." Minato's voice drew the cheers down until all was silent. A wolfish grin suddenly spread across his face, making Naruto flinch, just as the others smirked or tittered nervously, some sympathy for the little blonde apparent on their faces.
"Naruto, we need to talk about you punishment." Minato and Kushina said pleasantly, a unified front as they crossed their arms and stared down at their suddenly miserable-looking child.
"Oh . . . yippee." Naruto muttered, head falling dejectedly into his open palms.