Hey gang! So here is the new chapter I promised! I know it's terribly late and I do apologize but everyone knows how life can suddenly bitch slap you in the face.
Life bitched slapped me thrice.
Let's start off with reviews from the last chapter, shall we?
LadyAmazon: What a naughty child! Lol! And maybe~! :3
AddictionProblem21: I updated! :D
Pinkus-pyon: Oh, lo sé. Pero Minato es una linda pequeña crema y para un personaje con poco tiempo de pantalla, solo quería hacer una historia de OC con él. Y gracias por la corrección! (Espero que mi español está bien! Me tomó unos minutos para traducir. :D)
MuRioDame: Thank you! And thank you for reviewing!
Oceana-Wolf: Yay! I'm glad you like it!
Thanzintary.2000: I did!
Lovinurbuks: Aw shucks! I WILL STAY AWESOME! :D
Girl-luvs-manga: I based this after the death of my favorite teacher from high school :( Her death was really sudden and it was devastating.
Thanzintay.2000: Yay for Mr. Lazy Bones!
Guest: The marriage didn't have to be a benefit. I believed that the Sarutobi family had a strong friendship with the Senju, since Hashirama and Tobirama were both mentors and predecessors to Hiruzen. And please don't say "breed", it sounds too Danzo like.
Rubyia: Yeah, he was a bit of meanie but he was firm believer of tough love.
Butterfly Wings Chaos Theory: Yup. Happy times don't last long in the world of Naruto.
Guest: Thank you! So here is the new chapter!
Wolfedge10: Got it!
Valen Goncalvez: Greetings new reader!
AcexDeuce: I'm glad you like it! Don't worry, I'll keep on writing!
CallmeCrazylol: I could have them learn it but where's the fun in that?
Zainab7256: Yaw, thank you for reading so many times!
xxOchibixx: Oh don't worry! The story follows the storyline with a few changes.
I DO NOT OWN NARUTO. I DO OWN MY OCS.
"Bunshin no Jutus!"
'Ram. Snake. Tiger.'
Three poofs of smoke popped up next to me, clearing away to reveal a trio of clones. Whipping out a kunai, my three clones and I bolted in separate directions into the forest, taking up random spots in the foliage. I peered through a mass of leaves from a behind a bush.
One of our targets was locked in battle with a vicious Tsume and Kuromaru, the pair using their newly awakened Fang Over Fang. Their opponent was a tall beefy rogue nin from the Amegakure, who relied on water based chakra. Tsume had taken a hard blast from the enemy nin's Hail Barrage and sported a few wounds from the jagged chunks of hail. Kuromaru's left ear was shredded from the same attack.
Hizashi was tied up with his own opponent, using the Eight Trigram Palms Revolving Heaven to deflect the enemy nin's Acid Permeation attack. The guy was defending himself from the attack of the bubbles.
Acid bubbles, but….bubbles.
Chewing my lip, I threw an exploding tag at Bubble Man. Unfortunately he noticed it coming and made an effort to dodge but received a kick in the face by one of the my clones.
Clutching his now very broken nose, he backpedaled with a snarl, blood pouring down his lower face. Jumping to Hizashi's side, I held up my kunai defensively.
"You ok, Princess?" I asked, my eyes never leaving the enemy nin's.
The Hyuga panted, not even bothering to send a glare for the playful jab. "Shut up."
"You brats!" He snarled. "I'll kill you!"
"Promises, promises." I muttered.
"Where's the package?" Hizashi questioned, his hands brimming with chakra.
"Sakumo-sensei and one of my clones have him."
A sudden wave of cooling chakra washed over; followed by brief flashes of images that included Sakumo and an attack called Hail Barrage. "I take that back. Just Sakumo."
I barely caught the muttered 'useless' under Hizashi's breath but the large shout of "Water Release: Great Gunshot!" distracted me.
An agonizing pressurized blast hit me in the stomach, sending me flying back through a tree and slamming into another. Groaning, I slid to the ground, wrapping an arm around my middle. Ah fuckity fuckity fuck fuck! If my ribs aren't broken then they are most certainly bruised. Forcing myself to stand, I clutched my middle and looked up only to have the same nin bring a kantana swinging in from the side. Deflecting it with my kunai, I aimed a hard kick at his pom-poms. He caught my ankle before it could come in contact with his balls and swung me like a Louisville slugger into a charging Hizashi. The younger Hyuga twin yelped when I was body slammed into him, sending the two of us into the underbrush.
"Will you get off?! He's getting away!" Hizashi snarled at me, giving me a hard shove.
"Ow!" I hissed, pulling a sharp thorn out of my elbow. "It's not my fault!"
"Yes, it is!" Hizashi snapped, jumping to his feet and activating his Byakugan, searching for the ninja that escaped while we were distracted. "You are useless as a shinobi! If it weren't for Sakumo-sensei wasting his time on training you, you would have died on our first mission."
And with that, he took off, leaving me behind in the bushes. I stared at his rapidly vanishing back, watching him leave in almost a daze.
I wasn't useless.
Sakumo-sensei was chosen by Dad to teach me.
I didn't have any special powers but I could get a job done.
So why did those words hurt so much?
A sudden flash of teal colored chakra in the corner of my eye snapped me out of my daze enough to miss the blade coming down upon my head. Yanking back, I felt my heart drop to my stomach as my dirty face stared back at me in the reflection of the swinging sword. Squatting low to the ground, I spun on the tips on my toes and aimed my kunai with both hands up as the enemy nin raised his sword again.
It was like time had frozen, our eyes staring straight at each other with blinking. A sickening copper stench filled my nose, but my gaze never left the shinobi's wide eyes. His arms were still raised high over his head with the katana, ready to strike me down. He finally broke our stare off to follow the splatter of red across my face, and then he followed the length of my arms to his torso. My kunai was buried deep into his chest, a dark stain growing rapidly on his shirt.
Feeling a cold sensation crawling up my spine, I ripped the kunai out and scrambled back. Blood sprayed from his wound, darkening the ground that it fell upon.
"A genin..," he rasped, arms falling to his sides and dropping his sword. "A fucking…genin."
Landing on his knees, he stared at me with a small trickle of blood falling from the corner of his mouth. My eyes couldn't leave him, unable to tear away from the watching the life quickly fade away.
A large calloused hand landing on my shoulder jolted me out of my frozen state. Snapping my head around, I met the solemn gaze of Sakumo, a glint of understanding sympathy barely floating in his dark eyes. Behind him stood a small group of Konoha ANBU and my teammates. One of the ANBU was kneeling next to a weary looking Tsume, who was cradling a wounded Kuromaru.
"Package has been delivered," Sakumo stated quietly. "We're going home."
"It's nothing to be ashamed of."
"I know."
"First kills are hard to handle, even I –"
"I said I'm fine, Dad." I growled, playing with some of the rice with my chopsticks. Gin chittered at me expectantly from my shoulder, squealing in delight when I offered him a piece of carrot.
After we returned from the mission, Sakumo escorted us to the hospital, where all three of us were given thorough exams. Once the nurses were done poking and prodding, we were sent to T&I for one-on-one appointments with Inoku Yamanaka. He had made the interviews straight to the point, no punches pulled. After a few hours, he had gave Sakumo and Dad the go ahead to report us back for duty.
Mom had fretted over me for a bit, her pregnancy hormones making her more 'motherly' than usual. Satisfied that I had all my appendages still attached to my body, Mom sent me up to take a shower while she made dinner. Dad hadn't made an appearance so it was just the two of us, excluding the tiny humans inside my mother's womb.
It wasn't until the next day that Dad found me hiding at the training fields with a bento box for lunch.
Dad hummed, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched us from the corner of his eye. Taking in a deep inhale of his pipe (I have never been so tempted to toss that thing over the Hokage Mountain), Dad nonchantly said,
"Mito-sama has asked for you."
With a piece of chicken raised halfway up to my mouth, I paused and turned my head to stare at him. "Me?"
He nodded. "I suggest you go now. Mito-sama is…pressed for time."
What a fancy way of saying she's dying.
With a sigh, I stuffed the piece of chicken into my mouth before closing the bento box and wrapping it up. Standing, I released Gin and gave Dad a respectful nod before taking off. Hopping from roof to roof, I ran the storyline through my head.
Ok. Mito gives Kushina Kurama, who hates people with a living passion and that's when red's life gets 100 times harder. Of course then Minato really started to make am impact on her life, but for instead of swooning over the fiery redhead, the ball of sunshine had other interests. Which confused the bloody hell of me cause there is absolutely nothing special about me.
Seriously, I wasn't. I had no special talent, no demonic beast trapped inside my body, no angsty backstory (unless we count being a Reborn) and I certainly had the only intention to…to….
What was I trying to do?
The thought made me stop mid walk, staring at my feet with a furrowed brow. Up until now, all the past Reborn had nothing to go on when it came to the storyline, the main concern being if they even knew what world that had been born in. Now, I was only Reborn who had control over the present, the one could alter the future, but at what cost?
If I save Obito, how would Madara's plans change? If Kushina and Minato had Naruto, would they all have normal lives? If I were to marry, would I be the mother of someone important?
What about the next Reborn? How the hell would I find them, let alone help them?
"Fuck…" I swore, digging the heel of my palm into my eye, feeling the ache of a headache growing. Gah…..fuckity, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK.
Feeling the pit in my stomach grow bigger, I shook my head and hurried towards the Senju compound. I could find my purpose in life later, when Mito wasn't grasping to life with what little strength she had left. Arriving at the compound, I was immediately granted entrance by the guards and was escorted by a maid towards Mito's chambers.
A number of shinboi guards stood in front of her doors, their faces hidden by animal ANBU masks. As we approached the doors, a single ANBU left the group and slipped past the entrance, most likely speaking to Mito.
Stopping in front of the guards, the maid bowed low before them. "Saurtobi-hime has arrived at the request of Senju-sama. Please grant her entrance."
With the masks turning to look at the each other, I felt an inner pressure lift slightly as the sight of the ANBU parting like the Red Sea. The miad turned back to me with a smile and a bow. "Please enter, Sarutobi-hime."
"Thank you, "I said softly, giving a slight bow in return. Nodding to the ANBU in thanks, I stepped into the room.
I've never seen Mito's bedchambers before, but I gotta say, I expected a bit more for the inspirational woman. The simple room was decently sized for one person, including one nightstand, a elegant dresser, maroon curtains; and a large bed was pressed against the wall on one side of the room. A large Uzumaki Swirl symbol was hanging above the headboard. A tribute to what world she had come before she married Hashirama.
The Senju matriarch was reclining in the large bed, cushioned by a number of very plush looking pillows. Her lovely face was pale and gaunt, large dark bags growing under her closed eyes as her frail chest slowly rose and fell with every breath. My eyes trailed towards her hair. The beautiful crimson red was now gone; her Uzumaki hair had darkened to brown shade. A little weird if you think about it.
"Mito-sama," I said softly, approaching the old woman.
Her eyes slowly opened at my voice. Turning her head, her once vibrant dark eyes dully met mine. Blinking a few times, a smile broke out across her face.
"Naegi-chan. How wonderful to see you," she whispered, stretching a frail hand out to touch my cheek. "My. Just look at you. What a lovely woman you have become."
Kneeling by her bed, I took her hand in both of mine and squeezed it gently. "What can I do for you, Mito-sama?"
Her smiled widened. "Ah, straight to point as always, Little Sapling. Now, what I need from you is great favor to ask of you."
I raised an eyebrow, curious. "What is it?"
Mito took a deep inhale, her eyes closing briefly before opening them again, an odd glint in her eyes. "I want to you to protect Kushina Uzumaki, and be a precious friend to her."
I stared in stunned silence, the cogs in my brain trying to restart after hearing what the dying woman told me. "…Sorry?"
She gave me a firm stare. "Listen child, Kushina has been given a duty, a duty that she must bear on her own. People will shun her and curse her, but what she will need most of all, is a dear friend."
"…Kushina became my friend long before this meeting, Mito-sama," I replied quietly. "And there is nothing that could change that."
The smile that stretched across her face and weak hug she pulled me into managed to banish my fears and insecurities away for the brief moment.
"Thank you Naegi-chan."
Mito died the next day.
The funeral was huge, with nearly all of the clans gathering to pay tribute to the Senju matriarch. All Clan families were present with the villagers behind them with the number of ninjas scattered on top of roofs and trees. I could barely make out the red hair of Kushina hidden behind the mass of black mourning clothes.
Tsunade stood in front of her grandmother's casket, Dan standing a few feet away in silent support.
I watched the procession continue on with blank eyes, my mind trying to sort out a million questions and puzzles.
Life won't quite been the same.
It had been exactly one week since Mito's funeral and here I was, attending another one. This funeral even struck closer to home.
It was Miyabi's.
Kakashi Hatake was born a few weeks premature, and it was not an easy birth. Mom had been present to supervise, as she was heavily pregnant with my siblings. According to her, the stress and exertion from Kakashi arriving early was too much for Miyabi.
Sakumo looked like death on legs as I sat next to him on the couch, his exhausted eyes never leaving the tiny baby in his arms. It was uncanny on how Kakashi inherited his father's colors, but everything was Miyabi, right down to the small beauty mark under his lower lip.
"May I?" I asked softly, stretching my hands out.
Dark eyes slowly slid towards me, holding me in his gaze before Sakumo slowly stretched his arms out towards me. I gingerly took the swaddled infant into my arms, my lips twitching at the unhappy coos from the babe.
I stared down at the tiny week old baby in my arms.
Well, tiny and fussy.
Sakumo watched the two of his eyes exhausted. The widower had taken the death of his Miyabi hard, his beloved dying moments after bringing their son into the world.
"So are you still up for it?" He asked.
I looked up from Kakashi. "What?"
"Being godmother."
Looking down at the tiny face of the future Copy Cat ninja, I smiled softly. "Yeah. I'll be godmother."
The relieved and loving smile my sensei gave me was something I would never forget.
He bowed his head, closing his eyes.
"Thank you."
It was a month later when Mom finally gave birth.
I stared down at the two babies in slightly bewilderment.
"This is starting to get freaky," I declared to my parents.
Tiny Asuka had a headful of wispy brown hair; his eyes squeezed shut as he slept peacefully. Asuma on the other hand, seemed to take after Grandpa just like me. A mop of black hair was barely covered by the blue cap he wore. I was still ready to bet that he didn't have a pair of vibrant green eyes behind those closed eyelids.
I gave Dad a bewildered stare. "Seriously, what is it with you and your genes?"
It didn't take long for shit to hit the fan.
I had been having a hard time alternating from helping Sakumo with my godson, helping Mom care for the twins, and keeping up with any missions that were given to us. Thankfully, there were times were my friends and I could be preteens for a few minutes.
This is where the aforementioned shit hitting the fan comes in.
Kushina wasn't at the dango shop like she promised she would be. The redhead had told us that she was going home to tell her guardians that she was going to be with us for the rest of the day.
She was an hour late.
Minato, Shikaku, Choji, Inoichi and I sat at a table, our eyes all occasionally darting to the entrance whenever we saw a flash of red.
Anxiously tapping my finger against the solid oak, I chewed my bottom lip. Where was she?
A slim and calloused hand gently caught my hand, ceasing the tapping. Looking up, I meet the understanding baby blues of Minato, an anxious look on his face.
Letting out a sigh, I pulled my hand free of Minato's and stood up; drawing my friends' attention to me.
"Ok, I'm done with waiting," I growled. "I'm going over to Kushina's place. You guys coming?"
Nodding, Minato stood up. "I'll come."
Not surprised.
"Guys?" I asked, turning to face the Trio.
Shikaku shook his head. "We'll wait here if Kushina shows up while you're gone. Chances are she got side tracked by something."
"Alright, if we're not back in an hour, go get one our parents," I ordered. "Who ever you can find first, alright?
Shikaku gave me a lazy wave. "You got it."
Sharing a glance with Minato, I turned and began to walk towards the entrance.
"Naegi."
Pausing, I turned to meet the steady gaze of the Nara heir. His face was blank but there was something in his eyes. We stared at each other for a few seconds, not saying anything. Minato glanced between the two of us curiously, his lips pulled down slightly.
Breaking the stare off, Shikaku huffed and closed his eyes.
"Come back in one piece."
It is now 3:45 in the morning as I post this. I am going to bed. Night kids. Sorry for any misspells and etc.