Yay! I'm back! And it wasn't such a huge break this time. Hopefully…
Talking
Biju/summon/overly angry person trying to intimidate someone
Thinking
Plaque/writing
Biju/summon thinking
I! OWN! nothing… sad but true.
Ghost child 11
Naruto was meticulous in his note taking for the new plant he had seen after finishing his Yin-Yang training. Growth patterns, leaf and bark color, everything that could be recorded was recorded. Additional notes were written down as he felt that every time he entered the clearing he was at peace. He had no idea why or even how, it was similar to his calming aura that he had done initially with the children but it was subtler. It was not even a week after the children had seen it that the he was more at peace here than anywhere he had ever been before.
What was more extraordinary was that the grass that grew from his exposure of the Yin-Yang exercise had shrunk to about 3 inches high instead of the foot that they were at. It was definitely something that he would have to keep an eye on if he wanted to know anything about it.
He had debated many ways to decide how to observe and experiment with it and decided an extreme cautious route was the safest. So he merely observed everything. His notes covered the color of the bark, leaves, the height of the tree, the surrounding grass shrinking rates, everything he could without harming the tree. He even meditated there spreading his chakra out and observed the tree.
The first time he 'looked' at the tree with his chakra his senses were nearly overloaded by the sheer power contained in the tree alone. It made him more than a little cautious but he did not stop observing the tree. This only pushed him more in finding why this tree had so much power at all. Whenever he 'looked' at other trees with his chakra he merely saw the outlines of the trees with no trace of chakra. This tree though could match a kage by itself with just its chakra capacity. It was… humbling to see something that had more chakra than you and incapable of movement. He hadn't used any chakra on the tree yet to see if any diagnostic jutsu would help analyze it but was held at bay by his trepidation of the tree responding violently to his ministrations.
It was exactly a week after it had sprouted when it was twelve feet tall that he decided he would use a diagnostic on the tree. And ONLY a diagnostic. He wanted nothing bad happening just because he was curious about the aftereffects of his exercise. He didn't spend much time thinking of the other time he had used the exercise on Uzu thinking that the wide area water jutsu was enough to destroy the any tree that could have sprouted there.
Though a thought struck him to stop right before his palm touched the tree. Chakra. The tree had chakra. While he hadn't truly understood the significance of that statement before he did now. Because chakra was made out of two parts, the living force of Yang and the spirit accumulation of the experiences inside its Yin. If this tree had both that would mean…
"Oh dear…" he whispered while a small sweat worked on his brow at the significance truly hit him.
The Tree was sentient.
Now he was really unsure of what to do. Did he dare experiment on something that knew what he was doing? Sure it may not have the total knowledge that he himself did in pure theory and knowledge in skill related things but he couldn't take that risk. If this tree knew how to use that much chakra he was doomed if he did anything wrong towards it. Stepping back a moment he took a few deep breathes and collected his thoughts. Reviewing every memory of being in the meadow of where he was. He had started feeling more at peace when he was here. He hadn't seen anything truly harmful aimed at him or any caution even. It was a miracle that he decided to take the extreme caution approach and not harm the tree. He shuddered at what might have happened because of it.
It was at this point where he mustered his courage. If this tree did indeed have sentience hopefully he could meet it and communicate with it. He HAD to do something.
It was at this time that his palm was just touching that something brushed his conscious. The endless joy was apparent right before he lost consciousness. If he had stayed awake any longer he would have heard three simultaneous gasps of surprise from behind him.
-GC-
There was joy and light everywhere he looked, lights and exclamations of joy coming from everywhere around him. Everywhere he looked there were more lights and sheer joy coming from them. It was odd and awesome at the same time.
But he was looking for something. Something important. Looking back he remembered the feeling. Something had brushed his conscious he needed to find what that was. Looking around with new purpose he searched for it. He had no idea what to look for but he knew what it felt like, an infinite softness, soothing to the soul. Most people would probably get addicted to the feeling. But the longer he spent here, how long had it been now? Seconds, minutes, hours? He didn't know. Though he could feel it. A small song of unintelligible words was vibrating through the area. He could feel it weighing on his soul.
It was lonely. That was something he couldn't have done.
Closing his eyes and focusing his attention merely on the song, he listened for the direction it was coming from. He knew it was important to find whoever was singing and comfort them. He couldn't stand lonely children. They reminded him of himself too much. He would not let them be lost to the lonely childhood he had.
Finally after searching for who knows how long he called out to the singer. "Where are you?" the song stopped for a moment after his call but he continued looking. It was imperative that he finds and comforts this being of the loneliness of existence.
After an unknowable amount of time he felt something hit him just about stomach height with two small things pressing in on his sides. Along with it came a small voice.
I'm right here Tou-san.
More than a little shocked at the speech he pulled his arms around the small girls neck and shoulders. She stood at about 3'4'' with bright red hair falling down her face to her mid back. She was a tiny little thing. Lowering himself and putting a smile on his face he looked her in the bright blue eyes that she held and he felt his smile grow larger at seeing her. She had a heart shape face that was blushing up a storm on her cute chubby cheeks. the flurry of emotions was almost overwhelming before he managed to suppress it.
It was amazing to him though. This incredibly cute girl called him her dad and yet he hadn't done anything to deserve that title. He wasn't ignorant of anything if he could help it. And he was a partial medic so he knew about The Talk.
"Do you have a name yet little one?" he asked in a kind voice with a smile on his face. He wasn't about to let nervousness ruin any chance with this little girl.
No. You haven't named me.
This came with a small accusatory glance before she 'eeped' and hid her even redder cheeks behind her same color red hair. It brought a chuckle to his lips as he felt his smile grow even larger from her words. Gosh she looked so cute right now.
"Well then how about Hikari?" he asked gently. He had not forgotten anything in this paradise of light. She truly was a light to him right now for reasons that he couldn't comprehend.
A small smile spread on her cheeks as her blush lessened a bit before she shot forward and tackled Naruto. He was caught off balance as he was on the balls of his feet leaning forward. With the sudden lightweight and momentum of the child flying on him he couldn't help but fall back on his butt. He laughed a little bit at the blush rising on her cheeks again but he didn't let that stop him from smiling. It was infectious as his laughter eventually spread to the girl and they both sat there laughing holding each other. Neither let go, as it felt right to hold on to the other, it was soothing to his tired soul. Time passed as the two talked about themselves Naruto telling stories of the other children and his grandmother and her antics. Hikari didn't talk much but eagerly listened to him as he told story after story laughing at certain points and others.
After a while he noticed a small pulling sensation on his mind. Frowning a small amount he sighed. Hikari was by now sitting on his lap noticed and she tilted her head to the side a small amount wondering what was the matter. He could practically see the question marks floating above her head.
"It appears as if my time here is up for now. Something is calling me outside. I promise I'll come back my Little Light." Kissing her head after she nodded smiling apparently satisfied he concentrated on his mind allowing the pull to manifest into something more and to take him back out to the world where the children could talk to him. His last view was the small smiling face of little Hikari.
-GC-
It was a terrible time getting to Nami. The tension was growing constantly as the three-person team travelled in silence. What would they face that could grow a tree with sentience? There was nothing else to explain what happened to Kushina on Uzu. Would it be hostile to the group? Helpful? Doubts filled the minds of the group as they sped along the ground and water.
However when they got there nothing could have prepared them to what they saw.
All three gasped at what their eyes told them. Right in front of the group was the 4'10'' figure of Naruto Uzumaki. The wild yellow hair, the stance, everything about him screamed Naruto.
Stepping forward like a zombie Kushina could only stutter out "N-n-naruto?" it was ignored though as the figure was still not responding to anything. Nothing could have prepared her to see her dead son standing in the clearing with a palm to a tree ignoring her calls. Her eyes wide in disbelief and shock tears started streaming down her face. A small "Naruto?" snapped her out of it and she raced forward to see if it really was her son.
Minato was having a different feeling. Naruto was dead. Wasn't he? Obviously he wasn't unless the figure in front of them was someone else. But that brought out the question 'How was he alive?' if he didn't die then he had to have planned it and even then why didn't he return when he survived? Did he lose his memory? Finally he couldn't take it anymore, "Naruto?"
Jiraiya didn't know what to feel. His student's son was still alive after all this time living in wave. And if his suspicion correct he was the source of the nature energy increase. The question is 'How?' how in the world did he find a way to increase the natural energy it shouldn't have been possible. Yet it had been done. Nature had been given life and started liberally pumping natural energy out.
It was before Kushina could reach Naruto however that the impossible happened. A red blur was all that was seen to the three as they stopped short as a long haired red headed woman stood defiantly in front of Naruto with a 4 foot sword ready and death in her eyes. "I will ask you only once. Who are you and how do you know Naruto?"
It was another impossible position for Kushina as she looked at the living figure of her mother. "K-k-kaa-san?" she spoke, more tears were falling she could barely stand at the moment.
"Kushi-chan?" Mana asked. And just like that the death in her eyes relaxed but she kept her stance. "What are you doing here?"
And so they entered the explanation of the abundance of Natural energy in Uzu and then coming here after being alerted by the sage toads.
"Well I can say that Naru-chan will want to go back to Uzu now. If what you said was true then he wont be stopped by anything, especially now. If what you say is true. So why is it that you are here and yet Naruto wasn't with you back in your village Kushina?" after getting sobs for a reply Minato took it upon himself to answer the legendary woman.
"If that is Naruto then he either faked his death for some reason that I don't know why, or he forgot who he is?" Minato said shaking his head.
"And you old man? What do you think?" Mana directed the question at Jiraiya.
"I'm not sure what to think of it myself. The few times I have talked with him he doesn't seem as someone who would run away or fake his death. It might be best to ask him why he did what he did. That might be the only way to get the real reason."
"Agreed. However you two" she said pointing at Minato and Jiraiya with her sword." Will stay away from him. I trust Kushina but I don't know you two. And I know he has had a difficult childhood already. I don't want him to wake up to someone he possibly ran away from." She said with steel in her voice. They could only nod in acceptance while more tears streamed down Kushina's face.
-GC-
"… Coming around, Kushina." A voice sounded near him. First thing he noticed was his head was laying on something soft. Snapping his eyes open he saw the red haired face of his grandma Mana. He blinked a few times before looking around and sighing realizing he couldn't possibly get away from 3 S-rank ninja. And as they had already seen him alive it was best to come clean. There was no way they would let him escape now that they had seen him after possible grieving for him.
Looking up and examining the face of his Aunt he noticed the tear marks on her face with more shining in her eyes out of joy or sadness he didn't know.
"Alright," he started, "What do you want me to start explaining?" he was not stupid, there was no way he could escape three S-rank ninja at his level, even with his grandmother staying on the side. Even with her help it would be nigh impossible for him to escape.
His Uncle's voice came first. "How about why you faked your death?" Minato spoke in a no nonsense tone of voice. His grandmother and Aunt quickly glared him at for the tone as a reminder of how unhappy the two females were at him.
"Because of both the village and my research." He replied a gleam in his eye as he spoke. "I donated enough to pay back enough that I don't owe anything to that place, and as for my research because the things I have discovered if used in the wrong hands could tip the balance of power upside down for all I know. And before you say it better not be like Orochimaru, its not. My research is primarily for building a library. To understand chakra in its base form. Not jutsu, or techniques, neither of those matters to me. I am talking about the very theory of what chakra is. The essence of Yin-Yang combination that makes up the energy we all take for granted." He added after seeing their mouths open about to speak.
"But Naruto why can't you do that in Konoha?" Jiraiya asked frowning.
"Because someone would take advantage of it. Think whom do people have to go to, to get anything built or started on? The elders. Who is it that keeps the most secrets 'for the good of the village? The elders. Who is it that agreed with Danzo to leek the false identity of the Jinchuuriki to the populace to shake any lead for the safety of the real jinchuuriki? The elders. Who is it that have both threatened my and Narumi's safety for cooperation from me? The so-called wise elders of Konoha. And face it there is nothing any of you could do to keep them down because of their experience in dealing with politics. Besides," he chuckled, "who would think that the real jinchuuriki is your daughter when your nephew was treated so differently?" seeing the shocked faces he stopped. "Didn't you know?"
"Naruto what are you talking about, you are our son-"
"NO I'm not. I checked the birth certificates and blood tests; I am not your son but your nephew. I don't know what happened to your real son if you had one. But he is either missing or gone by now. My true name is Naruto Uzumaki Senju." He spoke loudly, not yelling, or shouting, not even close. Yet his voice echoed around the clearing in its volume. Sobs were the first thing heard from his aunt's direction. Breaking his stare down with his uncle he sighed again and rubbed his aunt's back in comfort. He was only a little surprised when she whipped around and hugged him for all she was worth.
She kept sobbing apologizing over and over again as she tried to get his forgiveness for his lost childhood.
"It's okay aunty Kushina. It wasn't your fault. I got to see everything happen anyway. It wasn't your fault I kept it secret from you both." That seemed to be the wrong thing to say as she burst into more sobs on his shirt apologizing even more for not noticing in the first place.
Finally it was Jiraiya who processed his words, "What do you mean the elders agreed with Danzo about Narumi's safety?"
Still comforting his aunt Naruto looked up at Minato who was also curious about that question, "For proof you are going to have to earn your daughter's trust. Her complete trust. And then ask for my journal. It describes everything I found out about my life, including a vocal agreement about Narumi's safety. You would be surprised what those two fossils talk about when they think no one is listening. Though I would have Ibiki or yourselves checking their tongues." Here he smirked. "Again when you get the journal use the seal marked 'UBNA' on those that have the sealed tongues. You should get your answers then." A small chuckle happened before he spoke softly and darkly, "Oh you are going to get yours, cripple!" the fire in his voice amazed the parents and Jiraiya at the level of hostility toward the old cripple.
"And what would stop us from just taking you back by force?" Jiraiya asked a frown on his face. Normally Jiraiya was one for jokes and general tomfoolery but with the change in nature energy going on it was working on his nerves. He was quickly glared at by Mana who stood in front of Naruto her sword in hand and the death in her eyes came out in force.
"You will not touch him." She had whispered it though everyone heard her promise that Jiraiya wouldn't be touching or forcing Naruto to do anything.
"Tell me Jiraiya-sama, would you really submit a child to torture by his peers and nearly the entire civilian population and some of the shinobi population? If not then I'm staying." Naruto said calmly.
Jiraiya only frowned a little more before starting to speak, "Well then what do you plan to do about Narumi? She is quite different now that you're 'dead'." He asked
"If she found what I left for her then I don't need to do anything. She probably knows all my secrets by now except for the ones that happened after we left Konoha. Oh! No I do have something I need to give her. Wait one moment here while I go get it," He said before getting out of his aunt's embrace and jumping out of the clearing. The men made moves to follow when Mana shot them all down with a spike of killing intent.
They were waiting for a few minutes before Mana's head snapped in the direction that Naruto had left from and narrowed her eyes. Not a moment later a loud roar echoed through the forest with the strength of it blowing wind all across the clearing. Turning slightly so that the wind didn't catch as much of her as it would have she waited it out. Nearly a half a minute later it ended with the group all crouched holding their ears.
Mana blinked before speaking softly. "Were you followed here?" before she could get an answer she shook her head, "Never mind, Naruto needs help, that's the only reason he would use that. Let's go!" before she called her chakra and leaped out of the clearing fury etched on her features. No one would harm her grandson while she drew breath.
She didn't have to look back as the others followed her without any second suggestion.
None noticed the leaves on the tree changing to a whispery silver color with strips of white mixed in. The leaves kept dancing in a non-existent breeze even after the roar had stopped.
-GC-
It was a minute before Naruto reached his house with the girls all inside. Nearing the door he stopped and his eyes narrowed. Turning slowly around he saw what he had feared since his fake death. Ten blank ANBU masks with black suits each one had a tanto strapped to their backs. Each had no distinguishing feature, though the closest one had a scroll tied to his hip.
"Naruto Uzumaki. You are hereby under arrest for desertion and the endangerment of the village weapon, if you do not come willingly you will be executed for your crimes. Walk slowly toward us and hold your hands in the air fingers apart."
"And you expect I will come willingly Root? To that place of torture? No. I have a much better plan. You both surrender now and tell your people to lay down their arms or I will show you exactly why Danzo feared my escape. Your choice." His voice by now was merely a whisper on the wind but everyone in front of his house heard it clearly. He decided to cut loose and let his chakra loose from his tight hold on it letting it surge forth his power spilling around him. He had to give them credit for not flinching at the sudden monstrous spike of chakra.
"Then you leave us no choice Uzumaki-san." With no seen movement or signal given each Root jumped back and started weaving hand signs. Naruto made no gesture to dodge but made a two hand signs before taking a large breath.
'Fools. Futon: Roar.'
-GC-
"And that's how to tie up a spy! Any questions?" Arashi asked cheerfully looking at the kids who were sitting in front of a hog-tied blank masked man. Two others were in the corner similarly tied up knocked out. With Awai and Shuuha keeping watch.
Raising her hand Kyoko asked, "What happens if we don't have an apple?" she was referring to the apple wedged in his mouth to keep him from biting down at the moment.
Thinking for a moment Arashi held up a small bar of steel and set it next to the man before pulling out a rubber chicken, a live chicken that was clucking madly trying to escape, more rope, a kunai, a rubber ball, a pacifier made of wood, an old sock purposefully kept dirty for the sole purpose of tied up henchmen, a piece of bark, a small tree branch, and finally a banana peel before setting each item down next to the previous thing. "The item doesn't really matter its just another way to keep with teeth from clamping shut too often, they could hurt themselves if they bit down too hard after all. We want to keep their teeth all nice and pretty after all." the female summons had found and knocked out each person before they had managed to get entry into any of the rooms so the children got an impromptu lesson on how to tie people up.
Kyoko was the only child without a sweat-drop at the timing of the lesson. Kyoko was the only one to really take the lesson seriously as the others sweat dropped at their adopted sisters antics in the lessons. The man had woken up a number of times but was promptly knocked out with a large wooden hammer held up behind Shuuha with an innocent smile on her face. Numerous lumps could be seen on the head because of the mallet.
The other two men were, at the time, dropped in the fortunately named 'bad guy disposal box'. Again Kyoko was the only one not sweat-dropping at the name. It was a perfectly natural name to her.
"Ok now that the lesson is over why don't we have a little practice?" Shuuha suggested just as cheerfully. Unfortunately there weren't enough bad guys to go around so they had to share with each summon carrying a large wooden hammer to knock the spies out should they wake up.
All in all, it was a fun time inside the house.
-GC-
As they reached where the house was the adults saw the carnage that was around the house. Blood was spattered all around the grass and bodies strewn around in odd places. A few feet in front of the house was a depression in the ground as if a large blast had occurred shooting outward at something. It was about 5 feet long outward before it sloped up into the natural height of the ground, while being a foot at the shortest and 10 feet at its widest.
Clashes brought the groups attention to the air as they saw Naruto battling with five others in blank porcelain masks Naruto was looking the worst of them with cuts littering his body and blood spilling out. But his opponents were not in the best shape they all now sported blood all over their uniforms and only their training to be emotionless held them together from panicking at the determined monster that was their target.
For that was the only real word to define him as. He had demolished their forces quickly and savagely for attacking his refuge. Wind, Lightning, water, storm, ice, everything that Naruto knew was used against these scum who dared to attack his home.
They had thought themselves safe, as the numerical advantage was greatest in their favor.
They were wrong.
Numbers have no meaning to an Uzumaki who knows the shadow clone. But he did not use the shadow clone in this fight. He only used his elements to attack against them. Numbers had no real meaning to Naruto who was used to fighting against the odds thanks to fighting his summons all at once to train himself.
Seeing him in trouble Mana shot forward like a bullet targeting one of the fools who dared to strike her grandson. Kushina was already on her way, her fury knowing no bounds seeing her nephew hurt. Minato was in shock for only a moment before he charged as well, Jiraiya not a moment behind.
The five Root were quickly captured before they bit down and swallowed the cyanide pill killing them after seeing themselves caught.
A moment was all it took before the entire Root force was dead. Naruto was swaying on his feet staying up but a bloody cough made him fall to the ground creating a small dust cloud on his sides.
"NARUTO!" Kushina shouted in horror before racing to her nephew.
"INJURED NII-CHAN! GO! GO! GO! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! I REPEAT THIS IS NOT A DRILL" shouted a voice from the house as the adults (Minus Mana who smiled) got in a crouch getting ready for an attack but were treated to the view of five little girls all wearing white shirts and pants with white hats on running from the house they had been protecting right next to Naruto gently putting him onto a stretcher before four of them picked it up and they hurried inside all the while confusing the adults.
A chuckle broke the silence. "Oh, I love those little girls." Mana said sheathing her sword and walking into the house not a care in the world.
With dozens of questions floating in their heads the Konoha group went inside to find a warm welcoming room with lamps and a staircase leading up two flights. Another staircase led down into the ground confusing the group before a modest 5'6'' girl with a white dress met them on. "Greetings Konoha ninja-sans. If you will please follow me I will guide you through the house to a waiting room." She bowed smiling before dancing to the left hallway and away from the group.
Not seeing any harm in trusting the girl the group followed her to a cozy sitting room with bookshelves on the sides and a fireplace in the back with couches and recliner seats spread throughout the room. Deciding to explore they reached for the bookshelves and started looking through.
A Basic Introduction to Sealing, by Naruto Uzumaki Senju
Blinking Minato picked the book up and flipped it open.
Table of contents:
Chapter 1. What is a seal?
Chapter 2. What are seals used for?
Chapter 3. How are seals made?
Chapter 4. What can seals be made on?
Chapter 5. What are seals limited by?
Chapter 6. What is the language of sealing?
Chapter 7. What rules are set for sealing?
Chapter 8. Examples of seals used around the nations.
Blinking a few more times Minato took the book to a couch and sat down to read.
Chakra introduction, by Naruto Uzumaki Senju
Eyebrow raised Jiraiya picked the book up more than a little doubtful. After all, what could a 12 year-old kid know about chakra?
Table of contents:
Chapter 1. What is Chakra?
Chapter 2. How is Chakra used in today's society?
Chapter 3. How is Chakra formed?
Chapter 4. What can Chakra be used for?
Chapter 5. What is Chakra limited by?
Chapter 6. Hand-signs and their uses with Chakra.
Chapter 7. Most common limits set by shinobi in chakra usage.
Chapter 8. Examples of Chakra usage internally.
Chapter 9. Examples of Chakra usage externally.
With a doubt filled mind but nothing else to do Jiraiya took the book to a couch, plopped himself down and started reading.
Kushina was of two minds, on one hand she wanted nothing more than to make as many clones as she could, find her nephew and continue apologizing while making sure he was okay, or stay in the room like she had been asked by someone who obviously had Naruto's trust, which she knew was hard to get. Finally she relented and merely sat down on a chair and stared into the fire and reflected on her treatment of Naruto through the years.
Hours passed unnoticed to the group as they read, thought and waited. After three hours of waiting a knock was heard on the door startling the readers while Kushina got up and opened the door to find a cute light brown haired girl staring up at her. Her heart melted at the cuteness of the girl before she spoke giving the group much needed news. "Naruto's awake and waiting for you all to come so follow me!" she said her huge eyes staring at the weird adults that came looking for her nii-chan.
Kushina's eyes brightened at the news that Naruto was awake but before she could do anything Jiraiya beat her to it and picked the girl up and put her on his shoulders. Apparently hours of waiting were enough to get his cheerfulness back. "Guide us fair child. To the-Ack!" he said as he slumped to the floor in pain.
"Don't touch me. Only Nii-san and Baa-chan can pick me up!" she said to the twitching man on the floor taking her fingers from his neck. Blowing a raspberry at the old man she ran away only stopping when she remembered she was supposed to bring them to her Nii-chan. With a small storm cloud hanging above her head she led them to Naruto. As the group entered a light blue painted room the girl immediately ran to Naruto and laid her head down on his lap, the storm cloud disappearing not a moment later. It seemed he had a positive effect on the girls.
He had four other girls on chairs next to his bed as he smiled and read a book to them all. In the background were two girls about 20 years old each staring at Naruto as he read the story smiles growing on their faces. The taller of the two, standing at 5'10'' was wearing a yellow shirt with tan pants. The smaller was wearing a blue dress with waves crashing all over it and a little green hat sitting on her head of blue hair.
"So" he said after he had finished the story and the girls had left the room with the tall yellow haired girl. "Do you doubt me now? Seeing for yourselves that Ninjas of your own village have come after me?" he asked sitting in his bed/chair one arm, a leg and his chest covered in bandages. His voice was more than a little raspy but he had kept it normal for the rest of the story until the girls had left.
"I find myself reluctant to let you go now that I have seen what you can do. Taking down 5 Root by yourself while at the same time alerting us to your presence?" Naruto's eyes narrowed and Mana stepped closer to the Hokage at his words. Minato shook his head. "But, I can't help but admit your safer here than in Konoha. I will let you to stay here until you think yourself strong enough to protect your secrets." Naruto's eyebrow rose before he settled back in the bed his shoulders slumping down. He looked exhausted.
"It seems that the fight took more out of me than I thought. I'm sorry for the short visit but that seems all I'm good for right now. Do you want to stay the night? It's a long trek back to the leaf." He asked getting shakes of the head in return. Nodding his head he looked at the far corner of the room and spoke again in the now extremely raspy voice that only made Kushina feel more for her estranged nephew than before, "Baa-chan, can you escort this group to the door. I wouldn't want them to get lost in here. There is quite a bit more room thanks to the expansion seals after were placed in."
Out of the shadows came Mana Uzumaki in a blue kimono with a green obi. "Sure thing Naru-chan. You get some sleep. Your system was more than a little screwed up when you came in. Shuuha dear take care of him until I get back please?" she asked looking at the blue haired girl.
She smiled, "You didn't even need to ask. I'll keep him healing until he's ready to be up, no worries." She said looking back at Naruto who was fighting sleep and losing badly. She chuckled before gesturing them out of the room.
As they were walking back to the front door Mana stopped and turned to the Hokage. "You would be doing your village a service cleaning it up, if any more scum come after my grandson there will be a significant decrease in your population. Understand Hokage?" she spoke in a whisper but the look in her eyes meant it was more than just words.
"No more will come after you here. You have my word. I will keep any from this area."
Mana stared at Minato for a moment before she nodded. "Good. Now, Jiraiya I believe your elder summons will want this," she said holding up a scroll with a yin-yang picture on it. "Inside it explains what he was doing and some of his notes that he shared with me. Do not lose it. And make sure only your elder summons read it. Understood?" her tone was back to a whisper but Jiraiya didn't flinch or show any sign or discomfort. He nodded and took the scroll from her. With that done she opened the door and let them outside into the war torn field that was their front lawn. "… I should probably clean up huh? Nah." she said at length after they had left. Turning back into the house, debating whether or not to catch the midgets sneaking into Naru-chan's room or to let them spend the night there.
Well that's the confrontation chapter.
Can't say it came out perfect. Yes, everyone got what he or she came for. They found the source and got to leave in peace after seeing Naruto cut loose against some idiots who attacked his home.
Kushina got some hope in this chapter as well as more sorrow at seeing Naruto again. And Minato is going to get his butt in gear after seeing the Root in action against his nephew.
Actually about that. Yes I know they caved rather easily about the whole son or nephew bit but that was on purpose. They will be checking when they get back to Konoha.
Naruto wouldn't have been that badly injured if Jiraiya had managed to summon Pa and slap the Nature energy out but a shock to the system will make anyone forget things.
Let me know what you all think review!
Have a nice day!
