Chapter 13: I've Heard Your Plight
Naruto removed his mask and blinked at the Hokage. Ruka looked similarly confounded. The looked at each other and had a quick conversation through their eyes.
"Could you repeat that name, Granny?" Naruto asked confused by what she called him. After all, it was possible he'd miss heard. Unlikely, but still a possibility.
"I said Naruto Uzumaki-Osorubeki-Namikaze." Tsunade spoke wondering why he had her say his name.
"I think you need to stop drinking granny. You're adding things that don't exist in my name. Where did you get Namikaze from anyway?" Naruto spoke to his fellow blonde and mother in all but blood. Although he could swear he'd heard it somewhere before. Tsunade, however, realised Naruto really had no clue about who he was.
"Namikaze was your father's name Naruto, your heritage leaked out after you left the village. Your father's name was Minato Namikaze, otherwise known as the Yellow Flash or The Fourth Hokage." Tsunade cleared up. Surprised he didn't know, after all pretty much the entire elemental nations did. The news was quickly leaked after the village found out. The hidden villages had been scouring the land to find the Fourth's heir.
"I am the son of the Yellow Flash? What the hell Granny! Why was I not told this? In fact, why we're on the subject why was I never told that the Uzumaki was a clan?" Naruto ranted, far more calmly than his younger self ever would have. But let's be fair here, not every day you find out your idol was your dad and that you had been lied to all your life.
"Yes, Naruto, the Fourth was your father. You weren't told because…let's be honest back then you could keep such a thing to save yourself. Plus people all over the place would be trying to kill or capture you. As for the Uzumaki thing, I assume its a similar reason, the third never wrote down anything about it. Besides, the Uzumaki were normally talked about in the academy." Tsunade said half exasperated at the council but also swearing from hell to high heaven at the Third, the council and anyone else involved with this bloody conspiracy.
"Kami Granny, stop adding more names to the one I already have. I am lucky enough as it is that I only have to sign the relative documents involving that name. Like Uzumaki Clan issues it Naruto Uzumaki that signs. The only reason Ruka and I hyphenated was to join the two clans together." Naruto spoke groaning. Thank god he and his kids are his only clan members because otherwise, he'd have a hell of a lot more of that bloody paperwork. Like for his wife Ruka.
"Anyway brat, no more dodging, its time or an explanation now." Said Tsunade, who was not about to let this juicy gossip about her Brat get away. Naruto sighed at his pseudo-mothers behaviour.
"What would you like to know?" Asked Naruto knowing that there was no way to get out of his fellow blonde's questioning. Besides he had some questions of his own for his 'granny'.
"Well, when did you meet Lady Osorubeki and how long have you been married? Tsunade questioned curiously. Internally jumping up and down at getting all the gossip before anyone else in the village.
"I met Ruka a few months after my…forced relocation. She found me half staved, in a nowhere village and introduced herself. She asked me to travel with her when she left, I agreed. Eventually, we got together romantically and remained that way. We've been married for roughly four years." Naruto spoke clearly and precisely but not revealing any important or specific details. Like the village name or exact dates. This is so their movements couldn't be traced by anyone that is either listening in or finds out about this story. Naruto was once a Konoha ninja, therefore, he knew how quick the leaf rumour mill was. But it was nothing to the Tsukigakure and Osorubeki clan rumour mills. Since you literally live with the people you're trying to keep secrets from. Tsunade blinked a bit at the new information, she honestly wasn't expecting such evasive and yet factual the plus side she was doing a mini-chibi dance in her mind for learning this first. Added to the fact that her Gaki (Brat) is really married is fantastic.
"Granny Tsunade, I have my own questions for you. How bad is it for Konoha that you had to bring an unknown S-rank ninja, to fight for you? This is not normal, why was my presence here was something you were desperate for? If you suspected me to be at Tsukigakure you could have easily written a letter to Ruka and ask her to pass on the message or extra letter. Hell, you could have done that at all of the major villages in case I had been seen there. Instead, you send a retrieval team." Naruto asked knowing there is something more to this than she had stated. Excuse to give her ninja a vacation or not, the procedures Tsunade used were very odd and not normal. Especially sending a retrieval team that had no knowledge other than a vague description and a bingo book entry. Tsunade sighed loudly and looked like she aged an extra forty years with his questions.
"The Akatsuki has teamed up with Oto (hidden sound village) and Iwa (hidden rock village). All three are getting ready to declare war on the leaf village. My ninjas are not equipped to deal with multiple S-rank ninjas, a Sannin and a kage plus all of their combined forces. I figured having an S-rank that has killed at least two confirmed Akatsuki members could help us." Stated Tsunade. She knew more than anyone that no-one had the right to ask her Gaki to fight for them. They banished and threw him away until it was convenient. Whether they knew that he was The Kōshoku no kage (Crimson shadow) or not. "I know I have no right to ask this of you Naruto, but now that you've heard our plight, would you be willing to fight for this village one last time?"
Meanwhile, in the village, Naruto and Ruka's children were exploring, Kubinashi and Kejōrō following behind them while Saizō discreetly followed behind them. The four children were amazed at the large village that looked far more industrialised then their home village and eventually decided to play at a nearby park that Kejōrō spotted. Both Kejōrō and Kubinashi sat down a far distance to allow the kids playtime without crowding them, however, they maintained a distance that would allow them quick access if a threat occurred. Saizō occupied a tree nearby, lazily watching for danger. Kejōrō smiled at their charges playing with the other children. The children often did this with the orphans of their own village. As Kubinashi pursued the area he spotted a familiar pink haired girl, yes girl, not a woman, because that is truly what Kubinashi saw her as. A girl who fancies herself in love and in a happy marriage to the man she desired and yet never actually, knowing or understanding what the emotion was. It had been something he had seen in the war and in several arranged marriages. Fake happiness and love to convince themselves that they snagged the best man. She had seen them as well and made her way over.
Sakura had been wandering the village in deep thought, a few hours ago she had a talk with her friend Ino. After what Sasuke had done in Tsukigakure, especially the offer he had made the Osorubeki clan head, not to mention attacking innocent people had caused her to question her love and dedication to Sasuke. In truth, Sasuke was not truly her husband for they had never consummated their marriage and she also knew he only married her because the council forced it. She concluded long ago that he wouldn't have even looked her way, if not for the order. However, she had dedicated to pleasing him, attempting to convince him that he could love her and she could be the wife he needed. Yet, no matter what she did he was never happy and blamed her. Her thoughts had broken at the sound of children playing and laughing. That was something else Sasuke continued to deny her, a child. It was then that she noticed the vessel Kubinashi and the woman Kejōrō. She decided to talk to them to find out what could happen to her husband under their laws and because to be completely honest she was lonely and they seemed friendly. After receiving warm smiles and a gesture to sit, she cautiously did so. Unknowing that this conversation would give her the answers she needed, even if they were not what she wanted to hear. Sakura did not know that by accepting her entire life and perception would change.