Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
A Son's Path: the Last Namikaze
Chapter Fourteen: The After Party pt. 1
The entire crowd grew eerily silent. The few that were standing atop the tower began to pale a bit, all except Naruto. He didn't dare back down. He knew who he was and after twelve years of being pushed around by these villagers, he had had enough. He wasn't the same little wet nosed brat he was when he left. And he felt it was damn time that they all knew it. He didn't flinch and kept eye contact with the silent group of people at the bottom.
"Citizens of Konoha, I know what you all have thought of me for as long as I can remember. I have heard everything that you have whispered behind my back. I have put up with it for damn long enough. I am by no means arrogant enough to think that my name will buy anything from anyone. I'm not saying that you have to like me, I could really careless… but I want to let you know that I am not the same person I was when I left here and I will have respect. That is all I ask of you."
He stopped speaking and waited on the onslaught of boos from down below him. Tsunade watched as he gave his speech with the pride of a mother. He had indeed become a fine man. One that she knew would make both of his parents proud. She looked at Jiraiya and he had a smirk on his face.
"Hell of a kid I must say." Jiraiya told her.
"He sure is. Not much for winning the people over though… basically he told them to kiss his ass. He's a bit too much like you." She replied.
"And you say that like it's a bad thing." He said sounding offended.
"Oh shut it…" she said back to him.
All of a sudden the crowd erupted. They were all cheering for Naruto. Naruto stood there stunned at the crowd's reaction. Too long had he been hated and now they were cheering in approval. The familiar warm breeze came through the town. When it surrounded Naruto he couldn't help but smile. He could feel his parents and that made everything ok.
He turned away from the cheers and headed to where his friends stood. He looked at them as they stared back in awe. Sakura launched herself at him like she did the day he left. She had to jump up to throw her arms around his neck. He quickly caught her and returned the embrace.
"It's good to see you to Sakura-chan." Naruto said.
It seemed that that was all that it took to break the ice. Everyone circled them and started throwing out questions. He put Sakura down and hushed everyone.
"Hey guys, take a breath. Look, I'm not going anywhere for a while and I want you all to come to my house and we can catch up. Is that okay?"
"Your house? Dude when did you get a house?" Kiba questioned.
"It's my parents place. And since I am the last Namikaze, it's now mine. But I promise that all will be answered… just be at the estate at six."
"Will there be food?" Choji asked.
"For Kami's sake Choji! We haven't seen Naruto in five years and you are worried about food?" Ino yelled.
"Heh its ok Ino, some things never change. Yes, there will be food Choji." Naruto said with a smile. "Now you guys, I have a few things to prepare for tonight. So I'll see you guys."
He waved to the group as he walked to the edge of the tower and hopped off. He landed in the middle of the dispersing crowd. A few of the villagers that were lingering walked up to him and offered a genuine smile before bowing and telling him "Welcome Home." There were even a few who ignored him, but there wasn't a single person who would dare to be rude to the young man after his speech.
Naruto was able to walk around the village for once with out the nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach. He didn't have to worry about how he was going to be treated. Even though he didn't think that people should treat him like a prince because of his name, he didn't really mind that they were not as hateful. That made a stroll through the village a peaceful thing where as five years ago, even with all that he had done for the people, was something that would not have happened.
He made a lap around the village, mingling and talking with whomever approached him. He even stopped by the park and talked to some of the kids that were brave enough to walk up to him. After, he headed for a place he had considered a second home before he left, Itchiraku's ramen stand. He entered the stand and sat down. Neither the store owner nor Ayame were in the front. After a few minuets of waiting he sighed.
"Hey! What does a man have to do to get a bowl of ramen in this place?" Naruto yelled.
Ayame came from around the back with an apologetic smile on her face.
"I am sorry sir. We did not hear you come in." Ayame said as she bowed. When she looked up at the man sitting there, her smile vanished. Naruto had a serious look on his face. And keeping with the seriousness he was feigning, he crossed his arms and closed his eyes.
"You would think that I haven't spent enough money here. I should be outraged!" Not being able to keep the façade going, he let his ear to ear grin show. "But it's good thing that I'm not! Because I am starving!"
"Welcome home Naruto! What will it be?" Ayame asked.
"Hmm… How about we start from the top of the menu and work our way down, it's been a while. And there is not one person that I have found in all my travels with Jiraiya that can match the ramen at Itchiraku's!"
"Father! We are going to be very busy! One of everything we offer!" Ayame shouted.
Her ageing father stepped out from the kitchen with a bewildered look on his face. When he saw the tall blond standing there with that identifying smile, he knew what they were in for.
"Well, that makes sense! It's Naruto… I'll get started right away!"
With that, the old man vanished and started manufacturing large amounts of ramen for the bottomless pit in human skin.
After Naruto cleaned the stand out of all the stock of ramen they had, he paid the large bill, bowed and confirmed that he would indeed see them both at his house in a few hours. He walked off to gather the things that he would need to entertain the twenty or so people that he had invited over.
Six o'clock came rather quickly and everyone was excited. Naruto stood at the gates of the compound waiting for everyone to get there. He had closed the gates and activated the seals, He had decided to go with a little dramatic effect on the group for two reasons, one… he wanted them all to know that only he could open the seals and two… the majority of them had never been on the other side of the compound's walls.
Anxious as she was too see her teammate, Sakura was the first to show up. She waved when she saw him standing there at the gates. She quickened her pace a bit. She was greeted by a smile.
"Hey Sakura-chan! Glad you could make it!"
"I'm glad that you are home Naruto! It's been a lonely five years with out you here." Sakura said. "But why are we standing outside?"
"Well, I figured one of the questions that would be asked of me would be about the proof given to the council. It's kind of easier to show that to explain." He said as he felt him self relax and place his hands behind his head.
"Oh… well that makes sense then." Sakura said feeling a bit uneasy just standing there.
"Sakura-chan, there is no need to be nervous. I'm still me, I'm still Naruto." He said with a small smile. "Now, tell me how you have been?"
"Well, I have been lonely without you around. I took you for granted. You were like a ball of energy that everyone thrived off of whether they knew it or not. They only thing I could do was what you told me to do. I trained. I busted my ass… Tsunade-shishou is a slave driver when it comes down to it." Sakura explained.
"Yeah, tell me about it. You should see Ero-sennin. He's a monster. And you would never think it would you?
"No. You really wouldn't…" Sakura began.
"Hey forehead! Did you shushin here or what?" Ino yelled.
Sakura blushed a little when she saw Ino, Shikamaru and Choji walking up the path. Not far behind the three were Hinata, Neji, and Shino. They all walked up to where Naruto and Sakura were standing.
"So, Naruto…why are we standing on the outside of your estate? Shouldn't we be on the other side?"
"Neji-niisan, I'm sure Naruto-kun has a good reason for why we are here instead of inside…right Naruto-kun?" Hinata whispered the last part. Her sudden boost of confidence faded as soon as she looked up at the blond man. A blush came over her face.
"Right you are Hinata. We are waiting for everyone to show up so I can demonstrate the power of the security system here. The others should be along shortly."
"Yeah well we will be here all night if we are waiting on Kakashi-sensei. He is still always late." Sakura said with a sigh.
A sadden looked crossed Naruto's face briefly before he replied, "Some times his tardiness should be over looked…he has his reasons. But we are in luck!"
Everyone quirked an eyebrow at his comment, they had no idea what he meant.
"That is a troublesome comment Naruto. Care to explain." Shikamaru asked in his lazy tone.
"Sure, one, Kakashi already knows how everything works and two… he is on his way right now, along with two Sannin and Shizune. They should be coming up that path any second now."
"And just how do you know that?" Ino asked.
"What? Don't believe me? Ask Hinata, Neji or even Shino…they are there."
She turned and looked at the three. "Well?"
"Byakugan." Hinata and Neji said in unison as their eyes came to life.
The two looked over in the area that Naruto had said. Shino's bugs began to stir as they sensed the chakra. All three nodded in agreement.
"How could you know that Naruto?" Ino asked again.
"You want to know the truth? I can sense chakra at a great distance… plus with the breeze, I can smell baa-chan's sake." Naruto said with a cheesy grin.
Everyone smiled and chuckled as they saw the four heads bobbing up over the horizon. The group of four arrived and just like the others asked why they were standing outside of a closed gate and they got the same answer as the others. The stood there conversing with each other when they heard Naruto sigh out loud.
"What's wrong Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked, a little louder than before. She was starting to become comfortable around everyone more and more. Naruto looked at her and thought about how she was before he left. He should feel grateful that she even spoke that loudly.
"Well, you know how I can sense chakra and all?" Naruto began.
Before he could finish saying what he was going to say, the crowd of eleven saw a large cloud of dust rising from the path leading to the compound. Through the clouds of dust and dirt they could here to very familiar voices screaming about the flames of youth. Everyone sweat dropped at the oncoming green clad ninja duo.
They arrived and doubled over breathing heavy.
"Well done Lee! YOSH! Your flames are indeed strong and I am glad that I could challenge myself with a small race! You are a splendid ninja as always!"
"YOSH! Thank you Guy-sensei! I am most grateful for the race in order to fuel my flames to new heights!"
"Oi! I don't care if you hug but come on… don't cry!" Naruto yelled over their over-exuberant sobs.
"Lee? Where is TenTen? I thought you were going to get her?" Neji asked his teammate.
"Ten-chan! She was with us…" Lee began.
You could feel the killer intent leaking off of TenTen as she came up the path. Next to her was a very nervous looking Kiba.
"I'm going to kill that spandex loving…"
"TenTen, you know how they are. You should calm down and put away the scrolls. Killing him won't be a good thing for the village. We kind of need him. And you are dating Lee." Kiba pleaded with the weapons mistress.
She sighed and looked at Kiba. Kiba gulped hard and held his hands up.
"I'm just saying." Kiba began.
"Yeah I know." TenTen said.
Lee ran up to TenTen when she got closer. He threw himself at her legs and wrapped his arms around her legs.
"Please Ten-chan; I am sorry for leaving you behind. I will do 500 laps on my hands…" Lee tried.
She shot up her hand to cut him off. He looked at her baffled.
"Don't start that crap either! You just don't leave your girlfriend behind like that damnit! You will make it up to me later! Understand?"
He offered her a gleaming smile and before he could even stick his thumb up to complete the pose, she grabbed his hand and looked at him.
"Sorry Ten-chan. I get carried away…" Lee said in one of the most normal voices Naruto has ever heard him speak in.
To the others, this was common. But to Naruto, who had no idea that they were together, he was stunned. He had always thought that she had had a thing for Neji. He cleared his throat and everyone turned around and looked at him.
"Well, I didn't see that coming. Is there any other couples that I have missed?" Naruto said.
"Naruto, man you have been gone for five years, you have missed a lot!" Kiba said as he walked up to Hinata and threw an arm around her shoulder and kissed her on the cheek. "Hina-chan and I have been dating for two years now."
"Well congrats man. I am happy for you two. Lee and TenTen too." Naruto said.
"Thanks man…why are we out here?" Kiba asked.
"I wish the rest would come together, I am tired of answering the same question…" Naruto sighed.
"Kiba-kun, Naruto-kun wants to show us how the security system works." Hinata explained for Naruto.
"Oh okay, well I saw Konohamaru, Iruka and the Ichiraku's coming up behind us."
"Good, that's the last of them." Naruto said.
He waited as the three arrived and before they could ask he held up a hand.
"Glad you could make it. Before you ask, we are out here so you can see the security system that my father placed on this estate. This is the proof that baa-chan spoke of earlier. My father was a seal master and such, he placed these blood seals," he explained as he pointed to the blank paper on the gate. "All over the compound. I am the only person who can open them because I am of Namikaze blood. I wanted to show it too you all, since you are my precious people, plus it looks really cool."
Naruto nipped his finger and swiped it on the seal. The people who had never seen it before were in awe. They just watched as it basically came to life. Then as the gates were pushed open by Naruto, everyone's jaws dropped as they saw what the compound looked like after Naruto had finished cleaning it up.
"Welcome to the Namikaze estate." Naruto said with a smile.
-End-