Chapter 25: The Replacement Arm.

The room suddenly grew deathly quiet as if the last words spoken had sucked out all the air from the room in an instant. Shikaku for his part took the news as good as anybody could given the implications of that statement.

"Danzo was behind the attack...are you sure"? Shikaku asked hoping for once in his life that his lifelong friend was somehow wrong on his assessment. However, he knew better than most how unlikely that was and that fact alone terrified him to his core.

"Yes, Lord Hokage I am". Inoichi said knowing just as his friend did how dangerous that fact alone was. It came as no great surprise to any of them when an ANBU soon dropped down from the ceiling before bowing before the Hokage.

"Crow, send word to Jiraiya to keep an ear out on any possible sightings of Danzo. This is a class S mission. Failure is not an option". Shikaku said before the ANBU acknowledged the order and was gone just as quickly as he had come. It was around this time that Inoichi voiced his opinion.

"Given Naruto's recent adventures it is of my opinion that the boy should be taught how best to deal with mind-controlling jutsus. Especially knowing how Danzo operates". Inoichi said placing his arm upon the boy. It was at this time Ashina, who had been temporarily forgotten due to the shocking revelation only seconds before also voiced his own opinion.

"Shouldn't he get his arm looked at by Tsunade? Ashina said making the Hokage nod his head in agreement.

"By all means do so". Shikaku said before he suddenly remembered something. "Oh, Naruto before you go as Hokage I have the authority to give you this. I feel now is as good a time as any to do it". Shikaku said before he placed the small scroll in Naruto's right hand before he at long last called this unplanned meeting to an end.

The next day Naruto found himself sitting in the waiting room waiting for Tsunade to be done fixing up a genin who had somehow tripped over his own feet. He did feel sorry for the boy. Really he did but at the same time he just couldn't help but find it at least a little funny.

"Naruto if you would". Tsunade said as she walked into an empty room and started her examination. All the while Naruto said not a word. His mind raced with what Shikaku had given him the night before. He knew it had to be important otherwise the Hokage wouldn't have said it in such a way. But due to the already late hour, he hadn't had time to open it.

"Naruto this looks like somebody applied a medical jutsu. Who did that"? Tsunade asked as she got herself ready for what she had to do next.

"I did". Naruto replied before Tsunade gave him a sympathetic look.

"You didn't do too bad but it's infected". Tsunade said as she started to disinfect it. Naruto, in turn, couldn't help but wince at the action. Once that was done she wiped it tightly in some medical gauze.

"Naruto you are to come back this time next week. Your arm should be ready by then". Tsunade said as she got up from her chair and discarded her medical gloves. Naruto waited patiently by the door. Once that was done Naruto and Tsunade walked side-by-side to the Uzumaki clan compound. All the while talking about one thing after another.

A week later Naruto found himself once again waiting for Tsunade. However, this time Ino was by his side. She had been ever since she first saw him after the disastrous wave mission. Naruto remembered the event vividly. It had been the day after he had his arm looked at by Tsunade. He was just taking a walk around one of the many parks when Ino called out his name. About as soon as he had turned to face her he was tackled to the ground.

"Naruto-kun I was so worried ". Ino cried out as she hugged the one-armed boy tightly. Naruto taken aback by the girl's actions couldn't help but feel a blush starting to form on his face.

"I'm fine Ino-chan, really I am. Naruto said making Ino look up at him with tearful eyes. Seeing this made the boy feel an unknown emotion. An emotion he had never felt before in his life. But before he could even dwell on it for even a second longer Ino pulled him back to the here and now.

"Naruto I was hoping we could walk together". Ino asked the boy again once she saw she had regained his attention.

"I would be a fool to say no to you Ino". Naruto said making her blush.

"You sly fox you" Ino said before she laid her head on his shoulder. Naruto, in turn, pulled her in closer, after all, it was nearing nighttime and he didn't want her cold. Unbeknownst to them however a masked man soon jumped away to report his findings to his lord.

Tsunade had seen many things in her life but seeing poor Naruto pinned under Ino was just too cute not to make fun of him for.

"Do I hear wedding bells Naruto-kun". Tsunade joked making the boy pout like the child he still was in so many ways.

"What...no stop making fun of me". Naruto said before becoming serious again. "Is it ready"? He asked.

"Yes. it's ready we just need to do a few tests". Tsunade said as Naruto woke Ino and the two entered the room. The arm itself looked indistinguishable from his own aside from the fact that all three knew it was, in fact, a prosthetic.

"Naruto this has a few advantages over an organic arm. For one it has a chakra storage seal so performing high-level jutsus should be easier. Tsunade said as she fastened it to his arm and at once Naruto felt a surge of power.

"Naruto do be careful. It'll take time for your body to adjust to the prosthetic arm. Wait a day or two before performing any jutsus with it". Tsunade said before backing away allowing him to do a few test punches.

"It's a bit stiff". Naruto said once he had done around a dozen. Ino meanwhile stood off to one side happy he was safe and she like Naruto was feeling an unknown emotion. She knew she liked the boy before her but this felt different somehow. It felt more meaningful somehow. So lost in her own thoughts that she failed to notice Naruto wave his left-hand mere inches from her face.

"You ready to go Ino-chan"? Naruto asked. Ino feeling somewhat embarrassed said nothing instead choosing to simply hook her arm around his own. Tsunade could only shake her head at the mere sight.

"Kids will be kids". A voice said from outside the room.

"Ashina-kun I told you I would b..." Tsunade suddenly felt the lips of her boyfriend no lover both of them was already in their 50's.

"You and I know Naruto was the only thing keeping you. Now you and I have a date with some cards". Ashina said before Tsunade hit him upside his head

"You didn't forget the seals this time...did you? Tsunade asked.

"I didn't forget dear". Ashina said before he like Naruto before him left with a woman on his arm.